There are songs that we know and love without knowing that we know and love them. At the CasHank Hootenanny Jamboree, we endeavour to play and sing as many of these songs as possible. Originally started as “a jam loud and easy enough for everyone to play along and not have to worry about making mistakes”, the CasHank continues it’s stomp-pick-and-holler along to the classics of country music on the first Thursday of every month at Freddy’s Bar on 5th Avenue in Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn. A Best of NYC pick for the Village Voice as well as a New York Magazine Critic’s Pick, The CasHank has been a honky tonk institution in Brooklyn since 2004.  Festivities commence at 9pm on May 2, 2013.

Alex Battles & The Whisky Rebellion, long suspected of making the records skip at everyone’s favorite private waterside honky tonk, will return there and do their best to shake the picnic tables and the concrete. Yea, it is so. At 10pm on May 31, 2013, the dogs upon high will beckon to their owners on Kent Ave. for just one more juicy Milk Bone at the Brooklyn Rod & Gun Club.

Duck! Rod’s got a gun!

The sentinel of Army rations, Mr. Chris Q Murphy, has asked my compliance in a Saturday evening quest for the sexiest can of Pabst. We believe it can be found at Hank’s Saloon, on 3rd Avenue in the Brooklyn section of The Big Apple. More acts TBA. Come back later, baby!

Photo by Stefano Giovannini

We are very, very excited and honored to be playing the opening night of the 5th Brooklyn Folk Festival. We’ll be the penultimate act of the night, following Minnesota’s Cactus Blossoms, and preceding The Brain Cloud! And that’s only half the bill! Kristen Andreassen & Critter Eldridge! Chevron Traktors! Jackson Lynch! Joey Arbata! The whole weekend is great, so look into the three day pass! Get your tickets for the show now.

I’ll be playing solo at Pete’s Candy Store on Tuesday, April 9 at 11pm. Pete’s is a small intimate venue with delicious sandwiches and beer and cocktails. I like playing there and I’m glad to be back. I’m playing after Lily Henly who looks like a real treat. Bring all your friends who don’t gotta wake up early on Wednesday. You’ve got a couple. I know you.

Alex Battles. Photo by Jack Hirschorn.

Down the steps to a basement in the East Village, through thronging crowds of hungry Friday night flesh, grab a drink at the bar and take a left, where the cat collective munches pretzels and applauds string-driven storytelling at The Sugar Mountain Showcase, musician Peter Arvo’s regular showcase of folk music.

10:00 – Eva Salina Primack – Stunning Balkan sounds
10:30 – Alex Battles – like something legends are made of
11:00 – Feral Foster –if musicians were guns he’d be a cannon
11:30 – Peter Arvo and The Hunt – Your host
12:00 – Brian Dolphin – Leads the crowd in ethnic song
12:30 – Morton Millen – Horse-man extraordinaire