NYS Music 20​16

Tag: Phish

  • Phish Blaze On: Night Three at MSG Review, December 30, 2016

    In a sea of tourists, NYC inhabitants and phans with one phinger in the air hoping to score a miracle ticket for less than their internal organs, Madison Square Garden welcomed all walks of life back through its doors on December 30, 2016 for night three of Phish and their annual four-night NYE run.

    phish december 30 2016The third night was most certainly a charm, as the foursome wholeheartedly delivered with their highly anticipated NYE gigs, bringing a juggernaut of material both new and old to the forefront of their explosive jams. The penultimate gig kept up with tradition of openers from both the 28th and 29th,  kicking off with an acapella rendition of  “Carolina,” leaving a sardine-packed and immensely energetic MSG crowd silent and still. Following the 28th’s acapella opener of “The Star Spangled Banner” and the 29th’s  “Sweet Adeline,” “Carolina” found Trey, Mike, Page and Jon digging deep in their archives and offering their first bust out of the night–having not played the tune since 2003 at Greensboro Coliseum.

    phish december 30 2016Phish “Blazed On,’ through the second set with crowd-favorite “The Moma Dance,” “Gumbo” and a fitting choice of “Cities” which had the whole building hypnotized on foot. ‘The Old Home Place,” eased into a “Bathtub Gin”  scorcher, complete with arena rock vibes, dense jams and enchanting licks.

    phish december 30 2016“Things People Do” served as the first “Big Boat” performance of the run, before launching into “My Friend, My Friend.” The first in a triad of Joy tracks sprinkled throughout the night, came fully equipped with face-melting jams and moody red and black lighting. The next track found every phan in the house shouting “Wilson” across a sea of wide eyes and color spectrum donut lights. A light-hearted “Sugar Shack” delighted the audience as the night’s second track hailing from Joy, before a fully-welcomed “You Enjoy Myself.” Complete with trampoline bounces and all, YEM closed out a magnificent first set for a thankful MSG crowd.

    phish december 30 2016The second set magic quickly rolled out with a funky take on “Tweezer” which led into The Who’s 1969 Tommy track, “Sparks.” A crowd sing-a-long was incited on “Ghost,” until the Joy trifecta came to an end with “Light,” as things dove into a lengthy, swampy “Party Time” jam.  Ease washed over the crowd with a soft take on “Wading in the Velvet Sea” just ahead of closing out the second set with another cover, The Osborne Brother’s “Rocky Top.”

    Played last time in New York for a SPAC crowd, Phish encored with The Velvet Underground’s “Rock n’ Roll.” It felt more appropriately placed this time, however, in the city that front man Lou Reed often based his music on. A transcendent segue led into a fiercely received “Tweezer Reprise,” which closed night three with energy spiking through the roof.

    Between page’s keyboard kinetics, phishman’s double down drumming, gordon bumpin’ bass slaps and trey’s fireworks across the fretboard, phish left little to the imagination. The beloved jam band has so far proven that they can cap off a year filled with an abysmal onslaught of celebrity deaths, political turmoil and environmental concern, making you forget all of the madness if only for a few hours. 
    Tomorrow will end the NYE run and after three nights of unforgettable music at the world’s most famous arena.

    Setlist via Phish.net

    Phish, December 30, 2016, Madison Square Garden, NY, NY

    Set 1: Carolina, Blaze On, The Moma Dance > Gumbo > Cities, The Old Home Place, Bathtub Gin, Things People Do, My Friend, My Friend, Wilson, Sugar Shack, You Enjoy Myself

    Set 2: Tweezer > Sparks > Ghost > Light -> Party Time Jam, Wading in the Velvet Sea > Rocky Top

    Encore: Rock and Roll, Tweezer Reprise

  • We Keep it Rollin – Night Two of Phish at MSG, December 29, 2016

    Phish is halfway through their 4 shows at Madison Square Garden and we’re looking at one of the best holiday runs in recent memory. Starting off each of the last two nights with an acapella number (“Sweet Adeline” on the December 29, 2016, “The Star Spangled Banner” on the 28th), bust outs galore (“Lonesome Cowboy Bill,” “Kung,” “Secret Smile”) and powerhouse jams that are sending us into 2017 with a head full of steam.

    Phish December 29 2016The 29th featured an intense “Peaches en Regalia” post-“Adeline” that dropped into a strong “Mike’s Song,” and while many were itching for the elusive second jam in “Mike’s,” the vibe was interrupted by “Secret Smile,” the first since 2013. “Smile” cast a lull before “Weekapaug Groove” and “Roses are Free” provided a needed jolt of energy, “Theme from the Bottom” > “Split Open and Melt” was a fantastic pairing to cap a well rounded set.

    Phish December 29 2016Opening the second set with “Down with Disease,” Phish launched into an expansive jam with an awkward shift into a blissful “What’s the Use?,” followed by “Fuego” which grew into a “Meatstick” that was well jammed. “20 Years Later” gave up its jam for “Kung” which slowly drifted into “Makisupa Policeman” with a “vaping” keyword from Fishman. A perfectly placed “Harry Hood” ended the set with incredible bliss and joy throughout the audience, especially this guy and ended with a “Julius” encore that literally had the venue bouncing with joy.

    Two down, two to go.

    Phish, December 29, 2016, Madison Square Garden, NY, NY

    SET 1: Sweet Adeline, Peaches en Regalia > Mike’s Song > Secret Smile > Weekapaug Groove, Roses Are Free, Poor Heart, 46 Days, Brian and Robert, Beauty of a Broken Heart, Theme From the Bottom > Split Open and Melt

    SET 2: Down with Disease[1] -> What’s the Use? > Fuego > Meatstick, Twenty Years Later -> Kung -> Twenty Years Later > Makisupa Policeman, Harry Hood

    ENCORE: Julius

    [1] Unfinished.
    Setlist courtesy of Phish.net

  • NYS Music Talks JAZZ IS PHSH with Founder Adam Chase

    NYS Music sat down with Adam Chase, one of the founding members of JAZZ IS PHSH, to talk about two musical projects he’s currently involved with. Both JAZZ IS PHSH and The James Brown Dance Party were launched last year, and were well branded. They quickly gained notoriety due to the musicians involved in both projects. The James Brown Dance Party, however, tends to book more selective performances, such as the upcoming New Year’s Eve show at the Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan.

    jazz is phsh adam chaseBoth bands were formed by the Chase brothers, Adam and Matthew, and feature musicians from everywhere.  The beautiful thing about both projects is that a constant variety of musicians can take the show in a completely different direction than previous performances. For the James Brown project, they try to do big and fun special performances, with some smaller runs of shows here and there. This year, the thought came up to reunite with the Giant Country Horns. It had been thirty years since they played together with Phish. Chase went on to say, “when we reached out to them, and proposed the idea of reuniting, they all got so excited. We have Clyde Stubblefield playing, who was James Brown’s original drummer. He’s the original funk drummer. Any funk beat can be traced back to him. Having someone prolific like that just adds to the whole fun energy.  There will be lots of different musicians playing too. Elise Testone is singing, who’s a tremendous vocalist.  I imagine there will be other special guests as well.”

    The vibe that Phish puts out for their shows, especially on New Year’s Eve, will drift down the street into the Gramercy and maintain the positive energy until the sun comes up. As Chase said, “You take away the Giant Country Horns, you take away Phish, and that James Brown vibe alone is a high energy, funky awesome project that people love.  Then you add the Giant Country Horns, and you add Clyde, and you add the fact that it’s after Phish and it turns into a big reunion. There will be a lot of love and a lot of good energy, and it’s just great music.” Expect the unexpected for this incredible New Year’s Eve show.

    In addition, a new record is currently in production by JAZZ IS PHSH. Chase indicated that “it’s being mastered by a Grammy winning mastering artist who does all of the Dick’s Picks remastering. From an engineering standpoint alone, Bryce Goggin was the engineer who did the mixing on the record. We recorded it in multiple recording studios: in Atlanta, Baltimore, and New York at Trout Recording. Bryce mixes a lot of the Trey [Anastasio] and Page [McConnell] records. He also mixed Phish’s Round Room album. He was the main engineer on the record that Herbie Hancock did, where he recorded at Trey’s barn. The engineer that worked with Phish and Herbie Hancock made sense to us because we love the tones he came up with. That kind of pedigree made sense.  We told him about the project and he was in love with the idea. We’re really pleased with the whole sonic experience.”

    When the project was first announced, a lot of people were excited. There are almost 20 musicians on the record. It will reach not only Phish fans, but jazz fans who aren’t yet familiar with the music of Phish.  Chase went on to say, “maybe musicians who study jazz, and might not venture too far outside, may get turned on to the music through this instrumental jazz funk medium we’ve created.”

    Chase compared Phish’s music to the complexity of Frank Zappa’s arrangements. “There’s not always the same embracing by musicians of Phish as there is with Zappa.  There should be just as much an embracing of Phish as Zappa because there are so many complex, amazing compositions that are mind-blowing. As a musician, that’s what turned me on to Phish. Watching them play songs, such as “David Bowie,” live was mind-blowing because of the arrangements. There is a barrier to entry with them, whether it’s with the jam or lyrics. I think it would be good for any musician out there to open their ears to the music of Phish. They have such a vast catalogue.”

    With the new JAZZ IS PHSH record on the cusp of being released, Chase spoke about the arrangements and how he hopes the music affects new listeners by introducing them to the world of Phish. “I feel what I’ve done is cherry pick some of the more intricate compositions, such as “Foam.” Taking some of their rock tunes and making them into a jazz funk fusion shows off Phish’s melodic sense.  While we’ve rearranged some of the melodies, they are intact. Even if they’ve changed and been recolored, it’s pretty accurate. I hope this record will open jazz musicians ears who haven’t yet been turned on to Phish. It’s something that should be celebrated.”

    The scheduled release for their new album is currently slated for the end of February, but pre-orders are available at JAZZ IS PHSH’s official website, as well as at shows. Here’s a preview of what fans can expect at the upcoming James Brown Dance Party New Year’s Eve show at the Gramercy Theater in New York City.

    https://youtu.be/SNB-IEMLJTc

  • We’ve Only Just Begun – A Phish Night One Recap

    Phish opened their annual 4-night New Year’s run in grand fashion last night at Madison Square Garden. For night one, perhaps picking up on the palpable political tension this year has brought us, an a capella rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” served as a somewhat fitting opener.

    With a raucous Garden crowd now energized, “Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan” followed, allowing guitarist Trey Anastasio to shine early with some fierce guitar licks. The first of three first set covers (not including our national anthem) then appeared in the form of “Lonesome Cowboy Bill,” a song prominently featured on the band’s cover of the The Velvet Underground album Loaded done in 1998 for their musical costume. This fun, semi-bustout of a cover then gave way to “Free” which picked up the energy level in the building significantly and seemed to have everyone dancing in unison for the first time all night.

    Phish Night One However, the pace settled back down again afterwards as “Train Song” and “Prince Caspian” followed, two songs featured on the now 20-year-old album Billy Breathes. “Roggae” kept the mellow first set vibe in full gear, allowing lighting director Chris Kuroda to show off some new lighting techniques in addition to some old favorites. A cover of the blues classic “Funky Bitch” then followed, highlighted by tremendous vocal and bass work from Mike Gordon. “Halfway to the Moon,” a song penned by keyboardist Page McConnell, gave him a chance to take center stage before another bust out of a cover in the form of a beautifully melodic “Corrina.” The first set wouldn’t be complete without one last jam and chance to stretch out a little and “Stash” fit the bill perfectly for that before a standard first set “Cavern” closer ended an enjoyable yet fairly laid back first set.

    Phish Night One The second set that followed was anything but laid back as a three-headed monster of musical mayhem kicked things off. A top notch rendition of “Wolfman’s Brother” started the proceedings and saw the four musicians in perfect harmony with one another. Then, although it may not have been up to the epic level of the previous version played in Vegas a few a months ago, the “Golden Age” that followed was not that far off and featured some of the most inspired interplay of the evening which eventually led into a seamless segue into the classic arena rocker “Simple.” This three-song section of the evening was, by far, the highlight of the night, prompting one show goer to call it “her new best friend.”;

    Phish Night One After a typically splendid “Simple” outro jam, the band picked things back up with an uptempo number in “Chalkdust Torture” that, once again, seemed to have the entire arena moving as one. The “Martian Monster” that followed was anything but typical as sound effects delivered by McConnell and steadfast drumming by Jon Fishman soon gave way to a full on “Tweezer” outro jam that took everyone by surprise and even had Anastasio integrating “your trip is short” lyrics sung to the tune of “Tweezer.” Phish playing around both musically and lyrically is when they’re at their best and this was no exception. “Wingsuit” then followed as the requisite breather song to slow things down a little before a fairly standard run through of “Possum” closed a ferociously enjoyable set of music. One last cover in “Good Times, Bad Times” served as the encore, undoubtedly sending everyone on their way ecstatic from a great night of music with, presumably, three even better ones to follow.

    Phish Night One SET 1: The Star Spangled Banner, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Lonesome Cowboy Bill > Free, Train Song, Prince Caspian, Roggae, Funky Bitch, Halfway to the Moon, Corinna, Stash, Cavern

    SET 2: Wolfman’s Brother, Golden Age -> Simple > Chalk Dust Torture, Martian Monster -> Tweezer Reprise Jam -> Martian Monster, Wingsuit > Possum

    ENCORE: Good Times Bad Times
    Setlist courtesy of Phish.net

  • Best of NYS Music 2016: Biggest Musical Loss and Best Live Cover or Tribute Performance

    As we give thanks for the awe inspiring musical talent living among us, we must also honor those who have left incredible music legacies behind. 2016 was particularly rough, having lost several pioneers and visionaries whose music has influenced not only other musicians, but has affected so many of us far outside the realm of making music. Their songs are the songs we queue in epic DJ mixes at dance parties, belt the lyrics alone in our rooms when we’re feeling melodramatic, and reflect on their lyrical wisdom in challenging times.

    1). David Bowie

    January 8, 1947 – January 10, 2016

    2). Prince

    June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016

    3). Leonard Cohen

    September 21, 1934 – November 7, 2016

    Staff and readers unanimously agreed David Bowie, Prince and Leonard Cohen were our three most cherished losses in the music community this year. All three were producing up until their heartbreaking deaths with Bowie’s Blackstar (2016), Prince’s HITnRUN Phase One and HITnRUN Phase Two (2015) and Cohen’s You Want it Darker (2016).

    Other notable losses in 2016 include Leon Russel, Sharon Jones of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire, John Berry of Beastie Boys and Merle Haggard.

    Best Live Cover or Tribute Performance

    It seems fitting to follow up Biggest Musical Losses with Best Live Cover or Tribute Performance as a way of honoring the work of past musical greats. In this year’s poll, we received so many noteworthy performances. Our staff voted on Dopakuaz’s Yacht Rock, Lotus’ Space Disco set at the Town Ballroom, Mirk’s Michael Jackson medley, Phish’s Ziggy Stardust tribute, Start Making Sense, James Brown Dance Party, Salt City Waltz and Twiddle’s cover of ALO’s “BBQ”

    Readers chose Aqueous covering “Band on the Run,” JRAD’s performance at Lockn’, Phish’s Suffragette City cover, Pink Talking Fish’s Nov. 17 show in Denver, Twenty One Pilots covering “Cancer” and White Denim’s Prince Medley. Recap Monday’s staff and reader picks for Albums of the Year, and stay tuned as the series continues throughout the week.

    https://youtu.be/hF_0E31d7dQ?t=29m54s

  • Best of NYS Music 2016: Staff and Reader Picks for Albums of the Year

    In NYS Music tradition, as we count down the final days of 2016, we reminisce about the hours we’ve spent obsessing over music. Whether planning wild road trips to chase bands whose music feeds our souls, frequenting our favorite venues and exploring new ones, head banging to heavy jams and accidentally spilling drinks, dancing with strangers and making new friends, music is a common thread that unites us. Now it’s time to reflect on the soundtrack of 2016 and recognize the music that carried us through another revolution around the sun.

    We polled the staff and asked our readers for their input in ten categories: Best Albums by NYS Artists, Best Albums Overall, Best Shows by Region, Best Venues in NYS, Biggest Musical Loss, Best Live Cover or Tribute Performances, Best NYS Festivals, Best Out-of-State Festivals, Best Music Town, and Bands on the Rise. Throughout the week we will present two categories a day highlighting the top picks. We’ll kick things off with Best Albums by NYS Artists and Best Album, Overall. Here we go!

    Best Albums by NYS Artists

    Receiving the most votes, Aqueous’ EP Best in Show was voted in as the top album of 2016. The Buffalo rock quartet released the record in October and it stands as “a four song reflection not only of the band’s time without a permanent drummer, but also a glimpse into the band’s future as drummer Rob Houk melts into the Aqueous groove with fluid rhythm that feels as if he’s always been here.”

    NYS Music writer Kat Horton’s review offers this commentary:

    “The four songs are highlighted by tiny nuggets of rightness; lyrically, musically and in its production Best in Show turns a pointed spotlight on how much Aqueous has grown in the two years since their last studio release. But more importantly, Best in Show is Aqueous’ resolve from the challenges they have faced and proves their tenacity to move forward while solidifying their line-up.”

    This year our readers were in agreement with which NY artist released the best album, nominating Aqueous as their top choice. Queens-based hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service and Brooklyn’s psychedelic funk band Chromatropic and their recent release, Abundance were also favored.

    A handful of NYS albums deserving honorable mention in the staff vote include: Funktional Flow’s Time Will Tell, TAUK’s Sir Nebula, A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service, Seymour’s Seymour, and Vaporeyes’ Golden Baron.

    Best Albums Overall

    Though Phish’s live albums are what usually garner attention, this year their release of Big Boat left an impression on fans and the “13th studio recording is the most genre bending album they have released.”

    NYS Music’s Neil Benjamin Jr. offered this review, commenting:

    “Ever think Phish would start off a studio album with a sort of Brit-pop-punk sounding song? Me either, but that’s exactly what the band did by kicking off Big Boat with the Jon Fishman song “Friends,” which is the perfect lead-in to an album by a band that has built its fanbase by throwing it curveballs.”

    A Tribe Called Quest’s album We Got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service also received recognition in this year’s poll. Smart lyrics and slick beats produced by this socially conscious group offers a dialogue that resonates with many listeners and “once again, the group has created something one of a kind a revolutionary, that listeners can only hope will inspire other artists to follow in Tribe’s footsteps.”

    In a review of the album, NYS Music’s Dave Ostroff remarks,

    “The production value of this album is immaculate. It feels like listening to a remastered, never released album, because Tribe led the public to believe their fifth album was their last breaking up in 1998. And even without all of the original members, their sound is still effortless and always moving.”

    Bon Iver’s 22, A Million melts his hauntingly sweet voice into a pool of shockingly experimental effects that stings the ears with intrigue. “While experimenting with the auto-tune and synthetics, Bon Iver explores the world beyond the conventional three-minute song while staying true to himself.”

    NYS Music writer Sammy Steiner reviewed the album, offering:

    “The controversial album that is 22, A Million was successful in reinventing Bon Iver to the extent that he is compared to the works of Kayne West and Frank Ocean. With this album, Bon Iver reaffirms his ability to remain of interest to our scattered millennial generation and the contemporary world.”

    According to our readers, Aqueous also took the top slot for Best Album, while Metallica’s Hardwired… To Self Destruct and Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool were also popular choices.

    Other notable contenders that have earned honorable mention for Best Albums chosen by our staff include: Jimkata’s In Motion, Childish Gambino’s Awaken, My Love!, Kiefer Sutherland’s Down in a Hole, TAUK’s Sir Nebula, Twiddle’s Plump: Chapter One, and Lotus’ Eat the Light.

    Of course we wish we could highlight even more albums and celebrate all of the amazing music released this year, but stay tuned throughout the week for the remaining Best of NYS Music results to be released!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hZCsgcKa-g

  • Photo Gallery: Mike Gordon Returns to The Egg

    Halfway through the second set of his November 26 performance at The Egg, Mike Gordon paused to remark, “I think this is the best sounding venue on the Eastern seaboard,” which led to thunderous applause from the sold out crowd. Gordon spoke of his affinity for The Egg in a recent interview with NYS Music, something residents of the Capital Region have known for many years.

    mike gordon eggThe two-set show opened with “Waking up Dead,” followed by “Jumping,” which featured strong interplay between Gordon’s bass, John Kimock’s drums and Craig Myers’ percussion, which broke down into a bluesy duel with Mike and guitarist Scott Murawski working up and down their instruments. A stand out jam was built by Kimock’s drums during the set closing “Traveled Too Far.”

    A six-song second set featured “Just a Rose” by Max Creek, a high energy number that added a spark to the crowd. A dark “Yarmouth Road” segued smoothly into “Let’s Go,” which brought out the interactive instrument REEL into the crowd, which fans touched to add to the jam (Mike got in a few touches too). Robert Walter’s nasty keyboard work was on full display during “Take it as it Comes,”  while “Tiny Little World” closed the set with “My Sharona” teases mixed in.

    Gettin weird with the audience during ‘Let’s Go!’ #mikegordon #nysmusic #518love #albanydoesntsuck

    A video posted by NYS Music (@nystatemusic) on


    An encore of “Sugar Shack” had Mike invite fans to dance on the front of the stage, perhaps to the dismay of security but with absolute joy from the looks of fans dancing and smiling to close out the night.

    Set 1: Waking Up Dead, Jumping, Morphing Again, Don’t Chin The Dog > Let Her Go > Traveled Too Far

    Set 2: Here Today, Just a Rose, Yarmouth Road > Let’s Go, Take It As It Comes, Tiny Little World

    Encore: Sugar Shack

    Download Scott Bernstein’s recording of the show

  • Nestling in at The Egg: An Interview with Mike Gordon

    Mike Gordon has returned to the road, with a Fall Tour stretching from the Midwest to the east coast. Having just wrapped up Phish’s Fall Tour in Las Vegas with a performance of David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, NYS Music talked to Mike about his favorite moment from the instant classic set, the goals of improvisation, and what he loves about The Egg so much.

    mike gordon interviewMike Gordon will be in Pittsburgh on Tuesday November 22 at Stage AE, Town Ballroom in Buffalo on Wednesday November 23, Higher Ground in Burlington on Friday November 25 and The Egg in Albany on Saturday, November 26.

    Pete Mason: This is your third show at The Egg in Albany. Your show from 2011 was even released as a live show. What is the appeal of the venue to you?

    Mike Gordon: The acoustics are pretty incredible, I don’t know what it is about eggs, part of how they built it I guess. I had been in the past to see Jerry Douglas. I remember liking the weird shape and it sounds good. The first time, you could hear a pin drop, and when it got loud it was a good kind of loud. And it’s nice how it’s just nestled there in Albany. I love that word. Nestling.

    PM: Is there a moment you hope to reach in improvisation? A certain goal in mind?

    MG: Not so specifically as a specific goal. There are different kinds of goals in there, set personally or with bandmates, different feelings. I’ve had different unique experiences, some are high energy, some are about a lot of sweat. All moments have to be unique, not just rehashing to feel special. There are kinda high energy ones, some more dreamy – in that department, what I used to say, is that my goal in music is to bridge the gap between being awake and asleep – there really is, in the middle of a jam that feels like it’s playing itself, this kind of opening in my soul or somewhere in my mind that accesses a neural network or feelings that I can usually only sort of traverse in night dreams. That’s why I’ll remember certain night dreams, the feeling, the location, the people, some aspect of it. That’s the biggest goal.

    Being 100% in the moment is the true catharsis of what people have or are overcoming problems. In an experience it doesn’t mean you can’t keep track. When it’s not happening and it’s sort of a road trip to another song, then I forget how deep these experiences can be. Then I’m reminded, and I don’t need to be anywhere else in the world and I can be in a cozy living room or somewhere else.

    I’ve been in a philosophical mode – my answers are veering this way for interviews lately. There are so many other feelings and metaphors. A complicated answer and definitely something I think about a lot.

    PM: Why do you feel that is?

    MG: Switching projects, my album, my daughter – so much going on at once. That allows for some cross referencing and applying one inspiration to another to go back and forth to blend all the experiences together and have it come out either way.

    mike gordon interviewPM: What compels you to have improvisation as such a large aspect of your music?

    MG: I have one band that jams a lot, maybe not enough for fans who want every song jammed out. But enough that St. Vincent made fun of it (the jamming). I think I have that (with Phish), so (with Mike Gordon Band) I can rock and work with catchy hooks in fun ways, or ask “How can we experiment with new sounds?,” but what happens for me, even if it’s not what I’ve been writing about in my journals compared to 30 years ago, these little peak experiences remind me that there is a deeper well to be tapped into than what the surface level of what music can provide. There is something that if you believe in it and allow it to go deep into your soul, it’s deeper than one can remember. Anything they try to read and watch later isn’t going to be the same, when the experience becomes irreplaceable. For me, I just keep getting reminded of total spontaneity and what you can plan for, but there is some planning that is necessary and good. Sometimes I think about how my favorite Radiohead show was really deep and dreamy and all the songs were 3 minutes long. If something feels really good, I don’t want it to end, I want to bask in it. Like when you get a new video game, you want to keep playing it.  I don’t want things to end at 3 minutes, but if it does that’s OK.

    With Phish and my experience being in bands with long jams, in the middle of that long jam, something may come up that has nothing to do with the song. Melodies, chord progressions, not as often lyrics, but sometimes lyrics. Made up stuff comes together, almost as a new song, even with its little emotions, flashbacks, dreams, chords, melodies, a whole new little song. So cool to be able to get to that. But wait a minute, this little new song that came out of the jam, taken on its own, could just be a song on the radio – pop, old blues – that isn’t filled with all this cosmic stuff and it’s not a dream song. Maybe there is another route to get there. Maybe there is a different way to get there, by writing songs, that don’t have improv to be enjoyed.

    PM: “Let’s Go”, which was left off Big Boat, was performed by your band this summer at Catskill Chill, and twice this year by Phish. Will the catchy tune have a home in both band’s repertoires?

    MG: I think so, yeah. Scott and I have been doing a lot of writing over the last couple years and I don’t think I’ve said this before, but it came out of a jam my band was doing, some sort of outro, and I just started singing that chant and saved it, and I loved that chant. My friend Fonzworth Bently (From G’s to Gents) was at my band’s L.A. show, and he loved the show a lot and offered some feedback, “I wish you could address the crowd more, say some stuff,” which is interesting since I’m from a world where we don’t talk to the crowd. I wondered “What would I say?” and my friend replied “What about ‘Let’s go?’” When we played House of Blues Boston, we were Googling this medley as a joke of all the songs that have ‘Let’s Go’ (The Cars, Richie Valens) so we went into a writing session, liking the chant, and working off a list of songwriting ideas, this demo we made had a hip hop groove, it sounded sort of fresh, a fresh style for me, mixing synth guitar and drum machine with live percussion. Trey said he kinda lit up when he heard it – we don’t have a chant, aside from “Fuego.” Big Boat was so open ended where I bring songs that are open ended and have more room to build. Trey put it back on the list in the studio, mid-recording, and Bob Ezrin suggested we try it with only drums, all singing, with no other instruments, all after one take. We added in some toy synth sounds and went through an evolution that didn’t sound right.

    mike gordon interviewPM: Were there any lessons from Big Boat that you have applied to your own band?

    MG: There are always lessons. In terms of Big Boat, there were a wide variety of songs on there, which stemmed from the lesson with Bob about being more heartfelt and direct about some songs. When Trey first brought “Miss You,” he played his demo for us, just him strumming and singing and it was authentic, he did miss someone. The chord voicing thing, it sounded unique, like Trey. I appreciated the directness. Bob sat us down and talked about taking the cleverness away and keeping emotion, which he’s done with Pink Floyd and U2. When someone challenges you, I like to look at both ends of spectrum. We want to try that out a bit more. I take it as a grain of salt when I realize I don’t know what my songs are about, and that is intentional. Like “Come Together,” where Lennon admitted it was filled in with gibberish, but it sounds so good. Sometimes directness doesn’t work for me, especially if it feels too plain and other times it does. That’s one thing to think about from that experience. Maybe the way the themes were tied together, there were certain nudgings in certain directions. I liked those directions and discussions, and liked to directly go to YouTube and bring up some influences as old as they might be, and learn some grooves from legendary artists and not be afraid. I really like Page’s song ‘I Always Wanted it This Way’ – he spent over 10 years on it. I’ve been really getting into “Petrichor,” being so long and having 22 sections, it is really fun to digest. There’s a collection of little things.

    PM: What was your personal highlight from the Ziggy Stardust Halloween set?

    MG: I liked it all. Maybe it was highlight of rehearsal for “It Ain’t Easy” and Trey got to sing while I played one note. At the show I think it was different, really all of it together, just a feeling of how comfortable I was doing it. As we always do getting into the mind of another artist, I really like being in that world but feeling like myself, but I liked singing “Starman” because it was the first song everyone knew that was a hit. Having everyone singing along felt amazing.

    PM: What books, movies and music have you been enjoying this year?

    MG: It’s actually a book Phil Lesh lent me – I have to get this back to him – “In Perfect Timing” by Peter Caddy, about the formation of a community in Ireland where the term ‘New Age’ came from where they use spiritual guidance: “I can do it” and “I can climb the biggest mountain.” I’m slowly getting my way through it. I love the weirdness and empowerment feeling.

    I keep missing movies I want to see. Grand Budapest Hotel stuck as a landmark for me where I was like ‘Yeah, I seriously like that one.’

    I’ve been checking out producers and such, my bandmates provided these albums they’ve been listening to and mine hasn’t gone out yet. Warpaint, Can, my daughter is now only spinning Megan Trainor. She had gone into World Pop 40 on Spotify, and now she has been listening to it as a guilty pleasure that she comes up with. So sonic to indie to pop to indie pop to kraut rock.

    PM: In listening to Megan Trainor, had you noticed any similarity between “All About that Bass” and “Contact?”

    MG: All about that bass… I hadn’t thought of that. I like the lyrics, some of her songs go straight back to 1950’s with a modern twist, but some is exactly out of there.

  • Runaway Gin to Perform First Show in NYC

    Runaway Gin – a Tribute to Phish, will perform their first show in New York City on Saturday, November 19 at The Highline Ballroom. Featuring two sets, this South Carolina based Phish tribute act will kick things off at 7pm on Saturday, warming up the crowd as they prepare for Phish at Madison Square Garden in just under 46 days. Runaway Gin is Andy Greenberg on guitar, Bobby Hogg on bass, John Fitzgerald on keys and John Pope on drums. Andy talked to NYS Music about the upcoming show, what makes them a unique band, and performing with Holly Bowling this fall.

    Pete Mason: This show marks your first in New York City. Where has the band been playing the most and what are your plans for this first show the Big Apple?

    Andy Greenberg: We are so glad to finally play in New York. Since we started in 2014 we definitely have played many many shows at the Pour House in Charleston, South Carolina in particular with our weekly Sunday Phunday residency. Beyond that we ventured into North Carolina and then Georgia and Florida as well as Chicago in the summer of 2015 and then up to Washington D.C. Just this past weekend we went to Birmingham, AL and Oxford, MS for the first time. Our only plans for the show are to get weird, have fun, and play our hearts out. I know so many from NYC and surrounding areas from Phish tour and I am ever so excited to play for many of them for the first time! Some places we play we try and keep things a little light on the jams and more “songy.” New York is not one of those places. We are assuming most everyone there is very familiar (and obsessed) with Phish’s music and we want to go ahead and dive in deep right from the get-go without worry of easing into the show.

    PM: What was it like playing a sold out show at Hard Rock Chicago after Fare Thee Well in July 2015?

    AG: It was incredible. The whole experience was completely surreal. First of all, being in Chicago with Trey playing with the Dead was beyond anything I could verbalize. To see my guitar hero play with many of his musical heroes in such an epic setting certainly had us all feeling very inspired. The crowd’s energy the whole weekend and at our show was absolutely euphoric and we couldn’t help but reflect that back to them. The fact that there were so many people there was overwhelming, in a good way, especially people that I know well and love and people from our hometown. It was a bit of an out-of-body experience up there on stage. Sometimes you just forget where you are and what you are doing and put all your brain-power into just being in the moment. I guess that’s what we always strive for, especially while jamming. That’s how I felt for that show. I walked off stage not remembering much of what just went down – My mind was too occupied with forming memories in those moments.

    PM: Among all the Phish cover bands, what makes Runaway Gin the most unique? What makes you stand out among the rest?

    AG: To be honest I’m not really familiar with the other Phish cover bands – not because I don’t want to be – there just aren’t any near us in Charleston. I went to see Phix when I was in college and I’ve seen Pink Talking Fish and become friends with them, although I guess you wouldn’t exactly call them a Phish cover band per se. I can tell you however what we are all about. We try to sound as much like Phish as possible during written sections of songs – I imagine some tributes may put more of their own spin on the written parts. We try to be in the moment and embellish some things from night to night but in a similar way that Phish would deviate from the composition. When it comes to jams we approach them in the same way that I imagine Phish does and has. We don’t learn jams or try to emulate specific versions typically (although we have once or twice) but I’m not sure if other Phish cover bands take this same approach. In terms of setlists, we create our own shows in the same way that Phish would. We don’t play a show that has already occurred like Dark Star Orchestra does. We felt that doing so would take us (and the audience) out of the present moment which I don’t think is authentic to the experience of being at a Phish show. Another thing that is unique about us is – we play all the time. Since 2014 we have played over 200 shows and I think that a big part of Phish’s sound is the chemistry they have developed from playing together so many times. It would be really tough for us to play as we do without playing as often. When we are off for even a week we can all feel the rust – when we play 3-4 nights in a row it typically gets better and better with each show. At least from my perspective.

    PM: You’ve recently played a pair of shows with Holly Bowling. How were they and did you collaborate at all during the shows?

    AG: We had so much fun sharing the stage with Holly! We did two shows with her the weekend after Dick’s in Charleston and Columbia, SC. It was my first time seeing her live so first of all I was blown away. Piano was my first instrument so I have a very deep connection with what she is doing. I used to sit and transcribe Phish on piano in the earliest stages of my “phandom” and fuse songs together after school for my own amusement. I can’t help but wonder if I had continued playing piano and not switched to guitar in my early teens if I might be doing something in the same vein that Holly is. So the shows were so much fun – really a magical vibe all around! She had the audience in the palm of her hand (you could hear a pin drop during soft sections) and even in tears. Most everyone at the shows, like me, were hearing Holly for the first time and it was such a beautiful thing to facilitate and share in. We did do some collaborating! in Charleston the first night Holly joined us spur of the moment for “Harry Hood” (we chanted “Holly” instead of “Harry”) and again during the encore “Frankenstein” on the keytar. In Columbia for what turned into our “Meat” show Holly joined us for “Also Sprach Zarathustra” and for our first set we closed with “the Squirming Coil” and we brought out Holly’s piano right as we got to the outro section and we walked off stage leaving Fitz and Holly (each on their own pianos) to close the set together with an impromptu piano segment which was stunning to behold!

    PM: What else do you have coming up this fall?

    AG: After this weekend we are going to be putting on “the Animal Carnival” on Friday, November 25 in our hometown of Charleston. This is also my birthday so it’s basically just a big costume party where everyone is going to dress up like animals and we’re going to play all Phish songs and songs they have covered that reference animals. In December, we are headed to Athens, GA to play legendary Georgia Theater on December 8 and then we play Savannah, GA and Tampa, FL that same weekend. The weekend after that we have our first two-night run in Charlotte, NC at the Rabbit Hole and then on the 30 and 31 of December we will play a two-nighter in Atlanta, GA including a 3-setter for New Years which runs until 2:45 am. This is our first time playing on New Years – I’ve been at Phish every NYE since 2011 and I had to choose between Phish at MSG or at Mayan Riviera. I chose Mexico so that left me open for New Years. We normally don’t play shows when Phish is playing but with MSG tickets being so tough and the weather up there vs. down South I figured we could throw a party nearby for all the phans in the Southeast that couldn’t get tickets or make the trip to New York. So yeah it’s a busy Fall and Winter for us and we’re gonna have some fun!

    Saturday show has doors at 6pm and the show starting promptly at 7pm. Check out more info here.

  • Interview: Pink Talking Fish to Awaken Putnam Den with Concept Show

    Concept show artwork created by PTF guitarist Dave Brunyak.
    Concept show artwork created by PTF guitarist Dave Brunyak.

    In the hustle and bustle of Saratoga Springs, sits a treasured concert venue known as Putnam Den–not only to its show dwellers but to the talent that plays its stage as well. Gurus of blending together a trifecta of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish, Pink Talking Fish plan to put a fresh spin on their faithful covers during next Saturday night’s gig, which they just so happened to save for the Den.

    Only preformed once prior in 2016, the hybrid fusion group will unleash their concept show, Dark Side of Gamehendge, on November 19. What exactly is that, you ask? Well, in simplest terms, its two sets of genius. The entire night will be a blanket tribute to Pink Floyd’s prominent and timeless album, Dark Side of the Moon, which still finds its way onto the charts today, as well as Phish’s rock opera, Gamehendge. The two sets combine tunes from each album while Talking Heads favorites will be peppered throughout.

    PTF closed out their winter tour in North Carolina with the first and only performance of Dark Side of Gamehendge and referred to it as “quite the journey” on their Facebook page. Judging by the show’s artwork, crafted by PTF’s own Dave Brunyak, let’s take bets if the second journey will bring us to anywhere close land far, far away. See we shall. Doors open at 8pm and Primate Fiasco takes the stage at 9pm followed by Pink Talking Fish shortly after.

    Q & A with PTF Guitarist Dave Brunyak:

    Alyssa Ladzinski: You’ve only performed this concept show once before while closing out a tour earlier in 2016, what made you want to bring this show back?
    Dave Brunyak: There’s something symbiotic about combining Pink Floyd’s iconic “Dark Side of the Moon” with Phish’s grand oeuvre “Gamehendge.”  Both catalogs share elements of the battle between light and darkness and good versus evil. Quests for knowledge, desire for peace, and the race against time are themes universally present in the music.  One informs the other and, by linking the two tales together, they both gain significant emotional gravity.  For instance, in my head I see the Famous Mockingbird flying through the sky as the lyrics “Breathe, breathe in the air” set the opening scene. Below him, Colonel Forbin has just stepped into yesterday and is immediately on the run.  Rutherford the Brave is under the same sun in a relative way, but he’s older and shorter of breath. King Wilson likely owns a football team and his insatiable greed for power is the root of all evil in Gamehendge, so they say. The Helping Friendly Book is what the fighting’s all about and the lizards are just ordinary men.  The deeper you look, the more connections you find.
    AL: The Den is a venue you frequent, what made you want to bring the concept show to Putnam Den specifically out of all shows on the fall tour?
    DB: The Putnam Den has been a staple for us in recent years and may be our most frequented venue to date.  I think we’ve done a pretty good job making our performances as diverse and entertaining as possible with each visit. That being said, we have to keep pushing the envelope to maintain that cutting edge. Also, Saratoga Springs has an active nightlife scene and people there are lucky to have great choices in entertainment every night.  Bringing back “Dark Side of Gamehendge” for only it’s second exploit is another attempt to raise the bar in a community that demands (and deserves) our finest work.
    AL: What do you hope to do differently this time around to set the show apart from the first time you played it in NC?
    DB: Well, given the nature of what we’re doing, two-thirds of the songs in the show are predetermined. Choosing the Talking Heads tunes that support the narrative will create the concrete diversity from our first attempt. Executing the composed sections with precision is always a priority, but improvising harmoniously and meaningfully during the jams will inevitably be what makes this performance stand out on it’s own.
    AL: If you had to choose one song off of Dark Side and Gamehendge as your favorite to play, what would it be?
    DB: Tough one.  Let’s use the deserted island analogy. If I were stranded with a lovely bunch of coconuts and a guitar that would only play two songs, I would choose those two songs to be “The Lizards” from Gamehendge and “Time” from Dark Side of the Moon. Both are pieces with broad movements in texture and they both have those epic guitar moments. Ask me tomorrow and I may have a different answer!
    AL: How long did it take you to throw together the Star Wars inspired artwork for the show?
    DB: This one came together very naturally.  Take the two words “dark side” out of context and I bet you 99/100 people infer a Star Wars reference. Cloaking the blend of the two albums in a Star Wars theme really brought the whole thing together visually. It took most of one workday to craft the artwork.
    AL: I gotta say, I sure hope someone dresses up as a Jedi or a Sith, or at least throws in a Chewbacca or R2D2 loop somewhere. Can we expect any Star Wars treats?
    DB: Hey! Ixnay the poilersay!
    AL: Who shot first?
    DB: Bon Jovi. See “Blaze of Glory.”
    AL: Do you plan on introducing innovative concept shows to fans in the future?
    DB: Absolutely. We’re due to bring back a Talking Heads-centric concept show.  “A Live One” was the album that really blew me away when I first started listening to Phish, so I’ve been bugging the guys to get that ready.  Our NYE concept “PTF in the Mirror” incorporating Michael Jackson songs is going to rage in Boston!  The concept shows are caveats we’ve employed to bring diversity to the schedule and keep things fresh and we’ve benefited from that.
    AL: As a band that covers three huge music phenomenons, what other avenues do you hope to explore to make your live shows different as your careers move forward?
    DB: The possibilities are endless! There is still so much ground to cover in the Pink Floyd/Talking Heads/Phish worlds, we could spend the rest of our career digging for gold in those catalogues. Like you said, they are phenomenons, so gold is not hard to find! Right now, I’m working on surrendering to the flow and trusting that, wherever we’re destined to be, we will get there.