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The Motet Brings the Funk at The Warehouse

The Warehouse at FTC in Fairfield, CT was alive with jive on Saturday August 13 with The Motet and special guest Mammal Dap lighting up the stage. The pit was near filled to the back wall with fans and every single person having the time of their lives. It would not have been the party that it was without newly added Motet frontman Lyle Divinsky, amping up the crowd and maintaining an inhuman amount of energy throughout the two set performance.

The opener Mammal Dap was a unique group that brought a big sound to the venue. The four mammals out of Massachusetts combine rock, EDM hip-hop and funk to make a sound that isn’t too avant-garde but was without a doubt an exceptional and intriguing performance.

At the start, there were several people in the front of the stage, most talking amongst themselves, distracted by friends and drinks with people of all ages and attire scattered across the venue. It was an unexpectedly diverse crowd with some kids, 18-year-old at least, wearing tattered Converse shoes, fishnet stockings, band t-shirt and a Hello Kitty backpack. Meanwhile upstairs, several men wearing three piece suits are sipping on mixed drinks talking and laughing with friends.

Most of the crowd’s attention was drawn to the stage when Mammal Dap performed their first song, “I Want To Be Your Friend.” The track had recognizable sounds from all different genres: a hip-hop drum beat from Colin Jambert, rocking guitar riffs from Killian Karlsson, the EDM aspects from the keys and synthesizers played by Zak Cross, and funky grooves from the bass performed by Rhees Williams. Picked apart instrumentally, the sound isn’t all that interesting. The drumming can be a tad bit repetitive and the main riff from the keys can get a little old as well, but take the music as a whole and it can really start to be appreciated. Saturday night was a party, and a party needs some background music. This is not to say the music wasn’t appreciated, and that there weren’t interesting drops and riffs, but picked apart player by player, the music loses its purpose. This is not to say the musicians aren’t talented. There’s a decent amount of improvisation and they mess around with some pretty challenging time signatures, like in their second song of the night, “Starbirth.” The performance is just appreciated better as a whole.

They jammed on for about an hour, accruing more and more attendees from the upper level and really setting the scene for the night. Some other hits from the setlist were ambient still, but tracks like “Lost” had more of a direction to them, unlike “Starbirth” which felt stuck in the same groove at times, although the beats were very grabbing. Nevertheless, it got the room moving and got people excited for the main event, The Motet.

“Good God,” was all anyone could say when the funky bunch hit the stage. They were simply electric, a constant flow of energy and power. And it wouldn’t have been the same show with Divinsky. His passion for the music was just infectious and one couldn’t help but feed off of his energy. He and Garrett Sayers were recently added to The Motet’s line up and fit in seamlessly. Someone naive to the band’s history would have no idea they weren’t the original members.

The group from Colorado defines themselves as having roots from funk, afrobeat, disco, electronic music and soul, while putting a modern jam and improvisational feel to their songs that gets the crowd moving and the party started. Their sound is tight, but very powerful, much like the styles of funk bands in the late 1970’s and early 80’s. These classic groups are what band leader Dave Watts used as inspiration when he first started to toy with the idea of creating a funk band. Their sound is like a mixture between Earth, Wind and Fire and James Brown: tight, funky and moving.

Their first song was, predictably, very much just a funky, 10 minute jam. Everyone had their shot to flaunt a solo or two, along to a tight, but open groove that had a fun, unpredictable direction to it. Their second song of the night, “Like We Own It,” had the same feel to it, with a little less improvisation to it and more typical song structure, but was still a blast to listen to. The keys, played by Joey Porter, really started to shine here because of the use of the main riffs of the song in his solos. That’s something that takes some great talent to do and it’s something that the crowd can really appreciate. The trumpet player, Gabe Mervine, struts his stuff as well, playing a more jazz like solo with long flowing riffs, as compared to the keys quick jabbing notes. Both solos were very fitting though and a huge hit with the crowd.

“Know It Too Well” came up next, off their recently released album Totem. It had more of a Parliament feel to it, in other words, it wasn’t as tight and fast as other tracks. The feeling is very laid back and flowing but still upbeat and hard hitting. There’s some more work from guitarist Ryan Jalbert, who has a little bit of fun but stays fairly reclusive, but only to really shine in later tracks.

“Power” came up next, and one can really start to see how much this band relates to James Brown, especially Lyle. His dance moves alone are reminiscent of The King, as he scooted and shuffled his feet across the stage, dripping with sweat only a half hour into the show. The band puts their own, very jam band influenced twist on the tight and funky song, bringing the song down to a tamed, quiet drop to allow members to screw around on their instruments. Mervine got a little dissonant and jazzy during his solo but still retains a good chunk of melodic notes. He rides on the groove for sometime before the band jumps into a “Fame” tease to give saxophonist Drew Sayers some fun on his mic followed by Dave Watts pounding away at his kit for the first time of the night. His set was fairly small but he used crazy amounts of color to make a hell of a solo. They ran through a few more off their new album including “Truth” and “Fool No More” before they made their way onto the second set of the night.

The second half started off with “Damn” from Totem and Jalbert really started to get wild on his frets. The crowd went wild when he would fly all the way up the neck and when Lyle would scream all the way to the top of his vocal range. They sounded incredible together and they really connected on this song. Up next was “Back It Up,” a laid back, swinging kind of groove, highlighting Porter once again, followed by “So High” and “Rippin’ Herb.” A highly anticipated cover, “Serpentine Fire,” finally came around and it was uncanny how much it sounded like Earth, Wind and Fire. The classic 70’s funk band and The Motet differ in so many ways, especially in size but they sounded impeccably close to the original, of course with their own jam twist on the track. The chorus requires Lyle to really stretch his pipes and he does so with ease. They finally wrapped up their night with one last Earth, Wind and Fire cover “Mighty Mighty.” They perfectly closed their set with something to showcase every person on stage and to give the audience something super catchy to sing along to with Lyle.

It seemed no one was expecting such an energetic performance from The Motet. The group was drenched in sweat and so was the audience with smiles stretched on everyone’s face as they walked out.

September 1, 2016
Chris Brown Taken Into Custody After Home Gun Incident, Posts Bail

Chris Brown just can’t help himself, as he finds himself in trouble again. NBC News reports that the Hip Hop and R&B singer was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department after law enforcement showed up to Browns house with a warrant. An unidentified woman claimed that Brown had threatened her with a gun.

The early morning incident happened when the unidentified woman claimed that Brown had pointed a gun at her before she left his gated estate in Tarzana. Police received a phone call around 3:00 a.m., sending several patrol cars to Brown’s home early Tuesday.

Lt. Chris Ramirez told reporters that, “Mr. Brown is going to be transported where he will be arrested for ADW (Assault with a Deadly Weapon).” Police stated “Brown will be formally booked sometime Tuesday night, or early Wednesday morning.”

As of this afternoon, Lt. Ramirez stated that people were removed from the residence, and interviews would take place following a “protective sweep” of Brown’s home. Ramirez also told reporters that the investigation is still ongoing, and the search still being conducted and evidence collected. He would not comment on whether a gun or any other weapons were found on the premises due to the investigation still being on-going.

Sources also reported to NBC that witnesses say Brown, who has recently pleaded guilty to a felony assault for another crime, refused to come out of his home when officers arrived. Some witnesses on the scene were uncooperative.

Brown released a video on his official Instagram account. The profanity laced video has Brown saying that he is fed up with police showing up to his house. Brown stated “Every three months, y’all come up with something, bro. What is it? What’s going to be next?” he asked, adding, “At the same time, when I call police for stalker people … they don’t come until the next day.”

Brown’s most famous dust up with the law is when he assaulted his then girlfriend singer Rihanna, after a night out on the town in 2009.

According to the Associated Press, Brown was released late Tuesday after posting bail of $250,000.

August 31, 2016
Hearing Aide: Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda ‘All the Little Things’

Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda’s latest album All the Little Things, recorded at Applehead Studios in Woodstock, NY, is one of the most diverse albums to hit the record stores in some time. Covering styles ranging from ‘80s rock, to bluegrass, to jazz, to Broadway musical, to Bing Crosby/Frank Sinatra era music, listening to this album is a bit like listening to a playlist on shuffle. Able to switch effectively from its dreamy start with “I Stayed Home,” to the big band brass sounds on “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You,” to the traditional folk style of “But It Don’t Worry Me,” the band showcases its brilliant versatility.

Made up of a core group of extremely talented and hard-working Colorado-based musicians, including Pete Pidgeon himself on lead vocals and guitar, Glenn Patcha on a variety of keyboards and the accordion, Justin Guip on drums, Catherine Popper on upright and electric bass, these musicians are brilliant enough to have been able to attract and collaborate with some pretty impressive guests on their latest effort. In fact, on the album’s third track “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You,” none other than Levon Helm is featured during one of his last studio performances! (You have to be darn good to be able to put that on your resumé!) On the tracks featuring guest musicians, the band really allowed the influences from their guests’ respective bands to come through, with “Tonight I’ll Be Staying With You” sounding particularly reminiscent of The Band, “The Ways We Change” featuring a more twangy sound most likely influenced by Chris Pandolfi of The Infamous Stringdusters, and the funkier style present on “The Wind and the Lover” in great part due to the help of Ryan Zoidis from Lettuce.

Pete Pidgeon has an amazing vocal range, both in terms of notes he can hit and styles he covers. His voice sounds like a cross between Ryan Adams, Jackie Greene, and Toy Caldwell, lead singer of Marshall Tucker Band, if you can imagine that. Joined by his bandmates’ singing on several of the tunes, as well as guest female vocalist Sarah Perrotta (who hails from right here in the Hudson Valley), the harmonies are uncomplicated yet gorgeous. Glenn Patcha deserves a round of applause for the incredible range of sounds and styles that come out of his keyboards, taking the listener on a musical journey effectively changing the mood from song to song during its constant changes of style, providing a solid foundation for the rest of the band to build upon. To top it all off, Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda were joined by the incredible brass sounds of The Two Dolla Crack Horns.

On Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda’s latest album All the Little Things, no two songs sounded at all the same, yet they all seemed to fit together extremely well. It will appeal to people from across the musical spectrum, and give listeners the chance to effortlessly give other genres a chance. And you wouldn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to hear Levon Helm during one of his last studio performances now, would you?!

Key Tracks: Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You, But It Don’t Worry Me, Wasted Child

August 31, 2016
Lakeview Attendees Go Somewhere On A Beach with Dierks Bentley

Pulling up to the parking lot at the Lakeview Amphitheater filled with country fans tailgating and grilling, you could feel the the excitement and fun in the air as they eagerly awaited their chance to go “Somewhere on a Beach” with Dierks Bentley.

As they filed into the dusking lakeside pavilion and claimed their space on the lawn, it didn’t take long for the crowd to take notice Tucker Beathard the flat capped country artist, as he and his “mother tuckers” hit the stage. For those not familiar with him, they quickly made the connection as he sang his current hit “Rock On”, joining along as they got this party started.

Cam, this bubbly new country sensation, was the next artist out and her excitement and crowd participation kept the fans dancing and singing, winding the crowd up just a tad bit more. She made a special effort to sing “Happy Birthday” to the ‘gorgeous blond in the front,’ as she called her, making it a night that fan would never forget. As the sun was setting on this blonde firecracker, she sang her hit “Burning House,” a tune that originally captured the attention of the Nashville scene and bringing a light to this sunny entertainer as both a songwriter and entertainer.

Randy Houser followed Cam with such a powerful voice that he made the Amphitheater shake with his heartfelt sound. Backed up with one of the best bands in Nashville, Randy and the guys had the crowd singing along to “Like a Cowboy”, “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight”, as well as many of his other chart breaking hits. For those that have never seen Randy Houser, his set is always a crowd pleaser and mind blower.

With a quick set change, Dierks Bentley hit the stage to a roar of screaming fans. Dierks and the band brought the show to the fans by joining them out in the crowd, taking the opportunity to move around the amphitheater and making sure the fans were part of the show no matter what seat they bought. Dierks always brings the party to the stage when he performs, and this show was not short on fun with a night of joking, music, and even fulfilling a kiss request by the boyfriend of a fan. After a lengthy discussion and many jokes, Dierks quietly fulfilled the request by depositing a kiss on her cheek as the lights went out after the song, fulfilling the wish, and keeping his teeth intact.

As the set closed and the encore ensued, the blast of a plane onto the stage shouldn’t have surprised us by that time, as he made his way out in a pilots costume. Inviting all his friends to join in, this guaranteed the cherry on top of a fun filled evening of country music for all at the Lakeview Amphitheater.

August 31, 2016
Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin with the Guilty Ones to appear at Earlville Opera House

Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin are well known as founders of the prominent Los Angeles band the Blasters, which existed where blues, punk, country, and rockabilly found a way to intertwine and helped spark the resurgence of what has come to be known as roots rock or Americana music. In the late 1980’s, the brothers went their separate ways with solo acts and side projects, until rejoining forces for 2014’s Grammy nominated Common Ground, a tribute to Big Bill Broonzy. Dave Alvin’s driving guitar work, along with Phil Alvin’s powerful howling vocals, and backed by the Guilty Ones, make for an irresistible sound on last year’s release, Lost Time, also available from Yep Roc Records. That recording saw Dave and Phil continue to pay homage to their influences, and includes four songs written by Big Joe Turner, who they had met when still teenagers. Turner had been a friend and mentor to the Alvins until his passing in 1985.

As for the enduring appeal of the music they play and cover, Dave Alvin has said, “In some ways, this type of music doesn’t die. It goes through bleak periods or droughts, but I think there’s always going to be a type of kids like us, who are looking for something else. We may not be in the majority, but there will always be a sizable minority of oddballs that find purpose in old music, find meaning in the older music, and then take it wherever they’re going to take it from there.”

On Friday, September 2, the Earlville Opera House will present Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin with The Guilty Ones, along with special guest opening performer Sarah Borges, beginning at 8:00 p.m.

The Earlville Opera House is an intimate, historic building originally constructed in 1892. A limited number of tickets remain available for the show, and may be purchased through the Earlville Opera House.

August 30, 2016
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
Hearing Aide: STS9 “The Universe Inside”

Soundtribe Sector 9 (STS9) has come back from their space oddesey to release their 5th studio album The Universe Inside. If you’re looking for the instrumental sound tribe of yore you won’t find it here. Most of The Universe Inside is rife with vocal samples which sometimes don’t hit the mark.

This album has a lot of potential, as there is no denying that these are extremely talented musicians. Yet the pop style vocals often felt unnecessary instead of complimentary. For instance the beginning of “Worry No More” had me waving my hand around like Christina Aguilera performing an Aretha Franklin song. As the song continued though the vocals seemed overbearing, instead of helping to showcase the instrumentals.

Although for me, less is more when it comes to the samples, they still retained their essence, especially in the later tracks. A lot of the songs have a fun, disco feel, like a soundtrack to a psychedelic roller rink. The bass lines are the highlight of “Out of This World” and “Get Loud.” Their new bassist Alana Rocklin is incredibly talented, and it’s great to see a woman of her caliber at the forefront of a popular jam band.

The middle to the end of “Give & Take” is both soulful and futuristic which falls in line with their efforts to develop “a new kind of electronica that combines the energy of 21st century dance music with the dynamics of a band.” If it’s dance music you’re looking for, you’ve found the right place, . The Universe Inside is undoubtedly an album that will get you moving, and even have you singing along.

The Universe Inside is set for release September 2.

Key Tracks: World Go Round, Give & Take, The Universe Inside

August 29, 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
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
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