As a preview and guide to the journal I’m writing on NERFA, here is an exhausting (to make) not exhaustive (as it represents only a smathering of what appeared at the conference and what I saw in shared showcases, main-stage appearances, song circles, etc.) hitlist of songs I plan to reference. You can just about make the disc on itunes for between 10-15 dollars and the videos of songs too new to be recorded are free. There are two that are phantom songs, so rare I will have to beg the artists to grant me some lyrics, just so I can try to explain their greatness to you.
Immediately purchase/download/listen online:
- Connor Garvey: The Bird (off Where Ocean Meets Land, on itunes)
- Lois Morton: The Diet is Cast (off As I See It, on itunes)
- Anthony da Costa: Ain’t Much of a Soldier (off Typical American Tragedy, on itunes)
- Caleb Hawley: Call Me Crazy (off We All Got Problems, on itunes)
- Rebecca Loebe: Married Man (off Mystery Prize, on itunes)
- LJ Booth: Box Elder (off The Ox that Pulls the Cart, on itunes)
- The Sea, The Sea: Restless Heart (demo, on soundcloud)
- Layah Jane: Dandelion (off Honey, on itunes)
- Louise Mosrie: Leave Your Gun (live at Kerrville, on itunes)
- Zoe Mulford: Life is To Short to Fold Underwear (off Traveling Moon, on itunes)
- Beggar’s Ride: Making A List (off self-titled, on itunes)
Watch immediately on youtube:
- Brad Yoder: Somewhere in the Constellation (live at NERFA)
- Babik: Rhythm Futura (live)
- We’re About 9: The Hardest Thing to Prove (live)
- Lois Morton: The Diet is Cast (live)
- Matt Nakoa: Light in the Dark (live at NERFA)
- Gathering Time: Sweet Judy Blue Eyes (live cover)
- Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen: July, You’re a Woman (live)
- Shaw Brothers: Disease (live)
Where the hell are you on the internet, you ingenious song?
- Jean Rohe: Umbrella
- Brad Yoder: Went Away Sad
We’re About 9 performing a Formal Showcase at NERFA. I KNOW they practice their banter, I know they know what they’re doing – and yet it never sounds canned, it always sounds fresh – even the stories I’ve heard half-a-dozen times before come across like they’re being told right off the top of their heads. They are always head and shoulders above the rest of anyone around them. We’re About 9 performing at one of the myriad Guerrilla Showcases at NERFA in Kerhonksen, NY. I’m not sure that I see all of the comparisons, but I’m beyond flattered by the company Amy Black performs at Zoe Mulford’s Folk Xing showcase the Divas perform at Jess Razzi’s “Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler” showcase first I watch Rebecca Loebe perform, and then she returns the favour. ilyAIMY performs at Jess Razzi’s “Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler” showcase. (photograph courtesy of the very talented Jake Jacobson as is…) Kristen and I went to bed at around 2am or so, knowing that otherwise we’d be dead the next day – Heather however showed admirable stamina and went to all the late night jam sessions. Listening to her tales afterwards, I should’ve manned up, drank a lot of coffee, and joined the party. Of course, looking at some of the roads we faced at 10am the next morning, I’m glad I was fully alert!
the Shaw Brothers were horrified to see that in the posters… they were the WRONG Shaw Brothers!!!
