An incredibly thorough and diversified artist lineup is now complete for the 2014 edition of Gathering of the Vibes. This increasingly popular music and arts festival, held once again within the friendly confines of Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT features nationally recognized headliners such as John Fogerty, Widespread Panic, moe. and Umphrey’s McGee for starters. The lineup also includes what promises to be an amazing nod to its Grateful Dead inspired roots with a collaboration of The Disco Biscuits and drum legends Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, the group’s first ever public performance.
Vibes certainly doesn’t limit itself to jam based acts either as the bill also includes names like Dispatch, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Ziggy Marley and Maceo Parker. And like last year, the festival will also feature “roaming” acts that traverse the festival grounds all weekend long for spontaneous jams in Primate Fiasco and Funky Dawgz Brass Band.
With music beginning early Thursday afternoon, Northeast icons Ryan Montbleau and Strangefolk each deliver sets to usher in the evening schedule on the Main Stage. The secondary stage for the festival, the Green Vibes Stage, also features performances from up and coming act White Denim as well as the already proven Rusted Root. Dopapod gets the late night assignment for Thursday and Stanley Jordan is also tabbed as the ‘artist at large’ for today, liable to sit in with any of the aforementioned acts at any time which is great for anyone who appreciates guitar virtuosos.
Friday’s highlights includes Keller Williams getting his Grateful Grass band together again for a set of Dead covers with a makeup including Jeff Austin on mandolin and bassist Reed Mathis. Later in the day, drummer extraordinaire Joe Russo gets his turn to pay homage to the legends of jam with Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Slightly Stoopid also makes an appearance with a set on the Main Stage before giving way to the legendary John Fogerty. For any Talking Heads fans, a real interesting tribute of sorts will be paid in the form of Lotus: Talking Heads Deconstructed with a late evening set that has the potential to be epic. Other groups working the late shift on Friday include Deep Banana Blackout and EOTO.
There’s no let up on Saturday, as the afternoon features known acts like Kung Fu and Leftover Salmon which will be joined by Bill Payne of Little Feat. Dumpstaphunk also makes an appearance tonight on the Green Vibes Stage and the Main Stage features an amazingly solid 1-2 punch of Umphrey’s McGee and Widespread Panic before giving way to the aforementioned Disco Biscuits and Grateful Dead debut collaboration. Digital Tape Machine and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe complete Saturday’s almost overwhelmingly full schedule.
Sunday is typically a more relaxed atmosphere at GOTV as the festival nears the finish line. The afternoon includes sets from local act McLovins and the legendary Maceo Parker. Today’s lineup has a verifiable Upstate New York block as well as jam icons Donna the Buffalo will entertain everyone with a set on the Green Vibes Stage before moe. does the same on the Main Stage. Those needing a reggae fix can get it with a performance from Ziggy Marley that follows before Dispatch closes things out and wraps up what promises to be an amazing four days of music.
Tickets for Gathering of the Vibes are still available and can be purchased at www.gatheringofthevibes.com with a number of varieties available. Weekend camping passes can be purchased for $235 and there are also Friday, Saturday and Sunday only tickets available as well. There are no weekend only tickets but there are VIP options as well. What can’t be given a price, though, is a weekend that’s bound to be magical one fueled by a complete musical lineup and the near tangible, friendly communal vibe that’s present from start to finish every year.
In honor of the tenth anniversary of Mountain Jam, which takes place in the glorious Catskill Mountains right here in our Upstate backyard, the weather decided to fully cooperate for the entire weekend (with the exception of literally one minute of rain late Thursday night)! Set within the beautiful backdrop of Hunter Ski Mountain, which forms a natural amphitheater with its sheer geography, the spectacular and constant sounds of pure musical genius were constantly being bounced off the mountains right back at you. It was even possible to take in the music and views from above via the Sky Ride (a.k.a., the ski lifts)! With the two main stages set up right next to each other, it was possible to see a continuous flow of music without having to leave your spot, but when the need arose to stretch your legs or take a break inside the Ski Lodge (where there was access to indoor bathrooms throughout the days and evenings), it was definitely worth visiting Healey Brothers Hall located inside the lodge, where several workshops were offered throughout the weekend. In addition, one could check out the variety of other activities going on on the mountain, including taking a yoga and gong sound healing class in the Learning Center; playing a game of Frisbee Golf; participating in a drum circle; cleansing your karma at the Karma Wash; or taking a nap in the Hammock Grove.
With the festival gates opening at 2pm on Thursday, there seemed to be some initial confusion amongst the security guards about exactly what was going on, which resulted in a few of the early arrivals to miss a bit of the first band, but thankfully, once the music started, it motivated everyone (including the security guards) to keep things moving. Diesel America from New York City held the esteemed position of being the opening band for Mountain Jam X, quite an interesting choice, as they played some of the hardest rock ever heard at a Mountain Jam, but they certainly helped kick things into gear. Next up was K-Jamm, a catchy “hipster rock” band, sounding a bit like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros with some Rusted Root mixed in, and heavy on the Hammond, giving the band a real classic sound. Following K-Jamm were The Dirty Gems, a Brooklyn-based band who has won or been finalists in numerous Battle of the Band competitions. Having incredibly high energy, powerful lead female vocalist Raycee, during the first song, took a break to high-five the rest of the band members, and encouraged everyone in the audience to do the same! Performing a great cover of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know” and then ending on a jazzy note, The Dirty Gems’ parting advice was, “Be safe but not too safe!” After such a wise tip, Copious Jones, from Atlanta, Georgia, was next to perform on the West Stage. They had the exceptional ability to combine various genres of music within each of their tunes. During any given tune, you could be hearing straight up rock, jazz, folk, reggae, and even salsa. The lead vocalist, “Sniffles” Callahan, sounded an awful lot like Gogol Bordello, which was an added bonus! At one point, they had everyone dancing so hard, even one of the cameramen on stage was getting down! The final band to play on the West Stage on Mountain Jam, Day 1, was Citizens Radio Band from New Jersey, who was a whole lot of fun, and the first bluegrass band of the festival! In fact, they got the crowd psyched with a rousing rendition of “Bluegrass Breakdown”, a real traditional number, and later on sang a beautiful version of “Silver Threads and Golden Needles”, which had a New Riders of the Purple Sage sound to it. At certain points during their set, a saxophone made an appearance, which added a distinctive tone to an otherwise predominantly bluegrass and country set.
For the bands playing later in the evening, the music was switched over to the larger East Stage, so at this point in the festival, there was a mass migration from one stage to the other. To inaugurate the East Stage at this year’s Mountain Jam was the legendary Dark Star Orchestra, a band famous for replicating entire Grateful Dead shows tune-for-tune, and as close to note-for-note as they can learn. Due to their two-hour time slot, they didn’t have time for an entire Dead show, so they played one of their original sets, which was equally as well thought out and executed as a Dead set would have been. Included in their set were several of the Dead’s more upbeat tunes, including “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleloo”, “Midnight Moonlight”, ”Samson and Delilah”, and “Eyes of the World”. At several points during the set, it sounded like they were going to go into “China Cat Sunflower”, and I could have sworn they were going to start “Women Are Smarter” when they actually went into “Iko Iko”, but that just kept everyone on their toes, like the Grateful Dead used to do. The band closed out the set with a sentimental rendition of “The Weight”, dedicated to Levon Helm, who coincidentally celebrated his 70th birthday at Mountain Jam just a few years ago. Dark Star Orchestra successfully channeled Jerry Garcia to all of us on this first day of Mountain Jam, and you could tell the band was feeling the love from the audience, as Rob Eaton, rhythm guitarist and vocalist, called the crowd a “Laurel and Hardy bunch”!
And now, for the headliner of the night, Umphrey’s McGee! They came out on stage in the dark and started playing their first number “Le Blitz” before the lights came up, getting the audience pumped with a nice blend of acoustic piano and electric guitar. About halfway through their set, during “Space Funk Booty”, some guy came running down the hill at full speed, and mumbled something to me on his way back up about getting so into the music, he may have even blacked out at one point! The band took the opportunity to garner some Umph Love for their new album Similar Skin, which came out just after Mountain Jam weekend, by playing the title track. To close out their first set, one of the hosts of the festival, the one and only Warren Haynes, joined Umphrey’s on their last tune, “Thin Air”, the first of many guest appearances made by Warren throughout the festival. Umphrey’s McGee’s second set consisted of several really dance-y songs, including super fast and flawless two-finger tapping on the guitar during “Cemetery Walk II” by Jake Cinninger, who was so hot, bassist Ryan Stasik had to fan him down; a vocal jam surrounding the phrase “Smoke it if you’ve got it” with the lights turned out on stage; and ending with a funky Police cover, “Driven to Tears”. Umphrey’s parting advice for the crowd was to “Drink more water!”
Day 2 of Mountain provided a longer 15-hour day of harmonious bliss, perhaps the busiest band being Brooklyn-based Afrobeat aficionados Antibalas, who made three separate appearances throughout the day, starting with an early set to get everyone on their feet from the get go, moving on to the Healey Hall stage for a mid-afternoon Afrobeat workshop, and ending the day with the last set of the day, starting at 1:00AM once again on the inside stage. A force to be reckoned with, with 11 band members on the stage, you could truly feel the steady beats and brass pulsing through you during their musical sets, and, although it meant missing some of the music going on outside, it was definitely worth participating in the Afrobeat workshop, during which Antibalas drummer Miles Arntzen taught the lucky group of participants two basic African claves (or rhythms), the Dorian scale, and “learning how to unlearn”. Other bands that played throughout the day were NYC-based The Dough Rollers, who sounded a bit Tom Waits-y (and who also didn’t seem too thrilled or prepared to be there); Robert Randolph and The Family Band, who were sounding as soulful and funky as ever, and ending with a last pedal steel riff over which he sang “Let’s Go Rangers!” (as there was a game going on that evening, which was being shown at the bar inside the lodge); The Weeks, who were reminiscent of The Strokes; Trampled By Turtles from Minnesota, who played the fastest bluegrass I’ve ever seen; Reignwolf, playing some hard southern rock, with drummer Texas Jo playing with similar antics as Animal of Muppets fame; The Avett Brothers from North Carolina, whose true love of playing music really shined through in their heartfelt tunes, and who brought with them a dedicated fan base of all ages (in fact, the two little girls sitting with their parents in front of me seemed to know practically all they lyrics to their songs!); and Moon Taxi from Nashville, who provided the audience with some bouncier trippier music, and a truly fun and upbeat musical experience.
Bob Weir and Ratdog were the main act of Day 2 of Mountain Jam, and they very nonchalantly started off with “The Music Never Stopped”, which proved to be an apt title for the rest of the set, with “Easy Answers”, “West L.A. Fadeaway”, “Don’t Let Go”, “Me and My Uncle”, and “Deal” rounding out the first set. “Uncle” Warren joined Ratdog for the first of several songs of this spacier second set. During “Lady With a Fan”, on which Bobby’s lovely lilting voice truly shined through, drummer Jay Lane started a vocal jam going back and forth with the crowd, alluding to the fact that this would be a good opportunity for a “cell phone video”! Being a bass player myself, it was a true pleasure to get to experience such an upright bass virtuoso as Rob Wasserman, who really came through during the second set on “Terrapin” with some fancy bowing. After ending the set with “Sugar Magnolia”, Warren came back to join the band for their encore of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode”, featuring some crazy fast piano playing taking place by Jeff Chimenti.
To close out the evening, while Antibalas was providing the organic Afrobeats inside, for those willing to brave the chilly air, it was well worth checking out Beats Antique, who were throwing down their sounds and samples on the East Stage. Feeling bad that they were playing opposite one of their favorite bands, Beats Antique started out with some Antibalas samples, and went on to fuse genres as varied as flamenco and Gypsy jazz, and even included some of Les Claypool’s distinguished bass beats. Performing with DJs David Satori and Tommy Cappel was Zoe Jakes, a belly dancer who provided an unusual yet pleasing visual element, which, in combination with the incredible lighting design, worked well to create the whole psychedelic scene that was taking place.
Feeling a bit low on energy on Day 3 of Mountain Jam, the incredibly talented and young (he’s only 20 years old, if you can believe it!) Connor Kennedy, from the nearby artistic and musical community of Woodstock, got my butt kicked into gear with his inspirational songwriting and guitar playing. (Later on in the day, Connor Kennedy, Eric Earley of Blitzen Trapper, and Valerie June offered a songwriting workshop inside on the Healey Hall stage.) Day 3 also included performances by Blitzen Trapper from Oregon, who provided the audience with some good old-fashioned southern rock, heavy on the slide guitar; Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, fronted by Arleigh Kincheloe, whose unbelievably commanding voice is on the same level of impressiveness as Janis Joplin, backed by a funk-soul band of seven powerhouse musicians including a horn section; Jeff Tweedy, taking it down a notch with his mellow singing and guitar playing, performing a mix of some new materials he was trying out and some “sloppy versions of songs [he’s] played before”, and joined by his gifted son Spencer on the drums for a few tunes; guitar hero Jonathan Wilson (who’s not too shabby on the piano either), who continued the mellowness for a bit longer; Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, who had “the counsel” made up of some of his friends and fellow band members fill up time with their own music until he himself showed up a half hour into the set, which he of course made up for by singing some of his father’s big hits including “War”, “Exodus”, and “Get Up Stand Up”; and Valerie June from Tennessee, a singer who has one of the most enchanting and otherworldly voices, who when you listened to her, you truly felt like you had been transported to the 1930s and were listening to the record player.
On this third day of Mountain Jam, there were in a sense two headliners, namely Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB)and Gov’t Mule! TTB played us into the sunset with their amazing chemistry between husband and wife superstars Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, as well as the nine other spectacular musicians who joined them on stage, including a horn section. Opening with a sweet flute solo on “Idle Wind” certainly didn’t hurt matters. Soulive and Lettuce founder Eric Krasno joined TTB onstage for “Misunderstood” and the Traffic cover “Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring”. Tedeschi proved to be a superstar with both her guitars and vocals, which are like honey for the soul, and Trucks could play forever and that wouldn’t be long enough.
Settling in for two superb sets of Gov’t Mule, the band that has come to be known as the house band of Mountain Jam, those who had attended Mountain Jam in the past knew they were in for a real treat with the mix of originals and covers that Mule typically plays at this festival. Their first set demonstrated the band’s musical prowess, with each and every instrument and voice sounding crisp and clean, while the second set saw more fun covers (including “Tell Me Something Good” by Rufus and Chaka Khan, “Creep” by Radiohead, and “Sugaree” by Jerry Garcia). Several musicians made guest appearances during the band’s sets, namely Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Jackie Greene, and Eric Krasno. Government Mule was clearly paying attention to what was going on throughout the rest of the festival, as they teased “Rocky Mountain Way” by Joe Walsh, which had been covered earlier in the day by Blitzen Trapper, and they also kept in line with the underlying theme of bands throughout the weekend covering Led Zeppelin tunes, with a rocking rendition of “Since I’ve Been Loving You”. To finish off their set, Mule encored with a Doors mini set, consisting of “People Are Strange”, “Five to One”, and “Break on Through”!
As if the crowd hadn’t gotten their fill of music and dancing for the day, the music just kept going, with Jackie Greene playing on the indoor stage, and Pretty Lights playing outside on the main stage. Although it was a tough decision, having seen Jackie Greene on several other occasions, including previous Mountain Jams (and when he made a guest appearance with Ratdog earlier in the evening), I opted for checking out Pretty Lights. Led by Derek Vincent Smith, this extremely talented “sample collage artist” was able to bend sound and light in every direction, leading the audience to get sucked into the pretty lights that were going on in front of them. It was impossible not to dance to his brilliant selection of tunes that were sampled, starting with “Fight for Your Right” by the Beastie Boys, later moving on to “Midnight Rider” by the Allman Brothers (a very fitting choice given the occasion), and seamlessly throwing together a mash-up of several Led Zeppelin songs. But perhaps even more impressive than simply the tracks that he mixed so perfectly, were the lights that seemed to be so in sync with the music, and so spectacularly complicated, that you couldn’t help but wonder how the artists put it all together. Lighting designer Greg Ellis and Production Manager/Audio Engineer Phil Salvaggio, both natives of Upstate NY, played equal parts in making the precisely choreographed Pretty Lights experience what it was. At one, point, Ellis somehow managed to create colored wedges of light outlined by thin white laser lights; imagine how much work must go in to that! Pretty Lights was truly a mind-blowing experience.
Waking up on Day 4 of Mountain Jam is always a bittersweet experience: you know you have one more day full of all the music you can dream of, but you also have in the back of your mind that this inconceivably fun time you’ve had over the past four days is going to come to an end. But in the meantime, Anders Osborne from New Orleans brought us some of his soulful singing and guitar playing and his inspiring lyrics, and even brought out special guest Marco Benevento, who was accompanied on stage by two little girls who I can only assume to be his daughters. The Treetop Flyers from London brought the audience some beautiful three-part harmonies and good time rock-and-roll, leading up to the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, who sounded nice and gospel-y (Chris Robinson is another one of those singers whose voice makes my heart), but the keyboards seemed to be overly synthesized. A very pleasant surprise for the middle of Day 4 was The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (GOASTT), headed by none other than Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl. Listening to their music had a way of putting you into a dream state, being so psychedelic in nature, featuring some really radical percussions that looked like they consisted of two pots taped together, a maraca, and a tambourine just sitting on top of a folding table! Lennon definitely inherited his parents’ talent genes, as he demonstrated through his creative songwriting, vocals, and guitar skills. GOASTT had a definite Sergeant Pepper’s look about them as far as their outfits were concerned, and even the sound had an underlying Beatles feel to it.
Still in a dream-like state of mind, after being wished a “Happy 4:20, because it’s always 4:20 on the Mountain!” by an announcer, Patrick Carlin, George Carlin’s brother, came out to introduce probably one of the most positive bands out there, Michael Franti and Spearhead! Successfully combining dance beats, electronic effects, and infectious and encouraging lyrics, this band is certainly a force to be reckoned with, leaving not one single face in the crowd without a smile. Franti has such amazing chemistry with the crowd; no matter whether you are seeing him in an intimate club or at an immense festival such as this one, he still interacts with the audience, and today gave shout-outs to the person smoking a joint in the green shirt, and the guy dancing around with a fly swatter, among others. For me, throughout the whole set, I was pleasantly distracted by the fact that I knew he was going to be coming out into the crowd and standing on a block set out for him literally right next to where I was standing! And sure enough, during “11:59”, Franti made his way over to the block, and put out his hand for a gentleman in his 50s to join him, referring to him as his “brother from another mother”, and inviting him to sing along during his brief cover of the Lumineers “Ho Hey”! I had never actually seen a positive aura surrounding anyone before, but I can now say that I’ve seen one around Michael Franti. (And the gentleman who he had on the block with him was basking in the glory of that experience, glowing for the rest of the evening.)
Although the anticipation was building for the Allman Brothers Band, who were up next on the East Stage, there was still one more band on the West Stage, and that was Lucius from Brooklyn. Getting shafted out of 15 minutes of their time slot due to Michael Franti running over during his set, Lucius graciously started right in with their super fun style of indie pop rock, and sucked the audience right in with their catchy rhythms and tight harmonies. The whole act was a very symmetrical experience, with one side of the stage practically being a mirror image of the other, down to the outfits worn by and hairstyles of all five of the band members!
And now, last but most certainly not least, the much anticipated and highly esteemed Allman Brothers Band (ABB), who wrote the song after which the Mountain Jam festival was named, came out on stage for what would be one of their last performances ever, as the group has decided to hold their final show at the fitting Beacon Theater this October after touring for 45 years. To commemorate this auspicious occasion, ABB treated us fans to a performance of their entire first two albums, Idlewild South and The Allman Brothers Band. Even though the band was sticking to a strict set list, that certainly didn’t prevent the jamming from happening. A particularly special moment during the first set came during the “Drums” they segued into from “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”, during which you could practically hear a melody coming through, even though solely percussions were being played; ABB has always had the unique ability to accomplish this task, perhaps because they have three percussionists up there who have been doing this together for decades. Today was an extra special day for Derek Trucks, as he celebrated his 35th birthday playing with ABB at Mountain Jam! This fact just reinforced his outstanding musical capabilities, as the crowd was reminded of the fact that Trucks hadn’t even been born yet when ABB recorded either of the albums performed tonight! But he has certainly mastered all their music and then some, adding his own unique twists. It was most definitely an honor to get to see The Allman Brothers Band perform for what might be my last time seeing them.
With all the tremendously diverse musical acts that performed at this year’s Mountain Jam, including several world-renowned artists, it is no surprise that the festival was feeling the growing pains of becoming an expanding festival, with a more corporate backing this time around, as made evident by Awareness Village being replaced by a Budweiser beer tent and Blu electronic cigarettes booth. But despite that, the overall positive energy that always seems to linger over Hunter Mountain during the Mountain Jam festival each year was still there. Between the awesome musical collaborations that took place throughout the weekend, with Bob Weir joining the Avett Brothers (and even doing some yodeling with them!), Jonathan Wilson joining Bob Weir and Ratdog, Derek Trucks and Jackie Greene joining Government Mule, and, of course, Warren Haynes making appearances with several bands throughout the four days; the lucky audience member who got to propose marriage to his girlfriend on stage during Michael Franti and Spearhead’s “Say Hey (I Love You)”; Jeff Tweedy telling the audience that he wouldn’t mind if someone got him a baked potato, since the baked potato vendor was in his line of sight throughout his entire set (and then when someone actually got him one, he sheepishly complained about it having sour cream on it, as he is lactose intolerant!); and someone in the audience handing me a balloon during Moon Taxi’s set, and actually being able to feel the vibrations of the music come through the balloon halfway up the mountain! That just goes to show you how truly powerful the music and vibe at the Mountain Jam festival can be. Whether you have not been to one yet, or you are a veteran, Mountain Jam is not to be missed for those who appreciate virtually any type of music, as with the wide array of bands the festival features, your genre of choice is sure to be covered by at least a couple of the bands there, and you will be introduced to many more that you will be asking yourself why you had never seen before.
For a band that has been around since 1998 and thrives mainly in the live setting, Umphrey’s McGee has pivoted focus ever so slightly with the release of Similar Skin, and in doing so, launched their own music label, Nothing Too Fancy Music.
Past albums have marked eras of the band’s collective psyche, such as Anchor Drops marking their presence as the next major jam band, Safety in Numbers recorded as band members began shifting outward from their familiar post-college surroundings, and Death by Stereo which followed the band’s rise and establishment of their influential prog-meets-jam sound. On Similar Skin, these children of the 80’s wear their heroes on their musical sleeve, channeling influences and well honed song-writing skills into their own unique sound, bridging two generations and putting forth their best studio effort since 2004’s Anchor Drops.
The first six tracks of Similar Skin set the tone for what stands to be Umphrey’s finest studio material. “The Linear”, leading with a haunting hook from Ryan Stasik’s recurring bass groove frames the song, while Brendan Bayliss’ lyrics are some of the his best in recent years: “I got a little more now that I had before, if you take it all back I’d still have more”, a forward-looking view on progressing through life.
“Cut the Cable”, opening with Bayliss singing the refrain alongside acoustic guitar, erupts into a fierce classic prog-rock song that could fit in among the sounds of bands from the 1980s who have a profound influence on Umphrey’s sound, one that is firmly rooted as their own on Similar Skin. Soaring guitar from Jake Cinninger adds depth to the track, with overlapping vocals from Bayliss rounding out what should develop and expand nicely in the live setting.
“Hourglass” has a pure 80s synth rock vibe, akin to Australian band Icehouse while “No Diablo” could double as a Huey Lewis and The News song. Title track “Similar Skin” begins with a tribal drum intro from Kris Myers and contains lyrics that spell out a maturing look at the world as the band enters their 16th year playing and writing music together. There is deeper meaning behind the line “We all begin with a similar skin / that will evaporate”, as Bayliss notes, “We’re all the same thing, come from the same place, will all end up at the same place. All this bickering and conflict in the world…does it even matter?”, an assessment that is both poignant and wise.
“Puppet String”, one of the best all-around songs Umphrey’s has written, finds its way from stage to studio, translating well and leaving an impression on listeners who may be used to 10 minute+ versions of this true rocker; the band is fully dialed in when reaching these peaks. While a bit hard and heavy, “Little Gift” has a hint of Def Leppard, particularly due to Jake Cinninger’s vocals. The hyper and at times erratic “Educated Guess” seems like an amalgamation, pieced together from leftover lyrics and riffs, and while complicated it is worth a few listens.
The arching guitar crescendos throughout “Loose Ends” are matched by soaring vocals. The heavy “Hindsight” has a Helmet-like guitar groove alongside Cinninger’s lyrics; Umphrey’s occasionally tries to be a metal band, but it doesn’t always work. Final track “Bridgeless”, a classic live number, is finally brought to the studio setting. With alarm-inspiring guitar riffs, “Bridgeless” is always a crowd pleaser when played live and works well to round out Similar Skin.
Included in the bonus materials on the album are “Morning Song” and “Room to Breathe”, two songs that shine in the live setting and both of which work well in the studio. “FF” from a private show at last month’s Summer Camp, Bayliss’ commentary on “Similar Skin” and the isolated vocals of “The Linear”, among other studio gems, make the exclusive material well worth the pre-order. An interview with Scott Hannay, who makes 8bit versions of Umphrey’s songs, dubbed Umphrey’s McNES is linked in the bonus material, as well as an 8bit version of “The Linear”
Overall, Similar Skin has all the markings of a premiere studio album, with little to disagree with among these 11 tracks. If you’re interested in purchasing the album or checking out all of the various packages Umphrey’s is offering along with it, click here.
Key Tracks: The Linear, Cut the Cable, Similar Skin, Puppet String
Catch Umphrey’s McGee this summer in the Northeast:
August 2 – Bridgeport, CT – Gathering of the Vibes
August 7 – Burlington, VT – Maritime Festival
August 8 – Hampton Beach, NH – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
August 9 – Upper Darby, PA – Tower Theater
August 10 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summerstage
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Mountain Jam, a festival produced by Mountain Jam, LLC, in association with Woodstock, NY’s legendary independent radio station Radio Woodstock 100.1, and none other than guitar and vocals virtuoso Warren Haynes. You know if Warren Haynes is involved, it’s going to be good! The festival will take place at Hunter Mountain, a world-class ski resort nestled in the heart of the Catskill Mountains in Upstate NY, from June 5-8. Located just over two hours from New York City, it is definitely worth the trip up the mountain to check out this festival, which features approximately 40 bands on 3 stages.
Having started out as a one-day festival to celebrate Radio Woodstock’s 25th anniversary, it has grown to what it is today, a festival that has been consistently rated as one of the top music festivals in the country by magazines such as Rolling Stone. Over the years, Mountain Jam is honored to have hosted some incredible talent, from internationally touring bands, including Widespread Panic and Primus, to some local favorites from right here in Upstate New York, including John Medeski and Simone Felice, and this year is sure not to disappoint. Not really knowing where to begin, as there are so many spectacular musicians who will making appearances over the course of this four-day festival, just a few of the bands that will be playing include: Bob Weir and Ratdog, the Allman Brothers Band, Government Mule, Umphrey’s McGee, Pretty Lights, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jackie Greene, and The Avett Brothers. And these are just a fraction of all the huge acts that will be there! The two main stages are set up right next to each other, which maximizes the amount of time there is to play/see music, as while one band is playing on one stage, the stage next to it is being set up for the next band. (It is also much easier on the knees, for fans at least, who don’t have to trek across fields to make it from one band to the next.)
The third stage is located in Healey Brothers Hall, inside the Main Lodge. It is always worth heading indoors to check out this more intimate concert space, and to escape from the elements, if necessary. This year, in honor of Mountain Jam’s 10th anniversary, a series of workshops will be taking place in Healey Brothers Hall throughout the weekend. Stop by to participate in these workshops, which are being led by various authors, photographers, painters, dancers, and musicians, including Michael Franti, who has become quite the fixture at Mountain Jam, and who will be performing a very special acoustic set! Another cool act to perform on this stage will be Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, who will be joining the Paul Green Rock Academy – another collaboration that promises to be exceptional. Other workshop topics include songwriting, led by Eric Earley (of Blitzen Trapper), Valerie June, and Connor Kennedy; and a reading and discussion with Duane Allman’s daughter Galadrielle Allman.
Hunter Mountain has become quite the year-round attraction. For those daring enough, between sets, be sure to squeeze in enough time to experience North America’s longest and highest Zipline, right there at Hunter! For a unique way to be able to take in the spectacular mountain views while not having to miss a beat of music, take a ride on the Sky Ride, which allows you to view the two main stages from above on the mountain’s ski lifts. There are plenty of other activities that can provide a brief hiatus from all the rockin’ music being channeled out to you, including yoga and sound healing classes, drum circles, and a live interactive version of Farmville 2! In addition, Ash Street Puppetworks will be strutting their fantastic puppets around the festival site throughout the weekend, and you can’t really miss them, so be sure to snap some photos when they pass by – they are quite the sight to see! Another act that has become a staple of Mountain Jam who will be back again this year is the Shilly Shally Fire Troupe, who jumps from place to place around the festival site to captivate the audience with their unique interactive fire act. The Fire Troupe will even be giving workshops this year for those who have always been curious as to how they do all their remarkable tricks!
For the wee ones, there are plenty of activities to keep them entertained (an important note: children 10 and under are admitted to the festival for free with a ticket-holding adult, limit two children per adult): children’s music and entertainment will be performed on Saturday and Sunday mornings; there will be a “cozy kids corner” complete with arts and crafts, hammocks, and a sandbox, and even its own potty; the well-known Wormtown tent, where kids can get their faces painted and participate in team games (there is a child registration area located at the Wormtown tent, in case your child gets lost during the festival); and the “Wayfinder Experience” interactive game. None of these activities should be treated as babysitting services, but they definitely provide some much-needed distractions for the kiddies, and they do so in such a way that encourages the children’s teamwork and creativity.
While you are enjoying all the music and activities, it will be hard to avoid reveling at the beauty of the scenery surrounding you. To demonstrate the festival producers’ awareness of that fact, and the forward thinking that went into the planning of this festival, Awareness Village will once again host exhibits from not-for-profit organizations and environmental groups, in addition to children’s entertainment, performance and sculpture art, physical and spiritual healing, a beer and wine garden, and much more. On top of all that, Awareness Village is the spot to be if you are itching to meet some of your favorite artists, as you will be able to find many of them signing merchandise in the Radio Woodstock Artist Signing Tent throughout the weekend! The Festival will also be continuing its greening efforts with recycling, carbon offsets, and $1 water refills to reduce the usage of plastic water bottles. So be sure to stop by the Awareness Village to see the many positive impacts that are being made by local environmental groups, and to learn more about how you can help move this planet in a more positive direction.
It would be foolish not to mention the extraordinarily wide range of food options from which to choose at Mountain Jam. Many of the food vendors are located right along both sides of the concert field, so you don’t even have to miss any music while scoring some grub to sustain you through the rest of your dance-filled days! From New Orleans-influenced cuisine to Asian-style stir-fried noodle dishes, from tacos to pizza, you will find all that and more at the Festival. Some of the more unique food options available this year include How We Roll, described as serving comfort food in an egg roll, and Meltdown Gourmet, where they serve up a variety of creative grilled cheese creations, including a BBQ chicken mac and cheese sandwich!
Tickets are available on the Mountain Jam Festival website, with a variety of ticket options available, ranging from single-day tickets ($69 for Thursday only; $99 for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), to 3- or 4-day passes with or without camping (if you buy at the “It’s About Time!” price, a 4-day pass with camping would cost $269). In addition, there are designated “car camping”, “lot car camping”, and “near-car camping” passes available, if lugging all your gear up to a camping spot on the mountainside isn’t your thing. RV passes are also available, with several designated areas to choose from as far as where to park your home for the weekend. One can also purchase one of several “Jammer” packages, which provide VIP amenities such as early access to the festival, private camping areas, a special viewing area in front of the stage, access to shaded hospitality tents stocked with hors d’oeuvres and discounted drinks, and 24-hour access to air-conditioned bathrooms (which can be key, especially when it gets hot and sticky outside, which often happens at Mountain Jam). Jammer pass holders are eligible to reserve lodging in the on-site Kaatskill Mountain Club, which provides swanky accommodations during the festival right there on the outskirts of Awareness Village. (These rooms are sold out for this year, but be sure to reserve your spot for next year’s festival if you are looking for a more luxurious festival experience!) This year, you can also purchase an on-site parking pass; your other option would be to park for free at one of the festival’s off-site parking lots and take a shuttle to the festival entrance (or you could always utilize the many parking lots that seem to pop up on people’s front yards for such events, for a small fee, of course). Please see the Festival’s website for more detailed information on ticket pricing and to purchase tickets and RV/car camping/parking passes. The Festival website also has a list of hotels in the vicinity of Hunter Mountain, many of which will be serviced by a hotel shuttle being offered by the Festival for a $20 fee, allowing you to leave your car behind at the hotel and not even have to worry about looking for parking at or near the Festival.
Whether you decide to come for the day, or for the entire four days, you will discover that you don’t have to travel very far (that is, if you live in Upstate NY) to find world-famous, as well as locally known and loved, musicians playing in a pristine mountaintop setting. Mountain Jam is a place where you can just let loose and enjoy yourselves to the fullest, where you will come to see familiar faces year after year – and meet plenty of new ones, and where you can get your karma washed by a team of “Bliss Facilitators” right there on the concert field! Come on out to Mountain Jam in the heart of the Catskills for a thoroughly enjoyable four days of music, art, and community from June 5-8! In the meantime, here’s a preview of what’s to come at this year’s Mountain Jam Festival!
It’s one thing for a band to craft a setlist that fans will be talking about for weeks and months to come. It is another to have the fans decide the setlist through voting, both beforehand and in real-time at a concert. Still, Umphrey’s McGee has found a way to make this a reality, using separate themes over four quarters of their UMBowl experiences, which held its fifth installment at The Capitol Theatre on May 3rd, to put on the must-see event UMBowl V for fans of Umphrey’s but especially those who appreciate live, improvisational rock.
UMBowl is nothing short of a smart idea for live music, unparalleled in complexity, audience engagement and the resulting musical odyssey. In the past, I have listened to these shows days after, while fans were abuzz about the experience, and I thought they were interesting, but I didn’t get the hype. Up until last week, I would never have considered flying or driving to Chicago for UMBowl, where the previous four were held, but after being able to drive just over two hours south to take in my first UMBowl, it is undoubtedly not my last. I will happily follow UMBowl wherever it goes – this is a premiere live music experience where the band meets the fans halfway and puts on nothing short of a stellar show, pushing the boundaries of art in musical performance.
The Cap was packed downstairs, creating an intimate feeling for the night, with the upstairs reserved for VIP and photographers, but you weren’t missing much up there; the view looked better in the lower house, and that is saying a lot. At times you forgot you were at The Cap, as the show transported the focused crowd of 1,000 with each jam, improv and cover that came across the setlist.
But first, since this is a four quarter show with OT, the sports theme was present, but mostly in the form of commemorative towels and a couple of guys wearing eye black and football jerseys. But then, ESPN’s Around the Horn came on the big screen, with host Tony Reali hosting his show, giving a brief rundown to his panel of the show that was about to take place. Reali sat in earlier this year with Umphrey’s for “Layla”, so this was a fan sharing in the experience rather than just a hired gimmick. Take a look below for the intro video.
The themes of each quarter flowed nicely, building progressively on each other as the night went on. The first set was not so much a warm up as it was a chance to stretch improv potential out, then the fan favorites, (halftime/setbreak) audience direction, one pre-approved text at a time, then a set of originals chosen in real-time, a fivehour concert experience that keeps the band on their feet and aware of their fans moods and tastes, but without having to deal with them shouting their requests at them.
Q1 was ‘Raw Stewage’, voted on beforehand by fans among a variety of “Jimmy Stewart” improve portions of past jams, as they have come to be called. Hardcore fans could identify the song from which each “Jimmy Stewart” arose, some even mentioning the specific date. The rest of us sat back and watched a spectacular improv session develop, pulling on hints from the music to pick out the original song the JS was born from. Essentially, the protean Umphrey’s had created a set of fan choices of their favorite jams from the past. The skill and focus to reconstruct these improvs is mind-boggling.
Q2 was the All Request quarter, with fans once again having voted on the songs beforehand from a select list. Opening with moe.’s “Rebubula”, the crowd was ignited and we were off and running. The instrumental “All Things Ninja” followed, then a show-stopper in “Crazy Fingers”, with Jake Cinninger on vocals. The audience was floored and dropped jaws all around focused squarely on the skinny guy singing the fat man’s song, to perfection.”#5″ had a nice long jam, while the perfect closing to the set came in the form of “Brain Damage > Eclipse”. The set was just incredible start to finish, although “Bell Bottom Blues” was snubbed in voting. Let’s hope it’s on the ballot for UMBowl VI.
Q3 was a Stew Art event, where the fans determined via text message what direction the band should go in. You text an idea, such as ‘Frank Zappa-esque Jam’, and the result was the band would segue into a jam that developed into “Willie the Pimp”. Among other highlights of this 43 minute set were “Emergency Dance Party” and “Daft Funk”, leading to some of the best dancing of the night and the moment when the set truly launched onward and upward. “Rockabilly Throwdown” flipped yet another ignition switch while “Barry White Love Letter” with Jake on vocals had elements of the dub version of “Breathe” by Easy Star All Stars. Bill Evans came out on sax for part of this event, adding a seventh member to the Stew Art, no small feat for just any musician.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get better, Q4 was “Choose Your Own Adventure”, where fans texted choices among three song choices shown on the screen behind the band. Percents rose and fell among them, with some votes getting contentious between a pair of songs and coming down to the wire. “The Haunt” opened things up, and there was a tease of moe.’s “Spaz Medicine” about 2/3 of the way in. “The Triple Wide” beat out “Last Man Swerving” in the second spot, which led into a “Funk Jam”, where the voting vs “Industrial Jam” wasn’t even close, although I did hear Joel Cummins throwing in some industrial tickles of the keys in the vein of NIN. Brendan Bayliss and Ryan Stasik took the lead in the funk jam, each taking a section while the next voting commenced.
This was shaping up to be the most fun set of them all, particularly as fans cheered for their choice that rose in the voting and drifted back down to earth. “Wife Soup” beat out “Plunger” and “Great American” for a HUGE version of the Anchor Drops classic. Statik drifted over toward Joel to jam along, then returned behind Jake and blended in with Myers’ kit in the shadows of Waful’s lights. Cummins took a patient climb towards the first grand peak in “Wife Soup”, then Jake led towards the second major peak equally unrushed, building and building until the collective ‘gasm on stage and in the crowd sent a rush of chills and cheers throughout The Cap.
“Flamethrower”, one of the walk on numbers that has been a regular feature of Umphrey’s shows for the past few years, was short and moved into “FF”, with an “All in Time” tease towards end of the jam. “Space Funk Booty” segued into what would be the final choice of the night, either the end of “JaJunk”, the end of “Bridgeless” or the end of “Mulche’s Oddysey”. JaJunk was an afterthought from the moment voting started and was tied or within a point between “Bridgeless” and “Mulche’s”. Cheers accompanied each song as they pulled ahead, one text at a time, but in the end, victory was eked out by “Mulche’s”, definitely the correct call for the punch this song delivers to cap a set.
Prior to the encore, a tribute to former drummer Mike Mirro aired on the screen, the crowd recalling the fallen bandmate with revered silence. A Goodfellas parody video then aired on the screen, followed by the start of OT. “Nothing But a G Thing” started things off, with the rarity of Stasik on vocals, followed by “Much Obliged > Glory” with Bill Evans on sax once again, the full encore giving an emotional ending to a premiere night of music. UMBowl ranks as one of the most inventive and marathon sessions of live music you can witness and participate in, and will certainly be a staple of many lucky fans music calendars for years to come.
Jam Cruise 13 has announced their lineup for the next musical voyage at sea – joining this year’s lineup will be, Pretty Lights with a live band, Umphrey’s McGee, The Word, Galactic, G Love & Special Sauce, Lettuce, John Scolfield Uber Jam Band, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires, Snarky Puppy,
A Jam Cruise 13 Tribute to Jerry Garcia featuring: Steve Kimock, Bobby Vega, Jeff Chimenti, Bill Vitt, Dan Lebowitz and John Kimock, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Motet, Break Science, Elephant Revival, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds and more… The MSC Divina will set sail for Jam Cruise Jan. 6th – 11th, 2015, with ports in Miami, FL, Roatan, Honduras, and Costa Maya, Mexico.
Jam Cruise is entering year 13 as the premier musical cruise. Some important sates to remember for your cruise are: May 5th pre-book tokens will be sent out to those who pre-booked their accommodations, May 8th – 14th pre-book tokens will be sent out and May 18th will begin the general ticket onsale.
For ticket prices and cabin rental rates please visit the Jam Cruise website for detailed information.
Umphrey’s McGee is an innovative band. Striving to provide new experiences for fans with things like sUMmer school, the headphones and snowcones experience, and their subscription model website allowing unlimited access to content for a reasonable monthly fee, the band elevates itself above the pack before you even get to the face melting music. Nothing substantiates this innovation more than the annual UMbowl with version V coming up next.
Starting in 2010 this 4 set experience unites the audience and band into one unit, with all quarters featuring fan interaction that constantly changes. Not surprisingly, these shows sell out immediately and this years fifth rendition is no exception. Taking place at the esteemed Capital Theater May 3rd in Portchester NY, this years themes should have fans mouths watering in anticipation. Here is the breakdown straight from Umphreys.com:
Q1.
Ah . . . Jimmy Stewart. You never let us down. How much you’ve given all of us through the years. Raw Stewage returns for a three-peat. UMBowl V kicks off with an entire set of your favorite pieces of improv stitched together to create a long-form piece of new music. Ticket buyers will vote on their favorite live moments, and the band will take those Legos and assemble them into one tidy package for Q1. The Raw Stewage quarter has evolved into a song incubator as it continues to spawn new UM originals year after year.
Q2.
The evening rolls along with the ever popular All Request Quarter. All ticket buyers receive a ballot to vote for the songs you ‘d most like to hear, from rarer UM tunes to alternate versions of “the hits” to classic covers, including multiple new, unreleased options . As in the past, there will also be a write-in category for you to submit your own requests.
Q3.
Q3 is a Stew Art Event, an S2. This one of kind Umphrey’s innovation returns to the UMBowl for its 5th year. The band will play a full set of improvisation based exclusively on themes, ideas, scenes, and concepts presented by fans. Entries will be submitted via text message by those in attendance and the best of the best will be added to the playbook. The selected themes will appear before both the band and audience in real-time so split second decisions will be paramount. Expect handoffs and Hail Mary’s as one musical idea is lateral to another. The Stew Art Event has become a UM staple
Q4.
Rounding out the festivities will be the Choose Your Own Adventure experience. Those in attendance will be calling the plays, quarterbacking the music to unfold at your will. A series of choices will be presented to the audience on large projection screens and you will decide the set list in real-time. Voting will occur via text message and the results will be tallied as they roll in. You’ll be able to choose from a wide variety of UM originals, improvisational styles, and cover songs. You pick the plays and determine the strategy to make it a killer set. This one is in your hands. Don’t blow it.
Umphrey’s Mcgee announced yesterday that they will be releasing a new album later this year. The progressive-rock band will release their eighth studio album titled, Similar Skin, on June 10th.
Also announced today is the new album will be released on the bands newly created independent record label, Nothing Too Fancy Music – which is another sign that this band is bending not only genres but inherently changing the rules of the game. The new album includes 11 new songs, some of which have been performed live but never included on a recorded album.
Similar Skin tracklist:
The Linear
Cut The Cable
Hourglass
No Diablo
Similar Skin
Puppet String
Little Gift
Educated Guess
Loose Ends
Hindsight
Bridgeless
On Saturday, February 8th, Umphrey’s McGee showed up to play a high-energy show at The F-Shed in Syracuse, NY. The crowd filed in through the narrow doors leading to the converted market shed venue. Umphrey’s eased into their set with “October Rain” seguing into “The Linear.” They kept their music selections relatively relaxed and atmospheric in the first set.
The set moved forward and the band launched into an epic version of “Wappy Sprayberry” in all its electro-jammy, hard rock-esque glory, including teases of Metallica’s “Wherever I May Roam.” Umphrey’s went on to close the set with a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains The Same.” The band did an unbelievably tight rendition of the tune, complete with guitar tones almost identical to Zeppelin’s. This setlist choice was certainly a challenging one to come through on, but Umphrey’s pulled it off with poise.
The second set really kicked off the party. As soon as Umphrey’s busted into “All in Time” the crowd seemed to shift into full-on dance mode. Umphrey’s dragged this one out, going into “No Comment” and then back into “All in Time.” After a soft, inspirational and brief “End of The Road”, the band launched back into rage mode with “Room To Breathe” and “Puppet String” before closing the set with “1348.” The momentum they had built up during the second set carried over to the encore. Umphrey’s came out on fire with a cover of Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher” in which the drummer Kris Myers sang the entire tune whilst keeping his heavy double-kick pattern. “Hot For Teacher” got a loud response from the audience that propelled the band to rock it even harder. Umphrey’s then finished up the night with a fun and steady version of “Front Porch.”
I was totally entertained and extremely impressed with the overall quality of this show. The sound mix was crisp and clear for the entirety of the set and the lighting direction was done phenomenally. Umphrey’s showed their fans once again that they can do any style of music and still get the fans moving and grooving properly. The combination of the jam-band style, heavier hard-rock style and even some experimental electronic was infectious. This show further proves Umphrey’s resilience in the live music scene and begs each fan to come out to their shows time and time again whenever they pass through town.
Umphrey’s McGee F-Shed Setlist: Set 1: October Rain > The Linear, Plunger, Booth Love > Out Of Order, FF > Wappy Sprayberry > The Song Remains The Same Set 2: Puppet String > Slacker, All In Time > No Comment > All In Time, End Of The Road, Room To Breathe > Puppet String, 1348 Encore: Hot For Teacher, Front Porch
Vibes certainly doesn’t limit itself to jam based acts either as the bill also includes names like Dispatch, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Ziggy Marley and Maceo Parker. And like last year, the festival will also feature “roaming” acts that traverse the festival grounds all weekend long for spontaneous jams in Primate Fiasco and Funky Dawgz Brass Band.
Past albums have marked eras of the band’s collective psyche, such as Anchor Drops marking their presence as the next major jam band, Safety in Numbers recorded as band members began shifting outward from their familiar post-college surroundings, and Death by Stereo which followed the band’s rise and establishment of their influential prog-meets-jam sound. On Similar Skin, these children of the 80’s wear their heroes on their musical sleeve, channeling influences and well honed song-writing skills into their own unique sound, bridging two generations and putting forth their best studio effort since 2004’s Anchor Drops.
UMBowl is nothing short of a smart idea for live music, unparalleled in complexity, audience engagement and the resulting musical odyssey. In the past, I have listened to these shows days after, while fans were abuzz about the experience, and I thought they were interesting, but I didn’t get the hype. Up until last week, I would never have considered flying or driving to Chicago for UMBowl, where the previous four were held, but after being able to drive just over two hours south to take in my first UMBowl, it is undoubtedly not my last. I will happily follow UMBowl wherever it goes – this is a premiere live music experience where the band meets the fans halfway and puts on nothing short of a stellar show, pushing the boundaries of art in musical performance.
The second set really kicked off the party. As soon as Umphrey’s busted into “All in Time” the crowd seemed to shift into full-on dance mode. Umphrey’s dragged this one out, going into “No Comment” and then back into “All in Time.” After a soft, inspirational and brief “End of The Road”, the band launched back into rage mode with “Room To Breathe” and “Puppet String” before closing the set with “1348.” The momentum they had built up during the second set carried over to the encore. Umphrey’s came out on fire with a cover of Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher” in which the drummer Kris Myers sang the entire tune whilst keeping his heavy double-kick pattern. “Hot For Teacher” got a loud response from the audience that propelled the band to rock it even harder. Umphrey’s then finished up the night with a fun and steady version of “Front Porch.”