Tag Archives: Contra dance

Hootenanny Artist Preview: Vagabond Swing (4 days out y’all!)

9 Sep

Vagabond Swing

Please welcome Vagabond Swing to the Hootenanny Family!  I have not witnessed a Vagabond Swing concert, but by all accounts and from what I have found on YouTube, the 45-minute set from 4:15pm-5pm on Saturday afternoon under the Grateful Fred Tent is going to be bouncing all directions with creative musical anarchy – too much fun for your own good!

These fellas come from Lafayette, LA, and they are bringing their own unique sound to the table here.  Instrumentation includes dual guitars, drums, mandolin, trumpet, and upright bass.  I’m sure there are some surprises in there, too.   With musical influences including gypsy/folk/bluegrass, punk/ska, avant garde/classical, and jazz, well, this is what you might get.  They describe their music as “a surprisingly smooth mixture of progressive Gypsy/Experimental/Circus-vibe/Swing tunes.”  That pretty much sums it up.  The video below is a good indicator of the fun and intensity that is a performance by Vagabond Swing.

Vagabond Swing is going to stick around after their set, so expect them to pop up possibly on stage elsewhere!  Y’all we’re going to have ourselves an incredible time this weekend, and you can purchase advance tickets until Thursday, Sept 12 @ 11pm EDT. 

***All advance purchases will receive a copy of a compilation from TDawg Presents’ 2nd Annual Atlanta’s Holiday Hootenanny that occurred in December of 2012, featuring Papa Mali, Larry Keel, Oteil Burbridge, Jimmy Hall, Rev. Jeff Mosier, Col. Bruce Hampton, Ike Stubblefied, Grant Green Jr., Deep Blue Sun and more!

FRI-SAT $50 ADV/$60 gate (includes camping)

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SAT ONLY $40 ADV/$50 gate (includes camping)

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Hootenanny Artist Preview: Dave Jordan

6 Sep

Dave Jordan

Dave Jordan has lived and breathed the life & blood of New Orleans music.  From the funk days with Juice and many different collaborations all over the Big Easy including the legendary Maple Leaf Bar and Tipitina’s to his current project that embodies what he calls “NOLA roots rock”, Jordan delivers REAL music with a genuine feel of where he is from and what he has been through.

I met Dave back in 1998 prior to the 1st Annual HarvestFest, which really was a glorified Hootenanny in the end 😉 Live and learn I guess!  Anyhoo, we share mutual close friends who introduced us, and I featured Juice as part of a 2-part New Orleans happy hour (x2!).  The other part was All That.  Led by Jordan and the husky voice of big man and harmonica monster, Jamie Galloway (he recently departed this world waaaaaaaaay too soon, miss him greatly), Juice rocked it that day and at the 2nd Annual HarvestFest.  Relentless road warriors, they took their brand of NOLA funk around the country, developing a nationwide following.  I, along with a few friends of mine, was fortunate to coordinate, produce, and shoot a live a performance of Juice in the confines of the legendary Tree Sound Studios at their pinnacle when we were trying to create a live music show for TV.  Juice did a few more TDawg shows over the years but this will be the first time in a long time that I have seen Dave in person, and for him it’s a family reunion as well.  The HarvestFest spirit is alive and well in the realm of TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny, and Dave embodies that energy.   Below is great jam from the Boom Boom Room in San Francisco that brings out the NOLA funk of Juice on one of their originals, “Work to Do”!

Dave’s recent path hasn’t been quite as funky, but it has been equally satisfying and gratifying for him.  To me, Dave is one of those persons in life that defines where his roots are as much as his roots define who he is.  You’ll definitely feel that energy in his newest solo effort, “Bring Back Red Raspberry”, named after his favorite flavor at Hubig’s Pies, a New Orleans institution that burned down in July, 2012.  Below is a clip of Dave Jordan & The Neighborhood Improvement Association performing at Louisiana Music Factory during JazzFest 2013.

Dave’s set will begin shortly after 5pm, the perfect cocktail hour music!  Bringing together that NOLA vibe for happy hour sounds just right to me!  Expect some pedal steel to ring through the air…HOOT HOOT!!!

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A TDawg Reflection – HOOT HOOT!!

26 Aug

Little King Trio

This past weekend marked a very special time for me personally and professionally.  I started in this crazy music business back in 1998, and a few of those original folks who helped me get going back in the day were at the Clear Mountain View Music Festival at the Elliott Family Farms in Polkville, NC – what a fantastic reunion!  I value my friendships greatly, and when there is an opportunity not only to renew those relationships and create new friendships but also to rejuvenate myself musically and spiritually, that’s the perfect storm for one helluva time!

TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny lives by this formula, and if you don’t feel this energy, we’ll help you get there!

It was fantastic to see our good bluegrass buddy David Via back on stage after a horrendous attack left him a large stack of medical bills, including a reconstructed jaw.   He sounded great, looked great, and it was too bad the only storm of the weekend came during his set, because it was fantastic!  Big Daddy Love followed by Yarn provided a framework for some remarkable jams, instrumentation, collaboration, and songwriting.  Music for the soul.

Via & Padgett   BDL_Yarn   Steep Canyon Rangers

Good times with the Steep Canyon Rangers!  They’ve come quite a ways, obviously, and they sound incredible!  Woody looked sharp up there as the ring leader – if you haven’t heard about or are considering going to Mountain Song At Sea, GO!  There are some great acts booked in addition to Steep Canyon Rangers, including the David Grisman Folk Jazz Trio, The Seldom Scene, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Travelin’ McCourys, Kruger Brothers, Trampled By Turtles, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Greensky Bluegrass and more!  I’m certain there will be additions to the lineup coming soon!

Following the Steep Canyon Rangers was Acoustic Syndicate, one of my acts for the very first HarvestFest in October of 1998 plus three out of the next four (had to cancel in 2001 when they were invited to perform at Farm Aid).  Needless to say, seeing them after a few years of not having the opportunity to do so was extremely rewarding.  Emotions swelled inside of me as I was taken away by the family harmonies and tight, tight musical interaction that transcends description until you see it live.  The family connection (two brothers and a cousin) in that band is strong, and it’s exciting to have them doing some shows more frequently as well as releasing a new album (very inspiring release and highly recommended) shortly after Labor Day!

Acoustic Syndicate

PLEASE consider coming to the upcoming Hootenanny – I know from my own experiences that this is not a Hoot to be missed – this one, perhaps more so than any previous one, really instills the original HarvestFest spirit from ’98-’02 at the old location in Fairburn, Atlanta’s Back Porch.  Below is ticket information for you – I hope you can make it out!

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTENANNY!!!

ADVANCE TICKETS for FRI-SAT and SAT ONLY are available now at the links below.

***All advance purchases will receive a copy of a compilation from TDawg Presents’ 2nd Annual Atlanta’s Holiday Hootenanny that occurred in December of 2012, featuring Papa Mali, Larry Keel, Oteil Burbridge, Jimmy Hall, Rev. Jeff Mosier, Col. Bruce Hampton, Ike Stubblefied, Grant Green Jr., Deep Blue Sun and more!

FRI-SAT $50 ADV/$60 gate (includes camping)

PayPal logo

SAT ONLY $40 ADV/$50 gate (includes camping)

PayPal logo

SAT DAY passes are available at the gate for $40.  Kids 13-16 are $20, Kids 12 & under are admitted FREE.  NO DOGS PLEASE!!

Lodging

Key West Inn, 2221 N Main St  LaFayette, GA 30728
PH: (706) 638-8200

Days Inn, 2209 N Main St  LaFayette, GA 30728
PH: (706) 639-9362

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TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny is 3 weeks out!

21 Aug

Hoot_Late afternoon shot

Howdy y’all!  We’re just over three weeks away from an absolutely incredible weekend of music at the serene property in the NW Georgia mountains known as Cherokee Farms on the weekend of September 13-14, and I thought I’d get you all fired up with some observations from enthusiastic musicians and patrons from the April Hoot.  Dave Jordan (Neighborhood Improvement Association) summed up nicely just yesterday the feeling one gets about coming to a camping TDawg event:

“Looking forward to playing another one of Thomas Helland‘s festivals. I was on his first one, 15 years ago and it’ll be nice to catch up with some old friends. Rumor has it, Duane Trucks will be joining Gregory Hodges and Will Repholz and I to rock Cherokee Farms. Yeah u rite!”

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Caroline Aiken – “A weekend full of family and friends, and the HOOTNENANNY was SO wonderful, the line up was so great with the Ragbirds, Strung LIke A Horse, and so many others…. my band made me so proud: John Pagano , Eddie Glikin and Bob Glick and with the “musicians at large”: (indeed LARGE!!) Donna Hopkins and Ralph Roddenbery, floating and soaking everyone with musical love….it was an honor to be included in the weekend, Thanks Thomas Helland!!!”

Lefty Williams – “Thanks for an awesome time! I had a blast sitting in with everybody.”
Wildman Steve – “A GREAT Hoot, thanks to TDawg, Tree Leaf Sound, all the great musicians and all the beautiful people who came! We had us a TIME!! Love y’all!”
Jake Pelham – “Even though I couldn’t make it, I just wanted to thank T-Dawg and his entire crew for a most excellent HOOT! Because they always are……”
Dan Davidson – “A weekend at the hootenanny makes a return to the “real world” a little easier to handle.”
Mitta Chestnutt – “Happy Hootenanny ! My kids and I had an amazing time. Sending love and blessings and see ya in September:)”
Conner Allred – “Wow what a weekend in Lafayette GA mtns, celebrating Missy’s birthday weekend camping out with friends and enjoying some of the best bluegrass music we ever heard. Thanks Thomas Helland for putting all that together!”
Shawndell Natter – “Since the days at the old Back Porch venue, to the here and now at beautiful Cherokee Farms… My goodness!! the music, the love, the gathering of all the beautiful people with such amazing energy is spectacular! You did it again!! 🙂 We had a blast! THANK YOU ~ THANK YOU ~ THANK YOU!!! We are very grateful! Keep em’ coming!!! HOOT HOOT!!”
Debbie Yancey – “Thank you so much T-Dawg. It was more fun than ever!!”
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Alright now – make your plans now to attend the HOOT in mid-September!  It’s going to be quite the throwdown of music, folks are fired up!  Expect the unexpected and embrace it all.  You WILL hear something new and explosive; you WILL be blown away by the jams created onstage and off; you WILL feel the raw energy of the Grateful Fred Tent and feel his presence even if you didn’t know him; you WILL leave Cherokee Farms with the feeling of anticipation for the spring Hootenanny next April 4-5!  HOOOOOOOOOOOOTENANNY!!!
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ADVANCE TICKETS for FRI-SAT and SAT ONLY are available now at the links below.

***All advance purchases will receive a copy of a compilation from TDawg Presents’ 2nd Annual Atlanta’s Holiday Hootenanny that occurred in December of 2012, featuring Papa Mali, Larry Keel, Oteil Burbridge, Jimmy Hall, Rev. Jeff Mosier, Col. Bruce Hampton, Ike Stubblefied, Grant Green Jr., Deep Blue Sun and more!

FRI-SAT $50 ADV/$60 gate (includes camping)

PayPal logo

SAT ONLY $40 ADV/$50 gate (includes camping)

PayPal logo

SAT DAY passes are available at the gate for $40.  Kids 13-16 are $20, Kids 12 & under are admitted FREE.  NO DOGS PLEASE!!

Lodging

Key West Inn, 2221 N Main St  LaFayette, GA 30728
PH: (706) 638-8200

Days Inn, 2209 N Main St  LaFayette, GA 30728
PH: (706) 639-9362

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Benefit for Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School, Feb 9!

8 Feb

ANCS_benefit

It’s a beautiful day tomorrow, and the perfect way to wrap it up is by supporting a great cause, chowing down on some great food, enjoying some fine craft brews, and seeing some fantastic true Americana, from bluegrass to Cajun to New Orleans funk!

The red beans’n’rice – both kinds – are tasting mighty fine!  I’ll have some Tobasco on hand for those you (like me) who love the extra kick!  I sampled/enjoyed tremendously the world famous spinach queso dip this afternoon, peanuts to boil tomorrow morning!  We also have some deeeeelicious jambalaya, Fox Brothers BBQ sliders, samosas from Bhojanic in addition to more goodies than I can list here!

Twain’s Langhorne IPA and Abita Amber are the beers of choice, and perhaps some other gems will pop up!  We’re also serving wine and alternative beverages.

All the good eats’n’bevies PLUS The Squirrelheads (w/ horn section!), Hair of the Dog, and Smokey’s Farmland Band for one price!  Advance tix are still available at the link below, or you can help the cause and pay at the door!

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The address for Encyclomedia: 1526 Dekalb Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30307.  We hope to see you!

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