We were extremely psyched that Sara Watkins -- the gorgeous voice and killer fiddle that makes Nickel Creek -- stopped by the Smoking Section to perform a few tunes from her solo debut album.

 Sara Watkins - "Long Hot Summer Days"  [Video:Eric Helton/Pete Maiden; Editing by Eric Helton]

Sara Watkins -"My Friend"  [Video:Eric Helton/Pete Maiden; Editing by Eric Helton]

Sara Watkins - "All This Time" [Video:Eric Helton/Pete Maiden; Editing by Eric Helton]

The Vaselines - "Molly's Lips" [Video:Eric Helton/Pete Maiden; Editing by Eric Helton]

We recently had the pleasure of welcoming the Vaselines into the Smoking Section. While they were in the U.S. on a recent tour, founding members Frances McKee and Eugene Kelly found time to drop by and play us three of their classics: "Molly's Lips," "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam" and "Son of a Gun."

In the Eighties the Vaselines released two EPs, and in 1990 put out their one and only album, Dum-Dum. They found a fan in Kurt Cobain, who called the Vaselines his "most favorite songwriters in the world." Cobain named his daughter Frances after McKee, and Nirvana covered "Son of A Gun" and "Molly's Lips" on Incesticide and "Sunbeam" on Unplugged.

Sub Pop records just released Enter the Vaselines, which includes both EP and their '90 debut. Go check it out! And check out "Molly's Lips" above, and two more cuts after the jump.

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McLovins - "Purple Trees" [Video:Eric Helton/Alex Tirpack; Editing by Eric Helton]

A few months ago we told you about the McLovins -- a trio of Connecticut kids who have managed to harness the musical ferocity of Trey Anastasio, Les Claypool and Stewart Copeland before being able to legally drive a car.

The McLovins are drummer Jake Huffman, 16, bassist Jason Ott, 15, and guitarist Jeff Howard, 14. Don't let their age fool you though, these kids wail. In fact, we were so impressed we invited them (and their parents, of course) to S.S. headquarters to hang out and play a few tunes for us. 

Jake and Jeff met at a jazz camp in Connecticut last summer. A week later they hooked up with Jason and they've been jamming ever since, starting with Phish and Meters covers before writing originals. "We're definitely influenced by a lot of jam bands," Jake says. "But my primary focus had always been jazz. Moving from jazz to rock, well, jam-rock seems to be a nice transition."

Jeff, though, has a soft spot for metal. "I was into a lot of heavy guitar shredding, metal, that sort of thing," he says. "It's influenced me a lot. But jamming is just so much fun."

Check out "Purple Trees" above, and click the jump for "Din" and "Guillotine Machine" -- all original tunes. Also, Look for a McLovins album this summer, and make sure you catch them at the Gathering of the Vibes festival or at one of their upcoming gigs. 

UPDATE: LOVIN' the McLovins? Send an email telling us why. The best entry gets an autographed Rolling Stone t-shirt AND an McLovins t-shirt too! 

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Of Montreal - "Teenage Unicorn Fisting" 

[Video: Pete Maiden/Eric Helton; Editing by Eric Helton]

We are getting pretty psyched up for DylanFest '09. It's two weeks from today!

Rehearsals have been amazing, and we hope to see y'all there. (Yes, the show's sold out, but stay tuned to the S.S. for a chance to score some tix.)

And for the third DylanFest in a row, we'll be serenaded by the lovely and talented duo, the Pierces.

Please check out their awesome new video for "Turn On Billie," below.

We love them very much. 

Elvis Perkins In Dearland - "Shampoo" 

[Video: Pete Maiden/Eric Helton; Editing by Pete Maiden]

We were beyond stoked to have folk singer Elvis Perkins and his band, Dearland, swing by S.S. headquarters to play us a killer version of "Shampoo" from their March release, Elvis Perkins In Dearland. The album is truly amazing.

Behind Perkins is Brigham Brough on bass, Wyndham Boylan-Garnett on harmonium and Nick Kinsey on drums.

Elvis Perkins in Dearland (as they are known) are currently on tour, so if you like what you hear, make sure you check out their tour dates and ticket info here. Also, they'll be playing the Newport Folk Festival 50 in Rhode Island this August alongside acts such as Pete Seeger, Fleet Foxes, Arlo Guthrie, Deer Tick, Tom Morello and more.  

Ben Harper & Relentless 7 - "Shimmer & Shine" [Video: Pete Maiden/Tim Tregonig; Editing by Pete Maiden]

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Manchester Orchestra - "The Only One" [Video: Pete Maiden/Eric Helton; Editing by Pete Maiden]

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Zac Brown Band - "Chicken Fried" [Video: Pete Maiden/Eric Helton; Editing by Pete Maiden]

We had the Zac Brown Band swing by the Smoking Section to play us a tune or two, but we were all having so much fun, the guys decided to give us an extended performance -- five songs!

The Zac Brown Band, hailing from Atlanta, is Zac Brown on guitar and vocals, Jimmy De Martini on violin and vocals, John Hopkins on bass and vocals, Coy Bowles on guitar, multi-instrumentalist Clay Cook and Chris Fryar on drums.

And these Georgia boys know how to put on a show, given that play about 200 gigs a year. They've been nominated by the Academy of Country Music as Top New Artist (you can vote for them here). Country radio has them in constant rotation. 

"We're a live performing band," Brown tells us. "We never expected radio success to take off the way it has, but it's really helped us fill rooms in places we'd never been. We're selling out places we've never played. That's the type of opportunity we want as a live band."

Check out their single, "Chicken Fried," above, and click the jump for "Highway 20 Ride," a super-speedy cover of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," the feel-good beach tune "Toes" and "Whatever It Is."   

UPDATE: Love the Zac Brown Band? Send us an email telling us why! The best response wins an autographed limited edition poster, a signed photograph and a copy of their album, The Foundation. Deadline is April 10th!

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