ASAP Ferg paid a visit to Terminal 5 on Friday and brought with him an ensemble of artists for his second to last stop on the Floor Seats Tour. Prior to the show, the crowd’s anticipation came to a head, initiating a few mosh pits before the opening act. The openers arrived just in time to release the tension. Heater IV raved about glitter and glasses, MadeinTYO performed his biggest hits, and Mudra Beatz maxed out the energy with a DJ set.
ASAP Ferg then charged the stage to the tour’s title song “Floor Seats” and the room exploded with every color of the rainbow. Various other artists joined him on stage to perform their featured songs, including MadeinTYO, Murda Beatz, Brent Faiyaz, and Antha. It was all good vibes and love coming from ASAP Ferg, referring to his fans as family and reminding everyone to check up on their loved ones’ mental health.
PEAK had a truly remarkable 2019, and they’re looking forward to winter tour 2020 with a slate of Northeast shows, as well as one big show to close out the year.
Combining the characteristic flair that a weathered live band brings to the table, PEAK has the instrumental prowess and focus that draws crowds in. The group’s music, described as psychedelic indie funk, is a mix of poetic, melodic songwriting, moody electrofunk, riffed-out blues-rock, and exploratory danceable improvisations. Some of their many influences include artists such as The Band, The Talking Heads, Phish, The Grateful Dead, Radiohead, James Brown, and Miles Davis, as well as modern songwriters such as Conor Oberst, Mac Demarco, Kurt Vile, and Jack White to name a few.
PEAK consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeremy Hilliard, drummer Kito Bovenschulte (Particle), bassist Josh T. Carter (Hayley Jane and the Primates) and Johnny Young on keys.
Their latest album,Electric Bouquet, offers a staple sound that PEAK can use to differentiate themselves from an ever-growing list of funk/rock bands.
Joining PEAK on December 30 are Digital Frontier, who lay down robotic dance beats and driving bass lines, producing progressive, multi-dimensional, synth-laden soundscapes; Teddy Midnight, who mix house, disco, techno and breakbeat with drum and bass to bring high energy to the dance floor; and Up & Orange, who bring soaring melodies, chunky grooves, and drum and bass driven electronica. For more information visit here.
Over five of the final days of December, The Fab Faux – featuring Jimmy Vivino, Will Lee, Rich Pagano, Frank Agnello and Jack Petruzzelli – will be bringing their versions of the Beatles songbook to the Cutting Room in NYC.
Each of the five gigs will have its own theme, including ‘Animal Songs,’ and favorites from Revolver and The White Album on the final two nights. Food and drinks will be served during the show. Check out themes and ticket links below:
Runaway Gin – a Tribute to Phish – has announced their ‘Ophishal YEMSG pre-party’ in New York City on Thursday, December 26. Hosted by Facebook groups Phish Chicks, PHISH TOUR 2014, and GrooveSafe, the event will feature two sets of “Evil Phish” starting at 8:00 pm. Kicking off the night will be special guests Space Junk is Forever. Peak Builders Network will host a meet-up at 7:00pm and hold a raffle to benefit the non-profit GrooveSafe, who also receive a portion of each ticket sale.
The Charleston, SC based quartet Runaway Gin has also announced that they will now be extending to a 19-date 2020 Winter Tour. The tour begins Friday, January 10th at the Masquerade in Atlanta, GA and then returns the band to Nashville, TN for a debut at the Mercy Lounge the following night. The following weekend Gin will make their long awaited Colorado debut with a 2 night-run in Steamboat Springs Thursday and Friday nights followed by a Saturday show in Denver at Cervantes.
Saturday, February 8th returns the band to their home venue: the Charleston Pour House. At the end of February the band will return to the Orpheum in Tampa, FL as well as Revolution Live in Ft, Lauderdale, FL. The first weekend in March brings the Charleston based tribute up to Portland, ME for a debut show at PHOME, a Boston debut at Brighton Music Hall, and a Hartford, CT debut at Arch Street Tavern.
The end of March brings the band north again for a return to the Ardmore Music Hall just outside of Philadelphia, PA and a Pittsburgh debut at Thunderbird Music Hall. Returns to the Pour House Music Hall in Raleigh, NC and the Broadberry in Richmond, VA close out this tour.
The band has also just released full show soundboards from their Norva debut November 29th containing both a 30 plus minute “You Enjoy My Frankenstein” and a 24 minute “Runaway Jim” on the anniversary of Phish’s longest jam, the ‘Worcester Centrum Jim.’
Del McCoury + David Grisman: FreshGrass Festival 2017
It wouldn’t be a proper tribute to Del if legendary mandolinist David Grisman weren’t on the scene. For the past several years, Grisman and McCoury have toured regularly as Del and Dawg, presenting an intimate style, anecdote-rich, two-man show that is just so special. Watch the two put the charm on FreshGrass Festival back in 2017.
Del McCoury + Preservation Hall Jazz Band: The David Letterman Show
Back in 2011, The Del McCoury Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band linked up to record an entire album together and perform a great cross country tour in support of the album. Legends of different styles of American roots music came together in a beautiful, and musically hot, way. Watch the two amazing bands light up Letterman in this awesome video here.
Del McCoury + Friends: Winterhawk AllStar Jam 1996
While Colorado has always had Telluride, New York has had Winterhawk, a historic weekend event started in 1984 that continues to run every year and that has seen performances from just about every bluegrass player ever. McCoury has graced Winterhawk, which is now known as Grey Fox, with his presence many times. Check out this clip from 1996 which has McCoury picking alongside titans like John Hartford and Vassar Clements, but also some younger talent like Jerry Douglas and members of the Del McCoury Band.
Del + Trey Anastasio Band: DelFest 2017
We don’t have to say much about this one—the smiles between Del and Phish frontman Trey Anastasio say it all. This fan-shot clip shows the pair at McCoury’s self-hosted event DelFest in 2017, and it’s actually not the first time by any stretch that these guitar gods have performed together.
Del McCoury Band: NPR Tiny Desk Performance
The appeal of NPR’s TinyDesk video series comes in showcasing historically influential and generally mega-popular artists in their intimate, academic-like setting, and it’s no wonder that the Del McCoury Band got their time to shine there last year. The band’s three-song set opens up with a great take on “That Ol’ Train.”
Del McCoury Band + Chris Thile: Live From Here
Another great honor awarded to McCoury and his band over the past year was to be featured as guest performers on Chris Thile’s “Live From Here” events. Now, if you know bluegrass, you definitely know Del. But if you know bluegrass you probably also know Chris Thile, arguably one of the most masterful mandolin players in the world currently. Listen to these guys rip up “Baltimore Johnny” at the one and only Ryman Auditorium from last April.
Del McCoury Band + Billy Strings: GreyFox Bluegrass Festival 2019
In 2019, Del McCoury sounds as fresh as ever, not only continuing to tour and write new music but making sure to pass the torch on to the next generation of greats. That’s right, it was only a matter of time before Del and the young gun Billy Strings found themselves on stage next to one another, which is a number of times by now. Del and Billy crooning together in this clip from Grey Fox this past summer is a thing of honorable beauty.
Home For the Holidays featured a stacked lineup of top-of-the-line musicians in the Dead community including Melvin Seals, Oteil Burbridge, Tom Hamilton, Duane Trucks, Jacklyn LaBranch, and Lady Chi.
They played Jerry Garcia Band staples like “Tore Up Over You,” “My Sisters and Brothers,” and “Reuben and Cherise.” The first set started with “How Sweet It Is” and also featured “Shakedown Street,” “Eyes Of the World,” and an electric “Dancing In the Streets.”
Hamilton and Oteil had great chemistry on stage, working off each other’s grooves. Tom was listing vigilantly to where Oteil was going but always checked in to see where Melvin was at. And when it was time to peak, Melvin was really letting it ring!
The second set opened up with “Stop That Train” followed by “Money Honey” and a crowd favorite, “Tore Up Over You.” “My Sisters and Brothers” was touching and full of soul, it is a song about peace and brotherhood after all. The set ended with “Reuben and Cherise” and they encored by getting the whole theatre to sing along to “Shining Star.”
The Bell House in Brooklyn will host Freaks Ball XX on Saturday, February 15. New York City’s Freaks, hosts and internet jam band group, have brought together another all star lineup of supergroups and rising stars in the New York City jam scene.
Artists include The Showdown Kids (Scott Metzger, Katie Jacoby, Simon Kafka), Garcia Peoples, The National Reserve, Karina Rykman/Adam November Duo, and headlining is the live debut of Hawaiii, a new group consisting of Joe Russo, John Shaw and Erik Deutsch. Throughout the night, a light show will be provided by Macrodose.
Proceeds from the event will go towards the Freaks Action Network, which harnesses the “strengths and love of music to make a positive difference in people’s lives.” Tickets for Freaks Ball XX are now on sale.
