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Nashville Fawns Over Fleet Foxes

Blake Boldt — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:04:03 +0000

Seattle-based folk band Fleet Foxes played for its faithful legion ("the best audience ever," they claimed after a third and final standing ovation) Friday night at the sold-out Ryman Auditorium. The evening's expected attire---plaid and skinny jeans for the boys, and ruffled skirts for the girls---included a noteworthy addition: attendees were equipped with umbrellas after a steady rain fell minutes before showtime. Though the weather could've been better, the atmosphere inside the building was warm and friendly. Lead singer Robin Pecknold had little trouble marching through their 90-minute set, offering the heartfelt reflections of a heavy thinker. The scrawny 25-year-old comes off as a considerate, pleasant fellow near surrender to life's difficulties, only to discover the value in his own voice through these sunny melodies. Songs like "Drops in the River" and "Sim Sala Bim" were buoyant and brimming with optimism. But as confident as Pecknold's performance was, he still expressed giddy sense of awe at playing the hallowed venue. His unpretentious, even bashful stage banter had a sweet and magnetic hold on the vociferous crowd. The Fleet Foxes' audience has grown in recent months, with their new album Helplessness Blues debuting at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 upon its release last month. It's an ambitious song cycle that will surely please the ADD listener---zany, unpredictable, but ultimately grounded by its timeless harmonies and universal emotions. The critical hosannahs of their 2008 eponymous debut have seemingly encouraged the band to try even more weird and wacky instrumentation---maracas, tambourines, washboard were all featured prominently---to satisfy their musical muse. This sextet's talent was on full display; from Morgan Henderson (who joined Fleet Foxes in January) on upright bass to Skyler Skjelset on electric guitar, all parts worked seamlessly with these richly evocative songs. As Pecknold's feelings spilled out all over the place, the taut musicianship grounded his poignant musings and gave them added meaning. With the charming harmonies of a church choir, he and his bandmates deftly handled audience favorites “Montezuma" and "Helplessness Blues." Extra cheers came when they segued into "Blue Ridge Mountains," a generous ode to a gentler, simpler time and place. The Cave Singers, another Seattle-bred outfit, performed a crisp 35-minute set that served as a fitting appetizer to the main course. The three-piece band is led by Pete Quirk, whose hearty baritone expressed power and perseverance despite the problems posed in their songs. (All photos by Katie Chow) The Cave Singers Fleet Foxes

Pete Yorn With Ben Kweller At The Wildhorse Saloon, Nashville

Joseph LeMay — Mon, 02 May 2011 19:32:15 +0000

Pete Yorn and Ben Kweller rocked Nashville's Wildhorse Saloon last Tuesday night. Kweller got the crowd pumped with his high-energy solo performance. An elated BK was given an end-of-tour surprise when Pete Yorn’s band joined him for a climactic “Penny On The Train Track.” Yorn wasted no time getting the crowd to their feet and moving. His set was full of gems from his ten successful years as a singer-songwriter. Highlights included a duet with Kweller on "Rock Crowd" from 2010's Pete Yorn, and covers of The Smiths' classic “Panic” and bluesman Junior Kimbrough's "I Feel Good Again." For fans of the two troubadours, it didn’t get much better. Photos by Katie Chow. Ben Kweller Pete Yorn

Photos: Destroyer With The War On Drugs, Mercy Lounge, Nashville, 4/9/11

Katie Chow — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:45:50 +0000

The War On Drugs & Destroyer perform at Mercy Lounge in Nashville, April 9, 2011. All photos by Katie Chow. The War On Drugs. Destroyer.

Shutter: Billy Reid SXSW Shindig

Jamie Younger — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:06:26 +0000

All photos by Jamie Younger. Text by Caine O'Rear

The Billy Reid/K-Swiss SXSW Shindig kicked off the music portion of the festival Wednesday at the Swan Dive, a newly opened venue in Austin that recalls a 1920s speakeasy. It wasn’t long before the venue reached capacity and the room took on the convivial bedlam of the Jazz Age. Keegan Dewitt, a Nashville singer-songwriter who also scored the film Cold Weather (a SXSW selection in 2010), opened the showcase with an energetic set of tunes from his latest EP and 7 inch releases. Madi Diaz (pictured left) joined him for two tunes. The Romany Rye, currently in competition to grace the cover of the Rolling Stone, delivered a set of blistering Southern California roots-rock. Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows is apparently a fan, but he showed up too late (sans Mr. Jones) at the Swan Dive to catch their set. Before launching into her first song, Mayfield tested her vocals by singing the refrain for Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville.” The Swan Dive felt a world away from that wastrel paradise, but no less fun. Apache Relay, the buzz-worthy Nashville band getting ready to release American Nomad, made it clear why they’ve managed to turn so many heads in such a short time. When Hayes Carll, an Austin resident and longtime fave of American Songwriter, played “The Letter” and got to the part in the song about meeting “wild people,” the crowd shouted back: “Wild people!” Caitlin Rose, whose debut album Own Side Now was released just the day before, came as her usual charming, irreverent self. Jason Isbell played a solo set accompanied by Nashville fiddler Amanda Shires. The North Alabama songwriter played “Codeine” and “We’ve Met” from his forthcoming album Here We Rest, along with the southern anthem “Outfit,” one of the best songs in the Drive-By Trucker canon. The Civil Wars, who debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Digital Albums chart with Barton Hollow, provided an intimate, poignant set to close the party.

Photos: The Low Anthem and Emmylou Harris At The Grand Ole Opry

Ben Azevedo — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:12:09 +0000

The Low Anthem performs with Emmylou Harris at The Grand Ole Opry at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on December 11, 2010. All photos by Ben Azevedo.

Grace Potter Rocks The Cannery Ballroom

Evan Schlansky — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:18:03 +0000

Grace Potter and The Nocturnals at The Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN, February 24, 2011. All photos by Dylon Walker. Grace Potter tore things up in Nashville last week, during her first ever sold-out show at the Cannery Ballroom. The fiery singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist led her band through a raucous set that weaved songs from her latest album (Grace Potter And The Nocturnals) with choice covers of My Morning Jacket's "Golden," Heart's "Crazy On You," and Neil Young's "Tonight's The Night," which she expertly intercut with her own "Stop The Bus." There was also an acoustic reading of Gillian Welch's "Elvis Presley Blues" that, no lie, rivaled the original for sheer beauty and raw power.

Photos: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and Tokyo Police Club At Exit/In, Nashville

Katie Chow — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:38:09 +0000

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and Tokyo Police Club live at Exit/In, Nashille on February 5, 2011. All photos by Katie Chow. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Tokyo Police Club

Photos: Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit At The V-Club

Gabe Carroll — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:03:11 +0000

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit at the V-Club in Huntington, West Virginia on January 15, 2011. All photos by Gabe Carroll.

American Songwriter’s Top Photos of 2010

Rachel Briggs — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:33:07 +0000

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As art director at American Songwriter, I've had the privilege of working with some of the best photographers, artists and musicians around. After sifting through so many wonderful photographs that we've showcased this year, these were some of the clear highlights. Many thanks to all the photographers, bands and songwriters that made this year so special for us. -Rachel Briggs This live shot of Yeasayer was featured in our November/December issue and is one of my favorite pics of the year. The band was performing to a sold-out crowd during the Next Big Nashville music festival. Photo by Ben Azevedo. In the whirlwind of Academy Awards week (prior to winning the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in Crazy Heart), Jeff Bridges posed for this shot which would later become the cover image of our March/April 2010 issue. Taken by photographer Dustin Cohen in the back rooms of a New York dive bar, this shoot produced what I consider to be some of the best portraits American Songwriter has ever published. Taken during this year's Jazz Fest in the haze of New Orleans' legendary Preservation Hall, My Morning Jacket joins forces with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band as part of a memorable show. Photo by Laura Brown. Photographer Dylon Walker shot this great photo of The Avett Brothers entering the stage dressed as mummies for their Halloween show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Hayley Williams of Paramore during a September concert in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium. Photo by Ben Azevedo. With her new album's release on the horizon, legendary queen of rockabilly Wanda Jackson sat for a few photos for American Songwriter at Jack White's Third Man Records. The portraits, taken by photographer Jo McCaughey, were featured in our November/December issue.

Photos: Cage The Elephant Invade Nashville

Ben Azevedo — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:18:30 +0000

High-octane rockers Cage The Elephant tore Nashville a new one during their set at Grimey's Basement, where they blazed through their new album, Thank You Happy Birthday, from start to finish. The new LP drops January 11 on Jive. (Photos by Ben Azevedo).