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Photos by Ana Gibert

Day 2 performances ramped up a bit as everybody settled in to the FAI bluegrass-fast pace of the festival. The biggest challenge at FAI is organizing your whereabouts to coincide with the music you want to hear. “So much music, so little time,” to borrow an old saw.

Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley got that rapid-fire pace going immediately with guitar and mandolin pounding out old-timey music that sounds like it was written yesterday—because it was. Strong vocals from Hensley matched the award-winning dobro of Ickes (rhymes with “bikes”), who’s also well-established in the blues and jazz worlds. Look for their CD review, coming up in Elmore.

So impressed with young Irishman Ryan McMullan yesterday that we made time to catch him again in his big-room showcase, we found the time well spent. Modest and winning, McMullan mirrors the best qualities of his champion Ed Sheeran, including excellent, from-the-heart songwriting. Unassuming, unfussily dressed and alone with a borrowed guitar, the guy held his audience rapt. Like Adele, Judy Garland and many evocative singers, he uses volume effectively, and McMullan sure can belt it out when he wants to. One of many good songs, “In the Back of My Mind” delivered a straight shot from his soul to our hearts. Unless something goes horribly wrong, this youngster’s in for a long, successful career, and we’re in for some good music.

Corner Boy, another Irish import, is five young guys on guitar, banjo, drums, electric bass and piano/harmonica/pennywhistle plus razor-sharp four-part harmony. A bit reminiscent of Mumford & Sons, their throbbing rhythms and flat-out playing is nothing short of infectious, and if they honed their craft any sharper, they’d need a carry permit.

Slowing it down with Ray Bonneville, the veteran performer treated us to classic Cajun, with fine accordion accompaniment by Richie Lawrence. Mixing in a little French with English lyrics, Bonneville sang “She’s on my mind since she got on that big avion,” and had the crowd, whether seated or standing-room-only in the back, gently rocking to the sound.

Longtime Elmore fave Tim Easton and his trusty guitar held the big stage in the Grand Ballroom, as always shifting seamlessly between his folk, political, bluesy and quirky personas. He was followed by Patty Larkin, who also played solo, filling the room with her buttery vocals, romantic lyrics and impressive turns as a master guitarist. This gal can play.

Shifting gears again, sexy Shakura S’aida and her unfolky-looking band treated us to blues, soul and funk. Oozing attitude and talent, S’aida urged us to celebrate the moment, and demonstrated she definitely takes her own advice. Bolstered by fine pedal steel, the band kicked ass. If there’s a category for Best Earrings on a Performer, S’aida’s definitely taking it home…no flannel Pendletons need apply to this group.

Speaking of kicking ass, Michael Doucet and Lacher Prise did exactly that in several interlocking genres: NOLA rhythm and blues, Cajun and Zydeco, with Caribbean inflection. Doucet, who must be classically trained, treated us to funny, charming introductions to almost all of his songs, one about 24 inches of rain that fell on his bayou hometown in in 24 hours. The lyrics slyly dig at the push-pull of Louisiana and the rest of the US, with the homonym line “American reign coming down on the French.” With Mardi Gras only days away, Doucet talked about New Orleans natives’ habits in the song “Walkin’ On A Mardi Gras Day,” with a haunting, lonely vibe that avoided sadness—not an easy line to walk. Fun music that makes folks want to dance, the whole band was bobbing and smiling to the vibe themselves. Appropriately, Doucet got the first standing ovation we saw at the festival. Look for the CD review, coming up in Elmore.

Elmore writer Dennis Mc Do No Ugh had ‘em laughing at his antics and clever lyrics up in the showcase rooms, and happily we caught his hysterical “Medical Center” song. We stopped by Tami Neilson again for another taste of her country-influenced rock, and once again the room was packed beyond all breathing room. We’ll try again, or wait for her album, due out in a couple of weeks. Another Elmore favorite, Joe Jenks, gave us some history about the 1840s’ potato famine in Ireland, and sang a moving tribute that he said came to him in a rush one day while in a town in Ireland. By the time he got to the last few choruses of “Moon Over Skibbereen,” the room was singing along, moist-eyed. Anna Larson, a new discovery for us, has a firm handle on her keyboard and sings poignant songs with intelligent lyrics that could have come from Billy Joel’s cupboard.

The Steel Wheels have been rolling through SAI for a few years now, and are gaining momentum as they go. The only band I know with a percussion section that consists of a gourd and duct tape, the guys deliver traditional Americana and sharp harmonies with snap and crackle.

It’s been a couple of years since we crossed paths with Seth Glier, but we won’t let that happen again. At Folk Alliance with an all-girl backup band, when we walked in Glier was virtually a capella, with a minimal bass viol backing and himself on percussion with maracas and occasional foot-stomps on his hard guitar case. You dould have heard a pin drop in the room. On guitar, he sang about his nonverbal autistic brother—a frequent to topic for Glier—in “Love Is a Language We Hang On To.” Moving on to piano, which I consider his main instrument, Glier showed off better vocals than ever, with a marvelous falsettos punctuating the song. One of Glier’s strengths is knowing that less is more, and while others might dive into showoff flourishes, Glier will actually pause playing for a couple bars to let the lyrics shine through, as he did on the moving “Somebody Break My Heart,” from his upcoming album.

We heard one song from John Wort Hannam, playing in the round, and his funny description of how the song came to be. “I’m In It for the Long Haul” references his long, successful marriage, and convinced us to make time for him again tomorrow.

The twin in the duo Brother Brothers probably cried in harmony in their cribs. Warm, vibrant violin and guitar goodies accompany their perfect harmonies. Here’s another act that we’re looking forward to seeing again in the next couple of days.

For now, however, it’s almost 3 AM, and bedtime.

—Suzanne Cadgène