Sera Cahoone ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

“Pullman you say? A music destination you say??? Pffft…” Yes, I know you’re trying not to laugh. But Pullman resident, ardent Inland-Northwest music supporter, and the man behind Stereopathic Music Larson Hicks is gunning to make it exactly that. Looking at the lineup he’s confirmed for a weekend in late March for the 1st Annual Birds on a Wire Folk Festival, he looks to be on just the right track. Happening March 26th and 27th and taking place on three stages within walking distance of each other on Pullman’s main street, the festival is an outgrowth of a series of Birds on a Wire shows Hicks did last year with some success, which itself was an product of his need for his underserved area to realize it’s musical potential.

Hicks is not a corporation like Live Nation, just a guy with a dream to make his town as fun as it can be, and on the leading edge of a localism movement that is now even reaching the music business. Small local music festivals used to be cute getaways to take in some folk talent or something specialized like that. Now in many smaller markets it makes sense can put on a music festival that attracts current and in-demand talent. In our area: Birds on a Wire, Doe Bay Fest, Pickathon, Wintergrass (bluegrass and folk). There were a host of other Oregon festivals that many of the biggest local artists made a point of attending in 2009. I don’t doubt by the end of the year the size of that list of festival names will be doubled.

The lineup for Birds on a Wire looks like this so far:

Justin Townes Earle
Damien Jurado
Joe Pug
Rocky Votolato
Horse Feathers
Sera Cahoone
Frontier Ruckus
The Maldives
The Moondoggies
Cataldo
Laura Gibson
Al James (Dolorean)
Super XX Man
Goldfinch
Karli Fairbanks
Pablo Trucker
Mike Kelly
Hueco
Samuel Dickison
Tony Kevin Jr.
Low-Fi
more announced soon…

‘Current’ and ‘Northwest’ are two words that come quickly to mind when looking at this bill, and Hicks says he’s not done announcing national level touring acts yet.

Advanced tickets available via the birdsonawirefest.com site, and are $35, $25 for large groups. Day-of tickets are $45 at the door. Volunteering will get you an even better deal I’d expect. Since Hicks doesn’t a hefty amount of resources to put on this festival, he’s looking to make it happen smoothly and in a cost neutral way with local sponsors and a group of volunteers. He needs everything from sound and stage nerds to assist with shows, to people who are able to ferry bands from the airport day-of. It’s a great opportunity to be involved with a festival that is just getting off the ground.

Facebook: Birds on a Wire Festival on Facebook

Damien Jurado plays the Round at Bumbershoot 2009

Mentioned before on Sound on the Sound, the Round is a gathering of musicians and artists (word, paint and otherwise) from different backgrounds to get on stage, collaborate, meditate, amuse and maybe play a few of each others songs for an evening in the space of Seattle’s Fremont Abbey. Just as an example of the typical pairings, the next edition happening April 14 gathers Jesy Fortino of Tiny Vipers, Grant Olsen of Arthur & Yu, John Van Deusen of about to break band the Lonely Forest, and poet Maya Hersh.

Last year it ventured outside Fremont and had its first Bumbershoot event. This year for SXSW The Round has an Austin edition for the first time and it features songwriters from the Northwest. From PDX are the much buzzed about Laura Gibson as well as Ritchie Young of Loch Lomond, while the Seattle contingent has Kate Tucker who’s in Austin debuting her new project honeydove, poet Ryler Dustin, and Matt Bishop of Hey Marseilles.

The complete details for Austin’s first Round at SXSW are below:

R1.Austin Mar 20
Laura Gibson
Ritchie (Loch Lomond)
Kate Tucker
Ryler Dustin
Matt Bishop
guests
@ Space 12
8-10:30pm

“Spirited” by Laura Gibson in the “Live from the Wreckage” series

… and oh yeah, she’s got a new album out this week called Beasts of Seasons on Portland label HUSH Records. The album features a bevy of guest singers and musicians from the Portland area, among them fellow troubadour Laura Viers and Danny Seim of Menomena and Lackthereof. NPR gave the record top billing last week with a week long listening session calling it “nothing short of a masterpiece,” and in large part I agree. Both her voice and the instrumentation are warm subtle, and it’s a record I can already see myself wanting to listen to again.

MP3: “Spirited” by Laura Gibson from Beasts of Seasons

For a complete look at Ms. Gibson’s jampacked next two months where she will be supporting her album see the tour schedule below the fold. She returns to Seattle next on May 7 at the new Crocodile.

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A smattering of news from around the local music scene …

Sera Cahoone discusses her new Sub Pop record. They refer to the former Carissa’s Weird drummer as “alt-country’s accidental diva,” but from the sound of the interview, she doesn’t seem to be a diva at all. I like her. Pictured above: Sera Cahoone at Neumos on 8/30/07. Picture by me. |kexp blog|

The Stranger profiles new Sub Pop signee’s Fleet Foxes. Whatever you do don’t call them hippies. They hate hippies. |stranger|

Death Cab name their album Narrow Stairs. The Album is out in May.

Colin Meloy to bring Laura Gibson along for the ride on his solo tour. The Decemberists frontman will have the Oregon indie crooner open for his just announced month-long solo tour. This time around, Meloy is offering up a Colin Meloy Sings Sam Cooke EP. Now that is a challenge. They will hit Seattle’s the Showbox on May 2. |pitchfork|