Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Spring Fling Music Festival 2011 - Day 1 - March 3/16 2011

This is an unofficial and incomplete guide to the 3rd Annual Spring Fling Music Festival @ Giddy Ups in South Austin. The five different blogs may - after a crazy week full of music - help you remember and reminisce. It may also enable you to keep up with some of the musicians you have enjoyed.

Danny Fast Fingers - 4pm
Sometimes you just can't pigeon-hole a musician into a certain genre and that's definitely the case with multi-instrumentalist Danny Fast Fingers. Originally from the Northeast of the US, Danny has crossed the US and his musical spectrum from Garage-Rock/Punk/Powerpop, Electronica to simple Singer/Songwriter with an acoustic guitar. The long journey finally brought him to Austin about five years ago, where he was ready for a musical showdown on South Congress.
Danny Fast Fingers - Showdown On SoCo

Last October (2010) Danny released his new album "Two Angels", which was produced by Oklahoma Music Hall of Famer Jamie Oldaker, a former member of Eric Clapton's band, and a founding member of The Tractors. True of being a multi-instrumentalist, Danny played 12 string acoustic, electric guitars, bass, Hammond Organ, Banjo, Pedal Steel, Electric Sitar, Harmonica, and even a Ram's Horn.
Danny Fast Fingers - Emerald Green Ravine


Love Vandals - 5pm

Not to be confused with the British outfit, with the same name, the Love Vandals is an Austin based quintet, devoted to punk, R&B, surf, pop, or anything else they consider fun to play loud. The members are James Laurance, drums; Sally Watkins, vocals; Carol Roberts, bass; Beverly Garland, vocals, keyboard and viola; Richard Roberts, guitar
Love Vandals - Memphis Train
Some great photo shots and a link to their booking agent can be found here

Jessica Shepherd - 6pm

Jessica hails from the Texas Gulf Coast, where she was born and raised, and has currently a song "Do Your Damn Job" on a 1400 rotation on many radio stations nationwide. Deeply involved into her career, Jessica Shepherd does not only sing and write her own music, but also produced her two albums "Travelingirl" and "You're Country Now" by herself. She was nominated, as best female vocalist of the year, by the Texas Music Awards and had a chance to tour internationally three times.
Visit her ReverbNation Profile and sign up onto her fanlist.

Miss Leslie & Her Juke Jointers - 7pm

The first time I heard Miss Leslie I was awestruck, there was a young woman reminding me of a young Loretta Lynn, belting out true Honky Tonk Country songs right out of the 60s, but I must have been in a time warp, as we were already in the 21st century. Well I'm not alone, Robert K. Oermann, the editor of one of the leading Country Music publications, "Music Row" put it as follow, when he review her album "Between The Whiskey And The Wine": "Holy mackerel! Miss Leslie is a barroom chanteuse from the old school. The title tune to her CD finds her bluesy ballad belting in a smoky atmosphere swirling with steel guitar. The album is a revelation. This gal is walking in the high heels of Dottie West and Patsy Cline."
Since then, Leslie has stripped down her full Honky Tonk band to a quartet and makes the experience even more intimate, joining her singing and fiddling will be Ricky Davis (pedal steel), Timmy Campbell (drs) and Ric Ramirez (b). Last summer Leslie released the album "Wrong Is What I Do Best" and I surely hope she's doing more wrongs.
On the following video, Miss Leslie is introduced by John Conquest, the editor/publisher and revealator of "3rd Coast Music" magazine, a monthly magazine dedicated to the authenticity of American Roots music in any form and shape. Founded in the late 80's, "3rd Coast Music" is one of the last surviving music magazines and is famous for his unofficial, incomplete guide to NotSXSW events every year.
Miss Leslie & Her Juke Jointers - I Can Still Feel

Miss Leslie's blogs and bio.

Mike Stinson - 8pm

I love repeat offenders, meaning people that show up for another edition of the Spring Fling Music Festival. Mike Stinson graced the stage of Giddy Ups, two years ago and now he's back. Originally labelled as the “uncrowned king of the L.A. neo-honky tonkers” by Billboard, Jesse now calls Houston home. His impressive songwriting, led to both Dwight Yoakam and Billy Bob Thornton recording his contemporary classic “The Late Great Golden State”. His music has also made inroads in Hollywood: Stinson’s songs have been heard on the soundtracks to the hit TV shows "Mad Men", "Weeds", and "Cold Case", and in the feature comedy "National Lampoon’s Adam and Eve".
This is the title track of his last album, which - produced by Jesse Dayton - was recorded at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studios.
Mike Stinson - The Jukebox In Your Heart

Mike Stinson's website

Fond Kiser - 9pm
He was introduced to me by singer/songwriter Scott Wayne, who said, that he's the real deal. And if the accolades like that come from fellow musicians you better pay attention. And no, I couldn't have said it any better, I had to steal this line out of his biography: "What gives the real excitement is Fond’s murderous lyrics and story line twists which chronicles an introspective autobiography born of neurotic suffering, corrupt corporate politics, and shallow tragic romance." Humorous guy as he is, he created a badge for the badge-rsvp-free-to-the-public event at Giddy Ups - that's Fond for you! Just give a listen to his songs "I Wanna Go To Fallujah" or "Mini Mart Girl", and you know you want to hear more. Fond Kiser plays regularly in and around Austin, you can find him on any night of the week either at Giddy Ups, Poodie's Hilltop, the Nutty Brown Cafe or...
Fond Kiser - Gipsy Soul

You find Fond on ReverbNation

A.J. Downing & Buick 6 - 10pm
"A.J. Downing reminds me of a modern day Hank [Williams] or Woody [Guthrie], writing and singing those soulful songs, not so much because he wants to, but because he has to . . . because it is his mission in life", so spoke the legendary owner of the Cheatham Street Warehouse, Kent Finlay.
Crisscrossing America, trying to make a living, fleeing the Meth scene in California, meeting Steve Earle in Nashville, founding a family, climbing the ladder (electrical as in job) and finally realizing after four kids, that music still should or have to be done, A.J. moved to central Texas, where he lives with his wife Carrie and his kids. Newly inspired he started making music again, and just released a second album.
Right in time for the Spring Fling Music Festival, A.J. made his debut album "River of Life" available as a free download, just click on the "Like" button and join his mailing list and voila! Then you actually should buy his new album "Way Back Home".
I'm sure you can relate to song like "Ode To Carrie Underwood" or the contemporary reflection on facebook.


A.J. Downing on ReverbNation or on his website

Christy Hays & Her Sunday Best - 11pm

Christy Hays and Her Sunday Best may well be the "next thing" coming out of Austin. After a stint in the Alsakan wilderness (in forestry) Christy decided that shew wanted to go back to her musical roots, spent time in Memphis, Nashville (where she recorded her debut, self-titled album) and finally landed in Austin, where you often can find her playing the "Honky Tonk Happy Hour" on a Sunday afternoon at Uncle Billy's Brew&Que. She is currently working with Roy Taylor, Jr. (Patty Griffin) on preproductions for a next record.

In this well-produced video, Christy tries to explain what exactly her style of music is:


Christy Hays on ReverbNation

2-Bit Palomino - 12am (midnight)

Even though being a relatively young band, 2-Bit Palomino from Houston, got already nominated as "Best Group or Duo of the Year" and Andi Renfree as "Best Female Vocalist" for the Texas Music Awards, even though their debut album was just released last October.
Peter aka "Ren" and Andi are known as a duo, simply using their last name “The Renfrees”. For 2-Bit Palomino they joined forces with another established singer/songwriters, Bill Ward, who may be known to Kerverts as a regular at the Kerville Folk Festival.
If you think you may have heard the song "Buffalo Grass" before you are absolutely right. Chris LeDoux recorded this song on his album "Horsepower". It was written by 2-Bit Palomino member Andrea (Andi) Crimmins-Renfree with the help of Willie McCulloch and Clay Canfield.
2-Bit Palomino - Buffalo Grass

For more info on 2-Bit Palomino either visit their website or ReverbNation.



See you tomorrow!

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