Music Tonight: Popular local Folk trio The Tillers perform at 7 p.m. tonight for Fountain Square’s “Southern Sounds” series, the every-Tuesday showcase of local (and occasionally national) artists within the “Americana” spectrum (Blues, Folk, Country, etc.). The Tillers are set to release a new album this fall in conjunction with a special concert event being organized by Tillers singer/multi-instrumentalist Mike Oberst. The Nov. 19 “To Sing With You Once More” concert at the Southgate House is a benefit for research and awareness of multiple myeloma, created by Oberst in the memory of his mother and influential Folk musician/historian Mike Seeger, both of whom died from the cancer. The concert is drawing attention from trad Folk enthusiasts because of appearances by John Cohen and Tracy Schwarz, Seeger’s bandmates in’50s Folk revival traditionalists The New Lost City Ramblers. —- Click here for details.
Until then, check out the trio’s video for the song “Lantern Lullabye” below and head to the Square tonight at 7 p.m.
• Maine Pop/Rock group Sparks the Rescue perform at the Mad Hatter in Covington tonight with guests I Call Fives, Arista, Don’t Wait Up, Select Start and others. StR is touring behind its latest release, Worst Thing I’ve Been Cursed With, the band’s second full-length for Fearless Records. Tickets for the all-ages, 6:30 show are $15 at the door. Sparks the Rescue received some viral buzz when they issued a special version of Worst Thing track “Better Side of Me” reworked as an anthem for full-trainwreck-mode Charlie Sheen. Click below to hear “It Feels Good to Be Charlie Sheen,” if you must.
(Leave your suggestions/promote yourself or your favorites by telling everyone about your favorite music event recommendations for the day in the comments below.)
Momentous Happenings in Music History for Aug. 8
The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia died on this day in 1995 from a heart attack, his body discovered in his room at a California rehab center. Garcia died eight days after turning 53. Garcia’s native San Francisco continues to show its love for the 13th greatest guitarist of all time (according to Rolling Stone) with the annual Jerry Day concert celebration. Jerry Day 2011 was this past Sunday and included live music — Melvin Seals and other members of the Jerry Garcia Band headlined — and even an appearance by the mayor. They had the perfect venue to host the event, too — the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. Think any original Dead fans/marijuana enthusiasts spent Jerry Day at Jerry Garcia Amphitheater watching the Jerry Garcia Band and eating a pint of Cherry Garcia, but still had to be reminded consistently who “that dude with the beard whose face is all over everything” actually was?
Born This Day: Musical humans you may recognize born on Aug. 8 include Elvis Costello and The Attractions’ bassist Bruce Thomas (1954); Rap/Hip Hop trailblazer Kurtis Blow (1959); Pop-icon-turned-punchline Whitney Houston (1963); Interpol drummer Sam Fogarino (1968); and Cars bassist Benjamin Orr (1955). Orr, who died from cancer in 2000, also sang lead on several Cars songs, including two of their signature hits, late-period chartbuster “Drive” and New Wave standard “Just What I Needed.”
This article appears in Aug 3-9, 2011.
