Folk & Acoustic Music Concert Reviews

^Artist: Caren Armstrong	^Venue: Freight & Salvage Berkeley, CA
^Reviewer: Tom "Doc" Campbell	^Date: 01/13/01
NUMB!! That is the only word I can think of that expresses the feeling I had after leaving Caren's show at the Freight & Salvage Saturday night. If you were there you know what I'm talking about, if you weren't you should have been. As a music junkie, I have been to hundreds of shows and concerts in my life, some good, some great, some no so good and some that I'd rather not remember. But I can say, without fear of doubt, that Caren's show on Saturday night at the Freight and Salvage, in Berkeley, was the finest musical performance I have ever seen. Her passion, presence, professionalism, her sexy, sultry, and oh so sensuous stage presence, her incredible talent and songwriting, the power and force of her music, and the emotional roller coaster one rides through her musical journey of self expression, and feelings of life leaves you numb and reeling from the experience. Add to this the incredible guitar work of Nina Gerber, a fabulous performer in her own right; the two of them playing back and forth off each other made for an incredible show, an stunning, visual, vocal and emotional gut wrenching experience I'll never forget. Believe me when I say Caren Armstrong ROCKS!!! -Doc

^Artist: Caren Armstrong	^Venue: Dolores Park Cafe San Francisco, CA
^Reviewer: Dana Cumberland	^Date: 08/04/00
I was recently at a show in San Francisco.....San Francisco Songs at Dolores Park Cafe. Caren was there among some other singers from the NCSA. She was so good. The actual event is a round robbin....so she sang about 6 songs! All of the songs she sang seemed to touch me, right down to my soul! They brought tears to my eyes as a song never has! I just sat and listened and thought about how good she was and why I had not heard of her before! I just wanted to show my gratitude to her for taking the time to come to Dolores Park Cafe and play. It was amazing...that's all I can say! She needs to sing more often in SF. After hearing her, I am going to buy her CD ASAP!!! Thanks Caren...for touching my soul!!!

^Artist: Marc Douglas Berardo	^Venue: Cafe' Mozart Mamaroneck,NY
^Reviewer: Amy Gannon	^Date: 4/21/02
I had never seen Marc Douglas Berardo before. I had heard a lot of good things about him, so I thought I would check him out. The Mozart was a great place to see live folk and even though it was sold out,it was comfortable with great sound. Marc Douglas was incredibly comanding onstage. From his first song, Marc held the rooms attention. He has a very rhythmic guitar style that sounds like a full band, but can also stop the room with a very quietly fingerpicked song or an acapella intro. It was clear that with Marc,the songs are the focus. Wow! Standouts included "Just One" the story of a Connecticut iron workers impressions of the 9/11 tradgedy, where he concludes that: "the difference between this Blue Collar and the Wall Street dollar, right now does not mean a thing." Other standouts included some wild guitar playing on "Burning" and the story song "Stephen Marshall." The last song of the night "AS You Make Your Way" was a beautiful ode to friendship and growing up. The full room was dead silent and completly captured. All in all, Marc Douglas Berardo's show at the Cafe Mozart was a perfect example of how a good songs can make for a great night out.

^Artist: Joel Cage	^Venue: Common Man Ashland, NH
^Reviewer: Chris	^Date: 01/13/07
Joel Cage blew me away at the Common Man, quietly asserting a complete commitment to sound and performance while allowing others a chance to experience his experience of some 'great tunes'. Looking forward to sippin and listenin again soon.

^Artist: Joel Cage	^Venue: The Big Kahuna Cafe Bridgton, Maine
^Reviewer: The Big Kahuna	^Date: 07/20/02
If I had a blender in my kitchen that could mix the music of some of my musical hero`s, I would take from my spice cabinet a little Stephen Stills,a pinch of Dan Fogelberg,a heaping teaspoon of Dave Mason,at least a pint of Joe Cocker and set the blender on "Mid". Let it all settle, then top it of with a little Led Zeplin, and light it like a Zambouki ! Walla ! Joel Cage on acoustic guitar and vocals .The night is aflame with music !

^Artist: Caney Creek	^Venue: Cave Run Moorhead
^Reviewer: Susan Wheeler	^Date: 09/30/00
The Caney Creek Folk Singers, or I think they actually go by Caney Creek. Performed on Saturday evening at the StoryTelling Festival, which is the precursor to the Big one in Tennessee. They were great. Don't remeber their individual names, but had seen them on the Webring and was going to the Festival from Indiana and thought I would put my 2cents in for them. They were really good, a very fun and entertaining group. They are well worth the trip to see. I understand from them this was their last gig of the season (?) they are going to work on a CD. I will buy one! Check them out. They play all eras and all styles. All Acoustic and a very taleted bunch of folks playing music in their spare time.

^Artist: Caney Creek	^Venue: Jo-Beth Lexington, KY
^Reviewer: Sandy Harrison	^Date: 9/10/00
I saw Caney Creek in Lexington at the Joseph-Beth Booksellers on Last Saturday night. WOW! These folks are excellent, real artist and they truly seem to enjoy doing what they are doing. They have a website, www.caney-creek.com. Check them out. They need some CD's. Why someone like recording company doesn't pick them up is strange. They are a real crowd pleaser. They play many oldies and cover tunes, but they are done in a whole new style that is very entertaining and fun. The ORIGINAL WORKS are even better. Great show, great preformers, check out thier page, I did after I saw them. This group is well worth a listen. Their music on the webpage is great, but nothing like the live show! I see a following here!

^Artist: Caney Creek	^Venue: Cave Run Ampitheatre Morehead
^Reviewer: Eric Campton	^Date: 08/22/00
This is a regional group that has five members with very unique sounds, qualities and wonderful voices. Mary Phillips and Russ Ward are some of the best new singers to come around the area in some time. Russ has very adult alternative sound to his voice with immense emotion. Mary is crystal clear and sounds like angels singing. The other Three members of the group are fantastic as well, they all sing and have equally wonderful voice. Larry is a incredible musican and a wonderful song writer. Steve the leader of the group plays a wide range of percussion instrument, some he has made, and has that true 60's style of folk in his voice. A true Gem. Molly is purity and poetry in voice. She blows a mean harp as well! This group is going to make some ways on the regional folk scene and maybe beyound. The attempt the widest variety of music and turn it to folk of any group I have seen in a very long time. They are well worth checking out and a 2 hour drive would be worth it. They are top-notch and they truly seem to enjoy what they do. Caney Creek a great group to check out. I am glad I have seen them and will hope to see them again. They have a web page but I don't remember what it was, probably something with Caney Creek in it. Check this web-ring.

^Artist: Ani DiFranco	^Venue: Tsongas Arena Lowell, MA
^Reviewer: Anthony Baldman	^Date: 03/28/01
When you own your own record label you have a lot of freedom. There are no gray-haired corporate executives to tell you can and cannot do. You can decide where and how often to tour. You can release albums as frequently as you like. As president and founder of Righteous Babe Records, Ani Difranco does whatever the hell she wants. She did just that at Lowell's Tsongas Arena on March 28 as she played a nearly sold-out show. She is currently touring to support her latest effort, a double album of all new material called Revelling and Reckoning (out April 10). This was the second stop of her 21-venue "Wreckage Unraveling" tour which ends in late April. Fans were lucky to be a part of this one hour-45 minute, hefty-duty 20-song set, that featured the debuts of seven new songs. Backed by a 5-piece band, many of Ani's songs (both new and old) were intensified as a result. She still reveled in her stripped down acoustic material during the emotional "Done Wrong" and the classic "Fire Door", but seemed to be having a great time on stage interacting with her other players, especially during the salsa-influenced "Here for Now". This song does not appear on any album and has yet to be released. She joked, "This is what happens when little white girls from Buffalo listen to too much Cuban music." Ani jumped around stage excitedly during this interesting and most uncharacteristic number. Her more jazzy influences were prevalent during "Whatall is Nice". Hans Teuber on the saxophone with Shane Endsley on trumpet complimented Ani's poetic and breathy vocals. During "My IQ" she experimented a bit, wildly playing bongo drums the entire song, along side drummer Daren Hahn. Ani's excitement level rubbed off on everyone else on the stage. This proved to intensify their performance with each song. Ani's always-persistent political nature emerged when introducing the new song "Your Bold Next Move". It will perhaps be a signature track on Revelling and Reckoning. She mentioned her disgust with last year's ridiculous Presidential election calling it a "coup". Retaliating against the political administration and corporate culture, she sings, "Coming of age during the plague of Reagan and Bush/Watching capitalism gun down democracy/It had this funny effect on me I guess." Amusingly, she suggested that "we all get on a big bus and go to Canada after the show." Is she on to something here? Racial segregation was pondered during the new song "Subdivision". She wants people to remain aware of how they treat one another in a society where we keep distancing ourselves. She sings, "I'm wondering what it will take for my country to rise/First we admit our mistakes and then we open our eyes." Ani always seems to make bold, yet introspective statements. Perhaps the most intense moments came during her outstanding performance of "You Had Time" from 1994's acclaimed Out of Range album. It was just Ani on acoustic guitar and Julie Wolf on the keyboards for this emotional and powerful ballad. The piano intro was not as long as it stands on the album, but still kept its delicate feel. When she sang, "how can I go home with nothing to say/I know you're going to look at me that way" there were a few teary eyes in the house. Only a truly gifted musician can have this affect over an audience.

^Artist: Anne Donohue & Rich Dart	^Venue: Borders Books And Music Manchester,CT
^Reviewer: John Plansky	^Date: 11/03/00
I had heard a lot about the duo of Anne Donohue and Rich Dart from people who had seen them perform or had their CD. I was very curious to see what all of the hype was about. It did not take me long to find out. As soon as I walked through the door of the store, I could hear what sounded to me like a gigantic percussion section backing a guitar and vocalist. When I finally moved my way towards the standing room only crowd, I was amazed to see just the two musicians. Rich was performing feats of coordination I have never seen before while Anne played and sang. Her voice was absloutley flawless and sent shivers through my body. Just when I thought that I had seen it all, Rich came out from behind his multi percussion set up to play on this gigantic instrument that appeared to me to be a xylophone. I was corrected by Anne's announcement that it was a marimba. It was beautiful. Words can not describe the sound I was hearing. Highlights of the night included a guest percussionist who helped out Rich on a few tunes and an amazing cover version of Tom Wait's "The Earth Died Screaming." If anyone has the chance to see these two do their thing, by all means go! You will be glad that you did!

^Artist: Fisher	^Venue: Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA
^Reviewer: Anthony Baldman	^Date: 2/14/01
Fisher played a packed house at the Paradise Rock Club on February 14, 2001. Lovers filled the house for this special and intimate performance on Valentine's Day. It was only fitting that Fisher had a dozen red roses on the stage. Before playing her most notable, and perhaps most emotional song, 'I Will Love You', she asked the crowd how many couples were in the audience. She then threw out a rose to most of the couples who stood up before going straight into the intense ballad. Technology did not always cooperate with the band during their set. On the stage there was a Mac laptop where drum loops and the bass for some of the songs were pre-programmed. It was a bit surprising not to see an entire band, but still, the programmed sounds were not too noticeable until you couldn't hear them. Fisher joked, "The forth member of our band, Mac, gets the most sleep out of the three of us." Despite this lack of percussion during about four of the songs, it was refreshing to hear the material stripped down to acoustic basics. Wasserman on the keyboard and the guitarist complemented Fisher's sultry voice. They compensated extremely well during a vengeful version of 'The Life'. Fisher was pounding her thighs with her hands to make up for the lack of drums. She told an interesting story before introducing 'Any Way'. Fisher emphasized how the song is not about her father and that they have a great relationship. In the song she sings, "ou are too good to be my lover/ But you've been the greatest dad I ever had. " It is a song about regretting the demise of a past relationship. He treated her so well that she saw him as a protector, a quality a good parent would have. The most unexpected song we heard was an incredible cover of Aerosmith's classic hit 'Dream On'. They wanted to do something special for Boston. The programmed bass and drums suddenly were working again and the ground was literally vibrating. Fisher was swaying her hips and really getting into it. The crowd busted out in excitement. After, she asked if Steven Tyler would approve and everyone cheered out in reassuring agreement.

^Artist: Deirdre Flint	^Venue: Tin Angel Philadelphia, PA
^Reviewer:	^Date: 07/29/00
Deirdre Flint is the best funny folk singer I've seen in a long time! While I'm already a fan of Christine Lavin and Peter Himmellman, Deidre's brand of wit and satire brought me to tears from laughing so hard more than once during her performance! Her songs and melodies are pretty, while clever in content. If you see she is coming to your town, do not hesitate to go! I promise, she's wonderful!

^Artist: Jim Gibson	^Venue: Waterfront Film Festival Saugatuck, MI
^Reviewer: Nick Barry	^Date: 06/12/03
Jim Gibson's three piece acoustic trio kicked off the Waterfront Film Festival this past weekend, an outdoor show headlined by Brian Vander Art, the lead singer of the Verve Pipe. Gibson's sound, from the beginning, came off as infectiously catchy and unique, with intellectual yet sometimes hilarious lyrical themes such as those in the songs Smooth Jazz Rasta, Full Contact Chess, and Equilateral Girl, to name a few. Jim's rather intricate fingerpicking and syncopated lyrics, combined with a clean cut image, and a general nonchalance on stage make this performer one to keep an eye on in the future. Mahlon Bush, his bassist, also of the PB Army, a somewhat obscure Toledo metal band, helps to give the band a rounded and soundly technical feel. The arrangements of the songs leave little to be desired from a conceptual standpoint. The only thing disappointing was the lack of two part vocal harmonies that are featured on Jim's new debut album, the Wrath of Shaka Genghis. After the show, Jim's only comment on the subject was that the musicians he hired to do the show didn't "have enough rehearsal". "Despite this, Saugatuck seemed very pleased at the opening act to the Festival, and Jim let myself and the local news station, Channel 41 Fox, that he was invited to return next year, and not necessarily as an opening act. Keep an eye out for this young Toledoan, as he is destined for great things.

^Artist: Arlo Guthrie	^Venue: The Kennedy Center Washington, DC
^Reviewer: Stan Brown	^Date: 11/19/01
A magical night filled with traditional and contemporary songs that pleased those who have followed Arlo for years as well as those who have just discovered this side of folk music. Mr. Guthrie walked onto the stage after Mr. Nardolillo had conducted the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (visiting from New York City and touring with Mr. Guthrie) in three selections from Bernstein and Copland. A few playful looks to the audience, he sat down at the piano and played the opening strains to "City of New Orleans" (a train song by Steve Goodman); your musical odyssey has begun. Only Arlo would treat you to phrases like "Bob Dylan doesn't have a 'happy-camper face, so it's hard to tell what's on his mind", "you can sing about winning, and you can sing about losing-that's where the Blues comes from", or even his self-deprecating stories of growing up in the company of folk-icons like Pete Seeger and Leadbelly. An evening of folk music, as performed by a master like Arlo is a trip into discovering how you can see the world, and yourself, differently. Your traditional upbringing teaches you to hear "from California to the New York Island" one way, but Arlo will teach you to hear it as "the other way around" and that's why his father's song "This Land is Your Land" is sung in China. Arlo returned for four ovations, ending with "Keys to the Highway". As I and my family approached the subway to return home I found myself singing, even loud enough for my wife and son to hear: "As I went walking , on toward the Metro I saw before me the escalator........" you make up the rest, it's only the folk-process.

^Artist: Jewel	^Venue: Pittsburgh, PA
^Reviewer: Lisa	^Date: 06/29/02
Jewel absolutely blew the crowd away with her performance last nite. She not only sang the songs off her newly released cd (this way), but also jammed out some of the fans favorites such as "who will save your soul" & my personal favorite. Just when you thought the show was over the roar of the crowd thickened & she came out once more. This was one of the best concerts I have seen in a while. Jewel has come such a long way. With some of her new tracks such as "jesus loves you" she has a different vocal & jive than her first cd. I have known to love jewel. She is the singer/poet that everyone has grew with her. Thank you & I hope you will give Jewel a listen for yourself.\ p.s. I drove 6 hours from DE to Pittsburgh (my home town) to see Jewel & I would do it all over again it was well worth it.

^Artist: Don McLean	^Venue: LandMark Theater Syracuse
^Reviewer: Ric Veenhof	^Date: 09/29/01
This was not the first Don McLean show I have attended, and if it were up to me I would be attending more. On a personal level I find McLean and his music sensational. I will try to be objective. I have written hundreds of reviews and seen thousands of bands and this concert ranks up in the top 5 or so. Unfortunately/fortunately, Don has been saddled with arguably the most "legendary" song in music. Unfortunately, because this song by itself tells very little about the "love song" singer. Fortunately, this song has created a following, so he can share his gift. Barely half the house (the landmark theater is truly an historic landmark) was full, disappointing, but the promoter explained to me, "Mr. McLean played at our state fair a few months ago for free." The crowd that did attend was an interesting mix of kids, teeny boppers, university co-eds and silver haired baby boomers. After the crowd was warmed up by two local troubadours and a 15 minute break McLean took to the stage with his four piece band. (Keyboards, drums, electric guitar and bass) This line up is new (er) except for the keyboard player and friend Greg. You never really know what to expect from McLean. Sometimes that's all you get Don Mclean. As the band got started so did the soundman. I really miss the days when everyone had their own sound guy. It took this fellow almost 3 songs to get the sound bearable. It was his first experience with Don and his band. He told me he mixed rap the night before. Hmmm Don shared with us the fact that he had "Rag weed voice" and it took him a few songs to get comfortable. Out of all the times I have seen him play, this had to be one of the most "seat of his pants" show. No set list! For those of you who have never experienced McLean, his "Miss Pie" is a very small piece of this man. There are very few (very few) singers who can touch his style and grace behind the microphone. He is a GREAT singer. Normally you can experience Don's rendition of "crying" where he will stretch his vocal chords and sweep almost any music connoisseur into his melodic bottle. He was not able to do that this night, with the Orbison tune- but 2 songs later he go it! At the end of the song McLean exclaimed, smiling with outstretched arms, "I hit that one, Didn't I? I really hit that one". Yes folks, he really hit that one. Even the disinterested, "Landmark trustees" were on their feet applauding. I have never heard this master sing "Starry Starry Night" as well as he did this night. After some ubeat stuff, he sat down and shared some personal thing about the early years, before pie. Reminiscing about his home town, college years and his government paid summer job. In typical Mclean style, he played a couple of soft tunes and abruptly left the stage. After a one song encore, he was finished. No two Don Mclean concerts are alike, and he certainly did not disappoint, tonight, in Syracuse. Post script:Unfortunately I must end this review on a sad note. I attended this concert From over 300 miles away because I had been told that "I better". Mr. McLean told me after the concert that he is not booking any more dates. He also went on to share that the 2 dates in Ireland would be cancelled. This apparently has been his mind set for the last little while, although he commented to the Sept 29 audience that he and all artists will continue to "Board the planes, to entertain". I did not get the feeling he was boarding the plane to play to the Irish, for the first time in 15 years. This Humble fan has but one request. Do what you say, Don. Board the plane.

^Artist: Gary Nichols	^Venue: Marketplatz Fredericksburg, TX
^Reviewer: Lana Goodman	^Date: 09/10/00
Gary Nichols performed at the MarketPlatz in Fredericksburg, TX and it was great!! He does music from the 30's, 40's and 50's and everyone was singing along and doing alot of toe-tapping and finger-snapping. Not many artists love the old standards like Gary and it really shows in his performances. I have seen him many times in many different venues as I have followed his career for several years. He has five albums out and is currently working on another one. He plays acoustic guitar and sings songs like Paper Doll, Don't Fence Me In, Peace In The Valley, Walkin' My Baby Back Home and Eddy Arnold's "Anytime". As you can tell, I really liked the concert and I think you will to if you get the chance. Gary travels all over the eastern half of the country, so keep your eye out for him to appear in your area. (He also writes, records and performs his own songs)

^Artist: nosmallwonder	^Venue: Club 3 Degrees Minneapolis, MN
^Reviewer: Mike Power	^Date: 06/25/04
nosmallwonder is a small 2 piece acoustic duo. They played last week at Club 3 Degrees in downtown Minneapolis. The venue is a large club that has local and national Christian acts. nosmallwonder played alongside 4 other bands, but they really blew away the electric bands. Their music is slow and mostly ballads, but everyone at the club seemed to like it. They played a 45 minute set and got through 8 songs. Their music is original, and it is centered around a few themes as far as I could tell such as family, home, God, Faith, and friendship. They use a lot of simple chording and progressions, but they spice it up with inversions and colorful tones such as 7ths and a lot of seconds. They do use a lot of open chords, but in a tasteful way.

^Artist: Ellis Paul with Don Conoscenti & Christopher Williams	^Venue: Eddie's Attic Decatur, GA
^Reviewer: Melissa Bugg	^Date: 09/22/00
I just came back from seeing Ellis Paul, Don Conoscenti and Christopher Williams play at Eddie's Attic here in Decatur, Georgia, and all I can say is WOW! It was standing room only. I've never seen it so packed for Ellis, Don and Chris before. Christopher opened and this was the first time I've seen him live, and I'm an instant fan. But I've also never seen Eddie's Attic rock out like that before. Especially for folk singers. With Don barefoot and all. Like I said, Christopher opened, then Ellis played with the two of them. During the latter part of the set, Ellis gave Don the floor and let him sing a few songs. He sang a beautiful version of "Anastasia" that gave me goosebumps. Ellis sang harmony on it as well as with "Brilliant Masterpiece". I thought that was particularly special. The three of them were harmonizing and then Eddie Owen, the owner, along with Kristian Bush (a favorite local folkie here) hopped on stage to add in with the fun. It was such an awesome and fun show. So for those of you who are going to witness this beautiful event in your neighborhood, I have one thing to say: bring a camera and hope the lighting is good.

^Artist:
Peter, Paul and Mary

^Venue:
Meyerson Symphony Center
Dallas, TX

^Reviewer:
pawallen@texoma.net

^Date:
03-21-03

A brightly shining aura encircles PP&M whenever they're on-stage, its nimbus reduplicating in chromatic arcs, encapsulating Presto and Dick on either side. That familiar, '40+ year-old-spirit' exuded outward, levitating buoyantly above the audience in laser light elan, perceptible to those of us blanketed beneath its enchantment. Each night was spectral, recounted in warm luminescence which ricocheted off the walls, passing through our hearts and souls.

The song set:
''Weave Me The Sunshine'', ''Puff', ''Don't Think Twice, ''Walls'', ''(It's) Magic'', ''Wayfaring Stranger (wow), ''Don't Laugh At Me'', ''Where Have All The Flowers Gone'', ''Day Is Done'', ''Leavin' On A Jet Plane'', ''If I Had A Hammer'', ''Blowin' In The Wind'', and ''This Land Is Your Land'' (encore). The second night also included a Noel solo of ''The Wedding Song (There Is Love), dedicated to a member of the DSO who was actually playing on his honeymoon, and a second encore, ''Goodnight Irene''. Audience participation (sing-along) was encouraged by the group throughout and some of us were singing our hearts out. (Yes, of course, I was one of them!)

These concerts contained no solo segments, except for the already mentioned ''Wedding Song''. My personal favorite (it's difficult to choose) on the first night was ''Don't Think Twice''. The second night was ''Wayfaring Stranger'' - so much energy! Also, especially touching was ''The Wedding Song'', in light of recent events in my own life, which I was able to explain to Noel (receiving a second hug, too).

Both evenings held magic; each tune as if hearing it the 1st time - an indefinable sameness, yet dissimilarity, when they re performed. All new songs - incredible; masterfully rendered - immediate favorites for an audience enraptured by the reflectivity, essence and verity the group delivers. Dick and Presto, throughout, contributed phenomenally, making every presentation superb & extraordinary beyond any anticipation.

Dazzling hours with old friends - new ones too - my memories will persist, mystically captured in a dreamlike photograph! March 21st and 22nd are past, but the metamorphosis is complete ! These sights & sounds now residing in my mind, framed by solid gold, I'm thankful to PPMD&P (among others) for the incredible gifts I received on my spectacular journey. I am recharged; renewed; reborn! ''Such is Love''.

Added highlights of the PPM concerts were centered backstage. I am especially thankful to a few people (you know who you are) who made all that possible! Meeting Presto, the only one I hadn't met previously, was a joy and true and pure fun! I think Presto was a bit surprised that I was as mobile as I was. (I suppose he thought my body was as crippled as my mind - not so, Presto - but close!)

Mary was not without her cane. I'm concerned about her knee problem, which obviously is still giving her some trouble. While her discomfort was not detectible in her performance of singing, you could tell that her movements on-stage (and off) were at least a bit limited. She took to a stool at times. I'm sure the audience would have been completely forgiving had she chosen to take to the stool for the entire evening, but Mary is a trooper - as ever! Oh, and that wonderful voice never faltered - never failed; strong as ever and every bit as determined as ever.

The second evening actually was a better performance than the first - if that's possible. I didn't think anything could have been better than seeing them for the first time since 1999 - but I was wrong from the moment they began the second night of songs! I was able to comment to them that it just keeps getting better and better - and better.

^Artist: Mark Sinnis	^Venue: The Living Room New York City
^Reviewer: Lucid Culture	^Date: 06/26/07
Acoustic shows by rockers usually suck. Miracle of miracles, the club had hired somebody to tune the piano here. And the sound was actually ok. Sinnis needed this, because this version of his ever-evolving ~Slounge band,~T as he sarcastically called it, was especially terse and needed the amplification. With his new keyboardist and the Anti-Dave from Vulgaras playing lead guitar, Sinnis and co. delivered potently spartan arrangements of a mix of songs from his band Ninth House as well as his more recent, country material. The lead guitar on the minor-key blues Injury Home was a minimal, perfect evocation of the song~Rs angst. With admirable restraint, they ran through tense, even suspenseful versions of the gorgeously swinging Nashville gothic tune When the Sun Bows to the Moon, a cover of Ghost Riders in the Sky - which succeeded in avoiding the ever-present camp factor - and the quietly stomping Ninth House drunk-driving anthem Follow the Line. Their only faux pas (if this in fact wasn~Rt part of their original game plan) was to do two songs with the chorus ~Swaiting for the train,~T back to back: a Sinnis original, and a beautiful, hauntingly jangling cover of a Sisters of Mercy song which closed the set.

^Artist: Sourdough Slim A Winter Night's Yeow	^Venue: The State Theater Modesto, CA
^Reviewer: goerge osner	^Date: 01/12/01
I recently had the pleasure of attending the Modesto (CA) edition of "A Winter Night's Yeow." If your taste runs to homemade music (and why else would you be on this list?), this is the stuff. AWNY is a group effort, ranging from the zany topical songs of Doodoo Wah through the cowboy polkas and yodeling of Sourdough Slim to the traditional sounds of the Foothillbillys and featuring the terrible, ancient jokes of Cactus Bob, of Cactus Bob and Prairie Flower. As staged at Modesto's State Theater (a beautiful venue, btw), this is basic vaudeville with a traditional folk flavor. Short, quick moving sets (each group plays a set before intermission, and again after, and there's lots of mix-and-match going on) keep the audience's interest; no one style reaches the saturation point. Of special note, Slim was backed by Blackwood Tom Schmidt, the "king of the cowboy clarinet." I don't know about the clarinet as a traditional instrument for cowboy music, but Tom has got an absolutely beautiful, soulful tone. He also did a turn on bass clarinet. Doodoo Wah is consistently entertaining, with on-target "short shelf-life" songs--like "Who decided to let Florida Vote." Ron and Dave also did a medley of their advertising jingles, done mostly for local Sonora, CA businesses--something you won't readily hear outside of the local area. This is fun stuff. You will be entertained.

^Artist: Bruce Springsteen	^Venue: xcel energy center St. Paul
^Reviewer: donna douglas	^Date: 5/10/05
first of all he started 45 minutes late. concessions ended 10 minutes before he was supposed to start. no one was aloud to walk back to their seats after having to use the restroom until he finished with his song. security was sorry for the inconvenience but said it was bruce's rules. this was my one and only bruce springsteen concert that i will ever sit halfway through. no cameras aloud. (which is common i know and i am glad i didnt waste any film)no alcohol aloud, no singing along... it seems to me that all of his songs were written while he was extemely depressed. and with the money he gets for the well overpriced tickets i think he could afford some professional help. with the second song he played, i didnt talk to one person who understood even one word of it. we had no idea what he was singing about. a lot of people left and went across the street and had a much better time listening to two local guys. one of the guys even did a few springsteen songs and sounded just like him. he played a couple old songs too and we could have a drink and sing along. bruce isnt what he used to be. i used to love him and now i have to recommend that you dont waste your money. ive seen a lot of concerts in my life and this one was the worst i've ever been to.

^Artist: James Lee Stanley	^Venue: The Fret House Covina, CA
^Reviewer: Char Johnsen	^Date: 7/15/00
On July 15th of this year I was afforded the opportunity to enjoy a very talented and versatile performer adn wanted to share the experience with all of you. If you already haven't experienced a live performance from this individual, let me take a few sentences to introduce him to you. James Lee Stanley..Readers, Readers...James Lee Stanley. James has been in the business for many years and with more than 13 albums and CDs under his belt has provided quality entertainment to many far and wide. He owns Beachwood Recordings and not only has released wonderful acoustic solo CDs, but has also teamed with other gifted acoustical musicians such as Michael Smith, and Peter Tork (yes THAT Peter Tork!), and has been an opening act throughout the years for many other performers to numerous to mention here. Ok. now that you know a little something of his background, let me delve into this recent performance. The venue, "The Fret House" is a small intimate venue, actually the 'unlikely' basement of a shop that sells musical instruments. However, the owners have fixed it up into this little theater that hosts many an acoustic/folk artists every month of every year. It seats anywhere from 50-100 comfortably and most likely could squeeze in a few more if needed. The acoustics are wonderful and being an intimate setting, a rapport between artist and audience member can't help but be created. Not that James needs a small room to create his special kind of 'magic' with an audience, I've seen him do it a larger venues, even open air ones where audience members are yards away, but this one in particular is special, and lends itself to the feeling of sitting in your living room with this artist and just watching him lose himself in the music he loves so much. James began this show with one of his newer tunes in his repertoire "Anywhere Love Goes" and then launched into one of my personal favorites off the "Freelance Human Being" album "Somewhere In Between", a somewhat melancholy tale of missed opportunity in the love arena, with a beautiful acoustic guitar accompaniment which James wrote with Laurence Juber. It seems to be a song that catches the audience's attention, because although not one of his better known standards, it's quickly become one of the most mentioned by his fans, and it almost always elicits a big round of applause every time he performs it, this time being no exception. He followed this with "Fairweather Town", an up tempo rendition of life in Los Angeles and "the bizness', "Daughter Divine" (written by Thom Bishop), and the tune that seems to be the most favorite voted by his fans "Daddy's Eyes", a remarkable song he wrote fromt he perspective of a rape victim that keeps the child. All three of these songs can be found in different arrangements, on different CD's to include the aforementioned "Freelance Human Being" and "Domino Harvest". He finished the first set with "3 Monkeys", introduced on his "Simpatico" CD, a song inspired by his impressions during a past trip to Cuba. Interwoven between songs was ongoing commentary by James on life's subjects he's experienced, found humor in, and whom most of us can relate to which include the joys of aging, California drivers, childbirth from a man's perspective, and the current political scene, all presented with his special style of relaxed and sometimes self-depreciateve humor, which had the whole room laughing and agreeing with him 100%. With a James Lee Stanley show, you almost always get two for one. Wonderful music and excellent comedy. At intermission, James invited everybody over to "meet the artist, the thrill of a lifetime", and to check out some of those 13 CDs he hads he had for sale. James truly loves and appreciates his audiences and his fans that come to see him (a few at this show all the way from San Diego), and enjoys interacting with them at intermission and after the show. He's a very personable individual and quite the 'character'. Most of us that have become his fans have done so after we've met him at his shows and gotten hooked on his music and have remained fans because of his love and caring about what he does and his special rapport with those he does it for. After intermission, he began the next set with "Man in the Mirror", not to be confused with the Michael Jackson song, but also one of self-perspective, "Every Day", another beautifully written song of lost love and the hurt that accompanies that situation, "I Don't Want To Talk About It", a bluesy, jazzy song about the 'heels' both men and women can be in relationships, depending on who's perspective is telling the story. Then he launched into some of his "standards", which included "All I Ever Wanted", a very lovely romantic acoustic ballad he wrote for his wife, "Some Say", "Jericho Wind", and anothe rone of my favorites "Make It Tonight", a song that's about just what it's titled, off his "Envoy" CD. He finished off the evening with an energized rendition of "Racing the Moon" from the album of the same name. With James you can always count on a quality show, and with his versatility there's always something for everybody in the audience no matter how your musical or comedy tastes run.

^Artist: Deb Talan	^Venue: Club Passim Cambridge, MA
^Reviewer: Anthony Baldman	^Date: 06/07/01
There are many female folk musicians out there trying to make it in an industry that does not fully embrace their genre of music. Once in while someone comes along and breaks barriers and actually makes a name for herself, despite all the teeny-pop the current music market is saturated with now. We had Shawn Colvin break out in the mid-90s with her radio-friendly hit "Sunny Came Home". We also had Tracy Chapman come out in full force in the late 80s with her hit "Fast Car". Today she still rings true with hits like "The Promise", "Give Me One Reason", and "Telling Stories". Some constant radio play, mixed with talent and a little luck can yield great results. Today we have yet another very promising star on the horizon who can certainly make a name for herself. Her name is Deb Talan. Her future should be a very bright one if the right people see her at the right time. Something tells me we"ll be hearing a lot more from her for quite some time. It's only the beginning. Talan took a step in the right direction and played her first headlining gig at Harvard Square's prestigious Club Passim on June 8. Previously, she had opened for numerous acts at the historic venue, only getting to play about 5 or 6 songs each time. Not only did her show sell out, Talan treated the capacity crowd to an intense 17-song , 90-minute set with a full band. She debuted many news songs from her brand new live CD Sincerely, a follow up to her acclaimed Something Burning studio release from 2000. If there's one thing that separates Talan as a unique performer, it's her voice. Her evocative lyrics and soothing voice brought an intense applause after she opened with "Angels Marching". She played a few more solo songs from the new CD before she brought out the rest of her band for a livening version of "Tell Your Story Walking". On "Forgiven" Austin Nevins joined in on electric guitar. He added a different dimension to the delicate and emotional song with echoing, eerie chords coupled with Talan's intricate acoustic guitar work. It was a great mix of the two instruments. The highlight of the evening had to be her invigorating performance of "Something Burning". The song would be a surely be a hit on the radio if given adequate airplay. Unfortunately, musicians not on a major record label get played only on college radio these days. Everyone in attendance was rocking in their chairs from the sheer energy of this song. The harmonizing, lyrics, and instrumentation were perfection. The song had some catchy lyrics as well. She sings, "Now every time I ride the Broadway bridge I think of you/Kiss me in the open places/And every time I see a Cardigan I think of you/No ordinary sweater." Talan also debuted some yet-to-be-released songs. The song "Sincerely" is actually not on her new live CD Sincerely. She said it is a song foreshadowing whats to come. Another song she played to be included on her next studio release was "Unraveling", a complex song about self-discovery. Her main set ended with what had to be her best yet-to-be-released song, "Saturn's Light". It's a song about yearning for love, the quest for it, and the hope that it does exist. Her soft, yet mesmerizing vocals complimented a tight collaboration with her band members. She deliberately sang, "I want good love/I want it so bad". The song had such a lasting impact. Talan was humble and a bit taken aback by the reaction throughout the night from the audience. She seldom performs with a band so it was truly an added bonus to hear her with other players. Her excitement to perform and energy was evident. This was only the beginning of headlining gigs for Talan.

^Artist: Russ Ward	^Venue: Coffehouse and Song Dayton, Ohio
^Reviewer: Tammy Wilding	^Date: 6-4-01
Russ Ward from Morehead, Kentucky is a talented singer/songwriter who is extremly versatile in his performance. Bluegrass, folk, rock, blues,Celtic, Native American themes, Life ballads. Wow, his show has it all. I saw him solo and can't wait for the CD to come out in August. Life Lessons (the name of the CD, I think) if anything like the live show, will be fantastic. There won't be anything that sounds the same on this project, Very accoustic and very well-done. Shows a writing talent that we haven't heard in awhile. He is very passionate and fun to listen to on stage. JT meets Gorka meets Young, meets Browne.

^Artist: Neil Young	^Venue: Tommy Hilfiger at Jones Beach Theatre Wantagh
^Reviewer: Howie	^Date: 06/29/03
Neil played 1:40 of Greendale, a concept album due out this fall. It's not bad, but a little weird. I felt like I was watching the preview of an off-Broadway plan. More performance art than the Neil Young I paid good money to see. He played 5 "old" songs for maybe 40 minutes (lots of jamming), and sounded like he was bored, doing his fans a favor. I think most of the fans at the show felt the same way. All in all, I felt ripped off. Neil commented that the audience was well behaved, that he needed to play new music to live, that he was glad he didn't have to play his old music every night.