Anais Mitchell at Daytrotter

anais If you’re not familiar with Daytrotter, well, get over there now and grab Anais’ set. We’ll wait. Although given the depth of the Daytrotter catalog I imagine we’ll see you in about three years.

She more than acknowledges, or at least, plays with the ideas of higher and lower powers that go far beyond reasoning. She seems to relish the freefall, the thought that everything belongs to the family of the chaos theory and that there’s no way of really telling if the laughing we’re doing is a product of happiness or just the beginning of the opposite feeling. High or low – it’s all relative. It might just be differences in the crowds we keep, the people we share our bed or house with. She sings on “Comin’ Down,” “I know where my satisfaction lies/Way beyond the blue horizon,” and it feels like that could be like knowing about a utopia, or a heaven that might or might not ever be visible, but the looking continues.

Newport Folk Festival

We’re proud to say that two of the bands who’ve played here in Billsville were on the bill at this years Newport Folk Festival. The David Wax Museum and Brown Bird both performed today for huge crowds in Newport, Rhode Island.
You can catch both sets on the NPR website.

The David Wax Museum – Click to go to the NPR page and stream the show.

Last year, Boston’s David Wax Museum couldn’t play the Newport Folk Festival without first winning a contest. But talk about making the most of an opportunity: The band was everywhere at Newport last year, passing out CDs and signing bands up to its mailing list when it wasn’t breaking spontaneously into song every chance it got. Since that breakthrough, the group has found a national audience for its recent album Everything Is Saved, which finds David Wax mixing the roots of American and Mexican folk music while Suz Slezak gives the band’s music the percussive edge that can only come from a stick dragged rhythmically against a donkey’s jawbone. Hear David Wax Museum perform live at the 2011 Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

david wax

Brown Bird – Click to go to the NPR page and stream the show.

The Newport Folk Festival isn’t just a national — or even international — showcase for the best in well-known folk music. It also gives a leg up to the best in up-and-coming roots music from around its own neighborhood. The festival helped Rhode Island’s Low Anthem make the jump from volunteer trash collection at the festival to featured artist, and it lent a big boost to Boston’s David Wax Museum last year. This time around, the Providence, R.I., duo Brown Bird looks to make a similar jump from unknown to rising star. Salt for Salt, the pair’s forthcoming album, mixes dark American folk music with the stark sounds and styles of Eastern Europe. Hear Brown Bird perform live at the 2011 Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

brown bird

Anais Mitchell performance in Billsville

Anais really put her soul into an amazing, intimate night of music. Those of us familiar with her music were treated to old favorites and new songs alike. Those new to her work were mesmerized by the lyrical and musical complexity. Let’s not forget the fun! Here are the last two songs of the night “How Long” from “Hadestown” and a rousing singalong of “Goodnight Irene” all played acoustically.
01 How Long + Goodnight Irene by billsvillehouseconcerts

Joe Pug continues his "Give It Away" push

Just today, Joe Pug makes his first EP “Nation of Heat” available for free on NoiseTrade.

This record, Joe’s lyrics and performance astounded me when I first heard it. If you made it to our first Billsville House Concert you know what I mean. If you didn’t – well – here’s your chance to listen in on what you missed.

If you download it, take a second and leave a comment here.

Thanks

Here’s a live recording of some of Joe’s songs performed back in April in Billsville

Sarah Borges performance in Billsville

Sarah treated us to a combination concert/comedy event. She’s got the unique ability to make someone feel like they’re her best friend, get them laughing at her jokes, and then knock them back on their heels with her powerful voice.
Live The Life I Sing About In My Songs by billsvillehouseconcerts

Me and Your Ghost by billsvillehouseconcerts

Our show was the last one Sarah was playing before the birth of her son. We wish her the best.

Maryse Smith performance in Billsville

What we love about Maryse’s performance is the unexpected rhythms of her vocal delivery and unique phrasing. Songs of love lost and destroyed with lyrics that tumble, repeat and go in unexpected directions. We don’t know if the subject of “Fast One” is fearless or fears everthing – and that’s how we like it.
We think Maryse has a great future – take a listen . . .

This Would Go by billsvillehouseconcerts

Flowing Still by billsvillehouseconcerts

Fast One by billsvillehouseconcerts

David Wax Museum Performance In Billsville

The Least I Can Do by billsvillehouseconcerts
Persimmon Tree by billsvillehouseconcerts

Jalopy Heart by billsvillehouseconcerts

Well, it was another fantastic evening in Billsville wasn’t it? A full house was on hand as The David Wax Museum played an intimate, energetic and friendly show that included an all audience dance party, a gospel sing-along and a first time played cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye”. Oh, did we mention that E. sat in on snare drum for a tune?

As we sat at the kitchen table at midnight we laughed in amazement at our good fortune. Music, friends, life . . . not much more is needed.

David Wax Museum Posters

We’re totally stoked (do people still say stoked?) to offer these amazing posters for The David Wax Museum House Show. These are high quality three color screen printed posters designed for us by Jupiter Visual in Denver, CO.

DWM Pair

DWM Orange

DWM Blue

These limited run posters are 13” x 23” and come in the blue shown here as well as a scintillating orange. We’ll have a limited number available for sale at the show or you can order online at:

The Jupiter Visual Shop.