Jimkata‘s farewell tour saw them stopping at a sold out Buffalo Iron Works on October 20. Jimkata Nation packed the place eagerly anticipating the Friday night throwdown while West End Blend‘s opening set made sure things got started with a funky good time. Soon enough the lights dimmed, the trio took the stage and memories were made…
The Paradise Rock Club in Boston, MA hosted a night of Colorado all-stars on Friday October 13 featuring The Floozies. Late Night Radio and the Funk Hunters opened the evening, both bringing high energy. The room was surging from the beginning, cheers and roars coming during every drop.
The Floozies came out to a sold-out crowd and did not slow down all night long. Playing favorites like “Sunroof Cadillac,” “Cheese,” and “Love, Sex, and Fancy Things,” they mixed in hits off their new album, Funk Jesus. The duo heads west across the country, playing halloween night in Utah, playing a long west-coast run before ending in their home-state of Colorado. Check out the photos from Boston by Zatchmo Lives Media.
It was an evening of milestones and memories on a Wednesday, Oct. 18 at Brooklyn Bowl. Before Hayley Jane and the Primates took to the stage to celebrate the release of their new studio album We’re Here Now, Primates bassist Josh Carter married his fiancé Kristen Detroia under a Stealie-style chuppah in front of family, friends, fans and Brooklyn bowlers alike. “She’s a summer love in the spring, fall and winter. She can make happy any man alive…” venue owner Pete Shapiro echoed the words of Robert Hunter and Bob Weir before inviting Dopapod front man and longtime friend of the couple Rob Compa to share the story of how the two met some ten years ago.
Following the off the cuff and personal tails of Compa, Shapiro oversaw the vows and pronounced the couple husband and wife. Josh and Kristen Carter kissed, broke glass, and then remembered to exchange rings at the end. The crowed cheered at the completion of the nontraditional, public, and yet adequately personal, Brooklyn Bowl wedding ceremony. Shapiro encouraged the crowd as he and the wedding party walked off the stage, “Now lets rock!” And just like that, the world was introduced to the opening act for the evening, The Brooklyn Bowl Wedding All-stars. Keeping up with the friends and family feeling of the evening Dopapod’s Eli Winderman and Rob Compa, Pink Talking Fish’s Richard James, and Kung Fu’s Adrian Tramontano and Chris DeAngelis madeup the wedding band to end all wedding bands. They formed a funk fueled five-some covering everything from Stevie Wonder to The Rolling Stones, and even invited Primates guitarist Justin Hancock to join them for The Allman Brothers Band’s “Blue Sky.”
With the night already full of high points the stage had yet to be graced with its evening’s headliner. Hayley Jane and the Primates were welcomed by the Brooklyn City crowd with great excitement and anticipation. The set highlighted the bands new album and spanned their versatility. Along with soaring guitar solos, intricate bass lines, and steady drumbeats Hayley Jane’s soulful voice and colorful lyrics filled the room. The Interstellar Dancers added an interpretative dance flare backing up the front woman’s signature choreography.
Of course the evening would not be complete without a series of on stage collaborations. Rob Compa was first to join adding his stylings to the sixth track off of the album”We’re here Now” titled “You Gotta Move.” Up next were two of Hayley’s friends from the band’s hometown of Boston on steel drums and percussion. They added to the reggae sounds of “Man Acrylic.” Eli Winderman jumped back on the organ and surprise guest Elise Testone stood along side Hayley Jane for a vocal jam on the track “Make It Alright.” A few songs later another appearance by Richard James on the last two songs “Hey Mister” and “Hurricane Jane” would close out the set.
As Hayley Jane and the Primates walked off, the city that never sleeps met the empty stage with chants for one more song. They would acquiesce and then some. The first of the two song encore “To the Moon” was a slower ballad brought to life by Jane’s glowing personality and glowing moon prop she held in hand throughout the song. The second song of the encore, and final song of the night, featured every guest the stage had featured for the event. It amounted to a sixteen person (including dancers) “I Can Do It (Poo Jam).” The audience chanted along “I know that I can do it…” as the wedding/friends and family reunion/album release show came to its end. It was truly a special and unique night at Brooklyn Bowl summed up best by the words of Hayley Jane herself, “What a lucky bunch of creatures who can run around and dance if we want.”
Photos by Chris Capaci/Capacity Images
Such Gold ripped a gig in Rochester on Friday the 13 of October. The punk rockers played at Bug Jar, their familiar stomping grounds, at the midway point in their fall tour. “We’ve played here one… thousand times,” quipped front man Ben Kotin between songs.
The all-local show included support from Barbarosa, California Cousins, and Taking Meds. Two members of Such Gold did double duty, as they also play in Taking Meds: Kotin (guitar) and Jon Markson (bass). Such Gold is rounded out with Nate Derby on guitar and Matt Covey on drums. They performed work from their eight-year span, including a handful of songs from last month’s release Deep In A Hole. Both in their studio recordings and at live shows, they’re energetic and fun.
The crowd at Bug Jar was abuzz with excitement, and it wasn’t long before the center of the room opened up into a mosh pit. There was a great dynamic between the band and members of the audience, many of whom have been supporters since the early days. Tonight’s show was full of crowd surfing and even a stage dive or two. A highlight was when Skylar Sarkis of Taking Meds took the stage to sing on a cover of Snapcase’s “Energy Dome.”
Such Gold takes to the road for the second leg of their tour with a headliner on Thursday, October 19 in Stanhope, New Jersey. They join A Wilhelm Scream, After The Fall and We Were Sharks for a run of shows which start on Friday, October 20 at St. Vitus in Brooklyn and end with a Halloween show in Lancaster, PA.
Setlist: Intro, Locked Out of the Magic Theater, Engulfed In Flames, Two Year Plan, Ceiling Stare, Ransom, Four Superbowls No Rings, Nauseating, Deep In A Hole, Rot Gut, No Cab Fare, Energy Dome (Snapcase), Storyteller, Sycamore
Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) played The Fillmore in Philly on September 30. I have only seen them a few times over the last few years, but this show was different. They sounded like a new band. A lot of the jams seemed to have an almost house like feel. Not to compare them to another jamband, but they almost sounded like some glorious 2007 Disco Biscuits, without trying to. After touring since their last release, 2016’s The Universe Inside, the new line-up is firing on all cylinders and I suggest you give their new sound a listen.
On August 29, Gogol Bordello stepped off from their hometown of the East Village of NYC to celebrate their just-released Seekers and Finders album in Port Chester at The Capitol Theatre. Opening the show was Philadelphia-based punk artist Dave Hause and the Mermaids, with a similar sound to New Jersey’s Gaslight Anthem.
Gogol Bordello’s set lived up to, and even exceeded, the expectations of their typical shows. With the energy of a club show such as the basement of Webster Hall, their sound filled the large room of The Cap as an added bonus. Gogol Bordello’s setlist included a few new tracks off of Seekers and Finders along with several of their better known songs as well as some B-sides.
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The mainstay of their show, which is consistent from night to night, was a non-stop energy from the first song until the end of the encore with plenty of audience interaction. To open up the encore, frontman Eugene Hutz and Sergey Ryabtsev (violin) performed two songs from the soundboard with the audience sandwiched between them and the rest of the band playing from the stage.
To cap off the night a select bunch of friends and fans were treated to a late night afterparty DJ set next door at Garcia’s from Hutz and bandmate Pedro Erazo.
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Gogol Bordello returns to NYC for two pre-New Years Eve shows on Dec. 28 and 29 at Brooklyn Steel with some help from NYC brass band Lucky Chops.
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My husband and I were fortunate enough to be in attendance the last time the Farm Aid lineup rocked Burgettstown in 2002.
This time was extra special as it was the first time our six-year-old son was able to attend a Farm Aid event with us. The life experience he has gained from attending the press conference, being up close to music greats like Farm Aid board members, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews, learning about vermicomposting in the HOMEGROWN Village and eating all the amazing food the local farmers and food vendors cooked up for the show; I can’t even begin to imagine the lasting impact that will have on him. Did I mention that all of the concessions sold at the show were sustainably produced by family farmers using ecological practices and any waste produced was recyclable or compostable? Awesome!
Although the day in many ways is about the music, I want to take a moment to focus on the heart of the cause…the family farmers. Farm Aid has raised more than $50 million to support family owned farms. The press conference held prior to the day long concert, focused on four stories of local farms. They varied from a produce farm that sold to local schools, a dairy farm that was able to stick it out and make things work even in tough times, one of the pioneers of organic farming in the region and an inner city urban farm that invites the community to have a safe haven to commune, work and get a bite to eat if they’re hungry. Pennsylvania was selected to play host to the 2017 Farm Aid concert because it is home to over 58,000 farms. However, those farms are declining at a growing rate. For more information about Pennsylvania farms please visit here.
It is no surprise that the 2017 Farm Aid concert sold out the first day tickets went on sale. The lineup was incredible and featured some of the music industry’s best. Farm Aid 2017 featured Willie Nelson, Neil Young with the Promise of the Real, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, Sheryl Crow, Jack Johnson, The Avett Brothers, Nathaniel Rateliff &The Night Sweats, Blackberry Smoke, Margo Price, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Valerie June, Insects vs Robots and Blackwood Quartet. We met people who had traveled from Alaska and even Australia to see the show.
The day opened with the smooth sounds of the Blackwood Quartet; followed by the experimental psych-rock band Insects vs Robots featuring Micah Nelson, son of Willie. Valerie June brought her beauty and talent to the stage. How many instruments can she play?
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real were on fire. It has been a few years since I have seen them and they have certainly progressed as a band. Lukas has a genuine, likeable stage presence and proved that he has natural talent like his father. In fact, this band is so amazing that they have the distinct honor of being the backing band for Neil Young.
Jam-rock band Blackberry Smoke played a set reminiscent of the sound of the Allman Brothers. Farm Aid veteran Jamey Johnson took the stage next. The crowd was starting to fill in as he performed country favorites, “Up on Cripple Creek” and Woodie Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.”
I had heard great things about Margo Price, a newcomer to the alternative country music scene. She did not disappoint. She has a voice that will take her places and a personal reason for championing the Farm Aid cause; her family lost their farm in 1985.
Things really started to heat up when Nathaniel Rateliff & the Nightsweats took the stage. It was my first time seeing the band and now I completely understand what my friends have been raving about. What an awesome sound that culminated with their performance of “S.O.B.”
The Avett Brothers kept the momentum going. I am unsure of how to describe their sound. You really just need to check it out for yourself. They rocked “Laundry Room,” “True Sadness” and “Slight Figure of Speech.”
Jack Johnson is one of the most laid back performers I have ever seen. He opened his set with a highly entertaining parody song aptly titled, “Willie Got Me High and Stole All My Money.” Jack invited Jamey Johnson, Sheryl Crow and Nathaniel Rateliff & the Nightsweats to join him onstage to cover Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released.” To keep the party going, Jack called for someone to find Lukas Nelson so that he could come up and perform with him. Lukas was located and joined him for “Breakdown” which included a snippet from Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker.” Jack Johnson was clearly in the mood to share the stage and the Avett Brothers joined him for the final two songs of his set, “Mudfootball” and “Better Together.”
The sun was finally starting to go down and Sheryl Crow was up next. She took the stage and immediately lead with hit song “Every Day Is a Winding Road.” She followed Jack Johnson’s lead by inviting Margo Price to join her for “Strong Enough” and ended her set with The Allman Brothers Band cover “Midnight Rider” with Margo Price, Willie and Lukas Nelson and Jack Johnson onstage to help.
The first of the Farm Aid board members, Dave Matthews along with his partner in crime, Tim Reynolds performed next. Matthews and Reynolds laid down some mean guitar tracks during set opener “Don’t Drink the Water.” They pleased their diehard followers by debuting a new song that may appear on an upcoming album release that fans have dubbed “Odds Are Against Us.” Their set felt short. Of course I am accustomed to their nearly three hour long performances.
John Mellencamp always puts on a good show. I am convinced he can pull off anything from country, blues, jazz-funk to good ol’ rock n roll. He can sing it all and his band is on point. He played fan favorites “Small Town,” “Check it Out,” an acoustic version of “Jack and Diane” to which Mellencamp said, “I don’t know why I play this song anymore. I guess it’s cause I know you all want to hear it.” “Rain on the Scarecrow” was very moving given it summarizes the heart of the devastation of the loss of a family farm.
I have seen Neil Young perform at Farm Aid several times but this year, he stole the show. Young along with Promise of the Real took the stage by storm with a thundering version of “F*ckin’ Up.” Young was ready to rock and ripped through stunning versions of “Cortez the Killer,” “Cinnamon Girl,” “Heart of Gold” and the crowd went crazy when the opening chords of “Rockin’ in the Free World” hit the air. He summed up the day by stating “Farmers are the American heroes today. They are living a real life.”
It was time for the heart and soul of Farm Aid to take the stage… Mr. Willie Nelson. My son was overjoyed that he opened with his favorite Willie song, “Whiskey River.” Willie performed a Toby Keith cover “Beer for My Horses,” “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die,” “On the Road Again” and ended the night with some humor or perhaps satire with “It’s All Going to Pot.”
What can you do to help?
The Summit, a first time concert series presented by Wild Adriatic and Mean Max Brew Works made it’s way into The Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls, N.Y. for a two night engagement on Friday, September 29 and 30.
Night one featured, Sun Satellites, Sad, The Lateshift, Girl Blue, Madaila, event hosts and organizers, Wild Adriatic and headliner, Aqueous. Night two brought on a full evening of music with Last Daze, Chestnut Grove, Paradox Saints, Ramblers Home, Angels On The Fourth, Let’s Be Leonard and Wild Adriatic to close out the event.
The Worcester Palladium will play host to a huge array of incredible musical acts in the coming years. September 28 was a night of livetronic legends at Worcester Palladium with STS9 and Denver-based Sunsquabi who opened the night with deep bass lines and a lot of heavy guitar shredding. The trio only played for a half hour, but the room was electrified quickly. Opiou had an incredible set, with Kevin Donohue from Sunsquabi sitting in on a couple tracks.
The “Enceladus tour” brought Sound Tribe Sector 9 to a packed and jam-hungry crowd. The quintet played two incredible sets that never seemed to slow down. With favorites like “Metameme” and “Shock Doctrine,” the fans were given a night of true Tribe greatness.
Set 1: Common Descent > Enceladus, Frequency > Out Of This World > Kamuy, Ad Explorata > Shock Doctrine, Surreality > EB
Set 2: Abcees 1, Rise Above Get Loud > Metameme > Aimlessly, F-Word > Modular, Click Land Echo > Inspire
Encore: You Don’t Say
Their tour continues south before they end in St. Augustine, FL. After Dominican Holidaze they have a three-night New Years Eve run at The Warfield in San Francisco, CA. Check out photos from this past Thursday night, courtesy of Zatchmo Lives Media.
