NYS Music 20​13

Tag: papadosio

  • Chill as it Ever Was: Catskill Chill Music Festival Review

    The Catskill Chill celebrated its 4th annual music festival weekend on September 6th-8th at the scenic review of Camp Minglewood of Hancock, NY, located in the heart of the Catskills. The festival brought together another year of great music with a talented lineup and loving community known as the Chill Fam. What was once a summer sleep away camp gave festival goers the ultimate end to the summer party with the rustic and wooden stages, laid back staff and fun seeking friends that brought back memories of childhood and past Chill weekends. Guests had the option of renting cabins, complete with bunk beds, bathrooms and showers as well as plenty of tent camping for those seeking a view of the clear star filled skies at night while vendors were set up near the stages offering a variety of foods, clothes and odd ends at all hours of the weekend, complete with an Ice Cream Silent Disco Truck.

    American Babies, kicked off the festival weekend on the Main Stage with a gentle rock vibe with slight southern twang. Keyboardist Adam Flicker kept a very close ear to his organ almost as if he was resting his head on every note. “Blue Skies” brought an enchanting melody of endless sunshine while their rendition of The Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie” helped the crowd stretch out their singing chops and dancing muscles. Spiritual Rez is a reggae ska band that can dance harder than you and they aren’t afraid to show it. Toft Willingham is a total talented nutcase as he sings and rocks on guitar all over the stage, encouraging the crowd to join in on a massive primal scream. Drummer Ian Miller, having recently broken his right arm, still managed to beat the hell out of the drums left handed and Mohamed Araki took a break from his keyboards to excite the crowd with a stage shaking keytar solo. Making their third appearance at The Chill, the four piece electronic rock band, Particle sent the crowd rocketing with their “Launchpad” opener into Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue.” It was an unusual, somewhat early (5pm) set for the group but that didn’t stop the Chill Fam from packing out the Main Stage area for their spacy dance jams. The band congratulated the crowd on making the right choice to attend this year’s Catskill Chill as it is one of their favorite festivals to perform at and went on to cover Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.”

    Jimkata had the crowd grooving in a beautiful unison with angelic yet robotic synthesizers and hard hitting guitar riffs. Drummer Packy Lunn slams relentlessly on the cymbals throughout “Die Digital” as Evan Friedell’s vocals cascade around the dance floor. Capital Zen, the progressive funk rock band from Upstate New York had music going in every direction. Their lyrics are fast spitting poetry that hits you at warp speed as their electronic tunes mix with hardcore rock and eventually into a cover of Primus’ “My Name is Mud.” Lotus brought the sound of lasers to life as they blasted the Main Stage to pieces with “Uffi” into “Golden Ghost”. Big electronic build ups throughout the set with heavy beats and intense guitar shredding provided a never-ending dance groove for the Chill Fam. The set got kicked up a notch as Particle keyboardist, Steve Molitz, joined the band for “Greet the Mind” for the ultimate get down. “Alright, we are pretty lite up” joked Alan Evans after their set opener, “They Call Me Velvet.” Given only an hour and a few minutes to play on Stage B, the Alan Evans trio didn’t waste a minute of pure funk explosion. Keyboardist Beau Sasser could barely sit down as he shook the keys and Guitarist Danny Mayer’s riffs were so sharp, they could cut right through you.

    Primate Fiasco, newcomers to the Chill this year, scored one set Friday and Saturday night on the Acoustic Junction stage. The modern day ragtime band was a refreshing and fun surprise to folks who found themselves dancing in no time. J Witbeck’s deep sousaphone notes kept the music hot while Dave Russo picked on the banjo with fire. The true highlight of Friday night came from the 10 piece party machine, Lettuce, who threw down the funk on the Main Stage and never picked it up. Their high energy horn section blasted the groove so even folks all away across the lake could get down. It was an old school, disco dance party with plenty of soul to spare. The crowd screamed with excitement as the band played the infamous “Apache’ by Jerry Lordan. Alecia Shakour had smooth sensual vocals as she sat in for “Do Your Thing.” Kung Fu ended the night on the Main Stage with a dirty funky groove full of serious attitude. The hard core electronic beats and ripping saxophone from Robert Somerville are things not to be messed with. John Durkin and Nigel Hall joined in for the far out funk of “Steppin in It.”

    check out Bryan Lasky’s photos below and keep reading for more of Catskill Chill from Saturday and Sunday

    A brief early Saturday morning storm passed through, making way for blue skies with sunshine and a jam packed day of music scheduled. Twiddle had a surprisingly large crowd at the Main Stage for their noon set plus multiple musician sit ins. 13 year-old guitar hero Bobby Paltauf sat in for “Mamunes the Fawn” and Todd Stoops from Kung Fu sat in for “Brown Chicken, Brown Cow” > “Funky Town.” Twiddle’s music mixes with all the best flavors of music such as funk, jazz, and rock causing a delicious start to Saturday. The Z3, a three piece funk band dedicated to music of Frank Zappa consists of Zappa lovers Beau Sasser, Tim Palmieri and Bill Carbone. The trio appealed to more than just Frank Zappa fans on the B Stage with their funky twist tributes of his original experimental rock songs. After last year’s late night cabin set, Solaris, Ithaca’s electronic trio rocked the comfortably crowded Club Chill. The all instrumental group fed off the wild energy in the room and threw it right back with a higher dosage of funk jazz fusion. Jared Raphel couldn’t be stopped as he gyrated back and forth, crushing his keys with atomic awesomeness.

    One of the more diverse bands of the weekend was Shwizz. One moment they are raging 80s German techno then suddenly it’s a light and soft lullaby jam. The band had so much love for the Chill Fam that it rained on the crowd and mixed with the cloud of glitter that was continuously being shot out of a cannon. One of the highlights of the set was the “Theme from Jurassic Park” closer, possibly the best cover of the weekend; Shwizz slowed down the piece and gently brought it up to a mountainous climactic peak. Quite the tear jerker. Aqueous delivered tight jams with improvisational grooves that kept the audience in nonstop motion. The big highlight and surprise of the set was their cover of “The Kids Aren’t Alright” by The Offspring, which brought out the teenage rebel in everyone, leading to a moshing sing along.

    Galactic gave The Chill a taste of New Orleans soul shakin funk music as well as a modern twist with speedy lyrics especially during “Move Fast.” The five piece band brought the Mardi Gras jazz and groove with their horn section and a resilient rhythm from Carter Burgess and Aaron Hagele. Fikus, best described as an electro funk rock, fused together a combo of hip hop attitude with piano solos and classic rock guitar riffs that turned Club Chill upside down. Brothers Past crushed it for over an on the B Stage for an hour set, with the highlight being a smooth and exhilarating “Squeeze” going just over 17 minutes. The dangerously fun headliner, Conspirator, was proud to return to Catskill Chll this year as they dominated the Main Stage. The band has a devoted fan base, due in part to Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner of The Disco Biscuits and for the powerful electronic rock dupstep that fans can’t get enough of. Drew Suto of Dutch Masterson Designs provided an intricate light and visual show that highlighted the unstoppable dark dance party. RAQ ended the evening with the quartet bringing an old school rock groove to the Chill Fam. The set consisted of on point jams with strong harmonies that flowed from “Cheap Sunglasses>Pushin’ Up Daisies> Bootch McGoo.”

    Check out Bryan Lasky’s photos below for day two of the Catskill Chill and keep reading for a review of Sunday

    On Sunday, Cabinet brought a beautiful start to Sunday with their all-string bluegrass sound. Their soft harmonies and bow playing was as fresh as the Catskill Mountain air. There were breaks in the clouds with gorgeous rays of sunshine that reflected off the lake while Cabinet’s music echoed off the breeze. It was more of a bluegrass meditation as concert goers eased into the third and final day of the Chill. More bluegrass followed as the four piece band, The Brummy Brothers, strummed on the Acoustic Junction stage. The Brummy’s introduced the song, “Cell Phone Blues”, by saying how one of the best things about the Catskill Chill is the zero cell phone service, a rare treat for today’s generation to enjoy The Chill with no technological distractions. The Brummy’s lyrics revolve around partying, the simple things in life and modern troubles, all with a jamgrass vibe that folks can both relate and “shake their brum” to. Later that day, the crowd was dancing, stomping, and singing along with the eight piece funk and soul band, Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds as their music flew off the Main Stage. The main songbird herself, Arleigh Kincheloe, blew minds with her stunning vocals and stage presence. The Dirty Birds know how to get down and dirty with a booming horn section, shrieking harmonica plus groovy drum and guitar solos.

    The McLovin’s, with less than an hour set, took the stage wearing furry animal costumes and played their second consecutive year at the Catskill Chill. The band did a solid version of Pink Floyd’s “Run like Hell” before bringing up the Horn Section from  Grant’s Tomb, New York’s top jazz jamband for a few songs, adding an extra party element. Legendary musician George Porter Jr. joined the animals on stage for a surprise cover of “Rappers Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang resulting in a massive dance breakout. Traveling all the way from Boulder, Colorado and one of the most anticipated sets for Sunday was The Motet playing a Funk is Dead set, a tribute to The Grateful Dead. The Motet performed the classic Grateful Dead songs such as “Scarlet Begonias”, “Fire on the Mountain”, “New Speedway Boogie” and “Shakedown Street” but with a funky fresh and exotic groove that was contagious. It was almost like hearing the Dead for the first time.

    The Meter Men got the crowd jiving with a steady beat from the “Hand Clapping Song” opener which helped the musicians stretch out their groove muscles. The set was an easy flowing funk session with the Meter Men constantly feeding off each other’s vibes. Page McConnell took a moment to share with the crowd how he was reeling at the fact that he was playing with his musical heroes resulting in a roaring cheer. One of the highlights of the set was when George Porter Jr. invited Bobby Paltauf, the aforementioned 13 year old guitarist, to join them on stage and introduced him as one of the up and coming musicians to watch out for. Paltauf held his own among the music legends as he had Porter Jr. and McConnell laughing as he went note for note with Nocetelli. The crowd couldn’t get enough as they cheered on the musical magic that was happening before their eyes. After The Meter Man capped off their set with “Just Kissed My Baby”, Turkuaz blew up the B Stage with their high energy funk explosion of a performance. Geneva Williams and Sammi Garett bumped in perfect unison with their tambourines, taking turns with their own killer vocal solos. The horn section didn’t miss a chance to blow fans away as the set got wilder by each second. David Brandwein was front and center with his hard hitting vocals and nasty guitar shredding. Turkuaz doesn’t stop from the second they step foot on the stage to the second they get off, be prepared to dance your shoes off.

    For the most dedicated of the music festival fans, there was the climactic late Sunday night trio of Dopapod, Papadosio and a collaboration of the two to form, Dopadosio. As the evening temperatures dropped into the low 40s, the crowd was more than eager for the music to start as the bands took time setting up the gear on stage. New York City experimentalists Dopapod treated fans to an uplifting fusion of rock meets techno meets improvisational jam, something akin to an outer space back yard party. The four piece band isn’t afraid to push their music or fans out of their comfort zone with their genre mixing testing. Papadosio have a more relaxed sound as they started with a spacey “Hippie Babysitter” only to take an electronic turn and add haunting vocals for “Method of Control.” The quintet combined psychedelic rock with a techno jazz composition that kept people hot on the dance floor. The final act of the Catskill Chill weekend came when members of Dopadosio closed down the Main Stage with a three song tribute to RadioHead with “Airbag”, “Paranoid Android” and “Optimistic.” From the first tent set up to the last car leaving the lot, smiles could be seen all weekend. There was a constant feeling of appreciation as friends gathered to celebrate each other, the talented musicians and hardworking staff that helped make the weekend all that it could be and even better. With more than enough music and positive energy, The Catskill Chill lived up to their motto, “All Love, All the Time.”

    The final set of pictures from the Catskill Chill from Bryan Lasky.

  • Prepare for the Thrill of the Catskill Chill: Festival Preview

    As the dog days of summer are coming to an end, there’s still time for one last big bash to complete the 2013 festival season. The 4th annual Catskill Chill Festival is set to kick off next week, September 6th-8th, at the scenic Camp Minglewood in Hancock and we’ve got a preview for you!

    This camp was made for a music festival, given its secluded location with beautiful views of the Catskill Mountains overlooking a crisp blue lake with plenty of tent space and cabin rentals. One of the many ways the Chill manages to keep a cool and relaxed vibe is keeping the capacity under 5,000, creating an intimate festival experience for fans as well as the musicians.

    This year’s featured artist includes: The Meter Men featuring Zigaboo Modeliste, Leo Nocentelli and George Porter, Jr. with special guest Page McConnell; Lotus; Galactic; Conspirator; Lettuce; Papadosio; Tea Leaf Green; The Motet – Funk is Dead; Particle, Dopapod; Kung Fu; Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds and many more. The parking lot and campgrounds will open Friday at 9 am with music set to start at 3pm and lasting until the early morning of each day. Guests will be allowed to enter the parking lot and campgrounds whenever they are needed with shuttle services provided around the clock. There will be no car camping allowed, so be prepared to carry or wheel in all your gear.

    catskill2

    One of the newest additions to the Chill after last year’s positive feedback includes a bigger Acoustic Junction stage featuring returning acts Consider the Source,  Brock Butler, The Brummy Brothers , Dan Collins, and new comers Tom Hamilton & Friends, Primate Fiasco and MUN. There will also be a new campsite DJ stage playing host to such acts as Outlet, Horizon Wireless, and Speakerbot. Club Chill has an extended schedule this year giving fans longer sets and dance sessions with artists such as Solaris, Fikus, Shwizz, Aqueous, Spiritual Rez, and Lucid.

    There will also be additional yoga sessions with expanded classes, some of which will be accompanied by live music from Cosmal and a Local Farmer’s market serving fresh and local produce in Vendor Village. Returning guests, known as The Chill Fam, can look forward to the free parking and camping, the 3 covered main stages and 2 outdoor stages, live art, and on stage-open mic sessions.

    The Catskill Chill recently announced the festival closing act will be “Dopadosio” a collaboration featuring all members of Papadosio and Dopadod together, performing Sunday night at 2am. Guests have until Monday September 9th at 3pm to leave the campgrounds. Tickets are still available for $150 but will go up to $175 at the gate with VIP prices set at $235 which includes private viewing sections, commemorative gear, VIP Mimosa Brunches plus much more.

    It’s hard to believe that with a jam packed weekend schedule featuring a variety of talented musical acts and a limitless activities list, the last thing concert goers will be able to do is chill. However, the festival is going strong with a dedicated Chill Fam that continues to spread peace and love, knowing that when there is a will to Chill, there’s a way.

    ChillLineupArtFinal2013

  • Aura Music Festival Releases Initial Line-Up

    The Aura Music Festival has just released their biggest line-up yet for the fifth annual festival at the Spirit of Suwanee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. The festival will be taking place February 14-16. The eclectic lineup will include two nights of Lotus, two nights of Papadosio, Conspirator, Zoogma, two sets of the Werks, Mike Dillon Band, two sets of Kung Fu, two sets of Dopapod, The Heavy Pets, Superhuman Happiness, Brock Butler, Jimkata, and many more. There are a limited number of tickets now available for $125 and can be purchased online.

    Since its humble beginnings in Brooksville, FL, AURA has become one of the premiere multi-day boutique music events in the Southeast US, attracting fans from around the country. Now comfortably at home at the famed SOSMP, AURA comes to life in the midst of 800 acres of Spanish moss-draped oak and cypress trees along the Suwannee River and utilizes one of the most beautiful natural amphitheaters in the country only made more awe-inspiring by AURA’s attention to sound and lighting production. True to nature, AURA 5 will feature live painters, an interactive arts village, craft and food vendors, yoga & meditation, and inspiring transformational workshops. Stay tuned for additional details and artist announcements.

    AURA

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  • Good Music is Worth Gathering For – Gathering of the Vibes 2013, Part 2, Saturday and Sunday

    Saturday was another beautiful blue sky summer day at Gathering of the Vibes 2013, jam packed with a diverse lineup of legendary artists. The Funky Meters started their set on the Main stage with sound troubles during the first few songs but this didn’t deter them from laying down a funky set. Bassist George Porter, Jr. wore a bright smile as he dropped the heavy beats while dancing with the crowd and his bandmates. Another legend, famous at Vibes as The Master of Ceremonies is Wavy Gravy, who was on the scene, sporting a lot of tie dye, red clown nose and chicken hand bang.

    Mr. Gravy told stories from back in the glory days of Woodstock and gave advice to concert goers such as “balancing on a unicycle equals a balance life.”  Rock guitarist Steve Kimock was joined by Bernie Worrell and friends such as Bill Evans and George Porter Jr., making for a super killer set early in the day. The musicians covered The Beatles “Come Together” and an epic closer of Talking Heads “Take me to the River.” Kimock mentioned in an interview later in the day that it was his son’s idea for the collaboration with Worrell and it was easy to perform with friends when they are all here at Vibes, stating, “It’s all about circumstance and convenience.”

    Funky Meters
    Funky Meters

    The Roots, best known for playing as Jimmy Fallon’s Band on Late Night, proved to be a bunch of jazzy, energetic, jungle, hip-hop animals, covering a wide array of genres that kept the crowd on their dancing feet through the set. The Roots hip-hop-ifyed classic hits such as “Jungle Boogie”, Guns and Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine” and Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.” The tunes went from spacey beeps and boops containing robust rap lyrics, only to go back into a full swinging cover of  Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up”. Keyboardist Kamal Gray went off on almost every song with hard hitting solos as the band members danced all over the stage. This was The Roots first performance at Vibes and hopefully not the last.

    The Roots
    The Roots

    Back by popular demand this year was the sensational Grace Potter and The Nocturnals. Grace took the stage, wearing a gorgeous white toga-like dress, showing off her womanly figure that was made for the spotlight.  “Medicine” opened the set, proving that Potter and The Nocturnals can cure anything that ails you. Grace serenades fans with a wide range of vocals that are sincere and slightly heartbreaking. Throughout the set, Potter reminisced about her first Vibes experience, a very rainy weekend when she was 15 years old, which made for incredible memories and has made her who she is today, saying “This is what inspires us.” Paying tribute to JJ Cale, who had passed away earlier that day, GPN performed “Can’t Look at the Stars” off their newest album, The Lion The Beast The Beat, a passionate song that brought everyone close to tears. Potter never missed a beat as she switched instruments from her electric and acoustic guitars to tambourine and electric piano making her the ultimate threat in today’s music industry. To the delight of the audience, Warren Haynes made a guest appearance and the set concluded with another tribute to the late JJ Cale with an authentic performance of Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine.”

    Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
    Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

    Before taking the stage with Gov’t Mule, Warren Haynes took some time to chat with the press in the media tent about Gathering of the Vibes, best described to him as a “family reunion”, where people take music very seriously and it’s a great opportunity to see everyone in one spot. Fans asked about the various groups and their setlists, which he responded, “In The Allman Brothers, and The Dead and Gov’t Mule, we don’t really worry about arrangements too much. A lot of times we are doing it on the fly and sometimes where the verse begins is where you want it to begin…it’s about trying to achieve balance between your band and your friend’s band.” When asked on his thoughts about the passing of JJ Cale, he said “It’s a huge loss. He’s an amazing writer and artist and for people that don’t know, he wrote so many amazing songs that you’ll probably hear a bunch of them over the course of tonight….and I’m really sad to see him go.” Unfortunately, the duo never had the chance to perform together despite Haynes being a big fan of Cale’s. Still shaking off the previous musicians, I asked him what it was like to perform with Grace Potter and The Nocturnals. “Grace and I always have fun playing together. She’s wonderful and we’ve played together dozens of times at this point. She’s one of the guest featured vocalists on the new Gov’t Mule bonus disc that’s coming out this September and we always look forward to playing together.” Feeling recharged after the interviews, Warren took the stage with Matt Abts on Drums, Danny Louis playing Keyboards and Bassist Jorgen Carlsson, to form the last minute addition to the GOTVs ineup, Gov’t Mule. It’s understandable why this band is in high demand for shows, given their hard rock performance with a dash of blues.  Not to anyone’s surprise but there were fantastic sit ins from George Porter, Jr., Bill Evans & John Scofield, individually as well as the powerhouse group encore of “After Midnight”, dedicated to JJ Cale.

    Gov't Mule
    Gov’t Mule

    It was an “all too familiar” feeling, waiting in the crowd for the second night of Phil Lesh & Friends final set of the Gathering of the Vibes weekend. Given the wide fields at the Main Stage, half the crowd has their own setup with families lingering towards the back with blankets and chairs, leaving plenty of dance room up front for the diehard fans. Whether hustling up close to the stage or being content with the two large TV screens,  concert goers were able to get an actual view of the chemistry that Phil shares with John Scofield, John Medeski, Joe Russo and John Kadlecik. Besides drifting in and out of their jams, the musicians are constantly watching each other perform for the “signals” and feeling for the vibes that they each are giving off. Bill Evans joined in on the fun during the entire second set with his saxophone and clarinet, particularly for “He’s Gone.” When asked how he felt the show went, Evans laughed, “Oh, I had no idea what was going on.” He was hearing all this music for the first time, so he had to take in the information quickly and just play, making for a fresh and innovative set, the way the Phil likes it.

    With the end of the festival just around the corner, Saturday night makes for the perfect excuse to let loose and rage hard. The Green Vibes Stage kept the party going with separate                DJ sets of Rob Garza from Thievery Corporation, James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem and jambanders Papadosio. Each act provided the dark dance jams that festival goers crave after midnight and still have you wanting more when you see the sun come up.

    Download these shows from Saturday via etree:

    The Funky Meters

    The Roots

    Gov’t Mule

    Twiddle

    Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

    Steve Kimock and Bernie Worrell

    Phil Lesh and Friends

    It seems that it’s over even before it started as Sunday arrived with no delay. Concert goers can be seen everywhere beginning to pack up their campsites and plan their remaining day at Gathering of the Vibes. Staying true to the old motto, “Never miss a Sunday show,” Vibes had saved for last. Blues Traveler made their debut at this year’s Vibes, showcasing their style of uncontrollable New Jersey rock. John Popper wasted no time blasting fans with his wide range of harmonica solos while Ben Wilson smoked the keys with fingers ablaze. Bassist Tad Kinchla and Brendan Hill kept a steady, light hearted rhythm of blues going with Chan Kinchla strumming solid 90’s guitar chords. Bill Evans joined Blues Traveler for a unique jazzy cover of Sublime’s “What I Got”. Blues Traveler pulled off a serious game changer when they performed a spin on the classic Charlie Daniels song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”, by having Popper ferociously play the harmonica in place of the fiddle. The band was joined by guitarist Mihali Savoulidis from Twiddle for a ripping version of “Carolina Blues”.

    Max Creek
    Max Creek

    After the show, John Popper and a few other members of Blues Traveler met with the press backstage for a brief interview. John Popper discussed how with so much traveling, each show feels like a reunion when you have friends in every city, making every night of the week a party night. He spoke of his inspirations that originated from Paul Butler, Blues Brothers and Jimi Hendrix. “On the harp there is such low expectations. On the harp you cover what you like.” When asked about Bill Evans and Mihali Savoulidis sitting in, he said, “Yea, that was fun. It was awesome. There was no warning. I just wish we had more time because both of them wanted to stretch. You just feel it…let’s just take it to a second gear but we’re just trying to cram all our songs in.” Blues Traveler is well known for establishing the H.O.R.D.E. (Horizons Of Rock Developing Everywhere) touring music festivals from the early 90s. When asked about festivals, Popper stated, “I think they made it a lot smarter making them destination festivals. When you have a giant whale carved out of a redwood tree, everyone wants to come and see it. It’s beautiful. But when you gotta load it on flatbed truck and haul it everywhere, you’ve just quadruped your price for everything…when you have a place where you know it’s going to be, you can just park the whale and it’ll be there next year. You can have big things…but it was a lot of things like that. You had to bring your attractions with you.” Naturally money plays into a big factor of putting on festivals but Blues Traveler is looking for locations for next year. “It’s a game of patience.” He brought up how major jambands like Phish and Dave Matthews Band don’t have to play major festivals since they can afford not to.” Why bother when you can throw your own? Why not just go to Disneyland? Why not just hire Disneyland to come on the road with Phish? That would be fun.” Popper compares Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo to Vibes, saying he really “digs the scene” at Seaside Park and how crucial it is for festivals to have basic amenities, not just to be located in the middle of nowhere.

    Blues Traveler
    Blues Traveler

    The VibeTribe got a taste from Down Under as the John Butler Trio shook up the stage on Sunday with Guitarist John Butler, Drummer Nicky Bomba and Bassist Byron Luiters. The soft vocals and strumming from Butler gave way to a tribal beat from Bomba mixed with versatile notes from Luiters. JBT created a new sound of music with their Australian flair, somewhat like a Consider the Source vibes meets the Outback. They worked on their spacey build ups, holding them longer than anticipated with great intensity. As Butler thanked the colorful bunch, he said, “We’ll always come back if you’ll have us.” Hopefully the staff at the GOTV was listening. Last but not least, southern rock and roll legends The Black Crowes featuring Chris Robinson on lead vocals and harmonica, guitarist Rich Robinson, Steve Gorman on drums, Bassist Sven Pipien, Adam MacDougall on keyboards and newest member Jackie Greene on guitar, were greeted with a warm welcome after their recently ended two year hiatus. The Black Crowes have tremendous stage presence with multiple “off the wall” guitar solos, Chris Robinson’s vocals and groovy dance moves plus Gorman’s hard hitting rhythm. The band treated fans to songs from their newest album, Wiser for the Time, as well as remarkable such as The Rolling Stones “Jumping Jack Flash” and Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright.” Be sure to catch The Black Crowes in action on as the tour the country this fall.

    The Black Crowes
    The Black Crowes

    Gathering of the Vibes continues to share a collective spirit and positive energy by honoring the music of the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia and with new visitors and returning VibeTribe members of all ages each year. With over 20,000 attendees this summer, Vibes proves that good music and loved ones are always worth gathering for.

    Download these shows from Sunday via Etree:

    Max Creek

    Blues Traveler

    John Butler Trio

  • Catskill Chill Music Festival Announces “Dopadosio” Festival Closing Set

    The team at Catskill Chill Music Festival has announced a collaboration that all of the ChillFam is sure to love. An official “Dopadosio” set featuring all members of Papadosio and Dopapod together on one stage to close out the fourth annual event. As much fun as it has been for us fans to combine the two names “Papadosio” and “Dopapod,” finally we have a name that will stick. You surely will not want to miss this amazing festival closing set at Camp Minglewood in Hancock, New York.

    After the success of last year’s intimate Acoustic Junction and the response to Consider the Source’s first-time endeavor at the musical style, the festival organizers have doubled the offerings. This year’s roster features Consider The Source along with a mix of artists that regularly perform acoustic such as Brock Butler, The Brummy Brothers and Dan Collins, along with acts performing stripped down sets for the first time. These performances by Tom Hamilton & Friends, Primate Fiasco and MUN are definitely not to be missed.

    Yoga lovers will also be happy to hear that the Catskill Chill has expanded their program adding additional classes, some of which will be accompanied by live music from Cosmal  so  you can get down while getting downward dog.  Also, new to the ever expanding Vendor Village for 2013 is a local Farmer’s Market serving fresh, seasonal produce and other delicious specialties.

    Buy your Catskill Chill Music Festival Tickets Now and don’t miss Dopadosio

  • Get Ready to Feel the Vibes: Preview of Gathering of the Vibes Festival July 25th-28th

    Gathering of the Vibes will celebrate its 18th year, returning July 25th – 28th to Bridgeport, Connecticut at Seaside Park. The four day music and art festival still has Weekend Camping Passes available for $225 as well as Single Day Tickets and Single Day VIP with discounts for Connecticut residents, Bridgeport city employees and active members of the military. “Although many Vibes veterans are local, we’re seeing our fan base expand beyond the tri-state area more and more each year. People are traveling from DC, LA, Philadelphia and even other countries,” commented Gathering of the Vibes founder, Ken Hays.

    vibes-Seaside-aerial lores

    The 2013 lineup includes Phil Lesh and friends for 2 nights with John Scofield and John Medeski, Gov’t Mule, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Black Crowes, The Funky Meters, Galactic, The Roots, Blues Traveler, John Scofield Uberjam, Grace Potter plus many more. The weekend begins on Thursday with Consider the Source, Original Strangefolk and Upstate New York’s Wild Adriatic starting the party, creating the perfect excuse for concert-goers to arrive early and set up fast. The music will be going nonstop even into the wee hours with late night performances from members of LCD Soundsystem, Thievery Corporation, Papadosio, and Kung Fu. There will also be a Silent Disco with costume themed nights; with Friday being “Jungle Love on the Beach” and Saturday “Pirate Pajama Party.” Due to popular demand, the late night stage will be open to single day holders on Friday and an additional $20 for Saturday.

    Besides having over 40 bands, Gathering of the Vibes offers an array of food and craft vendors, with a Kids Corner and Teen Scene with arts & crafts, plus an 85 foot Ferris wheel. Among the music and art for everyone, Vibes is the ideal festival for families and a timeless tradition. There will also be a “Non-profit Village” which showcases local and national non-profit organizations from all over the country, demonstrating that Gathering of the Vibes is a festival that cares.

    portrait_kenHaysFor the past 18 years, Ken Hays has put on the Vibes festival to bring people together to celebrate the spirit of good music and good times. Being a dedicated Grateful Dead fan, Hays and fans everywhere were seeking a void after Jerry Garcia died in 1995. Hays organized a small memorial for Jerry and friends to gather for a weekend retreat which overtime has evolved into a 20,000 person party on the beach, hosting legendary musical acts from all over the country. With Gathering of the Vibes quickly approaching, I was lucky to get some free time with the festival founder, Ken Hays.

    Susan Rice: This whole festival started from your love of Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead. What concert got you hooked and made you a lifelong fan? Do you have a favorite song/album?

    Ken Hays: Yea probably my first one which was November 10th 1985 at the Byrne Arena in New Jersey.

    SR: What was it about that show that got you hooked?

    KH: A combination of listening, having a love of the album “American Beauty” and seeing the band perform live and it wasn’t just the music. It was a sense of community. If someone bumped into another, they would smile and look each other in the eyes; there was a kindness that surrounded the Grateful Dead.

    SR: Do you ever travel to other musical festivals/concerts to get more ideas for yours?

    KH: I love music festivals. What I really want to do is to travel to Europe and further to expand some of the more unique and high profile festivals.

    SR: I’ve seen pictures and they look crazy.

    KH: Oh yea, there are some on mountain tops. Beautiful festivals and venues throughout the world, that host hundreds of thousands of people, through the course of a weekend.  They always seem to fall during the summertime where I am going a little bit crazy bringing the final approaches to Vibes.

    SR: What is new this year to Gathering of the Vibes that long time veterans have to look forward to?

    KH: I feel that we have a great lineup that is filled with great diversity and incredible musicianship. Many of the bands are not on the radio and you might not have heard of them but these are musicians and bands that are extraordinary in their live performance.

    SR: You’ve mentioned that you and your team will sit down to plan out the artist line up as well asking fans of who they want to see. Do you ever have big name bands/artists reach out to you first to join? If so, who?

    KH: Ya know, yea, Janes Addiction and Elvis Costello, who both performed in 2011. They were thrilled to be a part of the Vibes and something a little different. They were a huge hit with the Vibe Tribe.

    SR: This year, you are once again offering print at home tickets. As great as a convenience it is to fans, do you find this makes your job easier or harder at the gate?

    KH: It’s easier for attendees and for us at the gate. You have the ability of purchasing your ticket and scanning it on your iPhone. I think it’s the future of ticketing. Make it less expensive and more convenient for the ticket buyer. But additionally for us, operationally and logistically, scanning everybody and getting them settled in for a great weekend.

    SR: I’ve never traveled out to Connecticut or to Seaside Park for that matter. What makes it the ideal place to have Gathering of the Vibes?

    KH: Seaside Park is 370 acres of Long Island Sound, a mile and a half of beach and it’s a beautifully manicured park that was donated to the city by Mayor PT Barnum in 1975, with the condition that the park be open to the public and that it be reserved for recreational and artistic events.

    SR: Have you always had a great relationship with the town of Bridgeport especially with hosting a huge nonstop party?

    KH: The city has been awesome to work with, from the top down. They see the value of hosting Gathering of the Vibes at Seaside and we love the venue. Going 50 miles outside of NYC to find 370 beautiful waterfront acres is most unusual and unique. Year after year, vibes attendees come back with their kids. Last year we had just about 2,000 kids with their parents. I think that’s what differentiates Gathering of the Vibes from most festivals because there is a festival every weekend during the summertime throughout the country. As festivals continue to thrive, we’ve got a kids corner and teen scene, tons of fun interactive scenes for kids of all ages.

    SR: Do you think that Gathering of the Vibes will still be going strong in another 18 years?

    KH: In another 18 years? Haha I hope I’m doing good in another 18 years.

    SR: What advice do you have for me as a first time vibes goer?

    KH: I think that it’s important to wander about. That’s one of the beautiful things about Seaside is that the venue is laid out in such that, in a 5 minute walk you have access to all the activities, all the stages, all the craft and food vending and the artisan village. So walk around, experience all that there is and bring positive vibes and spread those vibes with others.

    Vibe Tribers can stay in touch with Gathering of the Vibes on Facebook, Twitter through the Vibes message boards.

  • Come to Love All at All Good – A Preview of This Summer’s Hottest Music Festival

    The time is here for the 17th Annual All Good Music Festival on July 18- 21st at Legend Valley in Thornville Ohio. With that being said the lineup is unbelievable, with Furthur, Primus, Yonder Mountain String Band and Pretty Lights headlining throughout the weekend. This year’s All Good covers a broad spectrum of musical genres, with some killer late night acts as well as some chill daytime shows, sure to impress the most seasoned of festival goers.  All Good’s lineup will even highlight some newer bands to the festival scene.

    The festival will open on Thursday July 18th – opening bands John Scofield UberJam Band on the Dragon Stage and Toubab Krewe are set to get the party started. That’s two bands that will prime the whole fest, it only gets better from there. Thrown into this mix are bands Papadosio, Lettuce and Yonder Mountain String Band. Thursday night’s closing act is Beats Antique- who will be laying down heavy dance beats with a steamy belly dancing routine to entice and amaze all in attendance.

    The first full day of All Good has an amazing line up with Cabinet starting the day of at 9:30 am on the grassroots stage. The lineup for Friday is not going to disappoint with bands like Mojoflo, Fear Nuttin Band, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band (definitely worth checking out) and many other great bands throughout the day, the nighttime lineup is off the hook.  Les Claypool and his crew Primus will be up first followed by The Bridge and STS9. Closers Moon Hooch will finish up the lineup for the late-night show.

    At the apex of All Good on Saturday is reggae infused band Three Legged Fox. Saturday is when all the heavy hitters will be playing with bands such as The Sheepdogs, African ShowBoyz, Trombone Shorty, The Rex Jam, followed by Grace Potter and The Nocturnals , The Infamous Stringdusters, and Furthur featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, will close out the mainstage. Late night consists of The Werks, Pretty Lights, Founding Fathers – Andy Falco and Chris Pandolfi of the Stringdusters in their new electronic outfit and finally Upstate New York’s very own Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad.

    Sunday will be packed with some bands to recharge your batteries as the festival finishes out its final day. The day will start with the Revivalists from New Orleans with the lineup closing with Keller Williams and The Travelin’ McCourys, what an end to a lineup filled with amazing musicians, and festivities.

    This years All Good Festival has a few improvements from last years All Good, for starters the Horse Patrol is focused on leaving “ nothing behind and will clean up after their horses.” Safety and security in the campgrounds are all set with an entirely new security team – more seasoned to festivals then the crew that did security last year. The ancient fiberglass porto-johns have got an upgrade and there will be larger camping spaces. Vehicles that show up with 4 or more people will get the camping space of 2 vehicles. Also staff is prepared to get festival goers in and out of the show a lot faster every single time.

    This Year’s Complete Lineup:

    FURTHUR featuring Phil Lesh & Bob Weir, Pretty Lights, Primus, Yonder Mountain String Band, STS9, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, John Butler Trio, Keller Williams with The Travelin’ McCourys, Dark Star Orchestra, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Beats Antique, Leftover Salmon, Papadosio, The Werks, Lettuce, North Mississippi Allstars, John Scofield Uberjam Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, MarchFourth Marching Band, The Soul Rebels, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Bright Light Social Hour, The Bridge, Digital Tape Machine featuring Kris Myers and Joel Cummins of Umphrey’s McGee, The Revivalists, Kung Fu, The Sheepdogs, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, Moon Hooch, Fear Nuttin Band, Everyone Orchestra, Nahko And Medicine For The People, The Ragbirds, Cabinet, The Stepkids, Fruition, Superhuman Happiness, Founding Fathers, MojoFlo, Roosevelt Collier,The Rex Jam

    For a complete schedule or to purchase tickets please check out http://www.allgoodfestival.com

    Follow All Good

    @AllGoodFestival | FaceBook

  • AURA Music and Arts Festival kicks off ‘s 2013 Festival Season

    For most festival goers to AURA Music and Arts Festival, the event is a three day affair.  For , it was more like a five day adventure.  A 21-hour straight car ride down to Northern Florida got us there a couple hours before New York’s own Consider the Source took the Porch Stage to kick off this incredible festival in an even more amazing setting.

    As you enter the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park it becomes hard not to notice the beautiful surroundings.  Trees covered in Spanish moss, ponds, horse barns, canoe rentals, well-kept cabins, all leading you down a road to the white sandy beach nestled next to the dark water of the Suwanee River.  The giant oaks left you feeling humble and the open field left you feeling free.  The sun beating on this snowbird’s face in the middle of February was a welcome reminder of the festival season ahead.  Yes, 2013 was going to be a great year for music and it was starting here and now, in Live Oak, Florida.

    There could not be a better way to kick off a musical event than hearing Gabriel Marin jam away on his double-necked custom fretless guitar, known as a chaturangui.  Consider the Source is typically found later in the night on a Friday or Saturday evening, but as a newcomer to the AURA line-up they were placed as the festival opener.  For the dedicated fans that got their early enough to see them, the band put on a great show and it was no coincidence that the sun shone brighter and the air was warmer than the rest of the weekend.  The positive vibes from CTS were also found midday Saturday in the middle of the campgrounds.

    After CTS melted face on the Porch Stage, the southeast’s own Stokeswood dusted off the Amphitheater and got things warmed up on the main stage.  The band seemingly switched instruments after every songs, but the combination of who was playing what did not seem to matter.  Vocalist Adam Patterson kept the growing crowd enticed as the campers were setting up just beyond the fence and vendors were beginning to peddle their wares.

    As Friday went on and the shadows got longer, festival goers heard the funk stylings of Chicago-based The Main Squeeze, before heading back to the main stage for the return of RAQ, back together for the first time live since July 2011 at The Big Up Festival in Upstate New York.  The jam band that were on the forefront of a new sound brought their fans back when they started the set with “Shirley Be a Drooler” and then over a 10-minute version of “Botz”.  The set went on to include “BFAM”, “Comin’ Home”, a 13 minute “Walking In Circles” followed by an incredible jam of “Late Night” > “Sweet Cream Butter” > “Late Night”.  The festival crowd loved to see the band back together and pleaded for an encore.  When Todd Stoops, Jay Burwick, Chris Michetti and new (and permanent) drummer Adrian Tramontano came out to play “Tumblin’ Down” things at the Porch Stage with Break Science just had to wait a little while longer, because RAQ was back and the fans were enjoying their return.   also got to sit down briefly with Stoops on Saturday and we can expect more from RAQ this year.  With confirmed dates to play in Boston, NYC and Philly you can also expect RAQ at 2013 festivals whenever Conspirator and Kung Fu are in the line-up.

    The very popular electronic music explorers, Conspirator, were the next up on the main stage playing the only back-to-back sets of the festival.  As temperatures were beginning to drop in Northern Florida, the crowd became thankful that Conspirator was there to warm things up.  It’s impossible to sit still when the band takes the stage and spreads their energetic sounds over the masses.  AURA festival goers got to hear a lot of the new tracks from the recently released EP, Unleashed.  Their AURA version of “Retrograde” was amazing and the lit hula hoops, lit umbrellas, lit signs and lit anything else you can add an LED light to, added to an amazing performance.  Conspirator is offering up a much more refined sound that has been developing over the past couple years with a earth-shaking dupstep rhythms and a light show that left many picking their jaws up off the ground.

    After Conspirator’s two sets the crowd literally ran over to the Porch Stage so they did not miss a beat of Kung Fu‘s Friday night performance.  Dressed in their traditional ‘Gi’ outfits, the band could see their breath as the cold air overtook the Suwannee Music Park.  Many of the southern festies hadn’t seen the northeast-based band before and their reactions were nothing but positive.  It there was funk stage at the festival Kung Fu would have been the headliner, because if it was funk you were after they were sure to deliver it.  Guitarist Tim Palmieri went off on solos that you weren’t quite sure would ever stop and to be honest nobody cared if they did.  After talking to him the next day, you would never had known that his fingers were a little numb because on stage they seemed to be on fire.  Dressed in layers and wearing gloves between the sound check and the performance helped the band who played their coldest outdoor set ever.  Temperatures were now below freezing.

    After Kung Fu’s mind altering set it was back to the amphitheater for a bittersweet performance from Perpetual Groove.  P Groove’s front man Brock Butler is reportedly leaving the band to pursue other music interests, and for P Groove fans this festival set was a must see, for those that weren’t fans before, they are now and felt the impact of knowing the band will soon no longer be around.  Fans got to hear some great extended jams like “Great Tea” > “Out Here” > “Green Tea”.  That led into a masterful “Macumba” > “Walking in Place” and back to “Green Tea”.  The set closed out with “Two Shores” > “Speed Queen”.  Friday night’s encore was “Mr. Transistor” > “Echo” > “Mr. Transistor”. The band will be playing consistently in March until their final performance on April 5th at the Georgia Theatre.

    When the night seemed over and music stopped blaring from the speakers a subculture of festival goers were just getting ready to play.  Silent discos popped up as ragers took over. found ourselves up at Club Bujak with Jeff Bujak and Jen Dulong.  Jeff is originally from the Syracuse area and now resides in Boston.  Bujak is known in the northeast for his IDM (intelligent dance music) and light show that includes Jen on the LED hula hoop.  As listeners approached Club Bujak on Friday and Saturday night they didn’t hear a sound but instead were greeted by dozens of dancers with headphones on.  Combine electonic music, a wireless signal and expensive headphones and the Silent Disco is born.

    Waking up on Saturday morning was a catch-22.  The good side was AURA Music and Arts Festival was filled with great musicians, talented artists and the most wonderful staff you could ask for in a festival.  The down side was that it was still in the 30’s and raining.  The dreary weather did not stop the crowd from waking up and getting their coffee from Fair Shot Coffee.  While we shouldn’t pick favorites it’s hard not to when you need hot cups of coffee in the morning, iced Cuban coffee during the day and espressos at night to provide that last bit of energy to get through the night.  AURA offered great food vendors, too with the Free Lovin’ Foodery and Thai BBQ serving up more substantial offerings and Swift Concessions for those with a sweet tooth.  The merch vendors were great as well.  The Cigar Box Music was a popular stop for most AURA festies and the art offered by Sally Can’t Dance was breathtaking.  The Eden’s Rose Foundation was there and they are based out of Albany, NY.  The Foundation work does everything from helping indigenous tribes in the deepest part of the Amazon Rainforest to Tibetan refuge communities in the Himalayas.  It’s namesake, Eden Joseph Roe passed away at 24 years old in 2005, he was a devoted Phish fan who traveled extensively to hear his favorite jam band.

    The first act to perform Saturday was Newton Crosby and he did so in the rain.  People braved the cold temps and rain to hear him and his incredible guitar work.  His spirited, funky set started out with “Wonderful” and went into a long jam of “The Telli Jig” > “Saturday People” > “Return to Asbury Park” > “Saturday People”.  Many smiles were brought to the crowd during an vigorous cover of “Sowing the Seeds of Love”.  Just when everyone was feeling the good vibe from Newton, Brock Butler sat in on “Faceless” and the combined energy of these two incredible musicians parted the clouds.  The set couldn’t have ended better as the skies started to clear and the band played “Crispy Friggin Chicken” > “Worst Day Ever”.  Luckily for us it was far from the worst day ever, the music was just starting and The McLovins were about to take the main stage.

    The McLovins played their funky, uptempo mix on the main stage to many new listeners and fans as the sun continuously fought to shine it’s light on AURA.  The McLovins were able to play AURA by winning a contest on the festivals Facebook page.  In order to pay for the trip down they ended up having a successful Kickstarter campaign.  It was a long road for the young band from Connecticut but well worth it as they are set on reaching new heights.

    Next up was the most funkalious, down home blend of rhythm, harmony and attitude that could be found east of New Orleans.  Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band started the set with “True Battle” and “WTF” (With True Feeling) and did not let up until their last two numbers, “Lovin’” and “Trunk Fallin’ Off”.  Things got really funky when Adam Smirnoff from Lettuce joined YMBFBB in the middle of the set for “Lucky”.  Everyone in the audience (and on stage) was shakin’ what their mama gave them.  There was a point that Mama Funk herself (Mary Frances Newcomb) turned her backside to the crowd and shook her badonkadonk.  The crowd went wild and Saturday’s party officially started and nothing could turn it back.

    Over at the Amphitheater the crowd was beginning to gather to see Kung Fu with Nigel Hall performing a tribute to the legendary Stevie Wonder.  Nigel came out on the stage being lead with dark glasses working hard to find his inner Stevie.  Nigel explained “this is an educational set with a lot of songs Stevie Wonder probably wouldn’t perform anymore…the great thing about Stevie is that he has written every song that matters in the world. Whatever songs we choose to do will be fine.”  The set was full of life starting with “Confusion” and “Black Man”, and went on to include crowd favorites like “Higher Ground”, “Do I Do” and closed with a great version of  “I Wish”.  Besides the incredibly talented guys from Kung Fu, Nigel Hall was also joined by Adam Smirnoff, Jim Wuest, Aly Newitt & John Provenzano.  The Stevie Wonder Tribute will be what people at AURA will be talking about for years and we can all thank Daryl Wolff for coming up with the idea and Todd Stoops (Kung Fu) and Nigel Hall for connecting and making it happen.

    Off on the side stage DrFameus, or as he is better known as, Allen Aucoin of the Disco Biscuits, became a one-man beat machine.  While the winter storm seemed to bypass Suwannee Music Park, a whirlwind of arms, feets, sticks were hitting everything in sight on the Porch Stage in the early evening on Saturday.  While DrFameus is perhaps Allens’ alterego, in this side project you can see the full range of his diversity.  Whether it is electronica, dubstep, techno/house to breakbeats – he delivers.

    Back on the main stage was Dopapod, a favorite among the Upstate New York scene and a band that will be on many festival line-ups this summer.  Their Saturday night set at AURA was intense and the highlight could have been “Present Ghosts” or “French Bowling”.  There job was to bring that notorious Saturday night party vibe, and bring it hard enough to get everyone out of their tents, away from the food and into the music.  Dopapod did just that and in the midst of energizing the crowd they were able to get in some tunes like “Trapper Keeper” into their set from the newest Dopapod release, Redivider, that was released just this past December.

    The Florida-based electronic trio Greenhouse Lounge did a great job of tying things together and keeping the party going over on the Porch Stage.  P Groove was prepping for their final festival set, perhaps forever.  Brock Butler poured his soul out to the crowd Saturday night in an emotional evening.  After playing for so many years together, personalities and musical goals begin to diverge.  However on Saturday night things came together, whether they were pouring their hearts out with the Talking Heads cover “This Must Be the Place” or they were breaking the hearts of their fans with the set closing, “It Starts Where It Ends”.

    As the The Heavy Pets did their sound check, you could begin to tell how cold everyone was at AURA.  Blankets, knitted hats and the crazy outfits were infused with warmer items, like leggings or tights, mittens, scarves.  Even the hula hoopers were trying to get by with the thickest coast they could get away with while still dancing the night away.  Luckily the Saturday party was going strong and sub-freezing temperatures were not going to deter this crowd of very thick-skinned southerners.  The Heavy Pets did their job of getting people moving and grooving and shaking and twirling very well. The Heavy Pets are a yearly favorite at AURA and why not, with a great sound, incredible vocals and songs that seem to span multiple genres.  The side stage was rockin’ Saturday night and the AURA fans still had one more incredible band to go before it was Silent Disco time again, or hangout by the campfire with your friends time.

    Papadosio took the main stage and it seemed like all 3000 AURA Festival goers were there to see it.  The band has been touring extensively around the country and building up a sizable fanbase.  They have even graduated to a tour bus and a LED wall.  The LED wall was rented until their New Years run and they bit the bullet and bought it.  It is an amazing addition to an already incredible show.  Papadosio’s sound can be described a hundred different ways and everyone of them would be correct, I think of it as the next progression in psychedelic rock.  They are a rock band, they play their instruments and they play them well.  They have also adapted modern technology to enhance the sound, the mood and the composition of their work.  Long trippy jams, explosive solos and crowds yearning for more.  It’s an amazing time and the light show against the Spanish moss dominating the oak trees around the amphitheater is one of those things that will go down as breathtaking and frustrating as a photographer.  I could take a 1000 pictures of the scene and it wouldn’t do it justice.  There was just something in the air.

    So when the night ended and everyone climbed into their sleeping bags, Sunday morning came too early.  The coffee line was long and everyone was talking about how Papadosio melted their face or how sad it is to see P Groove splitting up.  Some were talking about the Stevie Wonder tribute or how Greenhouse Lounge brought it.  First time listeners to various bands were looking up the next time the Big Booty Band or the McLovins were going to play their neck of the woods.  It was a community centered around music and art.

    AURA was more about the music, there was the Tribal Council that offered healing and yoga classes throughout the event.  The artists set up a tent and displayed their incredible pieces and during each performance you could see rows of artists painting away as the bands played.  Music inspires art and art inspires music.  Together through creativity and love you can build a community, a scene of like minded individuals that are better together; and what color was the community’s AURA that weekend? Purple, of course.

    It was Sunday morning and with a 21-hour car ride looming ahead it was sadly time to go.  Driving through the campsite you could see people stirring and stretching and preparing for another great day of music.  Whether it was Brock Butler’s acoustic set on the main stage or Lingo and Former Champions offering up some Sunday jams on the Porch stage.  The Lee Boys took time to offer some spiritual words and festival goers were greeted by Sunday sets from Dopapod, Papadosio and The Heavy Pets.

    AURA’s 4th year and the first one at Suwannee Music Park was coming to an end and Daryl, Destiny, and all of the people that made the festival possible were incredibly happy with the response.  From Friday morning until Sunday night the festival offered up something for everyone.  It was a harmonious experience and one that can’t wait to do again next year.

  • Papadosio and Consider the Source at The Haunt in Ithaca, February 10th

    On my way to see Papadosio and Consider the Source at the Haunt in Ithaca,  NY on Sunday, February 10th, I was reminiscing about the first time I saw Papadosio. About 2/3 of the way to Ithaca, I noticed a NY State Trooper pulling a U-turn behind me as I passed him. It was also this time when I noticed my driver side headlight was out. Had I realized that my registration expired two days earlier, I would have passed on the show. Being thisclose made it impossible to resist finishing the trip. After ticketing me I took a more roundabout route that would avoid any future conversations with officers.

    I was happy to arrive in time to catch the latter half of Consider the Source ‘s set. They have an incredible raw energy performing live. The barrage of sound from the stage assaulted my senses, they build into a frenzied jam to finish the set. Gabriel Marin’s guitar face is one of the best I’ve seen.

    Enjoying the set right behind me was none other than Jeff Bujak and his assistant/hoop goddess Jen Dulong. Also present for the show were Eli, Chuck and Rob from Dopapod, who had recently played with Papadosio on the tour and have had a great series of shows with the band, including an incredible New Years Eve show two months ago.

    Papadosio began and the dancing began with it. I like to juggle at shows and Papadosio provides a great backdrop of music for me to juggle to. With undulating layers of synths and moody textured tones, Papadosio improvised and pushed the boundaries of their sound. While I recognized some of the songs, a few off of the new album T.E.T.I.O.S I was not familiar with. Ending with “All I Knew”, they played it perfectly. It was a truly beautiful song and was a great way to end the evening, albiet with a stop to pick up a headlight for my car.