samamidon (Monthly Program)

The band "samamidon" consists of the eponymous Sam Amidon, who plays guitar and banjo and sings (often in a deadpan voice), plus his friend Thomas Bartlett (sometime known as "Thomas B" or "Doveman"), who adds other sounds. They take old American folksongs and interpret and transform them as only a couple of youngsters brought up in the technological age could do.Samamidon is a band: Sam Amidon sings Appalachian folksongs and playsbanjo and guitar. Thomas Bartlett plays various electronic instruments, keyboards, and toys.Sam Amidon was born and raised in Brattleboro, Vermont, by folkmusicians Peter and Mary Alice Amidon. He performed with his parents,singing and playing fiddle, from the age of 7, and formed his first band of his own, Popcorn Behavior, with friend Thomas Bartlett and younger brother Stefan at age 13. By age 16, Popcorn Behavior, later called Assembly, had performed nationwide, been written up in The Boston Globe and SingOut!, and was interviewed on NPR's "All Things Considered." Since then, Sam has become known as one of the most prominent young fiddlers in the US, and recently starred in a feature film, "American Wake," which had its premiere at the '04 Democratic National Convention. Assembly collaborated with Seamus Egan on the film's score. Since arriving in New York City a few years ago Sam has been playing in a myriad of musical contexts, including work with Doveman and Stars Like Fleas, two experimental rock bands that are making a stir on the New York underground scene. He played banjo in composer Nico Muhly's "opera" based on Strunk & White's Elements of Style, as illustrated by Maira Kalman, which was premiered at the New York Public Library and drew attention from the New York Times, NPR, and A&E.Meanwhile Thomas Bartlett has become one of New York's most in demandrock keyboardists, playing with members of Soul Coughing, Cibbo Matto,and Elysian Fields, and has found success as the lead singer andsongwriter of Doveman. He also writes music criticism forSalon.com, eMusic, and other publications."Sam Amidon proves that a banjo needn't play a breakdown to evoke the pain of a breakdown." - The Washington Post, August 3, 2005The monthly program is FREE to FSGW members and $15 for non-members,although you're welcome to join FSGW at the door. It will be held at the Sangha, 7014 Westmoreland Street, Takoma Park, MD 20912.