You used to say the highway was your home

At risk of diverting concertgoers from Millvale, where Good Night, States--officially my favorite local band--will be tomorrow night, I do want to mention for your folkier folks that Steve Earle will be playing a free show in South Park.

His latest record, Townes, is a collection of covers by Earle's late friend and mentor, the legendary Townes Van Zandt. Van Zandt is among my own favorite songwriters, and Earle once offered my single favorite summary of him: "Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world, and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that."

After Van Zandt's death, Earle wrote what I still think is his best song, at once haunting and healing, "Fort Worth Blues." It's so good, I forgive him that quasi-combover he's been wearing lately.

Free Summer Shows

Photo - Cat Power among the crowd at Hartwood Acres in 2006: HughShows

With Jennifer O'Connor and Donora set to play a free show tomorrow night in Oakland, it seemed like as good a time as any to draw yer attention to the handful of solid freebies the coming months hold. While I think the Arts Fest speaks for itself, several other shows well worth the price of admission are peppered throughout the summer:

June:
20 - Delbert McClinton, Kittanning Riverfront Amphitheatre

26 - YEP Summer Music Festival, Schenley Plaza

28- The Old 97's, Hartwood Acres

July:
4 - Three Dog Night, Point State Park
17 - Steve Earle, South Park
26 - Los Lobos, Hartwood Acres

August:
7 - Foghat, South Park (Slow Ride, anyone?)
9 - Son Volt, Hartwood Acres

EDIT: Add one more to that list...

September:

6 - Rusted Root @ Hartwood Acres