Brooklyn’s Life of Agony is looking to make 2017 a huge year. They recently announced the arrival of their long awaited album A Place Where There’s No Pain, and last week announced a full U.S. tour on the East Coast. The tour kicks off in Allston, MA and finishes in Sayreville, NJ. The dates include April 28 in New York City at the Irving Plaza (CD Release show), April 29 at Poughkeepsie’s The Chance Theater (with Sworn Enemy opening) and Long Island’s Mulcahy’s host a show as well on May 13. Check out all the tour dates below.
The band has yet to release full songs online and have not performed any of the new material live, so this tour is the perfect opportunity to hear the classics and the new material live for the first time. All of these shows are expected to sell fast so it is recommended not to wait to get them at the door.
Tickets for the New York City show are available through Live Nation. The Poughkeepsie and Long Island shows can be bought through Ticketweb.
Life of Agony Spring Tour:
April 27 – Brighton Music Hall – Allston, MA April 28 – Irving Plaza – New York, NY April 29 – The Chance – Poughkeepsie, NY
May 12 – Sherman Theater – Stroudsburg, PA May 13- Mulcahy’s – Wantagh, NY
May 19 – Chameleon – Lancaster, PA
May 20 – Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ
Mike Powell returns to Syracuse this Saturday. However, he won’t be wielding the lacrosse stick that helped him become the all-time leading scorer with Syracuse University’s acclaimed lacrosse program. This time he comes packing his guitar and his new band, Mike Powell and The Black River.
The show, at Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown, will feature Powell playing double duty. He’ll open the show with his solo material, which should be heavy on music from his latest album Tied to the Rail (reviewed here by NYS Music in December). Powell’s solo material draws heavy influence from Bob Dylan and John Prine. His soulful voice and deep lyrics take the listener on an introspective ride. TheBoston Globe has called him, “a polite rebel; a truly unique and inspiring American voice.”
Following Powell’s solo set, his band The Black River, named after the North Country waterway of the same name where Powell was raised, joins him for a set of high energy indie/soul/rock.
The band (guitarist John Hanus, bassist Joe Bell, keyboardist Shane Kelson and Dom Scicchitano on the drums) formed in October of 2016 and has been busy laying down tracks at Big Blue North Recording Studio in Utica for its debut album, scheduled to arrive in March.
Doors open at 6:30 and Powell’s solo set will begin at 7. Tickets, available via Ticket Fly or at the door, are $10.
On Friday, Jan. 20, the 6th Annual Wintercourse will be held at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn for an evening with some of the area’s top acts, known as The Brooklyn Jam Syndicate: Teddy Midnight, Cousin Earth, Space Bacon and Chromatropic.
The evening will kick off with Teddy Midnight taking the stage at 8:30 p.m. Teddy Midnight delivers a mix of progressive rock, drum and bass, jazz and downtempo at their shows; a self-titled genre they term as “Electro-Dance-Funk.” They’ve played sold out shows at other prominent NYC establishments like Irving Plaza, Brooklyn Bowl, Gramercy Theater and Bowery Ballroom. They’ve shared the stage with Dopapod, Consider the Source, The Werks, Twiddle and other successful touring acts.
Cousin Earth will take the stage at 9:45 p.m. Cousin Earth is a progressive ukulele rock band, and you can expect anything from bluegrass to electronica from this Brooklyn act with a wide repertoire of both original and cover songs. They have played over 170 shows throughout the Northeast United States, from Maine to Pennsylvania, and have shared the stage with other acts like Melvin Seals and the Jerry Garcia Band, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, Future Folk, Andy Frasco, Rustic Overtones, and many more. Their full-length album is set to be released sometime this year.
Space Bacon will take over at 11 p.m. to keep the evening going. This local four-piece act will bring their own version of progressive electronica & funk rock. The name “Space Bacon” emerged from the love of Kevin Bacon and Kevin Spacey. At the end of 2016, the group released a “Best of 2016” digital album of their best performances of the year.
Rounding off the evening, Chromatropic will be the last act at 12:15 a.m. Their sound is described as “live organic neo-psychedelia,” and they deliver a truly original show that you don’t want to miss.
If you have never been to a house concert, you definitely must go at least one time. This past weekend, Syracuse Fleet Feet owners Ed and Ellen Griffin opened their home to folk rock artist Adam Ezra as he makes his trek across the country on his “Get Folked” tour. The concept for this tour began last year as a way to raise money to give his band a month off from their extremely busy schedules. It was well received as fans graciously opened their homes to Adam and locals flocked in to these sell out shows.
The concept for a house show is not one that’s new at all. In fact, as Adam pointed out, this was how artists first began to play for audiences centuries ago. The acoustic show is up close and personal, like a family gathering of sorts. Sharing stories behind the music, Adam narrates how these concepts for the songs came about, giving audience members even more substance to the already thought provoking music and an insight to his personal life.
Adam’s songwriting ability is phenomenal. His story telling abilities are of the highest caliber. As I sat there listening to his music, it reminded me of the feeling I get when listening to Jackson Brown’s music, one of my all time favorite song writers. Although similar, it’s unique. It inflicts his wit, his insight and his soul into tunes that are diverse and not repetitive in the least, bringing awareness to relevant topics and situations. His talents have been recognized by those in the industry as well. He recently took a trek to Nashville to collaborate with Grammy Award winning artist John Oates on a series of songs for movies. Singing some of those tunes as well as many from his extensive catalog of music, attendees were treated to songs they requests and a few new ones as well that have yet to be recorded.
Adam’s philosophy of music is refreshing. He believes that music is created to be shared. Found on the merch table along with his latest CDs and t-shirts, is an “I Love You” box . He encourages all to help themselves to his music and if they wish they can throw some love into the box. Whether it’s $20, $10, or a million, he won’t price his work as he writes it to share with others. In fact, Adam and his band currently have a Pledgemusic campaign underway to produce and share an album with and by his fans. This campaign is unique as the packages created are to help create a fan produced album to give away to all. Listing all possible tracks, fans will choose all songs to be included. Take a peek as Adam explains more about the campaign below.
The “Get Folked” tour is well under way so take a peek at the schedule on Adam’s page to see if they will be coming to a town close by, and don’t hesitate to see if tickets are still available as many are already sold out.
Setlist: Basement Song, Chelsea You’re Alright, You Speak Girl, Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper cover), I Believe, The Toast, Steal Your Daughter, All I Am, Chasin, Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen cover), Cover Man, Hippie Girl, Sprig, Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover), The Devil Came Up to Boston, Let It Be (Beatles cover)
Picture a sold out show at Madison Square Garden on the night before New Year’s Eve. For Phish concert-goers, this was an average Friday night in New York City! For me, it was my first Phish show.
I watched the show alongside dedicated Phish fans who have traveled all over the US to see the band 100+ times. Sharing that it was my first show almost felt silly in comparison, but I was excited to join the community. I didn’t know a lot before going to the show; I wanted to approach the experience with an open mind. Clearly, this band has something extraordinarily special that brings loyal and new fans alike to their shows. So by virtue of it being my first show, I can’t say that I’m too well-versed, but certainly a real fan in the making.
This was the third show of a four-night run from December 28 to the 31st. We walked in right as the show was starting, and the fans were cheering in unison. If you’ve never been to a Phish show, it’s one of the best crowds you’ll ever be part of. Everyone was grooving and swaying along to every song; not a single person could be found standing still nor having a bad time. I felt like I was instantly welcomed into the community as people were exchanging comments about the music and checking in to see how I was enjoying everything. I was thrilled when a glowstick landed in front of my seat so, that when the music kicked up, I could join the glow stick tossing and launch it into the crowd. I wasn’t prepared for the amount of smoke around me, but that’s the only complaint I had. All part of the experience!
The band opened with “Carolina,” which I learned they hadn’t done since 2003 – 378 shows ago. It was a treat to be serenaded by an acapella rendition of the song. The vocals were authentic and raw, which was quite refreshing. The band members resumed their spots on stage, and I finally saw the unique Fishman dress with the red donuts that are found on Phish-inspired merch. They then jumped into “Blaze On” which was a cool way to kick off the set – a slower-paced jam. “The Moma Dance” was cool and funky; I loved the keyboard timbre and the wah-wah pedal on the guitar. I’m told the second set was a great series of selections with “Tweezer,” into “Sparks,” into “Ghost.” The crowd went absolutely wild and I loved the transitions. It seemed like everyone knew each song from the first couple notes and they cheered at the start of each one! I can’t pick a favorite song just yet, but I have to say that the improvisation all around was amazing. I would get blissfully lost in each chasm of music.
With this band, visual effects bring them to another level of excellence. I was a big fan of Anastasio (guitar) and Gordon (bass) on the mini trampolines bouncing in unison. Apparently, it’s not a new bit, but I thought it was great. Outside of the band’s movements, the accompanying lights were spectacular! There were numerous colored light beams illuminating the stage. It reminded me of lights at a Trans-Siberian Orchestra show, but I think the lights at Phish were more tasteful.
Overall, I really enjoyed the show. The musical experience and all of the Phish lovers in the Garden really sold me. I’d love to see more of Phish in the future.
Set 1: Carolina, Blaze On, The Moma Dance > Gumbo > Cities, The Old Home Place, Bathtub Gin, Things People Do, My Friend, My Friend, Wilson, Sugar Shack, You Enjoy Myself
Set 2: Tweezer > Sparks > Ghost > Light -> Party Time Jam, Wading in the Velvet Sea > Rocky Top
Fuck, 2016! That was the prevailing feeling for many people in our country as we lurched toward year’s end. So many beloved musicians died. There were bombings, searing police confrontations and there was the near apocalyptic collapse of democracies around the world. Many pundits included our country in that post-mortem.
But, I had personal reasons to feel disheartened to reflect on the year that was. My father’s memorial service was on my birthday. He died of brain cancer while my sister struggled with the awful pain and physical indignities of chemotherapy due to her diagnosis of cancer. Fuck 2016, indeed, I thought.
But sometimes better angels descend on us to reflect the better parts of our nature, bringing hope, laughter, and perhaps a little magic. And that is precisely what happened on New Year’s Eve in Denver, Colorado in a tucked away corner of the downtown business district. Sensi Mag, SOCO Nightlife and The Fantastic Hosts organization presented a dream-like reverie of music, dance, art, and joy at the year-end event, dubbed Higher Society at the City Hall venue.
The evening, intended as an ode to the medicinal quality of marijuana, community and creativity, quickly lifted spirits with an opening speaking/meet and greet with visionary artists Alex and Allyson Grey. Self-reflection quickly turned to celebration with a jolt of tribal rock rhythms and searing guitar jams from the Tierro Lee Band. The lilting melodies of Elephant Revival fiddler, Bridget Law gave an ethereal quality to the percussive jams. That joyful set alone quickly dispensed any lingering bittersweet feeling or antipathy regarding the passing year. Still the evening was only beginning.
Following on the main stage was the expansive beauty of Quixotic an impressive group that combines an astounding mix of aerialist/ fire/ music performances. Throughout the venue numerous other visual artists, and DJs performed, including Stööki Sound, Androcell, and Johnathan Singer.
The Grey duo led the New Year countdown as Random Rab began his crowd-pleasing bass-thumping set. Without the spectacle of confetti, balloons or champagne salutes, a group of musicians, performers, and artists offered a night to recall that even in the most troubled of moments there is always reason for hope. And there is always beauty, even in dimly-lit corners of reality.
Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown is one of the few Central New York venues that offers live music seven days a week. The unique location on Clinton Street in Syracuse hosts everything from open mics to national touring acts of all genres in addition to serving up some fantastic waffles. Thursday featured the blues stylings of Grammy-nominated guitarist Joe Louis Walker and his band.
The intimacy of the room was felt even before walking in the door. The headliner himself was standing outside the front door on this snowy evening, making time to speak with patrons and thanking them for coming out. Members of his band (Syracuse natives Byron Cage – drums and Will Gorman – keyboard and bassist Lenny Bradford) mingled about the crowd pre-show as a Chicago blues soundtrack provided the atmosphere over the PA.
Walker and his solid backing band set the tone early with a funky Walker original “I’m Not Messin’ Around” from his 1998 album Preacher and the President. Walker’s soloing quickly heated up the room, displaying the skills he’s honed since the age of eight.
Taking in a Walker show is experiencing a lesson in the history of American blues. The Blues Hall of Famer has performed with Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King – name a late 20th century blues legend, Walker has played with them. All of these influences are revealed in his style of play and singing yet he is able to channel the sounds of the Chicago style, Delta blues and Texas blues to make his own sound. The man is an encyclopedia of musical knowledge who turns that knowledge into the sounds he creates on stage.
One of several highlights of the night came when Walker began plucking the opening notes to the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Those in the crowd who were passively paying attention quickly turned their eyes to the stage for an emotional and powerful rendition of the classic. Walker’s solo mid-song proved that this was no mere runthrough of an oft-played cover. He made this song his – a combination of force and finesse that had the near sellout crowd eating out of his hand.
As the night wore on, the windows began to fog up and the smell of waffles mingled with the tight sounds coming from the band. Each member was featured prominently in the new song “Black and Blue,” one from Walker’s latest, Everybody Wants a Piece, a Grammy nominee for Best Contemporary Blues Album this year. The song began with a tribal beat led by native son Cage and carried along by Bradford. Over the course of the song, Walker and band straddled genres with ease. His soulful vocals mixed with great backing vocals from his bandmates, creating a sound that can be classified as contemporary soul.
Walker is a story teller and at each show he makes sure to pay tribute to those who came before him who may have not gotten recognition for their talents. On this night, he chose to regale the crowd with a tale of Earl Zebedee Hooker, “a guitar player’s guitar player,” as Walker put it. Hooker, a highly respected disciple of the Chicago style, was a contemporary of Muddy Waters and Junior Wells. He recorded an instrumental for London Records titled “Blue Guitar” that quickly became a favorite among the bluesmen on the Chicago circuit. Chess Records acquired the song to use for Muddy Waters’ 1962 album, using Willie Dixon penned lyrics and Waters’ overdubbed vocals for a song that would become “You Shook Me,” a song that was made even more famous by Led Zeppelin later on.
Following a humorous introduction by Walker, proper tribute was paid with his rendition of “Blue Guitar,” making full use of the slide techniques often employed by Hooker.
Each band member took turns soloing, a particularly blistering solo by another Syracuse native, Gorman, had the audience singing his praises during a funky and stomping take on “Hornets Nest” from the 2014 album of the same name. Walker also took this opportunity to switch guitars, retiring his gorgeous Zemaitis for the blue hollow-bodied D’Angelico. Walker teased the Ohio Players’ “Rollercoaster of Love” during this one, perking up some of the Red Hot Chili Peppers fans in the crowd.
After nearly two straight hours, the band wrapped up its set with the Hellfire track “Too Drunk to Drive Drunk.” This gritty number had a bit of a Double Trouble vibe to it and many teases from Walker, including “All Day and All of the Night” and “You Really Got Me” from the Kinks and the Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.”
A brief break preceded the encore, a straight-forward cover of Chuck Berry’s “Reelin’ and Rockin’” followed by the Walker original “Aint That Cold.”
It was a night well worth the drive through lake effect snow. Syracuse is blessed with a knowledgeable blues fan base and they were treated to a world-class performance in an intimate venue on this night.
Joshua Tree will be the fourth album from Moon Hooch, the jazz-fusion-dance group born out of the subway systems of New York City. Their sound is unique but it’s been heard before, especially to anyone that has lived in or spent time in a city.
Unfortunately, their newest album won’t be something listeners will be fighting to get their hands on. On their website, Moon Hooch themselves admitted that they could not think of what they wanted the album to sound like, so they just improvised and “somehow the process created 8 songs.” Their original intent was to seclude themselves for a few days in the Mojave Desert, just outside of the Joshua Tree National Park. They rented a house and turned it into a studio but no inspiration came to them, so they played whatever came to their minds. The idea sounds like a lot of fun for any musician and his or her friends, but as a third party it’s a bit hard to find enjoyment in it.
Although it is good to see such talented street musicians make their way to the studio, their voice isn’t necessarily studio appropriate and sounds better in the echoing subway system of the big apple. They sound much more epic in a vast open area while in the studio, their sound is too empty and spacious. There is the opportunity to fill in those gaps, though. Granted, the three of them are astounding musicians that have a near mastery of their instruments, but there just isn’t enough of them to make a big enough sound. The drummer can be heard trying to compensate for that lack of power which can be overbearing in itself, never mind the fairly frequent squeals coming from the saxophones as well as other sounds that no one ever expected to come out of a reed instrument.
Hearing this collection is shocking considering their prior studio works are pretty well done and well known, such as “Number Nine,” a track off the Billboard Jazz Album Chart that allegedly peaked at the number nine spot, according to Wikipedia. The musicians are highly trained but they’re starting to get a little avant-garde and highly improvised. But when a group is limited to only three instruments, players will tend to stretch that voice out as much as possible, and the voices of the baritone, alto sax and drums have been maxed out and it’s time to move onto bigger things.
The attractive part of a street band was that literally almost anyone could enjoy it. New York City, obviously, has one of the most diverse populations in the world and that means street performers need to appeal to a larger, more general crowd. Right now they’re only appealing to a small majority of the entire U.S. population. But bands need to experiment before they become widely recognized and this album will undoubtedly yield some interesting results, both positive and negative.
Now, most people can enjoy a decent amount of wild improvisation, even though it gets a little unintelligible, but this is a new level. The track titled “Improv” really opens a door into what was on their mind when creating this. Before the song starts, there is an intro with one of the members describing how he wanted the rest of the band to go about creating the song “Improv.” He says, “Hit it as hard as possible…everything we do is intentional…literally no mistakes…mean every f*****g thing we do… zero hesitation.”
It seems this technique is applied to almost every song and can be a little overbearing at times. It’s usually evened out by melodic tones and organized songwriting, but all of that can be very easily overpowered by improvisation and a very odd sounding baritone sax.
If listeners can look past the odd parts of the album they will find some enjoyment in it. “Sandstorm” comes first and it starts out on a promising tone, but is quickly overshadowed by the baritone sax. “Jiggle” is pretty refreshing- still a little out there, but it’s comparably more upbeat and tight. It’s definitely a fun a get-up-and-go groove with loads of technical percussion and catchy sax licks. It’s one of the less complex tracks but definitely one of the most fun, which is the goal of street music.
But just as quickly as it came, it’s gone when “Criminals” comes on and one begins to wonder if they’re just screwing around behind those microphones. They’re trying to accomplish this incredibly heavy tone that just doesn’t work. “Mountain Lion” is a more successful attempt at creating a heavy sound. It’s more organized but still has a sense of improvisation.
It would be great to see these guys expand into a group with more people. They have the confidence and talent to be great band leaders and create something spectacular, they need to move past what they were raised to do but keep some of the attributes that make street bands so great. They’ve reached the limits of what they can do with the three of them and it most likely explains why they drew a blank out in the desert. The have put out an album almost every year so hopefully next year will bring something truly amazing from these very talented New York natives.
The album is up for free download on their website.
Legendary band Rusted Root found their way back to Syracuse, NY to finish off the year at The Westcott Theater with local band Boogie Low. The band is an emerging Central NY band that brought an organic mix of reggae, rock, and jam to the stage awakening music fans from their winter hibernation. Ironically they certainly caused “high amounts of boogie” on the dance floor, leading up to Rusted Roots arrival.
Catch Rusted Root at their upcoming shows in February in Eastern, NY. Get your tickets here.
You can also see Boogie Low open up for Max Creek in Syracuse, NY on February 17! Get your tickets here.
Boogie Low will also be releasing their debut album in February.
Funk mastermind Theo Katzman of Vulfpeck has released his second LP today titled Heartbreak Hits, following the 2011 release of Romance without Finance. This latest work oozes heartache, with Katzman‘s youthful vocals lamenting the loss of a lover. The songs evoke the agony of painful breakups, and might even open old wounds for some listeners, but they’re delivered with such gripping soul, that most won’t even think to press pause.
The album kicks off in rock ballad fashion, akin to the likes of 70’s icons The Eagles. Katzman confirmed on his crowdfunding album campaign that the band did in fact lend inspiration. Wailing guitar on album opener “Hard Work” shocks the eardrums to life before Katzman’s breathy pop vocals attempt to make sense of a failed relationship. People will go the extra mile for someone they love, and with pragmatically comical lines like “I held your hair back when you had too much to drink/ I used my bare hands to unclog that bathroom sink” and “When you got depressed and your mind was on the brink/ I peeled you off the floor and drove you to a shrink” it’s easy to see how a guy thinks he’s earned his keep.
“Breakup Together” is sweet on the ears, but the melodic sing-songy quality carries Katzman’s tenderly brooding words as he laments “We used to make love together, now we break up together.” Trilling backup vocals follow this somber sentiment. The silver-tongued harmonies call to mind that flock of helpful songbirds chirping away in Snow White, but instead of helping the fair maiden do laundry, they perch on Katzman’s shoulders and chime in as he mopes (understandably) in a corner.
“Crappy Love Song” supplies some of the most gut-tickling harmonies on the album before “My Heart is Dead” goes nineties angst as Katzman pouts, “My heart is dead girl/ It doesn’t beat no more.” “Good to be Alone” presents a sobering, understated country folk charm replete with slide guitar. A more earnest tone on this number replaces Katzman’s raspy pop attitude found throughout much of the album. Lyrics seeking the silver lining of reclaimed independence in the wake of a breakup, he attempts to convince himself, “No one to scratch you down your back/ No one to cut you any slack/ You got to scratch it on your own/ It’s good to be alone.”
“Lost and Found” staccato style drums, guitar and vocals add a bouncy feel, revisiting the lively pop realm before “My 1-Bedroom” finds Katzman dreamily fantasizing about the prospect of sharing his small dwelling with a significant other, nearly whispering the lyrics with stripped down instrumental accompaniment. Already the album has led the listener on a roller coaster ride, each song undulating along the spectrum of sadness and resentment, lyrics spiced with cynicism. “As the Romans Do” injects some steam into the track list with powerhouse pop vocals and pounding drums. This song in particular demonstrates the skillful subtleties in Katzman’s singing ability, especially through the lines “I bid a fond farewell to my bestest friends/ I packed my possessions in a Uhaul then/ I sailed like a sailor to the promised land.”
“Love is a Beautiful Thing” mellows the track list again with soft jazz guitar, muted drums and light piano laced with Katzman’s delicate falsetto. The words convey a familiar scenario in breakups: the pain of seeing an ex-lover involved with someone else when you’re still hurting. He sings, “Love is a beautiful thing/ Hugging, kissing, laughing, holding hands/ Love is a beautiful thing/ Unless it’s you loving another man.” After this song the listener almost surely feels as if Katzman has beaten them over the head with such relentless harping on the same themes of loss, yet by sticking so loyally to this theme, he has created a very real portrayal of the cyclical thought patterns many experience in a breakup. “Plain Jane Heroin” rounds out the ten-track album on a somber note, ending the album on a bit of a cliche, comparing the allure of a woman to the addictive nature of heroin.
Katzman has crafted a string of songs that thoroughly display the breadth of his vocal ability. The rawness of the lyrics suggest Katzman might have actually had his heart recently ripped from his chest by whichever woman called it splitsville. While profit from fresh heartbreak is a form of sweet songwriting revenge, it doesn’t appear that a recent tragic breakup is the essence of inspiration. Katzman stated in his album campaign, “I started writing songs, and found myself exploring different angles of letdown/loss of expectation/heartbreak: My own personal experiences, as well as the extrapolation of those experiences into my imagination.” Nevertheless, nearly anyone can empathize with Heartbreak Hits’ sentiments, and dance, rage or cry to the album at their discretion.
The album was recorded by Tyler Duncan at The Barber House, mixed by Duncan and mastered by Devin Kerr. Cover photo by Claire Marie Vogel and album artwork by Robert Lester. Musicians contributing to the album include: Joe Dart (Fender bass), Woody Goss (piano, Wurlitzer electric piano on “Break Up Together”), Laura Mace and Mike G: (omni backing vocals), Lee Pardini: (Wurlitzer electric piano), Drew Howard: (pedal steel guitar) and Brett Farkas: (additional electric guitar on “As the Romans Do”).
Currently Katzman has one scheduled performance on January 26 at the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles, California. The album is available for purchase here.
Key Tracks: Hard Work, Breakup Together, As the Romans Do
Following Powell’s solo set, his band The Black River, named after the North Country waterway of the same name where Powell was raised, joins him for a set of high energy indie/soul/rock.
The evening will kick off with 
I watched the show alongside dedicated Phish fans who have traveled all over the US to see the band 100+ times. Sharing that it was my first show almost felt silly in comparison, but I was excited to join the community. I didn’t know a lot before going to the show; I wanted to approach the experience with an open mind. Clearly, this band has something extraordinarily special that brings loyal and new fans alike to their shows. So by virtue of it being my first show, I can’t say that I’m too well-versed, but certainly a real fan in the making.
Joshua Tree will be the fourth album from Moon Hooch, the jazz-fusion-dance group born out of the 
Funk mastermind Theo Katzman of Vulfpeck has released his second LP today titled Heartbreak Hits, following the 2011 release of Romance without Finance. This latest work oozes heartache, with