Oldternative Americana Night at The Spot

WATER TOWER

Songwriters at Play! Presents:

Oldternative Americana Night

Water Tower, Old Time Fiddle and Banjo Show, Amber Cross, Blackwell – Mason

Monday, February 6th, 2012 at The SPOT
7:00pm     116 W. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, CA     93420
805-474-5711 Price: $10

After five years on the road, four albums under their belt and multiple international tours, Water Tower has been brewing up a storm in the folk music world. Their all original sound is infectious and has spread far and wide to audiences of all ages and walks of life. Based in Portland, Oregon they got their start busking on street corners playing traditional old time and bluegrass, eventually honing their sound as a solid dance band playing square dances and bluegrass festivals up and down the west coast. “They’ve adopted the intensity of rock and punk and channeled it into their songs and tunes…their far-ranging influences enable them to see the common ground between folk, rock, punk and even jazz, and they draw from this common ground to create their unique sound.”–No Depression

The Old Time Fiddle & Banjo Show will open the concert with a set of vintage “oldternative” tunes. Also performing that night will be singer-songwriter Amber Cross, who is also a member of OTFBS, and the Kenny Blackwell-Stuart Mason duo. The Spot is a 50-seat theatre located at 116 W. Branch St., in the village of Arroyo Grande (next to Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream). Tickets are $10, available in advance at thespotag.com

Songwriters At Play! is a series of showcases hosted by Steve Key, featuring performances by top local talent from California’s Central Coast, and touring pro musicians. songwritersatplay.com/

Don’t Forget This Song (Video)

The Old-Time Fiddle and Banjo Show at Pappy McGregor’s in San Luis Obispo, CA. Jonas Richardson (harp), Stuart Mason (guitar), Jerry James (bass fiddle), Gary Arcemont (fiddle). Video by Roz Phillips.

New Release: Slow & Easy (25 Essential Irish Tunes)

Slow & Easy

John Weed, fiddler and Stuart Mason, DADGAD guitarist (aka my mandola teacher), have just released a CD for learning 25 ‘essential’ Irish session tunes played on fiddle and guitar, called Slow and Easy.  The CD can be ordered online, or downloaded, or you can download individual tunes, if there are just a few that you still need in your repertoire. AND,  they have free online charts with ‘dots’ and chords for DADGAD guitar.   What I love about this CD is that not only is it a good learning tool, but it makes for good listening, too. It’s challenging to play Irish tunes slow enough to hear the notes clearly and still have it be musical, and they accomplished both. No, I don’t get a commission on sales I just think this is a great CD and want to share this as a tune-learning resource. –Roz Phillips