Pete Seeger @ Clearwater Festival 2009 (more by Chris La Putt)

Clearwater Festival, the annual benefit for the Hudson River environmental group of the same name, will be happening this year at Croton-on-Hudson's Croton Point Park on June 19th & 20th. Pete Seeger, the non-profit's founder, plays every year - joining him this year will be Steve Earle, Rhett Miller, Joan Osborne, Buckwheat Zydeco, Felice Bros and more. More of the initial lineup is below. Tickets to the fest are on sale (and currently almost half the door price). Pictures from last year's day one are HERE and day two are HERE.

A bit farther Upstate in Hunter, NY, the three-day Mountain Jam will be happening June 4th-6th. The lineup for that includes Gov't Mule, Levon Helm & Friends, Drive-By Truckers, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Avett Brothers, Dr. Dog, Les Claypool, Jay Farrar (of Son Volt), These United States, Justin Townes Earle (note dad, playing above) and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger Band (the same, except grandpa). The full current lineup is below, and tickets are on sale.

Later this summer (in July), Camp Bisco will be in Mariaville, NY.

Lineups so far for both fests are below...

Continue reading "Mountain Jam (6/4-6) the Clearwater Festival (6/19-20) have announced initial 2010 NY concert lineups & tickets "

photos by Jim Brueckner

Deer Tick / Neko Case

"...And to think it almost didn't happen. When the [Newport Folk] festival's future was in question earlier this year, original executive producer George Wein took back the reins and scrambled to fill two days with an impressive lineup that appealed, in producer Jay Sweet's words, to "the musical omnivore.''...

...And this year the festival had a noticeably youthful presence; 9,200 people (fort capacity: 10,000) attended Saturday, giving the festival its highest single-day ticket sales since Bob Dylan's heralded return in 2002....

...It seemed impossible that Sunday could top this. But it nearly did with strong early sets from singer-songwriter Josh Ritter and the Campbell Brothers, who made it feel like Sunday morning in the front pew with an electric mix of gospel and soul played on steel guitars.

Making her Newport debut, [Neko Case] was in fine form, unleashing her sweeping voice to unfurl over the harbor with songs from her new album.

Mostly, though, [Sunday] was especially heavy on the legends. The Del McCoury Band, the festival's only bluegrass act, sang high-lonesome harmonies in their dapper suits, with McCoury's voice still dulcet and nimble at 70. And Arlo Guthrie was as much of a rascal as ever, remembering the stories behind tunes such as "The Motorcycle Song.''" [The Boston Globe]

Pete Seeger has had a busy 90th year. Not only did he headline both nights of Newport, he played both nights of his Clearwater Festival, MSG, Columbia University, Jazz Fest, Beacon High School, and probably something I'm forgetting.

Sunday was the day Deer Tick played Newport Folk. TONIGHT (August 7th) is the night Deer Tick plays a free show in Prospect Park with Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, and Jones Street Station (who were added as first of three on the Brooklyn bill). Deer Tick also has more shows coming up including one on a boat around Manhattan (tix).

Pictures & video from Newport Day One are HERE. The rest of Day Two, below....

Continue reading "Newport Folk Fest 50 - Day 2 pics & video (Deer Tick, Neko Case, Joan Baez, Del McCoury, Elvis Perkins, Arlo G & more)"