Alejandro Escovedo w/ James Mastro
This is a 18 event with standing room only No one has really ever been able to define themselves and their music like singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo does. His life in music of all kinds sometimes feels like a swirl through the sky, where his songs point out all the majesty and mystery of how he sees the world. The sounds he makes take him places that he might not even predict, but once there, greatness always follows. It’s just the way Escovedo is. It has happened over and over for decades, almost like a fateful agreement he has with the cosmos. There is a good chance it cannot be explained, especially by him. Maybe that’s because this is a musician who feels magic, both in himself and the world around him, and is open to the experience of whatever comes his way. It is not always easy, and can have a high demand on how a person lives. But it is the way that Escovedo is always moving forward. On this new album, Alejandro Escovedo has taken a road rarely traveled, which is totally in keeping with how he has lived his life in music. Echo Dancing is an experiment in how to use the past to shape the future. By recording completely new and repurposed versions of songs from his past, Escovedo actually gets a chance to rewrite his own history. It’s also an idea that pushes growth into the present, and asks an artist to see themselves anew. “I always feel that a well-written song can withstand a lot of abuse,” Escovedo says. It is an area of creativity that the man has always honored. “Turning a past song inside out leads to discovery of new ideas you might not have understood about the song,” he says. “Even lyrical refurbishing has proven helpful and effective. It’s like interpreting your own work anew. The songs never seem to be complete. They are always evolving.” Deeply embedded in the burgeoning Austin scene in the 1980s, Escovedo was a prime architect in the new band True Believers, which included his brother Javier and Jon Dee Graham. In many ways the band helped build the gateway to the whole burgeoning Americana music scene which prospers to this day, but it was also the turning point for Alejandro Escovedo to take his life in his control and record solo albums. In the thirty-plus years since that decision has come a wild roller-coaster ride of groups, spinoffs, tribute albums and even original dramatic projects and experiments. In 1998, No Depression Magazine named him Artist of the Decade. “I said goodbye to certain phases of my life as I have grown,” the musician says. “I greeted new acquaintances musically. And I was extremely surprised by the outcome. That is the thrill of being alive. I feel we have now made a beautiful collection of songs recorded in an effortless vibe of collaboration and camaraderie. I can’t give Nicola and Antonio enough credit and thanks for their musicianship and wide-open approach to making this album. And I should also mention Ivano Giovedi, who incredibly engineered the recordings. He did an amazing job.” Echo Dancing makes sure Alejandro Escovedo’s evolving circle remains unbroken.
Tim Kinsella & Jenny Pulse wsg Fred Thomas
This is a 18 and over event with standing room only Tim Kinsella and Jenny Pulse have spent years making thoughtful and unpredictable art, whether musically as Joan of Arc or Spa Moans, or under their given names as writers and visual artists. On Giddy Skelter, their debut album as the unadorned “Tim Kinsella & Jenny Pulse,” they once again take an unexpected turn, but aim for something more direct. They’ve crafted a swirling, past-future, future-past, sorta-rock, collage-rock, melange borne from the confined anxiety of the pandemic. It’s a full-length undeniably of its moment, rich with musical references while radiating a visionary path forward. To assemble Giddy Skelter, Kinsella and Pulse aggressively culled their tracklist until they had a lean and impactful 11 songs, unlike anything either musician has released before. Opening track “Unblock Obstacles” chugs along on a three-chord riff and dubbed-out drums before venturing into a hypnotic, feedback-filled drone that channels pre-Loveless My Bloody Valentine. “Over and Over” imagines a world where Slowdive or Lush collaborated with Prefuse 73. On “Nena,” one minute features loops of classical piano, the next Spacemen 3-style psychedelic drone, and the next contemporary R&B. The majority of songs on Giddy Skelter foreground Pulse’s yearning, ethereal vocals, giving the music a distinctly feminine overtone. The title Giddy Skelter alludes to both Gimme Shelter, the infamous documentary about the Rolling Stones’ disastrous Altamont free concert, and the Manson Family’s Helter Skelter scenario. But none of this is an homage to a bygone era. And there’s another dimension to the title: It can be interpreted alchemically, combining two of the most popular songs in rock history — “Gimme Shelter” and “Helter Skelter” — both of which have sinister associations that give them greater gravity. Sometimes the thing that makes great rock n’ roll is the ineffable and the intangible, something you can only describe as alchemy; other times it’s the rigors of process. On Kinsella and Pulse’s Giddy Skelter, it’s both — and it sounds unlike anything else you’ll hear this year.
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis wsg Andrew Rathbun Tri
This is a 18 and over event with standing room only Joe Lally was onstage, playing at full throttle, when he realized that his band had found a true kindred spirit. It was the fall of 2021 and the Messthetics — the instrumental trio of Lally on bass, his former Fugazi bandmate Brendan Canty on drums and guitarist Anthony Pirog — were at Brooklyn venue the Bell House, digging into their uptempo riff workout “Serpent Tongue.” Joining them for the piece was a special guest, acclaimed jazz saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, making only his second cameo with the group after a drop-in at another New York show back in 2019. That first meeting had been a success, but this time, Lewis’ presence sparked something new.The Messthetics spent a few months in the fall of 2022 assembling and arranging material as a trio before meeting with Lewis for just one day of rehearsal prior to the recording in December. Even with minimal prep time, the material evolved considerably. Lewis added a lush, spiraling melody to the chorus section of “The Time Is the Place,” originally called “Meters Groove” in honor of the song’s Canty-written central riff, a crisp seven-beat strut. And Lewis was the key element that unlocked Lally’s “Railroad Tracks Home,” joining the bassist on the second pass through the theme and turning the subtle, swinging mood piece from something, in Lally’s words, “dirge-y and dark” to “a light-bringing thing.”Judging by the enthusiastic response the Messthetics and their esteemed guest have received during more recent live meetings, listeners are similarly eager to hear what happens when brilliant players like these stretch themselves through collaboration.
Gerald Clayton Trio 6pm & 9pm
This is a family friendly event with the first show starting at 6pm and the second starting at 9pmGerald Clayton Trio Four-time GrammyⓇ-nominated pianist and composer Gerald Clayton’s innovative approach to jazz has charmed audiences and critics across the globe. Son of bass player and composer John Clayton, Gerald’s training began young, and he honors the legacy of his father and all his musical ancestors through a commitment to artistic exploration, innovation, and reinvention. Clayton studied with piano icon Billy Childs and fellow Festival performer Kenny Barron. He has performed and recorded with artists including Diana Krall, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, Ambrose Akinmusire, Dayna Stephens, Kendrick Scott, John Scofield, and Avishai Cohen. If you would like to purchase tickets to the 6pm showing click here 6 pm ConcertIf you would like to purchase tickets to the 9pm showing click here 9 pm Concert
Beaton, MacGillivray, and MacNeil: A Cape Breton Trio
This is a family friendly event Beaton, MacGillivray, and MacNeil: A Cape Breton Trio Andrea Beaton, piano, fiddleTroy MacGillivray, piano, fiddleTracey Dares MacNeil, piano, fiddleAndrea Beaton, Troy MacGillivray, and Tracey MacNeil hail from the isolated beauty of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their joyful style of dance music is defined by its improvised folk piano tradition. Expect instrument-switching, solo dancing, and inspiring harmonies, as they explore the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, and Cape Breton, along with original compositions. Their performances offer a shared sense of fun and years of making music together. Enjoy the band in their natural habitat in Bell’s Back Room, with plenty of room for dancing! If you would like to purchase tickets to this show click here 7pm Concert
Baby Grands: A Cape Breton Trio
This is a family friendly event Baby Grands: A Cape Breton Trio Andrea Beaton, piano, fiddleTroy MacGillivray, piano, fiddleTracey Dares MacNeil, piano, fiddleNo stage? No seats? No problem! Parents can relax while kids of any age can have fun checking out the piano, meeting the artists, crawling or dancing around the room. A Baby Grands concert is The Gilmore’s way of sharing great music with the whole family. Refreshments will be available.Andrea Beaton, Troy MacGillivray, and Tracey MacNeil hail from the isolated beauty of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their joyful style of dance music is defined by its improvised folk piano tradition. Expect instrument-switching, solo dancing, and inspiring harmonies, as they explore the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, and Cape Breton, along with original compositions. Their performances offer a shared sense of fun and years of making music together.gpa If you would like more info to this show click here 11 am Concert
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio at 4pm and 7pm
This is a family friendly event with the first show starting at 4pm and the second starting at 7pm The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio specializes in the art of ‘feel good music.’ The charismatic Lamarr’s energetic, soulful Hammond organ blends soul, jazz, funk, and R&B’s infectious rhythms in an energetic performance. A self-taught musician with perfect pitch, Delvon Lamarr plays a multitude of instruments. With Jimmy James on guitar, and Julian MacDonough on drums, the trio has issued two Billboard-charting albums and toured internationally. Look for sprinkles of Motown, Stax Records, blues, and cosmic Jimi Hendrix- style guitar with the trio’s fiery and intuitive chemistry. If you would like to purchase tickets to this show click here 4 pm ConcertIf you would like to purchase tickets to this show click here 7 pm Concert
Nduduzo Makhathini Quartet at 6pm & 9pm
This is a family friendly event with the first show starting at 6pm and the second starting at 9pm Nduduzo Makhathini Quartet Nduduzo Makhathini, pianoLogan Richardson, saxophone – Zwelakhe Duma Bell, bass – Francisco Mela, drumsSouth African jazz pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini blends traditional jazz and innovative storytelling. He heads the music department at Fort Hare University, and has performed at festivals including the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and Essence Festival (New Orleans and South Africa), and in 2019 made his debut appearances at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York, and Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he was a featured guest with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. If you would like to purchase tickets to the 6pm showing click here 6 pm ConcertIf you would like to purchase tickets to the 9pm showing click here 9 pm Concert
The Red Roses Present an evening of Radiohead
This is a 18+ and over event with standing room only Radiohead’s 1997 album OK Computer is universally hailed as not only the best album of the 90s, but one of the best albums of all time. Upon release, the band achieved legendary status and took up the mantle held by Pink Floyd, David Bowie, U2 and Talking Heads as artists that could fill arenas while also creating cutting-edge music that pushed the whole artform forward.The Red Roses pay tribute to Radiohead with a theatrical performance recreating this once-in-a-generation music with painstaking detail. While they play songs from across Radiohead’s catalog, the centerpiece of the show is a performance of OK Computer in its entirety.
Mustard Plug wsg The Abruptors, K-Man &the 45’s, The Write Ups
This is a 18+ and over event with standing room only Mustard Plug started out in 1991 in the punk clubs, basements, and dive bars of the Midwest, playing punk-influenced ska music before most people in the U.S. had ever heard of ska. They embraced a DIY work ethic that had been ingrained in them growing up in the 1980s hardcore punk scene, and applied it to everything they would ever do together as a band. Mustard Plug self-released their first cassette tape, 1992’s Skapocalypse Now!, and played constantly to earn enough money to record their first album, 1994’s Big Daddy Multitude, which was released on legendary NYC label Moon Records. With their newfound national distribution and exposure, the band climbed into their van and performed their music for new fans across North America.For their next album they enlisted their heroes, the Descendents’ Bill Stevenson and Stephan Egerton, to record their breakthrough ska-punk classic Evildoers Beware at The Blasting Room. After meeting the crew from Hopeless Records in the beer line at a Descendents show at the Whisky-A-Go-Go, the band teamed up with the then-fledgling LA punk label to release the album to an eager and rapidly expanding fanbase. Released in 1997, Evildoers Beware solidified the band’s own take on the genre, combining the edginess of punk and the danceability of ska with sure fire melodic pop hooks. Through relentless touring and word of mouth, Evildoers Beware sold over 150,000 copies and solidified the band’s position within the burgeoning third wave ska scene. The band even flirted with commercial radio play with their cover of The Verve Pipe’s “The Freshman,” but decided mainstream pop fame was not for them. They never shot a video or commercially released the song despite the radio buzz.During the first decade of the new millennium, as the media’s focus on ska waned, the band returned to the ska underground, touring constantly and taking their explosive live show further afield to Europe, Brazil, and Japan. While many of their 90’s ska peers went on hiatus or moved from the genre, Mustard Plug doubled down, organizing the hugely successful Ska Is Dead tours from 2004-2009. In 2007 the band returned to The Blasting Room and released their darkest and most critically acclaimed record, In Black and White. The 2010s brought more touring and playing higher profile festivals including Riotfest, Back to the Beach, Amnesia Rockfest, The FEST, Pouzza, Groezrock, and more.In March 2020, while touring Australia, Mustard Plug watched as the live music industry began to collapse in front of their eyes. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, the band was forced to take a 16-month hiatus. Stuck at home, they workshopped songs for a new album.The band returned to The Blasting Room recording studio in January 2023 with their longtime producer, Bill Stevenson. Teaming up with ska label Bad Time Records, they released the new album on September 8, 2023. Where Did All My Friends Go is a return to form for Mustard Plug, with melodic dance floor bangers and darker lyrical themes inspired by the pandemic and the unraveling of modern society. The album is sure to please both older fans from the 90s and the new generation of ska fans who have been building the genre’s momentum in recent years.The band is currently doing what they do best: touring in support of the new album. They will be playing around the U.S. throughout the next year, continuing their 32-year run and adding to their career tally of over 1,900 shows.
