Vince Herman and Drew Emmitt of Leftover Salmon will hit the road as an acoustic duo tour this winter, with dates stretching across the Midwest and East Coast.
The two long-time collaborators are hitting the road for a rare run of acoustic duo shows performed in intimate settings that will celebrate over thirty years of musical friendship. Each night will be a journey through the pair’s long history and touch on all realms of their vast musical catalog including everything from well known favorites to long-forgotten gems, and everything in between.
They first came together on a late October evening when Vince Herman wandered into the Walrus Saloon in Boulder, Colorado, after being enticed by a sign reading “Bluegrass Music Here Tonight,. He met Drew Emmitt, whose band was playing that night, and the pair have been reshaping the musical landscape ever since. First at house parties and in the campgrounds at festivals, then in Emmitt’s bluegrass outfit the Left Hand String Band, before forming the legendary roots band Leftover Salmon on New Year’s Eve thirty years ago.
Since then, these two have been blazing new musical paths with Leftover Salmon, taking the music at their core: rock ‘n’ roll, folk, bluegrass, Cajun, soul, zydeco, jazz and blues, and crafting it into something new that has spawned a legion of bands in their wake. With their unpredictable approach in a live setting, their willingness to take chances by fusing disparate musical styles together and their incorporation of non-traditional bluegrass covers into their repertoire, Leftover Salmon has pushed that progressive bluegrass sound they were originally influenced by to the next level. Instead they are firmly settled in the long lineage of bands that defy simple categorization, always setting their own musical agenda.
Vince Herman and Drew Emmitt Acoustic Duo Tour Dec. 19 – Barley’s – Knoxville, TN Dec. 20 – Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC Feb. 6 – City Winery – Atlanta, GA Feb. 7 – City Winery – Nashville, TN Feb. 8 – 185 King Street – Brevard, NC Feb. 9 – Richmond Music Hall – Richmond, VA Feb. 11 – City Winery – Washington, DC Feb. 12 – City Winery – Philadelphia, PA Feb. 13 – City Winery (2 shows) – New York, NY Feb. 14 – The Egg – Albany, NY Feb. 15 – Stage One – Fairfield, CT Feb. 16 – City Winery – Boston, MA Feb. 27 – Kenny’s Westside Pub – Peoria, IL Feb. 28 – Redstone Room – Davenport, IA Feb. 29 – City Winery (2 shows) – Chicago, IL
From perhaps the world’s most storied concert hall, Trey Anastasio, a storyteller of the highest order, delivered a homecoming performance for the ages. As he mentioned during story time between songs, it was good to be back in New York, in his very own UWS neighborhood no less, “like a hobbit come home” after a national tour, including stops in Minneapolis and Milwaukee among others. Tuesday, October 29 was the penultimate performance of his solo tour, the first of two at Carnegie Hall.
After a welcoming roar, the crowd was completely still for the opening “Theme From the Bottom,” actively silent and attentive while offering the occasional whistle and woot. “Ghosts of the Forest” played beautifully in the pristine gilded white room, was followed by “Sample in a Jar” with the crowd singing along, which seemed to really please Trey who smiled and nodded appreciatively with every nuance of the crowd.
Trey, so alone and vulnerable (if that’s possible in the face of his adoring phans) has found his stories becoming the best part of these shows. “I want to try this out real quick to establish the rules. Let’s see how ya do,” before he began the opening notes of “Limb By Limb” to a scream, to which he retorted, “I guess you can handle this,” before continuing another of the night’s epic singalongs. Then he recounted a story of playing the same room with the New York Philharmonic and explained the difference between a conductor and a concertmaster (the strongest and most confident member of an orchestra who everyone looks to for guidance), and shouted out Sheryl Staples, whom he played with in September 2009, before saying Phish could use a concertmaster at times, someone to snap them back to attention.
“I think my mom likes this song… this one is for you,” and launched into “If I Could” which he dedicated to her, seated 6th row center, before the incredibly moving “Brian and Robert.” Long a personal favorite, especially this version, and rearranged to fit a solo performance, “Wolfman’s Brother” was next, with an acoustic telephone ringing, hysterical solo fills, and a great back and forth with the crowd. “The Inlaw Josie Wales,” a gorgeous instrumental very suited for the room, was followed by “Shade” which preceded “Blaze On,” a song long acknowledged by Trey, and received by the crowd, as a personal favorite.
Another funny story followed, this one at a urinal with Tom Marshall and Steven Wright, coming before a “Strange Design,” “Rise/Come Together,” “Back on the Train,” “AC/DC Bag” combo that had many dancing in their seats. The beautiful “Snowflakes in the Sand” showed off Trey’s finger picking skills before another story and dedication, this one to his namesake and grandpa. “That’s why I’m Trey, because we all had the same name and I’m the third, … I think he’d like this,” as he played “Till We Meet Again” which sounded like a wordless Italian love ballad. The crowd enjoyed “Turtle in the Clouds,” even as its lyrics seemed incongruous with the pristine room.
Trey’s playing, his banter, his whole essence, dripped with passion and love and humility all night. The “prince of music” played a gorgeous “Winterqueen,” another choice befitting the great stage upon which he sat. Perhaps the most poignant story of the night, Trey told of his deference for the hall and all the storied greats who came before him. He then mentioned Bach and how he used to write “For the Grace of God” on his compositions, and his feeling that his role in life is to be a vessel for this music, until he dies, and someone else will come along to do His work. Trey said he wants to play in his 80s, and Phish joked about playing a show in their 90s. “Everything’s Right.” Indeed. The first musical segue of the night saw Trey go right into “The Wedge” which had some furious acoustic solos.
Most of Trey’s playing was stripped down, just as he and his wooden chair sat exposed and vulnerable, amidst a backdrop of kaleidoscopic colors on the cavernous stage. “Sand,” a masterclass in looping, reminded the audience just how raw and stripped down the rest of his performance had been. “Say It to Me S.A.N.T.O.S.” closed the set and prompted us all to remember where we were for a night never to be forgotten.
After a short break, “Driver,” “Summer of ‘89,” and “Wilson” rounded out this first of two historic nights. Trey’s solo tour concludes tonight.
Earlier this summer, the experimental 7-piece rock ensemble Thank You Scientistreleased their critically acclaimed third studio effort, Terraformer, which debuted at Number 8 on the Billboard Heatseekerschart. Fans of the New Jersey group will have plenty of chances to catch them this fall as they embark on their first full-fledged national headlining tour, with the tour kicking off (Rochester, November 7) and ending (NYC, December 14) in the Empire State.
“We are unreasonably excited to announce our first full-fledged US tour for our latest release–the inconveniently long, yet suspiciously charming Terraformer,” shared TYS bandleader and guitarist Tom Monda. “An unexpected byproduct of our years of sloggin’ it out is the incredible network of friends we’ve made across the country, friends whose support make it possible for us to keep creating, even under occasionally dire circumstances, and can’t wait to visit all of you across the country this winter.”
“We promise these shows will be an incredible celebration for us and the fellow weirdos we’ve met on this strange journey,” continued Monda. “To make this event even more ‘extra special-er,’ we’re bringing along some of our dearest friends in the biz: Bent Knee and The Tea Club.”
Bent Knee joined Thank You Scientist for their Northeast run earlier this year. As Monda explains, “The Tea Club is a band I have loved and admired for years, so much so that I coerced them to join us on our first ever US tour many years ago! Their lineup has since expanded to include my brother on drums, making this tour figuratively and literally a family event. Don’t sleep on this or you’re grounded.”
Since the release of Terraformer, Thank You Scientist has spent the summer touring throughout the United Kingdom and recently recorded a live EP, Live At Backroom Studios, featuring three additional string players and complete video footage of live performances for “Son of a Serpent” and “Anchor.”
Thank You Scientist Fall Tour Dates
11/7 – Rochester, NY – Montage Music Hall 11/8 – Akron, OH – Musica 11/9 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Pyramid Scheme 11/10 – Chicago, IL – Beat Kitchen 11/12 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry 11/14 – St. Louis, MO – Firebird 11/15 – Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck 11/16 – Denver, CO – Globe Hall 11/17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge 11/19 – Seattle, WA – Columbia City Theater 11/20 – Vancouver, BC – The Rickshaw Theatre 11/21 – Portland, OR – Dante’s 11/22 – Sacramento, CA – Holy Diver 11/23 – San Jose, CA – The Ritz, San Jose 11/24 – Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg Theater 11/25 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room 11/27 – Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock Live 11/29 – Austin, TX – Empire Control Room & Garage 11/30 – Dallas, TX – Three Links 12/1 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall 12/3 – Atlanta, GA – Purgatory at The Masquerade 12/4 – Tampa, FL – Crowbar 12/6 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend 12/7 – Richmond, VA – Canal Club 12/8 – Washington, DC – Union Stage 12/10 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Music Hall 12/11 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts 12/12 – Fairfield, CT – StageOne 12/13 – Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes 12/14 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
Midtown Manhattan’s Irish Arts Center has curated some music shows this season. On November 7, they host a performance by pianist Isabelle O’Connell. Mid-month, they will hold the 7th annual New York Trad Fest. And from December 11-15, they celebrate the holidays with their 13th annual Winter Solstice. Tickets are on sale now.
Isabelle O’Connell: November 7
Dublin-born contemporary pianist Isabelle O’Connell, who has performed engagements at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Ireland’s National Concert Hall, takes Irish Arts Center audiences on an intimate journey into her exciting repertoire of 20th and 21st century music, featuring work by eminent Irish composers including Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Bill Whelan, Seóirse Bodley, Jane O’Leary, and Siobhán Cleary.
7th Annual New York Trad Fest: November 16
Tony DeMarco brings together masters of Irish, Americana, bluegrass, and Cajun traditions at the annual Trad Fest. Kick off this citywide music festival at Irish Arts Center with Mickey Kelly, Cajun greats Kelli Jones and Joel Savoy, and Irish fiddle legend Eileen Ivers with her musical partner Matty Mancuso.
Winter Solstice: December 11-15
Irish Arts Center’s 13th annual holiday gathering returns to its heart and hearth. Mick Moloney, Athena Tergis, and The Green Fields of America gather a host of special guests in Irish Arts Center’s intimate 51st Street home for six spirited performances of reels, jigs, songs and stories in a musical celebration of Christmas and midwinter traditions from Ireland and around the world.
This November 7 to 17, New York City’s Nublu will host their 10th annual Jazz Fest at their classic and 151 locations. Performers featured at this year’s festival include Sun Ra Arkestra, Mark de Clive-Love, Shigeto, Melanie Charles, Brian Jackson, Stuart Bogie Trio, Shira Elias’ Goods and Services, and J.E.D.I. For a full schedule and more info click here.
Following Dead and Company’s Halloween performances at Madison Square Garden on October 31 and November 1, Jerry Dance Party will take place at ZeroSpace, giving Deadheads a chance to keep the dancin late into the night.
“This is a rare opportunity to bring one of the most inspiring musicians of all-time into New York’s newest, visionary venue on the most creative holiday of year,” said event creator DJ JerrBrother. “Past will meet future when the music of Jerry Garcia plays at ZeroSpace!”
Inspired by psychedelic late-nights at the LOCKN’, The Jerry Dance Party will take place at New York’s Burning Man-inspired art-tech space ZeroSpace and include thousands of square feet of multi-sensory video mapping, projection and lasers.
Each Jerry Party room at ZeroSpace will be dedicated to a specific decade of The Dead, providing unique experiences that stretch into the early morning hours. For those Rhythm Devil fans, there will also be a 3D mapped, 30-foot geodesic dome synchronized to “Drums & Space” all night long.
ZeroSpace is located at 136 W. 33rd St, just steps away from Madison Square Garden. It features custom projections, interactive LED screens, projection mapped floors, synchronized illuminations, the largest augmented reality sandbox in the world and more, all tuned to the magical sounds of The Dead for this exclusive two-night event.
Tickets for the post-Dead & Company Halloween Jerry Dance Party are $25 and on sale now. This event is 18+. Visit Relix for more information.
Pete Townshend and Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff will bring The Who’s Tommy back to Broadway in 2021. 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of The Who’s Tommy, which tells the story of a young boy traumatized into deafness and blindness, yet has an unexpected gift for pinball that puts him on the path towards becoming the leader of a messianic movement.
Inspired by the groundbreaking 1969 LP and the 1975 film adaptation, the staged musical version of The Who’s Tommy first appeared in the summer of 1992 at San Diego’s La Jolla Playhouse. It later opened on Broadway in 1993, winning a Grammy and five Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Direction of a Musical.
With McAnuff and Townshend at the helm, the show won five Tonys that year. Now, with a return to the stage, McAnuff says it is more relevant that ever.
“Our new production of Tommy will be a reinvention aimed directly at today,” he said of the new production, for which he’ll act as director. “Tommy combines myth and spectacle in a way that truly soars. The key question with any musical is ‘Does the story sing?’ and this one most certainly does. Tommy is the anti-hero ground zero. He is the boy who not only rejects adulthood like Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye, but existence itself. He becomes lost in the universe as he stares endlessly and obsessively into the mirror at his own image. This gives our story a powerful resonance today as it seems like the whole world is staring into the black mirror. The story of Tommy exists all too comfortably in the 21st Century. In fact, time may finally have caught up to Tommy Walker.”
“In every producer’s career a show comes along that feels like a perfect fit,” says producer Hal Luftig. “To have Des and Pete look at Tommy again is extremely exciting and feels just right. I’m thrilled to bring Tommy back home to Broadway where it belongs!” Producer Patrick Catullo adds, “My parents took me to see Des’ original Broadway production for my 16th birthday. It completely blew my mind and is the singular reason I pursued a career in theater. The story is timeless and it’s one of the best scores ever written. I am beyond excited to present The Who’s Tommy not only for its existing fans, but to introduce it to a new audience as well.”
IDLES released their heavily acclaimed LP, Joy as an Act of Resistance, back in August 2018, and the band has been on a meteoric rise ever since. Before the official release, IDLES were playing the intimate Rough Trade NYC, and this past week saw the boys from Bristol playing their biggest headlining show to date at Terminal 5.
This leg of the tour wrapped up with four shows in the Northeast, all supported by Preoccupations, who also released an excellent album last year, New Material. Their moody post-punk was a perfect appetizer to the show. The nine-song set spanned all four of the band’s LP releases and included both New Material singles, “Espionage” and “Antidote.” The set finished on a heavy, psychedelic note with a lengthy rendition of “Select Your Drone.”
The moment Preoccupations left the stage, the buzz in the room skyrocketed. The anticipation was humming from the crowd as they shouted “We Want IDLES!” The crew was trying to ready the stage. From the moment the lights dimmed, until the last notes were played, the crowd was fully engaged, sending a steady stream of crowd surfers toward the stage. Several times guitarists Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan took their turns stage-diving and floating atop the crowd all without skipping a beat.
Regardless of how animated and aggressive both the audience and band seemed (there was a ‘wall of death’), the central message from the band’s music was never lost: compassion for everyone and community. From frontman Joe Talbot thanking security for the job they were doing, to the various messages of inclusion and respect in many of their songs, this sentiment was prominent throughout the night.
IDLES seemed to be racing through their 16 song set, but that was just a testament to the enormous energy behind their performance. Forgoing an encore, Preoccupations joined IDLES on stage to take part in a chaotic rendition of “Rottweiler,” with the drum set slowly being torn apart and cymbals crashing all over the stage.
Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)
The band has also just announced a new live album, A Beautiful Thing: IDLES Live at Le Bataclan, recorded in Paris in December 2018 and out officially December 6, 2019. The live album includes tracks from both of the bands studio LPs, and is a self-contained statement about unity and love. The band will be playing shows in the UK in December, with festival appearances scheduled for next Spring.
Update 11/27/19: Per an email this week, this event is cancelled. The official statement reads:
Unfortunately, the Museum at Eldridge Street has cancelled the December 1 Greg Wall concert to benefit the Museum due to unforeseen circumstances. We will notify you when the event is rescheduled.
Saxophonist and composer Greg Wall, a staple on the downtown avant-garde jazz scene since the early 1990s, celebrates his 60th birthday with a benefit concert in the stunning historic sanctuary of the Museum at Eldridge Street on Sunday, December 1 at 3 p.m. Wall will perform with his longtime working bands including: Zion80, Hasidic New Wave, Portal, Klezmerfest, and Greg Wall’s Later Prophets, as well as the Ayn Sof Arkestra and Bigger Band which returns for this concert. Proceeds will benefit the Museum.
A leading figure in the Jewish music scene for over thirty years, Greg Wall is a pioneer in blending Jewish music with jazz. After early training under Archie Shepp and Max Roach in Amherst, MA, Wall finished his apprenticeship at New England Conservatory in Boston, studying and performing jazz with Jaki Byard, George Russell, and Jimmy Guiffre, and was part of the Klezmer revival scene at NEC.
After graduation he headed to New York and together with classmate Frank London, helped define the sound of “Jewish Jazz” with groups like Hasidic New Wave, Midrash Mishmash and later, the Ayn Sof Arkestra and Bigger Band, Shechina Big Band, Later Prophets and Zion80. He toured with the late Yosi Piamenta, the “Hasidic Hendrix,” and released several recordings playing original compositions alongside spoken word.
Wall played regularly at the original Knitting Factory locations, Tonic, the Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe, and the Stone, as well as making frequent tours abroad to Europe and Israel, maintaining a parallel career performing classic and mainstream jazz. While on the road, Wall pursued Talmudic study and was ordained as a Rabbi in 2006.
Wall is no stranger to Eldridge Street. In the early- to mid-90s he frequented the venue at a time when the landmark was dilapidated and only beginning to establish itself as in important cultural hub for families, hipsters, artists and religious and secular Jews.
My relationship with the museum goes back almost 30 years, when the restoration of the Eldridge Street Synagogue was the dream of a few determined, hard-working individuals. They never forgot their roots, and simultaneously became an important national cultural icon, while continuing to serve the folks in the neighborhood – It’s my kind of place.
Greg Wall
In 2009, Wall was appointed rabbi at the Sixth Street Community Synagogue in the East Village and continued to exhibit his particular blend of spirituality and avant-garde music with regular performances in the temple’s sanctuary. He was the founding Artistic Director of the synagogue’s Center for Jewish Arts and Literacy, which was an incubator for cutting edge modern music with a Jewish flavor. That practice continued, in 2013, when Wall became rabbi at Beit Chaverim Synagogue, in Westport,CT, where he’s continued to perform regularly his eclectic mix of classical and experimental jazz, Eastern European and African American roots music with a rotating group of influential musicians.
Wall’s latest release is The Book Beri’ah with Zion80, on the Tzadik record label of legendary producer John Zorn. A live recording with jazz pianist Andy LaVerne is scheduled for January, 2020.
The Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in the Eldridge Street Synagogue, a magnificent National Historic Landmark that has been meticulously restored. Opened in 1887, the synagogue is the first great house of worship built in America by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Today, it is the only remaining marker of the great wave of Jewish migration to the Lower East Side that is open to a broad public who wish to visit Jewish New York. Exhibits, tours, cultural events and educational programs tell the story of Jewish immigrant life, explore architecture and historic preservation, inspire reflection on cultural continuity, and foster collaboration and exchange between people of all faiths, heritages and interests.
Greensky Bluegrass has announced an expansive Winter Tour to kick off 2020 with stops in Ithaca, NYC and Albany.
With the first show in St. Louis, MO at The Pageant on January 15, the tour winds through the Midwest and East Coast, and finishing with a two-night stand at The Tabernacle in Atlanta. Ghost Light will joining Greensky as the opener for a majority of the dates, with another act being announced in the near future. General on-sale begins on Friday, October 18.
Ahead for Greensky Bluegrass this fall include appearances at Hulaween & Hangtown festivals, then an epic Midwestern Halloween weekend run kicking off in Chicago at the Chicago Theatre on Halloween, then off to Kansas City and St. Paul. The band will appear at ‘What The Night Brings’ tribute to Jeff Austin on November 4 then a duo of shows in their hometown of Kalamazoo, MI Nov. 29 & 30. Greensky will debut at Denver’s new Mission Ballroom on Dec. 6 & 7 before heading to Mexico for Cloud 9 Adventure’s Strings & Sol. The band will ring in 2020 with a three-night stand at The Riverside in Milwaukee, WI – with support from Horseshoes & Hand Grenades on 12/29 and 12/30, and a three-set Greensky NYE event to close out the year.
The band’s third incarnation of its Camp Greensky Music Festival is the latest confirmed 2020 date, happening June 4 to 6 in Wellston, MI, tickets are available now.
Greensky Bluegrass Winter Tour dates
1/15 – The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
1/16 – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, Louisville, KY
