Kingston Coffee House

Hear early Tom Waits and more on “The Kingston Coffee House”

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WRIU Kingston Coffee House 10/14/25

By Mike Stevenson

Early Tom Waits
Early Tom Waits

In the first hour of THE KINGSTON COFFEE HOUSE, we feature tracks from Tom Wait’s first three albums, Closing Time (1973), The Heart of Saturday Night (1974), and Nighthawks at the Diner (1975), which were more folk-leaning.

Hard to believe, but Waits released The Heart of Saturday Night 51 years ago on October 15, 1974.

During the second hour, we play music from 1950s-era folk singer Terry Gilkyson (The Easy Riders), as well as the music of his children, Cowpunk guitar twanger Tony Gilkyson (Lone Justice, X, Exene Cervenka) and singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson, performing tracks from her acclaimed new release Dark Ages.

In hour three, a box of Kleenex® is required for a set of heartbreaking “confessional” folk music from the 1970s love-triangle involving songwriters Loudon Wainwright III, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, and the Roche sisters.

Hear Jeff Tweedy’s new release “Twilight Override” on The Kingston Coffee House

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WRIU Kingston Coffee House 9/30

By Mike Stevenson

In the first hour of THE KINGSTON COFFEE HOUSE, we feature tracks from Jeff Tweedy’s highly acclaimed new release Twilight Override, as well as deep dives from Tweedy’s first band Uncle Tupelo; Wilco’s classic Yankee Foxtrot Hotel from 2002; and Tweedy’s wonderful contributions to the Mermaid Avenue Woody Guthrie sessions from 1998.

Twilight Override

As for Tweedy’s latest recording, the New York Times recently wrote: “Twilight Override earns its length. It’s not padded with alternate versions or extended instrumentals; only three songs stretch past five minutes. The arrangements often feel cozy and handmade, largely built around Tweedy’s acoustic guitar and frequently topped by Macie Stewart’s violin; there are hints of Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Simon & Garfunkel and Bob Dylan’s album John Wesley Harding.”

New release “Angel”

In hour two, you’ll hear the beautiful guitar of Haitian-American legend Frantz Casseus, as well as new releases from Welsh harpist Cerys Hafana. Hafana’s latest album, Angel, was declared The Guardian’s Folk Album of the Month in September 2025. The Guardian described them as a “piercingly beautiful singer and exceptional, adventurous musician” and praised the album’s innovative harp playing, Breton influences, and exploration of the life cycle.”

Natalie MacMaster

In hour three, host Mike Stevenson chats with WRIU DJ Wayne Cresser (Picture This: Film Music On the Radio), who just returned from a road trip to the Canadian Maritimes. As a welcome home, we share bowls of poutine with extra cheese & gravy (…in truth, oat cakes and tea!) while playing some choice Celtic music from Cape Breton, including cuts from Ashley MacIssac, Mary Jane Lamond and Natalie MacMaster.

Along the way, we play from Bob Dylan’s 1964 classic The Times They Are a-Changin; a rare Richard Thompson-composed song for a Werner Herzog film; recent Americana Awards winner Jesse Welles;England’s Laura Marling, Johnny Flynn and more.

Ceilidh at Parish Hall
Max Cormier and fiddle player Ben Smith at the legendary Doryman Pub in Cheticamp

Listen to “The Kingston Coffeehouse” with tributes to Sonny Curtis and David Bromberg

by
The Kingston CoffeeHouse WRIU 9/23/25

PLAYLIST:

  • JESSE WELLES “War Isn’t Murder” (J Welles)
  • I’M WITH HER “Send My Love (To Your New Love)” [Adele]
  • NORA BROWN “Jenny Put the Kettle On” (Traditional)
  • BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES “Sunset Road” (Fleck)
  • LEO KOTTKE “In Christ There Is No East or West” (Alexander R. Reinagle)
  • LEO KOTTKE “You Don’t Have to Need Me” (Kottke)
  • I’M WITH HER “Ancient Light” (Jarosz, O’Donovan, Watkins)
  • THE McCRARY SISTERS “What Good Am I?” (Bob Dylan)
  • JESSE WELLES “The Great Caucasian God” (Welles)
  • PAUL SIEBEL “My Town” (Siebel)
  • MJ LENDERMAN “You Don’t Know the Shape I’m in” (Lenderman)
  • SIERRA FERRELL “Jeremiah” (S. Ferrell)
  • GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS “Empty Trainload Of Sky”
  • GILLIAN WELCH “Dear Someone” (Welch/Rawlings)
  • CAT CLYDE & JEREMIE ALBINO “Been Worryin'” (Clyde/Albino)
  • WILLI CARLISLE “Beeswing” (R Thompson)
  • RICHARD THOMPSON “1952 Vincent Black Lightning”
  • GWENIFER RAYMOND “Jack Parsons Blues” (G Raymond)
  • CERYS HAFANA “Helynt Ryfeddol”
  • ZOE BASHA “Dublin Street Corner Blues” (Z Basha)
  • SYMBIO “Soul Siblings”
  • OLAF ARNALDS “Tar i Morgunsario”
  • JOSIENNE CLARKE “Most of All” (J Clarke)
  • JOAN SHELLEY “Everybody” (J Shelley)
  • JOAN SHELLEY “The Fading” (J Shelley)
  • JOAN SHELLEY “Haven” (J Shelley)
  • BONNIE PRINCE BILLY, DAWN MCCARTHY “Kentucky” (Karl Davis)
  • JAKE XERCES FUSSELL “Love Farewell”
  • THE EVERLY BROTHERS “Walk Right Back” (Sonny Curtis)
  • THE CLASH “I Fought the Law” (Sonny Curtis)
  • SONNY CURTIS “Love Is All Around” (Sonny Curtis)
  • SONNY CURTIS “Straight Life” (Sonny Curtis)
  • NANCI GRIFFITH with SONNY CURTIS “Well, Alright” (Sonny Curtis)
  • BUDDY HOLLY “Rock Around with Ollie Vee” (Sonny Curtis)
  • DAVID BROMBERG “The Joke’s On Me” (Bromberg)
  • DAVID BROMBERG “Spanish Johnny” (Paul Siebel)
  • DAVID BROMBERG “Mr. Blue” (Dewayne Blackwell)
  • SIERRA FERRELL “Seven Spanish Angels” (Troy Seals, Eddie Setser)