NYS Music 20​17

Tag: grateful dead

  • Dark Star Orchestra’s 20th Anniversary at the Palace Packs in the Classics

    To make it 20 years in any industry is quite a feat, especially when there were absolutely no expectations at the beginning. And the members of Dark Star Orchestra will tell you that making it that far as a cover band is even more satisfying and special.

    On Saturday night at the Palace Theater in Albany, Dark Star brought a raucous show to a sold out and chock full of energy crowd on the 20th anniversary of their first show, which was performed at a bar called Martyrs’ in Chicago. There were people outside who were unable to get in the door due to the sell out. One concert goer, on his way through security, looked over and yelled, “This is reminiscent of when the Dead used to play the Knick!” He was referring to the Knickerbocker Arena, now called the Times Union Center.

    From the get go, Dark Star displayed the type of energy that an eager new band 20 years younger might. Guitarist Rob Eaton stepped to his microphone for “The Music Never Stopped,” clearly a nod to their longevity. The Grateful Dead’s most commercially successful song, “Tough of Grey,” came next. When the band members, in unison with the crowd, sang the last lines of “We will get by / We will survive,” the balcony in the theater was visibly swaying. It was as thrilling a start to any Dark Star show in memory.

    “Box of Rain,” one of Phil Lesh’s compositions, wound down before the Jerry Garcia ballad “So Many Roads,” sung by guitarist Jeff Mattson, brought a bit of poignancy to the evening. “Cassidy” was played perfectly and featured some very spirited body language from Eaton, who was moving around his area of the stage more than usual.

    The highlight of the set was, easily, “Terrapin Station,” a song typically reserved by both Dark Star and the Dead for the second set. Keyboardist Rob Barraco and drummers Rob Koritz and Dino English seemed to have a more powerful presence during this song as Dark Star executed the composition flawlessly.

    The set could have ended there and the crowd would have been happy, and that’s when the first notes to “Weather Report Suite” hit. The song fizzled into “Let it Grow,” and during the pair of songs, Eaton switched from electric to acoustic and back to electric without missing a beat. To close out a lengthy set, Dark Star Orchestra played the classic sequence of “China Cat Sunflower“->”I Know You Rider.” The bridge between the two songs took the form of pure celebration and the band showed it with gigantic smiles on their faces.

    The second stanza wasted not even a second picking up, with a fast and raging “Scarlet Begonias” jamming its way into “Ruben and Cherise” in a pretty stunning twist of events. When the crowd realized that Dark Star had thrown a curve ball, it responded with a roar and a total dance party ensued. Mattson, like he would do the rest of the set, dazzled with his vocals and ripping runs up and down the fret board. “Fire on the Mountain” closed out the segment with a singalong amidst a trio of jams.

    “Eyes of the World” morphed into the “Drums/Space” portion of the evening before Mattson returned to the mic for a soaring and emotional “Morning Dew.” Without taking a breath, the band started into the fan favorite “St. Stephen,” but what came next was the best part of the show, as “Stephen” gave way to the familiar riff of “The Eleven.” That seemed to take the crowd by surprise again, and the band responded by putting extra ‘umph’ into the psychedelic journey about William Tell. “Turn on Your Love Light” closed out one of the most well received Dark Star shows in memory.

    Koritz then took center stage and thanked a list of people who have helped Dark Star Orchestra on their way to this night, and then toasted with the crowd, before getting the band together with their backs to the crowd and inviting everyone to take a selfie with them to celebrate 20 special years. Approaching the midnight curfew, the band then launched into “One More Saturday Night” to give the frenzied crowd one last breakdown for which to dance.

    Dark Star Orchestra, Palace Theater, Albany, NY, 11/11/2017

    Set 1: The Music Never Stopped, Touch of Grey, Box of Rain, So Many Roads, Cassidy, Terrapin Station, Weather Report Suite>Let it Grow, China Cat Sunflower->I Know You Rider

    Set 2: Scarlet Begonias->Ruben and Cherise>Fire on the Mountain, Eyes of the World, Drums/Space, Morning Dew, St. Stephen->The Eleven, Turn on Your Love Light

    Encore: Band addresses crowd and takes a celebratory selfie, One More Saturday Night

  • Dead & Company Kick Off Their 2017 Fall Tour At Madison Square Garden

    Dead & Company kicked off their 2017 Fall Tour on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, NY. This was the first time back to the famous venue since their inaugural Fall tour in 2015. Dead & Company members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti took the stage shortly after 7 p.m.

    dead company Madison Square GardenWith the crowd excited to see what the band was going to open with, they started the night off with a unique “Shakedown Street.” Next, Dead & Company finally debuted “Greatest Story Ever Told.” The crowd erupted, making it one of the highlights of the night. This was followed by “Bertha,” giving John Mayer his first chance to sing. After a jam filled “Cassidy,” the band gave birth to the live debut of “Beat It On Down The Line” which was led by Bob Weir.

    Following the live debut was “They Love Each Other.” Towards the end of the the song, the band had a hiccup. It took them about a minute to figure out where to transition from the end of the song into “Cumberland Blues.” Once they were fully into the song, they shook off the cobwebs and went ahead leaving the awkward moment in the dust.

    Dead & Company started off the second set with the familiar combo of “China Cat Sunflower”>”I Know Your Rider” followed by “Ship of Fools.” Next was an electrifying “Terrapin Station,” leaving the Rhythm Devils to follow with their regulatory “Drums” > “Space.” The second set ended with “Casey Jones” giving the crowd another chance to sing along. With the crowd roaring for more, Dead & Company took the stage for a double encore featuring “Samson and Delilah” and “Werewolves of London” where Mayer and Weir traded verses.

    dead company Madison Square Garden

    Setlist:

    Set 1: Shakedown Street, Greatest Story Ever Told, Bertha, Cassidy, Beat It On Down The Line, They Love Each Other, Cumberland Blues

    Set 2: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Ship of Fools, Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Standing on the Moon, The Other One, Casey Jones

    Encore: Samson and Delilah, Werewolves of London

    dead company Madison Square Garden

  • A 20th on The Eleven: Dark Star Orchestra Celebrates a Milestone

    Rob Koritz, DSO drummer

    It was a chilly night at Martyr’s in Chicago on November 11, 1997, when a group of like-minded musicians got together to spin their takes on a band beloved by an intrinsic fan base — one that is both fun loving and importunate at the same time.

    No one involved that night could have predicted what was blooming, as the original members of The Grateful Dead tribute group Dark Star Orchestra got together to have some fun and jam out.

    On Saturday night, at the Palace Theater in Albany, a band that has seen 24 different members come through its turnstiles will ring in a very special 20th anniversary of playing Grateful Dead music. Whether they’re recreating a setlist from 1973, or piecing together their own show, Dark Star Orchestra has displayed some very impressive staying power. They are a touring force, filling theaters across the country and headlining festivals  during the summer while performing more than 2,700 shows in their history.

    But the piece that holds it all together is what built the Grateful Dead community in the first place: the fans. For a group that had almost no expectations, Dark Star has exceeded in keeping together something that took 30 years to build.

    “We had no idea this band would take over our life,” said Rob Koritz, who fills the role of Mickey Hart in Dark Star. “It’s so fantastic. Anyone who plays music for a living, they want some sort of security and longevity. I think we are doing the music justice.”

    None of the members from that Chicago night remain in the band, but the ethos plays on. The Grateful Dead had to simply endure many times of their existence, whether is was a death in the band, or a health scare, or anything in between. In 1966, they were playing the Acid Tests, and in 1995 they were selling out massive football stadiums. Dark Star Orchestra has trucked on in a way that  preserves what Jerry Garcia and company made into a lifestyle.

    But make no mistake, Dark Star isn’t a knock off in any way. To embody the spirit of a group the way that Dark Star has is an impressive feat.

    “We are Deadheads too,” Koritz said. “We recognize that. Our hope is that we do the music justice. We are going to do what we have been doing for all these years this weekend. We work hard for this music and all we hope is that the fans receive it the same way.”

    In an era where there is no shortage of Grateful Dead tribute music, Dark Star Orchestra has persevered. They stick to a simple script, one that brings a simple and pure form to those who weren’t around when the Grateful Dead were alive and well.

    Koritz, though, doesn’t view what Dark Star is doing as starting a trend in the scene. It doesn’t take much to go out and see a Grateful Dead band, he says, and he understands that any competition is natural, if not warranted.

    “We weren’t pioneers,” Koritz said. “Every town has a Grateful Dead cover band. You can see it any night of the week. In reality, we did it on a national level where there’s no dearth of Dead bands. Greensky Bluegrass does Dead stuff, and that’s incredible. It’s a testament to the music. Every band has its twists. It’s kind of like comparing this to the originals. No one is better than another, and everyone adds a unique take.”

    Albany, and more specifically the Palace Theater, is a special venue for the band which has been making their November show an annual tradition, sometimes happening on Thanksgiving weekend. Koritz said the band adores the theater and the magic that it brings, especially because of the crowd it draws.

    “We love the Palace,” he said. “The fans in Albany are just so great and honestly, it’s why we keep choosing to come back. The energy. It’s one of the bigger rooms we fill up. When the Palace gets rocking, you can see the balcony swaying and it gives the band an extra boost.”

    Show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., and while Koritz didn’t divulge too much, he did lead on that this special show isn’t lost on the band.

    “We have a few special things in store, for sure,” he added. “We’re going to stand out a bit.”

  • Phil Lesh Given Key to the Village of Port Chester

    The meaning behind being given the key to a city has changed time and time again since it’s origins in medieval times. Back then, it granted peasants a freedom from serfdom; now it’s a symbol of thanks to any person, native or alien, who has had an positive impact on a community. Looking back on what Mr. Lesh has done for Port Chester, it’s a mystery why he wasn’t given this earlier.

    He has made over 70 appearances at the Capitol Theatre alone and was widely recognized for his streak of 17 shows within 11 months between 1970-71. One of the Grateful Dead’s most highly praised live albums was recorded during this time at The Cap in February of 1970. Three From the Vault is considered to be one of the most desirable and included the first live performances of the songs “Bird Song” and “Deal.”

    Lesh also is a strong advocate organ donation awareness, another reason why he was given this prestigious honor. He had a close call with Hepatitis C and was fortune enough to be given a liver by a random donor he only knew by the name of Cody. Due to this traumatic experience, Lesh, is always saying to his fans, “Save the life of someone you’ll never meet.” Lesh is a truly selfless person and is undoubtedly deserving of the key to the “Village of Port Chester.”

  • This is Dopapod Halloween: Grateful Sabbath Set Stuns at Putnam Den

    Looking ahead just a few months from now, the year 2018 will be Dopapod-less, which means fans have flocked from inner cities, out of town and hours away just to catch what will be their remaining shows ahead of hiatus. Bringing the heat during each gig on fall tour so far, word traveled fast that their Halloween bash at Saratoga Springs’ newly renovated Putnam Den wasn’t one to be missed, a Grateful Sabbath if you will.

    Adorned in an astronaut suit, Eli Winderman and company would eventually sit behind the keys and prepare to launch the outrageously dressed and over-excited crowd into outer space for the remaining hours of All Hallow’s Eve.

    Kicking off the night for the quartet was rising Burlington outfit, Swimmer, who previously took the reigns of opening for Dopapod in the past. Walking on stage in an assortment of costumes from a bassist puppy dog (Jack Vignone), a guitar wielding, “all you can eat Jimmy Buffet” pun (Paul Klein), a keys/sax playing Santa Clause (Matt Dolliver) and Alladin’s Abu on drums and vocals (Cotter Ellis) the prog rock 5-piece swiftly grabbed attention of Den dwellers as the room began to fill over the course of their set. The crowd quickly realized why these guys have been able to snag opening gigs and musical praises from Dopapod–their sound can be sentient and groovy and in seconds build to heavier territories, never executing boring composition.

    The “No Shape” musicians warmed up the crowd with “Turko,” “Murphy’s” Song,” “J.I.G.” and an enchanting, jammed out “Sea Cerebral” as well as an appropriately placed HalloWeen cover of “Put The Coke on my Dick” with Ellis nailing the familiar vocal outcries. Taking full command of the exponentially growing audience, a masked and shirtless Joe Agnello (guitar/vocals) corralled the colorful crowd and had them dancin’ into set break with Prince’s party anthem “1999.”

    Trick of the night:  Ellis cracked his snare mid jam in true rock and roll fashion, although his relentless and professional playing fully disguised it. Both relying on lip reading and hand gestures, Dopapod’s Neal “Fro” Evans saved the day by hand-delivering his own snare to a fellow drummer in need.

    Astronaut Winderman, a monkey headed Chuck Jones, a low key Rob Compa and Evans were greeted on stage with a “This Is Halloween” introduction before a stacked set one of continuous, hard-hitting originals came into orbit–exactly what fans needed to submerge themselves in during the concluding gigs of 2017. Offering up fired-up favorites with an opener of “Black and White” paired with color coordinated lighting, each studio album was given a taste with as Never Odd or Even’s “Present Ghosts” trailed right behind. Serving up “Sonic,” “Bubblebrain” and a fix of the latest efforts on Megagem, a fun delivery of “Mucho”  found extensive live twists creatively altered from the studio version, giving those already familiar with the tune a fresh way to remember its live adaptation. Somehow managing to find time to squeeze in a sit in with Moe’s Vinnie Amico on drums for a gratifying and turbulent “8 Year’s Ended,” Redivder’s funky “Blast” closed out the powerhouse set which was ultimately a lengthy, indulgent Saratoga Springs get down.

    Hopping back on the tightly packed stage to settle down a wondering crowd, all eventually found themselves puzzled yet enlivened to be singing along to the words of the Dead’s “Eyes Of the World,” as Dopapod’s imaginative flair inventively took on the American rock classic. Hinting at a full cover set, a fierce and expressive Black Sabbath cover of “War Pigs” came next as it completely paralleled the carefree feel of it’s predecessor. The third song took some time to gain recognition as eventually the lyricism from Scarlet Begonias and intense anatomy of Sabbath songs magically fused together to create the ultimate Halloween treat.

    Treat of the night:  A Grateful Sabbath Bust-Out set.

    Looking back at the group’s latest moves on social media, they teased the second set theme by uploading two photos of frontmen Ozzy Osbourne and the late Jerry Garcia with the caption “milk,” to their Instagram feed. Each song execution conjured stupefied giggles and pure astonishment as Dopapod managed to fully rework well-known songs into interchanged genres, pulling off Sabbath’s “N.I.B.” with a laid-back Californian twist.

    Inspiration behind the set came to fruition years ago when Fro realized that Black Sabbath is “just the Grateful Dead playing minor instead of major,” as divulged on a recent Facebook post. So for those who never thought they’d get to see “Friend of the Devil” and “Sweet Leaf” performed in the same set, anything can transpire during a Dopapod Halloween gig. Adopting the Drums>Space routine of the Grateful Dead, Fro as well as wildly talented light/sound engineer and friend Luke Stratton were given time to shine as eye-catching shapes and colors rapidly twisted and whirled across the blank canvas of the Den walls.

    Adding to the themed mash-up, Sabbath lyrics were placed mainly to the tune of  “Terrapin Station” and introduced a long-haired “Jerry Osborne,” aka Stratton, to the stage for electrifying assistance on guitar and costume hilarity. A rebellious “Fire on the Mountain” making nods to the tunes of “Paranoid” and “Iron Man” closed out the eclectic bust out set with vigor. Quickly returning for encore, the four approvingly spliced together a tight delivery of 2009’s “Indian Grits” with the Dead’s groovy “Shakedown Street.”

    Everyone already had the seed planted in their minds to scurry to the remaining Dopapod gigs of the year but when you’re told not to miss a show, there’s probably good reasoning. In a matter of hours fans were scavenging on the Internet for Grateful Sabbath sound boards and video clips, surely face-palming envy deep into their hands. With just 28 gigs standing between the Boston-born band and a touring recess, catch the duo of Swimmer and Dopapod again at Providence’s Fete Music Hall for a Dec. 30th gig in Rhode Island with Hayley Jane and the Primates.

    Putnam Den 10/31/17 Setlists:

    Swimmer: Turko, Murphy’s Law, Put the Coke on my Dick* > J.I.G > Sea Cerebral, 1999^

    *Ween ^Prince

    Dopapod: This Is Halloween* (Walk out music), Black and White^, Ghosts ->, Sonic ->, Braindead, Mucho, 8 Years+, Blast

    Set II: Eyes Of The World$ >, War Pigs& ->, Sabbath Begonias@, N.I.B.**, Friend of the Devil^^, Sweet Leaf++ >, Drums >, Space >, SweetLeaf++, Black Sabbath$$, Fire on the Mountain&&

    Encore: Grits@@, *From Nightmare Before Christmas, walk-out music

    ^This Is Halloween tease +with Vinnie Amico of moe. sit-in on drums $Grateful Dead cover &Black Sabbath cover @Scarlet Begonias (Grateful Dead) lyrics in a Black Sabbath style **N.I.B. (Black Sabbath) in a Grateful Dead style ^^Friend of the Devil (Grateful Dead) lyrics in a Sabbath style ++Sweet Leaf (Sabbath) lyrics in a Grateful Dead style $$Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath) lyrics in a Grateful Dead style (mainly Terrapin Station), Jerry Osbourne (Luke Stratton) sit-in &&Fire on the Mountain (Grateful Dead) lyrics in a Black Sabbath style (mainly Paranoid and Iron Man), Scarlet Begonias tease @@Elements of Shakedown Street (Grateful Dead), Trapper Keeper teases

  • Holly Bowling Returns to Whisper Dome this Weekend

    Back in March, Holly Bowling performed an unplugged show at the Whisper Dome in Schenectady, as the venue’s incredible acoustics and intimate setting allowed her to ditch amplification and play the piano alone, and it was enough for the room.

    “If you stand on one side of the room and you whisper, a person across the room can hear it perfectly,” Bowling said in a recent phone interview with NYSMusic. “The room opens up so many cool and exciting possibilities for the music.”

    holly bowling whisper dome ryan dempseyCurrently on tour in support of her latest musical adventure, titled Better Left Unsung, the music of the Grateful Dead reimagined for solo piano, Bowling will return to the Whisper Dome this Saturday, October 21, for a 7 p.m. show. In 2014, she hit fame within the jam band world by transcribing a 37-minute version of “Tweezer” that Phish did in 2013 in Lake Tahoe. Since taking that on the road, Bowling has blown up into not just a respected piano player, but a keyboard savant who has been performing with some of her idols.

    In 2016, she and Twiddle keyboardist Ryan Dempsey linked up for a very intimate performance at Garcia’s at the Capitol Theatre, which included a very intricate and taxing version of Phish’s “Harry Hood.” It was a few hours prior to Twiddle headlining the theater for the first time. Bowling, a guest of Dempsey’s, stole the show, showcasing her incredible technical talent in the classical piano field with her love for improvisational music.

    While that performance was a boost, Bowling’s latest endeavors pit the player with her icons. Recently, she has played with Phil Lesh and the Terrapin Family Band featuring Bob Weir at Lesh’s Terrapin Crossroads venue in Northern California.

    “I got to play a few songs with Phil and Bob, and it was so cool to explore the songs I’ve delved into with the guys who brought them to us,” Bowling said.

    While not new to Bowling, she said she has added a level of improvisation to her show. She has written a handful of her own songs she’s intertwined with her repertoire. But her breakthrough was transcribing others’ music, and she’s doing that ten-fold while adding in a layer that may seem unfit for a piano recital.

    However, it’s not unfit. Playing with Lesh and Weir gave Bowling a view into the structure that she’s been wanting.

    “The biggest philosophy I learned from those guys is to take risks,” she said. “You have to play without your ego being in the way. You have to listen to all that’s going on, take the risks you want and not allow a wrong note ruin anything.”

    Bowling also has honed some new tricks in her live show arsenal. She will have a projection screen that will display her hands’ every movement on the keys, and will also have a light show that corresponds with her notes that translates to a light show.

    “There’s two of us involved in that,” she said. “It’s evolved into a very abstract form of art. The colors mirror the music. It’s very immersive with a gradual exploring of ideas.”

    Bowling said she has no new studio in the works, and is focusing on her own current solo material.

    “The Phish and the Dead stuff are only a fraction of what I have going on,” she said. “My goal is to put on a different show every night by mixing up all the songs with their stuff and the things I wrote.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BSCzA_gDPlc/

  • Grateful Dead Musical Opens This Month

    An off-Broadway Grateful Dead musical based around the lyrics of Robert Hunter and the music of Jerry Garcia opens later this month.

    “Red Roses, Green Gold” opens at New York City’s Minetta Lane Theater in Greenwich Village on Oct. 29. The musical features music and lyrics by Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia with additional music provided by founding members of the Grateful Dead Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bob Weir. Keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, who played with the “core four” founding members for the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead and currently plays with Weir, Hart and Bill Kreutzmann in Dead & Company, will provide musical supervision and arrangements for the musical.

    “Red Roses, Green Gold” is the third musical written by Michael Norman Mann that takes inspiration from the music of the Grateful Dead. The musical is directed and choreographed by Rachel Klein, director of “The Anthem” and “Around the World in 80 Days.”

    From the website: “This new musical set in 1920s Cumberland tells the fantastical and comical tale of Jackson Jones and his family of swindlers as they gamble their way to love and riches.”

    Tickets for “Red Roses, Green Gold” are on sale now. Previews begin Oct. 11.

  • Rob Derhak Cancer Diagnosis Causes moe. to Announce Indefinite Hiatus

    Fresh off the heels of moe.’s triumphant return of moe.down at Snow Ridge in Turin, the jam veterans have announced they’ll be going on an indefinite hiatus following the unfortunate oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis of singer and bassist Rob Derhak.

    With the shocking and obviously unplanned break looming, the Buffalo quartet issued a statement to moe.rons with plans to leave all future shows off of their calendar come Aug. 1. Derhak, Chuck Garvey, Al Schnier, Jim Loughlin and Vinnie Amico plan to finish out their remaining three shows in New York City, at Huckleberry Jam and their wildly anticipated Lockn’ Festival gig alongside Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh, who has a battle with cancer all his own.

    In Derhak’s personal statement, he reveals that despite the diagnosis and rough healing period, things are looking up with a positive survival rate. NYS Music sends Rob Derhak, his family and the entire moe. organization well wishes during this trying time and look forward to seeing the guys back in action when time and health allow.

    The group’s heartfelt letter to the the “Famoe.ly” is posted below:

    https://www.facebook.com/moe.org/posts/10155487850692438

  • Mountain of Youth: The 5th Annual Susquehanna Breakdown Recap

    “And they’re off!” On Friday, May 19 the gates lifted in Scranton, Pennsylvania and campers raced to grab the flattest and grassiest space on the The Pavilion Lawn at Montage Mountain.  They were not there for the 142nd Preakness Stakes, which traditionally takes place in Maryland every third Saturday in May, but instead were celebrating a new bluegrass tradition, the 5th annual Susquehanna Breakdown. Some attendees dressed in jockey-like colors and patterns with ridiculous hats and clothing combinations.  Others wore graphic t-shirts splattered with band names like Cabinet, Umphrey’s Mcgee, Greensky Bluegrass and Phish.  By the beginning of the first set at 6:30pm, one thing was clear… everyone was there to place their bets on a winning weekend.

    The Dishonest Fiddlers, orchestrated by founder Dave Brown, are a Scranton local bluegrass act that switches up the bill every time they perform.  The lightweight and easy listening bluegrass invited campers to put down their tent poles and join in the music at the smaller “Breakdown Stage.”  Breakdowners were delighted to discover that Cabinet’s own fiddle player, Todd Kopec, was sitting in during the festival’s opening act.  The Dishonest Fiddler’s performance marked the first of many expected Cabinet sit-ins over the weekend, but that comes as no surprise as the festival is named after one of their songs!  Next up on the bill was the American-festival veteran Keller Williams.  It is hard to think of the word “bluegrass” or just “grass” in general and not think of the pumpkin pie hair-cutted freak bouncing around stage barefoot from instrument to instrument.  Once you have seen one Keller show, you have seen them all, but that doesn’t stop anyone from attending.  Keller Williams got his start in parking lots playing to the energetic crowds that gathered before the main attraction, The Grateful Dead.  For over 20 years, he has been marching to the beat of his own drum, guitar, synth and whatever else he decides to bring on stage.  The completely improvised sets travel through space and time reminiscent of a spun-out music junky that can’t decide which radio station to listen to as they station hop.  Keller closed his roots-filled funky set with a cover of Marian Hill’s “Down,” which lyrically is the most genius song to kick off a festival.  If you hate on modern pop music, give this one a listen.

    As the sun finally disappeared on Day 1 of the festival, the audience was treated to more Keller Williams for the first semi-official Cabinet set of the weekend entitled “Keller & Cabinet.”  Launching into the bluegrass traditional tune, “My Grass Is Blue,” got the fans boppin’ and air pickin’ before a cover of “Float On” by Modest Mouse.  As more and more non-camping 2-day-pass holders made their way into the venue, the atmosphere began to feel less like a backyard BBQ and more like a full-fledged festival.  The communal body heat kept everyone warm as “Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow” served as a reminder that Montage Mountain was home for the next 36 hours.  It wouldn’t be Night 1 of a festival without some minor technical difficulties.  After three minutes of tinkering, the stage was back on track and Cabinet allowed Keller to take the wheel for his originals, “Alligator Alley” and “Sing for My Dinner.”  Before the final track of the collaborative set, Keller commented that he wanted to do a reggae version of the upcoming tune but Cabinet insisted on playing it fast.  Much like Ricky Bobby in Talledega Nights, they wanted to go fast, and fast they went through Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.”  Ironically enough, ambulance lights flickered through the crowd during the Winehouse cover as the first festival attendee maybe had too much too fast. Members of the crowd looked on in hopes that this would be the one and only emergency rescue of the weekend.

    On a brighter note, Cabinet came out swinging for their first major set of the weekend, tackling their catalog of reggae, bluegrass, roots and rock.  “The Smile” breezed into the first slot as the symbolic greeting tune of the evening.  “Hey Baby” gave Mickey Coviello’s guitar and Pappy Biondo’s banjo some focus in the spotlight and afterward they modestly commented it was “groovy as all hell.”  Pappy was once again the center of attention during their rendition of “Diamond Joe.” Building the song up with some fantastic peaks and valleys via JP Biondo’s mandolin and Todd Kopec’s fiddle, the 6-piece band transformed the poetic country tune into a jam-grass meltdown.  The “Diamond Joe” lyrics feature horses, betrayal and payback which are central themes in many old-timey tunes and Cabinet made this timeless piece their own to showcase their talent during this set.  The band mentioned that the crowd size was much larger compared to years past and I took it as a sign of festival growth, strength and some perfect weather.  The friendly fireside vibe of the Cabinet set was not complete without a singalong and “Pine Billy” served as a fitting choice.  The “way up on a mountain” lyrics got extra howls as families and friends belted out “Pine Billy” during the second half the short set.  “Sunday 60 Breakdown” finished off the set and the crowd significantly thinned as their beloved Cabinet went to get some rest before a big Day 2.

    The evening was not over yet as late night funk trio Organ Freeman treated the mountain to an ass shaking dance party.  Drummer Rob Humphreys, organist Trevor Steer and Erik Carlson on guitar answered the age-old question “Won’t you take me to Funkytown?”    For those in attendance looking for poppy instrumental jazz or experimental and danceable funk, they found it right off the bat with “We’re On Our Way.”  The band tested out several new songs during their set and considering most in the audience didn’t know the names to their originals anyway, it was all new and exciting to us.  The first cover came in the form of Stanton Moore Trio’s “Pie Eyed Manc.”  It was clear that Moore’s sound has a strong influence on Organ Freeman as they worked their layered grooves into every jam they went into.  My one critique is that at 1:30 in the morning, instrumental jazz begins to all sound the same.  As many non-campers such as myself began exiting the venue, it was incredible to clearly hear the echoes of funk during the entire walk back to the parking area thanks to mountain’s valley walls, which acted as natural amplifiers.  The successful first night of music was complete and the main attraction was only hours away.  The Breakdowners were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of mandolins played in their heads.

    CABINET FRIDAY NIGHT SETLIST:

    A Smile, Treat Me So Bad, Hey Baby, Diamond Joe, Mysterio, Eleanor, The Dove %, Pine Billy, Sunday 60 Breakdown

    % Brief Power Failure occurred twice during The Dove

    KELLER WILLIAMS SETLIST:

    My Grass is Blue, Float On*, Ripped 6 Pack, Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow, AGWT Reprise (post Power Failure), Alligator Alley, The Tower, Sing For My Dinner, Rehab **
    * Modest Mouse Cover ** Amy Winehouse Cover  (Setlist credit: Rich Stoler)

    ORGAN FREEMAN SETLIST:
    We’re On Our Way, (New Track 1), Only If You Mean It, Putin And I Get Along Fantastic, Life’s A Bench, Reptile Moonshine, Pie Eyed Manc*, Change For A Nickel, The Green Green Grapes, You Said You Quit Drinkin’, (New Track 2), Verve, Byrd vs Fish, (New Track 3), Go By Richard, Not By Dick  ENCORE: Hit The Ground Running, Come out Swinging
    *- Stanton Moore Trio

  • Jerry Garcia’s ‘Wolf’ Crosses Auction Block for $1.6 Million

    Any Dead fanatic would recognize this guitar – Wolf was built by Doug Irwin in 1972, played by Jerry Garcia on and off until 1993, was sold to philanthropist Daniel Pritzker in 2002, who just let it roll through an auction at the Brooklyn Bowl for almost $2 million.

    jerry wolfThe guitar sold for $1.6 million with a buyer’s premium of $300,000 on top of a dollar for dollar match from an anonymous organization, meaning the Southern Poverty Law Center received $3.2 million form the auction. The SPLC is an organization, “dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to [seek] justice for the most vulnerable members of our society.”

    Pritzker said, “I’ve been a fan of the Dead since I was a kid, and playing this iconic guitar over the past 15 years has been a privilege. But the time is right for Wolf to do some good.”

    jerry wolfWolf saw action across the globe in the hands of Jerry Garcia, from New York to the Great Pyramids of Egypt. It was recognized for Garcia’s love of the instrument, the devilish cartoon-like wolf engraved below the bridge and the effort that went into making it.