Roots Roadhouse Festival: Photos

Last week I attended the 2019 Roots Roadhouse Festival at The Echo and The Echoplex, and I took a lot of photos. My aunt and uncle had given me a new camera for my birthday, and this was the first time I’d used it. I posted a review of the show, and included a few photos with it, but I wanted to share some more of those shots with you.

Teddy And The Rough Riders

Alice Wallace

Ruby Boots

Sie Sie Benhoff

Dallas Moore

Sam Morrow

Rosie Flores

James Intveld

Amigo The Devil

Doug Kershaw

Dale Watson

Adam Carroll: “I Walked In Them Shoes” (2019) CD Review

Singer and songwriter Adam Carroll has released several albums over the course of the past couple of decades, and in 2016 his songwriting was honored with a tribute album, Highway Prayer: A Tribute To Adam Carroll, which featured artists like James McMurtry and Slaid Cleaves covering his songs. Now Adam Carroll is releasing a new studio album, I Walked In Them Shoes. On this release, Adam Carroll plays guitar, harmonica, harmonium and keys, and is accompanied only by Lloyd Maines on pedal steel, rhythm guitar and slide guitar, so the album is basically voice and guitar. At the beginning of each track, Adam introduces the song, simply stating the song’s title, which is an interesting choice, giving the disc something of the feel of a live album, like he’s performing for us in our own homes and letting us know what he’s going to play next.

The album opens with its title track, “Walked In Them Shoes,” an excellent song which has a friendly and wonderfully uplifting vibe. These days we could all use a bit of optimism, and this song expresses it in lines like “Lord, you know we can make it through/Got to carry the load over the bad times.” Adam Carroll’s voice is perfect for telling stories, and you get the sense he has a lot he could tell. “Well, I’ve come from faith-healers, tramps and bootleggers/It’s a long road, but I’m not afraid to die.” The title track is followed by “Caroline,” which begins with a somewhat darker sound and the line “You said romance is for suckers.” But when that sweet pedal steel comes in, the tone changes, becoming lighter. “Is it all that you can do to see the ending of the day?” There is movement, travel, in these songs, and yet there is a strong feeling of home in the music, like a place you can rest, get cozy, and feel loved. It’s wonderful when a musician can provide that in his or her songs.

“Storms” is a sweet folk song about storms, both actual and metaphorical, mentioning the hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico (“As I lay down to go to sleep, they’re still struggling with that storm”).  Check out these lines: “Thunder wakes me up from another dream/Well now, nothing lasts forever/You’d better hang on to what you’ve got/Seems everybody’s seeing red/Left and right, and getting hot/Well, I can’t hold out much longer/’Cause this weather’s not the norm/I don’t care if you’re a Democrat/If you save me from this storm.” There is a bit of humor to those last lines, but he’s certainly not joking about the weather not being normal. Climate change is the single biggest problem facing us, and we are suffering through an administration that pretends not to believe in it. “Well, one thing I can say for sure is we’re all weathering the storm.”

“Crescent City Angels” features some nice work on harmonica at the beginning. This song has something of a Townes Van Zandt vibe, which of course I appreciate. And how bloody good is this line: “Taking everything we threw away and all we tried to keep.” Yeah, Adam Carroll can write and deliver a fantastic lyric. It’s no wonder that other artists are covering his material. Interestingly, Caroline shows up in the lyrics of this song too. The lines from “This Old Garage” that stand out for me are “Well, she’s all cleaned up now, she’s not what she used to be/When I see her face, I wonder what’s happened to me.”

On “Cordelia,” Adam Carroll makes his brief introduction not before the song, but a couple of seconds into it. I go back and forth on which is the best Shakespeare play, Hamlet or King Lear, but more often these days I’m choosing King Lear. So of course seeing there’s a track called “Cordelia” got me excited about this album. And yes, this song uses imagery and words that make us think of Lear: “I am a king when you are around,” “I am a stranger without a home/And you are a soldier, but you won’t forget me,” and “When you call my name, I know I can’t fool you/Deep in my heart I still wander around.” It is thought that the actor who originally played Cordelia also played the Fool. This is a wonderful song. It’s followed by “My Only Good Shirt,” a kind of funny, delightful folk tune, one of those songs about being a traveling musician. “I’m not ‘Viva Las Vegas,’ but I’m Motel 6 famous/And they’ll always call me by name.”

“The Last Word” is a beautifully sad song of regrets and some wisdom. “Neither you nor I will win/No matter who gets the last word in.” And check out these lines: “There’s this record I have in my head/That I keep dying to replay/Dreamed you were lying down next to me/But when I woke up, you’d gone away/And I tell you it’s a sin/’Cause I really should have said it all back then.” And at the end there is a playful reference to politics in the line “You and I will never yield the Senate floor.”

CD Track List

1. Walked In Them Shoes
2. Caroline
3. Storms
4. Crescent City Angels
5. Iris And The Lonesome Stranger
6. This Old Garage
7. Cordelia
8. My Only Good Shirt
9. The Last Word
10. Night At The Show

I Walked In Them Shoes is scheduled to be released on April 12, 2019.

Charlee Porter: “Ride With Me” (2018) CD Review

Charlee Porter is a talented singer and songwriter based in Stockholm, Sweden, working in the country music realm. In 2008, she released her debut self-titled full-length album, and followed it up with Heartstrings. And then several years passed without a new album. That was until late last year, when Charlee Porter delivered Ride With Me, an EP featuring all original material. Joining her on this release are Per Bergkvist, Per ”Flamman” Westling, Mats ”Gaffa” Karlsson, Jesper Andersson and Fredrik Moberg.

Ride With Me opens with its title track, a gorgeous country song in which she urges us, “Come on, take this ride with me.” Hers is one of those voices that is just perfect for country; it’s beautiful and moving and friendly. “Because we dream of a little bit more in life, you and I.” This song has such a good feel about it, a song with an optimistic, positive sound, and I for one am ready and eager to take this ride with her. Charlee Porter follows that with “Oh Man,” which has a bit of a pop vibe, a full sound, and a really good and varied vocal performance. “It’s like giving in, not giving up.” I also really like that guitar part in the second half of the track.

“Damn You For All The Heartache” features a delicious, classic country sound, and is about a somewhat troubled relationship. Charlee certainly has a voice to make it work perfectly. I love this track. “I’ve been trying hard, hard to fix me/You say, ‘Hey, woman, you ain’t never getting it right.’” The EP then concludes with “On A Porch,” a lively number with a driving rhythm, about sneaking out of a home, out of a relationship. “I’m waiting for the sun to rise/Waiting for the morning light.” Oh, has leaving ever sounded so positive? We know from the sound of this song that she’s going to be all right. And maybe the same will be true for the rest of us. All of us here in the United States are waiting for the sun to rise, for the darkness to end so we can leave a certain horrible man far behind.

CD Track List

1. Ride With Me
2. Oh Man
3. Damn You For All The Heartache
4. On A Porch

Ride With Me was released on November 16, 2018.

Yonder Mountain String Band at Troubadour, 4-5-19 Concert Review

Yonder Mountain String Band performing "Bananas And Blow"

Yonder Mountain String Band is one of the best bands going these days, and that has been true for something like two decades. They are nearing the end of their spring tour, and last night they put on a fantastic show at Troubadour in West Hollywood. I was concerned that traffic might be a problem (even more so than usual), because Troubadour is located right at the edge of Beverly Hills, and that scum Donald Trump was getting together with some other rich racists in that area in order to take their money, causing street closures and general hassle. But as it turned out, though several roads were closed, traffic moved fairly quickly, and I arrived quite early for a good night of music.

After a fun set from Dangermuffin, the opening act from South Carolina, Yonder Mountain String Band took the stage at 9:22 p.m. Ben immediately informed the audience that the band’s name had been changed, and they were now to be known as David Johnston And The Sexy Beasts. He welcomed the crowd to the band’s first show, which then got off to a wonderful start with “Hey Day,” a fun tune. The band wasted no time getting to the jamming. That song ended on some sweet harmonies. Ben then continued the Sexy Beasts line, “We’d like to introduce you to the first of the Sexy Beasts, Jacob Joliff on the mandolin.” Jacob led the group in a nice rendition of King Harvest’s “Dancing In The Moonlight.” That was followed by “The Bolton Stretch.” Before starting that song, Ben mentioned that he once had awesome hair and this song reminds him of it. “The Bolton Stretch” moved at a great fast pace. Adam then led the band in “Landfall,” a song from the band’s Black Sheep album. His guitar lead was particularly wonderful on this one, and the crowd showed its appreciation. This song also featured some fantastic work by Allie on fiddle, which was also cheered by the audience. Dave then sang lead on a cool rendition of “Don’t Worry, Happy Birthday,” a song I love. That was followed by a cover of Tom Petty’s “I Need To Know,” with Jacob on lead vocals.

The band took things up a few notches with “Kentucky Mandolin,” an absolutely delicious jam. Partway into it, Johnny Calamari, the bass player from Dangermuffin, joined Ben on a great bass solo. Two players, one instrument, with them taking turns on it, never missing a note. Very cool, very fluid. That was followed by a good mandolin solo. The band then did a couple of tunes from Elevation, the 1999 debut full-length album: “High On A Hilltop” and “Left Me In A Hole.” “Left Me In A Hole” is still one of my absolute favorite Yonder Mountain String Band songs, and it was great hearing it last night. That was followed by “Nowhere Next,” a seriously cool tune with a good groove and some excellent lyrics, another highlight of the show. Ben then whipped the band through “Troubled Mind,” which flew past at a glorious pace and was a lot of fun. “Short and sweet,” he commented afterward. They eased into a really nice version of “New Dusty Miller,” featuring a nice lead on bass early on. The tune became a groovy, kind of spacey jam, and it was time reach into those outer regions or inner regions, depending on your personal direction. I went inner. This one built until we emerged into “Casualty,” an excellent transition. The set then concluded with a cover of Metallica’s “Fade To Black.” Yeah, Yonder Mountain String Band takes bluegrass into all sorts of unusual places in its choices of covers. This version began as a rather pretty and serious-sounding instrumental, before becoming intense with its dark lyrics.  Ben played electric bass on this one. The song grew to become a wild, loud jam. An interesting choice to end the set.

But of course the show wasn’t over. When the band came back out for the encore, Ben teased: “You liked bluegrass when you walked in the door, but do you still like it now?” Dave then led the band in “Little Lover.” That was followed by a fun rendition of Ween’s “Bananas And Blow,” then Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein.” The show concluded with a delightful version of “My Gal,” which featured mandolin and guitar solos at the beginning. “I’ll see you in the morning if I live (if I live)/I will see you in the morning if I don’t get killed (don’t get killed).” The show ended at 11:33 p.m.

Set List

1. Hey Day
2. Dancing In The Moonlight
3. The Bolton Stretch
4. Landfall
5. Don’t Worry, Happy Birthday
6. I Need To Know
7. Kentucky Mandolin
8. High On A Hilltop
9. Left Me A Hole
10. Nowhere Next
11. Troubled Mind
12. New Dusty Miller >
13. Casualty
14. Fade To Black

Encore

1. Little Lover
2. Bananas And Blow
3. Frankenstein
4. My Gal

Here are a few photos from the show:

Troubadour

"Hey Day"

"The Bolton Stretch"

"Kentucky Mandolin"

"High On A Hilltop"

"Casualty"

"Little Lover"

"Bananas And Blow"

"Frankenstein"

Troubadour is located at 9081 Santa Monica Blvd., in West Hollywood, California.

Gurf Morlix: “Impossible Blue” (2019) CD Review

Gurf Morlix is a singer, a guitarist, a songwriter, and a music producer, based in Austin, Texas. You might know him from his work with Lucinda Williams. Since then, he’s been doing solo work, releasing ten albums in the last couple of decades. His new release, Impossible Blue, contains all original material, excellent and interesting bluesy tunes with some seriously good lyrics. Gurf Morlix plays guitar, bass, keys and percussion on this album. Joining him are Red Young on organ, Rick Richards on drums, and Jaimee Harris on backing vocals.

The album gets off to a good start with “Turpentine,” a cool blues tune (with just a bit of a “Good Morning Little School Girl” vibe, right?). It’s a blues love song, at least at first, with lines like “Your voice is like honey from the hive/And your touch, I swear, it made me come alive.” Oh yes, how great is that? To feel that, or to be told that? But then he says “But your kisses taste a little like turpentine” and she is talking all the time, saying things that “unsettled my mind.” So things aren’t perfect. But that just makes it a more honest song, you know, as sometimes things aren’t all good or all bad. One thing that is certainly all good is that work on organ. “Turpentine” is followed by “2 Hearts Beating In Time,” which features an intimate vocal performance. “There’s a bit more I want to do/Left unfinished, a thing or two/I’m going to duck, but before I do/I just want to breathe beside you.” This somewhat low-key track keeps things simple, letting the vocals drive the song. Then “My Heart Keeps Pounding” has more of a driving rhythm, in the drum beat, but also in the vocal line. The song alludes to a heart attack he suffered a few years ago. “These are forces beyond our control/Implosion, explosion/Starting, stopping, opening and closing.” Life is confusing, fragile and wild, and this song somehow communicates all of it.

“I’m A Ghost” is an interesting song, with an unusual perspective, as you might surmise from its title. It has a cool (and yes, haunting) vibe, with that percussion and that nice work on guitar. A frustrated ghost watches as justice goes awry. “You brought my world crashing down on me/There stands a prisoner who committed no crime/There sits a judge wasting time/I can’t say nothing, I can’t appear/I’m a ghost, and I was never here.” Then “Sliver Of Light” has a more standard blues sound, but some excellent lyrics. These lines in particular stand out: “I might bring a tear or a smile to your face/As we slog our way through the traffic jam of the human race.”

“Bottom Of The Musquash River” is an arresting song about a woman drowning, opening with the line “Yeah, the bottom is down there somewhere,” a line that grabbed me. It’s a powerful song, and part of its power lies in the simplicity of the sound, that steady, sparse rhythm. “Life is twisted by forces unknown/And my love sank like a stone.” This one really got its hooks into me, and is one of my personal favorites. “Now I’m obsessed about the help I couldn’t give her.” That’s followed by “Spinnin’ Planet Blues,” a cool, slow, bluesy tune, and one I bet a lot of folks will be able to relate to. After all, don’t we all have the “Spinnin’ Planet Blues” at this point? We all feel like we’re losing. “I’m an outcast out here on the fringe/My existence is swinging on a rusty hinge/The sad corners of your mouth are all I can see.” As serious as this song feels, at the very end, there is a surprising and playful reference to The Jetsons. Then “I Saw You” portrays a distraught and jealous heart after a breakup. “I saw you yesterday/And you never looked my way/Frozen in time, to my dismay/I saw you yesterday.” You certainly feel for him as he sings, “You didn’t feel me, but all I felt was you.” This is an effective, strong track. The album then concludes with “Backbeat Of The Dispossessed,” another moving track, a kind of eulogy delivered with affection. “Drove as far as you could go/Only stopped when you ran out of road/What you were looking for, you didn’t know/The sky above and the dirt below.” It ends with an odd, unexpected nod to “Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore” (a song that always takes me back to my very early childhood). Lines from “Backbeat Of The Dispossessed” give the album its title: “Can’t imagine the impossible blue/Running deep inside of you.”

CD Track List

1. Turpentine
2. 2 Hearts Beating In Time
3. My Heart Keeps Poundin’
4. I’m A Ghost
5. Sliver Of Light
6. Bottom Of The Musquash River
7. Spinnin’ Planet Blues
8. I Saw You
9. Backbeat Of The Dispossessed 

Impossible Blue was released on February 8, 2019 on Rootball Records.

Eric Bolander: “The Wind” (2019) CD Review

Eric Bolander is a singer and songwriter (and teacher) based in Kentucky. His new release, The Wind, is actually an expanded version of an earlier release from 2017. It features mostly original material, with one interesting cover. The music is in the general folk realm, with a good deal of soul in its delivery. These are emotionally engaging tracks. Joining him on this album are Ben Caldwell on drums and backing vocals, Seth Murphy on cello and bass, Trenton Jenkins on banjo, and John Ferguson on keys and backing vocals, along with a few special guests on certain tracks.

The disc opens with “Closer To That Flame,” which has something of a bluesy folk vibe, but with a steady and prominent beat that puts it more in the rock world. However, the vocals are really what give this track its power. It’s not just those moments when he belts out the lyrics, but when he draws us near with his voice. There is a palpable anxiety to this song, an uncertainty but also a resiliency. That’s followed by the album’s title track, “The Wind,” which has more of a folk sound, with banjo. But while the banjo is usually a cheerful instrument, here it manages to add to this song’s beautifully sad sound.  “Why don’t the wind blow me away/Why don’t the wind blow me down.” And of course I love the cello. This is a moving and completely engaging song, with a southern flavor to its sound. “But I’m here to stay.”

“Oh Lord” has an intimate feel at the start, the acoustic guitar working to pull us in. It is a song of loss and despair, yet of strength, like a cry out to the universe. And that cello is so damn good. “Oh Lord,” by the way, is one of the songs that wasn’t included on the original release. That’s followed by “Fly,” another compelling and beautiful track, with some wonderful vocal work as well as more good stuff on banjo. “I hold the light of my life/I hope that I’ll get it right/Get it right/And let her fly.” This song is about the birth of his daughter, and while I often find that songs written about one’s children are among the weakest of an artist’s work, this particular tune is one of my personal favorites of the album. It features Jeni Bolander on backing vocals. There is a second version of this song, titled “Fly (Ava’s Song),” at the end of the album. This one has a different sound, delivered on piano, and is also truly gorgeous and moving.

The album’s only cover is Prince’s “Purple Rain.” I’ve heard several phenomenal covers of this song over the years. Among the best versions were live performances by Martin Sexton and The Evangenitals. This one is also up there among the best. I like the presence of banjo, giving the song a different vibe. And those strings are gorgeous. Then toward the end we get the addition of a wonderful saxophone part. That’s Matthew Polashek on saxophone. What a great rendition of this beloved song. It’s followed by “The Road,” another strong and moving track. “Time got a hold on me, it won’t let go.”  Then “Maybe I” is an excellent and soulful number, with a wonderful and effective vocal performance, probably the best on the album. “Sure don’t know what I was thinking/When I threw it all away/So many years in the making/Like a damn fool I played/The game is almost over/Hate to see you walk away/I’m on my own path now/I hope to see you again someday.” J. Tom Hnatow adds some good work on pedal steel on this track. This is another of my favorite tracks. Then “Whisper” begins with some nice stuff on acoustic guitar. “Let out a scream for no one to hear/Words fall like the passing rain.” This one kicks in with a force partway through, to become a bluesy southern rock number. That’s followed by “Ghost,” the other song not included on the original version of this album, and another to feature a strong vocal performance. It also features more moving work on cello. “A heavy load upon my mind/Letting go one more time.”

CD Track List

1. Closer To That Flame
2. The Wind
3. Oh Lord
4. Fly
5. Purple Rain
6. The Road
7. Maybe I
8. Whisper
9. Ghost
10. Fly (Ava’s Song)

The Wind was released on March 29, 2019  on Eastwood Records.

Notes From The 2019 Roots Roadhouse Festival

James Intveld, Rosie Flores, Dale Watson

The 2019 Roots Roadhouse Festival, held March 31st at The Echo and Echoplex, featured an excellent lineup of artists. The event page online said, “Celebrate the outlaw country spirit and the cosmic cowboy soul with some of the best performers American roots music has to offer!” And indeed, the lineup included Dale Watson, Doug Kershaw, James Intveld, Sam Morrow and Rosie Flores, among many others. This was an event where you had to pick and choose, for there were three stages set up, with music happening simultaneously on all three. Actually, there were four stages, but the fourth was for square dancing and such, so I didn’t bother with that one. In my experience, those folks get a little nutty if you’re not involved in their very particular dance.

After like fifteen minutes of driving around, I finally found a parking spot only a couple of blocks from The Echo, though it turned out only the musicians were allowed in that entrance. The audience had to enter The Echoplex, which meant crossing Sunset, going down a staircase, and crossing another street. Trying to get a car to stop for you in Los Angeles, even if you’re standing in a crosswalk, is not always an easy endeavor. And trying to get cars in four lanes to stop is damn near impossible. But eventually I made it down to the Echoplex, where the Roadhouse stage was. Each stage had a different name. The Honky Tonk stage was in the Echo, while the Back Porch stage was in the little courtyard behind it. In addition to the stages, there were venders inside, something I hadn’t expected, selling clothing, jewelry, shit-kicking boots, records and even cassettes.

Teddy And The Rough Riders

At 3:24 p.m., the first band of the day took the stage downstairs at the Echoplex. Teddy And The Rough Riders, a band from Nashville, offered some good country rock, with pedal steel and some nice harmonies. Their sound had an overall enjoyable vibe, and the day was off to a good start. When they announced they had a couple of songs left, I went upstairs to the Honky Tonk stage to catch Alice Wallace, arriving just in time for her first song, “The Lonely Talking.” I had seen her perform once before, but that was several years ago. This time Kaitlin Wolfberg joined her on violin. Someday I should make a list of all the artists I’ve seen Kaitlin play with. Actually, it might take less time to make a list of all the artists she hasn’t played with. Alice Wallace delivered a powerful vocal performance. She has a new album out, and her set focused on material from it, including “Santa Ana Winds” and “The Blue.” I was particularly enamored of “The Blue,” which is a sweet song. I went back downstairs to see Ruby Boots, missing just Alice Wallace’s last song (I heard her announce she had one more as I made my way down the stairs).

Alice Wallace

Ruby Boots

Ruby Boots is based in Nashville and told the audience the last time she was in L.A. was last April, basically a year ago. She added, “Fuck winter in Nashville.” “Sometimes love don’t come back around,” Ruby sings in “Easy Way Out.” Ah, but she makes it sound so good, whether it comes back or not. Her set was a little longer than the first couple I caught. In “Don’t Talk About It,” the title track from her recent CD, she sings, “Everything’s changing/But it don’t make much difference now/You don’t hear me complaining.” Certainly no one was complaining at this show. She played a new song (after nearly chickening out), titled “I Think I’m Losing My Mind And I Don’t Care.” After revealing the title, she asked, “Anyone with me on that?” Then she kicked into the song, a cool tune that I was definitely digging. After it, she spotted a coat for sale from one of the vendors, and announced her claim on it. I am assuming the coat she saw was the fur coat I’d been eyeing earlier for my girlfriend. Ruby Boots really rocked, particularly on the last song of her set.

the fake fur coat

Sie Sie Benhoff

Dallas Moore

I made it outside for a bit of Sie Sie Benhoff’s set at the Back Porch stage, and liked her immediately. I was also amused that her other guitarist was sporting a Van Halen T-shirt, but then, hell, the guy suddenly started seriously rocking his guitar, so there you go. What I found wonderful was that Sie Sie Benhoff’s voice was adorable and sweet after that loud, rockin’ jam. That juxtaposition was something the whole crowd totally appreciated. Yeah, the audience seemed a bit rowdier outside. After a few songs I went back inside, with the intention of going straight up to see Sam Morrow (who I had seen open for Henry Wagons once a few years ago), but Dallas Moore on the Roadhouse stage grabbed my attention. He was delivering some fantastic raw country rock, and playing a mean guitar. In his song “Texas Tornado,” he mentions David Allan Coe, and yeah, I was already thinking of him, for Dallas Moore has that same unbridled energy and attitude. This set was a whole lot of fun. As much as I hated to leave before the end of his set, I needed to get upstairs for Sam Morrow. Sam Morrow came on strong, right out of the gate, rocking the room with his first song, and then hardly taking a breath before going right into the next one. It was a half-hour set, after all, no time to waste. He got the crowd grooving, and urged folks to come closer to the stage, which they did. Sam also made mention of the impossibility of seeing every artist at the festival: “Lots of good bands. Thanks for coming and watching us.” Toward the end of the set, Sam did a fun cover of ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man.” And his last tune became a great jam with a funky edge.

Sam Morrow

Rosie Flores

I stayed upstairs, because Rosie Flores was up next and I had never seen her perform. When she came out on stage, she asked, “Is everybody happy?” Then she announced, “I proclaim this happy hour.” Indeed. You know, bands often ask audiences how they’re doing, but with Rosie I believed she really cared about the answer. And when she proclaimed it to be happy hour, she then followed up by ensuring that it was for all those listening. Her set was tremendously fun, and her band included saxophone, which is always appreciated. She kicked her set off with “Simple Case Of The Blues,” the groovy, bluesy title track to her new album, which featured Rosie delivering a nice lead guitar part. Her whole vibe was just adorable and wonderful, and that delightful energy seemed to transfer to the crowd. The instrumental “Teenage Rampage” was particularly fun. After “Love Don’t Love Nobody,” which had a great classic sound, Rosie mentioned that these songs were from her new album. She then dipped more heavily into the blues with her next song, “Mercy Fell Like Rain.” She had the crowd in her hand, even before saying: “I miss all the cute guys in L.A. There are so many of you.” James Intveld joined Rosie on vocals for the country tune “Crying Over You,” and they both were clearly having a lot of fun, and so were we. She asked the crowd what time it was, and several people answered, “6:40,” so precisely. Rosie mentioned that was the time she was supposed to be done, but would do two more songs anyway, and launched into “Drive Drive Drive.” I loved her delivery of the line, “I’m losing control, I might just lose my mind,” which was playful, even a little flirtatious. But she ended her set there, as she was told there wasn’t any more time. I stayed in my spot up front at the Honky Tonk stage, for James Intveld was coming up next.

James Intveld (sporting a classy country jacket) and his band, the Honky Tonk Palominos, delivered some delicious country music, including the pretty “A Woman’s Touch” and a cover of Johnny Paycheck’s “Motel Time Again.” He told the audience he had intended to do “Crying Over You,” but since he just played it with Rosie Flores, he decided to do something else. The crowd at this concert, by the way, was cool, made up of good folks, except the woman who spilled her beer all over the edge of the stage, then walked away without cleaning it up. Good thing I was quick to move my bag. The woman behind me, more in the spirit of the day, handed me her napkin so I could soak up some of the beer. Anyway, James gave us a fun rendition of “Your Lovin’” (a song from his first album), featuring some fantastic work by his electric guitar player, Bob Gothar. But perhaps my favorite song of his set was “This Place Ain’t What It Used To Be.” He concluded his set with a rousing version of “Polk Salad Annie.”

Amigo The Devil

When James Intveld’s set ended, I went downstairs to hear a raw, powerful rendition of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” already in progress, performed by Amigo The Devil (which is one guy, Danny Kiranos). It was incredible. Seriously. When he finished that, he told the crowd he was moving into love songs, and played “Husband,” with the line “Oh, I hope your husband dies.” The song has a truly sweet sound and is hilarious, and the crowd sang along, even before he urged them to: “If you feel like singing along, please do; if you don’t, please change your mind.” He switched to banjo for the next song, and I was delighted and kind of blown away to find that the audience knew all the lyrics to that song too. They even sang part of the song for him at one point. This guy was amazing, a force with a powerful and true voice. He had the audience stomping along, then switched back to guitar for a much more serious and darker song. What a ride he took the crowd on throughout his set. When he announced “Hungover In Jonestown,” some folks in the crowd shouted for joy, and I quickly learned why. This was a delightfully twisted song from a sideshow halfway down the road to hell. “This life is a joke, and death is the punchline.” “Good night!” he shouted at the end of that song. The crowd was hungry for more, demanding “One more song” even as the house music came up. Eventually they gave up, as the equipment on stage began to be changed. But wow. I need to get all of Amigo The Devil’s CDs, and I need to see him again.

Doug Kershaw

His loyal and delirious fans mostly cleared out after his set, and I easily made my way to the front for Doug Kershaw’s set. I had seen Doug Kershaw perform at The Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival, and so knew what kind of treat I was in for. The band supporting him was The Dave & Deke Combo, and they did one song without him to start the set, “I’m Just Too Lazy,” in which they sang, “I’m not tired, I’m just relaxing.” Then Doug came out with his fiddle, and was a delight in his purple and gold sparkly shirt, and shoes with red lobsters on them. The party began with “Diggy Diggy Lo.” The set features some excellent music, with a very loose and improvised feel, along with a great heaping of humor between songs. In fact, a rather goofy and unexpected ending to “Cajun Joe (The Bully Of The Bayou),” led the band to joke that they play every song exactly the same way every show. Before “Why Don’t You Love Me Like You Used To,” Doug Kershaw told the audience that what he learned from Hank Williams was to keep it simple, to tell a story but keep it simple. He didn’t play fiddle on that one. Some folks shouted out requests for “Jambalaya.” “I hear you,” Doug replied. And some guy yelled, “You’re fucking awesome, Doug!” That guy was right. Well, Doug didn’t play “Jambalaya” right then, instead choosing “Love Me To Pieces.” But he did finish his set with that request.

Dale Watson

I remained right where I was for Dale Watson’s set. His band included pedal steel, standup acoustic bass and drums, and they got right into the heart of things with a good country jam. This music made me feel pretty damn good. What more could I ask for? Dale told the crowd, “If you’ve got a request, feel free to keep it to yourself.” I had no requests; I was happy to hear whatever songs he felt like playing, such as “I Can’t Be Satisfied,” which featured a seriously cool bass lead, and “My Baby Makes Me Gravy.” He played some material from his new album, Call Me Lucky, including “Johnny And June,” a sweet and beautiful song performed as a duet with Celine Lee, and featuring some absolutely gorgeous pedal steel work. Celine Lee sang with Dale on several tunes, and sang lead on a Wanda Jackson song. Another of the highlights of his set was “Lie When I Drink,” which got the whole crowd singing along. Then “Exit 109” began with a cool drum solo. At 10:30 p.m., Dale joked about being surprised no one had given him a drink that far into his set, not even a shot or a beer or anything. Well, you know before the end of his next song there were drinks lined up in front of him. Seven shots and two beers, to be exact. That led to a wonderful cover of Merle Haggard’s “The Bottle Let Me Down.” Dale Watson spotted Rosie Flores in the audience, and called her up on stage for a duet of “God May Forgive You (But I Won’t).” By the way, there were a lot of musicians in the audience, not just during Dale Watson’s set, but throughout the day, folks who were on the bill and stayed for the other acts, and folks who weren’t on the bill at all. Anyway, after “God May Forgive You (But I Won’t),” Rosie remained on stage, and James Intveld joined the group for “Crying Over You.” And no one in the audience minded hearing that song a second time. What a wonderful rendition, with vocals by Rosie, James and Dale. That led straight into a reprise of “Lie When I Drink,” which finished the set.

That also finished the night for me. There was one more band, but it was after 11 p.m., and I had to be up at 4:15 the next morning for work. But what a fantastic day of music. The Roots Roadhouse Festival is an annual event, and I am certainly going to try to attend again next year.