Friday was a great day to be at the 53rd annual Philadelphia Folk Festival. With the gates opening to a sunny afternoon, the stage was set for a day of showcases and concerts. The Hot […]
Category: Concert Reviews
Concert and Festival reviews
Skies clear for Folk Fest weekend
The rain really started to kick up a few hours before the first concert was set to begin. Luckily, I had just finished dinner over the campfire before it started to drizzle, then rain, then pour.
Just as Angaleena Presley was set to take the stage, the rain let up enough for my camping neighbors to snap a photo of a double rainbow in the parking lot. “It’s a sign for the festival,” I said. Everything around here is a sign for a happy fest.
There was a large crowd at the camp stage for the Thursday night concert – which is only open to campers at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Sturgill Simpson came out and played a couple of good songs with the energy of a rock ‘n’ roll band before the lead singer and songwriter, Simpson said, “We had to get the slow stuff out of the way. Y’all want to dance now? This is for the guy who said he wanted to dance.”
#FolkinStoked: Old Crow Medicine Show
How many bands get tapped by Bob Dylan to finish his unreleased work? Well Old Crow Medicine Show have be handed pieces by Dylan, twice, to record and finish. Now that’s a band I want to see!
“Wagon Wheel,” the country single made popular by Darius Rucker was first recorded by Old Crow Medicine Show, the Nashville-based bluegrass and folk band that will perform Friday, Aug. 15 at the 53rd annual Philadelphia Folk Festival.
#FolkinStoked: Steep Canyon Rangers
I never thought I liked bluegrass until I heard The Steep Canyon Rangers. The Grammy award-winning band consisting of Woody Platt, Nicky Sanders, Mike Guggino, Graham Sharp, Charles R. Humphrey III and sometimes Steve Martin […]
Philly welcomes folkies for 53rd annual fest
More than 50 years of musical tradition will continue at the Old Pool Farm for the Philadelphia Folk Festival Aug. 15-17 in Upper Salford Township.
The lineup for the 53rd annual Folk Festival includes Old Crow Medicine Show, Steep Canyon Rangers, Janis Ian and Loudon Wainwright III. These performers are mixed in throughout an intoxicating three days of crafts, workshops and a variety of musical performances.
Phish rides “Wingsuit” into Boardwalk Hall
By SHAUN SMITH
ATLANTIC CITY – As they streamed out of Boardwalk Hall, concert-goers were high-fiving security and whooping it up into the night Saturday, Nov. 2 following the last night of a three-night stand. The historic convention center on the Boardwalk was submerged with strange sights and sounds as Phish closed out its fall 2013 tour beginning on Halloween.
“The ‘Jibboo’ last night was worth the price of admission,” one fan said leaving Saturday evening. The band last played “Gotta Jibboo,” 19 shows prior, on July 30, 2013 in Lake Tahoe, according to Phish.net.
DMB Caravan Coverage
Travel with Shaun Smith as he delves deep into the Dave Matthews Band Caravan June 24-26, 2011. Click Here for a link to live coverage
Lebowskifest brings Dudes to Philly
A festival for its time and place
By SHAUN SMITH
Blogger in Chief
PHILADELPHIA – They were there to fix the cable. Fans of the Big Lebowski packed into the Theater of Living Arts for Lebowskifest Friday, June 3.
For nearly 10 years, co-founders Scott Shuffitt and Will Russell have been traveling the country with Lebowskifest celebrating the 1998 Cohen Brothers film and “what have you.”
The two-day festival included a bowling party and costume contest Saturday at North Bowl.
The TLA was nearly at its capacity with a Maude Lebowski serving up the house special: a Caucasian (otherwise referred to as White Russian) which is the preferred beverage of choice Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski.
“Achievers” the moniker that lovers of the film wear proudly, were mingling in the bar and theater for nearly an hour before the show began.