New York City based duo, Silver Relics, is Alex Sepassi and Justin Alvis. Their latest release, Generic., is anything but what the title suggests. Sepassi started writing songs and singing at the age of ten, and over the years his craft has been incorporating elements of the influences he listens to. This runs anywhere from 80’s indie rock and post-punk, to 90’s grunge. The duo’s songwriting first philosophy lends itself to this easy-listening album. The familiar song structures and melodic phrases give heed to pop-punk, while the instrumentation is rich and intriguing, with aspects of countless genres woven throughout the songs. Each tune brandishes a fun chorus, while the verses and intermittent instrumental parts hash out the soundscapes that Silver Relics build.
The production on this album is a bright spot. Sepassi has worked with New York producer, Howie Beno, since meeting him in 2016. The skills he’s honed in those years, evinced by the loaded yet not bloated instrumentals. The second song, “Generic,” opens with a cinematic string intro that eventually turns into an quasi-prog rock song with shoegaze elements interspersed throughout. Here, the verse and chorus are well defined apart from each other, and flow well in and out. While the songs are not structurally challenging or progressive, the way the atmosphere changes between these parts is noted and appreciated as a transition mechanism.
A standout song with a lot of grit, ‘Timebomb’, offers an edgier look at the band. Much of the song is unrelenting; its furious intro leads the listener into an anthemic chorus, as a beautifully effected shoegazuing guitar outlines the nuances in the chord progression. For fans of shoegaze like My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive, this album provides a shmorgishborg of tried-and-true shoegaze guitar tones that sit well on top of vintage synths and spry drums. The tenth track, “Yellow Master Motive” opens with a very intricate vocal part, performed to great effect. The opening instrumental that follows is lush and sits well behind the spotlighted vocals. There’s a lot of moving parts here, as the song slowly builds up into a rock anthem.
Overall, Generic. was an exciting listen. The energy is kept up, as Silver Relics blast out earworm after earworm while leaving traces of their influences hidden underneath the solid base of the song. The songwriting first philosophy the group took in recording this record really shows. What the songs lack in compositional variety, they make up with instrumental diversity. Huge ranges of tonality come together as a woven basket, with each influence offering an essential purpose to the whole product. Generic.is streaming now!
Key Tracks: Time Bomb, Yellow Master Motive, Wanderlust
Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards is set to host The Wood Brothers and Lake Street Dive with an incredible night of music on July 26 in the rolling hills of Central NY. Lake Street Dive is touring behind their 2018 album Free Yourself Up. The Wood Brothers, fresh off a Grammy nomination for “One Drop Of Truth,” will share the bill. Oliver Wood took time to speak to NYS Music to share the news on two new upcoming Wood Brothers albums, their new studio in Nashville, life on the road, his love for cookies and much more.
Dan Smalls Presents
Sean Nevison: So tell me about the tour with Lake Street Dive?
Oliver Wood: Oh it was awesome, and it’s not completely over. We have a few more shows left and it’s a really good pairing….if I was going to a show I’d love to go to that show!
SN: We are stoked to see you guys up here at Beak And Skiff.
OW: What a beautiful spot, we’ve done that show a couple of times and just love playing there!
SN: Are there future tour plans after these shows with LSD?
OW: We’ve got tour with Colter Wall which is in August. He’s a singer songwriter from Canada who is amazing. We have our first headlining show at Red Rocks, Colorado in September which we are very excited about.
SN: Who else is on the bill for RR?
OW: Two incredible bands are opening, Fruition and Steep Canyon Rangers. We have played RR as a support act several times over the years and we are so excited to headline. Chris and I grew up in Boulder, so that was where I saw my first concerts.
SN: So changing gears, how did you feel about the grammy nomination this year for “One Drop of Truth” as Best Americana Album?
OW: Well it was quite cool, we’ve been doing this for a long time. Sometimes you can get kinda jaded and think that stuff is rigged, which it most likely is. But it is so rewarding because this is the first album that is self produced and on our own label (Honey Jar Records). So I feel like we made the right decision, we wanted to be more independent, creatively and financially, but especially the creative part, to be able to go into your own bubble and not have anyone mess with it.
SN: Where was “One Drop Of Truth” recorded?
OW: It was recorded in two studios in Nashville, and mixed four times by different people. We recorded mostly at Studio Nashville with our buddy Brooks Sutton. We have now actually opened our own studio with Brooks, we liked working with him so much! Now we have our own production facility and it’s awesome, we’re working on a new record right now. Anyhow, it was kinda cool when we were at our most independent state and made all our own choices that we got that recognition, I think it’s a good record and I’m proud of it, I mean I think we’ve made good ones before… but man I’m really proud of that.
SN: So your new space is in Nashville?
OW: Yeah man, it’s run by our buddy Brooks, but as partners we can go in and record, rehearse and write whenever. It’s a huge luxury and it’s making these new sessions so much fun. It’s like we are our own independent artist with a little playground.
SN: This new record will be done in the new space?
OW: Yes, it will be the first one 100% in there and comes out right after the first of the new year. And we’re finishing up a live album that comes out this fall.
SN: That’s the Fillmore album?
OW: Yeah, that’s the Fillmore in San Fransisco.
SN: So you started just with your brother, tell me about your progression as a band?
OW: Well it just started as my brother and I, him on upright bass and me on steel guitar and we toured around in a little mini van. Both of us had been on other projects and this was our chance to play together which we had never done besides jamming as teenagers at our parents house. So we started doing that, made a record, got a deal and we were lucky that Chris was established with Medeski Martin and Wood so we were taken on by his management and booking.
What I brought was the songs I had from all these years of playing in other bands that I took and added some new tunes to and we did that first Wood Brothers album. A few years later, we started playing bigger stages and we said we need a third person to round this out and rock a bit more to get some sonic variety. So we hired Jano on percussion, not knowing what an amazing keys player and singer he was. He could just throw these third harmonies like it was nothing. He can drum, play keys and harmonize all at the same time, it’s like having two musicians with us. He is also just a great dude and has become part of our family.
SN: Can you tell me about your writing process?
OW: Oh man, it’s all over the place. Chris and I both have notebooks. Our favorite way to compile music is to just jam with the three of us, record it, listen to the grooves. We like to play spontaneously with each other and not worry about the song and just play. That’s been a really fruitful way to come up with music. So we cut those recordings up and we can sometimes use them for a master track or to help the writing progress.
SN: Your last live recording (Live At The Barn), I was fortunate to attend, could you talk about playing Levon Helm Studios and playing venues in Upstate NY?
OW: Boy that was amazing. Well when we started The Wood Brothers Chris actually liveed in Saugerties while I lived in Atlanta. In those early days, my brother lived not far from the barn and he got to know Amy Helm and we got very close with those folks and got invited to those rambles. I have very fond memories of playing all over the place up there: Syracuse, Buffalo, Ithaca, Saratoga, Albany, all those places are awesome! I feel like the people of Upstate are just so passionate about their music.
SN: Who do you listen to when you create and who influences you?
OW: Man there are so many of them. We get inspiration from everything like Jimmy Reed, J.B.Lenoir that’s been huge Louisiana blues guy, his record Passionate Blues we always go back to and get cool drumbeat ideas. Then there is Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Sly Stone, The Pointer Sisters and all kinds of things we play and listen to when we set up our gear or get ready to record. A lot of cool old gospel music. Los Lobos, I’m crazy about, we are all crazy about. We run into them at festivals sometimes, but we’re huge fans. They are an American treasure, they are the best American band out there I think.
SN: So you’ve met some of your heroes and some people look up to you. What is the best wisdom you’ve received about balancing life on the road, family and your art?
OW: I’m glad you said balance. Some of these folks live the music life to the extreme and the rest of their life can fall apart. I’m not that guy, I have a family that I take so much inspiration from. So I try to keep it connected, and it is a challenge, being away is a challenge. But the wisdom I’ve garnered the last few years in being a musician, a touring one, is that creating music and performing is about connecting with people and connecting people. It is not about money or fame or accolades, it’s not about that stuff.
It’s a a huge sacrifice to be out on he road and be away from your family and you go out and you’re like what the hell I am doing, its like I’m floating. But then someone will walk up, or send an email or write a letter and say hey your music really got me through some hard times, thank you. Something like that happens and I say man it really is worth it, this really is important.
As far as words of wisdom, when a room full of people are singing together, not for me or my pleasure, but the feeling of everyone singing and being connected. It’s such a moment where we are all one and equal and joyous, that’s what it’s all about. It’s not that other stuff. I mean the other stuff can be fun but traveling loses it’s charm and money only goes so far if you even make any. People applauding you is awesome, but it’s not the ultimate part of this job.
SN: In the end you only have memories you create with people; you connected and connect with, right?
OW: Exactly, you can leave something healthy for them, to warm their hearts or connect them or if it’s a song people listen to when they are down…that is a huge thing!
SN: So just to finish with two fun questions, my friend Aurora who does marketing for Ray Brothers BBQ another Upstate venue…
OW: Oh yeah man, they wrote us the sweetest letter and we hope we can stop by there sometime!
SN: They are great folks. Her question is: what is your favorite road trip snack?
OW: Oh wow. Hmmm. That’s a great question. I’m kind of a sweet tooth guy, so I’d say just an amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie. That’s tough to beat, haha.
SN: Everyone on earth could get on board with that! Final question, do you like puppets and which is your favorite if so?
OW: Oh man, that’s so tough. I love the muppets, my whole family does. I’m actually looking at cookie monster so we will tie it in to the cookie concept and say that. Man I’m not sure why, but there is literally a blue cookie monster looking at me on my kitchen table right now. It’s meant to be!
The Village of Menands, just north of Albany, has announced their summer concert series. The concerts are held on Tuesdays, starting July 9 at Ganser-Smith Memorial Park (Menands Park). Shows go from 6-8:30pm, rain or shine. All are welcome, including families, dogs and those with lawn chairs. Food and beverages available for purchase from the Menands Fire Co.
Menands Summer 2019 concert series lineup: July 9 New York Players July 16 Oldies Show July 23 Hotshot Hillbilly’s July 30 Hair of the Dog August 6 The 317 August 13 The All Paul Show
Phish returned to Maine this week for the first time since 2013 for two shows at Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion in Bangor, Maine. The first night saw intense rain descend upon the crowd, with two nearly 20 minute jams from “Down with Disease” and “Simple” in the second set. Night two brought less rain and a hot set 2 trio of “Fuego” -> “Cities” -> “Final Hurrah,” standouts on a summer tour that has nearly reached its midpoint.
Erin McKeown had confidence that seemed unshakable on the stage at Caffè Lena Thursday night, June 20. Erin began her set speaking about how she has to do a lot of self-work and self-building to get where she is. She spoke of how she had been outed at a young age, and her parents weren’t accepting of her lifestyle. It was a relief to hear that someone who was so strong could have moments of self-doubt.
“Sometimes,” she explained, “It is hard to look in the mirror and like what you see. Mirrors can break you back.” This led into her first song of the evening, “Mirrors Break Back,” off her album of the same name released in 2017. She changed her performance by treating the song as a poem, a spoken word piece. When she was finished, she was met with loud applause from the audience.
Erin performing a spoken word version of “Mirrors Break Back” at Caffè Lena on June 20.
The room was filled with joy, a crowd who could appreciate who Erin was and understand her background. Caffè Lena had given the LGBTQ community a safe space to listen to an out and proud lesbian performer and activist. Erin spoke openly about her life. She talked about the struggles she has had, and how she has overcome it.
Witty and charming, Erin stated that she felt like she should play songs for the Pride event that were gay, but then commented that all of her songs were. She did include an “especially gay set” for the crowd. These included songs like “Sugar in a Pie” and “Jenny.”
She also chose a song, “28,” which was about a particular time in her life – when she was 28. Erin relates it to the orbit of Saturn, which takes 28 years, and when it rolls around there is a time of upheaval and huge changes take place. “It’s not especially gay, but I am,” she said with a playful shrug as she began.
Erin switched to the piano to continue her set with the song “The Lions” which contains the lyrics, “There’s a risk, there’s a twist, to anything worth doing.” This seems to be a philosophy that Erin has carried with her through life. She has successfully produced the musical Miss You Like Hell which has won five Drama Desk awards and was named the “Best Musical of 2018” by Wall Street Journal. At the age of 40, Erin published a song book, Some of My Better Songs (But Not All of Them). She is currently working on another musical and perhaps a singer/songwriter record. Erin is someone who is constantly busy, and she seems to thrive when she has many creative endeavors going on at once.
Erin does nothing by halves. In geographic areas where there has been tension about gay rights, Erin has chosen to not avoid them as some artists have, but has made it a point to play there. She wanted to see how things were on the ground level and encourage the people fighting the good fight. For them, she wrote the song “Queer Gospel” to encourage them to persist despite the difficulties they faced.
The audience gave Erin a standing ovation, and when she returned for her encore she chose to play a song that required audience participation. Together Erin and the audience sang “Where Did I Go” with the audience filling in the chorus and Erin singing the solo verses. The Caffè was filled with voices brought together to rejoice in who they were, in whom they had bravely chosen to be despite adversities. Hands clapped in unison. On a night when it was important to come together, Erin ended with the right song.
Caffe Lena will continue the pride series next month with a performance by Jonatha Brooke on July 17th at 7 p.m. For tickets go here.
The 39th annual Old Songs Folk Festival of Traditional Music and Dance will be held June 28-30 at the Altamont Fairgrounds in Altamont, NY. The three-day event celebrates Folk, Celtic, Quebecois, Roots, Americana and World music from countries across the world as well as new music from contemporary songwriters.
Old Songs Folk Festival is an interactive experience for the whole family. Attendees are encouraged to sing, dance, jam, and listen. Old Songs invites audience members to join jam sessions, take part in teaching sessions, sing sacred harp, join in with great dance bands or take a Friday afternoon class.
There are three main stage concerts, each featuring multiple artists on Friday & Saturday from 6:30 -11:00 p.m. and Sunday 3:30 -7:00 p.m. During the day on Saturday and Sunday there are more than 100 performances, dances, interactive workshops, and jams in areas around the grounds. An extensive artisan area and diverse food concessions are also available.
Tickets may be purchased for Old Songs Folks Festival online, by phone at 518-765-2815, or at the festival gate. Full festival details, including a complete performance schedule is available on their website.
Jeff Austin, 45, passed away in Seattle, WA on Monday, June 24. This news comes after an announcement on Saturday that he was canceling his upcoming music sets due to a medical emergency. The cause of his death has not been released.
The news was confirmed on June 25 with an official statement, reading, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of a beloved family member, mandolinist, singer, songwriter and founder of The Jeff Austin Band, and Yonder Mountain String Band, Jeff Austin. Austin passed away June 24, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. He was son of Eileen Austin, husband to Devlyn, and father to Lily Rose (12), Penelope (5), and Jude Patrick (2). He was a dear friend whose music touched the lives of so many, and will be sorely missed. If you would like to make a contribution to help his family, please visit Sweetrelief.org.”
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of a beloved family member, mandolinist, singer, songwriter and founder of The Jeff Austin Band, and Yonder Mountain String Band, Jeff Austin. Austin passed away June 24, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Tweet 1 of 2) pic.twitter.com/SN9izRamck
News of his death quickly traveled through the jam and bluegrass scenes, with many taking to social media to express their condolences.
We are deeply saddened that we have lost Jeff Austin. The UM organization mourns his passing, while celebrating the joy & laughter he brought to so many of us. Our thoughts are with his family & the wider community.
Austin co-founded Yonder Mountain String Band in 1998 and was with the band through some of their biggest career moments. Yonder Mountain brought the jamgrass genre to the forefront of the live music circuit. In 2014, Austin left Yonder Mountain to pursue solo projects including The Jeff Austin Band, The Here And Now, and Grateful Grass. In the last few years, the mandolinist had returned his focus to 30db, an acoustic duo with Umphrey’s McGee guitarist Brendan Bayliss. They released One Man Show in 2010, toured in support of the album intermittently and eventually began a tradition of a Chicago holiday concert. In May 2019, Jeff Austin canceled his performances with his band and 30db at the Summer Camp Music Festival, citing a family emergency.
Austin was born in 1974, raised in Illinois and studied musical theater at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He first picked up a mandolin in 1996 with little experience, but quickly became a master at the instrument. Loved and renowned by fellow musicians and fans alike, this a huge loss for the music community.
Austin performed with moe. at the 2008 moe.down in Turin, NY.
https://youtu.be/lQ9I5-_s7gI
Yonder Mountain String Band performs Danny Barnes’ “Death Trip” at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, on 7/15/2011 with special guests Ronnie McCoury and Jason Carter
If you are heading to Phish at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), here are some veteran tips for making the most out of the two-day run, especially for out-of-town phans.
Saratoga Spa State Park is easy to get lost in, as this is an expansive park, and you can easily wind up walking around for an hour looking for the lot your car is in, or altogether become disoriented. Save the map below, just in case.
In the interest of making sure everyone knows what has been the norm in the past, whether you have been here before or not, keep these few things in mind:
State Troopers. Keep all alcohol in a cup and don’t test the troopers. Phish fans are typically well behaved, but this is a state park, just like Jones Beach, something that shouldn’t be ignored while pre-gaming in the lots.
Hotels. Some establishments have been known to call-in suspected drug use. Be smart when pre-gaming at the hotel or getting back, and try to enjoy the post-show scene before getting some needed sleep.
Leaving SPAC. Expect checkpoints for drunk driving and K-9 units for the obvious. Don’t leave the park without a sober driver and when you do, drive the speed limit. Whether you’re driving down Route 9, Route 50, I-87 or towards the small towns north and south of Saratoga, take your time.
Post Shows – more info coming soon!
If you are headed south out of SPAC, or looking for music and eats, stop off in Malta for two nights of post shows at Nanola. Where is Malta? Just 10 minutes south of SPAC, off Exit 12 right on Route 9. The menu is fantastic — great Cajun-inspired food and American dishes, as well as one of the best draft and bottle selections in the Capital District.
There is an amazing amount of music lined up after each day of this year’s Phish SPAC run. That’s the beauty of seeing Phish at a venue like SPAC — the town opens up its doors to Phish with many options for music, art and daytime and nighttime activities.
Slick Rick the Ruler was joined by DJ T.G.I.F and Giant Gorilla Dog Thing for Albany’s Alive at 5 summer concert series at its location under I-787 on Thursday, June 20. Ricky Martin Lloyd Walters, known to the world as Slick Rick and widely regarded as “hip-hop’s greatest storyteller,” is a London-born, Grammy-nominated performer and the most successful British-American rapper in music history.
The hip-hop veteran began his career in 1983, as a member of Doug E. Fresh’s Get Fresh Crew, pioneering what is today celebrated as the “Golden Age of Hip- Hop.” Recognizing the need for positive influences, Rick has devoted his time to mentoring youth on the dangers of violence. Additionally, he has partnered with various local and national organizations to raise awareness and funds for the issues impacting underserved communities.
Saturday morning and afternoon on the farm came quickly. Festival goers were treated to the first small taste of heat that the great fields in Tennessee are known for. While temperatures did not surpass the lower eighties on this morning, they were certainly hot enough to get people out and moving early, as stagnating at campsites throughout the grounds simply is not an option for survival in the moist heat.
Photo by Rob Roane
I got up, bumped around the grounds for a little bit seeking sustenance and cold beverage, and noticed the true surrealism that had begun to set in in full force. The camps and plazas that played central host to each camp cluster oozed with creativity and expression in all forms. Incredible spray-painted graffiti covered site walls; giant spotlights had been moved in front of the Bonnaroo disco ball high atop a fire tower overlooking the grounds. The festival was seeping with life. Before I go further to recap the performances I took in, I’m going to illuminate maybe my biggest takeaway from this weekend which really did strike me as I ambled about on this fine Saturday. I am a thirty-something year old, and while of course Bonnaroo draws from every demographic of age young and old, it is largely comprised of younger folks.
Walking the grounds at this festival was like looking back through a window of time for me, looking back at a snapshot of my own past experience of falling in love with live music and the culture that surrounds it. Had I not attended this festival as a much younger person, some fifteen years ago to be exact, I don’t know where my life would be today, but I can assure you I would not be a music journalist. Back then, and as I imagined the case to be for many of those who I watched this morning, was the first time feeling the kind of freedom that lives at Bonnaroo. Simply put, as a young person especially, this is a festival that will change your life. It was so, so endearing to peek back into this reflection of my own past and observe people having their life altered, hopefully for the better. Now let’s talk tunes.
Photo by Rob Roane
I got in early for the hard psychedelic post-rock sounds of New York’s own Rubblebucket. A nice sized crowd had gathered early at Which Stage on this humid afternoon set and Rubblebucket did what they do best, deliver sound in a theatrical and enthralling manor. Adorned in a neon green top with Beetlejuice pants, Kalmia Traver moved around the stage as if she owned it, powering the band through takes off their most recent release Sun Machine. Traver is a force of nature on the stage, flanked of course by her trusty band mates, the eclectic Alex Toth and the rest, Rubblebucket threw down a very “New York” set, which was refreshing to hear the sounds of the concrete jungle all the way down at Great Stage Park. Traver’s baritone sax augmented by the rest of the horns belted wonderfully out over the masses. The crowd grew as the set continued, but I retreated to the lounge to guzzle water and collect myself. Luckily, next on my list was Hippo Campus, which was set to take place also at the Which Stage, so I rested backstage until it was time for their curtain call.
When I popped back out in front of the stage for Hippo Campus, a massive crowd was there to greet me. Although the adjacent What Stage is indeed the festival’s main permanent stage, the crowds at Which Stage all weekend were omnipresent. The crowd can run very wide at the Which Stage, and stagger all the way back into the causeways of the grounds, through patches of shade provided by the sparse trees overhead and back even further, sometimes mixing with the back of the crowds at the tents. It is truly a sight. Hippo Campus wove a web of a kind of neo pop sound, one that is a bit foreign to me as an author but certainly was not to those in attendance. I was again reminded of how far the talent buying at this festival had come, and what a mystical thing genre diversity can be. From one end of the spectrum to the other I went, moving from the Which Stage over to the main stage for what I thought was some good old fashioned new age country.
Mauren Morris came on a recommendation to me a few months prior to this outing. Being from the south myself, I am indeed a [gasp] country music fan. There is a movement going on in country music right now that is really yielding some interesting stuff, and Mauren Morris did not disappoint, though she was not what I expected. Morris has been in the news recently after being outspoken regarding issues such as the need for stricter gun legislation which, to the untrained eye, seems a bit odd of someone from her genre. Hence, why I was interested to begin with. I discovered a very well polished, mostly traditional female country vocalist, rooted in the sound of Nashville, the city from which she hails. With a classic country look, cowboy boots and hat, bleach blond hair swaying to and fro, Morris led her band through some high-energy numbers including her current Billboard hit “Girl” which was received thankfully by the large mid afternoon crowd. The set did get interesting though, as Morris inventively worked in some EDM textures into her show. I can safely say this was unexpected, intriguing, and the first of its’ kind for me. A low electro bass murmur pulsated the stage at interspersed segments during her songs, and then it clicked why she was so popular among young people. I made my way from the What Stage back to camp for a brief break, and I heard the serenading sounds of The Grateful Dead coming from tents nearby, always welcoming notes to my ears. I felt refreshed as I prepared for what was easily my favorite set of the day.
As I re-approached the Which Stage, the biggest heap of people on the grounds of the second stage that I witnessed all weekend long greeted my eyes. Kacey Musgraves had brought a colossal size party with her only fit for the Bonnaroovians that salivated in anticipation of this set. Friends, let me implore you, go see this show. Musgraves transported us all to another land with her smooth, serendipitous sound that washed me away like a warm and gentle wave. Yes, she is a country singer, but her range is remarkably dynamic. Her sound is eerie, luminescent, powerful but peaceful. I recognized “Butterflies,” which was gleefully received by the capacity crowd. Giant inflatable blue balls bounced their way from the front of the crowd to the back, color was everywhere; Musgraves was hitting home runs. As the set moved forward, completely out of left field here comes a monster Flaming Lips cover in the form of “Do You Realize??” The crowd sung in unison; beauty was everywhere.
Photo by Rob Roane
As the daylight began to retire, ushering in the much-needed coolness of the evening, I bounced between two lineup legends in their own rights. Under the forgiving cover of the tents I watched a patron saint of songwriting, the big door prize himself, John Prine take his band through some mighty fine picking and singing. I saw a nice opening suite of “Hello in There,” “Summer’s End,” and the lively “Knockin’ on Your Screen Door,” before I sprung from That Tent to This Tent for Jim James and his band of rock steady pros. While many in the crowd anticipated a set rich with My Morning Jacket materiel, James instead threw out mostly recent solo stuff, including the Sirius XM favorite “Just A Fool.” James did however have one surprise up his sleeve as the lights went dim on the backline of the band and James switched to a seated acoustic guitar before the opening chords of the My Morning Jacket anthem “I’m Amazed” began. This was a truly stunning moment as time almost stood still just long enough for the seated Kentucky rock god to belt out poignantly, “After all is said and done, where is the justice?” as the song concluded. Never one to shy away from social commentary, he let the last notes linger in order to emphasize this powerful message in the form of lyric.
Before moving onto Saturday’s headliner and late night charades, I want to give a tip of the hat to my discovery of the day: Liily. This four-piece new age indie punk rock outfit out of Los Angeles played the smaller Who Stage which resides centrally between the two tents. The stage features up and comers under much smaller production but it is a great opportunity to discover new artists, and I can safely say I won’t soon forget this power punch. Liily is here to tell you that rock is far from dead, and that the California sound is getting re-carved. This was a scorching performance from a band whose oldest member is not even 21 years of age. This was by far and beyond the most truly rocking set I saw all weekend. Expect to see a lot more from this young ferocious foursome.
Photo by Rob Roane
I migrated from the smallest stage on the property back to the largest, for the feature of the evening, the Texas tornado, Post Malone. While the actual music struck me as nothing more than his studio stuff turned up very loudly, I will say that the production was impressive. A fierce collection of pyrotechnics peppered the performance frequently, and let’s be honest here, pyrotechnics are always cool. Towers of fire two stories high backed Post Malone as he talked the giant gathering through his hits like “White Iverson,” “Sunflower,” and “Congratulations.” I wasn’t specifically disappointed with this set, because it was exactly what I imagined it would be, but at its conclusion I was more than ready for the late night bomber Joe Russo and his Almost Dead to invade the grounds.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, or “JRAD” as they are effectively known, was the only manifestation of live Grateful Dead at the farm at the 2019 installment of Bonnaroo. While I have commented on how nice it is to see how far the booking at this festival has come, I was more than happy to see JRAD sneak onto the lineup to ensure at least a small piece of Bonnaroo’s roots remained on the farm. A sparkling “Rubin and Cherise” got the party started for the notably easy to maneuver crowd gathered at “That Tent.” Russo moved his band through classic after classic, with a specifically cool “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot!” > “Throwing Stones” sequence. “Throwing Stones” occupying the slot which is usually reserved for “Franklin’s Tower” was a nice touch.
As GRiZ had done the night before, Russo nodded to the late Dr. John by busting out “Such a Night” before closing things down with an extended “Samson and Delilah,” taking the clock several ticks past their allotted 3:15 a.m. stoppage time. I barely made it back to camp to embrace my pillow oh so welcomingly. Find the complete JRAD set at the bottom of this recap.
Setlist: Rubin and Cherise, St. Stephen, Mama Tried, Help on the Way, Slipknot!, Throwing Stones, He’s Gone, Playing In The Band, Terrapin Suite, I Need A Miracle, Such A Night (Dr. John), Samson and Delilah
Photo by Rob Roane
Sunday
The time had almost come to say farewell to this majestic place called Bonnaroo. Sunday was upon us all, and along with it now the true nature of the farm: sweltering heat. I knew I could not bid this extravaganza goodbye without first kissing its cruel mistress the sun at least once. Sunday brought temperatures far more familiar to most savvy Bonnaroovians. The thermometers rose towards 90 degrees. Sweat bathed us all. No matter though, because it was Sunday, a day commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Day,” and on this Sunday, by all accounts The Lord was coming in the form of a traditional proper two set Phish escapade. Praise!
Before the Vermonters completely took over, I braved the heat to make it into Centeroo for the speakers of the truth through brazen brass, one of my absolute favorite bands on the circuit today and a Bonaroo veteran taboot, The Soul Rebels. The Soul Rebels brought the funk party live and direct to the Which Stage on this baking afternoon, and, as always, I hung on every note. With renditions of “If I Ruled The World” complete with the Nas vocal parts delivered by trumpeter Julian Gosin, and their ode to their home city of New Orleans “504,” The Soul Rebels boomed on this Sunday afternoon, just enough to forget the heat for a cool 45 minutes. I spoke with the Soul Rebels’ Julian Gosin and Marcus Hubbard after their set about Bonnaroo, the importance of keeping brass in schools, and much more.
Marcus Hubbard and Julian Gosin. Photo by Rob Roane.
We’re here at Bonnaroo, which is a really diverse festival. I can tell you, just walking around the festival grounds, it’s way different then other places I’ve seen you [Soul Rebels]. There are all colors out there, there are all creeds, and it’s great. The duality of that is though that while we’re here at this great melting pot of diversity, there’s also a culture war going on. People high up in our administration right now are fighting to do things like take music out of schools, and ironically brass is kind of on the front lines of this fight.
NYS Music: Can music save a life?
Julian Gosin: Music can definitely save a life.
NYS Music: And has it?
JG: Ya man, we living proof. New Orleans… unfortunately doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to crime.
NYS Music: Sure.
JG: But… the music is one of those things that kept a lot of us off the street, kept us busy, kept us focused, kept us motivated. After school, we would get home six, seven o’clock at night coming from band practice, and we were so focused in on our craft, we would extend that at home. Probably with another two or three hours of practice. Just the mentality of really wanting to do it is just the thing. Coming from New Orleans, we were the cool kids, we were cooler than the football players. We were young and not really realizing at the time what the music was doing for our careers and our safety, and our lives, and our families. It’s so important to keep the music in the schools. Right now, I’m currently working in the schools back home and there’s just such a big gap from when we were in school to now. We just want to give back. Music can save a life, man.
For my complete interview with The Soul Rebels, keep it dialed in right here with NYS Music and we will release the whole transcript soon. Now onward we go!
Photo by Rob Roane
By about 4 p.m. it was a full on roast. I had to retreat for some time just in order to reserve the energy to stand for the evening to come. I tumbled back to camp for a breather before ultimately making my last trip into the belly of the beast. I got a bit of a second wind thanks to The Wood Brothers sparking a notably fast paced set at That Tent that included “Saturday,” “I Got Loaded,” and of course “Luckiest Man.” They also threw in a nice curveball with “Express Yourself,” a song written in the seventies by Charles Wright, but popularized mostly by N.W.A. in the ’90s. The Wood Brothers had the crowd moving, and amongst its ranks, one could clearly see that most of the Phish crowd had deemed That Tent their pre-party. It was nearly time.
Before the last hurrah, I made sure to stop by the queen Cardi B. Her set was exactly as I imagined it, very hype, with a gargantuan crowd. Cardi played the hits, and midway through suffered somewhat of a wardrobe malfunction, splitting the backside of her outfit. She took it like a complete professional though, and to the crowd’s delight she finished the entirety of her set in a bathrobe. My ears rang as her set finished up, but no ear ringing would deter me from the big show.
Photo by Rob Roane
Phish took the main stage just a few ticks after 8:30 p.m. with Trey Anastasio beckoning the crowd, “You guys got any energy left, Bonnaroo? Because we do!” The crowd was far more concentrated than Friday, as seemingly many of the folks on tour had procured wrist bands and made it in for the Bonnaroo blast off set. Big Red and the gang got right down and dirty with a quick “Set Your Soul Free” before encouraging the youngsters out there to “Blaze On.” I noticed so many first timers again at this show, and it was so encouraging dancing amongst them, knowing so many would get hooked because of this set. Music is indeed a beautiful thing. The Kasvot Växt hymn “Death Don’t Hurt Very Long” took the tertiary spot before a nice Bonnaroo “Reba” popped its head up in the first set. A triumphant and appropriate “Free” came next, perhaps a nod to what so many discover on this great farm. “Sand” proved to be the dance friendly number in the first set, the contagious guitar riff lapping out over the crowd, most of whom had dropped their jaw thanks to this early crescendo.
Photo by Rob Roane
The second set can stand up to any second set in recent memory. This was no “festival set” as I previously mentioned many feared. This was the real deal. “Mike’s Song” led us down the hallway out of the gate, before a huge 14+ minute “Fluffhead” that was followed by a hefty “Twist.” That pairing is a favorite of mine and was the high point of this set. A nice “Weekapaug Groove” sandwich that found “No Man In No Man’s Land” as the meat in the middle came next, before creating an even larger sandwich by reintroducing a brief return to “Twist.” What a set indeed.
The trifecta of “Fuego” -> “Ghost” -> “Bathtub Gin” put the bookend on the second set. Phish had dominated the farm once again. Hands met hands in high fives; the phrase “Happy Roo” was exchanged by many. Just as they had come, both the band and the 80,000 patrons would soon slink back out into the night and back to their respective lives, but not before meeting Wilson. The notes of “Wilson” came knocking back on the stage door for one last rump shake, the raucousness created by the “blat-boom” lyrics was palpable. Somehow, even on the last leg of this four-day behemoth of a festival, this may have been the highest point of energy. “First Tube” sent us all on our way and brought the show to a climactic end as Anastasio held his guitar high above his head and ran around the stage. Mission: accomplished. For the complete Phish setlist see just below this recap.
If I can leave you with anything, it would be to return to my words at the top of this recap – this festival can change your life, you simply have to let it.
Phish setlist – Set 1: Set Your Soul Free, Blaze On, Death Don’t Hurt Very Long, Reba (no whistling), Free > Sand, Wolfman’s Brother, Cavern.
Set 2: Mike’s Song > Fluffhead > Twist > Weekapaug Groove > No Man In No Man’s Land > Weekapaug Groove > Twist > Fuego > Ghost > Bathtub Gin.
