April 29, 2008
Goodbye Merlefest, hello Bombadil
Posted by Stacy Chandler at April 29, 2008 11:28 PMAh, another Merlefest come and gone, and even the Merlefest hangover is starting to fade. A quick (really!) breakdown, as I see it:
Highlights: Old Crow Medicine Show's performance, which included quite a few new songs; Marty Stuart and His (truly!) Fabulous Superlatives rocking the house (and the mullet); The Avett Brothers blasting the crowd of thousands, who already loved them, away and into the next county; Ruthie Foster; the Carolina Chocolate Drops; Tift Merritt's Mayes Pit show, which I heard only from the lobby but still caught the magic from.
Lowlights: Rain. Lightning. More rain. And the fact that, among the highlights, I already loved all those bands. My favorite part of most Merlefests is the discovery of new (to me) artists that blow me away, but no such luck this year. The new stuff I saw was ... fine. Nothing to catch on fire about, but fine. The next big thing must have had other plans this year.
But, a mere two days after Merlefest, the new (to me) music gods decided to smile upon me after all. I caught an in-store show at Schoolkids Records by Bombadil, labelmates to the Avett Brothers and the Everybodyfields. Like the other stars of Ramseur Records, the boys of Bombadil have that delicious almost-off-the-rails quality about their performance. It's almost chaos, with hats flying off and wires tangling and yelling mingling with whispers -- but it's always musical. And a very good time. If you have a chance to see them, don't let it pass you. They're heading for bigger things, I believe, and you want to be the guy who can say you knew them when. Which is now. Got it?
Bombadil's new album, released today, is "A Buzz, A Buzz" on Ramseur Records. Look for it at a fine retailer near you. And look for a review here soon.
Did you happen to catch a performance by the Wilders? I had never heard of them and it was my first Merlefest-they blew me away especially from the cabin stage! Such energy-it was contagious!
Posted by: Elizabeth Howard at April 30, 2008 7:24 AM>The new stuff I saw was ... fine. Nothing to catch >on fire about, but fine.
I agree, except for The Sparrow Quartet. Now THEY blew me away. And, they have just been added to the lineup at AmJam (Asheville Music Jamboree).
Posted by: Jack Quillen at April 30, 2008 7:39 AMWe obviously went to the same festival -- and many of the same shows -- since your review aligns almost spot on with the review I've been giving my friends.
I was on the front row for the Tift show in the Pit. It was a very good show, and might have even been "magical" at times, but I have to admit to being somewhat taken aback by some of the diva-esque antics. I actually had the feeling at one point (when she didn't have a guitar pick on stage) that Jay and Zeke (her bandmembers/roadies (and husband, the latter) for this solo gig) were fearing her wrath. The soundman was not spared her disdain either.
Totally agree on the new talent being weak, and while I greatly enjoyed the Wilders, people seemed to either love or hate them.
We left right before the Sparrow Quartet. For the record, while Merlefest is very family-friendly, don't bring your kids unless you're willing to sacrifice your experience for theirs.
And thanks to the rain, I totally missed the Waybacks this year. This disappointment will haunt me for the year to come...
Shane O.
Posted by: Shane O. at April 30, 2008 10:44 AMI did see the Wilders a time or two -- including from the Cabin Stage, which I agree was their best performance. Try as I might, though, I can't get terribly excited about them. I put them in my "just fine/pretty good" category. Though I'm willing to believe I'm missing something, as I heard a lot of folks at the fest going nuts over them. Ah well.
Technically I did see the Sparrow Quartet, and I might have caught on fire there. Except some new pals (neighbors on the lawn) we made Sunday talked my ear off THE WHOLE TIME, so I didn't get to pay much attention, much to my regret. The talkative pals were older folks, so I didn't feel right about hushing them. Though now I kind of wish I had. :)
Posted by: stacy at April 30, 2008 10:44 AMOooh! I didn't know about the diva stuff! I couldn't hear too well from the lobby -- only some of the singing and none of the talking, so I was spared that. I imagine it was kind of, um, uncomfortable?, from the front row. Good on you for surviving. :)
Posted by: stacy at April 30, 2008 10:47 AMI'm surprised Jim Lauderdale hasn't made an appearance on this blog post yet...
Posted by: Carlton Swift at May 1, 2008 8:05 AMHere I am! Somebody mention me?
Buy my record -
Jim L.
Posted by: Jim Lauderdale at May 1, 2008 9:46 AM
