Doors 6:00pm • Music 7:30pm

LOVESICK

Lovesick is an Italian based band formed of Paolo Roberto Pianezza, Francesca Alinovi and Alessandro Cosentino. They are multi-instrumentalists, whose influences are deeply rooted in the American Country, rock'n'roll and western swing music of the 40s and 50s. In addition to their vocal harmonies, Paolo plays electric and acoustic guitar, as well as lap steel, resonator and Dobro guitar. Francesca plays double bass with the addition of a brush pad, a percussion built into the double bass to keep the rhythm with a drum brush. Alessandro plays fiddle and drums.

Lovesick’s songs have been broadcast on radios across Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States and Brazil, steadily increasing the band’s popularity around the world since their since their 2015 formation.

Their live shows are greeted with an affection and warmth that is fully expressed by the sold out signs at every stage of the band’s recent tour that has touched the clubs of large cities such as Rome, Milan, Verona, Treviso and Bologna, their hometown.

Lovesick have played as opening act for Ben Harper, JD McPherson, Zucchero. Toquiño and Edoardo Bennato and they have played big festivals all around Europe, alongside the likes of The Offspring, Social Distortion, Walter Trout, Fu Manchu, and more.

https://lovesick-music.com/

Tickets: $20 and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and tonight at the door

Doors 4pm, Music 8pm

Thrilled to announce the Flying Object April Wednesday Residency!

WANNA BELIEVE WEDNESDAYS

w/ FLYING OBJECT

Live at Abilene Bar and Lounge

April 2025, all 5 Wednesdays

$10 at the door

Music 8-10pm

Special guests and special songs, every Wednesday in April at Abilene.

Flying Object is proud to carry on a now long-standing and more than ever necessary tradition of playing EVERY WEDNESDAY at Rochester's most generation-bending music venue, Abilene Bar & Lounge.

Feeling and healing and the release of Flying Object's debut full length record 'Homesick,' vinyl copies of which will be available up to a month before digital release.

Special guests and special songs, every Wednesday in April at Abilene.

https://www.facebook.com/Mattobriansflyingobject/

Doors 4pm, Music 7:30pm

The 50th Anniversary of Willie Nelson’s monumental album,

“Red Headed Stranger”

Performed by The Mustard Tigers, along with Tyler Westcott, Scott Calpin, and Ryan Roethell

“In 1975, Willie Nelson changed the rules of country music. His lonesome, noir concept album about a wayward preacher was a big and beautiful dream made real by simple and spare music.

Nelson made an album that defied logic, transcended the industry-defined borders separating country from rock’n’roll, jazz, blues, and folk—and it became an artistic and commercial success. Red Headed Stranger remained on the Billboard charts for 120 weeks. It was as if he’d written himself a permission slip for the next four decades of his career. On first listen, one studio head wondered aloud whether it had been recorded in Nelson’s kitchen. It sounds like just Willie and his guitar, another remarked. Waylon Jennings, who was present for the initial listening session, leapt to his feet. “That’s what Willie is all about!” he reportedly hollered.”

The Mustard Tigers

The Mustard Tigers are a high energy honkytonk-country band based out of Naples NY

https://www.facebook.com/themustardtigersroc/

Cover: $10

Doors 4pm, Music 6pm

Four The Byrds

The Byrds had a significant influence on music in the 1960’s. “Four The Byrds” was founded by Paul Carpenter with the specific intent of keeping the early Byrds music alive. The band is comprised of seasoned local musicians, including Paul Carpenter on 12-string Rickenbacker, Dana Gregory on drums, James Via on guitar, and Eric Davidson on bass.

You’re gonna hear a whole lot of The Byrds…as well as some songs from other genres.

Cover: $8 

Doors 7pm, Music 8pm

Peaches & Crime

Peaches & Crime is an all original band out of Binghamton NY specializing in vintage entertainment: Cabaret, Vaudeville, and Burlesque.

The modern audience hungers for spectacle, and Peaches & Crime has come to sate that hunger. Bands are a dime a dozen, musicians three for a penny; the public clamors for performers that enthrall the senses and capture the imagination. For what a ticket or a record costs, people want an experience that only a total performance can deliver. The vaudeville escapades of Peaches & Crime accomplish precisely that by marrying novel original music to inimitable wit and vim.

With Ross on the drums, Gregory Gregorivich Lunin on Bass, Mikey the Fist tickling the ivories and Vitor Vardot on guitar, they build a strong musical foundation upon which the show is built. When not playing the clarinet or other incidental percussion, Young Catherine and Zebby C bring theatricality front and center center with their ring leader, Angie Diamond. Finally, Danny Black acts as Master of Ceremonies with his comic foil, the Professor, ensuring that there is never a dull moment in this diverse cabaret act! On stage, this act never passes up an opportunity for dramatic flourish, comic antics, or sophisticated charm. From murder ballads to torch songs, calypso tunes to drinking songs, no style is unfamiliar to these eclectic entertainers. Colorful costumes, diverse instrumentation and flashy dances make any Peaches & Crime show well worth the cost of admission. Each individuals talents are shown to their finest, and together they wow even the most jaded dance-hall connoisseur.

https://www.peachesandcrime.com/

Katie Haverly

Katie Haverly is a singer-songwriter “alt-rock polymath” who creates a joyous mesh of soulful pop, jazz, folk, and rock in her passionate live performances. Her music pierces the veil between 1960s and 70s Laurel Canyon ingenuity and modern-day indie magic, twisting and turning between Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, and The War on Drugs in equal measure. After living in such diverse locales as Colorado, Chicago, North Carolina, Albany, Tucson, and now Rochester, Katie's music displays a wealth of passion, living and maturity. Her songs map the human heart with an understated, but undeniable intensity topped with Katie's languid, yet fierce vocal ability and an impressive lyrical facility. The listener is immediately drawn in, intrigued by what she has to say:

There are singers, and then there are singers - and Katie Haverly's one of the latter, with one of those spectacularly effortless-sounding voices that reaches all over the scale and explores all manner of sound without ever coming across as forced or strident or technically perfect for technical perfection's sake. You hear the human being when she sings, not the studio or room or microphone that makes her sound so good, as the warmth and intimacy of her voice sucks you into the place where melody is pure and singing is an expression of a soul unbound. - Metroland.

Katie has performed solo and with her previous bands The Aviary and Copper & Congress for the last 20 years, with her most recent album Triangulating Line (2023) garnering international praise:

Soul meets indie pop...catchy melodies, carried by cosmopolitan & world-breaking lyrics, ensnared by soulful and just-right instrumentation and production. — Yagaloo 

Katie has had the honor to share the stage with artists such as Macy Gray, Loudon Wainwright III, Chris Isaak, Jake Shimabukuro, Karla Bonoff and others, and has released

https://www.katiehaverly.com/

Cover: $12

Doors 6pm, Music 7pm…Listening Show

Adeem the Artist

Harvested in the roaming hills of the lower piedmont mountains, Adeem the Artist reimagines the soundscape of the greater American South. In short bursts of literary folk songs that draw inspiration from a full library of greater Roots sounds, Adeem traverses the complexities of political, racial violence and disparate realities with humor and elasticity. 

Frenetic & electrifying; their live performances nest in the intersection of stand-up comedy, social commentary, and well-seasoned country songs that follow the likes of Tyler Childers in expanding the genre. Their thematic albums and confounding one-person-show invite audiences to lead with curiosity, disarm their expectations, and warm up to the dialogue.

https://www.adeemtheartist.com/

Tickets: $15 advance, $20 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 4pm, Music 7pm

Erin & Ross

 Erin Futterer and Ross Falzone have been writing and performing together now for over 6 years.  Their unique yet nostalgic sound reflects their diverse musical backgrounds and experiences: from the conservatory to the street, to the studio. Through their original songs and reimagined versions of standards, the duo seeks to include the audience in the magic and the mystery of the musical experience.

“…It was magic. It was Tin Pan Alley ensconced in velvet. It was a trip to the moon on gossamer wings…I was enchanted, entranced, entertained.” -Frank De Blase, “The F Word”

https://erinandrossmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/newkindofold

Cover: $10

Doors 4pm, Music 5:30pm

Tobey Village House Band

A blend of rock, Motown, funk, blues & pop from the 60's on - songs by The Band, Aretha, SRV, Bonnie Raitt, Peter Gabriel, Steve Miller, Phish, Tom Petty, Ray Charles & many more!!

https://www.facebook.com/tobeyvillagehouseband/

Cover: $5

Doors 4pm, Music 9:15pm

East Esker

East Esker is an experimental indie rock band with influences from the sub genres of alternative, grunge, country and post-punk- a reflection of the diverse musical backgrounds of its members.  The band has spent the last two years hashing out their vision, resulting in a collection of original songs released in October of 2024. The album, “Before The Earth Takes Us In,” focuses on the existential struggles of modern life and the overall experience of the human condition. More recent work from the band expands on these emotions and provides commentary on life in a world of uncertainty. All four members live in the Rochester, NY area and have been involved in the local scene in various capacities.

East Esker is: Chris Engard (lead guitar, vocals), Noah Hodgson (drums), Ryan Johnson (guitar, vocals), and Kyle Kucsmas (bass).

https://www.facebook.com/people/East-Esker/61567183270003/

Cover: $10

Doors 6:30pm, Music 7:30pm

Hypnotic Clambake

It’ll be “like a bar-mitzvah on acid.”

Imagine a world without the accordion. Some of us would love that. Unfortunately, the band we would miss the most would be Rochester’s “Hypnotic Clambake.” Their music has been a welcome part of the Upstate, NY music scene since 1990 and continues to find appreciative audiences throughout New York State and beyond.  Accordionist Maury Rosenberg, originally from Long Beach, NY has performed with Yo Yo Ma, Peter Yarrow and David Lindley. He has made Western and Upstate, NY his stomping grounds for some of his weird, yet entertaining musicial endeavors. Everything from polkas, tangos, zydeco and klezmer music mixed with a twist of lime and an original sound true only to the “Clambake” defines this band’s unique sonic form. 

www.hypnoticclambake.com

Cover: $15

Doors 4pm, Music 7pm

One Killer Rockabilly Double Bill!!!

Featuring…

The Don Diego Trio

The Don Diego Trio rose from the ashes of the band Adels, a neo-rockabilly band founded in 1994 by Diego Geraci. After that group was disbanded, Diego decided to embark on a new solo project in a more traditional country style. Thanks to their collaboration with multiple agents (Surfing Airlines, BWC Music, Billy Booking, 88 Booking) and the band members’ own skill in booking gigs, the group’s horizons expanded beyond the Italian borders to encompass the rest of Europe – and, just a few years later, the United States.

 The sound of the band is focused on Diego's guitar work. He is a a twang fanatic, a master of the telecaster and has a deep knowledge of the “Travis Picking” technique. All these skills literally flow into their show, passing from the classic Bakersfield Country, to the Texas Western Swing, into the traditional rockabilly feel without forgetting the land from where he comes from, the Sicily island (and it means that a lot of “South Italy” flavour is guaranteed during their performances).

In addition to their own shows, the musicians also offer their services as a backing band for other artists, usually Americans, at various festivals. This particular skill has ensured the Don Diego Trio a place at some of the genre’s most important festivals and collaborations with some of the most prominent artists on the scene today.

The Don Diego Trio has been nominated in the category of “Best Rockabilly Band” for three consecutive years at the Ameripolitan Awards (2016, 2017 and 2018) organized by Dale Watson, the American roots-music guru.

https://www.facebook.com/dondiegoproject/

The Lustre Kings

The Lustre Kings boast a devoted international fanbase and continue to perform over 150 dates a year, including regular stops at nightspots, festivals and casinos like Tip Top Deluxe, Skinny Dennis and The Continental Club; Viva Las Vegas, Heritage Folk Festival and the Rockin 50s Fest; and the Potawamoti Hotel. Gamsjager, a Gretsch guitars endorsee who has taught for the National Guitar Workshop, has been a guest at prestigious venues ranging from Kennedy Center (Washington DC) to the Montreal Jazz Fest. Atlanta’s Creative Loafing got it right when they said, The Lustre Kings have a sound so powerful, it leaves listeners hungry for more.”

ttps://www.lustrekings.com/

Tickets: $15 advance, $20 day of show and on sale Friday, January 31 online at https://abilene.showare and at the bar

Doors 4pm, Music 7pm

Organ Fairchild

Hailed as a “fast-rising NY band” by Live For Live Music, and a group that's “making waves in the scene" by JamBase, Organ Fairchild craft their organ-trio-meets-rock-band sound — described as “adventurous, vital and alive” by Glide Magazine — by synthesizing influences ranging from The Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers to The Meters, Steely Dan and Medeski Martin & Wood. And when they're on stage completely captivating an audience without a bass player - and nobody singing - there is no confusing them for any other artist on today's scene

.  https://www.organfairchild.com/

 Desmond Jones

Desmond Jones is an award-winning Michigan-raised jam band with good songs, deft riffs and adventurous jams! Think Zappa meets Weird Al in the middle of a type 2 jam and has a Ween baby. Nine hundred shows in 12 years has made the band tighter than ever, and with 100 original songs under their belt, every set is a unique and fresh surprise for both longtime fans and new listeners. Get ready to dance, laugh and probably cringe.  

https://www.desmondjonesband.com/

Tickets: $15 advance, $20 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 7pm, Music 8pm

David Graham and the Eskimo Brothers

Get ready for…. THE GREATEST HONKY-TONK SHOW IN THE WORLD!

High Energy • Reckless • Manic • American Honky Tonk Show

David Graham and The Eskimo Brothers

For the past 10 years David Graham has performed in America's Honky Tonks and Dives as front man of Nashville based American Roots music Trio the Eskimo Brothers.

This reckless and manic show has been battle tested and polished from over 300 shows a year, both in the honky tonks of Nashville's historic Lower Broadway and and monthly shows in Memphis on Beale St.

https://eskimobrothers.net/

Tickets: $17 advance, $22 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com/ and at the bar

Doors 6pm, Music 7:30pm

Chris Duarte

The Chris Duarte Group emerged on the scene out of Austin, Texas in the early 90’s and gained notoriety after wowing a packed room of industry insiders at the South X Southwest convention. In the wake of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s passing, Duarte quickly gained a National reputation as young man imbued with a playing style comparable at times to the late guitarist. After fielding interest from a number of labels, Duarte signed to Silvertone Records and his debut album “Texas Sugar/Strat Magik” reportedly sold in excess of 100,000 units in the United States, no small feat for a blues/rock guitarist. This coupled with Duarte’s strong commitment to touring, was the impetus for Chris’ winning the “Best New Talent” in Guitar Player’s 1995 Reader’s Poll. He also finished fourth in the magazine’s “Best Blues Guitarist” category that year behind legends Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and B.B. King.

https://duarte.rocks/

Tickets: $20 advance, $25 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com/ and tonight at the door

Doors 6pm, Music 7:30pm

Allume

Miss Tess

hoist upon a rare talent such as hers. This unassuming chanteuse is, as they say in the business, a true “triple threat” – a superb songwriter and adept multi-instrumentalist with an extraordinary voice that can sing the birds from the trees.

Her music takes root and draws from an era when country music, contrary to popular belief, was downright sophisticated, and filled with instrumentalists who were every bit as hip musically as their jazz counterparts – stretching back to a time when Western swing bands and jazz bands played a lot of the same material – albeit with a different accent, informed by their physical location. Location has a lot to do with the new Miss Tess album, but I’ll get to that in a minute. I would like to stress here that Miss Tess is not necessarily a “country” artist per se, although if she were invited to play the Grand Ole Opry, she would not be out of place, and would no doubt be very well received. Country Soul might be a better descriptor if I was forced to label it, but her music also has elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, country blues, rock n’ roll – but never manufactured to re-create a particular sound or era. I’m tempted to call this new Miss Tess album “easy listening” except she’d probably slap me. But damn, it really is so easy to listen to: laid back, soulful, funky, and addictive … much like the place it was recorded in and inspired by.

The new Miss Tess album – Cher Rêve – out Feb 7, 2025 is the product of an on-going love affair with the culturally rich region of South Louisiana known as Acadiana, or more specifically, the magical little city of Lafayette. If New Orleans is the “Big Easy,” then Lafayette is certainly the “Little Easier.” It is hard to describe this sleepy little town unless you’ve been here and experienced its infectious atmosphere for yourself. It may not be for everyone, but if you are of a certain disposition, it could affect you in ways you might not have imagined – it might even change your life.

Thomas Bryan Eaton

Nashville based producer, guitarist, singer, songwriter, pedal steelist, teacher, fun time haver; who spends a lot of time on the road with Miss Tess & the Talkbacks and Western Centuries as well as playing solo and with his band Hobson's Choice.

KC Jones

Music has been a central part of K.C. Jones’ life since birth (her father, highly respected roots musician and songwriter Carl Jones, fondly remembers spotting tiny K.C. asleep in the soft lining of a guitar case while he performed onstage), and she’s a busy lady too!  In addition to being an active member of Louisiana-based Cajun outfits T’Monde and the Grammy-nominated Feufollet, she’s just completed her debut solo album, Queen Of The In Between – and it’s quite something!

https://misstessmusic.com/

https://www.thomasbryaneaton.com/home

https://fliartists.com/artists/k-c-jones/

Tickets: $15 advance, $20 day of show and on sale now at https://abilene.showare and at the bar

Doors 6:30pm, Music 7pm

Years of Hope, Days of Rage: Bob Dylan’s America. A birthday celebration.

Celebrate Bob Dylan's birthday with Kelley's Heroes and special guests in an unforgettable two-set performance! First, immerse yourself in an acoustic 'Hope' set, featuring beloved Dylan classics from his early acoustic period celebrating themes of peace, reason, and social turmoil. Then, brace yourself for an electrifying 'Rage' set, a high-energy, contemporary reimagining of Dylan's legendary 1965 Newport Folk Festival performance along with other rousing songs from that era. Experience the raw power and timeless relevance of Dylan's music, brought to life with passion and intensity. Join Kelley’s Heroes for this eclectic tribute at Abilene Bar and Lounge on 5/31/2025. Doors open at 6:30PM, music starts at 7PM.

Kelley’s Heroes
Rochester, NY's Kelley's Heroes delivers high-energy indie rock, blending original songwriting with a passion for their musical heroes and influences. Their dynamic live shows are a must-see, and they're also known for their popular tribute nights, where they celebrate the iconic sounds that inspired their own music. With their 2024 debut album, 'Who's Gonna Save the World,' under their belts, they're currently putting the finishing touches on a single, Love is Not the End of the Road, to be released on 5/5/25, and also their second album, due out later in 2025. Give them a listen here: https://kelleysheroes.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/KelleysHeroesBand/

Cover: $15 at the door

Doors 4pm, Music 7pm

“Bill Does Bob” - An Evening of Bill Kirchen and Bob Dylan Songs!

Join Bill for a full evening of songs and stories featuring some of Dylan’s 1964 & 1965 Newport sets with favorites from Bill’s own catalog- from the Commander Cody years until now.

Bill Kirchen

Upon tallying how many decades he’s worked as a professional guitar slinger, Telecaster master Bill Kirchen quips, “Well, they don't make 50 years like they used to.” They don’t often make careers like his, either.

From performing with his Who Knows Pickers jug band in Ann Arbor High School’s senior talent show (also on the program: the future Iggy Pop), to birthing the Americana genre with the original “hippie country band,” Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, this affable Austinite has been everywhere, man, flying alongside some of the planet’s coolest cats — including the Jesus of Cool, Nick Lowe, and Lowe’s old protégé, Elvis Costello.

Kirchen has toured the world with Lowe, who produced an album by Kirchen’s post-Airmen band, the Moonlighters, and Costello recruited Kirchen for high-profile gigs like the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival — and even named his festival band after Kirchen’s Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods album. Lowe appears on that 2006 album, and its 2010 follow-up, Word to the Wise, along with Costello, Maria Muldaur, Dan Hicks and other luminaries.

Now those albums, plus Kirchen’s third Proper Records release, 2013’s Seeds and Stems, are being combined with three bonus tracks from Transatlantica, his 2016 project with pub-rock progenitor Austin de Lone, as a two-CD retrospective titled The Proper Years. Waxworks, is a vinyl best-of version of the full collection. 

A well-balanced mix of engaging originals and wonderfully rendered covers, The Proper Years admirably conveys Kirchen’s versatility as a player and singer — one of the first to mash up rockabilly, country, western swing, honky-tonk, jump blues, jazz, boogie-woogie and even the “psychedelic folk rock” he played with the Seventh Seal, the band he formed while attending  the University of Michigan. (MC5 manager/activist John Sinclair got them a dealon the ESP-Disk label, home of Sun Ra, but the band turned it down.)

Somewhere between steering Commander Cody’s “Hot Rod Lincoln” into a top-10 hit and scoring a Grammy nomination for Best Country Instrumental Performance, Kirchen dubbed his sound “dieselbilly,” wrapping his fondness for country’s truck-driving song subgenre (as in big rigs, not pickups), its intersection with the Bakersfield Sound and his own name into one memorable moniker. 

Kirchen’s right-place-at-the-right-time career has put him at the forefront of many musical movements, including outlaw country; Commander Cody’s 1974 album, Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas, recorded at Austin’s legendary Armadillo World Headquarters, made Rolling Stone’s 100 Best Albums of All Time list.  

But whatever label Kirchen’s music wears, it’s always notable for its balance of high-octane energy and deft understatement. There’s no leadfoot excess; Kirchen’s all about finesse — a sensibility absorbed from the symphonies and Broadway musicals his parents loved, along with the orchestral works he played as a school-band trombonist. Through another major influence, Interlochen Center for the Arts summer camp counselor David Siglin (who would go on to run famed Ann Arbor venue the Ark), Kirchen became immersed in folk traditions and learned to love the “big, sonorous tones” of an undistorted guitar.  “I was more interested in sounding like Doc Watson than Eric Clapton,” admits Kirchen, whose main guitar was crafted by Rick Kelly of Carmine Street Guitars from 200-year-old pine floorboards recycled from film director Jim Jarmusch’s loft. 

It’s fitting that this collection begins with his ode to that Telly-modeled “stick of wood” he calls “the bicycle of the electric guitar —the most efficient way to get from point A to point B.” That song also serves as exhibit A in a collection showcasing a central facet of Kirchen’s songwriting: his wit. If there’s a laugh to be reached for — or stooped to —Kirchen’s goin’ for it; you don’t survive years in a band named Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, or drop album titles like Seeds and Stems, without possessing a gleefully subversive, double-entendre-loving funny bone.  “I like music where at least someone onstage is smiling sometimes, fer crissake,” jokes Kirchen, who’s often grinning happily when he’s not busy singing.

But for every injection of humor, there’s an equal dose of heart (and in some cases, heartbreak). And songs like “Tell Me the Reason” or “Get a Little Goner” illustrate another truism: Kirchen often sets the saddest or mostbiting lyrics to the jauntiest melodies.  Those two were cowritten by his wife, Louise; “Goner” also features frequent contributor Sarah Brown (coincidentally also raised in Ann Arbor).

Kirchen likes collaborating; on Word to the Wise, a musical reminiscence of sorts, he tapped several favorite artists to join him, carefully selecting or writing songs for each. In the liner notes, he explains, “The criteria we used were that you had to be A) someone I had actually played with, either on stage or record, and B) not dead yet.”  Sadly, Norton Buffalo, who played harmonica with the Airmen and Moonlighters, passed away shortly after recording “Valley of the Moon” — in which Kirchen revisits scenes of his early life with Louise on a trip to attend a funeral (for Hacienda Brother Chris Gaffney, another musical mate). Dan Hicks, who delivered a note-perfect duet on the title tune — written for him —died in 2016. But as of this writing, Lowe, Costello, Maria Muldaur, Paul Carrack, original Asleep at the Wheel vocalist Chris O’Connell) are still very much with us.  

Kirchen’s entertaining liner notes explain his connection to each, tracing many of these relationships directly to longtime collaborator and “mainman” Austin de Lone, who appears on all three solo albums and shares billing on Transatlanticana. Philadelphia-born keyboardist de Lone and his band, Eggs Over Easy, moved to England in 1970, urged by Jimi Hendrix’s manager, Chas Chandler. Their rootsy mix of blues, country and rock caught on — and germinated the pub rock movement, whose acolytes included Brinsley Schwarz, in which Lowe played bass. In 1972, de Lone moved to California, where he met Kirchen. Years later, de Lone wound up joining the Moonlighters and introducing Kirchen to Lowe, who produced the band’s 1983 album, Rush Hour (and introduced Kirchen to Costello). That album was engineered by Paul Riley, who eventually would produce all four of Kirchen’s Proper Records albums. 

A devoted Anglophile, thanks to two aunts who married Brits, Kirchen began recording for the label after owner Malcolm Mills promised, “I'm going to give you the best deal you've had in 25 years.”  He did, too. Mills not only supports Kirchen’s recorded output, he also supports the guitarist on stage, right alongside bassist Riley. “Where else do you get a record company where the owner plays drums, the producer plays bass, and they tour with you?” Kirchen says of his good friends. “They’re the best.”

That’s just another twist in an incredible career trajectory set in motion, according to Kirchen, by two pivotal events: the 1964 and ’65 Newport Folk Festivals. As a high-school kid on a quest to catch Mississippi John Hurt, he thumbed to the first one, then went back the following year — and witnessed Dylan going electric. “That pretty well blew away the competition for what I was going to do before, or if, or when I grew up,” he says of those experiences.

Five years later, he found himself sharing a bill with John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Stevie Wonder, when Commander Cody and the Airmen, who’d formed in Ann Arbor, played a benefit for Sinclair after he got 10 years for two joints. A mere 50 years later, Kirchen’s still having a blast. He’s even planning another tour with Riley and Mills. But releasing this package, he says, “nicely puts a bow on a whole, very enjoyable period of my life.”  

“Not that it's over,” he adds quickly. “I mean, I've got more stuff in the works.” 

Then he cracks, “Don’t tell anybody, but it's not as hard as it looks.”

https://www.billkirchen.com/

Tickets: $30 advance, $35 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Special thanks to Bop Shop Records for all their support. Check out https://bopshop.com/

Doors 4pm, Music 5pm

Mr. Heartache

Mr. Heartache is a five piece band performing a stripped down, straight ahead brand of American roots music fronted by country music archivist Jim Schleich on vocals and acoustic guitar in conjunction with Los Angeles native Roy Berns on electric guitar, Lynn Lindsay on vocals. The backline consists of Scott McNitt on drums and Eric Huppert on the Fender electric bass.

Heavily influenced by the definitive sounds of Southern California country music of times past, Mr. Heartache weaves a tapestry of songs making forays into country blues, western swing, folk inspired ballads and spirited instrumentals that introduce new generations of listeners to classic material , keeping  the honky tonk flame burning brightly.

Serving up Americana from the golden era of country and western.

https://www.facebook.com/MrHeartacheRochester

Cover: $5

Doors 7pm, Music 8:30pm

Rhett Miller (of the Old 97’s) - Acoustic

Texas native Rhett Miller is perhaps best known as the frontman of the Dallas-based alt-country band the Old 97’s, although he has also pursued a critically acclaimed solo career. Formed in 1993, the Old 97’s built a devoted following with their brash blend of country and power pop influences, making a splash with 1995’s Wreck Your Life, which won the group a brief stay on the roster of Elektra Records, a period kicked off with one of their finest hours, 1997’s Too Far to Care. All four members also pursued side projects, but Miller’s solo career captured the most attention, with the literate songwriter training his eye on such subjects as fatherhood, sex, and love. Making his solo bow with 2002’s The Instigator, most of Miller’s solo albums have been dominated by cool, melodic pop tunes with a drier and more confessional bent than his work with the band, though 2012’s The Dreamer explored a middle ground between his pop and alt-country sensibilities, and the 2011 set The Interpreter: Live at Largo revealed he’s a sure hand with other people’s songs.

Strictly speaking, Miller launched his own career before the Old 97’s were formed. He recorded his first solo album, a series of acoustic folk songs entitled Mythologies, in 1989. Future Old 97’s bassist (and a solid songwriter in his own right) Murry Hammond produced the album, and their partnership later blossomed into a full-fledged band. While releasing a string of well-received albums with the Old 97’s, Miller and Hammond also performed together as the Ranchero Brothers, a two-man acoustic duo that was originally launched as a means of testing new music for the Old 97’s in front of a live audience. The Ranchero Brothers developed their own distinct following, although no albums resulted from the project.

Taking time off from the Old 97’s, Miller began recording his first major-label solo effort in February 2002, this time with the help of producer/multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion. The Instigator appeared nearly seven months later, followed by a tour with ex-Crowded House frontman Neil Finn in early 2003. Miller then returned to the studio with the Old 97’s, squashing worried rumors that he planned to halt the band’s career and focus on his solo efforts. He did, however, find time to balance the two projects, and his second solo release, The Believer, was issued by Verve in February 2006.

After returning to the studio with the Old 97’s for 2007’s Blame It on Gravity, Miller continued his juggling act by recording another solo album. The self-titled record appeared in 2009 courtesy of his new label, Shout! Factory. His next two solo albums, 2010’s The Interpreter: Live at Largo and 2012’s The Dreamer, were both released by Miller’s own Maximum Sunshine label. After releasing one of the Old 97’s’ strongest albums in years with 2014’s Most Messed Up, Miller took a new turn in his solo career with 2015’s The Traveler, which featured backing from the band Black Prairie (which includes several members of the Decemberists) and a guest appearance from Peter Buck of R.E.M. Following more recording and touring with the Old 97’s, Miller repaired to Brooklyn, New York, where he cut the 2018 album The Messenger with producer and multi-instrumentalist Sam Cohen, who previously worked with Apollo Sunshine and Yellowbirds. The album was released by ATO Records.

https://www.rhettmiller.com/

Tickets: $35 advance, $40 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 5pm, Music 6:30pm

Amy Lavere & Will Sexton

There’s something uniquely fun about Amy Lavere, even when she’s breaking your heart. She is well known among songwriters and critics alike. NPR’s Robert Siegel says she “specializes in lyrics that are more barbed than her sweet soprano prepares you for.” Her growing catalogue of material and steady critical acclaim suggest a first-tier presence on the Americana and indie-folk/punk circuits. Her latest album is Painting Blue on Nine Mile Records (Glorietta, David Wax Museum, Carson McHone, Patrick Sweany, Greyhounds).
Amy’s live performances are anything but predictable. She might appear on stage with a full band, sporting a mask and pink wig, or simply be a natural in blue jeans and sandals, but her upright bass and clever song delivery are constants. Her voice is at once the bully and the victim. She’s performed in venues as wide-ranging as St. Andrew’s Hall in London and Memphis’ famed dive bar Earnestine and Hazel’s. There’s no room she can’t find an audience in and charm it to pieces.
“Most of my life,” says Will Sexton, “I’ve complicated things musically. But, nowadays, I have a different approach: it’s less cerebral, and more about gut and soul.” It’s been an evolution years in the making for revered guitarist/vocalist Sexton, who launched his career when he still in grade school. Now the towering Texan, and a bit over 50 years of age, brought this new philosophy to bear on his first solo record in a decade, Don’t Walk the Darkness, a 2020 release from Big Legal Mess Records.
Along with older brother Charlie, the San Antonio-born Sexton was a musical prodigy who eventually moved to Austin, coming of age in the city’s hothouse environment. Playing with iconic Lone Star figures such as Doug Sahm, Joe Ely, Roky Erickson and Stevie Ray Vaughan, he scored a major label deal while still in his teens fronting Will and the Kill.
Over the past three decades, Sexton has grown into a skilled musical polymath: an esteemed writer, producer, session player and solo artist with a string of acclaimed LPs to his credit.

https://www.amylavere.com/
http://www.willsexton.com/

Tickets: $15 advance, $20 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com/ and at the bar

Doors 6pm, Music 7pm

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters

The music of Asheville, North Carolina based outfit Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters is nuanced, bringing insight and wit to the stories Platt tells through songwriting. Lyrically driven, the band’s country roots music often inspires introspection, whether it be about life on the road, heartache or hope.

There is an empathetic and charming wit ingrained in Platt’s songwriting. She has a knack for accessing a deep well of emotion and applying it to her story-telling, whether she is writing from her own experiences or immersing herself into the melody of emotions in another person's life.

Performing along with Platt, The Honeycutters are Matt Smith (pedal steel and electric guitars), Rick Cooper (bass/vocals), Evan Martin (drums/vocals), and Kevin Williams (keys/vocals).

https://www.honeycutters.com/

Tickets: $25 advance, $30 day of show and on sale Friday, January 31 online at https://abilene.showare and at the bar

Doors 4pm, Music 5:30m

Woody Dodge

Sometime in the early 90’s music journalists started to use the label “Americana” for rock bands that incorporated bluegrass and country music into their sound. Before Uncle Tupelo and Wilco became the standard bearers for the genre, Woody Dodge was writing and performing original songs that fuse rock, bluegrass, and American folk styles.

Woody Dodge has five studio recording of original music including Emma’s Dance, nature Is Strange, Humble Me, Better Angels, and 2020’s EP Volume 1.

After a long hiatus, Woody Dodge returns to the stage for this special appearance at their home base venue, Abilene Bar and Lounge.

Woody Dodge is Billy Lambert-guitar and vocals, Jon Gary-bass, Mark Wilcove-guitar, and Sean Sullivan-drums.

https://woodydodge.com

Cover: $5

Doors 7pm, Music 7:30pm

Stage Fright - A Tribute to The Band

“I would choose a Stage Fright experience every time! What an unexpected, hardworking, committed and heartfelt performance by every single, super talented and LOCAL SF member and friend! I never stopped smiling, moving or finding myself happily surprised the entire night…As anyone who has made music knows...the best music is often never heard. SO glad I heard Stage Fright.”– Antonio Vigliotti

Founded in 2015, Stage Fright is a tribute to the one and only Canadian/American roots rock phenomenon, The Band. Recognized as the premier The Band tribute in the greater Finger Lakes and Twin Tiers region, Stage Fright brings the same spirited energy and powerful group vocals to their performances that the musicians of The Band captured when their greatest songs were originally written and recorded. Stage Fright focuses on the music of The Big Pink era, playing classics such as “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and “Up on Cripple Creek” with a fresh vitality that invites the audience to sing-along and become a part of the show. They also showcase deep cuts, such as “Look Out Cleveland,” “Tears of Rage” and “Jemima Surrender” with a sincerity that brings a new appreciation to the incredible music of The Band.

Stage Fright’s annual sell out performance of The Last Waltz at the Deane Center features acclaimed musicians from NY and PA, joining the band in a passionate and joyful celebration of one of the greatest rock concerts of all time.

Stage Fright is comprised of the members of YETSU, whose organic roots rock sound has helped define the summer sound on the finger lakes for the past several years.

Sean Monroe of Big Flats NY (Bass and Vocals) pitched the idea for a Band tribute. Monroe was a founding member of the well-known original classic rock band Brainbell Janglers and covers guitar/mandolin/vocals with the acoustic cover band Vinyl Roots.

Joe Callahan of Wellsboro PA (Guitar and Vocals) Callahan is also the main singer/songwriter for the popular Finger Lakes Americana folk band House of Sterling, and acoustic guitarist/vocalist with Vinyl Roots.

Mike Nickerson of Corning NY (Drums, Accordion, and Vocals) Nickerson is an in-demand drummer that plays with a variety of regional bands and also drummer for the Grateful Dead tribute band Planet Jr.

Mike Watkins of Addison NY (Keyboards and Vocals) Watkins also covers keyboard and vocals with Planet Jr. and singer/songwriter/guitarist/fiddler in the Americana folk group, Green Holler.

Joe Narde of Corning NY (Percussion): As well as playing with Monroe and Callahan in Vinyl Roots, Joe was the original drummer with Brainbell Janglers. Narde also DJs The Sunday Drive show on Deep Nuggets internet radio.

https://www.facebook.com/StageFrightTheBand/

Cover: $15 at the Door

Doors 2pm, Music 3pm

CC & The Boys

CC & The Boys are a Pro Country/Southern Rock Party Band., doing ALL the hits and sing-along party favorites. You’ve seen them performing across the country in some of country music’s biggest venues...but on this Sunday afternoon, the party will be on Abilene’s patio!!

If you’re a fan of David Graham & the Eskimo Brothers, Classic Country, Rockin’ Country..and More, ya gotta be at 153 Liberty Pole Way in Rochester!

Looking for a good time, Look no further. Lets Boot, Scoot and Boogie.

Ps. This band features an old, old friend of Abilene’s, Amos Rose. You won’t wanna miss them.

https://ccandtheboys.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ccandtheboys

Cover: $10 at the Door

Doors 4pm, Music 5:30pm

Cultivator

With their new double CD release, “ Another day in the country”, Cultivator brings their rocking Americana show to Rochester’s favorite music mecca, Abeline, for a mix of original country-esc tunes with themes that range from loving the smell of your tractor to current social commentary. Deadheads love the unscripted improv as well as the story telling yarns. Singer songwriter Bob Bunce leads the band with his beat supporting bass work and is the main vocalist. Rochester favorite Herb Heins weaving guitar work and pro percussionist Jim Patric are the backbone of the lively sets.

https://bobbunce.com/

Cover: $5

Doors 4pm, Music 7:30pm

Ben de la Cour

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”  
– Carl Jung

With songs that explore life’s murky corners and shadowy characters, Ben de la Cour’s music occupies the intersection between gothic Americana and dark, gritty folk. In a genre that has become increasingly polished and pop-friendly throughout the 21st century, Ben’s stark tales of heartbreak, supernatural menace, and the ever-present specter of death harken back to folk’s roots, making him a modern torchbearer of a classic sound.

The result is a haunting, harrowingly personal version of folk music that has earned high praise from outlets like American Songwriter, Maximum Volume and NPR as well as a 2023 Grammy Award nod. Ben was named a Kerrville New Folk Winner shortly after the 2016 release of Midnight in Havana and began maintaining a regular presence on the road, playing more than 100 shows a year.
Ben’s is a sound fueled by the stories and struggles of its creator, a lifelong searcher who’s never been afraid to shine a light on his own demons.

“Folk music has a long tradition of darkness,” he explains, “and darkness is something I know a little bit about.”

That darkness takes on new dimensions with his fifth record, Sweet Anhedonia, a gripping collection of Americanoir soundscapes haunted by crooked folk ballads, scorched-earth heartland rockers and even the occasional ode to love, hope and redemption. Bouncing between first-person narratives and sharply-written character studies, these songs radiate a bruised, battered energy, with Ben delivering each one in a voice that’s textured by years of hard touring and even harder living.

Sweet Anhedonia makes room for acoustic fingerpicking, electric amplification and a host of bizarre and evocative soundscapes, casting Ben de la Cour’s stories against backdrops of sinister roots music (“Appalachian Book of the Dead”), Springsteen-sized heartland rock (“Suicide of Town”), moody minimalism (“Maricopa County”), and orchestral, cinematic bombast (“Shine on the Highway”). With “Numbers Game,” a song that weighs the resilience of the human spirit against the gravity of human suffering, he even writes from a female’s perspective, duetting with fellow East Nashville resident and close friend Becky Warren over arpeggiated guitar and bowed fiddle. Like all of Sweet Anhedonia, the song’s textures are rough-edged and lovingly pockmarked, emphasizing authentic performances over well-scrubbed perfection. It’s a setting that suits Ben’s writing well, with the songwriter subtly nodding to his influences — including Townes Van Zandt, Nick Cave, and authors Raymond Carver and Toni Morrison — while creating something starkly singular.

Ben recorded the album with Jim White, a cult folksinger celebrated for his own Southern gothic sound. “Jim’s album Wrong-Eyed Jesus! helped me through a truly terrible time in my life,” he says. “I’ve always been such a big fan of his music, so I tracked him down and basically camped outside his house until he finally agreed to produce my record. I think he did it so I’d leave him alone, but the joke’s on him because now he’s never going to be able to get rid of me. We worked together in Athens and Nashville, taking alternative approaches to my songs by building soundscapes and percussive patterns. The goal was to make an art record — something that felt small. But somehow, everything kept expanding and becoming more twisted as we went along, and here we are. I think Jim refers to these things as ‘psychic bonsai.'”

Albums like Ben’s 2012 debut, Ghost Light and 2018‘s career-shifting The High Cost of Living Strange not only chronicled de la Cour’s deep sense of restlessness but also his various attempts to wrestle his own vices into submission.

In 2020 Ben released Shadow Land, his first album to be recorded since completing a stint in rehab. Despite his continuing struggles with the internal forces waging a war within his head, Ben’s stays in various institutions didn’t just bring clarity to his life; they added new perspectives to his music, too. The experiences made him increasingly empathetic to other people’s struggles, and that awareness shines on Sweet Anhedonia’s sharply-written songs. He doesn’t just sing about this way of life; he lives it too, dedicating his working hours between tours to his job as a clinical associate at a recovery center for teenage boys.

“I have love for all the characters I write about, even the ones who seem to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever,” he explains. “They have redeeming qualities to me. To be a good writer, you have to have empathy, and part of that is resisting the urge to judge or justify the things your characters do. Sometimes you just present your characters and follow them along their path, writing about whatever they’re up to without getting in their way. They’re sensitive and very easily spooked. And I’ve never been shy about presenting unlikable narrators, because that’s subjective anyway. Plus, I think it’s a human thing to root for ‘the bad guy.’ We all want to hold out hope for redemption, right?”

Sweet Anhedonia unfolds like a soundtrack for the resilient, the run-down, and the battle-scarred among us, its various vignettes glued together by a man who’s logged years on a battlefield of his own making. A leading light of folk music’s underground, Ben de la Cour continues to sharpen the blade while charting his own murky path towards redemption.

https://www.bendelacour.com/

Special Low-Dough Show - Ten Bucks at the Door

Door 4pm, Music 5:30pm

Piranha Loco

Piranha Loco members all bring a diverse set of experiences to the band, including international jazz festivals to sold out shows in New York City and throughout the Northeast. The music is considered Americana / a blend of rock, country, jazz , blues and funk.  The songs are originals and covers. The covers are songs from artists such as John Hiatt , Flying Burrito Brothers, James Taylor, Bob Dylan , Grateful Dead, and more..with the originals mostly influenced by the above artists.

The BAND MEMBERS

Gary Spinelli Guitar/vocals. “I was 9 years old on February 9th,1964, sitting in front of a black and white 15 inch TV anxiously waiting to see the first performance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. Two summers and about 100 lawn cuttings later, I had enough money saved up to buy my first guitar and amp. Since then I've had the privilege of playing with a lot of great local musicians and also got to play in a few bands here and there. I took time off for many years to raise a family and now I have been given the opportunity to be part of a great band of fantastic musicians. The best of both worlds. My influences include The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Robben Ford, George Harrison, Lowell George, Derek Trucks, Jeff Beck, Sonny Landreth and many more.”

John Nau Bass / Vocals “My learning curve included time spent with jazz, fusion, country, and rock groups, most notably with Tom Passamonte in” Malibu” and with my bandmates Doug and Dave in “Rockforce/Curfew”. When my two beautiful daughters entered my life, I changed hats for awhile and played in a number of party/wedding groups. As my girls hit high school age, I was again able to return to more creative pursuits, performing with jam band “Jupiter 4H Project”, a number of classic rock bands, alt country band “Carol and the Impalas”, R&B group “The Scoundrels”, and girl pop group, “Left On Red”, with whom I did some short tours.”

Van Sanzotta Drums “On my eleventh Birthday I got my first full drum set, began practicing and never looked back. I joined one band after another and another… Road Work, The Starlords, Kelly Roberts, Platinum, Westside Drive, Doc Kavanagh, Full House, Scarecrow, The Tweeners, Betty Mangold, Freight Train, Cosmic Debris, Debbie Kendrick, Cactus Soul, The Jerks, Black Caddy Band and The Tom Cats. Along the way I worked with some very talented and inspiring drummers in the area that helped me develop my skills and push me to the next level. After its all said and done, it all boils down to feeding this passion that I have for making good music with good friends, and making it sound as good as we possibly can.”

Scott Schipper Guitar / vocals Scott like many others were influenced by the Beatles first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. He was so impressed he started bugging his parents for a guitar the day afterwards.. that didn’t work so he bought an old arch top guitar off of a friend for five dollars , it only had three strings to start out with . He played in a couple of high school bands and took some time off to raise a family, started to do some recording and met some other musicians in the 80s, performed in a band called Willpower then Medicine Man in the early 90s and then joined the Dave Matthews Band tribute, Tripping Billies. After Tripping Billies, Scott formed the original music jam band Jupiter 4H Project. Scott was also in the Americana band, The Angle.

James Ellison Guitar / vocals James came from a musical family, all his siblings were expected to take up an instrument. His interest in guitar was sparked by the British Invasion of the 60’s. The Beatles , Stones, Kinks, and later the Byrds, Dylan, and The Band. Along the way the influence of the old blues music of John Hurt And Blind Blake along with Irish pub music from the Dubliners, Clancy Brothers and Planxty. Starting as a bass guitarist with the Dady Brothers and the Emigrants evolved into guitar accompanist for several of Rochester’s folk musicians . In 1998 he formed the Irish band Wildgeese with Emon McCormack. He went on to play with the Irish band 1916, and the Americana band, The Angle.

https://piranhaloco.com

Cover: $5

Doors 4pm, Music 8pm

​Austin Hollow

Austin Hollow makes their second Abilene appearance, performing songs from their debut release "The Fisherman" along with classic and contemporary selections from the band's influences and heroes.

 Austin Hollow is a four piece Roots-Americana Rock band hailing from Rochester, N.Y. 

 Assembled in 2018, Austin Hollow is led by founder, guitarist, singer, and songwriter Scott Austin.

 Scott's vision of writing and recording guitar driven songs reflecting his love of Americana, Jam, Blue Grass, and Classic Rock has come to fruition in 2023 with their debut full length effort entitled "The Fisherman."

 With a deep passion for real life storytelling, Scott touches on lyrical themes such as dysfunctional human interactions, love/ hate situations, social issues, spiritual strife, and the observations of life's abundant beauty and chaos. Musically, Austin Hollow quickly switches gears between guitar riff driven rock, soft acoustic ballads, soulful blues with hints of improvised jam, and blue grass that pepper the band's smart songwriting.

 The Austin Hollow lineup includes fellow singer, songwriter, and keyboard player Mel Muscarella. Mel's blues and rock influence shine, and her soulful, powerful voice is immediately felt when first heard. With a vocal intensity and passion reminiscent of greats like Janis Joplin and Ann Wilson, Mel's playing and singing provide power and swing to the band's songwriting.

 Jona Chartrand, the former founding member of the prolific Rochester Alt Americana group Hinkley, rounds out Austin Hollow's songwriting and alternative rock leanings both in the studio and live.

https://austinhollow.com/

https://www.facebook.com/austinhollowband/

Cover: $10

Doors 4pm, Music 7:30pm

Delilah Jones

All Dead - All The Time!
Delilah Jones is a high energy improvisational jam band from Rochester NY - playing the music of the Grateful Dead.

Delilah Jones is Jack Moore - Guitar/vocals, Mike Bowers - drums , Jason “Smiley” Engleson - keys/vocals, John Bloom - Guitar/vocals, Joe Worden - Bass/vocals

https://www.facebook.com/DelilahJonesBand

Cover: $10

Doors 4pm, Music 7:30pm

Sarah Borges Band

Feat. Eric Ambel

One way or another, Sarah Borges connects with casual mastery. Whether it’s with the comrades she’s collaborated with over nearly 20 sparkling years of music-making, or the vivid portraits of people’s lives – and occasionally her own – she’s sketched in scores of emotionally resonant songs.  But most of all, Borges has built a loyal following by connecting, through her own charismatic, down-to-earth spirit, with her audience – whether they’re longtime fans from back when she broke through with her terrific “Silver City” debut in 2004, or newcomers just now joining the party.

Fast forward to the early months of 2020, when the life-altering global pandemic hit populations hard. Closer to home, the crisis not only suddenly, jarringly halted performers touring or playing shows large or small, but also quashed the creative chemistry that comes from musicians getting together and jamming in the same room. As an artist whose lifeblood flowed from these real-life exchanges of camaraderie and community, the Boston-based Borges was faced with perhaps the most daunting question of her professional career: How to connect and continue as a vital and viable working artist amid a frightfully uncertain future fraught with unknowns.

That’s where the aptly named brand new album, “Together Alone,” comes in. In a true-life twist on the old saying, “when life gives you lemons …”, a homebound Borges did the one thing she knew how to do better than almost anything else. She picked up her guitar and started writing songs such as “Wasting My Time,” which serves as a thematic linchpin of sorts for the new album. Set to a measured, ruminative gait and carried on dark currents of electric guitar and Hammond organ, the lyrics feel like a gathering storm.  “It’s been awhile now since I’ve seen my friends / Don’t know when I’m gonna see ‘em again,” Borges sings with the kind of pensive ache her twang and torch-lit voice was born for. “Without them around / It’s harder to pretend that I know where I’m going.” With the new normal being an isolating life in lockdown limbo, the song seems to wonder whether time, in this context, is actually wasting us, rather than the other way around.

It was, for Borges, a scary proposition. But the solitary confinement that necessitated writing alone also felt liberating.  “I think my self-editing tool is always fierce, and it’s what prevents me from being more prolific,” Sarah says. “I feel like I’m always writing in blood, like I have to stick to what I wrote the first time. But when you’re home alone, and it’s a pandemic, and you don’t know if anyone will ever even hear the songs, all bets are off. You can write what you want and feel free to cross it out as many times as you want.” Even the job Borges took as an airport courier during the pandemic to keep the bills paid and home hearth burning proved creatively useful. The temporary gig translated into a boisterous new track, namely the lighthearted rave-up, “She’s A Trucker,” based on the multi-Boston Music Award winner’s four-wheeling across state lines, carrying occasionally strange cargo. Recently, “I drove to Albany to deliver an airplane engine piece, and another day it was ocular tissue – totally weird, random stuff,” she says with a laugh. “But all that time, I was thinking about my music. With anything you love to do, you always have to find a way forward if you can.” Besides, she adds, “there aren’t many lady truck driver songs, so I thought I’d try my hand at one.”

Speaking of hands, Sarah received a huge one in the person of her longtime mentor Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, the venerable producer and guitarist who’s played with everyone from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts to Steve Earle and The Dukes. More recently, Ambel’s been Sarah’s band mate and co-conspirator in addition to his usual job running his Cowboy Technical Services Recording Rig studio in Brooklyn, NY.  “Sarah and I had just come back from an incredible musical experience on the ‘Outlaw Country Cruise,’ in February [2020], ” recalls Ambel of the traveling multi-artist, fan-filled  getaway. But as the pandemic permeated life and gigs were canceled, the water-bound jaunt started to feel like it was the last good time anybody was going to have for a very long time. To get a sense of just how good a time was had, check out the rollicking new tribute to the cruise, “You Got Me On The Boat,” a sunny slice of hedonistic escapism co-written with Sarah’s boyfriend, Bottle Rockets bassist Keith Voegele, who contributes bass and vocals across several of the album’s tracks.

That all changed when the state’s powers-that-be locked down the studio. With the pandemic scuttling any chance of  working live at CTS, the two were forced to brainstorm what Ambel amusingly refers to as the “MacGyver Method” of recording songs,  referencing the hit ‘80s TV series. Except that the idea involved a hell of a lot more than a rubber band, stick of gum, and strategically employed paper clip to escape the clutches of the villainous COVID-19.  Here’s how it worked: One by one, Borges would send along her home-recorded guitar and vocal demos – with Sarah singing into her iPhone, and utilizing her clothes closet as a vocal isolation booth – to Ambel’s home recording setup. He’d listen carefully to the rudimentary tracks, and then sort out who in his musical Rolodex might play what, where, when, and how.  The tricky part, Ambel says, was that “I had to think of not only great players, but great players that could do a very good job recording themselves at home.”

Among those ready, willing, and able was Voegele, residing in Springfield, Illinois. Another was Keith Christopher, Ambel’s longtime Yayhoos band mate currently playing bass with Lynyrd Skynyrd, and living in upstate New York. A talented trio of drummers scattered from New York to Nashville also sent in dispatches. To ensure a rapport between far-flung musicians that felt organic, “I got songs to them in a very specific building order. Basically, we all went back to the ‘70s in recording style, working on one song at a time until it was complete. Time and geography didn’t really matter,” says Ambel. “It was exciting to be on the virtual receiving end of all these great songs and performances.” One unforseen benefit to recording remotely? “I’ve gotten a lot more confident playing solo through writing this record,” says Borges. “Because I wrote on acoustic guitar, the songs had to be able to stand on their own enough to make a demo. Plus, my callouses have gotten much better!”

Given the circumstances, it’s all the more remarkable that roughed-up romps like “Lucky Day” (a metaphorical love song about how the search for true romance can prove as elusive as a winning lottery ticket), have the bracing, flesh-and-blood feel of like-minded musicians in sync. The chemistry doesn’t sound remote at all. Paramount to the entire enterprise, of course, were the fresh ideas Borges put to paper and the spirited music she envisioned in the first place. “Sarah’s a fearless writer and performer,” says Ambel, “and she’s a very good musician.”  “It feels like me,” says Borges, who calls making the record nothing short of  “a lifeline.” “The record feels really comfortable, like a second skin already. It’s a good representation of who I am, both musically and personally.”

In fact, contemplative tracks such as “Something To Do” and “13th Floor” are candid reflections that cut to the marrow of who she was, and who she’s always becoming.  “On ‘13th Floor,’ I was thinking about risk,” says Borges, “I’m still trying to sort out what six years alcohol-free means to me, and I still draw on some of those feelings from ‘drunk-town’ for songs. And ‘Something To Do’ – recorded almost entirely during lockdown – harkens back to those days when calling a random number on a bar wall might have seemed like a good idea.” Ironically, to find inspiration for the album’s final song, “Together Alone,” that had no lyrics or music attached to its title, Borges and her band hit the road for a few select, socially distanced dates in the Midwest this autumn. The shows, her first in over a year, proved challenging amid varying statewide vaccine or mask mandates (or lack thereof). But she didn’t return home empty-handed.  

“Together Alone,” written across, and about, dividing distances on the road, is a bittersweet lament of loss, memory, and separation rendered in waltz time. “It’s the little things I’m missing / Now that they’re gone,” Borges muses over a mournful melody. “Lines across faces, and photos from places / Our shadows growing long.”  But as anyone familiar with Sarah’s songs knows, genuinely soulful music that connects with us — and connects us to each other — can simultaneously steal, and heal, hearts. Ultimately, if  “Together Alone” carries any message or lesson, it’s about finding the courage to face the hard times head on and not give in or up. And it’s about caring enough to bring the things that you miss, and that matter, back to life. –Jonathan Perry

https://sarahborges.com/

Tickets: $18 advance, $22 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 7pm, Music 8pm

Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys

Since forming in 1988 in Southern California, Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys have become one of the world’s most beloved Americana/Roots acts, drawing from the deep musical waters that flow just beneath the surface of Rock & Roll’s fertile soil. A childhood passion for Country, Doo-Wop, and Rhythm & Blues 45s led Sandy (born Robert Williams) to pursue a singing career as a teenager, beginning a life in music that continues decades later. And as his personal record collection continues to grow (75,000 and counting), so does the depth of the musical influences that stream through his songwriting and singing style A critically acclaimed tribute to Tex-Mex hero Freddy Fender, released at the beginning of the 2020 lockdown, points the way forward for Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys as they continue on a path of musical growth. After nearly 35 years on the road, and more than two dozen releases to their credit, they remain key figures on the ever-changing Americana circuit, both on record and in live appearances.

https://www.bigsandy.net/

Tickets: $25 advance, $30 day of show and on sale right now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar