American Music Festival; July 3, 2009; Fitzgerald’s Nightclub, Berwyn

It’s hard to picture a more perfect way to spend a summer day than at Fitzgerald’s for their annual American Music Festival. It’s been going on for 29 years and I’ve only made it to a handful of them but I’ve seen some amazing sets from folks like Robbie Fulks, the Drive By Truckers, that band’s Patterson Hood doing a solo set, Freakwater and Dave Alvin who is almost always on hand to sing his “Fourth of July” on the actual day. I first became aware of it because of Jon Dee Graham who, like Marcia Ball and Dave Alvin, plays this event every year.

Since his horrific car accident last July, he hasn’t toured much, in fact I’m not even sure he has left the state of Texas, but it seems nothing can keep him away from his favorite gig. Everyone who saw him that night from the state trooper who found him to the doctors who put him back together claim he shouldn’t still be here. He apparently answered that with a classic Jon Dee statement slated to be the title of his new record, “It’s not as bad as it looks.” I’m guessing it probably was, but that didn’t stop him from getting right back on the horse and he was playing shows only a couple months later, against doctor’s orders of course. It seems he is now convinced that he is invincible, and he’s back to breaking the rules, ignoring smoking bans in every city.

He’s still in a lot of pain, so I’ll forgive him almost anything. It seems one guy in the back of the room didn’t have that forgiveness and kept yelling for Jon Dee to play some music instead of talking. He just shook his head, “that’s a mistake, no one has ever been able to tell me what to do,” he chuckled. Besides, there was still plenty of music in his set, including many of the songs that will be on that new record in addition to some classics that were repeatedly requested. I hadn’t recognized this version of the Fighting Cocks and I made him laugh later by asking him where he got the new cocks. Turns out the drummer had been his back-up to Joey Sheffield for awhile, while the bass player (who didn’t look like trouble but probably still was) used to be in Spoon. The band name has gotten the T-shirt treatment and he showed one off, the front showed a rooster with boxing gloves, while the back has the JonDeeCo motto, “False hope is still hope.”

Everything before that was just a lead up to his set and everything after that a let down. We arrived to another annual guest Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience. The family friendly band always plays early in the day and their sunny music is perfect for an afternoon under the big tent. If you are paying attention you are bound to get some of the Mardi Gras beads that Simien throws out by the fistful. They were followed by Roomful of Blues, an aptly named band that was equally entertaining. Feeling like maybe I was missing something I snuck inside to see what was happening on the second stage. Once my eyes adjusted I found the cutest band ever on stage.

Feufollet hails from Lafayette LA and while none of its members look old enough to drink they were all consummate musicians. The cutest of the cute was lead singer Chris Stafford who plays accordion, guitar and violin and sings in flawless French. Turns out he is all of 21 so that beer was legal (but drummer Michael Stafford is still in high school). When I wasn’t watching Stafford (which wasn’t often), my attention was split between their terrific violinist Chris Segura and the flawlessly beautiful Anna Laura Edmiston. While it certainly wasn’t the type of music I normally listen to, I enjoyed the half set I saw. I was also delighted to hear they would be playing Madison’s Fete de Marquette the next weekend, and I’ll be watching for them in the future.

One old favorite and one new discovery, plus fantastic weather and a host of friends, that’s a good day. Thanks again Fitzgerald’s.

Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience




Roomful of Blues



Feufollet









Pieta Brown


Jon Dee Graham & the Fighting Cocks