Green River Festival

Greenfield, MA

July 20, 2002

by Fern MacDonald
 

The day's music began with the woman that Rolling Stone has named as having the BEST singer/songwriter CD of the year, Mary Gauthier.  Yes, Mary's latest, "Filth and Fire" is a brilliant expose of life, with its many twists and turns.  Her songs are chock full of vivid characters and settings.  However, Mary "live" takes those same numbers and makes them ignite.  On this late, crystal clear morning, she was confident and just downright brilliant.  Accompanied by Steve Saddler on mandolin and backing vocals, Mary's set sounded extra special and her time on stage flew by way too fast.  Her set included such goodies as "I Drink", "Camelot Motel," "Christmas in Paradise", "Our Lady of the Shooting Star" and my favorite, "Drag Queens in Limousines."  Mary Gauthier is not only an eloquent songwriter but she has also become an amazing performer.  I predict a great future for this extraordinary, talented lady!

Northampton's own, Mark Erelli, accompanied by Jim Henry on mandolin, had the ominous task of filling Dave Carter and Tracy Grammar's slot.  Mark is a wonderful musician in his own right, playing both guitar and harmonica.  He has a fine new CD out and although he did some of those tunes, his thoughts were with Dave Carter. Together with Henry, Mark played a fabulous version of Carter's "Cowboy Singer."
Erelli, nervous about taking the stage in place of a man he had admired so much, rose to the task in fine form.

Tim O'Brien and his band, The Crossing, were next.  Having seen O'Brien with Steve Earle, I was eager to watch him have the spotlight this time.  In a word, The Crossing were delightful.  With the aid of musicians like Durk Powell (bass), Karen Casey (backing vocals, formerly a member of Solas), and John McGann (guitar), O'Brien excelled on mandolin and fiddle.  Besides playing his own compositions, he covered the great masters, from Woody Guthrie to Doc Watson.  Before the audience knew it, their time was up.

All this music had happened on the main stage.  Beginning at 2:30 p.m., concert-goers had to agonize about where they should venture next.  The choices were difficult, as great music was in the air everywhere.  I hiked down the hill to the second stage, where the schedule was just beginning and would continue into the early evening.  In the small open tent, with hardly any breeze blowing, Fred Eaglesmith stood on a tiny makeshift stage, guitar in hand and all by his lonesome. It's a rare treat to see Fred without his band these days.  Fred talked about the "105 degree weather" (it was hot for a Canadian but barely 85 degrees) and told the crowd to forget about folk music for a while.  Although Fred played several quieter numbers, he still got everyone going with quick tempo tunes.  There were Fredheads everywhere, from the floor in front of the stage to the side hill covered with bodies, where you could hear but not see very well, if at all.  For the first time ever, I bailed before the end of Fred's set.  I'd love to say it was because the heat was unbearable or because I just couldn't stand by the soundboard any longer.  Both are partially true but most of all, I wanted to get back to the main stage.  Fred's set follows, with help from Ed Molloy:

Workin' on Two Machines -- wonderful song, possibly new
Me and Ester
Freight Train
(a folk singer parody--- "playing music in my volvo")
Time to Get A Gun
Go Out and Plow
Small Motors
Steam
Wilder Than Her

Why did this gal even think of leaving an Eaglesmith set?  Two words, and they are Dave Alvin.  Dave was doing an hour of tunes with Chris Smither and Peter Case. Last year, Case assembled an amazing array of musicians.  The result is an incredible tribute CD to the late Mississippi John Hurt called "Avalon Blues."  Hurt left behind a legacy of songs that have influenced many of today's finest artists. Three of those artists were on that Greenfield stage.  Starting with the legendary Dave Alvin, the three performed Mississippi Hurt numbers alone and together for one magnificent hour.  Beginning with "Hot Time in the Ole Town Tonight" as a group, they proceeded to take turns picking and performing their favorite Hurt gems, like a round robin.  Dave rocked a bluesy version of "Stagger Lee," while Chris Smither gave a blues slant to "Frankie and Albert," the forerunner for the more familiar version called "Frankie and Johnny."  The best part of the entire hour, however, was when each man played one of his own songs, penned because of Hurt's influence.  Alvin took the riff from a Hurt number and it became his poignant "Dry River," while Smithers lifted the man's humor and transformed it to the comical "Get a Better One."  Case's "On The Way Downtown" had all the guts of a Hurt masterpiece, although it was strictly his own.  When they finished, it seemed like a sea of bodies rose to their feet cheering.  Their set was one of the day's highlights.
No time for the second stage.

After a short break, Fred Eaglesmith and his band dazzled the audience with a wild and furious set!  Fred didn't talk much but he did ask: "How did the rock and roll generation end up sitting on their asses all afternoon?"  Many folks laughed, but the energy of Fred's hour made you wonder if he was really kidding.  He wanted folks to move and for the first time all day, they did.  People were up dancing and singing every place. It wasn't a Fredhead weekend in Bellows Falls or the yearly Eaglesmith picnic in Canada, and yet the crowd was theirs.  From the overwhelming cheering when they took the stage till their finish, the festival belonged to Fred and the boys that late Saturday afternoon.  Willie P. Bennett was on fire, and you expected his mandolin to go up in flames any second.  Their was an overall hush while Fred sang "Carter."  Though originally not written about the recently deceased Dave Carter, many of the lyrics applied...."things will never be the same, now that Carter's gone." That was the only "quiet moment."  It was one rockin' set:

Cumberland County
Alternator -- (made up verse, about forgetting the words)
I Wanna Buy Your Truck
Carmelita
Indiana Road
Sharecroppin' w/jam
Freight Train
105
Carter
49 Tons
Encore:
Water In The Fuel

It had been a long, hot day in the sun and so the last act for me was the main stage performance of Dave Alvin and The Guilty Men.  Alvin is the consummate
artist.  He is a talented songwriter with a sensual baritone that makes you feel every word.  An amazing guitarist, Alvin honed his trade from the years he spent with his brother, fronting the rock group, The Blasters.  More of a cult band, they churned out tunes that are still covered by current alt rock and Americana musicians.  California bred and based, it is a rare treat to see Dave in the east.  It isn't often enough that he graces a northern stage, and his time at Green River seemed to end in a flash. Highlights were "Blackjack David", "Out in California", "Haley's Comet," "Abilene", and "4th of July."  As is his trademark, Alvin rocked out the crowd pleasing favorite, "American Music", and left the stage to a standing ovation.  It was a great way to end the day!

                                                                                                 Fern

Written by Fern MacDonald, July, 2002

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