South Memphis String Band

[Ronny Stecher]

I found this on another site, It's a Jamband review by Brian Robbins.....

http://www.jambands.com/reviews/cds/...ome-sweet-home

[Ben Milne]

Hi Ronny. - Just thought I'd post a belated Thankyou for sending out the discs.

Have been pretty flat out, though I have had a chance to listen through and certainly have been loving the bluesy side to the mando. - definitely something that will have legs being played for changoverBGM in the future.

Thanks again!

[bluesmandolinman]

hey Ronny , thanks for the update on SMSB

I just ordered their new CD

[Ronny Stecher]

No problem, My gesture was just one of good will to spread the good work of others, I'm not affiliated with the band in any fashion, I just liked what I heard and realize if there's no market, there's no product, All kudos to the Gents who brought the old school sound back up to the front of the class.

I love the new disc, sharper sound than the live stuff (of course) with a couple tunes they hadn't played @ Joe's Pub. Great mando rich blues.

[Paul Merlo]

I just found out that the South Memphis String Band is playing at the Ark in Ann Arbor, MI on March 27 and bought tickets. (hint: save $$ by calling Michigan Union Ticket Office for your order)

http://theark.org/2327.html

Needless to say, I'm very excited about this show and hope they're playing near you too. I haven't heard of any other tourdates yet, but keep your eyes and ears open...

P

[Steve Baker]

And at the Old Town School in Chicago the night before. Now there's a very nice venue!
FWIW

Steve

I just found out that the South Memphis String Band is playing at the Ark in Ann Arbor, MI on March 27 >>
P

[Ronny Stecher]

I see they're slowly trekking east too....

South Memphis String Band
3/30/10
Club Café
56-58 South 12th Street
Pittsburgh, PA, US

http://clubcafelive.com/an-evening-w...s-string-band/


......................

[Ronny Stecher]

An unbelievable NYC musical bargain.......

http://www.lepoissonrouge.com/events/view/1037

[Ronny Stecher]

They've added a few dates to the mini tour, for those who care here's the updated list I found on their website ( http://thebluff.nmallstars.com/viewtopic.php?t=5844 ) There's extra ticketing info on that home link that I have no idea how to transfer, so if it looks like you'd be interested try the link.

South Memphis String Band will be journeying out on the road in March and April.

Here are the dates, complete as far as I know at the moment. Click on the date for ticketing info.

03/18/10 Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's
03/19/10 Memphis, TN - 1884 Lounge @ Minglewood Hall
03/20/10 Carrolton, MS - Carroll County Market
03/26/10 Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Folk Music
03/27/10 Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
03/29/10 Lexington, KY - Woodsongs
03/30/10 Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe
03/31/10 Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere (with Robert Earl Keen)
04/01/10 New York, NY - (Le) Poisson Rouge
04/02/10 Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live (Upstairs)
04/03/10 Glenville, PA - Snail Pie Lounge
04/04/10 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
04/06/10 Raleigh, NC - Berkeley Cafe
04/07/10 Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle (co-bill with Backyard Tire Fire)

[Elliot Luber]

Honestly, they're good bluesmen but they don't do a heck of a lot for me.

[Ronny Stecher]

How nice of you to come over and pee in the pool? Whatever lifts your skirt, floats your boat, or whatever the appropriate saying would be, but I am a blues lover who discovered the mandolin and love the blues applications of it. I found the rich history of it blues style from Johnny Young and Carl Martin and have delved into other musical areas of such ventures. I've dabbled in and found my own opinions of the Good The Bad and the Ugly. I actually purchased and sampled the Mississippi Sheiks, John Kruth, The Holy Modal Rollers, to name just a few. These are guys are great in my book.

I wonder have you sampled the goods and are making a "valid" bash in regards to your own tastes or are you just going by a youtube video sound grab? One man's treasure is another man's trash, but did you feel the need to spew your distaste, Life is too short Santiago, Spread some joy where you find joy, Thanx.

To me tunes like Dixie Darling, Deep Blue Sea, Bootlegger Blues, Jesse James, and others are a great listen. I feel it's a strong disc that I dig most of.

Here's a sound sampler that doesn't do the complete tunes justice, but get you a quick taste of the offering.....

http://www.tower.com/home-sweet-sout...wapi/114266019

It's a positive musical spin on the mandolin and is among the finest interpretations of it in my ears and I'm just trying to allow other like minds realize it exists.

If you like it, Dig it, if you don't please move on to another thread that you can offer a positive aspect to.

[allenhopkins]

Hey, he's entitled to his opinion. You've been beating the drum for this excellent band for ten months, and I respect your devotion to them, but flaming someone who doesn't agree seems unwarranted to me.

Also, it's the Holy Modal Rounders, I believe. At least that's what Pete Stampfel called 'em.

[bluesmandolinman]

Hey, he's entitled to his opinion. You've been beating the drum for this excellent band for ten months, and I respect your devotion to them, but flaming someone who doesn't agree seems unwarranted to me.

Also, it's the Holy Modal Rounders, I believe. At least that's what Pete Stampfel called 'em.

I don´t agree.

Remember, this is not a discussion where the topic starter asked for other opinions. In such a case you can of course say that you don´t like it. But this topic is no question but a praise for a band for others that praise them too.

A statement like " Honestly, they're good bluesmen but they don't do a heck of a lot for me " isn´t worth nothing but peeing in other peoples pool. I feel Ronny is right and he is not flaming him at all . He is just saying what is apropiate : if you don´t like it just stay away . That is what I call respect. I don´t go to no bluegrass topic and say I don´t like Mr. Bill . Get the point ?

Again : Stay away !

[MikeEdgerton]

Actually this is a discussion board and anyone's opinion is valid. Let's stay within the posting guidelines, the response is pushing a bit beyond them. People disagree here all the time without it getting to this level.

[Ronny Stecher]

My apologies to all, especially Santiago if I came off too harsh. I did mean to get my point across without being too over the top.

I still feel he did not have to dirty the thread with a useless blurb that offered no insight to justify his statement. I was wondering what his depth of discovery was, I do not believe he signed up for the freebie offer and I doubt he bought the disc as he offered nothing. I also express my opinions rather easily and try to do it in the appropriate places.

If someone started a thread about a band they thought was in a great place and I had nothing nice to say about it I would stay out of it. Maybe it’s just what my Mama taught me. I also did not directly mean to bash Mr. Kruth or the Holy Modal Rounders (thanx for the correction). I love risk taking adventures and both have gone outside the norm to express themselves and deserve kudos for that alone. I felt they were a little too zany for my tastes( especially the HMR), but I did go out and purchase them as kind folks offered the bands as something I may like.

I chased down Jesse Winchester (not mando heavy), Bonepony (not bad but a little “Bon Poni” –ish for me), Steel Eye Span (very Irish Ethnic and not a lot of mandolin heavy leads and I’m mostly Irish and did just throw “Drunken Nights” by the Kilkenny Bothers on my Ipod)).

I may have even stated some of my opinions in a thread where I asked for mandolin music recommendations.

I felt that was appropriate, I stated here that these guys play old time blues but bring it to our time in a fresh way that I found appealing and gives me a direction I’d like to follow for my mando fun loving approach.

It is just that, I guess this guy/gal doesn’t dig quality mandolin blues, because that I feel that is a fact and isn’t debatable or at least he didn’t offer anything to state that they are “NOT” a band that plays quality old school mandolin blues or anything to even remotely defend his claim?

The one song that doesn’t do much for me is understandable as it (I think) is about the recent loss of his Dad.

I only wanted the thread to be about the music and I guess I sadly turned it into a pissing match and took it places I shouldn’t have in reply to Mr./Mrs Santiago, I enjoyed my retort trying to be punishingly funny but perhaps I erred, If you like the band feel free to state why and if you don’t please feel free to state why also or not.

Regretful but honestly yours, Blues Loving Fretsman ( Ron)

[Paul Merlo]

Has anyone caught any shows from their latest tour? have you seen any shows on bittorrent or other tape trader sites?
Regardless, I'm pretty excited about seeing them this Saturday

P

[Ronny Stecher]

They just hit the road on their little mini tour and I saw a blurb on the North Mississippi Allstars website "The Bluff" (One of many Luther groups) with a sweet expanded setlist, They are a taper friendly band and invite folks to audio or video tape them and they usually have them uploaded and posted there also, I'd check there to start (I'm not that savy).

I'm ready for April 1st NYC show, that's when they come to my neck of the woods, I'd love to hear any thoughts on Saturday's show if possible. Thanx

[bluesmandolinman]

Hey Ronny,
when you say SMSB is "taper friendly" I wonder if you plan to bring a camera with you ?
Would love to see and hear more of them.

In any case Enjoy the show !

[Ronny Stecher]

Hi Rene, I'm taking a good work buddy who x-ferred to another job that I don't see much any more, I have been flip flopping on the idea of limiting the night with the burden of taping, Last time I was sushhhhhing my wife and friends that joined us at our table.

My wife starts asking me "if I like my drinks", I leaned over, cupped my hand to her ear and asked, "do you think needs to be part of the official record, I'm taping honey", There started the evil eye & buzzkill.

She knows when I video tape my kids Football, B-ball, Wrestling or whatever, I go to the highest peak of the stands (normally the home team stands for FB & I hit the away side at our home indoor stuff as the home students give the gym that great electric vibe) and stay away from everyone as much as possible, especially folks I know, because they start yapping about the most inane things and it becomes part of the tape.

I may still request permission from a gent who is an insider(runs their website)and then contact the venue for theirs. If I do I'll make it available.

[bluesmandolinman]

My wife starts asking me "if I like my drinks", I leaned over, cupped my hand to her ear and asked, "do you think needs to be part of the official record, I'm taping honey", There started the evil eye & buzzkill.

hehehe I don´t want you to get in trouble. No problem I absolutely understand. Just couldn´t resist asking ( actually I am annoying everybody with this kind of question, but hey I am so far away I can´t do it by myself so I have to ask ). Cheers,René

[Steve Baker]

I caught their show at The Old Town School of Folk Music on Friday night. These 4 scruffy guys walked on stage looking like they just came off shift at the boiler plant, sat down to racks of at least 5 instruments each, and blew the place away. Lots of mandolins (1 each at least) and national guitars in addition to "regular" guitars and banjos, plus all the usual string band rythm toys. Raggedy, raucous, and lots of fun.

Steve

[Paul Merlo]

Last night's show at the Ark in Ann Arbor certainly did not disappoint. My wife and I had a great time and couldn't believe how lucky we were to see that level of talent in such an intimate setting. We loved the music and it sounded so good live too. They added a bass player (Justin Sho???) and that really kept it together and rounded out the bottom end so well. The setlist was similar to their shows from the last tour, and there were only a few surprises that weren't on the album. A highlight for me was when Luther played Mississippi Boll Weevil slide style on a cigar box and brought the house down. I bought the album from the merch table and was lucky enough to get it signed by the band after the show. All in all, I was grinning ear to ear the whole show and loved it. I hope you get the chance to see them too. I did see one taper, and he said he posts on thetradersden.org so keep your eyes open for that.

Enjoy!
P

I took some video on my little digi camera, and while the picture isn't very good, the sound surprisingly is. Check out Tallacatcha here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP944-46lxQ

Here's a few (not so steady) pics too:

[bluesmandolinman]

thanks merlopj for the upload , enjoyed it

[Ronny Stecher]

I just saw this on another site, South Memphis String Band At Woodsongs is on tonight......




http://www.woodsongs.com/webcast.htm

WoodSongs Webcast
Mondays at 6:59-8:15pm EST

Every Monday night, musical history is made as the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour begins its radio broadcast. Because it’s more than just a radio show. WoodSongs is also the world first multi-camera, weekly series broadcast on the Internet. Online viewers worldwide can watch the behind-the-scenes production heard by over 900,000 radio listeners on over 491 radio stations each week.

7:00PM Watch the 60 minute show live as it happens
8:03PM Join the audience as they record this week's promo
8:05PM Enjoy the Artist's encore performances not heard on radio

DIAL UP: One for web users with a dial-up or 56k modem;

HIGH SPEED: A second full color audio/video stream (300k) for users on broadband, DSL or T1 lines.

Each show is later archived on line for FREE 24/7 viewing in various media formats.

[Paul Merlo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYz5anyEUGM

Here's Bootlegger's Blues from the Ark.

Thanks for that Woodsongs link Fretsman. It was pretty cool to watch and they also publish podcasts for download if any of y'all missed it. They played 2 songs and did some interviewing at the top of the show.

Enjoy!

P