The Gourds News is an unofficial site that reported on the band from 5-28-09 to 5-28-12 as a blog, facebook page, and twitter feed. The band's decision to go on hiatus in 2013 has left little to tweet about and the facebook account was suspended in 2015 for using a fake name, but the blog will continue to exist here as a historical document, beginning with the final post below. 

The Gourds News: Last Bottle, Last Time


© Joe Ryan

"We've never been so vain as to have picks made with our name [on them]. We're the opposite of shameless self promoters, whatever that is...it's The Gourds is what it is" -- Kevin Russell, 9-26-10, Columbus, GA

The Gourds soldier on as The Gourds News calls it a career
May 28th, 2012

Three years ago today, as my old friend Joe Ryan and I packed our bags to catch a Gourds show in Charlottesville, VA, I was on the verge of starting a pretty ambitious project with no real concept of how it was even going to work. The Gourds News, which ceases production today, drew its initial influence from a paper publication somebody handed me while I was waiting for another bunch of guys to take the stage at Madison Square Garden in the late 80s. And while TGN tried to advance several different ideas along the way, our main goal never changed: To help Gourds fans maintain a relationship with a band they didn't get to see often enough. 

Since I couldn't go to every show myself, I ended up being almost entirely dependent on the very people I was trying to help. Fortunately, the response was inspiring enough to keep me going for three years, and I want to take this last opportunity to thank everyone who ever sent me a set list, taped a show, took a picture, shot a video, or dug up a live review on-line. I really couldn’t have done it without you. And I want to extend just as big a thank you to the band itself for trusting my judgment as I gave the people what they wanted.

Of course, the people still want. So if you haven’t already done it, please “Like” The Gourds Official facebook page. At some point in the future, I hope to be posting there myself. For the unofficially inclined, I would recommend the wiki page We Are Cucurbs, which looks to pick up right where The Gourds News blog leaves off. Since it's a brand new site, I hope that all of TGN's trusty field reporters can shift their contributions over there and give We Are Cucurbs some much needed momentum. I've already signed on to cover the New York show in August.

Additionally, there’s the original fan-based facebook group The Gourds.....The band, and the more recent fan-based group cucurbitaceae: The Gourds, Austin, Texas, which is actually the facebook version of the old Yahoo! group that began way back in October of 1998.

Finally, even though this blog won’t be updated with any new information, I’m still very interested in adding anything (e.g., set lists, pictures, videos) that you might have from shows that occurred between 5-28-09 and 5-28-12. If you do have something you'd like to share, please send me an email or a facebook message and I’ll be sure to follow up. Okay. That's it. Thanks again for everything and goodnight.

5-27-12 Luckenbach, TX


© lincolndurham

Video: My Name is Jorge / Burn the Honeysuckle > Black Water > Burn the Honeysuckle

The Gourds

David K. Langford's 70th Birthday Party
Luckenbach Dance Hall
412 Luckenbach Town Loop
Luckenbach, TX
5-27-12

01. Nuevo Laredo (Doug Sahm)
02. I Want it So Bad
03. Hooky Junk
04. My Name is Jorge
05. Cold Bed *
06. Meat off the Bone
07. Mister Betty
08. Drop What I'm Doing
09. Jesus Christ with Signs Following
10. Eyes of a Child
11. Declineometer
12. God's House >
13. Hallelujah Shine
14. All the Labor
15. (the new way of) Grievin' & Smokin'
16. O Rings
17. Receipts and Fevers
18. Pine Island Bayou
19. Lower 48 *
20. All in the Pack > I Fought the Law (Sonny Curtis) > All in the Pack
21. Burn the Honeysuckle > Black Water tease (Patrick Simmons) > Burn the Honeysuckle
22. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) (Bobby Emmons/Chips Moman) > Slow Ride (David Peverett) > Up on Cripple Creek (Robbie Robertson) > Gin and Juice



*Studio version, by request


Before and after: the requests and the eventual set

Special thanks to Ducktaper, Richard Spencer Benton, lincolndurham, Chris Fannin, sggutierrez88, gahanorama, Jason & Cerise Gillis Gillett, Scott Chenoweth, and Jennifer J. Dillon for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

Alert...Alert...New Shows!



NOTE: Shows occurring after 10-13-12 can be found here

06-08-12 Austin, TX Threadgill's World Headquarters
06-14-12 Houston, TX Discovery Green Park
06-15-12 San Marcos, TX Texas Music Center
06-16-12 Austin, TX Private Event
06-30-12 Dallas, TX The Kessler Theater
07-03-12 Austin, TX Threadgill's World Headquarters
07-06-12 Tulsa, OK Cain's 2nd Stage
07-07-12 Norfolk, NE Private Event

07-20-12 New Braunfels, TX Gruene Hall
07-27-12 Austin, TX Bob Bullock Museum - Music Under the Stars
07-30-12 Fort Worth, TX Private Event
08-17-12 Austin, TX Threadgill's World Headquarters *

08-18-12 Helotes, TX John T. Floore Country Store *
08-29-12 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
08-30-12 Somerville, MA Johnny D's Uptown Restaurant & Music Club
08-31-12 Charlestown,RI Rhythm & Roots Festival
09-01-12 Charlestown, RI Rhythm & Roots Festival
09-13-12 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst (opening for James McMurtry) *
09-14-12 San Franciso, CA Great American Music Hall
(opening for James McMurtry) *
09-15-12 Sparks, NV John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel & Casino *
09-17-12 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom *
09-18-12 Seattle, WA The Neptune
Theatre (opening for James McMurtry) *
09-20-12 Missoula, MT The Wilma Theatre *
09-21-12 Victor, ID Knotty Pine Supper Club *
09-22-12 Salt Lake City, UT The State Room
(opening for James McMurtry) *
09-23-12 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre *
09-29-12 Houston, TX The Last Concert Cafe *

09-30-12 Houma, LA Best of the Bayou Festival *
10-06-12 Austin, TX Threadgill's World Headquarters *
10-10-12 Austin, TX Private Event *
10-11-12 Little Rock, AR The White Water Tavern *
10-12-12 Ozark, AR Harvest Music Festival
10-13-12 Jonesboro, AR Brickhouse Grill


*Indicates a new show that was not listed on the previous New Tour Date post

Please note that some dates get cancelled or rescheduled for a variety of reasons. This itinerary reflects the most up to date information available. Private events to not appear on The Gourds official website calendar

5-25-12 Prue, OK



Video: Lower 48

The Gourds

5th Annual Backwoods Bash Music & Camping Festival
Old Walnut Creek State Park on Keystone Lake
1 Lake Drive
Prue, OK
5-25-12

01. Take Me Back to Tulsa (Bob Wills/Tommy Duncan)
02. Hooky Junk
03. Mister Betty
04. You Must Not Know
05. Cracklins
06. Pine Island Bayou
07. Illegal Oyster
08. Pickles
09. (the new way of) Grievin' & Smokin' *
10. Haunted
11. Drop What I'm Doing
12. Caledonia
13. The Bridge
14. All in the Pack
15. Lower 48 **
16. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Friends in Low Places (DeWayne Blackwell/Earl Bud Lee/Garth Brooks) > Gin and Juice ***
E:
17. All the Labor


© Brandy Hammons

*Original set list had
Hallelujah Shine b/t Pickles and Grievin' & Smokin'
**Richmond D
itch version
***Original set list ended with Lower 48



Special thanks to Sara Bowersock, Brandy Hammons, woodrow461, Ray Brookshire, and Thomas Self for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

Slackerwood: Ready, Set, Fund


© High Plains Films

"Ready, Set, Fund" is a column about crowdfunding and related fundraising endeavors for Austin and Texas independent film projects.

Ready, Set, Fund: Labor, Gourds, Retirees and Free Radicals
By Debbie Cerda
May 23, 2012

It's only natural that talented acquaintances in the local music scene like Britt Daniel of Spoon or Ian Moore have achieved national recognition for their musical talent. Another success story is that of one of the hardest working bands I've ever known, The Gourds, comprised of Kevin Russell, Keith Langford, Max Johnston, Jimmy Smith and Claude Bernard. In addition to routinely playing at Shady Grove and Threadgill's South, or touring nationally, the Gourds also contributed music to a local short film, Mike Woolf's 2003 documentary Growin' a Beard.

The Gourds themselves are now the subject of All the Labor, a documentary currently funding through Monday, June 11, on Kickstarter. Filmmaker Doug Hawes-Davis is the founder of the annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula, Montana, where he initially met the band in 2001. The Gourds played Missoula nearly a dozen times in the last decade and Hawes-Davis attended every show, allowing him the opportunity to meet and convince the band to participate in a film documenting their story.

Mike Woolf is one of the cinematographers providing support in Austin on the film project. Another interesting local connection is that Hawes-Davis' nonprofit was the fiscal sponsor of Winter in the Blood, a new film by Alex and Andrew Smith (The Slaughter Rule) -- Alex teaches at UT while Andrew teaches at the University of Montana. Winter in the Blood had a successful Kickstarter campaign last year.

Have a project that you would like to be considered for an upcoming "Ready, Set, Fund," feature about crowdfunding and related fundraising endeavors for Austin and Texas independent film projects? Contact us if you've got a film fundraising project going on you'd like us to know about.

© Slackerwood / The Austin Film Society

5-18-12 Galveston, TX


© Francie Howell Buergler

Video: Gin and Juice > Galveston > Gin and Juice > Hate & War > Gin and Juice

The Gourds
Bands & Bombshells Concert
Saengerfest Park
23rd Rear Street
Galveston, TX
5-18-12

01. Flavor on yer Tung
02. Bottle & a Dime
03. Melchert
04. Your Benefit
05. Hooky Junk
06. El Paso
07. When Wine Was Cheap
08. My Name is Jorge
09. Shamrock Bound
10. Pine Island Bayou
11. When the Money Comes Rolling In *
12. Declineometer
13. Cracklins
14. I Want it So Bad
15. All in the Pack
16. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Galveston (Jimmy Webb) > Gin and Juice > Hate & War (Joe Strummer/Mick Jones) > Gin and Juice

*Jerry Lewis version

Special thanks to Ken Lanterman and Francie Howell Buergler for the field report. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews

5-12-12 Beaufort, NC


© Mark Taylor

Video: My Name is Jorge

The Gourds
24th Annual Beaufort Music Festival
Front Street (b/t Pollock & Queen)
Beaufort, NC
5-12-12

01. I Want it So Bad
02. Cold Bed
03. My Name is Jorge
04. Caledonia
05. Plaid Coat
06. Pill Bug Blues
07. El Paso
08. Drop What I'm Doing
09. LGO
10. Yoli Found a Possum
11. Eyes of a Child
12. Werewolves of London (LeRoy Marinell/Waddy Wachtel/Warren Zevon)
13. Dooley (trad.)
14. Pickles
15. Pine Island Bayou
16.
Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) (Michael Diamond/Adam Horovitz/Adam Yauch/Rick Rubin/Tom Cushman) >
17. Up on Cripple Creek (Robbie Robertson) > Gin and Juice

18. All in the Pack
19. Burn the Honeysuckle



Special thanks to Mark Taylor, jordan25ncs1, Alan Pate, and jbatcheloresq for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

5-11-12 Carrboro, NC



Audio: by bryonsos
Video: Gin and Juice > Crawdad Hole

The Gourds

Cat's Cradle
300 East Main Street
Carrboro, NC
5-11-12

01. (the new way of) Grievin' & Smokin' > I'm the Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised) (Johnny Paycheck) > Grievin' & Smokin'
02. Pine Island Bayou
03. Illegal Oyster
04. County Orange
05. Pill Bug Blues
06. Eyes of a Child
07. Drop the Charges
08. Marginalized
09. I Want it So Bad
10. Lower 48 *
11. Jenny Brown
12. Your Benefit
13. Haunted
14. Burn the Honeysuckle > Black Water tease (Patrick Simmons) > Burn the Honeysuckle
15. Ants on the Melon
16. All in the Pack > I Wanna Be Sedated (Dee Dee Ramone/Joey Ramone/Johnny Ramone) > All in the Pack
17. All the Labor
18. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Crawdad Hole (trad.) > (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) (Michael Diamond/Adam Horovitz/Adam Yauch/Rick Rubin/Tom Cushman) > Up on Cripple Creek (Robbie Robertson) > Gin and Juice
E:
19. Werewolves of London (LeRoy Marinell/Waddy Wachtel/Warren Zevon) > Jet Airliner tease (Paul Pena) > Werewolves of London
20. I Like Drinking
21. Shake the Chandelier


© Rhonda Peterson




Special thanks to Peter Backes, bryonsos, Danny Cumbo, Rhonda Peterson, and skeemer67 for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

5-10-12 Charlottesville, VA


© Warren Parker

Photos: by Ian Glazer

The Gourds
The Jefferson Theater
110 East Main Street
Charlottesville, VA
5-10-12

01. El Paso
02. Ants on the Melon
03. Melchert
04. My Name is Jorge
05. Want it So Bad
06. Hooky Junk
07. When the Money Comes Rolling In *
08. The Bridge
09. "Stab"
10. God's House >
11. Hallelujah Shine
12. Haunted
13. Pickles
14. Drop What I'm Doing
15. Eyes of a Child
16. Lower 48 **
17. You Must Not Know
18. All in the Pack > I Fought the Law (Sonny Curtis) > All in the Pack
19. Burn the Honeysuckle
E:
20. All the Labor
21. Mister Betty
22. Shake the Chandelier
23. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Theme from the Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys) (Waylon Jennings) > (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) (Michael Diamond/Adam Horovitz/Adam Yauch/Rick Rubin/Tom Cushman) > Up on Cripple Creek (Robbie Robertson) > Gin and Juice

*Jerry Lewis version
**Richmond Ditch version



© Ian Glazer

Special thanks to Ian Glazer, Richard Spencer Benton, Warren Parker, Rhonda Peterson, and Joe Stinnett for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

5-09-12 Falls Church, VA



Audio: by Tom Huster
Photos: by Cassandra Ladino / by Ian Glazer
Video: Claude's Lament > Shamrock Bound / Blankets / Pine Island Bayou / Caledonia

The Gourds
The State Theatre
220 North Washington Street
Falls Church, VA
5-09-12

01. El Paso
02. Magnolia
03. Drop the Charges
04. Marginalized
05. Pill Bug Blues
06. Eyes of a Child
07. Jenny Brown
08. Your Benefit
09. Blankets
10. I Want it So Bad
11. Hooky Junk
12. All in the Pack
13. Everybody's Missing the Sun (Nils Lofgren)
14. Claude's Lament > Shamrock Bound
15. Pine Island Bayou
16. Collections
17. Drop What I'm Doing
18. Burn the Honeysuckle > No Sleep till Brooklyn (Michael Diamond/Adam Horovitz/Adam Yauch/Rick Rubin) > Burn the Honeysuckle
E:
19. Caledonia
20. Lower 48 *

*Richmond Ditch version


© Ian Glazer

Special thanks to Tom Huster, Ian Glazer, Bill Shields, Rhonda Peterson, Mike Gregory, Cassandra Ladino, Peter Shimm, Josh Nanberg, Alan Brennan, and Jay Jenc for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

5-07-12 Myrtle Beach, SC


© Rhonda Peterson

The Gourds
The Boathouse Waterway Bar and Grill
201 Hard Rock Parkway
Myrtle Beach, SC
5-07-12

01. Clear Night
02. Cold Bed
03. Ladies Choice
04. Drop the Charges
05. Want it So Bad
06. Cracklins > Dueling Banjos tease (Arthur Smith/Don Reno) > Cracklins
07. Jenny Brown
08. Melchert
09. Shreveport
10. Cranky Mulatto
11. The Bridge
12. Drop What I'm Doing
13. Haunted
14. Flavor on yer Tung
15. Pine Island Bayou
16. Can't You See tease (Toy Caldwell) > Mister Betty
17. You Must Not Know
18. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Theme from the Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys) (Waylon Jennings) > Like a Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan) > Take Me to the River (Al Green/Mabon "Teenie" Hodges) > Money (Roger Waters) > Gin and Juice > Only a Broken Heart (Tom Petty) > Gin and Juice
E:
19. Tex-Mex Mile
20. All the Labor
21. I Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan)



Special thanks to Pete Rutherford and Rhonda Peterson for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

5-06-12 Charleston, SC


© Rhonda Peterson

The Gourds
The Pour House
1977 Maybank Highway
Charleston, SC
5-06-12

01. I Want it So Bad
02. Cranky Mulatto
03. Marginalized
04. Drop What I'm Doing
05. Web Before You Walk into It
06. Hooky Junk
07. My Name is Jorge
08. Melchert
09. Eyes of a Child
10. Magnolia
11. New Roommate
12. Declineometer
13. When Wine Was Cheap *
14. Happy Birthday to You tease (Preston Ware Orem/Mrs. R.R. Forman) *
15. Lament *
16. Pine Island Bayou
17. Caledonia
18. Pair of Goats
19. The Tinys Variety Hour (Claude Bernard/Matt Cook/Travis Garaffa)
20. Lower 48 **
21. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Theme from the Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys) (Waylon Jennings) > Slow Ride (David Peverett) > Up on Cripple Creek (Robbie Robertson) > No Sleep till Brooklyn (Michael Diamond/Adam Horovitz/Adam Yauch/Rick Rubin) > Gin and Juice ***
E:
22. All the Labor
23. Burn the Honeysuckle


© Pete Rutherford

*Not on original set list, where Declineometer was immediately followed by Pine Island Bayou
**Richmond Ditch version

***Not on the original set list, where Burn the Honeysuckle followed Lower 48

Note: After Happy Birthday to You, there was an unsuccessful attempt to play Electric Funeral


© Rhonda Peterson

Special thanks to Pete Rutherford, Rhonda Peterson, and Bert Morris for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

5-05-12 Wilmington, NC


© Rhonda Peterson

The Gourds
Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
1941 Amphitheater Drive
Wilmington, NC
5-05-12

01. Drop What I’m Doing
02. Hellhounds
03. I Want it So Bad
04. Eyes of a Child
05. LGO
06. You Must Not Know
07. Peppermint City
08. County Love
09. When the Money Comes Rolling In *
10. Haunted
11. Burn the Honeysuckle
12. Shreveport
13. Mister Betty
14. Pickles
15. Everybody's Missing the Sun (Nils Lofgren)
16. Hallelujah Shine
17. Jenny Brown
18. Your Benefit
19. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Highway to Hell (Bon Scott/Angus Young/Malcolm Young) > You Really Got Me (Ray Davies) > Gin and Juice
20. Lower 48 **

*Jerry Lewis version
**Richmond Ditch version


Special thanks to Rhonda Peterson for the field report. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

5-04-12 Hot Springs, NC


© Rhonda Peterson

The Gourds
15th Annual French Broad River Festival
Hot Springs Resort & Spa
315 Bridge Street
Hot Springs, NC
5-04-12

Note: Of TGN's 298 consecutive set lists, this is the only one that remains incomplete. Please email me if you have any information on songs 2, 5, 11, 14, 16, & 18.

01. Caledonia
02. Unknown
03. You Must Not Know
04. "Stab"
05. Unknown
06. Blankets
07. Jenny Brown
08. Your Benefit
09. Cracklins
10. Pine Island Bayou
11. Unknown
12. Collections
13. Country Gal
14. Unknown
15. Burn the Honeysuckle
16. Unknown
17. Jesus Christ with Signs Following
18. Unknown
19. Ohio (Neil Young)
20. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Fat Bottomed Girls (Brian May) > Surrender (Rick Nielsen) > Gin and Juice
E:
21. Lower 48







 



Special thanks to Rhonda Peterson and Slick Rock for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

Preview 5-06-12 Charleston, SC


© Charlie Llewellin

Barn Stormers: The Gourds Feel the Spirit of Levon Helm
By Stratton Lawrence
May 2, 2012


After 18 years on the road, Kevin "Shinyribs" Russell is happy to be home. Musicians in his hometown of Austin, Texas, are the equivalent of military men in other cities: Kids grow up understanding that when daddy goes to work, he'll be gone for a while.

"But I'll choose kids over gigs, any time, any day," exclaims Russell. "Everybody in the band feels the same way. We're all great fathers and husbands. Given the track records of most musicians, it's pretty amazing."

The twangy quintet has managed to keep their lineup virtually intact since 1994, despite raising 12 children among them and never scoring a revenue-generating hit song. Russell shares songwriting duties with bassist Jimmy Smith and multi-instrumentalist Max Johnston, a veteran of alt-country stalwarts Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo. Drummer Keith Langford and accordion player/guitarist Claude Bernard round out the group.

The Gourds' biggest brush with national fame arrived through their 1998 cover of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice," a recording that caught fire on Napster and college campus file-sharing networks. But, unfortunately for the band, the mp3 file that spread was labeled "Phish," earning the Vermont jam band undue credit and song requests at concerts.

Despite 10 studio albums under their belt, the Gourds haven't managed to secure a single that could put the "Gin and Juice" albatross to bed. Both 1999's Ghosts of Hallelujah and 2004's Blood of the Ram earned lofty critical praise, helping the band solidify a modest national following. Their most recent effort, 2011's Old Mad Joy, may be the recording that earns them a permanent spot in the unofficial alt-country hall-of-fame.

Recorded last spring at the late Levon Helm's studio, the Barn, adjacent to his house in Woodstock, N.Y., the Gourds called on multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell to assume control at the mixer. It was their first-ever hand-off to an outside producer. A veteran of tours with Helm, Bob Dylan, and Phil Lesh, Campbell took the Gourds rambling country energy and refocused it into driving, Rolling Stones-esque concision.

"On [opening track "I Want It So Bad"], Larry said, 'Go ahead and play some fills,'" Russell recalls. "I played a little lick, and he was like, 'No, that's off of Beggar's Banquet.' I played another one, and he said, 'No, that's Goats Head Soup.' I said, 'I guess I can't play nothing but Keith Richards licks on this song.'"

Russell talked to the City Paper immediately after leaving an Austin television studio where he'd just recorded a voiceover on a commercial for the local children's museum. A rookie voice actor, he found himself struggling with requests like "put a little beat between phrases" and "say it with more energy but more matter-of-fact." Russell compares the experience to recording with Campbell at the helm. "The way it's always been with the Gourds, everyone has a veto. We're like the Polish parliament, vetoing ourselves out of existence and canceling each other out," he laughs. "Larry brought a sort of control to the situation. It was liberating, in a submissive way, like the pleasure of enslavement."

The Gourds also had the inspirational presence of Helm to guide them through the process. The legendary drummer of the Band, who died earlier this month, frequently strolled over in his slippers to hear their progress, and his dogs were a constant presence outside the barn. "We tried not to be too much like big fan boys," Russell says. "He would come over and ask us if we needed anything. I found him to be very old-fashioned and charming."

After arriving in Woodstock more prepared than they'd ever been to record, the band found their songs being picked apart to the nth degree. In between recording sessions, Campbell sent individual members off into back rooms to write new choruses, restructure verses, and practice their own parts.

"We went in there with these songs pretty damn arranged, figuring we'd knock 'em out pretty quick. Not the case, my friend," Russell recounts. "We learned a lot about arranging songs from Larry. You'd think by now we'd know all that stuff, but you never stop learning. It's a lifelong thing. Since then, we've been finding old songs and playing them live with new arrangements."

Letting a third-party intervene in their process gave the band a sense of enthusiasm and energy. Whereas communication within the band is often "the passive-aggressive style typical of our generation," as Russell explains, the group found itself able to take criticism from Campbell — the kind of comments that would have earned a "Fuck off!" if offered from a bandmate.

The result, Old Mad Joy, is a collection ranging from classic Gourds-style tunes like "Melchert" to "Peppermint City," which could easily be a cut off one of the Band's post-reunion albums in the '90s.

It's a fitting cornerstone in the career of a group nearing their 20th year, still balancing the same mid-level club circuit and wear-and-tear of the road with the gritty grace they've maintained since the first rowdy fan hollered "Gin and Juice" at the stage, years ago.

The Gourds Sun. May 6th at The Pour House 8 pm $12 cover
© 2012 Charleston City Paper

Alert...Alert...New Shows!



05-04-12 Hot Springs, NC 15th Annual French Broad River Festival
05-05-12 Wilmington, NC Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
05-06-12 Charleston, SC The Pour House
05-07-12
Myrtle Beach, SC The Boathouse
05-09-12 Falls Church, VA The State Theatre
05-10-12 Charlottesville, VA The Jefferson Theater
05-11-12 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle

05-12-12 Beaufort, NC 24th Annual Beaufort Music Festival

05-18-12 Galveston, TX Saengerfest Park - Bands & Bombshells Concert
05-25-12 Prue, OK 5th Annual Backwoods Bash Music & Camping Festival
05-27-12 Fredericksburg, TX Luckenbach Dance Hall 1p Ice Cream Social
06-08-12 Austin, TX Threadgill's World Headquarters

06-14-12 Houston, TX Discovery Green Park
06-15-12 San Marcos, TX Texas Music Center
06-16-12 Austin, TX Private Event
06-30-12 Dallas, TX The Kessler Theater
07-03-12 Austin, TX Threadgill's World Headquarters

07-06-12 Tulsa, OK Cain's 2nd Stage
07-07-12 Norfolk, NE Private Event
07-20-12 New Braunfels, TX Gruene Hall *
07-27-12 Austin, TX Bob Bullock Museum - Music Under the Stars

07-30-12 Fort Worth, TX Private Event
08-29-12 New York, NY Mercury Lounge *
08-30-12 Somerville, MA Johnny D's Uptown Restaurant & Music Club *
08-31-12 Charlestown,RI Rhythm & Roots Festival
09-01-12 Charlestown, RI Rhythm & Roots Festival
10-12-12 Ozark, AR Harvest Music Festival
10-13-12 Jonesboro, AR Brickhouse Grill

*Indicates a new show that was not listed on the previous New Tour Date post

Please note that some dates get cancelled or rescheduled for a variety of reasons. This itinerary reflects the most up to date information available. Private events to not appear on The Gourds official website calendar

4-28-12 Austin, TX


© Ducktaper

The Gourds
Sunset Valley ArtFest 2012
Toney Burger Center (Longhorn Stage)
3200 Jones Road
Austin, TX
4-28-12

01. All in the Pack
02. Take Me Back to Tulsa (Bob Wills/Tommy Duncan)
03. When the Money Comes Rolling In *
04. Yoli Found a Possum
05. Plaid Coat **
06. Tex-Mex Mile
07. Lower 48 ***
08. Your Benefit ****
09. Pine Island Bayou *****
10. Burn the Honeysuckle ******
11. All the Labor > You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Bob Dylan) > All the Labor *******

*Jerry Lewis version
**Original set list had "Max [song]" b/t Yoli Found a Possum and Plaid Coat
***Richmond Ditch version
****Original set list had Jenny Brown b/t Lower 48 and Your Benefit
*****Original set list had Pickles b/t Your Benefit and Pine Island Bayou
******Original set list had El Paso b/t Pine Island Bayou and Burn the Honeysuckle
*******Not on original set list



Special thanks to Richard Spencer Benton and Ducktaper for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

4-28-12 Austin, TX


© Brentwood Elementary PTA

The Gourds
4th Annual Brentwood Rocks!
Brentwood Elementary School (outdoor stage)
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX
4-28-12

01. You Must Not Know
02. Mister Betty
03. Caledonia
04. Magnolia
05. Pickles
06. Pine Island Bayou > Lady (Graeham Goble) > Pine Island Bayou
07. The Education Song
08. Do 4 U
09. Trampled by the Sun
10. Cranky Mulatto
11. Nuevo Laredo (Doug Sahm)
12. Lower 48 *

*Richmond Ditch version; original set list had Jenny Brown b/t Nuevo Laredo and Lower 48



Special thanks to Richard Spencer Benton for the field report. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

4-26-12 Austin, TX



The Gourds
Shady Grove
1624 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX
4-26-12

01. Plaid Coat
02. Trampled by the Sun
03. Two Sparrows
04. Eyes of a Child
05. When the Money Comes Rolling In *
06. Right in the Head
07. Tex-Mex Mile
08. Lower 48 **
09. Bridgett
10. I Want it So Bad
11. Hooky Junk
12. Jenny Brown
13. Your Benefit
14. Omaha (Billy Joe Shaver/Hillman Hall)
15. El Paso
16. County Orange
17. Pickles
E:
18. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) >
19. Up on Cripple Creek (Robbie Robertson) > Gin and Juice

*Jerry Lewis version
**Richmond Ditch version

Soundcheck: Nueveo Laredo (Doug Sahm)


© Jennifer Cassaday

Special thanks to Richard Spencer Benton, LON3ST4R, and Jennifer Cassaday for the field reports. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

Review 4-21-12 Billings, MT



Gourds Bring Out the Fans for Saturday's Show at Manny's
By Maddie Felts
April 23, 2012


Montanans are known for loving their blues and country bands live, but it is a rare group that brings out a crowd that seems to know every word and every strum of the band's guitar.

This was the type of atmosphere that The Gourds show at Manny's on Saturday night presented. Not only was the house completely packed, but the music was loud and the people of Billings were loving it in such a way that it was hard not to have a good time.

The opening group consisted of local boys, dubbing themselves Ted Ness and the Rusty Nails. Ted Ness himself, unfortunately, was unable to make this particular gig, but the Rusty Nails made up for his absence without skipping a beat. When asked if they were excited to be opening for The Gourds, they were enthusiastic and dubbed their main band, "Great musicians."

While opening bands are always up and coming and not well-known, it was surprising how good the Rusty Nails meshed together and really resonated throughout the venue. What was unique about this little folk/blues/county/blue grass band was that they were extremely talented with their instruments; picture a double bass, mandolin, fiddle and the classic guitar. Their sound was funky and eclectic with creativity oozing with every beat. Their closing song, a cover of Britney Spears' "Oops, I Did It Again" brought most of the crowd out of their seats. It turns out; however, that Ted Ness and the Rusty Nails have only been together for 4-6 months, although they sound much more experienced.

Sure, it was a long wait for The Gourds, our headliner, to take the stage, but when they did, it is easy to see how their popularity has held throughout the years. Not only did they open strong, but they sounded smooth, professional and definitely represented their years of experience.

Plus, it never hurts when one of the lead singers gets down on the floor and sings whilst lying on his back...and still sounds great.

The music was solid at this concert; every member of each band obviously played with a passion for what they do and that passion was intoxicating to the crowd. The crowd themselves were representations of sub-groups and cultures that I have not seen in Billings at any other concert thus far. Think and picture...Missoula.

Ted Ness and the Rusty Nails and The Gourds are talented musicians that have a flair for getting the crowd to move. In fact, by the end of my night, I was surprised at how often I caught myself (and my plus one that never dances) shaking our booties to the smooth tunes of the boys from Texas.

© Copyright 2012, The Billings Gazette

4-21-12 Billings, MT


© Rhonda Peterson

The Gourds
Manny's Sports & Entertainment
4241 Kari Lane
Billings, MT
4-21-12

01. I Want it So Bad
02. My Name is Jorge
03. Country Love
04. Web Before You Walk into It
05. LGO
06. On Time
07. Pill Bug Blues
08. Peppermint City
09. Jenny Brown
10. Your Benefit
11. Lower 48 *
12. Ants on the Melon
13. When the Money Comes Rolling In **
14. Shreveport ***
15. Drop What I'm Doing ****
16. Burn the Honeysuckle > Black Water tease (Patrick Simmons) > Burn the Honeysuckle
17. Marginalized
18. All in the Pack > The Spirit of Radio (Neil Pert/Alex Lifeson/Geddy Lee) > All in the Pack
19. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) > Theme from the Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys) (Waylon Jennings) > Slow Ride (David Peverett) > Money (Roger Waters) > Gin and Juice
E:
20. Werewolves of London (LeRoy Marinell/Waddy Wachtel/Warren Zevon)
21. Fine Leather Truck
22. Caledonia

*Richmond Ditch version
**Jerry Lewis version
***Not on original set list, which had The Bridge
****Not on original set list, which had (the new way of) Grievin' & Smokin'



Special thanks to Rhonda Peterson for the field report. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

4-20-12 Missoula, MT


© Rhonda Peterson

The Wilma Theatre
131 South Higgins Avenue
Missoula, MT
4-20-12

01. Drop What I'm Doing
02. Marginalized
03. Peppermint City
04. Do 4 U > 7 Chinese Bros. (Bill Berry/Peter Buck/Mike Mills/Michael Stipe) > Do 4 U
05. Maria
06. Mister Betty
07. Cranky Mulatto
08. Hooky Junk
09. Melchert
10. The Bridge
11. Jesus Christ with Signs Following
12. Burn the Honeysuckle
13. Haunted
14. When the Money Comes Rolling In *
15. Wagon of Destruction (Claude Bernard/Matt Cook/Travis Garaffa)
16. All in the Pack > I Fought the Law (Sonny Curtis) > All in the Pack
17. Lower 48 **
18. Gin and Juice (Calvin Broadus, et al.) >
19. Up on Cripple Creek (Robbie Robertson) > Gin and Juice
E:
20. Collections
21. All the Labor > You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Bob Dylan) > All the Labor
22. Pine Island Bayou > Teacher (Ian Anderson) > Lady (Graeham Goble) > Pine Island Bayou
23. Ain't No More Cane (trad.) ***

*Jerry Lewis version
**Richmond Ditch version
**Joined by Mark Creaney on lead guitar




Special thanks to Rhonda Peterson for the field report. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

4-20-12 Missoula, MT [Radio Show]



The Gourds
Trail 103.3 FM
2425 West Central Avenue
Missoula, MT
4-20-12

01. You Must Not Know
02. I Want it So Bad

Note: This program was taped live in the studio and rebroadcast at 6pm the same night



Special thanks to Tucker Lamberton
for the field report. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.

4-19-12 Bozeman, MT


© Rhonda Peterson

The Gourds
The Filling Station
2005 North Rouse Avenue
Bozeman, MT
4-19-12

01. Clear Night
02. Cold Bed
03. When the Money Comes Rolling In *
04. Drop What I'm Doing
05. Haunted
06. Eyes of a Child
07. Ants on the Melon
08. The Tinys Variety Hour (Claude Bernard/Matt Cook/Travis Garaffa)
09. Bridgett
10. Turd in my Pocket
11. Blood of the Ram
12. Escalade
13. O Rings
14. "Stab"
15. Plaid Coat
16. Collections
17. I Want it So Bad
18. Hooky Junk
19. All in the Pack > Baby Don't You Do It (Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Edward Holland, Jr.) > All in the Pack
20. Ain't No More Cane (trad.) **
E:
21. Marginalized
22. Shake the Chandelier
23. Werewolves of London (LeRoy Marinell/Waddy Wachtel/Warren Zevon)

*Jerry Lewis version
**Joined by Mark Creaney on lead guitar

Soundcheck: Two Sparrows,
Ain't No More Cane (trad.), Odds and Ends (Bob Dylan), Ain't No More Cane (trad.), Marginalized, When the Money Comes Rolling In*, Eyes of a Child, Two Sparrows


© Rhonda Peterson

Special thanks to Rhonda Peterson
for the field report. If anyone has audio/video/photos from this show, please email TheGourdsNews.