One of the best ways to cool down after a disgustingly humid Saturday is with cold drinks at Albany’s Red Square, and on June 1st, it was even cooler with Boston’s Club D’Elf and the infamous Marco Benevento. Club D’Elf is notorious for having a jazz –infused, progressive rock, Moroccan sound which was enough to sell me on seeing their show for the first time while Marco Benevento is no stranger to me or Red Square.
The evening got off with a mellow and slow start with “Bass Beatbox”, gentle bells, easy beats from Dean Johnston and echoing riffs with each musician getting a feel for the crowd and space. I lingered in the back of the crowd to take in the sound of the music clashing beautifully together. I could hear Marco pounding on his keys while Club D’Elf sent out waves of creepy Middle Eastern flair. I was pulled closer to the stage by the hypnotizing electric guitar riffs in “13/Gijro” and strong rhythm of the drum set plus ever growing bongos in “Hegue”.
Being closer to the action gave me a deeper appreciation for the artists who kept a constant exchange of smiles between themselves and the audience, plus a better look at instruments, some of which I have never seen before. Danny Blume takes credit for playing the biggest guitar I have ever seen and shredded the life out of it. While Mike Rivard handled the skinniest stand-up bass, switching back and forth to an electric blue guitar, giving the music a heavy dub/reggae sound. Benevento played what must have been every note on his piano and keyboard, all with great fire and recklessness throughout the night. “I Wish I Was in Heaven” and “Sidi Rabi” as the encore, brought out intense vocals from Brahim Fribgane and exotic sounds from his stringed Lutar.
The sound of the evening could be summed up as a “Bob Marley meets crooked Arabian Nights meets downtown Jazz club” mixture. With everyone playing together, it was true Frankenstein of a band, complete with bizarre instruments and monstrous songs that left me with confused, delighted terror and amazement.
The show is available for a free listen and/or free download, thanks to Ed Guidry. Remember to tip your tapers folks and to catch Club D’Elf at the Disc Jam music festival and The Lizard Lounge in MA on July 12th and 26th. Marco Benevento can be seen at Equifunk festival on August 17th Upstate New York.
Setlist: Bass Beatbox, 13/Gojiro, Hegue, As Above, Mogador, Zeed Al Maal, I Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down, Instar,
With Camp Bisco almost a month away, it’s time to start mapping out your schedule and narrowing down what artists you want to see the most. I’ve compiled a list of my top ten need to see artists, which was no easy task with Bisco’s extensive lineup spanning everything from hip-hop, dub step, electronic, house, jam, indie and so much more.
1. The Disco Biscuits- I mean, seriously. These guys have made such a serious name for themselves in the music scene that they are now being compared to the likes of Phish and The Grateful Dead. This festival was their baby and watching it grow has been a crazy experience. They started off playing on one small main stage for a few thousand people and now step out onto dual stages with 20 thousand or more people cheering their names. That’s gotta count for something. Plus they’re all amazingly talented musicians. Whether you’re a “biscuits kid” or not you have to be able to see how unbelievably brilliant each member of the band is when they pick up their instruments. They play the most sets, so chances are you wont be able to miss them, but while you do see a few of their sets, appreciate how far they’ve come and how far they’ve brought this festival because without them it would never have existed.
2. Squarepusher. If you haven’t heard of this guy, I really wouldn’t be too surprised. I have been trying to catch Squarepusher, or Tom Jenkinson, for years but with his rare sitings in the U.S I have yet so see a live set. Squarepusher is an artist from the UK who focuses primarily around drum and bass, acid house and jazz. He uses live instrumental playing as well as digital processing to make some seriously mind blowing beats. He has releases such a vast array of music that it is difficult to pinpoint once particular style he likes to follow, but trust me you won’t want to miss this legend.
3. Sound Tribe Sector 9. Of course, a Camp Bisco favorite. I have been a huge fan of STS9 since 2002 when I was a pretty young kid. Their music stays consistently amazing and their live performances are nothing short of spectacular. STS9 is an instrumental band with a strong focus on electronic, hip hop, drum and bass and funk. Whether these guys end up as a late night set or an evening set it is bound to be an amazing time. If you’ve never seen them before, you’ll be in for a serious treat.
4.Toro Y Moi– I’m not even really sure how to describe this guy. I discovered him about a year ago and fell in love instantaneously. He is described as indie-pop, “chill-wave,” synth-pop and electronic. I really don’t even know how to describe him other than saying he is amazing and if you miss his set you are making a serious mistake. There are not many artists out there similar to Toro Y Moi so I suggest you give him a listen before Bisco rolls around just for your own aural pleasure.
5. Boombox. Although I’ve seen Boombox a pretty significant amount of times I think I have still yet to see them on stage at a festival. Their style is unlike most bands I’ve seen in that they pull inspiration from all facets of the music community. They are a steady mix of psychedelic, funk, rock and blues. At each show I’ve seen, they drive each set with the energy of the crowd so it will be interesting to see them in front of a crowd as huge as Bisco.
6.Paper Diamond. Paper Diamond has been around for a while, just not under that particular alias. Alex Botwin started as the bassist for Pnuma Trio, and if you’ve heard the Pnuma Trio you know that he’s a very talented musician. Paper Diamond is Botwin’s solo DJ career, as he also takes on electronic production. Paper Diamond is another feel good DJ that will make you move. Definitely don’t miss his set this Camp.
7.Animal Collective. Over the past five or so years Animal Collective has grown rapidly in popularity and become a household name in the music scene. They are considered “experimental-psychedelic” and encapsulate a slew of different styles and genres within each song. You will without a doubt dance from start to finish when Animal Collective takes stage.
8. Gigamesh. You’ve probably heard Gigamesh’s remix of Foster the People’s single “Pumped up Kicks,” or perhaps his work on Mike Posner’s “Cooler Than Me,” so you know what he’s capable of. His talent as a producer and a DJ is unparalleled. His music derives from a mix of influences, but will not fail to keep you dancing. Make sure you save your energy for this set, because you’ll need it.
9. Lotus. I know, I’m clearly showing biases towards the band I’ve seen a million times, but in the same breath they have yet to let me down. Lotus is another band who has gained serious popularity over the past few years and made their own mark on the music and festival scene. Similar to Sound Tribe, Lotus is an electronic jam band who incorporate many sounds and genres within each song. Their music can be fast and hard or slow and melodic. That spectrum is what makes bands like Lotus such an awesome live act to see.
10. Com Truise. Com truise started as a drum and bass DJ and slowly shifted into a more 80’s, chill-wave sound. His music is completely different than anything else in the music scene. I don’t even think there is an artist I could compare him to wholeheartedly, which is why he made the top ten list. An artist with that unique of a sound does not go unnoticed, even within a lineup as insane as Camp Bisco’s. It is artists like this that make Camp Bisco have such a wide variety of sounds and genres that grace their stages throughout the festival.
Also, In an effort to help rebuild the community that was impacted by the wake of the tornadoes MCP Presents is putting out a National call to all of its supporters and fans, who converge upon the region each July. A page to collect donations has been set up through rally.org, where people can show their support and make online donations. Fans are asked to visit www.rally.org/supportschenectadycounty – cb12 or through the festival site at www.campbisco.net.
Bryan Howell’s ‘Lightning Through My Soul’ begins with a straight- ahead rock track, “Why Oh Why”, complete with hand claps and some sweet backup vocals. There’s a cool ending breakdown with a tasteful guitar solo and some accented full band hits. The album segues into “Dry My Tears”, a feel-good anthem. The atmospheric guitar tone goes over nicely with the bouncy chorus backup vocals.
The album continues with “East Coast Girls”, an upbeat summertime rock track. The vocal lines match the guitar strumming pattern and really play off of each other. There’s also some auxiliary percussion to get you moving towards the end. Finally, “Cold Little Heartbreaker” begins with a melancholy acoustic section that boasts perfectly timed delay on the vocals. The triumphant rock guitar comes in, followed by the floor tom driven rock beat. Howell’s vocals really project on this track, his confidence very evident.
Overall, this album offers up all of the awesome traits of a summertime rock album. From sweet guitar tones, chords and patterns to happy, sing-a-long choruses, this album does everything it should.
The Infamous Stringdusters have announced the first set of artists who will perform at this year’s Fall time bluegrass extravaganza, The Festy Experience. Taking place between October 10-13th 2013 in Nelson County, VA. Returning to the star studded lineup this year is Rochester’s own Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad.
Hailed for being a truly unique celebration of music and outdoor living, The Festy continues to carve a unique and growing niche for itself. Hosted each year on the Concert Ground at Devils Backbone Brewing Company (a locally renowned brewery and full service restaurant), The Festy’s vision as an earthy fall-flavored Experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains comes to fruition in this idyllic, intimate natural setting near the band’s home base of Charlottesville, VA.
The Festy Lineup 2013:
The Infamous Stringdusters, JJ Grey & Mofro, The John Scofield Uberjam Band, Chris Thile & Michael Daves, Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Lake Street Dive, Aiofe O’Donovan, Marco Benevento, David Wax Museum, Nathan Moore & Bryan Elijah Smith, Della Mae, Cabinet, Chris Jones Band, Joy Kills Sorrow, New Country Rehab, Jon Stickley Trio, The Hill & Wood, The Fire Tapes, SoundRabbit, Dante Bucci, Grits-n-Gravy.
Plus Founding Fathers, Sunliner (Sarah Siskind & Travis Book), MAN MOUNTAiN, Opening Ceremonies with Andy Hall, and Garrett Grass Grass Gospel Hour…
We still have ONE MORE HEADLINER to be announced later this summer along with further information about local artists and Stringdusters projects.
Hollerback Productions celebrated ten years of presenting great music, brought about by the vision and hard work of Dan Mastronardi, with a special anniversary show on Friday, May 31st at The Westcott Theater. The show at Hollerback Productions featured one of the first big bands booked by Dan, the highly esteemed jazz/prog/dance/world music group Club D’Elf, with special guest, indie/jazz innovator Marco Benevento. Following a genuinely heartwarming, albeit awkwardly delivered speech by Dan Mastronardi, Syracuse music fans whooped with supportive thankfulness for the people that have helped construct the Syracuse scene.
Club D’elf then took the stage and fell instantly into a deep, bass-driven, psychedelic groove, laying down a warm and cosmic blanket of ambient sound and tribal rhythm, while masterful solo work was interwoven by the ‘Club’s’ highly gifted musicians. Each artist brought their own worldly and masterful sound to Club D’Elf’s droning yet complex jam-compositions. Besides talent, the Club boasted a diverse arsenal of cool toys. Bass player and Club D’Elf originator Mike Rivard switched between a low profile, futuristic-looking stand-up electric bass and a standard electric bass, while world music master Brahim Fribgane traded off between hand-drums and a stringed Lutar, that poured out exotic and timeless-sounding melodies that could have come straight out of a National Geographic documentary.
Together with Marco’s soulful, and dare I say “pretty” melodies on keys and Hammond Organ, Club D’Elf entertained, intrigued, and mesmerized listeners. Unlike many popular improvisational groups and jam bands, Club D’Elf focused on laying down well-crafted, often danceable bass-lines and rhythms, while placing the lead guitar in a chord-dominated supportive role. This kept the crowd moving and allowed space for lead instruments to develop melodies and themes spontaneously and collaborate on composition in the moment. Many times throughout the night, I watched as the members of the club traded knowing and joyful glances, as they felt the music come together organically. This, my fellow fans, is always a beautiful thing.
“Turr-kwaz” is how you say Turkuaz, and you should remember that pronunciation, as this Brooklyn based band isn’t going anywhere. The word as defined is the Turkish translation of turquoise, but unlike the gemstone there is nothing blue about this band. Their style is pure funk, which is deliciously refreshing in the modern landscape of never-ending jambands with musical Attention Deficit Disorder. Don’t mistake this musical singularity for boredom though, as only moss-covered rocks and Nickelback fans could possibly not feel the urge to dance their posteriors off while Turkuaz rages their funktasticness, and Thursday, May 16th at Rochester’s Club at Water Street would be no exception. Blessed with a large crowd, at least partially in part due to the earlier Rusted Root show at the annual Lilac Festival, the band took full advantage of the packed house and played their asses off for two sets.
The first set from Turkuaz featured tons of original material showcasing the band’s deep influences from old school masters such as George Clinton and James Brown to 90’s funk machines like Galactic and Lettuce. Sexy people playing sexy music laden with delicious horn sections: this always works. Some highlights of the first set included exploratory jamming within original compositions with names like “Bubba Slide” and “Electric Habitat” as well as a nicely chosen array of covers including “Slippery People” by the Talking Heads and Traffic’s “Feelin’ Alright”. Towards the end of the first set, Dopapod’s Rob Compa joined the band on guitar for the original tune “Physical Challenge” and a cover of The Band’s “The Shape I’m In”. Rob can often be found sitting in or attending Rochester shows when Dopapod is on break and he always brings the heat on his 6 string.
Despite being a weeknight, the venue only seemed to get busier during set-break and the second set featured perhaps the most energetic crowd this writer has EVER seen at Club-side Water Street during the week. The segues were heavy and it almost seemed as if the music never stopped; fine by me! The ladies ruled the roost for much of this set, with top notch vocals by Sammi Garret and Geneva Williams. Really, beyond the excellent music, this band has some of the finest vocals out there, with all four singers laying it down with heaping spoonfuls of soul goodness. Set highlights included all the segues, the twosome of original “Chatte Lunatique” into Hot Chocolate’s “Everyone’s a Winner” and a spot on funky-blast-off version of Led Zeppelin’s “Trampled Under Foot”.
Beyond the music, the crowd, the sit-in and everything else; it was inherently apparent that this band is a group of people who have deep kinship. Throughout the night they were endlessly smiling at each other, putting their arms around each others shoulders and cheering each other on. Any group of fine musicians can put together an excellent itinerary of rage, but when one can sense an internal warmth; a group that is truly acts as one soul; it brings the entire experience over the top.
Check out Turkuaz’s next stop in Upstate NY on June 29th at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse. You will not regret it.
Setlist
Set 1: Jb intro, 20 dollar bill, Smarter than the speaker>Coast to coast, Bubba slide, Future 86, Electric habitat, Slippery people, Nightswimming, It’s hard>Feelin’ alright, Back to normal, Physical challenge, The shape I’m in
Set 2: Lookin’ tough, Feelin’ good, Chatte lunatique>Everyone’s a winner, M’lady, XYZ, Trampled under foot, Bijou drains, The bird dog>Sledgehammer, Pickin’ up>Hold on, I’m coming
I had never heard of TAUK nor had I heard their music prior to giving the new album Homunculus a listen. I was pleasantly surprised and pleased that I had the opportunity to discover a new band with such a unique sound. Immediately from the first song, “Dead Signal”, I knew that these boys were not just your average garage band playing around with instruments. It is evident that each individual is a musician, and a talented one at that. The entire album is filled with psychedelic-jazz guitar riffs and trancey loops that keep their sound light and organic with a very subtle electronic undertone. The album is instrumental front to back, but even without vocals each individual song is so complex and layered that the void is easily filled.
A personal favorite was track number five, “The Chemist.” The blend of man and machine is at a perfect split in this song. The guitar is hard and heavy and rips through the electronic loops elevating each intricate note. Just when you think the song ends it comes back even harder than before. “The Chemist” is followed by a much more laid back song, “Dirty Mouth.” I was blown away by the highs and lows that they created within this five minute song. They take what could have been a relatively simple jam and add subtleties that create a whole other world within the music. “Curtain Call” starts off with heavy drum influence and veers off into very slow, melodic guitar. Parts of the song broke away with organ and keys which created a very unique sound. Another personal favorite was “When in Doubt.” The song starts off very melancholy and slow but is picked up by the drums and keys. For a relatively slow tempo song “When in Doubt” is very hard-hitting. The entire album was nothing short of phenomenal these boys certainly did not disappoint a first time listener.
Editor Pete Mason had the chance to sit down with the guys of TAUK at this years Summer Camp Music Festival. When asked to explain the meaning behind their new album’s name, they said Homunculous has multiple meanings, varying in sound and not restricted; this can be taken within many interpretations, among them ‘the mind within the mind’ and ‘an inherent force.’
TAUK has been throughout Upstate recently, playing with Aqueous in Buffalo, as well as in Ithaca and New Paltz. They also played this year’s snoe.down Festival which they spoke very highly of for themselves and the audience. They were happy to get a longer set which allowed them to experiment freely and immerse themselves within each song as opposed to compacting their songs and jams within a stricter set time. Their brand of psychedelic improv gives them the space they need to completely redirect their jams in any direction without constriction.
If you like jam, funk, electronic, rock, fusion or pretty much music in general you will enjoy Homonculus. You can catch TAUK at Floyd Fest, July 25th in Floyd, Virginia and Maz Fest August 1-4 in Roscoe, NY.
Key Tracks: Dirty Mouth, The Chemist, When in Doubt
Track listing:
1. Dead Signal
2. Afro-Tonic
3. Hello Narwhal
4. The Spot
5. The Chemist
6. Dirty Mouth
7. Curtain Call
8. Carpentino’s Rebirth
9. When in Doubt
10. In The Basement of the Alamo
And then, the rain started. For the better part of the next two days, Summer Camp would have a middle finger extended by Mother Nature across this small town in Central Illinois – quite literally, see below. While it was on and off, when it was on, it felt like the off switch was broken, so things slowed things down a bit. Still, even though Saturday brought more rain, there was also more top notch electronic music, highlighted by Conspirator’s early afternoon set. This Disco Biscuits side project has reached a new level with the addition of Chris Michetti on guitar and KJ Sawka on drums. They delivered their own unique, high octane brand of ‘untz’ through a light drizzle that seemed to be very well received. Summer Camp has done an unbelievable job of integrating top notch electronica acts into a festival co-hosted by two of the premier jam bands in America.
Mother Nature’s Middle Finger, right over Summer Camp
The Moonshine stage also played host to two other notable electronica acts that afternoon. Diplo, an American DJ who has skyrocketed to fame in the last few years, displayed his usual repertoire of engrossing beats and dubstep stylings, augmented by ladies invited on stage to twerk for a song or two, grinding to the defeaning bass while a 2-3,000+ crowd that was rabid like no other fist pumped throughout the set. The crowd collectively grooved furiously and wanting more, yet they didn’t have to wait long to get their wish as the legendary DJ duo Thievery Corporation were next up on this stage. Although a bit more mellow in nature, this group uses mixes and samplings like no other to create unbelievable soundscapes that create an environment that’s both funky and ambient at the same time. It was a true treat to finally see this act in person years after getting hooked on their releases like ‘The Mirror Conspiracy’ and ‘The Richest Man in Babylon’.
Meanwhile, on the Sunshine Stage, Cornmeal held its final show with Allie Kral on fiddle. Leaving the band amicably was bittersweet for many diehard fans of this quite multi-talented jamgrass group. After tearful words from band members, a speedy, foot-stomping “Hillbilly Ride” was churned out in the unique Cornmeal sound that is unmistakable, one that will be a slightly different moving forward, but still loved.
After some solid electronic music and bluegrass, it was time to get back to some rock as done by the festival’s co-hosts moe. and Umphrey’s McGee who would each play two sets. Umphrey’s McGee led off their show with a stellar “Depth Charge” that seamlessly led into the classic “Hurt Bird Bath”. Later in their opening set, they brought out the horn section from Mad Dog & His Filthy Little Secret which turned out to be stroke of genius as they transformed ‘Booth Love’ into a jazzier, funkier version that many seemed to appreciate.
UM’s second set opened with another phenomenal segue of two classics as “Wappy Sprayberry” got stretched out and turned into “Ocean Billy”. The band took their time with each of these and it paid off as the Saturday night crowd ate this up. For good measure, they also threw in a cover of the Beck hit “Debra”, performed a monster “Der Bluten Kat > Final Word > Der Bluten Kat” and brought the horns back up for a rousing “Bridgeless” encore. Umphrey’s has become the master of infusing improvisational jams with elements of funk, metal and jazz and this weekend let them display their talents in a setting that truly seemed like home for them.
Before moe. took the stage Moonshine, Summer Camp promoters and musicians announced they were joining in the March Against Monsanto, a propitious moment as the worldwide March was going on around the world that weekend, tying a popular cause outside the festival atmosphere to a population that jubilantly supported the movement, one for the betterment of food and farmers around the world.
moe. then put on a set that blew the Moonshine Stage crowd away; even the most diehard fans were taken aback at the meaty choices given a full moe.-festival treatment. The debut of Rob Derhak’s “Blonde Hair, Blue Eyes” was well received by the crowd, while the hot trio of “The Faker > Hector’s Pillow > Plane Crash” polished off the first set, the last tune with Allie Kral sitting in on fiddle and finding new levels in the song to explore. Second set started with “Rain Shine” and the newer “Silver Sun” lasting nearly 20 minutes, before finally segueing into “Happy Hour Hero”, a song revered Upstaters and for those who made the trek west cheered enthusiastically to the line “A Saranac will do just fine.”.
But the true heat of this evening was felt in the five song segue of “McBain > George > Spine of a Dog > Buster > McBain”, where only “Spine of a Dog” gave you a chance to breathe amid the incredible selection of huge moe. numbers. An encore of Umphrey’s “In the Kitchen” capped the trade off of covers between the two bands, but this one had stank on it in the vein of moe, especially on the lines “The TVs on too much and I don’t ever think enough about the things that matter most, or what would make me old (like Joel).” If your mind wasn’t blown away already that weekend, moe. took care of it with their performance this evening.
One of the true treats of the weekend was the late night performance of Floodwood on the Campfire Stage. This Upstate New York progressive string band displayed its version of Newgrass to a small but eager crowd on what was now early Sunday morning. There was something refreshing about seeing venerable rock icons Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico giving it their all with Jason Barady, Mick Piccininni and Zachary Fleitz in such an intimate setting. They rolled through song after song with a vigor and enthusiasm that was palpable and even treated all to a multi-song encore as the skies slowly began to turn lighter. The band seemed truly blown away by the reception they were getting at this hour. Banjo player and fiddler Piccininni may have summed it up by best by saying, “I’ve been waiting for this night for a long time.” It showed in their heartfelt performance that surely did upstate New York music proud.
Sunday
Waking up to a light rain storm meant it was time to pack up and get ready to leave later that day, but not before catching a trio of Upstate bands to start the day. Aqueous took to the Campfire Stage, playing “Bohemian Rhapsody > Warren in the Window> Bohemian Rhapsody” to the early risers. Timbre Coup made a huge sandwich out of “Arnold Schwarzenegger > June> Never There > Arnold Schwarzenegger” at the Camping Stage shortly after, then were followed by Project Weather Machine who shredded through a stellar “Sunset Soldiers”. Guitarist Dan Wafer was happy to be at Summer Camp, enjoying the chance to network and meet other musicians, a great opportunity for a young band. Shortly after the Upstate bands played, Brooklyn’s Tauk met up for an interview, where they expressed their appreciation for the more personal feel of the fest and the active crowd, creating an atmosphere where everyone wanted them to have as much fun as they could during the weekend. Stay tuned for our review of their latest album Homonculus, its an album of instrumental bliss.
Unfortunately, due to the continuous rain and inclement weather that turned Three Sisters Park into MudFest 2013, moe. was only able to play their opening afternoon set and not their final one later that evening. This set was of the acoustic variety as Rob Derhak played on an acoustic bass the whole time. As such, there were several numbers from their heavily acoustic album “Sticks and Stones” played including the title track itself. Perhaps the highlight of the set was a rousing “Shoot First”, sung beautifully as always by Chuck Garvey, and after an extended jam, it was segued perfectly into ‘Bring You Down’. This old school number was a treat to hear done in this acoustic style and was met with heavy applause and adulation at its completion. ‘Tambourine’ and ‘Four’ closed out the set which no one at the time knew would be the band’s last of the weekend. At this point, everyone just seemed to be hoping that the rain wouldn’t affect the appearance of one of the bigger acts appearing at Summer Camp, Trey Anastasio Band.
Prior to Anastasio’s headlining set that night, one more Upstate band was in order, that of Ithaca’s Jimkata, playing the Vibe Tent, with a excellent segue of “Die Digital> Lego Land” that had Peoria resident Erika Garcia remark “I ducked into a tent to get out of the rain & ended up dancing my ass off and finding a ridiculously awesome new band who I’ll seek out in the future.” Branching out into the Midwest is next for this venerable electronica infused rock band.
The majority of the festival slugged through the ankle deep mud strewn streets to get to Sunshine Stage for Trey Anastasio Band, one act that few would think to miss. Opening with “First Tube” and “Mozambique”, it was in “Last Tube” that Trey broke free to explore the song, as he seems to be more prone to do at music festivals. Feisty versions of “Cayman Review” and “Drifting” brought a smile to the face of many, while the skies threatened in the distance – a show of lightening accompanied the lights on stage, but gave pause to those looking to end the night on a dry note. Thus, after a 30 minute encore break, the second set started but was cut short due to rain after only 20 minutes, at which point got to packing up the car once and for all and got on the road as the skies opened up something ungodly on the Midwest.
Driving out, we took our time getting home – taking our time during 15 hours across five states, before we land safely back home in the confines of the Northeast. Summer Camp truly put on a great show, one that rivals some of the top festivals of comparable size. If you’re adventurous and enjoy a wide array of music, or roll of the dice weather, you’ll find a fantastic festival in the Midwest with Summer Camp.
The Grateful Gallery tour will feature concert posters and artwork from leading artists in the scene including John Warner, Mike DuBois, AJ Masthay and William Giese, among others. Framed and unframed prints will be on sale from the artists, who will also be making appearances in the gallery as their schedules permit. In addition, the gallery will feature original paintings from acclaimed artist William Giese, whose artwork has graced the covers of several Grateful Dead albums.
At each festival stop, an extensive art gallery will be created whereby festival goers will be able to view and purchase gig posters from numerous bands, including The Grateful Dead, Furthur, Phil Lesh & Friends, The Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule, Widespread Panic, Umphrey’s McGee, Yonder Mountain String Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Railroad Earth, Cabinet and many more.
The Grateful Gallery tour will be installed at the following Northeast festivals this summer:
Rochester Jazz Festival has offered a schedule update – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings announced that plans to tour in 2013 have been postponed due to illness. Sharon Jones was recently diagnosed with stage-1 bile duct cancer – which doctors say is both operable and curable. and The Rochester Jazz Fest wish Sharon all the best and a speedy recovery.
The James Hunter Six, previously scheduled for 7PM on June 28th, will now play at 9PM. Added to the schedule, now performing at 7PM on the 28th, is two-time Grammy nominee, Shemekia Copeland. Both are free shows on the City of Rochester East Avenue and Chestnut Street Stage presented by Rochester General Health System.
More than 1200 artists from around the world will perform in 280 concerts including more than 75 free shows at 19 venues and outdoor stages. Last years festival drew more than 187,000 people from around the world and across the U.S. XRIJF has grown to become one of the worlds largest jazz festivals with one of the nations most extensive international lineups.
For more information on the XRIJF please visit our news about the event.
The album continues with “East Coast Girls”, an upbeat summertime rock track. The vocal lines match the guitar strumming pattern and really play off of each other. There’s also some auxiliary percussion to get you moving towards the end. Finally, “Cold Little Heartbreaker” begins with a melancholy acoustic section that boasts perfectly timed delay on the vocals. The triumphant rock guitar comes in, followed by the floor tom driven rock beat. Howell’s vocals really project on this track, his confidence very evident.
A personal favorite was track number five, “The Chemist.” The blend of man and machine is at a perfect split in this song. The guitar is hard and heavy and rips through the electronic loops elevating each intricate note. Just when you think the song ends it comes back even harder than before. “The Chemist” is followed by a much more laid back song, “Dirty Mouth.” I was blown away by the highs and lows that they created within this five minute song. They take what could have been a relatively simple jam and add subtleties that create a whole other world within the music. “Curtain Call” starts off with heavy drum influence and veers off into very slow, melodic guitar. Parts of the song broke away with organ and keys which created a very unique sound. Another personal favorite was “When in Doubt.” The song starts off very melancholy and slow but is picked up by the drums and keys. For a relatively slow tempo song “When in Doubt” is very hard-hitting. The entire album was nothing short of phenomenal these boys certainly did not disappoint a first time listener.
