Friday's Playlist: Americana

As the title indicates, this Friday's playlist focuses on Americana, Country and Folk artists. This is in no way an anthology (that would take several days) but a rather concise selection of some of our favorite somewhat recent Americana recordings. We've emphasized some younger artists, but there are some older legends in here too. Save this playlist in your favorites for your upcoming summer road trip: it is best enjoyed while watching a highway scroll by. It's even better if you have no idea where you're going.

Enjoy, comment and share.

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets @ le Grand Rex, Paris - June 22nd, 2022

Nick Mason has assembled a top band to play the early Pink Floyd repertoire, going all the way back to the Syd Barrett era. Needless to say, the setlist is a fan's dream.

The Sheepdogs @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 18th, 2022

As a potentially deadly heatwave descends upon the country, one could think of a better idea than to join several hundred dancing, sweaty people in a sweltering underground club. But see, the Sheepdogs are back in town. Three years almost to the day after their last Paris gig, and hot off of the release of their excellent new record Outta Sight, the Canadians played a typically exciting set that transported the attendees back to a time most of them are too young to have known.

Rosalie Cunningham @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 18th 2022

Opening for the Sheepdogs on this unbearably hot night was Rosalie Cunningham and her band. Like the headliner, her music is a throwback to the sixties and seventies but where the Sheepdogs harken back to an American sound, Rosalie Cunningham is more indebted to British psychedelia.

Friday's Playlist: Stuff

This Friday's Playlist has no theme, no common denominator, no unifying thread. It also contains very little music that can be considered "rock". Just a bunch of good tunes that didn't really fit in any of our other playlists and that we felt like featuring. So grab a cocktail, put on your headphones and meet us on the other side.

Drive-By Truckers @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 15th, 2022

At long fucking last. Over twenty-five years into their career and twelve years after having been forced to cancel their date in Toulouse, the Drive-By Truckers quintet finally made their French debut at la Maroquinerie. Better late than never. And to say that the quintet didn't disappoint would be an understatement. In fact, they were absolutely brilliant. Their blend of Southern Rock, Soul, Alt-Country and Replacements-style Punk Rock turned the Paris venue into a fiery furnace within thirty seconds of the opening chords.

Jerry Joseph @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 15th, 2022

Jerry Joseph is a veteran singer/songwriter who has been in several bands before launching a solo career. His latest album was produced by Drive-by Truckers' Patterson Hood who invited him to open for their current tour.

Israel Nash @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 14th, 2022

Not only was Israel Nash's Paris date one of this year's best best concerts, it was also one of the best we've attended, ever. And we've been to quite a few... 

Dylan LeBlanc @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 14th, 2022

Louisiana singer/songwriter played a beautiful, emotional set at la Maroquinerie opening for Israel Nash. He won the audience over with his impassioned, distinctive vocals, his exquisite fingerpicking technique and most of all his delightful songs in the vein of Neil Young , Tom Petty and John Prine.

Steve Vai @ Trianon, Paris - June 13th, 2022

Because of his image of a guitar shredder, and his stints as a sideman for party boys David Lee Roth and David Coverdale in Whitesnake, it's easy to overlook the sheer musicality of Steve Vai's output. Yes, he plays crazy-fast runs, impossibly convoluted licks and dangerously acrobatic solos, but it's a means to an end and never the end itself. You don't have to be a muso to dig his work, although it helps: Vai might be the ultimate guitarist. He has Al DiMeola's dexterity, Rory Gallagher's sense of melody, David Gilmour's nuances, Jeff Beck's absolute control of the instrument, Jimi Hendrix' penchant for exploration and Frank Zappa's zaniness.

Friday's Playlist - Elliot Easton: Sessions & Contributions

This playlist focuses on the genius of guitarist Elliot Easton. While he is more famous for his fantastically quirky solos in the pop context of the Cars (and they are obviously represented here), he has shown his talents in other contexts, not least of which is his remarkable solo album Change No Change.

Mastodon @ Salle Pleyel, Paris - June 7th, 2022

A tough decision faced every Parisian headbanger tonight: KISS or Mastodon? With all due respect to the elder statesmen of Hard Rock/Glam Rock, the spectacle of septuagenarians stuffed in faux-leather lip-syncing their way through their venerable catalogue is just not as appealing as it once was. This is, in fact, KISS' second farewell tour so, if fancy strikes, one can always catch them on their third or fourth one.

I always tend to think of Mastodon as a young band but they have now been active for over twenty years (with an unchanged line-up, no less!). For perspective, if they were Aerosmith, they'd be releasing Get A Grip. The Southerners are now bona-fide veterans of Heavy Metal and they have the repertoire to prove it: albums like The Hunter or Leviathan are now rightly considered classics of the genre. Yet, somehow, and despite having been a fan for a while now, I had never seen them live before.

Upcoming gigs

Well, the next few weeks are shaping up to be pretty busy indeed... Here is a list of the gigs we should be covering.

Click on the links provided to buy your tickets or listen to the bands on Apple Music. Visit the banner below to subscribe to Apple Music and get one free month of music.

Neal Morse Band @ Trianon, Paris - June 4th, 2022

It's hard to believe it's been twenty years since Neal Morse found Jesus and quit Neo-Prog heroes Spock's Beard. Fans of the Nashville-based musicians might have been apprehensive at first, but it's worked out quite well for them since he has been incredibly prolific with his many projects like Prog supergroup Transatlantic, Flying Colors, his solo career and the Neal Morse Band, which is touring the world in support of their brilliant new concept album Innocence and Danger, a large portion of which was performed at the venerable Trianon theater last night.

Friday's Playlist: Happy Pride Month

It's Pride Month in the U.S. so we slapped together this quick playlist with gay anthems, songs about self-acceptance and other similarly-themed tracks. We're venturing a bit outside of our usual rock/blues/metal/soul realm here with a bunch of disco tracks, but there is also some punk rock and some folk. Hopefully this flows nicely despite the disparity in genres.