Broad Ripple Gazette, vol 4. no 22

This was originally published in the Broad Ripple Gazette, Buzzing Around Town.


Thanks for all of your great feedback about my on-the-spot review of the Broad Ripple Fall Music Festival. I’ll try to do that more often, in the mean time here are some written-way-after-the-event reviews. Enjoy!

Shake Go Home
October 4, 2007
Birdy’s

Nashville, Tennessee’s Shake Go Home features Lilly Hiatt, daughter of favorite neighborhood son, John Hiatt. Lilly’s aunts and friends were there to cheer her on. All four musicians are great. Guitar player Eric Knutson, drummer John Arrotti, Jeff Montoya is the bass player and Lilly is the lead singer. The young twenty-something’s met in college in Denver and started playing together in the summer of 2005. They relocated to Lilly’s hometown earlier this year. They grabbed everyone’s attention at Birdy’s with their hard to pigeonhole folk funk-bluesy sound. And I’m sure glad to see that Lilly is following her papa in to the family business – and doing it well.
www.myspace.com/shakegohome

The Timejumpers
October 8, 2007
Station Inn
Nashville, TN

I went to visit Broad Ripple expatriates Amy Lashley, Otis Gibbs and Scott Ballantine in their new hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. One of the reasons I timed my Nashville visit around a Monday was to see the Western Swing Band Time Jumpers at The Station Inn. Scott says they are one of the main reasons that he moved to Nashville and I believe it. All ten musicians were just amazing.The band is made up of a core group of studio and touring musicians. As you know, I'm a big fan of the pedal steel guitar -- it does make me swoon. I was lucky enough to hear one of the best session players in the business. Paul Frankin was sitting in for the regular player. You can hear Paul on everything from Barbara Mandrell to Megadeth.
As much as I loved the Time Jumpers, I adored the crowd. There were 200-ish people there on a Monday night at 10 pm. And I was one of the younger ones.
http://www.thetimejumpers.com/
http://www.stationinn.com/

Beth Amsel
October 12, 2007
Indy Hostel

Beth Amsel packed CATH coffeehouse the last time she was in town, in 2004. In the meantime she married the love of her life, finished work on their mountain cabin home and regrouped after years of living on the road. She opened her show at Indy Hostel with an a cappella version of Bruce Springsteen’s I’m On Fire. When she was eight years old she sent a note to Bruce offering to be a back-up singer. She didn’t ever hear from him, but it was clearly his loss. I never know where to listen when Beth is singing - her large, expansive, exquisite voice or her thoughtful lyrics.


Tim Flannery
Steve Poltz
October 21, 2007
Local’s Only

Tim Flannery is a singer/songwriter and baseball guy. He was with the Padres for 25 years as a player, coach, manager and announcer. He's now the third base coach for the Giants, and chasing the dream of a World Series ring. He spends the off-season playing his music.I really enjoyed talking to Tim before the show. Baseball and music are two of my favorite things, so I was a little star-struck.

Tim's songs are rooted in bluegrass and Gospel and are heartbreakingly beautiful. The harmonies with his brother, Tom were amazing. I'm a real sucker for songs about family and the land, Tim's music is right up my alley. I had a blast at this show, and it had nothing to do with the Flannery brothers Uncle Max’s fruitcake.The brothers were touring with Steve Poltz .

Steve played for years in the punk-pop-folk band The Rugburns. He's been touring for a couple of years as a solo act. If you've seen the new Jeep sandbox commercial, you've heard Steve's music. He co-wrote the longest running Billboard hit "You Were Meant For Me" with then girlfriend Jewel. I'm fascinated by his early life. He trick-or-treated at Liberace’s house and was Bob Hope’s favorite altar boy. He's very clever and charming. It’s not often (okay almost never) that a touring musician greets you with a big hug.

Steve is also poster child for ADD. He jumps around even more than I do. At one point in the show he did something that reminded me of when I saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Patio 25-ish years ago. I’m just happy that he was wearing socks, if you know what I mean.

Previews:

Robyn Hitchcock
In-store Luna Music
November 9, 6pm
52nd Street and College Ave

Yes, the legendary rock icon Robyn Hitchcock will be playing an in-store concert just a few blocks from my home. I’ll be the one clutching my copy of the Soft Boys CD A Can of Bee’s…or I’ll be working at Marigold for the Broad Ripple Holiday Tour benefiting Second Helpings – bring your pasta. But I’ll be there in spirit. Someone request the song Ugly Nora for me. I’d get there early if I were you.
http://www.lunamusic.net/


Everthus the Deadbeats (Indianapolis)
Exit Clov (Washington DC)
Cabin (Louisville, KY)
Le Concorde (Chicago)
Lord of the Yum Yum (Chicago)
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Birdy’s 9 pm

Just looking at this lineup makes me smile. That’s all you need to know, really.
Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
I promise.
http://myspace.com/fullblownpossession
http://www.everthusthedeadbeats.com/
www.myspace.com/exitclov
www.myspace.com/leconcorde
http://www.lordoftheyumyum.com/
http://www.birdyslive.com/