Week one of the NFL season is almost in the books - Brady out, Favre impresses in his Gang Green debut, and the Super Bowl champs the New York Football Giants win on Thursday night - that’s probably about all the football analysis you’re going to get from us around here for awhile.

Now with the season underway, for the next 16 weeks Monday only means one thing: the return of Monday Night Football and probably one of the most recognizable television themes out there - Hank Williams Jr.’s All My Rowdy Friends Are Here On Monday - which has been used since 1989.

In the last few years ESPN has tried to spruce up the theme (for which Williams, Jr. has won four Emmy awards) by bringing in some contemporary artists to sit in with ‘Ol Hank, but we still prefer the original around these parts. Enjoy…

More Football Tunes:

• 1973 MNF Open Theme
• Jack Johnson - Mud Football (Live Kokua Festival 2007)
• Chicago Bears - Super Bowl Shuffle

The 1973 Western Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid isn’t exactly a memorable movie, but one fantastic tune came out of the ashes of the flick. Bob Dylan scored the film and came up with a number of songs for the soundtrack. One tune that didn’t make the soundtrack was a joyous ditty named Rock Me Mama. Rock Me Mama was included on a number of Dylan bootlegs, yet was never officially released.

In the early ’00s, Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show took Dylan’s original chorus and wrote gorgeous verses around them. The result of Secor’s efforts, Wagon Wheel, became extremely popular and has been covered by a slew of artists including Steven Kellogg, Little Feat and Soul Farm. Here’s Old Crow Medicine Show’s gripping video for Wagon Wheel…

Further Viewing:

• Bob Dylan - Rock Me Mama
• Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel (Live)
• Soul Farm - Wagon Wheel

While the official end of summer isn’t for a few weeks, Labor Day marks it’s “unofficial” ending. For those of us in the real world it just means no more summer Fridays or weekends in Fire Island, but for another segment of the population this weekend just really means one thing: heading back to the world of spiral notebooks, gym class and homework.

With that in mind, this one goes out to all of you returning to classes (or have already). Here’s Jack and Meg White, otherwise know as The White Stripes, with We’re Going To Be Friends…

More Back To School Songs:

• The Ramones - Rock And Roll High School
• Chuck Berry - School Days

A number of stellar clips from the AT&T Blueroom Webcast of this weekend’s Outside Lands extravaganza have already hit the web. We’ve rounded up those videos and videos pro-shot by Spin (bolded) as well as some of the best audience-shot footage (not bolded) to enjoy.

Andrew Bird: The Master Swarm,

Beck: Where It’s At, E-Pro, Chemtrails, Loser, Nausea, Walls, Leopard-Skin Pill Box, Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime, Lost Cause, Ghettochip Malfunction, Soul of a Man, Modern Guilt, Devil’s Haircut, Gamma Ray, Que Onda Guero, Timebomb, Girl,

Bon Iver: Plume, Lump Sum, Blood Bank,

Broken Social Scene: Pacific Theme, Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old Girl, Ibi Dreams of Pavement, Love Is New, Churches Under The Stairs, Fire Eye’d Boy, Farewell To The Pressure Kids, 7/4 (Shoreline), KC Accidental,

Cake: Stickshifts and Safetybelts, Rock N Roll Lifestyle, Frank Sinatra, Comfort Eagle, Love You Madly,

Cold War Kids: New Song, Every Man I Fall For,

Devendra Banhart: In The Summertime, Bad Girl, Carmensita, Seahorse,

Dredg: Cellar, Catch Without Arms, Ode to the Sun, Ireland, Saviour, Waterbourne,

Felice Brothers: Frankie’s Gun,

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals: Stop the Bus,

Jackie Greene: Uphill Mountain,

Jack Johnson: Sitting, Waiting, Wishing, Better Together,

Lupe Fiasco: Go Go Gadget, Kick Push,

Lyrics Born: Callin’ Out, LBTV Episode,

Manu Chao: Bienvenido a Tijuana, Rainin’ In Paradise,

Matt Nathanson: Car Crash,

Mike Gordon: Meat

Primus: John The Fisherman, Harold of the Rocks, Frizzle Fry, Jerry Was A Racecar Driver, Here Comes The Bastards,

Radiohead: Karma Police, Fake Plastic Trees, National Anthem, Bodysnatchers, 15 Steps, Pyramid Song, Paranoid Android, Talk Show Host, Everything In Its Right Place, All I Need, Nude,

Regina Spektor: Ain’t No Cover, The Flowers,

Rodrigo y Gabriela: A Couple of Tunes,

Rogue Wave: Chicago x12, Harmonium,

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings: It’s A Man’s World,

Stars: Soft Revolution, Elevator Love Letter,

Steel Pulse: Ten Minutes of Their Set,

The Black Keys: Girl is on My Mind, Set You Free,

The Coup: Me & Jesus,

The Walkmen: New Country, On The Water,

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Free Fallin’, Saving Grace, End of the Line, Even The Losers, You Wreck Me,

Widespread Panic: Ain’t Life Grand, Blackout Blues, Chainsaw City, Climb To Safety,

Wilco: Remember The Mountain Bed, Company in My Back, Walken, Spiders, Jesus Etc.,

Well, we’ve reached the end of my Outside Lands preview. As you’re reading this, I’ll already be taking in the sights of San Francisco to kill some time until the festivities get underway later on today. Today’s pick was really a no-brainer, it’s Chicago’s alt.country turned indie-rock act Wilco. There aren’t very many bands out there that I’d travel to see anymore these days, but these guys are at the top of that short list. I couldn’t be more excited about the fact I’ll be seeing them for the second time in a week and a half span, and for the third time this year.

I can’t think of a more appropriate song to end on then California Stars, which can be found the spectacular Mermaid Avenue, Vol.1 album. This version comes from their appearance on Sessions On West 54th. Enjoy…

Jeff Tweedy & Co. hit the Twin Peaks stage at 6:35 on Sunday. While I’m a little bummed that I won’t get to see Panic, there is no way I’d be missing a single note of this set. That’s all folks, enjoy the fest!

Further Viewing:

• Impossible Germany (Live In Studio)
• War On War (Live on The Late Show)
• Box Full Of Letters (Music Video)

I’m sensing a bit of trend with my selections this week, other than the legendary Steve Winwood, I’ve offered up two acts that have been steeped in a rootsy-Americana sound and today isn’t going to be any different. There is only one place to be on Saturday when the clock strikes 3:40 and that’s at the Sutro stage for the set from M. Ward. The Portland, Oregon singer-songwriter will get a chance to finally play some of his own material after having spent the majority of the summer on the road with Zooey Deschanel doing the She & Him thing.

The sepia-voiced Ward is phenomenal live - he’s a killer guitar player, I promise you won’t be disappointed. You also never know who will drop by to sit in with him, over the years I’ve had the pleasure of seeing both Conor Oberst and Jim James take a guest turn during one of his shows.

Ok, enough fluffing, here’s Matt with Vincent O’Brien…

Further Viewing:

• Chinese Translation (Live w. Jim Jame & Neko Case)
• Rollercoaster (Live w. Jim James)
• Change Is Hard (Live)

Ever since the initial line up for Outside Lands was revealed the one act that was an absolute must on my schedule is Bon Iver. Music writers have been drooling over For Emma, Forever Ago since the it came out. I even named it number five on my Top 6 Of The First 6 list. The album is chock full of heartache and Justin Veron’s spooky falsettos and powerfully emotive vocals - all the result of living and recording by himself over the course of several months in a remote cabin in Wisconsin.

This will be my first time catching Bon Iver live, though I do already have tickets to one the two Town Hall shows in December. There is really no better song to use for today’s column than Skinny Love. Here’s a clip from Later With Jools Holland…

Bon Iver hit the Presidio Stage at Outside Lands on Sunday afternoon at 3:10 PM for a 40-minute set. I’ll be there and I hope you will be too. Don’t miss it.

Further Viewing:

• Flume (Live)
• The Wolves (Act I & II) - Music Video
• Lump Sum (Live)

With the scores of contemporary acts playing Outside Lands it would certainly be easy to overlook the fact that there is a performer on the bill that actually played in San Fransisco during the city’s gilded psychedelic-ballroom era and who only just turned 60 this year - Steve Winwood - guess that’s what happens you have a hit with your first band at only age 15. The former Spencer Davis Group/Traffic/Blind Faith member is having quite a year in 2008, and we’ve still got four months left.

Winwood started off ‘08 with a string of shows with former band mate Eric Clapton at MSG back in February, followed it up with the release of a brand new solo album - Nine Lives - and currently has been holding down the opening slot for Saturday’s headliners Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ summer tour. Winwood hits the Lands End Stage at 4:10 PM on Saturday afternoon. Let’s take a step back a few years to 2003 for this performance of his signature tune - Dear Mr. Fantasy…

Winwood and Petty have been collaborating throughout their summer run during Petty’s set on Can’t Find My Way Home and Gimme Some Lovin’ - I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that the trend continues at Outside Lands.
Further Viewing:

• Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin’ (Live)
• Blind Faith - Can’t Find My Way Home (Live)
• Steve Winwood - Higher Love (Music Video)

In a few short days I’ll be ditching my 10 to 6-er and boarding a plane to head out to the Left Coast for the inaugural edition of the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival taking place in San Francisco’s scenic Golden Gate Park. With 60+ bands, spread across six stages, the Superfly folks are looking to solidify themselves as the premier festival promoters around. So I figured I’d dedicate Pullin’ ‘Tubes this week to some of the acts I’m excited to see at Outside Lands this upcoming weekend.

Festivities get started around 5 PM on Friday night, and while I’ll probably be spending a little bit of time getting down the lay of the land, I know I’ll be cemented in front of the Presidio Stage at 6:10 for The Felice Brothers - who will be playing a short 30 minute set that is sure to be packed full of their infectious brand of boozy, bar-band Americana. Check out this stunning version of Ruby May from The Black Cab Sessions featuring just James and Ian…

We’re unabashed fans of the brothers Felice around here, but really can you blame us? I haven’t been this excited about an band that so predominantly features an accordion since the hey day of Weird Al Yankovic.

Further Viewing:

• Frankie’s Gun (Live)
  
• Roll On Arte (Music Video)
• Ballad Of Lou The Welterweight (Live)

Earlier this week I was able to score a last minute ticket to Conor Oberst’s long sold out, intimate gig at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom. The prolific singer-songwriter, better known by his recording alter ego Bright Eyes, used the show as a showcase for songs off his recently released self-titled solo “debut”. Backed by the Mystic Valley Band, Oberst tore through his hour and a half set bringing his new material to life.

While his solo tunes still have elements of his brand of indie-folk, they have a personality of their own that lean more towards a rock sound. Choice cuts of the night included Sausalito, Danny Callahan and I Don’t Want To Die (In The Hospital) - definitely the most Bright Eyes sounding tune on the new album - as well great covers of Corrina, Corrina and Harry Nilsson’s Everybody’s Talkin’. Conor’s also released his first music video from the album, check out Souled Out…

Oberst continues his worldwide tour , which concludes back in New York for two shows at Terminal 5, with a stop at this weekend’s Saratoga Music Festival that will feature the likes of Bob Dylan, Levon Helm and Gillian Welch.