Category: Show Reviews

Phish Layers the Garden with Jimmies
On the second Sunday of the outstanding Baker’s Dozen run at Madison Square Garden, Phish once again left its mark in the building and reminded us why we should never miss a Sunday show. When they opened with the classic, “The Curtain With,” the audience knew that they were in for an extra tasty treat. On Night 8, the band showed patience, confidence, and, of course – a sense of humor. Launching into a short but sweet first set “Runaway Jim” the band brought smiles to faces as the first donut reference of the night was revealed. Phish has magically decorated all their sets with delicious toppings during the Baker’s Dozen, and they continue to please the crowd with the lyrics we know and love.

Unlike the outrageously raging Saturday night, the quartet took the “slow and steady wins the race” approach on Sunday. The unexpected Junta jam “Esther” poked its head out for the first time since 2015. A hush filled the chapel and the people looked happy as the boys eased into two more slower tunes in “Home” and “Brian and Robert.” After a straight forward “Nellie Kane” Trey Anastasio led into an unforgettable “Colonel Forbin’s Ascent> Fly Famous Mockingbird” while Chris Kuroda took the lights on a legendary adventure in “the World’s Most Famous Arena.”

A spine tingling “David Bowie” finished off the set highlighted by Trey’s exceptionally tight guitar playing. The first set may have been slow, but it certainly wasn’t dull as several bust outs and sought after trophies were obtained by the ravenous audience. During the set-break, it was clear that fans had made the right choice in buying tickets to the Garden rather than staying home to catch up on Game of Thrones.

While there was no mention of “Jimmies” in the set two opener, “Drowned,” there was certainly enough improvisation to write home about. Clearly the MSG residency has done something to the Vermonters as they are playing with a Nectar’s-esque level of commitment. The ambient and mind-altering “Song I Heard The Ocean Sing” that swam its way out of the “Drowned” jam was the perfect addition to an already stellar second set. Dialed in, Page anchored the jam with some incredible synth play and Gordon acted as the lift-guard and threw in a floating bass line to build the jam up.

After two songs and almost 40 minutes, the crowd was left speechless, but thankfully Phish did all the talking during what will be known as the “Baker’s Harpua.” The never-ending tale of Jimmy and his cat’s unfortunate fate has not been narrated since 1997 at the Garden, but this time around Trey, Mike, Page, and Jon sat down to tell us a story about the universe. Donuts have covered mid-town Manhattan as fans anxiously await the details of the next flavor each night. During the historic version of “Harpua,” Phish let us in on a little secret by informing us all that the entire Universe is just a donut! In the expansive narration of Jimmy and his comrades, Trey consistently made the connection between current events and what is happening in Jimmy’s world. The insanely entertaining story that was told on Sunday night will not just go down as one of the greatest things to happen during the 13-show run, but possibly one of the best renditions in Phishtory.

The band made it clear that they were not ready to head back down to planet Earth as they remained in outer-space for a cosmic “Also Sprach Zarathustra.” The crowd seemed perplexed and were still trying to wrap their minds around the “Harpua” story when the spacey and instrumental jam morphed into a familiar and grounding “Golgi Apparatus.” While I am not at liberty to assume how Trey writes his set lists, I imagine there was some thinking behind the second set on Sunday night. The band went from a water and ocean theme to explaining the massive and mysterious universe before looking into a microscope and focusing in on one of the smallest elements of a cell, the Golgi body.

Under the light, they couldn’t get anything wrong on this particular night as they settled on yet another a cappella song, “In The Good Old Summer Time” to finish off the amazing set. Phish acted as our genie and granted us the third wish of the night by debuting the Jimi Hendrix classic “The Wind Cried Mary.” While die-hard fans were hoping to hear the recognizable “Izabella” by Jimi, we got a slow and fitting “best-of Hendrix” tune instead. The Garden screamed Mary as smoke billowed and couples embraced during the well-executed cover. The “Jimmies” night of the Baker’s Dozen run was a huge success and solidified the second Sunday as another classic Garden performance for the band that knows it best.

Setlist courtesy of Phish.net

Set 1: The Curtain With > Runaway Jim, Waking Up Dead, Esther, Home, Brian and Robert, Nellie Kane, Colonel Forbin’s Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird > David Bowie

Set 2: Drowned, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing, Harpua > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Golgi Apparatus, In The Good Old Summer Time

Encore: The Wind Cries Mary[1]

[1] Phish debut.
August 1, 2017
Drive-By Truckers: Protest Rock At The Egg

It’s been a long and inspired ride for the Athens Georgia based Drive-By Truckers. Since their debut album Gangstabilly almost 20 years ago, the band has seen numerous band lineup changes and produced multiple critically acclaimed LP’s. Co-founders of Drive-By Truckers Patterson Hood (lead vocals, guitar) and Mike Cooley (lead vocals, guitar, banjo) have been the architects of their longevity by amassing a pool of amazing musical talent that currently includes Matt Patton (bass guitar, backing vocals), Jay Gonzalez (keys, guitar, accordion, backing vocals), and Brad Morgan (drums). The band’s last LP, 2016’s politically charged American Band, takes head on the subjects of gun violence and the current state of U.S. race relations that only a Southern based rock band steeped in that culture and tradition possibly could.

Drive-By Truckers at the Egg

DBT brought that politically charged power and intensity to the Hart Theater located in Albany’s Egg Performance Art Center on Tuesday July 25. This is the eleventh stop on DBT’s Resist Tour and the band was accompanied by opening act The Seratones. Based out Shreveport Louisiana, The Seratones are touring in support of their 2016 rocking release Get Gone. Lead Singer and guitarist AJ Haynes along with band members Connor Davis (guitar), Adam Davis (bass guitar), and Jesse Gabriel (drums) kicked off the show with a high octane version of “Choking On Your Spit.” The high octane, in your face, offering set the tone for their remaining energetic set.

After a short break, it was the Truckers turn to take the stage and they kicked off their set with “Filthy and Fried” off of 2016’s American Band. Vocalist Cooley painted a gritty picture of a modern day landscape that showcases the angst of a 27-year-old woman trying to cope with the struggles of gender identity in everyday life. Next it was Hood’s turn to take the lead on vocals with a stirring rendition of “Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife” off of 2008’s Brighter Than Creation’s Dark. It was just a little later in DBT’s set that Cooley realized that the crowd at the Egg were being overly reserved and sitting statically in their seats. He addressed the audience, stating that it was alright if they wanted to keep sitting down. Cooley went on to say that he and the band were more than willing to play slow songs, but if they wanted to rock they should feel free to get up on their feet. The newly energized crowd eagerly left their seats, the majority of which, stayed that way for the remainder of the performance.

DBT kept up their end of the bargain by cranking out down and dirty versions of Truckers fan favorites “Where The Devil Don’t Stay” and “Puttin’ People on the Moon.” Bassist Matt Patton also got a turn at vocals later in the set with a high-powered rendition of the Ramones classic, “The KKK Took My Baby Away.” DBT finished the night with an encore that included American Band’s politically charged “What It Means.” The song lyrically examines the ever-increasing incidents of gun violence in America and references the gun slayings of African Americans Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. The stage lights went down during the performance, with the exception of a brightly lit Black Lives Matter sign that was prominently featured on the side of the band’s piano. Hood ended the anti-gun violence anthem with the impassioned mantra “It ain’t political…It’s personal!”

The Truckers wrapped up their set with a stirring version of “Grand Canyon” off of 2014’s English Oceans. Hood dedicated the song on-stage to “Departed Drive-By Truckers Family,” a reference to longtime merch-man and band ambassador Craig Lieske who passed away in 2013. The Drive-By Truckers will be featured at both the Newport Folk and XPoNential Music Festivals later this month.

Setlists:

Drive-By Truckers: Filthy and Fried, Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife, Ramon Casiano, Baggage, Marry Me, Dead, Drunk and Naked, Guitar Man Upstairs, Darkened Flags on the Cusp of Dawn, Surrender Under Protest, The Company I Keep, A Ghost to Most, The Guns of Umpqua, Where the Devil Don’t Stay, Puttin’ People on the Moon, Shit Shots Count, Ronnie and Neil, Kinky Hypocrite,The KKK Took My Baby Away, Sinkhole, Made Up English Oceans, Let There Be Rock, Zip City, What It Means, Love Like This, Grand Canyon

Seritones: Choking On Your Spit, Sun Kingdom Come, Get Gone, Head-trip, Chandelier, Tide Brainwashed, Take It Easy, Necromancer, Don’t Need It, Trees

July 30, 2017
Hot Chocolate and Cinnamon Spice Up Nights 6 and 7 of Phish’s Baker’s Dozen

Chocolate donut night on the sixth night of the Baker’s Dozen MSG residency brought Phish to cover an American Idol contestant’s viral hit, bringing “Chocolate Rain” to life, along with “Ass Handed,” tying the theme to the music once again before letting loose with a set of rarities and surprise jams. “Free” and “Sand’” marked the high points of Set 1’s jamming, with ‘Weigh’ and ‘Destiny Unbound’ garnering the loudest cheers as fans crossed songs off their bucket list for yet another night. During “Divided Sky,” Trey held ‘the note’ for such a long time that Chris Kuroda lit up the arena, with one spotlight shining down on Trey as he slowly looked around the entire arena, in as much awe of his surroundings as the crowd was.

The ever rare “Have Mercy” was the bustout to start set 2, opening the way for “Chalkdust Torture” which clocked in at 24 minutes and stood out as the jam of the evening. Ascending jams that rose and rose with full band builds with no let up highlighted “Chalkdust,” creating a jam vehicle that found its way towards Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing.” Hearing the opening notes of the funk from this 70s classic, the audience erupted in the glee of an out of left field bust out that led to a funk jam for the ages.

“Mercury,” while fresh and left off Big Boat, bridged the ending of “You Sexy Thing,” a jam the band sought to return to at the first opportunity. By the time the funk ended, the audience welcomed “Backwards Down the Number Line” with as much energy as they could muster and with “Rock and Roll” following, the crowd went into a frenzy listening to that New York Station. An encore of the ever rare “Fee” and “Space Oddity” capped the night as Phish continued to raise the bar during their historic run at Madison Square Garden.

Setlist via Phish.net
Set 1: Chocolate Rain[1], Ass Handed, Free, Weigh > Undermind > The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony, The Dogs, Destiny Unbound, Divided Sky, Things People Do, Sand

Set 2: Have Mercy, Chalk Dust Torture[2], You Sexy Thing[3] > Mercury -> You Sexy Thing > Backwards Down the Number Line > Rock and Roll

Encore: Fee[4], Space Oddity

[1] Phish debut; a cappella, with Page on a midi controller keyboard.
[2] Unfinished.
[3] Phish debut.
[4] Lyrics changed to “have a chocolate donut and catch your breath.”

Phish returned to the comfy confines of Madison Square Garden for Night 7 of the Baker’s Dozen residency on Saturday with a show that had all the Phishy elements fans love, starting off with with the energetic scorcher “Llama,” fastening in the crowd for a memorable, cinnamon flavored night.

Many fans who didn’t figure out their ticket situation in advance were left with their finger in the air come show time as it seemed many were shut out. Inside the venue, a recording came on urging the crowd to “not eat the brown donuts,” as they are not so good, surely a play on the famous brown acid announcement at the original Woodstock.

After the straightforward “Llama,” Phish launched into “Wilson” and the crowd was instantly ready, painting the famed venue walls with only the type of energy a Phish crowd can bring. Normally a quick hype song, this “Wilson” stretched beyond the nine-minute mark with an atypical jam out of what normally closes the song, which caught few off guard after the surprises Phish had in the first six shows.

Standard takes on “Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan” and “Ya Mar” warmed up for the semi-rare, and ultra sought after “Tela.” The band nailed the song and Trey played the closing guitar section masterfully, igniting a rousing applause from the capacity crowd.

“The Birds”>”The Line” was a nice segue, with the latter containing a bit of full band improvisation. “The Line” takes a lot of heat in the Phish world for being a bathroom break song, but this one was well placed and you can just tell how much Trey and Mike enjoy playing the song based off their mutual grins.

A brief “Water In The Sky” came as a warm up for the close of the set, which began with a very well played “Vultures,” another song that seemed to add an extra layer of frosting on an already rocking first set. Mike took the lead to sing “Train Song” that led into a segue into “Horn,” in which the entire band played each note almost perfectly. In recent years, Trey has taken some online flak for not playing the composed guitar part of “Horn” perfectly, but he did last night.

Not many expected what came next. When Page hit the two notes on the clav and Trey played the fuzzy lead line, the crowd nearly exploded with energy as everyone realized Phish was covering The Beatles’ beloved “I Am The Walrus.” As the band and crowd sang in unison and Chris Kuroda turned the Garden into a rainbow light dance party, a guy leaned in to my ear and said, “So dude, I really think they’re not going to repeat a single song.” Me too, kid. Me too.

After set break, Phish started up with “Blaze On,” a song that debuted two summers ago and quickly found its place as a first set rocker, late set jam vehicle and the coveted second set opener. It was apparent that Phish was going to sink their fins into this one as Trey didn’t waste a second before jumping into a nearly five-minute lead solo that was him wield his Languedoc high, bending notes in his signature rapid fire licks. It was some of his finest playing of the run, which was a bit of foreshadowing for what’s to come.

“Blaze On” then started to devolve, until Phish reconstructed it into a major key with a mildly funky and ethereal jam that kept everyone’s interest before bringing it back to a swirling crescendo finish that clocked in at nearly 24 minutes and left some speechless. This band is clearly as comfortable as they’ve felt in a really long time.

After a segue into “20 Years Later,” which seemed to contain some Led Zeppelin type elements in the jam, Phish broke out “Alumni Blues”>”Letter to Jimmy Page”>”Alumni Blues,” two of their oldest songs. While the segment was very textbook, it was very well played and featured Trey and Mike facing each other for a short bluesy segment, after which Trey shouted “it’s alright now, ‘cuz Mike’s playing the bass,” which elicited a crowd roar, before Mike took a short but powerful lead solo.

Out of the soundscape came fan favorite “Meatstick,” which has a rich history with MSG. In 1994 and 2010, Phish used the song as part of their New Year’s Eve gags. After the dance part, Trey and Page led the band into an atypical and psychedelic jam which landed perfectly on “Dirt.” While “Dirt” is typically a first set song, last night’s placement couldn’t have been any better, giving fans a bit of a break after nearly an hour of some pretty unique music. But, hey, that’s why we follow this band.

With time winding down in the night, anticipation was high in regard to what they’d close the set with. When Fishman hit the drums, “Harry Hood” made it’s Baker’s Dozen appearance and did more than close the set. Clocking in at 17:20, this “Hood” broke itself down into ambient space before Trey, Page and Mike revved the sing into the highest gear with very Allman Brothers’ “Mountain Jam”-esque teases and quotes. Approaching 17 minutes, “Hood” finished with a peak that only that song can bring. When this is all done and said, “Harry Hood” will go down as a very notable jam from this run.

Almost forgot that the theme was cinnamon donuts? Well, after a somewhat lengthy encore break, Phish came out and lit into a cover of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl,” which was last played by the band 19 years, 364 days ago. The crowd had anticipated the song all night and Phish delivered with a stellar take on the song that sent 20,000 people flowing onto the streets of midtown Manhattan.

The stage is set for what we in the Phish world gear up for: A Sunday show. I think the saying goes something like, “never miss a Sunday show!”

In reality, it should be, “never miss a Phish show!”

Setlist via phish.net

Set 1: Llama, Wilson > Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan > Ya Mar, Tela, The Birds > The Line, Water in the Sky, Vultures, Train Song > Horn, I Am the Walrus

Set 2: Blaze On > Twenty Years Later > Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues > Meatstick > Dirt > Harry Hood

Encore: Cinnamon Girl

July 30, 2017
Five Takeaways From The 27th Annual Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival Of Music And Dance
In this audio editorial, Rochester Groovecast provides their top five takeaways from the 27th Annual Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival Of Music and Dance.

The Five Takeaways are:
1. Cultural Diversity
2. Regional Superstars
3. Reggae Music
4. A Family Affair
5. Mother Nature
Take a listen to the audio editorial below!
July 27, 2017
Phish Delivers a Jam Filled Show on Night 4 of Baker’s Dozen

On a night where jams were promised, jams were delivered. The complaint ‘Phish doesn’t jam anymore’ is now an antiquated phrase reserved for jaded vets and those looking for a reason to justify not attending a show. On Honey Dipped Jam-Filled Donut night, Phish’s Baker’s Dozen shifted into high gear starting the show with a 5 song first set with no song shorter than 10 minutes. By the time the show was over, the band had two 30 minute jams under their belt, as well as the debut of “End of Session” from 1998’s Story of the Ghost. The fourth night marked the best of the run, with nine nights still to go.

Starting for the fourth show in a row with an ‘S’ song, the normally simple “Sample in a Jar” topped out at 10 minutes, far longer than usual. It was when “Lawn Boy” started that fans were in for a treat among treats, and 29:59 later, after enormous blissful jamming that began when Page stood up to get his keytar, everyone knew they’d gotten something far out of the ordinary. Repeated listens will be required to fully absorb what Phish threw into this jam filled “Lawn Boy,” no, “Lawn Man.”

“My Friend, My Friend” and “Stash” both topped the 11-minute mark with stronger than normal Type I jams that kept the set flowing. “Bathtub Gin” followed suit, and despite these last three songs having as much punch as any first set jam this run, “Lawn Boy” slightly overshadowed the others, more for the factor of jamming “Lawn Boy” among all the other songs in their repertoire.

The second set started with “Fuego” clocking in at close to 20 minutes, followed by “Thread” which debuted in Chicago as a unique prog-rock number but also provided a bridge between jam vehicles, as “Crosseyed and Painless” provided an additional dose of jam that was promised. The Talking Heads cover veered into the usual improvisation and picked up speed as it dipped into a “2001” prelude that shifted gears and instead continued the “Crosseyed” jam in a third, or even fourth altogether different section.

“Makisupa Policeman” with nods to Page and Mike from Trey and the jam out of Makisupa melted into “End of Session,” which debuted to the delight of the few who recalled the final track on Story of the Ghost, an ambient composition on many fans bucketlists. The set was capped by “Tuesday” and “Cavern” and fans picking up the jaws that were dropped in the 33 minute “Crosseyed.”

To end the show, “Julius” came out rocking and segued into the ending of “Lawn Boy” to the intense delight of fans who saw the show come full circle, heading into Powdered donut night.

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Sample in a Jar, Lawn Boy[1] > My Friend, My Friend[2] > Stash, Bathtub Gin

Set 2: Fuego > Thread > Crosseyed and Painless > Makisupa Policeman -> End of Session[3] > Tuesday > Cavern

Encore: Julius > Lawn Boy

[1] Page on keytar.
[2] No “Myfe” ending.
[3] Debut

July 26, 2017
Photo Gallery: Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Celebrate 40 Years at Air Canada Centre in Toronto
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers made a stop on their 40th anniversary tour at the Air Canada Center on July 15. The veteran rockers played to a sold-out crowd of over 19,000.

The band played mostly hits, but dropped in an occasional B-side or rare track. They kicked off their set by going way back to the first song off their very first album, Rockin’ Around (With You). Petty and the Heartbreakers took us on a ride through time which Petty described as “We’re going to pretend like this is a record spinning around up here playing our entire catalog and every now and then we are going to drop the needle.”

Petty took fans through a history of his solo and the Heartbreakers catalog, including “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” “You Don’t Know How it Feels,” softer hits like “Wildflowers” and “Crawling Back to You.” They ended the evening with fan favorite, “American Girl.” Check out the photo gallery below.
July 26, 2017
Sunday Velvety Sunday: Night 3 of Phish’s Baker’s Dozen

After two nights of Phish extending jams amid bustouts and debuts during the Baker’s Dozen, it was clear that these donut themed shows would be filled with jam and not jelly. On Red Velvet donut night, the audience was treated to a pair of Velvet Underground covers bookending the show, as a red hue illuminated the Garden and once again the mantra ‘Never miss a Sunday Show’ held true.

Opening with Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning” with Fishman in a Cardinal’s stole and mitre, he sang a perfect song to fit the day and theme, all while blessing the crowd with the ‘holy water’ that was in his scepter. And with that, the show amped up the energy with “Axilla” driving the crowd into a frenzy, “Your Pet Cat” throwing in a dose of funk, and an 11 minute “Back on the Train” that easily ventured beyond the usual length for the Farmhouse fan favorite. “How Many People Are You” kept the energy flowing, and while “Glide” isn’t an intense song, the oft-chased after song was greeted by all as another example of working through the band’s deep catalog to ensure no repeats throughout the 13 show run.

After a standard “Theme From the Bottom,” the jam of the evening took off inside “It’s Ice,” with the band stretching this version out past the 15 minute mark with a deeply exploratory jam built on patience from all four members. Setting the tone with jams in non-traditional jam vehicles has been a hallmark of this tour (see: Dayton “Wombat,” Pittsburgh “Mr. Completely”) and “It’s Ice” with its jazzy improvisation follows this trend. Closing the set was “More,” something everyone was asking for after the “Ice” jam.

After a creamy first set, Phish came out firing with a brief, but punchy “AC/DC Bag,” which a lot of fans were hoping would get lengthy jam treatment. While it clocked in at its typical time, “Bag” still got the Garden dancing as Anastasio brought some youthful playing to one of Phish’s oldest and most played songs.

Whatever song was up next was sure to get stretched out, as the band has displayed incredible improvisational prowess on this tour throughout each show, but especially in the second sets. So, with the opener providing more of a quick rocker, “Wolfman’s Brother” brought out a very audible cheer from the crowd, as Chris Kuroda followed suit with maybe the most intense lights of the run so far. From behind the stage, it appeared, at times, that the red lights morphed into a reflective orange, which made the crowd appear, at times, on fire. Meanwhile, after Phish got through the song portion of “Wolfman’s Brother,” the band kicked it 50 yards past high gear with a sort of circular feeling ambient jam that saw Mike Gordon lead a layered approach to another old and beloved song, which bled into “Twist.”

This “Twist” can really be described by its several distinct sections, and was highlighted by Page McConnell’s stellar use of his new synth toy. It seems that every member of the band has added something new, at it showed in this jam, which gave way to a series of loops from Anastasio. When it all came together, the peak settled back gently into the song’s theme. “Waves” came next, and quickly went dark and deep, but the jam was the only flat part of the entire set. Some around the section were loving it, but others were not sold on the jam. “Miss You” filled in where “2001” seemed to be emerging from the spacey jam out of “Waves.”

“Boogie On Reggae Woman” and, of course, “Wading In the Velvet Sea” closed out the set in funky and somewhat emotive fashion. Everyone knew “Velvet Sea” was coming, and it was pretty well placed after a set chock full of improvisation, landing well.

For the first time since Deer Creek 2012, Phish busted out a fan favorite in the Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane.” Kuroda brought back the red light theme, and Phish played the song flub free, ending with the crowd in a frenzy as the Anastasio jumped up and down to conclude another stellar show of the Baker’s Dozen.

Night 4 of Baker’s has been announced as Jam Filled, with mini Raspberry donuts the theme of the night. Few things can get a phan’s heart pumping than to know a night full of jamming is on tap.

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Sunday Morning[1], Axilla, Your Pet Cat > Back on the Train, How Many People Are You, Glide, Theme From the Bottom >It’s Ice > More
Set 2: AC/DC Bag > Wolfman’s Brother[2] > Twist > Waves > Miss You, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Wading in the Velvet Sea
Encore: Sweet Jane
[1] Phish debut. Trey on drums.
[2] Unfinished.

July 25, 2017
Unusual And Sexy: Lauper and Stewart Take Saratoga By Storm

Rod Stewart is still sexy, if you were wondering. And he likes his job. A lot.

He performed a high energy set to a sea of fans at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Saturday, July 22 surrounded by fantastic musicians, including a show stopping tenor performance by Jimmy “Saxman” Roberts.

Cyndi Lauper opened for the legendary Stewart with “Funnel of Love,” and even some of her biggest fans were confused. Behind the beat and somewhat flat, Lauper’s entrance was disappointing. Her talking with the audience was scattered, and until she played “Money Changes Everything,” she failed to connect to the music she was playing energetically.

That all changed with “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” though. With a slide show of women’s rights posters from the Women’s March in January, Lauper empowered her audience members to demand their rights. At one point, she even stopped her band and coached the audience to sing “more convincingly,” noting if they ever wanted to get what they really wanted, they needed to ask for it.

“True Colors” followed and reminded anyone who may have forgotten that Lauper has been an energetic activist for LGBTQ rights. From writing and producing “Kinky Boots” to using her music to encourage kindness, Lauper’s 30-year career has been inspiring. Audience members forgave the initial flat notes, and this writer even questioned if perhaps she was sick, as she had a slight cough. The last few songs of her set absolved all of the concerns about her earlier performance, even forgiving the cover of country hit “End of the World” and silly story about her time in Nashville.

Lauper left the stage reminding the audience to have a good summer and “be good to each other,” and when the lights came up audience members were visibly moved by her gentle words.

Rod Stewart’s stage was covered by a black and white checkered curtain, and his entrance was built up dramatically with classical music. His band members entered first, covered in gold glittering costumes, and he joined them crooning “Infatuation.” Stewart moved quickly through a high energy set, singing “Some Guys Have All the Luck,” “This Old Heart of Mine,” and “Tonight’s the Night” with full audience participation.

Stewart was all smiles and spread his contagious joy singing “Forever Young.” Mid-song he left for a costume change, and three percussionists entertained the crowd with a mesmerizing and heart pounding trio. Stewart gladly promoted the drummers, fiddlers, harpsichordist, and saxophonist on stage with him, frequently offering opportunities for solos.

During a grouping of love songs, Stewart floated pictures of his wife and kids on the screens behind him. He smiled and admitted he had a great job as he sang a bluesy cover from Muddy Waters. With a nod to jazz blues, Stewart disclosed he owes a lot of those who inspired him.

Possibly the best moment of the night, however, came as he brought the crowd to their feet with “Downtown Train.” At its close, the tenor sax’s sweet round notes juxtaposed with high pitched screams demonstrated Jimmy Roberts’ smooth jazz talent and breath support.

From that moment to the night’s end, Rod Stewart and his fellow musicians only got more animated. “Proud Mary” gave Stewart time to again change costume, followed by faster and faster-paced songs. He kicked his characteristic soccer balls into the audience, reminding everyone he was a pro soccer player and danced at a high pace. The crescendo peaked when Stewart asked, “Do You Think I’m Sexy.”

Clearly, the crowd does think Stewart is still sexy. At age 72, Stewart doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. He still fills hearts with gladness and brings audacious musicians along for the ride.

July 24, 2017
Baker’s Dozen Night Two: The Strawberry Goo

As the first weekend of Phish’s Madison Square Garden Baker’s Dozen residency rolls on, and with a memorable Friday night show already in the books, Saturday delivered another rousing two sets of music set to the tune of the next donut flavor of choice: Strawberry milkshake glaze. Once announced, speculation ran rampant as to what the band could pull out of its hat in order to comply with tonight’s theme. Perhaps a rare Strawberry Alarm Clock cover? An extended “Halley’s Comet” with strawberry jam? As usual, The Phish from Vermont did not disappoint.

The show began with all four band members at the front of the stage in barbershop quartet formation as they debuted an a cappella version of one of the more popular cover song guesses of the evening, The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Those in the “Halley’s Comet” for an opener crowd were then quickly rewarded next with the standout version that followed, replete with thousands of delighted fans singing in unison about the preferred method of their strawberry goo intake.

Things escalated quickly from there courtesy of a sterling rendition of “The Moma Dance” that was delightfully stretched out, showcasing the steady and patient jamming style the band has featured of late. The “Breath and Burning” that followed was in the same vein and the normally straightforward reggae infused number took on an entirely different feel this evening with a complex and, at times, dark jam attached to it. Bassist Mike Gordon took over on lead vocals for the next two songs, a typically energetic and rocking cover of “Funky Bitch” and the old school staple “Mound.” To the delight of many, the first set continued with another Phish staple of yore, the rarely played “Foam” which is featured on the band’s first major release, Junta. “Roggae,” always a popular first set selection followed before “The Squirming Coil” with Page McConnell’s signature piano solo capped things off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0bdLdTJdKI

Saturday’s second set kicked off with “Down with Disease” and its typical massive, psychedelic infused jam that seems to get deeper and more epic each time it’s played. Only true musical nerds could have possibly guessed what was next as Phish brought out their second debut of the night, “Strawberry Letter 23,” a song first written by Shuggie Otis, popularized by a cover from The Brothers Johnson in 1977 and sampled endlessly in popular music ever since. Before the shock of seeing this out of nowhere cover could wear off, Trey Anastasio’s opening guitar riff to “Birds of a Feather” rang through the Garden and sent the crowd into a frenzy, birds of a feather all singing and dancing in unison.

Another somewhat unexpected song selection followed with McConnell once again taking lead on the synthesizer fueled “I Always Wanted It This Way” which is found on the band’s most recent album, Big Boat. As the ensuing jam slowly winded down, a true bust out emerged with the first “All of These Dreams” played in over 250 shows which served as a true “breather” song. The last segment of the second set was classic Phish in a nutshell. The rhythm section of Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman initiated a “Split Open and Melt” that featured its typical dark, heavy improv section before eventually morphing back into the main riffs of “Down with Disease,” bringing the set opener full circle and leaving fans with mouths agape.

To close out the set, Phish played a popular encore-like selection with another cover, this time The Rolling Stones’ sing along “Shine A Light.” The actual encore was one for the books with “Peaches en Regalia” making an appearance there for the first time since the late 80s. A fitting high energy but brief cover of The Talking Heads’ “Cities” followed before “My Sweet One” closed out the evening. One of the highlights of the night was the extended pause at the end of the song that had everyone in attendance roaring in approval with a force so strong that it seemed to bring up the house lights – a fitting end to a most epic Baker’s Dozen ‘Strawberry’ show.

Setlist via Phish.net

Baker’s Dozen Night 2 – Strawberry

Set 1: Strawberry Fields Forever[1], Halley’s Comet > The Moma Dance[2] > Breath and Burning > Funky Bitch, Mound, Foam, Roggae, The Squirming Coil

Set 2: Down with Disease, Strawberry Letter 23[3] > Birds of a Feather, I Always Wanted It This Way[4] > All of These Dreams, Split Open and Melt > Down with Disease > Shine a Light

Encore: Peaches en Regalia > Cities, My Sweet One

[1] Phish debut; a cappella.
[2] Unfinished.
[3] Phish debut.
[4] With Trey on Marimba Lumina.

July 23, 2017
Phish Goes Coconut: Night 1 of The Baker’s Dozen

The buildup and anticipation for Phish’s 13 night ‘Baker’s Dozen’ run at Madison Square Garden hit a fever pitch on July 21 as the band kicked off the first of 13 shows with a coconut theme, free donuts, free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and a show full of surprises and deep jams with excitement stoked for the next 12 shows.

Having not repeated a song during the first 5 shows of the run, heavy speculation among fans pointed to no repeats this run, with the band working new songs and side project covers into the rotation early. Alongside this was a ‘Coconut’ theme tonight, which was also the flavor of Federal Donuts handed out for free inside the venue this evening, all setting the stage for 12 more themed nights of donut flavored musical fun.

“Shake Your Coconuts” debuted to kick off the run, an energetic tune with lyrics inciting the crowd to get moving, “Just keep on dancing now / Just keep on getting down / Just keep on having fun / This party’s just begun.” “Martian Monster,” “Timber Ho!,” and “555” raised the funk factor with “Pigtail” and “Halfway to the Moon” barely mellowing the crowd. Cheers grew throughout the peaks that came out of these longer than usual versions. The phenomenal duo of “Reba” > “Moorage Daydream” threw a dose of early 90’s old school jamming with an arena rock level drive to each. “Walls of the Cave” closed out a set that raised the bar for the 25 sets to follow. All throughout, Chris Kuroda’s new light rig took on a life of its own, floating above the band and adding another layer to the already stellar light show.

The 16 minute “Tweezer” that opened up the second set grew patiently into an expansive jam, shifting into “Seven Below,” serving as a one-two punch to crank the second the set gears. “Billy Breathes” and “Sparkle” let the audience catch their breath for a moment before a TAB song “Everthing’s Right” took a spin for over 11 minutes and jammed nicely, fitting into the second sets of this tour more than any other debut thus far. A peaking “Slave” and “Suzy Greenberg” seemed to cap the set, but that was done with a cover of “Coconut” (the ‘Lime in the Coconut’ song by Harry Nilsson) done barbershop quartet style with Mike stealing the show. “Mango Song” and “Good Times Bad Times” paired perfectly with the two rocking sets that preceded.

Tonight’s theme has been announced as Strawberry, and we’re not far from Central Park. Strawberry Fields Forever, anyone?

Setlist via Phish.net
Set 1: Shake Your Coconuts[1], Martian Monster, Timber Ho! > 555, Pigtail, Halfway to the Moon, Reba[2], Moonage Daydream, Walls of the Cave
Set 2: Tweezer > Seven Below > Billy Breathes > Sparkle, Everything’s Right > Slave to the Traffic Light, Suzy Greenberg,Coconut[1]
Encore: The Mango Song, Good Times Bad Times
[1] Phish debut.
[2] No whistling.

July 22, 2017

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