North (N)

Fred Eaglesmith has played them all; from television’s The Late Show with David Letterman to the legendary Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to the refined acoustics of the Lincoln Center, but this fall, Canada’s most uncompromising troubadour brings his whip-smart songwriting and road-tested show back to the very communites that inspired him.

The Juno Award winning poet of rural Canada has spent four decades turning service station stories, county fair romances, broken down old tractors, and gravel roads into timeless songs. His devoted fan base, affectionately known as ‘Fred Heads’ and a reputation for delivering shows that are equal parts intimate and electrifying have established this founder of alt-country as the benchmark for his contemporaries as well as aspiring artists. Eaglesmith’s songs, filled with wit, heart, and unvarnished truth have been covered by the likes of Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and countless others. Over 120 artists from Bluegrass to Punk have recorded his popular tune, “Alcohol & Pills.” His hit, “Trucker Speed,” has been named to the 100 Top Americana Songs of All Time and garnered over 60 million views with over 6 thousand independent videos having been created on Tik Tok.

Colorado songwriter Emily Scott Robinson beckons to those who are lost, lonely, or learning the hard way with American Siren, her first album for Oh Boy Records. With hints of bluegrass, country, and folk, the eloquent collection shares her gift for storytelling through her pristine soprano and the perspective of her unconventional path into music.

“I think that the thread running through the album is those things that call to us, and how we can't resist that call,” she says. “It’s about the siren songs that come up through our lives.”

Though not fully autobiographical, American Siren gracefully blends imagined characters with the meaningful people she’s encountered on her journey. Showcasing her ability as a storyteller, “If Trouble Comes a Lookin’” invents a scene where a vulnerable priest and an unhappy wife meet in an Arkansas hotel bar. “Hometown Hero” is an emotional tribute to her cousin, a veteran lost to suicide. “Lost Woman’s Prayer” stems from the words of a sage friend she met while traveling abroad, while “Every Day in Faith” is a personal testament to seeing things through.

PDX Memorex brings alive decades of soul and funk, covering classics by Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, and Otis Redding alongside new soul and funk by artists like Amy Winehouse, Joy Crookes, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, and Lenny Kravitz. The band's 8 pieces blend beautiful lead singing, vocal harmonies, and stellar horns with a hard-driving rhythm section that will surely get your booty shaking.

Based in Portland, PDX Memorex consists of Heidi DiJulio (lead vocals, backing vocals, ukulele, and melodica), Alex Jasso (trumpet), Erik Jasso (trombone), Steve Johnson (tenor sax), Philip Morlier (drums and lead vocals), Wade Schuster (guitar), Janet Strong (lead vocals, backing vocals, keys, cowbell, and slide whistle), and Dan Toulson (bass).

Tire Kickers are a new 4-piece original blues, country and rock band from Portland, Oregon, with an eclectic and nostalgic sound reminiscent of Johnny Cash, Jon Spencer Blue Explosion, or They Might Be Giants. They are all longtime Portland musicians formerly of Old Town Diamonds, Pirate Jenny, Captain Bogg & Salty, and Postmodern Pirates.

Tire Kickers play exciting rock-infused and rhythm-driven sets combining a handful of deep-cut rock covers with dozens of their own originals written by Paul Iannotti (acoustic guitar and vocals) and Kevin Hendrickson (electric guitar and vocals). They are backed by drummer Dave Owen and bassist Dan Schulte.