BottleRock Napa Valley 2014 Festival Journal, Day 3

Noah Gunderson. (Photo by Bob McClenahan)
Noah Gunderson. (Photo by Bob McClenahan)

After full days Friday and Saturday, you might think I’d have been a little worn out by Day three of BottleRock Napa Valley. Not me: I was ready with bells on, and perched directly in front of the Sprint stage early in the day for Noah Gundersen to kick it all off. His set began with Noah on acoustic guitar, a woman playing the violin, and a drummer. The three sang wonderful harmony, and before long were joined by the electrics: initially a bass and a guitar, but there were some keys mixed in for good measure, too. To top it all off, Gundersen played a bit of the harmonica in places as well. “We’re really trying to kick your Sunday off with a bang,” he said, adding that there were “usually a lot more people in the drinking section.” I noted that this was the first band whose entire discography I wanted to download as soon as I got home. (I haven’t yet, but still intend to.) I don’t know how else to describe their sound but “electric folk,” which is to say that it was like nothing I’d ever heard, and I loved it. Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2014 Festival Journal, Day 3”

Spinning Platters Picks Six: Hidden Music Gems on Youtube

Shhhh.  Don't tell the record label that this video is out there.
Shhhh. Don't tell the record label that this video is out there.

Many an hour in my life has been spent hunting down classic music moments on Youtube.  From live performances that have never been released on home video–only a moment from being removed by a copyright holder–to modern-day music videos, Youtube is a treasure trove of musical moments.  So although I’m picking only six today, you can be sure that I’ll be picking six again.   Here are six Youtube music videos I can watch over and over again, and do. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six: Hidden Music Gems on Youtube”