Saturday, December 15, 2018, 8:30 pm, $8-$12 sliding scale
DREWs’ OPEN COUNTRY + CASH’s RIDIN’ THE RAILS +
So in tune with the current class crisis, Jesse and Glenda Drew truck in from the Valley to deliver a robust updating of their big-hearted embrace of the real proletarian roots of the Country/Western genre. Their much-anticipated historical essay situates the origins of C/W music as being drawn from the same well as “hillbilly” or “folk”, written from the perspectives of the marginal poor…but appropriated by post-War corporate consolidation of broadcast radio audiences and McCarthy’s anti-communism. Some 5 years after their last luv-fest here, the Drews delight us again with new developments from their researches and interviews—focusing particularly on the dobro, Irish Aires, and the Hawaiian pedal steel guitar. CO-BILLED is the Premiere Revival of a truly obscure 16mm treasure, Ridin’ the Rails, an irresistible tribute to the nation’s train system, guided by narration and songs by Mr. Johnny Cash himself! Via video clip, songbird Anne McGuire introduces this delicious 45-min. slice of authentic Americana happily surviving since its 1974 release, Cash here re-enacts the most important events in US railway history. Come early for the Reluctant Trucker on banjo, Country Cornerdancing, and copious moonshine!