Matt the Electrician "For Angela"

It seems to me I have known about Matt the Electrician for quite a long time. I even played him on the radio, going back to his 2003 CD Made For Working. Matt has quite the buzz going on in Austin, that bubbling cauldron of musical talent and sum of the parts camaraderie.

There are gigs that are residencies...Matt plays the Saxon Pub on Monday nights. I can't tell you how many times I have seen his name on the marquee since I have been living in Austin. And yet, I haven't seen him play. Matt, I promise you I will come catch your set soon...what a slacker I have been. And to make matters worse, I didn't even see him today! I was outside when his session began, and bus rules are, "If it's rockin', don't come knockin'!" That even means me! So I hung out and waited for the door to open. At least I shook his hand. He is droll, with that left-of-center way of looking at the world I so love. See if you don't agree...here's "For Angela."

-Jessie

Memphis Now - Like Today

We pulled into Memphis, wow that sounds like a song, and Blue Eyes was waiting. Blue Eyes is Tommy Lee's bus, delivered to us from Celebrity Coaches in Tupelo, Mississippi. We had it in Nashville during the Americana Music Association Festival and Conference, and well, it just feels like home. We are at our second Folk Alliance Festival, replendent with folk folks of every description. Big thanks to Folk Alliance Executive Director Louis Meyers for hooking us up.

Beans is presently sitting in the Tommy Lee chair in the back lounge. You could envision Tommy Lee sitting slouched down low having girls dance before him as part of the grand seduction scene, and the tumble into the queen size bed. But I digress...the front lounge is where it is happening...so far we have had visits from Travis Linville, Matt The Electrician and Doug & Telisha Williams. We will be posting some video for ya before days end...but we are in major production mode, doing our patented Music Fog Marathon of Amazing Artists! More later. Stick around for the ride.

PS: Lost and found update; so far we have a guitar cable & someone's iPhone. Silent auction?

-Jessie

The Fog Rolls To Folk Alliance

We are just hours away from jumping in the big blue truck and heading to Memphis for our 2nd year at the Folk Alliance Conference. Mind you, the name of this swanky affair does not do it justice. This isn't one of those things where "folkies" sit around and pluck Harmony guitars while singing of their past relationships with the earth and unleavened bread. No, this is something you have to train for.

Sleep is not acceptable at this conference. Running the hotel hallways in your underwear is. The all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet is highly recommended if you want to make it through the day. After that, beer is the life blood of this thing. And when I say "thing" I mean it. Last year Steve Poltz proclaimed in front of the Music Fog cameras that this whole "thing" was his idea. And that we could expect improvements this year. Steve claimed that he plans on selling Foreigner cassettes in the lobby for "drastic discounts." He also plans on a "Rambo-thon" somewhere nearby "so everybody can make it there." Keep in mind this is all coming from the guy who wrote "Hand Job On A Church Bus." I can't wait Steve.

Last year there was an artist who claimed to have taken a dump at Elvis' house while Elvis was still alive. I won't name names, but his sounded a lot like Bob Cheevers. I still swear that he's the kind of guy who will die in a freak ballooning accident. So he's probably good for another thirty or so years.

I don't know what to expect this year. But I am scared. Scared that we might make more new friends at this "thing." Scared that Celebrity Coaches will set us up with the bus called "Blue Eyes" again. Why? Because it has a damn Jagermeister machine on board. And you know it will get used at this swanky affair!

I'll be brave.

-Beans