Notes from a Pandemic (May 10 – May 14): Sara Watkins, Madness, Oxbow, Ani DiFranco, Rakim, Dustbowl Revival, Milk Carton Kids, 311, TOKiMONSTA, Bartees Strange, Niña Dioz and more

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Sara Watkins
Sara Watkins

ONLINE FIND:

Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek, I’m With Her, the Watkins Family Hour, solo and more) released her fourth solo album this past March, “Under the Pepper Tree.” The intended audience is children and the result is nothing short of dreamy for all ages. NPR Music released her Tiny Desk (Home) Concert today, with Watkins performing five of the songs as a trio with David Garza on guitar and Alan Hampton on bass, both assisting also with backing vocals.

“I’ve never made a record like this before – a record for children,” mused the singer-songwriter. “The concept began in the beginning of the pandemic as we embraced what felt like endless days with our own children and families while sheltering in place… Many of these songs have been with me since childhood, and returning to them as a parent has reminded me of the magic that happens when we listen with our imaginations…. I want this album to be a place of calm, imagination, and relief. Some days are perfect and things are a dream and make you feel like a superhero. And some days are just… such a challenge. I feel like this record has a place in both of those days, and I really hope that these recordings find a place in kids’ hearts, and become as special to them as they are to me.”

Last January, Watkins and older brother Sean also released their sophomore full-length, “Brother Sister,” as Watkins Family Hour. With vaccinations successfully rolling out, the duo have rebuilt their tour with new dates across the U.S. and U.K.



 Thursday, May 13
DRIVE-IN SHOWS:

■ 88.5FM’s “Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm” at the Regency 16 Theaters Drive-In in Van Nuys.

ONLINE STREAMS:

■ All Day: Nick Cave‘s Bad Seed TeeVee on YouTube.
■ All Day: Summit Shack’s 24-hour Shackfest archive stream on Twitch.
■ 2AM: The Great Escape confernce (Day 1) with Christian Lee Hutson, Chubby and the Gang, Geese, Jensen McRae, New Pagans, Pearl Charles, Priya Ragu, Purple Pilgrims, TV Priest and many more (Register).
■ 2AM: Sara Watkins on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts on YouTube.
■ 8AM: Balmorhea on Live on KEXP at Home on YouTube.
■ 8AM/2PM: Walter Schreifels on Vans Channel 66.
■ 9AM: Carsie Blanton on NPR Live Sessions.
■ 11AM: EOB on Instagram.
■ 1PM: Sega Bodega playing his debut album “Salvador” on Veeps.
■ 1PM: Tim Burgess Listening Party with Whyte Horses’Hard Times” on Twitter (#TimsTwitterListeningParty) (replay here).
■ 3PM: Grand Park’s “Celebration Spectrum” for Mental Health Awareness Month with Justin Michael Williams on Facebook.
■ 3PM: House of Blues Music Forward’s “Industry Sessions: Behind the Festival” with Bennett Beckner (CAA), Leca Guimaraes (C3) and Tyler Scott (Live Nation) on Instagram (more info, past episodes).
■ 3PM: Indigo Sparke on Rough Trade NYC’s Instagram.
■ 3PM: The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage archives with Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra on Facebook.
■ 4PM: Fruition with Mimi Naja on Facebook and Twitch.
■ 4PM: Jesse Malin (with band) with Don Dilego and Cat Popper on Rolling Live.
■ 4PM: Marco Benevento on Bowery Presents’ Twitch.
■ 4PM: Starcode at Arlene’s Grocery on Veeps.
■ 4PM: Summerstage Anywhere’s “Retrospective: Celebrating Asian American Heritage Month” with TOKiMONSTA, Dumbfoundead, Kero One, Year of the Ox, Ssing Ssing, Coreyah, Abao, 9m88, Tizzy BAc, Shen Xiang & Band, Sunset Rollercoaster, Elephant Gym, Sangpuy, Wongfu and DJ Rekha on their website.
■ 5PM: Arielle on NoonChorus.
■ 5PM: The Brother Brothers playing their new album “Calla Lily” live from Santa Barbara on Mandolin.
■ 5PM: Experimental Sound Studio: Dreamcrusher, Guido, Kill Alters and Luke Stewart on their website.
■ 5PM: Jeffrey Gaines on StageIt.
■ 5PM: Langhorne Slim from Relix Studio on Twitch.
■ 5PM: Ley Line’s “We Saw Blue: An audio-visual journey through Brasil” on Bandcamp.
■ 5PM: St. Vitus Bar’s “Age of Quarantine” on Instagram.
■ 5:15PM: Brandon Rose and Soul Therapy on StageIt.
■ 5:30PM: Oliver Wood & Friends album release for “Always Smilin'” on Mandolin.
■ 5:30PM: Sean McConnell on Mandolin.
■ 6PM: The Bones of JR Jones on Instagram.
■ 6PM: Cruz Contreras with Billy Contreras, Ethan Ballinger, Matt Menefee, Todd Parks and Molly Contreras live from Station Inn on Mandolin.
■ 6PM: Debra Devi on Facebook.
■ 6PM: Danny Goliger album release party on Dirtybird TV.
■ 6PM: Grouplove on Moment House.
■ 6PM: Jerry Joseph’s “Happy Book Live” on Facebook.
■ 6PM: Joensuu 1685 ive on KEXP at Home on YouTube and their website.
■ 6PM: Josh Caterer (of Smoking Popes)’s “The SPACE Sessions” live album recording on NoonChorus.
■ 6PM: Knocked Loose on Mandolin.
■ 6PM: Mayer Hawthorne on YouTube.
■ 6PM: Milk Carton Kids live from the Troubadour (show 2) on Mandolin.
■ 6PM: Nehoda from the 5 Spot in Nashville on StageIt.
■ 6PM: Polartropica’s “Space Oasis” on Satellite TV.
■ 6PM: Rakim’s “Thank You World of Hip Hop” on MomentHouse.
■ 6PM: The Roots’ DJ Questlove Presents (Live) on Instagram and BlackStreamLive.
■ 6PM: P.O.D. “Satellite Over Southtown” live from Petco Park, San Diego, on Mandolin.
■ 6PM: Spring Fling with Autumn Jones, the Everythings, Julez and the Rollerz, Girl Tonez, Lindsay B, Asia Simone, Late Slip, Turtle Blues, Temme Scott, Bellhoss, Molly Martin and Giorgia-May (tickets).
■ 6PM: Tommy Castro & the Painkillers on Sessions.
■ 6PM: Yacht Rock Revue on Facebook.
■ 6PM: Rhonda Says on Bandsintown Plus.
■ 6:30PM: Ashley Cooke & Friends live from the Listening Room Cafe on Mandolin.
■ 7PM: Bartees Strange on Bandsintown Plus.
■ 7PM: Dustbowl Revival on Mandolin.
■ 7PM: Jeff Tweedy and family on Instagram.
■ 8PM: “Retrospections” with 2 Headed Dog on Satellite TV.
■ 9PM: Curt Barlage’s “The Respectful Lust Radio Hour” on Twitch.
■ 2AM: The Great Escape confernce (Day 2) with Christian Lee Hutson, Chubby and the Gang, Geese, Jensen McRae, New Pagans, Pearl Charles, Priya Ragu, Purple Pilgrims, TV Priest and many more (Register).


Friday, May 14
ONLINE STREAMS:

■ All Day: Nick Cave‘s Bad Seed TeeVee on YouTube.
■ All Day: Summit Shack’s 24-hour Shackfest archive stream on Twitch.
■ 12AM: Robert Fripp (King Crimson)’s “Music for Quiet Moments” on YouTube.
■ 2AM: The Great Escape confernce (Day 2) with Christian Lee Hutson, Chubby and the Gang, Geese, Jensen McRae, New Pagans, Pearl Charles, Priya Ragu, Purple Pilgrims, TV Priest and many more (Register).
■ 11AM: Royal Opera House’s #OurHouseToYourHouse with “8bit” and Spring Draft Works” on Facebook.
■ 11AM: Tim Burgess Listening Party with Crass’ “Feeding Of The Five Thousand (Crassical Collection)” with Steve Ignorant on Twitter (#TimsTwitterListeningParty) (replay here).
■ 12PM: B-Drop Los Angeles with Brother. on Instagram.
■ 12PM: Clubhouse Global’s “Beats and Gems” with Austin Millz, Melo-X and more on their website.
■ 12PM: Gemma Turner on StageIt.
■ 12PM: Radiohead‘s July 2016 set at Osheaga Festival on YouTube.
■ 12PM: Robyn Hitchock with Emma Swift on StageIt.
■ 12PM: Wild Nothing on Twitch TV.
■ 1PM: Low on Instagram.
■ 1PM: Nick D’Virgilio and band playing his album “Invisible” live from Sweetwater Studio on Mandolin.
■ 2PM: Audiotree Livestreams with Mother Nature on Audiotree TV.
■ 2PM: New Colossus Sessions with Buckets’ album release show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Twitch.
■ 2PM: The Pat Show streams with DJ sets from JD Samson, Amber Valentine and special guests on Vans Channel 66.
■ 3PM: Melissa Etheridge “Friday Night Videos” on her website.
■ 3:15PM: The Disco Biscuits live from Sussex County Live on Couchtour.tv.
■ 3:30PM: “Hunting Heroes” with Tony Knox on Satellite TV.
■ 3:45PM: Natalie Miranda plays “Jagged Little Pill” (Alanis Morrisette) on StageIt.
■ 4PM: Friend Fest benefit with Reggie Watts, LP, Letters to Cleo, Noah Cyrus, Best Coast, TOKiMONSTA feat. Tinashe, Bomba Estereo, Geographer, Twin Shadow, IAN SWEET, Low Hum, Mating Ritual, Hamzaa, Charlie Hickey, Ra Ra Riot, Squirrel Flower, Tank and the Bangas, YACHT, Frenship and many more on friendfe.st (VIP pre-show with Reggie Watts contest).
■ 4PM: The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage archives with Zan McLeod on Facebook.
■ 4PM: “Love for Wavy” celebration of Wavy Gravy’s 85th birthday with Bob Weir & Wolf Bros, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks, Joan Baez, Bonnie Raitt & Jackson Browne, Steve Earle, Chris Robinson & Los Hermanos Cosmicos, Steve Kimock, Graham Nash, Michael Franti, Ben Harper, Jorma Kaukonen, Ani DiFranco, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ace of Cups, Maria Muldaur and Wavy Gravy (RSVP).
■ 4PM: Niña Dioz on 88.5FM’s Latin AltRadio’s Instagram.
■ 4PM: Old Sea Brigade (Ben Cramer) on Seated.
■ 4PM: Orion Sun on Bowery Presents’ Twitch. 
■ 4PM: Umphree’s McGee from Seatgeek Stadium in Chicago (tickets).
■ 4:15PM: Tim Foust and Austin Brown (Home Free) on Mandolin.
■ 4:30PM: Thursday Signals v3: “Full Devolución”celebrating the anniversaries of “Full Collapse” and “No Devolución” with Kayleigh Goldsworthy and A.A. Williams (tickets).
■ 5PM: 311 “From Chaos” (tickets).
■ 5PM: Carol EP release party for “Soiled” with Petal, Harmony Woods, Cave People and Lady Pills on Bandcamp.
■ 5PM: Experimental Sound Studio: Anthony and Francis Almendarez, Sandy Ewen, Sonia Flores, Montespina and more on their website.
■ 5PM: Grateful Dead archive livestream on YouTube.
■ 5PM: Heather Maloney live from the Narrows Center on YouTube.
■ 5PM: House of Blues Music Forward’s Open Mic Fridays on Twitch.
■ 5PM: Marielle Kraft and the Naticks on Mandolin.
■ 5PM: The Mavericks on Nugs TV.
■ 5PM: Mila Jam on StageIt.
■ 5PM: Phillip Phillips on NoCap.
■ 5PM: SF Jazz’s “Fridays at Five” with Robert Glasper‘s “Everything’s Beautiful” on their website.
■ 5PM: St. Vitus Bar’s “Age of Quarantine” on Instagram.
■ 5:30PM: Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas Birthday Concert on Mandolin.
■ 5:30PM: Madness’ “The Get Up” and special guests with Charlie Higson from London’s Palladium (Tickets).
■ 5:30PM: Purely Red, Mandala Sky and Amusia on Veeps.
■ 5:30PM: Straight No Chaser on Mandolin.
■ 6PM: David Shaw on Mandolin.
■ 6PM: Heartbyrne on PurpleBee Live.
■ 6PM: JP Saxe live from the Wiltern on Veeps.
■ 6PM: Knocked Loose (Tickets).
■ 6PM: Rhett Miller on StageIt.
■ 6PM: Robert Randolph & G. Love on Fans Live.
■ 6PM: Rodrigo y Gabriela play their EP “Jazz” live from Ixtapa, Mexico (Tickets).
■ 6PM: The Roots’ DJ Questlove Presents (Live) on Instagram.
■ 6PM: The Westchester Arts & Music (WAM) Block Party’s “Friday Night Live” with Kyshona Armstrong on Instagram.
6:30PM: Dave Marsh with author/poet Daniel Wolff on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Facebook and YouTube.
■ 6PM: Yacht Rock Revue on Facebook.
■ 7PM: “At Random” with Brenda Carsey on Satellite TV.
■ 7PM: Jeff Tweedy and family on Instagram.
■ 9PM: “Plasmic in the Attic” with Plasmic on Satellite TV.


Monday-Wednesday, May 10 – May 12, Highlights
ONLINE STREAMS:

Ani DiFranco on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts on YouTube.
■ Audiotree Livestreams with Mia Joy and Stuck on Audiotree TV.
■ “Band-Aide” with Britt Witt on Satellite TV.
■ B-Drop Los Angeles on La Loye and Chickpee on Instagram.
■ Blackstream Live “New Music Mondays” with Tallie Spencer on Twitch.
■ “Circle Up! Songs and Stories through the wires” withBrenda Carsey, Juana Everett, Christina Apostolopoulos and Victor Artis on Wonder & Awe’s Facebook.
■ Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum’s Songwriter Sessions with Tammy Rogers on YouTube (performance) and Instagram (interview).
Cris Jacobs on Facebook.
■ Cryptodira’s “A Storm Called Progress” (Day 1 & 2) playing “The Angel of History” and more on Twitch.
Della Mae on Facebook.
■ Dodie on Amoeba’s “What’s In My Bag?” on Instagram.
■ Doobie Decibel System on their website.
Drake White on Facebook.
The Dunwells on Facebook.
■ “Jagged Jury” with Jagged Baptist Club on Satellite TV.
Jeff Tweedy and family on Instagram.
Jesse Gold on SoFar Sounds.
Jessica Lee Morgan on YouTube.
Jessie Payo’s “Tunes on Tuesdays” on Instagram.
■ The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage archives with Dois Hazuki (Tsugaru Shamisen) and Hector “Coco” Barez on Facebook.
■ The Los Sundown on 88.5FM’s Latin AltRadio’s Instagram.
■ Martin Guitar’s Jam in Place with Grace Pettis on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Mating Ritual Monday on YouTube and Twitch.
May Erlewine on Facebook.
■ Monday Monday at Hotel Cafe with Joel Eckels on Clubhouse.
Nahoa Life and Conal Kelly on We Found New Music’s Instagram.
■ NPR Tiny Desk Contest Family Hour with host Bob Boilen and Fantastic Negrito, Gaelynn Lea, Tank and the Bangas, Naia Izumi, Quinn Christopherson and Linda Diaz on YouTube.
Penelope Trappes on Rough Trade’s Instagram.
Plain White T’s “The Wednesday Club” on Facebook.
■ QSC Play Out Loud with DJ’s Nate Nelson, Glenn Roush and Jordan Marshall on Facebook.
RAC on Twitch.

■ Road to Roots Picnic with Durand Bernarr on Black Stream Live on Twitch.
■ The Roots’ Questlove Supreme Podcast Live with Michael McDonald and Bowlegged Lou (Part 2) on his website.
Sara Evans on Instagram.
■ School Night with Sad Alex, Lionel Boy, Ural Thomas & the Pain and Eli Smart; Pher, Joshua Speers, Evil and Thumpasaurus on Twitch (more info and YouTube).
Squid on Rough Trade’s Instagram.
■ Squirrel Flower playing her album “Planet (i)” on Polyvinyl’s Instagram.

■ St. Vitus Bar’s “Age of Quarantine” with Eugene S. Robinson, Niko Wenner and Dan Adams (Oxbow) on Instagram.
Tessa Violet playing “Bad Ideas: The Experience” from Los Angeles on Moment House.

TGRbass & Billy D.’s “Fresh Baked Goods” on DnB Radio.
Tim Burgess Listening Party with Alfie Templeman’sForever Isn’t Long Enough,” Pauline Murray‘s “Pauline Murray and The Invisible Girls” and Dodie‘s “Build A Problem” on Twitter (#TimsTwitterListeningParty) (replay here).
Travis Shallows’ “Shallow Chateau” on Facebook.
Trevor Finlay on Facebook.
■ Wild Pink on Live at KEXP at Home on YouTube.
Yacht Rock Revue on Facebook.