Unlike some roots music that lifts its musical spirit from dusty ol’ saloon floors or gravel roads found only in books and movies, Jeff Stuart and The Hearts’ music is bona fide, resting in its natural habitat. They’re not putting on some hillbilly act; they’re using the heart-on-sleeve framework of roots (andindie-pop) music to construct an expansive sonic world built out of the music they love. Stuart writes songs that wouldn’t sound out of place in 1971, at the birth of Big Star and the New York Dolls among the wreckage of the Beatles and Gram Parsons–era Byrds, striving for glory and redemption on the AM dial. Melodies, harmonies, and hooks, hooks, hooks abound.

$10 at the Door.

www.JeffStuart.com

http://www.jeffstuart.com/

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After a three-year hiatus, Calgary's beloved country-blues mutants are getting back together for a tour and they kick it off at the Palomino. Their three CDs have become something of cult favourites among fans of ragged-but-right early country and Delta blues viewed from the perspective of musicians weaned on Beefheart and Waits. Who-da thought? Yes, the fact that we got to see them regularly is one of the few things that makes the world envious of Calgarians. This could be the last time, or it could be the start of something new. Either way, it's an event that will make your Stampede week tolerable.

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Loreena McKennitt makes a long-awaited swing through western Canada this summer. Originally from a small Manitoba town, McKennitt’s first record in 1985 - made to support downtown Toronto busking – took her across the country on the first of dozens of concert tours she’s made since. Succeeding records reflect her world adventures and ongoing search for the roots of Celtic music. Fiercely independent, she has always retained control of her music, record label and active business. Along the way, she has won numerous prizes and awards, including membership in the Order of Canada and has sold 14 million records, written film and television scores and created 3 concert DVDs.

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Ghost on Ghost produced by Beam’s longtime associate Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Califone, Fruit Bats) and follows 2011’s Kiss Each Other Clean, which tour Rolling Stone said of Kiss while Pitchfork 70s—Astral Weeks, Goodbye Yellow Brick For Ghost on record felt like a reward to myself after the way I went about making the last few,” he says.

Helping achieve Beam’s vision was a group of stellar musicians including Rob Burger, Steve Bernstein, Brian Blade, Curtis Fowlkes, Tony Garnier, Marika Hughes, Briggan Kraus, Maxim Moston, Tony Scherr, Doug Wieselman, Kenny Wolleson, and Anja Wood. Burger (Tin Hat Trio) has worked with Beam intermittently through the years and handled arrangements for strings image from the series “Private Views” by noted photographer Barbara Crane.

The first three Iron and Wine albums, released on Sub Pop, were The Creek Drank the Cradle (2002), Our Endless Numbered Days (2004), and The Shepherd’s Dog (2007).

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