Nothing Better

I've added a little something to the sidebar here at No Filter. I decided a list of my favorite stuff was boring and have added something a little more timely -- a list of current shows to which I either have tickets or want tickets. This is also an open invitation to anyone I know, or have not yet had the pleasure to meet, who may interested in going with to speak up and let me know. I'm always looking for someone else who enjoys live music to come along.

Speaking of live music, I drove to Vienna to the Marah show at Jammin' Java last Wednesday -- and it was definitely worth the drive. Jammin' Java is a coffee house, sans the beatnik feel, whose claim to fame is the live acts it attracts. Occupancy max is 180, which should give you a feel for the size of the place, and makes for a very intimate show experience. Willie Breeding, a folk singer out of Brooklyn, opened for the group. Willie fits into the Ray LaMontagne, a-man-and-his-guitar category. It was the first show of his tour and he was showing his nerves. Though I can't hold it against him -- he was playing for a Marah audience who were waiting for much more than an acoustic guitar. His set started to pick-up when he brought out Marah's newest addition, a female keyboardist who also plays the accordion (ahhh!) and sings, for several songs. But it was the main act I'd driven almost two hours to hear . . .

First of all, it was an acoustic show, which I was a little bummed about. But really, what else could I have expected from a coffee house show? I needn't to have been worried, as the band brought in lots of extras to make up for the missing drum kit. Like the aforementioned accordion, keys and banjo -- which made the night for me. The band, along with Willie, were on their very first leg of the tour and were anxious to treat their waiting audience to new material -- and two new band members. The Marah website is way out of date -- last bio post was dated 2005 -- so I need to do some research on the blogs to find out who the new members are and what happened to Adam Garbinski, the nerdy/hot guitar player I remember playing with the group at Bonnaroo.

Marah, led by original band member Sierge Bielanko, played over two hours of non-stop material. New stuff, really old stuff and the only song that I would have been bummed not to have heard, Walt Whitman Bridge. It's a track that appears in some form on almost all of their albums and my favorite. It's a great sampling of their work so if you want a taste, I'd recommend the download.

The finale, which included Breeding, was a rowdy rendition of Willie Nelson's (a tribute to Willie Breeding's first tour, perhaps) On the Road Again that sent the crowd home happy. It was the first time the band, and Willie, had played the song for an audience -- and the harmonica and banjo were wailing. The band, in all their post show sweat and glory, took time afterward to hit the merchandise table for questions, autographs and sexual propositions. It was the band's goal to introduce Willie to the real side of tour life. Hopefully a nice Virginia girl showed that Kentucky boy a warm welcome.

Meet J.J.

There's a new man in my life -- err, ok, that sounds a little too cat-lady-in-the-making! I adopted a 16 week old male kitten over the weekend from two very good friends. JJ (short for Jim James -- yes, I know, apparently I am really that big of an indie-music nerd) is crazy and fun and we're becoming fast friends. If I can keep him out from under my feet, we'll be just fine. He's adapting quite well to his new home, though I wonder if my house plants, and ankles, will survive him. JJ is more like a puppy than any cat I've ever known -- chasing his own tail and hopping into the shower with me after running laps around the edge of my claw foot tub. I look forward to watching him grow up, i.e. mellow out.

And no, there won't be scheduled JJ updates here, so no worries that No Filter will turn away from it's political, musical randomness. The day I start to write more about my cat than what's going on outside my apartment is the day one of you comes over and drags me kicking and screaming into the daylight. End story.

Jason Isbell and Friends

What it is about vacation time going by faster than any other time . . . it's back to the grind which means more posts!

Friday evening, after making record time on the drive back from South Carolina, I was reminded that Jason Isbell was playing at the Canal Club. Isbell, formerly of the Drive By Truckers, released his first solo album earlier last week and, along with an album release party at Plan 9 earlier in the evening, was playing a show with the Wrinkle Neck Mules and Justin Townes Earle (Steve Earle's son!). I went hoping to hear the Mules but was pleasantly surprised to hear Earle, who I knew nothing about. Earle, with his acoustic guitar and old school Tennessee voice was accompanied by one guy, who never uttered a peep, with a ukulele -- and I loved them. It was good ole foot tapping Hank Williams style stripped down music (on a side note, man oh man, those eyes of his will pull you in forever). He seemed really gracious for being invited to open for Isbell and tried his damnedest, with just an unplugged guitar, to get the mostly male audience amped for the main event. After his set he sold his own CD's at the Plan 9 table, autographing each one and having a word with his fans. Gotta love a guy who reaches out to his people so humbly. Check out his new EP, Yuma

The Isbell show was one of the best I've heard in months. There were loads of cigs smoked, whiskey chugged and tunes cranked out. He and his band, The 400 Unit, pumped out loud, rowdy music that was lots of fun to jam to. And, as my attendance was completely spontaneous, the nonexistent expectations I had were far exceeded. The vibe of the crowd near the stage was totally contagious -- having fun and really happy to be there!




I intended to write a post solely on The Avett Brothers newest album, Emotionalism, after my love affair with it on vacation. I picked it up the Friday before I left town, not giving it tremendous thought. After several listens, back-to-back, I was hooked. How have I not jumped on the Avett Brothers wagon before? They are one of my new favorites with their gentle twangy voices and plingy, almost percussionist, banjo picking. What really drew me in however, were the lyrics. They are lovely and clean and weave tales of love, friendship, good times and loss. "The Ballad of Love and Hate" is a five + minute tale asking of you to listen to every word as the battle between love and hate is personified. It'll give you shivers. The lyrics that especially resonated with me were from "The Weight of Lies":

The weight of lies will bring you down
And follow you to every town
Cause nothing happens here that doesn’t happen there
So when you run make sure you run
To something and not away from
Cause lies don’t need an aeroplane to chase you anywhere

I am so excited to know they have a tour stop in Richmond at Toad's Place in September! I have two months to get to know their previous albums as well as I've come to know this one.

Hitchin' a Ride

So, I'm heading out on a much needed road trip to the annual extended family beach week in Surfside, SC tomorrow morning and thought I better write a little something before you think I've fallen into oblivion . . .

Two of The Girls and I took in a ballgame last night in the hopes of some belated 4th of July fireworks action. Did I ever mention how much I lurve fireworks? The sound, color, light -- the experience makes me giggle with delight. I can't sit still in my seat, I get so anxious for the show to begin. Last night we waited . . . and waited for the 1 1/2 hour rain delayed game to end. It took extra innings and a naughty 3rd base coach getting thrown out of the game for the real show to start at a yawn worthy 12:45 p.m. And, did I mention they stopped pouring beer at 10:00 -- seriously, people! But, boy oh boy, was all the waiting worth it.

Did anyone else know that Jason Schwartzman, the actor, is also a singer. He's Coconut Records and seriously has one of the creepiest album covers, ever, with Nighttiming. That "huge" eye staring through that tiny window [shudder]. Totally creeps me out. BUT the music is catchy and interesting, which is a big statement when one considers other actors turn singers. Hello, David Hasselhoff . . .

I learned last week that Marah will be in Northern Virginia in a couple of week's at Vienna's Jammin' Java. Marah is a band, hailing from Philadelphia, who've been around since the early 90's but who I discovered just a year ago at Bonnaroo. They're sometimes twangy with sweet bango picking and harmonica but oftentimes harder with a more classic rock sound. It's actually their live shows that really get people talking. They have eight albums in their catalog, the most recent in 2005, but news is there is a new -- finally! -- album due in January.

The Marah show is just the start of a busy late July and early August concert run for me. The week after their show, Pete Yorn will be at the Norva on Thursday, Nickel Creek with Fiona Apple at Innsbrook on Friday and Saturday and Sunday, The Virgin Music Festival at Pimlico. I've honestly been dreading the Virgin Festival more than looking forward to it -- the heat, dust, and people -- but then I remember the point of it all -- the music -- and I'm back on board with anticipation. There's also news of The Avett Brothers at Toad's Place in September. Their new album, Emotionalism, will be in rotation on tomorrow's drive south. In stiff competition with Easy Tiger, of course -- 13 tracks of pure magic, people. Get on board!