We’re back from Falcon Ridge, but the brains aren’t quite firing at full power yet. So I offer you another list in lieu of in depth content.
Top ten acts from the weekend:
- Tracy Grammer
- Christine Lavin
- Cheryl Wheeler
- Eddie from Ohio
- Greg Greenway
- Modern Man
- Winterpills
- Crooked Still
- Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams
- Nadine Goellner
It’s been four years since Dave Carter died and Tracy has shown up every year and every year you sense that while she is still devastated, she is becoming less fragile. This year brought the final cd of their joint work, which they’d begun to record before Dave’s death. Tracy brought Dave’s sister and nephew and niece with her up on stage so they could begin to understand the impact Dave’s songwriting has had on all of us. She also performed “Salisbury Hill,” which I, at least, interpreted to mean that she is able to keep Dave’s spirit with her without him overshadowing her. Could just be my own wishful thinking, though…
Christine is a long-time family favorite with 17 albums to draw from, including such hits as “Mysterious Woman” and “Ballad of a Ballgame.” She is a riot to listen to on an album and worth almost any price of admission to see in person. She crowned a King of Falcon Ridge. She passed out whipped cream to the crowd. She invited all the male performers up on stage to perform the chorus of one of her songs. She was a bundle of endless energy. And that was just her mainstage act! From the workshop stage she passed out her bread recipe. And during the Friday Night Song Swap she sang about how New Yorkers are the politest people in the world.
We discovered Cheryl during one of our first Falcon Ridges and have been in love with her sense of humor ever since. Her sets combine political humor (“Dubya Dubya” and “If It Were up to Me“), sweetly haunting melodies (“Howl at the Moon“), and just plain funny songs (“My Cat’s Birthday” and the apt “Handy House,” which had John Gorka and Christine Lavin out dancing and acting along).
Another early Falcon Ridge gem. They are terrific whether as a solo set or in combination during the Sunday Morning Gospel Wake-Up. They performed a beautifully haunting number at the end of their mainstage act, but the combination of distance (we were up at the campsite) and the overly loud sound system of the dance stage drowned out most of the lyrics, so I’m going to have to poke around to find out what it was. Julie Murphy Wells has been battling breast cancer since last year’s festival, so it was nice to see her out there looking and sounding as strong as ever.
I was unfamiliar with his work prior to his mainstage act Sunday afternoon and was so impressed I bought a cd. His voice reminds me of James Taylor and his songs lean toward the political ballads I grew up on. I’m excited to listen to his brand-new cd.
Comedy folk groups can be a lot of fun. They sing. They poke fun at the genre. They mock themselves. They mock us. And Modern Man did all of that with aplomb. Another cd I’m eager to delve into.
A folk rock group in the model of The Nields (drummer Dave is an alum) and EFO, the Winterpills clearly enjoy what they’re doing. And so do we.
Centered around the vocals of Aoife Donovan, the cello of Rushad Eggleston, Greg Liszt’s banjo (he backed Springsteen on the Seeger session tour), and Corey DiMaurio’s bass, Crooked Still offers their own take on the marriage between folk, pop, and bluegrass. Aoife blew me away two summers ago in a solo set, and their group set last year inspired me to buy their first cd. This year’s follow-up was no disappointment and another cd has been purchased.
Gandalf’s band has performed twice before at FRFF and I’ve never been impressed before with his afternoon sets. Maybe I wasn’t really paying attention, because this time I really enjoyed listening to them. I mean, they make the accordian look like a ton of fun. I didn’t buy any of their cds, but I suspect I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for a southerly swing on their next tour.
The highlight of the 24 performers in the Emerging Artist Showcase, Nadine offered a jazzy, soulful pair of songs in a mini set that actually differentiated her from the crowd. Her cds had sold out by the time I hit the merchandise tent, which I think signals that many others agreed with me. I look forward to watching her career unfold.