By Ken Paulson Seaside, Florida – The third annual 30A Songwriters Festival, closed out its three-day run today, wrapping up an ambitious and entertaining celebration of songs. Very similar in scope and approach to Nashville’s’ Tin Pan South Festival, run by the Nashville Songwriters Association International, 30A showcases a wide range of artists and genres in both open-air and intimate…
30A Songwriters Festival update
We’re at the 3rd annual 30A Songwriters Festival in Santa Rosa, Florida, with Matthew Sweet and the Bangles headlining. The weather is as good as it gets in Florida in January and turnout so far has been impressive enough that some veteran attendees of the festival are saying it’s too crowded. Clearly these people have never been to Bonnaroo. We’ll…
Bangles showcase great songs and writers
By Ken Paulson –Seaside, Fla. — As headliners at the 30A Songwriters Festival, the Bangles proudly proclaimed their founding three decades ago. Both the band and their music have held up remarkably well. There’s some irony in the Bangles being the biggest names at the festival because while they’ve written a good part of their material, some of their biggest…
Matthew Sweet at 30A Songwriters Festival
Matthew Sweet opened the afternoon show at the 30A Songwriters Festival with a set that drew heavily from his breakthrough 1991 album Girlfriend. Sweet joked that the girlfriend was now 21 and old enough to drink. It was a tough setting for Sweet. Most of the crowd had come to see the Bangles, and though there’s some stylistic common ground,…