The Hot Seats at Bluemont Ashland, this Sunday August 17 at 7PM

The Richmond, VA based string band The Hot Seats is fresh off their annual tour of Scotland which no doubt saw them go from slightly rusty to tightly knit in a matter of days.  With some members living out of state and, you know, real life and jobs and stuff, local full-band shows are a rare occurrence, but with a slew of recent, well-received gigs under their belts, and a newly released album, now is a good time to be seeing these guys.

The Hot Seats are playing as part of the Bluemont Ashland Sunday evening concert series, which takes place outside on the steps of Randolph-Macon's Blackwell Auditorium during the month of August (bring a chair).  The Bluemont page describes the band as "old time string band and comedy".  This is actually quite accurate as The Hot Seats have found a way to make old time music more palatable for general audiences by adding humor and drive without taking away any of its more feral qualities.

The Hot Seats busking on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland, July 2014.

The band's new album - Grandad's Favorite - contains the eclectic mix of fiddle tunes, obscure traditional country folk songs, and cynical/satirical originals that we've come to expect from this quintet.  Take a listen to it below.



The concert is this Sunday, August 17, 2014 at 7pm, Randolph-Macon College Blackwell Auditorium, 204 Henry Street, Ashland, VA 23005.  Tickets are a $5 suggested donation at the entrance.  If it's anything like last week's excellent performance by the Brazilian Bluegrass Funk band Matuto, then you can expect it to be a two set show, starting at 7pm sharp and ending before 10pm so you can still get home in time to get that beauty rest!

A Tune List for the Ashland Jam

The Ashland Jam that I host, where we play both Irish and Old-Time tunes, is going pretty strong.  Different assortments of people show up every time, and it’s never quite the same from one time to the next.  Anywhere from 8 to 15 people are usually there.  There’s a strong sense of the unknown, which is kinda' cool.

I love it when more advanced players with a wider base of tunes show up, but sometimes it’s up to me to provide the lead melody.  So, I’ve worked pretty hard over the past year and a half to build up a repertoire of about 100 tunes that I can lead on, even if it is just a basic take of the bare bones melody at a medium pace.

To improve upon the flow of the jam and hopefully make it more fun for all, I've created a tune list for others to use as a reference when making selections (with links to audio for learning by ear).  I’ve only included tunes that I expect to be able to play from memory on any given Saturday.  As the repertoire grows, more tunes will be added, while some may drop off.

That list can be found here.

Of course, when certain melody players are present, the unofficial list instantly widens and those players are welcome to draw from any of the hundreds of tunes available to them.  There’s no reason to stick to this list.  But, for rhythm players and those just starting out, I hope this list will be helpful.

Midnight Brewery 6/15/13

The above picture is from a special jam we had at Midnight Brewery this past June.  There were no shortage of melody players that day!  

Review: Cracker Acoustic Duo at Ashland Coffee and Tea

So, I saw the Cracker acoustic duo again the other night at Ashland Coffee and Tea – AKA David Lowery and Johnny Hickman of the band Cracker.  I saw them there 2 or 3 years ago as well.  Both shows were great, although I think I liked the first time better simply because of the novelty of it.

Cracker (Johnny Hickman and David Lowery L to R) on 8/16/13

I’m not really even a Cracker fan.  I was barely aware of their radio hits in the 90’s (Low, Teen Angst [What the World Needs Now], Get Off This and Euro-Trash Girl).  I was a Leftover Salmon fan, so when Leftover collaborated with Cracker on what was sort of like a Cracker’s greatest hits album (Oh Cracker Where Art Thou), I got that CD and it remains one of my all-time favorites.  But that’s pretty much the extent of my Cracker listening.  I have listened to some Camper Van Beethoven though!

I don’t really have any association or history with the versions of the songs that Cracker recorded on their actual albums; if it wasn’t on that Leftover Salmon album I am probably not familiar with the song at all.  Basically, my main impression of Cracker and their songs is from what I’ve been exposed to in these two live performances in a very small room, which I suspect is different than the experience of most Cracker fans who owned their early albums like Cracker and Kerosene Hat and/or who have been there for multiple decades. 

Because of this, it seems sort of weird that I would have liked the two shows so much.  Stripped down to just the two of them on stage, without any apparent baggage of their past rock n’ roll life or fame, my experience was just of a couple dudes ready to deliver some really great songs.  David Lowery’s cynical lyrics are deceptively wise - I like where he's coming from, and Johnny Hickman’s guitar playing is remarkably good, even if it is a little show-offish for my typical taste.

David Lowery and Johnny Hickman of Cracker

I guess the point I’m trying to make is these could have been any two guys up there on stage, giving their songs a shot.  The fact that these guys happen to be relatively famous rock stars who were playing in front of sell out crowds both times, doesn’t really change the fact that they still had to prove their worth on the spot to me, a guy unfamiliar with their work, same as two unknowns playing for a few bucks at the bar across the street would have had to do. 

From the instant I first saw them I could tell these guys were pros, which made me want to go back the next time they played this local venue, even though I never got around to listening to any Cracker albums in between.  I can't remember if they did Loser last time - the Garcia/Hunter song that Jerry performed in the Grateful Dead - but they did it this time as the 3rd song out and it was awesome!

Foghorn Stringband - Bringing Oldtime Music To A Stage Near You!

Mike Seeger once said, “Probably five and no more than ten musicians make their full-time living playing oldtime music, depending on your definitions of oldtime and a living.”  I don’t know if Portland, Oregon’s Foghorn Stringband actually makes their full-time living playing oldtime music, but they are one of the few bands I know of playing an authentic version of this pre-bluegrass music on a national and international basis.

Foghorn Stringband - Nadine Landry, Caleb Klauder, Reeb Willms and Sammy Lind.

The four-piece group has become a modern day standard-bearer of vintage stringband music, known for their grass roots interpretations of traditional tunes and songs; able to bring to the stage a style of music that’s often more suited to a late night campout among friends than it is to a performance setting.

Since the first incarnation of the band in 2000, and over the course of 7 albums, Foghorn Stringband has stayed true to that pre-World War II old-timey American sound, winning over audiences the old-fashioned way…by simply playing this music the way it was meant to be played.  Central Virginians can catch Foghorn Stringband this Wednesday evening, March 27, at 8pm at Ashland Coffee and Tea.  Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.  For the band's full schedule, click here.

Also, it’s looking like there may be an impromptu jam immediately following the performance, so if you play Appalachian oldtime music, then by all means bring along your fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, autoharp, dulcimer, ukulele or other stringed instrument for a little post-show fun.  Or if you're more of a grinner than a picker, then feel free to stick around for a few more tunes as played by some local traditional music enthusiasts.  Who knows, maybe Foghorn will join in and show us how it's really done!?

Richmond VA's The Green Boys to Play Ashland on Friday

The Green Boys at Ashland Coffee and Tea 
Friday, February 15, 2013
Doors 7pm, Showtime 8pm sharp
Tickets $10 at the door

When I describe The Green Boys to folks I find myself comparing them to The Avett Brothers, The Felice Brothers, and Nashville Skyline or Basement Tapes era Dylan.  This isn't exactly accurate though, because although they share some of the song-writing characteristics and charisma of those aforementioned artists, The Green Boys also bring a level of musical chops to the table that is more commonly found in bluegrass bands -- not blue collar Americana groups.

Siblings Sean and Ryan Green share the bulk of the songwriting and vocal duties.  Each has a unique, appealing voice; Ryan with his barrel-aged, aching tenor, while Sean rounds that out with a smooth, soothing tone.  Mandolin maestro Zack Miller channels a rock n' roll energy alongside a strong melodic sense, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Emmons adds subtlety and nuance to The Green Boys' well-written songs.  Mike also possesses a stage banter A-game.

To give you an idea, here's a streamable live recording of The Green Boys from the Purple Fiddle in Thomas, West Virginia from just last week!

The Green Boys - Zack Miller, Sean Green, Ryan Green and Mike  Emmons (L to R)

The Green Boys have been hard at work on a new album containing a whole slew of new songs to be released some time this spring, and they are ready to perform this material for the AC&T audience.  This will be their 2nd time playing this excellent venue.  Their debut show there last year made a fan out of me, and I expect this upcoming performance to be even better!

Old Time Country Duo Sweet Fern to Play Ashland Coffee and Tea

Sweet Fern

Old time country duo Sweet Fern, featuring multi-instrumentalist Josh Bearman of The Hot Seats and ukulele songstress Alison Self, will be performing on Thursday, January 10^th, 7pm at Ashland Coffee and Tea.   Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door.

In Sweet Fern you have the pairing of Alison’s strong vocals and demure stage presence with Josh’s impressive skills on old time guitar and clawhammer banjo.  "Stripped down, no frills, and rough around the edges" (their words).  For fans of the Carter Family, Loretta Lynn, Marty Robbins, and awkward stage banter.  Sure to be a good time!

Ashland's Center of the Universe Brewing Company to open November 16th and 17th

The Richmond, VA area seems to be in the midst of its own craft beer revolution.  Credit should probably go to the creative brewers at Hardywood Park for getting the ball rolling last year.  Soon after Hardywood came Goochland County’s Midnight Brewery, who are second to none when it comes to tasty session beers and drinkability.  Starting next week, another brewery will be joining the ranks:  Center of the Universe Brewing Company in Ashland. 

Center of the Universe (COTU) will celebrate its grand opening Friday, November 16^th from 5-10pm and Saturday, November 17^th from noon-6pm.  There will be music, food, games and of course lots of beer on hand!  You can avoid long lines for beer tickets by purchasing them in advance here:  http://cotubrewing.com/store/grand-opening-beer-tickets

COTU is located on the outskirts of town in the old Herald Progress building at 11293 Air Park Rd, 23005.  There, they have a sizable and welcoming tasting room where visitors will be able to hang out and enjoy pints, thanks to a Virginia law allowing on-site consumption that took effect this summer.  COTU's beer will also be available in some local shops and restaurants.

The brewing company was founded by two brothers – Chris and Phil Ray.  Chris is a major league baseball pitcher, most recently with the Cleveland Indians.  Phil has a background in engineering.  They were home brewing for about four-and-a-half years before deciding to take it to the next level.  Chris and Phil hired Mike Killelea, formerly of Legend Brewing and the current Chairman of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, to be head brewer.

Chris Ray, Phil Ray and Mike Killelea of COTU Brewing Co.

The brewery takes its name from Ashland’s self-proclaimed motto of being the Center of the Universe.

Chris, Phil and Mike are starting with 4 varieties of beer:

IPA – West Coast style with lots of hop flavor and hop aroma.

Pale Ale – a classic Pale brewed with imported English 2-Row and a little Honey Malt.

Kolsch – a light and easy drinking session beer modeled after the beers of Cologne, Germany with Pilsner Malt and imported German hops.

Altbier – a copper colored old German ale, medium bodied and nicely bittered.

I can’t wait to try these!

Station Cafe Old Tyme Irish Meetup - 10am every other Sat., Ashland, VA

Outside the Station Cafe

Earlier this year I noticed that musician Jake Moore was playing Saturday mornings at The Station Café, an Ashland, VA coffee shop within walking distance of my house.  Jake is a multi-instrumentalist who teaches guitar, mandolin, fiddle, bass and piano in a variety of styles.  Knowing that his repertoire surely included any traditional tune I was capable of picking on tenor banjo, I asked if I could join him some of the time.  Jake was actually open to this idea because it would give him an opportunity to practice mandolin.  We've been jamming almost every other Saturday morning for several months now, and during that time we’ve also been joined by a harmonica player, guitarist, bodhran player, fiddler and 5-string banjoist.

It’s still usually just Jake and myself, but the point is - we like it when others show up to jam!  The unofficial schedule is every other Saturday from 10am to 1pm at The Station Café, 113 South Railroad Ave, Ashland, VA 23005.  It's in the morning to align with the coffee shop crowd. Contact me directly by email for specific dates or join the Facebook group where we post updates and discussions.  The tunes played tend to be old-time, contradance and Irish standards - fiddle tunes, breakdowns, jigs, reels, polkas - albeit with a slightly looser approach akin to bluegrass.  Beginners as well as experienced players are encouraged to join in. Fakebooks and music stands are permitted. In fact, I bring lead sheets with the suggested chords for almost any tune I play.

So if you’d like to take part in a casual, fun, friendly and slightly inauthentic jam, then bring your acoustic instrument of choice (ukulele anyone?) and join us for a good time!  Or just come as a listener.  Owner Bart Shaw has delicious coffee, hotdogs and ice cream.  (What a combo!).

Ajuba Indian Restaurant in Ashland, VA

Ashland now has an Indian restaurant!  It is called Ajuba Indian Cuisine, 141 Junction Drive, Ashland, VA, 23005, 804-752-7552, near the Food Lion.  We've eaten there three or four times and recently had our best meal yet.  I got the Dal Maharani (black lentils with red kidney beans in a rich creamy sauce) while Laura got the Badami Chicken (boneless chicken cooked with onion gravy and almond paste).  With a side of Aloo Parantha (whole wheat flour naan bread stuffed with spicy potatoes). We shared.  It was awesome.

Spiciness doesn't have to mean "spicy hot" in Indian food - it can just mean flavorful.  Although when you order off the menu at Ajuba they allow you to select the spiciness of your meal on a scale of one to ten.  I chose a six for my dish (I used to go even spicier but I'm scaling back) and Laura chose a four.  I did level seven here once before and that was a little too hot for my taste.  Five is probably a good number if you're OK with some spiciness but don't want to be overwhelmed.

Ajuba is open seven days a week. There's a lunch buffet every day from 11:30am to 2:30pm and dinner is served from 5 to 9pm.  Effective October 5th they will also be doing a dinner buffet on Wednesday nights.  Buffet style is a great introduction and way to sample Indian food due to the variety of things you get to try for a set price.  When doing the buffet I try and make mental notes of things I enjoyed (one of my favorites is Chana Masala) to help me decide when I have to order off the menu.

One of the reasons I love going to Indian restaurants is because besides maybe a table or two of actual Indian people there's hardly ever anyone else there.  ("stuff white people like").  That's actually a shame because Indian food is soooooo good!  It's also a Catch-22.  I want Ajuba to succeed and stay in business so I hope more folks will check it out. It's definitely one of the top dining options we have in Ashland.  Much, much better than the chain restaurants right off the I-95 exit.  Oh yeah....they also have beer!  Domestic bottles for the non-adventurous plus some tasty Indian varieties like Kingfisher and Taj Mahal that pair well with the food.

Besides Ajuba, the nearest Southern Asian cuisine to Ashland is several miles away in either downtown Richmond or the West End (unless you count Thai Gourmet near King's Charter), so Ajuba is a welcome addition.  If you love this type of food then it's also another reason to make the trek to our cool little town in the Center of the Universe.

See below for the Ajuba menu.

 

Branch out!

Ashland Midsummer Wine Festival - July 16, 2011

"We knew there would be khakis".

I don't know who thought it would be a good idea to hold a wine tasting in the middle of July on an asphalt plaza, but according to the Ashland Street Parties website there is going to be a wine festival in Ashland,VA this Saturday, July 16th from 7-11pm featuring Virginia Wineries.  The website doesn't indicate how many wineries or which ones will be there, but presumably it will be more than one because of the use of the plural: wineries. The location is behind the Ashland library at 201 S. Railroad Avenue. 

Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the entrance and are available at places in town like Cross Bros. Grocery and The Caboose Wine & Cheese shop.  I saw a flyer about the event in the Cross Bros. window earlier this week and it had more information, but unfortunately I can't find a pdf of the poster online at the time of this writing.

Even though these events take place just a few blocks from where I live, I've never attended one, although I can usually hear the music from my house and have walked by previous parties while walking the dogs.  All I can say is that these things attract an older, boomer crowd ready to "dance the night away" to generic wedding bands playing cheesy covers of oldies, surf and motown hits.  That's Ashland for you.  The band they have this time - King Edward and the BD's - looks to be no different.  Would it kill them to get a decent bluegrass or jamband some time?  Surely the average couple off the street wouldn't know the difference, and at least us music lovers would have something to enjoy.

I should write how I really feel about it!   In actuality I'm one to talk considering the crappy music I put out there.  Nonetheless this event appears to be on my calendar and unless I have a change of heart on the day of, as a Virginia Wine lover, I am going to check it out.  Maybe I'll wear some ear plugs though. But definitely not a Hawaiian shirt.  There will already be plenty of those for sure.

A 6 mile/10K walk around Ashland, VA

Here's a walk I like to do in the town of Ashland, VA.  It's about 6.5 miles or 10.5 kilometers. It mostly uses minor roads, sidewalks and pathways/greenways.

Map of Route

Start at the intersection of Henry Street and Route 54/England Street near the Randolph-Macon College Welcome Center, across from the Ashland post office. Walk north on Henry Street past the RMC library (on your right) and football field (on your left).  Continue walking on Henry Street.  At the end of Henry St. make a left onto Vaughan Road (this is approximately 1 mile from the start of the walk).  Walk along Vaughan Road a short distance until you cross the railroad tracks.  Immediately after crossing the railroad tracks, turn left onto the Railside Trail.

Railside Trail

 The Railside Trail is a 1/3 mile paved path and open space that runs alongside the railroad.  Walk the Railside trail until it ends, then continue straight onto Center Street, which also runs parallel to the railroad.  After walking about a third of a mile on Center Street, look for a winding sidewalk path near RMC's Rhodeen House.  Follow this winding sidewalk toward RMC's new tennis complex.  The parking lot of the tennis complex exits onto Henry Clay Road, where you will make a right to continue your walk. 

Tennis Court Sidewalk

Walk .2 miles on Henry Clay Road, then make a left at James Street.  You'll walk about .7 miles on James Street, crossing Route 54/Thompson Street.  James Street ends at the trailhead for the Stony Run Trail, a walking/jogging trail along an eight-acre tract  following Stony Run Creek.  

Stony Run Trail

The other end of the Stony Run Trail puts you out near the intersection of Ashcake Road and Center Street.  Cross the railroad tracks at this intersection (use caution) and continue along Ashcake Road.  Look for a road called Maple Street,which is near a park.  Make a right onto Maple Street, heading south.  There is no sidewalk here so be careful.  After a short distance Maple Street veers off to the left, but you'll want to continue straight onto Walder Lane.  After you've walked a short distance on Walder Lane you might come across a closed gate.  I always just climb around this gate and keep going. 

Ashland Trolley Line Trail

After climbing around the gate, continue on Walder Lane and soon you'll come upon the Ashland Trolley Line Trail.  This greenway currently extends for about a half-mile along the Old Trolley Line Right of Way from Ashland to Richmond.  There are tentative plans to extend it farther, but currently it is just a half-mile one-way trail (one mile up and back).  Walk along the Ashland Trolley Line Trail until it ends at a small parking lot, passing some swampy areas along the way.  At this point you're going to backtrack some of the way you came...so go back up the Trolley Line Trail to Walder Lane, climb around the gate, and keep going on Maple Street until you get back to Ashcake Road. 

At this point you've walked about 5.5 miles and only have about one mile to go!!!  Once you get back to the Ashcake Road, you have a couple options. 

Option 1 (shown on map): Continue along Maple Street for the entire last mile until reaching the finish at the intersection of Route 54 and Maple Street (this will put you at the post office, across the street from where you started).  If you walk this way there is one section between the cross streets of New Street and Mac Murdo Street that is pedestrian only - no cars could fit through here. 

Option 2: A more scenic and slightly more lengthy detour is to backtrack a few more steps by taking a left at Ashcake, heading back toward Center Street.  When you get to Center Street make a right before crossing the railroad.  By going this way you get to walk past all the beautiful old homes that line Center Street and the historic Ashland town center.  Stay on Center Street until you get to Route 54, just after Cross Bros. grocery store, and make a right.  Walk along 54 a short distance until you get back to the start/finish.

I sometimes like to take a brief break at this point and then do the walk all over again in the opposite direction for a total of about 13 miles altogether!