Live music is back in Connecticut thanks to South Farms – the venue has figured out the formula for a socially distanced Drive-In shows. Billy Strings made a stop on his abbreviated tour, and Warren Haynes planned five shows, kicking off this past weekend on September 12.
The Sunday show found Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule’s Danny Louis performing two stripped down sets of classic rock covers and Mule tunes, amid a gorgeous backdrop in the Western Connecticut.
Haynes will return to South Farms for three more shows on October 1, 8 and 15. Tickets are still available and can be purchased here.
Setlist: Warren Haynes with Danny Louis, South Farms, Morris, CT, September 13, 2020
Set 1: Don’t Know Where We’re Going (But We’ll Get There), Glory Road, Blue Maiden’s Tale, Love’s Open Door, Working Class Hero, Traveling Tune, Forsaken Savior, It Hurts Me Too
Set 2: Southern Accents, Melissa, Child of the Earth, Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House, Beautifully Broken, Captured, Turn On Your Love Light, Smokestack Lightning
What is there to say, but it is great to hear live music once again. Having spent the last six months at home counting down the days to when we can all be together, on September 8, for just a few hours in the small town of Morris, CT, it felt like the curse of darkness had been lifted, thanks to Manic Presents and Marcus King Band. The team at South Farms have figured out a way to bring music and entertainment back to the people, and boy do we all need it.
The new venue at South Farms for this power house team is unassuming and not a first choice for a one-night event. The venue has everything a fan would want and more: picturesque views of killer sunsets, incredible sound that echoes in the rolling farm hills and of course, great sight lines that make fans feel as though they’re in an amphitheater atmosphere all the while being socially distant Talk about a win-win!
The evening began with Early James, an Alabama singer/songwriter whose sound is a blend of country, southern blues, and jazz, and has a lyrical style that is a mix between Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. This one-two punch tonight allowed fans to be reintroduced to the concert format with James’ incredible talent. A highlight of his opening set was “Easter Eggs” with honky guitar licks and southern slide guitar.
As the sun set a loud roar and the sound of woo-hoos echoed the night sky, Marcus King, with drummer Jack Ryan and bassist Stephen Campbell took the stage. Marcus joked saying how it was great to actually see people, instead of cars for the first time once again. The trio jumped right into playing a version of “I Just Want To Make Love To You/Hoochie Coochie Man”
The highlight for this photographer came as the trio began “One Day She’s Here,” a song that is hauntingly beautiful and can resonate with the times. “She” could be considered to so many people in the music industry this year.
Pretty little girl in a Coupe de Ville Saw her disappear up across the hill One day here, now the next, she’s gone Didn’t even get to hear me sing my song She disappears just like the dawn One day she’s here, the next, she’s gone
Other highlights of the night included a rocking version of “Virginia”, a southern rock song that just is so gritty and raw that those who were in attendance who had their eyes closed would have sworn Warren Haynes came to the farm early. And of course a stellar encore of “The Well” and Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.”
One thing is for sure, that night at South Farms with Marcus King reminded us that “she” will come back one day and boy has she. Music is alive and well, as long as there are those who listen and follow the rules. Those who work in this industry will not go down without a fight. If you’re missing seeing acts at your local venue, do yourself a favor check out South Farms, because “Music is better on grass.”
Goose, the buzz-heavy Connecticut-based indie groove band, plans to move their two drive-in shows north in early October.
The weekend tour includes a visit to Essex Junction, Vermont on Oct. 2, and Swanzey, New Hampshire on Oct. 3.
“I’m super stoked to get back to Burlington, the groovy UV has a special place in my heart. I spent a bunch of time up there, chillin’ in the Green Mountains with Champ.”
Trevor Weekz, Goose bassist
Ticket sales for both Goose shows will open on Thursday, Sept. 10. At 10:00 a.m. Click here for tickets to the Essex Junction- Burlington show and Click here for tickets to the Swanzey show.
Over the last few years, Queen tribute band, Almost Queen has been on a roll. Selling out across the US, with 2020 starting out the same way. Then Covid-19. No shows, no touring, nothing. So, what’s a band to do? Some started doing social media performances, while others put out new music to cover the void. Neither route quite fit the mold of Almost Queen.
Plan B? What was old is new again. Drive-ins. Yup, drive-ins. Dating back to the 1910’s, hitting its popularity in the ‘50s’ and ‘60’s, drive-ins are experiencing a rebirth as the arena for live music. If you park it, they will play.
Almost Queen; Sunset Drive-In Concert Series
Now let’s be clear here. This is not The Capitol Theatre, The Strand Center, or Brooklyn Bowl. This is a drive-in. When the lights go down, it’s because the sun has set. So how do you prepare to play in this new realm? “With great difficulty” Randy Gregg, bass player for Almost Queen, cites. “Very different from the way we would prepare normally. What used to be this, is now this. It’s a whole different system of doing things now.“
Almost Queen; Sunset Drive-In Concert Series
“Our job as a band, is to break down this barrier between the band and the crowd, and get that crowd on your side before 90 minutes is up. That’s always the plan with any band. Now, that barrier is even thicker when they’re in their cars. “
Almost Queen faced this challenge head on in June when a band, booked to perform at a drive-in Hempstead, Long Island show, had to be quarantined, having just been in Florida. Almost Queen was called on a Wednesday to play that Friday.
Tailgating; Sunset Drive-In Concert Series
“What had us very nervous was jumping into a drive-in show with two days notice. With all the work it takes to put a show on, and now it’s minimalized to hours to do things.” Gregg recounts. Adding to that, because of Covid, the band hadn’t played together in four months. The pressure was mounting. After squeezing in a rehearsal the night before the show, “we came out with the gloves on, just raring to go,” Randy quips. “Four months will do that to you when you’re cooped up. Apparently four months does that to everybody who was in the crowd that night. Even though everyone was in their cars, it seemed a bit explosive, if you will. People leaning on their horns, flick’n their lights, and you could hear people screaming and clapping from inside their cars. Definitely a different situation then it has been in the past. It is what it is. If there is a will, there is a way.”
With their foray into parking lot rock a success, the band started thinking of ways to interact with their audience, while adhering to restrictions. The solution? A “goodie bag,” given to each car when they arrive. Think of it as somewhere between a program and swag. In the “bag” is a brochure that shares info and photos about the band, glow sticks, and assorted rock accouterments that can be used during the show.
Almost Queen; Sunset Drive-In Concert Series
Our job as a band, is to break down this barrier between the band and the crowd…that barrier is even thicker when they’re in their cars.
Randy Gregg. Almost Queen
NYS Music tagged along with the band as they played the Sunset Drive-In Concert Series presented by Bergen PAC, at Garden State Plaza, in Paramus N.J. The lot used was a in a remote location behind the mall and isolated enough that you didn’t notice that Route 4 and 17 were beyond the perimeter. When we pulled up to the gate, our temperatures were taken, goodie bag received, and we were guided to our parking spot by a member of the on-site logistics team. Tailgating was approved for the show with each car given an additional space next to it, specifically for those purposes. Pre-show festivities went from people pulling drinks from a cooler to spreads with tables and tablecloths, candelabras and complete dinnerware sets. The “house” was filled with cars as far as the eye could see and large video screens were set up on each side of the stage, to insure that all had a full view of the action. Those attending ran the gamut from early Queen fans (circa 1970), to those who won’t learn to drive for a few years.
Almost Queen; Sunset Drive-In Concert Series
With the sun preparing to sink below the horizon, Almost Queen took to the stage, greeting the crowd with “We Will Rock You,” letting all know what was to come. Joe Russo, who takes the role of Freddie Mercury, embodies the lead singer’s spirit with his vitality and charisma. Not to take away from the rest of this rock tested band: John Cappadona on drums, Steve Leonard on guitar, and Randy Greggs on bass; who amplified their rock personas, performing as if they are in a 100,000-seat stadium and not a drive in.
Almost Queen; Sunset Drive-In Concert Series
As the night progressed, more and more cars could be heard honking their horns in approval of the show. Midway through the night, the band dedicating the apropos “I’m in Love With My Car,” to all in attendance as a thank you for attending. Even though this was a wide-open, socially distanced drive-in show, singing was encouraged with Russo engaging the audience in a song round establishing a sense of solidarity between band and crowd.
Pulling songs from the vast catalog of Queen, the night’s set included, “Killer Queen,” “Radio Ga Ga,” and “Another One Bites The Dust,” with each song building on where the last one left off. The show closed with a multi-song encore, including “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We are the Champions.”
Joe Russo, Almost Queen; Sunset Drive-In Concert Series
It takes the right act to be able to connect with an audience that has restrictions placed on them. Almost Queen proved worthy of the challenge by piercing the veil of disconnect and pulling everyone, whether in a car, back of a truck, or standing in their socially designated spot, into being part of the band.
Almost Queen will be performing this fall at various Covid approved shows in the northeast including Saturday, September 12th at the Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, NH. Check there website for future shows. Whether you’re a Queen fan or not, you own it to yourself to see Almost Queen. A band that goes beyond being just a tribute, to what a rock ‘n roll band should be.
After a long hiatus from live performance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vermont jam quartet Twiddle returned to the stage this weekend for three socially distanced Drive-In shows. Taking place in Essex Junction, VT, the three sold-out shows were a welcome return to live performance for the band, with over 250 car passes sold for each night.
We can’t thank our fans enough for making our first live shows back such an incredible and safe experience. It felt amazing playing live again with the boys and having our brother Taz join us, elevating the band as he always does.
Mihali Savoulidis (Guitar, Vocals)
Twiddle kicked off a stellar weekend of music with a fantastic first set on Friday, August 14, during which the band seamlessly segued through their first set without a break between songs.
After sunset, the band took the stage for an improvisation-heavy three-song second set, featuring “Gatsby the Great,” “Doinkinbonk” and “Cabbage Face.” The show closed with fan-favorite sing-along “Orlando’s.”
Saturday presented material from various phases of the band’s 15-year career. Highlights from set one include “Zazu’s Flight” > “Bronze Fingers” > “Zazu’s Flight,” as well as a tender rendition of “The Machine,” featuring drummer Brook Jordan on vocals. Twiddle closed the first set with a raging rendition of “Every Soul,” with special guest 16-year-old guitar phenom Brandon “Taz” Niederauer.
Saturday’s second set was rife with deep jams and segues, including the introspective ballad “River Drift” sandwiched between “Dr. Remidi’s Melodium” and “Nicodemus Portulay.” Taz sat in on “Tom’s Song” during set two and returned for a “Comfortably Numb” encore, played for the first time in over nine years.
Wrapping up the weekend, Sunday’s first set showcased a healthy mix of Twiddle’s bluegrass influences and improvisational acumen, with twangy acoustic takes on “Hattibagen McRat” and “Fat Country Baby.”
Twiddle rounded out the weekend in Vermont with a trip down memory lane, with set two featuring throwback favorites “Invisible Ink” and “Tiberius,” before closing out the show with an epic “Beethoven and Greene.”
Night One – 8/14/2020 – Drive In – Essex Junction, VT
Back in 2015 I took a closer look at Twiddle, who I had seen previously as a small-font band at music festivals around the Northeast. Nothing had stuck out just yet, beyond a surprise version of the “Duck Tales” theme song at The Big Up in 2010. But after seeing them in small rooms and grow to perform at The Palace in Albany and as far away as Lockn‘, my perspective of the band changed, for the better.
The recent Roots Tour was a rousing success, where Twiddle made stops at venues that served as notable points in Twiddle’s history in Vermont. The Roots Tour – featuring archival and recently recorded streams, band interviews, plus two live streams from Higher Ground – brought out the best of the band, collectively and individually.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDB5S_ahEx2/
The band interviews were the hidden gem of the Roots Tour, and worth the price of admission alone. Each band member spoke individually, and later collectively, providing insight into each of the venues they performed at during the tour, and how that little corner of Vermont (of which there are many) affected Twiddle’s growth over the last 15 years, especially those important formative years.
With three shows at Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, VT taking place this weekend, NYS Music caught up with keyboardist Ryan Dempsey to talk about Roots Tour, how he has spent time during quarantine and where he would be had he not been a musician.
photo by Dave Decrescente
Behind the keys for 15 years, Ryan Dempsey doesn’t wonder where the time has gone.
“The time was well spent, and I really have no regrets. I’ve been having fun along the way. So sometimes it seems like a long time but other times I feel like it was just yesterday.“
Twiddle started out at Castleton State College and almost immediately met Mihali Savoulidis and would form Twiddle. And it does surprise him how this all got started.
The universe has a way of working itself out. I wouldn’t have imagined myself ever being a professional musician when I met Mihali. I was studying to go to L.A. and be a film director but I’m happy it worked out the way it did. I trusted Mihali’s leadership and his confidence in the fact that we would be a band one day and it would all work out.
photo by Dave Decrescente
The concept for Roots Tour, taking the viewer and band through the roots of Twiddle in Vermont, could have worked in a non-COVID-19 world. A tour, with exclusive tickets and chances to see the band at old haunts (The Perfect Wife, Nectar’s, and The Pickle Barrel, among others), would have been as well received as anything Twiddle has done in the last five years. But given the circumstances of no live music, the Roots Tour would be presented as a wholly online experience.
I think it was a collective and unanimous vote between the full band that it would be a good time to bring up old footage and a bunch of material that we’ve been collecting for 15 years and releasing it in a documentary kind of style. I think it was just the right time to do it. We have been talking about it for years and we always said, “Just hold off, let’s hold off, let’s hold off,” and then, when COVID became prevalent, we thought it was just the perfect time to get down and look at all of our material we had over the years and compile it all together and see what we had. And I think it was a successful venture.
There was of course the nostalgia that will evoke and tap emotions in the unexpected places. For Dempsey, that place was the Eaglerock Estate, also known as the ’Twiddle House’ where Mihali, Ryan and Brook Jordan lived, wrote, rehearsed and played shows, and later met Zdenek Gubb who officially joined the band.
Going there was very nostalgic and seeing my band there as adults and looking back and thinking back to when we were children or you know just out-in-the-world young adults and not having a clue what we were doing and scared to death on what we were doing, but always following our intuition. It was cool to go back to Eagle Rock and be with my brothers and have our own moment and go up to our rooms and have stories of years that we were there and how the music shaped itself in those early times. That was very cool.
Now with Roots Tour behind them, and three Drive-In shows in Vermont this weekend, Dempsey was asked what he was missing the most about playing live right now.
I miss the gathering of people. I’m a very social person, so playing live is important for me because obviously it’s great to see fans interacting and showing their love for the music as we play on stage, but I also miss going out after and before shows talking to every fan I can, in the front or the back, and shooting the shit with them. A lot of good family with our fan base that I have come to know and learn to love over the years and I miss being able to interact with those people personally.
photo by Dave Decrescente
One would suspect that musicians of any ilk are spending their time in quarantine these past five months staying productive and writing songs. That is true for Dempsey as well, but with the distractions that come from not having a typical routine to fall into.
So, my duck and my raccoon poop on me while I play so that’s affected my concentration; when I’m on the piano, I like to have one of the animals up there. But actually it hasn’t really affected it because I’ve been busy doing Cameos and we still practice with Twiddle, but it’s hard. It’s like when you work out, you get used to working out every day and then, when you stop, you kind of get out of your original routine. So I guess I’m not playing as much anymore even though I can still practice, but being able to be with Twiddle every day on the road, every day you wake up and you immediately go to soundcheck and you practice for hours. So without having that daily routine it’s kind of throwing me off. I still am trying to stay creative, but as far as practice, I should probably be a little bit more disciplined about practice.
Now with 15 years of Twiddle under his belt, when asked to look back and give Ryan Dempsey in 2010 advice, he turned to the last five years of his life with his wife for words of wisdom.
Watch out for that Alexandra girl, she’s coming for you. To relax a little bit more and not be so stressed out. To trust your intuition and just not listen to anyone, not family, friends or even haters – just do you and believe in your passion and your dream and not take shit from from anyone.
And what advice would he give his 2015 self? He thought of that Alexandra girl, simply saying “You’re about to meet the love of your life.”
Now, with Drive-In shows this weekend in Essex, Twiddle will hold their first public performance since their Winter Tour in March. What does Dempsey expect from the show?
“I expect us to be so nervous that we fall on our faces and make fools of ourselves. We will be so scared that we will start playing a song and we’re all gonna just forget the song! It is going to blow and the audience will say “you suck, I hate you Twiddle” and then I don’t know… I’d like to see people in bubbles… big plastic bubbles just rolling around while we play.”
Ed. Note – this private, socially distanced event in Central New Jersey is an example of how small scale live music can be done safely, for now. The property owner shares his experience putting together a second private event for a small crowd of friends, featuring Dogs in a Pile and Black Dog.
People like to gather. It’s part of the human condition, ingrained in the very core of our existence as social animals. Not to minimize death, sickness, financial devastation and/or uncertainty, but being unable to check the boxes next to our social desires has been perhaps the hardest part of these last five pandemic ridden months. As such, along with our inability to congregate, we’ve also, for the most part, sacrificed live music, comedy, theater, et al. This isn’t a piece about the pandemic, but it does point to the creativity and passion that have inspired whatever few events have sprung up in recent history.
I’ll switch to the first person now as I acknowledge the fire that has been burning in my belly, sparked by love and passion for live music and all that surrounds it, that has been the catalyst for a series of music festivals in my backyard. As I mourned the loss of live events (and the tangential camaraderie that is livemusic’s partner in crime), my brain was firing synapses that unleashed a business acumen and creativity that I didn’t know I possessed. Music unites in a way that little — dare I say, nothing — else, can or does. Share a show with a new friend and on the basis of that shared experience, you’ve got a friend for life. I missed that, so I set out to create it on my own. Enter #Marckomitoville. And, for what it’s worth, a host of new friends.
This past Saturday was the second of three (or more??? — #mywifesasaint) such events, an unintentional double bill of canine goodness, with Dogs In a Pile and Black Dog, an up and coming jam band and a seasoned Led Zeppelin tribute act, respectively. In full confession mode, Black Dog was an easy hire as their lead singer and I teach in the same high school, I’ve seen them numerous times, and am intimately familiar with how accurately they honor the best catalog in rock and roll history. Dogs In A Pile, on the other hand, was hired sight unseen (note unheard???) based on a direct message recommendation delivered via Instagram with the uncanniest of timing. I listened to about fifteen seconds of their stuff before reaching out to ask if they’d like to play a party in my backyard. Just to round out a nice small world story, their booking manager and I hit off, he having graduated from the same high school where Black Dog’s lead singer and I both teach. I explained what I was trying to do with social distance gatherings and live music and he, in turn, promised that Dogs In A Pile would “vaporize my backyard.” ‘Nuff said. Contract signed.
TL;DR: Hiroshima.
Dogs In A Pile
The day finally arrived and, with a trailer full of equipment and a mini-entourage taboot, so did Dogs In A Pile. I have to say this right up front (while also reserving the right to come back and repeat it every few paragraphs), these are good humans. Every person associated with Dogs is utterly kind and professional to a fault; the band, the crew, their families and friends, these are A+ folks and I’m so grateful for the friendships that were born this past weekend. Their equipment was a force all its own and there were times I couldn’t believe I was in my own backyard and not the Stone Pony Summer Stage. That being said, they forgot their rug (comfort first) and were about to drive home and back to get it. Fear you not, marckomitoville provides, so as my wife and I were literally days from replacing our bedroom rug, we saved them the trip and all the day’s sets were played from the comfort of the shag that was under our bed literally just moments before.
This is a jam band, make no mistake about it, and let’s cut the bullshit right now if there are any negative connotations associated with that moniker. Jam bands improvise and listen to each other as they play, revamping their organized structures on the fly and adapting not just to each other but the crowd and its vibe. But just as obvious as their jam band status is the classical training and musical education of these (three of five, actually) Berklee schooled musicians, their propensity for jazz on display just as much as the other musical influences for whom we share a love. On a related topic, let’s recognize the good parenting that made the Allman Brothers, the Grateful Dead and Phish part of these kids’ musical DNA and enabled them to effortlessly dangle teases and covers throughout their set, a display that spoke volumes about the musical homes in which they were raised. Speaking of which, enjoying this show alongside a couple of their dads was pretty damn cool, the musical version of a soccer sideline full of proud parents.
Jimmy Law, lead guitar and vocals, is the front man that every band needs. A local wunderkind, he’s the face of the band and with damn good reason. Though humble to a fault, he’s got it and plays with the confidence of someone who knows it. While it’s hard to take your eyes off Jimmy, let that not detract from the rest of this highly talented quintet. Stage right from Jimmy is guitarist and singer Brian Murray, probably the first member of the band to be overlooked, even if the Phred (Languedoc replica) that he plays is hard to miss. I implore you to give this kid the attention he deserves — Bob Weir stood next to Jerry Garcia his whole life, no easy task I’m sure, but he did it with grace and humility and along the way became the best number two of all time (don’t get caught up in the loftiness of the metaphor, just take it for what it is).
Sam Lucid, bass and vocals, stands stage left. His bass is funk and jazz in turn, exactly what I’d expect from a guy who lists Jaco Pastorius among his biggest influences. Joe Babick, drums, himself a four-year veteran of the Count Basie program for gifted young musicians, is a seasoned performer playing live shows since he’s nine years old — the rhythm section of he and Sam is a force to be reckoned with. I’m a teacher and a father so, as you know, I have no favorites. With that being said, allow me to introduce Jeremy Kaplan, keyboards, playing a red Nord with his right hand and a Hammond XK-3 that’s a dead ringer for the B3 with his left. Enrolled at Berklee on a scholarship from the Piano Man himself, Jeremy blew my mind time and again and again and again. And again. And then some more. Jazz, funk, rock, he checks all the boxes, not to mention running the band’s sound while he plays. Bravo, sir!
Saving the best for last, the love that these kids (the oldest among them is twenty-two) have for each other and the music they play is tangible. Having had a chance to chat and hang and spend the day with them (and hoping they read this!), I’m reminded of a quote I just read from (Sir) Joe Russo, “Ninety-eight percent of being in a band is hanging out, not playing.” I hope they continue to love and accept each other and weather the storm that is this global pandemic, because people need to see them. To a man, they had as much fun playing for me as I did listening and dancing with them. If you know me, that’s saying a lot. I shared every ounce of myself with them and they gave it all right back and then some. All the love.
Perhaps taking a cue from the bestselling book How To Win Friends and Influence People, Dogs In A Pile opened their first set with a cover of Phish’s “Free.” Just as I was thinking that they certainly nailed the formula to win over a crowd of Phish loving Deadheads, a buddy shouted from the pool, “They had me at hello.” No truer words had been spoken and they applied equally to all in attendance, from my dog Charlie (who had two songs played in her honor) to my sixty-nine year-old mother who doesn’t even like music.
In a set that, for the most part, alternated original material with well chosen covers, “Look Johnny” gave us the first taste of the Dogs catalog. Having already put them in a jam band box myself, I was so impressed with the range showcased by their originals … jazzy intros to rock and roll songs within psychedelic frameworks and funky-ass rhythms. They move in and out of genres and structures with an ease that not only illustrates the cohesion of their unit, but creates its own synergy from the roots of their varied influences. They’re a jam band to be sure, although that classification limits the scope of what they truly offer.
As DIAP were perhaps still feeling out their audience’s collective appetite for their originals, the Rascal’s pop hit that became a Grateful Dead staple, “Good Lovin’” was a safe choice for the three-hole. Their interpretation of these songs does them great service and dancing to Dead tunes is a tried and true formula. However, even in the early going, I just found the band to take more chances and showcase more of their musicality with their original work.
As if reading my mind, a friend yelled, “More originals” from the pool at that very moment. As such, “Blues for Brian” with its seriously sexy bass lines and “I Can’t Wait For Tonight” followed. I do love the covers, too, though — they are, after all, the soundtrack to my life. So even as our collective yen for more originals deepened, I was thrilled with the jubilant “The Music Never Stopped” that followed. Two more originals, “Snow Day” and “Go Set” preceded the set closing cover of “Mr. Charlie”, the first of two songs with my dog’s name in the title. Coincidence??? I think not.
“Rinky Dink Rag” opened the second set, a Nord-heavy tune that really foresaw the keyboard mastery that Jeremy Kaplan put on display for the duration. The name of the song kind of tells exactly what it sounded like, maybe except for the fake sneezes, “Bless you, Brians”, and “Thank you, Jeremys” that showed the bands’ propensity for silliness. Endearing in the very best way, I couldn’t help but think of a young Page McConnell and his silly little VT quartet as Jeremy tickled the black and whites. An original-ish cover of “Boogie On Reggae Woman” that really let that Hammon XK-3 shine melded with a Charlie Brown jam called “Linus and Lucy” that had shadows of the Allman Brother’s “Jessica”.
Hot damn that was some fun stuff! “Thomas Duncan Part 2” followed with teases of both “Shakedown St.” and “Character Zero” before segueing into “Bugle On the Shelf”, another Dogs original, though I was really hoping for the prequel to Thomas Duncan, ya know, Part 1. {I have no clue if this really exists but it was funny when I thought it since I have no clue what their catalog looks like!} “Untitled Bathroom Break for Sam” gave a little more insight into the fun that these guys have just being on stage together just as it showed their ability to keep it light and loose while playing. “Craig & Pat” was the penultimate number before the band thanked my poor wife for letting them play at our house and dedicated the final song to my dog, both named, “Charlie”. It was her birthday party, after all, as turend five {I remember holding her in one hand} the previous day.
Seven songs and an untitled improv filled the ninety minute set, the band never once straying or losing a danceable beat. To that end, it’s worth noting that I danced 23,571 steps, the rough equivalent of between 11.134 – 12.221 miles depending on the stride length of a six-foot male. I think everyone present can attest to every one of those, just as I’m thankful for the Moon Mat™ that saved me from feeling each one as I write this two days later (I only feel a third of them).
I truly believe that in a few years time, those of us here will look back on this afternoon and laugh at the “remember when” of seeing this incredibly tight and talented band in my backyard. Prove me wrong.
Andrew Rich
Music and comedy are a match made in heaven. I first experienced this magical pairing with Yo La Tengo and their annual Eight Nights of Hannukah at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, so in that spirit, Andrew Rich was called upon to perform standup between sets. Truth be told, he called upon me but who’s counting? An idea born when a close friend jokingly asked if a big promoter like me (tongue in cheek, I hope) would give a comic a chance to perform, Andy Rich gave a great set with his first live performance in five months. Tres cool, well done, and thanks for the laughs.
Black Dog
I love watching musicians watch other musicians. There’s something about it that I can’t quite put my finger on but just makes me really happy. Watching Black Dog arrive and seeing them take in their younger canine predecessors was a sight to behold. With lines of joy etched into their faces, it was easy to see their appreciation for the younger generation of talent. Equally enjoyable was the reverse, as Dogs In A Pile all stuck around for the master class in Led Zeppelin that is Black Dog.
Enjoying a run of great success over the months leading up to the pandemic, Black Dog was arguably at the high point of a long and successful career, recently playing on hallowed stages from Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre to the Fillmore Philly. A veteran tribute band, their homage to Led Zeppelin is authentic and awe inspiring. Getting your live Zep fix is no easy task, especially now, and I’m blessed to call these guys friends, even more so to have had them crush my backyard. Rob Malave, with an uncanny ability to match Robert Plant’s pitch, sings and plays harmonica as the band’s front man.
A coworker of mine who teaches language arts in high school english, I’d love to sit in his class and see him dig into Beowulf. Dan Toto, guitarist, honors Jimmy Page with his play, his look, and his impressive guitar rack. Whoa. Jeff Mott, a la John Paul Jones, plays bass, keyboards, mandolin, and 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars. Ted Gori, drums, has the difficult task of rising to the challenge of Bonzo’s beats and fills, and he makes it look easy. Christ, he even had a gong which drew the occasional ire of his elbow. These are skilled and practiced musicians, channeling the skill and catalog of their musical heroes with aplomb.
Playing a setlist straight out of my dreams (no, really, I kind of wrote it with the help of a good friend), they gave us two hours of the very best. Picking up on cues from the crowd response to the previous Dogs, they knew they had the audience to take a few tunes deep and they really went for it with “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” and “Lemon Song” being perhaps my two favorite tunes that they took the furthest. Black Dog really gave their all in addition to giving us a little bit of everything, from the keyboard songs to the acoustics and everything in between. The acoustic set was perfectly placed, the peaks and valleys expertly coordinated, and these pro’s pros took us on an almost two and a half hour ride through rock and roll’s finest playbook. Whoop.
As stated up front, music unites in a way like nothing else. I am truly humbled by the opportunity to have brought such good people together for an insanely fun (and safe!) time. Thanks for everything … dancing, singing, laughing, playing, eating, swimming, sharing in the joy, and reading these words. Thanks for being you! My heart is full.
Finally, for the woman who allows it all to happen, thank you, Diana! I love you. #mywifesasaint
44,942 steps. Whoop!
Dogs In A Pile
Set One: Free, Look Johnny*, Good Lovin’, Blues For Brian*, I Can’t Wait For Tonight*, The Music Never Stopped, Snow Day*, Go Set*, Mr. Charlie
Set Two: Rinky Dink Rag*, Boogie On Reggae Woman >Linus and Lucy, Thomas Duncan Part 2, Bugle On The Shelf, Untitled (bathroom break song for Sam), Craig & Pat, Charlie
Black Dog
Rock & Roll ->, Good Times, Wanton Song ->, Nobody’s Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away -> Gallows Pole -> Ramble On, Going to California, That’s The Way, Back Country, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Kashmir, Dazed & Confused, Immigrant Song, Lemon Song, The Ocean, Black Dog
Just as music fans the world over are clamoring to get their fix, so, too, are musicians longing to get out in front of actual crowds and ply their trade. No live stream can replicate the energy of a live concert, where musical notes serve as a conduit facilitating an infinite loop of energy travelling between the band and the audience. Live music requires presence — you have to be there, to be sure — though not just in body, but in mind and spirit, too. Within that presence, as one finds alignment with the head, the heart, and the feet, is where the magic lives. As it has been said, “Seek and ye shall find.”
Bridging that thought, it’s been especially hard to find live music these days (no explanation necessary), especially that of the safe and socially distant variety with crowds respectful of both coronavirus and others’ personal space. Creativity has become the order of the day in terms of booking, and I’ve now been lucky enough to catch a few live shows in locales previously unthinkable: a field behind Woodbridge HS, the Asbury Park Elks Lodge, even a few backyards, not least of all my own.
Some days live music seems more poignant than others; Jerry Garcia’s birthday has always been one of those days. I’ll never forget seeing Jerry on his birthday at The Palace at Auburn Hills, August 1, 1994, one of just three performances by the Grateful Dead on this date. Well, in the summer of 2020, any live show is special, and just as I was one of the lucky ones to see Jerry’s birthday show in ‘94, so, too, was I lucky enough to see Cosmic open the Days Between (marked by the days between Jerry’s birth and death, 8/9/95) on August 1, 2020.
After having spent the day on the beach in Asbury Park with my wife, we parted ways {one of the beautiful things about our marriage is that even though we have divergent interests, she unilaterally supports my passions} and I grabbed some primo socially distant real estate at the Asbury Elks Lodge, right up front near the band and in front of the PA. I’ve spoken of silver linings in other recent musings, but my favorite one bears repeating: encroaching on someone else’s personal space has become societally uncool, and that bodes really well for an abundance of dancing space. Punctuality has also become the order of the day and, since timeliness is next to godliness, mine was rewarded not just with the best 10×10 foot square in the house but also with soundcheck, a tasty version of “Beat It On Down the Line,” even if the band ultimately decided not to play a “seventy-eight beat intro for Jerry’s birthday” after briefly parrying the idea back and forth.
Just fifteen short minutes after the announced start time of 4:00, everybody was dancing in a ring around the sun as Cosmic took to the stage and opened this gorgeous afternoon with the Grateful Dead’s anthemic summer song, “The Golden Road To Unlimited Devotion.” This song has a short history with the Grateful Dead and wasn’t to be played live at any time after 1967, wayyyy before my time, heck, even before the actual summer of love later that same year, but to me it’s always been a party tune and set a fiery tone for the day as the band implored, “Hey hey, hey, come right away. Come and join the party every day.” An impressive and energetic “Viola Lee Blues” followed (is there any other kind???), before the band played “Set Me Free”, the first of seven original tunes they would play on this sunny August afternoon.
Shirtless guys and sun-kissed girls in long flowing dresses, spinning and twirling in a scene reminiscent of San Francisco’s Golden Gate park, the crowd was beauty personified. On this day, as we celebrated what would have been Jerome John Garcia’s 78th trip around the sun, none of us were thinking about the problems of the world, at least no more so than pertained to social distance and wearing masks. We were celebrating the life and music of Jerry Garcia, the outward expression of whose passion in turn shaped most of our lives. From the youngest among us who, forget about having seen Garcia live, probably shouldn’t have been drinking legally, to those with stories from the Avalon Ballroom and the last time they saw “Golden Road” live, our collective spirit embodied the principle of community.
Yet, in a whole world full of petty wars, “Throwing Stones” unfortunately seems to grow more relevant with each passing day. Political bullshit aside, it’s a fun song that set up one of the day’s highlights, “Cream Puff War”, driven by the insane timekeeping of drummer Dan Donovan, who would also provide an interesting bit of trivia during set break, “I wanted to make sure we worked this one into the setlist today since it’s the only tune (whose lyrics) were written by Garcia.” A short but combustible tune that the Grateful Dead only played in 1966 and 1967, Cosmic did it great justice on this most special day for Deadheads. That, I think, is the beauty of the Grateful Dead and the symbiosis they inspire between the musicians occupying their space and the deadheads taking it all in. Regardless of who’s holding the guitar, we’re all just fans (maybe fanatics would be more appropriate but let’s not parse words).
Another glorious original rocker followed, “Make Me Feel High,” as Wanda, Exalted Ruler of the Fraternal Order of Asbury Elks (I can’t shake the image of Fred Flinstone as Grand Poobah of the Royal Order of Water Buffaloes) made her way to the stage, seemingly intent on having a discussion with each band member during the middle of the song. Fully expecting a buzzkill announcement like “turn it down” or some shit like that, Wanda surprised me at the end of the song by taking the mic and welcoming us all while imploring us to “enjoy the music and the hospitality.” Poor timing aside, it was a nice message.
Taking the break as a chance to confess their hunger and ask for provisions, a familiar drumbeat signalled the start of “Samson & Delilah,” with bassist John “Jelly Roll” Nemeth taking lead vocals. John was a noticeable force on the bass all afternoon and I’m sure glad I had a hand in getting his mix turned up during soundcheck. “Wine Women Rock”, another original, this one with keyboardist Billy Siegel on lead vocals, was so good that one fan felt inspired to drop a tip in the bucket on stage left in the middle of the song.
Even when he’s not singing Dead tunes, Billy still has the Brent Mydland thing going on and I just love his vocals, this last being my favorite of the “Billy” tunes. Lead singer and guitarist Michael Jaskewicz went off script with the next one, a lovely version of Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” before an explosive “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” that closed the set 75 minutes and almost 10,000 steps later.
I love that this band, with a local and loyal following behind them, has the balls to play their own songs in key spots of the set. Opening the second set with “This Fire”, they continue to make the statement that they are so much more than a Dead cover band. I haven’t asked but I suppose that’s why they dropped “Jerry Band” from their moniker, as they seek to grow and develop their own material. I’ve now heard eleven original songs over two shows these past couple of weeks, and here’s to hoping there’s an album release on the horizon.
“Foolish Heart” is always a treat and Jaskewicz characteristically dazzled with both his guitar and his voice. “The Wheel” gave way to “Crooked Tree”, another rockabilly original that really slams as Siegel pounded the black and whites. Some fine setlist wizardry gave an emphatic Siegel the chance to continue stealing this segment of the show with the joyous “Hey Pocky Way” that followed. There would be no MVP, however, on this sun-soaked afternoon, as it was a total team effort. “Run For the Roses” was the first turn through the Jerry Garcia catalog before “We Are Divine,” an original dripping with proggy funk that was one of the best songs of the night, GD or otherwise.
During “Terrapin Station,” I closed my eyes and transported to another time and place, enjoying the simultaneous delicacy and raw power of a song that, from the first time I heard it, literally shaped the rest of my life. The Rolling Stone’s “Loving Cup,” even if it felt more like Phish’s version, rocked like the set closer that it could have been (my notes here simply read, “Sweet Jesus!”), even though there was still a “Loose Lucy” and a “Might As Well” on tap. Singing thank you, for a real good time!
I’d have gone home happy right then and there, fully spent having shared all of my love and energy with the band and the folks around me, but if the band was going to treat us to one (or three) more, I’d dig deep and continue to give all of myself right back. One more original was followed by a pair of JGB tunes, the powerful “Mission In the Rain” and the prayerful “Sisters and Brothers”. “Mission” has long been a personal favorite, a song by Robert Hunter that really paints a picture of the human condition.
Of this song, Garcia, in an interview, once said “Mission in the Rain” was “… a song that might be about me. It’s my life; it’s like a little piece of my life. Hunter writes me once in a while.” I felt every bit of that with Nemeth’s foreboding bass notes and Jaskewicz’ stirring vocals. As for “Sisters and Brothers”, what better way to close the day than with the hopeful gospel of Charles Johnson song popularized by the Jerry Garcia Band, “My Sisters and Brothers.” I’ll leave you with the power of its words …
I wanna say to my sisters and my brothers Keep the faithWhen the storm flies and the wind blows Go on at a steady pace When the battle is fought, and the victory’s won We can all shout together, we have overcome We’ll talk to the Father and the Son When we make it to the promised land If we walk together, little children We don’t ever have to worry Through this world of trouble We gotta love one another Let us take our fellow man by the hand Try to help him to understand We can all be together, forever and ever When we make it to the promised land
18,651 steps on the lawn of the Asbury Elks. Who’d have thunk it???
Setlist
Soundcheck: Beat It On Down the Line
Set One: The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) > Viola Lee Blues, Set Me Free*, Throwing Stones > Cream Puff War > Make Me Feel High*, Samson & Delilah, Wine Women Rock*, When I Paint My Masterpiece, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider
Set Two: This Fire*, Foolish Heart, The Wheel, Crooked Tree*, Hey Pocky Way, Run For the Roses, We Are Divine*, Terrapin Station, Loving Cup, Loose Lucy, Might As Well
Encore: unknown original, Mission in the Rain, My Sisters & Brothers
Philadelphia band Goalkeeper have come through with “Happy,” an upbeat pop punk banger of a track just in time for the dog days of summer.
Full of crunchy power chords, and catchy melodies, “Happy” is the bands first release off of their upcoming EP Life in Slow Motion which will be released this upcoming September 25th on the Lost Music Collective independent label. “Happy” encapsulates everything Goalkeeper have been about thus far; writing nostalgic-flavored pop punk songs from the early 2000s coupled with roaring vocals and hefty breakdowns.
Goalkeeper have proven themselves to be a group who is constantly seeking out new sounds in an effort to push the genre they operate in to the next level. Opening for bands such as State Champs and Real Friends, Goalkeeper are determined to leave their mark on the east coast pop punk scene.
Malik B., a founding member of legendary Philadelphia outfit The Roots has passed away. Born Malik Abdul Basit, he was a recognized member of the iconic hip hop band — which includes Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter — for their first four albums, with his last appearance as a member of the group on 1999’s Grammy-winning Things Fall Apart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uROfXQML7NY
Malik went on to release a solo album in 2005 titled, Street Assault, and a subsequent album in 2015 titled Unpredictable, with record producer Mr. Green. After several years apart, Malik B. was featured on two additional Roots album, including three tracks on 2006’s Game Theory, as well as two tracks from their 2008 album Rising Down.
The Roots, who currently serve as the house band for Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show,” shared Malik B’s passing through a social media post that reads:
“We regretfully inform you of the passing of our beloved brother and longtime Roots member Malik Abdul Basit,” the group said on Twitter. “May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam and innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time. We ask that you please respect his family in our time of mourning.”
We regretfully inform you of the passing of our beloved brother and long time Roots member Malik Abdul Basit. May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam and innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time. We ask that you please respect his family in our time of mourning pic.twitter.com/NVHtb2CFWP
