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Family, Freedom and Phish: Mike Gordon Melds it all Together

Life is good for Mike Gordon these days, with Phish coming off arguably one of the most creative years in its 32-year history and his solo band gaining steam across the country.

On top of that professional success, the 50-year-old bassist says he has a wonderful family life, one that allows his wife and daughter to travel with him when he’s on tour. This time spent with his 6-year-old daughter has changed his perspective on a bevy of things.

“I waited until I was older to have a child,” Gordon said. “And I was so ready for it. I spend time with her every day and I don’t tour as much as I used to. It’s cliché, but I get to see the world through young eyes. It’s a unique and whimsical perspective.”

Gordon, who is in the middle of a tour with his band, treks through New York this week, stopping in Buffalo on Tuesday and Syracuse on Thursday, before stopping at the Egg on Friday in Albany. Accompanying Gordon is Max Creek guitarist Scott Murawski, Craig Myers on percussion, Robert Walter on keyboards and John Kimock on drums. This is the second tour Gordon has done since he released Overstep, an 11-song LP featuring songs such as “Say Something,” “Yarmouth Road” and “Tiny Little World.” Gordon and Murawski wrote all the songs over a handful of trips to places in New England, such as North Adams, Mass., where Gordon’s mother, Marjorie Minkin, owns a loft.

“With Overstep, our goal was to rock and display a lot of raw energy,” Gordon said. “Moving forward, we don’t want to stop that, but we want to be more experimental, maybe a bit thrashy. We’re exploring all sorts of themes.”

Gordon added that his daughter has been a big inspiration for a lot of the lyrics he’s written lately, and added that Tessa also influenced some of the writing on Phish’s most recent album, Fuego.

This band has become Gordon’s personal artistic outlet. Trey Anastasio and Tom Marshall are the “chief” songwriters in Phish, and this band gives Gordon the ability to do what he wants. Full creative control, if you will. He spoke of seeing the Trey Anastasio Band recently.

“Trey is great about running a tight outfit and I admire it a lot,” Gordon said. “I saw them recently and the horns really work great in the band.”

Seeing as how Phish fans are highly critical of just about everything anyone in the band does, it’s easy to draw comparisons between Gordon’s band and TAB, but none of that seems to affect the bassist.

“I want to be edgy, to push the limits further,” he said. “I love it when we’re tight and loose at the same time. I don’t have much to prove — we take chances, especially with the strange, angular parts. We try to just live in the moment.”

Gordon has been a fan of Max Creek for many years, and recalled the first time he saw Murawski and the band.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “Not just his playing, but his whole vibe. Seeing Max Creek play a long time ago – people say they sound a lot like the (Grateful) Dead. I see them as a tweaked version of country rock. Scott smiles so much and is always in control, yet he’s humble at the same time. Before I knew him, I noticed that he always looked so comfy (on stage) and I really like that influence.”

So in his two bands, Gordon plays with two different guitar monsters in the jam band scene in Murawski and Anastasio. On the surface, both guitarists share some similar themes and styles in their playing, but Gordon did his best to explain the differences between the two.

“Scott is very clever about outlining chord changes as they happen,” he said. “Trey is the opposite. He’s good at flowing over the changes, creating textures. Sometimes he sounds like a movie soundtrack in the way he flows. But I definitely think there is some cross influencing going on between them.

“One week after I met Trey, we went and saw Max Creek. Not long after, Trey got his Ibanez. Maybe it was just a coincidence. And Scott now owns a Languedoc. Trey is great at melody, and I’ve noticed Scott bring some of that in. Every connection is based on another connection.”

Gordon went on to conclude the topic: “Scott and I spend so much time together, it’s just organic. Scott is the one who wants to jam as long as possible and stretch things out. So I guess it’s apples and oranges.”

While Phish is lauded for the light show that accompanies its marathon concerts, Gordon’s band takes stage production to the next level. He and Murawski had special guitars built for last year’s tour, and they are all black with sensors on them that reflect the light, making them appear luminescent.

Gordon also revealed that he is going to debut another new bass sometime soon, which he dubbed it the “2.0 version” of the bass he had been playing in his solo band. The concept was designed by Gordon, who said it looks like a Modulus, but is a hollow body, which gives the appearance of a 3D effect. He said it has an EMG/Modulus sound. The guitar was built by Ben Lewry of Visionary Instruments, which Gordon gave high praise.

“This is very organic,” he added, saying Murawski’s guitar has basically the same concept. He didn’t specify when he will be debuting the new bass, but said it will happen on this tour.

Back in 2011, Gordon played The Egg, a venue nearly universally applauded for its stellar acoustics, uninhibited sight lines and friendliness to performers. It ended up being one of the few official Mike Gordon Band releases, and Gordon said he is quite excited to return to the venue.

“I loved that show,” he said. “The sound at the venue is conducive to what we do and it’s very technical. A lot of times there are different challenges at venues like unpredictability and that can make a lot of things pretty hard. We already have enough to think about and the Egg is just so easy to play. I can hear it all, both the loud and the soft, and it all resonates in a very controllable way.”

As for his work with Phish, Mike Gordon said that he’s mostly focused on his work on this solo tour, but did give a glimpse into what Phish has been up to recently.

“It’s hard to think about, because I have so much going on with this band, but I’ll tell you this: The guys in Phish all got together two months before our tour is starting, and this is the first time in a long time I can remember us practicing so much, this early before a tour,” he said. “Who knows, we may even have a handful of new songs.”

He even shared a brief thought on the upcoming Fare Thee Well shows, celebrating 50 years of the Grateful Dead.

“The Grateful Dead have obviously been a big influence, and it’s really nice they feel proud enough to commemorate the 50th,” he said. “All four of them still have the fire.”

Over the past two years, Gordon has been sharing his own version of Couch Tour with fans via his Facebook page, posting photos of him on various couches, often with a funny look on his face.

Is the couch tour going to continue? More importantly, has Gordon settled on a couch?

“Yes, I am going to continue it and yes I found a couch, but … it needs a little work,” he said.

June 16, 2015
An Eclectic Taste of Syracuse

Venture into Downtown Syracuse any summer weekend and chances are you’ll wander into some type of cultural festival. The biggest of all these Clinton Square festivals is Taste of Syracuse, held the first weekend of June. I’d never been to the Taste of Syracuse Festival so I entered this year’s version totally green. Pre-fest research is a must, printing the artist schedule and reading up on the must-have food samples will help you make the most of your time.

This event is highly attended by all different types of people and gives a true Taste of Syracuse in that regard. The perfect weather also likely had a lot to do with the size of the weekend crowds.

Food vendors were plentiful, many with long lines to try the bevy of $1 samples being offered. And while I didn’t try the much hyped Bang Bang Shrimp, I did get my hands on the grape leaves from the Turkish Cultural Center booth and the vegetarian spring rolls with hot sauce from the Lao Village tent and both were delicious. The hot sauce, paired well with a Founders All Day IPA and the smooth Chicago style blues of The Nighthawks with Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin performing on the Main Stage.

The primary reason for my attendance at Taste of Syracuse was, however, the music. With 38 bands playing on three different stages over the course of the weekend, there were plenty of choices to be had for even the most fickle music fan.

Friday night featured Vinyl-Albums live, three different bands offering their interpretations of three classic albums: Paul McCartney and Wings’ Band on the Run, U2’s Achtung Baby and Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill.

One of the more uplifting bands of the weekend was the UAD Show Group/Kings of the Fall, performing on the Delta stage Friday evening. Their soulful sounds provided a nice diversion from the heavier rock and country artists performing throughout the weekend.

Syracuse rockers Under the Gun closed the night on the main stage, playing a mix of hard-charging rock anthems from the 80s up to the present.

Washington, DC blues legends, The Nighthawks with frequent special guest and former Muddy Waters band member, Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin grooved the main stage crowd on Saturday with a mixture of originals and blues standards.

Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin and The Nighthawks performing at 2015 Taste of Syracuse Festival

Pale Green Stars were a standout band. This Syracuse-based band is part country, part punk, part alternative, and all entertaining. Upon first listening, the vocals of Jeff Jones reminded me of Art Alexakis of Everclear, yet still has his own distinct style and great stage presence. This three-man crew of talented musicians performed many originals from their album The Honkytonk Years, which is available to listen to in full on YouTube. Do yourself, and the band, a favor and purchase the album outright. It’s a good summer soundtrack.

Another band that drew my attention was the Rochester band Teagan and the Tweeds. Steeped in country but dipping their toes in the sexy blues of Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin while donning some Bourbon Street pizzazz, Teagan and the Tweeds are difficult to categorize, which is a good thing. Lead vocalist and guitarist, Teagan Ward has a voice that’s raspy and soulful and one that demands the audience’s attention. Her band mates are formidable as well. Bassist Jeremy Stoner brought out a tuba for “Give it Up or Let Me Go” and quickly won over the hesitant crowd. Teagan and the Tweeds frequent the Dinosaur BBQ circuit and refer to themselves as a BBQ band. For more information, check out their website: www.teaganandthetweeds.com.

Teagan and the Tweeds winning over the crowd from the Clinton Square stage at the 2015 Taste of Syracuse Festival

For me, festivals are a way to discover new music, especially local music. While there seemed to be a dearth of cover bands on this year’s Taste of Syracuse bill, it was a treat to discover several bands out there doing original material and winning over crowds. Keep the local talent thriving and get out there and become won over, because, after all, every big artist was local at some point.

Friday Photo Gallery by Jim Houle:

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Bret Michaels Gallery by Mark McGauley:

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June 16, 2015
Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival: So Much More Than Just a Music Festival

Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival, better known as The Clearwater Festival, is an event not to be missed Father’s Day Weekend, June 20 to 21. Founded by Pete Seeger more than 40 years ago, it’s no wonder this festival is still going strong. The gorgeous backdrop of the mighty Hudson River, the rolling hills and winding paths of Croton Point Park, and the glorious music beckoning you around every turn.

But beyond the natural beauty and wonderful tunes surrounding you is the knowledge that you are attending the country’s oldest and largest environmental festival, with plenty of opportunity to learn more about sustainable products and services, and the important watershed and environmental justice work being done by Clearwater right here in the Hudson Valley.

The Clearwater Festival is still definitely in an upward swing, attracting bigger and more impressive artists each year. Featuring what might be its most diverse line-up yet, in the span of just two days, you will be able to catch the banjoist power couple Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, acoustic-popsters Guster, Upstate New York’s own The Felice Brothers, and Tex-Mex legends Los Lobos and Neko Case, Ani DiFranco and David Crosby. Of course festival veterans of the more traditional folk background, including Tom Chapin, Tom Paxton, and David Amram will be there as well, adding a real sense of continuity to this long running event.

With seven sustainably powered stages stretched across the park, including the most lively Dance Stage of any festival I’ve ever been to, it will be hard to walk somewhere and not experience something wonderful.

One huge difference between Clearwater Festivals of yesteryear and those more recent is that festival founder Pete Seeger is no longer with us. However, his presence is still felt throughout the weekend, living on through his numerous musical protégés, and the many visible signs throughout the festival site that demonstrate his commitment to protecting the environment.

Perhaps the most noticeable environmental icon you will come across is the Sloop Clearwater itself. Built in 1966, this sailboat serves as an educational classroom, giving the opportunity for schoolchildren to spend a day on the Hudson River doing hands-on educational activities. Throughout the weekend, festival-goers will have the opportunity to go on a free tour while the boat is docked, or take part in a two-hour sail around Haverstraw Bay (separate ticket necessary).

For those looking for a more adventurous way to experience the Hudson River, head on down to the “Working Waterfront” area for a chance to kayak or canoe, or take part in “river seining” and see what types of critters inhabit the Hudson.

Although you will be plenty busy with the musical and natural aspects of The Clearwater Festival, it is critical that you spend at least part of the weekend taking in the environmental component of the festival as well. All proceeds from the festival goes toward supporting Clearwater’s non-profit organization, whose mission it is to support environmental research, education, and advocacy efforts to protect the Hudson River and its surrounding communities.

Check out the Activist Area to see how the efforts of over 50 groups are helping to heal the world, support local farmers by shopping at the Artisanal Food and Farm Market, stop by the Clearwater Environmental Action Tent to learn about the important work being done to keep our Hudson Valley area clean and visit the Green Living Expo to find out how you can make a difference in making the world a better place by making small simple changes in our everyday lives.

The Clearwater Festival is also a great place to do some guilt-free shopping for crafts and clothing, as you will be able to take comfort knowing that all of the products you buy in either the Juried Handcrafters’ Village or the Marketplace have been produced without the use of sweatshop labor or environmentally hazardous materials.

The Clearwater Festival is just about the most family-friendly festival around. With three stages which must have been planned with children in mind, there will be plenty of entertainment for the little ones. Children 12 and under get in for free, so bring the whole family out for this fun and educational event.

With performances beginning at 11 a.m., both Saturday and Sunday, on the Family Stage, you will find storytellers like Story Laurie spinning environment-themed tales and bands like Dog on Fleas geared toward the younger crowd. Kid-based entertainment will also be provided at the Story Grove and Circle of Song stages. Other amazing experiences for children include the Arm of the Sea Theater, featuring a mask and puppet show taking place at the edge of the Hudson River; two education tents with exhibits related to the Hudson River watersheds and the critters that live within it; and the brilliant Todd’s Musical Petting Zoo, where children (and adults too) can pick up and play just about any instrument you can think of, including exotic instruments like a zither or shofar.

As far as getting to the festival goes, there are a variety of options. If you are planning on driving, it is highly encouraged to park off-site at the Croton-Harmon Train Station. For a $5 fee there is ample parking, and there are free shuttles provided to Croton Point Park, a five-minute ride away. There is a limited amount of parking spaces available at Croton Point Park itself, where the fee is $10.

Being the green festival that it is, Clearwater has teamed up with Metro-North Railroad to offer a special package including a roundtrip train ticket to and from Croton-Harmon Station and a ticket to the festival, resulting in a substantial discount on entry to the festival — for example, a Metro-North Getaways ticket from Grand Central Terminal would cost $97 for a two-day admission, compared to a two-day festival pass which costs $110 not including transportation.

While the majority of Clearwater attendees tend to come for the day, there is also the option to camp on-site, tents only at this point (the RV campground has already filled up), with check-in to the camping area taking place on Friday, June 19, between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday between 8 a.m. and noon. Camp stoves are permitted, but no open fires. And be sure to bring an instrument if you are planning on camping, because there are sure to be some folky jams popping up here and there.

Tickets are currently available on the Clearwater Festival website, with discount pricing available if you are or become a Clearwater member, which is definitely worth looking into, as the organization does a lot of important environmental work. Single day tickets currently cost $75 for single day tickets, $110 for a weekend pass, and $215 for a weekend pass with camping. The only real rules at Clearwater are related to their seating policy, so feel free to bring a picnic and a bottle of wine to enjoy throughout the day. As far as seating goes, you can set up your chair in front of the main Hudson and Rainbow stages beginning at 9 a.m. both days, but while you are off checking out the other festival attractions, the polite Clearwater way is to let others use your chair or blanket until you return.

If the idea of ringing in summer in the beautiful setting of Croton Point Park with the lovely Hudson River as the backdrop, on top of the astonishing variety of musical acts and the environmental lessons you will surely take away, appeals to you, then the Clearwater Festival is the place to be this weekend. So come get your folk on at this festival with a conscience.

Photos of David Crosby by Steve Malinski

June 15, 2015
Hearing Aide: Yonder Mountain String Band ‘Black Sheep’

Yonder Mountain String Band will release their 12th album, Black Sheep on June 16, with a new sound and two new additions to the band. This album is unlike previous albums with a Yonder 2.0 feel with Allie Kral and Jake Jolliff making their recording debut. Black Sheep is Yonder’s move from a jamgrass boy band to a traditional sounding bluegrass ensemble.

There is no doubt that change and growth have effected this band in a very positive way. By adding Allie on the violin Yonder has embraced the power of a soulful female voice matched with her epic jams. Her violin was the missing link in their music previously in my opinion, I have felt this way since the beginning. Allie does a remarkable job of adding in her feminine touch.

While Jolliff is also a fantastic addition to the band, his mandolin playing is a completely different sound than Austin’s — making the transition virtually seamless without actually trying to ‘replace’ Austin or to duplicate his style. Jolliff brings a highly technical but light sounding vibe to the group.

Another change heard on Black Sheep is the lead that bassist Ben Kaufman has taken in many of the songs. No longer will you hear the energy that was once shared by Kaufman and former mandolinist Jeff Austin. The energy is still there, it’s just headed in a different direction, a direction in which I am happy to follow as a long time fan.

Black Sheep’s opening track is titled “Insult and an Elbow,” is a precursor to how Kaufman takes lead vocals to another level. He told RollingStone this is a reflection on his younger days when he was “… drinking and smoking for all the wrong reasons. But it is also written from the perspective of a person who is on the brink of a moment of growth and self-awareness.” This album most definitely debuts that growth.

On the album’s third track Yonder Mountain hits another cover out of the park musically, once again. The cover of punk rock band the Buzzcocks, “Ever Fallen in Love with Someone You Shouldn’t Have,” is reminiscent of their cover of the Misfits, “20 Eyes in My Head”. YMSB has a knack for taking these punk songs and masterfully turning them into bluegrass jams.

Bringing listeners back to a more recognized sound is “Analee,” reminiscent of Kaufman’s Bolton Stretch series — with less boyish shenanigans. He speaks of true love and deep heartache. Jolliff’s mandolin is gentle and a light presence.

“Landfall” is an Adam Aijala song. For the first time on the album, Kaufman has taken a backseat on vocals and lends his signature thumping bass line. Again, this song is a much more mature version of this band.

The songs on this album have a sense of deep thought and maturity, a refection of their lives — becoming men, husbands, fathers, has brought YMSB to a new level.

Finally on “I’m lost,” Allie starts light and feminine in her playing, then jamming hard to the end, a true moment for her to shine on this album. Allie also makes an impression with her soulful vocals on “Love Before You Can’t”.

It seems as though these boys have gained and lost love and friendships over the last year and half and they are expressing themselves lyrically in a much deeper philosophical way. This album definately is not a band of young bluegrass boys paving the path for the jam grass scene and telling stories of smoking weed and drinkin beer, they have grown up, they are men — and one woman.

As much as I love the new sound, this isn’t a Yonder album that I would jump out of my seat to dance to. It’s more for listening to in its entirety on a road trip to nowhere.

This album sounds like a romance novel reads. Given the level of energy that has been happening at Yonder shows lately, this album creates a very low-key vibe. One that makes you think, about your own love and regrets and how we all grow out of the ashes like a Phoenix and we carry on after tragedy, we don’t stay the same, we grow towards the light. YMSB has opened up their entire souls on this album while simultaneously exhibiting remarkable maturity in their musicianship.

Black Sheep will be available in stores and on iTunes on June 16 but you can get it now online and at tour merch shops.

Also worth noting is the updated website for the band which now includes bios for Allie Kral and Jake Jolliff, officially making them a part of Yonder Mountain String Band. Cheers!

Key Tracks: Insult and an Elbow, Analee, I’m Lost, Around You

June 14, 2015
Jonathan Jackson + Enation’s Radio Cinematic Tour Makes Debut at the Westcott Theater

Every once in a while the music industry often has break out artists that stand out, as a little bit different and unique. At times these musicians begin a new musical culture. We saw that as Elvis introduced rock ‘n’ roll. The Beatles took the Ed Sullivan show by storm, Diana Ross & The Supremes lead the Motown revolution, KISS began a hair-band revolution. Tupac made his mark in hip hop/rap, and Kurt Cobain became legendary as part of the grunge phase. It’s been a while since this musical culture shifted.

As I cover shows across the state I see a trend occurring. I notice more so often than not, a great majority of musicians are returning to the basics. You know, a good song, a great voice, a clear instrument, and not so much lighting that they become a figment amongst smoke and mirrors. Yes, these are the bands and musicians that seem to be making their way today in the sea of musical opportunities.

Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater

Enter Jonathan Jackson +Enation. Most of the readers know Jackson as Avery on ABC’s hit television show, Nashville, where he plays a musician. On the show Avery’s character stands out as unique and special, and not fitting the form of the traditional country music we’ve grown accustomed to.

Joined in Enation is Jackson’s older brother, also an accomplished actor, Richard Lee Jackson, and Daniel Sweatt — who is one of the most talented musicians out there. Together these three blend together in a perfect mix that makes up one heck of a rock band. Yes I said a rock band.

Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater

When I first came across this band I was surprised to learn how long they’ve played together, and although I was late to the party, I was so happy to have gotten there. Touring currently with their fourth album, these three have been perfecting their craft. Striving to capture that energy from their live show. Radio Cinematic I believe has achieved just that. Having heard their album before their live performance I questioned and hoped whether their live show would live up to my expectations. Well it did just that, and then far exceeded those expectations.

Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater

Opening the evening was a local Pop/Rock/Alternative/Indie band from the Ithaca area called Maple Hill. These four young men were quite energetic. Not only did they prime the crowd for the main event, they were actually quite humorous and entertaining throughout their own set. Their new album, Headspace will be released June 19, 2015. Joel Beckwith (Bass), St. John Faulkner (Drums), Max Gaeta (Lead Guitar), and Kristian Wood-Gaiger (Vocals/Guitar) amped up the crowd with original music and remixed covers such as Drake’s, “We’re Going Home”.

They thoroughly surprised and delighted me with their style, sound, and high energy performance. I highly recommend if you are in the area of The Dock (415 Taughannock Blvd. Ithaca, NY 14850) June 18, you should stop by and join them to help celebrate their record release party from 7-10pm. All ages are welcome and the cover charge is only $5.

Maple Hill – Westcott Theater

Then came Jonathan, Richard, and Daniel who from the moment the spot light hit Jonathan at the piano and he began to sing, I was totally blown away. Opening with “Young World’s Riot,” Jonathan’s voice along with his piano permeated your soul.

Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater

As they moved into the rest of the set, Richard’s percussion laid down a constant rhythm while Daniel’s bass and resounding vocals added to Jonathan’s, and together they found a synchronicity that not only encapsulated the live sound they were striving to achieve on the album, but far exceeded my expectations. From the moment they began playing right up to the end, I was in a hypnotic trance. In addition to mesmerizing the entire audience, they took the time to recognize a special guest on her birthday and dedicated a song to the sweet young lady.

Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater

These kind young men were gracious, appreciative, and as famous as they all are in their own rights between television and movie stardom, you wouldn’t know it as their humility was refreshing. As they wrapped up the evening, Jonathan took to the piano once again to close out the show as he began, with Young World’s Riot, moving me almost to tears.

Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater

I highly recommend if they come anywhere within driving distance (or if you’re up for a road trip) to take in one of the shows on the second leg of the Radio Cinematic Tour this year. If you can’t catch them live this time around, by all means head straight to their website to purchase this album. You will be glad you did.

Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater

Setlist: Maple Hill
Never Enough (original)
Well, Well, Well, How the Turntables (original)
Argyle (original)
Hold on, We’re Going Home (Drake cover)
Space to Grow (original)
Stomping Ground (original)
Jack Blinked (original)

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Set List: Jonathan Jackson +Enation
Young World’s Riot
Ascending
Things You’ve Never Seen
Kicked In The Head
The One I Love
Everything Is Possible
All The Best
Let The Beauty Out
I See God In You
The Hands of Your Drug
Let Me Out
The Fly
The National Anthem
Corduroy
In My Tree
A Far Away Reality
Keep Asking Why
The Morning Of The Rain
Eyes of Grace (Birthday Dedication to Miss Lily)
Young World’s Riot

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June 14, 2015
Fifth Annual Frendly Gathering

It is almost time to pack up the camping gear and head to Southern Vermont for the fifth annual Frendly Gathering, taking place June 26th and 27th. Set in the beautiful Green Mountains at Timber Ridge Resort in Windham, Vermont, this homegrown gathering has become one of New England’s premier festivals.

Founders, best frends and professional snowboarders Jack Mitrani and Danny Davis have created a safe, interactive, and most of all, frendly environment to enjoy a weekend of music, camping, yoga, skateboarding and delicious food.

The event got its start when Jack and Danny decided they wanted to throw a small festival with bands known and unknown in their home state of Vermont. With the motto, “there is no ‘I’ in Frends,” they hatched the Frendly Gathering. With a desire to create an intimate, easy-to-navigate festival, ticket sales are capped each year to ensure short lines and the opportunity to be front row for your favorite bands.

Vermont natives Twiddle have been the heart and soul of the Frendly Gathering since its birth, and continue to be the backbone in the festival’s fifth year. Twiddle will be headlining this year’s festival alongside the inspirational international music of Nahko & Medicine For The People. There is a little something for everyone in the lineup, with heavy-hitters Kung Fu and Turkuaz joining the ranks. But that is just a small taste of what this small, yet powerful festival has in store. Canadian multi-instrumentalist Mac DeMarco and singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Valerie June will also be jumping on stage. Other artists include Rob Garza (Thievery Corporation), Kat Wright & The Indomitable Soul Band, Moon Hooch, lespecial, Dead Set and Spirit Family Reunion, to name a few.

Multi-day passes are available, as well as early-arrival passes for Thursday, for festival-goers who would like to set up camp in a prime location. There is a wide array of camping, from RV/car camping to luxury cabins for rent that are fully stocked and extremely convenient for a comfortable festival experience. A new feature this year also includes renting a campsite which is fully put together for you, so no need to fiddle around with tent poles.

Another theme at Frendly Gathering is the power of giving back. Jack and Danny’s “Frendly Crew” pride themselves on supporting each other through the ups, and most importantly, the downs. Through injuries and setbacks, the crew has managed to lift each other up though the power of positive thinking and friendship. When professional snowboarder Kevin Pearce was training for the Olympic Trials, he suffered a traumatic brain injury putting a stop to his dreams of becoming an Olympic snowboarder. Since the injury, the Frendly Crew has supported Kevin tremendously, while shedding light on how much an injury can effect the lives of others. Kevin is now a Sports Ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society and an advocate for education and research on traumatic brain injuries. Love Your Brain is an organization which was born from Kevin’s story. It is a non profit organization aimed at “connecting, educating, and empowering people to prevent brain injury, support brain injury recovery and most importantly promote a brain healthy lifestyle.” Love Your Brain will be in full effect at Frendly Gathering, so be sure to stop by their tent and be a part of this amazing cause.

Another charitable organization was created this year called the White Light Foundation, which was conceived about six months ago. The idea grew from a group of like-minded Twiddle fans with charitable intentions who wanted to better serve their community. Their positive energy and gigantic hearts were the base of something bigger, starting with a fundraiser spearheaded by Jay Segal with the goal of collecting clothing, toys and supplies for a Head Start school in New Haven, Connecticut. Since then, with the blessing of Twiddle (since the organization’s name is a Twiddle song title), the idea has grown and will be officially launched at this year’s Gathering, with Jay and Steven Periah at the helm. The foundation will be auctioning off items during the festival, with proceeds being donated to charitable organizations like Kurn Hattin Homes for Children and Love Your Brain. Be sure to visit their Facebook page to see some items already up for auction, and to see what else they will be doing at the festival.

For more information and tickets visit www.FrendlyGathering.com. There, you can also check out Jack and Danny’s web series called “Following Frendly” which documents their adventures leading up to Frendly, including some of their snowboarding escapades and the work that goes into building a festival. NYS Music will be on site to give you recaps of the day, and a full festival review after the dust settles.

June 13, 2015
Ornette Coleman – March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015

Ornette Coleman passed away on Thursday, June 11 in Manhattan at the age of 85 as a result of cardiac arrest.

Coleman helped shape the jazz genre with his rich, mournful tone in the late 1950s. Coleman broke away from a traditional rhythmic jazz structure and showcased his talent through powerful solos fueled by improvisation. The New York Times praises him as “one of the most powerful and contentious innovators in the history of jazz.”

The Pulitzer-Prize winning jazz saxophonist exploded on the scene with the release of his debut album, Something Else!!!!, in 1958. His unorthodox approach to the music eventually helped shape an entire genre. By 1959 Coleman released his masterpiece, The Shape of Jazz to Come, which showcased a full on avant-gard approach and opened up any predetermined structure of the music to overflow with improvisation at any given moment.

Coleman continued to influence many different genres and had a profound impact on Jerry Garcia from the Grateful Dead. According to an interview with Rolling Stone, Garcia stated:

“His playing has a real purity about it, a real beauty. I think it’s very accessible. But the setting against which it occurs is real dense. Ornette’s music is strangely simple and difficult at the same time. The notes are not difficult. But the harmonic relationships that linger behind them are really deep.”

Garcia even contributed for three tracks on Coleman’s 1989 album Virgin Beauty. Coleman leaves behind a celebrated legacy as an essential architect to such a beloved genre.

June 13, 2015
Mike Gordon Tours the NYS Thruway

Twitter conversationalist, hotline recorder, and Phish bassist Mike Gordon, taking a break from his ongoing couch tour, is on the road in NYS with his solo band. Next week they’ll hit upstate New York hard, with stops in Buffalo, Syracuse (technically Baldwinsville), and Albany. After a few shows outside of New York, Mike will return to play down in Port Chester.

The tour has already seen the band debut a few originals as well as take on new covers of Fiona Apple, Here We Go Magic and Robert Palmer. Keyboardist Robert Walter was added to the touring band though he won’t be the only one playing the keys. The stage will feature an interactive synthesizer available for the audience to join in the fun. This could be your shot to jam with one of the greats! Dates and details below.

Read a past interview with Phish bassist Mike Gordon here.

June 16, Town Ballroom, Buffalo
Doors 7pm, Show at 8pm
Tickets $28

June 18, Paper Mill Island Amphitheater, Baldwinsville (outside Syracuse)
Doors 6pm, Show 7pm
Tickets $30

June 19, The Egg, Albany
Doors 7pm, Show 8pm
Tickets $31.25

June 27, Capitol Theater, Port Chester
Doors 7pm, Show 8pm
Tickets $30/$45

June 12, 2015
Shapiro Does the Right Thing for “Fare Thee Well”

Fare Thee Well promotor Peter Shapiro released a statement to fans on June 10, explaining the ticketing situation and addressing some fans’ concerns over receiving tickets for seats they did not request through GDTS TOO. In it, he talks about how he wanted to use the old mail ordering process to essentially make these shows feel just like they did in the 1980s and 90s, when fans sent in money orders in decorated envelopes in hopes of snagging tickets to see the Grateful Dead. He even offers refunds to those who are not satisfied with what they received from GDTS TOO.

The most encouraging piece is that he is offering to refund the difference between what a fan paid for the seats he or she received if that person does not get the desired experience from the shows. I have to give Shapiro a round of applause, as this has been a difficult situation from the start.

He also explains how promotors decided to open up the general admission portion of the venue to fit more fans inside. In a commendable response, Shapiro comes across as a true fan and seems quite sincere. I called for him to give an explanation, as did many other media outlets, of what has become a ticketing fiasco, and Shapiro delivered.

He closes out the note with a lyric from “Terrapin Station,” where Jerry Garcia sings, “statements just seem vain at last,” making it seem like it’s in the promotors’ self interest and not the fans’. Maybe he should have completed the lyrics: “Some rise, some fall, to get to Terrapin,” as that’s how it feels to some fans.

Either way, I pat Shapiro on the back. I won’t even call this damage control — he stood up, gave an explanation, offered a solution to unhappy ticket holders and offers encouragement in advance of the shows.

Dear Mail Order Ticket Purchasers,

It’s hard to believe that it’s already June. Soon we will be together in Santa Clara and Chicago celebrating 50 years of the music of the Grateful Dead. We think you know by now that we are fans too, and your experience at the event is important to us, so before we get there, we want to address an issue that has affected a number of you who ordered your tickets through GDTS TOO mail order.

We decided early on – even though it would have been easier for us to follow the well-trodden path of nearly every promoter in the past 20 years and sell 100% of the “Fare Thee Well” tickets online – that we wanted to honor the Grateful Dead spirit and make a portion of the tickets available through GDTS TOO mail order.

When it became clear the extent to which Dead50 was resonating with people and how many of you wanted to be part of it (over half a million mail order ticket requests), we added capacity by changing the reserved floor sections to GA and opening up the sections behind the stage – quadrupling the initial mail order allotment.

Since the mail order process began in January, by the time we were able to make these ticket allotment changes and update our seating chart, the ticket requests and money orders had already been sent in. Despite the extra work opening up the floor and adding more mail order tickets made for us and the GDTS TOO crew, we still felt this was the best way to get more core Grateful Dead fans into the shows, so we set out to make our new seating configuration work within the confines of the January mail order ticket request submission rules.

It was not feasible for the GDTS TOO crew to reach out to everyone who had sent in money orders for $199.50 or other priced tickets to discuss preferred alternatives to reserved floor seats or other selected seats that were no longer available, nor were partial refunds a practical option. Also, GDTS TOO did not think it was right to force fans who had ordered reserved floor seats to take general admission standing room tickets instead — anyone who had ever been to a Grateful Dead show would be at least 20 years older now and had probably ordered reserved seats for a good reason. Nor was it possible to fit everyone who had ordered reserved floor seats into the existing allotment of $199.50 seats; there simply were not enough available.

At that point, we could have easily decided that these orders simply couldn’t be fulfilled and returned the uncashed money orders without tickets. Instead, in the spirit of trying to accommodate as many fans as possible, we decided to allocate those reserved floor and other specific requests to other available seats using the same price points. We know how disappointing mail order rejection letters are, especially since these are the band’s final shows, so we sought to figure out a way to get as many of you as possible an envelope with tickets in it.

REFUND INFORMATION

If you received tickets by mail order for seats in a different section than what you ordered on your envelope or were charged more than the price of such tickets on the seating chart made available at the time your order was mailed, and you no longer wish to attend “Fare Thee Well,” you may return your tickets to GDTS TOO for a full refund. Tickets must be received in the GDTS TOO office by Monday, June 22nd to be eligible. See gdtstoo.com for more information on how to obtain a full refund.

If you received tickets by mail order and were charged more than the price of such tickets on the seating chart made available at the time their orders were mailed and still wish to attend “Fare Thee Well,” we personally encourage you to attend the shows and sit in the seats you received via mail order. If you’re not satisfied that you got your money’s worth, we will refund the difference between what you paid and the price of such tickets on the seating chart made available at the time your order was mailed. Save your ticket stubs, and in the week following the shows, check the FAQ section of dead50.net for information on how to obtain a partial refund. However, all requests for partial refunds must be received by Monday, July 20th to be eligible.

These refund offers apply to all GDTS TOO mail order ticket purchasers who received seats in a different section than what was shown in the initial seating chart or were charged more than the price of such tickets on the seating chart made available at the time their orders were mailed.

Please understand that we did what we did in order to enable as many of you as possible to have your ticket requests fulfilled. Given the lighting, sound and video elements we have created specifically for these shows, we are confident that all mail order ticket holders will enjoy an amazing experience.

Statements just seem vain at last,

Peter Shapiro
Mike Luba & Don Sullivan (Madison House Presents)
Promoters, “Fare Thee Well”

Peter Shapiro’s statement on Fare Thee Well

June 11, 2015
The Bug Jar Brings in King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard on June 17

There’s a band named King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard coming to The Bug Jar. Weird — but awesome, right?

They’re from Australia. Weird — but awesome, right?

Here is the cover from the latest US release, the appropriately titled, Oddments.

Weird… but awesome. right?

They’ll be bringing their heavy fuzzed out psychedelic rock show to the Bug Jar, with its weird but awesome upside down apartment hanging from the ceiling, on Wednesday, June 17. It promises to be a crazy topsy-turvy time, don’t miss it.

Doors open at 8pm, music kicks off at 9pm with local Rochester bands Drippers and Hot Mayonnaise. Tickets are $8 in advance available here, or $10 at the door.

June 11, 2015