The folk tradition has long been based on a communal spirit that sees outcasts banding together on boxcars and writing protest songs because they have no other choice. While this sentiment has sadly been lost over the years, Hot Water Music co-frontman and accomplished solo artist Chuck Ragan is doing his best to bring it back to the forefront of the music community. Correspondingly last year he launched the Revival Tour, a traveling road show of sorts that saw him performing alongside a rotating cast of troubadours including Against Me!’s Tom Gabel, Avail’s Tim Barry and Lucero’s Ben Nichols (among others). However in true folk fashion, in addition to performing solo these musicians would come onstage to collaborate on each other’s songs with little regard to set lists or time constraints.
The result was a tour that brought together a sea of talented musicians who got their start in the punk scene, but in over the past few years have helped spearhead a “folk-punk” movement that’s been quickly gaining steam in the underground. Frankly when you consider the ideological and anti-establishment roots of both genres, the only surprise is that it’s taken this long for the movement to come about—and many of these artists have been embraced once again by fans as they have embarked on the second phase of their careers. Moreover the Revival Tour was heralded all over the country as an amazing show that was more reminiscent of performances at the Grand Ole Opry than anything currently happening in music today, while fans were treated to shows that stretched on for hours and showcased some of the most innovative voices in folk rock.
In fact, last year’s Revival Tour was such a success that Ragan has decided to bring it back again this year with a lineup that also includes Sparta/Sleepercar’s Jim Ward, Frank Turner, Tim Barry, Lagwagon’s Joey Cape, The Loved Ones’ Dave Hause, Austin Lucas, Cave In’s Steven Brodsky and more in what promises to be one of the most exciting—and certainly one of the most unique—tours of the fall. “It’s really intimidating to do this tour again because when my wife and I came up with the initial idea it took a couple years for it to even happen,” says Ragan from his home in California. “But when all my friends and all these amazing artists came together it was just really, really amazing how everyone got along and how fulfilling it was,” he continues
The idea for the Revival Tour actually came out of Ragan’s own personal experiences as a punk rock icon for over a decade. “Usually when I go on tour with my friends, by the last few days we’re collaborating on each other’s songs and after a while I was like, ‘Why can’t an entire tour be like this?’” He elaborates. “Why can’t we get together with rehearsals before the tour starts and get out and do that from the beginning? Some [of the set] is scripted; we usually kind of have an entire game plan as far as what we’re going to do in the beginning and the end, but pretty much everything else is see what happens and the Revival Tour is truly one of the most special—if not the most special—tour I’ve ever been a part of in my life.”
That said, the Revival Tour isn’t all fun, especially when you consider the grueling conditions these artists are faced with every single day while they’re away from home, but Ragan insists that it’s well worth the trouble. “To throw 12 people in a bus and send ‘em out to play 52 shows 56 days and have everybody just get along non-stop was pretty intense, but it was just an honor—and my only thought after it ended was how can we make it cooler than it was last year?” he continues with a laugh. “I think we’re going to succeed,” he summarizes. “The goal of this tour has always been to do it every year and that’s what we’re working towards, whether I’m performing on it or not.”
The Revival Tour starts October 13th in Louisville, Kentucky and wraps up on November 22d in Orlando, Florida. For venue and ticket information you can visit www.therevivaltour.com. Oh, and don’t forget that Ragan’s new solo album Gold Country comes out on September 1st.
Photo Credit: Jill Ragan