Lost Weekend Hootenanny One Hundred Words at a Time

Last weekend we had the pleasure of catching some great bands playing a day long fest at Lost Weekend Records (one of my all-time favorite places in Columbus). According to Lost Weekend, there are 4 hootenannies a year, and this past Hootenanny was to celebrate the Five Year Anniversary of the shop. The day was started by ThaBombShelter favorite, Seth Pfannenschmidt, followed up by twangy man-with-guitar, Joe Kile and fifteen other bands playing long into the evening. We had to leave at 2:30, but we heard some great tunes and I stumbled upon a pristine copy of "2525 (Exordium & Terminus)". [100 words]

Seth was joined by Elizabeth Palmer (sister of Megan) on violin and Brian on guitar. The additional instruments did wonderful things for his sound, rounding it out and adding a dimension I hadn't realized was missing. The difference was most noticeable on songs that I had heard before with just Seth and his guitar. "The Ballad of John Henry" was incredibly fun with the violin, and "Greyhound Dog" became a tender, blues-y, bluegrass-y romp. The solos and chemistry spoke to the virtuosity and talent of each musician, belying the fact that they had only played together a few times beforehand. [200 words]

Joe Kile is straight-up, sad-sack country, ala Eef Barzelay and Elvis Perkins. With just his twang and his geetar the twelve or so folks in attendance stood in awe at his meticulous storytelling and songwriting, faces slack in rapt attention. It was pin-drop quiet as he wove tale after tale, a great contrast to the romp of Seth and co. Joe showed himself to be a consummate performer as he easily bantered with the audience and owner, showcasing the true appeal of the kind of casual atmosphere engendered by the unique venue of the early afternoon at a Hootenanny. [300 words]

Seth told us that we had to stay for Jason Quicksall. At the time I was trying to remember if I had heard him before, and as soon as he started I knew that I had. His tunes ran from dangerously close to Jack Johnson to dangerously close to pop-country. But in the end it was his guitarist, Theo Perry, of The Floorwalkers, that truly saved him; with picking, bending soul, and harmonies straight out of the Temptations catalog. Quicksall could have been just College Campus Acoustic Americana, but Theo lifted him out of the stereotype and into something incredible. [400 words]

"The Ballad of John Henry" Seth and Co. (Live at Lost Weekend)
"Bernadette" Joe Kile (Live at Lost Weekend)
"Heaven to Washington" Jason Quicksall (Live at Lost Weekend)

Seth Pfannenschmidt
Joe Kile
Jason Quicksall