Celtic Acts And Members of Little Feat Kick Off November at The Barns at Wolf Trap

Two Members of Little Feat and One of the World's Most Iconic Celtic Acts Help Kick Off November at The Barns at Wolf Trap

Paul Barrere & Fred Tackett of Little Feat
Wednesday, November 3 at 8 p.m.
$25

Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett of the iconic, free-wheeling band Little Feat debut as an acoustic duo at The Barns, offering a rare opportunity at Wolf Trap to see artists capable of selling out the Filene Center perform in front of a crowd a fraction of the size for a lower ticket price. With a stripped down approach to their band's extensive catalogue, you can expect all the Little Feat goodies-"Two Trains," "Dixie Chicken," maybe even "Willin"-plus newer originals, all supported by a healthy dose of slide guitar, mandolin and instrumental improv. Their live show is well-oiled, having performed together as a duo since the late '80s after being asked to perform a string of acoustic dates in Japan. Since the genesis of this side project, Barrere and Tackett have released two live CDs and one DVD titled Sights and Sounds.

Battlefield Band
Thursday, November 4 at 8 p.m.
$24

Returning to The Barns for the second time in 2010, Battlefield Band continues to remain at the forefront of the Scottish music revival scene with their adventurous sound and eclectic combination of instruments including guitar, keyboard, fiddle, whistle, banjo, bouzouki, bodhran, Highland/small bagpipes, and bass guitar. This tour will mark the departure of founding member Alan Reid, who has anchored the ambassadorial group since 1969 and is the driving force behind the band's hysterically dry, on-stage banter. Reid will be replaced by singer and multi-instrumentalist Ewen Henderson, who is making his Battlefield Band debut on the road as part of this tour. Fresh off the fall release of their 40th anniversary celebratory album, Zama Zama...Try Your Luck..., Battlefield Band's unique mixture of traditional and contemporary sounds continues to strongly shape the future of Scottish music.

Chris Smither
Friday, November 5 at 8 p.m.
$24

A native of New Orleans, Chris Smither has built a reputation among his fans and peers as one of the finest blues and contemporary roots musicians of the past three decades. Smither's 11th studio album, Time Stands Still (2009), is the second on his own Mighty Albert label after 2006's Leave the Light On. Time Stands Still was recorded in three days and includes eight original tunes plus songs by Bob Dylan and Mark Knopfler, among others. Always performing as a one-man show, Smither's Signature Sound was shaped from the early influences of legendary blues guitarists Eric Von Schmidt and Mississippi John Hurt.

Following the release of 1971's Don't it Drag On, Smither developed a longstanding working relationship with Bonnie Raitt, with a cover of Smither's "Love Me Like a Man" appearing on her second album Give It Up. Raitt has since made it a signature song of her live performances and the song has been included on several of her live albums. She has openly expressed admiration for Smither's songwriting and guitar playing, once calling Smither "my Eric Clapton."

The Nields w/ Special Guest: Sweet Remains
Saturday, November 6 at 8 p.m.

The Nields
A tight-knit family band bound together by the ties of two sisters, the Nields return to Wolf Trap armed with their innovative approach to folk/rock music that becomes increasingly unique with every album they release. The Nields' sound, described as a cross between the Beatles, the Cranberries, and Joni Mitchell, has been polished and refined since the two sisters first began singing and songwriting at age 10. Both recently became mothers, inviting a segue into children's music, with three releases, a DVD and a pending studio release, If Not For This, which highlights the challenges and rewards of motherhood.

To date, the Nields have a total of 12 albums, independently and under both minor and major labels. The albums drift between the folk, rock, and alternative genres, always maintaining their diverse array of music. Along the way, The Nields have worked both as a duo and as a full band with performances at Lilith Fair and other renowned folk festivals.

Sweet Remains
This acoustic trio described as Crosby, Still & Nash meets John Mayer will make its Wolf Trap debut after recently wrapping a successful European tour. On the rise since their impressive live debut at Austin's South by Southwest festival in 2008, singer/songwriters Rich Price, Greg Naughton, and Brian Chartrand are on the road in support of their first album, Laurel & Sunset, an acclaimed recording featuring the trios tight three-part harmonies.