Just a couple of random thoughts before I turn into Santa for the rest of December. Sunday night Sarah Jarosz was transcendent opening for Dave Rawlings Machine at the Parish. The audience was amazingly quiet, not unexpected with kindred soul Gillian Welch in the house.
Jarosz was her normally cool self beforehand, explaining that she flew in from Boston just to play these two shows (the gig repeated on Monday) and have some good Tex-Mex before returning Tuesday morning for finals.
In band news, Cooper’s Uncle mandolin player Tyler Balthrop is leaving Texas for some new opportunities in California. The future of the shaggy bluegrass band remains in limbo… At the Brothers and Sisters show at Emo’s a couple of Fridays ago, frontman Will Courtney announced that the band would be going on hiatus for a while, explaining he was also moving to California. Attempts to reach Courtney weren’t returned, but let’s hope the pop/country rock band, which was tighter than ever for what may have been their final appearance, hasn’t taken its last breath.
If you haven’t heard, Geezerville favorite Chuck Prophet is kicking off 2010 with two nights at the Continental Club, Jan 1 & 2. I don’t know what’s up on New Year’s Eve, but the following two nights, I’m there. Check next week’s paper for bits of my conversation with Prophet about his super new disc Let Freedom Ring! (Yep Roc), which was recorded in Mexico City in the middle of a swine flu scare, and where he declares his undying love for tacos. Have a great holiday season everyone and best wishes for the New Year.
This article appears in December 11 • 2009.