Waynestock 2012: For the Love of Phil, Night Two

The Lonetones, Relix Theater, Knoxville, February 2012

The second night picked up the energy from the first night and cranked it up a notch. I got there a bit late and only caught a portion of Sarah Schwabe's set and my camera still had issues, so I got no pictures of her performance, which I regret because it was really good and it was obvious she enjoyed being reunited with her Jass Band.

Lisa McLeod and Jake Weinstein perform acrobatics

The Lonetones played next and played with quite a bit of muscle. This was the most rock and roll I've ever heard them sound, though they certainly haven't turned into the Tim Lee Three. I really liked the amped-up sound and the songs they played may have had some new material mixed in. It all sounded very good and their performance feature a guest flutist from the Band of Humans and acrobatics to the side of the stage.

Jack Neely at Relix Theater, Knoxville, February 2012

Jack Neely made an appearance amid references to him being on the stage dressed in a diaper along with Phil Pollard. I missed that one and it isn't so much an image I'll dwell on. In any case, he introduced RB Morris who likewise reminisced about Phil and played a great set of somewhat less familiar songs, including "Old Road," "Dreaming" and "Someone."

RB Morris at Relix Theater, Knoxville, February 2012

RB Morris at Relix Theater, Knoxville, February 2012

RB Morris at Relix Theater, Knoxville, February 2012

One emotional highlight of the evening was his introduction from the stage of Madeline Rogero who didn't take the microphone, but stayed in the audience after waving to the crowd and enjoyed the music for a couple of hours. You know there was a fancy party she could have attended with much more important and powerful people, but she didn't. She chose to be with regular people and talented artists in a bar in Happy Holler. You have to love that. The crowd roared approval and RB launched in to "City" which is one of my all time favorite songs by anyone and is, of course, the song about Knoxville which Mayor Rogero quoted in her inaugural speech.

Madeline Rogero at Relix Theater, Knoxville, February 2012

The Tim Lee 3, fronted by Tim and Susan Lee stormed onto the stage next - or at least after the loss of power was resolved. They were as good as always, though they didn't have the chance to stretch things out like they do in a full show.

Tim Lee 3 at Relix, Knoxville, February 2012

Tim Lee 3 at Relix, Knoxville, February 2012

Kevin Abernathy joined them and that's always a power guitar treat. Enough thanks can't be expressed to Tim and Susan for all the work they've done each of these two years to make this event happen. In any supportive community there are always good people doing the work in the background to make life better for everyone else and, I suspect, in Knoxville's music community, that would be Tim and Susan.

Tim Lee 3 at Relix, Knoxville, February 2012

Kevin Abernathy joins Tim Lee 3 at Relix

Tim Lee 3 with guest at Relix, Knoxville, February 2012

After the Tim Lee 3, the coolest moment of the night took place when Phil's parents took the stage to remember their son and to thank Knoxville for loving him. It was obvious Phil's father is no shrinking violet himself and it was easy to see Phil in him. He also wore Phil's famous stove pipe hat onto the stage.

Phil Pollard's parents take the stage at Waynestock II, Relix

King Super and the Excellents closed down the show

The evening ended with King Super and the Excellents, of whom I'd never heard. They are a very talented band with the potential to add something very different to the Knoxville music scene. As you might guess from their name or from their zany attire, the group is sort of a Dadaesque send-off of a band. The trick for them, it seems to me, will be getting past the shtick and remembering that the music is what will make them, not the antics.

King Super and the Excellents, Relix, 2012

King Super and the Excellents, Relix, 2012

That said, they are very versatile and touched bases from Philly-esque R and B to powerpop (the most popular with the bar crowd) and even very credible covers of Pink Floyd. The musicianship and vocals popped all night. I really hope they will focus on the music as much as the revelry. The crowd went absolutely crazy during their show and I think everyone was exhausted by midnight.

I had one strange moment as I exited: Just before I got to the door I was grabbed forcefully from behind by a young man, who I assume was an employee, and he demanded frantically to know whether I had a drink in my hand. I assured him I didn't and he pushed past me onto the sidewalk. When I followed him I realized there were two police cars outside with lights flashing, patrons detained and more police on the way.

I find the scene interesting because I'm assuming the issue was the open container law. If the police were actually targeting people who had just stepped outside with a drink - maybe to smoke a cigarette - that seems pretty grossly unfair given what I had seen earlier in the evening: People walking everywhere downtown with glasses of wine held in front of them. Pretty inconsistent.

Night three coming up next!

Waynestock: For the Love of Drew, Night One

The Relix (pronounced like the word "relics") Theater is an unassuming storefront in Happy Holler - which is an area about  a mile and half out Central Avenue from downtown proper. It's across the street from the Time Warp Tea Room and next to Vega-rama. Inside it looks like an old warehouse with heavy curtains dividing it in half, front and back, and a stage set just to the front side of the curtains. I could not have imagined that the sound would be as good as it turned out to be. Wayne Bledsoe was seen moving about, receiving well wishes from a pretty steady stream of those present. I would guess the attendance for this night was around fifty to seventy five, which disappointed me a bit, though the best known acts were scheduled for the next two nights. Admission was free, which is my favorite price.

Jake Winstrom, Sean McColough, Steph Gunnoe, Karen Reynolds and Greg Horne

I heard someone say this was the mellow night and I understand the sentiment, but I don't entirely agree. It started out that way, if by mellow you mean musically and not lyrically. Assembled on the stage to start the three day Waynestock festival were some of Knoxville's finest songwriters. Often their songs are sandpaper tough and tackle the toughest of life's subjects. That's not so much mellow, but I'll agree the sound fit the description. Each member of the lineup played an acoustic instrument, either guitar, fiddle or mandolin and, as was the case with the songwriter's showcase that I spotlighted last month, they took turns performing mostly original songs.

Songwriter Showcase kicks off Waynestock and the Relix Theater

The line-up included (from the left) Jake Winstrom, Sean McCollough, Steph Gunnoe, Karen Reynolds and Greg Horne. Greg served as the host and kept things moving nicely. I've always enjoyed his work and I've written about Karen before. She is an excellent songwriter and was a host of the Indie Grrls event last summer and she hosts Writer's Block each week on WDVX. Sean and Steph are members of the Lonetones whose melodic, hypnotic sounds are very much worth seeking out. One of my most played songs on my ipod is Little Thing. I can't hear it enough. Rounding out the artists was a young singer, Jake Winstrom, whose vocal delivery is a very different style. At first I wasn't certain, but in the end I decided I liked it quite a bit. While his music didn't resemble theirs, his high vocals reminded me a bit of the Band, for example in the song Tears Of Rage.

The Beaded, Waynestock, Relix Theater, Knoxville, January 2011

The well-known local band, The Bearded took the stage in the second slot and were fun, as always. The antics of Matt Morelock were in full bloom. He appeared to destroy a mouth harp and damage enough banjo strings he had to move to a smaller version of the instrument, which he had nearby. The damaged harp was later auctioned for $100. I continue to be impressed with the vocals by KyleCampbell. At their goofiest jug-band best, The Bearded comes across as a good novelty act. At their straight-forward best with Kyle singing real country music, they become more credible as serious artists. With the right material I can imagine the band and/or Kyle having quite a future. If the novelty component continues to be emphasized, I can see lots of fun ahead for local audiences. I'm not sure which the band prefers.

The Bearded, Waynestock, Relix Theater, Knoxville, January 2011

Hudson K closed the night and they were the act I most anticipated. I'm not clear if Hudson K is simply another name for Christina Horn or if it is also the name for the band she fronts. Her first album featured Jeff Christmas on guitar and Nate Barrett on drums. I had seen she and Nate together at the Indie Grrls shows and I think there is a picture of Christina at the above link for those shows. At the Waynestock show she had Nate on drums, but Tim Lee on guitar. I loved the portions I heard. I had to leave early because my alarm was set to go off in about six hours for work, but I probably heard half the set and found it intriguing. Reading the blog on her site, she felt the piano was mixed too far down and I would agree that the guitar was prominent, but it was Tim Lee, so how bad can that be? (In the last couple of nights I've learned how amazing he is, but more on him later.) The influence of Tori Amos is unmistakable, but her sound has more of a punk element to mix with the intense confessional and classical elements. It's almost as if Patty Smith tutored Tori Amos and we got Hudson K. I could not hear the lyrics as well as I could have wished and my pictures were all duds, so I don't have anything to offer on that front. I will encourage you to go to her web site and read up on a coming concert and video filming February 17.

And so, night one ended around 11:00 for me. It was a great start for what promised to be a fun three nights.