Young Trailer

New Video: Rob Baird - Dreams and Gasoline

This has been out a couple of weeks, but it's new to me. From his excellent album, I Swear It's the Truth, here's Rob Baird with "Dreams and Gasoline."

Beat This April

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUPfORkj2cw

Little Known Facts: April '13

McDonald's recently forgot to give Taylor Swift apple dippers with her Happy Meal. 

I'm sure the song inspired by this will be a huge hit.

Due to some bad investments the devil was forced to sell his collection of souls to Mike Curb in 2009.

Drive-by Truckers' recent personnel changes have led to a new direction for them. 

The new keytar player and DJ have really expanded on their southern rock sound.

The writers of "1994" spent 90 minutes attempting to explain to Jason Aldean who Joe Diffie is.

Leroy Virgil of Hellbound Glory steps into a phone booth and removes his Members Only jacket. 

Seconds later out steps Rick Grimes of The Walking Dead television series.

Blake Shelton's dignity and ability to choose a good song were contained within his mullet.

You can not have both a man card and a favorite Hunter Hayes song.

An actual chicken writes all of the songs for The Imperial Rooster.

Cletus T Judd was forced into retirement when country music became a parody of itself.

A Graco booster seat autographed and used by Justin Moore recently sold on eBay for $267.00.

Shooter Jennings bought that booster seat.

Kenny Rogers will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year; 

his face will be inducted in 20 years.

Live Review: Lucero and Shovels & Rope, D.C.

Lucero and Shovels & Rope - 9:30 Club - 3/20/2013

By Matthew Martin

(Written before Matthew's Ronnie Fauss show review)
It's been a while since I've written about a show, but the pickins have been pretty slim up here in the nation's capitol.  Luckily, that drought ended on March 20th when Lucero came to 9:30 Club bringing Shovels & Rope in tow.

First, Shovels & Rope was up to get the crowd revved up for Lucero.  The past few months have been great for Shovels & Rope.  I have seen Shovels & Rope a few times in the past year and each time the amount of people that are showing up to hear them is larger and larger.  This time was no exception.

I read not too long ago (on NPR maybe?) that you should always try and make it to the opener because in a lot of cases the headliner has hand picked them.  Assuming this is, in fact, the case, Lucero picked a great opener and the crowd definitely showed up.

Playing their particular brand of folk/country music, Shovels & Rope got the crowd moving early on and really never let up.  They played a few songs I hadn't heard them play before such as "Who's Gonna Raise These Babies?"  They also played the standards that have made people fall in love with them so easily- i.e., my personal favorite "Birmingham."  The energy exhibited by Shovels & Rope is transferred to the crowd with ease.

By the end of their set, the crowd was buzzing about how incredible they thought Shovels & Rope were.  There were lots of looks of pure astonishment going around.  It was great seeing so many people appreciate what it is Shovels & Rope are doing.

Next up was the incomparable Lucero.  Seeing a Lucero show is always very interesting- you never know what the crowd is going to be like.  The crowd for this particular show was an excited, but not too rowdy, bunch.  

Lucero has continued to grow into their own on each passing album.  Starting off as  a bit of a rough edged country rock/punk band, they have added horns to their sound to build a sound that is distinctly their own.  A brand of Memphis country-soul-rock they wear with outright pride.

They started off with a strong set of old and new songs all backed by the very talented horn section.  It was worth noting that Todd Beene did not make the show here in Washington, D.C. because his other band, Glossary, had a string of dates they were playing.  So, while his very talented steel pedal playing was missed, everyone else picked up the slack.

Halfway through the set, the band decided to play a set of new songs that will be coming out on an EP soon (maybe Record Store Day- 4/20/2013?).  One of the strongest songs to come out of these songs was "Texas and Tennessee."  Another great lost love song that we have all come to know and love from Lucero.

As is typical for a Lucero show, the pace got a bit more rowdy as the night went on.  More whiskey was consumed than was probably necessary.  Even more beer was passed around.  Songs like "All Sewn Up" and "Tears Don't Matter Much" sent everyone into a whirlwind of elation and energy.

By the end of the show, all of the crowd's energy was spent, but seemed like we could have continued on for a few more songs.  Unfortunately, every thing must come to an end and this show was no exception.  Either way, Thursday was not a pleasant day for me, but any opportunity to see Shovels & Rope and Lucero in one evening is worth every bit of the pain endured!

I say it all the time, but go see either of these bands.  If you're coming to this site, you already know them.  So, go out and see them live to get the full experience.  Until then, pick up every album they own here and here.