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Evolution festival, latest setlist, son volt on september 29, 2023.

28 Years Of Son Volt

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After the demise of Uncle Tupelo, the strong willed Jay Farrar formed the alternative country band, Son Volt, going on to release numerous albums that received strong critical acclaim. Their live performances are packed with a strong sense of energy containing gritty guitar licks and raw, raspy singing.

Son Volt took the Bob Dylan, folk like influence that Uncle Tupelo was so great at creating and turned it into a more energetic and distorted representation of traditional American music. At times their music is forceful and direct with crunchy, distorted guitar licks blaring through their amps, but at other times they play beautiful folk ballads with gently plucked melodies on the acoustic guitar, which is conveyed on their song “Tear Stained Eye”. They also incorporate other traditional folk instruments into their music such as the fiddle, banjo, and slide guitar.

Through their softest songs they come close to encompassing the sound of Bob Dylan and while they are at their most gritty they come close to the sounds of Neil Young. Their guitars often resonate through the venue with a country twang and Jay Farrar’s raw vocal delivery gives his music a sincere element that sinks right into the heart. Jay Farrar also takes interesting approaches to his songwriting by tuning his guitar in alternate tunings to get really open sounds on his guitar. Although Son Volt never quite gained the commercial success they deserved, they are well respected by critics and fans.

Its hard not to be impressed at a Son Volt concert, seeing Jay Farrar play his music with such precision, singing with his raw, captivating voice, and blowing hauntingly, beautiful melodies into his harmonica. Son Volt’s setlists are also quite pleasing, covering many of their hit songs as well as some covers from Uncle Tupelo’s catalog like “Grindstone” and “Chickamauga”.

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Son Volt last night, Ann Arbor, Michigan, "The Ark". First, about The Ark, newly renovated, intimate, acoustically special and tiny: 400 seats. The walls are lined with black and white photos of past performances; John Prine to Nick Lowe, Patti Griffith to Lyle Lovett and Bob Mould (Husker Du). Main Street of "the greatest college town in America", according to some. Beyond all that it is a non-profit, all volunteer run venue that has quotes on the walls, akin to, "since the '70's, still the best performance venue in America, for the artist and the audience". So, a great place to see a singular, brilliant, jangling guitar, soaring pedal steel incarnation of Jay Farrar, the other half being Jeff Tweedy of Wilco--who made up the McCartney/Lennon of alt country's epicenter with the band Uncle Tupelo of the early 90's, that introduced punk to country, and country to punk. They call it alt-country now, not a whiff of Nashville in the air. What strikes you about Son Volt, besides the sheer musicianship of all players, is the range of rock to country to atmospheric psychellic and back again, all grounded by a wide open feel of promise and Farrar's own apocalyptic visions; "It's now or never, to close to the later, we're all living proof that nothing lasts..." A brilliant songwriter from the start, he has only gotten better. The new album "Union" released last month is a subtle, (and obvious), commentary on our life and times. The show was closed with a string of Son Volt "hits", (to those who follow), and crescendoed with a lyrically updated version of Tom Petty's "Jammin Me" which seemed about right, consummate players tearing up a song from another who was truly a jangly country guy. Petty's songs are better known, but Son Volts are in the same category. Well worth your time.

I love shows at the Southgate House. It is a great venue and JBM promo brings in some good acts to this show. I learned a few things as well. Southgate has been selling out big shows lately. I have never seen some many people at a show. It helped that the weather was nice. Still, if you really want to see a show there, buy your ticket online at least a a week in advance. I got lucky and bought an extra from a guy. Lesson learned. As for the music, it was so good. I checked the setlist beforehand and they have been playing the same songs, same order in nearly every show. The new album songs played well live. I did not really like "Cairo and Southern" live, but "Midnight" was great live. Overall, Jay Farrar and the band delivered a great show. They do not pause between songs. One song right into the next with two encores. If you get a chance, go see them

Incredible! Waited nearly 25 years from the first time I listened to Son Volt’s first CD, Trace, to see them live. And they did not disappoint. The small venue Creasant Ballroom in Phoenix was perfect for an “up close” show. Son Volt’s sound at the show conveyed the vibe and feel the CDs have. It was 90 mins of pure Son Volt. A big check mark on the bucket list. I hope I don’t have to wait as long to see them again!!

Great, high power show! Jay's voice was expressive on the ballads and strong on the rowdy rocker tunes. Their guitars sounded great, and I love watching the bassist, Andrew Duplantis! He really has fun! Will see them again!

Outstanding band, however, they were way too loud for the size of the club. The club was Harlows in Sacramento, California. I do not know if they had a sound man or if the club handled the sound.

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Live Review: Son Volt w/ Peter Bruntnell @ Rams Head On Stage — 7/17/23

“Part of the reason we’re here,” Son Volt frontman Jay Farrar recently told the audience at Annapolis’s Rams Head on Stage, “is to celebrate the music of Doug Sahm.”

A legendary musician’s musician who never achieved the popular acclaim he so richly deserved, the late Doug Sahm (he passed in 1999) was something of a mentor to Jay. Jay’s first band, alt-country pioneers Uncle Tupelo, covered Sahm’s “Give Me Back The Key To My Heart” on their final album, Anodyne , with Doug making a guest appearance on the song.

Born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1941, Sahm was a musical prodigy, playing on the radio by the age of five. In the ’50s, while still in his teens, he became a featured player on the Louisiana Hayride program, playing with artists such as Webb Pierce, Hank Thompson, and Hank Williams. The peak of his commercial success came with his band The Sir Douglas Quintet, which had hits in the mid-late ’60s with “She’s About A Mover” and “Mendocino.” Though he’d never achieve the same chart success, he became a pivotal figure in the “cosmic country” scene in Austin in the 1970s. His 1973 album, Doug Sahm and Band , which featured guest appearances from Dr. John, Bob Dylan, and others is an early seminal Americana record.

Doug was Texas through and through, and he was a master of all forms of Texas music: country, blues, polka, Tex-Mex. It’s been suggested that part of the reason he never achieved the breakthrough success he desired is the diversity of his music. “I never stay in one bag,” he said.

Last month, Son Volt released an album of Doug’s songs, Day of the Doug . On July 17, Son Volt performed at Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis, Maryland. They started their set with this material: “Sometimes You’ve Got To Stop Chasing Rainbows,” “Yesterday,” “Float Away,” “Beautiful Texas Sunshine,” and “What About Tomorrow” all appear on Day of the Doug . The Doug material also included the aforementioned “Give Me Back The Key To My Heart” and “Mendocino.”

Stream Doug Sahm’s “Sometimes You’ve Got to Stop Chasing Rainbows” by Son Volt on YouTube:

This tour was titled 28 Years of Son Volt, and the other guiding purpose of the show was to revisit the band’s landmark first, 1995’s Trace , in its entirety. The album has been hailed by rock critics like Stephen Hyden as one of the best debuts of the 90s. Son Volt played the album in its track order, beginning with road song “Windfall,” a theme returned to in “Route.” “Live Free” riffs on the New Hampshire state motto, “Live free or die.” “Tear Stained Eye,” which may be my favorite song from the album, is about a flood in Missouri. “Drown” was something of a hit signal. Other songs on the album (and in the set) included “Loose String,” ” “Out of the Picture,” “Catching On,” and relationship song “Mystifies.”

After playing the material from Trace, Jay and the band played a handful more of songs from the Son Volt catalog: “Picking Up the Signal,” “Driving the View,” “Sinking Down,” and “Back Against the Wall,” closing the set with reverie “Reverie.” For their encore, they covered The Band’s “The Weight.”

British singer-songwriter Peter Bruntnell opened the show. Bruntnell mentioned that SV is his favorite band; he’s recorded with former members of the band during his career. “Out of the Pines,” he explained, is about “not being good at at getting up and going to work.” (Work from home is great for this, it’s 11:30 as I write this and I’m still in my pajamas!) Another song was about a girlfriend who started going with his best friend, albeit told with some dramatic license, while one was inspired by a book a woman wrote about growing up in a cult in England. The set also included “Houdini and the Sucker Punch” and “No Place Like Home.”

This was my first time going to a show at Rams Head on Stage, and my first time in Annapolis. The venue has great sound, and it’s been remodeled recently and looks great. It’s in a lovely neighborhood near the water; the heat and humidity were noticeably less intense than here in DC. If you’re looking for a short road trip, there are lots of great, funky little shops; I picked up a comic and had a very tasty seafood dinner. It’s a great venue, and a great excursion if you’re looking to get out of your usual rut for the evening.

Here are a few pictures of Paul Bruntnell performing at Rams Head on Stage on July 17, 2023. All pictures by Steve Satzberg.

Here are some photos of Son Volt performing at Rams Head on Stage on July 17, 2023. All pictures by Steve Satzberg.

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Son Volt: Electro Melodier Tour [Concert Review]

Brian Q. Newcomb | November 24, 2021 September 24, 2021 | Concert Reviews , Reviews

Son Volt :  Ludlow Garage; Cincinnati, OH; Saturday, September 18, 2021

As someone who lived in St. Louis from late ’83 thru the middle of ’08 and wrote semi-professionally about music for many of those years – contributing to the two largest publications that followed the music scene, The Riverfront Times and Post-Dispatch, as well as a local music fanzine, The Spotlight – I had numerous opportunities and the privilege to watch Uncle Tupelo grow to gain national acclaim, to attend their final weekend stand at Mississippi Nights, and then as both Son Volt and Wilco rose from its ashes. Since moving to Ohio, I’ve had numerous opportunities to catch Jeff Tweedy and his Wilco mates live, most recently just a few weeks back at the WonderBus festival in Columbus, but this is the first time I’ve seen able Jay Farrar’s Son Volt, since the band’s early days, and I was anxious to hear the band play tracks for their latest release, Electro Melodier . The recently renovated Ludlow Garage is actually a basement venue in the Clifton neighborhood just down the street from that landmark Skyline Chili restaurant, and while it is a unique L-shaped space, offered good sound and nice sightlines unless you were too far back where seats were available. Son Volt was preceded by a 40-minute set from country singer/songwriter and Rounder recording artist, John R. Miller backed only by a second guitarist who played excellent pedal steel. The band it the stage shortly after 9:30 and launched immediately in “The 99,” Farrar’s treatise on the “trickle down” economy for the “Union” album, but wasted little time between song before launching into that big bluesy groove of “Arkey Blue.” Farrar carries himself like a man on a mission, eager to get down to business, and his band matches his tone and temperament. Newest member, guitarist John Horton, fresh from the Bottle Rockets leaned into that second numbers guiding riff, and hit it hard again when it cycled back around, but Farrar led the band through the crunchy chord changes to end the song just as things were starting the heat up. Mark Spencer’s organ swells set the tone for “Back Against the Wall,” with bassist Andrew DuPlantis adding harmony vocals to Farrar’s on the chorus. Farrar moved from his hollow-body electric to a plug-in guitar with more of an acoustic sound for “The Picture,” and strapped on a harmonica rack for “The Reason,” Horton’s electric guitar adding fluid runs and fills. “Diamonds and Cigarettes,” another from the new one, followed with harmony vocals that could never have matched those of Laura Cantrell on the album. “Sinking Down” was a return to more of a stomping rocker, with drummer Matt Patterson kicking the beat, and Horton delivering a hot slide guitar solo during the break, followed by “Devil May Care,” with a similar feel. By way of introducing “Hearts and Minds,” Farrar invited the crowd to “grab a partner for a Cincinnati two-step,” before honoring the songs country dance feel, with Spencer’s keyboard creating an accordion vibe, as he sang harmony vocals. Although they’d already played a couple new ones, Farrar announced that they were going to turn the focus to Electro Melodier , and then turned in a lovely performance of the disc’s opening track, “Reverie.” Then, moving back to his electric guitar, Farrar led the band into the big rock chords of “The Globe,” as the volume coming out of the PA seemed to be getting louder with each song. They followed that with another from the latest album, “Lucky Ones,” with Farrar back into more of an acoustic mode, while the organ drenched track left room for a warm, emotional guitar solo from Horton. “Bandages & Scars” was another rocker, one with “Woody Guthrie’s words ringing” in all our heads. Spencer proved his multi-instrumentalist bona fides for “Routes,” standing up from his keyboard to strap on the song’s third guitar, adding all those bent notes and taking the guitar solo on this solid rocker. As he quickly slipped back into his chair to warm up his organ, Farrar kicked off “Drown,” eliciting yelps of joy from the crowd. If drummer Patterson was hitting the cowbell on that one, which always stands out to me on the recording from the band’s debut, Trace , bit frankly it was so loud at this point that my earplugs were leaking and clarity was slipping away. Things continued to heat up, “Afterglow 61” maintained that hard, hot rocking feel, with a lyric that always feels like a nod to Bob Dylan, eliciting another simmering guitar solo from Horton, who seemed to be overcoming his “new guy” seriousness, playing a slide solo for Farrar’s tribute to the girls on “Cherokee Street” back in the Lou. Switching quickly back to his acoustic sounding guitar, Farrar quickly introduced the band, and launched to country-leaning folk songs from that debut outing, two fan favorites, “Tear Stained Eye” and the driving benediction, “Windfall,” with Spencer now adding just the right amount of twang on his lap steel guitar, which ended the set proper. The band didn’t leave us hanging for two long, and returned to play two rocking encores. Those classic guitar early 70’s rock chords, Pete Townshend used to introduce “The Seeker,” by The Who. I’m not sure how any guitar player can avoid the temptation to offer up a few of those trademark windmills playing that old nugget, but somehow Farrar and Horton managed, and Spencer was back on his keyboard. Then, an additional rocker for us old enough to remember, Farrar launched into his Uncle Tupelo classic, “Chickamauga,” and while content to stay in singer/songwriter mode until this point, leaving the guitar solo heavy lifting to others, here he dove in and played a smoking guitar solo, leaving me mindful of shows decades back. Proving that Son Volt remains a serious, talented and capable rock and roots band worthy of our time, attention and hard-earned concert cash. I’ll have more of this please, and soon.

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with special guest Anders Parker

• Date Aug. 15 , 2023
• Event Starts 8:00 PM
• Venue Turner Hall Ballroom
• Doors Open 7:00 PM
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In 2020, Son Volt planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of seminal album, Trace, with a tour that played the album from top to bottom. The pandemic had other plans. Flash forward to 2023 and they are on the road with a setlist that features “Trace” from beginning to end, an homage to Doug Sahm (Sir Douglas Quintet, Texas Tornados) and a celebration of 28 years of Son Volt.

Son Volt’s latest record, “Day of the Doug,” revisits the music of legendary Texas troubadour Doug Sahm. But it’s much more than fond remembrance and colorful tribute. It is a summoning and a celebration of a songwriter and performer whose work forged country, Tex-Mex, rock, rhythm and blues, folk, and psychedelia into an utterly unique American sound.

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clock This article was published more than  2 years ago

Son Volt’s Jay Farrar still has woes to share. At the Birchmere, his misery found company.

With soulful songs about economic disparity and global warming, the veteran alt-country group offered noisy guitars and a balm for hard times.

At the Birchmere on Wednesday night, Jay Farrar came to the stage wanting to let folks know what’s bothering him. But the alt-country icon has always been a man of few spoken words. So he let his music do the ranting.

In front of a polite, rapt audience that filled the club to a pre-pandemic density, Farrar and his band, Son Volt, opened the nearly two-hour set with tunes that referenced economic disparity (“The 99”), global warming (the new “Arkey Blue”) and the military-industrial complex (“The Picture”). Sporting a western shirt and shades as dark and cool as any Roy Orbison ever wore, Farrar warbled that last number while blowing on a harmonica in a neck brace fit for a singer of protest songs.

Son Volt's rural rock

Usually strummed on a beautiful Gretsch hollow body, these tunes featured a musical meld of twangy, overdriven guitars and simple chord progressions. It’s the same recipe Farrar relied on in the early 1990s when he was part of the pioneering, gone-but-not-forgotten Illinois-based trio Uncle Tupelo. In 2017’s “Sinking Down,” a roadhouse-blues rocker that recalled both George Thorogood and ZZ Top, Farrar predicted his world will come crashing down again soon (“Troubles of the world won’t keep away for long”) while former Bottle Rockets guitarist John Horton played slide licks.

When not delivering a downer state of his union address, Farrar visited a few of the more uplifting pages of the Son Volt songbook. “The Reason” had an all-things-must-pass message for anybody going through a rough patch. “You can see the rainbows as something more than colored sky,” he sang. “All the fury of the downpour can be a blessing in disguise.” And “Reverie,” the catchiest track on Son Volt’s latest LP (titled “ Electro Melodier ” in tribute to a vintage Magnatone tube amplifier the bandleader cherishes), had Farrar belting out words as sappy and joyful as anything you’d find on a Hallmark card (“Don’t stop dreaming on a distant star!”) with a melody bouncy enough for a sitcom theme. It’s a song worth getting lost in.

Farrar saved his oldest material for the show’s final portions. He offered several tunes from “ Trace ,” the 1995 Son Volt debut album that proved to worried fans that Farrar’s career would survive the ugly implosion of Uncle Tupelo, which had happened a year earlier. Those songs have aged marvelously, none better than “Windfall,” an Americana ballad as unapologetically hopeful as any Gaelic wedding toast. The crowd took over lead vocal duties on the song’s climactic line, “May the wind take your troubles away.”

For an encore, Farrar served up “Chickamauga,” the only Tupelo tune in the set list. But while Farrar was singing about a bitter breakup — “I know you hate me now!” — and letting loose with his only shredding guitar solo of the night, he seemed as happy as the fans to look back to where it all began.

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On Son Volt’s new record, Union, present and past mingle into strong confluence. The thirteen new songs written by founder Jay Farrar confront our turbulent politics and articulate the clarity and comfort music can offer in the tumult. “There are so many forces driving our country apart,” observes Farrar. “What can we do to bring our society back together?”

The country and blues sounds explored by Son Volt on its last two records (2013’s Honky Tonk and 2017’s Notes of Blue) linger in the grooves of Union. But the new record nods to many other mile markers along the band’s 25-year path. Some tunes offer a powerful return to the ringing lyrical clarity of 2005’s Okemah and the Melody of Riot and 2007’s The Search. Others hearken back to the freewheeling poetic melodicism of 1994’s Trace and 1997’s Straightaways.

“Broadsides will be hurled to capture the truth,” sings Farrar on the brooding and blues-driven song that takes its name from the one-page bulletins that used to spread both proclamations and ballads. And songs such as “The 99,” “While Rome Burns,” and “Lady Liberty” push up the acoustic guitar in the mix to underscore the enduring role of troubadours in troubled times. “A lot of these songs are songs of turmoil,” says Farrar. “Questioning what’s going on.”

On Union, Farrar taps into folk music’s rich lyrical legacy. It’s a tradition he has tapped often both in Son Volt and in Uncle Tupelo. “I was raised on folk music,” observes Farrar. “Politics is a common thread there. In a time where we see threats to our way of life, and our democracy, from within, you say: What can I do? I put pen to paper and write music.”

The chorus of Union’s title song was a “mantra” of James Paul ‘Pops’ Farrar, about whom Farrar has written so affectingly in his memoir, Falling Cars and Junkyard Dogs. “He thought the Israeli model was best,” says the songwriter. “Everybody serves in one capacity or another, and that was the best way to bring a country together. It did happen here in World War II. People of different spiritual and economic backgrounds brought together. And there was an immense period of prosperity after that – for a myriad of reasons, but the idea that all walks of life were working together is important.”

Union grounds its politics in startling images and portraits of the human costs of our divides. Guitar and organ commingle on “While Rome Burns” to underscore a connectedness in the way that “the freeways lead to the gravel roads, to the town squares and the rodeos.”

The mournful shuffling “Reality Winner” echoes direct protest songs such as “Hurricane” – Bob Dylan’s ode to boxer Rubin Carter, who was wrongly convicted of triple homicide in 1967. Winner is a former intelligence analyst who leaked a National Security Agency document that detailed Russian attempts to hack voting systems to the media. She was convicted of violating the Espionage Act and sentenced to five years and three months in prison.

“We have a reality TV show president,” Farrar says, “and we have this woman named Reality Winner, and they’re linked in a way. She represents everything that you want in an American, someone who’s learned three languages and does her part. She’s basically a whistleblower doing hard time. Maybe this song brings more awareness to her plight.”

A reinvigorated band chemistry anchors the new record, with new and returning members turning up in the Union mix. Longtime members Mark Spencer (piano, organ, acoustic slide, lap steel, backing vocals) and Andrew DuPlantis (bass, backing vocals) have been at the core of Son Volt’s recent work. Guitarist Chris

Frame – who toured with Son Volt in the Okemah era – rejoined the group for the Notes of Blue tour and plays on the new record. DuPlantis recruited fellow Austin musician Mark Patterson to play drums and percussion.

“We spent a lot of time together playing shows behind Notes of Blue,” says Farrar. “That time playing together coalesced into a sense of purpose.” The Son Volt leader’s return to playing acoustic guitar – after taking up electric guitar on the band’s last record – also had an impact. “I took a step back,” says Farrar. The space allowed Frame “to add a lot of guitar elements.” The result is “a different flavor and perspective.”

Initially, Farrar intended Union to be an explicitly political statement. “Midway through,” he says, “I realized I needed some balance on the record.” The result is a cluster of new songs that reflect on the power of love, time, and music to heal and sustain us. “Holding Your Own” builds to a shimmering and powerful climax of piano and electric guitar as it relays the hopes Farrar identifies in “watching kids grow up and find their place in society.”

“Slow Burn” is an ode to hope and resilience’s power to shake off darkness. The song’s piano chords pave a road out of futility and reminds listeners that “every tunnel reaches the light.” Another highlight on the record is “Devil May Care” – an ebullient celebration of the joys of playing music. Farrar strip-mined musical gear catalogues for the poetry in their terminology, reeling off lines like “harmonic fidelity boost high pass filter on a balanced line / Or a cigarette on a headstock, all the same just make it rhyme.”

The attitude of bands such as the early-era Replacements was present as he wrote the song. “That is the essence of what a band is,” he says. “You remember: Wait a minute: Music is supposed to make you throw your burdens to the wind, so I tried to include that approach as well.”

Eight of the thirteen songs on Union were recorded at places associated with two figures in American history who Farrar says “made a difference”: Renowned American labor activist Mary Harris “Mother” Jones and quintessential American troubadour Woody Guthrie. Three songs were laid down at the Mother Jones Museum in Mount Olive, Illinois, while four others were recorded at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“I felt doing it in a more challenging environment might inspire us along the way,” says Farrar. “Doing mobile recordings was a way to push myself a little bit. It also pushed Jacob Detering, our engineer, who had to assemble a mobile unit and did a great job.”

Proximity to Guthrie and his legacy pushed strongly into Union’s closing song: “The Symbol.” The song’s point of origin was Guthrie’s 1948 poem “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos,” which was later set to music by composer Martin Hoffman and is best-known as “Deportee.” Guthrie wrote at a moment when “workers needed to work fields weren’t even considered as people,” observes Farrar.

In “The Symbol,” Farrar paints a compelling portrait of a Mexican man who helped rebuild New Orleans after Katrina and now finds himself buffeted by the wave of anti-immigration rhetoric and vengeful law enforcement.

Farrar says that the key to writing songs on topical issues that stand the test of time is to be a truthful observer. “‘Deportee’ made such a lasting impression on me,” he observes. “But it was written in the 1940s You have to give your own take. Say this is what happened. Even if it seems temporary. Hopefully it’s not.”

For press information about Son Volt, please contact Donica Elliott [email protected] or Jim Flammia [email protected] at All Eyes Media or (615) 227-2770

Video & Press

Son volt announces summer tour, to play ‘trace’ in its entirety.

Son Volt will hit the road this summer with a tour that plays ‘Trace’ from top to bottom, songs that pay homage Doug Sahm, and a set list that celebrates 28 Years of Son Volt. Tickets on sale Friday, March 31 at 10 am local venue time. To see all tour dates and venues, click […]

Jay Farrar On Son Volt’s New Album ‘Electro Melodier’ & The Lifelong Draw Of Electric Guitars, Words & Melodies

[Grammy.com] During the pandemic, Jay Farrar had more time than ever to craft Son Volt’s new album, ‘Electro Melodier.’ The result is among the 30-year-old band’s most personal, oracular and muscular works to date When the Americana heroes Uncle Tupelo broke up during the Clinton administration, they left two unbelievably different rock institutions in their wake. […]

Seminal Band Son Volt Embark on Their 25th Year With the Release of ‘Union’ on March 29th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 2018 SEMINAL BAND SON VOLT EMBARK ON THEIR 25th YEAR WITH THE RELEASE OF UNION ON MARCH 29TH POLITICALLY CHARGED NEW SONGS EXPRESS THE CLARITY THAT CAN BE GAINED THROUGH MUSIC “…Farrar’s timeless songwriting about working-class people once again seems more of the moment than ever.” – Uproxx Nashville, TN – […]

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ANIMATED SHORT FOR “SOMETIMES YOU’VE GOT TO STOP CHASING RAINBOWS”

Video by Collection Agency Films. Artwork by Jose Luis Gonzalez. Animated by Cameron Petri and Dano Johnson. Produced by Troy Campbell.

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SON VOLT ON THE ROAD PLAYING ‘TRACE’ & DOUG SAHM SONGS

Day of the doug available june 16.

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28 YEARS OF SON VOLT TOUR THIS SUMMER WITH TRACE + DOUG SAHM SONGS

In 2020, Son Volt planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of  Trace  with a tour that played the album from top to bottom. The pandemic had other plans. Flash forward to 2023 and they are on the road with a setlist that features  Trace  from beginning to end, an homage to Doug Sahm and a celebration of 28 years of Son Volt. Tour dates can be found here. All dates are currently on sale.

NEW T-SHIRTS AND SON VOLT’S 26Live ON CD FOR SALE IN WEBSTORE

Recorded during Son Volt’s 2019  Union  tour, these live songs include selections from Son Volt’s  Trace ,  Straightaways ,  Wide Swing Tremolo ,  Okemah & the Melody of Riot ,  The Search ,  Honky Tonk ,  Notes of Blue , and  Union ; covers of tracks from  Uncle Tupelo  and  The Rolling Stones ; plus a couple of songs from Jay’s side project,  Gob Iron . 26 songs and over an hour and 40 minutes of music availiable on double-CD and high resolution download exclusively at Son Volt’s Store.

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SINGLE “SOMETIMES YOU’VE GOT TO STOP CHASING RAINBOWS” FROM ‘DAY OF THE DOUG’ OUT NOW

‘DAY OF THE DOUG’ TO BE RELEASED ON RECORD STORE DAY

A tribute to Doug Sahm,  Day of the Doug  features 12 songs that span Sahm’s career as a solo artist as well as his work with  Sir Douglas Quintet  and  Texas Tornados . The Intro and Outro tracks are phone messages that Doug left Jay over the years. Pressed on RSD-exclusive Opaque Green Vinyl. Only 1700 copies pressed! Find stores and more information here:

SON VOLT’s 26Live ON DOUBLE CD FOR SALE IN WEBSTORE

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• September 18, 2020
• B-Sides , Columns

25 Years Later: Revisiting Son Volt’s Seminal Debut ‘Trace’

• By Doug Collette
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Reminiscent of that sustained burst of inspiration by which he formed Son Volt in 1994, founder and group leader Jay Farrar has been on a creative roll since 2016’s Notes of Blue . Following that return to the crackling, country-tinged rock and roll at which his band excels, a vivid testament to our tumultuous times arrived three years later in the form of the aptly (ironically?) titled Union, selections from which comprise much of the late 2020 summer release of 26Live, a collection of concert recordings from the previous year’s tour in support of the topical masterwork (plus yet another brand-new tune “These Are The Times”).

This digital-only compendium is in lieu of live performances precluded by the pandemic, some of which, had they happened, would also include the band playing most, if not all, the material from Trace in recognition of the Son Volt debut on its twenty-fifth anniversary of 9/19/95 (to which the online exclusive’s title alludes). After the seminal alt-country/Americana band Uncle Tupelo dissolved following 1993’s Anodyne, Jay Farrar established a group under this cryptic moniker to continue the wide-ranging pioneering of American music and the consummately-prepared two-decade milestone package of their first record extends and deepens the process. 

Its issue also confirms the extent to which Farrar is justifiably proud of that piece of work: the taciturn musician and songwriter even deigned to conduct interviews with journalists. Yet, those overtures to the press were in addition to his general oversight of the package as the musician/songwriter produced the reissue and was involved in the remastering of the original eleven track studio album. As a result, both the acoustic and electric textures of guitars, fiddle, and banjo radiate an almost tactile presence that makes the emotion even more resonant within lyrics of songs such as “Windfall” and “Tear-Stained Eye.” 

The cautious optimism of the former permeates the material of Trace (and that of the most recent LP’s as well) and also finds a direct echo in the closing, a cover of Ron Wood’s “Mystifies Me.” That cut’s easygoing sense of self-awareness also emanates as well from the song-by-song notes written by  Farrar and while the absence of song lyrics within the same booklet would make this thirty-seven track set truly comprehensive, it’s an omission largely mitigated by No Depression magazine founder Peter Blackstock’s healthily-detached prose reminiscence of the genesis of Son Volt. 

His vivid depiction of the quartet’s early bonding becomes further amplified through the inclusion on disc two of a 1996 appearance at New York’s now-defunct Bottom Line. The band proceeds through the bulk of Trace (plus “Cemetery Savior,” a song that would appear on their sophomore album Straightaways ) with equal parts confidence and authority, validation of Farrar’s decision to proceed in his chosen direction, with his own group (here in its original configuration, comprised of Uncle Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn, bassist/vocalist Jim Boquist, plus his multi-instrumentalist sibling Dave). Particularly noteworthy is the rendition of Del Reeves’ “Looking at the World Through A Windshield” that concludes the set and connects directly to Son Volt’s near pure country album of 2013, Honky Tonk.

The additional inclusion of Uncle Tupelo tracks played this February night, among them “Anodyne” and “Slate,” only reaffirms the abandon with which the ensemble rocks for the better part of the show: the latter is a bittersweet acoustic exception to the aforementioned rule of requisite punch. And hearing this sequence of cuts in order makes for an insightful segue from the unreleased material as the eight demos at the end of disc one depict the evolution of the original material with understated immediacy; the author plays all the instruments. but even in stripped-down form, songs like “Loose String” and the acoustic demo of “Route” belie the forlorn tone of his voice. The clear-headed resolve that’s earmarked Jay Farrar’s career since its inception is as readily apparent and utterly convincing in these somewhat rough-hewn recordings as in the technically-contemporized studio work and the newly-mixed performances that accompany them. 

But that attitude is one of the major threads of continuity in the existence of Son Volt over the course of its quarter-century history. As such, it should come as no surprise that particular state of mind renders Trace provocative listening in all its forms but also pervades subsequent releases under the aegis of the band: 2005’s Okemah and the Melody of Riot and, two years later, The Search have both become available in expanded versions over the last couple years. Like the milestone edition of the initial effort, these equally immersive sets serve to reaffirm the fundamental premise of the ensemble’s existence, that is, Son Volt’s staunch loyalty to their musical roots and their purposefully eclectic explorations thereof.

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Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, falls short of U.S. Open qualifying and he’s not alone

Charlie Woods, only 15-years-old, did not have his best stuff in the first stage of U.S. Open qualifying.

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Perhaps nothing in golf is more difficult than trying to qualify for the U.S. Open .

The United States Golf Association (USGA) accepted over 10,000 entries into this year’s qualifiers, all of which are professional players or amateurs who carry a handicap index of 0.4 or better.

That includes Charlie Woods, son of Tiger Woods , who tried to qualify for his first major championship on Thursday at one of the 109 local qualifying sites in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The younger Woods, who helped his high school team win the Florida State Championship this past fall, has the game to compete and play. He has demonstrated that at the PNC Championship , too.

Unfortunately for the high school freshman, he did not have his best stuff on Thursday and will not advance past the first local qualifying stage. Woods carded a 9-over 81 at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, making three double-bogies that helped seal his fate. He finished in a tie for 61st in a field of 89 players.

Only five players advance from Port St. Lucie to one of the final 10 qualifying sites in late May and early June.

Last year, the USGA staged 10 final qualifiers that featured 645 players competing across the country. Only 45 made it to the Los Angeles Country Club —or 6.9% of those who made it to the final stage—and many compete on the PGA Tour or LIV Golf .

Woods faced a tall task of trying to make it to the U.S. Open, but he most certainly gained valuable experience Thursday.

At the very least, he bested Cameron Kuchar, son of Matt Kuchar, by a stroke on Thursday at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club. The younger Woods now holds some bragging rights over the younger Kuchar.

All jokes aside, these two young up-and-comers will more than likely run it back in 2025. By then, they will have more experience under their belts and fewer butterflies in their stomachs. But who knows? Perhaps they will defy the odds and make it all the way to Oakmont, which will host a record 10th U.S. Open next year.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

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Charlie Woods will play U.S. Open local qualifier Thursday

Charlie Woods looks to earn a spot at this year's U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

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Charlie Woods’ road to Pinehurst begins Thursday.

Woods, the son of 82-time TOUR winner Tiger Woods, will compete in an 18-hole U.S. Open local qualifier Thursday at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The younger Woods is slated to tee off at 8:18 a.m. ET Thursday.

The road to the U.S. Open features 109 local qualifying sites across April and May, leading to 13 Final Qualifying sites in late May and early June. Final Qualifying is known as Golf's Longest Day, requiring competitors to navigate 36 holes to earn a tee time at the season’s third major championship.

To be eligible for qualifying, a player must have a Handicap Index not exceeding 0.4 or be a professional.

The elder Woods is a three-time U.S. Open champion, but he has yet to win at Pinehurst No. 2. Tiger Woods finished T3 at Pinehurst in 1999, two strokes back of winner Payne Stewart, and he placed solo second at the venerable venue in 2005, two back of Michael Campbell. He didn’t compete at Pinehurst in 2014.

Earlier this spring, Charlie Woods competed in a pre-qualifier for the TOUR’s Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, his first foray at attempting to qualify for a TOUR-sanctioned event. The younger Woods shot 86 that day but will look to apply learnings in Thursday’s U.S. Open local qualifier.

Tiger and Charlie Woods have paired together in the last four PNC Championships, the two-player team event contested each December that utilizes a scramble format. Team Woods finished runner-up in 2021 but has yet to win the event.

Other notables in the field at Woods' site include Cameron Kuchar (son of Matt), Sunny Kim, Garrett Willis, Reed Greyserman (brother of Max), Austin Lemieux (son of Mario) and Michael Buttacavoli.

SON VOLT ON TOUR

The band will begin to start playing dates in August 2021. There will be some dates throughout the rest of 2021 and continue through 2022. Please check the tour page for more info.

Usher says his son stole his phone to message 'favorite' singer, met her at concert

Usher 's son has got it bad for U.K. pop singer PinkPantheress .

Usher took to Instagram Wednesday to recount how his son, Naviyd Raymond, stole his phone to message the "Boy's a Liar" singer, his "favorite artist."

The "Good Good" singer shared screenshots of the interaction between his 15-year-old son and PinkPantheress, 23, to his Instagram story.

"Hello this is Usher's son Naviyd I'm you (sic) true biggest fan. Please follow me back," the teen wrote last week, with sad face and praying emojis, tagging himself. "I put him on to masterpieces."

"hahahahahaa," the British singer wrote back. "this is wild!"

Usher, 45, said he was confused after he saw DMs being exchanged between his account and someone with a profile picture of a character from the "Powerpuff Girls."

"I open it and I'm like oh this boy done DMd this girl from my damn phone," he wrote.

He then shared a screenshot where he apologized to the singer and producer for his son's "excitement," but PinkPanthress dismissed the need for apologies and instead gave a "sweet" invitation to her show.

But to teach his son a lesson, Usher acted as if the teen wasn't allowed to go at first.

"BUT... because my son is such a fan of her artistry... I decided to let him go," Usher wrote.

"My son is at you (sic) show tonight," he later wrote to PinkPantheress. "I had to send him considering his level of dedication and creativity… to figure out getting your attention through stealing my phone… that's commitment. Hopefully you guys get to link."

The pair did just that, with Usher sharing a photo of his son with the singer, both styled in Y2K fashion backstage at her show. Usher then shared a screenshot of a FaceTime call with PinkPantheress.

The Essentials: As Usher prepares for Super Bowl halftime show, here are his must-haves

Usher ended the story time with a "parental takeaway."

"This was a great moment for Naviyd ... this was him movin on something he was passionate about," Usher wrote.

Though his son "violated (his) trust," Usher said he should have known not to leave his phone sitting around and that he appreciated his son's "hustle."

"He masterminded this whole thing and made it happen," Usher said.

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Kelly Osbourne Brings Son Sidney to His First Slipknot Concert to See Dad Perform — and He Falls Fast Asleep

"Rock music is in his blood!" Osbourne wrote in her caption

Kelly Osbourne/Instagram

Kelly Osbourne's son is destined to be a rocker — and he just got his first taste of the genre.

On Friday, April 26, the proud mom shared a video on her Instagram after she took her son Sidney, 16 months, to his first concert, which happened to be one of his dad's.

Osbourne, who shares her son with Slipknot musician Sid Wilson, filmed Wilson on stage, panning over to show Sidney fast asleep in his carrier, wearing noise-canceling headphones.

"Baby Sidney’s first concert was @slipknot !!! Being able to raise my son the way that I was raised is so important to me. I was raised on love, music and the road," Osbourne wrote in her caption.

"Getting to give my baby the same grift [sic] means more to mean than I can put into words. Rock music is in his blood! I still can’t believe he slept through most of it!!! 😂."

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In February, Osbourne attended Dolly Parton's Pet Gala event in Nashville and spoke with  Entertainment Tonight  about how she's bonded with her son Sidney throughout his first year of life.

"Mom life is the absolute best," she told the outlet. "There was no adjustment period for me because I love it all. The good, the bad, the ugly, I take it all. It's so much fun."

"It's given me a purpose in life like nothing ever has," Osbourne continued. "Just getting to watch my little man grow and seeing him become a little person is just, like, it's gonna make me cry if I keep talking about it."

As he's getting older, Osbourne is discovering her son's personality, as well as his likes and dislikes.

"His favorite food is cheese. He loves all kinds of cheese and he'll sometimes eat so much cheese that he smells of cheese," she joked.

A month before, Osbourne shared a few photos on her Instagram Stories of her son Sidney as he spent time with their family dog Lemmy. In the sweet photo, Sidney had a pacifier in his mouth and placed his hands on a table as the black and white dog stood behind him.

Another adorable picture showed Sidney giving Lemmy a bone as the two crawled on the floor together.

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Review: Neil Young & Crazy Horse strike heart of gold at tour-opening San Diego concert

The concert began with an epic, 15-minute version of ‘Cortez The Killer’ that featured extra lyrics recently unearthed by Young. Guitarist-singer Micah Nelson, Willie’s son, very ably assumed the role in Crazy Horse of Nils Lofgren, now on tour with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.

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When Neil Young sang “rock and roll will never die” near the conclusion of his tour-opening LOVE EARTH concert with Crazy Horse Wednesday in San Diego, you believed him.

Those words, from his 1978 song, “Hey Hey My My (Into the Black),” sounded like a defiant vow in the face of possible obsolescence 46 years ago. Now, they are a statement of fact from a proud maverick who sounds more committed than ever, even — or, rather, especially — at a time when rock is increasingly becoming a niche genre pushed aside by formulaic pop, hip-hop and dance-music.

At 78, Young remains a staunch keeper of the flame whose passion for music burns as bright as ever. If anyone thinks this veteran singer, songwriter and guitarist is ready to kick back in his old age, he and his band immediately and convincingly refuted such notions with their powerful, nearly two-hour performance at SDSU’s Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre. (They are set to perform a second sold-out show at the same venue Thursday night.)

Young and his three-man band opened with “Cortez the Killer,” an epic number from their 1975 album, “Zuma.” But this was no sentimental journey down nostalgia lane, nor was it a tentative, shake-off-the-dust run through.

Their carefully calibrated version of “Cortez” built to a series of powerful climaxes Monday and lasted 15 minutes — nearly twice as long as the original on “Zuma.” The song began with an opening guitar jam that lasted 7 minutes before Young’s reedy vocals commenced. For good measure, near the conclusion of “Cortez,” he sang — for the first time anywhere in concert — a missing verse he recently came upon that had been cut from the 1975 recording.

The unearthed lyrics provided additional depth and a palpable sense of despair to Young’s tour de force song about Hernán Cortez, the bloody Spanish conqueror of Mexico’s Aztec Empire: I floated on the water / I ate that ocean wave / Two weeks after the slaughter / I was living in a cave / They came too late to get me / But there’s no one here to set me free / From this rocky grave / To that snowed-out ocean wave.

The next selection was the buoyant “Cinnamon Girl,” a choice cut from 1969’s “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere,” the first album Young and Crazy Horse made together. It clocked in at a crisp three minutes.

The rest of the concert included several other extended jams, with “Down by the River” and “Love and Only Love” both clocking in at a glorious 16 minutes (but not lasting one second too long). Conversely, Young’s tender solo acoustic versions of “Comes a Time,” “Heart of Gold” and “Human Highway” were each delivered with admirable concision.

The manner in which he alternated between longer and shorter selections served as a master class on how to pace a concert to build momentum and achieve maximum dynamic tension and release.

The final encore was an eight-minute rendition of “My My Hey Hey (Into the Black),” whose line There’s more to the picture than meets the eye could be a synopsis of Young’s career and his dogged determination to do things his way, every time, no matter what the trends of the day may be.

At SDSU, Young and his longtime Crazy Horse compadres — bassist/singer Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina, both 80 — were focused and in sync from start to finish. They were joined by guitarist/singer Micah Nelson, 33, who on Monday had played a key role accompanying his father, Willie Nelson, at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park.

Review: Willie Nelson’s San Diego concert defined, not defied, the passing of time. He turns 91 on April 29.

The American music-master and his band warmed up a damp, cool evening at The Shell. David Sanger, the drummer in opening act Asleep At The Wheel, took the ferry back to his family’s home in Coronado after the show.

April 23, 2024

Micah Nelson was performing in place of Crazy Horse charter member Nils Lofgren, who is now on tour in The E Street Band with his other longtime employer, Bruce Springsteen. Those are big shoes to fill, but Nelson was so in sync with Young you’d think they had been musical partners for decades.

The stage was bedecked with the giant, faux Fender guitar amplifiers, speaker cabinets and road cases Young and Crazy Horse used on their 1978 Rust Never Sleeps tour. There were no video screens on the stage, the better for the audience — which included basketball great Bill Walton and Las Vegas Raiders NFL team owner Mark Davis — to focus completely on the music at hand.

The SDSU concert — the start of Young and Crazy Horse’s first major tour together in a decade — came a year after Young’s mesmerizing solo concert here at The Shell. Wednesday’s performance was even more mesmerizing, in large part because of the musical empathy between the four musicians.

Review: Neil Young delivered singular San Diego solo concert by digging deep for new/old musical gold

The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee performed his first San Diego solo concert in 31 years, mixing classics with deep, deep album cuts

July 12, 2023

When they locked into a groove, which was often, they seemed to be of one mind. And it’s difficult to think of any other rock band of any vintage that can gain as much traction from so many slow-paced songs.

With few exceptions, Young’s biting guitar solos contained a minimum of notes, but he made each one count, repeatedly going into a zone where feeling and intensity trump quantity. Or, to invoke the title of Young’s 1988 album: “This Note’s For You.”

Apart from a heartfelt spoken tribute to the late David Briggs — the producer of many of Young’s albums with (and without) Crazy Horse — Young’s comments to the audience were along the lines of: “Thank you” and “How ya doin’?”

Otherwise, he let his music speak for him, and it spoke volumes.

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The 31st Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival will feature nine events at seven venues countywide May 30-June 30

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The singer-songwriter, who performs in San Diego Thursday and at the Coachella festival in Indio Friday, makes emotionally bare songs walk the line between indie-rock and country

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‘Forbidden Broadway’ Scraps Summer Broadway Run, Citing Crowded Season

The parody show was scheduled to begin performances in July at the Helen Hayes Theater.

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By Michael Paulson

In a sign that there are not enough investors and ticket buyers to sustain all of the Broadway shows now onstage and in the works, the producers of “Forbidden Broadway” said Friday that they were canceling a planned summer run.

The scrapped production, “ Forbidden Broadway on Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song ,” was announced in February and was to be the first Broadway venture for the satirical revue, which has been performed periodically since 1982, mostly Off Broadway but also on tour. The show, consisting of comedic sketches that parody Broadway hits (and misses), has been frequently rewritten to remain reasonably timely and topical; the Broadway run was to feature a number of Sondheim spoofs, reflecting the heightened interest in his work since his death.

In a statement, the producers, Ryan Bogner, Victoria Lang and Tracey Stroock McFarland , called the move a postponement, and cited the volume of offerings on Broadway — there are currently 36 shows running, 12 of which opened in a nine-day stretch before the Tony-eligibility season ended Thursday night.

“The Broadway landscape is enormously crowded at this moment,” the producers’ statement said, “and while we adore Forbidden Broadway, we are disappointed that the show will not open at the Hayes on Broadway this summer.”

The show, written by Gerard Alessandrini, was to begin previews July 15 and to open Aug. 5 at the Helen Hayes Theater, and was to be capitalized for $3.2 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is not clear if the producers had successfully raised all that money, and ticket sales, which began earlier this month, had been slow.

“Without getting into the details of the financials or sales, it is self evident by looking at the current offerings on Broadway and their sales that in this incredibly crowded environment without recent precedent, the title would not have been served by launching at this time,” the producers said in a written answer to questions about the show’s economics.

This is the second show to cancel a Broadway production this year; in February, the producers of a planned run of Rob Madge’s “My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?)” announced that they were postponing that production less than three weeks before previews were to begin.

As for Madge, the performer is planning to take “My Son’s a Queer” back to the Edinburgh Fringe, this summer . But first, next month Madge is planning a show in London, reflecting on the Broadway disappointment. The title, of course, is “ Regards to Broadway .”

Michael Paulson is the theater reporter for The Times. More about Michael Paulson

Madonna Talks Life on Tour With Her Kids: “Nothing Brings Me More Happiness”

Madonna has been clear from the beginning that The Celebration Tour is no mere “greatest hits” circuit. It’s more like an artist’s MoMA retrospective blown up into an arena tour showcasing her singular contributions to the culture. It’s also the Queen of Pop’s most deeply personal tour yet, paying tribute to her influences, mentors, parents, and the friends and collaborators she’s lost. Nowhere is that personal touch more apparent than the inclusion of four of her children in the show. Across 78 performances so far, Madonna has worked double-duty as mom with son David and daughters Mercy, Stella, and Estere along for the ride—each one getting their own moment on stage. Mercy accompanies her mother on piano during “Bad Girl,” while David duets with his mom on “Mother and Father” (which, apparently, required the young musician to work up a bit of confidence to do). Twins Stella and Estere meanwhile, show off their dance skills during “Don’t Tell Me” and a segment dedicated to ballroom.

Ahead of her final arena dates in Mexico and a historic (potentially record-breaking) free show in Rio de Janeiro, Madonna sat down to answer questions over e-mail about life on the road with her children.

Madonna with Estere and David.

Madonna with David.

Rocco performed on stage during MDNA , and Lola worked in the wardrobe department on that same tour. Your children always seem to be involved in some capacity with your work. How does that feel as a mother?

I have always been blessed with children who are interested in music, dance, and art. Starting from the top with Lola , who was not only an incredible ballet dancer and and a rhythmic gymnast, switching to musical theater and contemporary dance. Now she is a unique singer and song writer in her own right. When I go on tour, nothing brings me more happiness to know, we are all working on the same show creating the magic together. It would be boring if they were just traveling from hotel to hotel, and occasionally coming to watch the show.  Of course, I am also their mother so sometimes we get on each other’s nerves. We are a family of artists but are also a family and that’s what happens.

Estere during dance practice.

Madonna, Mercy, and her piano teacher Ric’Key Pageot.

It seems like your children have been honing their talents for years. How important is it for you as a mother to make sure they take their art seriously?

Because The Celebration Tour is a retrospective of my life, I thought it made perfect sense to include all of my children still living with me in the show. As they all dance, and play musical instruments, and have been doing so for years.  David has played guitar since he was a child.  Mercy has played piano since she was eight and has been classically trained most of her life. Eventually, when I adopted the twins, they started to play piano and dance as well.  There is always an endless parade of music and dance teachers coming and going in our house. And then we add to that Djing as Estere showed a keen interest in learning. She started taking DJ lessons and took it very seriously.

Madonna and Mercy onstage performing “Bad Girl.”

Each of the children has their own moment in the show. Mercy James playing piano during “Bad Girl” was a highlight. Any back story on how that all came together?

I saw a strange poetic juxtaposition of hedonism, erotic exploration emerging into the light of Mercy, sitting stoically at her grand piano playing Chopin as she beckoned me towards her, making me think about the choices I have made in my life.  Singing “Bad Girl” was kind of a confession, not an apology, and I felt we had an unspoken understanding of what was happening.

Stella dancing during “Don’t Tell Me.”

Stella and Mercy.

Stella performs in “Don’t Tell Me,” which is a big number during the show. How was she with learning the choreography?

Stella, who I would say is my shyest child, comes alive on stage, and I love having her as my little cowgirl. But she happens to be an incredible fine artist, and I’m hoping that she follows in the footsteps of Rocco who after being a B-boy, skater, and graffiti artist has really come into his own as an incredible painter.

David and Madonna performing onstage.

David during the show’s finale.

David singing a verse during “Mother and Father” was fantastic. Has he expressed any interest in following in your footsteps with a musical career? He had originally only played guitar at the beginning of the tour. Did it take some convincing to get him to sing?

“Mother and Father” is one of my favorite moments in the show because it gave me a chance to not only honor my mother and her memory but also to honor David’s mother and her memory. He has always wanted to sing and play guitar.  He loves being on stage. This is nothing new. I love that we both get to sing to our mothers. Much of the show is about motherhood, family, and the importance of that in my artistic life.

Estere showing off her moves.

Estere, backstage in a “Britney Spears” t-shirt.

How did Estere get so into ballroom? Does she have any vogue mentors (aside from you)?

While Estere was learning how to DJ she became interested in ballroom competitions and just by luck, one of my choreographer’s assistants, Ivy Mugler, has her own ballroom house called House of Mugler.  She started taking Estere aside during rehearsals in another room, and within a couple of weeks she was doing death drops and spins and surprising us with her ability.  So, of course we had to turn that section of the show into Estere’s Ball.

Because this tour is a celebration of your entire career, did you kids learn or realize anything new about you?

I think what my children learned the most in this year of rehearsing and performing is that if you want to follow your dreams, you have to work hard for them.  And if all of them choose something different later in life, they will never forget this year of blood, sweat, and tears.

David, Stella, Mercy and Estere.

Estere studying.

The tour just wrapped up its U.S. dates. With five shows in Mexico City coming up and the huge free concert in Rio, what’s going through your mind right now?

This show was created for an indoor arena. Transforming and adapting it to perform outdoors on the beach, with no roof in Rio is going to be quite an undertaking and full of surprises. God willing, we will pull it off, and it will be an experience they will never forget.