Chickfactor 20 @ the Bell House (night 2 pics/video/review) -- Aislers Set, Pipas, Bridget St. John, Jim Ruiz & more

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo; words by Bill Pearis

The Aislers Set - April 11, 2012

The second night of Chickfactor's three day 20th Anniversary may not have had the one-two punch of the previous evening's reformed Black Tambourine and Small Factory, but it did have The Aislers Set who hadn't played in NYC (or much of anywhere else) in nearly ten years. Amy Linton and Wyatt Cusik came prepared, however, with a nine-strong Aislers Set that sounded so good it made me want another album. BlearyEyed Brooklyn got some great video of their set which is watchable below.

Undercard duo Pipas were pretty charming, making good use of a iPad as backing band. Lupe Núñez-Fernandez spends more time with Amor de Dias lately, so it was nice to hear these two again as I haven't seen them perform since the first NYC Popfest back in 2007.

I was late arriving to the Bell House that night and missed unannounced openers Franklin Bruno, LD Beghtol and True Love Always' John Lindaman. I was also dismayed to find Bridget St. John and The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group had switched places on the bill. I am a huge fan of Ruiz' 1995 album O Brother Where Art Thou?, and my heart sunk a little to get to the Bell House right as he was saying "thanks and goodnight." He's making a new album as we speak so hopefully he'll make his way out of Minneapolis again soon. Until then, there are videos below.

St. John is legendary in her own right as 1971's Songs for the Gentle Man is a pastoral folk classic. She was given a long set, and though it was lovely, it was maybe just a little too gentle for me and I checked out to the other room for most of it.

Click through for lots more pictures from all the night's performers and video too.