So, we're playing a show this Friday, April 18th at the Bull Run in Shirley, Massachusetts with certified bad **** Fred Eaglesmith. We are big fans of Fred and are really excited about this show.

You can find details at:

http://www.bullrunrestaurant.com/

The Bull Run is an old tavern with a 300 seat concert hall, great food and drink, and a wonderful atmoshpere. Doors at 6, the BPU at 8, Fred at 9. Should be a great time.

-chuck

I'm hoping to come across the pond for a few shows this spring or early summer. I need some help with booking. If you think you can help set up a show or two in your area, please give me a shout. I'll probably be coming solo, and will be able to make all my travel and lodging arrangements. I just need some help with the venues. I'd be happy to play a supporting slot for any regionally or nationally established and compatible band. I can give reasonable compensation for your time. I am not locked in on any dates yet, so I'm pretty wide open. Hope to hear from you.

Twang on!
Chuck
the bean pickers union

I'm heading down to Nashville next week for the Americana Music Association Conference and Awards show. I'll be there Tuesday, Oct 30th thru Sunday, Nov 4th. Hoping to see some of your beautiful faces. If anyone wants to say hello, or share a beverage, give me a shout!

Twang on!

Chuck

the bean pickers union

The Bean Pickers Union “Potlatch” (Inseam Records 2007)

A dead giveaway

Hands up those outside of North America who know what a ‘potlatch’ is? Not many I’d wager. Fact is this record is something of a potlatch. The actual derivation of the word comes from a Native American custom of throwing a party and giving away or destroying your most valuable possessions in an ostentatious show of superior wealth. What The Bean Pickers Union do here is to treat us to a masterclass of Americana music, a perfect ten tracks long, each one an exemplar of the genre. And to share what they have produced with the rest of us is certainly a potlatch (even if you do have to buy the cd).

In what has become something of a trend of late The Bean Pickers Union are in fact one guy (Chuck Melchin) and a bunch of mates. Melchin writes, produces, sings and plays guitar. The hired hands do drums, bass, piano and other guitary stuff (most notably Eric Lichter). What with most of the workload falling to one guy its his ‘voice’, both metaphorical and literal, that comes to the fore. That voice is mostly reminiscent of Willy Vlautin and his mates with occasional flashes of Neil Young’s mates and the odd hint of a bunch of mates down Laurel Canyon way. Thus ensues dark, growling melancholia, jaunty acousticisms, some picking and a strumming, some organ driven gothic and a bit of ‘tortured artist with guitar’. What more does one need in their Americana? OK in terms of a general audience it might not find that much favour but within the confines of a ‘File Under…’ mentality you could do a lot worse than direct your mates to the Americana/alt.Country section.

Date review added:  Monday, September 03, 2007