Another year, another great Nelsonville Music Festival - with great friends and memorable experiences. Here are a few...
This year’s highlights:
MJ Lenderman
Waxahatchee
Candy Rain DJ Collective
Gardner
Two Runner
Esther Rose
Watchhouse
Bonnie “Prince” Billy
Charley Crockett
Black Lips
Ocie Elliott
For the second show on my Washington DC trip, I stopped by DC9 to catch Eliza Edens’ who’s album I had already in my music library. She was opening for Alisa Amador who I also really enjoyed (and added to my music library).
Eliza was every bit as charming and enjoyable as I had hoped. I look forward to seeing both of these artists again!
I’ve been waiting for just the right show to finally see the Goodyear Theater in Akron, and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings was it! I knew it had been awhile since the last time I saw them, 2011 to be exact, which really got me even more excited for this one. Both the quality of the performance - and the still stringent restriction on photos and video - hence the minimal media. Still, this is some top quality performance and musicianship.
"It had been too long since Welch and Rawlings set foot in Northeast Ohio (if setlist.fm can be believed, the last time the pair played in the area was at the Kent Stage in 2011), and the singer/songwriters made up for it by treating the capacity crowd to two hours of tunes spanning the myriad projects they collaborated on over the past three decades.
While their brand of folk and bluegrass-indebted music is deceptively restrained and mild-mannered, the show was engaging from the moment the pair launched into ‘Orphan Girl,’ their voices and guitars (and occasional banjo) melding together as if part of a single organism."
Always happy to see Joe Pug perform, despite being a week night at Akron’s Musica. Bonus points for being on Juneteenth and having the rest of the week off! He’s always the consummate performer on stage.
The real bonus of the night was getting familiar with Dustin Mayle!
I’ve been waiting to Laura Gibson at a concert, after her amazing performance at Nelsonville Music Festival back in 2019. I became a little concerned when I saw the dates scheduled (Columbus / Akron) overlapped a camping trip I had already scheduled. Luckily schedules aligned and I was able to bring a friend along to the Columbus show, on our way camping (thanks Cassie!).
The house and the host were both delightful. Laura brought us all into the den area with only like 8-10 folks in attendance for an incredibly intimate experience (hence no video). Her songwriting, storytelling, and overal presence was designed for a house concert. This one will go down as one of my favorite performances of all time.
The Brother Brothers will draw me in to see them every time. They are such a cool couple guys, having already seen them at Nelsonville Music Festival, and then performing with Courtney Marie Andrews. This time one-upped those experiences by getting to see them in the intimate GAR Hall in Peninsula. A great seat, for a great nighti of music!
Another Spring, another work conference trip - back to San Diego! This time I was able to check out the venerable Casbah music venue, a space that I would say is very equivalent to the Beachland Ballroom in size, vibe, and authenticity. Would definitely go back.
I’d been catching back up with Tyler Ramsey (former lead guitarist of Band of Horses), and fell in love with his most recent album. More subtle and spacious than I’d generally appreciate, but I was drawn in to his great songwriting (and bummed I missed his recent Cleveland visit). Check it out.
Opening was Leslie Stevens. A new-to-me performer, but a great talent. Sporting a little quiver and a slight southern draw in her voice, she echoed Stevie Nicks and Janis Joplin(’s lighter side).
First concert of 2024, first concert in well over a month, and I even traveled to Cincinnati for it! Of course I discovered Noah Reid through is appearance in Schitt’s Creek, but I’ve really enjoyed all three of his albums and figured he’d be deligthful on stage. Of course he was…
View the full album.
The venerable and always lovely and humorous Dar Williams. Seeing her perform at GAR Hall was a true delight, especially getting to experience the new expansion room & bar at the venue.
Brandi Carlile has to be the busiest artist in the business, between supporting many female artists that came before her (Joni Mitchell, Tanya Tucker, etc.), opening for major pop artists (P!nk), all while leading her own headlining tour - at Blossom Music Center nonetheless! Bonus was being able to go with family.
Full Photo Album:
Another delightful Nelsonville Music Festival. Video includes clips by FERD, Geese, Jesse Daniel, Altin Gün, Mama’s Broke, Margo Price, Lido Pimiento, Jay Skaggs, Big Thief.
Full Photo Album:
Cain Park continues to bring in great artists and I couldn’t have been happier to catch Rufus Wainwright there on his Folkocracy album. I’ll also take any chance I can get to see Lucy Wainwright Roche again as well. If only more people could have attended… Gina Chavez opened.
Full Photo Album:
The B-Side is not the place I’d be expecting to catch a Damien Jurado & Chris Pureka show - but I’ll take what I can get! Both venerable artists continue to captivate.
Full Photo Album:
Got to see a comfortably uncomfortable show with the delightful Dorothea Paas in Mahalls Apartment space. Looking forward to catching her again.
After the amazing show the previous night at the Beachland Tavern (The Cactus Blossoms / Two Runner), I was able to catch another good double bill! I’ve seen Joe Pug plenty of times over the years (2009, 2013, and 2018) and I still enjoy his shows and appreciate his vetern status in the business. Check out his amazing guest list of artists he interviews on his The Working Songwriter podcast - it’s a who’s who.
What really moved me to see this show was finally getting to see a solo set from Anna Tivel! I was lucky enough to catch her at GAR Hall with Maya de Vitry back in 2019, and was thrilled to see her again.
I was able to catch The Cactus Blossoms back at one of my first Nelsonville Music Festivals, but this was the first time seeing a dedicated concert - at the perfect perch in the Beachland Tavern.
As good as The Cactus Blossoms were, so was Two Runner who has ramped up as one of my favorite alt-country girl groups out right now. Their album is spectacular.
Dead Horses is one of my favorite folk duos, and I’ve been able to see them perform at some of my favorite local venues (Beachland Tavern, Kent Stage) and I was thrilled to add GAR Hall to the list!
Josh Rouse has been on my bucket list for a long time, and surprisingly I’ve never him live. I wasn’t thrilled that my first time would be at the Music Box Supper Club, but whatever.
