ACL 2009 - Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon is a band from Nashville, Tennessee formed in 2000 by the Followill brothers. Both their father (who was actually named Ivan) and grandfather went by the name 'Leon', which is where the band gets its name. While Ivan preached at churches and tent revivals throughout the Deep South, the boys attended and were occasionally enlisted to bang on some drums. The band's early music was an upbeat blend of southern rock and garage rock influences. Since then, the band has experimented with various genres of music. Since the band's 2003 debut, they have grown from an indie act to achieve international superstardom, particularly in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Wilco & Fleet Foxes - I Shall Be Released

ACL 2009: The Dead Weather

The Dead Weather is an American alternative rock supergroup that formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2009. Comprising vocalist Alison Mosshart (of The Kills), guitarist Dean Fertita (of Queens of the Stone Age), bassist Jack Lawrence (of The Raconteurs and The Greenhornes) and drummer/vocalist Jack White (of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs), the band is due to release their debut album Horehound on July 13, 2009 in Europe and July 14, 2009 in America. The Dead Weather was revealed at the opening of Third Man Records' new headquarters in Nashville on March 11, 2009. The band performed for the first time at the event, before immediately releasing their debut single "Hang You from the Heavens".

Laura Lee a nice visit with Dad this past weekend - just her and Hank and Abby as Mark was at the Schneider family reunion (just imagine...). Took Dad some unshelled pecans so that kept him busy mostly. The maids had been there last week and the house did look nice and clean. Watered and mowed a little in the yard, had gumbo and watched Astros. Dad seemed to be doing well.

Starting to get hot now. The days are about as long as they're gonna get and as you drive down the country roads the grass looks not so green anymore because the hay's been cut, taking the good green new growth off the top. It's still June. There's a long summer to go. Thinking of a lot of things done in summer heat in Brenham.

- standin' out in the street in front of Nonnie's house in town throwin' and bouncin' tennis balls off the wall on the other side of the street in the hot sun

- hand planting bermuda sprigs with Kyle in Sandy Creek No. 2 on a hot summer day many years ago

- late summer pickin' up hay bales (with snakes in 'em) and pitchin' them up on to the old Ford truck then into the barn with hay hooks

- tearin' down the old house that hot weekend; Mark with his "Bar"; and cooling off with a beer in the trough/swimming pool at the end of the day

- mowing pastures from dawn to dusk in one hour "shifts" back in high school

- the screened in "sleeping house" on hot summer nights...Armadillos rooting and "those goddamn birds" (guinea hens)...

The heat of a Texas summer makes an impression.

Wondering what LaSalle and his men thought of it as they wandered lost around the Brazos.

Wonder why people stayed.

It'll be here for a while now.

Cover Song Friday: Ben Harper - Strawberry Fields Forever

Bonnaroo 2009 Webcast This Weekend

Go to www.music.att.net to watch the webcast from Bonnaroo 2009. Music will be played all day long starting at 12:45 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are a couple of TBA in the schedule which could be Phish or Springsteen.

Highlights (all times Central)

Saturday
Lucinda Williams @ 2:30
Rodrigo Y Gabriela @ 3:30

Sunday
Booker T & The Drive By Truckers @ 3:30
Andrew Bird @ 4:15
Ben Harper & Relentless 7 @ 9:30

ACL 2009 - The Felice Brothers

The Felice Brothers got their start as a band playing in the New York City subway,but their musical experience started much earlier. The sons of a carpenter, they would play together on Sundays at their father's afternoon barbecues. They stayed in a little apartment in Brooklyn and would play at the subway stations near 42nd Street and Union Square in Greenwich Village. The three brothers originally hail from Palenville, NY in the Catskill Mountains.

Sunny and cool this weekend. Called Mr. Lehde and waited most of Saturday morning for him to come look at the lawn tractor. He came about 11:00 and seemed to have fixed the blade problem and also tightened up the brake to make it functional. We paid him $40. It seemed like a good deal, but later the blade would not engage when we tried to mow later in the afternoon. (it was working fine when he was here). Dad called him back Sunday morning, but he was not yet there when I left about 3:00 pm.

Dad and I ate Bar-B-Q from Big Daddy's accompanied by pickles, olives, and beer Saturday evening and watched NCAA baseball games and then the Astros game. I drove over to the Green Door around 9:00 pm just to see if they had any band playing, but it was pretty quiet. Mostly the regular crowd, I imagine.

Delayed Saturday by having to replace the 2" wood bit that Dad couldn't remember where he put, we got Dad's hitchin' post fence up and together, although it needs shoring up and probably some screws in it to firm it up. I hope ya' think it looks okay. Those were the heaviest cedar posts I've ever dealt with. Wore me out working with them. Thank goodness it was so cool and windy Sunday morning while I was playing Daniel Boone.

The orchard and yard have grown pretty high; the yard can still be mowed with the lawn tractor, but it might take the big tractor to mow the orchard. I sprayed Killzall on fence foliage and yard bushes in the yard next to the orchard. Also sprayed around some edging areas at the Rancho house. Bought a new weedeater (on sale for $29 @ ACE - old electric trimmer fell apart and gas one didn't start) and trimmed around porches and trees at the Rancho house.

Dad and I also trimmed trees in the backyard with the cordless electric trim saw (wish I'd had the electric chainsaw when I's workin' with those cedar posts). Worked pretty good and got a lot of branches that were hanging from the oak tree in front of the back porch.

Finally got a chance to walk the fence between the Back 40 and Central Pasture Sunday afternoon after I recovered from building the hitchin' rail. I think it's okay for the most part. It was not the most rigorous inspection of all time. The terrain is pretty more suited for Rocky Mountain Goats than cows. There is a place about 40-50 yards back to the left of where the fence meets up with the right of way where a tree has fallen down on the fence. Needs a chain saw to clean it up.

Cows in the "Back 40" pasture.

... and that's the news from the Rancho.

Todd Snider - Fortunate Son

Re: Green Door Video

Note our number on fan knockin' down some serious Sprite!!

ACL 2009 Must See: The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers are a folk-rock band from Concord, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Seth Avett and Scott Avett, who play the guitar and banjo, respectively, and Bob Crawford who plays the stand-up bass. They are often joined on tour by cellist Joe Kwon. Risen from the ashes of Seth and Scott's former rock band Nemo, The Avett Brothers combine bluegrass, country, punk, pop melodies, folk, rock and roll, honky tonk and ragtime to produce a sound described by the San Francisco Chronicle as having the "Heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, the raw energy of the Ramones." The group itself eschews labels, feeling that "none would do the music the justice. It's simply left up to each person to extract his or her own account from the Avetts' music."