Last year’s two Daytrotter Barnstormer tours brought bands and fans together in unique barn settings. These shows were not without their challenges– but proved to be memorable and transcendant experiences for the bands as well as the fans. Most of my favorite band and music experiences from 2009 were as a result of these shows– certainly in the case of Local Natives and Dawes we are seeing two bands from these barns on impressive career arcs. Both bands just finished “barnstorming” SXSW this year with multiple shows all with rave reviews from press and fans.

This year’s first Barnstormer show– which will be the third– will take place April 27th through May 1st and include shows in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois. Unlike the first two tours last year, these will have a cover charge of $10. From last week’s Daytrotter e-mail:

We know that all of you Barnstormers enjoyed the freeness of the first two tours and we thank you for making the tour what it is. With the acts that we have set for No. 3, we need your help to pay for everything… Each night, half of every paid admission will go to someone who needs help. Maybe it’s someone you know. We are choosing one individual or family — based on your nominations — to receive some help from the Barnstormer. So, write rsvpdaytrotter@gmail.com with a story of someone who’s fallen on hard times and could use some assistance. We’ll take the best five stories and do what we can to make things a bit better.

The cover charge is a notable change– when I talked to Sean about this last year he said that since he really doesn’t spend any money for promoting daytrotter.com– these shows were going to be used as a method of promotion and his promotional budget would pay for part of it. Plus, the bands were playing these shows understanding that they’d get some needed exposure and hoping to sell merchandise and they were crashing at people’s homes and camping out– in Bellevue all of the bands were put up in a bed and breakfast operated by the owner of Mooney Hollow. While I don’t expect that the living conditions for the bands will be changed much, I’m sure that the $5 per head will be welcomed!

The idea of giving the other half of the money to a needy family or individual is great, and certainly in line with Sean’s idea of giving back to these little towns like the one he grew up in.

$10 certainly isn’t a lot for five Daytrotter-approved up-and-comers anyway.  The band line-up looks pretty good and it already has some buzzworthy bands in it. Free Energy, originally from Minneapolis now living in the land of Philly cheesesteaks, has been getting a lot of blog press lately with their brand of power-pop. Dawes and Deer Tick-BFF’s Delta Spirit have done three Daytrotter sessions since 2007. Ra Ra Riot purvey a kind of organic unplugged britlikepop with a nod to some Smith-y ideal or a tip of the scooter helmet to mod groups like The Jam or The Police. The strings serve only to underscore the pining sentimentality, frankly. Pearly Gate Music is Zach Tillman– whose brother is J. Tillman of Fleet Foxes so you seem to be guaranteed a familial if not familiar pedigree. The tracks I’ve listened to on his MySpace page a strong in melody with slightly cockeyed perspective. I’m interested to hear this in a live setting– he apparently made fans of the Fleet Foxes fans when he opened for them. Nathaniel Rateliff is a new signee of Rounder Records. His sound is a melange that stands undecidedly somewhere between indie, country, bluegrass and the long tradition of folk music.

A nice selection of strong musicians and artists– just what we’d expect from Mr. Daytrotter.

DAYTROTTER PRESENTS: BARNSTORMER III SCHEDULE (generously lifted from daytrotter.com):

April 27th

7 pm — West Liberty, Iowa: Secrest 1883 Octagonal Barn, 5750 Osage St.(Performing — Delta Spirit, Ra Ra Riot, Nathaniel Rateliff, Pearly Gate Music, Free Energy)
Delta Spirit Daytrotter Session
Detla Spirit Encore Daytrotter Session
Delta Spirit Third Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Encore Daytrotter Session
Nathaniel Rateliff Daytrotter Session
Pearly Gate Music Daytrotter Session
Free Energy Daytrotter Session

April 28th

6 pm — Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Turner Hall Ballroom, 1032 N. 4th St.(Performing — Delta Spirit, Ra Ra Riot, Nathaniel Rateliff, Pearly Gate Music, Free Energy)
Delta Spirit Daytrotter Session
Detla Spirit Encore Daytrotter Session
Delta Spirit Third Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Encore Daytrotter Session
Nathaniel Rateliff Daytrotter Session
Pearly Gate Music Daytrotter Session
Free Energy Daytrotter Session

April 29th

6 pm — Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: Knotty Pines Farm N1204 S. Hwy 120 (Performing — Delta Spirit, Ra Ra Riot, Nathaniel Rateliff, Pearly Gate Music, Free Energy)
Delta Spirit Daytrotter Session
Detla Spirit Encore Daytrotter Session
Delta Spirit Third Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Encore Daytrotter Session
Nathaniel Rateliff Daytrotter Session
Pearly Gate Music Daytrotter Session
Free Energy Daytrotter Session

April 30th

6 pm — Monticello, Illinois: Kalyx Center, 442 E. 1300 North Rd. (Performing — Delta Spirit, Ra Ra Riot, Nathaniel Rateliff, Pearly Gate Music, Free Energy)
Delta Spirit Daytrotter Session
Detla Spirit Encore Daytrotter Session
Delta Spirit Third Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Encore Daytrotter Session
Nathaniel Rateliff Daytrotter Session
Pearly Gate Music Daytrotter Session
Free Energy Daytrotter Session

May 1st

6 pm — Maquoketa, Iowa: Codfish Hollow Barn, 3437 288th Ave (Performing — Delta Spirit, Ra Ra Riot, Nathaniel Rateliff, Pearly Gate Music, Free Energy)
Delta Spirit Daytrotter Session
Detla Spirit Encore Daytrotter Session
Delta Spirit Third Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Daytrotter Session
Ra Ra Riot Encore Daytrotter Session
Nathaniel Rateliff Daytrotter Session
Pearly Gate Music Daytrotter Session
Free Energy Daytrotter Session