Gallivanting Around

This week, Folk101 takes folk music aficionados out for a night on the town: our town, your town, everybody’s town…and Sweden. A folky good time will be had by all.

This will be an exhausting week for Folk101, but an exciting week for its readers. I will truly be a man about town this week-my town and several others, in fact. As followers of all things folk, you will reap the benefits of my sleepless nights. But hey, what else is summer for, if not burning the candle at both ends?

On Monday night, I was in Ottawa-Canada's fair capital-to hobnob with a potential candidate for the new Prime Minister of Folk Music, Conor Oberst and his band of minstrel ministers, Bright Eyes. Folk101 was one of the only publications there, all in the name of bringing you the strum-by-strum action. So stay tuned for my synopsis of the show which will be up in no time flat.

Next, Folk101 will whisk devoted readers off to Sweden-metaphorically, at least. Later this week, watch for a review of the fantastic new album from Swedish folk veterans, The Celophane Flower, which is known simply as In: Their Best Album So Far. As a gadabout, one often comes across those who are-shall we say-less than humble. In this case, however, our floral friends have no reason to blush.

Finally, on Saturday night, Folk101 will be front and center for the bluegrass show of the summer season, featuring The Foggy Hogtown Boys and Montreal's favorite banjo-pickin' sons, Notre Dame de Grass. The show will take place at the legendary Wheel Club, home of Bob Fuller's Hillbilly Night every Monday. Folk101 predicts it will be a knee-slapping, mug-clinking celebration of old-timey music.

If you are in Montreal, try to come out. We can have a beer and then embarrass ourselves trying to do the two-step...The Wheel Club always brings out the highest echelons of this city's folk music community, and they are all experts in kicking up their heels.

I might try to work in one or two more reviews as well. Albums have started to come in from around the world, so I will do my best to keep you informed about what's hot in that non-threatening, wholesome way that only folk music can achieve.

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