Tom V. was there in spirit

This was my first time getting to see Hashknife Outfit without them being Soda's backup. They were local support for Pushin' Rope. The show took place at the Rhythm Room 8/30/09 in Phoenix,AZ.

HASHKNIFE OUTFIT

Hashknife covered my favorite Tom Vandenavond song and played some great originals as well.

PUSHIN' ROPE

The vocalist is an auctioneer from what I've been told and you can kind of tell in his vocal styling

a night filled with Troubadors

This is the best lineup of artists I have seen this year besides MDF. Four individuals with haunting vocals and vivid storytelling ability took the stage of the Rhythm Room 7/6/09 in Phoenix,AZ.

TOM VANDENAVOND

This was the 4th or 5th time I have seen this guy play, and could probably watch him a couple times a week and not get tired of it.

WILLY TEA

I havent been captivated by a solo performance like this in years. Willy Tea had my full attention from start to finish and I will never miss a chance to see him play.

MARIO MATTEOLI

what more can I say about this guy. love his music

SODA & his HASHKNIFE OUTFIT

the only way i could ever describe Soda's style would be gypsy hillbilly, not that it matters when its this good

old songs for young ears

I posted some videos a few months ago of the Hillgrass Bluebilly North American tour. Recently the guys just put out their first release, a 2 disc tribute to Hank Williams and Leadbelly titled "Hiram and Huddie". Below is a copy of the the article recently written in the Austin Chronicle.

THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE
OFF THE RECORD - AUSTIN POWELL
TITLE: LOST HIGHWAYS
PAGE 53 (at bottom)



Lost Highways
Primal roots purveyors Hillgrass Bluebilly Entertainment recently released Hiram and Huddie, a potent double-album tribute to Hank Williams and Lead Belly that features local favorites Scott H. Biram, Wayne "the Train" Hancock, and William Elliott Whitmore. "They were the first two that really introduced that darkness and those cold truths to American music," says the Bastrop-based HBE's Keith Mallette. The 20-song compilation is available at Yard Dog Gallery, where cover artist Jon Langford of the Mekons currently has an exhibit, but you can also score a copy on Thursday, Feb. 12, at Emo's, which hosts the Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band ("Rock Island Line"), along with local trailblazers Possessed by Paul James ("Bourgeois Blues"), and Tom VandenAvond ("I Can't Help It If I'm Still in Love With You"). Next up, Hillgrass Bluebilly is wrangling a double-barrel tribute to Johnny Cash and R.L. Burnside, while also pairing bluegrass patriarch Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys with original Delta bluesman T-Model Ford for a living legends showcase on March 17. "We feel like we're sitting on a real treasure here," Mallette concludes. "All of this is music is pure and from the heart. "



http://www. dirtyfootfamily. com
http://www. myspace. com/hiramandhuddie

August in Arizona part 1: Austin Invasion

On my latest trip to Phoenix, AZ, I was fortunate to attend 3 different shows, 2 in one night and scored some decent video. the First show I attended was Scott H Biram, Mario Matteoli, and Tom Vandenavond at the Last Exit Bar in Tempe,AZ. There was already a camera crew present so some the shots having random people walking in front of me, while i try to re-angle.


First up on the lineup was Tom Vandenavond from Austin,TX. This guy probably has the most haunting male vocals I have heard in a long time and sings some great ballads . Its hard to compare him with anyone, he has style thats familiar while also being original. if you like the video posted below you can check out more music at

Tom Vandenavond

Next up was another singer songwriter from Austin,TX, Mario Matteoli formerly of the Weary Boys who had percussion and vocal backup by Cayce Marsh. I had never seen Mario Matteoli solo and was really looking forward to it, after seeing the Weary Boys a handful (or maybe 2 handfuls) of times. I would have to say the only thing I found disappointing was how short the set was. It was great to hear songs sound so full when they had the simple ingredients of acoustic guitar, vocals, and feet stomping along with the tambourine. Each video features a song from different albums, if you want to hear more go to

Mario Matteoli

the Raw & Primal Roots Revolution

For the past few years, 2 of my buddies have been putting together some of the finest roots/punk infused shows in Phoenix, AZ. Proving that an underground country and blues scene can thrive as long as you work hard to showcase the incredible talent that exists all over the United States. The Hillgrass Bluebilly guys started basically as promoters, then quickly to leaders of a movement. Starting off in Arizona, then on to Louisiana, Indiana, Tennessee, and the new music capitol, Austin,TX. They even recently put together a tribute album to LeadBelly and Hank Williams Sr. entitled "Hiram & Huddie" which features covers by Wayne "the train" Hancock, Possessed by Paul James, and many more produced by John Carter Cash. Below are some rough pictures and video of the first Hillgrass Bluebilly North American tour featuring Bob Log III, Scott H Biram, and Left Lane Cruiser at Doug Fir Lounge in Portland,OR August 16, 2008. To find out more about Hillgrass and some of their upcoming artists go to www.dirtyfootfamily.com


LEFT LANE CRUISER








SCOTT H BIRAM











BOB LOG III