Leslie Stevens of Leslie & The Badgers performed her solo material on “country night” of the Amanda Jo Williams residency at the Echo in Los Angeles, on April 11, 2011. “Everybody drinks and drives in heaven…” began this great tune about heaven…where everyone gets a sippy cup. The sweet moment she loses the lyrics in the middle seemed appropriate to the subject—and pleased an audience that had been sipping Metl mezcal all evening.

The chili was hot and the biscuits were sinful at RT N’ The 44′s record release show, April 1, 2011. Tequila soaked lemons made happy April fools of everyone. The Echo Country Outpost is one of our favorite places. Chris Hajek and Erica Forneret are great hosts that make everyone feel like they’re in a bohemian version of Cheers. It’s that kind of familiarity that makes the Outpost special. And the audience keeps growing! If this keeps up, they’ll have to move to a farm in order to fit all these party animals.

“pour one more stiff drink for me” photo by Daniel Giberson

Echo Country Outpost crowd photo by Echo Country Outpost

RT asked Bloody Death Skull to kick off the night, so at 8 pm, Bloody Death Skull played a song about washing in lamb’s blood, another about whisky, one about bats, and a love song to a prostitute that the audience found sweet.

Bloody Death Skull photos by Chris Hajek

Next came Jenny Luna and wow, was she something! This young singer just received a jazz scholarship award from Pasadena City College, and she somehow creates a vocal effect in her mouth that makes her voice sound like it’s floating off an old record.

Jenny Luna photo by Daniel Giberson

Jenny Luna photo by Daniel Giberson

Jenny Luna photo by Chris Hajek

Then, Outpost regulars Sundays Soundtrack relaxed the audience into romantic dreams, all roses and pearls.

Sundays Soundtrack photos by Chris Hajek

RT N’ The 44′s got the room on its feet, stomping and hooting, as the band played its entire new album of down with the devil sing-alongs. RT N’ The 44′s makes the people dance.

RT N’ The 44s photo by Daniel Giberson

RT N’ The 44s photo by Erica Forneret

RT N’ The 44s photo by Erica Forneret

RT N’ The 44s photo by Chris Hajek

At the end of the evening, the trio was joined by a few fellow members of supergroup Eastside Hayride to play some old time classics. Tonight it was Olentangy John, Matt Taylor, and Lizzie Eggert, but when the collective plays the Echo on April 11 for Amanda Jo Williams’ residency, they will pack the stage with even more members from local bands that are down with the Eastside.

Eastside Hayride photo by Erica Forneret

Eastside Hayride photo by Daniel Giberson

This was also the first event of The New LA Folk Fest’s monthlong fundraiser for Japan tsunami relief and people were super generous. Thanks for that. We’d also like to give a shoutout to RT’s new babies…his goats just gave birth.  This is Waylon.

Waylon photo by RT Valine

Oct 23, 2010
Tommy Santee Klaws & Happy Campers in 3D
7:30pm, FREE + free beer
Stories
1716 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 413-3733

Murder Ballads: The Dark Side of Folk Music

Murder ballads and songs of despair lie at the foundation of American folk music—right alongside gospel and patriotic songs. We are unique as humans, in that we are fascinated by our own transience and fantasies about demise. Simply consider the enjoyment of Halloween, with children running around disguised as demons and ghosts. Abraham Lincoln contended that we all possess the “better angels of our nature” somewhere deep down. In contrast, murder ballads give voice to our fears, our innate violence, and our terrible inclinations, while also capturing a period in history rife with these extremes. Join us in a night celebrating this accidental tradition.

Performing songs from pages of murder ballad history: Frank Fairfield, Simon Stokes, Boy Scout Jamboree (Spindrift acoustic), Vaud & The Villains, Amanda Jo Williams with Olentangy John and Horse Thieves, Triple Chicken Foot, Driftwood Singers, RT N’ The 44‘s, Julia Holter, Emily Lacy and Henry Wolfe. (Band descriptions & links)

presented by The New Los Angeles Folk Festival + The Echo

October 26, 2010, 8:00pm, $8
Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 413-8200

with a pop-up shop by Echo Country Outpost and fortune telling by Madame Pamita

Buy your tickets ahead of time at TicketWeb!

The New Los Angeles Folk Fest and Trailer Fire records presents:

Spinning Yarn: Storytelling Through Folk Music and Spoken Word, every Saturday in October @ Stories bookstore in Echo Park

October 2 // Indianola & Claire Cronin

October 9 // Amanda Jo Williams & Yellow Red Sparks

October 16 // Olentangy John & Wil Donegan and The Apologies

October 23 // Tommy Santee Klaws & Happy Campers in 3D

Free + All Ages!

Sundays Soundtrack

Fort King

Michelle Vidal

Tommy Santee Klaws

Horse Thieves

Messes

Ruthann Friedman

RT N’ The 44′s