Music
Enjoy more music than ever before at the 2012 Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Musicians will open our Friday evening sessions with music, listen to bands playing in Nevada City’s streets throughout the weekend, stay up to all hours listening to our late night music Friday and Saturday nights, and end the festival on a high note, dancing along with a favorite local band.
Late Night Music at the Haven Underground!
Friday Night, 10pm-12am
The Railflowers
This captivating trio of sisters weaves a folksy Americana groove with guitar, banjo, mandolin and a bit of the eggshaker. The Railflowers blend soothing three part harmonies to create a tapestry of memories and experiences that have inspired their lives. Growing up, Hannah, Beth and Ellen Knight began singing together in the living room to their mom’s favorite musicians including: Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, and Joni Mitchell. Professor Burns & the Lilac Field will be opening the evening. To listen, visit The Railflowers website. Separate ticket required, to buy click here.
Professor Burns & the Lilac Field
“Definitely headed to great places,” writes the San Francisco Chronicle about roots-folk singer-songwriter Professor Burns. With a rich history as a poet, community organizer and university professor, Burns is a rare bird of a songwriter. His tunes crack open the heart and mind with vivid narratives and infectious melodies drawing comparison to the likes of Iron and Wine, Ben Harper, and Neil Young. His recent collaboration with amazing singer-songwriter Courtney Browne has been stunning California audiences. Find out more at their website and buy tickets here.
Saturday Night, 10:00pm-1am
Hailing from North Lake Tahoe, Dead Winter Carpenters represents everything the American west stands for. With an unbridled spirit, and an authentic approach to the art of songwriting, the five-piece roots-rock band captures the freedom of the road with the kind of energy that is made of legends. In just one short year on the road, the project has already found considerable national success and with top level festival and theater dates booked around the country. Local favorite Brett Shady will be opening the evening. To listen, visit their website. Separate ticket required. To buy, click here.
Brett Shady follows in a long line of rock musicians whose later years led them away from the outward-bound excess of rock and punk to the introspective songwriting of folk and Americana. He has recently left Los Angeles to return to his hometown of Nevada City, California. The Hyperbolium.com review wrote of Brett Shady’s music, “It all tumbles out so seamlessly as to make it look simple; but making music that’s both familiar and new – catchy to the ear on first spin but without feeling like a rehash of something you’ve heard before – is a nearly impossible trick, and one that Shady has managed on his first solo outing.” To listen, click here. To buy tickets, click here.
Sunday Night Music at the National Hotel
As the festival wraps up on Sunday, end the weekend with style at the National Hotel! Join local favorites The Belfry Brothers for some raucous old-timey music and dancing in the bar at the historic National Hotel.
Playing a diverse combination of outlaw country, old-time, bluegrass, and original tunes, the Belfry Brothers combine edgy high-energy instrumentation with heart-felt vocal harmonizations. With the intimacy of a barn dance and the energy of a rock concert, the Belfry Brothers, together with their audiences, create an all-in party experience. Sunday, 9pm. $3 at the door. Don’t miss this rare occasion!
Friday Night Music (Included with your Friday Evening session pass)
Nevada Theatre, 5pm – Neena McNair Family Singers; Goodshield Aguilar & Mignon Geli
Neena McNair Family Singers originally came together as a women’s drum group to deepen and strengthen the commitment we have, not only to each other as spiritual human beings, but to maintain a pure dedication to the healing that comes through the drum, for all living things. We are not a pow-wow drum, though we do know and share some pow-wow songs, many of the songs we sing are very old traditional songs. Some of our songs are contemporary songs. Some, our elders teach us. Some we remember from our childhood. Some we learn from one another and some our friends create. We sing in many different languages: Lakota, Tsalagi (Cherokee), Seneca, Iroquois, Western Shoshone, Mohawk, Choctaw, Chumash, Maidu, and English. Our intention is to preserve each song’s unique message and sound, so the songs will not be forgotten and people will be reminded that Native America is diverse and alive. We believe the sound of the big drum is also the sound of the heartbeat of our Mother Earth, and that through it we can feel that much closer to her, and all that gives us life. We encourage you to listen with an open heart to these songs, and to give thanks for the blessings they bring. Buy tickets here.
Goodshield Aguilar is a Turtle Island Native Oglala Lakota and Pasqua Yoeme heritage. From a young age, art and music played a major role in his observations and expressions of the world around him. Music has taken him all over Turtle Island, introducing him to the beauty and diversity of the many nations across this land, and also the struggles and plights continuing today, from sacred site desecration, to revoked water rights, to contamination of the environment, and the slaughtering of buffalo. He has devoted his music and energy to speaking for the buffalo in Yellowstone and the salmon on the Klamath river in Northern California. For Aguilar music is a way to bring awareness and consciousness rather than just entertainment. Aguilar’s styles range from traditional drumming to acoustic melodies with spoken word, from funky dance grooves to hard rock. He is a multi-instrumentalist, playing drums, guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, flute, and piano. For this event he will be joined by Mignon Geli on flute. To listen to his music, click here. To buy tickets here.
Osborn/Woods Great Hall; 6pm - Silver Wings
Silver Wings will be making their fifth consecutive appearance at the Film Fest. Featuring Jan Jablecki, Reid Luhman, Jeff Kane, Andy Norrell, Niel Bledsoe & Charlie Brock. The group has been playing together for the past five plus years and regularly appear at local non-profit benefits, weddings, graduations and other festivities. For more information call 530-265-0895. To buy tickets, click here.
Miner’s Foundry Stone Hall; 6pm - Professor Burns & the Lilac Field
“Definitely headed to great places,” writes the San Francisco Chronicle about roots-folk singer-songwriter Professor Burns. With a rich history as a poet, community organizer and university professor, Burns is a rare bird of a songwriter. His tunes crack open the heart and mind with vivid narratives and infectious melodies drawing comparison to the likes of Iron and Wine, Ben Harper, and Neil Young. His recent collaboration with amazing singer-songwriter Courtney Browne has been stunning California audiences. To listen, visit their website. To buy tickets, click here.
NC Elementary; 5:45pm - Past Due & Playable
Past Due and Playable is: Rudy Darling- Fiddle, Paul Siese- Banjo, Gary Sobonya- Guitar/mandolin, Barry Angell-Mandolin/Guitar and Charlie Faber on Bass. Past Due and Playable is arguably the longest running acoustic act in Nevada County. Formed in 1990 at the old Cowboy Pizza restaurant, the band has been entertaining audiences up and down the West Coast ever since. Known for their eclectic mix of tunes ranging from Bluegrass, Western Swing, Celtic, Old Time, Folk, Rock and originals, you can expect to hear anything from Bill Monroe to the Who. Solid musicianship, humor and sweet harmonies round out the range of entertainment Past Due and Playable are capable of. Leaving their audiences with a smile on their faces is always a priority. You can reach Past Due and Playable for bookings or CDs at: 530-265-8672 or 530-265-4328 To listen, click here. Buy tickets here.
Masonic Lodge, 6pm - Norm & Tubby’s Hot Club
Nevada City’s own Gypsy Jazz band, Norm and Tubby’s Hot Club play hot swing music reminiscent of the late great gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. With Norm Johnson on lead guitar and alto sax, Tubby Johnson on rhythm guitar, and Stan Sanderson on bass. email: normjohnson21@yahoo.com To buy tickets, click here.
NC Vets Hall, 5:45pm - Kelly Fleming
If you hum a few bars, Kelly Fleming can probably fake it. A natural-born, self-taught musician. “I’m into lots of different styles of music,” says Fleming, a longtime Nevada City resident and fixture in the local music scene. This gives him a huge lifetime repertoire to draw from. Although he was born and raised in Southern California and spent seven years in Cleveland, Fleming is thoroughly ensconced in the Nevada County community: “This is my home.” “I’m at a point in my life where I’m not really concerned about being famous,” he concludes philosophically. “I just love to teach. I love to play.” 530-913-7025 – Listen here and buy tickets here.
The Oddfellows Hall, 6pm - Maren Metke & the Blackbird Quartet
Maren Metke is a pianist/singer/songwriter who grew up on an island in the Puget Sound. Her original, soulful music has its roots in folk, with an emotive, alternative, bluesy quality. She has performed with different blues, indie, folk, jazz and eclectic music groups both on her island home, in Seattle, and Northern CA. Her latest group The Blackbird Quartet, plays a blend of jazz and blues mixed with her original styled music in the Sierra Foothills & Bay Area and features Maren Metke, Cedar Hennings, Ananda Vaughn, and David Chapman. To listen, click here. Buy tickets here.
