One of my favorite parts of contemporary music is the proliferation of bands that take elements from folk traditions and put their own spin on it. Gogol Bordello. The Dropkick Murphys. Flogging Molly. Devotchka. more

Allow me to deviate, dear reader, from the topic this column usually discusses: rock ’n’ roll, of course. We’ll get back to that next week. more

How do you know when you’ve made it as a band? For Massachusetts-based rockers The Brew, it was meeting the first fan so diehard she had the band’s logo tattooed on her back. more

A couple of weeks ago, I drove out to Pet Quarters, looked carefully through the tropical fish section, and selected a purple, pink and blue-colored betta. more

At the age of 22, Christian Cuff was living under the 59th Street Bridge in Manhattan. He had 200 bucks and a guitar to his name. Ostensibly in New York City to try to make a break as a songwriter, he discovered things didn’t quite work out as planned. more

Dreamosaic forges on with a lighter load Losing three members of a five-piece band has at least one upshot — the remaining two musicians can sell the van. more

It takes guts to get up in front of a crowd and play music. Even if you’ve been doing it for decades and it “ain’t no thang,” it still takes a healthy dose of self-confidence to put yourself … more

Ryan Montbleau doesn’t travel with a tour rider, per se. The man and his band may crisscross the country several times a year, but they aren’t exactly Led Zeppelin. more

Paul Waring wasn’t working on the railroad or the chain gang when he started singing the blues. He was doing it Pine Tree State style. Back to that same old place — sweet home Brooklin, … more

Gather 'round me, children, and hear the tale of Stiff Whisker and the Driftwood Kids. At least, what we can glean from what remains of the story. We're pretty sure it involves a magical crystal, a dude with muttonchops and aviator sunglasses, and a several rounds of Jager bombs. The rest has been lost in the sands of time - but the legend lives on in five musicians from Hancock County. more

It’s the simple things that really make a difference. An iced coffee on a hot summer day. Finding a dollar on the sidewalk. Reruns of “The Golden Girls” (R.I.P. Estelle Getty). Taking goofy pictures of yourself in front of the Paul Bunyan statue. more

Naming your band after the Norse god of trickery and change is kind of like walking around with a "kick me" sign on the back of your shirt: you're just asking for it. more

Last week I purchased a pair of comfortable black and purple slip-on sneakers for five bucks at the mall. I didn't buy them because they matched any particular outfit, or because I have a fondness for cheap-o Chuck Taylor rip-offs; I bought them because I'm planning ahead for the American Folk Festival. more

The Shangri-La Music and Arts Festival, held last weekend at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds, had one of its three days cut short due to the torrential downpours experienced in the area Sunday afternoon. more

The Beltek Festival, set for this weekend at a 14-acre farm in the Waldo County town of Belmont, is part of a tradition that stretches all the way back to that big festival 40 years ago at Yasgur's farm. Tons of progressive and fun music and art in a big field in the middle of the summer. more