Tag: iron sculpture

Tomb Nelson and the Stillwater Hobos perform “The Hills of Connemara”

Busk-Tomb-2
Tomb Nelson and the Stillwater Hobos, giving the people all the shouty, beardy, suspendery action they can handle.
In yesterday’s post, I mentioned just how excited some folks (mostly my female coworkers at the time of the recording) were about this group of five strapping young men who sing Irish folks songs. Sure, you could say that their brand of shouty, beardy, suspender-clad music is nothing new (Marcus Mumford has been doing it for years), but there’s no getting away from the fact that, on this warm spring day at least, they were causing random passersby to swoon. And even if you’re not the swooning type, there’s still plenty to like. So, just to quench that burning desire for more lads in suspenders belting out classics from the 1800s, here’s Tomb Nelson and the Stillwater Hobos performing that classic tune about Irish moonshine, “The Hills of Connemara,” near the Iron sculpture in downtown Asheville. Continue reading Tomb Nelson and the Stillwater Hobos perform “The Hills of Connemara”

Tomb Nelson and the Stillwater Hobos perform a spirited medley

Busk-TombNelson-2
Tomb Nelson and the Stillwater Hobos in the act of stopping ladies in their tracks.
I have rarely seen any group of buskers command quite the level of instant attention that Texas-based Tomb Nelson and the Stillwater Hobos did on this sunny May afternoon. The five-member version of the band had been playing their boisterous music for the better part of an hour by the time I was able to get down to the street and record them. They were already quite warmed up, and decided to perform this ambitious medley of the traditional tines “I’ll Tell Me Ma” and “Oh, You New York Girls (Can’t You Dance the Polka?)” Continue reading Tomb Nelson and the Stillwater Hobos perform a spirited medley

Alex Travers shares a little rainy day Bach

Busk-AlexTravers-2
Alex Travers thinks out of the Bachs.
During a rainy day in Asheville, NC, Boone-based busker Alex Travers performs the first movement of J.S. Bach’s Partita No.3 for Solo Violin in E major. Travers was originally planning on performing in front of that ever-popular downtown busking spot, the giant Iron Sculpture near the Miles Building, but the constant drizzle moved him under the eave of a nearby store. Tips were understandably poor, and he started to moved on after only a few minutes of playing. Thankfully, I ran into him before he did, and managed to convince him to play a few more tunes for the Busk Break project. Continue reading Alex Travers shares a little rainy day Bach

Abby the Spoon Lady and Banjo Ben perform “Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss”

Banjo Ben and Abby the Spoon Lady
Banjo Ben and Abby the Spoon Lady, enjoying the busking life in Asheville, NC.
Here’s an experiment: Take two standard metal soup spoons. Turn them so that the curved bottoms are facing each other, and place them between your fingers like chopsticks. Now, try to clack them in time with any moderately paced song. It should take you about 45 seconds to begin to appreciate just how good Abby the Spoon Lady is at her profession, and you haven’t even done any of the hard stuff yet. Continue reading Abby the Spoon Lady and Banjo Ben perform “Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss”

Abby the Spoon Lady and Ben Shirley perform “Li’l Liza Jane”

Banjo Ben and Abby the Spoon Lady
Banjo Ben and Abby the Spoon Lady playing in downtown Asheville.
This video of traveling buskers Abby the Spoon Lady (one of the few professional musical spoon players in the country) and Ben Shirley is arguably the most popular thing ever filmed for Busk Break. It’s not because they’re playing some ironic cover of an ’90s hit or something. (Unless you mean 1890s, perhaps.) It’s because they’re both stunningly talented. Or, if you want believe Abby’s take, it’s like 35 people watching the video 1,000 times each to learn how to play the spoons. Continue reading Abby the Spoon Lady and Ben Shirley perform “Li’l Liza Jane”

Caster covers “I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)”

Busk-Caster-2011
Caster performs in front of the Iron Sculpture in downtown Asheville, NC.
If there’s any song that provokes a completely surprised, totally unguarded smile, it’s the “I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)” from the 1967 Disney film The Jungle Book. Add a banjo, a kazoo and a young busker just finding his voice, and you have a very light-hearted busking moment on the streets of Asheville. And, more than that, it’s an early glimpse at a performer who was slowly coming into his own. Continue reading Caster covers “I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)”

Will and Clarence cover “Who Gonna Love You Tonight?”

Busk-Will-Clarence
Clarence and Will taking a smoke break before playing.
There’s something to be said for anyone in the modern era attempting to play a credible version of any Sam Chatmon song. In the wrong hands, his done-wrong Delta blues can come across as cartoonish rather than heartfelt. But even though they’re about 100 years younger than Chatmon, Clarence and Will surprised me with this version of “Who Gonna Love You Tonight.”

I was walking back from filming the Asheville Holiday Parade on a surprisingly warm November day, when I saw two guys setting up in front of the Iron Sculpture. Both were dressed as if it was a good ten degrees cooler than it was, and putting on a great show of being barely interested in the tip-bearing crowd passing by. They’d clearly spend some time developing their old-time musician personas, from Dust Bowl-hinting clothing to their practiced, skeptically detatched drawls. Continue reading Will and Clarence cover “Who Gonna Love You Tonight?”

Anna Trevor puts a cello spin on “Old Joe Clark”

Busk-Anna-Trevor-2010
Anna Trevor performing in downtown Asheville, NC.
“It’s really cold in New Hampshire right now,” Anna Trevor explained with a laugh. I’d asked her why she was performing on the streets of Asheville on this chilly, windy winter day in Asheville. “It’s still a beautiful place, and I love it there, but I also love to play music. It’s hard to play music outside when it’s snowing. So, I’ve been traveling around, trying to get down South … as far South as I can.”

In this video, Anna Trevor performs the traditional mountain ballad “Old Joe Clark.” Continue reading Anna Trevor puts a cello spin on “Old Joe Clark”

Jessica Dennison and her ukulele perform “Grave”

Busk-Break-Jessica-Dennison-2010
Jessica Dennison plays her original tune “Grave” on ukulele in 2010.
In the summer of 2010, New York-based musician Jessica Dennison was passing through Asheville, and decided to give busking a try on our streets. By the time I ran across her, however, the looming clouds and drizzle made it very clear that her next song would be the last in her set. So, armed with her ukulele and charm, she performed her original tune “Grave” for the Busk Break project. Continue reading Jessica Dennison and her ukulele perform “Grave”

Brian McGee and Krum perform “First Kiss”

Brian McGee and Kevin “Krum” Rumley perform “First Kiss” in downtown Asheville.
Shortly before the release of his album The Taking or The Leaving, alt-country and Americana artist Brian McGee spent the the better part of a day busking song from the recording in front of the Iron sculpture in downtown Asheville, NC. He was joined midway through the set by drummer Kevin “Krum” Rumley, whose unique talents include the ability to seamlessly keep time while puffing away on a cigarette. Continue reading Brian McGee and Krum perform “First Kiss”