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GALLERY: Austin City Limits 2010

A sampling of the music at the 2010 Austin City Limits festival. Photography by Arnold Wells.

Steel guitar master Robert Randolph takes the fans to church with his custom 13-string Fessenden guitar.

Onstage, Tommy Emmanuel executes a move that is not from the playbook of his hero, Chet Atkins.

Photo by Simone Cecchetti

Recorded live at the Sydney Opera House, the Australian guitarist’s new album reminds listeners that his fingerpicking is in a stratum all its own. His approach to arranging only amplifies that distinction—and his devotion to Chet Atkins.

Australian fingerpicking virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel is turning 70 this year. He’s been performing since he was 6, and for every solo show he’s played, he’s never used a setlist.

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Guest columnist Dave Pomeroy, who is also president of Nashville’s musicians union, with some of his friends.

Dave Pomeroy, who’s played on over 500 albums with artists including Emmylou Harris, Elton John, Trisha Yearwood, Earl Scruggs, and Alison Krauss, shares his thoughts on bass playing—and a vision of the future.

From a very young age, I was captivated by music. Our military family was stationed in England from 1961 to 1964, so I got a two-year head start on the Beatles starting at age 6. When Cream came along, for the first time I was able to separate what the different players were doing, and my focus immediately landed on Jack Bruce. He wrote most of the songs, sang wonderfully, and drove the band with his bass. Playing along with Cream’s live recordings was a huge part of my initial self-training, and I never looked back.

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A reverb-based pedal for exploring the far reaches of sound.

Easy to use control set. Wide range of sounds. Crush control is fun to explore. Filter is versatile.

Works best as a stereo effect, which may limit some players.

$299

Old Blood Noise Endeavors Dark Star Stereo
oldbloodnoise.com

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The Old Blood Dark Star Stereo (DSS) is one of those pedals that lives beyond simple effect categorization. Yes, it’s a digital reverb. But like other Old Blood designs, it’s such a feature-rich, creative take on that effect that to think of it as a reverb feels not only imprecise but unfair.

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Introducing the new Firebird Platypus, a tribute to the rare transitional models of 1965.

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