Brown Bird

[kcortez]

Don't know how we've avoided talking about Brown Bird since I know quite a few GPN fans who also dig what they're up to. Songs about good and evil and folks who try to walk the line between them. Raggedy old time folk mixed with Eastern European influences and even, as my kid points out to me, heavy metal chord progressions.

Brown Bird is great on record but is a band best experienced live. Check out their latest release "Salt for Salt" on Bandcamp

David Lamb and MorganEve Swain are clearly a band on the rise. They were one of the breakout bands from last years Newport Folk Festival and will be returning this year. A few dates in May in the Northeast is the only chance you'll get to see them as they'll be on the road with Yonder Mountain String Band and Trampled by Turtles for most of the next few months.

[HeathO96001]

Thanks for the videos KC! I'm going to see Brown Bird in Northampton, MA in May and at the Newport Folk Festival in July!

[Trish]

Love, love, love this band. Saw them for the first time on New Year's Day this year and have traveled near and far to see them 4 more times since. I agree with KC, this band is best experienced live. If you have a chance to see them, don't miss the opportunity: http://www.brownbird.net/shows.

[toofarnorth]

( wha? I didn't comment on BB already? )

Endless love for Brown Bird's music .. my reaction when I heard them for the first time was how can this music sound so different and yet at the same time feel so comfortably familiar.

Wish I'd known to hunt for them when they were doing a lot of shows at small spots in Maine that don't show up on the usual 'lists'. They are playing one of those places June 8th though ...
The Oak and the Ax .. Biddeford, Maine ... (~2hrs from Boston)

The show is a reschedule from February when Dave had the flu and had to cancel. Seems they are friends with the owners and love playing their (very) small room. When I read through the venue's website in February, I discovered Brown Bird and Joe Fletcher played for their grand opening in 2010.
The picture is from the Hilly Town blog site .. there are more from that night if you're curious.



Realized I did know about the venue when started looking through the great posters they have posted for shows ....
Joe Pug played there last October ..(with a Maine group I like - Gunther Brown). But I had to pass because it was the same night as Amos Lee's show at State Theatre .. file under - Agghhh !
Found some 2011 shows by people that were already on my Maine curious list .. and some by groups that have recently hit my radar. This place could become another Tupelo Hall for me ... 5hrs is relatively "close by".

Here's a few shows The Oak & the Ax has coming up besides Brown Bird ...
April 27 ... Spirit Family Reunion
June 23 ... Kingsley Flood
June 30 ... Milkman's Union

[kcortez]

Here is what I want to tell you about this band. They just keep getting better. I'm sure a few folks will pitch in here and agree with me but having just saw them again this Saturday I'm stilli in awe of what they are capable of. They are on the road most of October (often with The Yonder Mountain String Band) up and down the right coast so for god sakes man, get out there.

[Trish]

Here is what I want to tell you about this band. They just keep getting better. I'm sure a few folks will pitch in here and agree with me but having just saw them again this Saturday I'm stilli in awe of what they are capable of. They are on the road most of October (often with The Yonder Mountain String Band) up and down the right coast so for god sakes man, get out there.

I totally agree. Just counted and realized I've seen Brown Bird 9 times this year, which I'm pretty sure is more times than I've seen GPN in that same time frame. If you have a chance to see them live, don't ask questions, just go. And if you get YMSB along with them, well that's just win win. They're hitting a bunch of places in the south and east this fall, so now's your chance if you're in those areas. And if you can't get out to a live show, pick up their latest album Salt for Salt on their web site (go for the special deal that includes the very cool t-shirt).

http://brownbird.net

[HeathO96001]

I completely agree with Trish and KC! I saw Brown Bird on Sunday at UConn (Great show!)

[Karen]

I saw Brown Bird September 5 in a very intimate venue. It was a wonderful performace. They were sweet and gracious while signing my CDs after the concert. (Right before that they had posed numerous times with a young couple who were trying to get just the right individual shots.) I left with a warm feeling.

I've posted some pictures, with a few comments, --> here <--. The lighting was low, and the pictures are pretty good considering, but not good enough for --> here <--.

[toofarnorth]

Here is what I want to tell you about this band. They just keep getting better. I'm sure a few folks will pitch in here and agree with me but having just saw them again this Saturday I'm stilli in awe of what they are capable of.

That!
One of my favorite moments of the year was seeing Dave & MorganEve blow away a field full of people at the main stage of Newport Folk Fest. Highlight - my friend hearing people beside her saying couldn't believe just two people were making so much music. That is still my reaction every time I'm fortunate enough to see them. They are both amazingly talented musicians.

And what Trish said - if BB play anywhere near you GO! .. but get Salt For Salt in any case. Even though the songs have grown since it was recorded, it's a good representation of their live show.

I'm seeing Brown Bird again tonight (and Joe Fletcher with them again too - yes!) .. that makes 7 to Trish's 9 ..but not bad considering my geographic challenges.

[HeathO96001]

Here's some pictures from Saturday's show (Thank you KC!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/5382908...7631658150681/

[Karen]

Maybe someone else was thinking of saying this, but just in case not - you can hear Brown Bird live at 8pm tonight here:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-from-vermont

[tipiboy]

Thanks!

[kcortez]

So, Brown Bird released a new record on Tuesday called "Fits Of Reason" - you can listen to it (and hopefully purchase) on Bandcamp. Well, holy crap what can I say. This record is so damn good - and so unlike anything else out there - that you must listen to it. I think I just described it today as "Indian Gypsy Psychedelic Acoustic Metal"


Highly suggest you read this article - "Brown Bird Is Not A Folk Band"



Don't miss this one people, wow. Tour Dates Here

And yes - I AM LOBBYING HARD TO GET THEM ON THE GRAND POINT NORTH BILL. You should to!

[Karen]

Even though I won’t be there, I voted for Brown Bird at Grand Point North (on general principle). I ordered “Fits of Reason” on vinyl and have been listening to the accompanying MP3 download. It is wonderful – would love to see it performed live.

The following is a quatrain from “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam” referenced in kc’s linked article as one of Brown Bird’s influences.

Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring
The Winter Garment of Repentance fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To fly---and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing. [the Brown Bird]