NYS Music 20​13

Category: Show Reviews

  • Jam Cruise 11 – Setting Sail on one of the Great Music Festival Experiences, Part 1

    I have known about Jam Cruisesince the first two set sail in January of 2004, and always hoped I would be able to go on one. Just one, that’s all I wanted, because when I’m not seeing live music, I’m a teacher, and taking a week off at the start of January is next to impossible, as any teacher will tell you. Even without a teaching job, I wouldn’t be able to afford Jam Cruise 11, so I was in a perpetual Catch-22, the elusive floating festival always out of grasp.

    That was, until last year when the teaching market looked bleak and I said “Screw it. I’ll put the deposit down and see what happens job-wise.” With my friends Jason and Chris, we planned to book a cabin for three and all enjoy our first Jam Cruise together. Deposit is required early in the year for a better choice of room, plus installments needed to be paid on time in July and September, making this far from a last minute ‘”WooHoo! I got off work!” festival’ – you invest time and effort into Jam Cruise and plan well in advance. People are already planning their Jam Cruise 12 experience for next January, and that is far from an exaggeration. Having paid for Jam Cruise 11 and looking forward to it with every lineup announcement, activities announcement and details about theme nights coming in every few weeks, I was set on going and looked forward to this festival daily.

    I had heard stories from past Jam Cruises – the musical acts, the musical collaboration, the all night music, the costumes, the tracksuits, the Pool Deck sets, the Jam Room, the Disco, the off shore excursions… and frankly, I was tired of hearing about it. I needed to live this. So when I got hired as a special education teacher in November, it was bittersweet. Would I have to sell my spot to someone? Would I ever wind up on the boat? Fortunately, I had understanding new employers who knew that paying for a (non-descript) trip in January well in advance meant I needed those 5 days off, and it was worked into my contract. Sigh, meet relief. I wasn’t sweating it too much, for the stars will align when you go on Jam Cruise. This isn’t your average two or three day festival – this is the mother of all festival, the pinnacle festival experience.

    The plan all came together over the months leading up to the cruise. Theme nights were announced. Tuesday was ‘Blue Lagoon’, Thursday was ‘Cirque du Funk’ and Friday was ‘Spinal Tap Night’, because this Jam Cruise went to 11. There were of course some other theme nights that were unofficial – Monday’s theme was ‘Zebra’ and Wednesday was ‘Soul Train’, so after some consultation with friends who went on past Jam Cruises, I learned that these nights, while optional, well, they weren’t. We could ignore them and just wear shirts and shorts and enjoy ourselves, but the level of enjoyment wound up increasing tenfold as a result of taking part in the theme nights. Chris and I hit off The Costumer in Albany and did our shopping for each night. More on what we wound up wearing later, but rest assured that costumes and enjoying the theme nights make the Jam Cruise experience that much better, for you accentuate who you are: an expressive, unique and awesome person ready to share this rare musical experience with others.

    The holidays rolled around and it was time for Phish at MSG, so five days in the city were needed to hit off all four shows, plus a couple late night shows, The Pinstripe Bowl (Go Cuse!) and pre-show meetups. Phish’s NYE run is always exhausting, but this time, it wasn’t. Even though 2012’s NYE run was better by miles than 2011, I was still feeling good after four nights of dancing. That darn post-Phish w00k flu always rears its head, but it was kept at bay, because nothing could keep me from enjoying Jam Cruise, especially since I had a couple days in between to teach and then head south to Florida. In a 21-day span, there was Christmas, Phish in NYC, a drive to Florida, Jam Cruise and the journey home. I’m no Roger Murtaugh but I was concerned that yes, I was getting too old for this shit.

    Heading out January 4th, Chris and I drove from Albany to Orlando in a flat 20 hours. Many asked ‘Why would you drive?’, and the answer was simple – it was cheaper (less than $300 for the two of us on gas and tolls) and far easier to travel by car to get there. Plus, we had to pick up Jason as he flew in from Kentucky to Orlando, and some rest was needed before we embarked on the trip. Saturday and Sunday were filled with anticipation while we watched football and tied up loose ends, packing all the needed clothes and supplies, costumes and disco balls, so rather than rush from Ft. Lauderdale airport to the terminal, we got to take our time. Plus, its winter up in New York! Why not enjoy a little sun for an extra couple days?

    Day 1: Monday, January 7th

    We left Orlando for Ft.Lauderdale in the early afternoon, arriving with 3 hours to spare before the first act, The Soul Rebels, took the stage. We dropped the car in the ship’s adjacent parking garage, dropped off our bags with the porters and headed in for embarkation. This wound up being one of two times all week we had to wait in line. For about an hour, we waited to go through scanners (similar to the airport but no TSA fondling involved) and then waited in line to get our room keys and sign our final paperwork before boarding. We took the picture that everyone who has ever been on a cruise takes before boarding, and lo and behold, we were on a boat! The MSC Poesia to be exact.

    I knew a handful of friends who were going on the boat, and hoped to catch up with them, but even on a boat of 3,000 Jam Cruisers and another 1,000 staff, plus stage and band crew, I still didn’t run into some friends until Friday afternoon. It’s a bigger boat than I imagined, and the friends I made on the boat made up for it. Jam Cruise is just like a festival – everyone is there for the music first and foremost, and to have a good time. If everyone is there for the same purpose, then it becomes a collective community celebration of epic proportions.

    Arriving to our cabin, there is the mandatory emergency drill, so we donned our life vests and headed to our meeting spot, hung around for 10 minutes, then went back to the cabin so we could go catch the start of the free Happy Hour sponsored by Magic Hat, one of the Brews at Sea on the boat, including Sweetwater, Lagunitas, Breckenridge and NOLA. (There was Bud Light and the rest, but why drink swill on a cruise?). Beers in hand, we watched The Soul Rebels tear it up for the Sail Away Party on the Pool Deck. This might have been the only time everyone on the boat was in one place at the same time, as no venue could hold 3,000 people at once, and this was the only musical option for an hour. Annabel, the emcee for acts on the Pool Stage and all around ‘Julie’, ala The Love Boat, got things off on the right foot by saying “Are you ready to have the best week of your life?”, and she was far from overamplifying the event, as the crowd let out a thunderous cheer no other cruise ship could muster. The New Orleans sound of The Soul Rebels kicked the boat off with a cover of “Sweet Dreams (are made of this)” by Eurythmics, “Touch the Sky” by Kanye, “Do you Remember the Time” by Michael Jackson and set the tone for the cruise as we slowly sailed out of harbor and into open waters.

    Taking the recommendation of veteran cruisers, I left during the last half hour of the kickoff set to head to the Merchandise area of the boat. Getting the posters and any merch I desired was a necessity early on, as I was advised that the good stuff sells out early. I picked up both posters, done spectacularly by Jeff Wood, and shirts and stickers and the usual. Not having to deal with this later on was a big plus, and even more so – we could get drinks while we waited in line! Drink ticket booklets were the way to go: 13 tickets for the price of 12, and different booklets for Brews at Sea, regular beer, wine, soda and mixed drinks. One Brews at Sea and one mixed/frozen drinks booklet for me wound up getting me through Thursday.

    Getting a little downtime in cabin was needed, as sea legs are not something everyone has. The sway of the boat wasn’t much, but it did demand an adjustment on my part. A quick break in the cabin is always a good thing to help you relax and reload, but you don’t want to plan to spend much time in there, especially since some cabins, like our triple, are a bit cramped. You do have the benefit of a small TV in your room that shows on three channels scenes from the week – audio, photo and full video of sets. I might have seen the Big Gigantic Monday show on the TV about five times in the span of the cruise, yet only caught a little of their set first hand. It served as both a reminder of what you missed and what you enjoyed. We also needed a chance to change for the nights ‘Zebra’ theme, which led to me donning a robe, habit and mini disco ball and heading out for the night. (This is totally normal)

    Heading back out to the Pool Deck, Medeski Martin Wood were joined by guitar virtuoso John Scofield, for one of the sickest shows of the cruise. All four were fully in sync but Scofield played leader to the quartet, who took their time with fast and paced pieces, but didn’t rush a single note. MMW fans were in for a treat on the boat and will enjoy recordings as they surface.

    The Motet, a Colorado based nine-piece funk band, was one of the acts I was most excited to see, mainly because they just don’t get to the East Coast very often, although they did let me know they will be playing in New York City in April, a must see show. I’ve followed The Motet for years, loved their albums, especially Dig Deep and their funkified covered of Grateful Dead songs, so getting to see them on the boat as a group and spread out among the random collaborations was one of the highlights before I even got on board the MSC Poesia. Playing in the Zebra Lounge at 11:30pm, the crowd was up and tight for the set as the large band spread out around the stage, with Jans Ingber leading the way on vocals with Stevie Wonder-esque soul and interaction with the crowd that warranted a packed house. While enjoying the show, I discovered the signature drink of Jam Cruise, the BBC – Baileys, Bacardi, Coconut Puree and a banana, finely blended with ice for a rich concoction that you can’t top. It was the perfect drink for the cruise.

    The night ended with Big Gigantic on the Pool Deck, a duo from Boulder, with Dominic Lalli on Sax and mixing beats on his laptop, while Jeremy Salken played drums with fervency throughout, dropping into snyc with Lalli and establishing a powerful performance that was accentuated with Sax riffs that were reminiscent of The Motet, of which he was a former member. I made it through only part of the set before calling it a night. The first eight hours of music on the boat were incredible, but I needed to rest up for Day 2. If there were four more days of this left, I was going to need all the energy I could muster.

    Day 2: Tuesday, January 8th

    Waking up on Tuesday and heading to get food at the 24 hour buffet, I realized that this cruise, much like the one I had been on when I was in high school, was a vacation. Naturally, cruises are vacations, but I had always looked at Jam Cruise as a festival at sea, but not a vacation. Finding an all you can eat buffet with a wide selection around the clock, turn down service and quick cleaning of cabins, as well as some of the best staff one could ask for, I was finding two experiences – a festival and a vacation – combining into one: a festivacation. There was little to set the two apart from each other, and thus, set the festival apart from other music experiences and festivals. Jam Cruise caters to the professional festivarian. Casual and energetic all at once, you are able to relax, enjoy music, party, check out special sets, find a second and third wind, and uniquely, find that there is no wall between fans and artists; artists are in cabins just like you, roaming the boat, eating meals in the restaurant and buffet, ordering drinks and catching some sun. There were few fan boy/girl moments throughout the cruise, but rather handshakes, thanks given for sets, casual interactions and elevator rides with musicians. Ever ridden in an elevator with Bernie Worrell? Had dinner next to Skerik? Well, it’s cool, but not that big of a deal on Jam Cruise, because that kind of stuff happens all the time!

    Wandering around and still trying to get my bearings on where everything was, I found myself in the Pigalle Lounge, otherwise known as the Jam Room. Here, during the day, and not closed off to Jam Cruisers, you can find random practice sessions and soundchecks taking place. I popped in for 10 minutes when I discovered the room during the light hours, to find Natalie Cressman (Secret Garden, Trey Anastasio Band) Joey Porter (The Motet) Ryan Zoidis (Rustic Overtones, Lettuce), Eric Krasno (Lettuce, Soulive, Chapter 2) and The Motet horns, among many more, warming up and practicing a for a set to be played later. The sets and jam sessions are semi-planned with a lineup, but the jams are always unscripted. Watching the warm-ups meant that I had to get down to the Jam Room later that night, or randomly on the boat where these musicians would assemble that night or over the course of the cruise.

    Autograph signings take place twice on the boat, and with luck, you can get nearly every musician to autograph whatever you want, in my case, posters for myself and one for a later auction for The Mockingbird Foundation (stay tuned to PhanArt for details). Musicians were gracious to sign posters, guitars, whatever you brought with you, as well as chat for a moment if you so desired. Half the boat’s musicians were here in the Disco, leading to interactions with Lettuce, MMW, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, The Funky Meters, Col. Bruce Hampton and many more. It was worth sacrificing an hour of music to meet some of the legends on the boat, including Art Neville and John Scofield.

    JJ Grey and Mofro played the Pool Deck to quite a packed crowd. Hailing from Jacksonville, JJ Grey brings a gritty voice and strutting stage presence to the show, while Mofro’s horns and band stay in step with JJ and lead the way to a fantastic afternoon set, perfect for this time of day. Notable tunes included “Everything Good is Bad” and “Lochloosa”, as well as a great statement from JJ Grey regarding the preparation needed for Jam Cruise, the enjoyment of the week on the boat, and then the next week needed for recovery. He wasn’t far off base on this assessment.

    One of the most welcome aspects of any festival is how Green the festival can be, keeping sustainability on the radar of both the producers and the festival-goers. Jam Cruise is no different, and goes to a higher level with ALL cups on the boat being compostable, as well as Positive Legacy holding auctions and raising money through carbon offsetting that goes to plant trees in the locations Jam Cruise visits in the Caribbean. For Jam Cruise 10, 10,000 trees were planted in Haiti, as well as 12,200 shoes were donated in partnership with Soles4Souls. Jam Cruise 11 advocated for carbon offsetting, which was between $10-25, depending where you flew/drove from, which would be used to donate school supplies in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. Additionally, there was the Magic Hat Wind Stage, a stage that ran on wind power, and this day, there was plenty of wind to be found, as the boat was sailing quickly to make the trek to Grand Turk. In 2012 the stage was powered by the sun, and on this year’s cruise, there was more wind to be found than sun.

    A Space Disco set, with Wyllys featuring Joel Cummins (Umphrey’s McGee) played the Pool Deck at 5:30 pm for a unique set – Wyllys spins tracks and Joel added in keys to build up froth for those who swam in the pool and enjoyed the sunset. Dancing in the gusting wind while enjoying drinks and taking random pictures for people as they wandered past the setting sun made for a hilarious and wild start to the night.

    Attending the HeadCount volunteer dinner with Chris and Jason, we made friends with table mates Ben and Ryan, chatting about our HeadCount experiences in the past year, while enjoying some of the best food on the boat. Three courses filled us up for the night, plus some delicious wine and beverages were a solid cap to an already enjoyable day. Krasno, Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthew Band, Flecktones) Joel Cummins and numerous volunteers, bloggers and musicians all enjoyed a great dinner in Il Palladio Dining Room.

    Note: By this point of the cruise, I would have been looking down at my phone, tweeting these updates to my followers and not living in the now. Thankfully, I left my phone in my backpack from Monday at 5 pm until Saturday around 10 am, undeterred by the Wifi available on the boat. As Laura Nulman said, “I think the best part about Jam Cruise is the lack of cell service. No one live tweeting and such. It lives in our memories only.” And that was one of the non-musical highlights of the cruise, saving the experience for my memories and reviews of the boat. There were some computers on the boat where you could buy time on the Internet for a small fee per minute, but a few minutes checking email vs. constantly checking your phone would take away the vacation aspect of Jam Cruise. Besides, I was there for the music! If Disney is the happiest place on earth for kids, Jam Cruise is the happiest place on earth for live music fans.

    After the HeadCount dinner, we walked toward the Atrium to catch Nigel Hall’s piano session amid the three-levels of the boat converging for great acoustics. Playing a selection of songs on the piano, Nigel was later joined by Ivan Neville for a song, while the rails and stairs were lined with music fans smiling and focusing on the spontaneous music that was created in front of them.

    The plan for Tuesday night was simple: see The Motet ‘Funk is Dead’ set, Boombox, Funky Meters, Big Gigantic, catch some Medeski Skerik Deitch and cap the night in the Disco with Wyllys. Could it all be done? Probably not, but that’s part of the fun. The entire time you are roaming the boat, you are going on a new adventure, and sometimes you wind up forgoing one musical experience for something else. With most acts playing twice on the boat, you always had a backup option. Still, with all this on tap, you have to pace yourself! There is never a need to rush when you are at a festival, but here’s a Pro Tip: if you find yourself a bit tired or feeling sluggish, grab a cup of  coffee, dump it into a cup of ice, stir, pound it, and you’re back in the game. It worked like a charm on more than once this cruise.

    We missed the ‘Funk in Dead’ set during the Headcount dinner, but knowing it will come to NYC in the Spring, I felt better enjoying a meal instead. While relaxing on a couch in the Zebra Lounge and sipping a fine Malbec, our growing group of friends were awaiting Boombox to come on stage. Jason was talking about them from the moment we boarded the boat and his recommendation was good enough for me. Pairing Russ Randolph as DJ with Zio Rock Godchaux on guitar (Former Grateful Dead members Keith and Donna’s son) was not only a legitimate dance party infuser, but incredibly inspired and unique. For 90 minutes, we had a dance party in the Zebra Lounge, hanging with those who stopped by what felt like our own exclusive booth for viewing, but was really just an open window to the party. There was a great song that felt like they would drop a techno-enhanced version of “2001” on us, accelerating the night into overdrive.

    Tuesday was also ‘Blue Lagoon Boogaloo’, which meant that nearly everyone was dressed in some shade of blue or a costume that was blue. For me, it was simple – Disco/Disney shirt, blue Hawaiian shirt and blue pajama bottoms. My final Smurf count was 12, while there were only 2 Na’vi (from Avatar) to be found. Unobtanium indeed…

    True story: for nearly all of 2012 after I paid for Jam Cruise, I proudly and without a hint of irony, said that this would be my only one. I meant it seriously and remorsefully. The former because it didn’t seem like I would be able to go again since I had to wait 10 years from the first cruise, and the latter being that I am a teacher and as I mentioned, I can rarely get this time off of work. But I had done my homework and found the experience to be second to none, and was already trying to figure out how to put down a deposit for Jam Cruise 12. And it was only the second day of Jam Cruise 11.

    After Boombox and a little hydration, we went to see the most classic of New Orleans bands, The Funky Meters. Art Neville – 75 years old and still able to tickle the ivories with panache, was seated stage right, while George Porter Jr. took center stage on bass and vocals with Brian Stoltz on guitar to his left and Russell Batiste Jr. holding down the drums. You couldn’t ask for a more incredible act to be on the boat. This is the original New Orleans funk band, and as someone said on stage, if you were a musician in New Orleans, you probably played in a band founded by Art Neville. It was a real treat from the moment they took the stage. The quartet played everything you could ask for: “Just Kissed My Baby”, “Africa”, “Hey Pocky Way”, “Look a Py Py”, “Fire on the Bayou”, “Cissy Strut” and a personal highlight, “Ain’t No Use”. After many years of hearing Widespread Panic versions of “Ain’t No Use”, seeing the original version was simply incredible. The set went on until 1:45 am, but it felt more like 3 am with the way the songs stretched into the night.

    Moving down to the Teatro Carlo Felice (The Theater), Big Gigantic played a powerful 90 minute set, including a truly amazing version of “I Need a Dollar”, before bringing out members of The Motet, Lettuce and many more, to jam out to some Herbie Hancock tunes until 4am. From where I was sitting, you could see a line of horn players waiting to take the stage to sit in with Big Gigantic for this special set. When the guy next to me heard the name ‘Herbie Hancock’, he jumped up, asked me if I needed anything, ran to get a drink for himself and water for me, and was back within five minutes. I was thankful not to miss this special treat of a set, especially having missed much of the set the night before.

    Late night after the music is scheduled to end is a casual, ‘eat whatever you want and roll into the next day’ kind of affair. Catching up with Chris, we popped into the buffet to get a bite to eat en route to the next adventure, Wyllys featuring Rob Soup, in the Disco. For the rest of the night, how little was left of it, we danced with friends to great house music mixed by Wyllys, and looked back on an incredible day. Once you make it to this late in the night, and have little intention of going to sleep, you have to see the sun rise. So heading out to the top of the Pool Deck while staff cleaned and scrubbed the level below us, we watched the sunrise, looked back on the night and still found the energy to dance, evidenced by the video below.

    It took a little over 500 years to go from Columbus setting foot in the Caribbean, when it was a risk to sail on the unexplored, open seas, to having a five-day cruise with non-stop music that created a new and positive West Indies footprint. And Jam Cruise 11 wasn’t at it’s halfway point yet.

    Stay tuned this week for more reports from Jam Cruise 11. Wednesday features Christopher DeCotis’ photo gallery from Day 1 and 2, Thursday will have Pete Mason’s full recap of Day 3, 4 and 5, and Friday will have Christopher DeCotis’ photos from the final 3 days of Jam Cruise.

  • Albany artists get together to Rock for Recovery in Newtown, raise over $4,000

    When Matt McWatters came up with the idea of doing a benefit concert  he did the right thing by enlisting the help of area promoter Greg Bell.  Within a week, the Who’s Who of the Capital Region music scene were signing up to donate their time and talents to the cause.  More bands wanted to play then there was stage time, so the list had to be narrowed down to twelve acts.  Those twelve were recognizable names, even to the casual local live music aficionado, for Rock for Recovery in Newtown.

    Friday night’s show included Way Down, Skunk Hostage, Funky Jukebox Brigade, Conehead Buddha, Dr. Jah & the Love Prophets and Timbre Coup.  Saturday night’s show was no less impressive with The Hearing Aides, Sean Rowe, Matt and the Bad Ideas, Super 400, Erin Harkes and Black Mountain Symphony w/special guests from the Ameros and 7th Squeeze.   was there Friday night to hear the amazing line up.

    Way Down, with a little help from Dirty Paris, had the hard job of going first, but their musical talents and jazz and rock influences shone through during there set that ended with a dynamic interpretation of Jimi Hendrix’s “Manic Depression” that had everyone moving.  Skunk Hostage played second and were met by a growing crowd that was eager for their fresh blend of progressive, punk and rock.  Tony Califano (bass/vocals) and Justin Fuld (vocals/guitar) mixed it up a bit and in addition to looking like brothers (according to at least one person) they played off each others musical strengths well.The next band, The Lucky Jukebox Brigade, took the stage with it’s eclectic blend of guitars, drums, trumpets, a tuba, a wash board, violin and then hidden away in the corner the multi-facated Kristoph DiMaria (with a broken nose) playing percussion, guitar, organ and offering entertaining backing vocals.  LJB does an incredible job of managing a really big sound with the help of their powerful vocalist, Deanna Deluke, and her ukulele.

    Longtime local favorites, Conehead Buddha, played to the peak crowd of around 200 people, filling the upstairs of Valentine’s with dance and good vibes.  The ska band that has been rocking the Capital District since the mid 1990’s didn’t miss a beat and got the crowd revved up for the final two bands of the night.

    Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets brilliantly fused together reggae and ska then rolled it in a jam band blunt.   Old favorites like “Come Down From the Mountain” and “Freedom Rising” had everyone singing along.  Dave even inducted everyone in attendance into the Jah Army.  When the lively set was done the “bright smiles” of the dancing “Jah Army” at Valentine’s was yearning for more.  And luckily the music lovers got more.

    The long evening of great music ended with the Prog Rock styling of  Timbre Coup who played to almost 2 am and still had time to squeeze in an encore.  Timbre Coup was able to stretch themselves out with the jam band crowd allowing everyone to get lost in the music.  They were sure to bring them back with an incredible solo from Andrew Chamberlaine’s seemingly magical 7-string guitar.

    When the dust settled after both nights of incredible music $4193.00 was raised for EverRibbon: My Sandy Hook Family Fund and Newtown Youth & Family Services.  Kudos to the promoters, the venue, the bands and especially the fans that came out to support a great event and the incredible home-grown music scene.

    To hear a few songs from Friday night’s show, visit the Soundcloud page.

    If you would like to donate to Newtown Youth and Family Services, you can visit their website, or donate by mail at: 15 Berkshire Road; Sandy Hook , CT 06482

    Check out more of Mike Wren‘s photos below

  • Adam Ezra Group at The Bayou Cafe, Albany, January 11th

    On a damp January evening, AEG brought their sweaty, passionate, live performance to the Bayou Café in Albany, NY. Playing to a room full of appreciative fans, the band did not disappoint. The Adam Ezra Group (AEG) hails from Boston, MA and was playing in support of their recent album Ragtop Angel, which took the 2012 New England Music Awards honors for  ‘Album of the Year’, as well as ‘Song of the Year’ for “Takin’ Off”. 

    Those that know the AEG know they are not only about the music but are also activists and community leaders committed to changing the world through their music. This is very in the song entitled “Miss Hallelujah” which Ezra performed with compassion, soul and power to kick off the show. The early part of the show also included the bands version of “Cripple Creek”, dedicated to the late Levon Helm and “The Devil Came Up to Boston”, a variation of Charlie Daniels’ “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”

    The remainder of the show was a nice blend of AEG favorites including “On My Own”, “Home Again Soon”, “What Did I Say”, “We’re Going Out Tonight” and “Steal Your Daughter” from both previous albums View From the Root (2010), Chain (2005), Tumble Down Slow (2004) and their latest album Daniel The Brave (2012).

    There’s something to be said about getting back to basics. The Adam Ezra group is all about down-to-Earth, grassroots music. The bands vast talent and old fashion work ethic combined with their commitment to making the world a better place through their music is certainly a breath of fresh air.

    www.adamezra.com

    www.bayoucafe.com

  • The Dickey Betts were on at Turning Stone Casino, January 9

    When Dickey Betts and Great Southern took the Turning Stone Casino Showroom stage Wednesday night, the sold out crowd roared.  When he played his first solo seconds into the show, the crowd roared.  For two solid hours the crowd roared.

    Dickey Betts is a living legend who has a reputation for being  a little mean, a whole lot of tough, and in a love-hate relationship with the bottle.  The gloom of the Allman Brothers breakup lingers around his name.  Last year when the Allman Brothers received the Grammy for Lifetime Achievement, Dickey Betts didn’t show.  He said he wanted to be there but couldn’t.  But after departing ways with the Allman Brothers in 2000 under an unsavory situation, it is often Dickey’s name that got tossed around as the problem.  While Greg Allman and ABB continued the way of being a jam band; Dickey went back to his roots and approached his music from a Southern Rock perspective.

    The majority of Dickey Betts and Great Southern’s show is without vocals.   In fact, the only break from mind-blowing guitar was when James Varnado & Frank Lombardi took turns offering up funky drum solos.  On keyboards and  offering vocals was Mike Kach.  Mike has played with numerous acts including touring with Molly Hatchet.  Pedro Arevalo was on electric bass and offered the deep, pulsating rhythm that Dickey set his numerous solos to.  On the other side of the stage was Andy Aledort.  Andy played second lead guitar and worked in the slide often in a style reflective of Duane Allman.  Andy is recognized as one of the top guitarists around and is a Senior Editor at Guitar World.

    Then there was the prodigal son, Duane Betts, on lead guitar.  Imagine living up to having your father be Dickey Betts, and knowing that you were named after Duane Allman.  Duane Betts seems to be handling it just fine, and filling those big shoes given to him at birth.  In fact, while Dickey was notorious for playing the Les Paul Goldtop, that legendary guitar seems to have passed from father to son.  Dickey was playing his Gibson SG and sharing lead with his son.  Most solos were definitely Dickey’s, but when Duane got a lick or two in, they stuck.

    The setlist was a good mix of popular Allman Brother songs: “Blue Sky”, “Jessica”, “Liz Reed”; and well-known guitar covers such as “Statesboro Blues” and “Hoochie Coochie Man”.   The pace throughout the concert was good and you can tell the band has been holding strong with this grouping since 2006 when Andy and James joined Frankie (2000), Mike (2003) and Pedro (2004).  The transitions were smooth and all eyes were on Dickey as he was the obvious band leader and in complete control of the stage.

    When the night ended and Dickey Betts and Great Southern played the encore of the Allman Brothers’ most famous song, penned by Betts, “Ramblin’ Man” the crowd roared it’s loudest.

    Look for Dickey Betts and Great Southern throughout the year.   Instead of their typical single four-show run each month, the band is hoping for two four-show runs a month.  That’s twice as much DB & GS for the Dick Heads in 2013.

    Also look for more legends performing at Turning Stone in the upcoming months.  The Wailers will be at the casino on January 23rd, George Thorogood in March, and BB King in April.

    SETLIST: High Falls, Nothin You Can Do, Statesboro Blues, Change My Way of Living, Blue Sky, One Way Out, You Don’t Love Me, Southbound, Jessica, Back Where It All Begins, 7-Turns, Hoochie Coochie Man, Having a Hard Time, My Get Away, Long Time Gone, Nobody Knows, Liz Reed, No One Left to Run With

    ENCORE: Ramblin’ Man

  • Phish at Madison Square Garden, December 31, 2012

    Of the 220 different songs Phish played in 2012, #218 was Ricky Nelson’s “Garden Party”, played on New Years Eve at the World’s Most Famous Arena, perhaps had the most defining chorus to all their phans. The bands opening tune on December 31, 2012 included these first lyrics:

    “I went to a garden party, reminisced with my old friends
    A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
    When I got to the garden party they all knew my name
    But no one recognized me I didn’t look the same.”

    Barring a flux capacitor, no one could have predicted the complete change of direction 3.0 phish took in 2012, let alone from last year’s “Steam” stunt to this year’s golf-themed funked-out classic New Years Eve throwdown into 2013. That juxtaposition from last year’s New Year’s Eve low energy affair that garnered much criticism from the band’s outspoken fanbase to this entire 2012’s stellar record of epic shows appeared to be the impetus behind the band choosing “Garden Party” as their opening number at MSG. Upon entering MSG, phans (some of whom paid as much as $1500+ for a scalped ticket) were greeted with lush green astroturf/grass on the stage and GA floor and perhaps the first time in the band’s 30 year history, people enjoyed lawn seats at an indoor venue.  Complete with sunbathers, croquet, badminton and picnickers, the stage was literally set for a Garden Party. Little did we know however, that an obscure phish-geek-stat-guy- type of song would prove to be the tee box for a golf-themed third set party that ensued in the wee-hours of 2013.

    Artist James Flames created this poster for the three-night run

    Once lyrics were clearly delivered by bassist Mike Gordon, it became obvious why the band chose to start their 3-set throwdown at the Garden with such an poignant, anticlimactic song. However, no one in attendance could have predicted the actual Garden Party that ensued hours later. Phish has always walked the line of music-geekery and headier-than-thou status among jam fans with their setlists. Perpetuating that pervasive purgatory, Phish delivered a masterful setlist for all, satisfying both the jam-centric lovers of “Ghost”, “Piper”, “Sand” and also for phans who love Phish for well-documented New Years’ antics.

    Following “Garden Party”, the band moved into one of their 1.0 staples, “Possum”, which appeared to be specifically chosen for that slot after Garden Party, in response to perhaps, previous phans criticism of the band overplaying the old fave too many times during Summer Tour. Can you imagine? The disgust and outrage! However, this 10+ min Possum was delivered flawlessly and was a great energetic springboard for easily, the band’s most energetic set of the three on New Years Eve. From “Possum”, they went feverishly through Ween’s “Roses are Free”, “Rift” and a thoughtful “Sample in a Jar” that prompted many noteworthy compliments around my section 102 at the Garden. From there, they played “Alaska” and a great “Mike’s Song”, but rather segue into the traditional “Hydrogen>Weekapaug Groove”, the band dropped a rousing  “Walk Away” cover before going into a frenetic, high-paced “Weekapaug” (Perhaps the best MSG version since 1995) that saw Trey Anastasio jumping, spinning his red locks and keeping his vertical head bobbing with his signature “Trey Face” that just continued to whip the Garden crowd into a frenzy. Finally the band wrapped up the 70 min set with an upbeat “Character Zero” that just wet the pallets of everyone in attendance for a dark, funky second set filled with historic jam vehicles from the Vermont quartet.

    The second set began swiftly with crowd favorite “Birds of a Feather”. A rather rudimentary rendition, the band simply spring-boarded that energy into the start of “Ghost”, which would be the last time the band would stop between songs during the second set.  During the next 65 minutes, Phish simply segued between songs playing puppet-master of crescendos with “Ghost>Piper>Light>2001>The Horse->Silent in the Morning>You Enjoy Myself.” The highlights of the set, hands down, were the quickly revved up Piper with early dashes of the epic Vegas 2003 version, and a 2001 that while short (like nearly all 3.0 ‘Sprach’s) had brief, deep concentrations of syncopation. Phish then appropriately slowed it down with a dash of perfectly placed Horse/Silent and gently placed the cherry atop the set with the always anticipated “YEM”, so much so during these 4-night runs that it’s previously prompting the lot acronym “YEMSG.” While typically not always a fan of the concluding YEM ‘Vocal Jam’, this year’s version was eerie and possibly intentionally weird, only foreshadowing the “Bizarro-Golf-Garden Party” that was about to ensue after the 30 min setbreak. During setbreak, the music notably included some gag hints, including Fresh Prince’s “Summertime” with phans energy soaring and crowds singing along.

    Around 11:45 pm, Phish returned for their final notes of 2012 and their first of 2013. It was a perfect 15-minute entertaining reprieve from the sweaty Garden crowd dancing their asses of. It was quite entertaining w/ Trey, Page Mike and a caddie-adorned Jon Fishman hitting tee shots into the crowd.Kicking things off w/ a fun “Party Time” before moving a 27-yr old obscure Phish chant “Kung.” Starting dark and creepy w/ odd lyrics including the lines “Can we stand?…Can we stare? We can stage a run away golf cart marathon!” (Unbeknownst initially to even this old 17 year  jaded vet) Basing this song as this year’s NYE theme (2010 was “Meatstick” and 2011 was “Steam”) Kung allowed the band to unleash a feverish on-stage Garden Party including midgets, dancers, the band hitting foam golf balls into the crow and an aforementioned “golf cart marathon” rapidly moving across the stage and through the backstage MSG tunnels at a frenetic pace.  Following the entire dimpled display, the foursome continued into classic upbeat “Chalkdust Torture” where the band brought us into 2013 with everyone in the garden hugging it out over “Auld Lang Syne.”  Following Auld Lang Syne, Phish capped off the 28th’s “Tweezer” with “Tweezer Reprise”, a great selection to commemorate 2012m considering NBC famously used ‘TweePrise’ as its audio accompaniment for its much heralded Gold-Medal video montage of Michael Phelps. I encourage readers to check out Youtube videos of this gag which includes a powerful “Tweezer Reprise”, complete with female backup vocals, featuring Syracuse’s own Carrie Manolakos.

    Following the ‘Reprise’ is just one more reason to either love Phish for their quirkiness or hate them for breeding setlist thirsty stat geeks. Follow me here: along with the golf-themed “Garden Party” third set, the band also made a point to play golf-themed songs from their catalog and bust-out covers with  “Sand”, “The Wedge” a masterfully played debut cover of Steve Miller’s “Fly Like An Eagle”, a rocking “Wilson” (with a Wilson-logo golf ball appearing on the MSG jumbotron) and a doo-wop version of “Lawn Boy”, before closing out the occasion with the encore of “Driver” (first attempt botched by band has led to online speculation they initially flubbed “Driver” as to try again ala ‘using their mulligan’) and a classic rock-n-roll bustout cover (and first time played the extended rock ballad version) of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.” (Many phans also debated whether the song “Par Tee-Time” aka Party Time was also intentional by the band).  When the lights came around 1 am in 2013, the Phish crew had even orchestrated Kenny Loggins’ “I’m Alright” (from Caddyshack) as the departing chorus. Oblivious to many saggy-eyed faithful, it was just one more observation on how this band is still putting the inside-joke on us.

    While the night before was musically my personal favorite show of the four-night run, with 12/28 and 12/29 paling in comparison to the run’s latter shows. But Phish knows it not about how you start, but how you finish. That was evident with the entire 12/31 show including this monster version of “Iron Man” which proved to be historic. In return, the entire sweaty Garden crowd appeared thankful Phish chose such a powerful, energetic, classic song to close out what has been heralded by phans and myself as thee best year in Phish 3.0. The 220th different song of the year, “Iron Man” that Phish played, in some way, symbolized a band that had just wrapped up their 27th show at Madison Square Garden and triumphantly began their 30th year as one of most successful touring acts today: definitely an ‘Iron Man’ feat this day and age.

  • Big D and the Kids Table at Putnam Den, January 5th

    Going backstage to hang out with a band is always interesting.  You are never quite sure what you are going to get.  With Big D and the Kids Table it was a bunch of guys on couches and chairs around a table of fried chicken and Jameson Irish Whiskey.  That part was actually pretty normal.  What was strange was the conversation involving a viral video of Sonseed’s “Jesus is a Friend of Mine.”  Between watching the video on the iPad that was being passed around, to plans on redoing it as a ska or punk number, or finding a remake that another band did to mock the original.  Now the mystery of what happens back in the green room is gone forever.

    On the stage was completely different from a laid back, tongue in cheek conversation about a cheesy song.  What happened on stage was energetic, chasmatic, enthusiantic, and down-right fantastic.  The doors opened to the Putnam Den at 8pm and by 9pm the first of two opening bands, Sugar Eater, was met by over 100 fans. Sugar Eater is a Saratoga-based punk trio that have been playing together for 10 years.  They sounded great and to see an opening band surrounded by dozens of dancing, frantic lunatics by the stage as early as 9pm was an encouraging sign of what was ahead.  The most refreshing thing about Sugar Eater is that they have no sub-genre. They are PUNK. Simple, kick ass, grind it out, explosive, PUNK.  They will unfortunately be losing their bassist to the west coast, but I am hoping that they come back later this year with the same attitude and sound.  It will be a show that should not be missed.

    Next up was Rhodeachusetts-based Brunt of It, to say they were a traditional ska band would do them a great disservice.  Brunt of It could have been the headliner of any show in the capital region Saturday night and the cover charge would have been justified.  They are a big sounding ska band with an in-your-face punk attitude.  When the promoter thought of the line-up of how to get from Sugar Eater to Big D – Brunt of It was the perfect connecting piece.  Brunt of It’s vocals were what every band wants but few have – fast, furious and concise.  The horns section was outrageous and the bass and drums did not give you the choice -if you had a pulse you were dancing.  As to the dozens of people at the stage for Sugar Eater, add a couple more dozen lunatics to the bunch to imagine the dance floor at the Den.

    Big D and the Kids Table have been around for 17 years playing live nearly 200 times a year and supporting bands such as as Less Than Jake, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Dropkick Murphys, Mustard Plug, Rancid, Reel Big Fish, and Anti-Flag.  They had a headlining national tour in 2007.  They know their way around a stage and Saturday night at the Putnam Den was absolutely no different.  David McWane’s Boston bad boy charm combined with Ryan O’Connor’s deadly sax invaded Saratoga Springs.  While I was suspected the ska/punk feel that Big D has been known for overly the past decade and a half I was not entirely disappointed to find it replaced with a new twist to Dub Step.  The kids in the audience stomped and strutted and twirled with delight at the never-ending barrage of upbeat tempo with enough brass to tie the songs together. The show had seemingly everything.  There was even a break in the middle of the long set for a young concert goer to ask his girlfriend to marry him.  According to the band this is the third time that someone proposed at the Big D show.

    For the first weekend of the year, Putnam Den started out with a bang.  Would there have been more people there when Skidmore was in session? Or a little more after the New Year recovery?  We will never know.  We do know that live music is alive and well in Saratoga Springs and can be found every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  No matter what your taste, keep an eye out for upcoming shows on the NYS Music site.

    Big D and the Kids Table – http://bigdandthekidstable.com/
    Brunt of It –      http://www.facebook.com/bruntofit
    Sugar Eater –     http://www.facebook.com/Sugar-Eater
    Putnam Den –     http://putnamden.com/

  • Phish at Madison Square Garden, December 30th

    December 30th has always had a somewhat special place in Phish lore and there’s some that say this night has produced better shows than the far more renowned New Year’s Eve.  With this being the third show of a four night run at the mecca of rock and roll, Madison Square Garden, it was safe to say all bets were off and hopes were raised high this evening.  As they always do, Phish delivered in its own unique way with a show that may not necessarily go down in the annals as a legendary one, but certainly one with some incredible musical moments that featured some memorable jamming.

    phish december 30th
    poster by Franky Scaglione

    Those who called a ‘Runaway Jim’ to open on this night were right and Phish wasted no time in delivering a fairly standard version of this classic show opening song which certainly did nothing to dampen the already high energy level in the Garden.  After some soft early interplay with keyboardist Page McConnell, Trey Anastasio’s guitar licks gradually grow in intensity and precision as the song comes to its peak before finishing.  The short, but emotive, jam seems to serve  as the perfect musical warm up for both the band and the fans, giving everyone a chance to get stretched out and warmed up for a long night of music. This reviewer was hoping they’d open with an old school flair and follow this up with a ‘Foam’, but instead, after a short discussion, the decision was made to go with ‘Cities’.  This Talking Heads cover  is no stranger to Phish first sets and the group plowed with through with a clean, yet fairly meek rendition that didn’t feature much of a jam unlike some ‘Cities’ of yesteryear (see: 1997). Batting in the third spot this evening was one of Phish’s oldest and most iconic numbers, ‘The Divided Sky’.  This song with its exquisite composition, multi-layered sounds and unique vocal section exemplifies the essence of this band and is generally a crowd-pleaser.  While Trey was slightly off on some of the early ‘technical’ parts, he and the group more than made up for it with a rousing and powerful finish to the song that re-established the high energy level in the building. To keep things moving, it was time to ‘Back on the Train’.  Another crowd favorite, this version saw Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman shine on bass and drums, respectively, as they spearheaded the effort through a shuffle type jam that finally brought about  the first glimpses of group improvisation on this night.  Next, came another cover as Page led the group through a short and fairly standard ‘Ride Captain Ride’. So far, the first set saw all the songs played more than adequately but without much jamming or extended improv.  ‘Ocelot’ changed all that in a hurry with a stirring 11 minute version that finally saw the group get into an extended jam and stretch things out a little.  This version saw Anastasio and McConnell once again complimenting each other wonderfully in a jam that took its time and was played to perfection.  While it didn’t seem incredibly too well received at its inception, the crowd got loud and made sure the band’s effort on this one was appreciated at the end. This was followed by ‘Ya Mar’, another one of the band’s older numbers (and another cover).  The calypso-groove classic kept everyone moving, but again, a fairly routine and uneventful version was played as the song selection in the first set continued to be all over the map with few continuations or any innovative segues between songs. Keeping in line with this, ‘Horn’ was played next to little fanfare and this parlayed into ‘My Friend, My Friend’.  Both songs again gave Phish a chance to show off some of their compositional wizardry and prowess, but also didn’t feature anything out of the ordinary. With one last bullet in its holster for the first set, Phish made it count with the always entertaining ‘Run Like an Antelope’ set closer.   This vintage Phish staple gave everyone a final chance to cut loose this set and the boys delivered a high octane rendition that served as a fitting end to the set in that it was played flawlessly but without anything truly memorable.  No extended build up, no guest vocalists, not even a slight lyrical alteration.  Not that these things are necessary by any means, but hopes are a little higher and dreams a little wilder on a night like tonight. To recap, the first set had several very enjoyable songs (Divided Sky and Back on the Train) and featured one quasi-intensive jam (Ocelot), but overall lacked a sense of continuity and explosiveness often felt in other 12/30 shows of the past.  Set break served as an opportunity for everyone to recharge and wonder what lay in store next.

    The second set is typically the time the band will really delve into the heavy improvisation and ‘darker’ jams and this set proved to be absolutely no exception to that rule.  ‘Down with Disease’ let everyone know it was game on for the second set as the corresponding jams in this tune have the capability of reaching epic proportions.  The first several minutes of such proceed in a typical fashion and the high tempo rocker has everyone moving along and anticipating a big second set.  Around the ten-minute mark, Fishman starts to slow the tempo slightly with Page throwing in delicate piano fills.  Shortly after, Trey takes the reigns with some guitar play that seeks to bring the tempo back up and it’s clear each band member is prominently involved in this one – always a clear indicator of a good jam. As the second set opener continues to march on, Trey soon introduces some darker, mysterious tones to the jam before finally dissolving into some familiar, spacy ‘whale call’ sounds – somewhat of a staple of the Phish 3.0 era.  Not much time is wasted on this and, before long, the jam begins to pick up pace and intensity again.  At this point, it was all over the map, but in a good way.  Gordon then takes his turn and introduces a sinister bass effect that drives the jam to a new level of darkness and fun.  When all is said and done, the ‘Disease’ clocks in at almost 20 minutes long and finally gives everyone a taste of the spontaneous and cohesive playing this band has hung its hat on its entire career.

    As a breather of sorts, Trey then starts up ‘Twenty Years Later’ which seems to always find a home after an intense second set jam.  This fairly new original is played to perfection and does little to diminish the still high energy level that’s present.  Upon its completion, Trey immediately starts the opening riffs to what many are already calling one of the highlights of this four night run, ‘Carini’.  This powerful number has been taken to a new level in the 3.0 era and this version followed suit and then some.  For the next few minutes or so, Phish builds on an already dark and powerful number and gives it a menacing jam that at one point drops off into an almost eerily ambient one.   This one is Phish at their finest – dark, melodious and full of improvisational goodness.   At one point, during one of the more menacing portions of the jam, it even sounds like Trey makes a half-effort to re-introduce the ‘Little Drummer Boy’ theme that was so prevalent on 12/28/12.  There’s also somewhat of a ‘Crossroads’-esque section introduced by Trey before the jam blisses out and ends almost 15 minutes after the start of the song.  Three songs into the second set, Phish has already dropped two noteworthy and inspiring jams. Seeking to keep momentum going, Trey then begins ‘Backwards Down the Number Line’ which seems to be a hit or miss song with the crowd these days and, in this spot, may be more miss than hit.  However, that didn’t stop the group from delivering a soulful and inspired version of the song that gives Trey a chance to shine with some inspired guitar play in the jam that ensues.  It certainly kept the second set energy high and Page’s complimentary play on both piano and organ is stunning on this version.   One can tell that the band just simply loves to play this song and this energy always seems to carry over into the crowd by song’s end. Before Fishman even hits the last cymbal crash, Trey has already started the opening riff to a somewhat older Phish ‘rocker’, ‘Julius’.  This leads to another eight minutes of high tempo, fun arena rock that has the Garden again moving as a collective whole.  It’s cleanly played and brings to the forefront, once again, the cohesiveness and skill of these longtime friends who have now been playing together for over 30 years!

    With a monstrous second set already under its belt, the call is made to have the classic hit ‘Slave to the Traffic Light’ bring things to an end as only it can do.  This is met with great approval and seems to be the perfect choice to cap off a memorable and truly innovative set.  This is another song that fits the ‘exquisite composition/odd vocal styling/mind-blowing performance’ mold of song that Phish has officially perfected.  A truly masterful ‘Slave’ jam that takes its time and builds to perfection follows and leaves the crowd standing in applause as the foursome takes a well-deserved and long bow on stage. A somewhat of a two-faced encore followed as it began with a sterling rendition of the crowd favorite, ‘Harry Hood’.  This gave the group one last chance to bob and weave through a 12 minute musical masterpiece while taking everyone in the Garden along for one last ride for the night.  This ‘Hood’ was typical of all good ones: slow, patient and bursting with energy by song’s end.  The show could have ended right there, but instead, ‘Show of Life’ took the honors and was met with some groans by the crowd, as it usually seems to be.  The short, but powerful, number served as a fitting end to a show that had a little bit of everything. [vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/56567290 w=400&h=300] Overall, Phish delivered a fun and memorable show like they always do.  While some of the song selection was sporadic at best in the first set, they more than made up for it with intense, thoughtful and innovative jamming in the second.  The stage was now officially set for New Year’s Eve where, as we all know, anything can (and did) happen.

  • Phish at Madison Square Garden, December 29, 2012

    The opening night of Phish’s New Year’s run left little to be desired. The band came out and eased through a first set, before dropping the defining ‘Wolfman’s Brother’ of the so-called 3.0 era. The second set, well you’ve heard about the second set. There is little to say about it other than it was one of the best sets of Phish I’ve seen in a long time. Understandably, the proverbial bar was set incredibly high for the second of the four shows. With mid-town Manhattan lit up with cheer, lights and lagers, it was an easy stroll into Madison Square Garden, a place that has become a second home of sorts to Phish. The crowd ready, aside from the stragglers staggering in, the quartet opened with a standard ‘Crowd Control’, an uninspired ‘Mound’ and a standard ‘AC/DC Bag’. It wasn’t anything spectacular, but it felt like Phish was getting the opening jitters out. Then came ‘Rock and Roll’, a Velvet Underground tune that Phish has slayed countless times in the band’s career. After the standard part of the song, guitarist Trey Anastasio jumps into the lead, laying down relentless licks over a true rock and roll backing. The ending “It was alright” chants were inspired, and it seemed as if Phish was starting to take this show to a new level.

    Then, BOOM. Sorry for the personal touch, but I love ‘Sugar Shack’. It seemed like it was slightly re-worked, with Anastasio playing a slightly more rhythmic riff under bassist Mike Gordon’s boppy bass line. Anytime Phish plays ‘Sugar Shack’, I go nuts, therefore I suggest you listen to the song instead of me. It’s one of the best songs Gordon has penned. ‘Reba’, a short ‘Halley’s Comet’, ‘Limb by Limb’ and a somewhat extended ‘Wading in the Velvet Sea’ add a softer touch to set. An inspired ‘Bathtub Gin’, with a slow ascension complete with a ‘Suzie Q’ segment, followed by some exploration with Anastasio again taking charge with ferocious licks, closed out a well-played set.

    ‘Golden Age’, a song that debuted in 2009 (A TV On the Radio cover), opened the second set. I am still not sold on this tune, aside from the Superball version (which I believe is a Top-10 3.0 jam) because it just doesn’t do it for me. The jam that came out of it had the fans around me raging, dancing and high-fiving, and was engaging, but I was still high from the ending of Wolfman’s, so maybe I wasn’t listening closely enough.

    ‘Waves’ then bled into ‘Prince Caspian’ before the pace picked up with a tight, fast ‘Boogie On Reggae Woman’. Gordon tears the ending into a meatball-bass free-for-all. ‘Suzy Greenberg’, ‘Bug’ and ‘Cavern’ fill the next few slots before the arena-rocker ’46 Days’ makes an appearance. Again, Anastasio takes the lead and builds up several tension and release riffs. It’s becoming apparent that while Phish isn’t taking many risks on this night, Anastasio has decided he’s going to put that Languedoc to the test by bending and building notes until the place explodes. ‘The Squirming Coil’ started a three-song encore, followed by ‘Grind’ and a rollicking ‘First Tube’.

    This show was pure fun. Tightly played music with some exploration and certainly some guitar lessons from Anastasio. It definitely was different from the first night, but no doubt this show deserves a listen or two or ten. In fact, the energy comes through in the LivePhish recording. Go on a long run and you won’t stop until this show ends. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPT5SkEXhRU?&w=560&h=315]

  • Phish at Madison Square Garden, December 28, 2012

    The moment of exhilaration when the venue lights go down and Phish returns to the stage elicits an unmistakable sound, as a festive and anticipatory crowd awoke from their dormancy to start the third consecutive Holiday run at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Electric waves of cheers scream out, as Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman walked out on December 28, 2012, to perform ‘Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan” followed by “The Moma Dance”; Phish was back, the best Christmas/Hanukkah present anyone could ask for!

    Phish December 28 2012Floor seating was restricted this year through an alternate entrance, giving ample room to conduct Phish fueled dancing. The warm and happy 20,000 collected inside MSG’s round room hung on each song, waiting for that first big moment of the shows. Each song gave an opportunity that satiated, if not built up, the eager crowd to the point of release; “Funky Bitch” gave Trey a chance to hit the peaks of Son Seals’ accelerated blues number. Page’s “Army of One” was a brief piano-led curveball before the funk of “Tube” descended for a short yet thrilling few minutes. “Stash”, “Kill Devil Falls” and “Free” followed, with each one building up but left fans waiting for that moment when the building would shake from a combination of band and audience. That came in the form of set closer “Wolfman’s Brother”, a 14 minute funk odyssey that set the tone for the second set with Mike Gordon makes synthesizer affects on his bass that sounded more Edgar Winter on “Frankenstein” than anything else. Trey took over mid-jam and led the Type II improvisation that cranked out a jam based on the traditional “Little Drummer Boy”, getting the crowd to respond with a response of “Rum Pa Pa Pum”, amid an up-tempo beat that was far from traditional – if you haven’t danced to a funkified version of “Little Drummer Boy”, you’re missing the potential.

    After a break to catch our breath, meet up with friends and coordinate with friends, the second set opened up with a monstrous version of “Tweezer”, leading to the second six-song set in a row, dating back to the previous show on September 2nd in Commerce City, Colorado. With “Tweezer”, a vehicle arrived for what has led to the greatest jams that Phish has historically played, slowly arriving at the peaks amid Chris Kuroda’s sea of lights. About 12 minutes in, the song falls out of the first jam, serenely settling into a Trey-led jam that finally peaked a minute before dissolving into “Maze.”

    Phish December 28 2012

    “Maze” got down and dirty, with more meandering and exploration from Page on the keys, even sounding like Booker T. Jones for more than a few moments, adding on a few minutes to this stalwart of a tune. Fishman took a minute to play a drum beat similar to “Under Pressure” that Trey identified as “Little Drummer Boy”, leading to a brief reprise and crowd participation and laughs from all, before dipping into “Twist”. This version got so deep into its jam, as it has been prone to do in 2012, that is nearly disappeared from the song proper before reemerging 10 minutes later, like Jaws taking four barrels down and only showing up a short while later with teeth ready for action. Having taken the crowd on a sojourn to improvisation a dark and scary “Little Drummer Boy” jam arose, before the final “WOOOs” brought the song to conclusion.

    Phish December 28 2012

    “Theme From the Bottom” was simply beautiful, and these appearances in the second set are becoming a welcome treat. Trey let loose with some focused jamming, complimented by Page’s grand piano play. And to push the tempo back up towards 11, “Fluffhead” came back to New York! Even though it caught some by surprise, the tune was as incredible and never felt so good mid second set. Every section of this long composition was masterfully played and from the experience of dancing this one out on the floor, it might have been the spark for the rest of the weekend. The elation that “Fluffhead” inspires, especially when you recall that it was the first song back on March 6th, 2009 at Hampton – this version stands up to the long awaited return of Fluffhead and Phish.

    “David Bowie” from Saratoga Performing Arts Center on July 8th is a standout version from 2012 but MSG night 1 may have it beat by a nose. Five minutes in, the jam breaks out and everything from Set 2 that preceded the song was brought to fruition. The four band members on the stage were completely in sync as the builds arose and the curves were thrown, with Trey leading the way into the finale amid start/stop jamming and hitting the adrenalized peak of Bowie.

    Phish December 28 2012

    An encore of “Bouncing Around the Room” and Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times” were a decent encore for a well-practiced and dialed in band. There would be no “Tweezer Reprise” in the encore slot this evening – that was going to be saved for a bigger peak later this run. The first of four nights in the books, it was time to head out into New York City and find more adventures for this night. Phish was just getting warmed up. The New Years run is on! Happy New Year!