No shortage of roots music this weekend and on through November.
Tonight, The Hideout features the Dustin Bentall Outfit. On Saturday night, Tom Wilson roars in for a show with his Lee Harvey Osmond revue. The F-Holes (Nov. 9), Tim Hus (Nov. 11), The Wailin’ Jennys’ Ruth Moody (Nov. 13), and the highly-regarded Sarah Slean (Nov. 17) take to the Hideout’s stage over the next couple weeks.
Continuing the tradition of ‘First Friday’ concerts at The Hub on Ross, Calgary’s After the Storm appears this evening beginning at 7 p.m. After the Storm is the Calgary Folk Club’s house band and these veterans of the Alberta roots community are joined by locals Ruined Escape Plan. For tickets and information, contact 403.340.4869.
C.R. Avery and guest Wil are at The Vat on Nov. 19.
The annual Highway 3 Roots Revue comes to Red Deer on Dec. 8. Featuring three of Alberta’s great singer-songwriters — Dave McCann, Leeroy Stagger and John Wort Hannam — an evening’s worth of inspired folk and near-rock is sure to warm all who attend this performance at The Hideout.
This week’s disc review:
Dale Watson & the Texas Two
The Sun Sessions
Red House
From folk (Greg and Pieta Brown, Eliza Gilkyson) and contemporary blues (Ray Bonneville, Paul Geremia) to Americana (The Pines, Robin and Linda Williams) and jamming rock (Hot Tuna), there may not be a stronger or more eclectic roots lineup than that presented by Red House Records.
The latest to join the fold is Texas iconoclast Dale Watson.
A spontaneous recording inspired by a cancelled Memphis club booking, Watson found himself writing and recording at the famed Sun Studios with little notice. The album opens with Watson singing over a backdrop of Tennessee Two-style rhythm: “I had my first taste of whiskey, I had my first taste of love; both got me high and twisted up inside, Only one way to go after up” on Down, Down, Down, Down, Down, the first of several Johnny Cash-inspired tunes.
With half a dozen tracks not even breaking the two-minute mark, The Sun Sessions is firmly entrenched in the spirit of mid-’50s country and western music. There is absolutely nothing complicated about this 14-song set. Rather than the depth of introspection — a hallmark of some other Watson projects — this time, Watson and his crew of two are simply exploring the simplicity of rhythm and rhyme while telling a few tales that could have been recorded by the likes of Cash, Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins and Sonny Burgess.
The joys of cholesterol-busting home cooking, the aftermath of shooting up the living room, local heroes, the love of a good (and a bad) woman, and spirituality are all touched on within 30 minutes that absolutely fly by.
Heck, along with some fine tickety-tack guitar playing, Watson includes a train song for good measure. (www.RedHouseRecords.com)
Donald Teplyske is a local freelance writer who contributes a twice-monthly column on roots music; visit fervorcoulee.wordpress.com for additional reviews. If you know a roots music event of which he should be aware, contact him at fervorcoulee@shaw.ca.