View Full Version : help needed from knowledgeable music fans
kapeman
05-18-2009, 01:49 PM
I find I will be in the vicinity of the Fingerlakes Grassroots Festival in July.
http://www.grassrootsfest.org/festival/
but don't know too many of the artists ( Bela Fleck, Donna the Buffalo
and The Campbell Brothers primarily) so not sure which day to attend.
Any advice? Many thanks
bird33
05-18-2009, 02:07 PM
I would defintely check her out, I heard her Fest performance was awesome and I caught a great set at Outside Lands in San Fran last year, plus she seems pretty unique from everything else in the lineup.
There some good groups here. Donna the Buffalo, Pine Leaf Boys, and Sharon Jones are all worth a look. Toots is flat out awesome if you like reggae.
That's a pretty impressive lineup . If you can do only one day you are obviously going to miss out on something. Based on my quick review Saturday seems to be the strongest day overall, but you would have two big misses in Toots on Thursday and Sharon Jones on Friday.
As for Saturday, in addition to the folks you named (Bela, Donna the Buffalo, Campbell Brothers), Keith Frank, the Pine Leaf Boys, the Horseflies and Scythian are all also great. I've seen them all live (several times in some instances) and they are a lot of fun. Sunday looks like the weakest day for my preferences. Otherwise I don't think you can go wrong.
festivalgirl
05-18-2009, 02:35 PM
Bela Fleck is incredible. He can play Mozart on a banjo & you forget it's a banjo. Don't miss him!!
Baconwrapped
05-18-2009, 02:36 PM
a few recommendations:
Oumou Sangare is one of the true greats of Mali's music... a phenomenal singer with a great legacy. And cool that Bela Fleck will be playing with her, an extension of his recent "African banjo" project.
The Pine Leaf Boys, of course -- the forefront of young Cajun bands.
I'm not familiar with the Alash Ensemble specifically, but Tuvan throat singing has to be seen to be believed.
If your tastes run to dark-hued oddball singer-songwriters, Johnny Dowd has that covered.
okay, that's a start in addition to the recommendations others have made.
stlbarb
05-18-2009, 03:07 PM
I find I will be in the vicinity of the Fingerlakes Grassroots Festival in July.
http://www.grassrootsfest.org/festival/
but don't know too many of the artists ( Bela Fleck, Donna the Buffalo
and The Campbell Brothers primarily) so not sure which day to attend.
Any advice? Many thanks
i have FOMF now. ;)
duende
05-18-2009, 03:19 PM
Friday & Saturday look very impressive! Donna the Buffalo rock in a rootsy way, Rusted Root used to rock in a rusty way, and Jim Lauderdale is a fantastic Americana songwriter. Hee Haw Nightmare got my attention, and I'd have to see some of the Chicken Chokers show just to be able to use the band name in a future thread :)
I like that some of the bands play twice - that cuts down FOMS but you're bound to miss something... it's the nature of the beast - and one of the reasons I'm thinking about the Fall Strawberry Fest in California. Sit down and let the music come to you for a change! (btw, I once said I'd reserve going to Strawberry for those "silver" years that I also pegged for cruise vacations... oops - it's getting closer!)
funkkjunkie
05-18-2009, 04:53 PM
I would also add Rusted Root and John Brown's Body. JBB is reggae.
Meters Fan
05-18-2009, 05:17 PM
Don't miss Sharon Jones! She absolutely killed at JF.
"Oumou Sangare is one of the true greats of Mali's music... a phenomenal singer with a great legacy. And cool that Bela Fleck will be playing with her, an extension of his recent "African banjo" project."
Um yeah, in a big way. Oumou Sangare is one of the greatest singers in any genre and she rarely tours. Her duet with Bela is the highpoint of the film "Throw Down Your Heart".
A lot of the acts I don't recognize as I'm from the West coast but I'm sure you'll be surprised by the quality of music played by someone you have never heard of before.
Friday and Saturday would be my picks.
Baconwrapped
05-18-2009, 05:44 PM
If I recall correctly, Sangare was booked for JazzFest in the mid-'90s, but at the last minute was unable to get a visa. Whatever the reason, it was very disappointing.
kapeman
05-18-2009, 05:52 PM
Im really impressed with the scope of the knowledge and experience of this group. I appreciate all the responses and look forward to this festival.
Can't imagine the food will be as good as at JF.
Belle
05-18-2009, 06:26 PM
Treat this like fest...pretend you know none of the artists....we will all have different opinons
I am not fond of Donna and the buffalo...but would recommend Pine Leaf Boys (hot set at fest), Campbell Brothers for sure, also Thousand of One if you like hip hop (i do), John Brown's Body, Rusted Root and what ever you find through searching the links.
Have fun!!
Baconwrapped
05-18-2009, 06:58 PM
And I strongly second (or at this point third or fourth) the Campbell Brothers recommendation. Absolutely smoking steel-guitar gospel. Last year saw them both at Fest (in the Blues tent) and one evening at Chickie Wah Wah...
Lostcajun
05-18-2009, 08:13 PM
What they all said, and Bela Fleck has a jam band but with a banjo flavor, truly amazing!!!!!
Baconwrapped
05-18-2009, 08:59 PM
If you like Bela, check out the album he was on last year with fellow banjo-ist Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet... they were a highlight of JazzFest '08, mixing Chinese music with bluegrass in a chamber music kinda setting. Remarkable!
festivalgirl
05-18-2009, 09:41 PM
If you like Bela, check out the album he was on last year with fellow banjo-ist Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet... they were a highlight of JazzFest '08, mixing Chinese music with bluegrass in a chamber music kinda setting. Remarkable!
My '08 highlight as well!!!
Where in LA are you? Am I having a brain fart .... have we met?
Baconwrapped
05-18-2009, 10:15 PM
My '08 highlight as well!!!
Where in LA are you? Am I having a brain fart .... have we met?
I'm in Silver Lake... quite possible we've met, but since I don't really know who you are, hard to say! ;-)
charlotte
05-18-2009, 10:19 PM
I love Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - she is like a female James Brown, works it very hard, and has the great horn section backing her up. Very hot - I've never seen her live, just on Austin City Limits, but I would definitely recommend her set as a "must see" show.
chrisjoseph
05-18-2009, 10:24 PM
baconwrapped and festival girl: I believe you have met at The Joint for the Boutte/Sanchez show. Speaking of which, we've got one coming up on September 11....with Craig Klein and Alex McMurray...and more...
i wanna be in NOLA
05-18-2009, 10:29 PM
Just in case you don't have enough votes for Bela --- do not miss an opportunity to see him live!
festivalgirl
05-18-2009, 11:03 PM
I'm in Silver Lake... quite possible we've met, but since I don't really know who you are, hard to say! ;-)
baconwrapped and festival girl: I believe you have met at The Joint for the Boutte/Sanchez show. Speaking of which, we've got one coming up on September 11....with Craig Klein and Alex McMurray...and more...
We're in K-town .... I'm the one without the mustache!!
Nice plug ..... Which of the girls are flying in for this one??!! ;)
Michelino
05-18-2009, 11:04 PM
I agree with a lot of the above. Plus consider seeing Bobby Henrie and the Goners. They play a swinging, still very fresh style of Rockabilly/Roots Rock. Each member of the trio is accomplished and good enough to be in several bands. Bobby is a former child protege who plays a rockin guitar...Brian Williams, the bass player is also extraordinary...and he was part of John Mooney's band for a number of years.
chrisjoseph
05-18-2009, 11:31 PM
We're in K-town .... I'm the one without the mustache!!
Nice plug ..... Which of the girls are flying in for this one??!! ;)
girls?
festivalgirl
05-18-2009, 11:33 PM
girls?
TH's for Craigory ..........
Zydekitten
05-19-2009, 01:32 AM
I've seen several of these bands (GREAT lineup, BTW) and here's who I recommend seeing:
- Donna the Buffalo (Excellent mix of bluegrass, cajun and roots)
- Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (echoing what has been said here previously)
- Bela Fleck
- Toots and the Maytals
- The Campbell Brothers
- The Pine Leaf Boys
- Scythian
- Jim Lauderdale
Baconwrapped
05-19-2009, 01:43 AM
We're in K-town .... I'm the one without the mustache!!
Well, as Chris said amid his timely plug, not unlikely we met at that Hollywood shindig a few months back... or maybe at the Patry? Regardless, look forward to future meetings with both you and the mustache.
chrisjoseph
05-19-2009, 05:24 AM
Do you mean the plug for the September 11 show? Featuring Craigory Klein and a bunch of screaming girls in the audience?
festivalgirl
05-19-2009, 03:50 PM
Do you mean the plug for the September 11 show? Featuring Craigory Klein and a bunch of screaming girls in the audience?
http://www.lat34.com/_/Image/_/screaming_girls.gif
[steve & chrissa's taxi service is available to visitors ... i'm just saying ;)]
aardy90210
05-19-2009, 04:03 PM
Bela Fleck is incredible. He can play Mozart on a banjo & you forget it's a banjo. Don't miss him!!
not to mention his bass player (victor wooten) who is certainly no slouch himself.