The hype and anticipation surrounding Phish’s first tropical destination was colossal to say the least. This is the first time Phish has done anything with an all inclusive resort and more importantly this was the first time the band has performed at Riviera Maya in Mexico. The resort is absolutely gorgeous and phans alike were taking full advantage of the amenities.
With CK5 and Jefferson Waful collaborating on a variety of lighting insertions, the concert area came alive once the sun set. Getting into the venue area was honestly more tough than going through Mexican customs. As the line of almost 7,000 people stretched as far as one could see, there were a few brave souls trying to bribe security with up to $400 to get inside. Since there were several waves of security, including a stage where they scan your wristband, it seemed almost impossible to sneak in. Inside the venue there was added security on the beach for swimmers. It was completely locked down.
The first set kicked off fittingly with “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing” and the band wasted no time getting into thick improvisation. “My Soul” surfaced next lifting the no covers ban. Trey ripped through this version with conviction. The crowd favorite “Martian Monster” whiplashed the crowd into a dancing frenzy before “Ya Mar” brought everyone back to earth. There were many notable highlights in the first set but a special moment was when Trey stepped up to the mic and said “well, this doesn’t suck” which inspired a roaring cheer from the crowd. Trey then subsequently dedicated the next song to the people standing on paddle boards in the ocean before the band stepped into “Theme From The Bottom.”
The second set was full of prime song selection and buttery transitions. The band opened up with “Drowned” which segued into “What’s the Use?” “Sand” was all too perfect given the atmosphere on the beach and the transition into “Ghost” was absolutely beautiful. Just as the the opening notes starred the heavens opened up and the rain came pouring down, which was actually quite refreshing. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. “2001” > “Wolfman’s Brother” > “Possum” kept the flow and energy consistent. It was especially nice to see the last two songs in the second set, outside of their typical first set placement. Phish closed with a tender, breathtaking take on The Rolling Stones’ “Shine A Light” that was full of emotion. Capping off the encore with “Rock & Roll” was a fitting reminder that everything is alright. One down and two to go and something tells me the best is yet to come.
Larry Keel’s latest album Experienced, due out on February 26, can truthfully be described as ear candy. For those who like music of the bluegrass or blues persuasion, or even for those for whom these are not your favorite genres, this album is a highly recommended addition to your collection. Accompanied by his wife Jenny Keel on upright bass and vocal harmonies, and longtime band-mate Will Lee on vocals and banjo, Keel is also joined on this album by a cast of bluegrass superstars, including none other than Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Sam Bush and Keller Williams.
This album has all three elements going for it: the instrumental, the vocal and the lyrical. It takes several listens-through to feel the full effect of this extremely well-rounded album. It is definitely worth “binge listening” to, taking the time to truly listen to each of the album’s elements. Treated to a healthy mix of sing-along-able songs, and those songs that make you want to just sit back and listen to the poetry coming at you, you’ll find it hard to eject this CD from your player.
It is clear just how much heart was put into each and every word written, and every note sang and played. It also seemed that Keel took the time to write songs that fit well with the musical stylings of his guests. Opening with guest Sam Bush on “Ripchord,” this song manages to tell a silly, whimsical tale without any words, something Bush manages to do so well. On “Fill ‘Em Up Again,” Keel takes the opportunity to employ bluegrass masters Del McCoury and Jason Carter of the Del McCoury Band and Mike Guggino of the Steep Canyon Rangers on this, the most bluegrass of all the tunes on the album. Keller Williams’s fancy guitar picking is complemented nicely on “Miles and Miles,” and Peter Rowan’s signature yodeling is featured on “The Warrior.” The last song, “Another Summer Day,” featuring Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass, provides a mellow sing-songy ending to this gem of an album, making you want to start the whole thing over again.
It’s amazing how different Keel’s voice sounds on each of the tunes. Reminiscent of Eddie Vedder on “Miles and Miles” and Johnny Cash on “The Warrior,” his voice gets so deep on “The Warrior” that it almost sounds like a didgeridoo. Keel’s voice balances very nicely with Will Lee’s more distinctive, mellow, pitch-perfect vocals. Keel’s wife, Jenny, adds beautiful harmonies on several of the tunes, blending perfectly as only a husband-and-wife duo can.
Larry Keel’s Experienced is essential for any music lover’s collection, no matter what type of music suits your fancy. It is appealing on so many levels, with its approachable more traditional tunes drawing in listeners, and some of the more rhythmically out there songs giving those listeners a taste of something a bit more sophisticated.
Key Tracks: “Ripchord,” “Fill ‘Em Up Again,” “Another Summer Day”
David Bowie is arguably one of the most influential artists of multiple generations. He infused his music with fantasy and fashion to create a style all his own—and that style was always changing. His legacy was felt years before his passing, and his influence spans genres, generations and location, including several artists deep-rooted in New York State.
David Bowie performs during a concert celebrating his 50th birthday, on Jan. 9, 1997, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
NYS Music takes a moment to not only honor the iconic musician, but to also revisit artists who have paid tribute to David Bowie with these covers.
Umphrey’s McGee with STS9 – “Let’s Dance”
During their encore from Northerly Island in Chicago on Aug. 17, 2013, Umphrey’s McGee invited STS9 on stage for this knock out rendition of Bowie’s most successful hit to date:
Beck – “Sound and Vision”
With a little help from his father, legendary arranger David Campbell, folk artist Beck went big on this 1977 Bowie tune. The evening was sponsored by Lincoln Motor Company and was part of their “Hello, Again” campaign, which used Beck’s version of “Sound and Vision” for its campaign theme song:
Starset – “Space Oddity”
Alternative rockers Starset showed up big in December 2014 at WQLZ’s aQustic Christmas Jam. The Columbus, OH, natives turned out a stunning rendition of Bowie’s “Space Oddity”:
moe. – “Ziggy Stardust”
What could be better than Halloween and Star Wars? Halloween, Star Wars and Bowie! Jam rockers moe. treated the crowd at their 2015 Halloween show to a little Bowie. Makes you wonder what a Bowie song sung by C-3PO would really sound like:
Buffalo groove rockers Aqueous cover highly produced, multi-layered tracks with amazing accuracy. In this rendition of “Fame” at the 2014 Gathering at Chaffee’s, they surprise the crowd as they flow into the classic Bowie tune. They hit the mark at about three minutes, but enjoy the jam before they get there. You won’t be disappointed:
The Cure – “Young Americans”
The Cure carry their own legacy in the world of rock, but the Bowie influence is deep with these fellow Brits. They contributed their version of Bowie’s song “Young Americans” for a 1993 compilation for London’s 104.9XFM. The song later reappeared on their 2004 release Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978-2001:
Placebo – “Five Years”
Slightly known fact: David Bowie was a big fan of alternative rock band Placebo; he even performed with them on several occasions. In this clip, Brian Molko of Placebo quickens the pace on this acoustic version of “Five Years” to create a slightly altered but beautiful version of the Bowie tune from The Fall and Rise of Ziggy Stardust and the Spider from Mars:
Def Leppard – “Ziggy Stardust”
Def Leppard turned up for an acoustic set in a Sheffield England pub back in 1996. They encored with an incredible version of “Ziggy Stardust”:
Dr. Dre – “Fame”
Bowie’s influence isn’t limited to genres: famed producer and headphone guru Dr. Dre put his own twist on a Bowie tune. This version was featured on the 1996 album Dr. Dre Presents: The Aftermath and features Jheryl Lockhart, King Tee and RC along with Dr. Dre and Chris “The Glove” Taylor. Youtuber Mychael Helmz edited some fashion video footage and credited a piece good enough to have been the song’s official video:
Natalie Merchant – “Space Oddity”
The former lead singer for the 10,000 Maniacs enjoyed a solo career she probably never dreamed of growing up in the small town of Jamestown, NY. Her unique vocal style adds drama to this haunting rendition of Bowie’s “Space Oddity” during a performance on June 12, 1999:
Lucero -“Modern Love”
Hailing from Memphis, TN, Lucero is a five-piece band that mixes punk rock and country, creating a sound that is distinctly all their own. They showed up to the AV Club and banged out their own version of this Bowie pop classic with the addition of a saxophone solo:
James – “China Girl”
A lot of artists show up to their BBC Sessions with covers in hand. Manchester, England, natives James were no different; they rocked out their version of one of the three top 10 singles from Bowie’s 1983 album Let’s Dance:
Nirvana – “The Man that Sold the World”
Nirvana brought new life to this song during their 1993 performance on MTV Unplugged. They also exposed Bowie’s music to a host of new listeners. The song would garner major market radio play, as well as be featured on both the released album and video of the performance:
Foo Fighters – “Under Pressure”
When the Foo Fighters showed up in Mendig, Germany, during June 2015 to play the “Rock am Ring,” they played a set list infused with music they felt was the most influential to their journey as musicians. On the list was this David Bowie/Queen collaboration:
Smashing Pumpkins “Space Oddity”
Smashing Pumpkin’s frontman Billy Corgan says in this video for San Diego’s ROCK 105.3 that he appreciates the song more as an artist covering it, than he ever did as a fan listening to it. The Pumpkins put their own brand of alt-rock styling on this version recorded on June 19, 2012:
Fall Out Boy – “Life on Mars?”
FOB guitarist and singer Patrick Stump cites Bowie as his favorite musician of all time. In April 2013, he sat down to record an acoustic session for BBC One. He shows off his vocal range and passion for his idol in this lovely version of “Life on Mars?”:
Warpaint – “Ashes to Ashes”
Los Angeles-based indie-rock band Warpaint has been known for their dream-pop sound since they formed in 2004. The all-female quartet set a mellow groove at the BBC Music Tepee in 2014 with their ethereal version of this Bowie classic:
German metal band Atrocity brings a whole different level to Bowie’s No. 1 hit, and the song was featured as part of the Hard Rock Covers album series:
Duran Duran – “Fame”
British ’80s pop icons Duran Duran followed Bowie’s model of fashion, reinvention and style better than almost anyone. Bassist John Taylor has even cited Ziggy Stardust as the “perfect album.” Their version of “Fame” was a beloved B-side before landing on their 2003 box set Singles 1981-1985:
Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts – “The Jean Genie”
Scott Weiland was never quiet about his fanboy obsession with Bowie. Shortly before Weiland’s death, he and the Wildabouts stopped at the Strombo Show where they did an acoustic performance of “The Jean Genie”:
Second Child – “Young Americans”
The future folk band based out of NYC and Philly, Second Child does a mixture of electric and acoustic jams. This version of “Young Americans” is so groovy that even some neighborhood kids get in on the dancing action:
Commander Chris Hadfield – “Space Oddity”
In May of 2013, Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield made musical history when he made this video on the International Space Station, making it the first video ever created in space. The video is nearing 30 million views on YouTube:
The Get Up Kids – “Suffragette City”
The Get Up Kids were major players in the ’90s emo-rock scene. They paid tribute to Bowie with a fairly non-emo version of Bowie’s “Suffragette City”:
Phish – “Life on Mars?”
Shortly after debuting their version of “Life on Mars?” in 1995, Phish would later play the song at the Clifford Ball. The seven-disc box set celebrating the festival was more than a decade old in March of 2009:
Seu Jorge – “Rebel Rebel”
Brazilian musician Seu Jorge’s Bowie covers came to prominence when they were featured on the soundtrack to Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Jorge translated the Bowie tunes into Portuguese. His version of “Rebel Rebel” from Diamond Dogs sounds romantic and whimsical in Jorge’s hands:
Phish has announced they will be streaming this weekend’s destination event in Mexico via Live Phish. Streams are available for up to 24 hours after the show #LifeIsButAStream
Stay tuned for daily reviews and photo galleries from Mexico, and follow along on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook while enjoying couch tour.
This is not a review of the 2015 New Year’s Eve run but rather a fan’s retrospect on seeing Phish 21 times at Madison Square Garden since 1995. – ed.
Twenty years ago, on December 31, 1995, I descended upon New York City for my first Phish New Year’s Eve show at Madison Square Garden. I was 18, new to the city and accompanied by my two 16-year-old best friends. Our tickets were floor; row X to be exact. Soon after the show began, my two friends retreated to for the security of the well-lit hallways leaving me by myself with nothing but their shoes as reassurance that they would eventually return.
After deducing that I was alone, scared and a little bit lost, the two men situated beside me took me under their wing. One of them was old enough to be my grandfather. He gave me a smooth stone adorned with a yin yang to hold in my palm and bought me ice cream. That night, as Phish’s Time Factory counted down the minutes to midnight, I remember looking up into the stands from the floor and thinking everyone looked like ants. I tried putting the fact that I did not know where I was staying on Long Island or how to use public transportation in the back of my head and surrender to the flow.
I left that show that night unsure of what exactly I had just witnessed, filled with feelings I could not put into words. One thing that was for certain, I would never quite be able to see live music the same ever again.
Fast forward 20 years. Just as I had from 2010 to 2014, I hopped on a train down to New York City with Phish on December 29, 2015 for my 18th through 21st Phish shows at Madison Square Garden.
It was night 2 and the excitement for the New Year’s Eve stunt was building as I snuck away before set 3 to fill some water bottles for my crew and I. I was standing at the drinking fountain filling three empty Dasani water bottles when a security guard walking through the halls stopped in his tracks and gave me the dirtiest look, quipping incredulously, “Three?! Really three?! You’ve really got to be that greedy?”
First, I tried to put myself in his shoes … maybe he felt I was somehow taking money from his pocket by not purchasing three new bottled waters from the venue. Then, I found myself wanting to explain how much I hate purchasing bottled water, especially when there was no recycling in the venue. I wanted to stop and make him understand that these bottles of water were not just for me, but for my friends. I was able to eek out a meek apology, for what I wasn’t sure. As I made my way back to my section, I realized I was spinning my wheels for no reason. The security guard simply “doesn’t get it.” And how lucky are we that we do?
The lights dimmed and a laser beam visual-effect gave way to what some have called a teepee or a cone. I immediately perceived it as an hourglass, the sands of time slowly dripping from the upper bulb to the lower bulb where the band was situated. As an ambient jam out of “No Men in No Man’s Land” escorted us into a new year, I looked around the Garden, reflecting on the sharp contrast between how at home I felt amidst 20,000 strangers at that moment to how alone and scared I had felt twenty years ago in this same spot. Instead of ants, this time I looked around the Garden and saw individual faces of friends, waves of people I’ve met through the years. We are, after all, just one Phish show away from being friends.
Ironically we got a “Carini” in the final set, and as kitschy as “Backwards Down the Number Line”is, it played right into my mindset. Maneuvering through “Cavern,” I couldn’t help but feel the time was growing nearer and my mission was clearer than ever. The lyrics “Whatever you do, take care of your shoes” hit me hard. I looked at my girlfriend with tears in my eyes and we both smiled knowingly at one another. This wasn’t about our shoes. We are the lizards, destined for no man’s land if we don’t do something to change our future.
As we made our way out of the show, someone tried to take a balloon out onto the streets of New York City. As they gently prodding the orange ball around the snaking stairwell, I realized the balloon was not much different than quest to find meaning in the shows and to carry a message home that lasts after the music ends. As I laid my head on my pillow in the wee-morning hours on January 1 and removed the faded glow stick from my wrist, I began a text message to myself, letting the thoughts flow, still unsure what form they would take.
Everyone knows there’s got to be one slow night in a four-night run. For some that was night 3. For me, night 3 took on a poignant tone, shining light on another example of just how connected we are to the band and they are to us. I had read in a Facebook group that the ashes of Gayla Samuels, a phan whose light was snubbed out by cancer in 2015, had been tossed onto the stage on New Year’s Eve. I couldn’t help but draw some correlations to the band’s song choice on night 3 from “Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan” and “Heavy Things”to “Down with Disease” and “Dirt” and think of a young life ended much too soon. Maybe it was just me, but during “Farmhouse,” it seemed to me Trey put a bit more emphasis on the line “every man returns to dust.”
Night 4 was a bang-up, drag-down rock-n-roll show that shook the Garden to the rafters. At the close of set 2, with a “Harry Hood“and “You Enjoy Myself” behind us and a “Tweezer Reprise” on the table, what could they possibly encore with? If there was any doubt that I needed to try and make sense of this crazy show of life we’ve been on for the past 30 years, it was immediately washed from my brain when the first notes of “The Lizards” rang out. In my 20 years of following Phish, I had no intention of writing a review ever, fearful I didn’t know enough about stats or the band or the music to have anything relevant to share, certain whatever I might say would be met with criticism and negativity. Then, I finally got the message loud and clear.
We are no longer children blindly following a band searching for their footing. We are a functionally dysfunctional family of teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs, accountants, writers, artists, lovers, friends and acquaintances. We are inspired by the music to create art, pins, posters, t-shirts, merchandise, and we support each other by purchasing it. We are an economic powerhouse that can fill hotels in New York City, coordinate trips to Mexico and Europe, all in the name of our band. We generated at least $720,000 in local and state tax revenues during the three-day Magnaball concert, according to Watkins Glen International racetrack.
The real question is how do we represent ourselves and our band the other 300 plus days of the year when we aren’t on tour? How do we harness that energy that keeps us coming back year after year to venue after venue and channel it into doing something to have a positive impact on our communities and our world? If we are willing to do things like wait in six hour re-release lines or have our entire campsite destroyed in storms at Deer Creek, only to come back for more, then what else are we capable of?
Together as a fan base, we have help each other score tickets, bring down the hammer on scalpers, fund Mariachi bands, sky writers and fellow phan’s medical bills. What would happen if we carried that message and energy beyond the shows and into our everyday lives? Perhaps it’s just as simple as picking up a few glow sticks or used balloons after a show or buying a new or young fan an ice cream cone at a show. Maybe that means volunteering at a nursing home, gathering donations for our local food pantry or participating in a fundraiser to help the homeless?
There are plenty of opportunities to give back which we as a fan base have staunchly supported. Founded in 1999, the Mimi Fishman Auction has worked closely with bands like Phish, The String Cheese Incident, Yonder Mountain String Band, moe. and Umphrey’s McGee to provide high quality sought-after items for online auctions which have raised approximately $350,000 for The American Glaucoma Society, among others, and launched The Mimi Fishman Adventure Camp at the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments. Phish’s WaterWheel Foundation has raised over $1 million dollars for more than 425 groups, primarily benefiting women and children and the environment with a focus on clean water and land conservation, as well as food banks, urban gardening and more.
Surrender to the Flow (Phish) Yoga has raised more than $10,000 for Street Yoga and The Mockingbird Foundation, an entirely volunteer run, non-profit organization founded by Phish fans which has raised over $843,000 to support music education for children, providing 261 grants in 45 states since 1996. And in 2015, over 1,600 volunteers logged over 30,000 hours diverting over 2 million pounds of waste from landfills through recycling and composting at 37 concerts through Clean Vibes.
Graphic provided by Clean Vibes, January 2015.
We have the potential to be a force for social change. We can make a difference by deciding to vote with our money and our voices, by being more aware of our economic footprint and purposeful with how we spend our spare time so we can raise our children in a world we can be proud of. We are living in times of uncertainty, but each show gives us a glimmer of hope for a brighter future. Over the past 30 years, we have covered many miles, lost our possessions, lost our inhibitions and our minds. But together we’ve also found so much more.
What remains long after the show is over is the human connection; the companions we take along on our ride, singing, laughing or crying, brought to our knees by the pure beauty and unadulterated madness of it all. Suddenly, all those nonsensical lyrics, they’re beginning to make a heck of a lot of sense. Your trip is short, so make it count. If we have to be stuck in this tube, why not be stupendous? If nothing comes down, then we’re forced to swim up. We’ve got one life to live and our worst days are gone.
After all these years of following Phish, nothing has changed, but everything is different. If Phish can make a comeback, keep redefining themselves and pushing the envelope decade after decade, why can’t we?
A cavalcade of vehicles armed with Bernie Sanders political stickers barricaded the streets surrounding the Palace Theater in Syracuse on Friday, January 8. Bernie supporters flocked to the 1920’s era theater for a diverse assortment of musicians who volunteered their time and talents to bring awareness to Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and to Fund the Bern. Presented by Funk ‘N Waffles, the event was initially slated to be held at the downtown location before widespread interest garnered the need for a larger event space. With a more suitable venue in place, Sophistafunk, Joe Driscoll, Root SHOCK, The Fat Peace, Subsoil, Charley Orlando and Castle Creek were among the large assembly of local talent who performed for the roughly 700 attendees who coalesced at the Eastwood locale.
With the iconic fluorescent sign beckoning onlookers from the James Street sidewalk, spectators filtered through glass doors and down a carpeted entryway. A gaggle of smiley volunteers donning outfits littered with political pins greeted passersby asking them to sign the petition to get Bernie on the ballot in NY state. Just beyond the congregation of friendly volunteers, the corridor opened into a lobby bustling with jubilant activity as guests happily sipped on adult beverages and talked politics.
The theater room seats were amply filled with Bernie devotees as Chris Merkley sweetly grazed a slide guitar, serenaded the attentive audience from a dimly lit stage, soft spotlight outlining his seated figure. Merkley exuded a city-meets-country vibe sporting a hip purple beanie and dishing out a satiating serving of country blues. By the end of his set, a few brave souls had ventured to the open space between seating and stage, dance moves demonstrating their satisfaction.
Castle Creek, named one of New York State Music’s “Bands on the Rise” filled the theater with blues-infused fire, drum beats furnished by Sophistafunk’s Emanuel Washington. Kim Monroe asserted robust lead vocals, piping through a petite frame as she strummed away at her electric guitar, while Chris Eves (guitar/vocals) tactfully interjected attention-grabbing guitar work. Among the sparse dancers at the family friendly event, a young woman clothed in fashionable Sunday school attire merrily spun in circles, jostling a preschooler in her arms who giggled in delight.
Charley Orlando, a familiar face to frequenters of Funk ‘N Waffles Downtown, wielded harmonica and guitar, inviting a number of musical guests including Merkley and Eves to play alongside. Orlando’s song choices seemed to consciously reflect the themes of the event with lines like, “I try to listen more than speak,” which could reflect Sanders’ more diplomatic demeanor in contrast to Republican candidate Donald Trump’s “carnival barker” disposition.
As Rochester-based Subsoil began their set later in the evening, the bohemian hip-hop group featuring Mooney Faugh and Laz Green on the mic invigorated the room with dancing and excitement as theater goers abandoned their seats, forming a mob at the foot of the stage. Trailing their performance, environmental activist Renee Vogelsang briefly brought attention to current environmental struggles, championing Sanders’ support of many of these efforts. Reggae collective The Fat Peace followed, infusing some funk into the ongoing dance party, keeping the crowd on its toes when the drummer mysteriously disappeared. The remaining band members resigned to gawking awkwardly at the abandoned drum kit and speculating the drummer’s whereabouts until his much anticipated return. Directly after their set, the projection screen behind the stage displayed a video of Bernie Sanders addressing a Muslim student’s concerns regarding racism in America. The room filled with cheering and applause as the video ended, before reggae group Root SHOCK immediately took the stage, sustaining the audience’s animation and radiating energy with a snappy, high-powered performance. Jessica Brown seared ear drums with a spicy heat that seduced a crowd, amorously applauding her howling mid-song vocals. Joe Driscoll followed, revving up the crowd with catchy beats and praises for Sanders.
Sophistafunk rounded out the musical marathon with an overall well-polished performance despite a few brief moments of disorienting beats and the unsettling sound of popping cables. Crowd undeterred, dancing raged on until nearly 1 a.m. as performers from earlier in the night including Joe Driscoll and members of Castle Creek joined Sophistafunk to bid the crowd farewell.
Presenting NYS Music in Motion, a video series from NYS Music and Videographer Schuyler Warrenchak. This series will highlight performances by a variety of bands throughout New York State and bring the experience of being at a show to our ever-widening audience.
Our first installment is aptly from the January 1, 2016 performance of Mister F at The Hollow in Albany. Mister F performed with Particle after moe.’s show at The Palace Theater just two blocks up North Pearl Street. This was a bittersweet show as it was guitarist Andrew Chamberlaine’s final performance with the band. Watch the band tear through the proggy “Do it Again,” and stay tuned for more NYS Music in Motion in the near future.
Fresh off of Long Island came some hot bagels and Mayve’s new EP entitled Animals. Mayve, pronounced like the Irish first name “Maeve” and not to rhyme with “maybe,” got the inspiration for their name from lead singer Nick Micheline; he liked his little cousin Mayve’s first name. The band is comprised of five guys and they’ve been playing together for a few years. Back in 2012, they were featured on “Rick’s Rising Stars.” On the show, Rick Eberle talks about the best upcoming artists in the local scene. This indie pop band fits the standard rock band archetype instrumentation-wise with some synthesizer ornamenting the band’s recordings.
They’re currently unsigned to a record label, but the EP was recorded with the help of Rocky Gallo, who has engineered a number of records with many artists like John Legend, Andrew Bird, Jim Wolf, and more.
Songs like “Hearts on Fire” and “Talking to Myself” aren’t new to their repertoire and have been performed since 2014. But it seems like they’ve compiled five of their more recent original recordings as a marketing tactic to get their songs out there as a unit.
Overall, the lead singer sounds a bit like Andrew McMahon from Jack’s Mannequin and has a little flair of pop punk with his pronunciation of some lyrics. Almost all of the songs have melismatic repetitive phrases which make them easy for listeners to learn and sing along to. No one in the band primarily specializes on synthesizer, (based on the band’s social media and music videos) but the synth definitely helps augment the sound and give it that edgy pop sound.
“Hearts on Fire” is all about love, which is the predominant subject matter in each of their tracks. The band sounds much like The 1975, especially with the bright guitar timbre on this track. The lead singer talks about young love and how no one can take that love away. In “Higher,” the idea of animalistic desires as per the EP title is evident in the lyrics with lines like “My body’s taking over; your body’s taking me higher and higher.” The tune has background group vocals singing “higher and higher” throughout which aurally reinforces the lyrics. “Magic” is the only slower song in the lineup, and uses an acoustic guitar to highlight the emotion behind the words. This song also has backing harmonies, which adds some nice texture to the tune.
The band’s sound is not terribly unique; they sound like a generic indie/pop band. This is just the beginning of their time in the music business with the release of the EP and they have a lot of room to grow. They need to expand beyond what they’re doing both stylistically and instrumentally. They all sound like they are very proficient players, and the production quality is quite high, but they need something to make themselves stand out in a sea of many similar-sounding bands. It will be interesting to see what creative direction they take moving forward.
This EP is available for free listening on SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and Spotify, and for purchase on iTunes.
Key Tracks: Talking to Myself, Hearts on Fire, West Coast
Mountain Jam finalized their lineup for this year’s festival. Among the additions are Houndmouth, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Quilt, Darlingside, the Record Company, the Movement and Scott Sharrard. Three New York acts were also added to the lineup, including Albany’s Wild Adriatic, Woodstock’s Elijah Wolf and New Paltz’s Upstate Rubdown. Marco Benevento will play a tribute to David Bowie with Superhuman Happiness.
The non-musical activities have also been announced and include yoga with Michael Franti, lectures and Q&A sessions on the cannabis industry, and hula hoop classes. There will also be a screening of “Let Us Play,” a new documentary about funk band and festival performer Lettuce.
Original post:
An annual tradition nestled in the heart of the Catskills, Mountain Jam has unveiled their lineup for 2016, featuring big names, newcomers and familiar acts that make the festival one of the most established in the Northeast.
This year’s lineup features headliners Beck, Wilco, The Avett Brothers, Gov’t Mule and Umphrey’s McGee. Additional acts include Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Gary Clark Jr., Michael Franti & Spearhead, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Courtney Barnett, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Lettuce, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, the New Mastersounds, and Third World.
A few New York acts are on the bill, including Turkuaz and Donna the Buffalo, plus regional acts Son Little, the London Souls, Cabinet, the Ballroom Thieves with Maine Youth Rock Orchestra, And the Kids, Love Canon, Marcus King Band, Con Brio, Jane Lee Hooker, Copious Jones, Madaila, the Suitcase Junket and Paul Green Rock Academy.
Thievery Corporation will take things into the late night. More acts will be announced in coming weeks.
The Spring Awakening revival on Broadway is really a revolution. It’s changing the way we should be looking at Broadway shows.
Spring Awakening is based on a controversial 1891-banned play written German author Frank Wedekind. His work led to the original groundbreaking musical that opened on Broadway in 2006.
The musical focuses on the lives of three teenagers in 1891 Germany while they are trying to figure out where they belong in the world as they move into adulthood. But trust me, this isn’t your Breakfast Club-type of teen-angst show. This goes much deeper. Touching upon still-controversial topics like teen sex and pregnancy, abortion, suicide, masturbation and homosexuality.
The revival includes the barbaric 1880 resolution passed in schools in the United States and Europe, where sign language was no longer taught and Deaf students had to learn lip reading and speech mimicking. Those who could not learn in such a way were deemed failures.
All 22 Deaf and hearing actors on stage in Spring Awakening use American Sign Language. The Deaf actors each had their own ‘voice’ on stage with them, acting as their character’s conscience.
The voices for the two main characters were perfectly chosen. For Wendla, Deaf actress Sandra Mae Frank and Voice actress Katie Boeck were flawless together. Boeck’s soft and innocent soprano helped to portray Wendla’s innocence. For Moritz, Deaf Actor Daniel Durant and voice actor Alex Boniello were also a superb pair. Boniello’s sad, angry, and powerful voice brought back memories of John Gallagher Jr. – who originated the role on Broadway.
The only disappointing moment for me was during ‘The Dark I Know Well.” Voice of Martha, Katherine Gallagher, fell short as she attempted to bring her own edge to the song, taking away from the lyrics.
There were moments throughout the show where sign language or voice interpretation could not be used, so the words were projected on the wall of the set, using different fonts for each character. Those moments were the most incredible throughout the show, comparable only to the times when the Deaf actors spoke or yelled.
There is no doubt that this show was meant to be portrayed with the inclusion of sign language. The addition of Deaf history and the extra symbolism that teens often feel like they aren’t heard by society, made the experience that much more special.
You will leave feeling invigorated; you will have a rush of emotions. You will also wonder – why aren’t there more Deaf West revivals out on Broadway?
Spring Awakening is a limited engagement on Broadway – closing on January 24.
With CK5 and Jefferson Waful collaborating on a variety of lighting insertions, the concert area came alive once the sun set. Getting into the venue area was honestly more tough than going through Mexican customs. As the line of almost 7,000 people stretched as far as one could see, there were a few brave souls trying to bribe security with up to $400 to get inside. Since there were several waves of security, including a stage where they scan your wristband, it seemed almost impossible to sneak in. Inside the venue there was added security on the beach for swimmers. It was completely locked down.
The second set was full of prime song selection and buttery transitions. The band opened up with “Drowned” which segued into “What’s the Use?” “Sand” was all too perfect given the atmosphere on the beach and the transition into “Ghost” was absolutely beautiful. Just as the the opening notes starred the heavens opened up and the rain came pouring down, which was actually quite refreshing. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. “2001” > “Wolfman’s Brother” > “Possum” kept the flow and energy consistent. It was especially nice to see the last two songs in the second set, outside of their typical first set placement. Phish closed with a tender, breathtaking take on The Rolling Stones’ “Shine A Light” that was full of emotion. Capping off the encore with “Rock & Roll” was a fitting reminder that everything is alright. One down and two to go and something tells me the best is yet to come.
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I left that show that night unsure of what exactly I had just witnessed, filled with feelings I could not put into words. One thing that was for certain, I would never quite be able to see live music the same ever again.
As we made our way out of the show, someone tried to take a balloon out onto the streets of New York City. As they gently prodding the orange ball around the snaking stairwell, I realized the balloon was not much different than quest to find meaning in the shows and to carry a message home that lasts after the music ends. As I laid my head on my pillow in the wee-morning hours on January 1 and removed the faded glow stick from my wrist, I began a text message to myself, letting the thoughts flow, still unsure what form they would take.
We are no longer children blindly following a band searching for their footing. We are a functionally dysfunctional family of teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs, accountants, writers, artists, lovers, friends and acquaintances. We are inspired by the music to create art, pins, posters, t-shirts, merchandise, and we support each other by purchasing it. We are an economic powerhouse that can fill hotels in New York City, coordinate trips to Mexico and Europe, all in the name of our band. We generated at least $720,000 in local and state tax revenues during the three-day Magnaball concert, according to Watkins Glen International racetrack.
Surrender to the Flow (Phish) Yoga has raised more than $10,000 for Street Yoga and The Mockingbird Foundation, an entirely volunteer run, non-profit organization founded by Phish fans which has raised over $843,000 to support music education for children, providing 261 grants in 45 states since 1996. And in 2015, over 1,600 volunteers logged over 30,000 hours diverting over 2 million pounds of waste from landfills through recycling and composting at 37 concerts through Clean Vibes.
Fresh off of