It’s a curious sight; the art on the cover is by Stanley Mouse. The liner notes include songs written by David Nelson and Robert Hunter. The first song clocks in at nearly eight minutes. When I opened the envelope that contained “Where I Come From” I admit I was a bit puzzled. Surely this had… Continue reading NRPS | Where I Come From | Review & Interview
Are you a fan of Delta Blues, Rock, or Jam? Do you have an affinity for Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and a good live show? If by now you haven’t heard of the North Mississippi All-Stars, please emerge from your cave this instant. Perhaps one of the hottest bands (in this writer’s opinion) to emerge from… Continue reading North Mississippi All-Stars: On Tour
You might still think this was 1973. I did for a second, as I watched the tie-dye clad Deadheads trekking through wheat-colored fields, on a pilgrimage to Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View on Sunday evening to catch the band now known as The Dead. I was sitting in my car in the line of traffic,… Continue reading 'The Dead' at Shoreline | Review
Keepers of the flame. Revivers of the vibe. The ultimate players in the game of cover band glory.—Whatever title you pin on Dark Star Orchestra, doesn’t nearly encapsulate their dedication, precision and drive. Getting everything right, even the simple sounds of instrumental tuning, is something that they take very seriously. Catapulting the essence of imitation… Continue reading Dark Star Orchestra | Boulder Theater | 3/27/09 | Review
On a cool Berkeley evening I walked into The Starry Plough to catch The Grateful Dead cover band Live Dead. The Plough was once again packed with young and old local “Dead Head” hippies, sporting heavy beards and tie-dye shirts. Others danced wildly by the stage, as Live Dead opened their first set a little… Continue reading Live Dead at The Starry Plough, May 2
On April 10, Indie rockers The Hold Steady played to a packed house at the Fox Theater here in Boulder. Appealing to a mix of the young and hip and the grown-up and mellow, this group of rock and roll storytellers put on quite the high energy, low tech spectacle. Whereas only the night before… Continue reading The Hold Steady Get Sweaty in Boulder
Avery Brewery in Boulder Colorado has a small tucked away tasting room down the back ally of a local business park. They have a large selection of fresh tasty beers on tap, and I was there enjoying one when four guys drove up in a Green Van from Ft Collins. As they unloaded their equipment,… Continue reading Handpicked Holler! | Avery Brewery | Boulder
In 2004 the San Francisco rock outfit New Monsoon made a storied appearance at the famed Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado, and blew away newcomers with their unique blend of West Coast rock, jazz, Latin, and West Asian sounds. From that performance the band released their first live disc aptly titled Live at the Telluride… Continue reading New Monsoon | Live | Review
The Starry Plough bar, on the corner of Shattuck and Ashby in Berkeley, stands out on the block as there is not much else around. I arrived a bit early and saw Dead Heads standing outside the bar smoking joints and cigarettes, making me think I was walking down the mythical “Shakedown Street.” The Pat… Continue reading The China Cats & The Pat Nevins Trio Live at The Starry Plough in Berkeley
In December of 2004 I saw Béla Fleck & the Flecktones at the Water Street Music Hall in Rochester. At that show Béla made a mention of his plans which at that time included traveling to Africa to research the roots of the banjo. This intrigued me as I had just been to Morocco and… Continue reading Béla Fleck & the Africa Project: More than a Concert
