Bushicks (pronounced bush-hicks), a power trio based out of the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn with members all originating from Upstate New York, have announced the release of two singles; “When Life Gives You Lemonade” and “Truffle Shuffle” as a Digital 45rpm to all major platforms.
Working with talented Engineer, Phil Duke at Continental Recording Studios in Long Island City, Jonny “Bushick” Patrizio (Guitar/Lead Vocals), Jess Bogwicz (Bass Guitar), and John Adamski (Drums/Backing Vocals) add their own style to the classic sounds of rock ‘n roll. Patrizio’s songwriting and vocal approach adds a fresh take on the genre while making use of the large selection of vintage equipment available at the studio. A 1960’s Montgomery Ward amp was used on both tracks.
Dukes had this to say about the band:
Bushicks are a REAL Rock and Roll band. There are many imitators out there, but these guys don’t need to fake it. Drawing upon inspiration from our heroes of yesterday, I had the pleasure of recording a band that is building for the future and continuing the spirit of great Rock and Roll music. For a young band, I am excited to hear them grow and I hope you do too.
Bushicks will be headlining Brooklyn Bowl on Sunday, Sept. 16 with Johnny Butler and The Epic Fail and Brooklyn natives, Ltrain. This will be Bushicks second Brooklyn Bowl show and their first time headlining. The show starts at 7:30 PM and tickets are $7. For more information, visit the Brooklyn Bowl website here.
The eighth annual Levitate Music Festival took place July 7 and 8, hosted by the Levitate Surf Shop at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. The two day event featured three stages, the Soul Stage (smallest), Style Stage (mid-sized), and Stoke Stage (main); each stage featured killer musicians, both local and national touring acts. The weather remained hot and sunny all weekend, which the festival aided with free sunscreen dispensers all across the grounds.
One of the coolest parts of this year’s Levitate was their move towards an eco-friendly festival experience. Attendees could purchase metal cups to use at the Reverb water-filling stations, or at the many beer tents around the grounds, receiving a $1 discount for purchasing the cups. There were also several compost tents, and some food vendors even served their food on biodegradable plates. Spread across the grounds were numerous local food trucks, one of the most popular being the Sweet Tomatoes pizza truck, which constantly had a line longer than the bathrooms.
Samantha Fish was one of the more surprising sets of the first day, bringing her soulful blues playing and outstanding voice to the Soul Stage, surprising many festivalgoers that were passing by. Immediately following her and her band’s performance was Vermont-native jam band Twiddle, who seemed to have drawn their fans from all over New England. The quartet played the recently dusted off “Frankenfoote,” much to the crowd’s bemusement, and clearly seemed to enjoy being back in their home field after their recent cross-country tour with Stick Figure. Robert Randolph & The Family Band brought their gospel-blues fusion sound to the Soul Stage following Twiddle’s performance, and among their many covers, brought out Samantha Fish for a fiery rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s famous “Voodoo Child,” which had the crowd dancing and singing along all the way back to the soundboard.
Slightly Stoopid and Stick Figure brought their reggae stylings and roots music to the Style and Stoke stages before the main event of the fest, Trey Anastasio Trio, took to the main stage. Trey’s trio actually became a quartet for the set, featuring Ray Paczkowski on the keyboards for his second show back since the recent removal of a brain tumor. The quartet played a mixture of Trey Anastasio Band and Phish songs, opening with the uplifting summer jam “Blaze On,” a song about being carefree and keeping on, which fit the atmosphere of the fest well. Trey was visibly excited to be onstage, probably due to having just played in Central Park the previous night, and the forthcoming start of Phish’s annual summer tour. After a unique rendition of TAB’s “Cayman Review,” the group broke into even more Phish classics, such as the jam vehicles “Gotta Jibboo” and “Sand,” as well as the fan-favorite “Farmhouse.” The highlight of the set was the segment of “Bug > Undermind > First Tube” at the end of the set, featuring the deepest jams of the night. After the usual climactic ending of “First Tube,” Trey came out with an acoustic to perform solo versions of the bittersweet love song “Waste” and the joyful “More,” and asked the crowd to cheer as loud as they could for Ray when the rest of the band came out. The deafening roar of the attendees seemed to embarrass Ray—-though they made Trey smile and laugh—and the group broke into their final song of the evening, “Push On Til’ The Day.”
On the second day of the fest, the Style Stage featured a lot of the best acts. The day was kicked off by Spafford, a first timer at Levitate, who have been on fire all summer long. The group played a near-20-minute version of their heavy hitter “Blackfoot Funk,” and a stellar version of one of their newest tunes “Broken Wing,” the fast paced rocker that heavily showcases the rhythmic abilities of bassist Jordan Fairless and drummer Cameron Laforest. The group closed out the set with “Space Gadget,” a more progressive song that features the famous main melody of Inspector Gadget theme, a request made by a fan who recently released an Inspector Gadget pin. Following Spafford were Brooklyn’s favorite funk group, the 9-piece Turkuaz, who got everyone up and dancing in the warm summer heat. Their set featured the always-entertaining “Percy Thrills, The Moon Dog,” as well as the Sami Garrett-led “Tiptoe Through the Crypto,” a song that really exemplifies her impressive vocal range. After Turkuaz came the popular bluegrass group Greensky Bluegrass, whose set featured a couple sit ins from some big names. The first sit in had singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau sitting in on Coolio’s magnum opus, “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which had a bit of a Greensky flair on it. The whole crowd was singing along with the rap anthem, really enjoying the group’s interesting take on the song. The second sit in featured guitarist Brian Moss of Spafford on their original “Kerosene,” which was taken over by Moss towards the end with an impressive solo on his beloved guitar “The Raven.”
Of all the big names that were featured on the main stage, Lake Street Dive stoke the show as always with their upbeat, soulful swing sound. The set showcased many of the group’s popular originals, including “I Don’t Care About You,” “Good Kisser,” and “Baby Don’t Leave Me Alone With My Thoughts,” as well as an impressive cover of Shania Twain’s “You’re Still The One.” Over on the Soul Stage, Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle hosted a “Mihali and Frends Community Jam” set to close out the festival, which featured a hefty lineup, including Eli Winderman and Rob Compa of Dopapod, Zdenek Gubb of Twiddle, Russ Lawton of Trey Anastasio Band, and many, many more. The set consisted mainly of covers, most impressively John Lennon’s “Stand By Me,” led by a guy named Hitch on acoustic guitar, and Alanis Morrissette’s classic “You Oughta Know,” led by Rob Compa, whose vocals were eerily similar to Morrissette’s.
The eighth annual Levitate Music and Arts Festival was a major success, especially in the way of their green initiative. The festival will return next year and years to come, most likely with an even more impressive lineup and even better food. Check out the photo gallery below for a taste of what the weekend was like.
T@NE™, a progressive alternative band out of New York City this summer have released their debut single “Rock Joint.”
T@NE is the name for musician, saxophonist, composer, producer and artist Arnold Tone Kaplan Lee. Along with bandmates Taber Gable (keyboards), Andrew Renfroe (guitar), Dan Pappalardo (bass), and Pete Manheim (drums), T@NE and crew are making music for the future. “Rock Joint” is a fantastic debut single and takes the listener on a progressive journey with segments of intricate jazz and rock that you can easily sink into. Lee says of “Rock Joint”: “I chose this track as the first single because before we release music that is more produced (and more post production), I wanted to release a track that has the vibe of us just rocking out and how we play in concert, so we went in the studio and did a take and this what we got.”
T@NE has been performing in the New York City area, playing at venues such as Pianos, Arlene’s Grocery, and Rockwood Music Hall. Catch them on Sunday Sept. 16 at Arlene’s Grocery. Follow T@NE on Instagram and Twitter.
Being as compact and congested as it is, New York rarely has the opportunity to host a major music festival within city limits. When the opportunity arises, promoters do as any genuine New Yorker would and spare no expense in ensuring they provide attendants with a unique experience they’ll never forget. From July 27-29, 2018 Panorama Music Festival dazzled guests with music, art, and imagination as Randall’s Island briefly transformed itself into an alternative universe where life felt like a dream.
Despite rain, mud, and cancellations, the general vibe of the festival was heart-stirring love and acceptance. Guests walked through the turnstiles into a playground of bliss, with music and art exhibits immediately overwhelming the senses, and entered a safe space to let their freak flags fly. People dressed in costumes, covered themselves in paint/glitter, and wore unyielding grins from the moment they entered to the time they left.
Even if there wasn’t music you were interested in seeing playing, you could spend hours experiencing the many wonders the festival had to offer. If you entered the festival on the east side of the island, you immediately walked into “The Lab,” an interactive experience that combined technology, artistry, and design created exclusively by New York City-based artists. There you could have your reality questioned in giant bubbles, get lost in a trippy jungle of dangling lights, or enter a portal to another dimension, among other mindboggling exhibits. Each exhibit was incredibly interactive in an attempt keep the mind and body wondering, and typically included social aspects so festival-goers could share the experience with friends, old and new.
Artists weren’t the only ones who showcased their creativity at Panorama, as even many vendors brought their own zany ideas to life to draw in new customers. On one side of the festival you might walk by an old wooden ship converted and used as a pub beside a pop-up old western town where guests could purchase mixed drinks while interacting with, and get haggled by, actors in costumes based on fashion trends from the late 1800’s from the second story window. If you continued walking, you might end up in an outdoor dive bar with bands playing small, intimate shows or feel like you fell off the edge of the earth and ended up in Grand Cayman as you took a load off in a tropical-themed tent. Excitement was possible at every corner, and that’s before the music even started.
Friday
Unfortunately for many excited festivalgoers, Friday was a wash-literally. Ominous clouds plagued the sky all afternoon before finally breaking and showering the grounds at about 3:15 p.m. The rain only lasted for about a half hour, giving may people hope for the evening as Daniel Cesar took Panorama stage for his 3:50 p.m. set. He delivered a heartfelt performance to get music on the main stage off to a promising start before thunder and lightning threatened the city and forced Panorama cancel the rest of the evening’s performances and evacuate the grounds.
BREAKING: Day 1 of Panorama cancelled; Being evacuated for severe weather. Fest will continue Sat/Sun pic.twitter.com/GFWTfkIU2S
— Follow on #bluesky nystatemusic.bsky.social (@NYStateMusic) July 27, 2018
Thousands were in disbelief as they were herded out to buses and subways and back into the city without ever having gotten a chance to see artists they were looking forward to such as The Weeknd, Father John Misty, and The War on Drugs. While many were disappointed, Panorama did the right thing and refunded everyone their money back and no one was seriously injured fleeing the island, so it could have been far worse.
Saturday
Thankfully, the rain cleared and the sun came back with a vengeance for all those who attended the second day of Panorama. Although the sun seemed hotter than usual at times, a large majority of the grounds were reduced to a muddy swamp which would create obstacles, games, and funny stories for the remaining two days of the festival. It hardly spoiled anyone’s time though (except for that one girl who dropped her pizza in the mud) as the day proved to be a complete success.
Musically, Saturday was absolutely dominated by talented female performers. Cloves kicked things off on the Panorama stage with a passionate set which set the tone for the rest of the day. The British singer wooed the crowd with her remarkably beautiful voice and electric stage presence. Dressed like she just hopped out of bed, she danced like a flower blowing gently to the breezy notes her band seeped as she swayed across the stage. Each bar was sang with purpose and she conveyed her emotions eloquently through her notes. Although she was obviously uncomfortable in the sweltering heat and grimy humidity, she gave it her all for her allotted time slot and left fans wanting more. Many fans’ wishes came through later that evening when she played another set at the Bud Light Dive Bar to a much smaller crowd of people.
As Cloves continued her set on the Panorama stage, Sigrid began hers on the Pavilion stage. In contrast to Thrice’s dark and vicious singing, Sigrid’s vocals were much more bright and upbeat. She constantly smiled and winked at specific members of audience, jumped around the stage, and danced along to the party music bobbing behind her. Pvris followed with a set of music with Rage Against The Machine-like intensity and a dangerous female lead. With trippy echoing effects and dark, alternative jams behind it, you felt like you could go into the wilderness with her, take a look around to see what she sees and come out with only a few scratches. The high energy set with constant peaks and outbursts of primal howls kept fans on the edge of their blankets, if they were even still sitting by the end of it.
Japanese Breakfast served as an essential cool down to Pvris’s murky set as laid back, ambient music gave attendants a chance to take a breath and let their heart beats return to normal. Their jams sounded like a big wave at high tide, causally moving up and down as it worked its way to the unknown, far away shore. The music contained a different mysticism as compared to the other acts, which brought peace and calming to the inquiring minds of the lawn. To much of the crowd’s disbelief, Lil Wayne’s set following Japanese Breakfast was cancelled due to his flight being delayed, which wouldn’t be the last time a set would be cancelled.
Since Lil Wayne was not playing the Panorama stage, what felt like the entire festival came out for St. Vincent’s intense performance. Although she was a quite few slots away from headlining Saturday’s show, she came on stage like a queen who owned the festival. You can spot a dominant person when you see one and St. Vincent is the epitome of a strong female rocker. She had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand the entire performance with goddess-like fineness and master musicianship, both as a singer and guitar player. Each movement she made drove the crowd wild, and her ability to boil an explosion of cheers with a single stare demonstrated how short of a lease she kept her fans on.
The high energy, visually engaging set concluded with a passionate tribute to New York; a city she’s proud to call home. The fitting tribute was one of many, as throughout the weekend artists paid their respect to the city. Unlike other major tour destinations, New York has an energy like no other and it is felt between both the band and the audience. The thrilling anxiousness of playing the Big Apple often brings out the best in artists since they feel the need to deliver a top performance for such a diverse and electric crowd; a theme which was present all weekend.
SZA especially felt the need to impress as she followed St. Vincent’s set and sought to blow away the New York crowd as redemption for not delivering a top performance the last time she visited. Clearly excited to be on stage, she ran around as she poured out her soul and made innocent jokes in between songs. Her stage presence was youthful and full of play, but it was clear she was no amateur by the way she controlled both the crowd and her dynamic voice.
As the first and only male headliner to take the stage, Gucci Mane decided to take his sweet time coming out. His hype man continuously teased the crowd, asking them if they were ready for his appearance, however, after five or six times and no Gucci Mane the crowd began to become skeptical while still cheering just in case. Whether the lack of Gucci Mane for nearly half his time slot was intentional or not, it certainly drove the crowd into a frenzy, which only enhanced the energy of the crowd when he finally took the stage and delivered a pumped up set for the eager audience.
The night was capped off with potentially the most anticipated act of the festival, Janet Jackson, who delivered a career-spanning set of twists and turns that had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand. Every aspect of Jackson’s set was clearly meticulously choreographed to extract the highest level of satisfaction she could draw from the audience. Dancing around the stage like a youthful pop singer, Jackson declared to New York that she still has the goods and flaunted them in a way that converted any doubtful listeners. The crowd responded with high praise, as she ended the first full day of Panorama in pop-goddess style.
Sunday
After a whirlwind of music genres and eccentric female leads on Saturday, Panorama concluded its final day with a bang on Sunday. The day began as a high energy punk fest with Downtown Boys promoting a rebellious, anti-establishment message to get the blood flowing in the growing, youthful crowd. Shannon and the Clams followed, and for those who had never heard of the psychedelic, surf-rock/doo-wop group they were sure to put them on the radar following their jubilant 1:30 p.m. set. Blending multiple-types of music to create a familiar, yet entirely distinct sound of their own, Shannon and the Clams treated early arrivals to a set of non-stop fun music which drew as much joy out of the band as it did the audience. Vocally and musically the band hit all the right notes to ensure continuous dancing, applause, and smiles in the growing audience.
The festival continued all day with options for attendants to enjoy DJ sets, art exhibits, and an array of music from many different genres. From the high energy DJ Haram to the laid back Chicano Batman to the soul driven Rex Orange County, fans had a chance to experience any kind music they’d like, and even experiment with music they might not have seen if they weren’t at the festival. One of the most wonderful aspects of Panorama was the idea that you could wander around, see new things, hear new music, and experience it all within the confines of a peaceful and friendly space with thousands of others doing the same. At the heart of it, that is why New York is the perfect place for a music festival as large as Panorama; there are very few other places in the country where people can be themselves, try new things, and enter a world of their own imagination without the slightest thought of being judged or even noticed for their behavior.
As the day continued, it felt much more like a Saturday rather than a Sunday, with world class headliners performing and the lack of music due to cancellation on Friday only reinforcing the thought. Sunday seemed to gather the largest crowd, a mixed group of older and younger music lovers who each had a chance to hear something they’d never heard. For many of the younger fans, the biggest surprise came in David Byrne’s set. Many kids in the crowd didn’t know who he was, but by the time he began “Burning Down The House,” they realized they were clearly in the presence of greatness.
David Byrne is a magnificent performer, who takes every opportunity he’s got to flex his creativity. Playing a set of fresh, new songs from his latest album mixed in with Talking Heads classics, he dazzled the audience with choreographed dances, a band of mobile musicians who constantly marched up and down the stage, and strange props and lights. Many of his new songs sounded like they could have been released in the early ’80s, and the overall set had a dystopian theme which was a clear message from Byrne about the current state of the world and where we are going as a society. There wasn’t a single cool down throughout the performance and those who weren’t sweating from the sun were now sweating from the non-stop dancing.
Fleet Foxes were the perfect act to follow Byrne with their entire set feeling like a dreamy cool down. Fans knew exactly what they were getting in for when they arrived at the Pavilion stage for the Fleet Foxes’ set as blankets were draped over the lawn as far as the eye could see. People enjoyed the euphoric music on their backs staring at the clouds or swaying in their seats with their eyes glued to the stage. The band’s incredibly full sound hugged your soul as grand harmonies, campfire chords, and even a small orchestra barreled from the glowing stage.
The Fleet Foxes were the last of the night’s tranquil sets with performances by The XX and ODESZA following. The XX were honored to be playing their last show of their two year and 138-show tour at Panorama, which sparked heavy emotions from the musicians as they emptied their tanks with a heartfelt performance filled with highs, lows, and gut-wrenching vocals. ODESZA provided a different take across the lawn as the high energy EDM set shook the ground and the bodies of everyone from the pit to the back of the grass while alluring, colorful lights churned through the sky all the way to Astoria. The light show drastically enhanced the set as it followed the music and heavy bass, demanding the audience to keep their eye on the stage though the entire set.
Panorama ended on about the highest note they could with The Killers (from Las Vegas, as they like to point out) rocking the core of Randall’s Island. The band played a set of hits spanning through their entire career and turned the muddy lawn into a gigantic sing-a-long party as everyone in the crowd seemed to know the lyrics to at least a few songs. From across the lawn, those who wanted to zone out and dance had a chance to at Nora En Pure’s set, which featured an array of impressive lights and high energy beats. Festival goers left happy and full of life as they made their way off the grounds and back into reality, but not without the memories of the fun they had that weekend.
Sister Sparrow has released the first single, “Ghost,” a poppy, energetic club number with hints of Blondie throughout, off Gold, due out on October 12th.
Sister Sparrow has released the new single, “Ghost,” ahead of the release of their latest album Gold, a single that Arleigh Kincheloe explains was inspired by “That feeling when someone has rejected you but now suddenly wants you back… that drunken late-night text from an ex out of the blue. Ain’t got time for that. Ghosting someone who really deserves it is what it’s about. Getting even but also ridding your life of the BS that keeps holding you back.” In an unconventional move, Sister Sparrow premiered the unique “lyric” video, which features the lyrics displayed in emojis instead of words, on Snapchat, after leading fans through a social media scavenger hunt to allow them to see the video and hear the single 24 hours before it was officially released.
Gold takes the classic soul-rock sound created by Sister Sparrow and her brass-fueled combo, The Dirty Birds, and turns it into something altogether new, a soul-blasted contemporary pop approach supremely suited for Kincheloe’s immense voice and even greater vision. Produced and co-written in collaboration with Carter Matschullat (Chef’Special, Secret Weapons) at Brooklyn’s DØØM Studio, the new album sees Sister Sparrow expressing herself like never before.
Sister Sparrow will celebrate their new LP with a major U.S. tour, kicking off on Aug. 30 in Athens, New York, and running through December. Check out tourdates here and New york dates below.
Aug 30 Athens Summer concert series, Athens, NY
Sept 21 Westcott Theater, Syracuse, NY
Sept 22 Borderland Music Festival, East Aurora, NY
Nov 10 The Egg, Albany, NY
Dec 1 Irving Plaza, NYC
For a taste of Sister Sparrow’s live sound, check out their NPR Tiny Desk Concert.
Bernie Sanders, Kat Wright, Grahame Lesh and a few rainstorms were on hand for Twiddle at their third annual Tumbledown, held at the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival in Burlington, VT over Friday July 27 and Saturday the 28. Thunderstorms on Friday meant that Twiddle’s second set was shelved until the next day, and even with some bad weather showing up Saturday, they still managed to get all three sets in.
Twiddle welcomed special guests Kat Wright for a breathtaking performance of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and Mihali’s GEM counterparts Grahame Lesh and Elliot Peck (Midnight North) joined Twiddle for the final set’s “Lost in the Cold,” “Hatti’s Jam” and “When it Rains it Pours.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bly6T1gntlf/
However it was the second set on Saturday that was the most unique of the weekend. Known by fans now as ‘Orlando’s Set,’ the 7 song set featured “Orlando’s” appearing four times in the set with 6 other songs intertwining. The song “Orlando’s” talks about a bar, and each of the three verses discusses a couple of characters who come into the bar. In this case, “Jamflowman” and “Hattibagen McRat” were mentioned, and both songs were then played in the first break of “Orlando’s.” Following “McRat,” the band returned to “Orlando’s,” introducing “Frankenfoote” and “Tiberius” before performing those two and returning to “Orlando’s” once again. The last characters introduced were “Carter Candlestick” and “Cabbage Face” which were performed before the ending of “Orlando’s” closed the set. A spark of genius flowed through this character laden set, something unique not just to Twiddle, but indeed they did it first.
July 27 setlist via Phantasytour
Set 1: White Light1, Drifter, Doinkinbonk!!!, Syncopated Healing
1 Bernie Sanders introduction
July 28 setlist via Phantasytour
Set 1: Blunderbuss, Second Wind, Dr. Remidi’s Melodium, Polluted Beauty1, Hallelujah2
Set 2: Orlando’s> Jamflowman> Hattibagen McRat> Orlando’s> Frankenfoote> Tiberius> Orlando’s> Carter Candlestick> Cabbage Face> Orlando’s
Set 3: Lost In The Cold3, Apples4, Hatti’s Jam5,3> When It Rains It Pours5,3
1 w Taz
2 w Kat Wright
3 w Grahame Lesh
4 Smooth Criminal tease
5 w Elliot Peck
Acclaimed guitarist Marc Ribot has released “The Militant Ecologist” featuring Meshell Ndegeocello, the latest track off his upcoming Sept. 14 release, Songs of Resistance 1942-2018 on ANTI-Records. Ribot set out to assemble a set of songs that spoke to this political moment with appropriate ambition, passion, and fury, starting at the end of 2016, not just in response to the American elections but to the political trends he was seeing around the world.
“I am alarmed by Trump and the movement he’s part of,” he says. “I’ve spent a good chunk of my life running around the world on tour—I’m kind of an accidental internationalist—and I see that he’s not an isolated phenomenon. And if we don’t deal with what is going on, it is going to deal with us.” In releasing “The Militant Ecologist featuringMeshell Ndegeocello, Ribot repurposes the popular Italian resistance song “Fischia il Vento” (Whistling in the Wind). Renowned punk rock filmmaker Jem Cohen has also directed a video for the song featuring a green-tinged New York City skyline with a flag whipping in the wind.
For their new take, Ribot and Ndegeocello change the male partisan fighter in the original song to a woman fighting to stop global warming. “We changed the gender in our version and the flag at the end is green,” Ribot explained of his and Ndegeocello’s take on the song and visuals. “But Meshell projects the persona of a resistance fighter going on a mission perfectly: ‘strong her heart, and swift her arm to strike.”
The eleven songs on the record include a few original compositions as well as traditional songs that are drawn from World War II anti-Fascist Italian partisans, the U.S. civil rights movement and Mexican protest ballads. It also features a wide range of guest vocalists, including Tom Waits, Steve Earle, Meshell Ndegeocello, Justin Vivian Bond, Fay Victor, Ohene Cornelius and Sam Amidon.
Over a forty-year career, Ribot has released twenty-five albums under his own name and been a beacon of New York’s downtown/experimental music scene, leading a series of bands including Los Cubanos Postizos and Ceramic Dog. Since his work with Tom Waits on 1985’s Rain Dogs album, though, he is best known to the world as a sideman, playing on countless albums by the likes of Elvis Costello, John Mellencamp, Norah Jones, the Black Keys, and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ Grammy-winning collaboration Raising Sand.
Along with his musical efforts, Ribot has also been an outspoken activist/community organizer in a number of causes, from affordable housing to musicians’ rights in the digital age. Portions of the album’s proceeds will be donated to The Indivisible Project, an organization that helps individuals resist the Trump agenda via grassroots movements in their local communities.
Prior to being Magnified and well before it Curved, it was Super. Phish’s third major festival in New York State, formally known as Superball IX, took place in July of 2011 at the esteemed Watkins Glen International located in Schuyler County. The move to “The Glen” served as a departure from the band’s previous festival locations at abandoned Air Force Bases which hosted the likes of The Clifford Ball and The Great Went and exchanged it for a world class motor speedway that may be most remembered for an event held almost 40 years beforehand.
The Grateful Dead, The Band and The Allman Brothers Band all combined forces in 1973 for an event that drew over 600,000 people to the racetrack for a concert known as Summer Jam, creating traffic and a scene that dwarfed Woodstock in size. That would be the last major concert at Watkins Glen until Phish was able to secure permission to hold Superball IX there and reopen the racetrack grounds for music. Let’s take a look back at some of the things that made Phish’s ninth festival so special. And make sure to also check out our retrospectives on the prior two that also called New York home, The Clifford Ball and Camp Oswego,
To say there was a (beautiful) buzz about Phish in the summer of 2011 is an understatement. Any and all rust in terms of the band’s cohesiveness and ability to communicate instrumentally had been wiped away since their return to the stage in 2009 after a near five-year “break up.” And while 2010’s Festival 8 at Coachella’s home in Indio, CA would technically be their first festival since the reunion, this was their first East Coast festival since coming back, where all the others had been. The buzz only grew louder after the summer tour was kickstarted with 4 notable shows at another legendary New York venue for music in New York – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, which happens to reside on the grounds of that aforementioned Woodstock festival.
By the beginning of July, with another 15 shows under their belt since Bethel, Phish was ready to end the first leg of their summer tour in style. The village of Watkins Glen rolled out the red carpet for phans and then some with signs welcoming them and deals catered to the Phish crowd as the locals seemed to embrace what was sure to be a brief but powerful economic boon.
Cars and RVs slowly began to line up and soon fill up the festival grounds early Thursday morning in preparation for a full weekend of music. And it was clear Phish management had done their homework and learned from festivals of the past as the entry process was devoid of any of the nightmare-ish traffic jam tales associated with IT (2003) and Coventry (2004). With more vehicle entrances that allowed for a better traffic setup, getting in was a breeze for many. Having great weather all week and a venue that’s capable holding 100,000 NASCAR fans certainly helped as well.
Those that were set up early enough got to hear a pre-festival soundcheck, either within earshot from the stage or via broadcast on The Bunny, Phish’s traditional festival radio station that usually takes over a local FM radio transmission for the weekend. A light, whimsical sound check featuring songs like “Sleep Again” and “Ginseng Sullivan” displayed the band’s looseness and featured of plenty of improvisation to help whet the collective appetite for the weekend.
DAY 1
By the time Friday afternoon rolled around, everyone had gotten a good chance to stroll about the festival grounds and see all the art exhibits and other general weirdness displayed everywhere. Various sculptures and small buildings greeted patrons as they made their way closer to the stage and the plethora of food and beer vendors lined up aside it.
The first set of the weekend was fairly straightforward albeit with a powerful “Possum” that began the festivities, followed by a unique “Peaches en Regalia” > “Moma Dance” combination. Towards the end of the set, “Wolfman’s Brother” delivered a slow but funky groove that steadily grew in intensity and served as the first signs of heavy jamming. But the highlight of the set, for many, was the unexpected bustout of “Life on Mars?,” a David Bowie cover that hadn’t been played since 2003, or 175 shows to be exact. Lots of fans were finally able to take this one off of their respective “unseen” lists as the band played it before a gorgeous New York summer sunset.
7/1/11 Set 1: Possum, Peaches en Regalia > Moma Dance, Torn and Frayed > NICU > Bathtub Gin, Life on Mars?, My Friend,My Friend, Wolfman’s Brother, Roses are Free > Funky Bitch, Quinn the Eskimo
Friday’s second set opener was a harbinger of things to come as the band opened up with a dark, foreboding ambient second jam for several minutes before bursting into the Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed and Painless” which later gave way to the anthemic “Chalkdust Torture.” Later on, another precursor of future events unfolded in the form of an extended spacey jam emanating from “Simple” that oozed eerie and ominous tones.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here’s pro shot footage of Superball’s “Simple” and the ensuing “Bug” that features a powerful jam on the back end.
https://vimeo.com/25908783
7/1/11 Set 2: Jam > Crosseyed and Painless > Chalkdust Torture, Sand > The Wedge, Mike’s Song > Simple > Bug > The Horse > Silent in the Morning > Weekapaug Groove, Joy > Character Zero
Encore: Show of Life
DAY 2
Saturday brought with it three sets of music and and a sweltering heat to deal with for the opening one in the afternoon. Water and shade were at a premium as the sun beat down on a crowd estimated to be close to 30,000 – a far cry from the population of Summer Jam. This also meant Superball IX would be one of the lighter attended Phish festivals when compared to ones from the past that drew 60,000 or more. But all this did was make for a pleasant experience all weekend as lines for vendors were more than manageable and everyone was able to move around (and dance) freely.
Those that did get up to get down that Saturday afternoon did so under a scorching sun and to another first set with some unique song selections. The show officially started with a rip roaring “Tube” that immediately prompted an all out beach ball frenzy in the crowd. Seemingly thousands of beach balls of various colors and sizes bounced around happily while Phish while began the day’s festivities and gazed at a sea of super balls.
Here’s some great fan shot footage of the opener and the ensuing “Kill Devil Falls” that puts you right in the middle of the maddness.
The rest of the first set was business as usual with staples like “Lawn Boy ” and “Divided Sky” being delivered in addition to “Cities,” another commonly played Talking Heads cover. But this set strayed off the beaten path a little in the form of two songs the band had never played before. The first of which was “Susskind Hotel” which came on the heels of the reverb ending of “46 Days.” Devoted fans recognized this as a song concocted and played by bassist Mike Gordon with his side project, but this was a debut for Phish. Then, after what appeared to be the fairly standard “Suzy Greenberg” set closer replete with a finishing flurry on piano from Page McConnell, the band stayed on stage for one last song, a completely unexpected cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Monkey Man,” as seen on the album Sticky Fingers and immortalized by the move Goodfellas.
7/2/11 Set 1: Tube, Kill Devil Falls > Ocelot, Lawn Boy, Divided Sky, Boogie On Reggae Woman > Camel Walk, Cities > Poor Heart > 46 Days > Susskind Hotel , When the Circus Comes, Timber Ho! > Back on the Train > Suzy Greenberg, Monkey Man
Those looking for an added challenge in the hazy, humid Saturday heat had their chance to do so courtesy of the second ever Runaway Jim 5K Road Race that took place right on the race track. It was quite a scene to behold as small groups of quasi-serious runners bobbed and weaved around others decked out in costumes and clearly there just for the experience. Fittingly, the second set of the day opened with “Runaway Jim” and the band took the opportunity to bring the winners of the race up on stage for a brief trophy presentation. Immediately after that, it was back to business and the band finished up the song and plowed through another set of fan favorites that included numbers like “Axilla,” “Stash” and “The Mango Song.” One of the more poignant moments of the set was the performance of “Scents and Subtle Sounds,” still a fairly new song at that time and only played once before since the band’s reunification in 2009. An emotionally charged jam lifted the crowd up before another appropriately titled song “Run Like an Antelope” closed out the set.
7//2/11 Set 2: Runaway Jim > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, Axilla > Birds of a Feather, Stash, Sample in a Jar, Heavy Things > Horn > It’s Ice > The Mango Song > Rift > Scents and Subtle Sounds, Run Like an Antelope
art by John Warner
Phish had one more (announced) set scheduled for the evening and rolled out a doozy. With another cover to open, this time TV on the Radio’s “Golden Age,” it soon began a chain of progression that delivered both classic originals and other covers that the band has made their own over time. And it didn’t stop until the set was completed. From traditional behemoths like “Piper” and “Tweezer” that showcased Trey Anastasio’s inspiring guitar work to a rousing cover of The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” to close it, this set offered up a little bit of everything as each song flowed effortlessly into the next.
7/2/11 Set 3: Golden Age > Prince Caspian > Piper > Tweezer > Julius > Backwards Down the Number Line > Twist > Also Sprach Zarathurstra > Harry Hood > Cavern > Golgi Apparatus > A Day in the Life
Encore: Loving Cup > Tweezer Reprise
Afterwards, most folks headed back to their respective campsites both with the glow of having experiences three great sets of music and wonderment as to whether there would be another “secret” set like in previous East Coast festivals. Harkening back to the unannounced performance on a flatbed truck rolling through The Clifford Ball grounds, Phish has typically pulled out some sort of surprise during the course of a festival. One of the defining moments of IT in 2003 was an unannounced “Tower Jam” that saw the band play at the top of an abandoned control tower in the control room while lights and acrobatic dancers graced the outside of the tower.
That performance was solely advertised by word of mouth and rumors that began to slowly spread and there was a large portion of the festival that never heard about it until the next day, sadly.. This was also 2003, well before the power of social media could be harnessed in a mobile setting like it is today. 2011 offered more help in this aspect as Twitter and other social media platforms spread hearsay much more efficiently. And by the end of night most people were sure Phish was going to do something, just not what it was.
The Vermont foursome did not disappoint as randomly, around 1 in the morning, strange sounds started to emanate from one of the buildings that had been erected in the “square” area to resemble a self-storage facility, near all the other art installations. As weird tones and noises grew in frequency, it quickly became evident that everyone’s suspiciions were being confirmed and this was the “secret set.” What followed for the next hour or so was a giant, spacey jam that most people jenjoyed either sitting or laying on the ground. Opaque windows and heavy backlighting meant you could only see the sillhouettes of each band member, adding to the mystique. Heavy theremin playing from McConnell and strange ambient collective jamming soon gave way to the oddest “Sleeping Monkey” ever performed by the group and just like that another Phish legend had been created – The Storage Jam.
DAY 3
By Sunday, even though it was only the third performance day of the festival, Superballers had been treated to essentially three shows already with 6 sets of music in the last two days. But with everyone off for the 4th of July the following day, the party vibe was still strong as everyone geared up for the last two sets of the weekend. This general;mood was affirmed with a show opening “Soul Shakedown Party,” a classic Bob Marley song. There was also another longtime fan favorite brought back from the abyss with “The Curtain” and its first performance since September of 2000.
A “Col. Forbin’s Ascent” > “Fly Famous Mockingbird” satisfied the Gamehendge crowd and referenced yesterday’s late night audio exploration. Shockingly, one of the true highlights of the set and that day’s music overall was a song that usually doesn’t generate such shockwaves. But a truly unique performance of the song “Mound” blew the doors off of all its previous versions thanks to a ferocious Anastasio guitar solo towards the end of song that had never appeared in that spot before, and hasn’t been seen again since.
Arguably, the greatest “Mound” ever:
7/3/12 Set 1: Soul Shakedown Party > AC/DC Bag > The Curtain > Colonel Forbin’s Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird > Destiny Unbound > Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Wilson > Mound, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing, Time Loves a Hero, Reba > David Bowie
With one last set to play with, Phish let it all hang out with yet another set featuring some memorable cover selections. In a nod to the name of the festival, the last set of the weekend started with a rendition of AC/DC’s “Big Balls,” another first timer in the now expansive Phish catalog of songs. The quirky cover quickly gave way to much more customary second set jam vehicles, the first of which was “Down with Disease” which produced a soaring, rhythmic jam spearheaded by tenacious work on the drums by Jon Fishman and corresponding bass from Gordon. As the jam began to slow in intensity and increase in ambience, familiar notes played on the electric piano signaled another fantastic cover choice – the second ever performance of Led Zepellin’s “No Quarter.”
More traditional second set jam vehicles followed in the likes of “Ghost” and an impressively extended “Light.” And perhaps no sequence summed up the weekend better than a driving and powerful “Waves” jam that soared high before dissolving into spaciness and turning into the instrumental “What’s the Use?” At the end of the final set of the weekend, Phish paid tribute to America with an a capella rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner. The band collectively expressed their sincere thanks to all those who helped produce and set up Superball IX before a “First Tube” encore laden with fireworks put a bow on everything.
7/3/12 Set 2: Big Balls > Down with Disease > No Quarter > Party Time, Ghost > Gotta Jibboo > Light, Waves > What’s the Use? > Meatstick > Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, The Star Spangled Banner
Encore: First Tube
We hope you enjoyed this look back at some of the pictures, videos and moments that made Superball so special. Stay tuned to NYSMusic.com for more NY Phish festival retrospectives as we tackle Magnaball next, the sequel to Superball that was held at the same venue four years later. This is all in preparation for Curveball, the upcoming third Phish festival, also being held at Watkins Glen International, taking place August 17-19,
And here’s one last video, taken and posted by contributing photographer Jacob Silco, that shows a little bit of everything from the fun that was Superball IX.
Music festivals are great places to get a sample of a ton of different music in a short period of time. Get a taste of this band, then that, and on and on without much rhyme or reason. At the Newport Folk Festival, each set felt less like a singular unrelated moment and more like a continuum of a story that was unraveling in real time. Over three days, on a small parcel of land jutting into Narragansett Bay, each artist added their piece to the story, culminating in a grand climax during the final act of the weekend. It was choose-your-own-adventure style, to be read however one wanted.
Across four different stages and multiple pop-up opportunities, there were plenty of twists and turns to take, but never a wrong way or false ending. There were no bad choices, just hard ones. To stay at the Fort Stage and continue listening to Brandi Carlile turn to page 59. To walk to the Harbor Stage to hear what Langhorn Slim is playing flip to page 18.
It played out chronologically, but the memories are a blur of highlights that transcend space and time.
Champion of the festival, member of the inaugural 1959 lineup and subject of a now yearly programming tribute, Pete Seeger is an important figure for the festival. He inscribed his banjo with: “This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.” These words emerged as a theme over the weekend, as they have in other tumultuous times. As Bob Dylan famously did way back when, and many other since, artists more often than not, opted for the strength of electricity in their “machines” at this year’s festival.
Sturgill Simpson abandoned any semblance of country and played a full-throttle set of heavy rocking jams with his four piece that was more Zeppelin and Hendrix than Jennings or Nelson. Twain, played an electrified acoustic guitar, which helped push his soft speaking voice into an exuberant howl, bursting with emotion when used in song. He and his trio played meandering songs that were mellow but moving, groovy and captivating. Moses Sumney, with just his voice and guitar, used layers of loops and effects to create vast sound tapestries that blanketed the crowd at the Harbor Stage.
Don’t fret (pun intended), others took the more traditional route, using just voice and acoustic instruments to convey their messages. Charlie Parr played acoustic guitars, along with a percussionist, on songs, both autobiographical and otherwise, that felt both fresh and timeless. Supergroup Bermuda Triangle, Brittany Howard, Becca Mancari and Jesse Lafser, had a bit of a song circle vibe, passing each others songs around, playing guitars, banjos and an upright bass. They also worked in some new group originals, including a self-titled theme song that centered on their stunning three-part harmonies.
Some took unexpected turns toward stripped down acoustic music. Nels Cline, known best as the off-kilter guitarist of Wilco and for his avant-garde jazz outings, performed classic country, blues and even a raga-esque instrumental on a resonator guitar with Brandon Seabrook joining on mandolin and guitar. St. Vincent, dressed in a stunning red dress, and joined only by Thomas Barton on piano, managed an even bigger left turn. Her rhythmic electro-pop songs like “Prince Johnny” and “Masseduction” were stripped down to their bare bones and performed as jazzy lounge vocal workouts. The songs showed their inner strength, holding up to their massive reinterpretations.
Others found strength in numbers. Hiss Golden Messenger boasted three guitars for a big energy set that begged the crowd to boogie along. The nine members of Tank and the Bangas held an on-stage party, pushing the envelope of the festival’s history with a mix of rap, funk, metal-style shredding. Twerking and Outkast weren’t off-limits for this “folk” set. Low Cut Connie matched the Bangas energy in a set of high-octane bar boogie that had lead singer Adam Weiner jumping atop his piano every chance he could get. Nicole Atkins “had the best afternoon of her life,” leading a ten-piece through her soulful catalog and beyond, including a wonderful cover of Carole King’s “Road to Nowhere.” Hamilton Leithauser and Rostamg led a ten piece that included a string quartet, on songs from both their collaborations and their solo careers. This is the Kit also played with a string quartet to close their set, topping off lead woman Kate Stables’ quintet. They split the difference between folk jazz and rock with intricate and multilayered compositions like “Bulletproof” and “Moonshine Freeze.” Glorietta, a band formed by festival alums, yo-yo’d from up to nine members down to two, playing sounds ranging from country ballads to raging party rockers.
Guest artists are the norm at Newport, whether they were already playing at the festival or not. Nels Cline invited up Warren Haynes for takes on “Walking Blues,” “The Last Thing On My Mind,” and lastly, with apologies to Jeff Tweedy, Cline took the mic for Wilco’s “White Light.” Margo Price called up John Prine for a duet of “In Spite of Ourselves” and then Brandi Carlile to help her rip through Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” a song deemed “very important to the times.” The incredible talent at the festival was used by artists like a toolkit. Female voices were especially in high demand. Carlile, Lucius, Maggie Rogers and the Watson Twins showed up more times than we can count. Eric D. Johnson led a special set entitled Beneath the Sacred Mountain that was built with special guests in mind. The Shin’s James Mercer came out to sing a few including “Helpless” with the Watson Twins, Laura Veirs and Matthew White joined together on “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” and Johnson led the house band on “Deal.”
Perhaps the biggest surprise guest appeared late on Friday when Jason Isbell invited David Crosby to the stage for powerful renditions of “Wooden Ships” and “Ohio.” According to Isbell, “these are the songs we need to be listening to right now.” Becca Mancari echoed that sentiment in her set at the intimate Museum Stage with Jesse Lafser. They played a more bare version of “Ohio,” but the words carried the same weight. “It’s so important at this time to have hope,” she said, and Neil Young’s words, though specific to a time and place, resonate strongly still.
Surprises weren’t limited to special guests. Unplanned stripped-down sets occurred throughout the weekend at the Kids Tent with everyone from Spirit Family Reunion to Hiss Golden Messenger to This is the Kit. Passenger followed up his Fort Stage set with a up-from-nowhere set on a small stage thrown together in the back of the Quad inside the fort walls where he graced a gathering crowd with Springsteen’s “Dancer in the Dark” and a first-time performance of an original still in the works. One artist remained completely unannounced on the schedule. Saturday’s final act remained a mystery up until the very moment they took the stage. The crowd gathered in anticipation for waiting for the reveal. Excitement erupted when Mumford and Sons finally took the stage, immediately joined by guests Jerry Douglas, Brandi Carlile and Maggie Rogers for “Awake My Soul.” The guests would continue throughout, with Phoebe Bridgers singing on a cover of Radiohead’s “All I Need,” Douglas and Carlile returned for SImon and Garfunkel’s “The Boxer,” and Mavis Staples came out to finish with “The Weight.”
Despite being held around the walls of a fort, the festival eliminated borders. The themes were universal and the lineup international. All were welcome to join in on the story being told. Khruangbin imported Thai-inspired funk for a slinky soul-soothing set that wordlessly dissolved borders. Sidi Toure brought their ngoni-led Malian fare for more East meets West infectious grooves. Sweden’s Daniel Norgren wowed with slow-burn folk rockers featuring crunchy guitar wails. Courtney Barnett slashed and burned with her grungy guitar style in both her own set and as a member of fellow Melbournian Jen Cloher’s band, who played her first-ever American festival. Toots and the Maytals brought Jamaican’s folk traditions and Glen Hansard a heavy dose of Ireland’s.
Shakey Graves concentrated on his just-released material, songs of reassurance in troubling times. He spoke of the bubble that is created at Newport. It’s a bubble of inclusion and love that exemplifies the idea that all who play and attend are a part of the folk family. Many others echoed this sentiment throughout the weekend, Lucius expressing “Newport enables a sharing of love, and we need to help it spread.”
There was also plenty of actual family love spread throughout the festival. Amanda Shires invited husband Jason Isbell for a few tunes and also joined him for his entire set. Margo Price had her husband, Jeremy Ivey, playing guitar and harmonica in her band, including a moving duet on “All American Made.” Valerie June, playing her “irridescent, sparkly” music dedicated a song to her mom who was in the audience. Husband and wife band War and Treaty urged the audience to hug each other amidst an uplifting gospel revue that celebrated “the greatest race ever… the human race.” Brandi Carlile brought her four-year-old Evangeline onto the stage for the song she inspired, “A Mother”. “There’s not just one kind of family, this is about Evangeline but really it’s about everyone’s Evangeline,” Carlile explained. Langhorne Slim brought his mother on stage to sing along on her first favorite song of his, “Diamonds and Gold.”
All chapters of the story, regardless of how the pages turned, told the same tale. And they all concluded at the Fort Stage early Sunday evening for a set listed as “A Change is Gonna Come.” Jon Batiste, backed by the Dap Kings, hosted a superstar blowout finale centered on the great American songbook. Patriotic songs, protest songs and gospels. A solo piano Star Spangled Banner contrasted immediately with the Dap Kings interpretation of “This Land Is Your Land.” Leon Bridges and Gary Clarke Jr. came up for yet another take on “Ohio,” this one slow and oozing, searingly powerful. Valerie June and Ben Jaffe joined for “Ain’t Nobody Gonna Turn Me Around.” The remainder of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band entered the stage with Chis Thile and Leon Bridges for “I’ll Fly Away.” Thile remained on the stage for a duet with Batiste on the Punch Brothers’ “My Oh My,” that meandered around classical and jazz themes in a delicately intricate dance of sound. Brandi Carlile and Maggie Rogers got up for “Times They Are A Changin’”, Rachel Price on “A Change is Gonna Come,” and finally Mavis Staples returned once again for “Jesus on the Mainline.” Any musician still on the grounds got on stage for a huge playing of “Freedom’s Highway” that no one ever wanted to end.
The magical weekend was coming to an end, but the change will only come if everyone keeps the spirit alive beyond the Fort. Artists continually included the crowd with sing-alongs, clap-alongs, dance-offs, scream-offs and more. More than any rally or march, the Newport Folk Festival provided a platform to inspire a path forward from the darkness. The festival welcomed at its entrance with another Seeger quote, “We’re stronger when we sing together.” Though it might just be this story’s moral to walk away with.
Oliver Kennan, a New York City-based indie-soul artist and bandleader, has become known in the NY music scene for his infectious energy onstage and his remarkably tight seven-piece contemporary soul band. Oliver is a retro-soul performer with one foot planted firmly in the 21st century, with influences ranging from Otis Redding to Arcade Fire, Betty Davis to Radiohead, and Wilson Pickett to Amy Winehouse. Give a listen to his first single, “Waiting,” just released via Hornblow Recordings.
“Waiting” is a modern take on the rock and soul of the past and a classic story of a young man searching for love in the loneliest big city in the world, NYC. It’s one part Tower of Power’s up-tempo funk with a contemporary swagger where Oliver plays the lonely loverboy with conviction and good humor. The band channeled the vintage sounds of their favorite records while recording live to tape at The Bunker Studios and Thump Studios in Brooklyn. “Waiting” was written by Oliver Kennan, is published by Easy Coast Music (BMI) and was produced by Graham Stone and mastered by Bob Ludwig.
Cars and RVs slowly began to line up and soon fill up the festival grounds early Thursday morning in preparation for a full weekend of music. And it was clear Phish management had done their homework and learned from festivals of the past as the entry process was devoid of any of the nightmare-ish traffic jam tales associated with IT (2003) and Coventry (2004). With more vehicle entrances that allowed for a better traffic setup, getting in was a breeze for many. Having great weather all week and a venue that’s capable holding 100,000 NASCAR fans certainly helped as well.
Those that did get up to get down that Saturday afternoon did so under a scorching sun and to another first set with some unique song selections. The show officially started with a rip roaring “Tube” that immediately prompted an all out beach ball frenzy in the crowd. Seemingly thousands of beach balls of various colors and sizes bounced around happily while Phish while began the day’s festivities and gazed at a sea of super balls.
Those looking for an added challenge in the hazy, humid Saturday heat had their chance to do so courtesy of the second ever Runaway Jim 5K Road Race that took place right on the race track. It was quite a scene to behold as small groups of quasi-serious runners bobbed and weaved around others decked out in costumes and clearly there just for the experience. Fittingly, the second set of the day opened with “Runaway Jim” and the band took the opportunity to bring the winners of the race up on stage for a brief trophy presentation. Immediately after that, it was back to business and the band finished up the song and plowed through another set of fan favorites that included numbers like “Axilla,” “Stash” and “The Mango Song.” One of the more poignant moments of the set was the performance of “Scents and Subtle Sounds,” still a fairly new song at that time and only played once before since the band’s reunification in 2009. An emotionally charged jam lifted the crowd up before another appropriately titled song “Run Like an Antelope” closed out the set.
That performance was solely advertised by word of mouth and rumors that began to slowly spread and there was a large portion of the festival that never heard about it until the next day, sadly.. This was also 2003, well before the power of social media could be harnessed in a mobile setting like it is today. 2011 offered more help in this aspect as Twitter and other social media platforms spread hearsay much more efficiently. And by the end of night most people were sure Phish was going to do something, just not what it was.
