Volume 42 No. 6 June 2016 June at Kiki’s House of Righteous Music! First up this month is bluesman a close he asked if he could come bassist Missy Raines and the spec- Ray Bonneville on June tenth. Bonn- back again sometime… when it was tacular mandolinist Don Stiernberg. eville may have been born in Cana- warmer. I think I can safely say it will You can read my review of his new da and lived there most of child- be. record Upland Stories in this issue. hood, but his music is rooted in the My guiding principle in booking Spoiler alert- it’s really good. I don’t southern Delta blues of artists like bands is quite simple; I seldom book know another performer with a wid- Muddy Waters. Much is made of the bands I haven’t seen. I can’t expect er of range of musical knowledge fact that he didn’t release his first re- folks to come see a band that I can’t and abilities. It makes every show cord until he was in mid-forties, but vouch for, but occasionally I’ll take a uniquely entertaining experience. it seems pretty obvious to me that a chance. When I do it’s usually on For more information or to RSVP he needed to live all these stories the recommendation of someone for a show e-mail me at righteous- before he could write them. And I trust. In the case of Vandaveer, [email protected]. Hope to he has to have a lot of them; his is who will be playing at the House of see you in the basement. among the most interesting bios I’ve Righteous Music on June 21, it was seen. To wit: He only spoke French Undertow. I’ve worked with them Mad Folk Concert Tickets when his family moved to the Unit- many, many times in the past, and When you see this symbol – ee ed States when he was twelve. He no one is better at organizing en- – you’ll know that you’re read- was expelled from school and end- tire tours of living room shows for ing about a Mad Folk sponsored ed up in Vietnam for a year. He was a their clients while making it excep- event. Advance tickets for Mad bush pilot in Quebec, where he also tionally easy for those who host. Folk shows are available online gave flying lessons. He drove cab in Though before agreeing, I listened at www.madfolk.org and at these Boston, teaching himself harmonica to Vandaveer’s new release The Wild outlets: between fares. He’s lived in Canada, Mercury several times over. It’s a France, Boston, Seattle, Colorado, gorgeous indie folk-pop record, fea- Maine, Alaska, and New Orleans. It’s turing smart songwriting and the in- • Orange Tree Imports, 1721 Mon- the last that’s probably had the big- fectious duo vocals of Mark Charles roe Street gest effect on his music. His most Heidinger and Rose Guerin. It’s easy recent release Easy Gone is as much to imagine these songs played in • Spruce Tree Music, 851 East about the Big Easy as it is a state of living rooms across the country. Johnson mind. Like other Undertow shows, tickets Bonneville first played at the can be purchased through them at Purchase tickets ONLINE for Mad house on an unseasonably cold No- http://undertowtickets.com/collec- Folk concerts via Brown Paper vember day in 2014. The tempera- tions/vandaveer/products/madi- Tickets (with $1.62 service ture hovered in the single digits, but son-wi-june-21 charge): it didn’t take him long to warm up. When I announced that frequent https://www.brownpapertickets. Perhaps the most effective one man visitor Robbie Fulks would be return- band I’ve seen, he used his acous- ing to the house on June 25 with yet com/producer/10879 tic guitar, harmonica and plywood another stellar line-up of musicians You can also purchase advance stomping board to great effect. The the 9 pm show filled up quickly. The tickets by mail. Send a stamped self- small crowd was a mix of enthusi- response was enthusiastic enough addressed envelope with your check astic fans and folks seeing him for to justify a second show at 6 pm payable to Mad Folk, PO Box 665, the first time. By the end we were the same day. This time through Madison, WI 53701. If all else fails, call all believers. As the show came to he’ll have fiddler Aaron Till, upright 608-846-9214 for information. The 27th Marquette Summer Sing-alongs begin June Waterfront Festival Main Stage Saturday, June 11th: Noon-- East High School Black Music 17 At Blue Mounds State Park Ensemble 1:30 pm-- The Caravan Gypsy Swing The first of three monthly Summer free, thanks to the Madison Folk Music Ensemble Sing-alongs at Blue Mounds State Park Society and the Friends of Blue Mounds 3:00 pm-- The April Verch Band (Ot- will be held at 8 pm, Friday June 17. State Park. Madison’s own Mac Robertson on banjo From Madison, take Highway 18-151 tawa Valley, Ontario) and guitar will lead the all-ages singing. past Mount Horeb to County Highway F 4:45pm ---- Boogat ( Quebec) Copies of Rise Up Singing and Rise Again in Blue Mounds, then follow the brown 6:30pm -- BélO (Haiti) songbooks will be available, with lyrics state park signs. Come early, and pic- Sunday, June 12th : of hundreds of songs old and new. You nic at one of the many tables available 11:30 am -- The Fat Babies (Chicago) are invited to bring instruments, at least at the park. Mac Robertson, in leading 1:00 pm -- Evan Murdock and the Im- your voices, to join folkies and campers the singing, has a uncanny ability to en- perfect Strangers in singing the sun down on one of the gage his audience, and a vast repertoire 2:30 pm -- Shannon McNally Memphis longest days of the year, from one of the of songs to chose from silly to serious, Band (Mississippi / Memphis) highest points in southern Wisconsin. folk to popular, camp to sea shanties he 4:15 pm -- Jon Dee Graham & The Weather and preparations for the learned as a musician on the Clearwater. Horribly Hilly Hundred bike race permit- Song requests from young and old are Fighting Cocks (Austin, TX) ting, the Sing-along will be held at the welcomed and honored. 6:00 pm -- JC Brooks & The Uptown main shelter at the top of the hill, or, The July Sing-along will be held on Sound ( Chicago) alternatively, at the indoor Friends Shel- the fourth Friday, July 22, to accommo- ter. Park staff at the gate can direct you date Mac’s summer schedule, and the The Cottonwood Stage to the correct location. You must have August Sing-along will be on the third a park sticker (daily or annual) to enter, Friday, August 19, all beginning at 8 p.m. (East of the Main Stage) but participation in the Sing-along is Join us in song in a magical location. Saturday, June 11th 11:30 -12:15-- Ukulele Jam with Lil Rev 12:30 - 1:15-- Lo Marie The WaterFront Festival’s 1:30 - 2:15 -- Lil Rev (multi instrument set) 2:45 - 3:30 -- Cris Plata Cottonwood Folk Stage 4:00 - 5:00 -- Shannon McNally (Missis- The Marquette Neighborhood tried a folk great talent to be found in the local ranks. sippi ) stage at The Waterfront Festival two years ago On Saturday we’ll present Lil Rev who is a 5:30 - 6:30 -- April Verch -- ( Ottawa and it was an immediate success. We named it Milwaukee based, songwriter / instrumentalist Valley, Ontario) The Cottonwood Stage last year and added a / storyteller / historian /educator and interpret- Sunday, June 12th Sunday lineup (June 11 and 12) for your plea- er of American roots music and culture. His fas- Noon--1:15 -- Slip Jig Irish Session & sure this summer. Bobby Batyko is booking this cination with all things ukulele and harmonica set folk stage and he has assembled a formidable keep him busy teaching and performing all 1:30 - 2:00 -- Dave Landau kids show performer list and he came in right on budget. across North America. Lil Rev will be leading a 2:30 - 3:20 -- Jon Dee Graham (Austin, We’ll add some food and drink and more chairs ukelele jam right away on Saturday before his for this stage to make The Cottonwood Stage own set.David Landau will ensue with a set for TX) a happening scene. The biggest change is that kids then Lo Marie and Waterfront favorite Cris 4:00 - 5:00 -- Anna Vogelzang three of our main stage performers, April Verch, Plata will follow before headliners McNally and 5:30 - 6:40 -- Mal O Dua Jon Dee Graham and Shannon McNally, will do Verch take the stage. ments. Slipjig’s set will follow the jam. Austin’s double duty as they come to us unplugged at On Sunday Slipjig will get the music rolling Jon Dee Graham will follow with a set of his the acoustic stage 50 yards to the east of the they play fiery dance tunes, sweet airs & historic original tunes that will certainly be poignant main Marquette Waterfront Festival stage. ballads from the Celtic nations, specializing and amusing. Madison favorites Ana Vogel- We are excited to have Shannon, April and in tasteful instrumentation & rich harmonies. zang and quirky Mal-O- Dua will follow.