roots

Interview: Lauren Calve, DC’s Formidable Americana Artist

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Lauren Calve Brick 2 Credit Shane Gardner
Lauren Calve (Photo by Shane Gardner)

DC Americana and blues artist Lauren Calve releases Wildfire, her new EP, on June 23. She recently released the first single from the album — a song called “Better Angels.” As Lauren has said, she took inspiration for the song from Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural address, which prompted her to reflect on the courage of people today dealing with modern challenges like COVID-19.

And, of course, as everyone has been in a pandemic lockdown, Lauren has been a regular performer in livestream concerts, spreading the word about her new music and finding creative outlets where she can. Parklife DC’s Mickey McCarter recently caught up with Lauren to ask her about getting music out during the lockdown, her approach to unique arrangements in her music, and her spiritual connections to the places that gave birth to roots and Americana.

Visit Lauren Calve’s website to grab her new single!

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Livestream Preview: ARWB @ Rockwood Music Hall (NYC), 3/25-3/28/20

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RedWantingBlue
Eric Hall (left) and Scott Terry (right) of Red Wanting Blue perform on stage at Gypsy Sally’s, May 4, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

Back in December of 2017, Eric Hall and Scott Terry from Red Wanting Blue went out on a two-week experimental tour with close friends, Tim Warren and Eric Donnelly from The Alternate Routes. They called the combined group ARWB and played small venues, crafting the show town to town, singing each other’s songs and sharing stories from their many years of friendship and travel.

Red Wanting Blue will steam the concert film in four parts over four days via YouTube from Wednesday, March 25, through Saturday, March 28.

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Live Review: The Districts @ 9:30 Club — 3/10/20

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The Districts perform at 9:30 Club on March 10, 2020. (Photo by Casey Vock.)

Sometimes an album comes to life when a band needs it most, and the tour to support it is how the group actually reaps the spiritual, and financial, benefits of their work.

The Districts’ latest release — You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere — is said to have almost never happened: the band had nearly exhausted itself after an intense few years on the road and seemed to be searching for direction when founder and head singer Rob Grote isolated himself and put pen to pad to nurture the words that would comprise the newest LP.

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Interview: Kellen Asebroek of Fruition (@ Union Stage, 2/6/20)

Posted on by in Live Review and tagged , , , , , , .

Fruition
Fruition (Photo courtesy IPVR)

Fruition is a Portland, Oregon-based roots rock/Americana quintet whose style incorporates folk, bluegrass, and soul. Formed in 2008, they’ve released three LPs, most recently Watching It All Fall Apart. Their latest releases are a pair of EPs, Wild as the Night and Broken at the Break of Day, which will be released together one one vinyl disc. Fruition plays DC’s Union Stage on Thursday, Feb. 6.

In anticipation of that show, Parklife DC’s Mark Engleson recently interviewed Kellen Asebroek who plays guitar and piano and is one of the band’s three vocalists. Kellen and Mark discussed the band’s latest pair of EPs, their style and influences, and the band’s current tour.

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