Reblogged from rainysolitude
Gramble On
Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers
“Figure You Out” - Nicki Bluhm
“Nicki Bluhm is an artist that has become an Internet phenomenon with her “Van Sessions” cover songs used to pass the time while on the road. It was a brilliant idea, but on Thursday she showed she was more than that. She performed songs from her debut album, Toby’s Song, and her sophomore effort, Driftwood, (set to be re-released in July) and the Gramblers, her backing band, were so in sync with her that you’d think they’d been together for 10 years instead of the measly three they’ve been…
…In the world of Nicki Bluhm, things are going nowhere but up. Internet phenom, be damned, this is an musician that conjures up images of artists with staying power, star power and the ability to turn an otherwise indifferent audience into a whooping, hollering group of maniacs. What she does is remove any suspicion that she is a gimmick. What Nicki Bluhm does is capture the hearts and souls of people who have long forgotten they had such things.”
From: http://bestnewbands.com/reviews/item/2406-nicki-bluhm-puts-a-spell-on-san-francisco
Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers - “I’m Your Woman” (by nbluhm)
Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers performing a song from the album ‘Toby’s Song’ at The Independent in San Francisco, CA on May 17th, 2012.
http://www.nickibluhm.com
New Van Session!!
…Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers are sharing dates with the BoDeans and their new member, Warren Hood - the fiddle/violin virtuoso from Austin who’s also the son of the late Champ Hood of Austin’s legendary Uncle Walt’s Band…
…So I’m pouting as I write this… selfishly upset that I can’t catch this all live, but really excited for those of you who can. The Bodeans and the Gramblers are sharing dates throughout California and from Oregon to Washington to Idaho. All tourdates for both bands can be found on their sites, www.bodeans.com/tour-dates and www.nickibluhm.com/tour, but below are the dates and locations they share.
Do yourself a favor and catch at least one of these dates and please, please, please try to catch a video clip or two for me!!!
5/16/12
THE TROUBADOUR
LOS ANGELES, CA
5/17/12
THE INDEPENDENT
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
5/18/12
MYSTIC THEATER
PETALUMA, CA
5/19/12
CRYSTAL BAY CLUB
CRYSTAL BAY, CA
5/20/12
HUMBOLDT BREWS
ARCATA, CA
5/22/12
ALADDIN THEATER
PORTLAND, OR
5/23/12 and 5/24/12
TRIPLE DOOR
SEATTLE, WA
5/25/12
PANIDA THEATER
SANDPOINT, ID
The first time I heard Buddy Holly’s “Everyday” was as I watched Gordie Lachamp, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio trek along a set of train tracks in Stand By Me, the film adaptation of Stephen King’s novella The Body.
This is Nicki Bluhm covering the Buddy Holly track in her tour van.
My first memory of hearing this song, too! Totally memorable, and worth a reblog!
One of my absolute favorite tunes, as well! Love reading things like this from new fans!
Nicki Bluhm - “Carousel”
From the album Driftwood (2011)
One of the reasons I am so in love with music is because it seems to be drawn from a bottomless well; just when it feels like I’ve heard all the sounds I’m ever going to dig, something new and unexpected will inevitably come out of nowhere, grab my attention, and become a new part of my rotation. In a matter of seconds, a song that I’d never heard of before suddenly becomes something that I can’t imagine having ever not existed. It’s pretty amazing how something so simple like that can lift my mood, perk me up, keep me going, and so on and so forth. I think it’s that way for so many music fanatics, actually.
So a hat tip to one of those fellow fanatics (thanks, buddy) for recently hipping me to Nicki Bluhm. Bluhm apparently has been a fixture on the West Coast music scene for the past few years, working the same crowds as Derek Trucks, the Black Crowes, and some of the jam band crowd. In more recent months, though, Bluhm has made some waves by posting a series of delightful Youtube clips of her and her band covering some of their favorite singalongs. The catch? The clips have all been filmed on an iPhone while the band has been en route from gig to gig, filmed in their touring van. It’s smart, simple, charming, and brilliant marketing for up-and-comers who are looking to pull some ears and eyeballs their way. It’s certainly worked on me, and it got me curious about Bluhm’s original material.
That led me to check out her 2011 disc, Driftwood. I must admit that this disc is a bit of a grower, and they’ve put the absolute best cut right up front and center. “Carousel” is a fantastic slice of countrified AM-70’s style pop, and it’s the kind of song I can imagine a young Linda Rondstadt sinking her teeth into and making a hit 35 years ago. It’s a solidly constructed song, it’s got a laidback, rootsy vibe, and a decent hook, and I’ve been throwing it on every mix I’ve made in the past month or so. I can’t say the rest of the disc lives up to the bar this track sets, but it’s definitely been growing on me. Have a listen and hear from yourself (and then check out those van sessions. It’s all good stuff…!)
