Category: Jam/Progressive

Some Kind of Jam 11 Announces Lineup

Some Kind of Jam 11, which will be taking place April 22-24 in Schuykill Haven, Pennsylvania, has announced its initial lineup.

The three-day event takes place just 20 miles northwest of Reading and will feature four stages and 31 musical acts. Since 2005, Jibberjazz festivals has been hosting the event. Headliners the New Mastersounds will offer their unique blend of funk/soul/jazz fusion, while the recently reunited RAQ brings an added element of excitement to the bill. Buffalo groove rock masters Aqueous were also announced.

The weekend will include a variety of music including jam, funk, bluegrass, folk, blues, rock, reggae and jazz. In addition to live music, festival-goers will have many activities to choose from including various workshops, light shows, fire performances and yoga. The family friendly event will also include a kids’ area and activities.

The weekend event is located on a 60-acre fairground that includes indoor and outdoor stages, camping, permanent restrooms and showers as well as nature trails, trout fishing and electricity access for RVs. Additional information about the festival, venue and tickets is available through Jibberjazz.

Complete Some Kind of Jam 11 Line-Up
THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS
RAQ
JASON RICCI & THE BAD KIND
MIKE DILLON BAND
BANDITOS
AQUEOUS
THE BIG DIRTY
SHOKAZOBA
GANG OF THIEVES
BLACK MASALA
CAPTAIN GREEN
ON THE SPOT TRIO
YOSEMIGHT
DESMOND JONES
THE PLATE SCRAPERS
THE JAKOB’S FERRY STRAGGLERS
STRANGE MECHANICS
THE HAWK OWLS
LOVANOVA
HEXBELT
THIS WAY TO THE EGRESS
APPALACHIAN GYPSY TRIBE
BONZO TERKS
UNCLE JAKE & THE 18 WHEEL GANG
KATE VARGAS & THE RECKLESS DAUGHTERS
COSMIC COWBOY SOWING CIRCLE
HEZEKIAH JONES
MATEO MONK
GILLIAN GROGAN
OLDS SLEEPER
KNITEBITCH

January 7, 2016
Phish Saves the Best for Last on January 2, 2016

And then there was one. One last night of Phish, their last show in the U.S. until June or July, one last night to get down and dance with 20,000 of your best friends in the World’s Most Famous Arena. Bringing the run to a close meant following up from January 1, a disjointed night that was tame compared to the two juggernauts that preceded. Phish picked up on January 2, 2016, where the “Blaze On” > “Carini” > “David Bowie” left off in the early morning of January 1.

When I got into MSG around 8:15 P.M., I heard the opening notes to “AC/DC Bag,” and it seemed like the classic opener had returned to blast us off into the night, but having wrapped things up at the PhanArt show in the hour prior, I missed the Chilling Thrilling Sounds of “Your Pet Cat,” which does the same trick as “Bag” but with a more recent incarnation of adrenaline pumping funk. All the same, walking in for “Bag” and the trio of early 90’s tunes followed – “NICU,” “It’s Ice,” and “Horn,” felt like the show was on track for classic MSG run status.

The gap between halves of the set was bridged by a fluid “Divided Sky,” but it was the “Axilla” that followed that questioned the structural integrity of the Garden, as the crowd jumped up and down, expelling the pent up energy that “Sky” tends to bottle, and shaking the arena throughout the song. “Maze” kept the energy high as Page tore up the organ and had Trey watching intently and parroting off the Chairman of the Boards.

With Fishman gently brushing his drums, a balancing “Train Song” arose, bringing tears to the eyes of those chasing the soft Billy Breathes tune, a rarity these days, but a beautiful one at that. Julius reinvigorated the crowd to close the set, one that started strong and finished out the same. Fans then awaited the final of nine sets that Phish would play this run, ventured around the concourse one last time and saw friends they may not see until Summer Tour or beyond, or perhaps resting their legs and reflecting on a crazy, music-filled weekend in the Mecca of music.

As the lights dropped and Trey softly played the opening notes to “Tweezer”, the second set jam vehicle of legend, the audience exulted. The jam slowly built and never let up, and had some back and forth between Trey and Page for a bit, but the final two minutes of Tweezer really shone in an accelerated “What’s the Use?” jam that brought the 22 minute tour de force to a close before pouring into “Sand.” Even still, after “Tweezer”, there was no let up on this “Sand,” which garnered cheers from the “Flowing through the hourglass” line, now forever intwined with the ‘Hourglass Jam’ that rang in 2016 two nights prior.

“Limb by Limb” and “Suzy Greenberg” were well placed between two heavy duty bookends to the set – “Limb” played safe and standard, while “Suzy” brought MVP Page back to slather some mustard on the piano, New York deli style. While “Harry Hood” was perfectly dropped out of “Suzy,” it felt as if it was cut short by Trey, just before an even more exploratory jam was about to begin. “You Enjoy Myself” capped the set in the way no other song can, carried out with a funk jam and Trey hopping on drums for a bit before closing out with a trippy vocal jam.

Returning to the stage, the buzz was centered on “Fluffhead,” which hadn’t been played since August 2014. What feels like years of waiting will feel a little longer as Phish opted for a combo of “The Lizards” and “Tweezer Reprise,” one that constitutes a single “Fluffhead,” which is one part rarity (The Lizards) and one part energy builder with a huge payoff (Tweezer Reprise). There were no complaints with this set, let alone the entire show. While January 2, 2016 marked the best show of the run, with the Mayan Riviera shows coming up in a week, the bar for the year is set high with this final performance from the New Years run.

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Your Pet Cat, AC/DC Bag > NICU, It’s Ice > Horn > Divided Sky, Axilla >Maze, Train Song > Julius

Set 2: Tweezer > Sand > Limb By Limb > Suzy Greenberg > Harry Hood > You Enjoy Myself^[1]

Encore: The Lizards, Tweezer Reprise

[1] Trey briefly joined Fish on drums.

January 7, 2016
New Year’s Eve at the Palace: moe. Closes Out Year 25 with Rarities

moe. kicked off the end of its 25th anniversary year with a New Year’s run at the Palace Theatre in Albany. The New Year’s Eve show proved memorable in many ways, with several old songs making a return; the debut of a brand new Al Schnier-penned instrumental and an acoustic take on Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).”

The band has been celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout 2015 and sound as cohesive as they ever have. A relationship this long, no matter what the scenario, is difficult to maintain at any level, yet it seems as if moe. has found new life in this trip around the sun. Onstage smiles were continuous during this run; it’s obvious that this is a band still having fun playing together.

The crowd arrived at the picturesque Palace Theatre for the New Year’s Eve fete dressed the part. Many came in formal attire, while others simply donned the traditional New Year’s headgear and gaudy glasses—all were geared up for a solid performance.

Busting out with a rare “Defrost” (last played Aug. 8, 2008), bassist Rob Derhak smacked everyone in the face with some of his trademark slapping.

The energy remained high throughout the first set both onstage and off as moe. dusted off a few more oldies in the form of “Canned Pastries” and “Po’ Sadie” (last played Dec. 30, 1998) with each drawing knowing glances among long-time fans and cheers from the newer ones.

Though there are distinct differences in Schnier’s and Chuck Garvey’s guitar styles, there is not a more complementary duo in the game today. Evidence of this shone during the instrumental “Pastries.” While Derhak, percussionist Jim Loughlin and drummer Vinnie Amico laid down a smooth funky beat, Schnier and Garvey traded licks back and forth on opposite sides of the stage surely causing slight whiplash among some onlookers.

The lounge jazz intro to “Don’t Fuck With Flo” segued perfectly out of a lengthy run-through of a jazzier than usual “Timmy Tucker,” creating a huge build-up to the sing-along chorus of who not to mess around with. Garvey made heavy use of his effects pedals, combining with the spectacular light show to create a true rock-star experience to cap off the first set.

Following a half-hour break, the band opened the second set with a tribute to the Saranac Brewery for the Hoppy Hour Hero brew many in the house were imbibing in on this night. Naturally, “Happy Hour Hero” followed. Garvey used his talkbox to wish everyone a “Happy New Year.” A long and sweet segue out of “HHH” into the reggae “Seat of My Pants” held the crowd’s attention until Schnier’s opening notes led the way into the moe. classic. The heavy break down part of “Seat” had Schnier in full-on rock god mode. Schnier threw in barre chords, finger tapping, the trademark facial expressions and an on-his-knees serenade to those in the front row.

The brand new and sweeping Schnier instrumental “Montego” was well-received and should prove to be a nice jam vehicle in shows to come. “Four” closed out the second set. Garvey was on fire during this one. Those riding the rail Chuck side were treated to a guitar clinic from the maestro as midnight loomed.

Set three began with what has now become a moe. NYE tradition—the playing of Pink Floyd’s “Time/Breathe” during the countdown to midnight. Once the confetti cannons blew their payload, Derhak broke into an a capella “Auld Lang Syne,” a song that, like most people, Derhak had issues remembering the lyrics to.

This led to the surprise of the night as Loughlin left the confines of his kit at the back of the stage to drop some mad rhymes to House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” The stage soon filled with band and crew family members jumping around as Loughlin had instructed.

moe. continued the set into the wee hours of 2016, dropping in a newer fan favorite “Billy Goat” followed by an intense “Meat” that proved to be unfinished. Garvey again displayed why he’s one of the premier guitarists in the genre throughout the spacey, funky, jam; at times using his microphone stand as a slide for his guitar.

A solid run-through of “Brent Black” featured a stellar jazz-informed solo from Amico and a roaring bass solo from Derhak. “Wind it Up” wrapped up the set, leaving the exhausted audience breathing a sigh of relief.

As the band members took a brief break, microphone stands were brought to the front of the stage for the encore. Schnier played his acoustic, while Garvey plucked on his electric. Amico played the tambourine and Loughlin the maraca, as Derhak, with the assistance of a lyric sheet, sang the Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” with help from the crowd on such lyrics as “Home is where I want to be.” As moe.’s adopted hometown, the collaboration was a fitting end to the show capping off the band’s silver anniversary year.

Setlist
Set 1: Defrost> Akimbo, Y.O.Y., Canned Pastries, Po’ Sadie, Timmy Tucker> Don’t Fuck With Flo
Set 2: Happy Hour Hero> Seat Of My Pants, Montego, Four
Set 3: Time> Breathe> Countdown/Happy New Year> Auld Lang Syne, Jump Around*> Auld Lang Syne, Billy Goat> Meat#> Brent Black, Wind it up
Encore: This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
*Jim on vocals
#unfinished

January 7, 2016
Bisco Inferno Returns to Colorado

Fresh off of their celebrated New Year’s run in New York City, the Disco Biscuits are slated to once again descend upon Colorado for four nights of shows with Bisco Inferno, and bring a few special guests in tow.

This summer, the Philadelphia-based four-man jamband — Allen Aucoin (drums), Marc Brownstein (bass, vocals), Jon Gutwillig (guitar, vocals) and Aron Magner (keyboards, vocals) — will play three shows at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on June 1 through 3, followed by a performance at the Morrison, Colorado, venue with Ghostland Observatory and Twiddle on Saturday, June 4.

The Disco Biscuits’ Colorado run last April featured Break Science and Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead (who the band has teamed up with in the past for Gathering of the Vibes) to sold-out crowds who were treated to many collaborations of Dead cover songs.

While other acts might be added to the lineup, Bisco Inferno 2016 guests Ghostland Observatory from Austin and Vermont-based Twiddle currently share the Red Rocks bill with the Disco Biscuits; past guests have included Big Boi of OutKast and Israeli trance band Infected Mushroom. A duo that has been a rare sighting since their 2013 parting, Ghostland Observatory has released four albums to date, with the latest being Codename: Rondo (2010), and they last performed together at Euphoria Festival in April. And the multi-genre jam quartet Twiddle is currently on tour in support of PLUMP and most recently rang in the New Year with three sold-out nights in Burlington.

Pre-sale tickets for this year’s Colorado shows are set to be available at noon on Jan. 6 through the band’s website and on sale to the general public this Friday, Jan. 8; ticket packages must be purchased for the Ogden Theatre shows. Prior to Bisco Inferno, the Disco Biscuits’ current list of dates features stops in Philadelphia and appearances at the Aura Music and Arts Festival in Live Oak, Florida, and Atlanta’s SweetWater 420 Festival.

January 6, 2016
Borg Party Goes Deep at Buffalo Iron Works

When Borg Party converged on Buffalo Iron Works to a packed house, no one really knew what to expect. If you expected the obvious, a simple fusion of the super group’s respective sounds, you would have been slightly disappointed. When Rob Compa (Dopapod), Mike Gantzer (Aqueous), Mickey Carrubba (Turkuaz), James Searl (Giant Guerilla Panda Dub Squad) and Wiley O’Riley (The Niche) took the stage, surprisingly, they offered something very different. Borg Party was a masterclass in improvisational jazz subtly infused with a soulful yet intensive rock union.

The night was about five incredibly talented musicians playing some of their favorite tunes. The evening’s set list included rare, odd and surprising covers and a chance for these musicians to play the music that inspires them . “I was planning on coming home for the week of Christmas to visit my parents,” Compa told NYS Music. “So I figured I would call up some people whose playing I really love, who are from western New York and put together a couple shows just to have some fun and blow off some steam. That is really pretty much the whole point.”

The evening began with “Rise of the Borg”, an original composition written by O’Riley for the evening. Aqueous guitarist Dave Loss sat in during a playful version of Grant Green’s “Flood in Lincoln Park”. Borg Party also opted to play musical tributes to John Scofield, Buddy Miles and The Beatles.

Champagne Brown (The Swooners, The Niche), who has been singing with O’Riley since her teens, joined the band on stage during a rousing cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You”. Her stunning yet strong vocals were the perfect complement to the band’s solid and dialed in musical focus. She also lent vocals on the night’s encore of James Brown’s “Sex Machine”.

Despite running a set list of mostly covers, Borg Party never lent itself to sound unrehearsed or unsure – a true testament to their talent as studied musicians. The five members of the super group all prepared on their own. “We’ve had a big e-mail chain of cover ideas,” Compa told NYSMusic before the show, ”We’re all just learning stuff on our own and we’re gonna see how it goes.”

Watching Borg Party play was a fascinating musical classroom. With the five members having only pre-show rehearsal time together, they were more reliant on the purity of improvisational cues showing that improvisational music really is as much about instinct as it is preparation.

The set list and tone of the night was much more mellow than anticipated. The song selection was a history lesson with a majority of the evening’s covers having been originally released before 1980. The deep track set list also reflected that the five members of Borg Party are more than just studied musicians, but also music fans.

Compa and Gantzer, who have previously played together on several occasions including this summer’s Aquapod set at Buffalove, have an incredible on-stage chemistry. It is clear that these two have a deep respect for each other’s talent.

Borg Party was a two night only engagement at Buffalo Iron Works in Buffalo and Flour City Station in Rochester. According to Compa, the group doesn’t have plans for future dates. When asked if Borg Party could surface again, Compa simply stated, “I guess we’ll see how it goes and then take it from there. For now, though, just those two.”

Buffalo Setlist: Rise of the Borg (Willy O’Riley), Them Changes (Buddy Miles), Chank (John Scofield), Since I’ve Been Loving You* (Led Zeppelin), Flood in Franklin Park^ (Grant Green cover), Hey Bulldog (Beatles), Back at the Chicken Shack (Jimmy Smith), Offspring (John Scofield), Circles (Incubus)
E: Sex Machine* (James Brown)

*w/ Champagne Brown on vocals, ^w/ Dave Loss from Aqueous on guitar

January 6, 2016
Phish Jams Their First Show of 2016

After an energetic night one and spectacular New Year’s Eve show, the boys took the stage for night three at Madison Square Garden. The first Phish song on Jan. 1, 2016 was “Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan.” The lyrics could not have related more to a crowd of people nursing hangovers and wondering what exactly happened last night.

Page McConnell got down to business early in the first set with “Heavy Things.” After a few moments of onstage, private discussion between Trey Anastasio and each other member of the band, they picked back up again with “How Many People Are You?” a Mike Gordon and Scott Murawski original. The song was upbeat and Gordon seemed pleased to be in the spotlight, while Anastasio added flare on guitar. On to “Stash,” the crowd fulfilled its duty to sing the “whoa-ohs” and to double clap right on cue. The song also provided an opportunity for a rather spacey and almost eerie jam in which McConnell and Anastasio played off one another quite well. The “Stash” jam eventually crescendoed into an intense, screaming guitar solo that left the crowd cheering for more.

Like “Stealing Time,” “Undermind” was the perfect chance for McConnell to pounce on the keys, providing the light, playful sound to an already funky tune. Then came the best part with Anastasio circling back to incorporate the riff from “Stash” and then to a “Stealing Time” tease.

A straightforward but near perfect “Rift” and phans were ready to put their wingsuits on. “Wingsuit” allowed both concertgoers and the band to relax if only for a few minutes. Since its release in 2014, the song has solidified itself in their repertoire, beginning with a breezy intro but making its way to an explosive display of instrumental technicality. The pressure from “Wingsuit” subsided with an easy-going “Ocelot.” McConnell the lounge singer stepped up to the mic and delighted fans with “Lawn Boy.” He introduced Gordon who took a few minutes to deliver a bluesy bass solo. “Run Like an Antelope”—an eternally pleasing song—included a scorching solo from Big Red, which hit every single note. “Antelope” returns with teases of “Stash” and “Stealing Time.”

After set break, the boys returned to the stage and captivated the audience with the unmistakable, ominous intro and bass line of “Down with Disease.” The jam provided opportunities for each member to put their best foot forward. It was a perfect second-set opener that seamlessly blended into “Dirt” and then to “Halfway to the Moon,” where McConnell stole the show with a thunderous storm of keys and vocals. “Theme From the Bottom” was passionate and heartfelt, characteristically starting out slow and chill, as it built into an incredible jam (my personal favorite of the evening). This was followed by a 17-minute “Light” that delivered a round-the-world deconstructed jam with ups, downs, space and intensity that was largely led by Anastasio with a “Manteca” tease.

The evening, already speckled with Fuego, led to a strong performance of the album’s title track. Although relatively new, fans sang along enthusiastically—a sure sign of both acceptance and enjoyment. The band then segued into “Slave to the Traffic Light,” a senior song for the quartet, that provided a passionate and emotional close to the second set. After a brief intermission, Phish returned to the stage for “Farmhouse,” the solo encore track that ended the evening.

Night three of Phish’s New Year’s run was filled with some amazing and thoughtfully layered jams, but there was an uncharacteristic lack of band-to-crowd dialogue; they even seemed to leave the stage more abruptly than usual. Perhaps we weren’t the only ones feeling the fatiguing effects of the prior evening that left a blank space where our minds should be.

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Heavy Things, How Many People Are You, Stash, Undermind > Rift, Wingsuit, Ocelot, Lawn Boy, Run Like an Antelope

Set 2: Down with Disease^[1] > Dirt, Halfway to the Moon > Theme From the Bottom> Light > Fuego > Slave to the Traffic Light

Encore: Farmhouse

[1] Unfinished
· Stash, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, and How Many People Are You teases in Undermind
· Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Stash, and How Many People Are You teases in Run Like an Antelope · Manteca and Linus and Lucy teases in Light

January 6, 2016
Phish New Year’s Eve 2015

When Phish walked off stage after the encore of their New Year’s Eve show on December 31, 2015, I had to take a few moments to begin to digest what I just witnessed. I found myself posing the same question I ask myself after monumental Phish experiences: “Are Phish fans insatiable?” Perhaps there’s never a light at the end of the tunnel and as fans, we’re generated by the fear of missing out on moments of pure musical bliss.

We make huge sacrifices; we miss weddings, funerals, take time off work and spend every hard earned dollar on Phish chasing those irreplaceable moments. There’s a reason even the most seasoned veteran feels the exact same fear of missing out as a new fan – because Phish is really fucking good at what they do and after closing out 2015, their most successful year as a unit since they reunited in 2009, the band still found a new creative space to step into and out of as they pushed the envelope further than they ever have at the Garden.

The band took a new approach to how fans see and experience a show in Madison Square Garden by utilizing an innovative space in the room for the first time during their New Year’s gag. As the third set started, all four members rose up on a small stage at the back of the house. Once the band was positioned under a funnel shaped screen a curtain suspended fully encapsulating the quartet in a full cone shaped hourglass complete with a full light show. This new, visually aesthetic treat was something that shed a light on why Phish fans come back time and time again. The deeper undertone of the hourglass is open to interpretation, but it looked like that band was literally lost in time and in full control of their musical destiny.

New Year’s Eve is one of the most anticipated nights for live music all year and along with Halloween is one of the toughest tickets to get. Phish delivered three sets and an encore full of musical highlights, stretching many of their songs well beyond their traditional norms and as the band broke into a new stratosphere there was no looking back. The first set saw some serious heat in a nice extended, delay-based jam from Trey in “Wolfman’s Brother,” the sold out crowd singing the outro to “I Didn’t Know” and a smoking “Reba” > “Walls of the Cave” to cap off the first set was just a warm up, though packed full of heat. The second set was where Phish took standard songs and stretched them into something great through some stellar improvisation. The “Kill Devil Falls” -> “Piper” -> “Twist” was some of the most beautiful pieces of improvisation and the most fluid transitions of the entire run. With two sets under their belt, the band was flexing their range and evidently having so much fun on stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c677Pft7rWo

As the band completed their appearing gag and jammed “No Men in No Man’s Land” under the cone, the band returned to the main stage for “Blaze On,” which they jammed out for over 15 minutes. Phish debuted “No Men” and “Blaze On” when they kicked off their summer tour on the west coast and both songs have quickly become crowd favorites. It was promising to see the band bookend their last notes of 2015 and their first notes of 2016 with new music wrapped around the traditional New Year’s number “Auld Lang Syne.” In my mind, I had a similar feeling to the Wingsuit set on Halloween of 2013. It felt like a promise to the fans, a promise that spoke vividly about how that the best was yet to come. In 2015, Phish hit a stride that was unmistakable and a lot of that had to do with Trey coming off five extremely successful shows with the reunited Grateful Dead. Phish has been on the road longer than they were on hiatus and a rumor of a new album is picking up traction with these new songs fully embedded in the band’s history from last year.

Being a fan of improvisational jam band music means that you’re open to trying new things and after your ticket gets scanned and you walk into the venue, you’re taking a musical leap of faith and a risk to explore parts unknown. As Phish closed the chapter of 2015 they proved that they’re firing from all cylinders with their foot firmly pressing down on the gas pedal looking into 2016. It seems as if the band is unstoppable of even being slowed down and no matter what they do next, they’ll do it with grace and conviction. There’s simply no better way to ring in the new year than with a garden party and whether the band is flying in on a hot dog, being raised on hydraulic lifts, literally staging a runaway golf cart marathon, playing on top of an equipment truck or fully encapsulating themselves under a psychedelic hourglass, for that brief moment perhaps you can quench that insatiable thirst for more Phish.

Setlist via phish.net

Set 1: The Moma Dance > Possum, Wolfman’s Brother, Birds of a Feather, I Didn’t Know, Happy Birthday to You^[1], Martian Monster, Reba, Walls of the Cave

Set 2: The Wedge > Wilson > A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing, Yarmouth Road, Kill Devil Falls > Piper > Twist

Set 3: No Men In No Man’s Land, Auld Lang Syne > Blaze On > Carini > David Bowie, The Horse > Silent in the Morning > Backwards Down the Number Line

Encore: Tube > Cavern

January 5, 2016
Twiddle Rings in the New Year with Three Album Run

Over three sold out nights in Burlington this New Year’s weekend, Twiddle played into the past, present and future of their musical catalog and continued to prove why they are one of the most talked about bands in the jam scene. The packed crowds at Higher Ground were treated to three very different nights of Twiddle. The band highlighted their three studio albums and substantiated that their latest release PLUMP is a showcase of where their live performance is headed.

Twiddle roared in the New Year in vintage style. A “Gatsby the Great”-themed evening saw the band and fans dressed to the nines for New Year’s Eve. With several extended jams and a night packed with fan favorites, the band played their second studio album Somewhere on the Mountain in its entirety, while interjecting several non-studio fan favorites, including “Gatsby the Great” and “Hatti’s Jam,” throughout the sets.

As an album Somewhere on the Mountain evokes the party, so it was fitting that Twiddle chose to play all 12 tracks on the biggest party night of the year. “Doinkinbonk!!!” into “Apples” became a 40-minute dance party/sing-along to two of the band’s most infectious songs. During “Apples,” Soul Monde’s Russ Lawton (drums) and Ray Packowski (keys) joined the band onstage while Twiddle’s Ryan Dempsey showed off his skills on the marimba. A dual drum performance between Lawton and Twiddle’s Brook Jordan added an unexpected element to the song, making it one of the evening’s most talked about moments.

The first set closed with “Syncopated Healing” from the band’s most recent studio album PLUMP and a special guest appearance from Dempsey’s father, Stephen Dempsey, on saxophone. The song’s placement on night one was a bit of a red herring, as to not spoil the puzzle of what nights two and three would contain.

The second set saw a weaving of non-Twiddle moments, including a tease of Phish’s “Divided Sky” as well as a meaty jam of Daft Punk’s “Robot Rock,” in the middle of a nearly 20-minute version of “The Box.” The night ended with a more mellow approach as Twiddle cooled off the crowd with “Beethoven and Greene” before ending with a “Gatsby the Great” Reprise.

While Twiddle rang in the New Year with a contagious groove, they started Friday night’s New Year’s Day performance with a glimpse into the band’s future. Joined on stage by “The Frendly Horns,” featuring Rich Williams (tenor sax), Adam Sawyer (trombone) and Chazz Canney (alto saxophone), the band once again intertwined non-studio songs among the tracks of their third studio album, PLUMP.

The album’s opening track “Complacent Race” was debuted live for the first time, while the album’s horned tracks were brought to life for fans for the first time. It’s one thing to upgrade your band’s sound in the studio, but live the task is more difficult to pull together. If the sound on PLUMP is where the band sees their musical direction, they managed to prove two things on Friday night. First, that this newly debuted, polished studio sound is not outside of their ability to reproduce live. And second, that even PLUMP’s polished studio tracks have space to expand.

“Polluted Beauty” and “Indigo Trigger” were launched into deep, nasty funked-out vehicles for the band to showcase where this newer material can go. On the other side of the coin, the band’s ability to weave tracks like the bluegrass-rooted “Hattibagen McRat” or the instrumental “Latin Tang” so seamlessly into the album’s mix show that this new material holds just as much of a viable place in Twiddle’s live show as does anything else they play.

By the end of night two, many fans had started to put the puzzle pieces together. So on Saturday night, it was no surprise that the evening began with the opening track from Twiddle’s debut studio album, Natural Evolution of Consciousness, titled “The Catapillar” and ran through the album’s first four tracks before closing out the first set with two unrecorded gems “Earth Mama” and “The FRENDS Theme.”

Night three contained less songs, but longer jams and more guest appearances. “The FRENDS Theme” featured Jack Mitrani (Frendly Crew) on electric guitar and vocals. Scott Hannay from Mister F (keys) and Jamie Armstrong from Lucid (saxophone) sat in during the second set opener “Tiberius,” while the second set closer “Frankenfoote” featured Lucid’s Lowell Wurster on washboard.

While the three day run didn’t include much in the way of catalog rarity, what it lacked in surprise it more than made up for in production value. Twiddle demonstrated a growth in technical skill and creative staging. Their studio polish appears to be rubbing off into their live performance with precision, turn-on-the-dime transitions and unique musical moments. The latest addition of Evan Antal as Lighting Director (Zed’s Dead, Kendrick Lamar) on this three-day run elevated the overall show experience.

What’s most striking and noticeable about Twiddle’s growth is the rather intense development and involvement of their fans within the growing community. Fan artists continue to develop and execute inspired art from prints, clothing, pins and other merchandise that seem to be moving the band’s name further into the masses. Friday and Saturday nights saw a strong presence by the band’s fan-founded charity the White Light Foundation—all signs that Twiddle has an army of dedicated fans behind them.

While some jamband fans debate the validity of Twiddle’s increased fan base and continued success, the band managed to show that over a three-night run in their hometown they are diverse, growing and paying attention to the details. All three nights sold out nearly a month before New Year’s Eve, evidence that Twiddle is quickly outgrowing the smaller venues their fans have grown comfortable seeing them in.

As Twiddle prepares for its 2016 “Plumperdump Tour,” the small run of mostly 1,000-plus ticket theaters may be a sign that you won’t be seeing the band in smaller, more intimate venues again anytime soon. A good thing for the long list of fans clamoring to get into the band’s most recent sold-out shows for the majority of this past fall and winter tours.

Twiddle heads out on Jam Cruise 2016 on Jan 6. The band will be on a short hiatus before kicking off the Plumperdump Tour in Portland, Maine, on Feb. 18. Spring dates are expected to take the band back out west and look to be announced in the coming weeks. Recent announcements include Twiddle slated to open for The Disco Biscuits at Red Rocks on June 4.

Photos courtesy of Greg Horowitz Photography

Recording of 12/31, 1/1 and 1/2 are available at Archive.org.

January 5, 2016
Best of NYS Music 2015: Staff Picks for Bands on the Rise

While we said fare thee well to our NYS Music staff picks for the best albums, festivals, venues and shows of 2015, we welcome the new music experiences that 2016 has in store, and with a new year, comes new talent on the rise.

Every year we shine a light on the music scene’s rising newcomers currently flying under the radar — but not for long. Here we note the five bands that the NYSMusic team has pegged as the emerging artists to keep an eye on in the New Year.

Some of the groups have already toured the globe, shared the stage with notable acts and appeared on national television, while others are still in heavy rotation at their local venues and surrounding regions. But you can be sure to expect new records, show announcements and other surprises from our 2015 bands on the rise.

1. THE BLIND OWL BAND

FROM: Saranac Lake, NY
ALBUM: This Train We Ride is Made of Wood and Steel (2013)
WHY WE DIG THEM: Formed in 2010 after meeting at Paul Smith’s College, the Blind Owl Bandhas become a household name in the jam circuit after putting on impromptu lot shows during Phish runs at SPAC, followed by heavy touring throughout the northeast and having now appeared at more than 25 festivals, including the Peach Music Festival Backwoods Pondfest and Winter Carnival. Coining their style as Adirondack freight train string music, the North Country bearded quartet—Arthur Buezo (guitar, vocals), Christian Cardiello (double bass, fretless bass), James Ford (banjo, vocals) and Eric Munley (mandolin, vocals)—released their debut 15-track album Rabble Rousing in 2012 and have since shared the stage with Trampled by Turtles, Railroad Earth, Hot Day at the Zoo and Yonder Mountain String Band. Their raw, contemporary bluegrass style throws the genre’s traditional rules to the wind characterizing” their sound as if they stood on top of their mountain reaching out their beat up instruments grabbing various concepts of music, holding it captive ultimately for a presentation unique to the scene,” described Tabitha Clancy, and according to Laura Carbone, experienced live, they move, twist and turn, fingers a flying, bass a spinning and the audience pressing closer to the stage, dancing and feeling the joy of what is The Blind Owl Band. Hoot!

2. CASTLE CREEK

FROM: Syracuse, NY
ALBUM: The Only Life (2014)
WHY WE DIG THEM: Winner of the 2015 SAMMY Award for best blues recording, the Central New York-based band Castle Creek, comprised of Kim Monroe (vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass) and Chris Eves (vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums), debuted their first full-length—and self-produced/engineered—album in 2014. Since then the alternative blues rock duo has extensively toured regionally and nationally from Maine to Texas to California and played at international festivals in Ireland and Japan. Most recently Castle Creek performed as guest vocalists with the Zac Brown Band for three east coast shows during their “Jekyll and Hyde” tour, landed a main stage spot at the winter NAMM show in Anaheim, toured with Tony Lucca from season two of The Voice and last March Phish drummer Jon Fishman sat in with the group for a surprise four-song jam at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse. After seeing the band open for Tyler Farr, Kathy Stockbridge recalled how the duo’s vocals complement rather than overshadow each other, noting that “they both display such very strong vocals and instrumentation. The fact that they can play and sing the same instruments simultaneously without becoming one sound and over powering the other is what makes their sound so unique, so soulful, so bluesy.” Castle Creek has also opened for artists like Cabinet, Johnny Lang, Floodwood and John Popper and the Duskray Troubadours. Up next the band will release an EP recorded at Abbey Road Studios while touring abroad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyURLYctKaA

3. FUNKTIONAL FLOW

FROM: Buffalo, NY
ALBUM: Let It Settle (2015)
WHY WE DIG THEM: Founded in 2010, Buffalo-based funk, rock, reggae quintet Funktional Flow has risen in the music community’s ranks in the past few years, playing at Night Lights Music Festival and Buffalove Music Festival and sharing the stage with the likes of Warren Haynes, Railroad Earth, New Riders of the Purple Sage and notable local groups Twiddle and Aqueous. Comprised of Jeffrey Kuebler (guitar, vocals), Ben Whelan (bass), Joey Lewis (guitar, vocals), Jim Edgar (drums) and Matthew Lester (keys, saxophone, vocals), Funktional Flow released their self-titled album in 2011 and recorded their third studio effort Time Will Tell at Sonic Farm Studios this fall. The band recently gave fans a sneak listen of the album’s first single “Back Door” from the forthcoming 12-track record to be debuted in March 2016. While the band did face a departure of members this year, it surely did not stop the group from evolving into a tighter sound with two new bandmates in tow. And after witnessing this seamlessness at Buffalove 2015, Jen Foster and Thomas Sgroi noted that Funktional Flow “definitely earned their three sets, and stood on par with the headliners.”

4. VULFPECK

FROM: Ann Arbor, MI
ALBUM: Thrill of the Arts (2015)
WHY WE DIG THEM: It’s been a big year for Los Angeles funk group Vulfpeck. Since arriving on the scene in 2011, the band has released four EPs and made international news in 2014 after sneaking the silent album Sleepify on Spotify to fund an admission-free mini tour; they raised $20,000 in two months. The four-man rhythm section formed at the University of Michigan—Jack Stratton (keyboards, drums, guitar), Theo Katzman (guitar, drums, vocals), Woody Goss (keyboards) and Joe Dart (bass)—self-produced their first full-length release Thrill of the Arts through a 59-day Kickstarter campaign in October, and the album landed a number 16 spot on the R&B Albums chart and earned a review in the Wall Street Journal. The multi-instrumental quartet made their Brooklyn Bowl debut this fall with two nights of sold-out crowds. Pete Mason recalled the band’s showmanship, noting that the way the band was “moving around on stage and switching instruments, with two keyboardists at times, added a degree of difficulty not seen by many acts.” From a YouTube video to the Big What Festival in North Carolina to appearing on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Vulfpeck is proving that independent musicians in the 21st century can provide much more than studio session backtracks.

January 4, 2016
Phish Show no Signs of Rust in MSG Opener, December 30, 2015

It really shouldn’t have come as even the slightest surprise that Phish opened their four-night New Year’s run at Madison Square Garden on December 30, 2015, looking and sounding fresh, full of energy and playing with something to prove. Sure, we know the four-piece needs not do anything to further cement the Vermont band’s legacy, yet coming off maybe the best summer tour in 20 years, Phish came out at the world’s most famous arena and showed they continue to take steps forward heading into their 33rd year.

This show started off as a Trey lover’s wet dream. “Sample In a Jar” kicked the festivities off in fine fashion, with Anastasio showing the renewed vigor in his fingers had carried over from the summer. His short lead was crisp and fluid, and featured bursts of notes that show he has been practicing a lot. “Free” continued the Trey-led theme, as Anastasio was a rapid-fire genius from about 6 minutes on, up until the song’s closing coda. “Simple”>”Back on the Train” displayed a little full-band interplay, but again it was Anastasio who owned the section, before “Waiting All Night” and “555” slowed things down and funked them back up.

A sublime “Roggae” gently gave way to a story of a child being frightened by a big, scary dog. A rollicking version of 2014 Halloween favorite “The Dogs” gave way to a set-closing “46 Days,” where Anastasio and Page McConnell traded haunting, yet tasty licks, sending the crowd completely amped up heading into set break.

Opening up the second set was “Chalk Dust Torture,” and like so many in recent years, this version delivers on all cylinders. About a third of the way in, McConnell begins playing a progression around bassist Mike Gordon’s repetitive but catchy bass line. Anastasio falls to the background, strumming chunky chords laden with effects while drummer Jon Fishman added his special touch by seemingly hitting every piece of his kit. This then gives way to a groove best described as ambient-jazz-funk and then into pure ambient territory before Anastasio starts hitting chords reminiscent of “After Midnight.”

Up next was “Ghost,” and it wouldn’t be a notable version if it didn’t sandwich a brand new song, “Can’t Always listen,” which I honestly thought was “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad” for a handful of seconds. A line from the chorus, “The stars are sitting pretty/and the world’s just spinning fine,” made for an upbeat and happy vibe of the song that simply made me smile and think that everything will be fine. Sit back, forget about everything else, and enjoy these four nights with four guys on stage and 20,000 of my closest friends.

A segue back to a short “Ghost” jam gave way to a “Waves” that proved inspired, but wasn’t anything to get crazy over. Phish decided that during the 15:17 that followed, the duration of “Bathtub Gin,” that they were going to take us on a sonic journey. There are so many times in my years of seeing this band that I am convinced they read each other’s minds, but this “Gin,” which did not contain a moment of down time or any confusing parts, proved my thoughts right. The last five minutes soar to a level that only Phish can climb to. If the Magnaball “Gin” was a surprising treat that brought the song back to its improvisational roots, then the “MSGin” surpasses that in stature and cohesion alone.

“Mike’s Song”>”Bouncing Around the Room”>”Weekapaug Groove”>”What’s the Use?”>”Weekapaug” closed out the set in superb style, because who doesn’t love a “WTU?”? Sandwiched in a “Mike’s Groove” is a pretty way to serve it up. “Character Zero” in the encore slot was raging and saw Anastasio blow the roof off the Garden.

Walking out in the mass of people, I couldn’t help but be crazily animated and excited by what I just saw and heard, and what was about to come.

Setlist via Phish.net

Phish December 30, 2015, Madison Square Garden, NY, NY

Set 1: Sample in a Jar, Free, Simple > Back on the Train, Waiting All Night, 555,Roggae, The Dogs > 46 Days

Set 2: Chalk Dust Torture > Ghost > Can’t Always Listen* > Ghost > Waves >Bathtub Gin > Mike’s Song > Bouncing Around the Room > Weekapaug Groove ->What’s the Use? > Weekapaug Groove

Encore: Character Zero

*first time played

January 4, 2016