Category: Regions

Metallica Kicks Off Return With a Sold-Out Performance at U.S. Bank Stadium

The internet just recently exploded with the news that Metallica has finally set a date for their new album, Hardwired…To Self-Destruct. The world has been waiting for the follow up to Death Magnetic, which was released in 2008 and now fans now have their calendars marked for Nov. 18. To make the news even better, Metallica released its first single “Hardwired” the same day. The single was well received by both fans and critics, who all said it seemed like the band went back to its roots.

On Saturday, Aug. 20, Metallica was the very first rock band to play at the brand new U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Joining Metallica for this special occasion were Avenged Sevenfold and Volbeat. Months before the show, the event was completely sold-out. With the album news and the single dropping days before the show, the hype around Minneapolis was incredible.

The line outside the new home of the Minnesota Vikings was miles long, as excited fifth members of the Metallica family eagerly waited to get in and secure their spot on the rail. The night started off with Metallica’s friends and old tour-mates Volbeat. Volbeat has been busy on the road after its recent release Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie. The band started things off with the first single from that album “The Devil’s Bleeding Crown.” The crowd response to Volbeat was great. Metallica fans seem to remember Volbeat quite well after their opening slot on the Death Magnetic tour.

Volbeat was given enough time to rip through ten songs. Other songs on the setlist included, “The Mirror and the Ripper,” “Sad Man’s Tongue” and “Hallelujah Goat.” Volbeat did a great job picking through a now decent size catalog. The band has gone through several lineup changes since its inception, including a recent change in bass players. Even with new blood in the band, Volbeat certainly still blend well together and put on a solid show. The performance ended with “Still Counting,” which left Minneapolis wanting more Volbeat except everyone in the crowd was ready for the mighty Metallica.

Before Metallica took the stage, Avenged Sevenfold had a chance to show the crowd that even though they’ve been quiet the last year, they still know how to kick ass. When the band took the stage, the venue was still quite empty, just as it was for Volbeat. Avenged opened with “Nightmare” and before fans knew it, there was a wall of fire behind the band. The pyrotechnics that Avenged Sevenfold brought with them were certainly a highlight of the entire evening. New drummer Brooks Wackerman did a spectacular job for just his second live performance with the group.

Avenged Sevenfold gave U.S. Bank Stadium fans hit after hit. Songs like “Beast and the Harlot,” “Hail to the King,” and “Almost Easy” were just some of what the band gave the audience. For the first time since 2012, the band played “God Hates Us.” The only downfall of watching Avenged as part as an opening slot was the short ten song set. There are not many bands that Avenged Sevenfold can open for, since they have the power to headline arenas and amphitheaters themselves. Singer M. Shadows said goodnight to the sold-out stadium with a killer performance of “Unholy Confessions” from their 2003 release Waking The Fallen.

As the lights dimmed and the giant video screens turned on, the familiar sounds of “The Ecstasy of Gold” began to play over the speakers. The video screens illuminated the sold-out U.S. Bank Stadium and there truly wasn’t an empty seat in the massive arena.

Lars Ulrich came out to his drum kit and kicked things off with “Creeping Death”. From the first note, the atmosphere in the stadium was electrifying. For a band that formed in the ’80s, Metallica has not lost its touch. There are not many metal bands that have the ability to sell out a 50,000+ stadium and Metallica did this months before the show happened.

The night’s stage was familiar to those who saw the “Night Before” show in San Francisco, where Metallica performed the night before the Super Bowl. The band and fans deemed the performance “Too Heavy For Halftime,” a title given after Metallica wasn’t picked to play halftime at the Super Bowl. The stage, fairly open and backed with the massive LED screens, was complimented by Metallica’s signature runway/snake pit. This circular catwalk gives a select number of lucky fans to be inside the catwalk and not get crushed in the crazy general admission crowd.

Metallica seemed to keep the setlist fairly generic for the special event. Fan favorites like “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “Fuel” and “The Unforgiven” could have been guessed by anyone before the show started. One of the highlights of the show was the band’s performance of “Leper Messiah.” The band gave their fifth members a poll to vote on what song they wanted the band to play. The die-hard Metallica fans knew what song they wanted to hear from the list, and they got their way. Although James Hetfield forgot to sing a portion of the lyrics, the band actually went back later in the night and replayed that part of the song. The band completely laughed it off and so did the crowd.

The biggest question of the night was if fans would hear the newly released single, “Hardwired.” Well, after ending the set with “Seek & Destroy,” Metallica kicked off the encore with “Hardwired”. This new single sounded even better live and the crowd went insane. If this first single is any indication on the path Metallica took for the upcoming album, fans will certainly be happy.

After “Hardwired,” the band chose “Whiskey in the Jar” as their cover for the evening. The night ended with “Nothing Else Matters” and “Enter Sandman.” At the end of “Enter Sandman,” there was a huge fireworks display that went off on each end of the stage. The fireworks came just feet from the new stadium roof. If anyone was going to destroy the brand new stadium, there would be no better way than to have Metallica do it.

For fans who stuck around shortly after James, Lars, Kirk and Robert said their goodbyes, they got to see a trailer for the new album that played on the LED screens. The hype for this November is going to be bigger than any other album Metallica has done. Surely to chart at #1, Metallica will be supporting their new release by hitting the road in early 2017.

Volbeat Setlist: The Devil’s Bleeding Crown, The Mirror and the Ripper, Sad Man’s Tongue, Hallelujah Goat, Dead but Rising, The Gates of Babylon, Doc Holliday, Seal the Deal, Radio Girl

Avenged Sevenfold Setlist: Nightmare, Critical Acclaim, Beast and the Harlot, Hail to the King, Buried Alive, Almost Easy, Afterlife, God Hates Us, Bat Country, Unholy Confessions

Metallica Setlist: Creeping Death, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Fuel, King Nothing, The Memory Remains, The Unforgiven, Leper Messiah, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Sad But True, Wherever I May Roam, One, Master of Puppets, Battery, Fade to Black, Seek & Destroy, Hardwired, Whiskey in the Jar, Nothing Else Matter, Enter Sandman

August 30, 2016
The LOCKN’ Report: Day 3

The Jam ‘Lympics brought out the best in bands on day 3 at LOCKN’. ‘A’ games ruled the day.

In the early going, Moon Taxi? quickly became Moon Taxi! as the Nashville band quickly won over the early afternoon crowd with their Southern rock inflected jams, with highlights being an “All Along the Watchtower” cover and set-closing “All Day All Night” and it’s soaring guitars big rock finish.

Vermont jammers Twiddle spun around the stage next, opening with a lengthy take on “Polluted Beauty” that brought out influences from many jam band mavens before them. Keller Williams came out to lend a hand on “Best Feeling” which ended with a jam on Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal”. The set ended as it began, with a drawn out version of “Jamflowman” which opened groovily but ended in a flurry of explosive guitar rock (which would continue to be a theme on this day).

Stanton Moore picked up nicely on the departing sounds and brought in Galactic with a flourish of drums before the rest of the band joined in. New Orleans native Erica Falls joined the band throughout the set to pick up the vocal duties on songs like “Hey Na Na” and “There’s Something Wrong With This Picture.” The real highlights of the set came when harmonica giant, Lee Oskar, of War fame, came out to add a little more funk muscle for takes on “Slipping Into Darkness,” “Like a Rolling Stone” and nearly half the set overall.

Hard Working Americans brought their rough and tumble barroom rock attitude next. They weren’t going to win on style points, but were trying to crushing it on raw rock power alone. Dave Schools and Duane Trucks provided the engine while Neal Casal’s guitar and Jesse Aycock’s lap steel twist around each other. Lead man Todd Snider lead them through incredible versions of “Stomp and Holler,” “Dope is Dope,” and “Something Else.” With Phil Lesh’s set delayed the band extended their set, Todd Snider taking over with some spoken word ramblings while the band rocked out behind him, building yet another rocking finish. “The answer my friend is blowing in the wind. Well I listened to the wind and it didn’t tell me a fucking thing, so much for folk music,” Snider quipped, like a true rockstar.

The rotating stage and interlocking sets concept didn’t quite work so well for most of the day, including a break of over 30 minutes while Phil Lesh got his friends ready to go. It certainly was a lot of musicians to coordinate. But Phil Lesh is the ultimate coach, and what seemed to be a bizarre collection of players, Lesh knew it would work. With Page McConnell, Jon Fishman, Joe Russo, Anders Osborne and the Infamous Stringdusters it was essentially a LOCKN’ All-Stars. The set took advantage of the players, mixing some bluegrassy tunes like “Dire Wolf” and “Rosalee McFall,” with more stretched out versions of “Uncle John’s Band” and “Scarlet Begonias.” Russo kept the gangly band tight together while McConnell provided an enormous and impressive groundwork for the others to launch from. Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi joined the group for takes on “Mr. Charlie” and “Sugaree,” which saw Trucks and Jeremy Garret weave solos together that was brilliantly unexpected. Leave it to a coaching genius like Lesh to see the potential of the the fiddle and slide guitar to sound so good in that spot.

The Tedeschi Trucks Band left it all on the field for LOCKN’ with a stellar performance. The 12-strong band beat out even Lesh’s assemblance in total manpower. The set ranged from straight blues, classic rock, New Orleans jazz, fusion and soul, and they stuck the landing from every angle. Trucks assumed control of the band throughout the night, taking solo after relentless solo, showcasing his talent in all its magnificent glory. The set consisted almost entirely of covers, including “Within You Without You” (Beatles), “Keep On Growing” (Derek and the Dominos), “Had to Cry Today” (Blind Faith), and “Bitches Brew” (Miles Davis). But the highlight of the set was when all the diverse influences came together for their closing rendition of their own “Let Me Get By,” yet another big rock finish.

Many fans dread a band’s “festival set” due to their generally truncated nature and their tendency to lean heavily on the hits. My Morning Jacket operates in exactly the opposite direction. Their festival sets are something to seek out and look forward to, and their first LOCKN’ appearance was no exception.

My Morning Jacket declared victory with their set opening “Victory Dance.” The bar had been set high by what had come before them. But they set the bar higher, and then vaulted over it with relative ease. An early set “Off The Record” set the scene properly. There had been a lot of rocking on the stage during the day, but none quite as coordinated and ferocious as that. Throughout the set the band would take songs further and deeper than usual, and focused on the songs that could do so. “Steam Engine” got dragged out into a powerful sax lead jam, while “Phone Went West” found a melodic run and built it into a blistering rocker. Every single song in the set seemed to end with the aforementioned big rock finish, the energy reached a point that just could not be topped so they just kept pushing it back to the top. They played tribute to Bob Marley (“Could You Be Loved”), Prince (“Purple Rain”), David Bowie (“Rebel Rebel”) and the world on the whole with a surprisingly fun and rocking “What the World Needs Now.” When “One Big Holiday” reared it’s head, it became clear the energy couldn’t be sustained any longer, and the set came to a close after over 2 hours of relentless rock genius.

Sunday’s artists will need to watch out for splinters after that stage shredding that took place on the penultimate day of LOCKN’.

August 28, 2016
Taste of Country 2016 Day Two: Kenny Chesney Starts A Party On The Mountain

The second day of The Taste of Country Music Festival in Hunter Mountain, NY kicked off around 1:30 pm on Saturday, June 11. As I walked into the ski resort, things felt somewhat different than they did on the first day of the festival. After spending the previous day photographing, exploring the mountain and meeting the hordes of friendly music fans that had made the journey from the surrounding states to spend the weekend enjoying some of the biggest artists in country music, I no longer felt like a stranger on the Mountain. This was the day of the festival that I was most looking forward to, since my favorite country artist is Kenny Chesney. I have seen dozens of great artists perform over the years, and most of them were great shows, but there are very few that I would not get tired of seeing over and over again. Chesney is one those few artists. But before we got to Mr. Chesney, there were many great artists that were going to get the day started, some of which truly impressed me.

Up first was 23 year old William Michael Morgan. Morgan released his self titled debut album this past March 18th, which is coincidentally only a few days from the day that his first child, a beautiful baby girl named Presley was born. When I heard Morgan sing I was surprised at how mature he sounded for his age. He had a deep twangy, classic country sound, that reminded me of Clint Black and Merle Haggard. Given that the country music industry of late has gone in the direction of a pop and sometimes even rap fusion of music, I was did not expect to see such a young artist concentrate on the roots of the genre. Most notable was the single that has brought the new artist on to the country charts, “I Met A Girl” which was co-written by country Star, Sam Hunt. The country love ballad reminded me of how country music used to sound.

After a short break, around 3:00 p.m., Old Dominion took the stage. The group consists of Matthew Ramsey on lead vocals, Trevor Rosen on guitar and keyboard, drummer Whit Sellers, Geoff Sprung on bass, and Brad Tursi on guitar. Three of the band’s members, Ramsey, Rosen and Tursihad, had success in the country industry writing hit songs for the Band Perry, Kenny Chesney, Tyler Farr and even NBC’s country music based drama, Nashville. Their energetic stage presence and unique fusion of pop-rock and country seemed to get the crowd in a great mood. Old Dominion is currently on tour with Kenny Chesney.

Up next to the stage was sibling duo, the Swon Brothers, made up of Zach and Colton Swon. Like so many country artists, the Swon Brothers got their start singing and playing music in their local church. They went on tour with their parents’ gospel group, Exodus, when they were just children. In 2000 they decided to form their own group, and the Swon Brothers band was born. In 2008 Colton Swon was picked to be an American Idol contestant and reached the Top 48 before being eliminated. More recently in 2013, the Swon Brothers were picked by coaches Usher, Blake Shelton and Shakira to be on the artist’s teams for the music competition, in the NBC show, The Voice. They ultimately decided to be on Blake Shelton’s team. The brothers finished in third place on fourth season of The Voice. Their appearance led to a contract with record label, Arista Nashville. During the show, the duo performed their own material as well as covers of Merle Haggard, and even Kings of Leon. Their sound showed hints of their gospel roots, and also mixed in some good old fashion rock.

I made my way to the smaller, indoor Bud Light Stage to see newcomer Elizabeth Lyons. Lyons has had a love for performing from a young age, but decided to complete her education at Vanderbilt University in 2013 before dedicating herself to becoming a full time country artist. She has been featured on CMA Close Up’s “Who is New To Watch in 2014.” She has also opened for country stars like Luke Bryan and Cole Swindell. I would describe Lyons’s music as having a country-pop sound reminiscent of early Taylor Swift which is exhibited in songs like “Boys in Every Zip Code” and “Go Girl”.

Starting at around 6:00 p.m., Eric Paslay began his show on the main outdoor festival stage. Like so many current country music stars, Paslay got his foot in the door of the country music industry writing songs for other artists. He has written hits like “Rewind” for Rascal Flatts, “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” for Jake Owen, and many other songs for the likes of Lady Antebellum and Eli Young Band. Paslay ventured out as a solo artist in 2014 with his self titled debut album. Unsurprisingly, he continued to make hits with songs such as “Song About A Girl” and “Friday Night.” Watching Paslay perform with a great deal of passion definitely made me appreciate the hard work the he had put into his music. I believe that if an artist performs music that he wrote, it can add a whole new layer of visible dedication to the music and that was definitely present in Paslay’s set.

Like a game of tennis between stages, where this reporter was the ball, following Eric Paslay’s set, I ran inside to the secondary stage to catch the performance of McKenna Faith. Faith is a California native and currently the number one selling “Independent Female Country Artist” on iTunes. I would describe the rookie artist’s on stage mannerisms as “girl next door” with a little bit of bad girl thrown in for good measure. Faith had a grin on her face her entire set, which the crowd ate right up. Her enthusiasm and the happiness that she got from performing made me wish her a whole lot of success. Her talent and vocal rage made me believe that this wish will likely come true.

Continuing the trend, following Faith’s last song, I rushed back to the main outdoor stage to see Frankie Ballard at around 7:30. Ballard took the stage dressed like a modern day James Dean, with slicked back hair, wearing blue shoes, blue jeans, a vintage black leather jacket and a red handkerchief around his neck to finish off the look. His rock and roll look fit perfectly with his country rock sound. He kicked off his set with his hit “Young and Crazy” and had the crowd singing along right off the bat. He rolled through his set with his other hits “Sunshine & Whiskey,” “It All Started With a Beer,” and “Helluva Life.” To keep things interesting, Ballard threw a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” into the mix and finished his show with “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.”

Ending the night was the legendary Kenny Chesney, who took the stage at around 9:45. As soon as he walked on stage, the crowd exploded into cheers. Kenny Chesney is one of the reasons that I became a fan of country music. There is something about Chesney’s music with the pictures his songs paint of carefree paradise and loving life, that inherently make you feel good. There is also something amazing about a Kenny Chesney concert that you can only say about a few artists. He leaves it all on the stage and after watching several of his shows in different venues, I believe he is incapable of giving a bad performance.

At the age of 48, Chesney runs, jumps and shouts all around the stage for hours most of the summer and doesn’t show one sign of fatigue. It almost makes me wonder if the secret to the fountain of youth involves drinking Corona and spending your winters in the Virgin Islands (or perhaps that is just what I trained myself to believe). Chesney didn’t waste any time, kicking his set off with his mega hit, “Beer In Mexico,” which got the crowd into the party mood right away. Chesney played all of his hits and the crowd seemed to sing every word with him. In the middle of his set, Chesney spoke about how he was currently touring with Old Dominion and that two members of the band had written a single that he released last year, “Save It For A Rainy Day.” To everyone’s surprise, he then proceeded to invite the two writers and now Old Dominion band members on stage to sing the song they co-wrote.

The collaboration among the three country stars was something awesome to see. The way he flirted and chatted with the crowd, by the end of the night, you felt more like you were one of Chesney’s drinking buddies rather than a fan in the middle of a giant crowd (once again, this may be just what I have talked myself into believing).

At the end of the show, as I walked out to the parking lot of Hunter Mountain, my legs and back were hurting, I was tired and hungry, but I still had a big smile on my face and wouldn’t have changed a thing about my day.

August 27, 2016
The LOCKN’ Report: Day 2

Friday the Jam ‘Lympics at LOCKN’ swung into full effect with it’s first full day of music. In fact, from the opening notes of Upstate New York’s own Donna the Buffalo at 11am at the Blue Ridge Bowl, until Joe Russo’s Almost Dead closed out the night at the same venue well after 3am, there was live music to be heard for over 16 straight uninterrupted hours. As any veteran of the festival scene will tell you, it’s a marathon and not a sprint.

Jam titans Phish closed out a long day at the main stage with a rare non-native festival appearance. After shaking off some early dust through opening takes of “Wilson” and “Down with Disease” the band proceeded to flex their muscles, showing why they are favorites to lead in the medal count at week’s end. Mike Gordon played the part of anchor in their version of the 4×100 relay, pushing and pulling the jams into deeper and funkier spaces throughout the first set. “Wolfman’s Brother” developed into an extended “Sneaking Sally”-esque jam, while the “It’s Ice” interlude grooved extra hard. The words said “falling on the ice” but the execution said, nailed the triple axle.

The second set featured highlight jam after highlight jam, including a crowning jewel of a “Ghost” that had the entire Phish team jelling in ways they haven’t quite yet in 2016. It contained multiple segments, deep pocketed groove, ethereal noodling, raging rock anthem. It segued perfectly into “Bathtub Gin,” which was just another vessel to be navigated into improvisation waters. And the rapids were still raging, and they pushed through it masterfully.

In order to get their proper stage set up, Phish was the only band to not utilize the rotating stage, shunning the seamless set concept with a 1 hour break. But in keeping with the LOCKN’ spirit, their show featured an almost seamless run of songs, with many noteworthy segues and nary a quiet moment, with no inter-song banter whatsoever. Just more wall-to-wall music.

As the fans trudged off the main field following the final rings of the “Character Zero” encore, the main stage laid silent for the first time in 12 hours. Moogatu, Turkuaz and Vulfpeck got the day started off, each hosting their own little dance party. Vulfpeck followed up Thursday night’s preliminary round set with a cover-heavy set, again featuring Antwaun Stanley on vocals. After they played “Game Winner” it was clear they had earned a medal. Joe Dart again showed off his acrobatic skill, performing a handstand for the entire rotation of the stage as their set came to a close.

Austin rockers White Denim rotated around on the other side, with a blast of pure rock energy. Their first few songs featured Scott Metzger on guitar, for takes on “Ha Ha Ha Ha (Yeah)” and a Roxy Music cover, that saw the band take full advantage of the two guitar assault, throwing their hat in the ring with the other jammers that would share the stage.

Charles Bradley’s and His Extraordinaires came swinging around the turntable next, picking up with the rock, instrumentally introducing their team captain, Charles Bradley himself, who was dressed to kill in a black vest and black pants. He lead the band through a program of classic soul and funk sounds that showered messages of peace and love on the overheated crowd. A midset wardrobe change allowed for some more instrumental magic. Charles Bradley, a man that has as many nicknames as the best boxers (including Black Rose and Black Swan) deserves two introductions, and he received it. He finished out the stage decked out in glittering gold, and gold he shall receive.

Peter Wolf, of J. Geils fame, continued with the elder statesmen segment of the festival, careening around the stage with rock star panache. He payed tribute even to his elders, including John Lee Hooker on a cover of “Serves You Right to Suffer.” The set featured straight blues, classic rock, and even dipped into some bluegrass with “Love Stinks.”

Closing out the daytime portion before Phish’s appearance, Ween closed out their two show stint at LOCKN’ with a late afternoon set, of ‘Space age daytime rock.’ In their qualifying round, they concentrated on some rarer material, but for their medal round they played a set full of fan-favorites and hits. A bit more rocking, a bit more accessible, and a whole lot of fun. The set was peppered with heavy hitters that had the crowd singing and fist pumping, particularly a midset run of “Spinal Meningitis,” “The HIV Song,” “Roses Are Free” (unfortunately with no Phish sit-in), “Your Party,” “Bananas and Blow” and ending on a blistering version of “Voodoo Lady.” After shredding a lengthy guitar solo, Dean Ween exclaimed “I got a cramp from all that rocking!” But for Jam ‘Lympics glory it was totally worth it.

More late night fun back at the village, Circles Around the Sun, the one-off band put together by guitarist Neal Casal for last year’s Fare Thee Well webcasts, played their live debut to a packed crowd at the intimate and appropriately named Woods Stage. Lights flashed over the trees giving the essence of a magical forest, and once the band kicked in the magic was ever-present. A four-piece Grateful Dead-inspired all-instrumental groove band, they had the crowd entranced. Meanwhile, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead was back at the Blue Ridge Bowl for more of the same. This time they brought out Nicole Atkins for “Dancing in the Streets” and “Music Never Stopped” and “Turn on Your Lovelight.” The set also featured an explicit bridge between the jam worlds of past and present, as Shakedown Street included a jam on “Bathtub Gin.”

The final notes of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead were still hanging thick in the air later that morning when Keller Williams took the stage for his unique bluegrass takes on the very same source material. But that’s a story for another day. LOCKN’ day three beckons. Stay tuned!

August 27, 2016
In Memoriam: Elliot Tiber, Playwright with Key Role in Woodstock

Woodstock as we know it may not have happened if it were not for Elliot Tiber.

In July 1969, Michael Lang and Artie Kornfeld of Woodstock Ventures found themselves without a venue for a music festival. Described in detail in Robert Stephen Spitz’s “Barefoot in Babylon,” the town of Wallkill had just revoked their permit, and Lang and Kornfeld turned to Sullivan County for an alternate location. Elliot Tiber happened upon the news that they were in search of a location, and while the backyard of the family’s El Monaco Hotel in White Lake, NY would not suffice, the farmland belonging to his friend Max Yasgur was available.

More importantly, Tiber was the President of the local Chamber of Commerce, and had a permit in hand for an arts festival that summer, an annual event held at the motel. But Woodstock would be well beyond what Tiber could have expected when he first met Michael Lang.

Elliot Tiber passed away on August 3 in Boca Raton, FL from complications from a stroke. He was 81.

Born in Bensonhurst on April 15, 1935, Tiber was a graduate of Hunter College, attended the Pratt Institute and taught creative writing at New School University, fine art at Hunter College, and art design history at the New York Institute of Technology.

A gay rights activist and playwright, Tiber wrote the screenplay for the 1976 film “Rue Haute”, which was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film (Belguim) at the Oscars the next year. He was a critical component to the original Woodstock, sharing his life story, and detailed recollection of August, 1969 in Taking Woodstock, later a 2009 movie of the same name by Ang Lee. Tiber wrote also wrote two memoirs, Knock on Woodstock and After Woodstock.

His book Taking Woodstock is part journey through growing up in Brooklyn during the school year and heading to White Lake to the El Monaco Hotel his family ran in the summer. This was following the heyday of the Catskills, and business was far from optimal. Back at home, Elliot came of age during the Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village, leading him to come out while at the center of the largest music gathering in history at that point.

Tiber told Publishers Weekly in 2011 “Coming out in the summer of 1969 was the most dangerous yet liberating thing that ever happened to me.”

The second half of “Taking Woodstock” focuses on Elliot and the small arts festivals he held in town each summer, and as head of the local Chamber of Commerce, he held a permit that Woodstock Ventures would later use to shift their festival from the planned location in Wallkill, NY to Bethel, NY.

Michael Lang said to the New York Times: “Elliot was part of the magic of Woodstock. Without his phone call bringing me to Bethel, Woodstock might never have happened, and for that I am eternally grateful.”

Mr. Tiber told The Miami Herald “When I talk about Woodstock, or when I talk to my friends, it’s like time hasn’t passed … Then yesterday I got out of the shower and thought, ‘My God, I look like my mother.’”

August 26, 2016
LOCKN’ Opens With Scorching Performances

Last week the world’s greatest athletes wrapped up their quadrennial competition competing on the world stage in Rio de Janeiro. The Olympics showcased the greatest talent humans have to offer in achievements of physical performance.

This weekend, on a farm in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia, the most talented musicians in rock are gathering to showcase the greatest talent humans have to offer in achievements of aural performances – it truly is like the Olympics of jam, or in LOCKN’ parlance, the Jam ‘Lympics.

Welcome, #LOCKN! Safe travels to everyone. Infinity Downs is now open for coffee, tasty breakfast, lunch, or just relaxing cool brews. If it’s a lay in a hammock and play some games type of morning… Infinity Downs is the place to be. Show field opens at 5PM, and until then, please be mindful of traffic during this busy time and respect your fellow campers. We’re so excited to have you.

A photo posted by LOCKN’ Music Festival (@locknfestival) on Aug 25, 2016 at 5:31am PDT

LOCKN’ pushed the festival into late August this year, up from early-mid September previously. If the move was made to ensure better weather, it is paying off, with hot and dry conditions that allowed for efficient entry to the festival grounds for the 25,000 fans arriving from Wednesday through Thursday.

Who better than Umphrey’s McGee, back for their third straight LOCKN’ appearance, to carry the torch in to kick off this year’s festivities. Like any good opening ceremonies, Umphrey’s set provided a feast for the eyes, with sprays and splashes of lights constantly bathing the stage in a kaleidoscope of color. This year LOCKN’ is featuring a rotating main stage. So, as opening act Vulfpeck played the last notes of their set, Umphrey’s two guitar attack blasted immediately before the band was even visible. The stage fully rotated, and just like that, Vulfpeck had transitioned seamlessly into Umphrey’s McGee, without a wasted second of silence.

Sometimes it is fun and games. #Umphreys #Lockn

A photo posted by LOCKN’ Music Festival (@locknfestival) on Aug 25, 2016 at 4:42pm PDT

Between the opening notes of “Nipple Trix” and the closing sounds of “All In Time,” Umphrey’s set featured explosive guitar work and bombastic full band improvisations, a relentless assault of over-the-top rock theatrics. Like a DJ scratching on the turntable, the next band to turn around the table, Ween, got remixed into Umphrey’s set, as Gene Ween sat in for a cover of Billy Joel’s “The Stranger.”

The opening ceremonies provided by Umphrey’s McGee was sandwiched between qualifying rounds by Vulfpeck and Ween. Both bands advanced to the medal rounds, and continued with sets Friday.

Who’s ready for Ween? #WeenMe ?: @jayblakesberg #LOCKN #ween #theboognishrises

A photo posted by LOCKN’ Music Festival (@locknfestival) on Aug 25, 2016 at 3:15pm PDT

Relative newcomers to the scene, and riding high over a year that has seen their popularity skyrocket, Vulfpeck properly opened up the performances for the 2016 edition of LOCKN’ with their infectious and slinky funk. At a festival that is sure to feature many sit-ins and a good share of covers, they delivered on both counts, with Antwain Stanley sitting in for a few tunes and secondly with their nifty cover of Steely Dan’s “Peg.” Bassist Joe Dart showed off his gymnastic skills quite literally as he cartwheeled across the stage while getting the crowd involved in a “Christmas in LA” singalong.

Ween closed the main stage Thursday with a career spanning set that in typical Ween fashion completely disregarded rock convention. When at the Jam ‘Lympics, its best to show off your jamming chops, and Ween delivered with a whacked out free form romp through “Poopship Destroyer” that had the band completely bathed in red, with some perfect trippy echoed images being displayed on the big screens and Gene Ween’s voice getting spookily modulated. They segued right into a more spritely “Zoloft” before ending after midnight unceremoniously with “Pandy Fackler.” But as Ween reminded the crowd, “Tomorrow is game day.” Even after the over two hour set, it felt like the show wouldn’t be complete without their impending Friday night set.

The day’s competition may have concluded, but back at the ‘Lympic village the party was just getting started. In the secluded Woods stage EOTO was digging into their electronic groove while the forest flashed hypnotically in reds, greens and blues. Behind a wood door that bore Jerry Garcia’s unique hand print, Garcia’s Forest featured an endless stream of historic Grateful Dead jams. While at the Blue Ridge Bowl, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead reinterpreted the very same music to a packed audience of blissed-out groovers. The music never stops.

Like a two-sport wonder, Dave Dreiwitz, who had just performed with Ween on the main stage, pulled off the magnificient multi-band feat as he immediately appeared on stage with JRAD,the first on stage in fact. JRAD’s set opened with a spacey jam that dissolved into a long drawn out take on “Truckin’,” and then the set just spiraled into a tie-dyed blend of Grateful Dead colors, mixing and remixing the Dead catalog to thrilling effect, with takes on “St. Stephen,” “The Eleven,” “The Wheel” and “Estimated Prophet” peppering the set before a night closing “Terrpain Station.” The band served as the bridge between the ancient Gods of jam and the more modern styles and techniques of today. A perfect summary of what the celebration continuing at LOCKN’ is all about; the perfect way to end the first night and a look forward to the next three jam packed days.

JRAD #LOCKN

A video posted by pete mason (@phanart) on Aug 26, 2016 at 6:47am PDT

August 26, 2016
Ladies Sing the Blues: The 24th Annual Chenango Blues Festival

In 1956, Billie Holiday wrote her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues. Sixty years later, Holiday would be pleased to know that ladies still sing the blues most impressively, as four female band leaders wowed the crowd at the 24^th Annual Chenango Blues Festival, held August 19-20 in Norwich, New York. Davina Sowers of Davina and the Vagabonds, singer/saxophonist Vanessa Collier, sisters Tierinii and Tikyra Jackson of Southern Avenue, and Carolyn Wonderland all displayed powerful vocals and musicianship, as well as overwhelming stage presence that was met by thunderous applause from more than five thousand fans in attendance over two days.

Festival attendees enjoyed perfect weather in a comfortable outdoor setting, and were treated to a variety of roots and blues music styles from more than a half dozen other outstanding acts, leading up to the headliner, New Orleans’ Anders Osborne.

The festival began Friday evening, with the traditional free performances on the tent stage. The crowd grew quickly, with hundreds of fans setting up chairs and pop up tents on the lawn for the following day, as Central New York’s Funky Blu Roots played the fest’s first notes. Fronted by the husband and wife team of guitarist Mikal Serafim and bass player Nancy Giannone, the group included Tom Townsley on harmonica and vocals, drummer Phil Leone, and special guest George Rossi on keyboards. Serafim and Townsley traded lead vocals, backed by Rossi, on primarily original material of blues, light rock, and up-tempo numbers.

Flying in from London the night before the show, exuberant Englishman Laurence Jones next took the stage for his first performance in the United States with his own band. Just twenty-four years old, Jones led his power trio, including bassist Roger Inniss and drummer Phil Wilson, through a high energy seventy-five minute set, featuring his brand new Ruf Records release, Take Me High, produced by the legendary Mike Vernon. Yet again, the Chenango Blues Festival secures its reputation for presenting the very best emerging artists for their Central New York debuts.

Returning to the Chenango Blues Festival was Friday’s featured act, Davina and the Vagabonds. The group was a smash hit on the main stage in 2012. Due to return last year for Norwich’s Thursday Summer Music Series, that performance was canceled after the band was involved in a tragic accident on the day of the show. A man named John lost his life in that incident, and an emotional Davina Sowers dedicated her set Friday night to his memory. Piano, stand-up bass, trombone, trumpet, drums and four vocalists combine for rollicking, barrel house piano songs, a show-stopping cover of “I’d Rather Go Blind,” and her own crowd favorite tunes, including “Pocket,” “Start Running,” and “LipsticknChrome,” all from her release Black Cloud.

Following the tent stage show Friday evening, fans were treated to a jaw-dropping preview performance by Saturday’s opening act, Noah Wotherspoon, at a small local tavern.

At high noon on the main stage, Noah Wotherspoon, the 2015 International Blues Challenge Best Guitarist winner, led his trio through a set that included “Going to Mississippi” from his debut release Mystic Mud, and a handful of cover tunes. The diminutive Wotherspoon, who appears to be much younger than thirty-four, proved that a small band and a small guitarist sure can make a mighty big sound. In addition to gaining new followers, Wotherspoon and bandmates Rob Thaxton (bass) and Brian Aylor (drums) were unabashed fans of the other musicians, chatting up old friends and making new ones. Thaxton commented that he couldn’t believe all the talent he got to hear, and Wotherspoon had a smile a mile wide while talking to Carolyn Wonderland following her set.

Acts alternated between the main stage and the tent stage throughout Saturday’s schedule, and first up under the big top was Berklee College of Music trained singer/saxophonist Vanessa Collier. She started off with a funky tune that easily won the crowd over, and toward the end of the set, had one of the festival’s highlights, a walk through the crowd during an extended rendition of Joe Zawinul’s “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” made famous by his bandleader, Cannonball Adderley. Collier made a point of making eye contact with members of the audience, a very effective technique to keep fans engaged. It is up-and-coming debut acts like Collier, Jones, and the next act, Southern Avenue, that made the 24th Annual Chenango Blues Festival so special to its fans. Collier’s sax, vocals, and award-winning songwriting can be heard on heart soul & saxophone.

Immediately following Collier’s set, Southern Avenue took to the main stage. Sisters Tierinii (vocals) and Tikyra Jackson (drums, backing vocals) along with Ori Naftaly (guitar) and Daniel McKee (bass) showed tremendous versatility playing blues, gospel, soul, funk, and more. Tierinii Jackson is a compelling vocalist, as showcased on a slinky tempo-changing cover of Prince’s “Kiss,” and accompanying McKee’s infectious bass on Bill Withers’ “Use Me.” The band spent time last month recording at the Zebra Ranch in Independence, Missouri, in anticipation of their debut release in 2017 on the prestigious Stax Records label.

Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons presented a unique glimpse of much older musical songs and styles, as the duo explained the origin of many of the songs, performed with combinations of guitars, banjo, fiddle, and harmonica, performed with a vintage microphone. Under the tent, the IBC award winners made listeners feel as though they were transported back to the early twentieth century.

Curtis Salgado is a favorite vocalist of many blues/soul aficionados, and his voice paired wonderfully with the Hammond B3 organ handled masterfully by his keyboard player. The 2013 Blues Music Award Entertainer of the Year, singing to his ex in the time-honored blues theme of love gone wrong, explained “I learned more about the blues in two weeks with you than twenty years of B. B. King.” His latest recording, The Beautiful Lowdown featuring “Walk a Mile in My Blues,” is available from Alligator Records.

Duke Robillard played a stripped down set of semi-acoustic material, accompanied by Bruce Bears on keyboard, and Brad Hallen on stand-up bass, in support of his 2016 Blues Music Award winning album, The Acoustic Blues and Roots of Duke Robillard. He will release Blues Full Circle, with special guests Jimmy Vaughan, Sugar Ray Norcia, and Kelley Hunt in September 2016.

Canned Heat hit the main stage and got the crowd boogieing to the familiar strains of “Goin’ Up the Country.” Original members Fito de la Parra (drums) and Larry “The Mole” Taylor (bass, guitar) were joined by John Paulus (guitar, vocals, bass) and Dale Spalding (vocals, harmonica, guitar.) The band is touring in celebration of their fiftieth anniversary, and concluded with an extended version of their hit “Let’s Work Together.”

Although she has played several times throughout New York State, Carolyn Wonderland’s first appearance at Chenango was eagerly anticipated, and she delivered a dynamic set to a raucous, sweaty, appreciative crowd. Backed by Bobby Perkins on bass and Kevin Lance on drums, Wonderland blew the roof off the tent early in her set with “Judgement Day Blues.” She was demonstrably thrilled to have guitarist Eric McFadden from Anders Osborne’s band (who sported a pink daisy shaped small scale guitar) join her for a couple of tunes, including “Two Trains.” The Austin, Texas based Wonderland paid tribute to her home state’s Freddie King, concluding her evening’s show with an incendiary version of his “Palace of the King.” I will go, and I have gone, a long, long way to hear this woman play guitar and sing. You should too.

Anders Osborne stalks the stage like a party looking for a place to happen. Expressive, energetic, and engaging, it’s hard not to feel good when Osborne and his top notch band start making noise. Carl Dufrene on bass and vocals, Eric McFadden on guitar, and Tony Leone on drums are all renowned musicians with impressive resumes. Highlights of Osborne’s set included “Different Drum,” “Flowerbox,” “Fools Gold,” “Mind of a Junkie,” “Higher Ground,” “Lafayette,” “Back To Mississippi,” and “Louisiana Gold.”

Two days, twelve acts, thousands of fans, a small army of critically important volunteers, and tremendous community support add up to twenty-four years of “Keeping the Blues Alive.” Congratulations to the 24th Annual Chenango Blues Festival for another unsurpassed success! I can’t wait ‘til next year.

August 25, 2016
Claypool Lennon Go To Bat for Local Artists at Canalside Buffalo

The decision to pull two popular local bands scheduled to open for the free Claypool Lennon Delirium show tonight at Canalside has caused a lot of uproar and negative attention for the popular duo. The news first surfaced on Facebook yesterday, when Kickstart Rumble & Randle and the Late Night Scandals addressed their fans to apologize for the cancellation of their performances. After the surge of responses online, the local acts have now been added back to the bill for the evening.

According to All WNY News, both bands attributed Claypool and Lennon’s “refusal to share the stage with local acts” as the reason for this last minute change.

Kickstart Rumble first informed their fans via Facebook with a message shortly before 8 p.m. that said “BAD NEWS: Even though we won the Canalside/Public Battle of the Bands, due to a contract/booking/talent issue, the headlining act refuses to share the stage with a local act, so Kickstart Rumble will NOT be the opening act at tomorrows final Canalside Thursday concert. We thank everyone who voted for us. We really had a special show planned for you for the big stage…. #winnersturnedlosers”

Randle and the Late Night Scandals confirmed the rumor shortly thereafter with their own Facebook announcement: “Sorry Fandals. With less then 24hrs notice we have just been informed that our scheduled opening for Claypool Lennon at Canalside this Thursday has been canceled due to the headlining act “refusing” to share the same stage with local opening acts. We were offered a small stage to the side of the venue, with no rain cover but we declined and stand in solidarity with Kick Start Rumble. The Scandals had planned a special show for our fans, and feel this substitution would only compromise the quality of performance we wanted to share with the public. Thank you to all of those that took part in The Public Choice online voting and those who supported us.”

However, the announcement of their return to the schedule is indicating that Les Claypool and Sean Lennon heard of the incident, and personally contacted their management to request the local bands to get their spots back.

CONCERT UPDATE!: After all the comments the local bands will perform thanks to Les Claypool and @seanonolennon!

— Buffalo Waterfront (@BufWaterfront) August 25, 2016

Canalside Buffalo UPDATE on tonight’s Free Thursday Canalside Concert!: After all the social media comments, Les Claypool and Sean Lennon themselves went to their management teams and made the decision to let the local bands play tonight! The new set times for tonights last concert will be:

Randle and the Late Night Scandals: 6:00 p.m.
Kickstart Rumble: 6:45 p.m.
JJUUJJUU: 7:35 p.m.
The Claypool Lennon Delirium: 8:30 p.m.

Both local bands have posted an update to reflect their gratitude for being back on the schedule, and to Claypool and Lennon for standing up for local talent.

August 25, 2016
Around the World in One Song: The Cross-Continental Story Behind Holy Forest “Africa Calling”

From the lush green wilderness of Gambia to a Chelsea studio, here’s a story behind a 21^st century cross-continental roots song by Holy Forest.

Members: Jon Fine (Guitar, Bass, Keys). Ed “Preachermann” Holley, Sparlha Sparlha Swa, Morley, Tata Din Din Jobarteh, I’kyori Swaby, No Surrender and S.T. (Vocals). Tata Din Din Jobarteh, Youssoupha Sidibe (Kora). Morgan Harris (Guitar). Ebon Moss-Bachrach, I’kyori Swaby, Jesse Hofrichter (Keys). Jordan McLean (Trumpet). Martin Perna, Freddy Deboe (Baritone Sax). Stuart Bogie (Tenor Sax). Pierre Davis, Taagen Swaby, Sean Clete, Steven Heet, Sebastian Bauer (Drums). Matt Hauser, Marcus Burrowes (Percussion). Kristine Kruta (Cello).

Have you seen a list of personnel this long and eclectic since Paul Simon’s Graceland?

Recorded over three years in studios across Africa, New York City, Woodstock and San Francisco, Holy Forest is an ensemble is a melting pot of sonic and cultural abilities. And it adds up, too: only people of different religions, ages, ethnicities, nationalities and professional backgrounds can come together to make genre-bending music so whole, so variegated yet so astonishingly coherent. Unlike Graceland, not even one golden Hollywood party is brought into question. No, Holy Forest stays close to the matter in focus: love and distance.

The genesis of Holy Forest takes you back to the lush green wilderness of mangrove swamps of that line River Gambia. Almost four years ago, musician and documentary filmmaker Jon Fine (the force behind Herbie Hancock’s Possibilities and Still Bill) took a trip down to Makasutu Forest, a woodland reserve in West Africa. Over the course of his visit, Fine connected with Tata Din Din Jobarteh, Gambia’s legendary 21-stringed kora player. When Fine heard Tata Din Din’s modernist approach to the strings, he immediately recognized the potential. Holy Forest was born. Since, John Fine has been the primary guardian of the ensemble, fully immersing himself in production, performance, songwriting and collaboration for their self-titled debut. Fine used his career-long knowledge and connections to reach out to a number of critically acclaimed musicians, including members of Antibalas, singer-songwriter Morley, the Grammy nominated kora master, Youssoupha Sidibe and rising Gambian star ST. Among nontraditional musicians Fine tapped were the Brooklyn-based afro-punk band No Surrender, Bay area singer Sparlha Swa, and Harlem’s resident soul singer Ed “Preachermann” Holley.

Photographer/director Andrew Zuckerman, who had been working with Jon for years, allowed Holy Forest’s live band to rehearse in his Chelsea studio. Andrew then brought old friend, musician and music creative David Hoffman into the picture. Because of Hoffman’s connections in the indie-rock world (Hoffman is also the manager of chart-topping indie/alt rock band Joywave), he proposed the idea of an “Africa Calling” remix. Jacob Asher of Joywave (aka Benjamin Bailey) jumped at the opportunity.

The result? Asher doubles down Preachermann’s vocals to add a near-visual depth to the track. He refines the sound unobtrusively, waxing on a resinous layer that doesn’t detract from the soul of the “Africa Calling.” Instead, the DJ and Joywave keyboardist lets the generous, woody warmth of the holy Gambian forest fall through onto a waterbed of trap beats, sealing it for radio and clubs alike.

“Africa Calling” has traveled the world, filtering through the woods aligning narrow coastlines, to the speakers of boutique vinyl shops of East London only to find its way on to BBC Radio 6. Who knows where the destiny of “Africa Calling” lies? All we know is that it’ll continue breaking musical barriers, diving headfirst into Afrofuturism. And Asher’s remix is only another chapter to the Holy Forest story.

Listen to the Jacob Asher remix of “Africa Calling” below:

August 24, 2016
Cortland’s First Porchfest Arrives on August 28

Nestled within seven beautiful valleys lies Cortland County, known mostly for their top-tier college and booming agriculture. But for those outside of Cortland, it is often just a city to pass through on their way to Ithaca or Syracuse. Molly Andrejko (of Molly and the Badly Bent Bluegrass Boys) and several other key community members and neighbors are trying to change that.

Molly and the Badly Bent Bluegrass Boys

The first Cortland Porchfest will be held Sunday, August 28 from Noon to 5pm on Van Hoesen between Chestnut and Harrison Streets in Cortland. Attendees will be able to visit 13 porches throughout the day, with activities and music running continuously. Organizers of the event encourage people to bring their kids, family members and friends to an event in which they hope to see grow in years to come.

The idea of a Porchfest isn’t new. Ithaca started their own years ago, spawning into a thriving day of local music and community activities. Cortland has even had their own share of success with local festival Seedstock, which this year had grown from one to three days with camping, local food vendors and artists. Cortland Porchfest is trying to do something different, however; a free event, focusing on giving the younger generation access to an audience they may otherwise not have is just one of the goals in which Andrejko and others are aiming for.

Organizers will be taking donations to give to the Cortland City Youth Bureau’s music program, in hopes of giving children access to instruments and music. It is important to keep the youth interested in activities that could, in the long run, substantially benefit the community. Donations will also be going toward a yet-to-be-determined local parks initiative in an effort to lend a hand to the beautification and safety of local parks.

The Local Farmers Union

In a celebration of past and future, Porchfest hopes to show the community exactly how lucky they are to have an abundance of talent in their backyard. Many participants had parents who grew up in the neighborhood, and on any night of the week you could take a walk around the block and hear a band practicing. It’s just the way it has always been. Cortland is a musical hot spot, and maybe with the help of Porchfest, younger bands and artists can get the exposure they deserve but don’t normally get.

“I chose to come back here,” says Andrejko. “I want to raise my children in a community that continues to give back and inspire the youth.” And she isn’t the only one. Cortland Junior High music teacher Jen Rafferty has been giving her all to give children access to information and music that they may otherwise not have. In addition to starting a rock guitar class, she is constantly seeking ways to keep kids energized and interested. A few high school bands will be performing at Porchfest, including the band Epoch. In a world where children are exposed to the arts less and less, it is a blessing that there are people trying to change that.

Austin MacRae and Casey Widger

In addition to many musicians donating their time to the event, there will also be a handful of children’s activities including face painting, crafts and storytelling. Nate the Great will be showcasing his juggling skills, Lime Hollow Nature Center will be tie-dying, and Uncorked Creations will also be in the mix. Studio Z Dance Troupe will also be showcasing their talent. To say there is a little something for everyone is an understatement.

Performers: Molly and the Badly Bent Bluegrass Boys, Horsepurse, Jimmy Lawler, Clint Bush, Rachel Beverly, Sanderson Swingtet, Rosie & Mary, Colleen Kattau, The Purple Valley, ForkWad, Homer Brass Ensemble, Steve Morgan, Dana Twigg & Stephen Bradley, Rocky Bottom Trio, Amanda Nauseef, Dry Glaize Creek, Austin & Casey, The Unknown Woodsmen, jazzhappensband, The Local Farmers Union, and Ben & Jen.

August 24, 2016