Acoustic Americana Music Guide, June 3 through 10 (and events beyond)

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The Guide needs your support to continue to bring you NEWS, EVENT LISTINGS, and to offer you FREE TICKETS through the coming summer. We can only do that if we are still here! We have CDs and DVDs for you to choose, in return for your support – see the #1 News Feature, below, for what you can do, NOW, to save the Guide.
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Meanwhile, as long as we continue to publish, we will continue to bring you ALL the news and acoustic music events – and free concert and event tickets.
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Here are this week’s News Features – and all the events…
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Tied to the Tracks
ACOUSTIC AMERICANA
MUSIC GUIDE & NEWS
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June 3 through 10 edition (and events beyond, through 2010)
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NEWS FEATURES
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Before we get to all of this week’s news, we need to focus on OUR OWN news, and whether we can continue to do this…
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1) ARTISTS WITH GIGS IN THE GUIDE, & OUR READERS: WE NEED YOUR HELP!
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We enjoy giving-away free tickets to great concerts – as we did in May for the wonderful event at the GRAMMY Museum, “An Evening with Chris Hillman” (who brought as his sideman, Herb Pedersen); and we gave-away tickets last summer for Emmylou Harris, Buddy Miller, Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin, and “Squeezefest,” the L.A. Accordion Festival, and more. AND WE CAN GIVE-AWAY MORE TICKETS, IF WE’RE STILL HERE…
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We like bringing you all the events, every week.
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We like helping artists spread the word about their gigs, and increasing their fan base as more listeners happily discover how good these musicians are.
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But the time it takes to do all that is putting us in the poorhouse. It takes over 30 hours each week to do this, and that amount of time is steadily increasing as the number of venues booking acoustic music performances increases.
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The Guide really, really needs your support (EVERY reader’s support, EVERY artist’s support whose gigs are listed here). We’ve been up-front about it. We need sufficient support from YOU, our readers, and from the artists who benefit from being listed here, for the Guide to continue. Frankly, when the day arrived – May 17 – for the decision to be made, it was a tough call NOT to end eight years of publication at the end of May. For now, we’ve committed to continue publishing the Guide THROUGH THE MONTH OF JUNE.
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Right now, the Guide is only safe through June, because – in spite of the massive amount of email we get with all these gig announcements – we have received far too little tangible support from most of you. The artists among you tell us we are important in getting the word out there about your shows. Readers – artists and fans alike – tell us that you love the Guide and you plan your evenings and weekends by using it. Everyone tells us they learn about venues they hadn’t discovered – both to go listen AND to seek bookings to perform – because they’re in the Guide.
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We really, really, need to hear from YOU, now, or the Guide will shut-down. Finis. Kaput. Fade to black. Sweep the floor and out the door. If that happens, we will concentrate on radio (good for a few whose music gets played, bad for everyone else, whose gigs and recorded music will go unnoticed in the absence of the Guide). And yes, doing the Guide is how WE keep track of all these artists and shows so we can write about them, as well as making everyone else aware of who-plays-what, where.
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Our sincere thanks to everyone who HAS sent-in $25 in return for 3 CDs of their choice, or the concert DVD + 1 CD of their choice. But we need to hear from many more people. We need to hear from YOU. Your $25 goes to support the Guide, and you’ll have CDs to enjoy – whether or not we receive enough support from your fellow readers to enable us to keep doing this.
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Yes, we still DO have CDs and DVDs for you to choose, in return for your support! YOU are why we spend so much time each and every week compiling and crafting the unique source that IS The Guide, with its national and global news of festivals, artists’ events, music conferences, and THE most comprehensive source for live acoustic music performances in the Los Angeles region.
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SEND US a check for $25, AND RIGHT AWAY, email us to say you’ve done that, with the subject of “GUIDE THANK YOU.” Send the email to tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com. In that email, or another one with the same title, tell us you want the DVD + CD of your choice, or what 3 CDs of your choice that you want, in return for your support. (Remember to include your snail-mail address.) The catalogue of what’s available is at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/support-guide-and-get-some-great-dvds.html
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Write your check for $25, made-out to “Tied to the Tracks,” and mail it to:
Tied to the Tracks
PO Box 5427
Pasadena CA 91117-5427
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Meanwhile, we are only committing to continue through June, unless we receive sufficient support from YOU, our readers and the artist community. As long as we do this, we will continue to invite artists to tell us about their acoustic gigs – hopefully with all the info, like where and when and what time and who else is in the lineup and an interesting fact or two – and to please send it in our format (which almost no one does, costing us much time to rewrite so we can share the news of their gigs).
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As long as we continue to publish, we will continue to bring you ALL the news and the most complete and thorough Guide to acoustic music events, PLUS ticket give-aways for GREAT shows!
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PLEASE NOTE the operative words here – “as long as we continue to publish” – it’s really up to you whether that continues to happen beyond the end of June!
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2) A WEEK’S WORTH: CONCERTS, FESTIVALS, FREEBIES
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As always on our rich musical landscape, there’s a whole lot happening and much from which to choose. Along with everything else that’s in the Guide, here are a few things we think deserve special mention:
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>>> a) FREE EVENTS / NO COVER SHOWS THIS WEEK…
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Thursday, June 3:
6-9 pm “SAN PEDRO’S FIRST THURSDAY ARTWALK” has open galleries and live entertainment on 4th through 8th Streets, between Pacific and Beacon, in downtown San Pedro 90731. Free.
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Thursday, June 3:
7-10 pm “POCKET GOLDBERG & FRIENDS SONGWRITER SHOWCASE” with this week’s guest artists RICK CUNHA (Jennifer Warnes, Smothers Bros, Ian Matthews, Mother’s Boys), plus MARK ISLAM (Harley Smith, and host of “Grassroots Acoustica” charity series), at Arnie’s Café in Tujunga. Venue has Italian dinners, coffeehouse treats.
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Friday, June 4:
5:30-10 pm “MONROVIA FAMILY FESTIVAL” along Myrtle Av, in old downtown Monrovia. It’s year-round and weekly, a street festival and farmers market, that’s been running 17 years. KATTYWOMPUS STRING BAND plays 8-10 pm at 412 S Myrtle Av. RON ELY does authentic and original maritime songs most weeks, usually at Myrtle Av & Colorado or Myrtle Av and Lemon Av, on the North end of the festival. There’s lots of other music throughout old town Monrovia, several acoustic performers each week – singer-songwriters, duos or bands – plus specialty vendors, lots of food, and local merchants. Event is large during the summer when it includes a carnival (rock climbing wall, balloon man, bubble man, petting zoo, pony rides, etc.) Myrtle Av exit, N of 210 Fwy, free parking, free event.
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Friday, June 4:
Monthly “ART WALK” is 5:30-9 pm in Claremont, with live music, including RON ELY doiing sea chanteys and classic and original folk music; event runs between Yale & Harvard on 2nd St, in Claremont, 91711. Art Displays, shops, numerous restaurants, and live music on the sidewalks, all along the way. Ron is at Yale Av & Bonita.
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Friday, June 4:
8-10 pm monthly “FIRST FRIDAY” show with one or more recording artist guests, hosted by SEVERIN BROWNE at Kulak’s Woodshed in North Hollywood. No cover, but donations to venue are expected.
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>>> b) A “DON’T-OVERLOOK-THIS” MID-WEEK SHOW; GET TIX…
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Thursday, June 3:
SHAKEDOWN MAMBO & BUDDY ZAPATA Y EL TRIO FRIO take the stage at 8 pm, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena. Buddy Zapata is superbly talented and he’s performed with top acts, including in live ensembles on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” where his original song “Boat Ride” earned a Listener Favorite.
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>>> c) WEEKEND FESTIVALS…
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If you’re up for headin’ South, on Saturday, June 5, 10:30 am-5:30 pm, is the annual “SAM HINTON FOLK FESTIVAL” with KEN GRAYDON, JOE RATHBURN, BROOKE MACKINTOSH & SVEN-ERIK SEAHOLM, GREGORY PAGE, ALLEN SINGER & DANE TERRY, MARK JACKSON, PATTY HALL, TRAILS & RAILS, and more, in Old Poway Park, Poway (San Diego area). See Saturday’s “BEST OUT-OF-TOWN EVENTS.” More at www.sdfolkheritage.org.
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In addition, Saturday, June 5, at noon, brings another installment of a pseudo-festival, as the “WEST COAST ROCKABILLY SHOWDOWN” competition continues at the 41st annual Orange County Market Place, at the O.C. Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa; www.ocmarketplace.com.
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>>> d) FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY EVENTS…
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DAN CRARY – “A MAN OF STEEL (STRINGS, THAT IS)” is in town for three shows that span the area and the weekend, Friday evening, June 4, at 7 pm at World of Strings in Long Beach, Saturday night, June 5, at 8 pm at the CTMS Folk Music Center in Encino, and Sunday afternoon, June 6, for a 2 pm matinee at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena. Great show. (See the Guide’s listings for plenty of details.)
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Friday, June 4:
WHISKEY CHIMP plays the Santa Paula Theater Center in Santa Paula at 7:30 pm; 805-525-4645; www.santapaulatheatercenter.org/whiskey-chimp.html.
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Friday, June 4:
Violin & guitar duo MORWENNA LASKO & JAY PUN play at 8 pm, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena; reservations 626-689-4144; info www.coffeegallery.com. They’re both graduates of Berklee College of Music and they’ve shared shows with DAROL ANGER & THE REPUBLIC OF STRINGS, THE AVETT BROTHERS, BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES, TOUBAB KREWE, THE DUHKS, RALPH STANLEY, and many more. They’ve played many festivals and top venues, and they’re described as “beyond eclectic, mixing world, jazz, folk, funk and more.” The duo just released their new album, “Chioggia Beat” featuring their signature sound, full band style, and some special guests including world artist PIERRE BENSUSAN, and RASHAWN ROSS of DAVE MATTHEWS BAND. See the Guide’s feature write-up for more.
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Saturday, June 5:
KEN O’MALLEY returns at 7 pm, with authentic and original Irish songs for a solo show at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena. Expect him to share a few tales of his recent trip home to Ireland.
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Saturday, June 5:
ROBBY LONGLEY plus the NATHAN McEUEN BAND play a stellar double-bill at Boulevard Music in Culver City, 8 pm; mandolin wunderkind SCOTT GATES is a member of Nathan’s band.
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Saturday, June 5:
Kerrville Folk Festival “New Folk Award” 2009 winner ERNEST TROOST brings his monthly “JUKE JOINT GANG” show, 8-10 pm, at the venue named in FolkWorks as co-winner for “Best Free (no cover) Acoustic Music Venue,” The Talking Stick in Venice; 310-450-6052; www.thetalkingstick.net. (This monthly event is specifically cited as a reason for the venue’s 2008 co-win in FolkWorks.) It’s an evening of fine acoustic roots music, with four acts, each playing a 30-min set. No cover.
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Saturday, June 5:
CUCHATA plus LA SANTA CECILIA perform the “Spring Finale” concluding the venue’s eight-concert contemporary Latin American Roots Music Series, “RITMOS LATINOS en VIVO/LIVE!” at 8 pm, at the Grand Annex in San Pedro; 310-833-4813; www.grandvision.org. Note that this one is a plugged-in electric show.
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Sunday, June 6:
PAT DONOHUE (“A Prairie Home Companion” guitarist-songwriter) performs at 7 pm, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena. It’s a RARE solo show, ‘purt near unique on the West Coast, and Pat tries to do this once a year at the venue.
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Sunday, June 6:
“THE GRAND OLE ECHO” country & roots series brings a full lineup, 5-9 pm, every Sunday through the spring & summer, to The Echo in Echo Park 90026; www.myspace.com/thegrandoleecho. Several acts are on the main stage indoors, plus more live music on the unamplified and truly acoustic Back Porch Stage, where there’s a BBQ available. Venue has a full bar. All ages, no cover.
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Sunday, June 6:
“LAWRENCE LEBO’S SUNDAY NITE LIVE” is to the west, 8-11 pm, as the outstanding blues & jazz woman does her Sunday night weekly residency and artist “pro showcase” with invited artists sitting-in, at Milano’s Café in Tarzana.
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>>> e) POST-WEEKEND…
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Monday, June 7:
“WILL RYAN & THE CACTUS COUNTY RIVERBOAT SHOW: LET’S GET ON BOARD THE SHOWBOAT” floats into the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena on Monday, June 7, at 8 pm. Seriously, this group – otherwise known as Will Ryan & the Cactus County Cowboys – always delivers a fine show. Featuring show biz legend JOHN REYNOLDS and 17-year-old wunderkind CHLOE FEORANZANO, this band is one of the very best unknown acts in L.A. See the feature write-up in the Guide.
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Monday, June 7:
“RONNIE MACK’S BARN DANCE” is the place to go if ya need to git yer giddyup workin’, Monday, June 7, from 8 pm-1 am. It’s the monthly shebang with a full lineup of guest performers and THE BARNDANCE BAND. It moved to Mondays a few months ago and is now at Joe’s Great American Bar & Grill in Burbank (the former Crazy Jack’s, the venue where it started many moons ago); series info, www.myspace.com/421889964.
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Tuesday, June 8:
“JIM CURRY’S TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF JOHN DENVER” returns Tuesday, June 8, at 8 pm, to the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena. Jim voiced John Denver’s singing in the biopic. This is a fine act, not a cheesy tribute. He just performed Friday & Saturday, June 4 & 5, in Phoenix, Arizona, with the Phoenix Symphony. (No word yet on whether Jim had to show his papers…)
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Wednesday, June 9:
LOAFER’S GLORY (sometimes called “GRINGOS”) – the all-star band of HERB PEDERSEN, TOM & PATRICK SAUBER, & BILL BRYSON –might be playing their new bluegrass residency on Wednesday, June 9, at 8 pm, at Viva Fresh Cantina (aka Viva Cantina, next to L.A. Equestrian Center) in Burbank. CHRIS HILLMAN has even been known to sit-in. But any or all of ‘em may be on the road, and even the venue doesn’t know until the day before if they’re performing; 818-845-2425 or 818-515-4444.
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Wednesday, June 9:
SUSAN JAMES performs on two Wednesdays, June 9, and June 23, at 9 pm, with her all-star band at the Cinema Bar in Culver City. Venue is 21+. No cover, bring $ for the tip jar. Susan says it’s “a little ‘non-residency’ at the Cinema Bar to run through all the songs from my upcoming album, to be released the end of the year. Shows will start about 9 pm each night. I’ll be playing two sets of songs, with my full band, which consists of PAUL LACQUES (I See Hawks in L.A.), JASON CHESNEY (Old Californio), SHAWN NOURSE (I See Hawks in L.A.), and of course me, SUSAN JAMES.” More at www.susanjamesmusic.com and www.myspace.com/susanjamesmusic
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And of course, the current edition of the Guide has MANY more events for you to discover.
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3) ANOTHER L.A. OPEN MIC GOES GLOBAL WITH WEB SIMULCAST
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Sundays, from 7:30-10 pm, is the “SUNDAY NIGHT SONG & VARIETY SHOWCASE,” the new OPEN MIC, sometimes with a FEATURED ARTIST SHOWCASE, every week on The Coffee Gallery FRONT STAGE in Altadena. The night began a few months ago, hosted by longtime show biz pro DUANE THORIN. Front Stage? Don’t worry, nothing has happened to threaten the featured shows booked by impresario BOB STANE in the world-famous Coffee Gallery BACKSTAGE. In fact, when the Backstage show takes its intermission, its patrons and musicians have been adding to the attentive audience for the Front Stage.
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It has quickly gained momentum as a no-cover night, drawing a good cross-section of talented and accomplished musicians, and, as with any open mic, a few not-ready-for-prime-time players. But it’s not the painful experience found at some open mics. Duane knows lots of people, and many musicians who spend months touring and performing are dropping-by to share a few songs.
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Duane says he expects additional evenings, not just Sundays, will be webcast live from the Front Stage. He adds, “We’re becoming quite a cultural mecca up here in Altadena, with the Backstage hosting big name acts, the Coffee Gallery’s rotating art gallery exhibitions, an expanded menu of food and drinks, and now our well-attended front stage is getting good support from some of L.A.’s best songwriters. Together, we’re creating a whole scene.” Indeed, the Coffee Gallery Backstage continues to be the venue named every year in FolkWorks “Top 10 / Best of the Year” as “L.A.’s best intimate acoustic listening room venue.”
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The Front Stage webcast is just a single-camera presentation, not a big time five-camera production like that streamed by Kulak’s Woodshed (at www.kulakswoodshed.com) of ALL its shows from its Valley Village/North Hollywood location. But, more is planned. Duane says, “We will be getting much more sophisticated with that soon. Two cameras, boom mics, new stage, special headline acts.”
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Already, when it comes to offering live web streams of acoustic performances, the Woodshed now has company in Altadena. So, Southern California musicians’ live performances – and those visiting and performing in two local venues – are receiving worldwide exposure.
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Even the first webcast from the Front Stage brought enthusiastic email from viewers in Chile. And a Memorial Day show was a fund-raiser to construct a real stage for the Front Stage; it already has sound reinforcement, multiple mics and DIs, a decent mix board, and lighting. By the time you read this, the webcasts may not be limited to Sunday nights.
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The Coffee Gallery, with its famous Backstage and new Front Stage, are both located at 2029 N. Lake Ave. in Altadena; reservations for Backstage shows, 626-689-4144; venue phone (to talk to harried barristas) is 626-398-7917; info www.coffeegallery.com. You can catch the Coffee Gallery Front Stage webcasts live – or archived – at www.ustream.tv/channel/the-coffee-gallery-community-front-stage
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4) WE ALL KNOW AMERICANA, BUT HOW ABOUT CANADIANA?
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We’ve had the pleasure of hosting live performance-interviews with some top Canadian musicians on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” including Red House Recording artists DAVID FRANCEY (a multiple JUNO winner), LYNN MILES (JUNO winner), and THE BILLS (multiple JUNO winners), plus, from other labels, BEYOND THE PALE and THE BUCCANEERS. And we’ve interviewed Canuck artists for years for various print publications. Along the way, we’ve presented features on Quebecois and Cape Breton music, Canadian maritime music, and more. But, just as bluegrass and delta blues are part of Americana, and Americana music contains much more than those genres, the same is true of Canadiana music.
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Like Americana, Canadiana – as defined by Six Shooter Records, a Toronto-based label with over 30 albums in its catalog – is roots music. “But,” they add, “Canadiana is the wild north of roots music. North of the border, ‘roots’ has as much to do with community, isolation, pride and a healthy dose of characteristic self-deprecation as it does with musical heritage and influence.”
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One of Six Shooter’s recent releases is LUKE DOUCET’s “Blood’s Too Rich,” which features the accomplished Canadian musician and his band THE WHITE FALCON (named after Luke’s flashy Gretsch guitar of the same name).
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Listen to one of the album’s tracks, “First Day (In The New Hometown).” You can hear it free at http://bit.ly/ldfirstday. It’s a song that embodies Canadiana: roots and rock, inspired by Canadian heritage. The song is about Luke’s move to a decidedly unfamiliar new home, a Dixie tenement in an “unfamiliar place.” He sings, “Walk these dusty streets in search of Bluejays in a southern sky” and “I wonder if the north wind is in my clothes,” as he remembers his home and roots. (Thanks to Shore Fire media for the free song link and permission to post it for you.)
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More on LUKE DOUCET at http://myspace.com/lukedoucet
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Six Shooter is making a statement as a leader in Canadiana music. They hosted a “This Is Canadiana” contest, with the winner receiving a roundtrip flight, hotel accommodations and badges to the “NXNE (North by Northeast) MUSIC FESTIVAL” held this month (June 17-20) in Toronto. More info at http://sixshooterrecords.com/six_site/Canadiana
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5) REVIEW: MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND FESTIVALS DELIVERED FUN & MUSIC
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Where else can you attend multiple festivals, all first-rate, all within a couple hours’ travel, the same weekend? We opted for the 21st annual SIMI CAJUN CREOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL in Simi Valley on Saturday, and TOPANGA DAYS COUNTRY FAIR in the heart of Topanga Canyon on Sunday. (Last year’s rounds were more ambitious, when we spent a day at each of those events, plus a day at the annual SCOTS FEST at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.)
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CAJUN CREOLE and TOPANGA DAYS present a study in contrasts, with very different approaches, and their own enthusiastic devotees.
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The Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise produces the annual SIMI CAJUN CREOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL as a fundraiser for a number of local charities and community nonprofits. The annual TOPANGA DAYS is produced as a fundraiser for the Topanga Community House’s offerings of programs throughout the year. Both festivals have excellent sound, physically separate their stages, and avoid the annoying cross-talk that seems to plague other festivals. Both have good food and interesting merch vendors. Both are well produced. But the similarities end there.
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You can ride Amtrak to Cajun Creole. The train station is just across the street from the festival. You need a car to get to Topanga – they don’t even have transit bus service in the canyon, for the festival or otherwise. Cajun Creole’s parking and shuttles are easy, free and efficient. Topanga’s parking is free but challenging, and they thankfully offer shuttles to avoid a steep trudge up the hill to the site – and save a probably long walk from catch-as-catch-can roadside parking that can get you ticketed if you aren’t careful.
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If you’ve attended CAJUN CREOLE in the past but missed it this year, you’ll be happily surprised to know it now includes “A Blues Infusion,” the moniker given to its second full-feature stage, hosting some mighty fine blues acts. The Blues Stage is on par with the Cajun Creole (primarily zydeco) Stage, minus the latter’s large wooden dance floor. If you recall the little outpost of a second stage from years past, this is a quantum leap.
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CAJUN CREOLE has amusement-park-style gator and crawfish characters strolling (and dancing) for photo ops with the kids. It’s a slick event, with classy painted signage, and an exceptionally intelligent site layout. A tent canopy, suspended up high, covers the central audience areas and dance floor, and shade cloth protects large table-and-chair seating areas on both sides of the Cajun Stage and one side of the Blues Stage. A VIP beer garden / seating area for major festival sponsors on the opposite side of the blues stage effectively provides an intimate and special atmosphere. On both stages, the acts were first-rate, with many from Louisiana.
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First thing Saturday morning, we were pleased to find the Blues Stage as a major presence, and pleased again to find it hosted by none other than BUBBA JACKSON, the weekday host of KJAZZ 88.1 FM’s morning show. He was a colleague when his blues show and “Tied to the Tracks” were both on KCSN in Los Angeles, and he graciously gave a shout-out to editor and TttT host Larry Wines, and to another radio host attending from out of state. We saw first-rate blues, mostly electric, in parts of the sets from THE INSOMNIACS, LOS FABULOCOS featuring KID RAMOS, ARTHUR ADAMS BAND, HOLLYWOOD BLUE FLAMES, JACKIE PAYNE-STEVE EDMONSON BAND, and THE SOUL OF JOHN BLACK. Sunday would bring the KIRK FLETCHER BAND, LYNWOOD SLIM / IGOR PRADO, MIKE ZITO, CANDYE KANE with BOB CORRITONE, ELVIN BISHOP, and THE MANNISH BOYS.
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On Saturday, the Cajun Stage – where we spent most of our time, soaking-up great accordion, fiddle, and rub board – featured THEO & THE ZYDECO PATROL, T-LOU & THE SUPER HOT ZYDECO BAND, L.A.-based GRAMMY nominee LISA HALEY & THE ZYDEKATS, CEDRIC WATSON & BIJOU CREOLE, and the nationally-touring acclaimed Louisiana band THE PINE LEAF BOYS. We always find Lisa Haley to be dynamite on stage, and we especially enjoyed the Pine Leaf Boys set. Sunday, when we weren’t there, the lineup included ACADIANA, Southern Cal-based faves BONNE MUSIQUE ZYDECO, more from CEDRIC WATSON & BIJOU CREOLE and LISA HALEY & THE ZYDEKATS, and the closing set from reigning Louisiana-based Cajun-zydeco princess ROSIE LEDET.
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Beyond the music and the fun everyone was clearly having, the festival’s production values are high. Very high. The Rotary Club converts Rancho Santa Susana Community Park into a scene worthy of Disneyland. Everything gleams. Many potted plants are arranged into tasteful landscaping. Plentiful tables and chairs are adjacent to the food vendors. Shade is easy to find, beneath shade cloth and trees. Ice chests (no alcohol) are allowed, and some festival-goers bring their own massive quantities of crawfish and shrimp and fried chicken and red beans and rice and hush puppies. Beer and plenty of New Orleans-style cuisine are available from the food vendors. Ubiquitous but passive security enables beer to be available and carried throughout the site, and a happy atmosphere prevails among dancers and music fans and folks on their way to becoming fans of the music.
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TOPANGA DAYS COUNTRY FAIR presents plenty of contrasts. It’s a good time, to be sure. But, where the Simi Valley event has production values that are high, Topanga has lots of people who are high. Some of them, very high. Oh, it’s copacetic enough. Mellow. And it isn’t just the beer that’s available from vendors. Where Simi Cajun is slick, Topanga is bohemian, with psychedelic posters and tie-dyes, long flowing cotton skirts and ubiquitous peace signs, and plenty of young people wearing wild headgear or not wearing much at all. Where Simi Cajun gives you a nice pocket-size printed program, at Topanga, you’re on your own to guess who is performing, where and when. While Cajun dancing is participatory in Simi, the celebrated dancing in Topanga is the spectator sport of watching and cheering the beautiful and beautifully costumed belly dancers from MELANIE KAREEM’s professional troupe (they get something like $1200 to do corporate events) and a wildly popular show by the costumed students from her belly dance school.
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TOPANGA DAYS is the only local music festival that runs all three days of Memorial Day Weekend, each day from 10 am-7 pm. It features three stages in and on the Topanga Community House & Fair Grounds, and food vendors that cater to vegans and health food tastes. Of course there’s lots of music each day, and Sunday we caught main stage sets by Kerrville Folk Fest headliner and two-time “Tied to the Tracks” radio guest AMILIA K. SPICER (joined by John McEuen sideman/former Austin Lounge Lizard MATT CARTSONIS), followed by classic bluesman ARTWORK JAMAL who pleased the crowd mightily. A good walk away, over and down the ridge, is the Underground Stage, established last year for roots music acts; this year, it was in the hands of young people who booked mostly nouveau rock acts.
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The Community House’s indoor stage had quite a variety of shows, none better than the PORCH GIRLS, who we enjoyed at last year’s festival. They now have a very different lineup, including talented guitarist-vocalist DINA FRABONI and the newest member, fiddler-vocalist extraordinaire ELIZA JANE SCHNEIDER. (Eliza is a nationally-touring musician; and she’s a voice actor who does most of the character voices for TV’s “South Park” and tours an award-winning one-woman stage show wherein she voices over 20 colorful people she’s met in her travels. Eliza, her music, and her choice of attire were all knockouts.) Happily, the PORCH GIRLS have broadened their repertoire of pre-Folk Revival, classic roots folk – songs like “The Banks of Ponchartrain,” and “Wild Mountain Thyme” – while retaining the essence of their chosen genre and their marvelous harmonies. We’ll be on the lookout for them, and you should be, too.
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ZIGGY MARLEY was Sunday afternoon’s closer, packing the field in front of the main stage – as well as the waiting lines outside the gate to catch the shuttle buses down the hill. The sheriffs closed the entrance gate when the crowd became too tightly jammed-in, yet many others were streaming out the gates. Clearly, those who wanted to see Ziggy Marley were his people, and really wanted to see him, while others who came for other artists or other reasons simply had no interest in his music.
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We caught part of Ziggy’s set, then made our way through the billowing clouds of gonjah smoke, out, around and up the hill to find a full house at the indoor stage enjoying nationally-touring local band CITY FRITTER, two-time “Tied to the Tracks” radio show performing guests.
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And of course we made it a point to catch the two Sunday shows by the belly dancers.
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We missed the previous day’s headliners, CANNED HEAT and MARIA McKEE, and L.A.-based guitar wizard TONY GILKYSON. Somewhere during the three days, there were sets by KILLING CASSANOVA, THE MARIETTA JAMES, and others.
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TOPANGA DAYS has its hardcore devotees, as do the other two local Memorial Day weekend festivals, Scots Fest and Simi Cajun Creole. Those who attend either (or both) other festivals, each a two-day affair, should add Memorial Day Monday at Topanga to their rounds next year. It’s an “only-in-California” experience.
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RECENT NEWS FEATURES:
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May 28 edition’s News Features are available at:
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/05/acoustic-americana-music-guide-may-28.html
The topics are:
1) ARTISTS WITH GIGS IN THE GUIDE, & OUR READERS: WE NEED YOUR HELP!
2) MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND’S FESTIVALS!
3) TIPPY CANOE & HER UKULELE HIT L.A. THIS WEEKEND
4) CONDUCTED BY MAESTRO… DARTH VADER-!? (including a review of the ACOUSTIC COURTYARD at the annual ROSE CITY ROCKS MUSIC FESTIVAL)
5) “CITY OF DREAMS” ARTISTS DO TENNESSEE FLOOD RELIEF VIDEO
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May 21 edition’s News Features are available at:
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/05/acoustic-americana-music-guide-may-21.html
The topics are:
1) TO THE ARTISTS WHO APPEAR IN THE GUIDE, & TO ALL OUR READERS
2) CHRIS HILLMAN & HERB PEDERSEN WERE SPLENDID AT GRAMMY MUSEUM
3) FESTIVALS! FOR ALL ACOUSTIC TASTES, NEXT TWO WEEKENDS
4) R.I.P., LEE THOMPSON
5) “NATIONAL TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THE PARK AND LEAVE THEM DAY”
6) WHO ARE THESE KIPKALYA’S, AND WHY DO THEY PREY ON ARTISTS?
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May 15 edition’s News Features are available at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/05/acoustic-americana-music-guide-may-15.html
The topics are:
1) WIN TIX FROM THE GUIDE: CHRIS HILLMAN AT GRAMMY MUSEUM, MAY 20!
2) 50th ANNUAL TOPANGA BANJO FIDDLE CONTEST & FOLK FESTIVAL
3) “5th EVER” ANNUAL “LOS ANGELES OLD TIME SOCIAL” IS MAY 13-15
4) GRAMMY MUSEUM HAS TOP-NOTCH EVENTS THIS MONTH
5) SAN BERNARDINO’S 2010 BICENTENNIAL PARADE
6) FINAL EDITION LOOMS, ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC GUIDE
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May 7 edition’s News Features are available at
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/05/final-edition-looms-acoustic-americana.html
The topics are:
1) DYLANFEST REACHES ITS 20th ANNIVERSARY WITH MAY 8 EVENT
2) UKE NEWS
3) LAWIM COMPILATION CD BENEFITS HAITI AT MAY 12 EVENT
4) NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE GETS $35,000 NEA GRANT, READIES FOR FESTIVAL
5) SANTA CLARITA COWBOY FESTIVAL IS A MODEL EVENT
6) HEALTH CARE BATTLE CONTINUES, WITH NEW TRACY NEWMAN SONG
7) AUSSIE ACOUSTIC ARTIST DOES WORLD TOUR, WITH LOTS OF RADIO
8) LAST CHANCE TO SAVE THE GUIDE
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The latest edition of the Acoustic Americana Music Guide is available at www.acousticmusic.net or at
www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com or by links from the News-only edition at www.nodepression.com/profile/TiedtotheTracks
or by following any of many links on the web to get to one of those sites.
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Entire contents copyright (c) © 2010, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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