NYS Music 20​17

Category: Manhattan

  • The Tribe Returns: MMW at Le Poisson Rouge

    On Tuesday night in the historic Greenwich Village, Medeski Martin and Wood returned for the second night of their sold-out Le Poisson Rouge run. The room was damp from the weather outside and the lights were dimmed as The Thunderclouds welcomed the audience to the ceremony with a Native American chant. John Medeski, Chris Wood, and Billy Martin joined behind the three tribal drummers from Wisconsin, as the two trios became one on stage, igniting the crowd in an almost euphoric fashion.

    The slow building jam picked up as the Thunderclouds exited the stage and morphed into an extended rendition of “Where’s Sly” off their second album It’s A Jungle In Here. Each member got their time in the spotlight as the crowd shook off the winter chill with a variety of dance moves. Up next was “Amber Gris” from Radiolarians II. The beginning of that track would serve as an excellent hip-hop beat and as much as I wanted to attempt to freestyle in front of my friends, I was able to contain myself in a room full of MMW veterans armed to give a solid “STFU” at any moment.

    MMW Le Poisson RougeThe first set came to a fantastic finish as the trio embraced the spirit of New Orleans with the danceable “Coconut Boogaloo” from the Combustication album. Bleecker Street in Manhattan felt a lot like Bourbon Street in Louisiana after a Mardi Gras parade as the packed room grooved to the Creole-influenced jam. While New Orleans is considered the birthplace of jazz, NYC is the birthplace of MMW and as set break began, longtime fans reminisced about seeing their baby all grown up after all these years.

    MMW Le Poisson RougeSet two brought us back to the Bayou with a swampy “Seven Deadlies,” most recognized from the live album, Tonic. The mesmerizing bass solo by Wood had the crowd in a trance before handing the baton over to Medeski to work his magic. There were moments when Herbie Hancock’s Chameleon album came to life during the 15-minute plus jam and the crowd adapted to every minute of it. A loose version of “Undone” off Radiolarians III created space for the most soulful tune of the night, “Everyday People,” which is the second one played from Combustication. Medeski has spent a lot of time taking the crowd to church with his super-group, The Word, and the gospel influenced tune transformed the room into a sanctuary for a peaceful ten minutes of bliss. A haunting drum solo by the master, Billy Martin, quickly turned into “Nostalgia in Times Square/ Angel Race” where the golden oldies “On Broadway” can be heard teased throughout. Medeski went back and forth from the organ to the keys and despite no psychedelic influence, I am fairly certain he had four arms during that jam much like Goro from Mortal Kombat.

    The always funky “Pappy Check” and “Partido Alto” got the blood flowing as this one-two punch ended the second set. The legendary band definitely didn’t need any introduction, but Martin announced the group anyway. When they returned for a much deserved encore, Billy remarked how right next door, the venue that was once the Village Gate was where they played their first ever show. Fans, friends and family of the band rejoiced as they launched into one of their most well known grooves, “Bubblehouse,” off the iconic Shack-man album. The trio shifted into high gear and revved the engine for an extended encore that left the crowd more than satisfied.

    The 3-show January residency in their old stomping grounds came about because Chris Wood was hospitalized during the originally scheduled October dates. It was amazing to see the band sonically tight and physically healthy after the brief scare last fall. While the band does not tour as much as they once had, the spirit of experimental jazz is stronger thanks to 25 years of MMW. Cheers to another 25.

    Set 1: Thunderbird Chanting>Jam, LPR Jam, Where’s Sly?, Amber Gris, Coconut Boogaloo> Jam

    Set 2: Seven Deadlies, Undone, Everyday People*, Drum/ Percussion Solo, Nostalgia in Times Square/ Angel Race!, Pappy Check, Partido Alto

    Encore: Bubblehouse

    *w/ Amazing Grace tease

    ! w/ “On Broadway” & “Lively Up Yourself” teases

  • Hearing Aide: Dave Fields ‘Unleashed’

    This coming Valentine’s Day, New York City-based blues guitar player Dave Fields will release his seventh studio album, Unleashed. In a career that spans writing jingles for the likes of IBM and Publishers Clearing House, working with legendary British bluesman John Mayall, and getting inducted into the NY Blues Hall of Fame in 2012, Fields is definitely making the most of his musical talents. And with an album title like Unleashed, he’s certainly building up some kind of anticipation. And I must say, Unleashed is a fitting title.

    The album opens with “Anticipating You,” an instrumental jam more on the jazz side of things. It also starts what’s a regular occurrence on the album. Though he bills himself as a blues player, Fields goes on long shredding passages like he’s an 80’s hair metal guitarist.

    If you want an idea about what kind of lyricist Fields is, look no further than “Child of the World.” The song is about having to deal with all the bad things currently happening in the world, like terrorists and people who have extremist thinking. And Fields says he’s on a “love crusade” to try and right these wrongs. It’s the kind of lyrics you’d hear from a 1960’s artist, but trying to specifically address modern day topics in that exact way sounds odd.

    The blues aspects really come out on songs like “My Mama’s got the Blues” and “The Boy Wants to Play,” the former sounding like it comes straight from Memphis and the latter having backing singers and more of a soul/gospel feel, even if it is about a boy wanting sex. Meanwhile, the two-parter “Jagged Line” probably gives the best example of Field’s attempt to blend these varying styles together. The rock guitar, backing organ sounds, and blues lyrics about growing up with a hard life, gives any passive listener a good idea of where modern blues music is heading or what it’s trying to be.

    Starting at “Better Be Good,” another song about trying to love one another in the face of terrorism and corrupt governments, the album suddenly transitions to a live set at a NYC blues club. From there, he makes his Jimi Hendrix influences bright as day with a faithful cover of “Hey Joe” and his own rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. It wasn’t a note-for-note recreation of the Hendrix version (I don’t think that’s possible), but he does make some impressive runs that leave any fan of shredding pleased.

    The two songs that end the album couldn’t be further from the rest of the album. “New York City Nights” is the only real ballad here, with Fields switching to acoustic guitar and backed by synth strings. Meanwhile, “Les Hoedown” is easily the fastest song here. An instrumental featuring very fast guitar plucking that sounds like Jeff Beck doing rockabilly, with the drum fills and bass managing to keep up.

    I have no doubt an audience for this music exists, for those who like frequenting establishments who play blues, roots, or Americana music. And if you do appreciate shredding and fretting guitar playing, Fields is worth a listen.

    Key Tracks: Jagged Line (Pts. 1 & 2), The Boy Wants to Play, Pocket Full of Dust (live)

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd3zvlvoLuo[/embedyt]

  • Hearing Aide: The Wood Brothers ‘Live At The Barn’

    Over the years, The Wood Brothers repeatedly visited Levon Helm at his barn in Woodstock, New York for the popular Midnight Ramble. These visits eventually led to a cherished friendship between the trio and Helm. The group made a trek back to the barn on August 19, 2016, for their first Ramble since the passing of Helm, where they recorded their latest album, Live At The Barn. Helms’ influence reached well beyond the notes of a song. Guitarist Oliver Wood named his son after the late Levon, adding that “since we actually got to know him, his influence was more than musical—it was personal. He was one of those unique and powerful personalities, and I’ll always remember how gracious he was.”

    Live At The Barn revisits 9 songs that run the gamut of The Wood Brothers’ musical catalog. The trio also consists of bassist Chris Wood, and drummer Jano Rix. The opening track, “Mary Anna,” gracefully eases listeners into the album. The deep, rich tones fill the barn with warmth and purity, as whoops and hollers are chimed in from the audience. Right away the song brings you into the barn among the crowd sitting alongside the band. With eyes closed, the faintly familiar smell of barn wood and slight chimney smoke in the air also teases at the senses.

    A spirited “I Got Loaded” captures the electrified audience as lyrics are playfully sung back and forth with enthusiasm. Mystifying tones gently tiptoe into “Tried & Tempted” before the melody curves into a head swaying blues jam. The vibe in the room can only be envisioned with a dancing crowd to this melody.

    A crisp guitar cools off the barn with a gentle “Trouble In Mind.” Resonating with heavy, psychedelic undertones, this delicate melody keeps the ears filled with colorful imagery. Picking up the pace, “Who The Devil” is tightly stacked with thick bass, vigorous drums, and guitar that rocks the hell out of this soaker of a tune.

    In your face bass bombs stealthily glide into “Wastin’ My Mind,” before picking up hitchhiking guitar and drums. The song builds with increasing intensity and mischievous rhythm, creating a musical ambiance filled with empty whiskey bottles and lingering cigar smoke. A massive fan favorite, “Postcards From Hell,” is fittingly dedicated to the memory of Levon Helm. This track takes its time building. Midway through it explodes with massive energy, pumping the live audience, as well as the listener, with shake your bones vibes. It’s impossible not to react to the intensity of this song, as swinging arms, bobbing heads, and dancing legs instinctively react to the beat. Expect to hit the repeat button over and over.

    “Honey Jar” twists around funky rhythms to bluesy tones and back again. Crunchy guitar and full bodied bass envelop the melody, as drums keep the pace, creating a lush and smooth ride for the eardrums. Wrapping up the album, “Ophelia” takes the live experience at the barn to a close. This dynamic track strides along, with the notes practically high-fiving each audience member before closing out the music for the evening.

    If you’ve never seen The Wood Brothers perform, this is the perfect album to capture their energy in a live setting.  It’s highly suggested to throw on the headphones, crank the volume, and soak in the songs with eyes closed. Within the first few minutes, don’t be surprised to be tapping and shaking along to the beats. This is one album that will fit perfectly in any musical collection.

    The Wood Brothers will be kicking off a U.S. tour in Philadelphia shortly following the release of their new album.  Full tour dates and information can be found on their official website.

    Key Tracks: I Got Loaded, Who The Devil, Postcards From Hell

    https://soundcloud.com/thewoodbrothers/ophelia/s-VMAu3

  • 6th Annual Wintercourse at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn

    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.

    wintercourseThe 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.

    Tickets are $12 and available through Ticketweb.

  • My First Phish Show

    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.

    my first phish showI 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

    Encore: Rock and Roll, Tweezer Reprise

  • Hearing Aide: Moon Hooch ‘Joshua Tree’

    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.

    Key Tracks: Sandstorm, Jiggle, Mountain Lion, Outer Urge

  • Marco Benevento Kickstarts the New Year with Album and Show Announcements

    Marco Benevento is set to blastoff in 2017 with a new album and tour on tap. The multi-instrumentalist dubbed the Mad Hatter will start the year spinning forty-fives for an intimate hometown get down at the Catskill Mountain Pizza Company in Woodstock, NY on January 7. Teaming up with music journalist Brian Turk, the event is called Brian Turk and Mr. D present “I’m a DJ Too,” and will feature tasty pizza and beer from the Catskill Brewery, not to mention a set of fresh cuts straight from Marco’s head to the floor. But only 75 tickets will be available. Click here to get yours.

    Later in the month, Benevento will launch a tour in support of the Feb. 17 release of The Woodstock Sessions, a new live album recorded last September at Applehead Studios. The first show will take place on Jan. 30 at Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown in Syracuse. Local Grateful Dead tribute act, Pearly Baker’s Best, will open. Tickets are $20 at the door and $15 in advance. Tickets are available through Ticketfly for the Syracuse show.

    Other New York stops for the Woodstock resident include Buffalo, at The Iron Works on Jan. 31, Ithaca, at The Rongo on Feb. 1, The Brooklyn Bowl on Feb. 2, and at The Hollow in Albany on Feb. 3. See below for full tour information.

    With a full schedule ahead of him, Marco Benevento has gone ahead with a Pledge Music campaign that will put fans at the forefront of his new album and musical adventures throughout his 2017 tour stops. Packages include a chance to pre-order The Woodstock Sessions, opportunities to receive show tickets, signed setlists, a bookshelf made from Marco’s grand piano, a band lesson, or even the chance to record with Marco at Fred Short Studios in Woodstock, NY; plus, Marco is making himself available to spin vinyl or play a solo piano concert at a lucky fan’s private party. More information is available here.

    Tour Dates:

    Jan. 30 – Syracuse, NY – Funk ‘N Waffles
    Jan.31 – Buffalo, NY – Iron Works ^
    Feb. 1 – Ithaca, NY – The Rongo
    Feb. 2 – Brooklyn NY – Brooklyn Bowl  *
    Feb. 3 – Albany NY – The Hollow  ^^
    Feb. 4 – Burlington VT – Higher Ground
    Feb. 6 – Portland, ME – One Longfellow Square
    Feb. 7 – Hamden, CT – The Ballroom at The Outer Space  ***
    Feb. 8 – Holyoke, MA – Gateway Arts
    Feb. 9 – Boston MA – The Sinclair  *
    Feb. 10 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall  *
    Feb. 11 – Baltimore, MD – Ram’s Head Live  **
    March 25-26 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Festival
    March 31 – Denver, CO – Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom
    April 1 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
    April 2 – Avon, CO – Agave
    April 4 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
    April 5 – Bozeman, MT – The Filling Station
    April 6 – Spokane, WA – The Bartlett
    April 7 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
    April 8 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
    April 9 – Eugene, OR – Hi Fi Music Hall
    April 11 – Bend, OR – The Capitol
    April 12 – Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s
    April 13 – Petaluma, CA – The Mystic Theatre
    April 14 – San Francisco, CA – Independent
    April 15 – Los Angeles, CA – The Bootleg

    * w/WOLF!
    ** w/Psycho Killers
    *** w/Superhuman Happiness
    ^ w/Mayabird
    ^^ w/Mayabird + Band of Ghosts

  • The Rain Came Down during Phish’s Petrichor New Year’s Eve

    Phish has found a way to utilize the space inside Madison Square Garden for New Years Eve celebrations for more than 20 years. They’ve been scientists in a time lab, made it snow, flew in on a giant hotdog, lifted fans off the floor, held a runaway golfcart marathon, and moved the stage (twice), all as part of their celebration to ring in the new year.

    petrichorSo what do you do when you’ve already done this much with the room? You make it rain in the closing minutes of 2016, after wrapping up one of the strongest sets Phish has ever played at MSG, and in doing so washing away a year many would like to forget.

    The show began as the other three nights did, with an acapella rendition of a rarely played song, in this case, Fraternity of Man’s “Don’t Bogart That Joint,” keeping fans on their feet and crossing a rarity off the list of many fans. “Your Pet Cat” > “Kill Devil Falls” > “Back on the Train” > “My Soul” served to keep energy nice and high for the beginning of the night, when Trey took a minute to opine about the extra 6 feet of stage they had in front of them, and what could they possibly do with it but let The Chairman of the Boards, Page McConnell, take a stroll out on the stage while crooning “Lawn Boy.” Page and Mike Gordon alike took a wander around the enlarged stage, wandering over to Mike Side and Page Side, greeting fans and smiling widely. A well-placed “Divided Sky” followed before the energy kicked back up again with “Ya Mar,” “Character Zero,” and “Walls of the Cave,” all setting the stage for another monster second set.

    The night before in the second set, Phish dropped a “Tweezer” > “Sparks” > “Ghost” > “Light” for the ages, and given the three sets they had tonight, they had set the bar high for themselves and the challenge was accepted. Dropping into “2001” to get things rolling, the Garden dance party was in effect, getting dark upon entry into “Carini” and lighter again with Trey’s ascending jam in the “Twist” that followed. The segue into “Piper” was interrupted by Fishman singing his hilarious yet brief “Ass Handed,” which segued back into the rest of “Piper,” during which Trey played the marimba lumina and Mike joined Page on keys for a yet another full band jam. A filthy “Sand” followed, as did a perfectly placed and executed “Slave to the Traffic Light,” wrapping up the set with “More,” a fan favorite off the recent Big Boat, the line “In a world gone mad, there must be something more than this” resonating with the crowd.

    During the intermission between second and third sets, fans made their final preparations for ringing in the new year while the stage was set for Phish’s NYE stunt, including additional keys for Jeff Tanski, percussion for Andres Forero and mics for a horn trio of Jennifer Hartswick, James Casey and Natalie Cressman. Fans awaited patiently for the lights to dim and musicians to take the stage in the 20 minutes before midnight, which saw a full band performance of “Petrichor” complete with a choreographed performance of faceless umbrella-wielding dancers and artificial rain courtesy of David Gallo Design.

    As the dancers broke into their routine, they used umbrellas for props to block them from the falling ‘rain,’ an incredible sight inside the confines of Madison Square Garden. The dancers then used floating white umbrellas to continue their routine as the song moved through its 22 sections, culminating in the dancers standing at the front of the stage, awaiting Trey’s 2-minute early countdown, to which he jokingly commented “Well, it’s never too soon to say goodbye to 2016” as he began the countdown and the band broke into the traditional “Auld Lang Syne.” And with that, from the ceiling it rained down cats, dogs and foam rain drops, as well as thousands of balloons and confetti, making it hard to find band members on stage amid the decorative chaos.

    Over the next hour, Phish pushed into the new year with horns a blazin’, starting with “Suzy Greenberg” and “No Man’s in No Man’s Land.” Following were lackluster choices that fit well with the horns, and made the first set of 2017 feel like a true Phish first set – “Breath and Burning,” “Tide Turns,” “555” and “Ocelot” were all odd choices after 3.5 nights of powerful sets with little pause or relief, but given the horns and accompaniment onstage, they were apt selections that had audience dancing and laughing into the finale of the high energy “First Tube.” A cover of The Rolling Stones “Loving Cup” ended the run at the Garden and amid a sea of cats, dogs and rain drops, fans hugged, smiled and greeted 2017, having seen one of Phish’s finest New Years runs and NYE stunts to date.

    Setlist courtesy of Phish.net

    Set 1: Don’t Bogart That Joint, Your Pet Cat > Kill Devil Falls > Back on the Train > My Soul, Lawn Boy, Divided Sky, Ya Mar, Character Zero, Walls of the Cave

    Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Carini -> Twist > Piper -> Ass Handed > Piper[1] > Sand, Slave to the Traffic Light, More

    Set 3: Petrichor[2] > Auld Lang Syne[3] > Suzy Greenberg[2], No Men In No Man’s Land[2], Breath and Burning[2], Tide Turns[2], 555[2], Ocelot[2], First Tube[2]

    Encore: Loving Cup[2]

    [1] Trey on Marimba Lumina. Mike on keys.
    [2] James Casey on saxophone, Natalie Cressman on trombone and vocals, Jennifer Hartswick on trumpet and vocals, Jeff Tanski on keys, and Andres Forero on percussion.
    [3] James Casey on saxophone, Natalie Cressman on trombone, Jennifer Hartswick on trumpet, Jeff Tanski on keys, and Andres Forero on percussion. With recorded cat and dog noises as cat and dog balloons fell from the ceiling.

  • The Benevento / Russo Duo Reunite in Brooklyn

    The Benevento/Russo Duo played their first show together as a duo in 6 years on December 27 in Brooklyn. The last minute show was announced on Marco’s Benevento’s Instagram about four hours before the 8 o’clock start.

    They rewarded those who attended with an intimate show at Three’s Brewing in Brooklyn, with a capacity of around 100. The set was a nice mix of their catalog, with tracks that spanned the course of their career. The band sounded great, like they hadn’t lost a step, despite playing in side projects here and there that have obviously helped them keep their chemistry alive.

    The show was both a return to their roots, playing in a small club in New York City where they got their start, and also a warm-up for their only other scheduled date on Jam Cruise in January. But you can be sure this isn’t the last we’ll see from The Duo in 2017.