Eight years is a long time to wait for a new helping of Cajun-infused bluegrass poly-funk, but it was definitely worth the wait. Aquatic Hitchhiker, Colorado jam legends Leftover Salmon’s new studio release, delivers with an album that defies genres. Vince Herman and Drew Emmitt started the group with banjo master Mark Vann more than twenty years ago, and after Vann’s passing from cancer in 2002 they tried press on, but went on a hiatus in 2004, much to the dismay of their fans. They reunited a few times, including six performances in 2007 and a smattering of shows since, periodically delighting supporters with their signature high-energy performances. Since then, young banjo picking virtuoso Andy Thorn, winner of the coveted Rockygrass banjo and band contest in 2003, has joined forces with Hermann and Emmitt and brought new energy to the band not seen since Vann’s passing.Aquatic Hitchhiker opens with a Cajun inspired nod to the Gulf oil spill with the song “Gulf of Mexico.” With a funky backbeat , some impressive mandolin and keyboard work, and lyrics that complement the composure well, “Things a little different round here these days. Since the storm and the spill drove everybody away”- it’s pure Salmon. The title track “Aquatic Hitchhiker” starts soft and slow, then explodes into a mad picking fest with a driving beat reminiscent of old-school bluegrass. Thorn really flexes his musical muscles, trading banjo licks with Emmit on the fiddle. The song “Bayou Town” reflects Leftover Salmon’s dexterity, with a swinging old time country-waltz style twang, and “Kentucky Skies” is sure to be a crowd favorite – because what Leftover Salmon fan wouldn’t appreciate a tune about moonshine, Bill Monroe, bluegrass festivals and playing guitar around a campfire under the night sky?Not that every song on the album is pure Leftover Salmon “poly-ethnic Cajun slam-grass.” “Light Behind the Rain” is a lyrically rich ballad written by Andy Thorn and Benny Galloway, who also wrote all of the tracks on Yonder Mountain String Band’s 2003 progressive bluegrass release Old Hands. The song “Here Comes the Night” also deviates from Salmon’s norm, sounding like a 70’s pop song with the band trading guitar chords for furious picking, but it grows on you after you hear it a few times.
Acquatic Hitchhiker, which was produced by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, is a well put-together studio effort from a band known for their amazing, high energy live shows. Although LoS is known as a jam band, they defy genres and their energy and passion shines through on this twelve track offering. They deliver an impressive set of funk, rock, country, folk, jazz, and of course, they didn’t forget the ardent fans of the good old-fashioned ”poly-ethnic Cajun slamgrass” that only Leftover Salmon can deliver.
With their recent explosion on the jamband music scene, a cross-country tour and musicians lining up to play with them, The Werks keyboardist Norman Dimitrouleas could easily go the route of other rock stars and become inaccessible and cocky. But spend five minutes with him and you’ll feel like his best friend. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the keyboardist with an infectious smile nd humble demeanor following the second night of their music festival the WerkOut. We were able to chat about the three-day throw-down where he was able to play with some of the finest musicians in the game today, his life with the Werks, and his life growing up.
Norman grew up in Dayton, OH and started playing piano in grade school. “My parents got me lessons from a teacher skilled in teaching classical music. I was pretty good at it, but I wanted to play some rock and roll. She had me playing Bach and Beethoven, so one day I brought in the Beatles Let It Be and another song and asked her if I could learn it,” he stated. “She ended up telling me that he ‘wasn’t ready’ for that type of thing and she gave me Bach’s second to learn. I went home and worked on playing Let It Be and just barely touched practicing Bach,” Dimitrouleas said almost shamefully. “When I went back to practice the next week she asked me to pull out Bach. I got through about two bars of it and she said, ‘That’s it?’ I told her, ‘But look what I did learn,’ and I played a ripping Let It Be,” he exclaimed with a toothy grin, seeming to remember the day it happened. “She looked at me kind of blankly and said, ‘Well, I guess I didn’t understand the direction you wanted to go in and what you’ce come here for.’ And from then on I’ve been playing rock.”
The lanky keyboardist went on to recall a time earlier in his life when he almost quit playing the keyboard. “Do you remember that girl in high school that made your knees buckle and your heart pound out of your chest every time she was around?” he asked me. “Of course,” I proclaimed, picturing the girl in my mind. “Well, at one point I wanted to quit playing keys and one day after school they had moved the piano out front and for some reason, her parents were late picking her up so we were alone together, and she came over to me. Well I panicked, not being able to talk, so I just started playing,” he said. “When the song was over, her parents were there to pick her up. She leaned over to me and kissed me on the cheek and said, ‘That was the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard.’ And from then on I said ‘I’m playing the keys!’”
Dimitrouleas was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, a disorder that can involve brain and nervous system functions, including movement, but his parents never told him. I asked him if he believed his life would have been different, and he said “I might have used it as a crutch, and I think that’s what they were afraid of. But I couldn’t understand why I would have trouble in school in some subjects but in math and science, I’d be the first one done.” Even though it still gives him a few pains today, you’d never know. Watching him at the WerkOut rip up the keys showed his dexterity and passion, and you could feel it. “I’m just so extremely touched that all these people come here to see and play with us,” he stated, realizing the magnitude of the weekend for a brief moment. At that moment, Todd Stoops, keyboardist of the band Kung Fu, who had performed with Dimitrouleas and Everyone Orchestra earlier in the night sat down and said, “I love this man – he’s the best – and you can quote this - everybody wants to be the next guitar prodigy, but not many people grow up saying, ‘I want to play the keyboard.’ We’re a rare breed man.” Watching the two interact on stage during the impromptu set led by Matt Butler entertaining and joyful. Stoops went on to exclaim, “This is how good of people the Werks are - I was in the production trailer with the stage manager and there was a storm cell heading straight for the site. It turned right before it got to us, went 20 miles north, and then turned and just missed us. Now that’s KARMA.”
Norman lists one of his major influences as Dave Katz, keyboardist for the Ohio jam-vets Ekoostik Hookah. “He’s helped me out a lot,” he said. The keyboardist used to play in the band The Maji with his brother and bassist for the Werks Dino Dimitrouleas, but started playing with the band in 2008 when Dave Bartoletti left the band. He’s been with them through their meteoric rise on the festival circuit, and his playing reflects his classical music background with a funk that not many keyboardists can bring. In the world of Livetronica, a talented keyboardist is one of the most important thing a group can have going for them, and the Werks future in this growing genre of music are in good hands with Dimitrouleas. As long as they continue on the path they’re currently on, we may overhear many more kids saying, “I wanna play the keyboard!” thanks to Norman Dimitrouleas.
All genres of music must evolve – Electronic music evolved into house music – Rhythm and blues became rock-n-roll – And now bluegrass, one of the oldest and most revered genres of Americana music, has transitioned into a new era many are calling “newgrass”. With artists such as Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon, Rumpke Mountain Boys and String Cheese Incident, bluegrass music has taken on new life, and even traditional bluegrass purists can agree that these groups have introduced throngs of younger music lovers on to the revered Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers, among others, who laid the revolutionary foundation for the progressive styles of today. The Infamous Stringdusters new release Silver Sky reflects the evolution of bluegrass in a powerful package. Paired with a masterfully produced live offering taken from four legendary 2011 performances aptly named We’ll Do It Live and a previously unreleased track He’s Gone, originally performed by the Grateful Dead, Silver Sky-Deluxe Edition is a must-have for any bluegrass aficionado, traditional or progressive.
The fourth album from the Charlottesville, VA based group is fueled with extended jams and songs that are sure to be favorites on the festival circuit like Hitchhiker, a song about getting away from it all, with Andy Hall’s dobro and Jeremy Garrett’s fiddle battling it out for supremacy. Just when you think the song ends, they fire back into it with reckless abandon complete with a difficult key change. Fire has a generous helping of funk filled keyboard work with Brookyln, NY dance-band Rubblebucket’s horn section adding a refreshing and surprising flare, and the radio-ready The Place that I Call Home, with soulful harmonies and a bouncy hook. When the Night comes Around, with ferocious fiddling, banjo picking, and meaningful lyrics, is another highlight, “Everything’s gonna be alright when the night comes around.”
The band goes all out covering the Police song Walking on the Moon, with upright bassist Travis Book pouring emotion into the vocals on this cover and Hall flexing his dobro muscles. At the IBMA bluegrass conference in 2011, member Chris Pandolfi stated that the Infamous Stringdusters are not trying to reach all bluegrass fans. “We’re not trying to reposition old bluegrass fans,” he said at the time. “We’re trying to find new ones.” If Silver Sky-Deluxe Edition represents the evolution of modern bluegrass, the future of “newgrass” is in good hands with The Infamous Stringdusters.
I despise the term “jamband” – wait - let me take that back – I dislike the word “jamband” when trying to describe a genre of music. This hasn’t always been the case. In the early 90’s, I was into Phish, the Grateful Dead and Widespread Panic, and these bands, while vastly different, did kind of fit into the jamband genre, with psychedelic extended guitar throw-downs, driving drumbeats and improvational aspects not found in the MTV-driven world of music of that day. But then, like all genres of music (think R&B to Rock and Roll), something changed. After the death of Jerry Garcia, many fans searched for that new fix that could give them the same feeling that The Dead had for all those years. Bluegrass, or newgrass as some folks called it, roared onto the scene, with bands like Leftover Salmon, The String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band taking the festival circuit by storm, playing alongside guitar-heavy favorites such as RatDog and Gov’t Mule. And this introduced many people to a world they never thought they would step foot in, listening to Bill Monroe and The Stanley Brothers on their brand new CD player Sony Walkmans.
In the late 90’s, Keller Williams introduced the jam scene to looping, combining different elements of music by recording a guitar lick or sound and playing it over and over, layering sounds and music on top of each other to create a unique piece that combines elements of different types of music. Zach Deputy is also a rising looping star, and much like Keller (or K-Dub) is referred to as a “one man band”.
Sometime in the early part of the decade, electronic music and trance fusion started trickling onto lineups at major festivals throughout the country, at first only as a late-night novelty to keep the ragers raging till dawn. As a natural progression, livetronica, which merges electronic music and keyboards with traditional instruments such as drums, guitar and bass, was born and made popular by bands like The Disco Biscuits and The New Deal. And to this day, bands like The Werks, Papadosio and Lotus are taking this style of music to new levels, pleasing eardrums and dancing shoes across the nation. Even Michael Travis and Jason Hann of The String Cheese Incident have gotten into the liberating world of livetronica with their side project EOTO, formed in 2006. Their music is created live without prerecorded loops and each show is different. Many fans of traditional jamband music have slowly (and in some cases shamefully) admitted that they dig dubstep the more they listen to it - the build up and release aspect of the music does make for a fun night, and you can’t help but to get your hustle on.
And to this day music and bands continue to evolve and try new things – And the term JAMBAND is used very loosely to describe just about any band out there that performs a wicked live show and has a few dreadheaded fans. It’s causing bands to be pigeon-holed into a category that can be difficult to climb out of, and I believe it does not do enough to express the bands individuality. I would never want to wish harm on my favorite bands or genres of music, but I think the word JAMBAND should have been retired with the death of Jerry Garcia back on August 9th, 1995.
On Tuesday, October 9th, 2012, Jimmy Tebeau, bassist for the Grateful Dead tribute band The Schwag and most recently JGB, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for the crime of “maintaining drug-involved premises” on his 350-acre farm in a rural county in Missouri. The government closed down the farm, which was known as Camp Zoe and home to the music festival Schwagstock, in November 2010 based on the statute, which was originally drafted to go after crack houses, after a two-year investigation into drug sales on the premises. Tebeau, who is currently touring with Melvin Seals and JGB Band, was never charged with dealing any drugs, but he did admit to knowing OF drug sales on his property and stated to officials that he gave specific instructions to his security to kick out anyone selling hard drugs such as cocaine, crack, heroin and nitrous oxide.
Tebeau had purchased the land, which is 140 miles southwest of St. Louis near Salem, MO, and moved there in spring of 2004, holding numerous music festivals, biker rallies, and Gateway Burners, which is similar to the Burning Man Festival, over the course of six years. According to a complaint filed on November 8th, 2010 in Eastern Missouri District Court, drug officials had specifically observed open sales of “Drugs such as marijuana, LSD, Ecstacy, marijuana-laced food products and psilocybin mushrooms by individuals attending the music festival and made multiple purchases of illegal drugs.” The investigation goes all the way back to 2006 and included “surveillance, undercover operations, source information, bank records and interviews,” and the government claimed that Tebeau and staff were in the immediate area when drug deals took place and did nothing to stop them (and it seems that the police didn’t either). The plea agreement, which was reached in June, has Tebeau pleading guilty to a charge of “maintaining a drug-involved premises” on the condition that he would be permitted to remain out on bond while he appeals. US Attorney Richard Callahan noted that while it is unusual to permit a person convicted of a crime to appeal as part of their plea agreement, the unique circumstances, in this case, justified the exception. Tebeau was also fined $50,000, must serve 200 hours of community service, and forfeit Camp Zoe to the government. The complaint showed that the Camp Zoe property had an approximate value of $600,000. In researching the statute, I learned that you do not even need to be convicted of a crime, just that the property was part of criminal activity. So, in other words, if your car or home is used in a crime, no matter if it was you committing the act or not, the court can issue a certificate of forfeiture and take the property to auction off.
Grateful Web traveled to Logan, OH Family Roots Festival and Pittsburgh, PA’s Hard Rock Cafe to cover JGB’s performances, one of the first two shows since his sentencing, and Tebeau was in good spirits. Although he couldn’t comment on the case, he did thank many well-wishers for their support and seemed to be taking everything in stride. He played a smoking set with JGB featuring Melvin Seals and The Schwag’s guitarist David Hebert, and graciously shook hands with fans. Tebeau took the time to actually meet each person who greeted him with a smile, handshake or hug, and thanked supporters, commenting that Camp Zoe, “is a beautiful place” when I stated that I had attended a few festivals there and offered my thanks and support.
But this is not the first time Camp Zoe (or any other venue that holds music festivals for that matter) had been targeted by the government – From 2007 to 2010, state troopers conducted fourteen “safety checkpoints” at an intersection six miles north of the camp, all on days when music festivals were happening. I’m sure it’s purely coincidental, but they did arrest a total of 2,388 people including 171 on felony drug possession. According to Sgt. Marty Elmore of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the roadblocks were not part of the ongoing operation at Camp Zoe, but a checkpoint on May 23-25, 2010 – the same days as Schwagstock 37 – resulted in 268 arrests, of which 23 were for felony drug possession. They also arrested two NORML members who had erected signs warning drivers of the checkpoint and charged them with “placing an unauthorized sign/signal device on/on view of highway,” which is a misdemeanor. According to Tebeau’s attorney Dan Viets, Tebeau had asked local law enforcement to help patrol the festival grounds during larger gatherings but his request was declined.
Being a bit of a festival nomad and traveling throughout the east coast this summer, I witnessed hundreds of encounters of profiling, and the state highway patrols are the #1 culprit. While I understand that these people are breaking a law by possessing an illegal substance, I believe that our tax dollars would be better spent going after violent offenders and people who PUSH drugs, not to peaceful folks who are just trying to listen to music and have a nice weekend with their friends and family. America’s prisons hold over a million nonviolent offenders that could be paying taxes, supporting a family, or contributing to society, and we continue to arrest, convict, and imprison people for ridiculous charges, all on taxpayer money. And if you’ve been to one of these festivals, you can attest that violence is one of the LAST things you will see, and I’ve personally never see drug “pushers” – People partake on their own free will and some look forward to having a weekend of freedom away from the daily grind and judgmental people. It’s a shame that they have to hide their coolers, take off their tye-dyes, rip stickers off their car, and disguise their identity in general so they won’t be profiled.
Music festivals are not going away – actually, they are as popular as ever, with numerous camping festivals happening throughout the country each weekend from March to November – but we as music fans must band together and fight the profiling that is done on a regular basis so that we can continue to congregate together as a family. If the government was pulling over everyone with What Would Jesus Do stickers because some of them make their own wine, people would be in an uproar. Know your rights, support causes such as the ACLU and JusticePolicy.org, do what you can to educate your friends and publicize the fact that there is an open war on music festivals and the good people who organize, promote and attend them. Because, just like in the Grateful Dead favorite New Speedway Boogie, I saw things getting out of hand, I guess they always will. Now I don't know but I been told If the horse don't pull you got to carry the load. I don't know whose back's that strong, maybe find out before too long. If you care about festivals and believe this situation is getting out of hand, it’s time to recruit soldiers to help us fight to protect this scene that we call our own.
Throughout much of its history, bluegrass music has been lumped into the category of Country music; however, the last two decades have brought bluegrass out of the shadow of Country with bands like Leftover Salmon, String Cheese Incident, Infamous Stringdusters and The Avett Brothers, and in the process has won over throngs of younger fans with a sort of “New Grass Revival.” You can now officially add another band to that list – Cincinnati, OH’s Rumpke Mountain Boys. With their first new release since the departure of bassist Travis Gates and the addition of Memphis-bred upright player JD Westmoreland, aptly named Trashgrass after the style of music they play, the Rumpke Mountain Boys have roared onto the music festival scene and are quickly becoming one of the most sought-after acts in the eastern United States, playing major festivals like All Good, Terrapin Hill, and holding their own festival called Snugglefest near their southwest Ohio base. Trashgrass has been described as “foot stompin, whiskey spillin, old timey psychedelic bluegrass music from Cincinnati and beyond,” and while Rumpke Mountain Boys are known for their fun-filled live shows, the new release captures the Rumpke magic well, oozing with fiery banjo picking, amazing vocal harmonies, and impressive songwriting done by all four members – Adam Copeland on acoustic guitar, Ben Gourley on mandolin, Jason “Wolfie” Wolf on banjo/theremin/bell, and Westoreland, the lone member of the percussion section on upright bass.The release kicks off with a ferocious pickfest with the Copeland written song Call your Bluff, a bouncy, joyful choice to open with. Ben Copeland shines on the song Just Outside – my headphones started smoking from the speed and precision of the picking that goes down, and his voice is that of an angel – with an almost Tom Petty nasal twang that fits each selection well – “Cost too much to stay here, and I’ve got nothing left to give…. Mighty long road to travel, gonna get there some day”. Not that every song on the release is “fastgrass” - The Westmoreland penned Low Me is a down home bluegrass tune sung with emotion and heart and Dreams of Myself Dying showcases a dual saw played by Wolf. - Other highlights include the fan-favorite party anthem named after their beloved manager, Huck’s Song, and Number 28, another fun number with catchy lyrics - “Ease up on the throttle, let the brake up off the floor.”
Trashgrass is organic, balanced, and most of all, FUN and their energy shines through on this release. It seemed that these accomplished musicians honed their skills performing together over the course of the past year and actually ENJOY jamming with each other. Entertaining people at a variety of music festivals has introduced legions of fans who would normally have never picked up a bluegrass album to download Bill Monroe or the Stanley Brothers, and they can now add Rumpke Mountain Boys Trashgrass to their playlist and brag to their friends that they were there when this phenomenal group of bluegrass boys finally found the success they deserve.Trashgrass will be released on November 2ndFor Tour information, go to www.rumpke.ning.com
The Trey Anastasio Band, or TAB as it is affectionately called by many, breezed into Columbus, OH on Saturday for the third show on the tour and the third in consecutive nights for the Phish frontman and his 7-piece band, and if anyone thought there would be a fatigue factor from three days of travel and shows, TAB would put them to rest quickly and decisively. Heck, the tour is in support of TAB's new album, aptly named Traveler, and Trey has been on the road for the most part of the last 30 years, so it's not the first or last time they have a three night run in three different cities.
During the show, Big Red, as Trey is sometimes called, came up to the mic to tell the story of how TAB came about - The 14 year old group formed under the name Eight Foot Florescent Tubes for what was supposed to be a one-time show to open Trey's brother-in-law's nightclub, the Higher Ground in April of 1998 with 5 other musicians, including drummer Russ Lawton and bassist Tony Markellis, who are still with the band. Trey commented that “we played songs that you’d recognize – like Mozambique (and) Gotta Jiboo,“ and the crowd roared in approval. He then proceeded to tell the crowd that they were about to hear the first song that the group ever wrote and performed together, stating “who would’ve guessed that years later it would become a Justin Bieber song”, which was in reference to the First Tube tease that Phish fan Justin Bieber guitarist Dan Kanter threw in during a Justin Beiber show in Oakland, CA on October 6th (he actually teased three different Phish songs - Sand, First Tube and Divided Sky). Trey continued, saying that he was “thrilled” that Justin Bieber stole Phish’s lighting director Chris Kuroda (after Beiber and Selena Gomez saw Phish in August) and the crowd let out a groan.
In addition to original members Anastasio, Lawton and Markellis, returning members Natalie Cressman (trombone), Jennifer Hartswick (trumpet) and Ray Paczkowski (keyboards) are joined by Cyro Baptista (percussion) and Lettuce's James Casey (tenor saxophone) to create a team of accomplished musicians performing some very challenging composition work. Where Phish has a certain freedom, the release Traveler, co-produced by indie-rock producer Peter Katis at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, CT, contains less jamming/noodling and more substance than you’ll typically find on previous releases. Trey, decked out in black jeans, a black long sleeve shirt, and black kicks came out to a roar and picked up his hollow body Languedoc with the maple neck and dual Seymour Duncan Humbucker pickups and smiled, then immediately launched into Sand, a song performed by the Eight Foot Florescent Tubes (EFFT) on that inaugural performance at the Higher Ground. The brass section of Cressman and Hartswick wasted no time showing their stuff, and they added a fullness with rich contrasts to the selection. Corona and the mostly instrumental horn driven Land of Nod followed, both songs from the Traveler release, and were given a warm welcome by the crowd, although they were not familiar with the songs. According to an interview on Sirius Satellite JAMON Radio, Anastasio called the song Corona a “nod to Brian Wilson,” thanks to the use of xylophones and toy (yes, toy) pianos. “Brian Wilson was a genius of sonic arrangement and hopefully we dipped our toes in that water,” he said. Highlights of the first set included older TAB originals Money Love and Change, Push on Till the Day and Burlap Sack and Pumps, where saxophonist Casey shined with a solo that brought many in the crowd to their knees. But one of my favorites of the set was Architect, from the new album Traveler. Just before they went into Architect, Trey jumped on the percussion kit and the band had a beautiful jam pouring from the stage, rarely stopping to give pause in between.
With set break came a rush to the smoking section, and ironically, the only complaint I have about this venue, which is set up the same as Pittsburgh’s Stage AE, is regarding the architectural choices. Whoever designed this venue had a challenge in that it’s an indoor/outdoor venue, and they wanted to make the bathrooms accessible at both types of shows. However, they decided to place the smoking section right outside the bathroom, and there’s no separate entrance for the smoking section, so anytime there are larger indoor shows, you about get crushed while trying to go to the bathroom or grab a smoke. Other than that, though, the venue is clean, has good acoustics and aesthetics, and security is understanding.
Set Two started shortly after 10pm with a romping TAB favorite, Simple Twist Up Dave, which debuted at TABS 2001 Summer tour opener at the Higher Ground. The swing sound was unique and each musician played a small part that got intertwined together. Sweet Dreams Melinda, originally a love song called “till I Met You”, is a song that “reminds me of all the great memories of the (05-06) tour,” according to Anastasio in an interview with the late host George Taylor Morris of XM Sirius Radio. He stated that the song “fit the albums concept of (Anastasio) responding to his band mates, friends and Phish fans about the animosity and confusion some of them felt after he broke up the band,”
Other set two highlights were a cover of Gorillaz’s Clint Eastwood, also on the new release, with trumpeter Jennifer Hartswick showing her chops with some amazing bluesy rap/vocals and a Last Tube>Show of Life that was effective and proper. But the most memorable half hour of the evening for the legions of Phish fans in attendance was the encore, where Anastasio and his 7-piece backing band pulled out a Heavy Things, complete with psychedelic extended guitar licks, cowbell and percussion fills that flooded the room in a colorful kaleidoscope of sound. They finished with a First Tube, thrilling the crowd who had come out to see the guitar legend with the red beard and hair. Although it didn’t hit the ten minute mark, smiles and hugs were aplenty when the first notes dropped on this one.
Following the show, everyone I spoke with came away pleased with the performance from TAB and Trey on this brisk October evening. While Phish has the jamming, flowing, you don’t know where they’re going with it and you don’t care feeling, TAB is much more structured and tight, but not in a negative way. Trey still delivers what his fans have been paying to see for the past couple of decades and he definitely jams out, though now it’s not as extended and a little more rigid. Like all music and musicians, evolve you must or you will be left in the dust, and TAB is giving Trey the vehicle to leave Phish behind for just a little bit, making him the Traveler, not just physically from show to show, but with his constant evolution from Jam King to accomplished Broadway producer and composer. And many Phish fans, including myself, are glad to be along for the ride.
Check out more photos from the show, including a few fan shots.
Set I: Sand, Corona, The Land of Nod, Cayman Review, Magilla, Words to Wanda, Sleep Again, Money Love and Change, Scabbard, Frost, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Architect, Push On ‘Til the Day
Set II: Simple Twist Up Dave, Sweet Dreams Melinda, A Case of Ice and Snow, Valentine, Curlew’s Call, Pigtail, Clint Eastwood, Last Tube > Show of Life
Encore: Heavy Things*, First Tube
In a move that excited many DSO and Furthur fans across the country, Phil and Friends have pulled off a trade for Rob Barraco, keyboardist for Dark Star Orchestra, sending keyboardist Jeff Chimenti to the chilly east coast to play four DSO dates in New York, Maine, and Massachusetts and Connecticut. This manifestation of Phil and Friends is called The Q, and they have played together as The Phil Lesh Quintet (which is where the "Q" comes from) – touring together for three years and putting out a studio album called There and Back Again in 2002 under the Phil and Friends moniker.
Barraco will be joining bassist Phil Lesh along with Warren Haynes (guitar – Gov't Mule/The Allman Brothers), percussionist John Molo (Bruce Hornsby, The Other Ones, Moonalice) and guitarist Jimmy Herring (Col Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Widespread Panic, Allman Brothers, The Other Ones) for four shows (Thurs, 12/6/12 through 12/9) at Terrapin Crossroads, Lesh's intimate music venue in San Rafael, CA that has been open for less than a year, but has already hosted epic performances, including the first "official" concerts, a run of 12 consecutive Phil and Friends shows from March 17 to April 1, 2012.
At the same time, Chimenti will be in the northeast giving fans in Albany, NY (12/5), Portland, ME (12/6), Wallingford, CT (12/7), and Lowell, MA (12/8) a thrill by joining Dark Star Orchestra = This will be the first time Chimenti has played with Dark Star Orchestra in their entirety, but Chimenti. Jeff Mattson (DSO guitarist) and Barraco have played together before, when ex-members of The Grateful Dead reformed as The Other Ones (2002) and the Dead (2003).
Barraco, of Zen Tricksters fame, has been playing keyboard and guitar since the age of 6 and is an accomplished career musician, playing for over ten years as the keyboardist for the hit television series The Cosby Show and its spin-off A Different World. After joining the Zen Tricksters, putting out two albums and touring across North America, Phil Lesh got ahold of their second album A Love Surreal and asked them to play some shows in San Francisco and join Phil Lesh and Friends on their now legendary tour with Bob Dylan (with a lineup consisting of Mattson, Lesh, Barraco, Haynes, and Derek Trucks). He has played with Phil Lesh and Friends numerous times, most recently in costume at a Phil and Friends Halloween show.
Chimenti, who has played with Ratdog, Les Claypools Frog Brigade, and The Dead, among others, is an accomplished career musician himself, best known for his work in RatDog. From San Francisco, CA, Chimenti began playing piano at age 4 and started lessons at seven, continuing through high school. He played in local jazz bands in San Francisco after high school, performed in the Monterey Jazz Festival for seven years, and even played back up for pop act EnVogue’s first tour (backing M.C. Hammer). He joined RatDog in 1997 after playing in a jazz quartet with saxophone player Dave Ellis, who was in the band at the time. After doing a couple of gigs with RatDog, the soft spoken Chimenti, who had not listened to much Grateful Dead at all, inquired about a slot in the band and luckily, they were looking for a keyboardist in the area who could travel. Since then, he has played the Hammond B-3 with a list of musicians too long to print.
DSO's website states, “Dark Star Orchestra are thrilled to work together with the Phil Lesh camp at this capacity and are equally excited to perform four shows with their guest keyboardist, Jeff Chimenti.”, and judging from the chatter on line, it looks like DSO fans and Phil and Friends fans alike are excited about seeing what these two musicians come up with when they trade slots on the bench for a few days.
Sometimes all that a band needs to do is throw a small party before your tour, inviting your closest friends to wish you luck as you head out on your first major tour across America. Or you can do things like The Dayton, OH bred psychedelic powerhouse band The Werks, who after their now legendary performances at their own festival, aptly named Werk Out, immediately launched into tour mode, leaving for their coast to coast US tour before all the paper was picked up from the grounds at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio. After seeing them on Saturday at The Baltimore Soundstage in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, MD, I highly recommend the latter. The quartet, who recently graduated from smoky bars to larger venues, took to the Baltimore stage and proceeded to ratchet up a high energy, explosive set of originals with a pinch of smoking covers thrown in for good measure.
I last had the pleasure of seeing these boys at the Werk Out, where I spent a good deal of time getting to know the band on a more personal level. I can attest that their fire and drive on the stage can’t compare to the people they are when they step off the platform, where they could be your next door neighbor or best friend. I currently live in Ohio and Ohio bands hold a special place in my heart, so I have followed The Werks for quite some time and was looking forward to their show with great anticipation.
The evening began with Brooklyn, NY's own Folkadelics. Female lead vocalist Danny Faraone has a powerful stage presence, with confidence, soul and a pinch of funk thrown in to boot. Four part vocal harmonies, mandolin wah wah, reggae and Calypso influences, this band has carved out a unique sound with powerful vocals - They chose the original Rock Slow for the opener, a proper choice with funky fills and a swinging sound, but the highlight of their set was their version of Folsom Prison Blues, and it seemed the crowd agreed, moving from behind the shadows onto the dancefloor, seemingly drawn out by the harmonies like a snake being led out of a wicker basket by a turban-topped charmer.
After the Folkadelics set, Baltimore band Deaf Scene, who I had last seen at Rootwire took the stage. This experimental 3-piece consisting of bass, guitar and drums brings loop infused rock to the next level, with heavy chords, soaring guitar highs, booming bass lows, and beats that would make it difficult to stand still. This up-and-coming group could hold the key to where livetronica music is going next, with traditional instruments like guitar and bass mixing with looping machines and electronic equipment to develop a unique sound. Other bands are doing it, but Deaf Scene is a regional band that has done things their way instead of following the lead of everyone else or playing only what’s popular.The Werks took the stage shortly after 9:45 and wasted no time showing that they are just as comfortable in a large indoor stage as they were during that weekend in late September when they shared the Legend Valley outdoor stage with some of the finest musicians in the game today. Each time I see them is better than the last, and each show I see I say to myself, “How can it get any better?” And I cannot think of one time when I was disappointed.
The boys immediately jumped into fan favorite Duck Farm into Cloudhopper, then launched into Galactic Passport with guitarist Chris Houser effortlessly pouring notes out of his guitar, at times in an almost transcendental state. Going Round had Dino Dimitroleas popping and slapping his bass strings, adding just the right amount of funk to the songs while laying a solid foundation for Houser and keyboardist Norm Dimitroleas (Dino’s brother) to weave in and out of. Moby Dick > Heading South showed that the Werks have honed their skills while on tour this fall, as they didn’t miss a beat during these challenging songs that take pinpoint precision to pull off without sounding pre-packaged. But the highlights of the night were still to come, as the boys strolled into the Steve Miller Band song Fly Like an Eagle, which had the packed Soundstage crowd loudly signing along, and the boys finished the set going straight into their original Onslaught, which showcased Houser’s psychedelic extended licks, Rob Chafin’s mix of John Bonham-esque fiery traditional percussion and electronic drum pad work, and N. Dimitroleas’ ferocious keyboard work.
They came out for an encore and everyone in the crowd was wondering what we were in store for. They started with Gameplan, a solid original from the Synapse release. As I looked over at the boys to see what was next, they shook the audience with the opening notes to the Phish song Slave to the Traffic Light, a song they first pulled out this summer, and everyone I saw was grinning ear to ear, dripping with sweat from dancing since the first song. And so once again this band has proven that with bands like Papadosio, The Rumpke Mountain Boys and The Werks, the state of Ohio is a state to be reckoned with when it comes to high-energy party bands bound for headlining spots at festivals and larger venues throughout North America.
There are bands that throw a CD Release Party, and there are bands that are a party every time they take the stage, no matter what night of the week it is. Cincinnati bred fastgrass up and comers The Rumpke Mountain Boys, the region’s ultimate newgrass party band, took over the stage of the Beachland Ballroom, where Yonder Mountain String Band got their start in Cleveland in June of 09, and kicked out a high-octane set of covers, fiery, well written originals along with a medley of songs from their new album Trashgrass, which was released on November 2nd.
The night began with local bluegrass group JP and the Chatfield Boys, who warmed up the stage with a romping set, opening with an original Send Me on my Way Back Down, and threw in a nod to the Grateful Dead and Phish with I Know You Rider and Sparkle, ending with Tom Petty's Breakdown. In speaking with banjo/vocalist Mitch Kozub, I learned that the lead vocalist/guitarist JP Hamm was actually a drummer and learned to play the guitar in the band, and are made up of Hamm, Kozub, Zak Mills (vocals/mandolin), Kevin Hines (vocals, upright bass), and Billy Whitlock (vocals, washboard), who couldn’t attend on this night. Kozub has met JP at an open mic night in Cleveland, and other members of the band grew up on Chatfield Street, thus the name JP and The Chatfield Boys. The name was mistakenly written on the signage at a venue they were playing at instead of Hot Sauce Gravy, the name they were going to take. After playing a few songs with people dancing and stomping, Kozub leaned over to the other band members and said “We CAN’T chance our name NOW.” And the name stuck. Be on the lookout for these boys - they don’t play together every weekend, but when they do, it’s always a treat to watch. You may have seen them at TABFEST, a charitable festival in Northwest Ohio where New Riders of the Purple Sage performed last year, or you may have seen them open for the Rumpke Mountain Boys in the past, as they have had a great relationship with them for years.
The anticipation and excitement in the air was electric at the Beachland as Rumpke Mountain Boys took the stage. 2012 has been a banner year for this four piece true string band from Cincinnati. Coming off a very successful festival season, where they played a memorable early morning set at All Good Music Festival that drew over 1200 people at 10:30am, which is prime snoozing time for most festival-goers, to playing at Dark Star Jubilee, Appalachian Uprising, Terrapin Hill Music Festival, Fall Family Roots Festival, Shoefest and their own festival Snugglefest, the Rumpke Mountain Boys have made fans with their brand of fastgrass they aptly call Trashgrass. According to Vince Herman with Leftover Salmon, the Rumpke Mountain Boys are “high energy, hot licks, cool tunes – A party waiting to happen.” And if anyone knows this style of bluegrass, it’s Vince Herman.
The band was named after the highest point in Hamilton County, OH, a mountain of a landfill called Rumpke Mound, and its members are mandolin/vocalist Ben Gourley, Adam Copeland on acoustic guitar/vocals, Jason Wolfie Wolf on banjo/vocals, and the newest member, JD Westmoreland on upright bass/vocals. All four of the members are accomplished songwriters and vocalists, not to mention their abilities on their chosen instruments. Their sound is refreshingly unique, drawing on influences such as the Grateful Dead, Ralph Stanley, Jimmy Cliff and Tom Waits, and they can make just about anything sound good. Highlights of the evening, well, I could go on and on, but in speaking to a number of people that attended, Low Me, an original on the Trashgrass CD by JD Westmoreland was a favorite, as was the medley of songs from the new album, which included a few first time played songs, including one of my favorites, Ben Gourley’s song Disconnected. The lyrics on this song speak volumes of the lyrical maturity of the band, “I feel like I’ve been disconnected, far from the city lights that shine, the record in my head is skipping, and I’m further down the line.” But many fans favorite was the Jerry Garcia band fave Sisters and Brothers – Everyone in the crowd danced together, waving their arms in the air, belting out the lyrics “I want to say to my sisters and my brothers, keep the faith, when the storm flies and the wind blows, go on a steady pace.”
Walking out of a Rumpke Mountain Boys show, you feel fatigued but refreshed at the same time. Something about this band defies people’s preferences and beliefs about traditional music. Someone came up to me after the show and said, “I’ve never seen a bluegrass band before but I loved it.” I responded, “You still haven’t.” Because the Rumpke Mountain Boys, though they have bluegrass roots and may be closer to bluegrass than most bands, defy all genres. I believe the best way to describe these boys is how Vince Herman described them – “A party waiting to happen.”
PURCHASE RUMPKE MOUNTAIN BOYS CD: www.rumpke.ning.com
Landing a coveted slot between Phil Lesh and Friends and Bob Weir at one of the top musical festivals in the east does not guarantee a band success when it comes to their commercial ventures, but Ohio jamtronica supergroup The Werks have parlayed their April 20th release of their first major self-titled release and their much talked about June performance at All Good Music Festival into an extremely productive 2012, and have laid the groundwork for headlining spots on major 2013 festivals by putting on explosive, groove-heavy, dance-happy shows throughout the country on their nationwide tour, which kicked off days after their own successful festival, Werk Out Music and Arts Festival. So on this, the first day of the last month of the year, the WERKS pulled into Pittsburgh, PA for the last official stop on the tour for a show at The Rex Theatre, a former vaudeville theater built in 1905 that has been a long time fixture on Pittsburgh’s southside, a bustling neighborhood that comes alive at night with 20 somethings flowing into the numerous bars that line the street, and proceeded to put on a show that would not soon be forgotten, and were so on fire that they ended up setting off fire alarms in the process.
Pittsburgh jamband theCAUSE opened the show with a set of originals and proper Grateful Dead covers to get everyone warmed up, and these veterans of Pittsburgh’s music scene didn’t disappoint. Some of the highlights of their set included Sittin’ on Top of the World, with bassist David Tauberg and keyboardist Mike “Tour Pro” Tony shining and a Friend of the Devil that had the whole crowd signing along with vocalist Jill Paone Simmons. Guitarist Eric “Pappy” Weingrad rose to the challenge on Black Throated Wind, delivering a powerful performance on vocals and guitar, while drummer Mike South laid down a solid foundation on drums. They finished up with Werks guitarist Chris Houser and keyboardist Norman Dimitroleas joining them for a romping version of Turn on Your Lovelight - watching dual keyboardists Tony and Dimitroleas tear up this Pigpen favorite was one for the memory bank, and the guitar tandem of Tauberg - Houser also traded blues-fringed licks throughout. TheCAUSE performs in the Pittsburgh area on a regular basis, and has a good repertoire of originals and covers of bands like Phish, the Dead, Dylan, JGB, The Beatles and more. So I encourage you to look them up and “take a pause for theCAUSE” if you’re in the Pittsburgh area – They have a tight-knit community of good folks surrounding them, phenomenal harmonies, and I can guarantee that you’ll be up on your feet shaking your bones with them all night long.
Shortly after 10:30, Ohio psychedelic dance rock darlings The WERKS took the stage, and by this time, the crowd had filled in nicely at the Rex, more so on the “over 21” side. The Werks are a different type of band – They merge traditional instruments with a touch of electronica such as drum pads and synthesizers to create a newer genre of music many refer to as jamtronica or livetronica. Largely made popular by bands like the Werks, Ohio brethren Papadosio, Sound Tribe Sector 9, livetronica is in the early stages of mainstream success, and the Werks have blazed a trail for others to follow, merging the two in a way that still relies heavily on musical ability of the artists on traditional instruments instead of a computer, something many in the “mainstream” jam community have complained about.
The group, in standard WERKS formation, facing the stage left to right, keyboardist Norman Dimitroleas guitarist Chris Houser, bassist Dino Dimitroleas, and drummer Rob Chafin, came out to a raucous roar from the crowd, many of whom had not seen the group since their now legendary performances at the WERKOUT Music and Arts Festival at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio. They came out to a building crescendo and launched the audience into Cloudhopper. Already warmed up from the opener, the crowd immediately exploded into a dance frenzy, with everyone in sight moving to the building beats the Werks deliver. The followed with Burnin’ Groove, and likened to stream flowing into a raging waterfall, the group builds up the song, growing more and more as you move closer to the edge, and when the tipping point is hit, they take you over the fall into psychedelic, swirling bliss with notes flying around you, and just when you think it’s over, there’s another cliff to tumble joyfully over and brooks to meander playfully through. It’s a journey like no other, and there are times you have to look twice to see if Houser is the only one playing guitar, with full, rich tones backing his soaring solos.
One of the highlights of the evening was a cover of The Doors popular B-side hit Roadhouse Blues, sandwiched in between Werks fan favorite Rollin’, with drummer/vocalist Rob Chafin displaying amazing dexterity singing a difficult arrangement while playing Bonham-esque drums, and bassist Dino Dimitroleas adding his slap and pop filled funk style to the blues favorite. Soundman Andy Loy kept the sound loud but clear throughout the evening whether you were up front or in the back,, a difficult job in a theatre of this size.
Going Round was another shining star this evening, going well over the 20-minute mark, and neither the crowd nor the band looked ready to close the song out. Each member of the group took turns showing their stuff, playfully interacting with each other and the crowd at times, all the while being illuminated by the work of lighting designer/director Jim Dewey, as always dressed as the mad scientist, complete with lab coat and goggles. Keyboardist Norman Dimitroleas and Houser really came through on Round, though, taking improvisational jamming to a new level. The band followed with another fan favorite, Plain White Toast, which seemed especially funky on this evening, then closed with an extended Heading South that went over 10 minutes, and the group was so on fire that the fire alarms went off. After discovering that it was simply from the fog machine, and due to the fact that nobody really noticed or cared anyway, as not a soul left the building as the bands tour manager, Donald Roof thanked the crowd and venue and led the call for an encore. The boys came out and delivered Onslaught, a proper selection considering what they had just delivered to the packed crowd on hand.
And so on this, the first night of December and last night of the WERKS tour prior to their New Years run in Columbus, again displayed that while exposure at a major festival and having a label behind you definitely help, a group’s live performances are what get fans talking and have people coming back for more. And being that Friday night’s performance was a typical one for the Werks but an epic one for the audience, it’s easy to predict that 2013 will be a banner year for this Dayton, Ohio bred jamtronica powerhouse.
SETLIST – 12/1/12 – The Werks – The Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA --- Cloudhopper; Burnin' Groove; Rollin' > Roadhouse Blues > Rollin' > Drums > Rollin'; Carry Me Back Home; Going Round; Plain White Toast; Heading South E: Onslaught
Honing their chops each Tuesday evening for a full year at the famed Denver jamband venue Quixote's, Denver based quintet Whiskey Tango became known as a "must-see live" type of band. Much of the group's show is based around live improvisation, and attempting to convey this energy and passion to an album has proved troublesome for many bands tagged with this phrase; however, the band's much anticipated debut release Groggy Mountain Mornings is a proper introduction to this high energy group of talented musicians. You see, while all of the members genuinely appreciate traditional bluegrass music, Whiskey Tango is NOT your father's string band. They are big fans of the Grateful Dead, and their influence is apparent throughout the album, with keyboards and African drums sharing the spotlight with a fiery banjo and mandolin, ripping harmonies, and thick bass notes intertwined with substantial lyrics. Think Mumford and Sons on steroids.
The album begins with an upbeat selection, Betwixt, which showcases an instrument not found in most bluegrass bands - keyboards. Coal Creek Shakedown follows with a banjo and piano buildup releasing into a high energy, foot stomping pick-fest that any traditional bluegrass lover would appreciate. The band loses no steam with Renaissance Beauty, another "feel-good" song with reggae and calypso thrown in the mix using African drums backed by a soaring organ. Annalisa is arguably the most traditional and commercially appealing track, highlighting the picking skills of this group, and the energetic playfulness shines through. The group slows it down a tad on Mother Nature, and throws a bit of blues guitar in the gumbo of goodness they serve up on this album. They close out with Two Bucks and a Beaver Shot, a pure instrumental jam going well over the 15 minute mark with an ample mix of organ, electric banjo and psychedelic guitar funkiness that completes the unique sound the group brings to the table.
Whiskey Tango has been named Denver's best new jam/improv group by Westword magazine, the city's premiere entertainment magazine, and has won praise as being one of the hardest working bands in the city, both mighty feats considering the number of musicians per capita in the Denver area, which makes it difficult to stand out. But standing is something that you won't see much of at a Whiskey Tango show, and Groggy Mountain Mornings does a fine job at capturing the live energy and magic that has brought smiles to the faces of countless dance-happy jamband and bluegrass fans in the great state of Colorado.
Bob Weir, former member of the Grateful Dead, collapsed on stage during a Furthur show Thursday night at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY after showing signs of distress throughout the evening. Playing their ninth sold out show in twelve days, the 65 year old rhythm guitarist stumbled, then fell around 11pm during the song "Unbroken Chain", and was assisted to his feet by security, who then brought out a red folding chair for Weir to sit on while bassist Phil Lesh and the band played on. Around 11:10pm, the lights in the theatre were turned out and Weir was assisted off the stage.
According to fans in attendance, Weir limped onto the stage at the start of the evening, and played a less than stellar first set, but things really fell apart during the second set of the night. The first sign of a major problem was when Weir fumbled through "Eyes of the World" and "Uncle John's Band" and was uneasy on his feet, and after having trouble playing together with the band, it was reported that the crew unplugged his guitar, and at one point, Lesh and John Kadlecik walked off the stage.
Prior to the encore, which included “Stella Blue,” “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider”, Lesh announced the Weir had injured his shoulder during a workout earlier in the evening. Weir did not return to the stage after being helped off the stage.
Many fans criticized the band for playing on after Weir fell, and some fans speculated that Weir had taken pain pills for the injury, which led to his collapse on stage; however, this was not confirmed. As of 11am EST, there have been no updates on Weir's condition. Furthur is scheduled to play in Atlantic City on Saturday night.
The 2nd Annual Dark Star Jubilee, All Good Presents first festival of the 2013 season, has been scheduled for May 24th-26th, featuring three full shows by renowned Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra and performances by Mickey Hart Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Wailers, Melvin Seals and JGB, The Werks, and Donna Jean Godchaux Band, to name a few. Here's everything you need to know about the festival, which is being held at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH.
VENUE: The festival will again be held at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH, site of 2012's All Good Music Festival. Located just off I-70 and 30 miles east of Columbus, OH, this location allows for easy access entering and leaving the premises. Site of numerous Grateful Dead concerts, the hallowed grounds of Legend Valley (formerly Buckeye Lake Music Center) offer plenty of camping opportunities to fit any preference and the terrain is easy to navigate. Car-side, RV, Family and VIP camping is available along with camping closer to the stage and facilities. NO PETS are permitted, and you are not permitted to leave your pets in/at your vehicles. Service Animals will be permitted, but please have all of your paperwork available. You are NOT permitted to bring firewood, but it will be available for purchase. This is not to empty your wallet - it's due to the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle that has decimated ash trees in Ohio. Glass bottles are NOT permitted inside the camping area. Day Parking is available for those that prefer to sleep off-site. Festival attendees age three and under are free while youth above age 13 must have a full price festival pass. Children aged 4-12 can purchase a discounted ticket, but they must be accompanied by an adult. There is a family camping area available with activities for the kids - This is a very family-friendly event! Gates open at noon Friday, May 24 and close at noon on Monday, May 27th. Complete ticket options with pricing are available at http://www.darkstarjubilee.com.
VENDORS: The Dark Star Jubilee Vendor Village will be chock-full of vendors selling one-of-a-kind merchandise, food options to satisfy every taste, including vegetarian and vegan options, clothing, beverages, and hand-made items. Be sure to bring some spending money so that you can get outfitted for the summer festival season!
MUSIC: Highlighted by THREE FULL SHOWS by Dark Star Orchestra, the lineup includes former members of the Grateful Dead playing with their respective bands, including Mickey Hart Band and Donna Jean Godchaux Band featuring DSO guitarist Jeff Mattson, Melvin Seals and JGB; bluegrass favorites Yonder Mountain String Band, Greensky Bluegrass and Rumpke Mountain Boys; livetronica powerhouse The Werks; reggae legends The Wailers; the New Orleans Suspects featuring members of Little Feat and Karl Densons Tiny Universe - this festival has musical styles to suit any preference, and there is sure to be can't miss collaborations when you get this many talented musicians in one location!
Lineup: Dark Star Orchestra; Mickey Hart Band; Yonder Mountain String Band; Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe; The Wailers; The New Orleans Suspects; The Werks; Greensky Bluegrass; Donna Jean Godchaux Band; John Brown’s Body; Marco Benevento; Elephant Revival; The Pimps of Joytime; Rumpke Mountain Boys; BigEaR; The Folkadelics; The Ark Band; Matt Reynolds
For ticket prices and additional information regarding ticketing, please go to: http://www.darkstarjubilee.com/get-tickets
On May 21st, award winning bluegrass group The Rumpke Mountain Boys will be welcoming Grateful Dead Hour syndicated radio host, songwriter, and author David Gans to their weekly show at Stanley's Pub in Cincinnati, followed by shows in Indianapolis, IN, Lexington, KY and Louisville, KY, culminating with both acts performing at Dark Star Orchestra's Dark Star Jubilee music festival in Thornville, OH.
The music scene in Asheville, NC has been thriving as of late; however, the "word is out" so to say, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to stand out in the musical hotbed of the Carolinas. The Get Right Band has the entire puzzle pieces needed to do just that, and their new EP Shake demonstrates a tasty mix of funk, reggae, rock, solid songwriting, and hip-swinging selections that leaves the listener thirsty for more from this three-piece group. The EP opens with a very seductive, blues infused Voodoo Doll, with vocalist/guitarist Silas Duroucher adding bells to the lyrics along with haunting guitar solos and a crisp, solid backbeat from bassist Jesse Gentry and percussionist Chris Pyle (who is also the son of legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle).
From then on out, though, the gloves are off and the album conveys a dance-heavy style that touches on many different genres, but The Get Right Band does so with ease and without a heavily produced or "canned" sound. The song Chromaticize has a throwback dance party style representing boogie in pure 70's style, but one of the highlights on the five-song EP is the reggae-infused Touch The Holy, reflecting the dexterity of the trio. The straight-forward funkiness of this group has been turning heads on the east coast and in The Virgin Islands, and they seem to be headed in the right direction towards bringing their sound to the masses. According to their bio, "The party is coming and it’s coming for you…we’ll bring the boogie, you bring the crew." Shake by The Get Right Band brings you a taste of the party, and leaves you yearning to see what these three can do live.
All Good Presents and Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra hosted their second annual Dark Star Jubilee Music Festival over the Memorial Day weekend, and from the turnout, it seemed that the challenge made at 2012’s festival by emcee “Toast” was met by the fans of 2012’s Jubilee, where attendees and fans of the band were asked to “Bring a friend or two to next year’s (2013) Jubilee to make this amazing music festival grow.” Although numbers were not released, it seemed that the festival easily doubled in size, much in part to the amazing lineup put together by All Good Presents in their first festival of the 2013 season. And the weather cooperated more than 2012, when torrential rains soaked the grounds and cut short a few of the artist’s sets. Daytime temperatures were in the high 60’s and 70’s; however, when the sun went down, the thermometer dipped to the 30’s; however, rain held off the entire weekend, much to the delight of festival organizers, and DSO chose an early 80’s show (7/10/81 – St, Paul, MN) followed by two elective (DSO original sets) shows, all of which were stellar.
Held at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH, hallowed site of a number of Grateful Dead concerts and All Good Music Festival in 2012 and 2013, the site was transformed into a “Deadhead wonderland” of sorts, with numerous vendors selling Grateful Dead related clothing, photos, food, and other goodies, and the festival was very family friendly, as many aging Deadheads opted to bring their families along to share the experience that for many changed their lives in such a positive way.
Gates opened at noon on Friday, and by 6pm, many campers had found their spots and were settled in for the first artist on the stellar lineup, crowd favorite bluegrass group Greensky Bluegrass. Greensky came out and put on a high energy, foot stompin’ show, opening with Dustbowl Overtures while the “Jerry Bowl”, which the area in front of the stage was called, filled up quickly. Light Up and Leave Me Alone and Leap Year were other highlights of the Kalamazoo, MI five piece’s set. Next up on the second stage, also called “The Other One” stage, was Columbus, OH based reggae-rockers The Ark Band. St. Lucian Riddim Twins Terry and Eustace Bobb lead this band, which combines uplifting lyrics with pulsating rhythms and soul-pleasing organ fills. Dark Star Orchestra took the stage a little after 8pm and right out of the gate took the thousands gathered in the Jerry Bowl and hillside surrounding the stage on a journey with an energetic Jack Straw leading the charge, then into Sugaree. Highlights of set one included guitarist/vocalist Rob Eaton simply owning Cassidy and a Loser that was especially strong. Set Two began with the crowd feverishly singing along to Samson and Delilah, then bassist Kevin Rosen shined on a gorgeous Althea. Finishing up set two was a super marathon of Estimated Prophet > Eyes Of The World > Drums > Space > Uncle John's Band > Playing In The Band > China Doll > Uncle John's Band > Playing In The Band > Around And Around > Good Lovin' and encored with Casey Jones. But the night was far from over, as Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe took the side stage with a funky dose of Karl D’s patented brass work. And with the temperatures dipping into the 30’s, Mickey Hart Band came out to finish the night out with a 90 minute set starting at 1am. As Mickey Hart took the stage, he smiled and spoke for a moment about space and time to the enthralled crowd. Many of the people in the crowd stayed to watch the former Grateful Dead drummer put on a world-music influenced set well into the night, playing multiple percussion instruments including spacy work on the pipes and bringing out the African Showboyz for a visually stimulating performance and closing with an impressively psychedelic Fire on the Mountain with both DSO drummers joining in.
On Saturday morning, the sun rose early in the day to heat up the grounds, and around noon the music got started with My Sisters and Brothers, DSO’s tour manager Matt Reynolds with special guest Charles Hedgepath and then BigEar, which is Ohio guitar legend Cliff Starbuck’s band. Next up was Grateful Dead Hour host David Gans, who was joined by Ohio’s favorite bluegrass band, The Rumpke Mountain Boys, whom he had just finished up a short tour with. The eclectic Colorado folk band Elephant Revival came next, followed by Donna Jean Godchaux Band featuring Jeff Mattson, with DSO percussionist Rob Koritz joining in along with vocalist Lisa Mackey for a few songs, including Crazy Fingers. The New Orleans Suspects featuring Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett of Little Feat came next, but for many, the highlight of Saturday (besides DSO) was Yonder Mountain String Band, and the crowd was pumped to catch the Colorado-based bluegrass favorites. They started the set with Illinois Rain and Pockets, and one of the highlights of their set was when they brought out drummer Rob Koritz for Criminal, Girlfriend is Better> Angel. The sound of Rob with Yonder made for a fuller sound, and the fun they were having on stage energized the audience, who danced and hooped throughout the set. Marco Benevento, sandwiched in between YMSB and DSO, took the second stage and kept most of the audience dancing until DSO would take the final turn on the main stage this evening, and the audience wondered what would be in store after a stellar night one.
They would take the stage to an especially peppy Help on the Way> Slipknot!> Feel Like a Stranger> Franklin's Tower. Donna Jean Godchaux joined the group on Franklins and then Loose Lucy and The Music Never Stopped to end set one. Donna and vocalist Lisa Mackey both shined during set one after Mackey was absent from night one. The band elected to play their own set list on this chilly evening, but they heated up the crowd during set two, coming out to an emotional Box of Rain and playing favorites Not Fade Away and Scarlet Begonias>Fire on the Mountain and China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider. Drums>Space was very experimental on this evening, as drummers Rob Koritz and Dino English had a little fun to the crowds enjoyment. The encore this night was a jazzy, upbeat Peter Rowan classic Midnight Moonlight.
Sunday morning started a little earlier than Saturday, with African Showboyz coming out to the stage at 11am with a percussion and dance-filled set, followed by Northeast Pennsylvania’s bluegrass machine Cabinet. Also held on Sunday morning was a kids parade, where the young and young at heart paraded through the campgrounds. While it is sometimes rare to see a drummer in a bluegrass band, this group has made throngs of fans in the U.S. and beyond with their down-home shows and sounds that go far beyond traditional bluegrass. Highlights of their set included a fiery rendition of Two Dollar Bill and a humorous I’m not Broke but I’m Badly Bent. Vermont based quartet Twiddle took the stage next, followed by Jubilee 2012 veterans The Folkadelics, who recently made a lineup change, merging with Brooklyn, NY based band Watermelon for a band with multiple vocalists, drummers, and guitarists. The Folkadelics brought out DSO keyboardist Rob Barraco to play on stage with his son Tom, who is drummer of this group that combines funk with rock to create a refreshingly unique sound. Next up was another up and coming group, funk Gods Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. This band has received an increasing amount of buzz and has worked especially hard the past year, bringing their funkiness to towns across the northeast.
JGB and Melvin Seals was next up on the stage, and put on one of the more memorable sets of the day, playing many of Jerry Garcia’s favorites while Melvin Seals smiled and waved to fans behind his signature organ. This would be one of the first major festivals JGB would play since the departure of bassist Jimmy Tebeau, who was recently sent to federal prison in South Dakota for actions by others during festivals on his Missouri farm. But JGB seemed to take it in stride, and although Teaubeau stage presence was missed, they didn’t seem to miss a beat. Award winning Cincinnati based bluegrass group Rumpke Mountain Boys were next up, and they did not disappoint. After playing with David Gans on Saturday and playing well into dawn around campfires on the festival grounds, the group still set the stage ablaze with fierce, precise picking they’re known for. Highlights of their set included fan favorite Huck’s Song (Burn One Down) and a beautiful JD Westmoreland penned original Low Me sung with a female vocalist joining the group. Reggae legends The Wailers took the main stage, playing a number of Bob Marley originals including Three Little Birds, which the crowd sang loudly to. Children in the audience really seemed to enjoy The Wailers set, dancing and smiling to the popular songs. Brooklyn, NY based soul funksters Pimps of Joytime fired off a one hour dance fest that kept the crowd moving, followed by the last performance of the weekend for Dark Star Orchestra. This would be a bittersweet performance, as it would be that last festival performance for bassist Kevin Rosen, who would be leaving the group at the end of the month. But for the fans, this would be an amazing set of 1970 and pre-70 era songs, once again chosen by the band instead of choosing a Grateful Dead show. Starting off with a marathon St. Stephen > William Tell Bridge >The Eleven > Cryptical Development >Other One >Cryptical, the highlight of set one for most was an entertaining and funky Alligator. Set Two would fail to disappoint as well, as the group fire off with Good Morning Little Schoolgirl and Dancing in the Street. And they would play the song that many were clamoring to hear, a wonderful Dark Star rendition. The group would finish off the evening and their third four hour performance in as many nights with The Greatest Story Ever Told and a beautiful a capella And We Bid You Good Night. But there was one last group that Ohio fans have been waiting for months to hear, livetronica superband The Werks came out on Sunday evening around 1am and set the Valley aflame with their signature sound. Hands down favorite cover of the evening had to be a tribute to Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek, who recently passed away. The band covered Riders on the Storm for the first time, and segued into Roadhouse Blues. Chris Houser, the Dimitroleas brothers, and Rob Chafin closed out the festival in style and invited the fans out to the same location for their WerkOut Festival in the fall.
The 2nd annual Dark Star Jubilee Music Festival was not weighed down with a lot of activities and workshops, although yoga was offered, but the crowd seemed to enjoy the communal, family friendly spirit of the festival immensely, and the lineup was hard to beat. Although the nights were cold, everyone left with smiles on their faces, stories to share, and friends to meet up with at next year’s Jubilee. Many thanks to the promoters, organizers, artists, vendors and volunteers that made this festival such a success, and a big thanks to all the fans in attendance, who raised over $6,000 in charitable contributions over the weekend, once again showing that WE ARE EVERYWHERE and our community is going strong.
Described as “foot stompin, whiskey spillin, old timey, psychedelic party music”
Recorded in January at Royal Studios in Memphis, TN in January, the self-produced "Moon" is the follow up release to "Trashgrass"
Consisting of Ben Gourley on mandolin, Adam Copeland on acoustic guitar, Jason “Wolfie” Wolf on banjo, and J.D. Westmoreland on upright bass, Rumpke’
The "Moon" release will be available at the bands shows, on Homegrown Music Network, and on I-Tunes in the near future.
CD RELEASE EVENTS
August 9th - Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY
August 10th - Miami Valley Music Fest - Troy, OH
All Good Music Festival made its return to Legend Valley the weekend of July 18th-21st with what has now become an annual star-studded lineup of jamband and EDM favorites. This year was no different, with acts to please any music fans taste, ranging from bluegrass darlings Yonder Mountain String Band and Leftover Salmon, rock idol Les Claypool with Primus, to EDM powerhouse Pretty Lights with jamtronica masterminds The Werks and STS9 rounding out just some of the top acts. But the highlight for many of the estimated 16,000+ music fanatics in attendance was Furthur's appearance Saturday night, featuring original Grateful Dead bandmates Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. And based on the smiles, tears, and sheer joy on the faces of everyone you glanced out, Furthur did not disappoint.
The festival kicked off Thursday afternoon as thousands of campers, cars, and tents popped up in the fields surrounding the concert area. As was the case in the previous year, general camping was back to front, so the festivarians who showed up early were directed to gate one, farthest from the concert bowl; however, these campsites were close to many vendors, food and amenities, including the grassroots stage, where a lot of the late night and early day sets were played. Legend Valley, also known to many as Buckeye Lake Music Center, is considered hallowed ground to many, as the Grateful Dead played a number of shows there. The rolling hills makes the terrain slightly hilly but the temporary roads were set up so it was easy to navigate, and there were plenty of options for camping in the more shaded wooded area if you carried your gear a short distance. There were also plenty of VIP options that you could upgrade to for premium camping within 100 yards of the camping area, "glamping" with private restrooms, showers and other amenities. All Good's appeal is that with two stages set up side by side, there are no overlapping sets, so whether you're a lawn dweller, where you can dig your toes in the grass and hoop with ample room, a hammock hermit, curling up in the pine trees overlooking the action, or raging up front and center with your crazy group of friends in the gravel, you won't miss a "must-see" moment. And with the lineup assembled this year, there were plenty of those over the weekend.
Thursday's music started with John Scofield's groove/funk project John Scofield's Uberjam Band and Toubab Krewe, the Asheville-based instrumental group with African influences. But the crowd loaded up the gravel lot in front of the main stage for Athens, OH's own Papadosio, building with intensity as they made their first appearance on the Dragon stage at All Good a memorable one, kicking off with "New Love" and "Cloud Found." Each selection brought smiles, hugs, and shouts of joy from the fans of this high energy livetronica group. They played an exceptional "Paradigm Shift" that brought down the house, then closed with "The Eyes Have Eyes" a song they played at All Good in 2011. Dance-heavy funk outfit Lettuce returned to All Good for the second straight year and threw down an impressive set that included fan favorite "Blast Off" and an especially funked out "Makin My Way Back Home", both from their Rage album.
Yonder Mountain String Band followed on the main stage shortly after 11pm, as the heat was beginning to dissipate from the scorched ground. But Jeff Austin and the boys fired through an impressive 17 song set with an encore that many were thrilled to hear - "Two Hits and the Joint Turned Brown>Bolton Stretch." To finish off the first night of All Good 2013, Tribal Fusion performing arts trio Beats Antique brought their unique style to the late night All Good crowd with a visually stimulating performance that mixed the art of dance with heavy beats and sampling, closing out a near perfect night.
Friday morning got off to an early start on the grassroots stage, which was near gate one outside the main concert area, with northeast Pennsylvania bluegrass group Cabinet, who put on a fantastic show for the many fans rolling out of their tents to the early morning call of bluegrass music. As their set continued, the size of the crowd increased - this group can hold your attention even at 9:30am. This would be a challenging day for everyone, as after catching the amazing band Kung Fu's set in the early afternoon, during Bright Light Social Hour's set, a storm blew in. It was announced that everyone should head back to their sites, and BLSH's performance was cut short. With safety being paramount at these type of events, the staff did a great job during a hectic time making sure the thousands in attendance were away from harm. The first band to take the stage after the storm had cleared, leaving cooler temperatures and muddy shoes in it's wake, was Dark Star Orchestra, who had to perform an acoustic set under difficult circumstances. After a few struggles with the sound, DSO and the crew was able to pull everything together to fans coming back into the concert bowl. Psychedelic soul band The Stepkids came out to the second stage dressed in matching outfits, bringing dancers out of their mud haze while the sun came back out.
Friday afternoon's shower was ancient history by the time Colorado bluegrass-party band Leftover Salmon took the stage. Vince Herman, Andy Thorn and Drew Emmitt bring energy and flair to the table every time they take the stage, and today would be no exception. Dozens of beach balls were tossed about the crowd as the jamgrass icons played old time crowd pleasers such as "Zombie Jamboree" and newer favorites like "Gulf of Mexico" and "Sing up to the Moon." Featured festival musician Roosevelt Collier also joined them on stage with the steel guitar, adding a unique touch to the bands set. Portland, OR's Nahko and Medicine for the People proved to be the most inspirational set of the evening, throwing out amazingly positive vibes that seemed to transform to the crowd and back, a constant exchange of positive energy flowing through the All Good crowd and back to the group that left some in tears and many walking away with a newfound appreciation for this much talked about up and coming group. Australian group John Butler Trio followed Nahko Bear's Medicine with another high-energy set, leaving many in the crowd winded from dancing - Butler's vocals and fret work were astounding, and the sound put out from this three-piece band rivals many full bands. EDM band Digital Tape Machine took over from there, a project with Umphrey McGee's Kris Myers and Joel Cummings which Cummings once described as a "progressive video game dance party." The bass flowing through the grounds could be felt as the band played a set that was dance heavy and improvisational at the same time. But the energy was building for the next bands to hit the stage.
With the stage set up consisting of two spacemen and a large screen, Primus took the Dragon stage to a large roar. Bassist/Vocalist Les Claypool, the master of the slap/pop on the bass, has a commanding stage presence, purposefully marching in circles around the stage in between lyrics and stopping in between songs to entertain the audience. At one point he explained that if they do their job, they will "entertain the sh*t out of you. So if we put on a good show, there will be feces all over the place," and challenging guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde to make up for the fact that Warren Haynes was not appearing on the lineup. Primus' show was both visually and musically stimulating, and it doesn't seem that they've missed a beat, playing favorites such as "Jerry was a Race Car Driver," "My Name is Mud" and "Tommy the Cat." Following Primus' amazing set was The Bridge, a great band hailing from Baltimore that did a fantastic job bridging the gap between Primus and Sound Tribe Sector 9. STS9, in my opinion, had the best visual/light setup of the weekend with musical ability to match. Even at such a late hour, the lawn was packed with people hooping, dancing, and recovering from the day while enjoying the mind melting set from STS9. As the day ended, the grassroots stage heated up with 2012 All Good alumni Moon Hooch, who packed the late night crowd in the campground. Amazing that two brass players and a drummer can create such a dance party.
By Saturday, many more fans were making their way to the grounds especially to see Furthur; however, the morning started out with torrential rains soaking the grounds. As most people huddled in their tents, many of us recovered from the previous night, regrettably missing some of the mornings performers like Fruition and March Fourth Marching Band, but UV Hippopotamus and Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue provided a nice start to the day. The evening really got off to an amazing start when Grace Potter and the Nocturnals took the stage. Potter is simply angelic, with a voice and stage presence that will leave you with goosebumps. For many, though, the highlight of her set was when Bob Weir joined them for a beautiful rendition of "Friend of the Devil". Just the look on guitarist Scott Tournet's face was worth the price of admission, as he stood there in awe that he was sharing the stage with Weir. Following Potter's set was Infamous Stringdusters, a band that always seems to deliver. Andy Falco, Andy Hall and Chris Pandolfi traded licks back and forth with fiery precision while the crowd cheered them on. All building up to the band many had been waiting all day to see while watching the clouds and weather forecast - Furthur.
Introduced by former road manager Sam Cutler, Furthur came out to a packed crowd, with seemingly every person in attendance facing the stage, waiting for the first note to strike. "Dancin' in the Streets" led off, and the band was sounding tight, starting to hit a groove - they segued into "Don't Ease Me In", and Bobby flubbed the lines a bit during the second verse, something that the crowd appreciates more than disapproves of. But guitarist John Kadlecik stepped up to the plate and finished off the song with ferocity. Other first set highlights were a proper "Mississippi Half Step > Uncle John's Band" and "Good Lovin'" finishing off the first set with Infamous Stringdusters' Andy Falco adding a nice touch to the band's sound.
The excitement built during set break, and as soon as the second set started with "Feel Like a Stranger", the venue exploded into dance happy patrons with wide grins. The middle of the second set was semi uneventful with a "Dark Star", a bouncy "Saint Stephen" and a nice "Stella Blue", but the highlight of the second set had to be the closer, with Grace Potter joining Furthur on stage for "Turn on your Love Light". Everyone around me exploded as Grace Potter's energy and vocals made many people instant fans. Coming out for an encore, Furthur played an emotional "Brokedown Palace" to an extremely appreciative crowd, leaving many in tears. Having the chance to hear Bob Weir sing songs written by and traditionally performed by Jerry Garcia was quite a treat, and many recognized this.
Following Furthur's set was Ohio livetronica supergroup The Werks. Performing after Furthur could be both a blessing and a curse, but The Werks are always up for a challenge, and they delivered once more. As the fireworks went off above, the Werks launched into their high energy hit "Duck Farm> Fat Man". With the crowd hooked, drummer/vocalist Rob Chafin proceeded to melt faces with the Lennon/McCartney hit "With a Little Help from My Friends," a song they had never performed live. Guitarist Chris Houser, keyboardist Norman Dimitrouleas and bassist Dino Dimitrouleas have been gaining fans by the throngs the last few years with their unique sound that continues to evolve. After The Werks, Pretty Lights finished off the night with a visual smorgasbord of lights, lasers, and stage equipment, and kept the people dancing far into the night. For those who wanted to keep the last full night of All Good going, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and Founding Fathers held down the grassroots stage well into dawn.
As the sun came up over Legend Valley on Sunday, many campers packed up and called it a weekend, weary from dancing into the night and a bit muddy from the rains. But a surprising number stayed behind to catch another half day of great music, with The Revivalists, March Fourth Marching Band, The Ragbirds and North Mississippi AllStars rounding out the start of a new day. To complete the great weekend of music, New Orleans, LA based Soul Rebels cooled off the crowd with water cannons and came with gift bags to toss into the crowd. The horn section for these guys are simply gifted, and they bring a lot of energy to the stage. Sunday's headliner was Keller Williams with The Travelin' McCourys, and the crowd that stuck around was glad they did. Keller has a lot of different styles, but seeing him with the McCoury's is my personal favorite. He played a lot of classic Keller songs including "Freaker by the Speaker" and a great version of "Women are Smarter" that had all the ladies in attendance smiling.
And as the final day closed on All Good Music Festival, many people decided that it was just too difficult to part ways with the weekend, and extended their stay into Monday. And like all of the previous All Good Music Festivals, everyone went home with memories to share, stories to tell, new bands to listen to, and a whole group of new friends to run into next year.
Check out more photos from All Good Festival 2013.
Jamgrass favorites Rumpke Mountain Boys have announced a 2013 fall tour with very special guests David Gans (host of Grateful Dead Hour) and Elliot Humphries & Be The Moon appearing in select cities. The tour kicks off with Gans at the award winning quartet's home base - Stanley's Pub in Cincinnati, OH - on Tuesday, November 12th and includes stops in Columbus, OH, Morgantown, WV and Lexington, KY before performing at The Bluebird in Bloomington, IN on Saturday, Nov. 16th at The Bluegrass Ball, where Gans and RMB will share the stage with The Travelin' McCourys w Bill Nershi, The New Old Calvary and White Lightning Boys.
The second leg of the tour features a special run through North Carolina with Elliot Humphries & Be The Moon, where Rumpke Mountain Boys will be making their debut in a number of cities. The run kicks off with all three acts (Gans, Elliot Humphries & Be The Moon and RMB) on Monday, November 18th in Charlotte, NC at Roux!(at Boudreaux's) NoDa, followed by stops in Winston-Salem, Raleigh, and the famous Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain, NC on Thursday Nov. 21st. The tour moves to Wilmington, NC for a RMB only show on Friday, Nov. 22nd before concluding Saturday, Nov. 23rd with Elliot Humphries & Be the Moon at a brand new venue, Billsborough Live Music Hall. (Gans will not be appearing on 22nd and 23rd).
Rumpke Mountain Boys are coming off another wildly successful festival season, where the quartet performed at major venues across the east and midwest in support of their much anticipated new album Moon. The band recently hosted their annual festival - Snugglefest 2013 - in the mountains of West Virginia and continues to be a fan favorite in the jam scene.
RUMPKE MOUNTAIN BOYS FALL TOUR - 2013
11/12 - Stanley's Pub - Cincinnati, OH - w/ David Gans
11/13 - Woodlands Tavern - Columbus, OH - w/ Gans
11/14 - 123 Pleasant St. - Morgantown, WV - w/ Gans
11/15 - Willie's Locally Known - Lexington, KY - w/ Gans
11/16 - The Bluebird - Bloomington, IN - The Bluegrass Ball featuring
The Travelin' McCourys w/ Bill Nershi, Rumpke Mountain Boys w/ David
Gans, The New Old Cavalry and The White Lightning Boys
11/18 - Roux!(at Boudreaux's) NoDa - Charlotte, NC - w/ Gans and
Elliot Humphries and Be The Moon
11/19 - Ziggy's - Winston-Salem, NC - w/ Gans and Elliot Humphries and
Be The Moon
11/20 - The Pour House Music Hall - Raleigh, NC - w/ Gans and Elliot
Humphries and Be The Moon
11/21 - Pisgah Brewing Company - Black Mountain, NC - w/ Gans and
Elliot Humphries and Be The Moon
11/22 - Orton's - Wilmington, NC - Rumpke Mountain Boys only
11/23 - Billsborough Live Music Hall - Hillsborough, NC - w/ Elliot
Humphries and Be The Moon
For additional information regarding Rumpke Mountain Boys, go to rumpkemountainboys.com
For additional information regarding David Gans, go to trufun.com
The Joe Marcinek Band (JMB) is proud to announce a series of midwest dates with special guests Allie Kral (formerly of Cornmeal), Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band) and Joe Hettinga (Strange Arrangement and Digital Tape Machine) with shows at Bells Brewery in Kalamazoo, MI on May 29th, The Mousetrap in Indianapolis, IN on 5/30, culminating with a free show at The Ale House Pub in Bradley, IN on 5/31.
Joe Marcinek Band is an ever evolving mixture of original compositions and incredible musicians. Each show has a slightly different lineup and interpretation. Fiddle player Allie Kral, who performed internationally with bluegrass band Cornmeal from 2003 to 2013 joins Marcinek and his bandmates for this run of shows along with Trombonist/Vocalist Natalie Cressman, a member of jazz/rock group Trey Anastasio Band, a side project of the band Phish, and Joe Hettinga of electronic act Digital Tape Machine and Strange Arrangement.
Guitarist/Founding Member Marcinek, who also plays keyboard for the band Fresh Hops, states. " this run is exciting - we're taking different genres - bluegrass, electronica, rock, jazz and funk and fusing it into a sort of melting pot of music. Each show is an experience like no other."
Also joing Marcinek are Janis Wallin (Bass), Pete Koopmans (Drums) and Rob Dixon (Saxophone).
Don't miss this exciting lineup!
Thursday, May 29th - Bell's Brewery - Kalamazoo, MI - Joe Marcinek Band w/ Allie Kral (formerly of Cornmeal), Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band), and Joe Hettinga (Digital Tape Machine/Strange Arrangement)
Friday, May 30th - The Mousetrap - Indianapolis, IN - Indy Mojo Presents: Joe Marcinek Band w/ Allie Kral ( formerly of Cornmeal), Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastastio Band) and Joe Hettinga (Digital Tape Machine/Strange Arrangement)
Saturday, May 31st - Ale House Pub - Bradley, IL - Joe Marcinek Band w/ Allie Kral ( formerly of Cornmeal), Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastastio Band) and Joe Hettinga (Digital Tape Machine/Strange Arrangement)
