Riverbend Preview: Sunday, June 7th

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This is the reason you've got to look deeper than the main stage at Riverbend.

While a lot of people will yawn at the Three Dog Night Show, Sunday night is STACKED with great music on the side stages.  Possibly the best night of the festival.

Lots to chose from for the thumbs up, but I'll go with Davey Knowles and Backdoor Slam for some classic guitar shredding.

For some spice, try the Wailers.  It's hard to count on what amounts to an oldies band, but I'll take my chances with the power of classic reggae.

 

New Monsoon

5:15-7:00

Bud Light Stage (Olgiatti)

New Monsoon is bringing San Francisco Psychedelia back for a new generation.

For the uninitiated, that means a lot of improvisation and jamming.

They've released 8 albums over the last decade, most of them from live shows.

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The Wailers

7:15-9:00

Bud Light Stage (Olgiatti)

Is this an oldies act or a tribute band?

Actually, it's a little of both.

This is what's left of the revolutionary reggae band formed by Bob Marley in the sixties.   They put reggae on the international map.

So what's left from the glory days?

Well, no Bob, no Peter Tosh or Bunny Wailer.

Bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett is the only remaining founding member.

The new singer is Elan from Los Angeles.

So we'll hear plenty of Bob Marley's greatest songs plus some new ones done in the old style.

Here they are in Greensboro a couple of months ago.

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The Music of Coal

 

6:30-7:45

Unum (Hunter Museum )

An interesting journey from the Virginia Mountains to Riverbend.  It began with a project to collect and then release songs about coal mining.  Two volumes came out in 2007.

Then this band came together to play the songs and take them around the country.  Consider it Appalachian folk music with a lot of coal dust included.

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Darrell Scott Trio

9:30-11:00

Unum (Hunter Museum)

In Nashville, you've got to judge your musicians by the company they keep.

And based on that, I'm looking forward to a Darrell Scott show at Riverbend.

He's written hit songs for mainstream country acts, but he's also big on the alt-country seen.

This list of artists that have covered his songs should tell you all you need to know.

"You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive"- Brad Paisley, Patty Loveless, et al

"Long Time Gone" & "Heartbreak Town"- Dixie Chicks

"It's A Great Day To Be Alive"- Travis Tritt

"You've Got Nothing But Love to Prove"- Faith Hill

"Out in the Parking Lot"-Guy Clark, Brad Paisley

"River Take Me"- Sam Bush

"With a Memory Like Mine- John Cowan

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The Coal Men

9:30-11:00

Unum Stage (Hunter Museum)

The cream of the crop of Nashville roots rock bands.

These guys formed in Murfreesboro and have been adding members with national pedigrees (Son Volt, Jayhawks).

They're soon releasing their third full length album.

Here they are as a trio (there are 5 of them now).

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Christabel & the Jons
6:45-7:45

TVA Showcase (Smokestack lot)

Vintage string gypsy music from East Tennessee.

They come from Knoxville another young band playing old music.

Their leader is singer/guitarist Christa DeCicco who gives us torch and swing.

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Tin Cup Gypsy

 

6:15-7:30

TN Valley Credit Union (under Walnut)

Arizona band relocated to Nashville.

They play modern pop-rocky songs on old instruments (mandolin, concertina)

And individually, they've popped up in acting roles in several Nashville music videos (Trisha Yearwood, Josh Turner, Bon Jovi).

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Cedric Burnside/Lightnin' Malcome (The Juke Joint Duo)

 

9:15-10:30

TN Valley Credit Union (Under Walnut)

This is another tribute band of sorts.

But these guys are bonafide!

This duo plays the raw, North Mississippi blues of R. L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough.

Malcome is a Missouri native who fell in with the Clarksdale crow.

Cedric is the grandson of R-L and played drums for him in his later years (including a hot show at Nightfall a few years back).

They got together a year and a half ago to keep the hard blues coming.

You get two chances to see them, here on Sunday and at the Strut.

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Davey Knowles and Backdoor Slam

 

9:15-10:30

TN Valley Credit Union

Backdoor Slam was the standout show for me at last year's Nightfall festival.

They were a trio of Brit teens playing American blues/rock.

Their obvious influence was Robert Cray (the band name comes from one of his songs).  

But they have a rising star in singer/guitarist Davey Knowles.

Take a listen.

But by the end of the year, Backdoor Slam was no more.

They broke up in January.

What we'll see at Riverbend is Knowles with a new band.  He's also doing solo shows in the U.S. with Jeff Beck this year.

This is the show that people will be raving about on Monday!