CLARE LOCKMAN

Clare Lockman is another hard-working, dedicated musician I came to know through my work with DEMO. Clare's music has a bluesy /  folk sound, while her intense singing voice reminds one of Bessie Smith or even Jefferson Airplane.

Additionally, Clare is currently in the early stages of forming a live backing band. A relentless self-promoter, she is a particularly good person to talk to about marketing strategy in the digital age. CLICK HERE to listen to my in-studio interview with Clare on an episode of KPVL's Driftless Music Radio Podcast below. Clare performs the song "Baby Baby I've Been So Bad" in the episode. CLICK HERE to view a video she recorded on her drive back from Iowa. Below is a video from her August 20th performance at my Driftless Music Showcase.

DM RADIO PODCAST

I'm pleased to announce the return of my podcast! The new and improved Driftless Music Radio Podcast--a co-production between KPVL & DriftlessMusic.com--is a half-hour program that airs at 5pm on Sunday evenings on 89.1 The Blend (as well as on random weekdays at 7:30am & 5:30pm). You can also stream / download the programs online via The Blend's bandcamp page or the Driftless Music Podcast feed.

Three episodes have been published online and are in rotation on KPVL.

• The first is the remaining portion of the podcast series with Michelle Lynn, featuring a phone conversation we had in December 2009 about songs from her album Pre-Echoes for the Postmodern. 
• For the second episode, St. Paul singer-songwriter Clare Lockman joined me in the studio to play a song live and talk about her musical background, desire to form a band, and thoughts on independent promotion. 
• The third episode features Alex Toast of La Crosse band Mouse Pocket. Alex talks about his band and plays a song live in the studio, but the majority of the interview focuses on his journey and insights as a committed medical marijuana activist.

The next episode will focus on Recession Fest 2010 at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds; I'll be talking with the organizers Jordan and Dave, as well as Adam and Matt from the festival's headlining act Rearview Mirror.

Listen via the player below or subscribe to the podcast feed HERE.

MWMF RECAP

On Friday July 30th, I headed to Winona, MN for the inaugural Mid West Music Fest. What an inspiring day of music. Familiar and new faces abound, it was great to be back in Winona and surrounded by a palpable sense of excitement and enthusiasm. The MWMF Driftless Music Showcase w/ The Brilliant Beast, Brahman Shaman, and Michelle Lynn took place at the Acoustic Cafe was a smashing success. We ended up getting a lot of foot traffic--including lots of musicians performing that day like Dessa, Chris Koza, and Sean McPherson--for the Acoustic's wonderful sandwiches (hold the special sauce please).

Michelle was stellar as always and it was nice to hear her on a super powerful sound system again. Matt broke out his new "one man band" set, highlighting his musicality, technical skill, and commitment to continually challenging himself. Visual artist Maria Murray painted on stage during both Matt and Michelle's sets. Check out the videos below--Michelle crooning Old Soul Syndrome and Matt playing a new song, Reactions Inertia--and see the magic for yourself.

Then there was the Brilliant Beast, who graciously traveled down from Saint Paul. This was the first time I had seen them perform since I left the band and was replaced by Imaginary Jack bassist Mark Kartarik and I was definitely impressed. It was fulfilling to see them gelled as a group and to hear Mark expand upon my admittedly rudimentary fills. I like to take credit for turning singer-songwriter Jordan Porter onto the White Stripes and he frequently banters in between songs like Jack White (perhaps too frequently). This time Jordan joking called himself out and fictitiously proclaimed that "this next song is a White Stripes tune", with a wink in his eye.

MEET THE UNSEEN GHOST BRIGADE

Meet the Unseen Ghost Brigade: a theater ensemble dedicated to the proliferation of communal joy through the arts that is currently in the midst of an ambitious 2,000 mile performance-journey down the Mississippi River on a raft. Utilizing street theatre to infiltrate everyday life, each member of the group has assumed the persona of a character based on various archetypal, vagabond-like characters. The result is a spontaneously delightful public fusion of acting, comedy, puppetry, music, acrobatics, and other art forms that manages to infiltrate everyday life, connect people, and reclaim the river culture of yore.

Beginning in Minneapolis, where the group originates, they've spent the last week or so in La Crosse, WI. Running into motor problems, their stay in La Crosse was longer than expected. But whatever went awry has been remedied and the Brigade just posted an update yesterday stating they've reached Lansing, IA. Talking with co-artistic directors Walken Schweigert and Chad Stender via phone earlier this week, they're planning to stop for sure in Prairie du Chein, WI in the next couple days; hoping to perform around St. Feriole Island and / or the Main Entrance.

"VETERAN MUSICIAN"

Matthew Griswold is another dedicated, soulful musician I've had the pleasure of meeting / hearing through my previous work with DEMO. Matthew is also an Iraq War veteran. During a DEMO showcase at Acadia last June, he introduced a song by saying it had roots in an experience he had jamming with members of Iraqi Security Forces in Ramadi, Iraq in 2006.

Matthew went on to mention something similar to the effect that he thought collaborative cultural encounters, like the one documented in the video below, may be a more powerful force in bridging differences, building trust, or resolving this conflict than pure warfare. That is a sentiment that certainly resonates with me and is an idea worth spreading. Matthew's music and service are incredibly inspiring. I strongly invite you to watch the clip below, check out his album Screaming From the Witch's Tower HERE, and support the local nonprofit Guitars for Vets HERE.