Music Fog Marathon In Austin

So we don’t call them showcases (well, we shouldn't), and sure enough, it isn’t official, but the Music Fog cameras will be rolling from Wednesday, March 16th to Saturday, March 19th at Threadgill's South in Austin, Texas. We start when the doors open at 11 am each day, and we get done, well, when we are done. That’s why we call it this one the Music Fog Marathon...it takes a bit of stamina to get through all four days! There will be an abundance of bounty in the music AND the refreshment divisions. And no badges, no admission charges, just great food and fun. Come eat, drink, and be merry!

Music Fog has completed putting our roster together. It is signed, sealed and delivered. We will be filming live performances from the stage in the back room at Threadgill’s South, 301 West Riverside in South Austin. We will have plenty of Aleve® on hand, but just for us, not for you. We were thinking Aleve and 5-hour ENERGY® should be our new sponsors! If you drink 3 of them, that's 15 hours of energy, right?! Now normally, we do our thing behind closed doors; on a bus, in a condo, or some other unpublicized location. But our unofficial program during SXSW® Music week is quite the opposite. We love having company for some chicken fried steak, and cobbler and Blue Bell ice cream, and lest we forget, Threadgill’s is all about eating your vegetables! There are an outstanding amount of them on the menu, and it is not uncommon to have yourself a vegetable plate...pick three or even five! And don’t forget the drinks! There will be booze of pretty colors, and my brown liquor, and Beans' drink of choice, the Skinny Bitch.

But most of all, there will be music. Oh, you can go ahead and count them yourself, but there are 44 bands that will grace the Music Fog stage at Threadgill's. Yup, that's a music marathon! Our schedule and set times are below, and please note that each artist will play a 20 minute set and then clear the stage for the next setup. Can't wait to see you there! 

- Jessie Scott

 Wednesday March 16, 2011 

• 11:10 AM  Alessi's Ark
• 11:40 AM  Heidi Spencer
• 12:20 PM  Ian Moore & The Lossy Coils
• 1:20 PM   Uncle Lucius
• 2:10 PM   Brian Wright
• 2:40 PM   Guy Forsyth
• 3:20 PM   Foster & Lloyd
• 4:20 PM   The Civil Wars
• 5:20 PM   Ray Wylie Hubbard
• 6:20 PM   The Trishas
• 7:20 PM   Citizens Band Radio

Thursday March 17, 2011

• 11:20 AM  Wagons
• 12:10 PM  Jonny Burke
• 12:40 PM  Jackson Parten
• 1:20 PM   Maxim Ludwig & The Santa Fe Seven
• 2:20 PM   Dash Rip Rock
• 3:20 PM   Tim Easton
• 4:10 PM   Susan Gibson
• 4:40 PM   Lisa Morales
• 5:20 PM   Stone River Boys
• 6:20 PM   Amy LaVere
• 7:10 PM   Jon Dee Graham
• 7:40 PM   Rod Picott

Friday March 18, 2011

• 11:20 AM  The Chapin Sisters
• 12:10 PM  Robert Ellis
• 12:40 PM  Ron Sexsmith
• 1:20 PM   Ponderosa
• 2:20 PM   Deadman
• 3:20 PM   Jimmy LaFave
• 4:20 PM   Dave Alvin
• 5:20 PM   Malford Milligan
• 6:20 PM   Carolyn Wonderland
• 7:20 PM   Brigitte DeMeyer

Saturday March 19, 2011

• 11:10 AM  Lincoln Durham
• 11:40 AM  Colin Gilmore
• 12:20 PM  Zoe Muth
• 1:20 PM   Eilen Jewell
• 2:20 PM   Bonnie Whitmore
• 3:10 PM   Eddie Spaghetti
• 3:40 PM   Matt Hillyer
• 4:20 PM   Jack Grace Band
• 5:20 PM   Ha Ha Tonka
• 6:20 PM   Ruby James
• 7:20 PM   Waco Brothers

James McMurtry "Too Long In the Wasteland"

It is warming up in Austin. Trees are starting to bud, and the air feels great. There were kids playing in the street after school. This evening, folks were outside grilling in the neighborhood, with clouds of fragrant smoke wafting in the wind. I am so excited about the coming of SXSW®, now just weeks away, because that says spring in Austin more than anything else. It is like a rite of passage. We are busy confirming our Music Fog Marathon four day event at Threadgill’s South. We will be joined by some brand new and some longtime friends, too. Can I name drop? OK...but this is a partial list: Malford Milligan, Ian Moore, Foster & Lloyd, The Civil Wars, Dave Alvin, Dash Rip Rock, Tim Easton, Susan Gibson, Jon Dee Graham, Carolyn Wonderland, Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis, Eilen Jewell, Sons of Bill, The Trishas, just to name some. I could go on and on, but we have to confirm everyone first, and that should be very soon.

I am thinking with delight about the back room at Threadgill’s South. It always feels like home when we get to work there. We love being part of the Austin legacy that Threadgill’s has had such a mighty part in building. I love the coming craziness of Austin at this time of year, after all it IS the "Live Music Capital Of The World," I would add with bells on, and tats and purple hair, or no hair for that matter. Austin is pretty weird, anyway. This event, as the world descends, goes a long way to further illustrate that “Keep Austin Weird” campaign.

Today’s vid is “Too Long In The Wasteland” from James McMurtry, taken from his Threadgill’s performance in front of the Music Fog cameras last year. It is the title track from James' 1989 debut, and also can be found on 2004’s Live In Aught-Three CD. That CD has been remastered and rereleased, including in vinyl. The Childish Things CD was just reissued as well. We had hope to get to see James again this year at SXSW, but alas, he is on a solo tour! Kinda like this video!

- Jessie Scott

Warren Hood & The Hoodlums "The More I See You"

It has been a pretty good week in Americana. First the GRAMMYs®, which featured performances from The Avett Brothers and Mumford & Sons with Bob Dylan doing a rousing version of "Maggie's Farm." There were awards picked up by the late Stephen Bruton and T Bone Burnett for the Crazy Heart soundtrack, and T Bone and Ryan Bingham for "The Weary Kind," Mavis Staples, Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Patty Loveless, Patty Griffin, Marty Stuart, and Neil Young. Heady stuff indeed.

Then the Bonnaroo lineup was announced, with plenty of Americana participation; Robert Plant & Band of Joy, Mumford & Sons, The Decemberists, Ray LaMontagne, Alison Krauss & Union Station with Jerry Douglas, Gregg Allman, Old Crow Medicine Show, Mavis Staples, Loretta Lynn, Wanda Jackson, Justin Townes Earle, Abigail Washburn, Ryan Bingham, Deer Tick, Amos Lee, Hayes Carll, and Railroad Earth. This year is the tenth anniversary of Bonnaroo, and it sounds like a must!

We have our sights set on SXSW®, though, as that comes up first, about a month from now in March down here in Austin. Music Fog will be doing our four day unofficial showcase at Threadgill's South. We have been doing it there, through the magic of chicken fried steak, for the last four years. Our lineup is being finalized as we speak, and so I suspect we will be announcing it VERY soon. Lots of cool stuff is coming, we promise you that. Shall we savor something from last year's set? I think Warren Hood and The Hoodlums fit the bill. Though they aren't on the B'roo list, Lord knows they SHOULD be! You can catch them at Old Settler's Music Fsetival this April in Austin. There are plenty of other dates, too. It doesn't matter where you see Warren, just that one of these days, make sure that you do. As a case in point, here is "The More I See You."

- Jessie Scott