Dopapod just wrapped up their Fall Tour with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, performing more than 30 shows across the eastern half of the U.S. The guys sat down with NYS Music publisher Pete Mason prior to their Putnam Den show on October 26 to discuss collaborative sets with Turkuaz and The Werks, performing at Red Rocks and the return of Neal ‘Fro’ Evans to the lineup.
Tag: dopapod
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Photo Gallery: Dopapod w/ Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY played host to Dopapod and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on Saturday, November 19. Check out some of the the action below.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Setlist: Walk Outside, Stay, Too Long, Lightning, Poseidon, >Horizon->Eyes of the world->Horizon, King Kong, Fortress, Time to RideDopapod Setlist: My Elephant Vs. Your Elephant, Flipped, FABA, November, Nuggy Jawson, Foxy Lady*, Nude^, Vol. 3 #86, The happy song->Trickery, Braindead
Encore: Blast, You Oughta Know”
*Jimi Hendrix Cover
^Radiohead Cover
“Alanis Morrisette Cover -
Photo Gallery: Dopapod and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Funk Saratoga Up
Dopapod and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong brought their tour through Upstate New York Wednesday, October 26th, arriving at the Putnam Den to a packed house prepared for a night of dancing, spectacular lighting and more than 3 hours of flowing funk and prog rock.
Highlights from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s set include the ending trio of “Spacejam > The Hop > F.U.,” while Dopapod had a monster trio of their own: “Present Ghosts > Priorities -> Vol. 3 #86” and “Onionhead” with “Like a Ball” sandwiched in between.
Stay tuned for a NYS Music in Motion interview with Dopapod next week.Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Setlist: Too Long, Julia, Fun In Funk, Burning Up My Time > Funk E Zekiel^ > Burning Up My Time > Offshoot, Whoopie, The Liquid > Upfunk, Spacejam > The Hop > F.U.
Notes:^ UnfinishedDopapod setlist: Psycho FABA intro>FABA*, Present Ghosts > Priorities -> Vol. 3 #86, Trickery, Super Bowl > Onionhead^ -> Like a Ball > Onionhead% > Nuggy Jawson
E: Nerds#*contained Psycho Nature teases
^contained teases of Run Like Hell, YYZ, Thunderstruck, and Like a Ball
%contained Nuggy Jawson tease
$contained NBC teases; the band also went into the outro of Pink Floyd’s “Sheep”
#Greg Ormont from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong sat in on Tequila Girl banter
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Catskill Chill Closes out Summer at New Minglewood
Catskill Chill rounded out the New York summer festival season September 24-26 with a stacked line-up and a new location. Moving just a few miles from its former location in Hancock, NY, the Catskill Chill found a new home this year in Lakewood, Pa. Previously held at Camp Minglewood, this year the Chill found its new home at New Minglewood and included an extra day of camping and more music.
The festival’s inaugural Thursday night pre-party was a great addition to the weekend. Twiddle highlighted the evening with two sets including a sit-in with Scott Hannay of Mister F. Although the turn out for the night’s first two bands, Aqueous and Jimkata, was light, the packed house for Twiddle verified that many festival goers had taken advantage of the Thursday night ticket.
Arriving early had more benefits than just the music. Many festival attendees enjoyed the ability to set up camp and explore the grounds before the barrage of attendees arrived on Friday. “The best part of the Thursday ticket was being able to get the choice camping spots.” Jennifer Bliss of Saratoga Springs, NY told NYS Music. “It was also nice to have our camp ready to go, so that we could really enjoy the music on Friday.”
Mike Gordon drew the largest crowd of Friday Night to the main stage. Among the songs performed, the Phish bassist debuted “Let’s Go,” a tune generally reserved for a Phish set list. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic also enjoyed a great turn out, many of whom had never seen the master of funk live. “I had only heard the name George Clinton, but didn’t really know what he was about. Thinking about it, that set might have been my favorite of the weekend. I liked that Chill has artists like that on their line-up,” noted Brian Thomas of Cleveland, Ohio.
Other much talked about sets on Friday night included Pink Talking Fish and Pink Talking Fu. The Pink Talking Fish set included a variety of Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd with a sit-in from Kung Fu’s Tim Palmeri on “Great Gig in the Sky” and “Crosseyed and Painless.” The B Stage was turned into a dance party during Pink Talking Fu (Pink Talking Fish and Kung Fu.) The two bands highlighted the music of David Bowie and Prince in a tribute set that featured both top 40 hits and beloved deep tracks. Shira Elias of Turkuaz and Hayley Jane both sat in for vocal performances throughout the set.
Friday’s sleeper sets included music by Funky Dawgz Brass Band, Mister F and Goldfish. All three bands are well worth seeing and turned out amazing performances.
Saturday’s main stage was highlighted with an assortment of musical styles that kept the variety going throughout the day. Ryan Montebleau, Cabinet and Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass added an element of relaxation and chill while Lettuce and Particle were funky and dance worthy.
The B-Stage popped off thanks to sets from Turkuaz and Tauk. Formula 5, Big Something and the Magic Beans all generated note-worthy buzz at their various sets on Saturday as well.
Saturday was the day of tribute sets, providing a plethora of familiar music performed by some of the festivals most beloved artists. Fikus and Shwizz came together to perform as Shwikus Plays the Beatles, while the Heavy Pets played the 80’s and Lespecial paid tribute to Primus.
“I just loved all of the tribute sets at Chill,” mentioned Nick Augustine of Silver Springs, MD. “Every one that I saw was executed perfectly!”
The most intriguing set of the night went to Turbine, whose RadioDead set was at times mind twisting and enigmatic. The concept – Radiohead songs played in the style of the Grateful Dead and Grateful Dead songs played in the style of Radiohead. Turbine did a stellar job of translating the songs into the respective styles, so much so that many attendees couldn’t quite wrap their heads around what they were hearing. “Wait, is this Radiohead or the Dead?” was overheard often during the set.
For the second year in a row, members of Dopapod and Turkuaz brought the house down during their tribute set, this year with a tribute set to the preppie-loved classic soft rock of the 80s known as Yacht Rock. The set was fun, campy and executed with perfection. It’s a nod to both groups of Berklee trained musicians, as they take such care with music that could otherwise be dismissed. Somehow they find a way to celebrate not only the music, but the production quality that feels like you are square in the middle of a musical time capsule.
Josh Schwartz (Turkuaz) receives MVP nods for his spot on vocal tribute to soulful baritone Michael McDonald. However, Rob Compa who tackled vocals on the Eagles classic “Hotel California” as well as the entire Dopakuaz crew wins honorable mention during a production perfect version of the song. The set also included the most “had to be there” moment as Dopapod bassist Chuck Jones took to the Chill Fam seas with a stage dive and crowd surfing adventure.
The Chill Fam All-Stars tribute to Michael Jackson was another highlight of the night, however, many festival attendees were turned away as the Late Night Hall was packed to capacity before the music even started. However, despite not everyone being able to attend, the set was highlighted by the vocals of Elise Testone, whuch were a milky and smooth compliment to the original. The Chill Fam All- Stars included Eric Gould (Pink Talking Fish); Adrian Tramontano and Robert Somerville (Kung Fu); Shira Elias, Chris Brouwers and Michelangelo Carubba (Turkuaz); Danny Mayer (Eric Krasno Band); Steve Molitz (Particle) and Robert Volo on trombone (Deep Banana Blackout).
Sunday’s Main Stage was highlighted by performances from Dopapod, Greensky Bluegrass and Electron. Although the festival grounds and attendance at sets appeared to begin to thin out by Sunday afternoon, festival goers that stuck it out were also treated to great performances by Perpetual Groove, Tom Hamilton’s American Babies, The Werks and Broccoli Samurai.
Sunday’s most noteworthy performance went to Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. They made the most of their two sets, including a two-hour cover set late night at Club Chill. The set was one of the most sit-in heavy of the weekend including performances by Tom Hamilton, Shira Elisa (Turkuaz), Steve Molitz (Particle), Elise Testone, and Rob Somerville (Kung Fu).
The New Minglewood grounds felt like home for many Catskill Chill veterans. The added facilities of more “play areas” including the basketball courts by the B-Stage created a fun vibe that more people plan on taking advantage of next year. Wins for the new location included closer parking to the camping grounds, more common areas and the B-Stage, whom many felt housed the best music and sound of the weekend.
However, despite the great sound at both the main stage and the B-stage, many festival attendees found themselves hanging outside both Club Chill and the Late Night Hall due to the facilities acoustics. “It was really loud in both the indoor venues,” noted Mike Dustin of Allentown, PA, “For the most part, we chose to just sit outside and listen there. It just literally sounded like we were watching music in a high school gym. So much of the sound quality was lost.”
Most of this year’s attendees agreed that the cabins, vendors and security were in sync with previous years. However, it was noted by several folks that this year the port-a-potties in the camping areas could have used much more attention, as the usual daily cleanings of the facilities seemed to have been missed in at least one location.
As the weekend’s attendees packed up and returned home, most were happy with the new location and the line-up. But beyond that, it was the Chill Fam vibe that most were pleased to be a part of. “Chill is my favorite festival – hands down,” said Kelly Kepler of Portland, Maine. “I was scared that this year would be different, that changing the location would mean all the things we loved about Chill would be different. Honesty, I think it was better. It was a great way to bond with new people because everyone was on even ground. It only made our little Chill family stronger. I can’t wait for next year!”
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Catskill Chill Offers Fierce Line-Up at New Location
If you’re not quite ready for the summer to end, the Catskill Chill offers many music lovers one last chance to spend a weekend immersed in sights and sounds at the festival’s new location. Just a mere ten miles southwest from its former location, 2016 ushers in a new era for the festival at the New Minglewood. This year’s basic festival ticket includes three days of music and camping starting September 24-26.
Catskill Chill kicks off this year with a Thursday pre-party, a new addition for the festival. At the mere cost of $45, the pre-party offers a powerhouse line-up of northeast festival favorites. The inaugural evening features Buffalo grove rockers Aqueous, jamtronica favorites Jimkata, two sets from Vermont’s Twiddle and superduo Trakstar featuring Todd Stoops (RAQ) and Rob Chafin (The Werks). The evening will be filled with high energy music that looks to set the bar high for future pre-party festivities.Martie Locke who will be traveling from King of Prussia, PA, said that the Thursday pre-party is actually what sold him on the weekend. “It’s amazing. Aqueous, Jimkata and Twiddle offer some of the best musical vibes,” he told NYS Music. “I think Thursday night could be some of the best fun of the weekend. Well worth the price of the entire ticket.”
For folks not making the Thursday festivities, the entire weekend is packed with creative collaborations, solid headliners, as well as up and coming artists from all over the country.
Friday offers a mixture of relaxed vibes and funk. Zack Deputy kicks off Friday’s Main Stage music. Kung Fu offers the day’s first look at Main Stage funk takeover while funk masters George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic and Phish bassist Mike Gordon headline the Main Stage on Friday evening. Pink Talking Fish are sandwiched in between the two powerhouses, with their performance on the B Stage, creating a solid five hours of music.
Ryan Montebleau sets the mood for the Saturday Main Stage, with Cabinet and Keller Williams offering up a Saturday afternoon filled with Bluegrass vibes. Lettuce closes out the Saturday Main Stage Music.
Sunday’s Main Stage is a variety of musical genres. Roosevelt Collier’s NY Get Down will feature Dopapod’s Rob Compa and Eli Winderman as well as Michelangelo Carubba and Taylor Shell of Turkuaz. Bluegrass favorites Greensky Bluegrass and electronic rock masters Dopapod fill out Sunday afternoon. Electron will conclude the activity on Sunday’s Main Stage
This year’s Catskill Chill is filled with a variety of beloved music performed by some of the festivals most respected veteran artists as this year’s Chill is jam packed with tribute performances. Friday night will feature Pink Talking Fu paying tribute to this year’s passing legends David Bowie and Prince.
Saturday hosts the majority of these performances. Shwikus, featuring members of Shwizz and Fikus, will pay tribute to the music of the Beatles. The Heavy Pets bring their highly praised Tribute to the 80’s, while fans of Primus will want to check out Lespecial’s Primus set in Club Chill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN246u0Q7J8
Dopakuaz, featuring members of Dopapod and Turkuaz, returns after a memorable performance of the music of Studio 54 at last year’s Catskill Chill. This year, the two bands have collaborated to showcase the best of classic 80’s preppie soft rock, also known as Yacht Rock. Saturday night’s tributes will conclude with the Chillfam All-stars Tribute to Michael Jackson. Fans of Led Zepplin should catch Elise Testone’s tribute set on Sunday. Bitches Bloom will perform the music of American Jazz legend Miles Davis on Sunday as well.
The Catskill Chill is also offering a few unique choices on their 2016 line-up. Primate Fiasco’s unique blend of Americana, street band and off humor lyrics are a refreshing change of pace for almost any festival line-up. Meanwhile, Reed Mathis (Tea Leaf Green) and Electric Beethoven featuring Jay Lane (Primus, Ratdog),Todd Stoops, Cochrane McMillian (Tea Leaf Green) and Clay Welch will perform a set of “classical dance music” with a reimagining of Beethoven classics.
This year’s line-up is also highlighted by a laundry list of this summer’s most buzz worthy bands. Hailing out of New York State, Mister F, Formula 5 and TAUK continue to make noise on festival line-up’s all over the Northeast. Hayley Jane and the Primates are Chill vets, but their rising stock makes the Vermont based group one of the weekend’s acts to see.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Tom Hamilton’s American Babies are other noteworthy artists for the four-day weekend. North Carolina’s based Big Something and Boston’s progressive eletrofunk outfit Strange Machines have also been gaining steam all summer long.
“Strange Machines is just so epic and progressive as they make you want to dance harder,” said Nick Augustine of Maryland, “They blow me away again and again every time.”
The Werks, Turkuaz and Indobox are also solid, ‘can’t go wrong’ choices amongst this year’s jam packed line-up.
First time attendees will find themselves on even ground with experienced Chill attendees, as everyone will be learning the festival’s new lay-out. However, festival organizers look to make the transition a bit easier by keeping stage names and key amenities the same.
However, beyond the music, the hope of most attendees is that despite venue changes, the “Chill Fam” will maintain the vibe that has, in part, kept the festival growing.
Rachael Dube from Vermont, a four-year Chill attendee isn’t worried about the venue change. In fact, she says she is excited for the new location. “There is just something pretty righteous about moving it from the original spot you know? Change is beautiful and inevitable, nothing should stay the same forever. Being able to take the great base that we have created at the Chill, and move it wherever we like, seems pretty cool to me. It’s something special that’s for sure.”
And it’s not just the festival goers that are excited for the vibe that the festival offers. Scott Hannay of the band Mister F was a three-year Chill attendee before his band played the festival in 2014. He told NYS Music, that it’s the “the ubiquitous Chillfam” that makes the festival special. “The vibe, the staff, all that music and unique combinations of musicians, it all melds together in a way that other festivals do not. Chill is exactly that, Chill.”
Tickets for general admission as well as VIP packages are still available.
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Dopapod Reunites with Former Drummer
Berklee-born, Brooklyn-based improv specialists Dopapod are going with the Fro. The band announced a reunion with drummer Neal “Fro” Evans Wednesday. Evans stepped away from the band in 2013 for personal reasons and was replaced by Scotty Zwang.
Speaking to Evans’ homecoming, a statement released by the band said, “As we count our blessings for every moment we’ve experienced while surrounded by a wonderfully supportive family of fans, we’ve also found ourselves recounting the original chemistry that undeniably forged the path that we’re grateful to be walking.”
Zwang appears to be exiting the band under cordial circumstances and is working on other projects.
Evans’ first shows back behind the kit will be at the Resonance Festival in Thornville, OH and Catskill Chill festival in Lakewood, PA at the end of September.
Dopapod recently announced an extensive fall tour with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.The tour kicks off in Jacksonville, FL on Oct. 5 and includes several New York stops throughout the trek. The Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, Syracuse’s Westcott Theater and Buffalo Iron Works will all get an upstate taste of the “DopaPong” fall tour, while Irving Plaza is paid a visit later in the tour.
Dopapod/Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Fall Tour:
Oct. 5 – Jacksonville, FL – 1904 Music Hall
Oct. 6 – Gainesville, FL – High Dive
Oct. 7 – St. Petersburg, FL – The State Theatre
Oct. 8 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
Oct. 9 – Orlando, FL – Venue 578
Oct. 11 – Macon GA – Cox Capitol Theatre
Oct. 12 – Columbia, SC – Music Farm
Oct. 13 – Richmond, VA – The National* w/ The New Deal
Oct. 14 – Darlington, MD – Luna Light Festival
Oct. 26 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Den
Oct. 27 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place
Oct. 28 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground* w/ West End Blend
Oct. 29 – Northampton, MA – Pearl Street
Nov. 2 – Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater
Nov. 3 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works
Nov. 4 – TBA
Nov. 5 – Morgantown, WV -Mainstage*
Nov. 10 – State College, PA – The State Theatre
Nov. 11 – Charlottesville, VA – The Jefferson Theater
Nov. 12 – TBA
Nov. 17 – Stroudsburg, PA – Sherman Theater
Nov. 18 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
Nov. 30 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
Dec. 1 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
Dec. 2 – Charleston, SC – The Pourhouse
Dec, 3 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre
Dec. 6 – Chattanooga, TN – Revelry Room
Dec. 7 – Nashville, TN – Exit / In
Dec. 8 – St. Louis, MO – Ready Room
Dec. 9 – Iowa City, IA – Gabe’s
Dec. 10 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
Dec. 11 – Champaign, IL – The Accord
Dec. 14 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Blind Pig
Dec. 15 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Brewery
Dec. 16 – Milwaukee, WI – The Miramar Theatre
Dec. 17 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue TheatreCheck out the full GoFro view of Evans performing at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston back in February 2013 for a glimpse of what will come with his re-entry.
https://youtu.be/pjOTDAoeGdo
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The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival Exceeds Expectations
The 7th annual Werk Out Music and Arts Festival at Legend Valley Music Venue and Campground was stacked for success with a powerhouse line-up.
Taking place in Thornville, Ohio, August 4-6, it was more than just the music that fueled the success of this year’s festival. Anchored by moving tributes in honor of former Werks’ keyboardist Norman Dimitrouleas, as well a plethora of artist sit-ins and breakout performances, this year’s festival was marked with emotion and surprises.
The Werk Out’s biggest surprise literally fell on STS9 drummer Zach Velmer, when a female fan managed to bypass festival security. Once onstage, the fan made Werk Out history by attempting a trust fall onto Velmer and his kit. STS9 left the stage to regroup and returned for a high energy second set that closed out the Main Stage on Friday Night.
Friday afternoon was highlighted by the Big Damn Jam’s performance of the Beatles’ classic album Abbey Road. The performance was dedicated to Dimitrouleas, who passed earlier this year. As a member of Big Damn Jam, Dimitrouleas always wanted to perform the album. After his passing, BDJ decided to honor him posthumously with the performance at this year’s Werk Out Music Festival.
The Abbey Road set included a rotating cast of musicians most notably Dino Dimitrouleas (The Werks), Todd Stoop, Alex Delk (Octopus’ Garden), Marcus Cornwell (The Vibe) and Justin Robb (Litz) as well almost a dozen other musicians throughout the afternoon set. Most of the musicians participating had played with Dimitrouleas in various projects over the year. During the set, fabric flowers fashioned from Dimitrouleas’ old shirts were passed out in his honor. Fans and musicians wore them on hats, backpacks and various pieces of clothing throughout the rest of the weekend.
The tributes to Dimitrouleas continued throughout the weekend including The Werks’ Saturday night encore with a dedicated performance of “Carry Me Back Home.”
“I’ve never been so emotionally touched by a musical performance as I was during the Werks encore tribute to Norman on Saturday night,” said Zachary Burns of Grand Rapids, MI. “Everything from the crowd chanting ‘DINO! DINO! DINO!’, to Dino’s speech before the song starting, to seemingly every member and a good portion of the crowd crying during ‘Carry Me Back Home.’ That was the definition of being happy and sad at the same time.”
The Werk Out’s most talked about performance came in the form of the Twerkapod “Tribute to the 90s.” Featuring members of Twiddle, The Werks, and Dopapod, the Friday night late night set was packed with a mix of obvious choices (Green Day, Blink 182, Sublime, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine) and stunning surprises (Britney Spears, Hanson and TLC). Highlighted performances from the set included “Gangsta’s Paradise” which featured a perfect reproduction of the song’s ending choral arrangement and Twerkapod’s word perfect performance of TLC’s “Waterfalls.”
Fans of The Werks weren’t in agreement on which of the weekends multiple sets were the band’s best. Most found that each of the weekend’s set contributed a different experience for the weekend.
“I really enjoyed the first Werks set on Thursday,” noted Tyler Raymond of Michigan. “I’ve seen the Werks more than any other band and the sound and production was top notch from them. The way the light show was coordinated with the band was seriously next level. You could really tell that they were putting the shows on for us and that the guys really love us.”
Dino Dimitrouleas, currently on a hiatus from bass duties with The Werks, joined his band mates on several occasions for sit-ins throughout the weekend starting Friday night. “When Dino came on stage in the tent everyone was so happy” Raymond told NYS Music, “Definitely a moment to always remember.”
Vermont based quartet Twiddle continued to create a buzz about their unique brand of jam. Raymond also noted that the band’s Saturday night sunset performance on the Side Stage was among his favorite non-Werks set of the weekend. “They are moving up the list of my favorite bands quickly because what they bring to the take is so fresh and different than anyone else out there right now.”
The weekend also featured several breakout performances. New York’s Mister F and Teddy Midnight created a buzz in the Big Tent Stage. North Carolina’s Big Something capitalized on their first Werk Out appearance on the Side Stage with a high energy afternoon performance on Saturday afternoon, while Maryland based band Litz turned heads during their Big Tent Stage set, which featured a sit-in from Twiddle keyboardist Ryan Dempsey.
In fact, the weekend was full of sit-ins including Twiddle’s Mihali Savoulidis and The Werks’ Chris Houser performing with Greensky Bluegrass and Dopapod’s Rob Compa shredding during Twiddle’s “Apples.” And according to Derrick Webber of Ypsilanti, MI, these sit-ins add a new element of musicianship for some of his favorite musicians. “It blows me away to hear such clean performances from guys that don’t typically play together, and the passion they still have is inspiring.
The weekend’s ultimate sit-in featured members of the Werks, Twiddle, Greensky Bluegrass and Big Something in Matt Butler’s Everyone Orchestra. Butler finds a way to coordinate a variety of musical sounds, while leading his EO members to create unique and one time only jams. Twiddle bassist Zdenek Gubb stepped on stage to lead the EO to the highest energy, grooved out dance party of the set. However, Houser received the set’s MVP award for showcasing a variety of styles, genres and face-melting solos throughout the performance.
Beyond the music, the Werk Out featured a large number of vendors, giving attendee’s a variety of food, beverages, merchandise and crafts to choose from over the weekend. Vendors for the weekend all were competitively priced, creating a fairly priced and active marketplace throughout the weekend.
Nick Augustine, a first time Werk Out attendee from Maryland, noted that his favorite non-musical part of the weekend was the fire spinners and propane dance floor set up near the late night stage. “What a cool addition to the atmosphere!”
The Werk Out looks to return to the Legend Valley Music Venue and Campground for its eighth installment next August. The venue has plenty of space for the festival to grow without the inconvenience of having to move locations to accommodate its growing popularity. What the Werk Out does right is that it cultivates an environment of friendship and community while packing its line-up with musicians and artists that clearly have solid working relationships and mutual respect for their fellow musicians.
Augustine, who told NYS Music that he will be making the Werk Out an annual addition to his summer festival plans, said it was the overwhelming sense of community that made the festival a stand-out event. “The staff, the crew and the people were all adding to making this festival fun, beautiful, exciting and safe. From the decorations to the sound and lights to the amount of good vibes and vending, this festival was one of the best I’ve attended!”
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The Werk Out 2016 Looks to Pack a Punch
Nestled inside the Legend Valley Concert Venue and Campground, the Werk Out looks to be the sleeper festival of Summer 2016. With a jam packed lineup and the intimacy of a smaller venue, this year’s festival features a variety of musical acts, vendors, craftspeople and activities. Now in it’s seventh year, the festival returns to Thornville, Ohio, August 4 through 6.
Headliners and host band The Werks will perform all three nights, while Twiddle and Dopapod will hit the stages for two nights. STS9 tops the lineup with two sets while funk masters Lettuce and The Motet lead the festival’s late night efforts.
The Werk Out will also play host to several tribute sets including the highly anticipated Twerkapod “Tribute to the 90s” featuring members of The Werks, Dopapod and Twiddle as well as Daft Phunk – a Daft Punk tribute performed by Earphunk.
Bluegrass sensation Greensky Bluegrass, rock/funk fusion band Kung Fu, hip-hop funktronica Manic Focus, NYC Funk outfit Turkuaz, and the Everyone Orchestra featuring Todd Stoops round out the already diverse, funky and fun weekend of music.
The festival is also packed with many of Ohio’s finest up and coming festival artists including Broccoli Samauri, reggae rock fusion Tropidelic, and Ghost Gardens.
Other must see non native Ohio see include North Carolina based rock jam fusion Big Something, Maryland-based band Litz, and New York state based bands Mister F and Teddy Midnight.
“Don’t miss the Glostik Willy late night set on Saturday Night/Sunday morning,” noted Grand Haven, MI, native Zachary Burns, a three-year vet of the Werk Out. He also suggests getting to the venue early to take advantage of wooded shady camping, as space in these areas is limited.
“Definitely don’t skip out in the Disc-O-Pizza vendor,” Burns also suggested. “ Some of the best/fairly priced festi food you can get.”
Columbus, Ohio native Jake Ashworth agrees with Burns. “When in need of food, seek out Disc-O-Pizza. And Gilligan’s has the best smoothies.”
Ashworth also mentioned taking advantage of the showers near the stage to stay cool and suggest if you want to post up in your hammock, to get there early because “the trees fill up fast.”
Music begins on Thursday at 4 p.m. Saturday day passes are available at the gate for $80. Weekend passes are still available and can be purchased in advance or at the gate. Camping is included. No alcohol is sold during the festival, however, according to the festival website, “Please bring your own alcohol for the weekend. And some to share.”
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Camp Bisco Settles in at Sophomore Effort on Montage
Camp Bisco is a household name at this point. Just its mention can inspire mixed emotions; from love to disdain. After a long stint at Indian Lookout Point in Mariaville, NY, Bisconauts found a steep new home for Camp Bisco last year at the Montage Mountain Performing Arts Center in the “Electric City”, Scranton, PA. Returning July 14, 15, and 16 for the second round, Montage seemed to have a much better inclination towards the larger crowd that Bisco inevitably draws year after year.
Thurday, July 14 was pleasantly welcoming upon arrival compared to the tediousness of last year. The security lines moved much more quickly both on and off site, and the shuttle system ran smoothly. Once inside, campers had a plethora of events to choose from. Beginning promptly at 10AM, a yoga class at the Above the Waves stage kicked off the weekend’s bevy of Wellness programs. A Festival Fuel seminar followed at noon, a talk that gave information as to which food would best combine portability, nutrition, and ease of preparation; extremely useful for any frequent festival goer. It seemed that Bisco was aiming to make its patrons not only headier, but healthier, this time around.Speaking of heady, Philadelphia based DJ Josh Wink set the bar high for all of the electronic acts that would follow with his 5PM set. With his career blossoming in the club scene of the late 80’s, Wink has been an internationally touring act for decades. Playing in front of a smaller crowd than he had in years was no deterrent for this old pro, and Wink had the crowd moving in a matter of measures. Dopapod hit the Above the Waves stage at 6:30PM, coming hot off their summer tour with an air of confidence. Opening with “Vol. 3 #86” and thundering right along into “Black and White”, the boys were in prime form as usual. “French Bowling” lead to a highly unexpected and face melting “Black Sabbath” tease. Fan favorite “Trapper Keeper” wrapped things up.
Lotus was on deck for the Electric City main stage at 8:30PM. Being the eve of the release of their new album, Eat the Light, the trance-fusion giants were in sync. They debuted a new track titled “Sleep When We Are Dead” off of the forthcoming album, and closed the set with “Bush Pilot”. Beginning right on time at 10:30PM, the fathers of Camp Bisco, the Disco Biscuits took the stage. “Triumph” launched the evening into orbit, followed by “Papercut”, which hadn’t been played in over five years. A whimsical cover of “Safety Dance” got everyone to look at their hands, and took us back into the end of “Papercut”. Without a single ending the entire set, the Biscuits jammed right into an Great Abyss, wherein they let the projection light show loose under the seemingly sailcloth pavilion, revealing a truly stunning addition to this year’s production value. “42” took us into the ending of “Nughuffer”, the jam between exploding off the stage like liquid hot shrapnel. Eager was the mood of the crowd, almost impatient to see the Biscuits’ next sets.
Bisco veterans Orchard Lounge kick started the Friday festivities on July 15 with some filthy deep house beats. Being their 9th appearance at the festival, the trio floored the crowd with a qualified style. Thundercat continued to electrify the main stage at 4PM with a sophisticated brand of jazz-fusion that only bassist Stephen Bruner can deliver. Lettuce ensued, though seemed lacking in the wake of such intense technical musicianship as the Thundercat brought. 7PM rang in the Disco Biscuits first set of the evening. Humidity wasn’t the only reason for a high moisture level, as guitarist Jon “The Barber” Gutwillig slid into the opening bars of “Jamilia” with a sensuality that made the ladies blush. “Park Ave.” completed the segment, as Bisco classic “Caterpillars” brought us into an inverted arrangement of “Mulberry’s Dream”. The band seemed to struggle through “Feeling Twisted”, as bassist Marc Brownstein took off his five string and clumsily muddled around on his less mastered instrument, the mini-synth. The conclusion of “Caterpillar” rounded out the set.Odesza provided a wonderful set break. The production duo incorporated analogue instruments into their electronic soundscape, with a stage presence that matched their enticing visualized display. The Disco Biscuits returned fashionably late around 10:45PM, getting straight down to business with a crackling “Strobelights and Martinis”. The segment continued with a skin tight “Spraypaint”, into a galloping and mysterious “Lunar Pursuit”, which was supplanted by a “Helicopters” that took it in for a landing. Keyboardist Aron Magner gently guided us into the terrifying tale of “Spaga”. After the smoke cleared from a completion of the previous night’s “Nughuffer”, “Spraypaint” took the evening to a cheerfully teary eyed end.
Saturday July 16 was chalk full o’ fan favorites, starting with Tom Hamilton’s American Babies at 1PM. Ott grooved next, bidding a warm farewell and asking everyone to stick around for the Biscuits’ day set to follow. Rolling out another classic cover, the Biscuits pulled the pin with “Pygmy Twylyte”. Next was an inverted version of “Humuhumunukunukuapua’a” which they recently played during the Bisco Inferno run in Denver, CO. Decidedly matching the sunny mood, the Grateful Dead’s “Viola Lee Blues” continued the cover trend. The segment continued with a stunning “Shelby Rose”, leaving many first timers with an apprehensive grin. “Little Betty Boop” concluded the first in the trilogy of Biscuits sets. The crowd seemed excited for Jewish rap superstar Lil Dicky, AKA Leftward Slopping Penis, but expectations were crushed for the first 15 minutes of the 6PM set, as there was an alarmingly obnoxious “hype” man screaming into a microphone and making air horn noises from behind a turntable. Lil Dick came out at a seemingly random moment and performed none of his well known comedic songs, instead going back and forth with an unknown rapper in perverse and simpleminded rhyme.Back to business. The opening tune of the Disco Biscuits 7:30PM set matched the state of the crowd, as we were all “Sweating Bullets” in the heat. Drummer and percussionist Allen Aucoin’s technical precision was blatantly evident during the transition into “Minions”, which gave way to an eerily heavy “Pimp Blue Rikkis”. There was a unique smell and smoke in the GA pit, that of the oddly familiar multidimensional moth ball variety, as a wicked crispy “Aceetobee” jammed into their debut cover of Men at Work’s “Down Under, back out to “AC2B” and into another debut, the Grandmaster Flash’s “White Lines”, concluding with an absolutely smoldering “Aceetobee” outro. Zeds Dead reminded us what trap was after that. STS9 began at 10:30PM, sounding a bit mailed in. Many wandered over to the Above the Waves stage where Marshmello was turning brains into gooey mush with his hypnotic yet subtle drops. The weekend came to its pinnacle at 12:30AM that final night, with the Disco Biscuits closing shop. “King of the World” is always a ripper out of the gate, heading straight into “Little Shimmy in a Conga Line”. “Cyclone” was ironically interrupted by incumbent weather, and after a 40 minute break for safety’s sake, they broke back into that jam almost seamlessly. Going straight for the throat with the peak of “Basis for a Day”, next the Biscuits cooled it down a little with “Tricycle”. Inverting even further by going back to the intro of “Basis”, the end of “Little Shimmy” made sure those who were paying attention were kept on their toes. Another “Basis for a Day” jam, this time in a more traditional order, pulled the musical cruise that was Camp Bisco XIV back into port. The “Story of the World” encore had a few flubs, but over all left fans with their hands to the band as everyone got ready for the classic crowd picture that wraps up all prominent Disco Biscuits weekends.
Another year, another Bisco for the books. Most agreed that Montage Mountain seemed much more suitable this year than last, with some logistical and personal experience now under their belts. Camp Bisco began with the notion that Jam and Electronic fans alike could enjoy not only acts on the same bill, but spending a weekend together in a music scene melting pot. Bisco 2016 exemplified the idea perfectly.