The weekend
So I ended up going to Omaha Saturday night. It was well worth it. I posted briefly on LJ yesterday, but I feel the need to expand.

I was thinking about going to the Twin Cities since it looked like I was going to be WSPA-less all weekend, but they ended up coming over Friday night. That and I had no place to stay. It was well worth it.

The venue is amazing. All state of the art and amazing acoustics - theslowdown.com

There were four bands

The Black Squirrels
Kind of poppy country folk with a slightly wise-ass attitude. Not great, but they have the potential to be a really good band. I bought the CD.
Thunder Power
90s shoe-gazer pop. I didn't think much of them
McCarthy Trenching
Piano playing singer songwriter, see above.

Midwest Dilemma
Wow. Just wow. 14 or so people on stage. Let me see if I remember this. percussion, drums, mandolin, standup bass, accordion, electric guitar, flute, clarinet, pedal steel guitar, trumpet, tuba, acoustic guitar, and another horn, I think as well as members of the lead singers family singing backup on a song. And in the middle of all this Justin Lamoureux on guitar and vocals.

His songs are some of the best that I have heard in years. The show was the entire CD in order from beginning to end. It is the story of members of his family from 1662 to last year.

I have never heard anything like it. The CD is great but live it is SO much more powerful. This massive sound that was still so intimate and direct. The dynamics of the band are unlike anything I have ever seen in a rock band context. It's a chamber orchestra turned pop and Americana. When the band would hit you with everything you felt it like some giant hand holding you close. And when Justin did a song by himself toward the end of the show, it was like you were in his living room and he was playing just for you. It was sublime, powerful, beautiful, sad and charming. If you get a chance to see any version of this band, (and it is an ever changing thing, I saw them with just Justin, Liz on Clarinet and Jaclyn on flute and it still had that same power) do not hesitate. It will be well worth your time.

And buy the CD. It's not for everyone. But if you want music with sweep and grandeur that still manages to climb into your heart and soul, get this CD. It takes a lot to reduce me to gibbering fanboy. This band went WAY past that point this weekend.

midwestdilemma.com
myspace.com/midwestdilemma

You can find the complete report on this year's Mahtowa Folks Festival on my blog on Live Journal

http://ericcoleman.livejournal.com/477180.html

PHYLLIS YOUNG HOWREN
Phyllis Young Howren, 69, of Chapel Hill, NC, died January 26, 2007, in her home of metastatic breast cancer. She was born in Clendenin, WV, on January 13, 1938, to Madeline Cromwell and Henry Young. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Robert Howren.

With a PhD in linguistics from the University of Iowa, she joined the UNC-Chapel Hill faculty in 1978, teaching students in the Reading Program and offering courses in English as a second language for international graduate students. Remembered by hundreds of foreign students for her dedication and kindness, she personally helped many through the difficulties of adjusting to American life. She also invited ESL classes to her home to celebrate American-style Thanksgivings. As a volunteer, she taught English to members of Chapel Hill's Latino community.

During her studies and travels, she lived among the Dogrib Indians of Canada's Northwest Territories and the Yucatec Maya of Mexico. She retired from UNC in July 2006.

She is survived by her sons, Wim and Eric Coleman; four grandchildren, and many close friends.

Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to the Susan G. Kommen Breast Cancer Foundation, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 250, Dallas, TX 75244.

Walker's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.