The Revival Tour CD
From Woody Guthrie to Will Oldham, one of the defining characteristics of the folk movement has been the sense of community it fosters and the ability for musicians to band together toward a common cause, whether it’s racial inequality, government tyranny or unfair labor laws. Back in folk’s nascent era many of these iconoclastic artists didn’t have the opportunity to play traditional venues, so instead they had to put together their own traveling road shows by hitching rides on trains with just the guitars on their backs and playing their music for anybody who would listen. Sadly, an element of this has been lost over the years as traditional tours have been gobbled up by corporate sponsors and greedy promoters looking to maximize their dollar. However that all changed when Chuck Ragan conceptualized the Revival Tour a few years ago.
The idea was simple: Ragan—the frontman for the influential punk act Hot Water Music as well as an accomplished acoustic solo artist in his own right—decided to put calls into his equally reputable friends such as Avail’s Tim Barry, Lucero’s Tim Nichols, Against Me!’s Tom Gabel as well as up-and-coming solo troubadours such as Austin Lucas and Frank Turner in order to reignite this classic folk tradition. Instead of regimented “sets,” each artist would come on and off stage on a whim, jamming with each other on original compositions as well as covers without worrying about time constraints or ego clashes. Correspondingly, the inaugural Revival Tour in 2008 was a rousing success that featured a rotating cast of today’s most talented musicians in a setting that most fans had never experienced before or since… until now, that is.
After another year of planning, Ragan is proud to announce the second incarnation of the Revival Tour is getting ready to hit the road featuring [insert artists]. Although there will be some different faces on this year’s road show, it is certain to be just as exciting and captivating as last year’s tour—and the fact that it’s come to fruition is a testament to the hard work that Chuck and his wife Jill have put in over the past year to once again make their humble dream a reality. Admittedly none of the artists on the tour is going to increase their Soundscan numbers or “make it” by playing timeworn covers onstage with their best friends, but that’s sort of the point. Instead the Revival Tour is a project with a motive that’s as pure as the folk tradition it was based on, from the handpicked roster to each evening’s heartfelt performances.
So come out, have a drink and enjoy an unforgettable night of music by a ragtag group of artists who have no other choice than to sing their hearts out each and every night. All you have to do is listen.
-Jonah Bayer, Freelance Music Writer