Barking Tuna 2009 NIGHT TWO PREVIEW!

Night Two: Fri 10/09/09 at Papa Pete's

The Legendary Shack Shakers (Nashville) {folk punk} [http://www.myspace.com/legendaryshackshakers]
You might have noticed that I categorized this band as "folk punk." If that sounds strange, it's because it is. While I love a good experimental band, they kind of sound like this: a hillbilly and a Russian met in a traveling circus, had a child, homeschooled it, and only allowed it to listen to Dropkick Murphys and watch Tim Burton movies. Infer what you will.
Sidenote on Nashville: while it calls itself "The Music City," I did fairly extensive research on Nashville's music scene for this blurb alone, to try to get a context for this band, and honestly didn't find a whole lot that didn't fall under the country/ blues/ etc category. There are some indie bands but, otherwise, not a whole lot going on. So while I give this band props for stepping out of their crowd, and while I have a certain amount of faith in WIDR's music selections for Tuna (especially after Night One) I'm not real optimistic about this show. But I'm going, and I have an open mind, and we'll see.

Who Hit John? (Kalamazoo) {roots/ americana} [http://www.myspace.com/whohitjohn5]
So, you have to know that moments after I first listened to this band on Myspace, my internet browser completely melted off the screen and left me with that excruciating helpless panic that only a computer malfunction can bring. Regardless, their first listed track, "Till The Last Dog Dies" KEPT PLAYING without so much as a skip between jingly banjo-and-fiddle stylings. Because of this, I'm led to believe that this band has supernatural powers, and am expecting a supernatural show. I hope they live up to it. (Just kidding. But seriously. And does anyone know anything about computers? Because I think mine is broken.)
Anyway. With names like Hamdog and Django, I'm sure these folks know how to party, and you guys already know how I love a good bluegrass show. With character-centric, party-oriented jams about gettin' drunk and causin' trouble, Who Hit John? plays it safe: not unappealing, but nothing we haven't heard before. With the right energy tonight, I'm expecting this show to go over fairly well. Personally, I'm kind of looking forward to seeing Papa Pete's-- a predominately rock/ metal venue-- full of skeletal vegans with dreadlocks and Peoples' Food Co-Op tshirts. I think it will be a more anthropological experience than anything. And hopefullly the music will be ok, too.

Michael Beauchamp and the Barn Roughs (Kalamazoo) {folk} [http://www.myspace.com/michaelbeauchampmusic]
After spending some time with Michael Beauchamp's music, I'm starting to think that what I took at first for a stripped-down, decidedly low-fi sound is actually just a bunk live recording. On one hand, I'm a little annoyed, but when I put my music snobbery aside and just pay attention to the music (when I'm not distracted by people coughing in the background [PS-- we're onto you!]) it's actually really good, pure, old-fashioned folk music. Like... old old-fashioned folk music. While he has the requisite Bob Dylan-influence-mention on his Myspace, there really isn't a whole lot-- if any-- 60's-folk influence that I can determine. I almost want to [please, let's not have the conversation about 'the impossibility of Bob Dylan NOT influencing an artist']. But Beauchamp has such an unbelievable backwoods purity to his songwriting-- and his voice itself-- that simply wasn't present in the 60s, when folk was so much more tense and aware; he seems to transcend this with a unique, reductionist take on music: letting it speak for itself. His warbly voice and wavelike strumming seem to lean against a beautiful croon of traditional fiddle, and the overall effect is simple, not overwhelming, but hauntingly pristine. Beauchamp, etc is probably my pick for tonight.