Beachland Barn Dance 2.20.10

Cleveland never ceases to amaze me at times.  The Beachland Barn Dance was held last Saturday night.  First off I have to say when I heard this was in the Ballroom and Robert Bradley was playing in the Tavern I thought it was a mistake.  No offense...no offense band people but I am ye of little faith I guess.  I seriously thought it would be a smaller crowd just because well, people aren't 100% hip to the bluegrass barn dance thing 'round these here parts.  I was like awesome I can sneak up to the stage with ease and snap some pics.  Boy was I ever fucking wrong.  The Ballroom was packed.  So was the Tavern for that matter but I didn't hit the Bradley show, well just snippets of it when I went out to smoke.  So seven bands took the stage for $7.00, a value at that price for the budget minded folks in this  "miserable" Cleveland economy.

So my first mistake of the night was getting there at like 8:30ish because I missed the first band The Timberwolves.  Sorry guys...I am sure you were good but I was in the car.  I actually got in to see most of the One Dollar Hat set.  One Dollar hat is, I am going to sound like a broken 45 because I'll probably use this phrase more than one, a true Roots-Americana band.  Usually a three piece they were joined on stage by (pardon me if I get this wrong) Nate McDonald on bass.  Nate was on that stage a lot playing with various folks Saturday.  The sound of One Dollar Hat is the sound of the soul of rural America.  Twangy, and picky sometimes somber others downright dancey.  It's just old time stringband music.  Zach Smolko, Gordon & Louise Keller make up the band.

Next up on the 7 band chock full of goodness bill was Pete McDonald and the Waxwings Stringband.  The band is made up of Pete (guitar and guitar-like instruments, vocals) and Nate McDonald (bass, vocals) and Lisa and Laura Cyrocki (oh I give up these gals played everything known to man, banjo, guitar, strings, washboard and vocals) Ok, a little side note on this one and more proof I will never make it as a journalist in the real world I want to say I was introduced to Lisa (could have been Laura, give me a break they are sisters!) after the set.  I melted like I just met Gillian Welch.  Seriously I had become tongue tied and was at a loss for words like I just met a rock star.  Their set was incredible and would love to see them again.  Pete himself seems to have a nice little solo career cut out for him in the folk scene but with this band behind him I was an instant fan.

Holy shit!  It's Heelsplitter again.  Yeah after seeing so many Heelsplitter shows I can do duets with them at this point.  I might even master the Frankenbass in time.  I like them.  I think they put on a great show and they are friends.  So, yep  I have seen them multiple times.  This however was the first time on the Beachland Ballroom stage.  They did a nice quick set that was pretty flawless.  When they played Eff It, also known as Fuck it, children ran for the doors.  Yes there were some kids in the audience.  I am fine with kids at rock shows but if you can't handle hearing an F-bomb being dropped here and there at a concert you probably shouldn't be taking them there.  Plus it was like 10:30pm so maybe it was bed time.  It was just kind of funny how the kids were gone after that set.  So, I had to rub that fact in to them more than a couple times after the set.  Might as well give the little shits some whiskey to calm them down or something if you are bringing them to a concert. It didn't bother me, just amused me.

Next up were The Hiram Rapids Stumblers.  Sorry guys there are 8 of you I didn't get or remember many names.  These cats were good and I expect to see them headlining some stuff on a regular basis or at the very least taking the opening slots for larger national acts.  They are young and full of energy.  They have a style of bluegrass-americana that would actually bring a shot in the arm to pick up some younger fans.  Honestly I think this movement is full of younger fans just because of bands like this (and all of them for that matter that played here).  Indie rock is getting weird, country is pretty shitty, but making real music is making a comeback.  See, that's what these guys do.  They write real songs and with expert craftsmanship turn out some great music.  They put on a great set but like those before them it was abbreviated to allow for the 7 band line up.

Horrible journalist alert.  JP and the Chatfield Boys took the stage next and I think I caught like 2 songs.  Mind you not because they were bad or anything.  I thought they were really good.  I was under mind control of the aforementioned Cyrocki.  Beyond that though I was involved in some great conversations with Leroy and Heidi Sue Jones of Scoliosis Jones, The Heelsplitter and Misery Jackal folks and Miss Firecracker.  What topic wasn't covered?  Booze, drugs, the mortgage crisis, the Forbe's article, Anthony Sowell, the Lottery League we really ran the gambit.  It just goes to show these are some good people.  So, while I missed the set for the most part I really had a great time just chilling out for a few minutes in the bar area.  So after taking in all those bands I deserved a break.  Plus I got a great shot of the Bartender hijacking my Blatz picture.  

Last up was the Misery Jackals all the way from Akron Ohio.  The Jackals are always a favorite.  Described as Pillbilly Browngrass they fit the bill but think bluegrass on a bender.  I do have a crush on Pirate Jenny too though because she is the sweetest person known to mankind.  So they have that special place for me.  Maybe its the outfits I am not sure.  On a down note they lost their part time vocalist full time guitar slinger Beaner Nix.  Honestly the guy was a fucking incredible piece of the Jackals.  So, I can't say he wasn't missed because he was, but stepping into his guitar duties was a fellow that goes by KGB and he was really fucking good.  I think Beaner had a really soulful voice on cuts like Crack and Similac but Jenny was able to hold her own taking the reins.  I did however really miss the accordion but Jenny is still nursing some bad wounds from a recent spill she took.  But because they share so many duties of singing from Sweet Billy C and Doghouse Timmy the exclusion of Beaner was missed but not a nail in the coffin or anything.  Plus it is fun watching Phil Yonder on that hillbilly tuba and the brown jug.  It just worked I guess, needs a bit of a spit shine but that is due to a lot of misfortune in the matter of a few short months.  They will be back to 100% soon enough.  I still liked it just fine.

Pardon any typos and spelling errors.  I am pretty sure they are all over this thing.  I am suffering a spell of vertigo but I wanted to get this done.  Next stop...I have no idea.  I actually have nothing planned for this weekend.  Well Friday I think I am heading to The Pub in Rocky River to get my Lenten Friday fish fry fix.  Saturday, I got nothing.  So invite me somewhere, or I'll just see you around Cleveland.