Hartford, Connecticut’s The McLovins have announced four new tour dates including two visits to Upstate in Rochester and Saratoga Springs. The Superbad “hero” monikered group has grown at a furious pace since their debut in 2008 touring all over the US.
Saratoga Springs gets a visit at the Putnam Den Dec 5 w/ The Orwells providing support. This show is FREE. Fast forward to 2015 and you can catch the ‘lovin’ at Rochester’s Montage Music Hall February 21.
The band will also be working in some new lighting and video effects with lighting director Thai Guy. According to drummer Jake Huffman: “This tour we will have 3 lasers, lights, and a full projection rig with us and we are starting to dabble in video.”
A cover heavy jammin good time was had by a packed State Theater in Ithaca on Monday Nov. 10, the band’s first return to the Southern Tier since 2005.
Opening with a 10+ minute “Shine”, the audience was enthralled from the high energy exhibited from the band members. “Orange Blossom Special” emerged from a jammed out “So Far From Home,” while “Dirk > Jungle Boogie > Dirk” stood out as a highlight of the show, giving a nod to their performance at Lockn’ Festival with K.C. of K.C. and the Sunshine Band. A closing “Colorado Bluebird Sky” was the highest of notes to end on, full of jamgrassy goodness throughout the western anthem.
Two songs stood out in the second set – the opener “BollyMunster” and off of the recent release Song in My Head, “Colliding”. I am still not sold on “BollyMunster,” simply because of its melting pot nature, featuring touches of bluegrass, Bollywood, and electronic as it just overwhelms what could be a stronger composition if stripped down slightly, even to an acoustic level. “Colliding,” however, wowed the audience with returns to the composition after a strong central jam. “Can’t Wait Another Day,” another track off Song in My Head, could easily transport you to a beach in the Caribbean, full of life and carefree dancing. “Outside and Inside” had a surprising inclusion of U2’s “Mysterious Ways,” catching the audience off guard but welcomed more than Songs of Innocence on their iPhones.
The encore was a treat. Bill Nershi weaved his way through the semi-biographical “Jellyfish,” which ended up with two verses of Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritavilla” before moving into the closer “Black Clouds”. Their first time back in Upstate in nine years and String Cheese impressed the capacity crowd who were sent buzzing into the streets of Ithaca. Fortunately, this night’s show did not end early with the fire alarm being pulled. Back in October 2005, Bill Nershi made up for this faux pas by treating the fans to acoustic versions of “Bar Stool” and “Texas” in the street in front of the venue, but tonight the band would leave it all on the stage and the fans likewise would leave it all on the dance floor.
Set 1: Shine > So Far From Home > Orange Blossom Special, Sweet Spot, Master Blaster (Jammin), Drums, Dirk > Jungle Boogie > Dirk, Colorado Bluebird Sky
Set 2: BollyMunster, Miss Brown’s Teahouse > Chameleon > Miss Brown’s Teahouse, Colliding > Land’s End > Can’t Wait Another Day, Outside And Inside > Mysterious Ways > Outside And Inside
Encore: Jellyfish > Margaritaville > Black Clouds
String Cheese Incident continued their tour of NY with two nights at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th. The crowd was getting restless until, at last, SCI took the stage a little after 8:30 with no shoes on but big smiles. The show kicked off with “Search” featuring some killer dueling solos from percussionists Jason Hann and Michael Travis. Keeping up with the upbeat vibe, “Birdland” saw strong organ chords from Kyle Hollingsworth with light cymbal work making for a fusion of jazz and funk when adding Keith Moseley’s bass. Bill Nershi gives a consistent earthy folk sound on his acoustic guitar as he danced merrily around the stage with Michael Kang, providing high voltage on the electric guitar. “Sometimes a River” held the classic rock rhythm with an easy flowing country melody as the crowd happily sang back the lyrics with gusto. Performing the title song of their album, “Song in my Head” was a swirling and dizzying light tune with steady builds before turning into a dark jam as the melody suddenly dropped to the thunderous boom of Travis. The set ended with “Close Your Eyes” which was a harmonious and ferocious jam with an ethnic flair from Hann on bongos and old world plucking from Nershi.
The second set was a nonstop roller coaster of dark space and psychedelic melodies, starting out with an awesome Caribbean cover of “This Must Be the Place” by Talking Heads. “Valley of the Jig” was an Irish Lord of the Dance show, but with a dark side of Mars vibe. Taking a moment to experience the here and now, Moseley shouted out “Happy 11/11!” at 11:11pm as the band appropriately went into the breezy cute ballad of “Smile”. Not too surprising given the reputation of The Cap, but the beginning notes of The Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” resulted in a full-out explosion of midnight madness. SCI must have been on Colorado time as the show went pretty late for a week night as the set closed out with a spooky “Desert Dawn.” The encore of “Restless Wind” summed up everything there is about String Cheese Incident. Kang’s fiddle work brought out their deep roots of bluegrass, Hollingsworth slammed on his keys, and the entire band lifted the crowd with rockitude. SCI was appreciative of the fans and the atmosphere of the venue as they repetitively thanked the crowd. Both shows are available for download on livecheese.com.
Set 1: Search, Birdland, You’ve Got the World, Sometimes a River, Indian Creek, Song In My Head > Give Me the Love, Close Your Eyes
Set 2 : This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) > It Is What It Is> Valley of the Jig, Smile, Joyful Sound> Shakedown Street> Desert Dawn
When Larry Kirwan and Chris Byrne met in New York City and formed Black 47 in the late 1989, they had no idea that 25 years would bring the band to 2,300 shows and 13 full-length studio albums. Though Byrne left the band in 2000 for other commitments, the band is here now in November 2014 for what will literally be their last call. Black 47 decided to disband about this time last year but not first without releasing one more album of new material and aggressively hitting the road to bid farewell to as many friends as possible.
Black 47 bowing one last time for Connolly’s in NYC, a frequent venue for the band, September 15, 2014
Black 47 performs their second to last (and final Upstate NY) show tonight at Mahoney’s in Poughkeepsie at 8pm, doubling as a fundraiser for the Hudson Valley Regional Police Pipes and Drums. Though the band is from New York City, they have performed dozens of shows in the Upstate NY area over the years making Poughkeepsie a fitting choice for their penultimate show. Tickets are still available for this show, but lately Black 47 shows have been selling out as the final curtain call has been drawing closer.
A final celebration of their career will be Saturday in their home city at the B.B. King Blues Club near Times Square in Manhattan with special guests and friends. With a smirk on his face after a recent show at the Towne Crier Cafe in Beacon, NY, Kirwan mentioned Black 47 has an exciting show planned for November 15. With fans loyal to the band and the band loyal to its fans alike, Black 47 will have a truly special evening of music in store for their last show.
Saturday’s show sold out two months ago. However, the band has on one occasion relayed a fan’s message with extra tickets on their Facebook page, and the some people have been posting their extra tickets on the fan-made Facebook group “25 Years of Black 47.”
If you missed your chance to get a ticket to Black 47’s final show, be sure to follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for an update from the show and check back for a review of the show early next week.
This recent Halloween weekend things went bump in the night. They also went womp womp, untz untz untz, and twanggggg. Hosted by The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park and The String Cheese Incident, Hulaween 2014 was an event, curated by Silver Wrapper & Purple Hat Productions, that took the opportunity to up the game. Festivals will never be the same. The eclectic line up was laid out in expert fashion with little to no overlap or serious conflicting set times, making it easy to catch as much of the 52 bands and artists as one desired. The 8,000+ attendees took full advantage of this, making sure of course to allot enough time to get costumed and painted, with feathers, fishnet, and furry accessories galore. Many embraced their inner flow and hula hooped, juggled, and spun poi throughout the weekend.
With a large percentage of the crowd arriving Thursday, they were treated to pre-party sets by Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, Particle and Electron – which is comprised of members of Lotus, Brothers Past and The Disco Buscuits; Electron brought the heat and whipped the eager crowd into a pulsing frenzy.
Friday brought a very danceable DJ day set by Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation at the Spirit Lake Stage. Emancipator took the amphitheater stage as the sunset was imminent, setting the tone for Friday night with their luscious ambient beats. The shades of sky serenaded the crowd through the streamers and Spanish moss hanging from the Oak and Cyprus trees. Shortly after, the first of seven String Cheese Incident sets was followed by the Psy-Trance peculiarity of Shpongle, priming the costumed crowd for SCI’s Halloween set. In costumes themselves and playing all covers, String Cheese’s second of three sets was a banger, highlighted by The Ghosbusters Theme, Live and Let Die, Don’t Fear The Reaper, and closed with Thriller. Following a short set break they played originals during their final set of the night, then treated the crowd to Superstition by Stevie Wonder as an Encore. Rounding out the Halloween evening festivities with their upbeat reggae vibe, Thievery Corporation performed with a full live band.
EOTO, one of the side projects of String Cheese percussionists Jason Hann and Michael Travis, closed out the Main stage Sunday evening. Embattled with a few technical difficulties, their unique mix of electronic and live instrumentation was a perfect send off.
Throughout the weekend the Amphitheater Stage hosted an incredible amount of talented musicians. Shpongle, Beats Antique, Nahko & medicine for the People, Conspirator, The New Deal, and Future Rock all had inspired performances. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead proved to be one of the premier Grateful Dead cover acts as they brought the festival to an end Sunday Night. Many resorted to hanging in the multitude of hammocks interspersed throughout the trees at the amphitheater stage, helping to harness the energy created there during each show.
Spirit Lake saw the Lake at Suwannee turned into a surreal Burning Man inspired artistically themed play land. With the JellyJump dome there were many swings and bungees to bounce around on. A haptic Forest had “haptic trees” that would react to motion near them and create various spooky sounds while revelers filtered through waving their extremities. Art installations, sculptures, metalwork, lights and laser projections could be found in every nook to exhilarate the senses, including Baby Bhudda, a twenty-foot tall metal Statue with flames shooting from its hat and ears. Special late night fire spinning performances were a treat for those fortunate enough to pace themselves.
Words often fall short in accurately describing the vibrations that are found at Spirit of the Suwannee music Park, with “magical” frequently bandied as the go to word. And it IS magical, with a multitude of festivals each year, Hulaween is certainly poised to be the flagship festival for Suwannee. Bringing a gorgeous mix of creativity, beauty, sound, and nature together, Brotherly Love Productions (who managed the media presence), Purple Hatters Productions and Silver Wrapper has set the bar very high.
Celebrating their first twenty years, Gov’t Mule will be stopping at the State Theatre in Ithaca, NY on November 15 in the midst of their celebratory anniversary tour to spread their unique organic brand of heavy rock and blues. In support of their 2013 LP Shout!, the concert is sure to feature recent Mule compositions in addition to a plethora of unique cover tunes and Mule classics from their genre twisting classic recordings.
Following a preceding November 14 visit to The Palace Theatre in Albany, the Mule will be bringing the musical party to the Upstate masses in what is sure to be the usual incendiary Govt Mule musical display. The current tour reaches its conclusion in Ithaca, in what is guaranteed to be blow out finale for the band.
In referencing how music becomes something tangible to the world, Peter Rowan describes in a new interview how the transient process as “a strange and mysterious thing.” The words mirror his spiritual and philosophical existence on this plane. Peter Rowan has traveled near and far and with him, the adventures of playing music and the lessons of deep spiritual focus which have become interconnected within him on a cellular level. He is the commander-in-chief, the leader of contemporaries, the principle musician, the Buddhist guide and the forerunner of song compositions. He has collaborated with legends, he’s made albums with icons, he has written songs that are often covered by others and album’s that impacted musical direction.
Tabitha Clancy: Lets begin with your most recent works, of which two were released this year. Can you tell me about Dharma Blues?
Peter Rowan: I wrote that material while I was on pilgrimage to Nepal and India while doing concert dates in Japan. It was a mid-life journey. To have purgatory, paradise and hell – those are states of mind. To go on pilgrimage you actually leave behind your own world and engage in spiritual energy. Once I got to India and Nepal, my mind was open and songs started coming intensely. It was as if I was waiting my whole life to go on this journey. You surrender your baggage.
TC: When did you travel to Nepal and India?
PR: Well the first time in 1992, then I went back 1996, 2002, well, every decade. I would combine it with my Japanese dates.
TC: As musician you seem to create from the heart. How do your songs come together for you?
PR: On Dharma Blues there is a song called “Arise.” It is sort of a vow. It is the first vow someone on a spiritual path would make by sacrificing your own suffering and enlightenment for the enhancement of others. It begins by realizing all beings have been your parents. So in a way, that’s the prayers I was saying. I rehearsed different ways of playing. It’s been six years before I recorded it. I lived with those songs for a long time until I could be really comfortable with them. That’s one way of looking at it. It’s a strange and mysterious thing how any kind of music will see the light of day.
TC: What do you think about the progression of the bluegrass genre?
PR: I think it’s all great. My whole thing is I’ve been wrapped up in my own stuff. Basically I’m a songwriter whereas these other bands are about entertainment value and instrumental work. To me bluegrass has great potential for extended instrumental solos. All these bands tip their hats to Old In And The Way. I was a Bluegrass Boy; there is a self-imposed idea that I have to bring the tradition. You can draw a line and say bluegrass begins and ends at this certain traditional sound, beyond that it’s a progression of bluegrass. Right now, I don’t fit the category anymore.
TC: Can you tell me what those early years were like for you?
PR: Both my parents were musicians. My uncle Jimmy came back from World War II and brought back grass skirts and coconut bras and we all put them on and danced in living room while he played a ukulele he won in a poker game.
There was a big music scene Cambridge, MA and bluegrass was a part of it and I started playing bluegrass with different folks. Then Bill Monroe came to town and hired me to join his band.
TC: What was that like for you?
PR: Oh, it was scary! By the time I was 24, I was on the road with Bill Monroe. That is a big subject. I can tell you, when you share a mic with another, you do learn to project your voice. Ok, here’s the difference, to be really bluegrass it has to be acoustic instruments over a microphone. The point is, what I learned from Bill Monroe is projecting voice and projection of your instrument to cut the mic. And you call it “cut the mic.”
TC: You have countless collaborations and creative projects under your belt. Is there any project that stands out for you, the one album, show or musical adventure that you are proud of that you felt set you on you on your path?
PR: I’d say Old In And The Way, and the fact that I put out “In The Land of Navajo,” “Panama Red” and “Midnight Moonlight” on the same record was me finding my voice. It wasn’t that to me at that time; it was just exciting. Of course, playing with incredible greats. I’ll just give you dates and names: 1965, Bill Monroe; 1970, Jerry Garcia and Vassar Clements; all along there’s David Grisman; 1975, Flaco Jimenez. To my enjoyment, I played with these greats. In the 1980’s, Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush – you know these are contemporaries. Into the nineties, we were becoming iconic. I ended up playing with Tony Rice for twelve years. He was a huge inspiration to me.
It’s been a wonderful evolution. I have my own bluegrass band now. I started writing in the first person six years ago. I feel like I’m able to share more. I like to tell stories. I like to pass on what I know.
TC: Last year you toured with Yungchen Lhamo who is someone whose musical presentation is quite different from Western style music. Where did you meet Yungchen?
PR: Years ago I was complaining that bluegrass seems limiting. So, Charles Sawtelle (Hot Rize) gave me Yungchen’s record. I listened to it for a long time both critically and joyfully. Years went by and two years ago I played a festival and saw she was on the bill. We kind of started connecting and so I invited her out to Rocky Grass in Colorado. So, I did a traditional bluegrass set and then I had Yungchen come out. We never really solidified what we do together. She did an opening prayer and then sang several of my Dharma songs with me. It was the first time we tried it on stage and it really worked. She’s an inspiration for me. She’s so direct in her approach. She made me realize that you don’t have to shy away. If you do it, just do it!
TC: You are currently touring the Northeast. What can we expect from the show at The Egg in Albany? Are you touring solo?
PR: I’m solo, that way I can tell the stories. The challenge is bringing it down to one person and let those influences be there.
Peter Rowan will be at The Egg, Saturday, November 15. Tickets available at the box office or online.
Folk icon Arlo Guthrie comes to the Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie on November 16 for a Sunday show not to be missed. and The Bardavon are giving away two free tickets to the show. Share this post for a chance to be one of the lucky fans!
Guthrie was born in Coney Island in 1947, the son of legendary songwriter Woody Guthrie. He grew up surrounded by Pete Seeger, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Ronnie Gilbert, Cisco Houston and other American greats, so his live musical debut at the age of 13 was no surprise. Since that first performance 53 years ago, Guthrie has toured the globe carrying on the folk legacy his father started. Arlo performed at the 1969 Woodstock Festival , many Newport Folk Festivals, and has played with the likes of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Doc Watson. Next Sunday, he brings his legacy back to the Bardavon for the first time in more than two decades.
Fans will be pining for a live preview of “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” a musical monologue that will be played from myriad radio stations 11 days after The Bardavon show. A satirical first-hand account of Guthrie’s criminal charge of littering and his subsequent disqualification from the Vietnam draft, the 18+ minute anti-war song has become nearly as synonymous with Thanksgiving Day as turkey and football. Like “Alice’s Restaurant,” many of Guthrie’s tunes include political and social commentary, and poignant anecdotes and stories are sprinkled in during shows.
As Guthrie states on his website, “Sometimes it’s good to just let go of the world and enjoy the natural progression of things.” That’s what admirers will do on November 16 as The Bardavon’s two tiers will be filled with fans spanning many generations.
Click here to purchase tickets to the 7:00 pm show and share this post for a chance to win a free ticket!
A dream come true for bluegrass aficionados, Peter Rowan will be bringing some good old-fashioned bluegrass music to Oneonta at the classy BSide Ballroom and Supper Club on Friday, Nov. 14. Bringing old-time music to our ears for over five decades, Peter Rowan always impresses audiences with the unique touches he adds to an otherwise traditional style. Having played with fellow well-respected musicians spanning across several styles of music, including Bill Monroe during his time playing with the Bluegrass Boys and Jerry Garcia while performing with Old and In the Way, Peter Rowan also delights fans with solo performances all over the world, and can sometimes be found rock(abilly)ing out with The Free Mexican Air Force. For those looking for some real tradition this Friday night, head on over to BSide Ballroom and be treated to an intimate performance by Grammy-winning recording legend Peter Rowan.
The show will be starting at 7:00PM, but come early if you can and indulge in a scrumptious meal consisting of fresh, quality seasonal cuisine served up in the restaurant right inside the club! Tickets for this event cost $32 in advance/$38 at the door. Reservations for this event are strongly suggested, as seats are filling up quickly for this one!
After the Oneonta show, Peter Rowan will be making an additional stop in Upstate New York on Saturday night, Nov. 15, when he will be performing at The Egg in Albany. He will also be making an appearance in Bay Shore, NY on Nov. 20. Make sure to give yourself the chance to see him perform when he’s in your town, as Rowan is a bluegrass legend in the truest sense of the word.
In a sad announcement indeed, Alan Evans Playonbrother has announced they are going on an indefinite hiatus. Alan – a Buffalo native – is well known as the drummer/co-founder of the wildly popular Soulive.
Alan Evans Playonbrother
Citing an endless unfortunate string of vehicular expenses Alan released the following statement:
“I have a family to feed and bills to pay, just like everybody else. I need to focus on Soulive and my engineering and producing work to pay off the debt that has piled up through this series of van troubles. I have been investing everything I make with Soulive in Playonbrother and my studio. I have built two bands already, and Playonbrother is something I really wanted to work, and I was cool with not making money playing the shows while we were growing the audience, but this is a different matter and I can’t afford to continue this.”
“Without the fans’ support, we wouldn’t have gotten this far. It’s tough building a band, and I have mad respect for the young bands out there working the road. I have done that my whole life, and I am fortunate to have Soulive to focus on. Speaking of building bands, I have to give serious props to my manager, Tom Baggott, for his support and vision. He has showed over the years that he can pick winners, and his team at Hoplite have showed me what development strategy and dedication are all about. They are pros and they get it. More than anything, though, I want to thank Danny and Kris. These cats are serious players and they stuck with this. Dudes that good will definitely land on their feet, though, and I cannot recommend them enough. We have some great shows coming up and we’re going out on a positive note.”
The trio will finish work and release the music for what will be presumably their last release. While some previously scheduled November tour dates have been canceled, there are still a handful of chances in November and December to see this ridiculously talented band. Good luck Alan, Danny and Kris!
Alan Evans Playonbrother – Final Shows
11.14 | Bear Creek Music Festival | Live Oak, FL 11.21 | Gramercy Theatre | New York, NY with DOPAPOD
11.22 | Pearl Street Club Room | Northampton, MA 12.04 | Montage Music Hall | Rochester, NY with SPIRITUAL REZ
12.06 | Keswick Theatre | Glenside, PA with TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND 12.05 | Funk N Waffles | Syracuse, NY
12.08 | Count Basie Theatre | Red Bank, NJ with TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND
12.09 | Bryce Jordan Center | University Park, PA with TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND
12.10 | The 8×10 | Baltimore, MD – very special show featuring one original set and an additional set dedicated to the music of CREAM!
12.11 | Carpenter Theatre | Richmond, VA with TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND
Max Cavalera seems to be a man who can never rest. After years of touring with Sepultura to forming Soulfly, Max has teamed up for the third time with his brother Igor to bring Cavalera Conspiracy’sPandemonium. November 4 the album was dropped via Napalm Records. Cavalera Conspiracy had a lot of momentum with the previous record Blunt Force Trauma. So how did this one pan out?
Opener “Babylonian Pandemonium” may be the heaviest track of 2014 and sets the tone for the entire album. Definitely heavier than anything that anything Max Cavalera has ever released. Absolute brutality that even puts Sepultura’s Arise to shame and in terms of heaviness, it’s a fist coming straight at you. No other way to put it.
The Cavalera brothers have taken grindcore and thrash to a whole new level. The track “Bonzai Kamikazee” continues exactly what the previous track brought and by far, some of the most insane drumming from Igor Cavalera. I always believed that Igor was always the X-Factor. It seems that Max always brings his best material when his brother Igor is there behind the kit. My only complaint about this album is that it seems to have buried the bass. However, on the track “Scum” we get a bass intro from Nate Newton. But the album has so much heavy guitars and drums it’s damn near impossible to hear the bass.
My favorite track, “I, Barbarian”, is a suitable title for a song with such eerie guitar solos and riffs from Mark Rizzo and Max Cavelera. But the breakdowns make it much more fun to listen and bang your head to. The following track, “Cramunhão”, has Max’s best vocal performance. It’s hard to believe at his age he can still bring such monster vocals to the table. The last track, “The Crucible”, is a really awesome closing track. The album has two really kick ass bonus tracks “Deus Ex Machina” and” Porra” (which has a Roots flavor to it).
Mark Rizzo’s best work on this album has to be the track “Insurrection”, which has the most guitar solos. The album really centers around the Cavalera brothers, but “Insurrection” gives Rizzo the spotlight. Maz Cavalera and John Gray produced the album and while the production is good, not great, is that it is so damn heavy that some of the bass seems to be buried, but the vocals and guitars sound great and the drums really stand out.
Overall, Pandemonium is a heavy album that is meant to be played loud and by far, Cavalera Conspiracy’s heaviest album and definitely in the conversation as the heaviest album of 2014. Fans of early Sepultura will be pleased.