Today’s photo comes from Flying Dog’s Facebook page and features JJ Grey on the brewery’s front lawn last month. Why? Because it serves as a good reminder that the second installment of Flying Dog’s Summer Sessions concert series takes place this Saturday and features Lucero and Brooks Long and the Mad Dog No Good. There’s still time left to enter our two-ticket giveaway for the weekend’s show, so as they say on late-night infomercials: Act now!
Today’s Video Of The Day? Of course, we’re going with Lucero, who is set to perform at Flying Dog this Saturday as part of their Summer Sessions concert series. The song? “Texas & Tennessee,” as performed by Ben and Rick. Remember, there’s still time snatch up two free tickets to Saturday’s show by entering our contest. Last month’s installment featuring JJ Grey and Mofro sold out, so you don’t want to be one of the people missing out on all the great fun, music and beer that Saturday will surely offer. Don’t forget that you have only two more days to land those tickets, so before you get your Tuesday started, have a look at the video, check out the giveaway, eat a banana, and think about coming to say hello to us on Saturday!
This Saturday is the second of four Summer Sessions concerts that Flying Dog Brewery is hosting here in Frederick, and this time around, the fine people over there are bringing Lucero and Books Long And The Mad Dog No Good to their front lawn. You can buy tickets here if you’d like, though if you’d rather take a shot at winning two freebies, Frederick Playlist is the place to be. How do you enter? Well, as you’ll see below, all you have to do is like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. That’s it. That’s the list. If you do both, you get two entries, and if you have already done either of those things, you’re entitled to an entry, of course – all you have to do is click through the menu in the contest block below, follow the directions, and we’ll hook you right up. The contest ends Thursday and on Friday, we’ll be getting in touch with you, if you happen to be the lucky winner. Now, who says Frederick Playlist doesn’t love you?! WHO, WE ASK?! WHO?!
Anyway, good luck to all, and check back here through the week as we get you ready for Saturday’s fantastically fantastic show. Remember: JJ Grey and Mofro sold the thing out last month. You wouldn’t want to be sitting on the outside looking in, now would you?
As we mentioned yesterday, if you come say hello to us at any of the Flying Dog concerts this summer, you will be all but guaranteed a spot somewhere on this, here, website. Thus after chatting with a member of the Bats Dynamic String Band last Saturday, we present to you a live performance of the group’s “Down In This Place.” You can catch them performing at any of these upcoming events in and around the Frederick area through the summer and judging by our quick talk last weekend, you won’t want to miss these guys if you get a chance to check them out. And just think: All this came from a tiny “Hello!”
All right. So, who was with us this weekend at Flying Dog’s Summer Sessions kick-off featuring JJ Grey and Mofro, as well as Thomas Wynn and The Believers? There were so many noteworthy, awesome-tastically awesome things that went down, so we decided that a good, old-fashioned Five Things was warranted. So, right after you head on over to check out our Twitter and Facebook pages, how about we get to a tiny recap of all the festivities? Sound good? Good.
1. First and foremost, a great, big, giant-sized, sloppy-wet-kiss THANK YOU to all of you who stopped by our table to chat. We have a brand-new shipment of beer koozies on the way (again: So, so, so sorry we ran out before Thomas Wynn even left the stage!), and while the free fans we were handing out might not have seemed practical (or dry; stupid wind blowing over and spilling stupid cups of stupid water), we promise they will come in handy in the coming weeks as the humidity turns up and the outdoors refuses to pay its air-conditioning bill again. We are going to make Frederick a go-to place for live, great original music, gosh darn-it, and simply being afforded the opportunity to get out and explain how much of a music town we truly, really, madly, deeply are at such a great event was a luxury we most certainly did not (and do not) take for granted. So, thank you Flying Dog. And thank you music lovers. From the bottom of our bottomest hearts. OK. The mushy romantic music can cease right … about … now.
2. Boy, do people like their JJ Grey and Mofro. The show sold out on Saturday and you could tell: From the front of the stage, all the way back to the beer truck, the Flying Dog front lawn was packed to the brim with dancers, drinkers, lovers and shakers. At one point, a Mofro die-hard stopped by to wonder aloud why they would play such a small venue because “JJ Grey and Mofro could sell out 50-60,000-seaters down South.” We internally rolled our eyes at the obvious hyperbole, but after digesting the reaction those guys received upon taking the stage, it made that statement seem … well, not so hyperbolic. Between the chanting, the hooting and the hollering, the Flying Dog grounds felt like its own little city, if only for a night.
3. And it wasn’t as though the masses were there only to see the headliner, either. We had the chance to catch up with Thomas Wynn between sets, and he couldn’t have been kinder, thanking us multiple times for the coverage we gave the band in anticipation of the show last week. Then, in a tiny moment of irony, it wasn’t long after our talk that a concertgoer approached us about how he wished Mr. Wynn and his Believers could have extended their set by at least 10 more songs. Indeed, if you got there late, you missed out – those who came early discovered their new favorite band Saturday night. Better yet? It was well-deserved. Super-nice guy. Super-talented group. Super-great set. Super-tired of reading the word “Super,” aren’t you? Me, too.
4. We can’t stress this enough, but again: If you approach us, and you have a band, and you want to get your stuff out there, simply just say the word. Face-Page us. Twitter us. Or, if it comes down to it, say hello at one of these Flying Dog shows this summer and give us a business card. We say that why? Because that’s exactly what someone in Bats Dynamic String Band did on Saturday. We’ll have a video of them tomorrow for our usual Tuesday Video Of The Day feature, but for now, go check them out on Facebook and tell ’em Frederick Playlist sent you!
5. Winner. Winner. Chicken. Dinner. It was an utter delight to meet Ms. Ysela Schwetje, the winner of our ticket giveaway we staged last week! Along with the lovely Clair Mixon, it was great to see the fruits of our contest labor realized in human form. Which leads us to remind you all one more time: We’ll be giving away a pair of tickets for each of the remaining three Flying Dog shows this summer. Be sure to check back before July 19, when Lucero and Brooks Long & The Mad Dog No Good will be taking the stage for the second of Flying Dog’s summer slate. You never know what goodies we may be offering!
All right. The time is upon us, friends. After a week’s worth of hype, JJ Grey and Mofro along with Thomas Wynn and the Believers are coming to town on Saturday. That highlights this week’s weekend guide to music in and around the Frederick area. If you haven’t done it yet, don’t forget that you can still enter to win two free tickets to the show at Flying Dog (we’ll be getting in touch if you happen to be the lucky winner). For those looking to get the weekend started just a little earlier than that, Alive @ Five has some pretty neat ska and reggae going down on the creek as we speak while the sweet bluegrass of ClearSpring will be floating through the air at Beans In The Belfry later on this evening. As for tomorrow night, J.J. Rupp is set to bring the country to Champion Billiards while Paul Ivey is cooking up some acoustic-ness at the Hard Times Cafe. All of that will serve as a great appetizer for Saturday’s main event at Flying Dog Brewery. We’ll be there, so if you see us, drop by and say hello – we’re always looking to make new friends!
THURSDAY
Who: Alive @ Five featuring Evokatones
Where: Carroll Creek
When: 5 p.m.
Who: ClearSpring
Where: Beans In The Belfry
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Jazz Jam
Where: Jekyll & Hyde Restaurant & Tavern
When: 7:30 p.m.
Who: Michael Delalla
Where: The Hill Chapel
When: 7:30 p.m.
Who: Open Mic
Where: Bushwallers
When: Sign-up at 9 p.m., play begins at 10 p.m.
Who: Girls Night Out
Where: Jo Jo’s Tap House
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Chris Compton
Where: The Cellar Door
When: 8 p.m.
FRIDAY
Who: Slimm Hefnah, Tricky Dice, Skylyne Models
Where: Cafe 611
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Michael Scoglio Duo
Where: Bushwallers
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Safe Harbor
Where: Ayse Meze Lounge
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Kabob-O-Taj
Where: The Cellar Door
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Chris Cogott, Dan McGuire
Where: The Bentz Street Raw Bar
When: Cogott, 6 p.m.; McGuire, 9 p.m.
Who: Cumberland Valley Duo
Where: Beans In The Belfry
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Chris Smaha
Where: The Reunion
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Paul Ivey
Where: Hard Times Cafe
When: 9 p.m.
Who: J.J. Rupp
Where: Champion Billiards
When: 9 p.m.
SATURDAY
Who: JJ Grey & Mofro; Thomas Wynn And The Believers
Where: Flying Dog Brewery
When: 6:30 p.m.
Who: Secondhand Ramblers
Where: Jo Jo’s Tap House
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Doe The Beat King, Ari & Aleyna, Scufa, Jnyce, Zay Gunna, Reign Cannons, Chase Paper Music
Where: Cafe 611
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Super Famous
Where: Bushwallers
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Lucy
Where: The Cellar Door
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Chris Cogott
Where: The Bentz Street Raw Bar
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Craggy Island
Where: Beans In The Belfry
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Prophets
Where: Brewer’s Alley
When: 8 p.m.
Who: The Bodine Brothers
Where: The Reunion
When: 8 p.m.
Who: C9
Where: The Main Cup
When: 8:30 p.m.
Who: Liz Springer and the Built 4 Comfort Band
Where: Hard Times Cafe
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Rebel Radio
Where: Champion Billiards
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Everise
Where: Olde Towne Tavern
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Kabob-O-Taj, The Knolly Moles, Plaeground, Dripping Wet, Nicky C and the RSB, Sol Frequency
Where: The Circuit, Essex
When: Noon
As you might have learned by now, Thomas Wynn and the Believers are opening the kick-off to Flying Dog’s Summer Sessions concert series this Saturday when they open for JJ Grey and Mofro. Earlier this week, Wynn, himself, was kind enough to exchange a few emails for a Q&A. And because it was mighty kind of him to do so, we thought it’d be mighty kind of us to let you know what he had to say. So, right after you go enter our contest, giving away two free tickets to the show, how about you cozy up and learn just a tad more about one of the artists set to appear this weekend? Sound good? Good.
You were voted Best Rock Band in Orlando for a handful of years recently. What’s the rock scene in Orlando like? Any great bands we should know about up north?
The rock scene in Orlando is actually pretty diverse and abundant. We have a number of great bands in most genres. We got The Legendary JC’s, Fat Night and The Sh’booms that hold down the soul and Gargamel and Junkie Rush are killer heavy bands. The Supervillains and Paddington Ambush are ska/raggae. The Attack and Flunks are great punk bands. Shak Nasti and Holy Miss Moly are excellent jam and funk outfits while Hannah Harber and Matthew Fowler are wonderful singer songwriters. Honestly, I could keep going and name more and more. Orlando loves live music.
Have you ever been to the Frederick area before? If so, what are your impressions of the DC/Baltimore metro music scene? If not, how much are you looking forward to checking it out?
We’ve been in the area a few times and have always had a lot of fun. We’ve played the Met in Annapolis, and a festival in Baltimore, as well as a cool spot in D.C. that escapes my mind at the moment. We also played on the Mall next to the Lincoln Memorial on July 4th one year. It was really hot, but a lotta fun for sure.
Your show here in Frederick is at the Flying Dog Brewery. Have you had Flying Dog before? Have you heard of it? What are your impressions of it?
Yes, and we are very excited! Very stoked to be playing at a killer venue with one of our favorite bands and a host of delicious brews.
Your sound is very Southern-rock influenced. Who were some of your biggest influences as you were just taking up music?
The Band, forever, will be one of our favorites to be sure. Cowboy, the band my dad helped start and played drums for in the late ’60s. The Beatles, Paul Simon, LittleFeat, Pink Floyd and countless others.
Was there any other plan for you outside of music? Any other career path you would have enjoyed taking?
Well, there still is. I enjoy doing lots of things. I’m thankful that I now get to pursue music, but if I weren’t able to play anymore I know my creative needs would be met in a multitude of other ways. But I guess if I’m honest as a younger man I always thought being a baseball player would be wonderful, too.
What can we expect from the set here in Frederick?
Well, I thinks it’s safe to say y’all will see some bad ass southern soul rock n’ roll.
Check out Thomas Wynn and the Believers when they kick off Flying Dog’s Summer Sessions concert series at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night. For those who might refuse to enter our tiny giveaway, tickets are still available.
Oh, we’re almost there! We’re almost there! JJ Grey and Mofro is set to take the Flying Dog stage Saturday night and today’s Video Of The Day features the band (along with Toots Hibbert, of course) and “The Sweetest Thing.” Because there’s a tiny, tiny chance you might not already know, don’t forget: Our contest, giving away two tickets for Saturday’s show, ends later today. So, if you haven’t taken a moment to follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook, now might be a good time to remedy that. Saturday can’t get here soon enough!
Today’s photo is courtesy of Marc Millman and features JJ Grey and Mofro performing at Irving Plaza in New York. This matters to us because JJ Grey and Mofro are coming to town this Saturday to kick off Flying Dog’s Summer Sessions concert series over at their brewery. This matters to you because you – yes, you! – could check it out for free if you head on over to our giveaway here at Frederick Playlist. The contest ends in about one day and 14 hours (but really: who’s counting?!), and you wouldn’t want to miss out on such a promising chance to experience some pretty great Southern Soul this weekend, now would you? No. No, you wouldn’t.
Sometimes, we like to take a quick moment to ask artists what went into the making of one of their songs. And sometimes, the artists tell us. And sometimes (OK … all the time!) the explanations are fun to read.
Thus, behold Thomas Wynn And The Believers’ “Hold On,” from their album “The Reason.” Above these words, you can find a live performance of the song. Below these words, you can find out what went into the making of it, according to Mr. Thomas Wynn himself. Check it out:
I wrote that song after a pretty tough time in my life. Then in the pre-production of “The Reason,” my friend and the producer of that album, Tony Battaglia, and I reworked some of it, changing some lines here and there, making the whole idea more concise. I liked working that way for that album. Tony is a very seasoned producer and writer, and I am grateful to have worked with him.
And we are grateful that Wynn and his Believers are coming to town this Saturday as part of Flying Dog’s Summer Concert Series. Tickets are still on sale for the event, though on the off chance you haven’t heard it by now – and you’re looking for an alternative way to nab a pair of tickets – we are giving away two freebies on this very website. And after hearing a taste of what Thomas Wynn has to offer … well, why on earth would you want to miss out on any of this?!
