Thursday, October 31, 2024

Jon Langford and Sally Timms at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago on October 6, 2023

Both Jon Langford and Sally Timms have long histories in popular music. Langford helped form the Mekons in 1997, and Sally (after collaborating on an album at the age of 19 with Pete Shelley) joined the band in 1985. They both now live and work in Chicago where they front an array of projects.

Chicago was where they met the Handsome Family in the early 1990s, and so it was fitting that they performed an extended opening set for the Sparkses in October last year. 

This was an audience capture from the first row of the balcony in this acoustically perfect auditorium.




    

Recording information:

JON LANGFORD and SALLY TIMMS
2023-10-06

Chicago, IL
Old Town School of Folk Music
(Opening for the Handsome Family)

Jon Langford: guitar and voice
Sally Timms: voice
John Szymanski: guitar
Martin Billheimer: harmonica

Tracklist:
01 Natchez Trace (4:27)
02 Dark Sun (3:55)
03 Losers (4:13)
04 Butcher’s Boy (4:07)
05 Slightly South of the Border (3:49)
06 Drunk By Noon (Handsome Family) (2:43)
07 Strange Birds (3:43)
08 Dora (5:21)
09 Abernant 1984-85 (2:22)
10 Banter - CDs in My Closet (2:33)
11 Junk Barge (3:12)
12 Hard to Be Human Again (4:25)

Total time = 44:50

Microphones: Audio-technica AT 843 omni pair
Preamplifier: Church Audio CA9200
Recorder: Roland R-07 at 24/48
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

these are high resolution lossless files

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Bill MacKay at Acme Records in Milwaukee on October 17, 2024

Some musicians have such a profound command of their instrument that everything they do seems effortless, like a simple musical thought is all that would need to occur and their fingers will follow. This can be exhilarating to watch, but can also sometimes make it seem like what the musician is doing is easy and simple.


Bill MacKay is one of those musicians, and I am glad to see that he is continuing to rise in prominence in the independent music scene. This past year has seen the release of Locust Land on Drag City and it has garnered quite a few very positive reviews.

Bill has been seen and heard on this blog since the very start and probably is the most documented musician here. Luckily, he brought two excellent musicians along with him -- bassist (and superb pedal steel guitarist) Sam Wagster and wonderful jazz percussionist Michael Zerang -- who I first saw in 1994 as part of the Vandermark Quartet. I spent my time living in Chicago (1994-96) seeing as many avant jazz shows as I possibly could, and a great number featured this multifaceted drummer. Zerang is just as comfortable with hand percussion (both Western and Eastern) as dominating a drum set, and it was incredibly enjoyable watching him throw in tasty fills at every opportunity. 

Buy the new Bill MacKay album here.

Recording information:

BILL MACKAY

2024-10-17

Milwaukee, WI

Acme Records and Music Emporium


Bill MacKay: guitar and vocals

Sam Wagster: bass

Michael Zerang: drums


Setlist:

01 Pre-California (3:47)

02 When I Was Here (3:45)

03 Half of You (6:04)

04 Glow Drift (4:38)

05 Radiator (7:08)

06 Keeping In Time (4:12)

07 Grapes on the Vine/Locust Land (10:02)


Total time = 39:36


Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

Additional Source: mono soundboard

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct


Recorded with explicit artist permission by Richard Hayes


https://billmackay.bandcamp.com/

https://acmerecordsmke.com/




downloads:

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 



Monday, October 28, 2024

Derek Monypeny at Acme Records in Milwaukee on June 8, 2024

A few years back I had the pleasure of seeing a show at Acme featuring a performer I honestly had never heard of -- Derek Monypeny. I eagerly went into it somewhat blindly for two reasons -- Ken (the owner of Acme) assured me that he had heard some of Derek's music on Bandcamp and that it was wonderful, and two, because he was nice enough to allow me to record the show for this blog.


This time around, Derek was no stranger. I knew what to expect: hypnotic, psychedelic, swirling, soulful music performed on the guitar as well as the shahi baaja, a type of zither invented in India where typewriter keys are used to bend the pitch. It was a thrilling concert and I am happy to present it here.

Buy his albums here.

Recording information:

DEREK MONYPENEY

2024-06-08

Milwaukee at Acme Records


Derek Monypeny: guitar and shahi Baja


Setlist:

01 First piece (11:05)

02 Second Piece (7:07)

03 Third Piece (6:37)

04 Fourth Piece (5:46)

05 Fifth piece (22:22)


Total time = 52:57


Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

Additional source: mono soundboard feed

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct


https://derekmonypeny.bandcamp.com/


Recorded with artist permission by Richard Hayes for the blog www.milwaukeetaper.com



downloads:

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 



Saturday, October 26, 2024

Vague Plot at the Milwaukee Psych Fest on May 11, 2024

Beginning as a post-pandemic weekly jam session among Brooklyn music veterans Zachary Cale, Phil Jacob, Ben Copperhead, Uriah Theriault, and John Studer, Vague Plot has become a regular working and touring group. Most recently their work has appeared on the much-beloved Island House label.



Their jazz-flavored psychedelic music was a big hit at the 2024 Milwaukee Psych Festival. Since then the band has released a live Bandcamp-only album and are hopefully working on a followup to their debut album


Recording information:

VAGUE PLOT
2024-05-11
Milwaukee Psych Fest

Zachary Cale: guitar
Uriah Theriault: guitar
Ben Copperhead: guitar 
Phil Jacob: saxophone
John Studer: drums

Setlist:
01 Moto (8:29)
02 Cyclic (4:32)
03 Backwards Dub (5:40)
04 The Answer Is There Is No Answer (5:21)
05 Another Span of Steps (6:17)
06 Time Blind (8:19)

Total time = 38:38

Microphones: Line Audio OM1 pair in A-B
Additional source: mono SBD
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct



downloads:

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 



Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Meg Baird and Mary Lattimore at Acme Records in Milwaukee on October 17, 2019

When a certain amount of time passes after a show has been recorded, I start to find it more and more difficult to post the recording. It's a bit analogous to how I feel when I've waited too long to reply to a letter or email. I start to feel that any excuses I would like to make about the delay are inadequate.

For this show, we had a bit of a worldwide pandemic occurring a few months afterward, which put my motivation to post into the dumpster. In any event, I thought that the 5-year anniversary of the show would be a nice excuse to share this amazing performance with you.

Meg and Mary have long been favorites at Acme, and the excitement was definitely there as soon as their album as released. It's filled with really lovely madrigal-like moments juxtaposed with the avant garden or even psychedelic. When their tour was announced the show quickly sold out.


Recording information:

MEG BAIRD

MARY LATTIMORE
2019-10-17
Milwaukee,WI at Acme Records

Meg Baird: guitar and vocals
Mary Lattimore: harp and electronics

Setlist:
01 Between Two Worlds (6:37)
02 In Cedars (6:02)
03 Banter (1:03)
04 Damaged Sunset (9:09)
05 Painter of Tygers (7:14)
06 Fair Annie [Traditional] (9:51)
07 Wrecking Ball [Neil Young] (6:47)

Total time = 46:43

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 pair at stage lip
Additional source: mono soundboard
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

Recorded with explicit artist permission by Richard Hayes


downloads:

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Ryley Walker at Strange Brew in Bristol, England on September 17, 2024

I was lucky to be able to catch Ryley Walker solo on the second date of what he is saying is his last major tour. This sold out performance was at a 350-capacity coffee shop / bar / performance space in Bristol, England with nice acoustics and a delightful sound engineer named Annalisa.


Ryley performed songs from his albums Primrose Green, Golden Sings That Have Been Sung, and Course in Fable, along with lovely covers of songs by John Martyn and Anne Briggs.





Recording information:
    
RYLEY WALKER
2024-09-17
Bristol, England
Strange Brew

Ryley Walker: Acoustic guitar and voice 

Setlist:
01 Rang Dizzy (4:40)
02 Banter - I Got Into Footie (1:13)
03 The Roundabout (10:37)
04 Striking Down Your Big Premiere (4:34)
05 Age Old Tale (4:22)
06 Over the Hill (John Martyn) (2:44)
07 On the Banks of the Old Kishwaukee (6:27)
08 Banter - In America We Call Fall ‘Brit Folk Season’ (1:47)
09 Go Your Way (Anne Briggs) (4:25)
10 Primrose Green (5:35)
11 Raga (6:17)

Total time = 52:41

microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF
additional source: mono SBD feed
recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

Recorded with explicit artist permission by Richard Hayes

Special thanks to Annalisa for the soundboard feed
Warm thanks to Ryley for being ardently pro-taper and for always doing his best to alleviate the obstacles which music preservationists often face

https://www.strangebrewbristol.com/
https://ryleywalker.bandcamp.com/album/course-in-fable


downloads:

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that, using most burning software

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible