Reviews
ON October 26th I got the honor of seeing Yonder Mountain String Band for their Halloween party at the House of Blues in Chicago. It was a beautiful night out in the city. The House of Blues is nestled right downtown among all of the stately buildings and bright city lights. The interior of the building is just as impressive as its stately surroundings. Every wall is painted and decorated differently and the balconies that are stacked three high are decorated with filigree, which is illuminated by color changing lights. It is truly a beautiful building.
On the fateful day after extended taxes were due, October 16, 2013, I sat down with [and interviewed) Fayetteville, Arkansas-based band Don’t Stop Please. During the interview there were many jokes, lots of sarcasm and some discussion about music, including insight on their newest album, the creation process and that pesky (now historical) government shutdown. This is the first time I’ve interviewed an entire band together and it was certainly interesting!
Halloween looms, and while most avid local music-goers are planning extravagant costumes for the Hallow’s Eve bash of their choice; last weekend the Fox Theatre hosted a rousing 2-night stand by growing “newgrass” favorites Greensky Bluegrass. Hailing from Michigan, these guys throw a range of soulful bluegrass originals, standards, and playful classic covers out on any given night.
What’s in a name? For a band, a lot. A band’s name often gives a descriptor to their image, something that can vaguely sum up what the band is all about. The Beach Boys wrote songs about being on the beach. The Allman Brothers were a band made up of brothers named Allman. Aerosmith...I’ll get back to you on that. But my point remains. Band names are like the tagline to their music. It’s what people see first and remember the most.
This sold out show was one of much anticipation. There was a crowd assembled outside of the venue early for the band that has a large fan base in these parts. Tonight Portugal. The Man was back in Colorado playing alongside Crystal Castles, the experimental electronic duo from Toronto, Canada. Portugal. The Man has just finished up their successful fall tour in Las Vegas, but not before stopping at their favorite state to play in, Colorado.
In October 1978, The Grateful Dead played its final run of shows at The Winterland Ballroom, the ice-skating-rink-cum-hallowed-home-court for San Francisco’s “home-team” band. After promoter Bill Graham converted Winterland into a full-time music venue in 1971, The Dead played a total of eight runs (three or more shows in a row) at Winterland and chose the landmark hall for six New Year’s Eve blowouts, dating back to 1968.
Fans of the Grateful Dead will continue to seek that special feeling their music brought for 30 years, though the group disbanded eighteen years ago. Bassist Phil Lesh recently announced for all practical purposes that he is retiring from touring, sticking to his Terrapin Crossroads locale with occasional exceptions. Though the other living members of the band will likely continue to tour and perform, their music tends to evolve with them as musicians.
Even avant-garde jazz needs structure. A boundless exploration of less touched musical realms still needs some foundation to stand on. Certain jazz purists don’t even consider fusion, free, or Avant-garde to be true jazz. I stand somewhere in between. The music of Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, and Ornette Coleman is as canonical as Duke Ellington or Bing Crosby. Evolution is vital to keep music interesting, especially in the richly complex world of jazz.
A true pioneer takes great risks, stepping out of the social norm to create something revolutionary and different. They visualize a new way of doing things by bringing a fresh perspective that could potentially change the game forever. These types of people are becoming few and far between, and in a music industry that running dry of inspirational ideas, we need these revolutionaries now more than ever.
