Posts by Neil Ferguson

Mike Watt is a workingman’s musician. Since earning a reputation as one of the world’s most talented and creative bass players as a founding member of seminal California punk band the Minutemen, Watt has stayed busy with an overwhelming amount of projects. Whether playing as a member of legendary Detroit rockers the Stooges or composing […]

There’s a reason why Aretha Franklin is referred to as the Queen of Soul. Unlike the pop stars of today, Ms. Franklin doesn’t rely on teams of backup dancers, elaborate stage shows, and outfits better suited for a porn star than a musical performer. And, for the most part, she never has. Her status comes […]

Leftover Salmon have always been the quintessential all-encompassing jam band, and that is meant as a compliment. It is impossible to pin them down to any one genre, and throughout their twenty-four years as a band they have refused to fall into the rut of doing the same thing over and over, or worse, becoming […]

Musicians in the jam band community have a tendency to get pigeonholed by the stereotypes and expectations associated with that style of music. This isn’t always negative, but it can be for a musician looking to grow beyond that community. Every so often an act comes along that manages to gain the respect and admiration […]

If you’re the type of person who lives day in day out with an unquenchable thirst for real rock ‘n’ roll, chances are you’ve heard of the Bottle Rockets. If you haven’t heard of the Bottle Rockets, it’s time to change that, like now. For over twenty years this gang of Missourians has been going […]

Picture a lone figure walking across the desert. Long hair flows from beneath a cowboy hat and a guitar is strapped to his back. The sun sets, casting an ominous, enchanting red glow across the landscape. Though he appears to be wandering aimlessly, there is a sense of purpose in his stride, as if he […]

Anywhere else it might seem strange to watch one of the greatest working rock ‘n’ roll bands play a show to celebrate the anniversary of an artisan hot dog restaurant, but not in Austin. Here in the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World” this type of scenario is rarely a surprise, even when it […]

[rating=8.00] Throughout their twenty year run as a band Spoon has managed to never release a disappointing record. They have also maintained a healthy status as the quintessential hip indie rock band from Austin. The secret to this – if you want to call it a secret – is their ability to play around with […]

Celebrities often use their time and money to pursue various creative endeavors that branch off from what they are known for. This usually results in a self-indulgent romp that ends poorly (Arnold Schwarzenegger anyone?) However, in the case of actor and comedian Steve Martin, who has played the banjo for fifty years, it seems likely […]

The Hard Working Americans most definitely live up to their name, but like all good Americans, they also know how to let loose and have a good time. Consisting of singer-songwriter Todd Snider, Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools, Neal Casal of the Cardinals and Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Chad Staehly of Great American Taxi, and Duane […]

Remember the days when major music festivals weren’t saturated with button pushing EDM artists and rock bands playing authentic musical instruments played all weekend long? Sam Shear does, and with his upcoming Phases of the Moon Festival this young promoter is setting out to provide festival-goers with an experience focused on what he describes as […]

Songwriting and guitar playing were front row center at the Scoot Inn in Austin on Saturday night with a double bill shared by Band of Heathens and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. The show took on added significance given that both acts have roots in the “Live Music Capital of the World”; Band […]

It may come as a surprise to many that it’s taken Jeff Tweedy till 2014 to record a solo record, but evidently the time has come, as  his solo debut Sukierae is due in September. Sharing these new tunes with his legions of ever-loyal Wilco fans is clearly the objective of Tweedy’s current tour, which […]

Three musicians from seemingly different musical backgrounds get together to form a band that’s totally awesome and unlike anything they’ve ever done before. This is the best way to sum up Spanish Gold, the new project featuring My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan, Dante Schwebel of Hacienda and City and Colour, and Adrian Quesada of […]

Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is the living embodiment of New Orleans past and the present. Do enough research or simply chat with any old timer on the street in that city and you’ll quickly come to understand that it is a very different place than it once was. While most of what you hear involving […]

“We’re here for one reason: to rock all your asses!” So shouted the self-proclaimed “Maharaja of Soul,” King Khan himself, who strolled gallantly onto the stage at the Mohawk on Friday night with the kind of radiant aura only found in a truly great showman. Adorned in a shimmering purple shirt and a crown-like hat […]

Every music lover has a soft spot for the almighty supergroup, especially when the musicians involved are highly talented and playing together because they actually want to rather than for the sake of publicity. Such is the case with Spanish Gold, the new trio featuring Dante Schwebel formerly of Texas cult favorites Hacienda and currently […]

We all have that one friend who never lets us down, never stabs us in the back, and is all around reliable and genuine. The jam band equivalent of that friend is moe. For nearly three decades the New York group consisting of bassist Rob Derhak, guitarists Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier, drummer Vinnie Amico, […]

Freak flags flew this past weekend at Austin Psych Fest, an event that has since 2008 grown from humble beginnings in a North Austin barn to a sprawling ranch with multiple stages. While the festival hasn’t reached massive status, it has gained a reputation amongst music nerds and hipsters around the world as the preeminent […]

At this point in time it’s a well-established fact that the city of New Orleans, Louisiana just isn’t like the rest of America, or the whole world for that matter. Like the grid system of the city itself, everything is just slightly off-axis when it comes to the notion of normalcy most people have. Stand […]