For some, this weekend is a chance to get an early start on St. Patrick’s Day festivities, er, drinking. For others, it’s a trauma trigger for paraskevidekatriaphobia–the fear of Friday the 13th. But for those looking to eschew shamrocks and other nightmares, there’s a different option. On Friday, March 13, local musicians take the stage at the Southern for a night of melodies, away from the mayhem.
Headlining the show, The Honey Dewdrops–comprised of Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish–is a band with a loyal local following, in part because Parrish grew up in Richmond and Wortman is originally from Charlottesville. “The Virginia landscape and rich music culture are in our blood and each find their way into our songs a lot,” said Parrish.
Together, they craft and perform songs that are simple and unadorned. Both are skilled musicians with great respect for their instruments, including the clawhammer banjo, mandolin and guitar, as well as Wortman’s voice.
Like the landscape of home, travel also inspires the band, as evidenced on the Dewdrops pending release, titled Tangled Country. According to Parrish, the new music “describes psychological landscapes that roll along and unfold in their mysterious ways, and the album is about how we make our way across that territory.” Wortman agrees. “We travel a lot and get inspiration from the towns we visit and from the people we meet there,” she said.
The band’s songs certainly share this sense of road-weary wisdom and dust-speckled charm. Yet, the majority of the new album was actually written, recorded and produced in the band’s new home of Baltimore, making the upcoming show at the Southern a momentary homecoming for the duo. While in town, Wortman and Parrish said they hope to find time to hike the Saunders-Monticello Trail, peruse records at Sidetracks Music and get their Bodo’s fix of Caesar salads and everything bagels.
In addition to revisiting hometown haunts, the Dewdrops are excited about another Charlottesville institution, Erik the Red, who will open the show. “We’ve shared the stage a number of times with Red,” said Parrish. “He’s one of our favorite songwriters.”
Clearly, the feeling is mutual. “I have always enjoyed Kagey and Laura, and last June, they sang at my own wedding,” said Red.
You might know Erik the Red as the solo version of Red & the Romantics, or you might just know him as Erik “Red” Knierim. Here, I’ll just call him Red, foregoing the usual formalities.
Red is welcoming and earnest, and his music follows suit with a casual, thoughtful intimacy. Indeed, he lives simply and exudes sincere joyousness, creating songs that match. “Being a songwriter/performer has been my main occupation for the last few years and it pairs well with the off the grid, homesteading lifestyle I have chosen,” he said. “Though it isn’t always easy, it’s so rewarding. I love to perform solo like this for a listening audience because I feel like it’s my chance to share my songs in the rawest form. It allows for the words to stand alone.”
A listening audience is an important detail here, since Red performs weekly gigs at both The Whiskey Jar (Mondays) and Dürty Nelly’s (Tuesdays), where there are always plenty of distractions in the crowded bars. At Dürty Nelly’s, regulars pack the small bar for their weekly dose of Red’s crooning by the fireplace. Sometimes somber, but often rollicking, Red and his music have a devoted following, full of tapping toes and dancing feet.
His soft-spoken nature belies the depth of his singing voice, which warbles and mushrooms with richness. Occasionally, Red punctuates the billowing, roundness of his vocals with a chirping whistle. When playing with his band, ripples of someone strumming a washboard, the plucking of an upright bass, and swirling accordion melodies are a given.
Woven together, these performances, like his solo sets, evoke another era, a different way of life. And though Red’s songs range in influence from gospel to bluegrass and old-time music, they provide a respite from the tiresome pace of the now, an escape from the churning charts of pop music. This weekend, they also provide a haven from green beer and superstitions.
The Honey Dewdrops perform with Erik The Red on Friday at 8pm at The Southern Café & Music Hall with a special pre-show acoustic set by the Dewdrops in the dining area beginning at 6:45pm. Tangled Country will be available for sale at the show, in advance of its official release on May 8.
What local acts comprise your favorite lineup? Tell us in the comments.
