North Carolina’s Mipso has released a music video for Hurt So Good.
No… not an acoustic version of John Mellencamp’s hit from the early ’80s. It’s a new song from the band’s upcoming 4th album, Coming Down The Mountain, due on April 7.
It showcases their distinctive Americana style – part contemporary folk, part bluegrass, part old time, and all Mipso. They shot the video in Denver when they had a show there at the Globe Hall, using the old theater and surrounding streets of Denver as their set.
Like so many current Carolina groups, these folks met while studying in Chapel Hill, and have since turned Mipso into a touring and recording phenomenon fashioned from their youthful enthusiasm and the rural roots of the musical traditions they draw upon. Jacob Sharp is on mandolin, Wood Robinson on bass, Joseph Terrell on guitar, and Libby Rodenbough on fiddle.
Pre-orders for Coming Down The Mountain can be placed from any of the popular digital download sites, or on CD/vinyl from the Mipso web site.
The venue could not have been better. The weather, unfortunately, could have been. Absolutely teeming at times. But, the downpour did not dampen the enthusiasm of Susie’s Cause organizers. Nope. They are a bunch used to striving in the face of hardship. And, the inclement weather instigated a one-of-a-kind experience that will long be remembered by those there.
Susie’s Cause Festival is held in honor of Charlotte Bohn, a musician and Foundation board member who lost her battle with colon cancer in 2015 at the young age of 38. The Foundation educates people about colon cancer, encourages screenings, and provides support for those with the cancer. Susan’s father, David, told us the Foundation deals with serious issues, but gets its messages out in fun ways. Indeed. Susie’s Cause gave us a great day of bluegrass from some of the best in the business. No better way to learn about and support a good cause.
Set at what seemed the end of a ski trail, with a beautiful green hill sloping upwards behind us, the vast field was adorned with hay bales for a down-home feel. Appealing aromas of pit beef and pork bbq wafted over us as we settled in and kicked back. The grand, enormous concert shell then held our attention for the duration as the spectacular line-up unfolded. Brad Kolodner from WAMU’s Bluegrass Country, who played earlier with the Ken and Brad Kolodner Quartet, was the perfect emcee.
The Stray Birds provided a boatload of unbelievable originals. Their multi-instrument mastery readily displayed this trio’s immense talent. Each song, it seemed Oliver Craven and Maya de Vitry were playing a different instrument. And, Charles Muench was straight true solid on the stand-up. Add their pipes? Come on! When I Die meshed Craven’s strong voice with Maya’s smoky vocals and Charles’ classic sound. Craven also sang us a great rendition of Townes Van Zandt’s Loretta, throwing his head back for each quick mando solo pick and Simple Man. Maya showed off her singing on several, including Never for Nothing and Harlem. You just want to carry that voice around in a Ziploc to take out when you need encouragement. It sounds like someone who has been through it and made it out okay. The Birds beckoned the sprinkles when they launched into Nanci Griffiths’ I Wish It Would Rain. On cue, it did.
But, the sun shone mightily for Mipso, that magnificent North Carolina quartet. They hooked us with Louise and then reeled us in the rest of the set. They threw some new ones at us, including their Maryland premiere of Hurts So Good. With its crisp fiddle and lilting melody, we were soft-shoe dancing in the damp grass. They gave us a great Guy Clark’s Dublin Blues: Joseph Terrell’s and Libby Rodenbough’s voices are just made to be together. Before closing out with hit, Marianne, Wood Robinson threw down that funky beat and Joe sang it true on Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes. It was just too good when the guitar, mandolin and fiddle kicked in to grass up this classic.
Rain break. And, I mean rain. No one left. Who would with the artists still to come?
No one minded the sky spitting on them as long as area favorite and national gem, The Seldom Scene, kept singing and picking. They got us smiling early with Through the Bottom of the Glass and took our breath away with Blue Ridge: Fred Travers’ voice hit us where we live and the harmonies knocked us out. The Scene introduced each of its members then featured them on a song: a neat way to sample their vast catalog. The musicianship was flawless, of course, and the vocals were perfectly pure. They gave us a romping What I am Doing Hanging Around; another epic display of harmonies on I’ll Be No Stranger There; the foot-tapper, Big Train From Memphis, and a white hot Sally Goodin, on which newest member, Rickie Simpkins, showed off his fabulous fiddling. ans loved their cover of Dylan’s Boots of Spanish Leather with Dudley Connell’s impassioned pipes and we melted with Wait a Minute. Undaunted by the rain, the crowd cheered for an encore which the Seldom Scene obliged with Walk Through This World With Me. One fan said aloud that he keeps waiting for the angels to circle, summing up the Seldom Scene’s heavenly sounds.
Weather.com showed nothing but red coming at us as we glanced at our phones. The sky opened up. Still, Sarah Jarosz and the Del McCoury Band were on tap. We weren’t leaving. We watched the stage crew work furiously to keep things rolling. We also noted that next year we might spring for a ticket upgrade as we peered out from under our hoods toward the VIPers noshing treats under their tent.
Sarah Jarosz and bandmates took the stage, but crew discussions continued. The sky would just not cut us a break, and when it unleashed some lightning even sound guru Drew Becker had to throw up his hands. And, when he did, we on the lawn finally saw what he was doing: he was beckoning us to the stage. No way! We sprinted and stopped only when standing shoulder to shoulder with our fellow festival-goers under the concert shell just feet from Sarah’s feet. Sarah’s trio then treated us to an unplugged performance that will go down in the annals of all things too cool.
The second they opened with Over the Edge, Sarah’s voice warmed us up and we started to dry off; it was a breath of fresh air in that dark and stormy time. Known for mandolin, Sarah showed off her guitar skills on the first four tunes, which included Green Lights, before switching to a digging claw hammer on Annabelle Lee. Our hearts leapt when she sang Dylan’s Ring Them Bells, we jumped around a bit during Say Darlin’ Say, and we were mesmerized with House of Mercy. Jedd Hughes slayed us with his guitar playing and Jeff Picker held it altogether on the bass, complete with an extended solo that the audience ate up. They wrapped us up with Tom Waits’ Come On Up To The House. We all joined in, overjoyed to have experienced that acoustic adventure with such great musicians.
And, then we literally all came on up to the house as we filed into the great lodge of Oregon Ridge Park to close out the Festival with the Del McCoury Band. Del and the boys were a magical sight when they came into the quickly assembled concert hall in their clean, pressed suits to a standing ovation receiving line of damp and muddy music-lovers. Mr. McCoury’s perfect hair and iconic smile lit up the room before the band nearly set it afire with their lightening quick picking. Without missing a beat in their unexpected surroundings, they masterfully launched into Traveling Teardrop Blues. Ronnie’s mandolin pinged off every wall, Robbie’s banjo popped all over the room, and Del’s distinctive voice dominated the hall. The crowd was fired up. Hoots and hollers and dancing ensued.
The McCourys rolled into Bluest Man in Town, with the fullest fiddle you ever heard, an apt Walk Out in the Rain, a too fun Nashville Cats, and Some Old Day, among others. Expert picking and smooth harmonies. The Band then took requests, which made the show even more of a party. Del dedicated High on the Mountain to a couple who had gotten married in the lodge years ago and sent Logging Man out to the daughter of a timberman Del used to work for back in the day. We all sang along to I Need More Time, and sat smiling in awe at 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. What a treat to have Del, himself, the bluegrass beacon that he is, with his super talented crew in such an intimate setting. Simply tremendous. Not how it was planned, but certainly a great result.
There are things we cannot control—like the weather. But, we can control whether we support organizations like Susan Cohan’s Colon Cancer Foundation. And, one easy way to do that is to do what we all love to do: enjoy bluegrass. Go to the Susie’s Cause Bluegrass-Folk Festival next year. Dance in the grass and enjoy time with the ones you hold dear. Rain or shine, you will be glad you did.
Arriving the Thursday night before Redwing is a bit like Christmas Eve. The setup is all there, you can see the shape of still dim lights and, like a little kid, you can’t wait to go sleep in anticipation of what awaits the next day. For four years, the Natural Chimneys Regional Park has been home to one of Virginia’s favorite music festivals: Red Wing Roots. The weekend is a production of The Steel Wheels, a Harrisonburg band that devotes itself to roots music, combining the Gospel of their religious background with the traditional folk and bluegrass music of Virginia.
Since the first Red Wing in 2013, the event has packed the Natural Chimneys Park nearly to its limit. The beautiful green layout of the festival is dwarfed by the grand stone pillars. While many festivals shift and tweak their formulas from year to year in order to get the experience just right, Red Wing had their formula down pat after year one. The music is split between four total stages, with constant alternation between the two main ones, and workshops and specialty performances on the smaller ones. When asked about the continued longevity of the festival, Steel Wheels front man Trent Wagler said “We’ve never really looked back since the first year.”
This year’s festivities began Friday at noon as harmonious and soft folk duo Anna & Elizabeth took the stage, followed shortly by an energetic and fast paced performance by The Woodshedders. The colorful crowds rushed in, called to the stage by the irresistible sounds of California progressive bluegrass group Front Country, a group especially notable for the vibrant and soulful performance by their lead singer, Melody Walker. One of the highlights of Friday’s performances was that of Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens. Shelton, age 73, sat on stage and sang a funky medley of Gospel and soul with her two backup singers
After a show from the unique Hiss Golden Messenger, the sun began to fall, and the Natural Chimneys were lit with a fantastic colorful array of lights. The Steep Canyon Rangers arrived to perform a set of distinctly tried-and-true traditional bluegrass. Immediately thereafter on the opposing stage the greatest sets of the weekend, in my opinion, began. Jarekus Singleton, and his accompanying band tore it up with their electric, funk heavy blues rock. Afterwards audiences had an option to either keep the energy up with a set from Red Wing veterans Yarn, or to relax for the night with Dawes’ particular blend of smooth indie rock and folk. After both bands finished, The Black Lilies wrapped up the already fantastic first night of Red Wing.
Saturday was just as exciting, as two trios (Dom Flemons and John Stickley) played back to back, both delivering sets of awe inspiring song writing and virtuosity. Mipso took the Southern Stage starting slowly and then ramping up their performance as the show went on, playing fun covers and more upbeat tunes, whipping the audience into anticipation of sets by Chris Smither, The Good Lovelies, and Tony Furtado. The truly anticipated highlight, however, was no doubt the performance by event hosts The Steel Wheels. Though Trent Wagler’s charismatic performance makes him the undoubted front man, it’s hard to ignore just how much fun the rest of the band is having up there with him, leaning up into the center mike to deliver those fantastic Gospel harmonies they’re known for. Characteristic of their humility, they didn’t close their own show, but were followed by The Lone Bellow noted for their vocally harmonious and piano heavy brand of indie folk. The evening closed with a set from Mountain Heart. A new addition to the band made Mountain Heart’s show better as 5 time Grammy nominee and captivating singer Molly Cherryholmes joined the quartet on fiddle and vocals, making their show an unforgettable end to the night.
Typical festival Sundays do have a tendency to be a little less energetic, as the looming threat of Monday morning is ever present in festival-goer’s heads. Red Wing is anything but typical, as they saved some of their biggest and most anticipated performances for Sunday. Seeing as the roots theme of Red Wing ties into the very essence of musical tradition, it is fitting for the festival to have some tradition of its own. For the last four years Red Wing has always begun Sunday with a Gospel set, which is advertised as “With the Steel Wheels” the with being a huge musical collaboration, bringing up the weekend’s many guests to join The Steel Wheels in playing Gospel tunes that go back decades or even centuries.
Having properly woken festival attendees, Amy Helm, daughter of music legend Levon Helm, and her band joyously played a slightly electric blend of folk rock and Americana. Three of the last bands to play happened to be some of the biggest acts there. Recurring performer, Crooked Still front-woman, and Americana superstar, Aoife O’Donovan, captured the crowds with her uniquely soothing voice and brilliant songwriting. Before crowds even had a chance to bathe in the afterglow of her performance, they had to but turn their heads to see 8 piece old-time, blues group, Dustbowl Revival, a band that could likely turn a funeral into a swinging hotspot with their upbeat and catchy tunes. Finally, headliners Shovels and Rope ceremoniously and lovingly ended the music of the weekend.
As the fourth year ends on a successful note, with a weekend of uninterrupted and brilliant performances accompanied by perfect weather, it became clear that Red Wing is becoming a lasting presence in the Southern music festival world. Trent Wagler commented “ I don’t think the question of stopping the festival has really come up, and I think some of that is a little bit of luck, and a lot of preparation.” For me, there is certainly question either, Red Wing Roots is on my list of festivals not to miss in 2017.
North Carolina has produced its share of celebrated folk musicians, especially from the western Appalachian region. Much of what we know as bluegrass today percolated in those hills, just as it did in Bill Monroe’s Kentucky.
The newest North Carolina sensation is Mipso, a group of four young string musicians from along the I-40 corridor who met in Chapel Hill and started a band in 2010. Their sound draws heavily from the mountain traditions, while remaining modern enough to attract a sizable audience of folks their age.
With a new album, Old Time Reverie, due in October, the band has released a music video to set the stage. It’s for the song, Father’s House, written by Mipso guitarist Joseph Terrell. The video was shot live at Overdub Lane Studio in Durham by Caleb Childers of Malachi Films. John Plymale handled the audio.
In addition to Terrell, Mipso is Jacob Sharp on mandolin, Wood Robinson on bass, and Libby Rodenbough on fiddle.
Sharp shared a few words about their unique band name, which is really as odd as you might think.
“We get asked a lot where our name comes from. Mipso. It sounds made up to a lot of people, I guess. You know initially it was Mipso Trio – before we added Libby as a full time member – but we transitioned to just Mipso a few years back. Anyway, it’s actually the name of this Japanese refrigerator company from the 1950’s that we were all obsessed with in college. Just classic fridge design. Sleek and sexy. And we hear it kept your stuff cold.”
Mipso is a young string band who met during their time as students at the University of North Carolina in 2010. They continue to perform and record in the Triangle area, with their own original style of contemporary folk and bluegrass music.
At the start, they were a trio, with Jacob Sharp on mandolin, Wood Robinson on bass, and Joseph Terrell on guitar. Libby Rodenbough has more recently joined them on fiddle, and now they are four.
With a sound somewhere between Paul Simon and Nickel Creek, they have generated a passionate following in their part of North Carolina. They have a new album due for release soon, and hope to capture a wider audience when it hits.
To tease the upcoming project, Mipso got together in a small theater to shoot a number of video performances of material from the record. Here is When I’m Gone.
