Sun, 06/26/2016 - 10:38 am

What to say about this show? I will say it was a Phish show: not a Mike show, not a Trey show, not Page show, not a Fish show. It was a Phish show, a whole band who interacted and engaged in a musical conversation throughout. Wrigley Field provided the place for them to engage us, the audience, in their conversation.

The boys started with the “Moma Dance,” a song they have used as an opener in Chicago before. But this “Moma Dance” set the groove as Mike decided he was full of things to say on this night. He brought a heavy groove that set the tone for the evening. “AC/DC Bag” was up next and was as straightforward as a “bag” gets, although the groove was front and center. And, during this tune the band displayed large smiles and showed a joy that has been more and more prevalent in 3.0. These guys actually enjoy playing together and it shows.

The next two songs came from Phish’s latest studio effort, Fuego. “555” is a rhythm section song and kept the theme of the night going: laying down a thick, rhythmic groove that allowed the conversation to take multiple levels and tracks. The one thing about “555” is that it has the space to get “out there” and exploratory, but the band has not taken that leap yet. “Waiting all Night” followed “555” and was a beautiful rendition. It provided one of the first sections of real interplay for the band, with Gordon and Fishman keeping a tight structure while Trey and Page were able to have some very dynamic interplay.

The next “step” was by Trey onto one of his ever-increasing looper and delay pedals, signaling the beginning of “Heavy Things.” The band moved through the song rather seamlessly, although I felt like the end was rushed a little bit as Trey was soloing: the other three came in with the background vocals and moved the song along a tad quickly. “Heavy Things” gave way to a “Happy Birthday” dedicated to tour manager Richard Glasgow (and prompted by some fans’ banner in front of the stage).

“46 Days” followed with the entire band getting in on the action. Trey had his solo moments and did his thing, but it was a very interactive, conversational approach to the live staple. And coming out of the rocking and interesting “46 Days,” the band basically stopped the flow to perform “I Didn’t Know”, complete with the first Fish Vacuum solo of the tour and Trey playing some drums. While I get the appeal of songs like “I Didn’t Know,” they can be set killers in that they just bring everything to a grinding halt.

Luckily for us, Phish felt the need to bring the set back to full life with “Divided Sky.” The intricacy of a song like “Divided Sky” amazes me, as does the concentration it would take to play: the different sections all work together to create a truly fantastic experience. The song also included Mike and Trey jumping, foreshadowing things to come. Next came “Cavern,” complete with a total mess up by Fish. It was fascinating to see how the fellas moved on, but they always do. And the first set ended with the night’s first cover, of Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times, Bad Times.” In their interpretation, Phish built and released the tension multiple times, while Page did his best to channel his inner Robert Plant…and succeeded.

The second set started with “Carini” and the crowd could feel the energy and were ready to go with the band. (And, in a genuine shout out to my brother, he called “Carini” as the second set opener.) It was perfect. And the jam was both a continuation of the musical conversation occurring in the first set as well as a launching point for where the boys would go. Trey, instead of going for the full rockstar series of solos, layered and looped and delayed different tones and riffs while Page swirled synths and Gordon proposed sequence after sequence and Fishman set the beat.

As the band had reached the end of what they wanted to explore in “Carini,” Trey began the “Tweezer” riff. There is just something about “Tweezer” that makes everyone feel it and the entire crowd just reacts in unison. The boys began with a really rocking, raucous version of “Tweezer.” Mike was slapping and popping and Trey was really pushing it…and then they brought it back down, into that effects laden trip. Trey never pushed it but was patient and perfectly content to lay back and layer sounds while Mike and Page drove the musical dialogue. And, full confession, while they were playing “Tweezer,” I really thought it was going to be one of those “all-time-ultimately-huge Tweezers”. There was so much room to go and explore and dialogue that I was ready to spend the whole set in a “Tweezer frame of mind.”

The boys had other ideas, though. Their earlier foreshadowing came to fruition and they launched into “Fluffhead” after a 52 show absence. And it was nearly perfect. Like “Divided Sky,” “Fluffhead” is difficult and requires a lot of discipline; it’s not just a vehicle to jam. And Phish nailed it; Page even showed off some of the niftiest piano work that we’ve heard. I imagine that this will be one of the definitive “Fluffheads” that people point back to over and over again. I’ve already had my kids listen twice.

“Fluffhead” gave way to “Piper,” which again featured the effects laden jamming of the earlier parts of the set. Page and Mike again drove the ship while Fish set the groove and Trey experimented. “Piper” provided a mellow, yet really interesting jam. As the jam continued, Page began to push toward “Steam.” The band gave in and spent some time there. It was rather straightforward, along with those terrible “Steam” sounds. During the playing here, I got the feeling that the band knew they were getting closer and closer to their 11:00pm curfew (an annoying thing about playing inside the City of Chicago). This is a problem at Northerly Island as well.

The band ended the second set with a rather quick detour into “Harry Hood.” There wasn’t the magic of other “Hoods,” but it was interesting and, well, it’s always great to get a “Harry Hood.” The jamming just never got a chance to take off like some of the other interpretations of the song. Next came the second set closer, “Tweezer Reprise.” And, again, the boys rocked it out and ended the second set on a very high note. It was also great to have “Tweezer Reprise” close the second set instead of being stuck in the encore.

Like the night before when they did Bowie’s “Space Oddity” in the encore, this night they turned to a major influence: the Beatles and their classic “I am the Walrus.” Phish might be one of the few bands that could actually do justice to such a song, with the complicated effects, weird vocals, and great interplay. They nailed it, playing it a bit heavier than one might have thought, but it was high-energy and sent the fans out wishing they could all make it to Deer Creek (Klipsch Music Center in Noblesville, IN) for the Sunday show.

As an aside, I was a little nervous about the change up in the lights. I am a fan of the entire concert experience and what the lighting techs (led by the famous Chris Kuroda) have done in the last few years has been fantastic in my humble opinion. I was not sure that I wanted a change. And during the first set, when the LEDs appeared as one panel, I was not a fan and wanted some change. However, the second set was a thing of beauty; those panels and lights and the interaction among them, which echoed the conversation taking place on stage, provided a very important visual element to the music happening. So, nerves are better and lesson learned: trust Phish and Kuroda.

Sun, 08/07/2016 - 1:09 pm

Let me begin by saying that this was a typical Umphrey’s McGee show. And I was really happy with that. You see, UM does something not a lot of other bands are able to do: they bring a great energy and excitement to everything they are doing. To go along with this, all of the guys in the band are at the apex of musicians on their particular instruments and this means that even when they don’t “have it” they still play incredibly well and do great things. And, with that said, they did what they typically do, which is bring the energy to the music and put on a great show.

They came out and started with their typical Intro/Preamble. This led into Mantis, which was to be a foretaste, as the album Mantis got the most play from the guys this evening. The song Mantis was solid and allowed the guys to get themselves up to speed. They then segued into Speak Up, which was also good. After the song was over, UM reminded us that they were from South Bend, IN and that this Indy show felt like a hometown show. This sentiment was carried through the show.

The guys then launched into one of my favorites, Higgins. The song is a typical UM song in that it has a complex structure that needs to be played well and tightly, but then also allows some room for the improvisation that they do so well. The execution of the song was pretty flawless and then Jake took over and absolutely melted faces with his solo. He showed then, and throughout, that he is one of the top guitarists in the “jam band” scene today as he is at the top of his game.

Next, UM worked through 1348. This is another complicated song and the guys did great. I really thought the introduction that Joel put together was fantastic, as he layered different effects together to lead into the song. It set the tone and the possibilities for what the band could be up to. The improvisation for 1348 was more rhythmic and atmospheric than the typical shredding that UM can be known for. This led into Passing. And Passing led into the fan favorite Hajimemashite. Haji was executed incredibly well, culminating with another Jake solo that showcased his incredible dexterity and ability on the guitar. This carried over as UM segued into Nothing Too Fancy, where Jake hit full face-shredding, rock star mode. And the guys ended the set by moving rather flawlessly back into Mantis. In all, it was a fantastic first set and begged the question if the band had anything left for round 2.

They did.

The second set started with The Floor, which is another “typical” UM song, that contains complex structures and room for improvisation, usually allowing for Jake to do what he does. Although, The Floor also showcased the rhythmic duo of Kris Myers and Andy Farag, who really are rhythm devils giving a real drive to the Umphrey’s repertoire.

Next, UM launched into the fan favorite Partyin’ Peeps. The band next moved to an Ocean Billy>Cut the Cable>Ocean Billy sequence. And this was probably my favorite part of the evening, as it showcased the improvisational skills of the band as a whole. All of the members of Umphrey’s McGee are incredible by themselves, but when they lock in and listen to each other and play together, they are as good as any band out there, in my very humble opinion. This was one of the instances where they did so and it got the crowd fired up.

Next the band invited the lead singer from The Main Squeeze, Corey Frye, up to help with a cover of Mark Ronson’s Daffodils. The song showcased the ability of Umphrey’s to change things up and get kind of funky. They have a lot of funk elements in their music, but here they embraced it and allowed the whole place to really get down. And Corey Frye brought it as the vocalist. It was a really well done collaboration.

After Corey left the stage, the band launched into Conduit. As they started, fireworks began to go off from Victory Field, home of the Triple A Indianapolis Indians. The fireworks went through much of the song and the guys seemed to respond, launching fireworks of their own throughout conduit. The dynamics they embraced in the various improvisational sections brought the song to a full head of steam not once, but twice. And this led into Nothing Too Fancy again.

The 40’s Theme finished the second set. This song is kind of a perfect UM song, in that it began with a country-fied introduction by Jake, the band then launched into a very funky beginning of the song, then they displayed elements of hip hop, rock, and soul. They did this over just a few minutes and no other band I can think of is able to switch gears and play these kind of genres with such finesse. This finesse actually came to a head as the guys began to improvise, led this time by Joel and his keyboards. Jake began to add some elements, but Joel was setting the tone. This allowed Brendan Bayliss to enter and really show off his guitar chops. He took a sick solo and led the guys as they built the song to the end. They took their time, but sped to the end and as they ended the song, they left everyone wanting more and more.

The encore was a cover of Live and Let Die by Wings. They added a little reggae flair to the song which was cool. They then launched back into 1348 to finish off the set and leave everyone wondering if they could make it to Louisville the next night.

Thu, 09/08/2016 - 5:51 pm

Schmilco may be the best name possible for Wilco’s newest album. While this is a Wilco album, obviously, you wouldn’t know that unless you really listened hard. Gone are a lot of the fuzzy guitars and experimentation of the last few records, in favor of stripped down, folk-y music that is played simply, yet rather stunningly. The production is fantastic as we find, as in a more typical Wilco album, instrumentation at its finest and beautiful guitars, bass, organ, piano, drums, vocals, etc. But now it is simplified. Recorded during the same sessions that brought us Wilco’s last album Star Wars, this really is the yin to that album’s yang. And it’s a real pleasure to listen to.

The album takes what the press release calls a “joyously negative” approach. The songs definitely have some depressing, negative themes. But, staying with the folk tradition that they come out of, the songs are put together in an upbeat, interesting manner. One such gem is “Cry all Day.” As the song title suggests, this is not a “happy” song, but the drums move the song along, the guitars stay steady, and the organ in the background adds some sparse yet needed color to the song. While the lyrics are generally depressing, the song provides a good up-tempo number to offer contrast to some of the slower songs, especially the first two songs “Normal American Kids” and “If I Ever Was a Child” (both of which are sparse and slow, yet hauntingly beautiful).

Another highlight for me is “Quarters.”  The song starts with a similarly bleak, “joyously negative” approach the drives much of the album. But under that is this beautiful drum work (a highlight of the album is the incredible work of the drums and the effects and interesting ways they make the drums work in the music). On “Quarters,” there is sparse instrumentation but the drums add the color and give a beauty that allows the guitars to come in and provide a very different, yet still somber tone to the album. “Quarters” ultimately acts as an experimental folk song.

“Locator,” following “Quarters,” is the most upbeat song on the album in regards to musical style. In this song, Wilco returns to some of the more electric instrumentation of their previous albums. But, they keep the instrumentation and the song structure very simple. It’s a folk song with electric instruments. And, the song comes oh so close to engaging in the dynamics and fuzz and build that Wilco is so famous for, only to allow the song to simply drop off. It is rather unsettling as they do not really allow the song to resolve. The song is tight though and fits incredibly well with the overall tone of the record.

Overall, Schmilco is probably not an album for all Wilco fans. It is definitely a Wilco record, but it sounds and feels a little differently. However, for fans of Jeff Tweedy’s solo work and some of his other production work, this album will really resonate. For me, someone who has loved Wilco since Being There, I find this to be a welcome addition to their catalogue.  It is not their best, but it is a solid, original contribution to the world of Wilco music.

Wed, 10/05/2016 - 1:40 pm

On Oct. 4, 2016, I had the opportunity to catch Dark Star Orchestra in concert at the Lafayette Theater in Lafayette, IN. The experience was interesting, to say the very least.

This was my first time seeing DSO. I've listened to some of their stuff and always found them solid if not spectacular. And, as I witnessed them this evening, I found that to be the general case. They are a solid Grateful Dead Tribute Band - probably the best one. They work hard to give people the "Grateful Dead Experience" and do so by sticking pretty closely to the Grateful Dead's modus operandi. And this is fine, it works, it is great. They provide a very "Dead" experience.

Lafayette Theater | Lafayette, IN

What they do not do is try to reinvent the wheel. And this works fine for them and their show. It means that people really enjoy the experience and are immersed in a Grateful Dead-esque musical experience. People love it and there was a lot of enjoyment of the music this night in Lafayette.

Dark Star Orchestra | Lafayette, IN

If you are not familiar, Dark Star Orchestra uses an old setlist of the Grateful Dead. They perform the setlist of a previous Dead show. This night they chose the setlist from March 20, 1981 from the Rainbow Theatre in London, England.

Grateful for DSO in Indiana

The first set was a little mixed for my taste. The set started strong with a very good rendition of "Feels Like a Stranger." However, the guys then brought the energy quite low through the triplet of "Friend of the Devil," "CC Rider," and "Althea." The songs were done well, but there wasn't a lot of energy to them. "Mexicali Blues" followed and brought some spark back to the set. I thought when they launched into "Loser" that the set would lose its energy. But, throughout "Loser" DSO let go a little bit and really start to let loose. There was a great guitar solo that ended a tad too quickly for my taste, but it was a solid rendition. This gave "New Minglewood Blues" a really great energy and the guys let go here. They used a lot of their tools to really "play" with this song. "Candyman" and "Looks Like Rain" brought the energy back down, even though both were played well. It was the "Deal" that ended the first set, though, that was probably the highlight of the night for me. The energy that wasn't there at times during the first set was all let out here as the guys really were able to improv and do some great things. I was afraid that it would be a melancholier rendition, but the guys brought the energy and went after this one. It ended the first set on an extremely high note and set the tone for the beginning of the second set. 

Dino English, Rob Eaton & Skip Vangelas| DSO

The second set began with fan favorite couplet of "Scarlet Begonias">"Fire on the Mountain." And the guys did not just do these two justice, but seamlessly played them both. Jeff Mattson, the lead guitarist for DSO, has the "Jerry Garcia" playing style down and did a great job on two songs where Garcia's style was incredibly prominent. Next came "Lost Sailor">"Saint of Circumstance." Again, the guys did the songs justice and kept the energy up, even in "Lost Sailor," a song that can bog down a set. "He's Gone" came next and this one had the whole crowd singing along, swaying to the music. "Drums">"Space" was next up in the second set and, was a tad strange. The drummers did the best they could, but it just doesn't sound the same without the whole repertoire of drums that Bill and Mickey use. "Space" gave way to "Truckin'" and this was a lot of fun. People were dancing in the aisles and having a great time. "Wharf Rat" came next and was played well, although it brings the energy down from a song like "Truckin'." However, the set ended with the Chuck Berry couplet of "Round and Round">"Johnny B. Goode." These two songs were played to their max, with solos and vocals taking center stage to create a great finale to the second set.

DSO in Indiana

The boys came back and ended with an encore of "U.S. Blues" which kept the place rocking. And people took their joy and energy out into the streets of Lafayette to continue the good vibes.

Sun, 10/09/2016 - 3:07 pm

On Oct. 6, I got to be witness to a stellar show that highlighted two up and coming “jam bands”. Both TAUK and Earphorik showcased why they should be considered the next in the line of must-see, must-hear live bands that are part of the “jam” scene.

Earphorik began the night. And, in the interest of full discretion, this reviewer has seen these guys about five times in the last 3 months. They are an up-and-coming progressive rock band out of Fort Wayne, IN and are trying to make a name for themselves. They definitely showcased their abilities on this night. Earphorik is a young band but their technical prowess is powerful. They know how to play and play well. And this allows them to write not only great progressive rock riffs (mixing in elements of funk and reggae and hard rock), but also gives them the ability to do fantastic improvisation. And it’s a joy to watch and listen to because it is obvious Earphorik is having the time of their lives as they play—at one point I looked up and each member was just smiling, enjoying being in the moment. And they brought that kind of joy to the audience as well on this night.

The highlight of the evening, though, was TAUK. Earphorik set a great foundation and TAUK built upon it with a set that highlighted their ability to do just about anything they darn well please. They started out with the fan favorites “Darkwing” and “Rainwalk” and that allowed them to build the energy and groove for the set. See, what I noticed most about TAUK was that, while they do have songs, they are more interested in exploring the groove. They are not a “funk band” pure and simple, but a groove band. They do not play like James Brown or Parliament Funkadelic or even Lettuce. Instead, they find a groove and explore it. This leads to a very different live experience (not to mention that they lack vocals, which is unique and well-done by the guys). Their groove oriented music brings the audience in and takes them on the ride right along with the band.

From the very start of the set, the guys were locked in with one another. The guitar player Matt Jalbert and the keyboard/organist Alric “A.C.” Carter locked into each other right away, playing off of each other. But, they could only do so because the drum and bass duo of Isaac Teel and Charlie Dolan were laying down a tight, sick beat that the other instruments could play on top of. And this leads to one of the most unique things about TAUK: no one is the driving force. The drums will push the issue at times while the guitar will take the lead at other points and then the keyboards move in with subtlety and bring something more. And this is not the formula, just a pattern among a myriad of patterns that all work to give TAUK an interesting place in the musical landscape. From listening to them play, I feel like they could go into the ambient ways of "jam-tronica", straight up or progressive rock, more groove or funk oriented stuff, or play straight up jazz. Instead, they bring it all together and sit in the tension of these genres, creating a vibe in their live shows that is energetic, creative, and unpredictable at the same time.

The song they played didn’t matter nearly as much as the fact that they played. The groove was there and the crowd just sat in the pocket while TAUK explored all the nooks and crannies they could. However, the guys ended the show by digging into the Beatles track “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”. And this sent everyone home on a higher note than could have been imagined. It showcased the talent of TAUK to take on a classic but twist it their way.

In all, I can’t wait to catch both TAUK and Earphorik again. A good time was had by all and both bands gained fans this night. I know that this reviewer was incredibly impressed with both.

Fri, 11/04/2016 - 7:16 am

The Nth Power is a group of incredibly accomplished musicians, comprising people who have played with everyone from Jennifer Hartswick to Maceo Parker to Beyonce. Their music is a blend of funk and soul and gospel and old-school R&B. And everything they do is about spreading the core values of love and understanding. So, we were stoked when guitarist and vocalist for the Nth Power, Nick Cassarino, was kind enough to talk with us for a few minutes and give us the low-down on what drives the band, their new live album To Be Free: Live, thoughts on their upcoming tour, and their love of Earth, Wind, and Fire.

GW: Hey thanks for talking to me!

NC: No doubt man!

GW: First, I just listened to your new album (To Be Free: Live) and, damn, it’s good. Really good. And, uh, I just had a couple of questions about some of the songs on there. The first song I wanted to talk about is “Truth.” You guys haven’t done anything as…this is a little more political than anything you have done before. Any reason why? Who wrote the song? Any kind of feedback on that?

NC: Yeah man. We wanted to write something that was a reflection of the tumultuous times that we are dealing with right now in our country. I kind of came with some of the basic ideas of the song. But we all kind of sat down and opened up the song and the lyrics and got in there together to finish it. But, yeah, we just wanted to talk about some of the stuff that is happening today.

GW: Yeah, it’s really great. It surprised me. I love the positivity that comes in your music. And “Truth” stays positive. How important is that to you as you write the lyrics and the music and all of that?

NC: It’s really important. I mean we definitely want to leave a sense of hope instead of a feeling of hopelessness.

GW: That brings me to another song, “Home”, on the album. I was listening to it and the first part of it kind of bummed me out.

NC: Yeah.

GW: It sounds a little like “oh no this is going to be bad” but the end of the song is so hopeful. I imagine reading some of your other interviews that this is one of your songs.

NC: That’s a song that I wrote with the producer on our last record [Abundance] Ira Schickman. And he was kind of the driving force behind that song, which was awesome.

GW: One of the things I notice in your music is this idea of redemption. It’s probably a very gospel oriented thing. I know that you all have roots in gospel, you used to play at churches…not that you are a church band, but you all have that background. Can you speak to the way that redemption works in your music and how that plays out, not only in the lyrics but in the music itself? Because your stuff is so positive. Loving. Understanding. That is all prevalent in your music.

NC: You know, the redemption is in the spirit of the music. I like to think of “god” or the spirit as the oneness that connects us all, connects all living things. That oneness. That thing that is in all of us that is the same. I like to think of “god” as that. And, basically, when we write we are trying to channel the spirit, trying to, you know, listen to the spirit, and let the spirit guide the music to a certain extent. We’ll be writing and we try to open ourselves up as much as possible to have that happen. Sometimes it happens more than others, you know?

GW: Yeah, yeah. I could talk about philosophy of music all day, but my thoughts are not what’s important here. So, another tune I wanted to get your thoughts on is “More and More.” Your guitar work in “More and More” is stellar. You go from this very melodic stuff to kind of raging out and coming back to these melodies.

NC: Yeah.

GW: What was the thought process for that? How did you come up with that?

NC: That song was based off an old nth Power composition. We had recorded some basic tracks for in New Orleans years ago but had decided to totally flex it out and try a different approach and write new lyrics to it for this live record. This is a song we have always had in the wings that we played live because we never finished it or had it together.

GW: Can I ask, why a live record? Your studio stuff sounds fantastic…and this sounds great too. But, why a live record now?

NC: A live record because, uh, basically, when we did Abundance last year we wanted to make a really clean, studio kind of vibe, studio kind of record, right? But, there’s definitely a spirit, an energy that happens when we are doing our live shows between our audience and us and we really wanted to capture that because we feel like that’s some of our truest essence as a band because the majority of us have been playing gigs for years. That’s what we do. We’re live musicians. We do it live. We love playing in the studio too, but we decided to show people exactly where we’re at and what the live experience is like. Because in the studio you try so hard to get it squeaky clean and we really wanted to give them a taste of some real honest shit.

GW: It’s definitely honest, man. The recording is pristine. It’s great.

NC: Word man, thanks.

GW: And you guys start head out tour tomorrow (Nov. 3), right?

NC: Yeah, we leave tonight (Nov. 1) and we’re starting off in Colorado.

GW: You mentioned in another interview that you are live musicians and you like to play smaller clubs and pack it out. Is that kind of your thought process in playing?

NC: Yeah, you know, we want to get more people out. To get more people than we had the last time. Unless we’re selling out everywhere, then we are just going to try and play a size appropriate spot.

GW: I understand that. And with your live shows, what do you guys do, how you prepare, what do you do to get ready to play?

NC: Well, before this last 10-date Northeast run, we had had this new music from the live record. So, we were basically just trying to practice and how to integrate that into the set. We had two days of rehearsals, which was really dope, because we could come up with some transitions and we came up with a nice big intro for the show. And, we just prepared for this one and did a couple of more rehearsals.

GW: I’m writing for Grateful Web and how much of your work is improvised and how much of it is set?

NC: So, each composition has certain sections where people can flex in terms of improvisation. But, for the most part, a lot of it is composed. We are trying to convey a complete idea through a song, to tell a whole story through a song, you know?

GW: I kind of figured that from that listening but wanted to get your thoughts. Switching gears, though, I wanted to ask you about Earth, Wind, and Fire. You guys did a show in April in tribute of Earth, Wind, and Fire and you have a festival show on Nov. 18-19 at Suwannee doing Earth, Wind, and Fire stuff. How do they influence you and what does that mean to be able to pay tribute in these ways?

NC: I mean Earth, Wind, and Fire, everyone grew up with that who’s in the band. And we really resonate with the sound of their music, with the lyrics, with the message, with the virtuosity of some of these guys. I mean, Maurice White, that dude was just one of the most incredible dudes ever. And when we decided to do the first one in April, we decided to do it in October before he actually died. So when we found out that he died, we were like we really got to do this right now. I mean, the music is just so deep and so original and so unique. Like, the deeper you get into it, every time you listen to it you can hear something else. There’s just so much shit in there. And, so yeah, we did a 2 and half hour show in New Orleans starting at like, I don’t know, 2 or 3 in the morning. And we worked out a bunch of arrangements of the tunes, worked out a bunch of transitions for these songs, and to get a nice ebb and flow to the set. But we were playing so many of these songs and there are still so many more that we are not playing.

GW: Yeah, you could spend days.

NC: You spend days.

GW: That’s cool. You guys play Blue Note in New York City. Is that your first time playing Blue Note?

NC: As the Nth Power. We’ve all played it in different capacities. I’ve played there with a couple different groups. I saw Nikki there with Maceo. I’m sure Nate’s played there. But, yeah, we’re going to take a slightly different approach to those shows because it’s a smaller venue and we’ve got to kind of play to the room. Maybe try to incorporate some more acoustic elements and try some new things because we’ve go two nights there.

GW: Last thing, man. I’m writing for Grateful Web and we’re a jam band publication. How do you guys feel fitting into that community? Do you feel like you fit into that community? You guys groove and make people dance and I just wonder how you feel in that community?

NC: Man, I feel like the people that listen are really, really into the music. I feel like they’re really loyal fans. I feel like some of these places we’ve played….I wish I could remember the name of this one place and this festival. The Grateful Dead used to play there back in the day and it was a bunch of families involved with the festival and with the land. And what the Dead did, we all love and respect and to get a glimpse of accomplishing a little bit of that. Just the impact on so many people and the feeling that is left when they are engrained in the music and the show and into these places. It’s all really special. Granted, we’d all love to just be influencing more and more people at the end of the day. But, to be part of the jam band community and that you all have stuck with us is a beautiful thing.

GW: Your Bear Creek set was unreal. Anyway, I know we are out of time and I really appreciate it.

NC: No doubt, man. I appreciate you.

GW: Thanks. Good luck on the tour.

NC: Thanks a lot Nate

Thu, 01/19/2017 - 7:22 pm

Let me just say, “Dr. Feel Good’s Traveling Medicine Show” by Great American Taxi sounds just like what I would expect from such a band performing an album with such a name. This is not to say that the album is bad or bland—very far from it—but that this is a “feel good” show that brings together the best elements of what a traveling show might be. And it’s quite the adventure.

For this “show,” the core lineup of Great American Taxi consists of Chad Staehly on keyboards and vocals, Jim Lewin on guitar and vocals, Brian Adams plucking the bass and offering vocals, and newest member Arthur Lee Land contributing with guitar, banjo, and his own vocals. On “Dr. Feel Good’s Traveling Medicine Show” this core lineup was joined by Duane Trucks (of Hard Working Americans and Widespread Panic fame) on the drums and Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth as producer. This mix of world-class musicians offer a truly American show that encompasses the best of what improvisational music brings to the table.

Great American Taxi begins the show by traveling into the upbeat rock of openers “We Can Run” and “Out on the Town.” These two songs showcase the ability of the band to really bring a groove-centered, Americana rock to the forefront. “Sunshiny Days” follows, with an opening guitar and organ reminiscent of The Band, it is a mid-tempo number that showcases Great American Taxi’s ability to write tightly, yet in a way that is open for more musical conversation. “All the Angels” takes a more Americana route, featuring a stripped-down drum set with a strong banjo line and an upright bass. The song “Home” continues to show Great American Taxi’s ability to thrive in a stripped-down setting, with excellent songwriting that encompasses a variety of instruments. It is one of the more beautiful tracks on the record. “Louie Town” continues the mid-tempo nature of the previous songs, but returns to more electric instrumentation. “Everybody” returns to the more up-tempo groove of the first two tracks but eschews being a full out rock song to embrace some more pop elements, complete with “Du Du Du Du”’s. “Dr. Feel Good’s Traveling Medicine Show” follows next and it is something completely different, like an Americana version of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The last two songs are “Like There’s No Yesterday” and “Mother Lode.” The former starts out like a good-old fashioned drinking song and then turns into a strong pop-rock song, complete with a nice sing-along chorus. The latter ends the album on a down-tempo note, acting as the only real, true ballad on the album. But it is an appropriate closer as one could imagine everybody at “Dr. Feel Good’s Traveling Show” swaying together while singing this song and then walking out into the night, feeling great at the show they were just part of.

Now, it may seem that this is a haphazard album. It is not. It flows very nicely, especially for a band that is known more for its improvisational acumen. The elements all work together to create an album that, to this reviewer, is reminiscent of what The Band may sound like today. Great American Taxi is able to work a number of elements together to create a musical whole. And it truly is a very good whole that anyone interested in Americana or rock music should not only enjoy, but pursue.

Sat, 02/04/2017 - 2:42 pm

On February, 2, 2017, Grand Rapids, MI welcomed Umphrey’s McGee. The “Umph” brought the “umph” to the first night of its “Mitten Run,” being the second act to open the brand new 20 Monroe Live in downtown Grand Rapids. It was a night of hot music in a hot venue.

To get things started, though, Spafford came out. The crowd was buzzing and ready to get going and Spafford definitely made the most of a great opportunity. They started with a groove track called “Walls.” As they played, though, the groove turned into a real rager. Then they slowed back down into the nice groove only to rev things back up again. They launched right into their second song, called “People.” It started a bit downtempo but then they ran the song into a place that really rocked, even when the vocals came back in. During the jams, the guitar player for Spafford, Brian Moss, did not really rip off run after run, but really settled into the groove and played therein. That groove was set by the likes of drummer Nick Tkachyk and bassist Jordan Fairless. Red Johnson filled out the sound with an array of keyboard and organ sounds. Their interplay continued in a very seamless fashion as they moved into the third song, “All In.” This song started off with Fairless thumping out some chords on his bass and began singing. The guitar and piano continued the interplay and improvisational aspects that made Spafford so interesting to watch and listen to. They ended with a really cool song called “The Remedy.” The chord structure was simple, but not simplistic, and left a lot of space for the band to explore, leading to a tight segue that eventually wound back into a great jam before the song ended.

In all, with their four-piece character (drums, bass, guitar, and piano), Spafford reminded me at times of Phish. These guys are up and comers who have good song structures and jam with a purpose and not to simply noodle around. However, at the same time, they are very patient and let the music come to them, not forcing anything but allowing their sensibilities to flow with where the music goes. Their jazz and funk influences also come through to provide a lot from a four-piece.

After Spafford, the main event came out to bring the heat to a cold Michigan evening. Making things more exciting was the return of Jake Cinninger after he was sidelined with the flu. By the time 8:45pm rolled around, the crowd was ready to go. There was definite palpable excitement in the club.

Umphrey’s McGee came out and started things off with “The Flamethrower,” a number that they can use to groove on for a bit to settle into things. And it seemed that the first set was all about getting Jake settled back into his seat in the band and the band ok with that. This was not a bad thing—I like when bands are patient. As “The Flamethrower” ended, it gave way to the Umphrey’s staple “The Floor.” It was not one of the long, jammy “Floor’s” but continued the theme of getting the band used to being together again. It definitely had a strong groove element and allowed the guitarists to have some cool interplay.

“Mulche’s Odyssey” came next in the Umphrey’s set list and this is where things really started to heat up. This is a somewhat complicated number and the beginning found Brendan Bayliss, Jake’s counterpart, soloing and doing a tremendous job. The song broke down into a reggae beat with the rhythm section of Kris Myers (drums), Andy Farag (percussion), and Ryan Stasik (bass) holding down the groove and showing off their rather impressive chops. The song gives way to Jake playing on top of everybody, but just for a few runs here and there. It seems that Bayliss is driving this ship and, eventually, he and Jake hook up to play through some material together. “Night Nurse” comes next, which is based on a very groove oriented, almost disco-esque beginning. Jake and Joel take the beginning of the jam, with Jake beginning to do his thing as he gets more and more comfortable and leads the guys through a nice jam and then hands it off to the rhythm section for them to hold down the work for a bit. The interplay between Joel and Jake, though, is one of the things that makes Umphrey’s so great. Brendan and Jake jump back in and eventually Jake begins to get quite serious about the task ahead of him and he lets loose. He leads them through a rather seamless jam that goes right into “Bright Lights, Big City.” I’m standing right in front of Jake and he is playing so hard and so rhythmically that it almost sounds like a bass. Brendan begins to play off of Jake and then things get really interesting and do so really quickly. Jake takes off and rips out a solo that he just crushes and as the solo finishes, the boys go back in and finish the song off.

At this point, things are really simmering and everyone can feel that Jake is back and the band is planning something interesting. It starts with Umphrey’s doing a pseudo-bust out and playing “Visions” for the first time in almost a year (99 shows). This is just a really cool song and it was a “laid-back” jam that let them kind of lead the audience into something like a meditative space. And as they are in this space, they do a full on bust out in the form of a cover of The Temptations’ classic “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg.” This was the first time that the guys had played it in over 1200 shows and it was definitely lit. The Motown classic gave way to the first set closer “Red Tape.” The song is a rocker and left the audience wondering what could be next.

The answer to the question of what was next could not have been guessed by anybody in the audience. Umphrey’s did something they have never done before in busting out the full “Soul Food Suite,” playing “Soul Food I” and “Soul Food II,” both of which are from Jake’s first band Ali Bhabha’s Tahini, only to tack on “Soul Food III” which they have only played at the 2016 UMBowl. The songs are so interesting in and of themselves and it allowed Jake to not only find his footing, but to really shine. It led to a seriously groovy and jam heavy beginning of the second set. But things got more interesting when Joel invited Holly Bowling up to play (she played a pre-UM set and post-UM set down the road at Founder’s Brewery) during “Soul Food II.” The things that she and Joel cooked up on the keyboards/piano/organ are really interesting and bring a pretty cool flavor to the three “Soul Food’s.” After she leaves, the guys continue cooking and finish off “Soul Food III.”

At this point, the 20 Monroe Club was going pretty crazy, with the patented UM sign lifted high by many fans. “Conduit” came next and was the site of a pretty interesting jam that was simultaneously tribal and spacey. The jam gave room for some really cool guitar work by Jake and Brendan. By this point, there were a lot of smiles on stage and the guys seemed to be having a lot of fun. Eventually, they found a rock groove and finished up “Conduit.” And then they began the second cover of the night, “Comfortably Numb.” This Pink Floyd song is just a definition of a class and was right in the wheelhouse for what Umphrey’s McGee can do. They crushed it.

The second set ended with the couplet of the Umphrey’s staples “Partyin’ Peeps” and “JaJunk.” Both songs were typical Umphrey’s in that they showcased the ability of the band to ratchet things up to a high tension with their solos and rock show prowess, only to let the audience breathe and then do the whole thing over again. Their ability to bring the audience along for the ride is one of the really special things about Umphrey’s.

The encore of consisted of long-time Umphrey’s song “Kimble” coupled with the newer track “Gulf Stream.” It sent the crowd off on a good night to enjoy the next part of their evening. For myself, it meant a drive home that had me recollecting the unprecedented nature of what I just saw and heard, with “Visions” coming out for the first time in almost a year, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” busted out for the first time in 1200 shows, and the first ever “Soul Food I”>”Soul Food II”>”Soul Food III.” It was a great night, from Spafford showcasing their chops to Umphrey’s putting on a rock show. It’ll be one that sticks with me for a long time.

Sat, 05/27/2017 - 10:06 am

Recently, we at Grateful Web had the opportunity to chat with Elise Olmstead, the founder of the jam-based musical magazine The Jamwich and The Mad Tea Party Jam. Our conversation focused on The Mad Tea Party Jam, a music festival in Artemas, PA every year. She founded the festival with her husband Taco. Together, they have crafted a unique musical festival and we wanted to get their thoughts on some of the more interesting aspects of The Mad Tea Party Jam.

GW: I was wondering how the idea for the Mad Tea Party Jam came about. It’s on Elise and Taco’s anniversary. Why did you start it? Is this a way to celebrate? Is it something else? How did the whole idea come about?

MTPJ: Our wedding actually took place June 26th, 2010 and it was an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding.  We had a semi-formal reception for family and then an after party for friends which we called "The Mad Tea Party."  There was a full moon that night and it was a wild experience for everyone in attendance.  Some people said "I've never been affected like that at someone's wedding before."  The love between Taco and I is so passionate and the driving force for everything we do in life.

Fast forward to 2012, Taco and I met The Werks when interviewing them for Appalachian Jamwich (our second interview ever!) and fell in love with their music and everyone in the band. Taco asked them to play in our town the weekend of our anniversary and quickly got a contract signed.  The venue we originally booked them at fell through, and we had to continue searching for a venue until about 3 weeks before the date when we finally found a place outside that would let us have the event, Ashton Farms in Hedgesville, WV, which would come to be known as the Bavarian Villa because of the old house on the property. 

Now that we had an outdoor venue, we decided to add a couple of smaller bands, including People's Blues of Richmond, who we also became fast friends with, and called it "The Mad Tea Party Jam."  The weekend had so many crazy experiences including the "El Derecho" storm that knocked out power, prompting The Werks to play an acoustic set in the house.  Johnny Neel from the Allman Brothers (who was good friends with Norman Dimitrouleas) showed up and we all passed around moonshine as we listened.  The next night the weather cleared up and The Werks played all through the night, probably every song they knew, until the sun rose.  It was magical and intimate, only maybe 100 people were there, and everyone had such an amazing time they kept prodding us to do it again and make it into a real festival.  We were crazy for listening, but here we are now! 

That's the abridged story, believe me, we could talk about it for hours.  I think something that makes Mad Tea Party Jam special is the meaning behind it and all of the stories.  Anyone who was part of the inception of the festival gets a little sparkle in their eye when they talk about it.  Now it isn't so much an anniversary celebration for our own enjoyment, but serves to share the power of love with everyone we can.

GW: One of the coolest things about Mad Tea Party Jam is that there are no overlapping sets. How do you pull this off? Why was this important to you? How do you think this contributes to the vibe at the festival and the festival goer experience?

MTPJ: Last year in 2016 was the first year that we booked no overlapping sets.  We noticed that splitting audiences at an already small festival between multiple stages was doing everyone a disservice.  It makes it difficult for the attendees to decide, the bands get less people in front of them, and we always ended up booking way too many bands on our lineup.  No overlapping sets works out better for everyone.  We have a main stage inside the sacred Stone Circle, and a permanent Cliffside stage where the sets are exchanged back and forth.  The stages are close enough to each other that you can walk right over to see the next band play at the other stage.  Then we have late night shows at the pavilion.

GW: The headliners are Papadosio and TAUK. And the lineup continues to have a lot of bands that come from the “prog”side of the jam community (I think of Umphrey’s McGee and Moe. being the forerunners of this). How did you get your headliners? Do you intentionally try to find certain kinds of bands? Do you have a certain kind of audience you are trying to reach?

Papadosio is one of my favorite bands (Elise), and we are great friends with a lot of the Papadosio family. They have a dedicated fan base, a great message in their music, amazing songs, and are such nice boys.  Papadosio has been a no-brainer.  TAUK, we discovered in 2013 or somewhere around there, and were just really blown away by their music.  At that time, not many people had heard of them.  They played Mad Tea Party Jam 3 and pretty much cemented their place in the jam band world that year.  They just keep getting better and better.

We try to find bands that work well together and create a cohesive vibe.  Taco does all of the booking for the festival and puts a lot of thought and heart into it.  Some bands are just on fire right now, like BIG Something, and many others we are booking for the first time.  As a music magazine presenting a festival, we like be "taste-makers" of sort and introduce some new talent to festival attendees, while also keeping our finger on the pulse of what is hot right now.

GW: How big is the Mad Tea Party Jam? What is the attendance? How many vendors do you have?

MTPJ: Mad Tea Party Jam is a small festival, we max out at about 3000 people, and we want to keep it that way. It makes for an intimate vibe and an environment where everyone can become family.  We are huge advocates for small festivals and have personally stopped going to large festivals completely (10,000+ people). Keeping it small allows for cultivation of a community.  This year we will have 10 craft/merch vendors and 4 food vendors.

GW: Can you explain Four Quarters Interfaith a little bit? Mad Tea Party Jam takes place there, so can you talk a little about the relationship between the two.

MTPJ: Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary is a church of Earth based religions and a venue for many other events and festivals like Big Dub, Wickerman, and more.  They are also very passionate about the cultivation of community and have a deep respect for the land.  There is an incredible vibration throughout that place that you have to be there to experience, but almost everyone who visits falls in love.  The property owners actually reached out to us and wanted to meet with us, because they were looking for a jam band festival to host and liked what we had to offer.  We were needing to find a new venue anyway, because the infrastructure at The Bavarian Villa simply wasn't there, so our worlds collided at exactly the right time.  After our first year there in 2016, it became obvious that Mad Tea Party Jam had found a new home.  You must come experience the sacred stone circle as well as all of the other sights and sounds of this venue.

GW: One of the coolest things about the Mad Tea Party Jam are the theme camps and some of the other non-musical activities. Can you tell me how the idea of the theme camp came about? How does this enhance the experience of the Mad Tea Party Jam? What other activities make Mad Tea Party Jam unique?

MTPJ: The theme camps and other activities were inspired by other events that take place at Four Quarters.  Wickerman is a burn event, and burns are well known for having theme camps and other fun activities and adventures to take part in, since burns don't necessarily revolve solely around music.  Big Dub also has a lot of fun activities that take place during the weekend.

Jam band festival attendees pretty much live and die by the musical lineup, so of course the music and production is our first priority, but we pride ourselves on being unique in that we offer a complete experience.  We keep our activities limited so that we aren't keeping people from the music too much, but activities like theme camps and scavenger hunts circle back to the cultivation of community that is so important to us.  Some festivals have an amazing lineup, but there is zero vibe.  It's almost a weird empty feeling of just standing on gravel looking around like you're missing something.  I like to think that our festival has a tangible feeling, a lot of heart, and a dedicated family.  Something that has always been important to people at Mad Tea Party Jam is the swimming hole!  We will even be having an "Adult Swim" hour at the Hemlock hole, where a river volleyball game will take place and everyone can float around on rafts and play with water toys.

GW: One of the activities you have is a prom! What’s that like? How does that play out at the Mad Tea Party Jam?

MTPJ: The prom was completely my idea and I don't even remember how or why I came up with it.  It was kind of a joke, but when I started telling people about it, there was a good reaction.  The best part is that so many of us didn't go to our prom, and it's adorable that couples get to ask their SO to prom, since they most likely didn't meet or date in high school.  It's an experience that we get to do over, our way! The prom is going to take place in the pavilion and we will have a balloon arch to take awkward pictures in front of, as well as the Cha-cha slide and cheesy ballads to dance to.  It's just an opportunity to be goofy and fun, which is really important to me.  I'm addicted to novelty and silliness.

GW: Each day of the Mad Tea Party Jam has a different costume theme. How did you come up with this idea? How do you come up with the ideas for each day?

MTPJ: The costume themes is another way for me to get in that silliness and novelty.  I always loved seeing people dressed up at festivals, especially when it was a costume that made you laugh or smile.  Taco and I went to Jam Cruise for two years in a row and costumes are a huge part of that experience, so it's something that's just kind of engrained in me.  I also love Halloween, but that only comes once a year.  The costume themes this year were entirely chosen by vote! They are "Dank Memes" on Thursday, "Onesie night" on Friday, and "Disney Characters" on Saturday.

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 4:56 pm

On May 25, 2017, I packed up my car, picked up my brother-in-law, and headed to Chillicothe, IL for the annual Summer Camp Music Festival. However, I was not going there primarily to see Moe. and Umphrey’s McGee, along with a host of others, but to work a booth as a nonprofit. It provided a very interesting and honestly, one heck of an different experience.

Before I start about Summer Camp, let me detail a little about what went into being a nonprofit in the “Make a Difference” area of the festival. First, we had to write up an application on the website. Then we needed to detail a little bit about ourselves and answer some general marketing questions. After that, we talked to the nonprofit coordinator, Cassie Carroll. After all of that, we got the official notification that we would be part of the festival, which came about mid-April. This was a little nerve-wrecking for planning purposes, since we had to get all of our stuff together in about six weeks. But, it all worked out and we got everything together perfectly well.

So, my brother-in-law agreed to come and help me run the booth. We got three tickets as a nonprofit, so a friend of a friend also came and helped. They were extraordinary and did great work to help our nonprofit succeed in what we were doing at Summer Camp.

Now, a little bit about the nonprofit that I run. It is called Here/Hear and is an organization that gives hope to those affected by mental illness. We do this through a variety of ways, including educational initiatives and developing support groups. But, a major way that we work is by engaging the arts as a way of talking about mental illness. We often use the Trey Anastasio quote, “Music has always been my protection against the world, from a very young age. I feel safe inside of a jam.” What he alludes to, and what Here/Hear works to bring out, is that that the arts are a safe place to express yourself and to encounter yourself.

This information about Here/Hear is pertinent because of what we did to set up our booth. Our booth included both a chalkboard where people could write encouraging and positive statements, as well as some painting canvases where people could paint/draw what they were feeling and what they wanted to express. This was in addition to information about our organization and the work that we do. We really tried to engage the arts at Summer Camp and give people a safe space to express themselves and what they were feeling.

In order to do this, though, we had to bring a lot of stuff to Summer Camp. And this is where the adventure begins.

Our time to load in was 10am CDT on Thursday, May 25. So, after I picked up my brother-in-law, we drove the three and half hours to get to Three Sisters Park. Upon arriving, though, things were not marked as well as they could have been. This meant that we went into the wrong entrance and no one had any idea where to send us. We ended up parking in a random spot, called our nonprofit coordinator, got our car, and went to the correct place. Once we got there, we loaded up a large golf cart with as much stuff as we could and Cassie Carroll drove us to the site of our booth. Now, the reason that Cassie had to drive us in was because Summer Camp does not allow you to drive in to the festival grounds or to camp near your car (unless you do Primitive RV Camping). Now, the process was a little annoying, but it worked out well because of the help of Cassie. After dropping off most of our stuff, we went back out to the car to get the stuff for our campsite and to park our car in the correct place.

With the car parked, we set up our camp quickly and then rushed over to set up the booth. We were directly across from the Soulshine Tent. This did not last long, though, as a major thunderstorm came through on Friday afternoon and turned our both into a swamp—parts of our booth were literally underwater. So, Friday afternoon was spent tearing the booth down in a huge mud puddle and then putting it up in a smaller, less deep mud puddle. The mud, though, just became part of the story that was Summer Camp Music Festival 2017.

So, in order to have a nonprofit, you had to commit to having it open until 6pm each night, except for Sunday (which I’ll explain in a bit). We had to have the booth open at 3pm on Thursday and then at 10am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This was my primary responsibility and I had to make sure that I was available during these times and committed to doing the work, but it also meant that after 6pm I was free to do what I wanted, which included a lot of music.

On Friday, after the thunderstorms cleared, I got to do one of the coolest experiences of my life. As a nonprofit, we were asked if we would like to make an announcement from the stage and when you would like to. As a huge Phish fan, I picked going after Mike Gordon’s set, which was supposed to end at 6pm on Friday. However, due to the thunderstorms, everything got pushed back. I was able to stand backstage for about 20 mins and watch Mike Gordon and his band play while waiting. Then, after he left the stage, I got to walk up to a mic and talk about Here/Hear. It was really incredible and a highlight for sure. We heard from a number of people that they heard us on the stage and that it was really cool.

Saturday brought a lot of the same for our booth. We put our canvases up, put our blackboards up, and tried to engage people as much as we could. About 1:45, though, I turned to my co-workers, wished them well, and headed to the Soulshine Tent. This was because I was able to lead a seminar on mindfulness at Summer Camp. The only problem was that they did not really have a space for my seminar, there was a bar right next to where I led the seminar, and then there was loud music in the tent while I was trying to lead a seminar. And, if you do not know, mindfulness is a form of meditation, so there were a lot of distractions while we were doing the seminar. And it was hard to hear, both for myself hearing the participants and for the participants trying to hear me. But, we got through and it was really incredible. I engaged multiple people afterwards about ways in which mindfulness can be used to help those with mental illness, as well as the ways it helps everyday people in their everyday life. It was a very great experience that was topped off when one of the participants came to our booth and told me about the things he was going through in his life and how the seminar really helped him and gave him a way to deal.

Sunday was mostly uneventful, just a time to wind up the weekend. We finished painting the canvases and gave them away, while also doing what we could to make an impact where we could. But, on Sunday, one of the best things Summer Camp does happened. As we arrived on Sunday morning, we were given bracelets for the Everyone Orchestra performance in the Red Barn. The only way to get these tickets was to volunteer at Summer Camp or to be a nonprofit. And the event started at 5pm, which meant we closed down our booth at 5pm and made our way to the Red Barn. And Everyone Orchestra gave one of the coolest performances of the weekend. The “orchestra” included members of moe., The Floozies, Turkuaz, and Disco Biscuits, among others. It was truly a celebration and did a great job of “rewarding” all the people who took time to work Summer Camp and make it a great event.

Overall, Summer Camp Music Festival was worth it for our organization. It was our first year and included a lot of work, but it was truly fulfilling and was made easier through the work of the nonprofit coordinator Cassie Carroll. She did a great job of helping us and everyone else, getting us from place to place, and of being our advocate.

Now, with that said, I will not say that Summer Camp was perfect for nonprofits. There were issues, from the fact that we were not really in a high traffic area to the fact that Summer Camp was not really concerned with us being stuck in a mud pit. Cassie Carroll was our advocate though and did a great job of making sure that we were taken care of. I wish Summer Camp would, in a larger capacity, treat the nonprofits in a way that was similar to other vendors. But, in the scheme of things, it was a great experience and we look forward to going back in 2018.

Mon, 07/03/2017 - 8:04 am

I had the treat to head to Chicago from my northern Indiana home and catch the good ol’ Grateful Dead at Wrigley Field on July 1, 2017. I shouldn't say it was the Grateful Dead, though, as this entity, called Dead and Company, is a very different animal, containing three original members of the Dead (Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart) along with three other, quite accomplished musicians (John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti). Like other iterations of the Grateful Dead since Jerry’s passing, this was a formidable band that carried on the great traditions and, most importantly, the music of the Grateful Dead. Unlike other iterations, though, they brought someone in as the lead guitarist who does not come from the “jam” world, and that brought a whole new thought process to the way the songs were played.

First, can I share, I was quite skeptical of the band bringing in Mayer. I’m not a real fan of his solo work, although I thought that his John Mayer Trio was ok, it was a blues band. And the Grateful Dead is so much more than a blues band. I thought Mayer would have trouble keeping up and having enough in his arsenal to come up with ideas that pushed the songs in new and exciting directions. I just did not think that he had it in him….and he proved me wrong. This tour, the band had been on fire, and I decided to hop on the train one more time (I had decided to never hop on after Fare The Well, which was such an incredible celebration of the band). After some encouraging by my brother, who saw them at Folsom in Boulder, I grabbed a ticket, headed west, and prepared to get my boogie on.

It should also be noted that a major selling point for me was that the show was going to be at Wrigley Field. Growing up in northern Indiana and living there now, I love to head up to Cubs games for the day, catch baseball, and just enjoy “The Friendly Confines.” Wrigley is a magical place to me that is home to some of my favorite times as both kid and adult. To catch Dead and Company there, as I did Phish the year before, was a treat, something special. And, to catch them on their tour closer only solidified my need to be there, in a special place. And the band lived up to everything I could have expected and more.

The band walked out into the sun that lit up the stage at about 6:45 pm. After tuning and checking instruments, they launched into “Cold, Rain, and Snow.” I initially thought this was an odd choice, as the song is a bit down-tempo. I wanted something peppy and quick to get going. Dead and Company, though, knew what they were doing, as “Cold, Rain, and Snow” turned into a massive sing-along, the whole crowd into it. As the band wound up the song, they launched into a little jam that featured some cool interplay between Mayer, Weir, and Chimenti that eventually wound around to the song “Jack Straw.” There was a stellar jam in the middle of “Jack Straw” that showed that Mayer was truly in the fold and that he had more than enough ideas to keep the band flowing right along. Next was “Tennessee Jed.” Here, Mayer began to have a little guitar trouble and, for quite a stretch of the song, never seemed to get comfortable. Then something Chimenti did opened up space for Mayer to settle in, as he brought forth a fantastic solo and led the group through some good jams. The tour debut of “Ship of Fools” was next, and featured Oteil on vocals, sharing with Mayer. After “Ship of Fools,” Mayer and Weir grabbed their acoustic guitars and began to jam a little, finally weaving into the second verse of “Dark Star,” which the band had left unfinished the night before. It was a fabulous take on a tune that I never really imagined as being an acoustic number. The acoustic guitars stayed out for “Friend of the Devil”, where Bob Weir showed off his chops on the guitar, and Jeff Chimenti led through a fantastic piano jam that had the whole crowd pumped. Mayer and Weir put down the acoustic guitars and out came that Mayer favorite, the song that got him into the Grateful Dead, “Althea.” And, while there were a few sound problems where I was seated, the band was crisp and on top of it and Mayer showed why he loves the song so much. The first set closed with the favorite “Casey Jones,” leaving the crowd panting for what came next.

After about a 45-minute break, the band walked back out onto the stage and the crowd was pumped to see what they had in store. I, myself, was hoping for a tasty “Dancin’ in the Streets,” but the band came out and played those familiar notes to “Sugar Magnolia” instead. Honestly, I was not disappointed. The song was smooth and tight, but left unfinished, with “Sunshine Daydream” left for exploration somewhere else. “Sugar Magnolia” led right into the best song of the night from my perspective….”Dancin’ in the Street.” The song was a true group jam, with everybody getting to say something. During the song, though, Mayer and Oteil found some common ground and moved and interacted together. And some of the stuff that John Mayer did with the guitar was phenomenal. He pushed the band forward without dragging them. After “Dancin’”, we were treated to the odyssey that is “Playin’ in the Band.” While “Dancin’” was free-flowing, but had a clear direction, “Playin’” kept a very spacey vibe and allowed the band to explore. Next, we had Oteil singing “Comes a Time.” Here, I thought Oteil’s vocals were crisp and perfect. He sang well all night, but it was a good call for the band to have him do such a song. After “Comes a Time” came to the couplet “Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain.” In “Scarlet Begonias” John Mayer took a scorching solo and the band just flew right along with him. The jam in between the songs was fresh and groovy, and then Oteil stepped up to the mic to sing “Fire.” It was a stunner in my opinion. The band dropped some fire there. Drums/Space ended the first half of the second set.

After coming back on and doing the work on “Space,” the band went back to some of their psychedelic roots and pulled out “The Other One.” This was a beautiful rendition of the song with some great jamming and interaction going on. The band slowed things down again with “Days Between,” a song that left room for them to explore. I wish it would have heated up at some points, but the band let the song simmer and it worked. This is because they ended the second set with the Buddy Holly classic “Not Fade Away.” It was a hot take on an old song and let the whole band get into the act. Dead and Company were not finished though, coming back to tell us “fare thee well” in the first song of the encore, “Brokedown Palace.” It was a solid rendition of the tune. The band ended the night with fireworks both on and above the stage, as a firework show went along with the “Sunshine Daydream” portion of “Sugar Magnolia.”

In all, I did not hear one person walking out of Wrigley Field disappointed or questioning what Dead and Company had done. The band had delivered and done so in a dignified way in a perfect setting. I’ll never promise myself that I won’t hop on the bus again. In fact, when’s fall tour?

Sun, 09/10/2017 - 8:48 am

On the cool evening of September 8, 2017, I entered the parking lot at Sweetwater in Fort Wayne, IN. If you do not know, Sweetwater is a musical equipment store and distribution center, along with housing recording studios, practice space, concert halls, and a large pseudo-airplane hangar in the back where they can host more significant events. This outdoor hangar (or pavilion, if you will), was my destination on this evening. It was to house the Adrian Belew Trio and the band Spock’s Beard. If I did not know beforehand, the litany of King Crimson, Rush, and Dream Theater shirts donning those in the crowd let me know that I was in for a night of prog rock heaven.

Spock’s Beard opened the show. This was a terrific opening gig for them as they had their original drummer/lead singer Nick D’Virgilio back in the fold for the evening. D’Virgilio has rejoined the group to record drums for the new album (at Sweetwater) and to play a few shows. He now works full-time for Sweetwater. And, can I say, it was a lot of fun seeing the band with him on the (drum) throne. The whole band was tight and well-rehearsed and, even though I was unfamiliar with much of their music, I found myself nodding my head and getting into the majority of their set. Their music consists of a lot of dynamic interplay that takes the listener on a journey, over and over. Their musicianship was great and even better was their 3 and 4 part harmonies. There were two major highlights of their set. The first was when they brought out another Sweetwater employee to play saxophone on one of their songs. The guy looked giddy. The second was a ballad they did where D’Virgilio came out from behind the kit and just sang – his range was a bit unreal. Accompanying him was the lead guitarist on acoustic, with some ambient noise played by the rest of the band. It was a beautiful song.

Spock’s Beard left and after a short break, where the production team was able to clear the stage, the main attraction for the evening came up the Adrian Belew Trio. For the uninitiated, Adrian Belew is an American songwriter and guitarist. He was discovered by Frank Zappa, played with David Bowie and the Talking Heads, was a major contributor to prog rockers King Crimson, and has been doing solo and “trio” shows for much of the last few years. He is also ready to launch a new project called Gizmodrome with Stewart Copeland, the drummer from The Police. So, the man is accomplished.

Joining Belew on this evening was his regular bass player, Julie Slick. With her tank top, high top shoes, tights, and blue and green hair, she looked more like she should be thrashing at a punk rock club. However, she could get around the bass quite nimbly. The drummer for the evening is one familiar to those running in “jam band” circles: Kris Myers, of Umphrey’s McGee. And, in what I thought was kind of interesting, the three set up in a row on the stage, eschewing the traditional set up of having the drums behind the others. This allowed for a lot of interaction and exchanges, especially between Slick and Belew. This was because Myers had only practiced with the group twice and this was his first show with them. Belew and Slick had obviously played together quite a bit. However, the group gelled and played together as if they had been doing this thing for years.

As the group started, one could hear the prog influences as well as the more new wave influences. This was apparent on the song “Big Electric Cat.” In this song, not only was he doing “prog” like things, but you could hear Bowie and the Talking Heads in the song. And, I think this is one of the more intriguing things about the show: the people and influences that Belew has, along with who he has influenced, shone throughout. It was not just a “prog” jam out, like many in the audience wanted. No, Belew did a fantastic job incorporating all of the elements of his career. Now, a lot of that career has been in the “prog” land, but he has also done quite a lot of other stuff that perks the ear.

As the set moved on, there were a couple of songs that caught me. The first was “One Time,” a King Crimson song from the ‘90s. It featured a haunting guitar line along with a tight bass line and intricate drum work from Myers. The whole song showcased the fact that this trio could do justice to the complicated and intricate songcraft of King Crimson.

“Dinosaur” and “Heartbeat” came next in the set. Both brought a strong rock element to the set and allowed Belew to showcase his unique skill set while also providing the rhythm section with the ability to do their thing. “Frame by Frame” came next and it had one of my favorite guitar licks. Belew is just so interesting on the guitar and so fluid. He did not disappoint in this area at all. But, he was also very interested in providing room for his rhythm section to showcase their talents. People paid to see Belew, but they got a good dose of the trio. And, in all honesty, that was a breath of fresh air to this reviewer. One of the worst things in music is to listen to someone go on and on and solo and solo and not give space and room to the musicians around him or her. Belew’s confidence in his abilities allowed for Myers and Slick to also shine.

About 2/3s of the way through the set, Belew gave way to Myers, who began an intricate and driving drum solo. He switched sticks, used the whole variety of drums and cymbals before him, and just really went off. He showcased what makes him such an, often unsung, force in his regular gig with Umphrey's McGee. The drum solo gave way to some nifty instrumental work by the band as a whole. Again, Belew was in charge, but the whole group was working together. Belew eventually took the lead with some effects laden, funky guitar. But, then, he slid back and let Slick, the bassist extraordinaire, do her thing. And do it she did. She built a bass solo that did not rely on slap but runs and melodies and just an aggressive, yet smooth vibe. This bass solo eventually wound its way back to Belew taking center stage for another solo. It would have been cool to hear some more improvisational interplay between the three, but the instrumental work they put forward was very tight and cool.

The set ended with more of Belew’s prog rock work, along with what I believe to be his stuff for the web called Flux. The set kind of wound down after the solos and nifty work of the band as a whole. This was a solid show throughout but maybe did not hit unexpected highs.

A cool moment, though, happened as the show was winding down. A couple were in the front dancing and grooving when the bass player broke a pick. She threw it down, but it was out of everyone’s reach. It just sat there in the nowhere zone between the stage and the crowd. The boyfriend got the idea to go to one of the side stage managers and ask her to grab it, which she did and ceremoniously gave it to the girlfriend, who was ecstatic. And this was a perfect ending to the night.