Railroad Earth returns

Returning from a five-year hiatus, Railroad Earth hosts two nights of music featuring fingerstyle guitarist Michael Gulezian (Thurs., Oct. 29) and homegrown blues-rock diva Michelle Malone (Fri., Oct. 30), along with a Halloween costume contest and a backyard iron pour dubbed “Iris of Fire.”

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Freelance multimedia producer Neil Fried founded Railroad Earth as a multi-disciplinary arts organization and production facility adjacent to Emory Village in 1997. Since then, the mission has always been to foster conversations between art, science, and technology, while crafting a novel experiences for those who seek it out. “In many ways, the iron pour is symbolic of the origins of Railroad Earth,” Fried says. “The process requires scientific and technical knowledge, artistic prowess to create molds that cast beautiful forms, and a team of people — which speaks to the community of collaborators we have always been.”

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Indeed, carving a mold, seeing it filled with iron lava, and carrying home a self-designed metal objet d’art is a compelling experience. “It’s an elemental activity deeply rooted in the history of our civilization,” Fried says.

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Friday’s attendees will have an opportunity to carve designs in sand molds, which can be purchased. Tools and instruction will be provided. Note: A quality mold will take an hour or so to carve.

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Michael Gulezian carries the legacy of pioneering American primitive fingerstyle guitarists, such as John Fahey and Leo Kottke, into the 21st century. In the late 1970s Robbie Basho (a ranking member of the fingerstyle club) introduced Gulezian to the notoriously fickle Fahey who was impressed by the high school senior’s extraordinary talent. With the master’s blessing, he released one album, Unspoken Intentions, on Fahey’s Takoma Records just before the label went bankrupt.

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In the 1990s, Gulezian founded Timbreline Music. His 2006 album Concert at St. Olaf College showcases the New Jersey-born guitarist’s sublime control and deep absorption of disparate styles from the brawny soulfulness of the Delta masters, such as Bukka White and Blind Blake, to the ethereal arabesques of Persian court music to the playful syncopations of American jazz.

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During the past few years, singer-songwriter and guitar-slinger extraordinaire Michelle Malone has released two critically acclaimed albums, Day 2 (2012) and Stronger Than You Think (2015). Malone has toured Europe and America, and shared the stage in her hometown with Gregg Allman, Chuck Leavell, Randall Bramblett, the Atlanta Symphony and Atlanta Pops Orchestras, Drivin’ n’ Cryin’, Indigo Girls, and Kristian Bush. The point is, the opportunity to catch one of the city’s sublimely gifted treasures in the close-up and chilled-out environs of Saturday’s Railroad Earth fandango is rare and not to be missed.

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“At the start of her career, Michelle often played at the Dugout in Emory Village, right around the corner from Railroad Earth,” Fried says. “Her alchemical style, which spans a wide range of influences, seems perfectly aligned with the molten iron theme.”

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Also on the bill Saturday are Inswantaoetta, a percussion ensemble led by performance artist Grady Cousins, To Mock a Killing Bird, and others. Artists from various other disciplines will be performing throughout the two-night event as well.