The Low Anthem & Billy Wallace--Together But Not (w/ mp3's & tour dates)

The Low Anthem: "To Ohio"



Billy Wallace: "The Road Spit Me Out"

First things first. The Low Anthem and Billy Wallace are not touring together. But they are in the same vicinity, perhaps even crossing on opposite sides of the highway. But more so than just kindred spirits in the same vicinity, they are kindred spirits in sound.

I'm developing a theory (or maybe it's already fully developed and borne out and I just don't know it) that with punk being co-opted by the pop-scenesters that the avant-garde has dispersed to not only the far reaches of electronica but is also seeing a revival in American folk music. The cool indie name is "Americana" but a lot of it is bluegrass, folk, and classic country sounds. We're seeing this in the "Cowboy Emo" of Lucero, the bluegrass punk of The Avett Brothers, in the change in Tim Barry's music, the explorations of Against Me! Heck, even MxPx frontman Mike Herrera (from the northwest!)started a country band.

Maybe it's the plain fact that these guys are OLD now and have MOVED ON in their musical journey. Or maybe there's more of an urgency to their sound, a truer way to express their thoughts (in narrative or not) that "punk" or what punk has come to be now means.

I don't know much about The Low Anthem or Billy Wallace. One is kind of on their way, on a fairly large alt-folk-country label. The other is on a self-started label. One has lots of MySpace profile views, the other does not.

And I don't think these two bands are representative of what I described but perhaps the benefactors of it. One is gaining ground in notoriety, another is just starting out. But if you like one, you'll like the other. And they'll be crossing paths, in spirit at least with each other and this new crash of folk-punk-rock. So see one, see the other, see them both.



The Low Anthem Upcoming Dates:

Aug 10 Southgate House w/ Langhorne Slim Newport, Kentucky
Aug 11 The Basement w/ Langhorne Slim Nashville, Tennessee
Aug 12 Grey Eagle Tavern w/ Langhorne Slim Asheville, North Carolina
Aug 13 Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Aug 14 The Canal Club - Downstairs Lounge Richmond, Virginia
Aug 15 Ottobar w/ Langhorne Slim Baltimore, Maryland


(The Wading Girl is Billy Wallace's band)

Billy Wallace Upcoming Dates

Aug 10 New Brookland Tavern Columbia, South Carolina
Aug 11 The Juggling Gypsy Wilmington, North Carolina
Aug 12 The Cave Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Aug 13 The Blue Nile Harrisonburg, Virginia
Aug 14 MoDaddy’s Asheville, North Carolina
Aug 15 House show Decatur, Georgia
Aug 17 Preservation Pub Knoxville, Tennessee
Aug 18 Molly Malone’s Covington, Kentucky