J Roddy Walston And The Business - Self Titled (2010)

Who the hell is J Roddy Walston? I have no idea, but he fucking rocks. The album kicks off with "Don't Break The Needle" and a rolling piano that recalls old time rock n' roll in the vein of Huey Piano Smith or Fats Domino before the guitar plugs in and cranks up a giant amp. And it only gets better from there, as he heads for the hills on "Pigs & Pearls" for a country rocker with a great front porch singalong chorus. "Brave Man's Death" (mp3) starts off with a tinny ice cream truck keyboard before ratcheting it up with scratchy, yearning vocals. "Use Your Language" mixes in some down-home garage blues. Overall, this is a fantastic album of good timing piano-based rock n' roll.

If there album is any indication of their live performance, Walston might just burn Dante's down before the Dirty Dozen Brass Band can take the stage on Sunday night. And if you stick around afterward, it looks like the Sinferno dancers will continue the New Orleans experience. See you there.

Hillstomp @ Mississippi Studios

Hillstomp were pretty bad ass, but the place was already dancing before they even took the stage. The horribly named Yogoman Burning Band were a party band in the best sense, both boisterous and fun. With only two horns, a drummer and a bassist they sounding like a cross between a ska and a New Orleans brass band. The drummer called out to the crowd, keeping everyone bobbing and singing along.

Although I've been enjoying their rugged delta blues since I moved to Portland, this was the first time I've seen Hillstomp. I first heard them playing on the stereo at New Old Lompoc. They had played the night before and the waitress was still riding the concert high. I can see why. Although they had just played a couple weeks before, they packed the house. John Johnson plays a junk contraption that resembles drums, but is mostly made out of 5 gallon buckets and duct tape. Henry Kammerer plays a fantastic slide guitar and banjo. Both of them play all out and the crowd feeds off their intensity. Great show.