I thought I’d add this one to the video mix after re-visiting it earlier this morning while searching through YouTube for a Paul Curreri tune to be included in today’s Kelly Joe Phelps / Paul Curreri post.  Ultimately, I just felt that this one is just too damn good to pass up and that if you haven’t seen it, you should check it out.

In case you missed it, Devon Sproule performed on the BBC music TV show Later…with Jools Holland back on February 29, 2008 (that show also included performances by The Kills and Supergrass).  Devon performed two songs for the program, a beautiful and delicate version of “Stop By Anytime” as well as this smoking rendition of “Old Virginia Block”.  Both live performances also featuring husband Paul Curreri accompanying Devon on guitar (he also adds vocals on this video performance as well).

Devon’s most recent album Keep Your Silver Shined (Waterbug) was released in March of last year (and includes recordings of the two songs listed above).  And just a heads up to all her fans:  A new album is in the works!

Popularity: 10% [?]

If you happen to be a fan of the intimacy as well the intricacy of a song then tonight’s co-bill at the Gravity Lounge featuring Kelly Joe Phelps and Charlottesville’s own Paul Curreri should rank high on your list of must-see shows.  Both artists tackle the role of solo folk singer with an ear for country-blues soul and a sense of jazz improvisation, and together the pair have performed well over 100 concerts together.

Phelps, who began his music career playing bass in a free jazz style, discovered his love of country-blues in the late 80’s after hearing the music of Mississippi Fred McDowell, among others.  He released his debut album, Lead Me On, in 1994 and that collection of old gospel, blues covers, and original material would lead him to a long-standing relationship with Rykodisc Records who would go on to release six of Phelps’ albums between 1997 and 2005 (including one of my personal favorites Sky Like a Broken Clock in 2001).  His most recent album, Tunesmith Retrofit, was released in 2006 on Rounder Records.

Celebrated equally for his musicianship as well as his songwriting, Phelps is considered by many to be one of the country’s premier slide guitar players performing today and his work as a guitarist has appeared on albums by the likes of Greg Brown, Jay Farrar, and Tim O’Brien.  In 2003, it was Phelps who produced Paul Curreri’s second album Songs for Devon Sproule and he also played slide guitar on one of the album’s signature tracks “Crozet Trestle Bridge”.

In looking at the path his own career has taken, Paul Curreri considers Phelps to be an important figure in his own development as an artist and musician, and tonight’s show at Gravity should in many ways be the celebration of a shared musical vision.  Curreri has released five albums to-date including his latest The Velvet Rut (City Salvage), which has received rave reviews from critics, including a five-star rating from Mojo Magazine.

Paul Curreri and Kelly Joe Phelps at the Gravity Lounge tonight at 7pm.  $15.

Watch:
Video:  Kelly Joe Phelps–”Tight the Jar”

Watch:
Video:  Paul Curreri–”Letting Us Be”

Popularity: 11% [?]

Warm, desert scenes of sand and sunshine give way to a Day of the Dead procession under a blanket of stars and candles in this Jolie Holland video for “Mexico City” from her latest album The Living and the Dead (Anti-).  I first discovered Holland’s Texas-born voice of vintage country-soul when it appeared on the Be Good Tanya’s debut album Blue Horse back in 2001 and I’ve been a fan ever since.  And while I’ve only heard this particular song off the new album and very little of the material off of its predecessor Springtime Can Kill You, Jolie’s first two records, the living-room recorded debut Catalpa and its studio follow-up Escondida, are both highly recommended  (as is the Be Good Tanya’s Blue Horse).  [also read Dana’s review of The Living and the Dead in her most recent WTJU Spins article for MUSE here.]

Currently touring overseas in Europe, Holland ranks relatively high on my list of artists that I’d love to see perform here in Charlottesville.  If I’m not mistaken she last performed in C’ville back in July of 2006 at the Gravity Lounge, some two weeks before I first landed in town.  A day late and a dollar short is the sometimes story of my life.  Regardless, I present the video today because there’s some much needed warmth and beauty in Jolie Holland’s voice and in this video that seems well-suited for my slightly chilled bones on this cool, gray November afternoon.  Enjoy.

Popularity: 12% [?]

“Virginia is for Lavas!”  So proclaims the headline on Hot Lava’s MySpace page.   Hot Lava, a four-piece band of graphic designers by day and geeky indie rockers by night, hail from our I-64 east neighbor Richmond, Virginia.  The band recently released their debut album Lavalogy on Bar/None Records back in October and the album has generated a considered amount of praiseworthy buzz across the blogosphere and beyond.  One thing is for certain:  There’s no denying the fact that the band has a love of all things techie.  It’s immediately evident as you scan through Lavalogy’s track listing and discover titles like “JPG in the Sun” and “Apple+Option+Fire” (which front woman Allison Apperson, in a recent interview, says was “written on a keyboard” at a time when “we were into computer lingo and drinking beer”).  With elements of lo-fi craftsmanship, swirling keyboards, cleverly written and slightly off-the-wall lyrics, and plenty of upbeat indie pop, Hot Lava has brought a little bit of July into my late autumn afternoon.  (It’s also the perfect soundtrack to a game of arcade-style Pac-Man).

Hot Lava opens for The Falsies, Charlottesville’s own cross-dressing, chicken suit wearing, glam-rocking foursome, tonight at the Outback Lodge.  For their part The Falsies will be debuting their brand new song “Straight Up [In Ya] tonight.  The first twenty-five paid attendees through the door will receive a “Sing Along with The Falsies” program which will include photos, art, and a complete set of lyrics.  9:30pm.  $6 - $8.  All Ages.  [show poster after the break]

Listen:
MP3:  Hot Lava–”Apple+Option+Fire”

[Hot Lava photo by Ellie Bolton]

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Popularity: 13% [?]

Why say myself what others can say better than I?  Here are a two quotes to help make your decision to see this show a little easier:

“Quintron is a Party Monster…Drum Buddy is a Percussion Marvel.  Miss Pussycat has a Puppet Show.  How can you look in the mirror tomorrow morning without the fuzzy memory of this incredible show?”–Danny Shea, Starr Hill Presents

“Get down with the sickness!  Let the bodies hit the floor!  Arrre youuu reeaaady!?!?–Truman Sparks (they also advise you wear a helmet)

Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Drum Buddy, Truman Sparks (Virginia’s Best New Band), and Class Substitute.  Tonight at Outback Lodge.  9pm.  $8.

For more on Quintron check out this recent Aquarium Drunkard interview.

Popularity: 15% [?]

A friend emailed to remind me of the sad news that South African singing legend Miriam Makeba passed away earlier this week.  Best known for her songs “Pata Pata” and “The Click Song”, Miriam Makeba was also a vocal anti-apartheid activist who spent the better part of three decades living in exile after her South African citizenship was revoked in 1963.  The Grammy winning artist recorded close to 30 albums over the span of her musical career that began in the late 1950’s.  On Wednesday South African President Kglamema Motlanthe declared that today would be a national day of mourning for the music legend.  “Mama Afrika” Miriam Makeba was 76 years old.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Today is Neil Young’s birthday.  Born on November 12, 1945, Neil Young’s body of work over the last 45 years can be summed up in two words:  Rock Legend. »Read More

Popularity: 10% [?]

This one has been a couple months in the making but at long last it’s a reality, thanks in large part to the efforts of former King Wilkie guitarist and current Sarah White performing partner, Ted Pitney.  Pitney first mentioned to me back in August that he was hoping to put together a November show at the Fry’s Spring Beach Club Ballroom and now that show is just a few days away.  On Friday, November 14, Pitney, with the help of Starr Hill Presents and Wahooptie, has put together The Full Moon Ball featuring performances by Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees, Justin Jones and the Driving Rain, and Sarah White and Ted Pitney.  Proceeds will benefit the Fry’s Spring Beach Club.  $8 adv /$10 door.  8pm.  [buy tickets online here]

And while the Fry’s Springs Beach Club Ballroom may be slightly off the regularly beaten path (it’s out near Durty Nelly’s and Wayside Chicken at the intersection of JPA and Old Lynchburg Road [directions]), the venue sounds like a winner:

“There is no cooler place in the Charlottesville area to have a party…The Ballroom can hold 500 dancing people today just as well as it did when the likes of Glenn Miller’s Orchestra graced the stage back in the swing era. There is a stage for bands…vintage deco-esque booths…even a disco ball to illuminate those late night shenanigans.”

The Full Moon Ball will actually be the first of two concert events to be held at the largely overlooked performance space at the Beach Club Ballroom between now and Christmas (The Sons of Bill have scheduled a show there on December 23).  If you plan on heading out to the show on Friday make sure you hold onto your ticket stubs because you can redeem them with Wahooptie for a $2 discount on your ride home from the show.

And speaking of tickets, I’ve got a pair of passes to give away to the show!.  If you’d like to register to win, just drop me a line in the comments section of this post.  I’ll be announcing the winner at noon on Friday.  Winner will be drawn at random and notified of their good fortune via email.  Good luck and I’ll see you at the show.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Former Charlottesville-based singer-songwriter Danny Schmidt has inked a deal with independent folk label Red House Records according to an announcement from the label released yesterday.   Schmidt, who currently resides in Austin, Texas, will release his Red House debut, Instead the Forest Rose to Sing, in March of 2009.

Red House Records, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, has been one of the leading independent folk labels in the U.S. for over two decades with a roster of artists that has included the likes of legendary performers such as Utah Phillips, Loudon Wainwright III, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, as well as contemporary stars Eliza Gilkyson, Jimmy Lafave, and Lucy Kaplansky.   The label was first founded by singer-songwriter Greg Brown back in 1981 as a home for his own music, but has grown to release over 200 releases from a wide-range of recording artists in its 25 year plus history.

Winner of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk award in 2007, singer/songwriter Danny Schmidt writes with a lyrical complexity and a style drawing comparisons to Townes Van Zandt and Leonard Cohen, leading Sing Out Magazine to tag him: “the best new songwriter we’ve heard in 15 years.” He has released five albums to date, including his 1999 debut Live at the Prism Coffeehouse, which was recorded right here in Charlottesville, a town that Schmidt called home for a number of years before heading back to his hometown of Austin, Texas.

Danny Schmidt returns to Charlottesville next month with a scheduled show on Thursday, December 11 at the Gravity Lounge with special guest Carrie Elkin, who is also from Austin, Texas.  Mark it on your calendars now!  [Watch Danny Schmidt perform “This Too Shall Pass”, taken from a live performance in May 2005 at Charlottesville’s Starr Hill Music Hall here]

Popularity: 13% [?]

We first introduced you to the Southern-fueled rock n roll of Earl Knox back in mid-September, in the lead up to their first ever live performance headlining the Drive-By Truckers / Avett Brothers AfterParty Show at Rapture on September 20.  When the Crozet-based band, led by former Bloodkin drummer Bentley Rhodes, sent over a copy of their song “Pretty Little Thief” just days before their live debut [listen here], I was sold after just one listen.

I happened to catch the band’s first show at Rapture back in September (which featured guest appearances by John Neff and Patterson Hood of DBT) and left with the feeling that I would be talking a lot more about these guys as time went on.  [read my review of that show here].  If you want to know my honest opinion, then here it is:  Earl Knox rocks.

After laying low for a month or so, due in large part to the recent addition of a baby boy to the Rhodes’ household, Earl Knox returns to Rapture tonight for show #2 with special guests Fogwater.  If you’re looking for rock n roll best served with a “Hell Yeah!” and a shot of bourbon, then this is probably where you should be. 10pm.  Free.  21+.

Popularity: 13% [?]