Red Stick Ramblers CD Zooming to the Top!

The Red Stick Ramblers, coming to the Narrows in July, have a CD zooming to the top of the Americana chart, coming in at #9 this week.

Our buddies Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez have a CD that's up to #3 in a matter of a few short weeks. I think Chip and Carrie's CD is a contender for top recording of 2005!

Haven't had a chance to listen to the Red Stick Ramblers CD yet.

Christina Aguilera Music to Torture Prisoners?

Did we hear on the Today show that they're using Christina Aguilera music as a means of allegedly torturing prisoners in Guantanamo Bay?

I'm not making this up!

Nothing against Ms. Aguilera (our philosophy is that you take the best gig you can get, and she's got hers), but that's got to be some sort of comment on her music. We'll leave it at that.

Ouch!

Dan Hicks Tickets Still Available

Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks are coming to the Narrows this Thursday, and you can still purchase tickets, as of this writing.

This would be a great opportunity to introduce family and friends to Dan's music, which is more popular than ever!

He has a fun new CD out, and he's playing to packed rooms across the nation.

Dan has sold out in the past at the Narrows, so we expect to see a surge in ticket-buying over the next day or so.

Don't wait too much longer to get your tickets!

Dressing for Summer at the Narrows

We suggest you think of the Narrows during the summer as equivalent to an outdoor summer festival without the fear of rain.

In other words, it can get warm, particularly when temps are above 75 degrees.

We suggest you dress like you would if you're going to an outdoor summer festival. But no need for umbrellas or sunblock!

Hayes Carll Sets Record!!!!!!!!

Hayes Carll, who's playing the Narrows Sunday night (June 12), has a CD that just made history!

"Little Rock" is the first self-released CD to make it to #1 on the Americana charts!

Tickets are still available for the Sunday night show. See you there!

Jam Banders Take Note: Jerry Marotta and Tom Griesgraber Coming

It's not posted on the regular schedule yet, but coming September 8th to the Narrows is Marotta/Griesgraber, who are the extraordinary musicians Jerry Marotta and Tom Griesgraber.

They've played with, produced, or shared stages with, nearly everybody at one time or another: Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, Hall & Oates, Elvis Costello, Al Dimeola, Bill Bruford, California Guitar Trio, Dixie Dregs, Rory Block, John Sebastian etc.

They're doing a progressive, instrumental sort of thing is what we've heard.

Check out Jerry's website: www.jerrymarotta.com

Carll on Country Standard Time

Hayes Carll plays the Narrows for the first time Sunday night. His latest CD, Little Rock, is one of the hottest Americana CDs in the nation.

Here's a review from www.countrystandardtime.com:

Little Rock
Hayes Carll is an Arkansas native whose country-rock compositions recall the sounds of Steve Earle or Todd Snyder. His second album was produced by the legendary R.S. Field and features songs co-written by Guy Clark, John Evans and Ray Wylie Hubbard as well as several enjoyable original numbers from Carll's talented pen. The album contains some amazing moments, particularly "Down The Road Tonight," a countrified modernization of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." Moreover, "Wish I Hadn't Stayed So Long" is another roots rock masterpiece worthy of Steve Earle and The Dukes. He adeptly shifts gears to Steve Goodman-style folk on "Good Friends," while showcasing guest harmonies from Allison Moorer. Throughout "Little Rock," Carll is at his best with his jaunty, up-tempo, rock-influenced numbers. Unfortunately, things falter a bit when things slow down. John Evans' "Take Me Away" is one such dull moment, and the Clark co-write "Rivertown" never really takes off. Fortunately, it is followed by the title track, which rocks like Georgia Satellites in their prime. Overall, Carll's superior lyrics and willingness to rock makes this disc a breath of fresh air warranting high regard in the world of country-infused rock and roll. - T.J. Simon

USA Today Gives Greg Trooper Thumbs Up

Greg Trooper plays the Narrows Saturday night. Here's what USA Today says about his latest CD:

Greg Trooper, Make It Through This World (* * *) A songwriter who would describe showing love to a hard-hearted girl as being "futile as a prayer" might not be a religious man, but Trooper's songs have the ring of gospel truth. Sure, the organ and the piano testify to each other on Dream Away the Blues, and the slide guitar sways and shouts like a Pentecostal preacher, but mostly it's in the care the Nashville singer/songwriter shows for even his least desirable characters, and in the way they all strive for meaning in their loves and lives. —Brian Mansfield

Projo Write-Up on Graham Parker & The Figgs

Tonight (Thursday, June 9, 2005) Graham Parker returns to the Narrows with The Figgs. Tickets are still available!

In anticipation of the show, Rick Massimo of the Providence Journal did a great piece in today's paper.

Read it by clicking here.

See you tonight!

Listen and Learn About Chip and Carrie

This Friday, June 10th, we welcome back Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez to the Narrows. Tickets are still available to see this "power couple" of Americana music, who have one of the hottest CDs in the nation.

Speaking of which, here's an audio review of their new CD, so I hope your computer has speakers.

Also in the "podcast" is a review of the latest from Chatham County Line, who are coming to the Narrows in September.

Review of "Selected Shorts," Dan Hicks' Latest

Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks return to the Narrows on Thursday, June 16. This will be Dan's 3rd visit; he sold out the first two, so if you're planning to attend, you should get your tickets soon.

Late last year, Dan released a new studio CD called "Selected Shorts." On the back of the CD case, Dan is quoted as saying (as only Dan can say), "No song too long!" How many musicians give that kind of guarantee? Dan continues to pioneer new concepts.

Of course, with Dan's dry sense of humor, the front of the CD has a drawing of a man in boxer "shorts," which is not what one would immediately think of upon hearing the title. But that's Dan. If you don't enjoy an extreeeemly dry sense of humor, you probably won't "get" Dan, which may be why he's not a household name. Still, he's probably selling out more concerts than he did in the 1960s and 1970s.

"Selected Shorts" has Dan putting on the "folk jazz" sound in a big way, with snappy numbers like "C-mon-A-My House," which I think was a hit for Rosemary Clooney fifty years back. But Dan promises more than "candy": he promises a laundry list of items such as a short-wave radio, wall-to-wall carpeting, some DVDs, some BVDs, your own sitcom, a backyard swingset, a deck of cards, a contract on your mother-in-law, a four-slice toaster and more!

Speaking of pioneering, Dan does a duet with the lead singer for the Butthole Surfers, Gibby Haynes. Maybe not a big deal at first blush, but this may be the first duet ever phoned in. Literally. In fact, the track is entitled "That Ain't Right" (Gibby Phones It In Mix).

By the way, Dan also duets, more conventionally, with Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffet. But for the use of their names, there's really nothing special about what they do, though the one Jimmy Buffet sings on (he and Dan sound so much alike it's difficult to tell who's singing what), "Barstool Boogie," is destined to be a classic.

Perhaps the oddest track is called "First I Lost My Marbles," which features a spoken-word part between what sounds like cartoon characters. One of them wonders why the other doesn't call him anymore. "Is it because I have a mullet hairdo?" he inquires. "Well, I got one too," she replies. However, when he inquires whether he should change his brand of toothpaste, she replies "Maybe you should!"

My pick for a classic, along with "Barstool Boogie": "That's Where I Am," which has Dan deadpanning and proclaiming "wherever I go, that's where I am"--a kind of offshoot of "How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away?" from decades back.

If you love Dan, you won't be disappointed with "Selected Shorts," particularly if you listen to it a few times. There are a lot of subtleties worth searching for. Just be patient and listen closely.

For another observation on the CD, click here.

Review of Graham Parker & Figgs New CD

Graham Parker in full-band, rocking mode, will return to the Narrows this Thursday, June 9th.

Last visit, he played solo, but this time he has The Figgs, and a brand new CD, "Songs of No Consequence," which is his first studio album with The Figgs.

The CD is Graham Parker being the rocking Graham Parker, with catchy melodies and lyrics worth paying attention to--not necessarily for any great insight to the universe, but because they're interesting.

Some excerpts:

--"We're all working for the Vanity Press. Leave your conscience on the editor's desk."

--"Has Rock N Roll just died, or does it just smell bad?"

--"That monkey who used to be so funky is now working for the Bureau of No Change. That swinger who used to be a gunslinger is now saying that his underwear was too strange. That editor who used to be a go-getter, now put a movie star on every magazine. That tripper who wore a psychedic zipper, is now hanging up pictures of the queen."

For a more comprehensive review of Graham's new stuff, click right here.

Ask the Blogger Time

As I wait for my palatial abode to dry out from a busted pipe and subsequent flooding, I thought it would be fun to answer questions we often hear at the Narrows. Please feel free to post more questions.

Q. Why don't you book so-and-so. He/she is great!
A. Yes, so-and-so is great, but he/she is:

--Too expensive. We don't want to sell tickets for $100 apiece. Remember we have a few hundred or so seats. We have to cover the cost of the artist, remember.

--If we never heard of them, chances are a lot of people never heard of them, which means few people will show up. However, if they're really good and are working to build a career, we might be able to use them to open a show. But if we do, you've got to promise to attend and bring your friends and family!

--We have booked them and they'll be coming back next year, or they're booked later this year.

Q. Why don't you get an elevator? We're sure tired of walking up the steps.
A. We agree. Would you like to buy us one? It will cost about $100,000 to get it. And aside from your being tired, we want everybody to come to the Narrows. If you have walking issues, it can be a problem. We'd like to change that!

Q. Can I reserve a table in advance?
A. We're open seating. Occasionally we'll reserve a table for various reasons--perhaps the family of an artist--but usually it's first come, first served.

Q. Why don't you sell booze?
A. Because we don't have a license. We're not sure if we want one, anyway. We're an arts center, not a bar. We're more of a listening room, instead of social gathering spot--at least during our concerts.

Q. The guy nearby talked all through the show. It was irritating.
A. We try to keep people reasonably quiet. But let us know if someone is getting out of hand. Some people think we're a bar. We have to respectfully and lovingly educate them otherwise.

Q. Do you have paid staff?
A. No. We're an all-volunteer non-profit. We'd like to pay some staff eventually. But we can't right now.

Q. Why do you folks volunteer? It seems like a lot of work.
A. Volunteering is fun. We love music and the other arts, and it's fun to be part of a "scene," as they used to say in the 1960s.

Q. Is the Narrows part of the government?
A. We are totally independent. Occasionally we'll get a government grant.

Q. Are you just a bunch of lefty, folky radicals who can't get over that the 1960s are over?
A. No. We're not on any sort of mission. This is not some sort of "holy venture. " We just want to have fun! And as far as the 1960s are concerned, we're not a nostalgic showplace for old burnouts. Most of our performers are very young. The Duhks, the Slip, Grace Potter, Sarah Borges and many others probably aren't even 30 years old yet. We think the 1960s were great musically, but we like the current music heard at the Narrows best! We also consider it an honor to have Roger McGuinn, Graham Parker, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, John Sebastian and others who have been around awhile--not to relive past glories, but because they are still vital artists who are still creating. We want to hear their new stuff!

Thanks for reading this. Please post your question!

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band Member Opening for Carll

Shaun Hague, who plays guitar in the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, is the opening act for the Sunday, June 12, Hayes Carll show.

Learn more about Shaun by clicking here.

Even for opening acts, the Narrows brings you the best!

FolkWax Reviews Hayes Carll's "Little Rock"

On Sunday, June 12, the Narrows welcomes for the first time Hayes Carll, who has one of the hotter Americana CDs in the nation "Little Rock."

Residents of the Northeast probably don't know much about Hayes, so we wanted to help you get more familiar with his work by posting a thoughtful review of "Little Rock" by the folk webzine FolkWax. Hayes gets 8 out of 10 stars, but the reviewer makes some pointed observations as well, which makes it a more interesting write-up.

Click here for the review.

Special Thank You To Buckwheat Zydeco Audience

Just a note to thank all of those who attended the Buckwheat Zydeco show on Thursday night.

Buckwheat and his crew arrived late to the gig due to severe car trouble in Pennsylvania. He was extremely apologetic to the crowd, and couldn't stop apologizing back stage, even though it was Not his fault. In fact, they had been trying since 9:30 the previous evening to get to the Fall River show. Mechanical troubles during a tour can be a killer.

When we were helping Buckwheat and his group load up their equipment after the show, he again apologized.

Real class from a guy who has received accolades across the nation. And real class from the Narrows' audience, too. By the way, despite being extremely tired, the musicians put on a rollicking good party!

Thank you!!!!

Sarah Borges CD Review

Sarah Borges, out of Taunton and Boston, recently played the Narrows.

I was so knocked out by her performance I had to listen to her CD "Silver City" and write a review for the San Antonio-based website americanaroots.com

You can read that review by clicking right here.

Be sure to see Sarah open for Rosie Flores in July!

Projo Plug for Tonight's Show

It's Buckwheat Zydeco at the Narrows tonight (Thursday, June 2). Tickets are still available. Projo music guy Rick Massimo has a blurb about the show in today's paper:

Buckwheat Zydeco is "one of the best party bands in America," says The New York Times, and they're right. Buckwheat can take classic zydeco and mash it up into a blues, a soul song or whatever he wants, with the indestructible groove that even gets me on the dance floor. Don't let that scare you away from the Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, tonight at 8.

Tickets are $23; call (508) 324-1926. He's got a new album, too! Buckwheat Zydeco tonight (Thursday, June2)! Tickets are still available.

Dan Hicks in Dirty Linen Magazine

Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks return to the Narrows on Thursday, June 16. The latest issue of Dirty Linen magazine has a profile on him.

You can read an excerpt by clicking right here. Also an excerpt of a story about our buddies Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, two wonderful blues artists who have graced the Narrows' stage a bunch of times.

Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez Zoom Up the Chart

Friday, June 10th we welcome back Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez to the Narrows, but this time they have a CD already near the top of the Americana chart! Their "Red Dog Tracks" CD may, in fact, be the album of the year.

Other Narrows' artists on the chart include Hayes Carll, due to visit us on Sunday, June 12. Our buddy Greg Trooper, playing the Narrows Saturday, June 11th continues to do well, as do Sarah Borges and The Duhks.

And there are many other Narrows alums doing well.