We’ve got some house concert happenings, past and future to discuss, some great new music, an exciting upcoming show, and a bunch of classics today!
Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist
2:00 – 2:30 pm
Mike June – Let It Go (with Jon Dee Graham on TTBTGH, June 22, 2014) – recorded live on UMFM
Jess Klein – Cloud Song – Draw Them Near
Jess Klein – If There’s A God – Learning Faith
Shannon Lyon – Come Find Me – Lost Creek – CDN
Jory Nash – Ain’t Comin’ Home – The Many Hats of Jory Nash – CDN
John Wort Hannam – Poor Man – Brambles & Thorns – CDN
2:30 – 3:00 pm
Joshua Cockerill – Blue Eyed Prairie Sky – The Trick with your Heart I’m Learning to Do – CDN
Animal Parts – Poets – Animal Parts – CDN
Animal Parts – Where The Heart Is – Six Arms To Hold You – CDN
Lee Harvey Osmond – Dreams Come and Go – Beautiful Scars – CDN
Ken Tizzard – I Got You – No Dark No Light – CDN
Scott Shea – Let It Storm – Let It Storm – CDN
Pharis and Jason Romero – Lonesome & I’m Going Back Home – A Wanderer I’ll Stay – CDN
3:00 – 3:30 pm
Jason Isbell – Stockholm (with Kim Richey) – Southeastern
Kim Richey – Breakaway Speed (feat. Jason Isbell) – Thorn In My Heart
Patty Griffin – Stolen Car – 1000 Kisses
Lynn Miles – My Road – Downpour – CDN
Brock Zeman – Dont Think About – Pulling Your Sword out of the Devil’s Back – CDN
Drive-By Truckers – Outfit – Decoration Day
The New Meanies – Letting Time Pass – Three Seeds – CDN – WPG
3:30 – 4:00 pm
The New Meanies – Caribou – Highways – CDN – WPG
Alana Levandoski – Don’t Be Denied – Borrowed Tunes II (a Tribute to Neil Young) out of the Blue – CDN – WPG
Nathan – Scarecrow – Key Principles – CDN – WPG
Rilo Kiley – More Adventurous – More Adventurous
Romantica – Queen of Hearts – America
Wendy Bird – (Born To Be) Riding Only Down – Natural Wonder – CDN
Over the course of 11 albums, Ottawa area singer songwriter Brock Zeman has built a reputation as a writer of great depth and passion, through his thoughtful, often personal songs. But he’s got a rough, rockin’ side as well. Joined on relentless tours across Western Canada and down to Texas and back by his ever-present collaborator, Blair Hogan, and often drummer Dylan Roberts, Zeman and crew can put on a powerful show that has attendees rocking as much as feeling the stories that he tells in song. He could easily be the bastard son of Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle, with a gravelly Tom Waits voice.
On his last couple of albums, Zeman had been experimenting with dense soundscapes that told as much of the story as his words. On the newest, “Pulling Your Sword out of the Devil’s Back,” the words and melody are at the forefront, and with a batch of songs as strong as these, they certainly should be. The melodies on the record are his strongest yet. Many are instantly memorable, and could find a home on commercial country or rock radio. If those tired formats played powerful songs like these, “Dead Man’s Shoes” could be a strong country hit, and “Little Details” or “Some Things Always Stay” would be blaring out of car windows all summer long.
Although the songs and the album sound fun, there is some deep emotion spilled out. Zeman tells some sad stories of heartbreak and love gone wrong on this one. One of the most sad and powerful songs is “10 Year Fight,” where he recounts seeing the father of a former lover, who has been struggling after “Daddy’s little girl, she’s gone wrong.” Afterward Zeman says, “I finally lost the battle of a 10 year fight. I broke a promise to myself that you would never get a song. Don’t it look like I was wrong.”
In the powerful title track Zeman speaks more than sings, “I live in a house full of ghosts that just won’t let me be. I let ‘em in myself, but now I can’t get ‘em to leave. I’m haunted by love…” and now he’s exorcising those ghosts inside of these songs. For him, writing songs is “Juggling words and chiseling lines to tell a story, to tell the truth… It’s just heart to tongue, tongue to hand, blah, blah, blah, and struggle.” Later in the song, Zeman says, “And when you really knock it out, and all the planets align, it’s like pulling your sword out of the devil’s back and saying ‘No! Not this time!’” before building to a powerful crescendo finish.
With this record, the sword has obviously come loose, and there’s no doubt that Zeman will use it to battle other ghosts, demons and devils in song. The prolific writer has already written the bulk of another album, and has a wealth of other material still awaiting recording or release. This is a mature, powerful album from a writer who truly needs to be heard. Here’s hoping that many new ears will be tuned to this one.
Today’s show is pre-recorded, because John Wort Hannam is playing at The Sunset Saloon! He hasn’t been back to Winnipeg since 2010, when he dropped by the studio with his trio to chat and play some of his great songs. Today we look back at that visit and replay that great session. At the time, John Wort Hannam was touring with Austin singer/songwriter Danny Schmidt, so we’ll take a trip back to that one as well. Along with the old, we’ve got some current upcoming shows to preview.
Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist
2:00 – 2:30 pm
John Wort Hannam – Tonight We Strike – Queen’s Hotel – CDN
Jory Nash – Ain’t Comin’ Home – The Many Hats of Jory Nash – CDN
Jory Nash – Luger – The Many Hats of Jory Nash – CDN
Shannon Lyon – Come Find Me – Lost Creek – CDN
Shannon Lyon – Danger It Runs – Lost Creek – CDN
Danny Schmidt – Man of Many Moons – Man of Many Moons
2:30 – 3:00 pm
Danny Schmidt interview (September 19, 2010)
Danny Schmidt – This Too Shall Pass – recorded live on UMFM
Danny Schmidt – Trail of Doubt – recorded live on UMFM
Danny Schmidt – Swing Me Down – Instead the Forest Rose to Sing
3:00 – 3:30 pm
The Once – Ode To A Broken Heart – Row Upon Row of the People They Know – CDN
The Once – What Will You Be Building – The Once – CDN
Amelia Curran – Scattered & Small – War Brides – CDN
Amelia Curran – Bye Bye Montreal – Hunter, Hunter – CDN
Amelia Curran – Somebody Somewhere – They Promised You Mercy – CDN
3:30 – 4:00 pm
John Wort Hannam interview (September 19, 2010)
John Wort Hannam – Requiem for a Small Town – recorded live on UMFM – CDN
John Wort Hannam – Worth a Damn – recorded live on UMFM – CDN
John Wort Hannam – With the Grain – recorded live on UMFM – CDN
Today we chat about The Junos, shows that just happened, and a few exciting ones that are coming up. We’ve also got an amazing new album from Brock Zeman to debut!
Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist
2:00 – 2:30 pm
Martyn Joseph – Kiss the World Beautiful – Kiss the World Beautiful
Del Barber – Walking in a Straight Line – Prairieography – CDN – WPG
The Bros. Landreth – Tappin’ On the Glass – Let It Lie – CDN – WPG
Catherine MacLellan – Don’t Call Me Stranger – The Raven’s Sun – CDN
Northcote – Walking Home in the Rain – Northcote – CDN
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band – On the Dark Side – Eddie & The Cruisers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
2:30 – 3:00 pm
Bruce Springsteen – Working on the Highway – Born in the U.S.A.
Drive-By Truckers – Trying to Be the Boss on a Beaver Brown Budget – Dragon Pants
Martyn Joseph – Thunder Road – Tires Rushing by in the Rain
Chris de Burgh – There Goes my Heart Again – The Hands of Man
Martyn Joseph – Feels Like This – Songs for the Coming Home
Martyn Joseph – How Did We End Up Here – Deep Blue
The Arrogant Worms – Rippy the Gator – Hindsight 20/20 – CDN
The Arrogant Worms – Big Fat Road Manager – Hindsight 20/20 – CDN
3:00 – 3:30 pm
Washboard Hank – Chompy the Headbiteroffer – Sweet Mysteries of Life – CDN – CDN
John Wort Hannam – Great Lakes – Brambles and Thorns – CDN
John Wort Hannam – Sweet Sweet Rose – Two Bit Suit – CDN
John Wort Hannam – Requiem for a Small Town – Queen’s Hotel – CDN
John Wort Hannam – Scotsman’s Bluff – Pocket Full of Holes – CDN
3:30 – 4:00 pm
Brock Zeman – 10 Year Fight – Pulling Your Sword out of the Devil’s Back – CDN
Brock Zeman – Dead Man’s Shoes – Pulling Your Sword out of the Devil’s Back – CDN
Brock Zeman – Don’t Think About It Anymore – Pulling Your Sword out of the Devil’s Back – CDN
Pharis and Jason Romero – A Wanderer I’ll Stay – A Wanderer I’ll Stay – CDN
Gillian Welch – Tear My Stillhouse Down – Revival
Ry Cooder – Jesus On The Mainline – Anthology: The UFO Has Landed
Ry Cooder – Little Sister – Anthology: The UFO Has Landed (Disc 1)
Jory Nash House Concert (Westwood) Sunday, April 19, 2015
2:00 matinée
Suggested donation $15-20 (price flexible, all proceeds to this talented musician)
If you wish, bring a drink for yourself, and/or a snack to share, but we’ve always got plenty of all of those on hand!
Speaking of snacks, by special request from the artist himself, we will once again be serving our exclusive homemade ice cream, Heavenly Nash!
All are welcome (bring the kids, friends, family, people off the street, whatever)! Our house is family friendly (we’ve got 3 kids, a trampoline, and plenty of room, so feel free to bring the family), easy-going, friendly, and open to all! If you don’t know us yet, come on down and make some new friends!
When CD submissions started rolling in to me in 2002 or so, one of the first discs that really caught my ear was Lo-Fi Northern Blues, by Jory Nash. The second song is called “The Ballad of Easy Chair;” Jory calls it “a semi-autobiographical tale of hope, perseverance and grand theft candy.” It’s a lighthearted song with a great lyric and an instantly memorable melody. It showcases Jory’s tasteful guitar playing and his unique, wonderful voice. In short, it’s everything I look for in a song, and I love it still. He’s put out three albums since then (as well as a great one before) and each one shows great skill, dedication, and growth.
The primary goal Tell the Band to Go Home is to bring you amazing music that you might not otherwise hear anywhere else, and match you (the open-minded music lover) with talented musicians looking to find an audience. Jory is just the kind of super-talented, hard-working, DIY musician that we love to promote, and I know that once you see and hear him (especially live), you’ll fall in love.
Wherever you go, you’ll hear right away that this guy is interested in writing thoughtful, intelligent, interesting lyrics and it’s all presented with tasteful, memorable melodies. He walks a musical line between Gordon Lightfoot and Paul Simon with many stops in between. It’s magical music that will capture your heart and your ears.
And he’s won over plenty of critics, too. His album “New Blue Day” was voted Album of the Year in a poll conducted by Penguin Eggs Magazine, voted on by artists, industry folk, and radio dorks like me. That might not mean much to you unless I told you that previous winners include Fred Eaglesmith, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Bob Dylan, Lynn Miles, David Francey & Harry Manx.
Jory is very busy touring most of the year, visiting spots across Canada and into the U.S. He regularly sells out Toronto’s hallowed hall “Hugh’s Room,” (kind of like their version of the West End Cultural Centre), and has appeared at festivals and special events all over. BUT, he almost NEVER comes to Winnipeg! He played a house show in our city in 2003, stopped by UMFM for a quick visit, visited us in 2011, and now this! Since our last amazing show, I’ve been bugging him for a return visit, but it hasn’t happened… until now. Heck, one of the reasons I wanted to do house concerts in the first place was so I could convince him (and others like him) to come to town, knowing that there would be a room full of eager and attentive folks waiting to be entertained and enlightened.
So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to see Jory Nash, live in my living room!
A couple of eagerly awaited new releases kick things off. Then, one newly discovered release from last year got me to thinking about Ry Cooder, and a tribute ensued. We also heard some classics from days gone by, and looked forward to some shows to come.
Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist
2:00 – 2:30 pm
Christina Martin – Somewhere with You – It’ll Be Alright – CDN
James McMurtry – Copper Canteen – Complicated Game
James McMurtry – Forgotten Coast – Complicated Game
Brandi Carlile – The Eye – The Firewatcher’s Daughter
Brandi Carlile – The Chain – Sweetheart 2014
2:30 – 3:00 pm
Ron Sexsmith – Loving You – Carousel One – CDN
Andrew Combs – Foolin’ – All these Dreams
Blake Mills – Don’t Tell our Friends about Me – Heigh Ho
Ry Cooder – The Very Thing that Makes her Rich – Bop ’til You Drop
Ry Cooder – Always Lift Him Up/Kanaka Wai Wai – Chicken Skin Music
Ry Cooder – Get Rhythm – Get Rhythm
Little Village – The Action – Little Village
3:00 – 3:30 pm
The Warped 45s – Hurdle River Crossing – Matador Sunset – CDN
The Warped 45s – (Bring on that) New Depression – 10 Day Poem for Saskatchewan – CDN
Doug Paisley – Radio Girl – Strong Feelings – CDN
John Bottomley – The Healing Dream – The Healing Dream – CDN
Catherine MacLellan – Frost in the Hollows – The Raven’s Sun – CDN
Catherine MacLellan – True Love – recorded live on UMFM – CDN
3:30 – 4:00 pm
Del Barber – Yellowhead Road – Prairieography – CDN – WPG
Ian Tyson – Summer Wages – Cowboyography – CDN
John Prine – Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow) – Bruised Orange
The O’Kanes – When We’re Gone Long Gone – The O’Kanes
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – The House that Never Was – Rattlin’ Bones
Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band – Yours Forever Blue – The Mountain
Scott Nolan – Lay Down – North/South
Scott Nolan – Swing Low – unreleased
Scott Nolan – Golden – No Bourbon & Bad Radio
Christina Martin – Reaching Out – It’ll Be Alright
Christina Martin – Things You Can’t Tell by Looking her Way – It’ll Be Alright
Catherine MacLellan – Jack’s Song – The Raven’s Sun
James McMurtry – Valley Road – Saint Mary Of The Woods
James McMurtry – Levelland – Where’d You Hide the Body
Robert Earl Keen – Hot Corn, Cold Corn (w/Danny Barnes) – Happy Prisoner (The Bluegrass Sessions)
Paul Kelly & Uncle Bill – You Can’t Take It With You – Smoke
Chatham County Line – Birmingham Jail – IV
The Duhks – Four Blue Walls – The Duhks
Jonathan Byrd – Poor Johnny – You Can’t Outrun the Radio
Ted Hawkins – Long as I can See the Light – The Next Hundred Years
Willie P Bennett – White Line – Tryin’ to Start out Clean
Fred Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels – White Ash & Black Ash – Things Is Changin’
Blackie & The Rodeo Kings – Sometimes It Comes Easy – Let’s Frolic Again
Lydia Loveless – Boy Crazy – Boy Crazy
Shannon Lyon House Concert Friday, April 10, 2015
8:00
Suggested donation $15-20 (price flexible, all proceeds to a talented musician making his way across this vast country)
If you wish, bring a drink for yourself, and/or a snack to share, but we’ve always got plenty of all of those on hand!
All are welcome (bring the kids, friends, family, people off the street, whatever)
For the fourth year in a row, we’re excited to welcome Shannon back to The Sunset Saloon! His shows have been such a treat to get to see and get to know, so it’s wonderful to have him back. Since we last saw Shannon last April, he has released TWO new albums. Last year he released The Lights Behind, a career-spanning collection of re-recorded songs, blended seamlessly together with some new songs. That album was a more acoustic, introspective affair. The album ended up being my most played, and favourite album of the year. Earlier this year, he put the finishing touches on a new collection, Lost Creek, named in honour of his recording studio cabin in the woods, which he recently shut down as he is about to move back to Ontario and set up shop again there.
As his updated bio says: Lost Creek(Lyon’s 12th studio album), launched in January 2015 reveals Lyon’s vintage sound revealing his Lou Barlow / Neil Young influences. “After recording ‘The Lights Behind‘ in 2014, which was mostly a solo acoustic affair,I had the urge to strap on the old Gretsch and turn up the amps again.”
Lost Creek is a collection of 12 songs put together in Lyon’s cabin studio (a log cabin set inside the Monashee Mountains of British Columbia, Canada).
“I live in a remote area on a dirt road which is prime cougar country. When the sun goes down you wouldn’twalk down my road without a rifle, so I got a lot of work done in my studio.”
Lyon penned and recorded the collection in between working and producing other artists this past year. He also performed most of the instruments himself (including drums) but did invite his cast of musician friends Elly Kellner, Steve Wood, Kolja Lieven, Mike Roelofs and Bj Baartmans to join in.
“I started playing drums when I was 15 and bought a guitar at 17. It’s been a lot of fun sitting behind the kit again.”
When Shannon visits, you’re sure to hear songs from those two recent albums, as well as classics from his vast catalogue of amazing songs. This is a show not to be missed!
“When I hear Shannon, I hear the rhythms of the Midnight Cowboy, the harmonies of an earth-bound angel, the acoustic guitar that knows the pain of a heart, the steel guitar that stirs the lonely and restless lovers. But most of all I hear the voice that echoes Earle, Farrar and Buckner, a voice that haunts you like a heavy fog on a barren field on a cool October morning.” Bob Egan (Blue Rodeo, Wilco)
Shannon put together this fun video for the first single off of “Lost Creek”
His friend and talented collaborator Elly Kellner put together a Netherlands version as well!
Here’s Shannon performing the title track from his brilliant 2014 album, “The Lights Behind.”
Some highlights from our 2013 show:
Here’s a live clip, shot outdoors with lots of mosquitoes
Here’s a live performance of the title track to his release, “Broken Things.”
Here’s a rockin’ live track featuring his great Berlin band:
The first time Shannon visited us, I blew it and interrupted before Shannon could play this as an encore. Believe me, I won’t do that again!
Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist
2:00 – 2:30 pm
Shannon Lyon – Crescent Beach – Lost Creek Recordings – CDN
JP Hoe – You’re so Bad – Indie Kitchen Sessions (live) – CDN – WPG
Melissa Payne – Bring Me Back – The Toque Sessions (live) – CDN
Christina Martin – It’ll Be Alright – It’ll Be Alright – CDN
Christina Martin – Falling for You – Sleeping with a Stranger – CDN
Dale Murray – Dream Mountain Dream – Dream Mountain Dream – CDN
Cuff the Duke – Listen to your Heart – Way Down Here – CDN
2:30 – 3:00 pm
Mike June – Let It Go – recorded live on UMFM
Mike June – The Darkness – recorded live at The Sunset Saloon
Jon Dee Graham – $100 Bill – recorded live at The Sunset Saloon
Jon Dee Graham – A Place in the Shade – Do Not Forget
Slaid Cleaves – One Good Year – Live At Blue Highways
3:00 – 3:30 pm
Jess Klein – If There’s A God – Learning Faith
Jess Klein – Little White Dove – Draw Them Near
Chloe Albert – Where Did I Go Wrong – Dream Catcher – CDN
Brandi Carlile – Way to You – XOBC
Cry Cry Cry – Fall on Me – Cry Cry Cry
Catherine MacLellan – Don’t Call Me Stranger – The Raven’s Sun – CDN
Steph Cameron – Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady – recorded live on UMFM – CDN
3:30 – 4:00 pm
The New Basement Tapes – When I Get my Hands on You – Lost on the River
Fortunate Ones – Wherever You Go – The Bliss – CDN
Scott MacLeod – Never Too Late – Flicker and Fade – CDN
Gurf Morlix – The Dog I Am – Eatin’ at Me
Dan Mangan + Blacksmith – Mouthpiece – Club Meds – CDN
The Burning Hell – Amateur Rappers – People – CDN
Dan Mangan – My Name is Mathias – My Name is Mathias: a tribute to the songs of Mathias Kom – CDN
Today we celebrate the glory of Buck Owens and some other classics, the arrival of the eagerly awaited new album from Winnipeg’s Leaf Rapids, upcoming shows, and International Women’s Day! Lots to celebrate and enjoy!
Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist
2:00 – 2:30 pm
Buck Owens – Sam’s Place (Original Mono Single Version) – Buck ‘Em! The Music Of Buck Owens (1955-1967)
Buck Owens – Above And Beyond (Alternate Version) – Buck ‘Em! The Music Of Buck Owens (1955-1967)
Buck Owens – Love’s Gonna Live Here (Original Mono Single Version) – Buck ‘Em! The Music Of Buck Owens (1955-1967)
Merle Haggard – Mama Tried – The Complete ’60s Captitol Singles
Blaze Foley – If I Could Only Fly – Duct Tape Messiah
Townes Van Zandt – Kathleen – Our Mother the Mountain
Leaf Rapids – April – Lucky Stars – CDN – WPG
Leaf Rapids – Don’t Be Scared – Lucky Stars – CDN – WPG
Leaf Rapids – Welcome Stranger – Lucky Stars – CDN – WPG
2:30 – 3:00 pm
James McMurtry – South Dakota – Complicated Game
Jon Dee Graham – A Place In The Shade – Do Not Forget
Shannon Lyon – Dirty Old South – The Lights Behind – CDN
Shannon Lyon – Never Even Tried – Lost Creek – CDN
John Wort Hannam – Nothing at All – Brambles & Thorns – CDN
John Wort Hannam – Infantryman – Two Bit Suit – CDN
3:00 – 3:30 pm
Martyn Joseph – Cardiff Bay – Thunder And Rainbows (The Best We Could Find) 1988 – 2000
Martyn Joseph – Not a Good Time for God – Songs for the Coming Home
Martyn Joseph – Working Mother – Evolved
Leaf Rapids – Gravity and a Ladder of Gold – Lucky Stars – CDN – WPG
Leaf Rapids – Agent of the Night – Lucky Stars – CDN – WPG
Melissa Payne – Bring Me Back – High and Dry – CDN
Kim Richey – Every River – Bitter Sweet
3:30 – 4:00 pm
Patty Griffin – Change – Flaming Red
Lucinda Williams – Essence – Essence
Kathleen Edwards – The Lone Wolf – Failer – CDN
Jadea Kelly – Lone Wolf – Clover – CDN
Shannon McNally – Weathervane – Geronimo
Rose Cousins – What I See – We Have Made A Spark – CDN
