Alejandro Escovedo/Kathleen Edwards/Jakob Dylan/What Made Milwaukee Famous

Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA

sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Carrie Rodriguez

The Inn at Penn, Philadelphia, PA

sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

James McMurtry/Bell X1

The Inn at Penn, Philadelphia, PA

sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Ani DiFranco/The Hold Steady/Dr. John

World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA

Newton Faulkner actually was the first artist on the bill, but we arrived late and missed him (I would catch him two weeks later at Bonnaroo). I had dinner with the Irish band Bell X1 and got into a long and winding conversation with their drummer Tim O'Donovan, hence the tardiness.

post continues....

It was the first time I had seen Ani in concert (not counting an in-studio appearance at WYEP in June of '06) since 2003. Frankly, I thought that she had a series of substandard albums and had less interest in seeing her live.

When The Hold Steady took the stage, I was interested to note the striking, albeit not obvious, similarities between the band and Ani DiFranco. Both are rhythm- and lyric-oriented, rather than melody- or hook-driven, and each's lyrics can resemble beat poetry on the page.

Nicole Atkins & The Sea

The Inn at Penn, Philadelphia, PA

Part of the 2008 Non-Commvention.

Ryan Bingham/Hayes Carll

World Cafe Live, Pittsburgh, PA

A lunchtime show, as part of the 2008 Non-Commvention. Listen to both performances here.

Paddy Casey/Astrid Williamson

The Inn at Penn, Philadelphia, PA

A breakfast set, as part of the 2008 Non-Commvention.

Jim White/Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings

World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA

sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Jackie Greene

World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA

A World Cafe taping as part of the 2008 Non-Commvention.

The Watson Twins/Phil Roy

World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA

A lunchtime show, part of the 2008 Non-Commvention.

North Mississippi Allstars

WYEP Community Broadcast Center, Pittsburgh, PA

An in-studio interview and performance from the band.

Hear the whole thing (in RealAudio).

Watch part of it (note: the interview portions were not me; listen at the above audio link for my interview):

Jim White

Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA

sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!