Caught on the In Between playlist - 07-15-08

I had a blast on the show tonight. I had some Hold Steady cued up at the start of my playlist b/c their newest (4th) album, Stay Positive, was released today. At lunch I went downtown to 1.) get the new album; and 2.) get a free burrito at Boloco! Boloco just opened up here last Friday and it is so good! It's a chain and I'd had it once before in Boston. This town was in desperate need of a good burrito shop--we have Moe's which really isn't that bad, but it doesn't blow me away. Their beans have a funky taste and it's up by Higher Ground, so it's not walking distance from downtown. I had incredibly high hopes for Bueno Y Sano, but they just haven't done it for me. Their burritos are more like cannonballs than tasty logs and there's no spicy flavor to them. I did, however, just get some chicken tacos there the other night that were great. But still, between the two, there was something lacking. Boloco has filled that void for me. And they filled it twice today. And it didn't cost me a cent.

So getting back to the music, after lunch I went over to Pure Pop to scoop the new Hold Steady, but unfortunately it wasn't in yet. Back to work I went and spreadsheeted my ass off until about 7ish and then headed back downtown. First to burritotown and then to Pure Pop, but the album still wasn't in. I'll just have to wait until tomorrow.

I had a blast doing the show tonight and felt really good about it. I played some solid music that I have really been into hard lately. The Hold Steady and Steve Earle have really been all I've played over the past month or so. I can't get enough of Steve Earle. I have his albums Transcendental Blues, The Revolution Starts Now, and I just picked up his first, Guitar Town, this weekend. He has a ton more, so I'm just at the tip of a very awesome iceberg.

I received a mix from New Guy Chris, by way of my little brother, the other day and on it were some more great tunes that got me going in the Bloodshot Records direction. Scott H. Biram really stood out as did Trailer Bride. Bloodshot is full of great artists and bands and one in particular has hit me hard the last couple days. Justin Townes Earle -- son of Steve, and named after Mr. Townes Van Zandt, is a young singer/guitarist who writes and sings in the style of Hank 1 and other old time honky tonk guys.

I played a couple local guys too. Lowell Thompson is a singer/songwriter around here whose self-declared influences mirror all of my favorite bands--Gram Parsons, Wilco, Fugazi, The Beach Boys, Dick Dale, Lucinda Williams, Whiskeytown, Bruce Springsteen, etc. I bet our music collections are nearly identical. He's an awesome singer and I need to get out and see and support him more around town. I started off the show with the usual surfrock/instrumental tune, this time by local crew Barbacoa. This was the very first band I saw when I moved to Burlington. It's fronted by guitar wiz Bill Mullins, who was kind enough to send me their album for free--thanks Bill!--and I saw him out playing with Lowell once, so I bought him a beer to thank him.

Finally, I ended the show with a song by Paul Westerberg, who I incorrectly said was in the Pretenders, but who was really in the Replacements. I couldn't remember which one it was for some reason, and the mic is like a spotlight, so I just blurted out one and it ended up being wrong. I finished the show with a tune by Fast Piece Of Furniture out of Toledo (beat laid down by none other than Jeff Nelson of Minor Threat/Dischord) called "Pictures Of You And Me".

All in all, I was very pleased with the show. My lil' bro, Jason, was recording it, so we'll see how it sounds tomorrow. Thanks for listening, here's the playlist.

1. Barbacoa - Hang 'em High School - Barbacoa
2. The Hold Steady - Positive Jam - Almost Killed Me
3. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive - Stay Positive
4. The Hold Steady - The Swish - Almost Killed Me
5. Scott H. Biram - No Way - Graveyard Shift
6. Justin Townes Earle - Hard Livin' - Turn
7. Lowell Thompson - Turn Me Home - Turn
8. Steve Earle - The Gringo's Tale - The Revolution Starts Now
9. Steve Earle - Condi, Condi - The Revolution Starts Now
10. Steve Earle - I Thought You Should Know - The Revolution Starts Now
11. Steve Earle - I Can Wait - Transcendental Blues
12. Paul Westerberg - Runaway Wind - 14 Songs
13. Fast Piece Of Furniture - Pictures Of You And Me - Adventures In Contentment