A double header of Vermont jammers treated a Massachusetts crowd to a night of improvisational grooves, saxophone sit-ins and Christmas carol teases in true holiday fashion at Thunder Road Music Club & Rock n’ Roll Bistro. Vermont’s own RAQ, restocked with a reputable drummer in the scene, teamed with an up and coming group, Swimmer, who share roots in the same town of Burlington. Both drew an impressive gathering of fans both local and branching across the Northeast, making it safe to say many left the MA venue newly admitted “swimmers.”
The progressive rock-fusion quintet based out of Burlington, took the reigns early in the night, kicking things off with a kinetic performance that displayed a melting pot of genres over a six-song set list. Carefully crafted, it brought forward original compositions intertwined with covers of some of their largest musical influences, Frank Zappa and Phish. The night found mesmerizing flair from keys player Matt Dolliver, bassist Jack Vignone, guitarists Paul Klein and Joe Agnello, who swapped vocals with man behind the drum kit, Cotter Ellis. Original and innovatively named tracks “5 Seed and Feeble,” “Godmeat” and “Sea Cerebral” truly portrayed the unique sound Swimmer bears to those who have never been introduced to their music–seemingly effortless tight grooves, progressive journeys and charismatic originality.
Highlights of the set instantly point towards Matt Dolliver as he delighted the audience with smooth saxophone performances and Swimmer’s conquering of Frank Zappa’s “Pound for a Brown” > Phish’s “F*ck Your Face” > “The Impossible Engineer,” an original track that ended the set with high-energy and roars of approval.
RAQ certainly came baq and kept the crowd fully captivated throughout a two-set performance. The audience and RAQ members alike were elated with the fact that former Dopapod drummer Scotty Zwang, has completed the final piece in their lineup puzzle–one that has proven to be tossed up in the past and especially interwoven with Kung Fu. Todd Stoops was nothing short of vocal, proudly admitting from behind the keys that Zwang is the “best drummer they’ve ever had” as he corralled multiple rounds of applause throughout the first set, which included “Bootch Magoo,” “Clamslide,” “Bobs Your Uncle,” “Crazy Tonie” and “Gabvonie.” Before heading offstage for a 15 minute reprieve, RAQ incited a sing-a-long on fan-favorite “Walking in Circles.”
Also displayed on two TV’s hanging above head at a full-stocked bar, the second set of the performance found a few dressed in Christmas colored velour and blazers in the holiday spirit as their atmosphere quickly turned into a reggae sound-tracked snowglobe. RAQ dove into Peter Tosh’s “Legalize It” before taking on a string of Christmas classics from “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Joy to the World,” to “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer,” which paired nicely with the “Deck the Halls” ornament and garland decor at Thunder Road. Newly confirmed “swimmer,” Stoops, re-introduced Matt Dolliver to the stage after approaching him in the crowd between set changes. An impromptu sit-in on Men at Work’s “Who Can it Be Now?”ultimately brought down the house.
Swimmer will resume gigs after the holidays with their first 2017 appearances across Clear River Tavern, Showcase Lounge and The Snow Barn in Vermont before heading to Stella Blues in CT. RAQ ended their trifecta of North East comebaq performances, with stops through The Westcott Theatre in Syracuse, a penultimate gig with Twiddle at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre and last night’s Thunder Road wrap up. Saturday night alone determined that both groups have big moves on the horizon for the upcoming new year.
Cole Swindell brought his Down Home Tour to the sold out House of Blues in Boston December 10 for what promised to be an exciting night of up and coming country talent. Swindell, who is no stranger to selling out the nation’s largest House of Blues, was also able to do so the last time he played the venue. This time he brought along Cole Taylor and Travis Denning as his tour support.
First to take the stage was Travis Denning. The Georgia-native has been working to make a name for himself since his move to Nashville less than two years ago. In that time, he has worked both as an artist and a song writer to create a career for himself in music, a dream he has fostered since he was young. Denning did a great job catching the crowd’s interest with his own songs, including “Red, White, and Blue,” which he introduced by speaking not only about those over seas fighting for the country but also all of the people who protect the nation here at home, like police, EMT’s and firefighters. This truly seemed to resonate strongly with the sold out crowd. He carried on into the sing along portion of his set, where he played a song that he penned, “Everyone We Know Does,” which was recorded by Chase Rice. The crowd’s energy peaked during this song as everyone was happily able to sing along word for word. He closed out his set with “Southern Rock,” a song that he explained was very important to him as southern rock is what he grew up on and what inspired his love for music and guitar.
Cole Taylor was up next and he kicked things off with a fan favorite, “Drop Top,” off his self titled EP, which immediately had the crowd off their feet and singing along. Taylor took the stage with an energy and command of the crowd that one would have expected from a seasoned performer. He demonstrated a great deal of potential when he kept the energy in the room alive during songs the crowd was not necessarily as familiar with as they’d been with “Droptop.”
A noteworthy song from Taylor’s set was one off of his self titled EP called Boom. The catchy, up tempo song captivated those who knew it already as well as those who were hearing it for the first time. The highlight of his set came when he played a song that he penned for Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild. The popular “Home Alone Tonight” had the entire crowd singing along word for word. He carried the energy from that song into his closing song, “Cold Beer,” which has been gaining popularity recently. Taylor did a wonderful job amping up the crowd for Cole Swindell and showed a great deal of potential for his career going forward.
Swindell took the stage with a great deal of energy and command of the stage with “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight,” the second single from his self titled full length release that went platinum and helped create the loyal fan base Swindell has today. He continued on with “Wildlife,” a song from Swindell’s Down Home Series which was released Fall of 2016 and “Brought to you By Beer,” from his self titled release. Other noteworthy songs that Swindell played from his self-titled release included “Chillin’ It” and “The Back Roads and the Back Row.” “Chillin’ It” was the single that helped catapult Swindell onto the map with country radio as it garnered a #1 spot on the US Hot country chart and a #2 slot on Country Airplay, in addition to going RIAA platinum. Its extreme popularity was certainly recognizable among the sold out crowd who all seemed to be singing along verbatim with Swindell.
Swindell took a few minutes before a performance of “Flatliner” to introduce it as a song he was very excited to have created with the help of Dierks Bentley and even more excited to get to play next spring when he tours in support of Bentley, a tour which should bring much success to both artists. From there he went into a string of songs he penned for some of the most popular artists in country right now, including “Get Me Some of That,” which was recorded by Thomas Rhett and “Roller Coaster,” which was recorded by Luke Bryan. Swindell also took some time to reflect on the origins of his musical journey. Prior to having his own successful career as a country artist, he sold merchandise for Luke Bryan, so later penning a song for Bryan was a career milestone for him.
Another noteworthy moment of the set came with the last two fan-favorite songs Swindell played: “No Can Left Behind” from his latest full length release You Should be Here and “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey” from his self-titled release. Swindell returned to play two of his own songs, “You Should be Here,” the somber yet catchy lead single and title track from his recent release, and “Let Me See Ya Girl,” the last single from his self titled release. His rendition of “Let Me See Ya Girl” was a treat for fans as it was intertwined with a cover of the ever popular “Closer” which was recorded by the Chainsmokers and Halsey.
With the Down Home Tour winding down fans should be looking forward to the next run of tours for these three talented young men. Each took the stage with great energy and charisma and demonstrated why they are making a name for themselves within the genre as writers and musicians.
Singer/songwriter Mike Powell has no shortage of inspiration for writing music. Raised in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, he taught himself guitar at the age of 13, boasting a catalog of 20 or so songs by the age of 15. Powell went on to become one of the most decorated college lacrosse players in history for Syracuse University, declining an offer to play in the pros straight out of college, opting instead to follow his passion for music and songwriting to the stage.
With the reverent simplicity of his soulful voice, an ax, and a harmonica, he delivers nine heartfelt, timeless songs on his fourth album, Tied to the Rail. Eliciting influences from Bob Dylan and John Prine, Mike Powell has been described as a “polite rebel; a truly unique and inspiring American voice,” by The Boston Globe. Powell has also released Blue Eyes and Hand Me Downs, Replevin, and the 2014 Syracuse Area Music Award-nominated Kapow.
Powell eventually did play lacrosse professionally – for the Baltimore Bayhawks in 2005 and the Boston Cannons in 2007. Two years later, he was back on stage, touring alongside Sarah Lee, the granddaughter of Woody Guthrie. A woodworker, Powell nearly lost his ring finger on his playing hand while moving a stack of logs in 2014. With a varied past such as his, it comes as no surprise that Powell is such a great storyteller!
The album kicks off with the folk/southern rock hybrid “Empire,” a track that showcases the power of what one can accomplish with the simplicity of an acoustic guitar and Powell’s smokey yet earnest voice. It’s a taste of what’s to come – a no-frills album showcasing powerful lyrics by a seasoned vocalist.
The second track, “Bibles and Bourbon,” features a signature steel guitar and is a short but sweet busker song, good for helping you get out of your own head.
His lyrics – like these from “Mary Anne” – are pieces of Americana.
When the water cost money and the drugs seem cheap
When all your dreams stay lost in your sleep
And you can feel a break down coming soon
When your head gets dizzy from the rattle and the spin
And the sadness seems to burn on your skin
And every night you’re left yelling at the moon
Conjuring up images of dusty railroad tracks and bible thumping preachers, “Tied to the Rail” combines folk, soul and a bit of country to create a sound that is sure to give you the feels. Inspired by the birth of his daughter in 2016, Powell is back on the road promoting his third album.
You can catch Powell on the road Tuesday, December 13 at the Light Club Lamp Shop in Burlington, Vermont, at Ray Brothers BBQ in Bouckville, New York on Friday, December 23 and at the Brae Loch Inn in Cazenovia on Friday, December 30.
In January, he returns to the studio with his Black River Band to record a new record set to release in March. He resumes his tour in early 2017 with over a dozen upstate New York appearances already scheduled, many of which Powell will be joined by Black River Band featuring John Hanus on guitar, Shane Kelson on keys, Joe Bell on bass and Dom Scicchitano on drums, with intimate solo shows when appropriate.
Visit Mike Powell on Facebook or his website for more dates or to pick up a copy of Tied to the Rail.
Lovers of classic country and American roots music would have loved to see Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams perform at the intimate FTC venue, Stage One in Fairfield CT. But people not involved in that culture may not have found show as much fun. It was a very, very laid back and low energy energy night, but that seemed to be just the right mood for the almost full house that attended, who gave the duo several standing ovations.
They played for about two hours and featured many tracks from their new self titled album and first collaboration together as well as a number of covers and originals from Campbell. Their voices did sync up perfectly and most of the instrumental side of the performance was intriguing, but listeners didn’t go there to be blown away by guitar solos and complex riffing and movements. They came to reminisce and dream about a country lifestyle while being stuck in Fairfield County, Connecticut, the least “country” place for miles.
The only notable downfall was the uncomfortable moments in between songs. The two were cute together but they were a bit awkward on stage with Williams lying low in conversation and a seemingly nervous Campbell stumbling over his words a little bit. The crowd didn’t seem bothered by his lack of fluency and found it to be more charming than anything else.
Many of their songs were of a slow tempo and about love and heartbreak, like “Midnight Highway” and “Running Wild” by The Louvin Brothers, and they soon gained some momentum with a few more from their album, “Surrender to Love” and “Bad Luck Charm.” And although the audience loved every song, there was a noticeable difference in the lack of applause after several ballad songs in a row. It seemed that Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams read the Stage One room and ended the night strong and upbeat with their encore that left the audience on their feet once again.
If you like a little soul sprinkled into your funk, and you have a little jiggle in your step, then you’ll love D.C.’s emerging talent, Aztec Sun.
This eight-piece ensemble brings funk-groove-improvisation to their performances that is sure to kick dancing shoes into gear; the band is Stephane Detchou, on lead vocals & rhythm guitar, Ryan ‘Catch’ Sarafolean, on keys/organ & backing vocals, Michael Dravone on trombone, Shane Weckesser on bass, Ray Lamb on lead guitar & backing vocals, John Heinze on drums, Adam Kent on trumpet and Dave Klein on the sax.
Originally conceived back in 2013, Aztec Sun has been steadily evolving and making a name for themselves; and 2016 was a big year for the group. For one, they were voted “Best Original Local Band” by the Washington City Paper, and performed in front of a significant crown at the D.C. Armory for the paper’s annual “Best of D.C. Celebration.”
In the past, they’ve shared the bill with other talented acts such as Pimps of Joytime, Burning Spear, The Suffers, Alanna Royale, Naughty Professor, Major and the Monbacks. AZTEC SUN talks about wanting to “push out their ‘Soul with Funk’ to diverse audiences,” and this year, they have done so at prominent D.C. establishments, like The Black Cat, Howard Theater, Rock & Roll Hotel and Strathmore.
In the future, however, they look to spread their love of funk further, into surrounding areas like upstate New York and Boston, for example; and their dreams extend to playing at bigger venues like Red Rocks, The Gorge, or maybe the Brooklyn Bowl or Fillmore West. Their name is one you’re sure to hear of again.
Their new studio E.P., titled Set You Free, a five-track, self-produced album, will be released tomorrow. The album is a recognition of their accomplishments thus far, and true to the band’s manifesto to “do whatever you can to make them dance,”AZTEC SUN invites anyone in the DMV area to come celebrate their newest project at their E.P. Release Dance Party at the Songbyrd Music House & Record Cafe, tomorrow, Sat., December 10.
For more information and tickets, please visit here.
Karina Verlan: What is the origin of the name Aztec Sun?
Stephane Detchou: Once the founding band members decided to “become a band,” they wanted to come up with a name that would best represent the music they were writing. After a number of different noun pairings, we decided on “Aztec Sun”: a name which, for us, combined the indelible, fiery presence of Funk with the warmth and energy of Soul.
Ray Lamb: This has nothing to do with how the name came about but in researching about the ancient Aztecs, I learned that they were not one tribe, but multiple tribes unified together. I think our band dynamic and music have similar qualities.
KV: What genre of music do you consider your work to be, and who are your major influences?
SD: We call it “funk with soul.” It generally errs on the side of groove music with a focus on rhythms that will make you move. Our influences are as diverse as our bandmates — James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, Prince, D’Angelo, Ben l’Oncle Soul, Phish, Snarky Puppy, The Meters, Budos Band, Fela Kuti (to name a few)
RL: I agree with Steph. We incorporate a lot of different influences in the music we play. I guess sort of like a funk/soul stew with a sprinkle of jazz, rock, blues, pop, jam etc.
KV: I love that! funk/soul stew… How did you all meet?
SD: Aztec Sun was initially four guys (two guitars, bass, drums) who started playing together four years ago off of Craigslist. From there, we met and invited new bandmates through personal connections, referrals or random meetings at music events.
RL: I met Steph at a show that we both were performing in. We had a great conversation about music. About a month later my previous band was having a show and I asked if Aztec Sun wanted in. Steph accepted and asked if I wanted to sit in. I did and they haven’t been able to get rid of me since.
KV: Who writes your songs in your band? Do you typically write the music or the words first?
SD: Given the size of our group (eight+ musicians), most of our songs are written collaboratively in some shape or form. Someone will bring a demo to the group with draft arrangements, structure, direction and we’ll hash out details by playing through the songs in rehearsals. In most cases, we’ll have some words to accompany the music when we start working on a song (especially when one of our singers brings a demo); but there are times when a song is born out of an organic “jam session” and we’ll write lyrics afterwards.
RL: Yeah it’s really a cool process with this band. You can bring in an idea and you have seven other minds to help develop it. It’s quite a luxury. Also listening back to jams is great because there are eight different instruments that you can listen to get new ideas from.
KV: Very cool. How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together? What’s your ultimate direction for your band– are you seeking fame and fortune?
SD: Our first batch of music was more like funk-rock (think some of Red Hot Chili Peppers). As we added horns and keys (piano + organ), our sound naturally expanded to include a dimension of classic ‘70s soul we could add to the danceable funk we were already playing. At this point, our band’s goal is to continue sharing our music and our live performance with new audiences within and throughout the DMV and add to the funk & soul movement in D.C.
RL: In the two years I’ve been in the band, I think we’ve all become better friends, which in turn helps with the music becoming tighter. We listen better and trust each other more. Fame and fortune might be a stretch. However, if it comes, that would be awesome. But that’s not our goal. We want to keep having fun and get as many people dancing to our music as possible. I think we want to ride the train as long as it stays on the tracks.
Ryan ‘Catch’ Sarafolean: We want to continue to push this as far as it can go, at this point, it feels like this project has a lot of growth left still in it and we’d all like to see where we can take this music. Outside of the D.C. area is our first step from here.
KV: Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?
SD: So many people have helped us accomplish what we’ve done so far. In terms of emotional support, probably all the friends and family who have been coming to our shows to support us, no matter how many times they’ve seen our live set.
RL: I’d like to thank family, friends, and old band mates.
RCS: I’d like to also thank all of our neighbors and roommates for dealing with our music into the wee hours – you all are the best!
KV: Haha. So, what advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
SD: Be honest and collaborative. Being part of a band is an opportunity to express oneself creatively, but that also means remembering to keep an open ear for others’ expressions and ideas.
RL: Have fun! I think that’s why most people play music to begin with. When you’re having fun, people can tell and it’s infectious. If you read about why most bands break up, they state that they stopped having fun.
RCS: Push yourself outside of your comfort zone, I’ve found that is where the most amazing growth comes from.
KV: What are your dream cities to tour? And who would you like to tour with, in an ideal situation?
SD: Aztec Sun is from D.C., but we aren’t all “from” D.C., so we’re going to be working on touring in cities closer to home: Montreal, upstate New York, Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago… And in terms of tours, it would be great to share a stage with any of the artists that influence our music.
RL: Touring is great. It’s always nice to play in front of new people. I’d love to play Red Rocks, The Gorge, The Fillmore West, Brooklyn Bowl, Electric Factory, Fox Theatre, Madison Square Garden (hey, gotta dream right!). As far as bands, Alabama Shakes, Vulfpeck, Trey Anastasio Band, D’Angelo, Turkuaz to name a few.
RCS: I’ll say it – it would be great to play at the 9:30 club, here in our backyard. That venue is continually rated as the best venue to go see live music in, and damn would it be a fun place for some funk. I’d love to open for Galactic, or Trombone Shorty, or Rebirth Brass Band – anyone out of New Orleans would be dope.
KV: Do you find it hard to balance music with your other obligations at this point in your career?
SD: At times, definitely. We try to balance a very accurate shared calendar that keeps track of everyone’s schedules which helps us determine whether or when we can book gigs. On top of that, we’re all working full-time — which can mean very late nights/tough mornings when we’ve got a couple of shows in the same week. We also need to ensure we’re taking our time to check with our families, partners and friends etc (and not just inviting them to our gigs)… so it can get to be a very busy time. But we really enjoy playing and creating as Aztec Sun, so it’s worth it.
RL: It’s definitely hard but music always manages to make itself a priority in my life.
All That Remains frontman Phil Labonte has come up from the “Righteous Side Of Hell,” to help save the boys in Five Finger Death Punch from being on the “Wrong Side Of Heaven,” due to the band’s erratic troubled frontman Ivan Moody, to save the rest of the band’s co-headlining tour with Shinedown, a tour that also features Sixx: A.M., and As Lions.
Labonte, who is good friends with Moody, stepped up and filled in on Dec. 1 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA, doing a tremendous job in the process. Joining Labonte in helping save the tour for FFDP and their fans were Sixx: A.M. frontman James Michael and As Lions singer Austin Dickinson (son of Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson), lending their vocals during FFDP’s set. Phil will continue the vocal duties for Five Finger Death Punch for the remainder of the tour. There has been speculation that this could be an audition for Labonte to replace Moody for an extended period of time or even permanently.
Moody stated on Nov. 29 to Syracuse, NY fans inside the Oncenter, that they would see the real Ivan Moody tonight. He went on and said that with all the social media outlets out there, that his life is exposed, and can’t seem to get away from people fabricating stories about him.
One of those “fabricated” stories came days earlier in Worcester, MA, when Moody stated to the crowd that his mother was passing away as he was onstage, and cut the concert short. Bassist Chris Kael was left with the mop up duties, apologizing to the crowd for the early departure. In an odd twist, Moody’s sister stated that their mother was not ailing nor anyone else in their family, for that matter. This prompted Moody’s statement at the band’s Newark, NJ show that the mother he was referring to was his “House Mother” from rehab.
During the same show, Moody, who has revealed his thoughts about Kanye West in the past, compared himself to the hip hop star, stating that he now “Get’s it” when it comes to the “mental breakdown” that West is has currently been hospitalized for, after West went on various verbal tirades during his live shows and cutting concerts short. Two days later, Ivan Moody is on the shelf due to illness and off the rest of the tour.
Moody had his famous Memphis meltdown back in May of 2015, where he apparently angered drummer Jeremy Spencer with a comment he made over the mic about Spencer’s book, prompting Spencer and the rest of the band to leave Moody by himself on stage. Days later, the band stated that there was nothing wrong with Moody, or the band, and blamed poor sound equipment as the reason why they had cut their set short.
It has been no secret, as reported previously by NYS Music, that the band is being sued by their record label, Prospect Park. Some of the reasons stated in the lawsuit include that the band doesn’t care for Moody’s well-being and that they are trying to cash in before Moody has a complete meltdown, or even worse, dies. With his past and recent actions, Prospect Park could be onto something when it comes to Moody’s well-being.
Fans, music insiders and music executives believe that, without Moody, there is no FFDP, and with all his recent seemingly “I’m untouchable” behavior over the past couple of years, Moody must feel the same. Moody’s recent behaviors suggest a desperate need for an extended break from touring, the music industry, and the limelight.
Eventually, the band will have to draw the line with Moody’s recent actions and do what’s best for FFDP moving forward. Whether they move on with Labonte or someone else, or force Moody to take a break.
With all that being said, Labonte has the goods to deliver the songs in FFDP fashion on stage, but does he has the raw charismatic edgy appeal that Moody possess, and that fans crave and love about Moody?
When it come’s to what’s next in the Ivan Moody/FFDP saga”All That Remains” is, wait and see.
https://youtu.be/OdOqi03fbds
Remaining Five Finger Death Punch/Shinedown Tour Dates:
12-08 – Amway Arena – Orlando, FL
12-09 – Amalie Arena – Tampa, FL
12-10 – Infinite Energy Center – Duluth, GA
Like many music lovers, I spend a lot of time seeking new artists. Although, the Black Clouds are not new, per se. They’ve been working on music since 2008, and After All is their third effort.
The Black Clouds, rock from Monmouth County, New Jersey, just finished recording their newest album, After All, set to hit shelves January 6, 2017. With influences such as Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, I appreciate the enthusiasm present from the beginning to the end of the album.
Produced by Jack Endino, After All is energetic and fast. From the words of the band themselves, their central dedication is playing fast and hard. That’s exactly what guitarists Neil Hayes and Dan Matthews (vocalist as well) deliver: short, punchy, loud songs identifiable as personal life stories.
Along with Gary Moses and Cory King on bass guitar and drums, respectively, it’s clear that The Black Clouds have developed cohesively as a team. Numbers like “Self Control,” and “Going Going Gone” display chemistry between all members. Vocal melodies are reminiscent of singers like Dave Grohl and Danko Jones, and the fast, aggressive music mirrors this energetically, but also grants some dynamic range. “Falling” features weaving acoustic guitars and a sad melody.
Overall, I enjoyed a few listens of this album, and I would go as far as to call it solid, but every album has its weaknesses. After All has a limited amount, if any, musical risk, and in many parts, Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell may as well have recorded one of their legendary runs over the instrumentals. Although more originality could have been exhibited in many places, one might classify this as a “good problem.”
I can definitely say I would attend a live show of theirs and enjoy the loudness, as I’m sure many will after hearing After All. For now, The Black Clouds have my attention, and I’m excited to see what silver linings The Black Clouds have in their near future, and for the rest of their career.
For fans of: Danko Jones, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden
Key tracks: Going Going Gone, Falling, Merchants of Death
Last Friday, December 2 was an absolute treat for everyone that went to The Warehouse in Fairfield, Connecticut. The night was even a pleasant surprise for renowned dobro player Jerry Douglas, saying he was “shocked people wanted to sit through an hour and a half of dobro music.” His hour and a half spread over two hours after the crowd begged for more and gave him a standing ovation at the end of his performance. No more than 100 people were in attendance which made for a very intimate show, intimate enough that he came out after his set and met almost everyone that showed up.
He played some of his own highly improvised original songs, told hysterical stories, talked with the audience mid-show, joking about how there’s some parts of his songs that he wish he never wrote, and completely opened up to everyone there about his personal life. He shared stories from how his late and most beloved dog inspired him to not walk off stage if he thinks there will be an encore, to how he wrote a song in spite of Maurice Sendak, because his famous book Where the Wild Things Are scared his children when he read it as a goodnight story. “I’m going to write a song about it, get rich and get back at Maurice Sendak at the same time. Neither of those things happened.” And that’s how his song “Wild Rumpus” came to be.
To get a sense of why this was a huge surprise to see such a small turn out, one must do some homework and will appreciate the amount of time and dedication Douglas has clocked in since his start in the 1970’s. He’s worked with a plethora of world renowned artists from Ray Charles to Eric Clapton, Paul Simon to Dolly Parton and countless more, while still writing his own music and performing alongside Alison Krauss and Union Station. He has won numerous Grammy’s, many of which were awarded to his work with Union Station and some for his original recordings. He’s a Country Music Hall of Fame member, won three CMA Musician of the Year awards and a copious amount of International Bluegrass Music Association awards over the past three decades. Simply put, he’s damned good, and so was his performance last Friday.
He played for two hours and had every soul in the house engaged for every minute he was on stage, partly because of his raw talent, but mostly because almost every song had a story behind it. He started with a short introduction and immediately everyone felt a connection with him. He opened with “A New Day,” a soft and sultry song with a perfect balance of country twang, moving to a cover of “Foggy Mountain Rock,” a recording Douglas said was made in order to compete with Elvis who had at the time was the center of attention in the music world and was, “ruining it for everybody.” This time, his fingers started flying across the frets and still managed to keep a steady melody. It blew the audience away.
He continued on through the night performing his original song “Peaceful Return” which was unsurprisingly peaceful, simple and serene, and onto a cover of “Hey Joe” by Hendrix and many more covers from musicians he’s worked with and ones he hasn’t. Each one was special because of the attachment Douglas had to it and knowing the backstory of each song he played made it so much more meaningful to the audience, encapturing them in a way that was never thought to be possible.
He played about 12 songs total, and every one had a unique sound, which is an incredible feat using just one instrument. An assortment of loop and effects pedals contributed to that accomplishment, but an untrained eye would pay no mind to it and would be simply blown away by his talent and charm.
It’s fair to assume Douglas does not have a lot of down time, so it’s undetermined when he will be touring again, but he is definitely someone to keep an eye on. His plethora of recordings are available on Spotify as well as iTunes and is worth investing some time into.
Bassist Tony Markellis, best known for his work with the Trey Anastasio Band, The Mamas and the Papas, Paul Butterfield, David Bromberg, and his own group, the jazz ensemble Kilimanjaro, will be playing a host of local shows in the Northeast to close out 2016.
On Sunday, Dec. 4, Markellis will join the Burns Sisters, a folk duo from Binghamton, performing their holiday show at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs. Then, on Friday, Dec. 9, he will return to Caffe Lena with Jeanne O’ Connor and the New Standard to treat Saratoga Springs to fresh renditions of classic hits from the 1960s and 70s. Next, performing with moe. drummer Vinnie Amico’s side-project, the progressive newgrass outfit Floodwood, Markellis will travel to Wilkes-Barre, PA for stops at the Jazz Café on Saturday, Dec. 10, and for a private concert on Sunday, Dec. 11.
Markellis returns to New York, rejoining the Burns Sisters for their holiday shows at the Hangar Theater in Ithaca on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16 and 17, and at Six on the Square in Oxford on Sunday, Dec. 18. Lastly, in bringing 2016 to a close, Markellis will reunite with his longtime running mates in Kilimanjaro for a New Year’s Eve performance at the First Night Burlington festival.
And don’t miss a chance to see Markellis with the Trey Anastasio Band this upcoming spring. New York fans will get first crack at TAB tour with two Capitol Theatre shows on April 14 and 15.
With the penchant for stage theatrics, laser beams, pyrotechnics, huge LCD screens, risers and rock opera music and story telling, Trans-Siberian Orchestra mesmerized fans, young and old alike, in Wilkes-Barre, PA this past Black Friday during the first of two sold out shows at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. TSO put on an enchanting and powerful Christmas performance as I caught them at their first of the two “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” shows at 3 p.m. in the Mohegan Sun Arena.
The famous rock opera is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary and continues to grow each year with its performance, stage show, and more importantly, its fans who continue to return year after year bringing new generations of followers along for the yearly magical experience. The audience cheered in anticipation as the intro began with storyteller Bryan Hicks orating his tale describing “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve.” 10-piece chorus accompanied his narration as images flashed across the five massive LCD screens showing clips from the 1999 television movie of the same name along with famous historical figures, the solar system and enchanting yet uplifting messages. The multi-colored light and laser show kicked off the intro in true rock opera Christmas fashion.
The audience was treated to Christmas favorites such as “O Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night,” “This Christmas Day,” and “Christmas Canon Rock” as the spectacular production continued in sync with the music as the enormous five panel screens displayed the choreographed images. The laser spectacular, “digital” snowflakes, three platform risers along with a rising catwalk, and let’s not forget the explosive and stunning pyrotechnics that erupted from the entire arena from front to back all added to the excitment. Legendary conceptual composer, producer, lyricist and songwriter Paul O’Neill continues to make his grand vision of the TSO production a masterpiece for all that experience it from the intro to its dramatic conclusion. This ever-evolving group continues to weave, like tapestry, its lyrics, songwriting, music, storytelling and production into a timeless magical and enchanting journey filled with wonder and amazement.
With super guitarists Chris Caffery and Joel Hoekstra flanking each side of the stage along with violinist Roddy Chong, bassist David Z, Mee Eun Kim on keys and drummer Jeff Plate on his throne, the audience not only experienced the amazing visuals of a TSO show, but an astonishing and stunning musical experience as well. At the beginning of the performance, Caffery, Chong and Hoekstra stood on separate risers that lifted them a good twenty feet above the crowd as they traded chops and riffed along in sync to the classic TSO hits keeping the rock show experience alive with their stage presence, dynamics and moves. TSO showcases different vocalists throughout the program lending to their unique rock/opera sound which included a special performance by Kayla Reeves and Paul O’Neill himself following the first set of traditional Christmas favorites.
TSO opened with the intro, “Who Am I” then went right into “March of the Kings,” “The Lost Christmas Eve,” which featured Hoekstra on masterful acoustic guitar, followed by “O Come All Ye Faithful/ O Holy Night.” Also on the set for the show were “Good King Joy,” “Christmas Dreams,” and the mega popular hit which included the performers high above the audience on a catwalk playing “Christmas Eve (Sarejevo 12/24)” as fire and laser beams erupted from both the front and the back of the arena.
TSO kicked it up a notch during their second, more rock and roll infused set, as they performed songs from their albums Night Castle, Beethoven’s Last Night, and Letters From The Labryinth going all the way back to the Savatage sounding days of yore. They did however slow things down a bit when the played “Music Box Blues,” “Find Our Way Home” and the cool number featuring O’Neill and Reeves, “Not The Same.” The super group/orchestra capped off the show as they crushed a rocking Beethoven’s “Requiem (The Fifth),” and a reprise of “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24).” Fireworks and more pyrotechnics ended the show leaving a powerful impression as both Caffery and Chong made their way through the aisles of fans. Included, was the recent addition of the pyramid at the rear of the crowd which opened up and shot flames high into the arena at the end of the set.
The TSO experience now in its 20th year has grown in leaps and bounds since 1996. Having started out as a small production with a few cargo vans and some rock stars from previous bands such as Savatage with Jon Olivia, Al Pitrelli and Paul O’Neill at the helm, now boasts over 10 million concert ticket sales and over 10 million album sales.They are well known for their extensive charity work. At the beginning of the first performance, it was announced that over $13,000 from ticket sales would go directly to Candy’s Place – A Center for Cancer Wellness in Forty Fort, PA.
TSO has both an East and West coast group with dozens of performers and have grown from hauling the show in a few vans to literally over a dozen semi tractor trailer rigs and multiple tour buses. This was my first TSO experience and was literally blown away with the size of the production, the amazing talent of the performers and musicians, the theatrics and show. It was like no other I had seen. A TSO show is a very family friendly experience with a very gracious and generous attitude that always gives 110% in every aspect of their show as if it were their first.
As I recently heard from Al Pitrelli on social media he states “I’ve been playing with some of these people for thirty years now, the chemistry is amazing when this band gets together we get to the first rehearsal well, its like playing the first show, but we’ll do it 30 or 40 times so when we do blow up the building for the first time, it seems like the hundredth show. Everybody in that audience, it’s their first show, whether its our 10th, 100th, 2000th, it doesn’t matter, everybody in that audience deserves the perfect first show.” TSO continue both their east and west coast tours through out the remainder of the year at times playing two shows a day.
Labonte, who is good friends with Moody, stepped up and filled in on Dec. 1 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA, doing a tremendous job in the process. Joining Labonte in helping save the tour for FFDP and their fans were Sixx: A.M. frontman James Michael and As Lions singer Austin Dickinson (son of Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson), lending their vocals during FFDP’s set. Phil will continue the vocal duties for Five Finger Death Punch for the remainder of the tour. There has been speculation that this could be an audition for Labonte to replace Moody for an extended period of time or even permanently.
