Author Archives: admin

I’m surprised, delighted and deeply honored to announce that I’ve been chosen to participate as one of 32 finalists in the Grassy Hill New Folk Competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas next month!

I KNOW, RIGHT? I had to double-check with them to be sure. This, as they say, is “kind of a big deal” in my little corner of the music world. Forget about winning, I’m just excited go down there to play and to meet so many fantastic musicians. And I’m doubly blessed that my Austin-based family will be able to come and experience it with me! Can I get a YEEHAW?!?!

With all the great stuff that’s been happening with Bobtown, I haven’t had much time to play out on my own of late. But this weekend, I’ll be down at the Singer-Songwriter Cape May conference in New Jersey for a little solo time. I’m playing the Martini Beach showcase on Saturday at 10pm. It’s my first visit to “the shore,” and my first conference as a solo artist! I’ve got a new dress and I’m all tuned up — now, let’s hope for some nice spring weather for a change…

I’m happy to (finally) say that I’ve lined up some shows out West. It’s a great excuse to see some old friends, while trying to get “out there,” so to speak. Next week, I head out to Salt Lake, then Boise and Portland and ending up in San Francisco.

At the end of May, I’ll be heading South with my friends Hilary Hawke and Brian Geltner (Dubl-Handi). Very exciting!

Tour dates are posted on the schedule page. I just may coming to your town. If I do, please stop by, say hello and support live music!

Our Americana-lovin’ friends from across the pond gave Gem State a lovely review and an 8/10 score. I can’t wait to get over there and smooch every last one of them.

‘Gem State’ provides a gorgeous introduction to the work of New York based songwriter Karen Dahlstrom. Throughout the EP, Dahlstrom sings wonderfully dark Americana songs of love, loss and regret, all based around her home state of Idaho.

Each track on ‘Gem State’ displays a different layer of Dahlstrom’s talent. The sinister opener ‘The Miner’s Bride’, draws the listener in to hear her sad tale about a bride who has lost her true love to war, whilst the beautiful melody of ‘Galena’ masks the forlorn story of life in a nineteenth century mining camp (“We broke our backs to charm her / Gave her our blood and our bones / Until we won her gracious favour / In a bed among the stones”).

Although the lyrical content of ‘Gem State’ never broaches anywhere above the level of miserable, each track still has a disarming beauty to it. This may have a great deal to do with Dahlstrom’s own voice, an instrument which carries an edgy haunting quality, highlighted most spectacularly in the a cappella song ‘Streets Of Pocatello’. At only five tracks, the record is a quick listen. Dahlstrom certainly leaves her listeners eagerly awaiting the release of a full-length album.

Folk-DJ posted their charts for February, and I was both shocked and delighted to see my EP there. Thanks so much to all the DJs who are giving Gem State a spin. This is unbelievably awesome for me.

TOP ALBUMS
#18 – Gem State (EP)

TOP SONGS
#2 – “The Miner’s Bride”
#18 – “The Streets of Pocatello”

TOP ARTISTS
#23 – Karen Dahlstrom

You can check out the charts at FolkRadio.org.

Come on down to Jalopy on Valentine’s Day for a fabulous show, hosted by the lovely birthday girl, Jan Bell! All of us will be singing songs from our latest projects. I love Jan. I love Jalopy. I think you will, too!

THE LINEUP
8:30 – Karen Dahlstrom
9:00 – Alex Battles
10:00 – Jan Bell and the Maybelles (Megan Palmer & Tim Lüntzel), with special guests Jolie Holland and Will Scott

ONLY $10!!! Seriously, what’s not to love?

Jalopy Theater
315 Columbia St. (bet. Hamilton & Woodhull)
Brooklyn, NY

Tonight, I make the trip up to Bridgeport, CT to visit Jim Motavalli‘s show on WKPN. I’m told he asks “unusual” questions, so I’ll be loading up on the caffeine to keep sharp! I go on around 10pm Eastern, and you can listen live at WPKN.org.

New York Music Daily has released their Best 50 Albums of 2011, and I’m surprised and delighted to find that my EP project has been included!

13. Karen Dahlstrom – Gem State. The Bobtown multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, an Idaho native, reached back for a haunting, intense late-1800s western Americana vibe on these evocative original songs.

It’s an honor to be included with some of my favorites from the Brooklyn scene, like The Roulette Sisters and Frankenpine. A pretty great way to end the year!

The fine folks at Brooklyn Country sure have some nice things to say about “Gem State”. Thanks, Chet!

In honor of the world’s loudest band, The Do-Overs are taking it one louder tonight at Freddy’s! As you can see, snacks will be provided. Rock on, Nige!