Mountain Stage: Paddy Casey, Tyler Ramsey, Brooke Miller, Bell X1, Punch Brothers

Sunday's Mountain Stage show featuring Paddy Casey, Bell X1, Brooke Miller, Tyler Ramsey, and Punch Brothers was one of the best concerts I've ever attended. Not only were the performances - particularly that of the Irish boys - spectacular, but it was probably the friendliest bunch of singers to ever grace the stage. Mt. Stage tends to attract nice people (both performers and audience), but this week's lineup seemed especially cordial and down to earth.

The sole complaint I had about the night was the change of venue from Mt. Stage's Cultural Center home ground to the little theater of the Charleston Civic Center due to scheduling conflicts. The venue itself was fine, but the Civic Center serves alcohol and so I spent the night beside a couple drinking and reeking of beer. Standard fare for an arena concert, but a little disconcerting for Mt. Stage. Oh well, a small price to pay to be seated on the front row for such a grand show.

Irish troubadour Paddy Casey was the first to perform, accompanied only by his guitar, a girl named Fiona, and her piano. Though I'd heard Casey isn't one to banter much with the audience, I thought he seemed very gracious and charming throughout his set. His jokes were few but funny and seemed genuine, which I found far more enjoyable than the fake babble some artists spew between songs. And what a voice. He played two of my favorite tracks from Amen (So Be It) - the lovely "Sweet Suburban Sky" and "Fear" - as well as a couple of songs from his new album Addicted To Company. His voice was plaintive and beautiful, his songs were entrancing, and I was greatly disappointed when he left the stage.

Tyler Ramsey had the misfortune of stepping into Paddy Casey's shadow. Casey stood and listened from the wings as Ramsey opened with the title track from A Long Dream About Swimming Across The Sea. I liked the song well enough on the album (review forthcoming), but it seemed somewhat redundant and lifeless compared to the passion in Paddy's music. But I was better able to appreciate Tyler's smooth voice on the pretty second song "Worried", and I think I would have loved his set any other night.

Brooke Miller was up next, joined by the Mountain Stage band. As if jamming with the house band weren't enough to win over the hometown crowd, Miller tossed plenty of bubbly chatter in between songs. The music on the upbeat tunes "World On A Whim" and "Country From The Dome Car" sounded great, but it was difficult to hear Brooke's vocals over the roar of the band. The strength of her voice was more apparent as the music dropped to a hush on the powerful ballad "Two Soldiers". And even the drunk punk next to me started cuddling with his girl when Brooke sang the romantic title track from her album You Can See Everything.

Then Bell X1 stole the show. Their live renditions of "Rocky Took A Lover", "Eve, The Apple of My Eye", and "My First Born For A Song" from their recently re-released album Flock were even more magnificent than the studio recordings. Lead singer Paul Noonan's voice was especially melodic on the ethereal ballad "Eve, The Apple of My Eye" and his performance of "My First Born For A Song" was absolutely hypnotic. As good as Flock is, the production on the album hinders Noonan's wail on that particular song.

Just when I thought Bell X1 had reached the limit on awesome, Noonan took out a cowbell and they tore the house down with their rock disco anthem "Flame". They dedicated the tune to West Virginia native Chuck Yeager, the pilot of the first airplane - the Bell X1 from which the band took their name - to fly faster than the speed of sound. It's hard to believe Paul Noonan was the drummer of Juniper (his old band with Damien Rice), he seems such a natural lead. I love when singers throw their entire bodies into a song like he does, reaching out to the audience and throwing himself around the stage as he sang. When he first walked on stage, I thought he was cute but not really my type. But by the time he finished singing, I think every female in the audience - myself included - would gladly "toast marshmallows" with him.

The crowd cheered and clapped until my hands hurt, so the producers of the show asked the band to play an extra song. They ended with an older ballad, "I'll See Your Heart and Raise You Mine", from Music in Mouth. Noonan encouraged everyone in attendance to find, download, and share the song, so the mp3 is below. With the possible exception of Laura Love, witnessing Bell X1's set at Mountain Stage was the best concert experience of my life so far. If you have the chance to see them in concert, do whatever you have to and be there.

Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile were the final act. While I loved their spirited performance of "Punch Bowl" from their album Punch and their instrumentation is undeniably good, the two lengthy "Blind Leaving The Blind" movements they played were far too long to endure sitting in the beer fumed theater. Though the boredom I felt during the epic songs melted away under the warmth of Thile's self-deprecating humor. That boy sure is a charmer.

Host Larry Groce announced that the group finale would be an Irish song, so I was surprised when they burst into "Gloria". Though I was familiar with the Van Morrison recording, I didn't realize Morrison also wrote the song. I love Patti Smith's cover best, but the Mt. Stage group more than did it justice. Definitely one of their best finales, particularly the verses that Casey and Noonan sang. The whole crowd sang along.

We had a brief encounter with Paddy Casey outside after the show. My husband - himself an Irishman - mentioned that he had attended one of Paddy's performances in a small club years ago when we still lived in Ireland. Casey was friendly, but was obviously out there for a smoke rather than to greet fans. So we left him to it. Sadly, I was unable to add Paul Noonan to my Irish boy collection. Another time perhaps.

Paddy Casey recently performed "Fear" and two songs from his new album on LiveDaily. You can watch the video here and download the mp3 below:

Paddy Casey - LiveDaily Session (mp3)
Bell X1 - I'll See Your Heart and Raise You Mine (mp3)

Mountain Stage Official Site

Mountain Stage: Jeremy Fisher, Amy Correia, and Marc Cohn

I was fortunate enough to attend last night's Mountain Stage concert, which featured Jeremy Fisher, Amy Correia, Kelly Sweet, Bill Evans & Soul Grass with Richard Bono & Sam Bush, and Marc Cohn.

I have to send out an enormous "Thank you!" to Amy Correia for getting me into the sold out show. I was in the audience when Amy performed at Mt. Stage in 2001 and again in 2005, and I'm very glad I was able to attend her third appearance at the venue.

Canadian jazz singer Holly Cole was also scheduled to perform, but was apparently "hung up at the border" and didn't make it to the show. I was very disappointed, as I was almost as excited to see her name on the lineup as Amy's. Holly's performance at Mountain Stage in 1998 was one of my favorite concert experiences.

Jeremy Fisher was the first to take the stage last night. He was adorable - like a young, more handsome Bob Dylan with that big curly mop of hair and harmonica strapped around his neck. I haven't been able to get his album yet, so the music was unfamiliar to me. His voice and arrangements were very catchy and soulful. I think the songs I liked best are "Scar That Never Heals" and "High School". I always like to see a musician really throw themselves into a song like Jeremy did. I only wish he'd had more stage time. (Postscript: Goodbye Blue Monday review here)

The incomparable Amy Corriea was next, accompanied only by her guitar. Amy was a late addition to the lineup, booked for a solo set after the show's producers realized she would be coming to the venue to sing backup for Marc Cohn. Every time I see and hear Amy perform there, I'm astounded by the power and character of her voice. Last night was no exception.

Amy played three new songs and one from her Lakeville album. The first of the new songs was sung from the perspective of a little boy whose father is sent to Iraq. The second was "Love Changes Everything", which you can hear on Amy's MySpace page. The third was "Powder Blue", a funny tune about a love starved barfly and her Trans Am. Amy finished with an astonishing a cappella performance of "Love Is". As she grabbed the microphone and let the song rip its way out of her throat, she seemed to be channelling the spirits of both Edith Piaf and Billie Holiday.

I should probably refrain from commenting too much on the acts that followed, because it was difficult not to be bored by anything left in Amy's wake. But I prefer to be honest. Kelly Sweet and Bill Evans & Soul Grass with Richard Bono & Sam Bush seemed to be big hits with the baby boomers in the crowd, but I eagerly awaited the end of both sets. Kelly had an undeniably pretty voice, but was way too saccharine for me...like an even more pageantic Charlotte Church singing lifeless pop ballads. And the first half of the overly long set by Bill Evans & Soul Grass with Richard Bono & Sam Bush was like an elevator music jam band. The exception being the brief time when Sam Bush did an impressively fast mandolin solo.

Marc Cohn got the show back on track for me. Amy Correia returned to the stage to lend her voice, guitar, and claps to his band. Marc's voice has even more depth and power in person than on his recordings. His is another CD on my wishlist. Highlights of his set were "Live Out The String" from his new album and a slowed down, bluesy version of his hit single "Walking In Memphis".

Everyone except Jeremy Fisher returned to the stage for the rousing group finale of The Band's "Up On Cripple Creek".

Mountain Stage Official Site
Mountain Stage Podcasts

Mountain Stage: Sarah Borges, John Doe, Luke Temple, Chuck Prophet, Zap Mama

I was one of the few people who attended last night's Mountain Stage concert. It was the smallest crowd I've seen at the venue in years - not even half of the auditorium was filled. Which was very nice for those of us who miss the days when Mt. Stage was our cool little secret, but I'm sure the performers would have preferred bigger bursts of applause. I had no trouble snagging a front row seat again. The concert was good, but it simply couldn't compare to the magnificent Anaïs Mitchell, Eleni Mandell & Sylvie Lewis show in September. That was to be expected, though, as it would be nearly impossible to beat that incredible set.

Last night's show did have a spectacular opening act in Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles. Sarah - sporting a cute lil black dress that showed off her tattoos - and her boys tore up the stage with a thunderous rock guitar extravaganza. You would have thought Led Zeppelin was on stage instead of a four piece rockabilly band. They opened with an upbeat song I didn't recognize (but thoroughly enjoyed), then shook the floors with "The Day We Met" before settling into the more somber "Modern Trick".

John Doe joined the band for a fun duet of "Stop & Think It Over". Apparently it was a happy coincidence that the former X frontman - who happens to be Sarah's main musical influence - was booked for the same show. I don't know if Sarah and John had met before, but it was clear that they became fast friends. The band closed their set with the blistering "Diabolito", with Sarah's voice defying gravity on a Beyoncé belt at the end. I felt a little sorry for the rest of the performers, because Sarah & The Broken Singles set the stage on fire and everyone else had to play in their enormous shadow.

John Doe was up next. His truly was a good set, but bare acoustics couldn't help but seem a little lackluster after that opener. The highlights were "There's A Hole" and "Darling Underdog" from his new album, and especially his bluesy "The Losing Kind" from the Black Snake Moan soundtrack. Doe's voice may be past its peak, but it's still very strong. And he gives the impression of being a very likable guy, as well as someone who really loves music in general. In addition to singing with Sarah and participating in the big finale, I saw him standing off stage during some of the other performances and applauding along with the audience.

I hadn't heard of Luke Temple before the show, and I have conflicting opinions about his performance. He has a very beautiful falsetto voice - somewhere between Thom Yorke and Sufjan Stevens. But his quirkiness seemed at least a little gimmicky - the tall black furry hat, the bizarre lyrics, and even the inflections in his voice seemed intentionally left of center. I could be wrong, as I said I knew nothing about him before the performance. I just thought the weird trappings detracted from his genuine talent. I'd say he's someone to watch out for though, he definitely has a captivating voice.

Next up was Chuck Prophet. I had high hopes for this one, but it was way too jam bandish for my taste. Typical Mountain Stage sets last for 15 to 30 minutes at most. Prophet and his band played for almost an hour. The technical difficulties that had plagued the entire evening were partially to blame - the auditorium was so cold the musicians had to keep tuning their instruments in between songs. But the tuning problems were only part of what made Chuck's set drag on. He stretched every song way beyond its limit with long guitar riffs while he made eyes at his keyboard playing wife. At first the lusty glances the couple exchanged seem sweet, but eventually it was just icky. Just as I was about to whisper "get a room", someone else in the audience beat me to it.

Zap Mama was the last act of the evening. Now that's entertainment! Lead vocalist Marie Daulne walked on stage looking elegant and statuesque in her long red dress, matching cape, huge earrings, and glittering clips in her sculpted hair. She was quite charming - enthusiastically thanking the audience for their "love" - and sang beautifully, as did her backup singers. Her musicians did a fine job as well. They effortlessly captured and enhanced the exotic sound of "Affection", "1,000 Ways", "Toma Taboo", and the encore "Supermoon". Zap Mama's set wasn't just a live performance, it was an experience.

The big finale of the night was rousing group rendition of "Keep On Rockin' In The Free World". I was disappointed that Zap Mama didn't join in, but the rest of the night's performers happily returned to the stage with the house band. Larry Groce - decked out in denim overalls - could easily give Neil Young a run for his money vocally. And bffs Sarah Borges & John Doe did a cute little dance routine. Whatever weaknesses the rest of the night had, that was definitely one of the best final numbers.

Unfortunately, the show ran so long I couldn't stick around to meet the performers this time. I exuberantly recommend seeing Sarah Borges, John Doe, and Zap Mama in concert if you ever have the chance.

Mountain Stage: Sylvie Lewis, The Lucky Tomblin Band, Eleni Mandell, Anaïs Mitchell, & Suzy Bogguss

It's been a while since I attended a Mountain Stage concert, and last night's show was a spectacular re-introduction to my beloved venue. On the stage were Sylvie Lewis, The Lucky Tomblin Band, Eleni Mandell, Anaïs Mitchell, and Suzy Bogguss.

There's no way to truly describe the strangely sophisticated yet completely relaxed atmosphere of a Mt. Stage show. I believe it's the best and most unique venue in the world. All of the performers kept remarking on how nice the audience was, and it's been like that at every performance I've attended at the venue.

Each Mountain Stage show usually features five or six musical acts from various genres, and the concerts are broadcast on NPR in the U.S., Voice of America in Europe, and XM Satellite Radio. Selected performances are also videotaped for the television version of Mountain Stage that airs weekly on PBS in the U.S. In the 20 years since Mountain Stage began, many famous artists have played there and at times their performances on the show have served as a catapult to fame. Before artists can be booked on the show, they or their representatives must submit material to the producers of Mountain Stage. Artists and booking agents should check out this page for more information.

Mountain Stage has general seating, so my hubby & I arrived early last night and managed to nab front row seats. While the technicians set up the stage, they played the Women Live From Mountain Stage CD featuring Ani Difranco, Dar Williams, Joan Baez, and Jill Sobule.

Every time I've attended the show in the past, it has been introduced by producer Andy Ridenour. So it was a shock to see a new and much younger guy - an assistant producer - walk out and go through Andy's routine. I expected they would have to hire new staff eventually, but it was still a sad surprise. Fortunately, Andy is still a part of the show and nothing else seems to have changed. They announced that Jesse Harris, who was scheduled to perform first, would be unable to attend due to a family emergency. Then host Larry Groce sang the show's theme song with singer Julie Adams, backed by the Mountain Stage band featuring Ron Sowell and Bob Thompson. In between sets, Thompson played a Django Reinhardt piano ballad and Adams sang a Colleen Anderson song with the rest of the house band.

Sylvie Lewis was the first act to perform, and it was obvious that the audience fell in love with her. She was a pretty, petite blonde with a soft British accent and a plum polka dot dress. Her voice was even lovelier live than on her album. The simple beauty of her vocals and her angelic stage presence remind me of what I imagine Joni Mitchell was like in the early days of her career. Mountain Stage singer Julie Adams joined Lewis on "If It Don't Come Easy", then Sylvie sang "Starsong", "Just You", "Happy Like That", and "Death By Beauty".

Then The Lucky Tomblin Band shook the stage harder than any rock band I've ever seen there. Lead guitarist Redd Volkaert provided some comic relief bounding across the stage before grabbing his bright yellow guitar. Their upbeat and infectious set included "Honky Tonk Song", "End Of The Road", "Good Lookin' No Good", "Red Hot", and "Party Doll".

Eleni Mandell then stepped into the spotlight arrayed in a tomato red sundress, which she kindly described for the radio audience after a curtsy. Eleni's only accompaniment was her little guitar. I suppose that I had expected a glitzy jazz chanteuse, so I was surprised by her understated style. Like Sylvie, her voice is even better live. I was wishing for "Moonglow, Lamp Low" and "Miracle Of Five", but she didn't play either. She did sing "Make-Out King", "Salt Truck", "My Twin", and "Girls". Her performance of "My Twin" was especially good, with the stripped down acoustics emphasising the eerie drama of the song over its sultriness.

Next Anaïs Mitchell cast her spell on the audience. I think I was one of the few people there who knew who she was before the performance, but I think everyone in attendance was a fan of hers by the end of the set. First of all, she was an adorable little redhead with a cute dimpled smile and scuffed tan calf boots worn over top of her faded blue jeans. More than anyone else, Anaïs sounded a thousand times better live than on record. Though I liked her album before, I couldn't help comparing her quirky singing style to Joanna Newsom. But the live performance transformed my opinion of her songs entirely. The lovely lilt and charming nuances of her voice were much more apparent, adding even more depth to her poetic lyrics. The way the songs seem to explode out of her body reminded of similar epiphanies when I saw Ani Difranco, Dayna Kurtz, Amy Correia, and Vic Chesnut perform at the same venue. These are more than simply good performers, these are artists that seem to be vessels that must unleash the music within before it rips them apart. Anaïs sang "Of A Friday Night", "Before the Eyes of Storytelling Girls" (from Hymns For The Exiled), the beautiful ballad "Shenandoah", the spellbinding epic "Hadestown", and "Your Fonder Heart".

Suzy Bogguss - decked out in the blue velvet shawl worn on her album cover - was the last to take the stage, and I'm being kind in saying that it was anticlimactic. It would have been difficult for anyone to follow the stunning performance that preceded her, and Bogguss wasn't that bad. But the blandness of her material was glaringly evident in the shadow of the transcendent Anaïs Mitchell. She chose to start with that horridly tepid cover of Peter Cetera's horridly tepid song "If You Leave Me Now", and also sang the cringeworthy singer-songwriter rap "No Good Way To Go". And the live performance of the schmaltz-fest "In Heaven" lacked the cheesy chick flick charm of the album version. Her saving graces were her grand vocals on "The Bus Ride" and a trip down memory lane with her bluesy "Eat At Joe's", which she wrote back in her sassier country days. Suzy has an undeniably good voice and her vocals were solid throughout the set, it was just the music that was lackluster.

The best part of Mountain Stage is always the grand finale, when all of the performers are brought back out for a group sing. This time they did a rousing rendition of "Blue Light Boogie". It wasn't the most superior group vocal I've heard at the venue, and Eleni and Sylvie opted not to sing any verses. But the audience was none the less entertained by the back-up dancing of Suzy Bogguss, Eleni Mandell, Sylvie Lewis, and Anaïs Mitchell.

Another perk of attending a Mountain Stage show is that the performers often come out into the lobby to chat and sign autographs for the audience. In the past, I met Fisher, Luka Bloom, Amy Correia, Laura Love, Peter Mulvey, Cathie Ryan, and Robinella. This time I had the pleasure of meeting and having my CDs signed by Anaïs Mitchell, Sylvie Lewis, and Eleni Mandell. Anaïs shared the story of finding her boots on the side of a road, Sylvie discussed the differences between living in Europe and America as well as the perils of her former job as a teacher, and Eleni asked about the other artists that I'd seen perform at the venue. All three women were very friendly, down to earth, and extremely generous with their time. I only wish I had been cool and collected enough to ask more interesting questions, but I'm definitely better at writing than talking. Suzy Bogguss and Lucky Tomblin were also mingling with the fans, but I opted to avoid the crowds gathered around them.

I hope I've conveyed enough details to encourage everyone to see these artists - especially Anaïs Mitchell, Sylvie Lewis, and Eleni Mandell - perform in concert if ever the opportunity arises. I'm still kicking myself for forgetting to take pictures. I guess it's a sign of a great concert when you're too caught up in the music to remember your camera.

Eleni Mandell - My Twin (mp3)
Anaïs Mitchell - Shenandoah (mp3)
Mountain Stage Official Site
Mountain Stage Podcasts

Mountain Stage: Jessi Colter, Paul Thorn, & Martina McBride

Last week, I attended yet another Mountain Stage show. It's pretty much the only local concert venue I bother going to anymore.

I've posted about Mountain Stage before, but for those just tuning in: it's an international radio concert series that is taped live in front of an audience in Charleston, WV. Information for artists (or their managers) interested in being booked on the show will be provided at the end of this post.

This time the performers were Jessi Colter, Diana Jones, Paul Thorn, The Del McCoury Band, and Martina McBride. Though many in the audience loved the bluegrass stylings of Diana Jones and especially The Del McCoury Band, neither were really my cup of coffee. So I'll focus on the artists I was really excited to see....

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Jessi Colter opened the show. There have only been a very few times at a concert, all of which were at Mountain Stage, when I felt I was in the presence of a legend. Vic Chesnutt, Odetta, Joan Baez, and possibly Bruce Cockburn are the only ones that immediately spring to mind. And now I'll add Jessi Colter to that list.

Colter is the widow of Country legend Waylon Jennings, and the mother of Shooter Jennings (who portrayed his father in the film Walk The Line). A descendent of a member of Jesse James' infamous gang, Jessi Colter was a part of the "Outlaw" movement in country music along with her husband Waylon and his fellow Highwaymen Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash.

At the concert, she sang a few of her classics like "I'm Not Lisa", along with new songs from her new album Out of the Ashes. It's her first solo album in over 20 years. Her performance of the title track from the album was especially moving.

You can stream the entire Out of the Ashes album at CMT.

Buy Jessi Colter CDs

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Paul Thorn was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, also the hometown of Elvis. He's toured with Sting, Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, John Hiatt, Richard Thompson, and Marianne Faithfull among other big name acts.

He's one of those guitar playin' singer-songwriter types, with a comedic twist. His voice is deep and rich, much like Peter Mulvey, but his lyrics are sometimes closer to Heywood Banks.

He's the funniest, sexiest son of a Pentecostal preacher man that I've ever seen. You can't really tell it from the satirical songs he sings now, but he actually began his music career singing at church revivals. He also had a successful career as a boxer in the late 80s.

Mp3 samples, tour dates, blog entries, and various other goodies are available at his site.

Paul Thorn Office Site

Buy Paul Thorn CDs

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Finally, Martina McBride took the stage. This was the second time that I had seen her perform live. The first was back in early 1999 with Diamond Rio. I must admit that I haven't been a big fan of hers in recent years. She's one of those singers that sounds best when she belts it out and her last few albums haven't had much belt to 'em. But I loved her first four albums, and she's still amazing in concert.

I've been to a lot of live shows, and no one that I've seen can rival McBride when it comes to shaking the building with the sheer power of her voice. She doesn't need a microphone, in fact most of the time it seems to get in the way. She kept having to step back away from the mic when she'd hit the high notes.

She mostly sang songs from her new album, Timeless, which is a collection of classic country covers. But then for the last third of her set, she sang her own songs. The only single she did was "Independence Day", which damn near blew the roof off of the concert hall. She also did one of my personal favourites of hers, "Whatever You Say", during which her vocals were inhumanly powerful and loud, and I loved it. Whether you like her music or any country music at all, I'd still recommend seeing her in concert if you ever have the opportunity. She definitely gives your money's worth with her singing.

Martina McBride Official Site

Buy Martina McBride CDs

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Each Mountain Stage show usually features five or six musical acts from various genres (Celtic, folk, rock, indie, country, jazz, funk, etc.). The concerts are broadcast on NPR in the U.S., Voice of America in Europe, and XM Satellite Radio. Selected performances are also videotaped for the television version of Mountain Stage that airs weekly on PBS in the U.S.

In the 20 years since Mountain Stage began, many famous artists have played there (usually right before they become famous). I've had the priviledge of seeing and even meeting a few of them there.

Some examples are: Jeff Buckley, Joan Baez, Odetta, Ani Difranco, Tori Amos, Sarah Mclachlan, Ryan Adams, Norah Jones, Ben Harper, Sheryl Crow, Counting Crows, REM, Natalie Merchant, Vic Chesnutt, David Gray, Rusted Root, Grant Lee Buffalo, Joan Armatrading, Elvis Costello, Shivaree, Lucinda Williams, The Indigo Girls, Lyle Lovett, Vienna Teng, Nellie McKay, Jamie Cullum, Laura Nyro, Cowboy Junkies, Julianna Hatfield, Over The Rhine, Alexi Murdoch, Violent Femmes, Melissa Ferrick, Michael Penn, Loreena McKennitt, Wilco, Altan, Luka Bloom, Bruce Cockburn, Warren Zevon, Gordon Lightfoot, and Allen Ginsberg. And that's just to name a few!

Before they can be booked on the show, artists must submit material to the producers of Mountain Stage. If you're an artist and would like to play, send your cds, tapes, videos or other related promo materials to:

Mountain Stage
600 Capitol Street
Charleston, WV 25301

If you get booked on the show, let me know so I can attend.

Mountain Stage: cathie ryan, peter mulvey, solas, et al

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending a Mountain Stage concert featuring Robinella, Cathie Ryan, Jennifer Kimball, Peter Mulvey, and Solas.

Mountain Stage is an international radio concert series that is taped live in front of an audience in Charleston, WV. I'll tell you more about the show itself at the end of this post. Whether you're an artist, manager, or simply a music lover like myself, you'll be interested. Hopefully. ;p

The first performer of the evening was Robinella. I'd never heard of her before, but I won't be surprised if I start seeing her name more. Her voice has the raspy and occasionally soaring timbre of Amy Correia or Allison Krauss, and her music also has a similiar folk/bluegrass sound, though some of her songs were pure funk. I couldn't track down any mp3s, but you can stream music at her site.

Robinella's Official Site

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Next up was Cathie Ryan. I first saw her perform live at Mountain Stage in the spring of 2000, and she was the main reason I bought tickets for this recent concert. She's an engaging, lively, and delightful bodhran performer with a clear, beautiful voice that rivals Kate Rusby.

I highly recommend attending her concerts if you have the opportunity. I had the chance to talk with her briefly after the concert and I have to say I was a bit starstruck. Photographs do not do her justice, she is stunning. And so very nice.

Cathie is an Irish-American singer-songwriter from Detroit, the daughter of Irish immigrants, and the former lead singer of the all-female Celtic group Cherish the Ladies. Her music has been featured on many Celtic compilations and collections, including A Woman's Heart.

Her recordings range from traditional Irish music to her own original songs, some of which have also been recorded by Frances Black and Mary Black. Once again I was unable to locate any mp3s, but you can view tour dates, buy cds, and listen to song samples at her website.

Cathie Ryan's Official Site



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Next was Jennifer Kimball, another female singer-songwriter that I heared for the first time this weekend. Kimball used to be in the band The Story with Jonatha Brooke, and her solo sound is similiar to Jonatha's solo work.

You can download an mp3 of the song "In White Light", a pretty duet by Kimball & Catie Curtis at Rachel Bissex's website. There's also an mp3 on that page of the original version of the song by Bissex. The Kimball/Curtis version is featured on the 2-disc Rachel Bissex Tribute album. Another duet, "You Must Be", by Kimball & Catie Curtis can be found on this page. You can also stream music on her site.

Jennifer Kimball's Official Site



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Peter Mulvey is another singer-songwriter that I saw for the second time at Mountain Stage last week, and also spoke with briefly after the concert. Or, well, I listened as he discussed the economy in Ireland with my husband (who is from Meath). Mulvey was born in Milwaukee, but he spent a number of years as a busker on the streets of Dublin and also in the subways of Boston.

The first time I saw him in 2000, he was pretty much an unknown. But he had such an electric stage presence and beautiful, occasionally quirky songs that I've not been surprised to see him gaining some low-key popularity recently. Back then his music was more of the common guy with guitar thing (think a less commercial Howie Day), but over the years his sound has greatly matured into a more bluesy tone. His voice is deep and rich, with shades of Leon Redbone or Elvis Costello, but very smooth. You can download a new mp3 every month at Peter's website. The current mp3 is "Old Simon Stimson", which he performed at the concert.

Peter Mulvey - The Trouble With Poets (mp3 removed)
Peter Mulvey's Official Site



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Solas was the last band of the evening, and they received a standing ovation from the crowd for their enthusiastic and infectious performance. The band is quite popular in their native Ireland, and gaining popularity in America now, too. They just released their seventh album called Waiting for an Echo, which features vocals by Dierdre Scanlan on such songs as "The Silver Dagger" (see below).

Solas (the Irish Gaelic word for "light") is fronted by Seamus Egan, who is probably best known for his work as composer on the soundtrack for The Brothers McMullen. He co-wrote the original version of "I Will Remember You" by Sarah Mclachlan that was featured on the soundtrack. Solas recorded their own version of the song with Dierdre Scanlan for their album The Hour Before The Dawn.

The band mostly performs and records traditional Celtic songs, though they are usually revamped for a more lively, modern sound. They also have a few of their original compositions. Many of their songs are instrumental, but they do have a number of vocal recordings as well featuring singers such as Karan Casey and Dierdre Scanlan.

Solas - The Silver Dagger (mp3 removed)
Solas - I Will Remember You(mp3 removed)
Sarah McLachlan - I Will Remember You(The Brothers McMullen version) (mp3 removed)

Solas Official Site



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Each Mountain Stage show usually features five or six musical acts from various genres (Celtic, folk, rock, country, jazz, funk, etc.). The concerts are broadcast on NPR in the U.S. and Voice of America in Ireland and other countries. Selected performances are also videotaped for the television version of Mountain Stage that airs weekly on PBS in the U.S.

In the 20 years since Mountain Stage began, many famous artists have played there (usually right before they become famous). I've had the priviledge of seeing and even meeting a few of them there.

Some examples are: Jeff Buckley, Joan Baez, Odetta, Ani Difranco, Tori Amos, Sarah Mclachlan, Ryan Adams, Norah Jones, Ben Harper, Sheryl Crow, Counting Crows, REM, Natalie Merchant, Vic Chesnutt, David Gray, Rusted Root, Grant Lee Buffalo, Joan Armatrading, Elvis Costello, Shivaree, Lucinda Williams, The Indigo Girls, Lyle Lovett, Vienna Teng, Nellie McKay, Jamie Cullum, Laura Nyro, Cowboy Junkies, Julianna Hatfield, Over The Rhine, Alexi Murdoch, Violent Femmes, Melissa Ferrick, Michael Penn, Loreena McKennitt, Wilco, Altan, Luka Bloom, Bruce Cockburn, Warren Zevon, Gordon Lightfoot, and Allen Ginsberg. And that's just to name a few!

Before they can be booked on the show, artists must submit material to the producers of Mountain Stage. If you're an artist and would like to play, send your cds, tapes, videos or other related promo materials to:

Mountain Stage
600 Capitol Street
Charleston, WV 25301

If any of you music people reading this are booked by the show, drop me a comment or email so I can see you there. :)

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Note: Do not directly link to the mp3 files, instead link to Muruch Blog or the particular blog post they are featured in. To download, right click on the mp3 link and save to your computer.

Mp3s are offered for a short time for evaluation purposes only. Please support the artists by purchasing their music at Amazon, InSound, or your local music retailer. If you are the copyright holder of any of these songs and want me to remove them, please contact me and I'll do so immediately.