I went through all the video I took on my Flip camera at RCPM shows in Texas last year and created this little number. It's just under 20 minutes so sit back and enjoy!

"Downtown Church, Patty Griffin's seventh album, is the equivalent of a slow walk into a field of wildflowers — a journey in which you look up at a bluebird sky and take a deep breath with your eyes closed. It sounds like the soundtrack to a spiritual awakening, which makes sense, given that it's a gospel album: On it, two Griffin originals rub alongside gospel standards, including "Wade in the Water" and "Waiting for My Child."

From First Listen: Patty Griffin's 'Downtown Church'
by Elena See
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122500765#

What a nice treat. Listen to Patty Griffin's new album in it's entirety on NPR before it's released on January 26.

I've only been following Patty's music for a few years now but ever since I saw her live at Fort Worth's Main Street Art's Festival back in 2006, I discovered a treasure trove of music and poetry I never knew I was in search of. I immediately purchased all her previous albums and saw her again the following year at Stubb's in Austin.

Some of my favorite songs are "Rain", "Useless Desires", "Kite Song", "Burgundy Shoes", "Heavenly Day" and the entire album "Living with Ghosts" which includes my personal favorite and what I like to think of as 'my song', "Time Will Do The Talking".

-raquel

Why did it take me so long to find and use this. I am actually getting stuff done!

I like his idea here. I remember a friend telling me years ago when we lost my car in New Orleans during Mardi Gras that life is all about the stories anyway. He reminded me that this experience sucks now but years from now you'll have this great story to tell. I never thought about actually looking at my life as if I'm writing the story.

I need to remember to download A Million Miles in a Thousand Years with one of my audible credits.

Eight weeks after staging two nights of raucous Halloween concerts in Tempe, Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers returned home to bring in the new year at Phoenix's Celebrity Theatre.

Surrounded at the in-the-round venue by fans who knew every word to every song, Clyne and his band put a special holiday spin on their concert on Thursday, Dec. 31.

The Peacemakers passed on having an opening act, instead serving up three and a half hours of music in three configurations.

Clyne, who has fronted the Peacemakers for more than a decade, started things off alone on the stage with an acoustic guitar. He warmed the enthusiastic crowd up with such classics as "Honky Tonk Union," "Captain Suburbia," "Mexico" and "Wanted" (the last two originally recorded by Clyne when he was in the Refreshments).

Clyne has the energy and guitar chops to pull off the solo acoustic thing, and the crowd, which filled about two-thirds of the venue, reacted with smiles and encouragement.

The bandleader then called out guitarist Jim Dalton, who proceeded to craft some sweet acoustic leads on a pair of updated Refreshment tunes, "Down Together" and "Tributary Otis." Dalton's flamenco-style lead on "Better Beautiful than Perfect" was beautiful in itself.

The other two Peacemakers, bassist Nick Scropos and drummer P.H. Naffah (playing a single snare with brushes), then joined the fun, as fans passed small bottles and shots of tequila - the Peacemakers' poison of preference - to the stage.

Versions of "Bury My Heart at the Trailer Park" and "Lemons" were crisp and upbeat in the acoustic setting. The always rowdy "Mexican Moonshine" was followed with acknowledgement by Clyne of "a fine and challenging 2009" and a toast to the new year.

Once the band members put down their acoustic instruments and plugged in the electric stuff, the show morphed into the latest in a series of raging rock parties that the Peacemakers specialize in.

The torrent of New Year's-ready tunes included "Tell Yer Momma," "Beautiful Disaster," "Banditios," "I Don't Need Another Thrill" and "Switchbade."

Clyne & Co. mixed in an ethereal take on "Your Name on a Grain of Rice" and extended version of the power ballad "Green and Dumb."

Things wound down with a scorching run through the Refreshments' "European Swallow" and a reprise of "Mexico."

The crowd left sounding happy and satisfied.

It's almost here. I can't wait to celebrate the new year with RCPM @ Celebrity Theatre. We hit the road for Phoenix mañana!