The SOUTHLAND MUSIC LINE BEST OF 2014

[Rambling Steve Gardner]

Top Live Music Experiences 2014 According To:

Stephen Anderson -

1.) The Lone Bellow “Live from T-Bones Records” in Hattiesburg, MS (April 12) * Oh Jeremiah opened for them.
2.) SXSW “South By Southwest” in Austin, TX (March 2014).
(This included: The Jimi Hendrix Tribute with All-Star Lineup – ‘The Doors’ Robby Krieger, Lucinda Williams, ‘Vintage Trouble with Carolyn Wonderland’, Los Lonely Boys, Slash, Rusty Anderson of Paul McCartney’s band and more.  Also at SXSW: Mandolin Orange, Cheers Elephant, Rosco Bandana (in what was one of their best shows), Lincoln Durham and by all means – James McMurtry. *The Tribute to Memphis Soul with another All-Star lineup (including Booker T. Jones, Otis Rush, and more.) was another great part of the entire SXSW experience.
3.) Leland Sklar & Judith Owen at Cafe Istanbul in New Orleans, LA (May 29).
4.) JJ & Mofro at The Bogalusa Blues & Heritage Festival in Bogalusa, LA. (Sept. 26-27).
5.) The Frog Pond Sunday Socials at The Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm in Silverhill, AL
(All the shows attended were spectacular, but a few real standouts: Oct. 26 (Grayson Capps, Corky Hughes, Will Kimbrough, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Jimbo Mathus, Lightnin’ Malcolm & Chris Mule); Nov. 23 (Willie Sugarcapps with guest Lauren Murphy); From earlier in the year the show featuring: Webb Wilder, Grayson Capps, Will Kimbrough, Bill Kirchen, and Corky Hughes.
6.) Acoustic House Party & Traveling Road Show at Birdie’s in Angie, LA (Aug. 2) & a second show at The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center in Ocean Springs, MS (Aug. 15).
7.) Wash Hole Jam in Brewton, AL (Sept. 20) & Magnolia Springs Seafood Celebration in Magnolia Springs, AL (April 12) * both featuring Willie Sugarcapps.
8.) The Mulligan Brothers at Duling Hall in Jackson, MS (Nov. 21).
* Also The Mulligan Brothers’ Gram Rea & Ross Newell at Jack’s by the Tracks at year’s end must be mentioned. (Dec. 23)
9.) The following three must be added due to the amount of good music performed at these venues: Jack’s by the Tracks (From Sugarcane Jane, Fat Man Squeeze to Bronwynne Brent, Blue Mother Tupelo and others make Jack’s a much visited and enjoyed venue. Secondly, Callaghan’s in Mobile, AL (Grayson Capps, Anthony Crawford, Corky Hughes & John Milham closed out the year with one of the best shows over the last 12 months.) And finally, The Shed in Ocean Springs, MS where Andrew Duhon, Jimbo Mathus, Sugarcane Jane, Jimmy Lee Hannaford and a number of others provided many enjoyable nights of music in 2014.
10.) Jason Isbell with special guest Cary Hudson at Brewsky’s in Hattiesburg, MS (Feb. 23).
*Honorable Mentions: Larkin Poe with Rosco Bandana at Terminal West in Atlanta, GA, Keith Sykes at The Mississippi Songwriters Festival, Grayson Capps with Cary Hudson at Government Street Grocery in Ocean Springs, MS. The list could easily go on for several more.

 -----------------------------------------

Top Live Music Experiences of 2014 According to Johnny Cole of The Southland Music Line

The following is a list of memorable shows from 2014. I attended 200+ shows throughout the calendar year and these are some of the best. First – a list of 40, then followed by several others that

could have easily been listed in the list of 40.

1.) The Lone Bellow/Oh Jeremiah Show at T-Bones Records in Hattiesburg, MS (April 12).
2.) Larkin Poe at Stoltz Listening Room of the historic Avalon Theatre in Easton, MD (Nov. 5).
3.) Larkin Poe w/ The Shadowboxers, Lindsay Jarman & Rosco Bandana at Terminal West in Atlanta, GA. This show featured my favorite live music moment when Larkin Poe & The Shadowboxers did a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”. The rehearsal prior to show was equally entertaining (Feb. 15).
4.) Vintage Trouble at SXSW in Austin, TX followed by All-Star Tribute to Jimi Hendrix. The tribute in Austin’s Butler Park featured: Los Lonely Boys, The Doors’ Robby Krieger, Slash, Lucinda Williams, Carolyn Wonderland, Dave & Phil Alvin and more (Mar. 13).
5.) Dave Rawlings Machine at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN (June 27).
6.) Dave & Phil Alvin at Mid-City Lanes Rock n Bowl in New Orleans, LA (Aug. 12).
7.) Paul McCartney at Smoothy King Center in New Orleans, LA (Oct. 11).
8.) Leland Sklar performing with Judith Owen at Istanbul Cafe in New Orleans, LA (May 29).
9.) Grayson Capps, Anthony Crawford, Corky Hughes & John Milham at Callaghan’s in Mobile, AL (Dec. 28).
10.) Willie Sugarcapps at The Frog Pond at Blue Moon in Silverhill, AL (Nov. 23).
11.) Bruce Springsteen in Altanta, GA (April 26).
12.) Sugarcane Jane’s December show at Jack’s by the Tracks in Pascagoula, MS (Dec. 19).
13.) Hard Working Americans with Turbo Fruit at Iron City in Birmingham, AL (July 29).
14.) Rosco Bandana at SXSW ‘Holy Mountain’ in Austin, TX . Also at show Liz Longley, Desert Noises and Mandolin Orange (Mar. 15). 
15.) Grayson Capps & The Stumpknockers at Callaghan’s in Mobile, AL (Jan 26).
16.) The Mulligan Brothers at Duling Hall in Jackson, MS. Oh Jeremiah opened the show (Nov. 21).
17.) Willie Sugarcapps at Wash Hole Jam in Brewton, AL (Sept. 20).
18.) Fleetwood Mac in Atlanta, GA (Dec. 17).
19.) Fleetwood Mac in Houston, TX (Dec. 15).
20.) Larkin Poe CD Release Party Show in Atlanta, GA (Oct. 24).
21.) Magnolia Springs (Magnolia Springs, AL) Seafood Festival featuring Willie Sugarcapps, Delta Reign, HanaLena & more (April 12).
22.) Bruce Hornsby at Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, TN (Oct. 20).
23.) Sugarcane Jane at Flora-Bama *following seeing them at a performance earlier in the day at Legacy’s in Mobile, AL (June 8).
24.) Bronwynne Brent at Jack’s by the Tracks in Pascagoula, MS (May 10).
25.) Tribute to the Memphis Soul: Take Me To The River with an all-star line up at Butler Park in Austin, TX (March 15).
26.) Acoustic House Party & Traveling Road Show at Birdie’s Roadhouse in Angie, LA (Aug. 2).
27.) B.B. King Final Indianola Homecoming Festival in Indianola, MS (May 25).
28.) The Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm: Sunday Social featuring Will Kimbrough, Grayson Capps, Corky Hughes, Jimbo Mathus, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Chris Mule’ and Lightnin’ Malcolm (Oct. 26).
29.) Ben Taylor at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA (April 8).
30.) The Bogalusa Blues & Heritage Festival in Bogalusa, LA w/ JJ Grey Mofro, Ruthie Foster, Mike Zito & The Wheel, Devon Allman, Johnny Sansone and more (Sept. 27).
31.) Ross Newell & Gram Rea Live at Jack’s by the Tracks (Dec. 23).
32.) 30A Songwriters Festival appearing Richard Thompson, Loudon Wainwright III and Ani DeFranco in January of 2014 (Scenic Hwy 30 FL).
33.) Jason Isbell with Cary Hudson at Brewsky’s in Hattiesburg, MS (Jan. 18).
34.) Grayson Capps, Corky Hughes, Anthony & Savana Lee Crawford and John Milham at Callaghan’s following a Summer event at Lap’s on the Causeway (Aug. 24).
35.) Underhill Rose at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA (May show).
36.) The Mulligan Brothers Pre-release Party for “Via Portland” at Joe Jefferson Playhouse in Mobile, AL. Oh Jeremiah opened the show (Dec. 10).
37.) James McMurtry, Lincoln Duhram and others at Showcase show at SXSW (March).
38.) Wilco at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN (Oct. 21).
39.) The Geoff Painter Tribute with Fat Man Squeeze will forever be remembered because Painter meant so much to so many (Oct. 17). 
40.) Billy Joe Shaver and Otis Gibbs at The Shed *Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson) in Maryville, TN (June 15).