Holiday Hootenanny concert in Pottsville to showcase local talent

Dec. 17—Several local rock 'n' roll acts will showcase their talents Saturday at the Holiday Hootenanny at Hucklebuck's in Pottsville.

Hosted by Blind Pigeon Records, an independent record label, the show will feature four solo acts and three bands, starting at 6 p.m. with singer-songwriter Kate Assiran.

The show will celebrate the release of the label's "Compilation No. 20," the latest in a series of annual compilation albums featuring one-off songs from Blind Pigeon artists.

Formed about 20 years ago in Pottsville, Blind Pigeon Records signs artists from around the region, including in Schuylkill, Berks, Dauphin and Lehigh counties.

The Holiday Hootenanny is a tradition that dates to the 1990s, before the record label was founded.

"(The Holiday Hootenanny) has become part of the whole rock 'n' roll community," said Bill Whalen, co-founder of Blind Pigeon Records. "It's a celebration of our scene and what went on through the year."

Whalen and his band, Gleasons Drift, will close the concert with a performance from 10:15 to 11 p.m.

Entry to the show is $10, and CD copies of "Compilation No. 20" will be available for purchase at the venue. Whalen is also hoping to make the album available on Blind Pigeon Records' Bandcamp page by Saturday.

Aside from Gleasons Drift, the other bands slated to perform are Handsome John Pruitt and Leisure Living, at 7:05 and 8:40 p.m., respectively.

Following Assiran's performance are solo performers A. Parker, of the country-punk band Dead Belly; Evan Dresser, lead singer of the Shouldas; and Shane Hellerweed, of Crop Circle.

The artists, all of whom are connected to Blind Pigeon Records, will play 20- to 45-minute sets showcasing selections from their repertoire, as well as the never-before-released songs featured on the new compilation.

With an eclectic mix of sounds and styles, "Compilation No. 20" features about two dozen new tracks from Blind Pigeon artists, all of which were recorded during a two-day session in local studios.

Songs on the compilation include "No Hard Feelings" by Gleasons Drift; "Ride Around" by The Margie Trick; "52 Saturdays" by Backroad Burners; and "Fork" by Mystical Animals.

As per tradition, most of the songs on the album were recorded specially for the compilation and have not appeared on any other recordings.

Over the last several years, Whalen said, the compilations have become more eclectic, which he attributes to different recording styles and experimentation favored by the artists.

Recent releases have featured genres ranging from folk and Americana to punk, power pop and garage rock.

"There's kind of a nice representation of everything we've been releasing over the years," Whalen said. "I'm happy with the breadth of styles and genres we've represented."

With about 100 artists represented by the label over the years, Blind Pigeon Records has released 66 full-length recordings and thrives on a dedicated team of people who archive, catalog and market the music.

Established by local musicians Josh Iverson, Nick Meyer, Jerry Smith and Whalen, the label continues to produce original music each year from talents around the region.

Looking ahead, the first full-length Blind Pigeon recording slated for release in 2023 is Gleasons Drift's fifth studio album, "Just the Same Whatever," which will be completed in the spring.

Contact the writer: hlee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6085