Joe Pug & Willie Watson

Joe Pug and Willie Watson play a double bill at City Winery Philadelphia on Friday, October 23, on the venue's Main Stage. It's a pairing of two songwriters from different corners of American folk and roots music, each bringing their own history to the same night.

Pug's path to songwriting wasn't a straight line. He dropped out of college and traded the classroom for a carpenter's bench in Chicago, writing songs after his shifts. Paste Magazine compared him to Dylan, Waits, Ritter, and Prine, and he's toured with Steve Earle, Levon Helm, and Sturgill Simpson. He also hosts the podcast The Working Songwriter, where he talks shop with other musicians about the craft of writing.

Watson comes from the Finger Lakes of upstate New York. His career includes the founding years of Old Crow Medicine Show and years spent interpreting the American folk canon alongside David Rawlings and Gillian Welch. This show comes on the heels of his self-titled debut album, the first record he's made entirely of his own songs.

Because it's City Winery, the evening includes wine service and chef-driven dining alongside the music. The show starts at 7:30 PM, with doors opening at 6:00 PM, so you've got plenty of time to get settled with a drink and a meal before the sets begin. The venue is at 990 Filbert St, Philadelphia, PA 19107.