NYS Music 20​12

Tag: putnam den

  • Winter Blues with Murali Coryell at Putnam Den, December 20th

    The week leading up to December 21st had social media buzzing with the Mayan Apocalypse, end of the world cartoons, and doomsday quotes.  On Wednesday, through the post after post of pointless dribble, something useful was actually posted.  Putnam Den announced on their Facebook page an impromptu performance of blues guitarist Murali Coryell the very next day.  It wasn’t much advance notice, but having Murali coming up from Woodstock was something that was not going to miss.
    Before the show we were able to sit down with Murali to talk about his roots: the roots laid before him with having Larry Coryell, a bonafide jazz legend, for a father, and the roots he was laying with his two sons, ages 11 and 9.
    Murali held a guitar before he could walk, but he took piano lessons when he was very young and his first instrument he got into was the drums.  He said that the drums were key to laying  a good foundation that led to other things, like guitar.  When he discovered BB King he switched to the blues and the rest was history, having opened up many times for BB King and other legends like Pinetop Perkins.
    According to Murali, the blues are the roots of all American music.  It’s not just one thing, it is many different styles.  It’s something that keeps moving and evolving with the times.  Just listening to Murali’s album, 2120 (1999), off the famous Chess Records label, and comparing it to his newest work, Live (2012), off his own label Shake It Sugar Records, the evolution is evident.
    Murali comes from a musical family; his father Larry is a jazz legend and his brother Julian is playing guitar for Alanis Morissette.  Murali waited to play guitar in his youth; “You can either rebel against it or go with it.  When your legacy is something that is so accomplished and famous it is intimidating, but eventually the music catches up to you if you love it enough.”  Murali didn’t initially get his guitar lessons from his father though.  His dad sent him to someone else, and when Murali was good enough to play with Larry and Julian, they came back together.  In 2000, the three of them played together as The Coryells and did an acoustic album.  Larry and Murali will be doing a weekend in late March at the Blue Note in NYC, with the possibility of Julian joining them.
    Murali is passing on his musical gifts to his sons.  Charlie, 11, plays trumpet and when Murali spoke about listening to him practice and play with his friends, he beamed with pride.  “Music is a gift to everybody and it is supposed to live and grow.  But that’s the thing with the blues.  People think of it as an older genre, but I do contemporary blues and let myself be influenced by jazz, funk, soul, and even rock and roll.”  His 9 year old is starting out the same way Murali did, playing percussion.  When he gets tired of practicing, and rebels like kids do, Murali steps up and reminds him of his roots and what’s in his blood.  “You can be whatever you are going to be, whatever you want.  But this is part of your heart, your family and something you enjoy.”
    When asked about the music industry moving toward the Internet, Murali is quick to embrace it.  “The record industry is changing.  You learn how to be independent.  I get paid; I have a channel on Pandora and I’m on Spotify and you sign up to make yourself available.  You may only be getting paid one cent but it adds up.  If people like it, they can buy it on iTunes.  If they go see you live, they still end up buying it.  It builds your fan base.”
    For Murali, playing the Putnam Den was cosmic.  A late cancellation led the club’s owners to call promoter Bob Millis to see if he could find a last minute fill in.  Instead of calling local talent, he reached out to the Woodstock area and called on a favor from his friend, Murali.  Murali’s music had other ties to the Putnam Den as well.  Owners Tiffany and Jonathan Albert listened to Murali when they were dating, went to see him live in NYC when Jonathan proposed and even danced to Murali’s music at their wedding.  So, the night was magical before a single note was strummed.
    When the music started… those in attendance didn’t want it to end.   was lucky enough to record the show (with permission) and post a few songs here.  So, next time Murali Coryell is in your town, be sure to go, because the future of the blues is now.
  • Rustic Overtones at the Putnam Den, November 16th

    Rustic Overtones at the Putnam Den, November 16th

    The Rustic Overtones returned to the Putnam Den in Saratoga last Friday, having played in Upstate New York fairly regularly since reuniting five years ago. I’ve seen them here at the Den before and also in Troy at Revolution Hall and in Albany at Jillian’s and every show is better than the last. I started listening to Rustic when I was attending college in Boston in the mid ’90s.  Always up for a show, some friends invited me to go see one of their favorite bands and right away I was hooked.  The band had great energy, they played hard, they liked Jager shots and their fans knew the words to all their songs.

    It’s great to see this band still playing, with Dave Gutter a phenomenal songwriter and frontman. Rustic songs cover a wide range of sounds, from bubbly melodic pop to heavy distorted rock, with a good dose of funk, jazz and occasional psychedelic trippyness.  The lyrics are catchy and clever but also honest as Dave projects the emotions in the songs onstage.

    After an opening set by Stone Revival Band, Rustic took the stage right around midnight and played for almost 90 minutes before taking a short break and coming back for a two-song encore. The solid set consisted of material from their most recent releases: 2009’s New Way Out and this year’s EP Let’s Start A Cult and their 2001 major label record Viva Nueva.

    There were quite a few memorable moments for me at this show.  I was getting a beer at the bar when “Iron Boots” started and the fan next to me was telling his friend “this is probably their best song”. That brought back memories of my friends taking me to see my first Rustic show, the first show I had seen with a Morphine cover, which was an unexpected surprise. “Rock Like War” prompted a fan at the front of the stage to show Dave the tattoo on her chest of the the lyrics in his handwriting.  He joked that she could have fit the whole song.” Going Out With A Bang” from the new EP was a great song to close the show with it’s refrain of “you’ll never be alone again because we are your friend”.

    Read an interview with Rustic Overtones’ saxophone player Ryan Zoidis

    Setlist:  All Together Now, Let’s Start a Cult, Hardest Way Possible, Iron Boots, Honey White, Common Cold, Rock Like War, I Like It Low, Troublesome, Crash Landing, Gas On Skin, C’mon, Oxygen, Carsick > Combustible

    Encore: Downside Of Looking Up, Going Out With A Bang

  • An Interview with Ryan Zoidis of The Rustic Overtones

    An Interview with Ryan Zoidis of The Rustic Overtones

    The Rustic Overtones take a swing through Upstate NY this weekend with a stop a the Putnam Den with special guest Stone Revival Band on Friday, November 16th at 9pm and the next night at Foodstock V at The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie, NY at 5:30pm. Saxophone player Ryan Zoidis caught up with Pete Mason after this weekend’s Bear Creek Music Festival  and discussed his role in The Rustic Overtones, Lettuce and his affinity for Upstate New York.

    Ryan ZoidisPete Mason: Playing saxophone in Rustic Overtones and Lettuce, how did you get started out with each band?

    Ryan Zoidis: I met the Lettuce cats in 1992 at the Berklee College of Music five-week summer program. I met Eric Krasno in an ensemble we were assigned to then met the rest of the guys shortly after. We all wanted to play funk music and that’s exactly what we did. We ended up meeting up after high school when we all went to Berklee and lived in the same dorm. We used to jam till 5am regularly and we started playing parties at different college dorms. Most of us left Berklee after about a year but some stuck around. A few of the guys were in a band called Fat Bag that was a great live hip hop group and they started touring a bit, so that put a damper on Lettuce.

    Meanwhile, I left school, moved back to Maine to regroup and find a gig when my good friend Tony Mcnaboe asked if I wanted to play in Rustic. I went to a rehearsal and it went well, although I didn’t love the music initially.

    My first show was in Orono, Maine at Geddy’s . The place was jam packed, the crowd was singing the lyrics, Gutter was a star. That’s when I realized I wanted to play music that appealed to the masses, and Rustic was really special. Shortly after I joined we got signed by Clive Davis and the rest is history.

    Pete: Bear Creek was a collaboration fest this past weekend. What makes the climate of fests like Bear Creek so conducive to collaboration with other musicians?

    Ryan: Our friend Paul Levine started Bear Creek because he wanted to do a funk festival. He booked his favorite bands Lettuce, Dumpstaphunk, The New Mastersounds, etc… We have done some great collaborations that weren’t necessarily planned, they just happened.

    Pete: What was your musical highlight of Bear Creek?

    Ryan: The Friday night Lettuce set was on fire!

    Pete: The Rustic Overtones took a hiatus before reuniting in 2007; how has the balance of being in two acts been a challenge in recent years?

    Ryan: Well, I’m doing this for a living. I really need to stay busy to make it work. Lettuce has never been a hard touring band, only 30 shows a year max. Since Rustic got back together we only do 60-70 a year. It’s challenging sometimes schedule wise and it’s tough to have to choose between the two. I also started a reggae band called Royal Hammer with Dave Noyes, Gary and Mike from Rustic. Our first album will be out this winter. We want to get that out on the road too.

    Pete: How do you like Upstate New York, having played festivals and venues here for many years?

    Ryan: Upstate’s always been really good to Rustic. We had some crushing shows at Revolution Hall, which was our favorite venue. WEQX, a radio station here plays us, so that helps. Putnam Den is awesome and they treat us great; Castaways in Ithaca is cool too. There’s a lot of good spots, kids who like to check out music. Getting stoked for the weekend Upstate!

    For more info check out therusticovertones.com

  • JGB with Melvin Seals at Putnam Den, October 20th

    After catching JGB with Melvin Seals at the Catskill Chill festival this year, I was not missing their show at the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs on Saturday. Melvin Seals, one of the original Jerry Garcia Band members, leads the band JGB and together they play tribute to Jerry Garcia, playing his music around the country. I arrived to the venue to find the outside porch area lined with tables of people selling art pieces, pins and shirts, very similar to a shakedown scene you would find on any Phish lot or Deadhead scene.

    A man with long dreads stepped on stage and started strumming a guitar, which at first I assumed he was doing a sound check but it turned out to be Jimmy Tebeau. The soft and familiar guitar melodies beckoned the crowd outside to the dance floor like mice to the Pied Piper and caused a gentle group sing along. Tebeau’s voice had everyone swaying to the music and energizing for the big band noise that was soon to come. Jimmy played some of my favorites like “Sugar Magnolia” into “Scarlet Begonias” into “Sunshine Daydream”.

    After a quick set break, the entire JGB took the stage and the venue was packed. The band opened the night with “Cats Under the Stars”, the perfect song to wake up the audience and get grooving. The two female singers were incredible with their angelic harmonies, I couldn’t get enough. Melvin Seals is a true sight to be seen on his organ, I was in awe of his powerful key playing. The music melted over the crowd and everyone rejoiced. The familiar songs played with a rock and roll, gospel flair was guaranteed salvation from whatever the outside world had brought down on you. The entire night was rejuvenating.

    My favorite song of the evening was “I Saw Her Standing There” when the band slowed down the tempo and you could really feel every note, it was a great build up. The JGB ended the night with a classic “One More Saturday Night” encore that shook the venue with a funky vibe that couldn’t be stopped.

    JGB with Melvin Seals will end their East Coast touring in Fairfield, CT after playing at the Brooklyn Bowl on the 26th and 27th. They are set to play a 4 night run in Denver, CO for New Year’s Eve. For more information about touring, go to their website or like them on Facebook.

    Setlist:
    Set 1 (Jimmy Solo Acoustic) : Walkin’ Blues, Jack Straw>Box of Rain, Cumberland Blues>Maggie’s Farm>Cumberland reprise, New Speedway Boogie>Other One>New Speedway Boogie>Goin’ Down the Road, Looks Like Rain>Women Are Smarter, Ripple, Sugar Magnolia>Scarlet Begonias>Sunshine Daydream

    Set 2 : Cats Under the Stars>And It Stoned Me, Evageline, I’ll Take a Melody, I Saw Her Standing There, Who Was John>After Midnight

    Set 3 : Stop That Train>I Want to Tell You, Sitting In Limbo>Don’t Let Go>Waiting for a Miracle, I’ll Be With Thee>Breadbox

    Encore : One More Saturday Night

  • Blues Traveler Rocks the Den

    Blues Traveler Rocks the Den

    Saratoga Springs was in for a treat this past Monday night as Blues Traveler played their smallest, and most northern date of a tour in support of their new release Suzie Cracks the Whip. The Putnam Den was packed tightly, more than ever before, with an eager crowd of all ages rapt with attention to John Popper as guitarist Chan Kinchla took control of the stage and drove the band through a fast paced two hours.

    blues traveler putnam

    Opening up with “All Things Are Possible” and “Nobody Fall in Love with Me”, two tracks off Suzie, the audience adjusted the to new music and kept their ears peeled for the hits that were forthcoming. Surprisingly, for a few at least, the band broke into Sublime’s “What I Got”, which has found new life in an appropriate band, Popper mastering the vocals on this 90s number. Bassist Tad Kinchla broke down the ending of the song while Popper took a water break on this extended jam and refreshed his whistle. “Love and Greed” off their third album and the classic “But Anyway” followed with songs from the new album mixed in. “Savings Grace” -> “Run Around” provided the longest jam and segue of the night (see video below), highlighting the keys work of Ben Wilson.

    “The Devil Went Down to (Saratoga)” stirred the crowd wildly, eliciting screams of joy and fist pumps in step with the drum beat, cheering on yet another apropos cover that allowed Popper’s harmonica skills to shine.  A crowd favorite, “Mountains Win Again”, the ballad off the ever-popular Four was the highlight of the night to this point, Popper not having lost anything from his voice over the years. He responded with toasts to the crowd, again and again – five all during the night, showing appreciation for the adoring crowd. To cap the set, “Hook” was the last hit on the list, providing a crowd sing along with the lyrics that somehow, everyone has been able to master over the years:

    “Suck it in suck it in suck it in if you’re Rin Tin Tin or Anne Boleyn make a desperate move or else you’ll win and then begin to see what you’re doing to me this MTV is not for free it’s so PC it’s killing me so desperately I sing to thee of love sure but also rage and hate and pain and fear of self and I can’t keep these feelings on the shelf I’ve tried well no in fact I lied could be financial suicide but I’ve got too much pride inside to hide or slide I’ll do as I’ll decide and let it ride until I’ve died and only then shall I abide this tide of catchy little tunes of hip three minute ditties I wanna bust all your balloons I wanna burn all of your cities to the ground I’ve found I will not mess around unless I play then hey I will go on all day hear what I say I have a prayer to pray that’s really all this was and when I’m feeling stuck and need a buck I don’t rely on luck because the hook brings you back”

    Popper, cool on stage with his fans and the crowd sweaty and happy caught their breath on a break for the encore, which started out with drumming and another toast “We love you Saratoga! We never come up here enough and we will come up here more!” Popper then dedicated the next song, “Carolina” in honor of the Yankees, after asking for a score on an off night. Wailing guitar and lyrics capped off a perfect night of music from Blues Traveler, bridging the 90s to the present with songs from a bygone era and present day.

    Blues Traveler Setlist: All Things are Possible, Nobody Fall in Love with Me, What I Got, Love and Greed, Can’t Win->But Anyway, Recognize my Friend, Save His Soul->Run Around, Cara Let the Moon, Things are Looking Up, The Devil Went Down to Georgia, Mountains Win Again, You Don’t Have to Love Me, Drums->Hook

    Encore: Carolina

  • Barons in the Attic, Wild Adriatic and Deer Tick at The Putnam Den

    It was my first time at the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs this past Saturday where I saw Barons in the Attic, Wild Adriatic and Deer Tick perform. The venue has a large tented area in front, complete with concession stand and picnic tables. Inside is a huge, wide open room with a long bar on the left, equally as long merch table to your left when you walk in and big stage in the back. I loved all the free space to move around in, with very little view obstruction you can see the stage from anywhere in the room.

    Barons in the Attic started the night off to an eager to party crowd. The four-man band from Albany sends out a reckless abandon attitude as they slammed on their instruments during “Julia”. Showing their somewhat softer side was their song “Purple Underwear”, strong guitar notes and a great build up at the end. The crowd charged up and all starting to thrash about as The Barons egged us on and delivered a rebellious energy of punk rock during “In a Nutshell.” The lyrics are bitter as the boys scream and caused a ruckus during “My Old Soul.” Barons in the Attic can always start a party but they don’t guarantee ending it, to which their fans aren’t complaining. For more information on upcoming shows, merch and free music, go to wearebarons.com.

    Wild Adriatic is an untamed force that flows with such soul, it quickly catches you off guard and sucks you in. The rock and roll group infuses their music with plenty of funky guitar solos and groovy melodies. Shane Gilman on lead guitar has serious range for vocals and can really hit those high notes.  Rich Derbyshire shows no problem of dropping heavy bass notes while Travis Gray shreds on his guitar and keyboard. Mateo Vosganian provides steady beats all night, setting the ultimate dancing rhythm. From the band’s latest album, Lock & Key, they played “Spark” which is just that, a spark that explodes and grows all over the room with sharp guitar riffs and symbols. “Make like a Ghost” sends out a groovy melody that rises and picks you up with soulful harmonies. Wild Adriatic ended the night with their friends from Barons in the Attic, who all participated in their rendition of The Beatles “With a Little Help From my Friends.” Putnam Den was in perfect unison as bands and fans sang for the celebration of the weekend. Wild Adriatic announced their Halloween Show will be with Barons in the Attic at the Bayou in Albany, NY on October 25th.

    Wild Adriatic had this to say about the show, “when we close our set, we like to invite other bands, friends, promoters or anyone on stage to sing with us. It’s just a good time for us, and the crowd seems to enjoy it. We never really plan it.  We just ask people up last minute. Everyone knows the song and we don’t care if its good or not. It’s about fun and fun is why we all got into playing music in the first place!” For more shows and information, go to their website wildadriatic.com

    After way too long of a soundcheck, the crowd exploded once headlining band Deer Tick took the stage and announced, “This is show one of the Deer Tick tour. We’re gonna vandalize all your schools and churches and then pass out on your lawn. But we’re gonna play some songs for you first.” They have a raw sound covered in grunge-ness which surprised me given their “country” music reputation. The music came at me and I couldn’t label it then and I still don’t think I could. Rob Crowell would pound on the keys, sending out organ notes that brought in the “folk” style I was seeking. Ian O’Neil could not be stopped on guitar; fast paced chord progressive gave us the punk fighting spirit. Deer Tick has a fierce stage presence, the artists constantly bouncing on the stage and a mosh pit forms in the crowd. Dennis Ryan kept the drums loud and steady with Chris Ryan on bass.

    During the performance, lead guitarist John McCauley had a solo session with his guitar and the audience. “I’m not a poet, I’m not a clown. I just think these things and write them down.” His heartfelt vocals echoed through the room as the guitar notes gracefully followed. After playing a few new songs such as “Old Lady”, Deer Tick played requests from the fans resulting in massive sing-a-longs. It’s no wonder that Deer Tick has a dedicated fan base, given their broad genre playing skills. Deer Tick gained a lot of fans 2 years ago from their performance at Rest Fest in Albany and gained even more Saturday night. For more information and touring, go to their website, deertickmusic.com

    photos by David Mark Photography

  • Blues Traveler heads to Putnam Den Monday, October 15th

    Blues Traveler heads to Putnam Den Monday, October 15th

    Blues Traveler makes a small room stop in Saratoga Springs next Monday at The Putnam Den. Having long ago graduated from the jam-band underground to mainstream stardom, the iconoclastic combo has consistently stuck to its guns and played by its own rules. For their new release North Hollywood Shootout, the quintet ventured out of their creative comfort zone to explore some adventurous new horizons demonstrating the band’s songwriting while capturing the spirit of their live shows.

    blues traveler putnam“We’re still trying to reconcile the different things we do, and cultivate what we’re individually good at into something that’s bigger than the sum of its parts,” notes front man and harmonica-slinger John Popper. “When we’re all playing and it’s working, it becomes this separate entity, and that’s still the thing that we’re chasing.”

    Blues Traveler released its self-titled debut in the spring of 1990, featuring the hit track “But Anyway”. The album won the group a national audience that continued to grow with the following year’s Travelers and Thieves and the live EP On Tour Forever, and 1993’s Save His Soul. In 1992, Blues Traveler founded the touring H.O.R.D.E. festival, which became an influential outlet for bands associated with the jam scene. 1994’s Four became a quintuple platinum breakthrough for Blues Traveler, spawning the Grammy-winning smash single “Run-Around” and the followup hit “Hook.”

    “It’s unavoidable that if you’re around long enough, you’re gonna fall into ruts,” Popper reflects, adding, “We’ve been in several over the years, but you fight through that and you overcome it. We were little kids when we started, and we approached this like little kids, and I think we’ve held onto that. We’ve made mistakes, but we’ve never allowed ourselves to do anything that we’d be embarrassed about now.”

    “It’s funny, but right now the band is feeling a lot like it did in the early days, when we were just playing for the sake of playing and we were hitting on all cylinders and the communication was fresh and alive. The shows have been really kicking, and the new songs have been going over great.”

    Blues Traveler takes the stage at Putnam Den on Monday October 15th at 9pm, doors open at 8PM. Tickets are $28 in advance. It is recommended you buy tickets through www.PutnamDen.com as there will be limited tickets available at the door.

  • A weekend of Phish at SPAC, July 6-8

    A weekend of Phish at SPAC, July 6-8

    After almost a month of playing what has been hailed as one of their best in over a decade, Phish made a final stop in Saratoga for a truly amazing three night run at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). Fans packed local hotels, Lee’s Campground and the couches and floorspace of friends and family to prepare for the end to a great tour. Phish has had some good tours since they got back (Fall 2010, Summer 09 leg 2, NYE 2010) but as the tour evolved, it became clear that Phish had devoted time and effort into finding that 3.0 sound on a regular basis inside shows, as well as reintroducing an aire of unpredictability to their setlists. Practice and a more focused band generated best-of performances of songs, especially Carini and Sand, plus huge bustouts of songs long shelved, namely Little Feat’s Skin it Back, played for the first time in 24 years at Jones Beach on July 3rd. To both tour vets and new and excitable phans, the shows at SPAC were slated to ring out the tour with a bang.

    phish spac Friday, the venue and sprawling parking lots were filled with fans of all ages, as Phish has become a true family affair, with parents bringing kids and phamily traveling long distances to see each other and enjoy some amazing music along the way.

    The show started with Runaway Jim and progressed through first set crowd favorites before opening up Tube (finally!) for a rare appearance of Talking Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’ which energized the crowd immeasurably. If that wasn’t enough, the organ of Argent’s ‘Hold Your Head Up’ presented us not with Jon Fishman, but Friar Tuck, the running name gag from Fish, derived from his tucking of his dress into his boxers, now in the same pattern as his iconic dress. Tuck brought out a large pair of cymbals which meant ‘Cracklin’ Rosie’, last heard in 1999. The crowd sang loudly with Tuck before he dashed around the stage and bowed over and over again. The rest of the set had Stash, a beautiful Corinna and excellent set closer in Light Up Or Leave Me Alone

    Set 2 charged out the gates with three jam-worthy songs: Chalk Dust Torture > Carini > Sand. By the time the funk had settled, 20+ minutes had elapsed and we were all sweaty. The set continued to roll with Roses Are Free > Punch You In the Eye > Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley -> Ghost > Suzy Greenberg, a set of songs with monster jam potential, capped with Tom Marshall and Steve Pollak onstage for the lyrics to Run Like an Antelope. Loving Cup capped a great show as fans meandered back down to their hotels and latenight plans.

    Featured latenight Wyllys and NY Hustler Ensemble, took Putnam Den by storm, unleashing an energetic and powerful performance. Wyllys tore through albums and sweat bullets as he spun with hardly a break over two hours. Alongside him was Jennifer Hartswick on trumpet, Steve Molitz (Particle) on keys and Derek VanScoten on guitar. Ferocious jams grew from Wyllys’ mixing and generated a dance party of the gorgeous Phish female variety. Anyone who has yet to experience the Hustler Ensemble is missing great dance music and an eclectic combination of musicians blending their sounds together fluidly.

    Saturday brought more of Friday’s heat, as well as NYS Music’s own Tabitha Clancy, who attended her first Phish show that (read Tabitha’s thoughts on the show in italics below).

    The show got off to an interesting start with Grind, a barbershop quartet tune, followed by a well laid out set, including a solid version of Cities->Maze and Peaches en Regalia> Bathtub Gin.

    “I meandered into the thick crowd weaving in and out and around whatever little pathway down the lawn I could find.  So far, in the parking lots, at the concessions, and on the lawn, everyone was jovial, pleasant, courteous and generous.  No sooner did I take my spot on the lawn, a four part vocal harmony broke out yonder.  Phish began a cappella and the entire crowd was at attention.  Another misconception was now proven wrong.  I always thought the Phish scene was for the drugs, not the music.  I was wrong, dead wrong.  These people loved their music first and foremost.  As the sun began to set, Phish and their fans were inching their way into my heart.”

    The second set started with a bang, sandwiching the rarely played cover (last time in 1998) Blister in the Sun in between two parts of Down with Disease, which segued seamlessly into Boogie on Reggae Woman, TV on the Radio’s Golden Age and 2001, making for nearly an hour of jams and dancing for the eager crowd.

    “Going into this not knowing any songs, it would be unfair of me to attempt any sort of set list review.  I can say this, I was immediately impressed with Page McConnell.  He had all his various keyboard equipment under his command at every moment.  He was boxed in but it was as though he only had to wave a finger on an ivory press, and bam”

    A trio of songs for the weary to rest their feet and bodies followed: Backwards Down the Number Line> Prince Caspian-> Scent of a Mule, the latter with one of many Blister teases. A Mike’s Groove sandwiching Contact in between wrapped up the set, but not the show, as a tribute to fallen Beastie Boy MCA was in order, with a fired up crowd responding to the classic ‘Sabotage’

    “All the musicians looked as though they were up there to do what they love.  I saw lots of smiles on stage.  The crowd added to the experience as well, they too are as much a part of the show as the music. And they know their cues.  For example, during “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” on the last peak in each instrumental chorus, the entire audience tossed up their glow sticks.”

    The crowd left knowing there was only one more day for more Phish magic, one more day of bustouts and Type II jamming that defies explanation to non-phans; this is part of the power of Phish, where you can rage a show proper but explain it to a friend? Quite difficult.

    “Much of what my assumptions were, have been proven wrong.  I enjoyed Phish at what has become their hometown turf.  I am doubtful I will become a die-hard follower, but I would definitely see them again nearby.  Overall, I was happy to be a part of what amounts to be an experience – one that everyone should have at least once.”

    Once out of the venue and headed to downtown Saratoga, Putnam Den held a sold-out show with Dead Sessions, Vermont’s premiere Grateful Dead tribute band. The show doubled as a celebration of The Waterwheel Foundation’s 15th anniversary and a portion of ticket sales benefitted their work to keep Lake Champlain clean. Seth Yacavone, a gifted guitarist, took the lead on many vocals, notably Cold Rain and Snow, Alabama Getaway and Half-Step. Vocalist Christina Durfee added radiant harmony and danced onstage to the music, mirroring the full house. Post-shows are designed for the latenight revelers and unfulfilled dancers, both of which made Putnam Den and easy hot ticket this early Sunday Morning.

    And now it was upon us: the end of tour. Sometimes bittersweet, sometimes long sought, the final show of this 19 show tour had fans on the edge of their seats, with a great number of songs possible and excitement teething from the lots to the pit.

    Sunday Funkday began with AC/DC Bag > My Soul followed by Camel Walk. Sample in a Jar gave the crowd a breath before Wilson segued into Party Time. A rare and soft Driver followed Gumbo and Nellie Kane, landing into Foam. If I Could provided a soft interlude for couples and fans of this now-rare song off 1994’s Hoist and the one two punch of Split Open and Melt > La Grange (ZZ Top) got the crowd down and dirty, along with a smattering of “FUCK YEAH!’s” from the crowd when La Grange appeared for the first time in over 300 shows.

    First-timer and Niskayuna resident Reece Taylor shared his take on his show experience (in italics below).:

    “Seeing the band on stage was amazing. The five string bass laid down some groove work and Trey sung with his guitar. It was a first, watching band members bounce on a trampoline while still playing instruments or at all for that matter. The band sounds almost prog rock but showed they have many other influences. The cool crowd had a laid back persona for the most part”

    Set 2 brought the heat and spacey jamming inside and out of numerous songs. Opening with Axilla > Light > Twist was a “we’re not done just yet” statement, segueing into every song and not stopping till David Bowie said so. A unique version of Kill Devil Falls > My Friend, My Friend was cooled down with the rare Swept Away > Steep which moved peacefully into Piper, a competitor for best SPAC Piper yet, rivaling 2004’s version. From there, Free moved into a spooky Kung, a stellar Harry Hood,  Cavern and David Bowie to cap things. Returning to the stage for the encore, Page gave thanks to the fans and their crew for the support and love this tour, and the band dipped into You Enjoy Myself, only the second version this tour of their most-played song. The crowd went nuts for much of the song’s 20 minutes, rising high to the occasion during the peaks and lyrics “Boy. Man. God. Shit.” letting their energy pour that one last drop to end the show.

    The three nights of Phish at SPAC proved to be a highlight run of the tour, although the level at which Phish is playing these days, fans will debate the best show of Summer 2012 for quite sometime. This is due in part to a ‘something for everyone’ quality to the shows, as well as Phish fans willing to debate all aspects of the band, ad nauseum. All the bustouts of rarely played songs have added to anticipation among fans, because the best thing about all the bustouts is that they are ALL in play now. Expect the unexpected at Phish and don’t miss them next time they roll into town, its worth it every single time.

    Photos by Andy Hill for NYS Music

    [slideshow]

  • Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds at The Putnam Den

    Arleigh Kincheloe and her band of eight Dirty Birds returned to The Putnam Den on Friday the 13th after a successful Kickstarter campaign for a new tour bus, which was parked on display outside, new digs for a band that has grown immensely in the past three years. Having seen them for the first time in late 2010, they stole the show, opening for The Radiators and continued to spread their wings and tour coast to coast, garnering a following in the process. With steady stage presence by Arleigh and tighter grooves, the band played songs old and new, including tunes from their new album Pound of Dirt, notably ‘Too Much’ with harmonica from Jackson Kincheloe sounded more Popper than Musselwhite while having a kind similarity to the Stones’ Heartbreaker.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7cCPMnvksY]

    Covers of Fat Bottom Girls and Cripple Creek were incredible (with a pseudo Saratoga reference of bets of win and show) but the highlight was Dirt, the album’s title song. Arleigh sang with the Southern (not-Scott) Joplin-esque funk with early Grace Potter vocals and the grittyness of Aguilera. The encore of Vices is always welcome, bringing with it a beat akin to Blondie’s The Tide is High. The night even attracted a full wedding party who got into the show before their (sigh) local DJ played till 4am.

    After the show, Arleigh commented the growth of the Sister Sparrow crowd upstate over the past couple years. “It seems like the crowd grows significantly each time we play upstate. It’s sweet they came to see us and are singing along in the back, it’s kinda wonderful. It feels like home, coming from Brooklyn, and we like New York.” Their summer is quite busy with trips to New Orleans Jazz Fest, Summercamp, Mountain Jam, Bonnaroo (twice), Teullride Jazz Fest and many more plus a western tour slotted fro July. In their new van, they can see the country in style and fan out across the country, blending funk and soul with amazing vocals.