Take me back down to Green River

The weather in Greenfield Mass, and at the second day of the Green River Festival, was spectacular in a way that doesn't mean "pleasant" but "dramatic."

The evening show opened on the main stage with Lafayette's Red Stick Rambler bringing a touch of Texas swing, and Louisiana dance hall to the New England stage. But before their set was finished, dark thunderheads gathered over the mountain behind the stage. The skies opened with a quick, but drenching downpour which sent many of the large crowd to the dance tent, a new feature at the festival, which was about to be christened with music, dancing, and a summer thunderstorm.




As Boston's Miss Tess and the Bon Temp Parade took the stage, the storm went from spritzing to soaking, and this newcomer to the festival found herself with an audience driven in by the rain, but convinced to stay by Miss Tess's beautiful, and powerful voice, and her mix of old jazz, blues and vintage dance music. The tent remained packed and swinging until the end of her set.

On the main stage, Eilen Jewell and her band hit the boards, but the crowd was quickly distracted by a second storm, which skirted the festival, a double rainbow and an unusual cloud formation called white mammatus (mammatocumulus), and lighting which streaked across the sky horizontally in the distance. The thunder, however, did not steal the thunder from Jewell's impressive set.

Back at the dance tent, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys moved the dancing into high gear with a set that had the assembled shouting and strutting. Outside the tent, the intrepid balloonists gathered for the annual illumination, and Jimmy Vaughn, with the help of Lou Ann Barton blasted blues into the night. The evening ended with a reprise of the Red Stick Ramblers in the dance tent, abetted by musical friends, until the music finished just past 10:30.

Today, the festival producers are expecting the largest crowd ever for the event, and it's not surprising with headliners Mavis Staples and Lucinda Williams.

Concerts of the Week

Peter Case
Monday October 15, 7 pm
Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street, Middletown
860-344-9674

Well, okay, I'm a bit predjudiced here, since I'm producing this show, though I'm not making any money doing so. It's a benefit for Gilead Community Services which provides mental health services in Middlesex County. Though it would be a "best concert of the week" even if I weren't the promoter. Case is an interesting case. He dropped out of high school in Buffalo and ran away to San Francisco, where he was virtually homeless, and earned money by playing and singing on the streets. He had a punk band called The Nerves. And he had a taste of success with the single, "A Million Miles Away," with his band The Plimsouls. Back in the day, it got heavy rotation on MTV. When he went solo, Case drifted to the rootsier side of things, writing songs of struggle, love, tragedy and hope. He studied the blues masters, and has become one himself. He's released a near-dozen critically-acclaimed albums, and his most recent is Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John, on Yep Roc. He's one of the most accomplished live perfomers I've ever seen and heard.

The Eilen Jewell Band
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton Mass
Friday October 12, 7 and 10 pm respectively

Two young soulful, inventive singer-songwriters and their bands, in two separate shows, on a Friday night in Northampton Mass. Who could imagine a better time. Jewell is a revelation to all who see her for the first time. And Isbell is a talented refugee from the Drive-by Truckers.






Nerissa and Katryna Nields
The Iron Horse, Northampton, Mass
Saturday October 13, 7 pm

Nerissa and Katryna have a new one out, Sister Holler, on their own label, and it's a beautiful synthesis of old folk numbers, and new rootsy songs sung in their inimitable genetically-entwined harmonies. This is the CD release party, which promises surprise appearance from Pioneer Valley friends.