NYS Music 20​17

Category: Show Reviews

  • Singin’ To Strangers: The Wood Brothers at Webster Hall

    On Friday, February 10 at Webster Hall in Manhattan, The Wood Brothers brought their unique blend of soul, folk and rock to a packed house. In a venue known for DJs and dance parties, the rare bill featured an Oakland based indie-Americana band known as The T Sisters. A short opening set from the ladies warmed the room up for the main family act of the evening and created a comfortable space for everyone in the room.

    As the stage darkened and The Wood Brothers appeared in the shadows, the heartbeat of “Stop That Train” began pulsating on stage. The song, popularized by Bob Marley and The Wailers, created a fantastic segue for “Two Places” off their newest studio album Paradise. The topics of lost love and the urge to embark on a new adventure are etched into the lyrics of both songs. “All my life, I’ve been a lonely man,” paralleled with “I’m livin’ a beautiful dream while I’m chasing another” made this opening combo one of the most delicately crafted surprises of the show, and we had only just begun.

    Couples began embracing each other during the always-beautiful “Keep Me Around” as Jano Rix gave the song something extra with his self-made instrument, the Shuitar. Friday night partiers at the venue bar slammed rounds of shots after Oliver Wood announced that the song, “Loaded” was on their newest live album, Live at the Barn. Much like the recorded rendition, Oliver asked for assistance from the rowdy audience and we were happy to belt out the playful lyrics along with them.

    The trio always does an outstanding job of cleverly crafting their set lists and digging deep into the twelve-year-old catalog. Friday night was no exception. “Tried and Tempted,” which found its way into the sixth spot of the set list, can be heard on their debut record, Ways Not To Lose. In only a half dozen tunes, they had played a new cover and songs from each and every one of their five studio releases. Chris Wood showed off his moves during “Snakes Eyes” and got the crowd shaking along with him during this crisp and rocking version. Oliver unleashed a new song with a bluesy reggae feel and since they have been working on some new material in their hometown of Nashville, TN, one can only hope that a new studio album is on the horizon. The year 2016 sucked for so many reasons, and the lack of a Wood Brothers original release didn’t help.

    Speaking of 2016, “American Heartache” was next up and lead into an uplifting “Atlas” which was one of the first songs the Wood Brothers ever played onstage nearly a dozen years ago in the same city. The somber “Blue and Green” mellowed Webster Hall out before “One More Day” brought the fire to a roar and allowed Oliver to show off some unusually bluesy chops at the end the tune.

    To the crowd’s enthusiastic approval, the band brought out Big Mike (an old -timey stand-up microphone) and quietly played one of their loveliest pieces, “The Muse” off the 2013 album with the same name. Along with Big Mike, the brothers also welcomed their opening act, The T Sisters, to join them for another song off The Muse, “Sing About It.” After hearing the live NYC debut of this song at the Bowery Ballroom a few years prior, I knew there was something special about it, but Friday night’s version took it to a whole new level with the addition of female vocalists. In pop culture, three brothers and three sisters sharing the stage may remind you of rainbows, sunshine and dancing all through the night, but unlike the Brady Bunch, the six members on stage Friday night sang about the power of music in its most spiritual and rawest form.

    As The T Sisters exited the stage, “Postcards From Hell” kept the relaxed and thought-provoking vibe present in the room. To finish the set, they executed two more songs from their southern rock influenced catalog with “Singin’ To Strangers” and “Honey Jar.” A new version of their old hit “Luckiest Man” brought smiles to faces throughout the room as part one of a two-song encore. The Band’s “Ophelia” closed out the show and gave the audience one more chance to sing along with the trio.  In a recent interview, Oliver mentioned how much of an influence Levon Helm has been for the band’s development, and they certainly paid tribute during the well-received finale.  The show started and ended with classic covers and gave long-time fans and strangers alike one more fantastic Wood Brothers show for the books.

    Setlist: Stop That Train> Two Places, Keep Me Around, Loaded, Smoke Ring Halo, Tried and Tempted, Snake Eyes, (New Song), American Heartache, Atlas, Blue And Green, One More Day, Muse*, Sing About It*^, Postcards From Hell, Singin’ To Strangers, Honey Jar

    Encore: Luckiest Man, Ophelia

    *Big Mike ^w/ The T Sisters

  • Get the Led Out at The Palace

    I am not old enough to have said that I was lucky enough to see the original line up of the mighty Led Zeppelin in their hay day, but I have to say I came mighty close with seeing Page and Plant touring together back in the 90s. I also have been lucky enough to see Robert Plant solo whenever the chance presented itself, but it was never the real deal. When it looked like the remaining boys and Jason Bonham were going to get back together to do a tour in 2007, we were all on the verge of Nirvana, but that fell apart.

    So what is a poor fanboy to do in the face of never seeing this timeless material live? A Zep tribute band of course, and not just any tribute band but Get the Led Out from Philadelphia, PA, who took over the Palace Theatre on Saturday, February 11. With their passion for Zeppelin completely eclipsing mine, I knew I was in for a night of pure heaven. Get the Led out is made up of Paul Sinclair on lead vocals and harmonica, Andrew Lipke, vocals, guitar, theremin, and keyboard, Paul Hammond, on guitar and mandolin, Jimmy Marchiano on guitar and vocals, Phil DeAgostino on bass, Diana DeSantis, vocals on “The Battle of Evermore” and Adam Ferraioli on drums these fine musicians with exclusion of a few lineup changes early on have been bringing these past masterpieces to life since 2003. This was no Las Vegas theater show where the players are dressed up with wigs and crazy period costumes these folks came to play and played they did.

    Albany’s Palace Theater was packed with the Zeppelin faithful and the band kicked off the show with a ferocious version of “Rock and Roll” which set the tempo for the beginning of the first set. They followed up with “How Many Times,” “Killing Floor,” and “The Lemon Song.” They took it down a notch with “Down By the Seaside,” “Babe I am gonna Leave You,” and “Ramble On.” Sinclair proved himself a force to be reckon with a consummate version of “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” which then transitioned again to the mellow side of Zeppelin with “Going To California,” “The Battle Of Evermore” which featured the extremely talented Diana DeSantis on a stirring backup vocal. The band finished the first set with a crowd pleasing version of “Hey Hey What Can I do.”

    After a short break the band came back in force for the beginning of the second set with a classic version of “The Song Remains the Same” followed by “The Rain Song.” Then it was drummer Adam Ferraioli’s turn to take center stage with a version of “Moby Dick” that would have made John Bonham proud. Finally the band rounded up the final set with versions of “Thank You,” “The Rover,” and fan favorite “Kashmir.” The band left the stage and the crowd called them back for an encore that started with Zeppelin IV’s “Black Dog” and “Stairway To Heaven” and finally ended with a killer version of Zeppelin II’s Whole Lotta Love.

    Lead Singer Paul Sinclair nailed the nail on the head when he said on stage that the band were first and foremost Led Zeppelin fans just like the audience and it was apparent the band was feeling the love from an incredibly grateful audience that appreciated the craftsmanship and skill that Get the Led Out had for this amazing material.

  • Red Hot Chili Peppers Play Key Bank Center

    I can’t believe I made it this far in life without ever seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers but I’m so glad I was able to drive in a snow storm from Syracuse to the Key Bank Center in Buffalo on February 10 to make this at the last possible minute.  I just feel bad for missing the openers. Going into this concert my first thought was “what on earth is this band going to be like without John Frusciante?!”  And honestly this band still holds its own as the kings of funk rock. Guitarist Josh Klinghoffer is damn amazing at what he does, plays the parts justified, the solos slightly different, but nails the backing vocals.

    Overall, the band is as vital as it ever was, and show no signs of slowing down.  But their stage production was massive and unique.   Above the crowd and stage was the new kinetic light sculpture, designed by the production company called TAIT Towers.  This technique and stage design has  never been done before at other shows.  The band made an ambitious move to excite the crowd and add to their already insane musical experience.  It is really hard to explain how these lights work but check out this link to see a better explanation.

    The band opened with a cool little jam before frontman Anthony Kiedis stormed the stage before going into “Can’t Stop” and “Dani California.”  I also want to point out that Flea is still one of the most bad ass bassists ever to grace music and Chad Smith can pound the drums meaner than Animal the Muppet.  Eat your heart out Will Farrell.  Also in addition to all the crazy production, the band had additional musicians when they performed songs off their latest album The Getaway.  They had an additional guitarist, keyboardist, and percussionist to make the songs more massive.  It was also cool to see the band do jams, bass interludes, and guitar solos in between songs, as well as showing off their sense of humor.

    One of the highlights of the night was “Aeroplane” which was off their 1995 album One Hot Minute which featured Dave Navarro on guitar at the time….which was why it was such an unexpected treat to hear.  And my life was complete towards the end of the show when they played the iconic “Under The Bridge.”  Found it interesting when the band did a cover of Iggy and The Stooges’ “Search and Destroy” in which Kiedis took his shirt off.  Not sure if that was supposed to be a nod to Iggy himself.  The band closed off their set with “By The Way” before a kick ass two song encore of “Good Bye Angels” off The Getaway and the oh-so-fun and dirty song “Give It Away” which the crowd went bananas over.

    Overall it was an unforgettable night, I would expect RHCP will be back in NY very soon and will still sell out a massive arena…and it would be great to see what kind of ambitious production they would carry next.  Not to mention with so many albums out, there’s so many songs that still need to be incorporated into their set.

  • Disco Biscuits Drop Mid-Run Heater at the Fillmore

    All Disco Biscuits shows are not created equal.  Throughout their career, the band has gone through periods of inconsistency that can last for years at a time.  In fact, the only guarantee involved in attending a Biscuits run are the differing opinions that the massively diverse fan-base somehow accumulates over the course of the weekend.  The Disco Biscuits homecoming at the Fillmore Philadelphia last weekend drove this point home yet again, with nearly everyone’s preference all over the musical map.  Thursday, February 2 kicked the weekend off with a rarely played tune, “Biscuits Are Coming Home” which has only been performed 3 times previous, the last of which was in 2010.

    From the information gathered, it seems as though there was a 33/34/33 split as to who championed February 2, 3, and 4 as the best shows, respectively.  Friday happened to be my 50th Disco Biscuits show, so let’s hope there isn’t a slight bias in my agreeing with the slight majority.  Thursday’s setlist selections didn’t seem to stream, while Saturday was nearly completely frequent repeats (with several of the evening’s tracks having been performed multiple times during the last 3 runs)  from last year’s rotation.  Anyway, let’s put on our red shoes and dance.

    The 3rd began with familiar Philadelphia locals, Swift Technique.  Combining aspects of funk, rock and roll, and hip hop with a heavy rhythm section and the sparkling lead vocals of Chelsea ViaCava provided an excellent warm up to the ultimately horny theme of the evening.  A skintight rendition of Rage Against the Machine’s “Know Your Enemy” provided the horn section a platform on which to display their multifaceted choreography routine; playing while darting through the crowd to the delight of surprised early birds.

    The Biscuits hit the stage a few minutes before 10 PM, coming hot off the line with “Bernstein And Chasnoff.”  Guitarist Jon “Babs” Gutwillig took a few minutes to gain his sea legs, but by the time they rolled into “Voices Insane” his licks and hairstyle for the evening fulfilled the wacky technicality demanded by the composition.  The solo was noticeably brighter than the commonly minor and eerie jam that suits the song’s unsettling lyrical content. It appropriately continued the upbeat theme as bassist Marc “Brownie” Brownstein slapped it silly into the end of “Bernstein and Chasnoff,” bringing the first segment of the night to a promising end.

    Quite a tasty sandwich, and only the first course!  The opening bars of “The Very Moon” proved another slight challenge for the Barber, but he seemed to lock in and flash a smile at keyboardist Aron Magner just as the galloping acoustic piano lit up the whole room. With 2 crystal chandeliers flanking the stage on either side of the ceiling at the Fillmore, the light show was multiplied in a dazzling array of prisms.  Just as the tune was about to peak into its heavy riffing funk section, Swift Technique’s horn section rejoined the stage for a seamless transition into Rick James’ “Give it To Me Baby,” which the Disco Biscuits have played once before on Halloween of 2015, also accompanied by horns.  This version seemed more frequently rehearsed, having been at both performances.  The ST horns exited stage left as the funk cover transitioned into an ending of the old school “Morph Dusseldorf” to complete the final round of the first set.

    After a quick half hour plus set break, the boys from Philly came out swingin’ harder than Rocky with a pummeling “King of the World,” with the horns of Swift Technique once again in their corner.  Drummer Allen Aucoin kept pace as immaculately as usual, slowing things down for a debut cover of David Bowie’s 1983 smash hit “Let’s Dance.”  The white lasers playing off the disco ball like a crown brought the energy of the crowd straight back to the 80’s dance vibe that we all hate to love.  Disco Biscuit cover tunes are usually not, in any way, my bag; but something about Gutwillig’s low crooning register actually worked with the classic.  It was roughly 10 to 15 times more together than last year’s covers of “Touch Me” and some other unmemorable tripe at the February Fillmore run, which were also performed with Swift Technique horns. And the Doors are completely unbearable as it is.

    The resulting improvisation was quite danceable, flirting with a few familiar melodies before taking flight with an inverted “Humuhumunukunukuapua’a.”  “Astronaut” continued the segment with a surprising drop in and quite the dreamy bridge, conjuring an image and feeling of zero gravity.  There were many contradictory opinions as to where the next jam was leading, and the Biscuits turned up the heat big time with the lead in to the chorus of “Down to the Bottom,” playing a fully dyslexic version instead of their typical last-first inversion arrangement.  Combining that classic with the end of “Confrontation” to bring the evening to a close left many fans with their favorite high energy segment of the weekend.  For the encore the boys selected “On Time,” which was a bit strange considering they played it in the encore slot on the second night of last year’s Fillmore run as well.

    With two down and one to go, the internet was ablaze with vastly differing commentary.  We rushed to our Ubers and off to typical Philly after parties in cramped lofts to continue having our brains jangled by DJs, Space Bacon, and other sixth tier jam squads…and to continue the beautiful and elusive flight of the Flugel.

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  • moe. Knocks Out Two Back-to-Back Sold Out Shows at Higher Ground and Calvin Theatre

    Friday Feb 3, moe. brought some explosive energy to the Higher Ground in Burlington, VT for the first of two sold out shows.   As a popular and intimate venue, the crowd packed the venue like sardines in a can and quickly connected with the band making for a heater of a night.   It can’t go without mentioning that Burlington has one of the best selection of breweries in the northeast and Higher Ground serves a lot of them on tap.

    As attendees gulped down the micro-brews, the band warmed up with a solid “Captain America” featuring a tight solo from Chuck.  As they jammed a bit, Vinnie shifted drum rhythms to a slightly quicker speed, allowing a smooth transition into the funky “Akimbo.”  While tuning up their instruments, Chuck took to the microphone to comically introduce themselves saying, “Hello Everybody, we are moe. and we are not from Vermont.   But, we like Vermont.  We are Vermont-curious.” before counting off their own gloomy “Brittle End.”

    The Instrumental “CalifornIA” came next with a playful boost of energy as Al took his turn with a ripe solo that unfolded to an unforgettably extended “Bring You Down.”  Taking a brief moment, the band then invited Jamie Masefield to the stage to sit-in on mandolin for the remainder of the first set.   Vinnie began the traditional “stick-count” and intro for “Happy Hour Hero.”   When the bridge arrived, Chuck graciously gave Jamie the reins of the solo giving the song an earthly bluegrass feel.  Not too long into the jam, Jamie persuaded Chuck to share finger-picking licks with him while the rest of the band kept a steady pace, gradually picking up momentum.   When the groove was satisfied, they collectively segued into a steamy “Silver Sun” to end the set.  Before taking a break, Al whimsically gave praise to Masefield with “One of Vermont’s natural resources!”

    Returning to the stage, Garvey heckled Rob a little bit to get “ready to rock” by hilariously improvising a brief song with the remaining members. They quickly jumped into a pumped up “Puebla” featuring some technical fretwork by Chuck, who seemed to be the shining bright that evening.  Without a huddle, they thumped into “Crab Eyes” with a fantastic solo by Al.  Next came a massive “Yodelittle > Down Boy > Yodelittle” sandwich featuring some stellar bass grooves by Derhak.  Jim and Vinnie percussively attacked “Y.O.Y.” with a vengeance as they transitioned into a fiery “Water” to end the set.  With minutes left of the show, moe. rocked out Pink Floyd’s “In The Flesh” while Loughlin stepped up to the mic and belted out the lyrics.   The ensemble then propelled the brimming Higher Ground with the sing-a-long favorite “Plane Crash,” to conclude the show.

    Following onto the next night, moe. topped-off the first part of their winter tour with one more sold-out performance at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, Massachusetts.  Oddly, the Marquee sign on the front of the building was only half lit, highlighting the word “Vin,” which must have been some sort of foreshadowing of the performance that was about to unfold.  The theatre quickly filled as fans were anticipating a fun-filled, top-notch performance.  Shortly after their initial start time, members of the group embraced the stage and warmed up with “Defrost > Waiting for the Punchline.”  Next came the new Rob-sung “Prestige Worldwide” which included a knarly performance by Jim.  moe. then brought the mood down a couple levels with the fan-favoirte “Four” before segueing into the booty-shaker “Seat of My Pants.”  During Al’s quaking solo, the crowd went ballistic as he played his guitar against the top of a fan’s head, using it as a slide.   Moe. then churned up a mega “McBain” to round up the first set.

    There’s really only one thing to say about the second set, Non-stop Party!  Simple as that.  moe. played a monstrous triple-decker “The Pit” bundled with a conga-filled jam in”Deep This Time” and a 25 minute “Recreational Chemistry.”  But, it didn’t stop there.  The segues were endless as every member was firing on all cylinders and Garvey’s fierce guitar work on “Bullet” was dangerously captivating.   Jim displayed a colorful vibraphone solo that led into a percussively dominant “Brent Black” and featured an intense drum jam with Vinnie joining Jim on his congas and timbales!  At this point, the audience was sucked into the energy of the duo’s performance, cheering and hollering with excitement as some recorded it with their phones for future reminiscing.  As Vinnie jumped back on his drum set, Rob emerged from stage-side and entertained the audience with a beefy bass solo.

    Before the band continued with the encore, Al traditionally took a few minutes to interact with the fans with some announcements.  Giving fans a heartfelt “Letter Home” and “New York City” was a great way to bring the tour to a close before they pick back up in a few weeks.  Before everyone began filtering out, Rob took to the mic one last time to request a quick photo.   In doing so, he convinced half of the venue to give their photographer, Paul Citone, the middle finger from behind the band.  Once again, proving this band to be one of the best in the business!

    Higher Ground – 2.3.17

    Set I: Captain America > Akimbo, Brittle End, CalifornIA > Bring You Down, Happy Hour Hero* > Silver Sun*

    Set II: Puebla, Crab Eyes, Yodelittle > Down Boy > Yodelittle, Y.O.Y. > Water

    Encore: In The Flesh, Plane Crash

    *w/ Jamie Masefield

    Calvin Theatre – 2.4.17

    Set I:  Defrost > Waiting for the Punchline, Prestige Worldwide, Four > Seat of My Pants > McBain

    Set II: Tubing the River Styx > The Pit > Deep This Time > The Pit > Rec. Chem. > The Pit > Bullet > Brent Black

    Encore: Letter Home, NYC

  • Gaelic Storm Hits The Paramount with Irish Cheer

    A mainstay of the Celtic touring bands, Gaelic Storm returned to the Hudson Valley in January with a delightfully entertaining night of music to wrap up one segment of touring before heading back out on the road for a number of shows in Florida.

    Hitting the stage with a swift start, Gaelic Storm quickly warmed the room up with “Pina Colada in a Pint Glass.” The mood for the night was set early with some quick jokes from the stage about football including an affectionate jab at the Jets. Before the set was through, the band had a little dance contest fun for both the ale-tipped adults and the few kids in the crowd, to the tune of “Darcy’s Donkey.”

    With over 3,000 shows under their belt in their 21 years, it’s no surprise that the band was so natural and comfortable with being on stage. With plenty of humor and wit, singer Patrick Murphy was cracking jokes and sharing plenty of stories between songs which, most of the time, were as entertaining as the music itself.

    After a break, Gaelic Storm came back for a looser, rowdier second set with a set of jigs and their version of the classic “Whiskey in the Jar,” getting a few more dancers in the isles. The second set also brought the entertaining far-fetched, but possibly true, story behind “The Night I Punched Russell Crowe” and audience favorite “Scallywag” to close the set.

    The band returned for a two song encore starting with a cover of “Stand By Me” and their own “One More Day Above the Roses.” Before the last song, Murphy took a moment to praise the Paramount – “small towns have the nicest theaters” – a remark made with regard to the many venues the band has played.

    Set 1: Pina Colada In A Pint Glass, Jigs, Never Drink ‘Em Dry, Cape Cod Girls, Rustling Goat Gang, Girls’ Night In Galway, Girls of Dublin Town, Darcy’s Donkey, Black And Tan
    Set 2: Jigs, Whiskey in the Jar, The Night I Punched Russel Crowe, Rubber Arm, Drink the Night Away, Green Eyes/Red Hair, Scalliwag

    Encore: Stand By Me, One More Day Above The Roses

  • Formula 5’s Albany Jaunt a Hometown Throwdown

    On February 4 at the Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany, two area bands brought the popular venue to its knees with twists, turns, jams and family.

    Opening for Formula 5 was Ampevene, which brought a progressive feel to open the show. Led by guitarist and songwriter Gabe Stallman, Ampevene led the growing crowd through an hour of fun. There was a good deal of energy and musicianship from the hard working band.

    After a short break, Formula 5, who are putting the finishing touches on their upcoming album All Points North, took the stage with a handful of the band’s family members in the crowd.

    “Pedro” opened the show and set the tone for a highly improvisational, four-song opening stanza that saw guitarist Joe Davis unleash his now signature fury upon his red Gibson SG. After 15 or so minutes, the band landed on a Dire Straits cover, “Money For Nothing.”

    The pairing of “Excalibur” and “Come Along” closed the set, with both tunes lasting well over 10 minutes. Formula 5 had opened their hometown show with the poise and confidence of a seasoned rock band. It’s clear that the start of their current and lengthy tour, coupled with all the time spent in the studio, is doing wonders for the band.

    Wasting no time to start the second set, the foursome leaped right into a song off the new album, “Trout Waters Pt. I.” Davis and keyboardist Matt Richards quickly locked into a groove that bled into an “Out of Water Jam,” which saw the band extend the song to nearly 20 minutes. At one point, drummer was playing a sort of off beat techno beat that allowed the rest of the band to throw down a dance party.

    Following the conclusion of Trout Water Pt 2 was another new tune, “Q&A,” continuing the theme of jamming out every song in the second set. A take on the Talking Heads’ “Burning Down The House” gave way to another song off the new album, ” Sad Bed.”

    Up next was a surprise cover of Jeff Beck’s “Thelonious,” a song that showed off the chips of bassist James Woods. “Earthbound Tim” and “Catch Me” put the finishing touches on a set that never let up. There wasn’t a lull in the energy at any point, showing how far Formula 5 has come in the last few years.

    On February 18 in Hudson Falls, Formula 5 will play a show that happens to fall on Davis’ birthday. The band has started a march of sorts to sell out the show, which would be a first for the band.

    But first, Formula 5 will settle into a show at the Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday, February 7, with fellow Albany bands Mister F and Goose.

    You can download the Hollow show here.

    Formula 5 Setlist:

    Set 1: Pedro* -> Money For Nothing&, Excalibur, Come Along

    Set 2: Trout Waters, Pt. I -> Out Of Water Jam -> Trout Waters, Pt. II Q&A > Burning Down The House^ -> Sad Bed* -> Thelonious! Earthbound Tim* -> Catch Me

    Encore: It Goes…

    * Unfinished
    & Dire Straits cover
    ^ Talking Heads cover
    ! Jeff Beck

    Ampevene setlist: Florida, Pre Kong Jam, Kong, Rometheu, Rometheu Outro Jam, Tracalysis, Valencia, Pre Tumultuous Jam (first time played), Tumultuous

  • ‘The Last Waltz’ Looks Great on 40th anniversary

    The impetus was a one-off tribute to The Last Waltz during last spring’s New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and Warren Haynes and Don Was put together an all-star cast of musicians to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Band’s all-star farewell concert at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving Night, 1976.

    That performance spiraled into yet another tribute during Haynes’ annual Christmas Jam featuring many of the same musicians. All involved agreed that it was too good and too fun not to continue. The Last Waltz 40 Tour was born.

    Upon entering the picturesque Palace Theatre, attendees were treated to a full scale reproduction of the original Waltz stage, chandeliers and all.  With the stage aglow in indigo, the mood was set before the musicians even set foot on stage.

    While billed as a tribute to the now 40-year-old classic concert, this show felt fresh, more of a celebration of this great slice of Americana. Those in the know understand that what was originally released in the film and the three-LP album in 1978 was far short of the actual four hour-plus long show back in 1976. Thursday’s show was closer in length to that evening, clocking in at three hours and 20 minutes.

    The “Band” for this tour was fronted by Warren Haynes, founder of Govt Mule and former Allman Brothers Band guitarist. There isn’t much Haynes hasn’t had a hand in. Among his unlikely group of merrymakers was former Doobie, Michael McDonald, outlaw country artist Jamey Johnson, avant-jazz keyboardist and virtual mad scientist of the keys, John Medeski, of Medeski, Martin and Wood, Dirty Dozen Brass Band drummer Terence Higgins and uber-producer and bassist Don Was. The four-piece horn section, anchored by Bonerama trombonist Mark Mullins, performed the late Allen Toussaint‘s arrangements throughout the night, adding just perfect punch of authenticity to the classic songs of the Band.

    The night began with the PA pumping in the introductory theme from the movie, bringing the capacity crowd to its feet. Johnson took the lead vocals on “Up on Cripple Creek,” giving proper reverence to Levon Helm while maintaining his Nashville twang. Each time Johnson took the lead throughout the night was a pleasure, particularly during his performance of “Georgia on My Mind.” Johnson channeled the legendary Ray Charles with a touch of Willie Nelson in a soulful country-fied take of this classic that had the audience cheering throughout. McDonald’s piano solo and Haynes’ guitar solo complemented Johnson’s vocals perfectly.

    The music of the Band is the music of America (despite four of the original five members being Canadian). In their productive years, this group defied classification as they waded through the waters of blues, country, New Orleans-style funk and classic rock. At their peak, they were lauded by such legends as Eric Clapton and George Harrison, the former even expressed an interest in becoming a member at one point. There is a direct line that can be drawn from the Band through the Eagles, Tom Petty, Big Star, R.E.M., Wilco, My Morning Jacket to Blitzen Trapper. They compiled the best of American music into one package and launched the careers of a hundred bands. That is what this tour was all about. The fact that Haynes and Was could gather musicians of different genres and generations to pay tribute to this band attests to that truth.

    Late in the first set, New Orleans royalty, Ivan and Cyril Neville, joined the festivities for a funky version of Bobby Charles’ classic “Down South in New Orleans,” a song performed with Dr. John in the original show. Medeski displayed his virtuosity on the keys here as Cyril and Ivan provided the vocals. This was followed by the biggest curve ball of the night, a slinky, slowed-down, funky version of the classic blues song “Who Do You Love.” Cyril drove home the beat on the congas accompanied by Higgins in the pocket, while Ivan joined Medeski on the keys. The contrast from the original, performed by Ronnie Hawkins, couldn’t be more pronounced, yet it fit the setlist perfectly. Haynes worked the pedals, Medeski and Ivan worked the keys and everyone with a microphone in front of them harmonized the chorus to a T. Mullins tossed in a muted trombone solo to cap off a true highlight of the night.

    The first set concluded with Johnson leading a sing-along to the Band classic “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” Johnson’s contributions to this show cannot be overstated. The man has the vocal chops to handle anything in the Band’s repertoire.

    Following a quick 20 minute intermission, the band jumped feet first into the second set with a stellar horn intro to the classic “Ophelia.” Johnson again took the lead singing as Don Was kept the back end with a huge smile on his face. Haynes contributed one of his trademark solos and the stage was set for a second set that somehow ended up overshadowing the first.

    At the original, a maroon jump-suited Van Morrison appeared to perform his classic “Caravan” with the Band backing. On this night, Haynes played the role of Van the Man. Morrison’s voice is difficult to replicate. Haynes made it sound effortless on his turn at the mic. His soulfulness combined with the horn section made it seem as if one was back at the Winterland in 1976.

    Michael McDonald took center stage for Neil Young’s “Helpless,” tossing in a bit of his blue-eyed soul that gave his own imprint on the song. McDonald is still at the top of his vocal game and his unique cover of Young’s classic was a welcome addition to the setlist. McDonald was the wild card of this lineup. While he’s contributed keys and vocals to many classics throughout his career, covering someone like Neil Young isn’t something one would expect from him. He made it his own while still keeping true to Young’s original.

    As if the night couldn’t get more exciting, John Medeski took over McDonald’s keyboard while the Doobie sat aside him playing banjo for the Johnson-led “Rag Mama Rag.” Medeski put on one of the performances of the night with his assault on the keys, putting the audience’s feet in motion and the keyboard on notice. His performance on this song alone cemented his status as one of the best keyboardists in the game today. One could not help but focus on him as he played.

    Following this run-through, the Palace crowd was treated to an appearance from the first of two original The Last Waltz performers in “Steady Rollin’” Bob Margolin. Accompanied on harp by Chris O’Leary from Levon’s Barn Burners, Margolin introduced himself as someone who performed with blues legend Muddy Waters at the original. He told a story of an after-show jam session at the hotel with Ronnie Wood, Levon Helm, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan, where they performed a series of Robert Johnson songs. O’Leary then broke into his harp intro to Robert Johnson’s “Kindhearted Woman Blues” as Margolin laid some old school blues on the Palace crowd. He then broke into a stomping version of “Further on Up the Road,” performed by Clapton in the original, with Haynes on vocals. The 68 year old Margolin displayed more energy than just about anyone on stage during this performance, frog-hopping towards the front row while wailing away. Those who didn’t know him prior, took note this night.

    Following Margolin’s electric performance was the part of the night everyone was anticipating. Original member of the Band, Garth Hudson gingerly approached the stage to a standing ovation, decked in a wide-brimmed black hat to hit the keys for “The Weight.” Johnson kicked off the vocals, followed by Haynes and then McDonald, providing that Doobie bounce to one of the Band’s signature songs. O’Leary and Margolin remained onstage for this one.  O’Leary provided the “Wait a minute, Chester” portion with a bouncing spirit that had the crowd bouncing along as well.

    A soulful rendition of “I Shall Be Released” was delivered with aplomb by Johnson accompanied by a classic Hudson keys solo. Unfortunately, he wasn’t very visible behind the keyboards, aside from his wide-brimmed hat, however the sounds coming from the keys were unmistakably Hudson.

    The entire band left the stage following “Released,” leaving Hudson alone at the keys with the spotlight on as he performed his signature improv “The Genetic Method,” a nearly five minute piece inspired by Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” that accompanies “Chest Fever.” This one featured vocals by all the leads including an especially soulful take from McDonald. Each musician on stage was admiring Hudson’s work throughout smiling at the legend as they performed. Haynes’ solo was particularly inspired in this one.

    “Don’t Do It” closed the night on a high note with inspired vocals from O’Leary and McDonald with a pop from the horns that left the audience dancing in the aisles with smiles on their faces.

    The Last Waltz and the Band are American (and Canadian) treasures. Forty years on and the music that was created is still celebrated and inspirational. The audience in attendance was a mix of those who saw the Band in their heyday as well as those who have been influenced by the artists influenced by them. The music is still as relevant today as it was when it was originally performed and yet sheds a light on the history of American music. This tour was a celebration of that legacy but also a continuation of it. As the years go by musicians will still perform these songs and the legacy will still be celebrated. Here’s to more of that. Thank you to Don Was and Warren Haynes for providing us with this celebration, which will no doubt continue at least until the 40th anniversary of the movie’s release in 2018.

  • Gary Allan Brings Classic Country Sounds Back to Turning Stone

    Gary Allan isn’t your typical mainstream country musician. Allan’s roots are firmly planted in a classic country soil, and the southern California and Bakersfield influence is apparent in his music and compositions.

    Performing to a sold out crowd at The Turning Stone Casino, Allan’s abilities to seamlessly switch gears on stage from an upbeat tempo to ballad is effortless.  Backed by one of the most talented bands I’ve seen recently, the setlist showcased their skills perfectly. Between Allan’s ruggedly sexy voice and the band’s ability to lull you in with each tune, you fall in love with this show a little more as each song is performed.

    Playing popular hits such as “Song About Rain,” “Airplanes,” “Do You Wish It Was Me,” and “Best I Ever Had,” although comfortable and welcoming, it wasn’t the popular songs that struck a chord in me.  It was the classic sound, the Bakersfield rockabilly, and rock-based tunes that made me sit up and take notice of this ensemble.  Songs like “Guys Like Me” with a heavy slide guitar, and “Man of Me” that featured piano, fiddle, slide guitar, and heavy percussion and guitar blew me away. While “Half of My Mistake” and “Smoke Rings In the Dark” showcased a definite southern California sound with a little Tex-Mex/Bakersfield sound mixed within.

    In a generation of new country sounds, it was refreshing to hear a classic country sound like “Nothing On But the Radio” and “It Would Be You.” His new music on Set You Free truly stands out to me.  The honesty of the lyrics, the deliverance of the emotions with songs like “It Ain’t The Whiskey,” and the super sultry sexy “Sand in My Soul” truly draws you in and makes you fall in love with this album.

    Further reflecting his classic country sound were covers such as “Her Man,” by Waylon Jennings, and “Fast As You,” a Dwight Yoakum favorite, highlighted the smoldering country and Bakersfield sounds that are slowly making their way back in to mainstream country today.

    Allan is true class and classic at the same time.  With songs like “Learning How to Bend,” he demonstrates his talent in songwriting and performance.  He has a way of drawing you in to his songs where they become your life.  That’s a gift.  Perhaps it’s because of the honesty in his music.  He doesn’t march to the beat of popular tides, he’s true to his roots and to his sound.  You feel his music because he feels his music.

    The stand out performance of the evening was “Get Off on the Pain.”  The honesty in which Allan delivers this song cranks it up to over drive and he leaves it all on stage with that number.

    Closing out the show with “Drinking Dark Whiskey,” this Chris Stapleton, Mike Henderson number, once again highlighted Allan’s classic country sound and the tide that country music is to turning to today.  With a new album on the horizon, it is my prediction we have yet to see the best of Gary Allan.  This ever evolving musician has just begun to make his mark on the country music stage.

    Setlist: Tough All Over, Radio, Man to Man, Guys Like Me, Do you Wish It Was Me, Smoke Rings, Sand in my Soul, It Ain’t the Whiskey, Half of My Mistakes, Her Man (Waylon Jennings cover)It Would Be you, Get Off on the Pain, Song About Rain, Airplanes, Learning How to Bend, Life Ain’t Always Beatuitful, Best I Ever Had, Man of Me, Right Where I Need to Be.

    Encore: Every Storm, Fast As You (Dwight Yokam cover), Drinking Dark Whiskey (Chris Stapleton/Mike Henderson cover)

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  • moe. Speaks at Penn’s Peak

    Nestled in the hills of eastern Pennsylvania sits a popular music venue that welcomes all genres of artists and is accompanied with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.  Penn’s Peak has hosted a vast array of talent from country stars to rock legends of sorts.  On Thursday, Feb 2 they welcomed the beloved moe. for the first time in their career.

    There was an abundance of energy as the venue staff and fans were excited to see them at the peak.   Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the inside of the building appeared as if you were walking around the inside of Noah’s ARC, constructed with large wooden beams and beautifully polished wooden floors.  These features were significantly enhanced with beautiful lighting by Pulse Lighting’s own lighting designer, Justin Casey.

    moe. took to the stage with some pep in their step and busted out of the gate with an energetic “Spine Of A Dog” that seamlessly segued into “Spaz Medicine.” After Al finished a ripping solo, the mood was reduced enough to flow into Tori Amos’ “Cornflake Girl.”   The remainder of the first set was a monstrous segue that started with “Timmy Tucker” and featured the fairly new instrumental, “Montego.”  Highlights of the second set include a long awaited “Stranger Than Fiction” followed by a juicy “Rebubula” sandwich that included “Jazz Wank” and “Buster.”  As the guys took a short encore break, they re-emerged after the Al.nouncements and capped off the night with “Downward Facing Dog” and David Bowie’s “Fame.”

    Set 1:  Spine of a Dog > Spaz Medicine > Cornflake girl, Timmy Tucker > Hector’s Pillow > Montego > Mar Dema > Okay Alright

    Set 2: Do or Die, ZOZ > Moth, Stranger than Fiction, Rebubula > Jazz Wank > Buster > Rebubula

    Encore: Downward Facing Dog, Fame