After a raging three night run at Brooklyn Steel Umphrey’s McGee bassist Ryan Stasik brought his new band Doom Flamingo to The Brooklyn Bowl for a late night dance party. Fronted by the dynamic and tantalizing Kanika Moore, her soulful vocals accompanied by rolling bass line, broad horns, and an eerie darksynth soundscape set the night into hyper drive. Doom spent the night weaving through original material and covers including ZZ Tops Legs, the 80’s classic Maniac, and Nine Inch Nails Closer. Support this awesome new band and be on the look out for new singles as they are released.
Setlist: Moonroller, Hot Wheels, F-16, Love On Hold, Replicant (new song debut), Telepathy>jam>Domingo’s Drive, Across The Room, Legs, Maniac, Runaway.
What would happen if The Beatles never existed? What would happen if you woke up one day and you’re the only person who knew their songs?
That’s what Yesterday, an upcoming musical comedy film directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), is all about. Written by Richard Curtis (Love Actually), the film follows Jack, a struggling yet ambitious songwriter who awakes after a bike accident to find that he’s the only person who knows The Beatles and their songs.
Jack’s journey seemingly mirrors the drama, fame, romance and fandom that The Beatles must have experienced. Starring Himesh Patel and Lily James along with an enticing supporting cast featuring Kate McKinnon and Ed Sheeran, Yesterday comes to theaters on June 28.
Adrianne Lenker took to music from childhood, learning the craft of songwriting from her musician father and other teachers. Her path eventually led her to pull on the hearts of the audience at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Febraury 14.” Mostly drawing from 2018’s abysskiss, Lenker brought her personal, imaginative and often complex world to life during her sold out performance.
Taking a break from leading Big Thief, Lenker opted for a smaller stage. Starting off with “Not,” a relatively new track debuted in France, she then followed with the rarely played “Spud Infinity.” The lyrical wit and sing-a-long pace of the song belied Adrianne’s heartfelt recurring theme of acceptance; to not be so harsh to exorcise the frightening unknown within us, and learn to embrace it as part of who we are.
Lenker’s childhood is filled with material that she draws on for her songs. In multiple conversations with Pitchfork, she explains being raised in a religious cult in Indianapolis until she was four. She moved about 14 times before she was eight, bearing witness to her family’s fallout from religion and constant identity shifts. These years inspired a disposition to begin writing songs from different perspectives; a spectator looking from the outside, in.
Lenker’s songs are examinations of identity, steeped in metaphors and themes of love, family, trauma, femininity and sex. Her words are descriptive and visceral, so delicately accented by her clear, expressive voice that they pierce straight through your core. Thematically, Lenker’s lyrics are reminiscent of artists like Laura Marling, showing a strength in moving through the pain.
Playing “Pretty Things,” a song which Lenker describes as a mantra in a Stereogum interview, she struck a tone that was equally arresting and soothing. Singing about penetrating the facade of her lover’s toxic behavior and coaxing him into embracing the power of his feminine qualities, she repeated: Don’t take me for a fool, there’s a woman inside of me, there’s one inside of you, too.
As the line lulled the men in the audience into embracing their Valentine’s dates a bit tighter, it was followed by a graphic representation of the power in feminine energy to wash away the sins of damaging masculinity: There is a meeting in my thighs where, in thunder and lightning, men are baptized in their anger and fighting their deceit and lies.
Amongst the more raw, vulnerable songs, “Hours Were the Birds”, from the 2014 album of the same name, represented the romance of traveling with no destination. The song included hints of a poetic Springsteen-esque sehnsucht, a feeling of yearning for an idealised experience somewhere in the distance, reflecting on what you’ve gained and the traces of yourself you’ve left behind.
Lenker’s sage storytelling was matched by her guitar skills. Her training at Berklee College of Music began when she filled a scholarship sponsored by Susan Tedeschi, and was accepted as one of only two women in the guitar program. Changing to an open tuning, she sang “Kerina,” filling the spaces between words with melodic guitar phrases which harmonized with her voice.
Experimental indie folk artist Luke Temple opened the show, and joined Lenker on stage for a number of songs. The two explored various moods as Temple provided atmospheric accompaniment and effects from the mystical, peaceful declarations of love in “womb” to the darker and grungy “symbol.”
Adrianne Lenker is a special kind of artist who can make you feel just as exposed as she feels on stage, and yet help you find immense strength in that vulnerability. At only 27 years old, hers is a talent that’ll be heard for years to come.
Umphrey’s McGee played the second night of a three night run at Brooklyn Steel Friday February, 15. The Jam Veterans moved in an out of their eclectic catalog with crowd favorite “Red Tape” and “Wife Soup.” A highlight from the show was an amazing cover of the Little Feat classic, “Fat Man in The Bathtub” with a guest hot section of Mike Maher (Snarky Puppy), Chris Ott & Dan White (Huntertones). Fans are looking forward to see what Umphrey’s brings for their final night of this Brooklyn Steel Run.
Located at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Arrington, Virginia, Infinity Downs and Oak Ridge Farm will once again be the venue for LOCKN‘ in 2019, the four-day camping festival.
Created in 2013 and now an annual event, LOCKN’ is promised to be one of the summer’s most exciting experiences.
Starting on Aug. 22 and finishing up on Aug. 25, several unique headline collaborations are scheduled for the event, beginning with the Trey Anastasio Band featuring Derek Trucks on Aug. 23, Tedeschi Trucks Band featuring Trey Anastasio on Aug. 24, and concluding with Bob Weir & Wolf Bros featuring Susan Tedeschi on Aug. 25.
In addition to daytime performances, the festival has added a more intimate touch this year: a rare performance by Soulive as well as sets by Circles Around The Sun and Galactic in the intimate Garcia’s Forest setting. These performances will be taking place in the evening following early shows by Fruition, The Lil Smokies, and Town Mountain.
Peter Shapiro, co-founder of the festival, hinted at his excitement for the artists yet to be revealed. He said, “By announcing the full lineup now we wanted to give fans a good idea of what to expect, but there’s definitely a surprise or two still coming.”
LOCKN’ is offering a Three-Day Weekend Pass in addition to the traditional Four-Day Festival Pass. This option gives fans with tighter schedules the opportunity to enjoy all the bands performing at the festival for a lower price. Single-Day Passes are also available.
Tickets are available now through the LOCKN’ website.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
Gary Clark Jr.
Khruangbin
Chris Robinson Brotherhood,
Andy Frasco & The U.N.
Jerry Party
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23
Trey Anastasio Band Feat. Derek Trucks
The Revivalists
Old Crow Medicine Show
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Melvin Seals & JGB
Moonalice w/The Chambers Brothers
Greg Humphrey’s Electric Trio
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24
Tedeschi Trucks Band Feat. Trey Anastasio
Vulfpeck
Oteil & Friends feat. Bob Weir, Devon Allman, Duane Betts and more
Twiddle
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
The Allman Betts Band
Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles
Liz Cooper & The Stampede
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25
Bob Weir and Wolf Bros. Feat. Susan Tedeschi
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
moe.
St. Paul & The Broken Bones
Steel Pulse
Nahko and Medicine For The People
Soul Rebels Brass Band
Deva Mahal
Keller Williams’ Grateful Gospel
GARCIA’S FOREST: EARLY SHOWS
Fruition
The Lil Smokies
Town Mountain
GARCIA’S FOREST: LATE SHOWS
Circles Around The Sun
Galactic
Soulive
SVIP LOUNGE
Bob Weir & Wolf Bros.
David Shaw (The Revivalists)
Mihali (Twiddle)
“Nothing but love songs, folks,” said Todd Scheaffer last night at Albany music theatre The Egg. Scheaffer and the rest of the formative jamgrass group Railroad Earth were having lots of fun at the capitol region venue, the first stop of their northeast run this weekend. So was Holly Bowling, the well-known pianist opening up for Earth, that also joined the band for most of their headlining performance last night. Bowling and Railroad kicked off the run magnificently, winding through song material ready-made into a bluegrass Valentine’s Day playlist, but also putting heart into all the musical treats of the evening.
Bowling opened up with her own welcomed performance before the two main sets, as is the plan for the rest of the northeast shows. Among the most well received of her Phish and Grateful Dead piano versions was a full-stretched “Divided Sky” on which she put a lot of personal touch. Another highlight was, no doubt, the set ending of “Dark Star” > “I Know You Rider,” where Bowling invited Railroad Earth bassist Andrew Altman and mandolinist John Skehan to play.
Droning cello from Altman, soft strumming from Skehan and piano sound effects from Bowling wound through a wonderful version of the early Dead song that shifted between delicate moments and chromatic, jazzy creativity. The trio easefully guided one another into “Rider.” Holly started to really hammer on the keys and Altman played a cool standup bass solo. From this beautiful opening segment, the stage was set for the magic to be made between Bowling and Railroad Earth.
After Bowling’s set, Railroad Earth descended upon The Egg with a great opening “Hunting Song,” giving this particularly psychedelic original a bit of musical power. When Railroad starts a show off with something extra heady like this, the chances for a strong show are in the cards. Bowling, who joined the band on stage from the beginning, got her first real sounds on “Old Man and The Land,” playing a ragtime-style solo that got a beaming smile from Todd Scheaffer.
Love songs did indeed imbue much of the band’s two sets through the evening, with “Happy Song,” “For Love,” and “Came Up Smiling” following the opener, and these cheerful songs started to get the audience, from the front row to the back of The Egg, out of their seats and dancing. “Raven’s Child” > “Only By The Light” was a powerful combo that saw expert playing from Skehan and Mike Robinson. Robinson was sitting in as special guest for this entire night on banjo, guitar and pedal steel; and he deftly held his own beside Railroad Earth, standing out in multiple moments. On “Dandelion Wine,” the romance number to end the first set, the younger musician picked an incredible guitar solo that elicited not only cheers from The Egg, but a fist pump from violinist Tim Carbone.
The second set kept the welcome love theme rolling, starting with the bittersweet “Been Down This Road.” “Lovin’ You” and “Long Walk Home,” alternatively, brightened the attitude on. “Old Dangerfield” came in the middle of these as a particularly hot version, with Carbone’s fiddle soloing propelling the tune between its breakdown tempo and an Railroad-style funk beat.
The last stretch of the night received the most adventurous musical treatment from Earth and Bowling. “Goat” was standard length, perhaps even shorter than many versions, but it was a rocking version at that. The thing to note about this one was Altman’s mighty standup bass work – huge and resonating. It sounded like a giant tap dancing on the roof of The Egg. Following on his and the drummer’s sturdy backbeat, the rest of the band ditched the song proper for a dynamic, colorful jam, and Bowling and Robinson were both well footed within the fray. “Jupiter and The 119” took this energy and ran away with it, for a very special version of this Railroad classic. The band showed their fearlessness in furrowing through an uptempo jam segue, and made a seamless and uplifting transition into “Butterfly and The Tree.” The playing from everybody on stage was a thing of progressive bluegrass beauty.
While the band soared from the one song to the next, there was one particular moment in which Bowling and Skehan’s soloing linked up, and the two complimented one another musically much in the way they had in the opening Dark Star segment, only this time at a breezy speed. If anything best presented how well Bowling fit into Earth’s melodically dramatic and unpredictable style, it was here.
Many fans are understandably buzzing about the night’s encore as much as anything else in the show. “Said What You Mean” is definitely on the rarer side of Railroad Earth originals, having been performed only twice over the last two years. A song that sounds like it could have been co-written between Sam Bush and The Band (but it’s all Scheaffer, a genius in his own right), this was maybe the best loved hit of the night.
moe. played the State Theatre in Portland, ME Friday night, the first of a two-night run there to kick off their quick February jaunt through the northeast. A glance at the Al Schnier-heavy setlist reveals a message for the Commander-in-Chief from moe. Each song title’s first letter makes up an acronym.
“Ass” refers to the original working title for the song “Bullet,” which is referenced as “Assfinger” on setlists. Astute readers may also notice the mention of the word “ass” twice.
moe. performs at the State again on Saturday before heading Concord, NH Thursday, Feb. 21. See the official setlist post from moe.’s Facebook page below.
Also of note is a new Schnier song, “Screaming and Kicking,” which made its debut Friday.
moe. State Theatre, Portland, Maine – February 15, 2019
Set 1: Tailspin > Ricky Marten > Understand, meat., Waiting For The Punchline, It
Set 2: Seat Of My Pants > Akimbo, Little Miss Cup Half Empty > Y.O.Y., I Can Never Remember, New Hope For The New Year, George > Bullet
Encore: Screaming & Kicking#, Spaz Medicine
{# First time played (original al. song) First and second sets acronym – using setlist nomenclature for Bullet
Check out the show as uploaded to the Internet Archive here.
This is what happened when I dusted off my lovely Fender Strat, reads the beginning liner notes of Sharon Coates’ latest album, None of the Above.
Coates and her Strat were joined in the studio by Dave Drago on guitars, Jacob Walsh on drums, Alex Northrop on organ and Josh Massicot on piano, with Jeff Beam lending a hand on guitar for a couple tracks.
None of The Above from Sharon Coats is chock full of songs exploring a wide range of sounds and topics about feminism, love, longing, and friendship. From the pop rock sound of the opening track “Radio” to the surf-rock undertones of “Hey Man;” and from the lofty echos of “I Look For You” to the slow smolder of “One of Those Nights,” driving guitar riffs tie everything together. The vocals, lyrics and other instruments are arranged like pieces of glass in a mosaic. Each sound has been thoughtfully placed to create an auditory kaleidoscope of sound with Coates’ beloved strat as the centerpiece. The steady back beat keeps everything grounded, and the moderate use of the Hammond organ adds a colorful touch.
Here’s to hoping the dust never has a chance to settle on this indie rocker’s Fender Strat again.
Key Tracks: Radio, I Look For You, One of Those Nights
Animas City Theater in Durango, CO, a venue nestled in La Plata County, is where Buffalo’s Aqueous kicked off their five night Colorado run. Co-headlining a 20-date tour with BIG Something, Aqueous has once again proven that they are a fundamental force in the Colorado music scene. The 270 capacity venue filled up quickly with Colorado residents and familiar faces, that made the trek from the East Coast in support of their favorite band.
Aqueous opened the Durango set with “Second Sight,” a fan-favorite from the Element Pt. I (Live 2017) album. Next the band broke out “Mosquito Valley Pt. 1,” right into a high energy “Numbers and Facts.” Aqueous then reached into their cover song archive and busted out The Band’s “Ophelia,” last time played 92 shows ago on 12/9/17. The set ended with some of the most loved songs in their catalog, “Don’t Do It,” “Weight of the Word” and “Uncle Phil’s Parachute.”
After the show I had the opportunity to chat with David Loss (Guitar/Keys/Vocals), discussing the Aqueous fan-base, band-mates, growth and gratitude. Excited to be back in Colorado, Loss expressed sincere appreciation for the support the band receives from their Colorado based fans. Aqueous is cultivating a steadfast group of supporters across the nation, noted for their familial vibe. Upon my mention of the loyal fan-base otherwise known as AQuaintances, Dave lit up and stated, “I love them, they really are the best.”
Dave Loss is gaining notoriety as one of the most skilled, actively touring guitarists in the industry. Technical and composed, Dave’s guitar tone is unmistakable, evoking sentiments that keep the crowds returning show after show. Recently sponsored by PRS Guitars, Loss and his guitar-wielding counterpart, Mike Gantzer, have an undeniable bond on stage and often come together as one. Balanced, intense and emotive, the partnership of Loss and Gantzer brings about a show experience that has catapulted Aqueous to the front lines in their genre. When discussing what it’s like playing with Gantzer, Dave explained that the two are growing and maturing their sound with every show and that he really loves the non-competitiveness of their musical relationship.
While Aqueous has often acknowledged the influence of jam-veterans moe., both musically, personally and in a business sense, Dave Loss talked with me a bit about some of his other favorite music to listen to. Radiohead takes one of the top spots in his mind and the extreme differences in artistic styling from album to album is what he enjoys most about the band.
At the conclusion of our chat, Dave again reiterated how lucky he feels to be a part of this band, having the incredible crew, the loyal fan-base and the brotherly bond with his band mates. The future is bright for Aqueous and they are certainly poised for incredible success.
The Colorado run rolls on tonight with a Valentine’s Day show at Agave in the town of Avon. The shows will be uploaded for streaming on Nugs.net with a subscription. Tour dates for the rest of the Aqueous & BIG Something tour can be found here.
Official Setlist– Animas City Theater- Durango, CO 2/13/19
Second Sight, Mosquito Valley One>Numbers and Facts, Ophelia* >Don’t Do It, Weight of the World, Uncle Phil’s Parachute
* The Band cover (last time played): 12/9/17 (92 shows)
The Reciprocal Boogie, the debut album from Massachusetts four-piece The New Motif, is an impressive survey of the band’s eclectic sound. The roots are rock, but different tracks run jazzier or more psychedelic, funkier or more spacey. Produced by Soulive’s drummer, Alan Evans, the album showcases the band’s rich textures and compositional prowess.
The album’s first track, “Manifest,” is microcosmic of the whole album: it features shifts in style and tempo, is at times led by a funky bass line from Dan Kelly, at other times with a catchy guitar riff from Dennis Christiano, sometimes the organ, sometimes the synthesizer, always high-octane drumming. There are vocals, but the song is undeniably led by the instruments. Checking in at nearly six and a half minutes, it’s a bold opening statement to a freshman album devoid of any filler tracks.
While “Manifest” feels frenetic, The New Motif follows it up with a mellower “City Cituation.” Cory Schechtman swaps out the keyboards for a saxophone, a pleasant surprise as the track commences. Paired with the following song, “Crooooshtown,” the songs are a smooth, jazzy reprieve from the relative tumult of “Manifest.”
In total, there are nine tracks, each between four and eight minutes long. About half are instrumentals and half feature vocals; Schechtman plays the saxophone for half the songs and spends the other half on keyboards. Unsurprisingly of an album produced by Alan Evans, drummer Terrence Kelleher is extremely active throughout.
The heart of the titular track represents the album well. Guitarist Dennis Christiano trades licks with Schechtman on the saxophone while Ball and Kelly, even if not as prominent with the rhythms, are relentless, lending to the full sound.
The sixth track, “Flown,” is the first where the vocals feel like the central component. The song has a reggae tone, unique to the album, and allows Christiano to show off with a high-soaring solo. The ensuing “Yasss!!” is dark and exploratory yet upbeat and features all band members finding their ways into dynamic grooves. At just over eight minutes long, the track is an instrumental odyssey. The following and penultimate song, “Whatever’s Clever,” features the catchiest vocals.
Closing track “Late Cretaceous” once again puts The New Motif’s rich sound on full display; one needs to crank the volume dial to get the full flavor of all the layers. After multiple listens to The Reciprocal Boogie, something different has caught my ear each time: a guitar riff here or a bass line there. Each time after listening, I’ve found myself going back and listening straight through again
The New Motif is currently touring to promote The Reciprocal Boogie and have multiple shows scheduled in New York. The full tour schedule can be found here.
