Mountain Blog

Irish rockers Bell X1 (above) visited Mountain Stage in May of 2008 (Here's the Playlist). At the time their record "Flock" was just catching on stateside. The band has a new album called "Blue Lights on the Runway" coming out in the states March 3 (it's already out in Ireland).

There are a few subsequent major market tour dates in February and March, but you don't have to wait to get a glimpse of them live. They perform songs from "Flock" on Mountain Stage and you can hear it now (along with the story on how they got their name) on NPR Music.

Or perhaps a modern string quintet playing on bluegrass instruments is more up your alley? Then check out a set by progressive chamber-folk band The Punch Brothers featuring Noam Pikelny, Chris Thile, Greg Garrison, Chris Eldridge and Gabe Witcher (above, Left to Right). You can hear two movements of Thile's daunting 40 minute suite "The Blind Leaving the Blind" duringer their set, captured completely live, RIGHT HERE.

Stay tuned for sets from Prince Edward Islander Brooke Miller, Band of Horses newest member Tyler Ramsey and Irishman Paddy Casey.

(Photos by Brian Blauser)

Thanks to everyone who came out to our sold out show last night at the Cultural Center Theater, and to our wonderful guests The Derek Trucks Band, Lenka, Dr. Dog, Scrapomatic and Jeff Ellis. Here's a review in case you missed it.

If you already have a ticket for February 22, consider yourself lucky because we are indeed sold-out. If any tickets are available last-minute we will put them on sale at 5 pm at the Cultural Center.Be sure to check out the rest of our upcoming shows and grab your tickets now.

Some folks made it out to our post-jam with the Carpentar Ants at the Empty Glass. It seems that a good time was had by all. Above: Mountain Stage host Larry Groce (far right) joins the Ants and members of Lenka's band for a gospel sing-a-long. Below: Kofi Burbridge of the Derek Trucks Band solos while Paul Olsen (seated) of Scrapomatic and Erik Kertes of Lenka's group, joins on bass. Drummer Stella Mozgawa (barely visible) joined in on the fun as well.   

We just added Sonos, an captivating vocal group who has recently covered Radiohead and Fleet Foxes a cappella, to the line-up on April 22. Here's a YouTube video for previewing. Greg Brown, Crooked Fingers and Neko Case will all be joining us. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and here in Charleston at Taylor Books, 226 Capitol Street.

On the radio this coming weekend, most of you will be hearing an encore broadcast featuring Jakob Dylan and the Gold Mountain Rebels (above), along with angelic-voiced Priscilla Ahn, honky-tonk songwriter Hayes Carll, pop-singer Andy Davis and the lovely Krista Detor.

You can get a preview of the show a bit early thanks to our Song of the Week page, a cooperative effort between Mountain Stage and our news department here at WV Public Radio. Each week we'll preview Mountain Stage with one song during our state-wide news program WV Morning with Beth Vorhees. The song is also available all week at the Song of the Week page. This week's preview is Jakob Dylan's haunting, "Will It Grow."

Over at NPR Music we've got fantastic sets from Kathy Mattea, Tim O'Brien, Abigail Washburn & Sparrow Quartet and Tift Merritt (above) just to name a few. Keep scrolling down for more live performances from Nellie McKay, the outrageous 17 Hippies and the everybodyfields .

And finally, if you have six minutes, take the time to check out this news feature by Kristi Fowler & Mona Seghatoleslami on late Charleston jazz singer Ann Baker, who was inducted into the WV Music Hall of Fame this past November.