Andy Bopp/Andrew Grimm (June Star) March 23, 2016 Big Room Bar Columbus, Ohio

Andy Bopp/Andrew Grimm (June Star)
March 23, 2016
Big Room Bar
Columbus, Ohio

1. Red Eye
2. Love
3. Limousine
4. Hello
5. unknown
6. Whisper
7. Telegraph
8. You're Still Here
9. Feathers
10. Swing Away
11. Pope of Mexico

Download this show HERE.

Any time I go see June Star, (eight times in the past six years) I never know what to expect. Will it be Andrew leading a full band, Andrew and (more often than not), Dave Hadley on pedal steel, Andrew solo acoustic or some other configuration. Not that it matters much, each is a very enjoyable experience, and Andrew has a way of drawing his audiance in to feel each song as he does. At least that's how it goes for me. The emotion is real and can be felt as well as heard. 
This night was a bit different- just Andrew and Andy Bopp playing together. First, a handfull of Andy Bopp songs with Andrew backing him on lap steel. Then Andrew taking the mic for a few of his tunes, including the new single "You're Still Here" which you can find HERE.

June Star December 17, 2010 Treehouse Columbus, Ohio

1. Breakdown
2. Without You Now
3. If You Leave
4. Telegraph
5. Somehow
6. Inside
7. Wolves
8. Pope of Mexico
9. Sweet Division
10. Slow Hours
11. Arrows and Rocks
12. Thunder

Download this show HERE.

My original text from this show:
"First exposure to this band, opening for Wussy, but won't be my last! What a great little band. Certainly glad I had the foresight to hit the record button. Thanks Andrew!
Enjoy this one!!"

Since then, I've seen June Star seven other times, and will not miss an opportunity. If you haven't heard of them, or haven't seen them live, check these guys out! HERE is some of their stuff on Bandcamp.

Andrew Grimm November 14, 2015 Tree Bar Columbus, Ohio

I found out Friday afternoon that Andrew Grimm, leader of the mighty June Star, was doing a solo acoustic opening set the very next nigh at the Tree Bar. Naturally I shifted my plans around to attend. I've not seen him solo acoustic, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew it would be good. It was a nice surprise to hear "Gone" and "Local 48", two of his tunes that I hadn't heard live. Another nice surprise was a new, yet to be recorded song, "You're Still Here". Finally, "Pope of Mexico" blended smoothly into Richard Thompson's "1952 Vincent Black Lightning". Man I wanted to hear more, but that was it- there were three more bands to play and I had to get on with my original plans. Check out June Star, in whatever derivation, any chance you get.

1. Trouble
2. Thunder
3. Atrophy
4. Valentine
5. Gone
6. Local 48
7. You're Still Here
8. Pope of Mexico
9. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning

The latest June Star release, "Pull Awake" is available at Bandcamp HERE. It's a good one! Give it a listen won't you?

Download this set HERE.

June Star's website is HERE.

And you can find them on Facebook HERE.

June Star July 13, 2015 Tree Bar Columbus, Ohio

Once again June Star rolled into the Tree Bar, this time the last stop of their 2015 Summer Tour. Even though it was a rainy Monday night, and I was looking at only four hours before the next work day began, the experience, like all the other times I've seen June Star, was exceptional. I'm really not complaining at all. I'm sure bands like June Star make much bigger sacrifices to entertain a handful of people in a dingy bar, 4oo miles or more from home, night after night. Driving home in a torrential downpour and being tired at work the next day is a small price to pay. I've written many positive comments about June Star over the years- all of which apply to this night as well. For now, suffice it to say these are great folks playing great music to an appreciative, albeit too small of a crowd. Thanks for coming back time and time again!      


1. Saint
2. Valentine
3. Count To Ten
4. House Call
5. Thunder
6. Coma
7. Apollo
8. Undertow
9. Telegraph
10. Tether
11. Feather
12. Atrophy
13. Hard Working Miner
14. Pope of Mexico

Download this show HERE.

Visit June Star on Facebook HERE.

Check out their Bandcamp page
HERE where you can download their brilliant 11th and latest release "Pull Awake" and a couple others. I have it on good authority that more of the back catalog will be made available on Bandcamp soon.

By all means, go see this band live if you ever get the chance.

Discography:

1998 June Star
2000 Songs From An Engineer's
Daughter
2001 Telegraph
2004 Sugarbird
2007 Cora Belle
2009 Shift, Engage and Initiate
2010 Lower Your Arms
2012 Slow Dance
2013 Kill the Lights
2014 Simple Truths
2015 Pull Awake

June Star April 3, 2015 Boulevard Tavern Charleston, West Virginia

For at least the last five years, some variant of June Star would load up their things, hit the road and eventually land in Columbus before heading somewhere else, then back home to Baltimore. I've seen them four of those five years- it has become an annual tradition. It was different this year though. First, they didn't make it as far north as Columbus this time, choosing instead to spend more time in Virginia and North Carolina before hitting Charleston. That was as close as they got to Columbus, so I headed down to West Virginia. Second, this was the first time I got to see the full band version of June Star. Three of the last four times it was a scaled back version, just Andrew Grimm (vocals/guitars/harmonica) and Dave Hadley (pedal steel). Finally, Andrew hasn't felt well the last couple times I saw them. He was "healthy as a horse" this night, and it showed. The intimacy of the duo format I had become accustomed to gave way to a furious dual guitar attack, with Andy Bopp sharing the duty, who also produced the wonderful new disc "Pull Awake". It was great hearing some of the older tunes that maybe weren't quite right for the duo format, and the new songs, a few of which have become personal favorites, were delivered with intensity. A couple covers, Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer" and The Velvet Underground's "Waiting For The Man" were thrown in for good measure. Andrew's voice has a quality to it that I can't accurately describe. Twangy, somewhat raspy and a bit drawn out are a few terms that come to mind. Beautiful and haunting are others. Rounding out June Star this time was Kurt Celtnieks keeping the beat on drums.    

Set 1

1. Tether

2. Saint
3. Telegraph
4. New Jordan
5. Thunder
6. House Call
7. Walk Away
8. Baby's Got The Blues
9. Cora Belle
10. unknown
11. Passed Over
12. Apollo
13. Waiting For The Man

Set 2
1. Coma
2. Proof
3. unknown
4. Undertow
5. Hard Working Minor
6. Cortez the Killer
7. Valentine
8. Wonders
9. Highway
10. Count To Ten
11. Feathers
12. Atrophy
13. Pope of Mexico

Please support these guys however you can. You can buy some of their awesome music HERE.


Go see them them live if they come to your town, or drive to the closest town they play.

Visit them on Facebook HERE.

Their website is HERE.

Download this show HERE.

Download Andy Bopp and Dave Hadley's opening set HERE.

June Star April 15, 2014 Tree Bar Columbus, Ohio

1. Trouble
2. Leaned
3. Without You Now
4. Pope of Mexico
5. Sugarbird
6. unknown
7. Scar
8. banter
9. Telegraph
10 unknown

Download this show HERE.
Visit the June Star web site HERE.
Check out June Star on Facebook HERE.

Although a much too short 45 minute set of their own, June Star made their annual pilgrimage to the Tree Bar for a fun filled evening of damn good music. Andrew didn't feel well, which happens about half the time he comes to Columbus, and/or the short set was an attempt to conserve energy as he and Dave Hadley accompanied Birds and Arrows through their hour long set. I could listen to June Star play for hours! An especially chilling version of Pope of Mexico was the highlight for me this time around, and there were a couple songs thrown in that I wasn't familiar with. Presumably these are new tunes, as Andrew mentioned some demos that he had been working on. Huge thank you to June Star for bringing Birds and Arrows to Columbus, and the two bands playing together was brilliant. Matt Monta opened the evening with a wonderful set of singer-songwriter bliss. I appreciate him more every time I see him. 

Pick up one (or several) of June Star's official releases. There are eight flavors to choose from, including the latest, "Kill The Lights". Another of my personal favorites is, "Cora Belle". You really can't go wrong with any of them. Also, treat yourself to seeing them live if you ever have the opportunity!
   

June Star July 9, 2013 Tree Bar Columbus, Ohio

1. Carried By Birds
2. Telegraph
3. Breakdown
4. Without You Now
5. banter
6. Count To 10
7. Cora Belle
8. Wolves
9. Cycle
10. Saint
11. Kill The Lights
12. banter
13. Thunder
 

Download show HERE

June Star did it again. A Stripped down version consisting of Andrew Gimm and Dave Hadley, touring behind their just released 8th studio effort, Kill The Lights, returned to the Tree Bar for another wonderful set. The guys mixed four tunes from the new release into a set containing several of my personal favorite "songs about love", that translated well to the duo format of the band. It's always a pleasant evening when these guys are in town and truly big fun! You really owe it to yourself to see them if they come anywhere near your hometown. Enjoy this one!

Check out their website here, and facebook page here. Check out and/or buy Kill The Lights here. On a side note, there are four different physical versions of the release, but they all contain the same material. Collect them all.

June Star April 2, 2012 Tree Bar Columbus, Ohio

1. Telegraph

2. Last Lock

3. Still Believe

4. Time

5. Slow Dance

6. tuning

7. Highway

8. Saint

9. Second Time

10. Baby's Got The Blues

11. Without You Now

12. Pope of Mexico

13. Hard Working Minor

14. Breakdown

15. Drive All Night

16. Valentine

17. I'm Waiting For The Man

18. Wolves

19. banter

20. Thunder

Download show HERE

Visit junestar.com

Support these guys by bying their excellent CDs and merchandise and go see them live.

Don'y buy this recording from other sites. Get it here free!