STS9 has announced its 2015 Fall Tour, and highlighting the 22-show trek are two stops in New York. On October 25, the jamtronica act will headline the Town Ballroom in Buffalo before weaving its way through the Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland before landing back in the Empire State for a November 5 show at the Best Buy Theater.
STS9 Fall Tour 2015:
October 22 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
October 23 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theater
October 24 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
October 25 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
October 28 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
October 29 – Columbus, OH – LC Pavilion
October 30 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
October 31 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
November 01 – Live Oak, FL – Suwannee Hulaween
November 05 – New York, NY – Best Buy Theater
November 06 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
November 07 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
November 08 – Richmond, VA – The National
November 11 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
November 12 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
November 13 – Knoxville, TN – Tennessee Theatre
November 14 – Nashville, TN – War Memorial Auditorium
November 15 – Columbia, SC – Music Farm
November 18 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City Music Hall
November 19 – New Orleans, LA – Joy Theater
November 20 – Austin, TX – Austin Music Hall
November 21 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
This year’s edition of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival stopped at the Xfinity Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut, on Sunday July 19th. Along with 14 bands, the festival also brought scorching temperatures with it. Sunday’s heat was no match for metal fans though, as many camped out at the rail all day long or participated in throwing down in the mosh pits.
Music started on the Victory Records Stage shortly after 1pm with the Coldcock Band Winner, Dead By Wednesday. Although many fans were still in the parking lot hanging out or making their way into the festival, Dead By Wednesday didn’t seem to care and gave Mayhem everything they had. After their set was over, they welcomed fans to come hang out with them at the Coldcock tent. After a short 5 minute stage change, Code Orange was next up. This band formed back in 2008 and continues to grow. When they came on stage the Victory Stage area was starting to fill in and the mosh pits started. Code Orange did a good job getting the crowd ready for a long day of music.
Dead By Wednesday
The next two bands to take the stage were Shattered Sun and Sworn In. Shattered Sun took the stage right around 2pm when pretty much everyone was inside. People were either checking out the tents set up all around the venue or checking out what Shattered Sun had to offer. Touring behind their recent release Hope Within Hatred, the 6 piece band Shattered Sun showed they weren’t stopping any time soon. Sworn In took the stage after with a very aggressive and hardcore approach. At the start of their set, their singer told the crowd he wanted someone in the ICU by the time the song was over. This made for a fun time for anyone who was partaking in the mosh pits.
After Sworn In and a 15 minute stage change, Sister Sin took the stage. This female-fronted Swedish band was different then the rest of the more hardcore bands on the Victory Records Stage. Sister Sin had more of a throwback metal style that made it feel like the 80s. This change of style was accepted by the crowd and the entire crowd got into this band. After their set was over, Sister Sin went to their merchandise tent to meet fans who were already lined up waiting during the set.
Sister Sin
With the heat not letting up at all, Jungle Rot took the stage at 4pm and delivered a killer set behind their recent release Order Shall Prevail. Even with only having a short 25 minute time limit, Jungle Rot ripped through a handful of songs from 3 different albums including their newest. Fans were definitely left wanting to hear more heavy riffs and killer drumming out of the guys in Jungle Rot. Once Jungle Rot was done, fans used the quick break to go hydrate at the Rockstar Energy Drink booth and other places. Luckily, the setup was done perfectly with everything right around the Victory Records Stage, so fans didn’t have to miss any action. Thy Art Is Murder was up next. Touring behind their June release of Holy War, these guys were ready to show Mayhem what they were made of. Their setlist features tracks from both Holy War and their previous release Hate. The highlight of their set is when they kicked an autographed soccer ball into the crowd for the fans.
The last band to take the Victory Records Stage before things got hectic with the Rockstar Energy Drink Main Stage and Victory Stage going back and forth between bands was Whitechapel. Generally classified as a deathcore band, Whitechapel displayed many different traits of other genres. This 6 piece band, which features a 3 guitar attack were the reason why many of the fans at the rail had been there all day. The dedication paid off those fans who stood in the heat all day long because Whitechapel surely did not disappoint anyone in Hartford.
Whitechapel
The Rockstar Energy Drink Main Stage started off with The Devil Wears Prada. These guys had quite the mix of clean melodic vocals and hardcore screams. Being the first band to open the main stage, they didn’t have much space up on stage from being in front of every other band’s gear after them, but they were making the most of it. These guys were all over the stage and really getting the crowd prepared for the rest of the evening. As the skies darkened, there was no better time for Kissing Candice to take the Victory Record Stage. This gore-core band took the stage with masks and blood covered clothes. Fans who were lucky enough had the chance to pose for photos with them earlier in the day at the Coldcock tent.
With the music then shifting back over the main stage, fans were ready to see HELLYEAH. This band had the pit section inside ready to go before they even walked on stage. All the fans there knew who HELLYEAH were and they were prepared to thrown down. The set opened up with Vinny Paul standing up on his drum riser and giving the crowd the go ahead signal. The setlist was dominated by their last album, Blood For Blood. The only two songs that weren’t off that release were “War In Me” and the closing song “You Wouldn’t Know”. Lead singer Chad Gray took the time between songs to thank fans and to speak to them about how important music was to him. HELLYEAH continues to grow and this tour is only proof of that. Be sure to follow them in the news because there’s already talks about their next album coming early 2016.
HELLYEAH
The last band to play on the Victory Records stage came all the way from Melbourne, Australia and they were called Feed Her To The Sharks. This band was another that featured both clean melodic lyrics with a mix of heavy metalcore screams. They mixed their elements quite well and impressed everyone who left their spots at the main stage area. Their set was very short but they like many of the other bands made the best of their available time.
Overshadowing their setlist was the lurking set time for the mighty King Diamond. Starting right on cue, the lights dropped right at 8:10pm. King Diamond shortly appeared from the top of the stage structure they had set up. This was the first band of the day with a serious production. Complete with gargoyles and inverted crosses, King Diamond had a fantastic theatrical set. Not showing their age one bit, King Diamond and the rest of the band sounded absolutely fantastic. Even though the set was only an hour, the band got to play 10 songs and had a nice mix of both King Diamond and Mercyful Fate covers.
King Diamond
After a long 35 minute wait after King Diamond, Slayer fans watched the big white banner finally fall, revealing a relatively empty stage for a headliner. There was no time for disappointment though as Slayer opened the night with their new single “Repentless” which is the title of their new album that’s due out on September 11th. Along with this new track, fans who were just cooling down finally got blasts of fire from the stage. Fans knew there was a reason for just one big screen behind the stage and a row of cabs on each side of drummer Paul Bostaph. The pyrotechnics continued all through the evening and were on queue with the music. The giant screen behind the stage displayed album covers from each song or animated videos. This stage setup was spectacular and went with the music perfectly.
Slayer
The band was spot on all night long in every aspect. Tom Araya sounded absolutely fantastic behind the mic. Guitarists Kerry King and Gary Holt were top-notch, representing themselves as two of the best thrash metal guitarists of all time. Finally, Paul Bostaph was a beast behind the kit, not missing a single beat. Many people were skeptical with the recent changes that Slayer had gone through, but it is apparent that this change has rejuvenated the band and there’s no letting off the gas pedal.
Slayer Setlist: Delusions of Saviour (Opening), Repentless, Hate Worldwide, Jihad, Disciple, God Send Death, War Ensemble, When The Stillness Comes, Implode, Mandatory Suicide, Chemical Warfare, Ghosts Of War, Dead Skin Mask, Hell Awaits, South Of Heaven, Raining Blood, Angel Of Death
Mayhem Festival was scrutinized this year after they released the lineup, as it was deemed weak and not as impressive as previous years by fans. This was definitely not the case this year. Slayer, King Diamond, HELLYEAH, The Devil Wears Prada and everyone who took the Victory Records Stage put on one hell of a show that needs to be seen.
The tour has less than 2 weeks left to go before it ends in Dallas, TX. Check out the rest of the dates and cities here.
Walking into Camp Bisco was quite different this year than in years past. For starters, the bikers were replaced with police which kept things on the up and up and lead to a safer vibe throughout. As I walked in, there were two rows of your standard concert venders: merchandise, burritos, wicked gems, and further down the path was a small stage called Steamtown Stage. This stage was located in a smaller area right in front of the entrance to Montage Mountain, where there always seemed to be a bunch of people having fun.
Once you walked through the main gate there were, of course, more vendors, but also there were water stations strategically stationed around the venue so people could be safe and keep hydrated. The path further led to the main stage, Electric City Stage, with a pavilion feel and covered with a huge white tent — which would come in handy later on in the weekend. Past the Electric City Stage there were more vendors and checkpoints on the way to the water park, which had three slides, a wave pool and a lazy river. With the temperatures as high as they were, this would come in handy for those who wish to partake. Even cooler, just past the wave pool was the second main stage, which stage looked over a mountain where you could catch a glimpse of people zip lining or going on a scenic chair lift ride. This area was also home to the disco lounge. Inside the lounge DJs spun records and kids hula hooped, which continued throughout the festival. All in all, Montage Mountain was set up perfectly for Camp Bisco.
On Thursday, the Business Casual Disco started things off with a bang on the electric city stage. The smooth bass beats set everyone up for what was to be a rocking weekend. Kung Fu brought their unique sound to the Above the Waves stage, which is a double entendre — being next to the wave pool, and also being one of the Disco Biscuits classic songs. With the newly recruited Beau Sasser on keys, his presence was made very prominent throughout the band’s set. Being next to the wave pool and surrounded by tons of water rides, one might have asked themselves “Where am I?” You, my friend, are at the new Camp Bisco, where Kung Fu played their intricate part in adding excitement and fun to the party. It was almost Kismet as the band was finishing up their set, the sun slowly sunk behind the stage making for a most blissful moment. Sound Tribe Sector 9 tore things up back on the Electric City stage, and with beats galore a smile was on everyone’s face. Opening with “March” was the perfect choice. A bouncy number that had even the biggest skeptics hooked. A different rendition of the Nina Simone classic “New Dawn, New Day” was also a treat. It enabled people who may not be familiar with the bands catalog to connect. There was no other act better suited to open up for the The Disco Biscuits.
Marc Brownstein began the Biscuits set on the microphone with an announcement that they had started in Pennsylvania in 1999 and after a few years away it was good to be back home. When that segued into the Prince’s Purple rain hit “1999,” the crowd went totally nuts. Starting out with this song was an inspired way to kick off the party. Everyone was into it and it left the door open to endless possibilities, such as “Mr. Don” and a huge “Reactor” closer, which left confetti strewn all over as it popped right at the end. Sheer entertainment brilliance. After the Disco Biscuits, Twiddle played on the Above the Waves stage to a miniscule crowd — it didn’t help that Pretty Lights was playing the Electric City stage. Regardless of the numbers, these guys tore it up. With the raspy lead vocals of Mihali Savoulidis and his wailing guitar, there was no way those in attendance weren’t going to have a good time.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong brought their raging style to the Above the Waves stage to kick off day two. Although there were many highlights in this electro fusions band’s set, none was more prominent than the Talking Heads cover “Psycho Killer.” The way lead singer Greg Ormont captured the spirit of the song was unparalleled, they had the whole crowd into their set with people actually walking around like pigeons! It was kind of weird but enormously fun. American Babies, Tom Hamilton’s home base, played a stellar set. The vocal range of Hamilton was soothing with passion while bassist Clay Parnell played with one hand. (His left hand appeared to be in a brace of some sort.) Hamilton’s shredding guitar brought the set to a close, leaving fans old and new wanting more. The indie electric duo CHERUB brought a new sound to the stage. Reminiscent of MGMT, the duo uses a lot of looping and beats to make their sound different. Their vocal ranges were in a league of their own hitting high and low all in the same line of a song. It’s refreshing to see a band take an idea and make it a reality, which is what CHERUB did.
For their second night of music the Disco Biscuits focused on their inversion style, inverting four songs in two sets. This is a style unique to the Biscuits which involves playing the middle and the end of the song before going back into the beginning. It’s really something to see. Opening with “Beethoven’s Fifth” and going into an inverted “House Dog Party Favor” was out of this world and performed flawlessly. As a surprise and a pleasant one at that, Marc Brownstein called up a guest singer to help the Biscuits take on the Hall and Oates number “She’s Gone.” This throwback got everyone’s attention, resulting in high fives circulating through the crowd and there was a happy vibe throughout the whole pavilion. The second set opened with the Grateful Dead’s “Help on the way > Slipnot” with a little help from Tom Hamilton. It was cool how they played homage to the Dead in a different way than most bands do. This was the Biscuits playing as the Biscuits, but playing a Dead song – not your average cover. This is when the fun really started for the fans as well as the band. Three inversions in a row: “Confrontation,” “Overture” and “Above the waves.” The Biscuits kept the crowd on their toes never knowing which song was coming next or which way it would be played. The covers continued with a take on Pink Floyd’s “Us and Them” featuring Dominic Lalli of Big Gigantic on the saxophone. This slow melodic song showed a different side of the Biscuits, a more patient side and Dom’s sax only added to that serenity — really nicely done. This segued into the set closer “Helicopters” which took the subdued crowd and brought their energy back, preparing them for day three of Camp Bisco.
Saturday at Camp Bisco is always a little more filled with music than the days prior. The Disco Biscuits played 3 sets and if that wasn’t enough, there was something happening on most of the stages all day so boredom didn’t have a chance. The Disco Biscuits opened the Electric City Stage with the crowd pleaser “Astronaut,” a perfect start to the set, followed by a dark version of the staple “Vassilios” and finishing with an epic “I-man.” If this was the kind of set they opened with, one could only imagine what was to come later on. Reptar, a band hailing from Atlanta, Georgia played at the Above the Waves stage. Reptar had an indie punk feel to them with a lot of energy and the crowd ate it up. They would have been a great segue into Papadiso but due to a severe weather warning their set was pushed back and everyone was asked to please seek shelter. This is where the white tent came in handy. People huddled around the area waiting for the storm to pass. When it finally did, it left a euphoric rainbow and fantastic vibes. Since most people were under the tent anyway, they stayed for the Disco Biscuits. The energy was intense. Opening up with the classical piece “Saber Dance” the band showed off their diversity and solidified that they are not just a transfusion band, as they previously did in the festival by playing “Beethoven’s Fifth.” This set was solid with “Konkrete,” “Crystal Ball” and a Muse cover “Knights of Cydonia.” The latter was an extra special treat as it was the first time they had ever played it. Bassnectar was up next and made a lot of people extremely happy. His legions of fans took over the pavilion leaving Disco Biscuit fans to wander around aimlessly waiting for the Biscuits to reemerge. T just kept going and going and every song or beat or whatever it was sounded the same, but these fans ate it up. One fan actually said “I live for Lorin (Bassnectars real name).” Everything may not be for everyone but the crowd seemed to have a really good time. As the Bassheads dispersed to one of the DJ venues, the Bisco fans proudly regained their seats and were ready for the last set of the weekend, performed by the festivals namesake, The Disco Biscuits. Their last set was played so tightly and patiently you were able to tell that the boys have been practicing. This became even more apparent when they covered LCD Soundsystems “Home”. The whole crowd was bouncing and high fiving. It was definitely the highlight, not just of the set, but of the festival as a whole.
On Friday July 17, The Stone Pony Summer Stage was packed and ready for the funk driven 75 minute set from Lettuce to begin the night ahead of Umphrey’s McGee. Chicago’s finest took the stage just after 8 p.m. opening their 2-hour set with “Le Blitz” followed by “Educated Guess.” The crowd was energized and showed their appreciation with the band’s signature two hand rock signs raised high. Outside and along the venue, fans were standing in the back of pick-up trucks trying to catch a glimpse of the show while others without tickets scattered blankets in the grass nearby.
There’s nothing like a gorgeous night at the Jersey Shore, walking along the boardwalk, hearing the waves crash gently against the beach. One of the true icons of the Garden State, the famous wooden planked avenue is a place where children play and couples walk hand in hand, sneaking a kiss as they take in all that Asbury Park and its rich history has to offer. What was once a booming boardwalk complete with a casino, The Palace Amusement Rides, The Convention Hall and the renowned Tillie, still serves as home to the famous music venue The Stone Pony which has given rise to many local musicians, most notably Bruce Springsteen. While just a whisper remains of what Asbury Park once was to New Jersey, remarkably, The Stony Pony has remained while expanding their repertoire of musical acts and creating an outdoor Summer Stage to bring some energy and enjoyment back to a once sought after New Jersey beach destination.
On this gentle evening, Umphrey’s brought out the hard jams with “Push the Pig,” “Dump City” and “Mulche’s Odyssey.” Another jam filled selection entitled “Conduit” had a slight twist to it which was greeted delightfully by an appreciative audience as the band added a small cover of Rage Against the Machine’s “Bulls On Parade” before transitioning back to the song. This was not the only cover of the evening either with Ween’s “The Grobe” making an appearance as well as a lengthy four song encore which began with the iconic guitar riff and impeccable performance of Led Zeppelin’s, “The Song Remains the Same.”
Setlist: Le Blitz. Educated Guess, Deeper > Miss Tinkle’s Overture, Final Word > Push the Pig, Eat, Similar Skin, The Grobe, Conduit > Dump City, Mulche’s Odyssey
Encore: The Song Remains the Same, Ocean Billy > The Triple Wide > Ocean Billy
Recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Rush has been at it for 41 years now since their 1974 self-titled release. Well, 41+ years including their earlier years playing local bars, high school dances, and their first 45 with A/B side singles in 1973. Their recent shows at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ and at Madison Square Garden in NYC as part of the R40 40th anniversary tour made a statement about the band who has persevered and grown a profound loyal fan base through the years while never flying close the mainstream limelight.
Though the Saturday show in Newark saw a windy deluge going to and from the arena, Monday’s sunny evening drew like moths a sea of people clad in Rush shirts to the sidewalks at 34th and 7th. A typical scene before a concert perhaps, though something was different in the air about this crowd. It was something more genuine than simply a visitation to nostalgia for long-time fans while anticipation welled in younger fans queuing up with tickets in hand.
Rush’s pair of New York area shows – June 27 at the Prudential Center and June 29 at Madison Square Garden – was a special treat on the R40 40th anniversary tour for many, making it easy to catch the band twice in the span of a weekend. It was an even greater special treat for these two shows, which brought an unexpected surprise in the first set.
R40 was all about a few key things which set this tour apart from some of the band’s recent tours – the set list, the fans, and at parting a feeling of mystery about what is next for Rush. It should also be called out that Rush devised a deft plot for the show – yes, plot – which keys in with the set list to bring things full circle.
Rush’s show format has been consistent for a while as they have not had an opening act in years: two full sets and an encore consisting of a mix-and-match of songs from various albums favoring the latest album. That did not change this time around but cue the first clever device – the set list. It started with their most recent works from Clockwork Angels (2012) and progressed backward through their releases without skipping back-and-forth in time. Rush has so far employed a rotation of set lists on this tour and not played from one list repeatedly, which made attending both NJ and NYC shows in a span of three days special.
Anyone familiar with Rush’s live act knows they have a boisterous sense of humor, from their intro videos and projections to the stage setup (when Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson began using direct inputs, they’d put other props in place of their amps, such as clothes dryers and chicken rotisseries). A newcomer to a live Rush performance may have been perplexed by what was happening in the backdrop but seasoned fans quickly caught on to the ensuing cavalcade of guys in Rush jumpsuits milling about to rearrange the stage in bits and pieces. Remember the plot we mentioned earlier? As the show went on the setup devolved in tandem with the timeline of the songs, starting with the steampunk props to the dryers, a wall of amps, a stack of amps and finally, in line with the band’s earliest shows, one amp each for Geddy and Alex propped on a chair. Neil Peart’s kit setup followed this progression too, at least as much as it practically could with his modern rotating platform kit appearing in the first set and a fixed double-kick kit reminiscent of the 2112 era taking center stage in the second set. Pay close attention as the insignia on the kick drum head in the first set is Peart’s subtle nod to the great jazz drummer Buddy Rich.
As Rush is not touring in support of any new music it felt like there was a synergy between the fans and the band – the loyal fan base making their presence known in gratitude for the years of music and the band feeding back to them a stellar performance, showing their gratitude for the support as well. While the aesthetics of the show certainly brought memories of listing to “2112” while procrastinating on some high school English assignment front and center for many long-time fans, it was the genuine loyalty that runs both ways that kept the energy high. Although, it seemed as though it took a few songs for the audience to really warmed up to that sustained energy perhaps due to less familiarity with their newer material.
Rush is well-known for their prowess as a trio for the sound they produce which they lived up to at these shows. Now in their early 60’s, the band members might be feeling a need to take it easy but Neil’s drumming was consistent as ever, Alex’s guitar lines executed with precision, and Geddy’s crunchy bass sound did its job. Geddy’s vocal performance seemed better this time than in a few of the recent tours, being able to cleanly hit the sustained high notes first evidenced early on during “Headlong Flight.” The band even did well emulating their stage mannerisms and recreating their sound from the beginning years while playing their earliest songs in the encore, namely by Geddy’s enthusiastic introductions his fellow band mates and the songs and minimal guitar effects. There were only a few infrequent blemishes on notes throughout the two nights which did not tarnish the performances.
My first Rush concert was at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on the R30 tour in 2004 as I was getting ready for my senior year of high school in Upstate NY. In all the Rush shows I have experienced on each of their tours in the eleven years since that first show there has never been as large of a crowd of kids (high school and younger) at a Rush concert than there was at the Prudential Center and MSG. It possibly is a side-effect of life-long fans bringing their kids to the show but it was incredible to see 9 out of 10 of them excited about the show – before, during, and after. As one long-time Rush fan Debra Ross points out, Rush is the ideal band for a younger music fan to get wrapped around.
Aside from mixing up the set lists between shows, something really pulled the heartstrings of fans when Geddy paused between songs to remarking “We’d like to deviate from the norm right now…” and broke out “Losing It” which has been played live for the first time ever during this tour, debuting in Toronto June 19 with the Prudential Center and MSG shows marking the second and third performance of the song. Even more rare, Rush brought a guest on stage, NJ local Jonathan Dinklage who played violin on tour with Rush as part of the Clockwork Angels String Ensemble in 2012/2013. Dinklage delivered a jaw-dropping performance on the song making it one of the most talked about parts of the show afterward. This was perhaps the most revered moment by many, including David C. who remarked it was a dream come true after 32 years of wishing to hear it live. Several other moments throughout the show made it special for many, including the longer songs of the second set – “2112,” “Cygnus X-1” and “Xanadu” where Geddy and Alex donned double-neck guitars. A consistent part of recent tour sets and a sort of rallying song for Rush fans, “Subdivisions,” yet again rang back at the stage with some of the loudest applause with the song’s opening notes.
While both nights were excellent for the music and sound quality, the MSG show felt like it was a notch above. The recently renovated arena felt more comfortable and cozy, perhaps a little bit less disconnected due to the oval-shaped bowl seating versus a more square setup. While NJ doesn’t have to pump their own gas, our pizza is better, you might say (and get the joke if you were at both shows). To call both of these shows a trip through nostalgia could be construed as a slight to what Rush is and represents. There is a strong resonance about the music and lyrics that keeps the shows fresh and relevant each time around especially with a growing fan base of younger folks.
So, is this it for Rush? Various articles and interviews point in the direction of this being the last major tour for the band but not the end. Hype-talk over the show grew into brooding as the Metro North train lurked out of Grand Central, almost an academic discussion over their future given Geddy’s closing remarks about hoping to see everyone down the road and the change of the projection of “R40” to “R40+” at the end of the show and some sentiment within the band about not touring anymore. That leaves one question as the R40 tour enters its second half: How do you say farewell to a band who’s music is the soundtrack to your life? Well, let’s hope to not have to think about that one just yet. Rush on!
Setlist: (differences between the Prudential Center and MSG shows noted by asterisk)
Set 1: The Anarchist, Headlong Flight, Far Cry, The Main Monkey Business, How It Is*/One Little Victory**, Animate, Roll The Bones, Between The Wheels*/Distant Early Warning**, Losing It (with Jonathan Dinklage), Subdivisions
Set 2: Tom Sawyer, The Camera Eye*/Red Barchetta**, The Spirit of Radio, Jacob’s Ladder, Cygnus X-1 Book Two: Hemispheres – Prelude, Cygnus X-1 Book One – The Voyage: Part 1, Drum Solo, Cygnus X-1 Book One – The Voyage: Part 3, Closer To The Heart, Xanadu, 2112 Overture/The Temples of Syrinx/Presentation/Grand Finale
Encore: Lakeside Park, Anthem, What You’re Doing, Working Man
*Played at the Prudential Center only
**Played at Madison Square Garden only
The fifth annual Frendly Gathering was held the last weekend of June at beautiful defunct ski mountain Timber Ridge Resort in the Green Mountains of Southern Vermont. With professional snowboarders Jack Mitrani and Danny Davis at the helm, Frendly set out to bring the masses together for a weekend of incredible music, camping, skateboarding, delicious food, yoga and most importantly, inclusiveness. With the motto “there is no ‘I’ in frends,” the festival was true to its word and brought out the best in their attendees.
For those who bought early arrival passes for Thursday, there was noteworthy music already happening once they were shuttled to the grounds. Devesh Duo Band and Gold Town welcomed Frendly goers setting up camp, followed by Burlington favorites Dead Set . With their unique renditions of classic Grateful Dead tunes, they got the bodies moving during the first beautiful sunset of Frendly Gathering.
Billed as The Smooths, Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle and Todd Stoops took the stage for a unique, smile-inducing set. A cast of characters joined in on the fun for “Frends Theme,” including Jack and Danny, Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle and Jack’s brother Luke Mitrani. The crowd was full of energy, singing along with every word. The magic began to swell, and it was only a matter of time before the rest of the masses would fill the mountain with hugs, smiles and high-fives.
By Friday morning, it was apparent that people were anxious and ready for the headliners of the weekend, Twiddle. Mihali did several solo shows in the Martin Guitar Dome where anyone could pick up a guitar and play throughout the weekend. But Mihali’s kid’s set in the dome was certainly something special, with the tiniest of Twiddle fans singing every word. The kid’s set really proved that the Gathering wanted every single attendee, from little to big, to be included in the magic. Even Ben and Jerry’s were in on the fun, handing out free ice cream throughout the weekend.
The Wood Stage, set in the dense forest with a giant teepee covering the stage, was the scene of some incredible shows on Friday. New Jersey natives Sleepy Man, consisting of a trio of brothers ranging from age 12 to 17, put on a show that left the masses boggled at what they had witnessed. Spitting out folk and bluegrass like they had been playing for 20 years, Sleepy Man left no stone unturned. The crowd was electric, showing their pride for Frendly’s youngest act. Following Sleepy Man was the sultry sounds of Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band. The eight-piece band sent horns blaring through the mountain, giving people the classic soul sounds sure to get them on their feet and dancing. Jumping back to the Woods Stage, Montana bluegrass band The Kitchen Dwellers took bluegrass to an entirely different level, blending psychedelia and bluegrass effortlessly.
Friday’s lineup was stacked, including Moon Hooch, Valerie June, Spirit Family Reunion and Canyon Collected. Each keeping the energy high, they were only paving the road for what would become an epic evening at Frendly. Heavy-hitting funk band Kung Fu brought the hammer down on Friday night, with new keyboardist Beau Sasser’s Hammond organ giving the crowd exactly what they were craving. The jam-funk brought the energy level at Frendly to new highs, especially when Mihali of Twiddle came on stage for “Hollywood Kisses,” which of course turned into “Mihaliwood Kisses.” After a full day of dancing and high energy acts, the crowd was still very ready for the headliners of the weekend: Twiddle.
If you were looking to hear your favorite Twiddle song, then they were anxious to give it to you. Opening with “Gatsby the Great,” Twiddle came out swinging. Every single person at the venue was on a Twiddle high, singing along and throwing the now-famous “peak” in the air. Torrin Daniels, banjo master from the Kitchen Dwellers, jumped in adding that extra something to an already incredible Twiddle set. Closing out the night with an epic version of “All Along the Watchtower,” no one left without a smile from ear to ear.
Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and beat-boxer Lynx brought it all home Friday night after Twiddle. Her voice carried through the mountains, even to those too weary to stand after a heavy first day. It wouldn’t be the last we saw of Lynx though, as she played throughout the weekend on several stages, even making a stop in the Martin Guitar Dome.
Saturday came, and with it, some rain. But that didn’t stop the masses from doing their morning yoga and dancing to the incredible music that was to follow. If you were up early enough, your day began with a marching band down the mountain including Twiddle and Jack Mitrani and Danny Davis. As you hopped on the train, it led you down to the pond where Twiddle played to everyone huddled around the tiny body of water. It was an incredible way to kick off the final day, with everyone wearing their weary smiles with pride. The day was riddled with fantastic music, including Americana favorites The Kalob Griffin Band hailing from Philadelphia and an intimate Burton TeePee set from Nahko (of Nahko and Medicine for the People). Turkuaz took the Frendly Stage and before you knew it, the ultimate dance party erupted. Their horn-heavy funk eruption had a sea of people dancing effortlessly. Jumping back to the Wood Stage, soul band Con Brio kept the feet moving with their old-school approach to soul and funk.
In the middle of all the activities and music, there was some very important charity work being done by organizations like Love Your Brain and the newly-founded White Light Foundation. White Light raffled off Twiddle and Burton goods, raising over $2000 for the Kurn Hattin Homes for Children and Love Your Brain. If you bought even just one ticket, you could feel the good being passed on to those in need.
Even when the rain began to fall on Saturday evening, people gathered around for the inspiring international music of Nahko and Medicine for the People. The rain certainly did not deter fans from being included in the soul-healing music of Nahko. If anything, it was a welcomed sign from Mother Nature that we were all in it together.
Still the rain fell, but it did not stop every single person on the mountain from witnessing the final night of Twiddle. The crowd’s collective voices rang through the rain for songs like “Frankenfoot” and “Jamflowman.” It was magical, to say the least. Frendly Gathering most certainly delivered, paying homage to the ties that bind music-lovers together. If you came in with one friend, you left with many. If you came with the stresses of daily life on your shoulders, you left without them. Jack and Danny created the ultimate festival experience in the middle of Vermont, leaving everyone anxious for next year’s Gathering.
If you’re interested in seeing what all the fun was about, check out Frendly Presents YouTube channel, which has high-definition recaps of the entire weekend.
After a year’s hiatus and a change in venue, Camp Bisco is back and moving to a site that offers fans a better experience at Montage Mountain in beautiful Scranton, Pennsylvania on July 16-18th. Campers will be treated to a water park, as well as many other amenities not offered at other festivals, such as full restaurant and bar.
The festival will feature many Camp Bisco regulars, such as Pretty Lights who is performing Thursday night as one of the festival’s headliners. Derek Vincent Smith took the moniker Pretty Lights in the summer of 2004. He had played electronic music with other groups but chose to go on his own and make his own music, starting out as a late night act for other major groups — one of them being the Disco Biscuits. He has since made a name for himself and has earned the coveted spot he’s playing. Thursday night also features STS9, otherwise known as Sound Tribe Sector Nine, pioneers along with the Biscuits with the livetronica genre. Mixing beats from hip hop to funk and jazz, this is a perfect addiction to the experience that is Camp Bisco.
Thursday also welcomes newcomers to the festival Twiddle, a rocking band hailing from Burlington, Vermont and featuring wailing guitar solos as well a tad of dub to it as well. Whatever the mixture they use, they found a good one because Twiddle is not an act to miss at this years festivities.
Big Gigantic plays on headlines Friday night bringing their own version of electronic jazz to the main stage. In a world where electronica seems to have peaked, bands keep coming up with new ways to make the sound their own. Gigantic does this by incorporating horns to the mix, leaving the crowd in pure awe. As with Twiddle, the festival is not only electronic music. For example, Tom Hamilton of The American Babies [Electron, Joe Russos Almost Dead, Brothers Past] shows his Americana side with this project. He covers tunes by Bob Dylan as well as reworking Brothers Past songs to have them fit this genre.
Saturday is the day that many campers will be looking forward to. With Tipper, Basssnectar, and yes, of course — the Disco Biscuits. Bassnectar has worked hard to get where he is on the Camp Bisco stage. Starting off as a side attraction over the years, he became more and more popular making his way to the main stage as a headliner. This is where a lot of hard work and determination has paid off, and Lorin Ahston, otherwise know as Bassnectar, is not an act to sleep on.
This leaves us with the festival’s namesake, The Disco Biscuits. Closing out all three nights, they definitely leave the crowd wanting more each time. Having been together for 20 years, The Biscuits have come as far as any band can dream and they keep getting better. Having sold out shows across the country and playing with members of the Grateful Dead, there is no time like now to see them play.
There are many different travel packages which all can be found here. Between all the great bands (the complete list can be found here) and the beautiful scenery, there is no reason not to get down to this year’s Camp Bisco.
There’s no doubt that we’ve been having one hell of a year in music. Most recently, we’ve seen artists like Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Bill Withers (finally) becoming inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Leading up this year, we’ve seen big name artists like Taylor Swift pulling their music from online streaming services to crush the myth that “physical sales just don’t sell anymore.” We’ve seen lawsuits changing the recording world and the way we associate artists with earlier musical predecessors.
In the live show atmosphere, we’ve seen many great small music festivals lose the support they need to bring us great music. Luckily, there’s one festival that seems to have left a firm stance in an ever changing music industry, and it’s back for its 20th year to bring us the music that’s so very near and dear to our hearts. Friends, get ready for the Gathering of the Vibes.
Starting as nothing more than a small memorial celebration at SUNY Purchase, “Deadhead Heaven: A Gathering of the Tribe” was created from a batch of devoted, yet mourning fans of the legendary Jerry Garcia: local promoter Bob Kennedy, business guru Ken Hays, and publishers of the fan magazine “Dupree’s Diamond News” Sally Ansorge Mulvey and John Dwork. Their aim was to provide an atmosphere that celebrated the incomparable success of the Grateful Dead, while mourning the loss of a respected, legendary frontman with hope and celebration. As the word spread about the show’s reminiscent and engaging atmosphere, so did the festival itself. Moving to Croton Point Park, NY a year later, it was renamed “Gathering of the Vibes,” named after the devoted fans self-proclamation as the ever present “VibeTribe.” To meet the growing number of attendees, the festival moved the following year to Plattsburgh, NY as the founders searched for an even bigger venue to host a long-term contract. Upon finding Seaside Park in Bridgeport, they immediately jumped on the opportunity, gracing Connecticut with the 1999 and 2000 Gathering of the Vibes Music Festival. It was then that Bob Weir himself played the Vibes stage, alongside his band Ratdog.
With great success always comes great challenge, and renovations needed to be done to Seaside Park as Vibes gained notoriety. For the next six years, the festival hopped over to Red Hook, NY followed by the Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville, N.Y. That certainly didn’t stop Dead members stopping in on the fun, however, since Phil Lesh & Friends made a two night cameo appearance in the 2002 festival in Mariaville.
Despite the festival’s continued success in New York, Vibes was able to relocate back to Seaside Park from 2007 onward, with endless support from the Town of Bridgeport as well as the devoted VibeTribe. Today, you can still witness the same spiritual cleansing and celebration of great music that these great pioneers aimed for back in SUNY Purchase. Along with the great artists that graced the stage back in 1996, including Strangefolk, Max Creek, and moe., Gathering of the Vibes has brought in some of the greatest legends in music, including Elvis Costello, Allman Brothers Band, James Brown, Buddy Guy, and Primus, to name a few.
This year, the team at Vibes has thrown us a couple of surprises in their 2015 lineup, including Weezer, Wilco, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, and The Gaslight Anthem. Though you may plan to make your way into a crowd of sweaty, sprightly individuals to jam out to the newbies of the Vibes lineup, make sure you take part in the shows of those who came at the early stages of Vibes, including but not limited to Max Creek, Strangefolk, Warren Haynes, and Deep Banana Blackout.
With so many venue relocations and constant adaptations, Gathering of the Vibes has been no easy wind. With constant support from the beloved VibeTribe, Gathering of the Vibes has been able to withstand the odds and survive as a notable festival, earning ranks on Rolling Stone’s “Summer 2015 Must-See Music Festival.” To join in the 20 year celebration, visit the Gathering of the Vibes official website and get your tickets. While you wait in anticipation for this year’s festival, however, make sure to check out the past performers that graced the Vibes stages, dating back to SUNY Purchase in 1996. The Gathering of the Vibes has certainly beaten many odds and maintained its high reputation, which is certainly worth celebrating, so we’re looking forward to this year as well as many years to come.
Rock musician Chris Cornell, best known for being the lead vocalist and songwriter of Seattle grunge band Soundgarden, will perform across North America in his recently announced acoustic fall tour, including several stops in the northeast. On Oct. 11, Chris Cornell will take stage at the University of Buffalo Center of the Arts in Buffalo, two days after an Oct. 9 performance at Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario.
About a week later, Cornell is scheduled to play at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on Oct. 18 and the Shubert Theatre in Boston on Oct. 21.
The 50-year-old singer has recently announced the release of an acoustic album titled Higher Truth, to be released on Sept. 18. The fall performances will have an intimate, acoustic setting, featuring music off of Cornell’s upcoming album.
Cornell is widely considered to have one of the best voices in rock music, with a four-octave range. In 2011, Rolling Stone selected Cornell as the #9 Best Lead Singer of All Time, while he was named the #12 Greatest Voice in Music by MTV in 2005.
I’ve come across a great number of Twiddle fans in the past year and found that a band I rarely see has far more fans than I expected. If you live in the Northeast, it’s highly likely that you know at least a few of them. There are a few reasons that Twiddle has blown up in the past year, with the main one being a vibrant, rabid and insane fan base of Twiddiots who resemble the larger fan bases among jam bands at earlier stages. In meeting these fans and seeing the band recently, I’ve found Twiddle’s music as comfortable and easy to access with a well-rounded sound, but more importantly, I have discovered Twiddle fans to be the next great fan base waiting to be tapped.
Twiddle
Having seen Twiddle three times in the past three months – Upstate Concert Hall in April, Rock n Roll Resort in May, and Disc Jam Music Festival in June – I have come to be amazed by the fans while enjoying the music. It’s not that I’m not interested in the music — I just find the fans hanging on every note of this band eerily similar to that of the fan bases of Phish, Widespread Panic, moe. and Umphrey’s McGee. It appears that Twiddle is a jam band for fans of the post-EDM explosion who grew tired of the music and scene but retained a desire for a larger community aspect of EDM, particularly PLUR – Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, things all found within the Twiddle community. While I can go to a Twiddle show and listen to the music and enjoy it to a degree, the fans are the main attraction – young, exciting, seemingly even male/female, in college and containing a desire to be a part of something larger.
There are those jam bands with strong fan bases that come out in droves for shows, buy all related merchandise (both fan made and official), focus squarely on all components of the band and intertwine it with their daily lives. Twiddle fans are similar to those of Phish, Widespread Panic, moe., and Umphrey’s McGee, just at an earlier stage – the Vermont-based band is only in its 10th year and the fan base, while far from fledgling, is supportive of the band and growing rapidly as each of these now established bands saw their fan base grow around the same point of their careers. They’re not the same musically, but they have their die-hard fans as well as their detractors, an annual music festival many consider to be the band’s own and offer up-and-coming bands a fan base that is as fertile for exposure to new music and brands as they are enthusiastic for every note Twiddle plays. Twiddle fans are a once in a great while occurrence – a fan base thriving around one band and everything they bring to the table.
Twiddle fans seek, and find, a more inviting environment and acceptance among a new community. They could be Phish fans first, but with Phish, you have an older group, some of whom have been closely following the band for 25 years or more, and with a greater amount of jaded fans and a larger degree of negativity and criticism compared to other fan bases, it makes sense that a 18 year old might go see Twiddle more often than Phish and find a home among the former’s community.
It may be that Umphrey’s might be over their heads, Widespread Panic too Southern-based and moe., like Phish, having an older fanbase that may not be as accessible to find space in as they do Twiddle’s. This is entry-level fandom with ease via a consistent and growing touring schedule, fan groups on Facebook, as well as Friendly Gathering this weekend, and a fan base that is welcoming for the most part. moe. is smart to bring Twiddle in for shows and festivals, knowing full well that their fans might become moe.rons, and vice versa.
This targeted marketing to the fan bases via performances at moe.down, Saranac Brewery in Utica in mid-June and Waterfront Park in Burlington this August, serve as testament to the viability of Twiddle through its fans; those who can harness that fan base will find great success.
Twiddiots (a term of endearment, much like moe.rons despite sounding negative upon first glance) were the driving force behind Twiddle’s Kickstarter campaign for their upcoming album Plump (due out later this year), which hit a goal of $20,000 in 24 hours, more than doubling that goal by the end of the campaign and catching the eye of outsiders, myself included.
The fans have uTwiddle, an online community with setlist stats and news on the bands, a growing fan art community and a plethora of pins that are highly sought after. Grassroots California could retire on sales the now iconic Twiddle hats alone. The fans are what makes the band, and seeing the band feed off the fans and vice versa is the connection between band and fan that is rare to find at such a nascent stage and one that is worth paying attention to. Watch their fans and you’ll see a swarm that look like they are having the greatest time ever while experiencing pure bliss during each song played. You might not get it, but they do. The music makes the fans happy and the vibe and pe/king (more on that in a minute) carries through and can make you want to enjoy the music or disregard it wholly.
Those who detract from Twiddle and make it a point to rip on them do so because of the fast rise of the band, the ascendance and coronation from their fanbase as ‘the next _____’ (insert notably large jamband here) without having heard a note, having seen the fans and not wanted anything to do with it. You’d be skeptical too if you heard some band was considered ‘the next ______.’ I read an article about The Jauntee being the next Phish – I enjoy The Jauntee but that label is always going to be there because of that article, and there’s a certain level of comparison that can make it hard to forget. Regardless of the fact no band is the next _____, there are the haters who simply don’t like the band or their fans.
Being in the Northeast and around Twiddle fans more than others, it can be easy to grow tired of peaking and the discussion of songs and shows at length, especially when a more established band may provide more content, musically and otherwise to lead to a more familiar conversation, one that is safer and doesn’t involve knowing a great deal about a new band, their musical mythology and all the inside jokes. Some find early Twiddle fans to be less receptive to new fans, ironic as fans of other jam bands are not as receptive to Twiddle in general. A cited lack of originality in sound paired with the inability of Twiddle fans to handle criticism echo other fans bases when something hot, new and exciting takes attention away from their current fixation. “I don’t want to learn new stuff” seems to be the mantra behind some of the vitriol, but that goes in lockstep with Deadheads hating Phish heads, Phish fans refusing to cross over to moe. or Umphrey’s, and now Twiddle fans finding ire among non-fans. Twiddle is Buzz Lightyear to the established and accepted Woodys of the jam band world – shiny, sleek, new, full of new features and immensely popular as of late – all valid reasons to question viability and scoff at the new sound.
Kevin Rondeau, Twiddle’s manager since 2011, is another factor in the growth of the band in the past few years. Rondeau began booking shows for Twiddle in 2010 then in 2011 became manager while continuing to book shows before the band signed with Madison House in 2013. Now with a growing staff including Kevin, road manager Dan Travis, Sam Johnson running sound, a lighting designer joining the crew soon, a well-respected publicist in Destiny Beck, as well as web designers and various artists part of the growing Twiddle Co., the band’s growth has led to changes in the behind the scenes for the band, a positive step as the band is not about to test the brakes anytime soon.
“I think Twiddle’s music right now is as good as if not better than any of the top jam acts. All of this growth that is happening, we all knew it would happen; it was just a matter of time. We have pushed a philosophy of friendliness and positivity and the fan base has embraced it,” cited Rondeau when asked about growth in recent years. “The fanbase is incredible and we have a lot of close relationships with fans. When I was walking around Disc Jam on Sunday, I saw fans I have known for many years now and it resembles a family in many ways. I try and keep a very steady presence in the fan base so that they are informed of what is going on.”
“I asked my wife if she thought we could get people to fly to Costa Rica for a Twiddle festival, and she said certainly. There are a lot of dedicated people now among the fans.”
Under Rondeau’s guidance, the band has moved from side stages at festivals to hosting its own festival, sort of. Frendly Gathering (yes, Frendly, no I), held this weekend at Magic Mountain in Londonderry, Vermont, is not the band’s festival, but rather promoted by professional snowboarders Jack Mitrani and Danny Davis, with Twiddle acting as the official unofficial host band. While Frendly Gathering is a separate event from the band, the two are connected and benefit each other – the festival has a headliner bringing a guaranteed crowd and the band has a festival identified as their own, increasing their visibility and building comparisons to bands such as Phish, moe. and Umphrey’s, where the band has a vested interest in a festival as well as being comparable to festivals of similar size bands – The Werks (The Werkout), The Mantras (Mantrabash), Lucid (Backwoods Pondfest) and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (Domefest).
A recently formed fan-based charity, White Light Foundation, connects the band and fans together, giving back to local charities and gaining visibility thanks to generous donations from both Twiddle and Burton Snowboards. These and other donations will help to raise funds at Frendly Gathering for Love Your Brain and Kurn Hattin Homes for Children, both Vermont based organizations. Founded by Jay Segal and Steve Perlah, they cite inspiration from the charitable efforts of the Phish community who they herald as “amazing role models for a fledgling organization.” Fans looking out for each other and supporting their local community are a part of the growth of many bands and Twiddle and their fans seem to be on the right track in giving back to local communities of which they are a part.
Musically, a reggae jam seems to be the recurring theme of the music, and overall, it is very happy music, jams and compositions both. With more chances to watch the band members perform, their individual talents and position in the band are more apparent.
• Mihali Savoulidis has a voice similar to that of Dave Matthews but distinct in its own right. Wearing a Bob Dylan hat on his head and permagrin on his face, he looks like the happiest guitarist ever while playing and singing to the fans, whether shredding or noodling or anything in between.
• By evidence of wearing a winter hat on stage nearly all the time, bassist Zdenek Gubb is from house Stark; winter isn’t coming – winter is already here. Any given song and Gubb drops some serious meatballs and adds depth to compositions.
• Keyboardist Ryan Dempsey is talented in every capacity behind the keys but is a wild card otherwise, the oddball among oddballs in the band and off stage. Accessible and visible among fans, he revels among the fan base and doesn’t shy away from the spotlight.
• Brook Jordan is a clutch drummer and exciting to watch in every instance – he keeps the beat while the other three meander about a jam and serves as a point of reference for accessing the music.
Together on stage they dial in and flow together nicely, if without taking a great number of chances. This is not Buddy Mihali and the Crickets, with Mihali taking lead throughout, but his presence is undeniable whether on stage or off. He knows he’s a rock star but doesn’t come off like one. He’s the band frontman but seems to shy away from the spotlight.
Twiddle has two side projects, Gubbulidis, a duo featuring Mihali and Zdenek, and Best Good Frends, a new band that recently held their first three shows in early May of this year, featuring Mihali, Zdenek, Ryan Clausen and Josh Dobbs (Dead Set Tuesdays) and Ratdog saxophonist Kenny Brooks. The latter group has great potential for extended improvisational jams as witnessed at their second ever show at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany, where six songs were played over the course of two sets and an encore. If there is an exciting aspect of Twiddle’s music to pay attention to, this is the one.
Twiddle also offers a great deal of generosity and assistance in supporting up-and-coming bands, giving the next wave of bands and musicians a shot. At the three shows from the past three months, every show featured sit-ins from musicians who may not otherwise be introduced to the Twiddle fan base. Too many in total to list, but among them, I wouldn’t know who Honeycomb is without Twiddle, as he has sat in twice with the band and twice I’ve been blown away by this beatboxer out of Windsor Locks, Ct.
Then there is peaking, or pe/king as Twiddle fans type the term. The concept, developed by Twiddle fan Spencer Frank, with Sam Luke and Nick Cioffi, was conceived by the fans to make an otherwise bad day seem far better than it truly was – a way of pumping themselves up to events yet to come. Popularized via Gubbulidis shows in Burlington on Tuesday nights, when Ryan Dempsey asked about peaking, Spencer replied “Dude, its the next level,” and with that, it crossed from fan idea to band supported identification which fans therefore find greater participation with. In seeking a definition of peaking, Frank returns with “I would say that peaking is taking any situation at its current status and bringing it to the next level.” For Luke, peaking is used “as a fuel to inspire ourselves to maintain constant optimism and motivation.”
“I think peaking is awesome,” notes Rondeau. “Fans have little symbols and hand gestures, and it’s cool that fans have adopted something. There’s an obvious drug reference to peaking, but I don’t think that the way in which our friends use it. It could be any moment in life, at a concert, feeling bliss and something incredible, a great feeling of positivity and all those things can be experienced at a Twiddle concert with a bunch of friends. It’s a great way for the band to communicate to the crowd that they appreciate that the music is being appreciated, it’s an acknowledgement of feeling the same way, doing what we love.”
Added Rondeau, “Nothing is possible without the fans, the band is super aware of that.”
“What was really cool was when we realized that it’s different for everyone, but that we were organically sort of creating a community where people were supportive of each other’s /s (peaks)” Cioffi observed. “I think we are just taking concepts like mindfulness and positivity and rewording them in a way that is digestible and translates well to the medium of Facebook as well as the real world and it’s cool because there are people posting hikes they have taken, and their kids doing something awesome, or talking about how they have been sober for a few months, or how they are psyched for the upcoming shows its just pure positivity and support.”
For those who are finding Twiddle as an entry level band and fan base, peaking can be something that resonates with newcomers and established fans, a message of community and positivity and support, a well as a challenge to do better. Sure, it’s a cliquey concept, but Umphrey’s fans do that thing where they put their fists together and stick the pinkies and other fingers down to make a UM sign, but there is more to it than just saying ‘rock on’ in Umph-speak. Yet peaking is all inclusive, much like how the Twiddle fan base appears, although some older fans do retain a certain ‘OG’ status that can be off putting to some, something that can be found among every fan base of established jam bands.
In talking with Twiddle fans about highlights from Disc Jam Music Festival, the two that were offered up immediately were Turkuaz’s Craig Brodhead sitting-in on “Polluted Beauty” and the jam during “Apples” which saw Mister F’s Scott Hannay (keys), Formula 5’s Joe Davis (guitar) and James Woods (bass), Honeycomb (beatbox) and Michelangelo Carubba of Turkuaz (drums). I referred to the pair of songs as personal highlights of the weekend at Disc Jam and specifically stated that these two songs were ‘the tits.’ This, to Spencer, Nick and Sam is the equivalent of pe/king. There is a universality of pe/king that can provide an inroad to understanding what their fans are peaking about, and which also carries with it an outsider perspective of ‘what the fuck is that?’ Much like two languages having two words to describe the same thing, the peaking phenomenon is more familiar than outsiders may realize, despite being on the dork side of all things Twiddle.
Twiddle is definitely not for everyone, but those that identify with it are really into it. It brings to mind the Jerry Garcia quote about licorice and the Grateful Dead: “We’re like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.” Twiddle isn’t the next Phish, but its fans may very well be the next Phisheads, Spreadheads, moe.rons or Umphreaks, and that is well worth paying attention to.
STS9 Fall Tour 2015:
Gathering of the Vibes.
2015 lineup, including Weezer, Wilco, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, and The Gaslight Anthem. Though you may plan to make your way into a crowd of sweaty, sprightly individuals to jam out to the newbies of the Vibes lineup, make sure you take part in the shows of those who came at the early stages of Vibes, including but not limited to Max Creek, Strangefolk, Warren Haynes, and Deep Banana Blackout.
