Empire Live has become quite the up and coming venue in 2021 and what better place to host an up and coming band in Ripe, with The Heavy Hours and Max Muscato opening the show on Friday, November 12th.
The Boston based Ripe rolled through Albany in the midst of a long tour taking them through a lot of the Northeast, into Canada, and finishing out the year with two shows for New Years Eve at Irving Plaza on December 30th and 31st. After taking off the month of January their winter tour kicks off in Knoxville and runs through the deep south before heading out to the Midwest.
Set List: Flipside, Downward > Stanky, Escape, Beta Male, Queen of the City, Pretty Dirty > Passerby, Noise in the Forest > First Time Feeling, Bennie and the Jets, 5am, Talk to the Moon > Follow Through > Little Lighter
Flying straight from Orlando’s EDC concert, Zedd moved the party to New York City on Saturday, November 13 in the heart of Times Square, selling out Nebula’s second official opening weekend. Entrancing the crowd with his signature electro house drops and mesmerizing psychedelic LED screens, Zedd’s very presence atop the stage paralleled that of a higher power.
Worshipping crowdgoers welcomed the well decorated German-Russian DJ that has paved the electronic scene for over a decade. Almost on command Zedd wielded his powers, sending chills down several hundred spines starting with the all so notable eerie Squid Game introduction to unleashing the intoxicating beat of Do it Do it from Cherish. His edit of Squid Game x Do it Do it swallowed us into a two hour rave marathon of his GRAMMY winning catalogue.
Certainly a renowned powerhouse EDM DJ virtuoso, he reminded us how he single handedly shaped the soundscape of the early 2010s era starting his set with Stay the Night (feat. Hayley Williams) and The Middle. Immediately working the crowd with nostalgia of the good ‘ol days, Zedd was just as excited to see fans memorize his every lyric. The DJ, songwriter, and record producer found himself infected with his own rhythms jumping relentlessly with one proud fist in the air. Sampling Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby” we were lured away from Zedd’s originals, unlocking edits of Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy” and Daft Punk’s “One More Time”.
Palms open and looking to the sky Zedd was able to contact his fellow EDM gods for countless thick heavy bass drops thrumming the dance floor to fuel ceaselessy dancing fans.
Zedd made full use of New York City’s newest club. The all encompassing LED screens put on acclaimed painted visuals taking club goers soaring through space, inside futuristic tunnels, and swimming through vortexes. Combined with synchronized strobe lights pointed every which way, Zedd provided a full sensory performance. A true connoisseur, prolonging each beat drop gearing us for the high intensity ultimate of euphoric choruses from “Spectrum” even singing along to Ariana Grande’s “Break Free” with the rest of us.
The sheer intimacy of the soldout 700 person max venue aided in creating a closer bond to the almost untouchable DJ. His charisma could be felt all the way in the back depths of the club. In a sly attempt to hide his celebrity, he occasionally appeared as a mere shadow letting his LED lightshow dictate the concert along while waving just one finger in the air, complete with a drink in the other. His limited check-ins with the crowd and bright let us know was enjoying it all as much as we were, basking in the glory of the name he has made for himself.
The EDM scene is often believed to be crafted around drugs that claim to fully encapture each performance, yet the community projects carefree and accepting energy builds families on the dance floor. He made it almost impossible not to become best friends with strangers entranced by his music. when erupting countless climax of euphoric woes with every bass drop. Each inevitable buildup releasing to well crafted high intensity drops cooked up an addicting recipe that fans could not get enough of.
To pull in the rails of the night, Zedd cranked his signature “Clarity” with one last remark, “New York! My name is Zedd and I f****** love you! Put your hands up if you had a great time.” One last drop erupted the climax of the night matched with bursts of confetti and fog covering roaring fans and blaring kick drums. His first GRAMMY winning song made way for ubiquitous dancing closing the night with unbelievable insanity. Classic Zedd.
Will Smith, the world-famous actor, musician, and producer, stopped by Kings Theatre in Brooklyn on November 9th for his book tour to promote his self-titled memoir “Will”. Moderated by legendary film director Spike Lee, Smith elaborated on parts of his unusual path to super-stardom for a sold-out audience. What makes Will Smith such a compelling actor and public figure was on full display that night.
Will Smith & Spike Lee at Kings Theatre, 11/09/21. Photo by Kunal Khunger
Will Smith is a legendary figure in Hollywood, having been only actor to have starred in eight consecutive films which grossed over $100 million in the United States box office. He’s a blockbuster legend and a huge cultural figure for a wide variety of age groups. The sold-out crowd was filled with people from various ages and backgrounds, just showing how wide of a reach Will Smith’s films have had on all of us, which doesn’t even include his big break, the hugely popular 90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Will Smith & Spike Lee at Kings Theatre, 11/09/21. Photo by Kunal Khunger
Accompanied by a massive visual board, Will and Spike walked through some of his biggest moments, ranging from Will’s impromptu audition for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for producer Quincy Jones to the recent death of his father. Will’s father, Will Smith Sr., casts a shadow over the whole book and the conversations he had on stage. Will has referred to his father in the book as “his biggest ally and his biggest enemy”, which only sheds a little light on how complex their relationship was. While Will spoke about how grateful he was for the lessons his father bestowed on him about hard work, there was still intense resentment due to Will Smith Sr. having been an alcoholic abuser for most of Will’s childhood. Watching the famously guarded Will Smith work through his traumatic experiences on stage was fascinating.
Will Smith & Spike Lee at Kings Theatre, 11/09/21. Photo by Kunal Khunger
In spite of the dark subject matter, Will really showed why he is who he is. I’ve rarely ever seen anybody so charming and naturally humorous. Even as an audience member, his charisma was too bright to ignore. You couldn’t help but fall under his spell, which is a testament to Will Smith’s ability as both a showman and a storyteller.
After having spoken to the audience about his life, Will unveiled a surprise and brought out DJ Jazzy Jeff, his old partner during his rapper days, to perform some of the old hits they were both famous for. They ran through classics like “Summertime,” “Switch,” and even the famous “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song. I would not have guessed that in 2021 I’d see Will Smith perform these hits live, which was quite the experience.
Will Smith & Spike Lee at Kings Theatre, 11/09/21. Photo by Kunal Khunger
Will Smith has one last stop of his book tour in London on Thursday, November 18th. You can see more details here. Be sure to check out the full photo gallery below!
Prior to the tour closing performance of Dave Matthews Band at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 13, frontman Dave Matthews introduced Dumpstaphunk, who would open the evening’s festivities. Sharing with the sold out New York City audience that he was so damn lucky,
I got to listen to sound check yesterday with Dumpstaphunk and then I got to listen to them last night, then at sound check again today. So you guys only got two, by the end of this set I’ll have four. This is one of my favorite bands in the world. This band also saved my life but that’s a different story anyway have a good time with my friends Dumpstaphunk
Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Matthews’ story was referring to his sold out Labor Day weekend shows at The Gorge where Tony Hall of Dumpstaphunk and company helped sit in to perform three nights of Dave’s music on the spot. DMB keyboardist Buddy Strong sat behind the drums and Tony Hall held the low end down on bass & backing vocals. It was as an alternate format to help the shows go on without Carter Beauford and Stefan Lessard’s rhythm section for the first time in thirty years.
A similar situation of musical chairs unfolded at Madison Square Garden as saxophonist Jeff Coffin was forced to sit out the two-night run. Rashawn Ross opened Leroi Moore’s original brass section to Ben Golder-Novick, Alex Wasily and Ashlin Parker to the 7th Avenue stage. The Dumpstaphunk horns sat in on “Cornbread” and a “Jimi Thing” that led to a cover of Sly Stone’s “I Want To Take You Higher.”
Ben Golder-Novick, who was only a guest at New York’s Irving Plaza for a Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds acoustic set in January of 2018, was on saxophone for every song. Dave kept the big door open by calling him a day before the weekend shows to send the invite.
Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Tim Reynolds sat in during Dumpstaphunk’s MSG debut set for their cover of Buddy Miles “United Nations Stomp” on Friday night. The song has been considered for the 2022 Best American Roots Performance Grammy. Saturday night’s set included a special guest spot by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds for Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On.” Tony and Dave traded howls on Robert Plant’s words…I gotta keep on searching for my baby.
It marked the first time Tim, Dave, and Tony played the Empire State together since they encored with Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain” at Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena for the Dave Matthews and Friends Some Devil Tour in December 2003. It was reminiscent of Dave sitting in with the Funky Meters in Albany in 2000 as well. Tony Hall told NYS music, “What’s so bad ass about Dave is that he sounds like nobody but himself, it’s like no other shit.”
Dave Matthews Band celebrated their 25th anniversary at Madison Square Garden this November. It was the last stop of their 2021 tour that included shows in Syracuse and Saratoga Springs. They performed 23 songs each night, filled with originals, covers, and tour debuts.
Friday night’s show that was broadcast live on Sirius XM channel 30 included the debut of “Mad Man’s Eyes” which Dave simply said is about a crazy man. “So Damn Lucky,” off Dave’s 2003 Some Devil record, resonated so right for all those who’ve had close calls in the crowd. The crowd replied singing in unison to Sly Stone’s “Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again.”
Tony Hall told NYS Music about his recording experience on Some Devil. “I had a lot of fun with that record. some of my favorite songs were So Damn Lucky and the end jam on Too High is killing”
Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Dave goes to the city with the car horns, corners and the gritty during “Proudest Monkey.” Buddy Strong and Tim Reynolds stretched out great jams during “Typical Situation” and “Lie in Our Graves.” Friday night’s encore included a “Two Step” left unfinished by the band as they launched into a chilling version of “Halloween.” It turned back the clocks, buried the past, and sent the crowd trick or treating into the Manhattan night.
Saturday night’s tour closing show at the world’s most famous arena was a celebration with DMB family, friends, and their legendary crew. Dave made sure to thank all of his on road family that made this crazy year’s tour possible each night. “After this year to be in New York City and Madison Square Garden is overwhelming. Its like damn how did I get here?”
Dave Matthews Tour Bus
They wasted no time encouraging all at the Garden party to eat, drink, and be merry with a “Tripping Billies” opener. Matthews played his deepest cut “Stay or Leave,” off the Some Devil album as well. The rare “Water in to Wine” made its way round and round again for the first time in 2021.
Tim Reynolds told NYS Music about an experience he had at Madison Square Garden during a Sting & Peter Gabriel performance. “When Peter did The Rhythm of the Heat with both bands I screamed like a woman and I only have one vocal chord.” Tim was able to feed in the rhythm from the stage at MSG with Dave Matthews treating the New York crowd to a killing version of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer.”
The band welcomed the Dumpstaphunk horns to the world’s most famous stage for “Cornbread.” During the improvisational classic “Jimi Thing,” the brass section helped launch Dave to sing on Sly Stone’s classic “ I Want To Take You Higher.” It helped solidify the funk vibe that was in the air both nights.
During Saturday night’s encore Matthews performed his moving “Christmas Song” that helped flicker some holiday lighting inside the Garden. Before these crowded streets of DMB’s 43-city tour came “The Last Stop.” This fitting jam during the final encore was left unfinished as it segued into Carter Beauford’s iconic snare drum hit to kick into “Ants Marching” to end the performance.
Dumpstaphunk and Dave Matthews Band made this another two-night run of legendary entertainment history at the World’s Most Famous Arena. The custom basketball jerseys helped count it in.
New Yorker Carrie Band-Leshin told NYS music at MSG, “I’ve been seeing him since he played the Wetlands club in Tribeca until now, its like the same shirt on a different day though. I’ve never seen him play any song the same way twice this whole time.” Dave Matthews told the Garden, “I remember coming here when I was a little kid for the Barnum and Bailey three ring Circus. Just to tell you how old I am.”
Dumpstaphunk Setlists
November 12, 2021 – Dancin to the Truth, I Wish You Would, Let’s Get At It, Where Do We Go, Justice, United Nation Stomp*
*Buddy Miles cover with Tim Reynolds
November 13, 2021 – Meanwhile…., Do You, Make it After All, Street Parade, Ramble On**
**Led Zeppelin cover with Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)
Dave Matthews Band Setlists
November 12, 2021 – That Girl is You, Best of whats Around, Crush, Sweet, Funny the Way it is, Don’t Drink the Water, Again & Again, So Damn Lucky, Why I Am, Proudest Monkey, Satellite, Madmans Eyes, What Would You Say?, Lie in Our Graves, So Much to Say, Too Much, Everyday, Grey Street Encore: Two Step >Halloween
November 13, 2021 – Tripping Billies, Dancing Nancies, Warehouse, Stay or Leave, You Might Die Trying, Lying in the Hands of God, You & Me, She. Grace is Gone, Song That (bridget) Jane Likes-> Water in to Wine, Pantala Naga Pampa->Rapunzel, Sledgehammer*, #41, Cornbread**, Jimi Thing**, Where are You Going?, What You Are, Stay Encore: Christmas Song, The Last Stop >Ants Marching
*Peter Gabriel Cover ** Ashlin Parker & Alex Wasily trombone & trumpet
It was a night full of incredible music at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls on November 9th as Daughtry, Sevendust, Tremonti and Travis Bracht rocked the stage for the Dearly Beloved tour.
Daughtry tearing it up at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
The first performance of the night was brought by Travis Bracht with a voice that could pierce right through your heart.
Following him was the band Tremonti. Their drummer was ill so the audience got to see a totally different side of the band as they performed a totally acoustic set for the first time ever.
Tremonti at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
The rock show took off with Sevendust, and who has been around since about ’94 and they are still amazing. Their fans knew every single word to every single song.
Daughtry, lead by American Idol Season 5 contestant Chris Daughtry, nailed their set. Daughtry’s voice is as smooth as ever, plus, his talent and charisma are tough to match, yet the rest of the band was right at his level.
It was a night filled with refreshing, post-grunge rock that was just what this crowd needed.
Daughtry Setlist: Desperation, World on Fire, Changes Are Coming, No Surprise, Dearly Beloved, Evil, Home, Waiting for Superman, Break Into My Heart, It’s Not Over, Heavy Is the Crown, The Victim, Lioness, September, Over you, Asylum
Chris Daughtry at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Daughtry at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Chris Daughtry at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Chris Daughtry at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Sevendust at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
John Connolly of Sevendust at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Clint Lowery and Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Mark Tremonti of Tremonti at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Tremonti at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Eric Friedman of Tremonti at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Travis Bracht at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Travis Bracht at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Live from the legendary Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, critically acclaimed Brooklyn band The Antlers recently emerged from hibernation for their first show in over two years. Playing their latest studio album, Green to Gold, in its entirety followed by a second set of career spanning material, the enthralling, emotional, and dream-like performance on October 22, 2021 was nothing short of awe-inspiring. The road to get there, however, was a long time coming.
Rising to prominence in 2009 with their breakthrough masterpiece Hospice, a semi-autobiographical concept album that tells the story of a hospice worker falling in love with a terminal cancer patient, The Antlers had not released any new music since 2014’s Familiars. It was later revealed in 2017 that primary songwriter and bandleader Peter Silberman had quietly stepped away from the band after being diagnosed with permanent, career threatening tinnitus and vocal lesions. The Antlers would remain silent until October 2020 when seemingly out of the blue, they released a single for “Wheels Roll Home” and officially announced their first album in seven years, Green to Gold would be released in March of 2021 via Anti Records/Transgressive.
While no touring plans were made in support of the album, the band confirmed a special one-time only performance of Green to Gold would soon take place at the most storied barn in the Catskill Mountains. For diehard fans, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more perfect setting than Levon Helm Studios.
For those who didn’t already know, some free advice: arriving late to a show at Levon’s is like being late to church on communion Sunday; there’s simply no way to enter without being disruptive. The ‘last minute Larry’s’ on this particular night found that out the hard way when classically trained jazz minimalist David Moore of Bing & Ruth kicked off the evening with a beautifully subdued piano recital. The acoustics in the room so clear, every footstep and whisper of the late arrivals was heard. Unphased by any of it, Moore’s focused, cinematic set was but a precursor to the splendor yet to come.
After a brief intermission, it was finally time for a performance that was years in the making: The return of The Antlers. A must-see bucket list band for some, one person I spoke with at set break confessed they traveled all the way from Minnesota to Woodstock for this one-time-only, once in a lifetime show. Spoiler: the band did not disappoint.
Bathed in lavender light and taking the stage to a chorus of cheers and smiling faces, the mood gradually turned dead serious as a chorus of cicadas and crickets soon engulfed the room. Just like on the studio album, The Antlers opened with the first track off Green to Gold, a dreamy, ethereal, post-rock styled instrumental called “Strawflower.” Each of the four members adding a new layer of sound and texture while joining in one by one, it wasn’t until “Wheels Roll Home” that we would hear the instrument most vital to The Antlers signature sound, Peter Silberman’s remarkable voice.
Showcasing his impressive vocal range through half-sung/half-whispered melodies that often guide the listener to an astonishing falsetto peak, when you hear Silberman sing in person, you know you are witnessing a special talent. A vulnerable, rare kind of performer who can effortlessly send shivers up your spine or tears down your face on any given song; an artist willing risk it all for the sake of his craft, defying doctors’ orders after being told he may never perform again. Sounding magnificent on this cool autumn night at the barn, hearing Silberman pour his heart out to a live audience felt like nothing short of a blessing.
Describing “Wheels Roll Home” as “a simple song about the hopeful promise of reunion after a long time gone, the experience of waiting out tumultuous times and longing for stability,” Silberman touches on a theme most can relate to, particularly in the wake of the global pandemic. Never a band to shy away from difficult, dark and emotional subject matter, their bread and butter since the beginning, just two songs into the set and you could feel a sense of renewed optimism from The Antlers, something rarely heard on their previous albums.
Up next came a beautiful song called “Solstice”, co-written with long time Antlers drummer Michael Lerner (who opted to play on Levon’s vintage red kit instead of his own), the band describes the tune as a “flashback to the infinite days of peak childhood summer, innocent barefoot hikes, staying outside all afternoon and late into the evening, well past it being too dark to see. But it’s remembered from the vantage of a present day that feels unbearably long rather than joyously endless. It’s an invocation of those simpler times, an attempt to conjure the lightness of youth, before life got so damn complicated.”
Building on the soul-searching mood, the introspective journey continued with “Stubborn Man” before fading out into a sea of ethereal ambience that left the mesmerized crowd in stunned silence. As the emotional weight and integrity of the band’s performance grew with each successive song, up next came one of the biggest standouts of the evening “Just One Sec,” a song that noticeably left several people in tears.
“I’ll free you from the person I was sure I knew I’ll free you from a reputation you outgrew I’ll free you from behavior I’d expect to see And my interpretation of history ‘Cause I boxed you in unconsciously And I saw you and I thought you ought to be But by loving you imperfectly For just one sec, I’ll free you from me”
“Just One Sec”
Segueing perfectly into another song about hindsight came “It Is What It Is.” Also written by Silberman and Lerner, the richly textured song tackles the topic of learning from your mistakes, asking the listener to ponder “what might have changed had you handled things differently back then, and the reluctant acceptance that it’s too late for all that now.” The Antlers then seamlessly worked their way into “Volunteer” before transitioning to the hypnotic title track of their latest album, “Green to Gold,” a song that contemplates the inevitability of life and it’s ever-changing seasons. The gentle soul-searching sway of “Porchlight” lead us to the album closer, bookending the set with another languid, post-rock influenced instrumental called “Equinox.” The relaxing, layered groove would simply dither out and conclude the Green to Gold portion of the show the same way it began, in chorus of crickets and cicadas.
After a short brake, the emotionally elated audience welcomed The Antlers back for round two. There was no mystery during the opening set, but now it was anyone’s guess. Opting to go with the opening track from 2014’s Familiars was the beautifully brilliant song “Palace.” From there we were treated to back-to-back songs from the bands critically acclaimed album Hospice, first was “Atrophy,” then perhaps the most well-known song of the evening, just down the road from Bearville, came “Bear.”
“We’ll play charades up in the Chelsea Drink champagne although you shouldn’t be We’ll be blind and dumb until we fall asleep None of our friends will come They dodge our calls And they have for quite a while now It’s not a shock You don’t seem to mind and I just can’t see how”
“Bear”
After the stellar rendition of “Bear” was the bittersweet anthem “Parade.” Taking a moment between songs to clear his throat with a large drink of water, you just knew whatever was next, Silberman was going to give it everything he had left. As the richly textured, dream-like melody of “Corsicana” began, a tangible “hairs-on-the-back of your neck, get your cell phone out and record this” feeling swept over the audience. The only song to be played from 2011’s Burst Apart, it was then that Silberman uncorked one of the most unbelievable, heartfelt falsetto croons these ears have ever heard; one that still gives me shivers just thinking about it. Following an extended well-deserved applause, we were treated to one final thought-provoking number, a little-known song written by Silberman, but never released by The Antlers called “Ahimsa.”
“Time is all we have, I hope I have enough
Enough to show you love before my time is up
Before you wake the dead, take a pause
Instead of deafening nonsense, share silence
No violence today
No violence, no violence, no violence today”
“Ahimsa”
With an extraordinary end to an extraordinary evening, the band members then took center stage and hugged it out with each other first before bowing to the standing ovation. Not just a special night for fans who thought they’d never live to see an Antlers performance, but a special night for the band themselves. Coming full circle and finding perspective by letting nature run its course, time has been good to The Antlers. From writing somber songs in a Brooklyn bedroom, to playing Green to Gold in a legendary barn surrounded by friends, family, and some of their biggest fans, those who were lucky enough to be at Levon Helm Studios on this night will never forget it.
As the season for “best of the year” lists rapidly approaches, be skeptical of any that does not include The Antlers and 2021’s Green to Gold. Seven years in the making, this is an album that will stand the test of time.
The Antlers – Levon Helm Studios – Woodstock, NY – 10/22/2021
Set 1: Strawflower, Wheels Roll Home, Solstice, Stubborn Man, Just One Sec, It Is What It Is, Volunteer, Green to Gold, Porchlight, Equinox
Set 2: Palace, Atrophy, Bear, Parade, Corsicana, Ahimsa
Phish let it all hang out in the final night of their four-run night run in Las Vegas, which served as the final stop of their 2021 Fall Tour. The customary three-set performance featured a mix of old fashioned originals blended with a brand new gimmick of assuming a different band’s identity.
The first set opened with “Buried Alive” and only picked up from there. A highlight of the entire show was the mammoth “Ghost” played in the first set which seemed to contain about four to five distinctly different jams within. A first set “Wolfman’s Brother” also had a little extra meat on its bones as well. The first set later closed with an awkward-starting but ferociously-ending “David Bowie.”
For the musical costume set, Phish took the stage as Sci-Fi Soldier, a band “from the year 4680,” a number that had been thrown around by the band all weekend. Adorned in spacesuit-like costumes that each reflected a different color pattern ,the band “teleported” to the stage and proceeded to drop almost two hours of new intergalactic space rock that no one had ever heard before.
With the occasional nod to 2018’s costume of Kasvot Voxt, song titles included “The Ninth Cube” and the opening “Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue’ was accompanied by more in depth choreography from Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon at the front of the stage. Another song called “The Howling” seems ripe to be paired with a “2001” at a show in the near future. Instead of the traditional Phishbill this year, a comic book detailing the four characters and their back story was handed out before the show, which contained all the song names for the set as well.
The band was hard pressed to follow up such a spectacle of a second set but began the third set with a powerful “Carini” that somehow made its way into the mellow, laid back “Lonely Trip.” “Soul Planet” got the MGM Grand Arena up and rocking but the emotional contrasts continued throughout the final set with a fairly mellow “Twist” and a “Drift While You’re Sleeping.” Finally, “Harry Hood” served as the encore, which was more than a proper song for the entire venue to let out some emotion in a big way for the final time in this epic four-night Vegas run.
Set 1: Buried Alive, Roses Are Free > Ghost, Wolfman’s Brother, Kill Devil Falls > Free, David Bowie
Set 2: Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue[1], Get More Down[1], Egg in a Hole[1], Thanksgiving[1], Clear Your Mind[1] > The 9th Cube[1], The Inner Reaches of Outer[1], Don’t Doubt Me[1], The Unwinding[1], Something Living Here[1], The Howling[1], I Am in Miami[1]
Set 3: Carini > Lonely Trip, Soul Planet > Death Don’t Hurt Very Long > Twist, Drift While You’re Sleeping
Encore: Harry Hood [1] Debut
For the second set, the band’s “musical costume” was all debuted originals, performed as the invented band Sci-Fi Soldier (a 14-page comic book distributed upon entry detailed the group’s adventure to save the planet). For that set, the band performed in elaborate costumes (helmets and all), with alternate instruments (Trey on a BCR Mockingbird), each playing within a flashing/glowing shape (two circles and two squares), after descending (in the form of holograms) from the ceiling in cylinders of colored light. Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue included extended choreography by Trey and Mike. During Get More Down, matching upright geometric shapes danced around behind the band, reducing to the two circles overlapped by Egg in a Hole, which featured pyrotechnics. Before Clear Your Mind, Trey introduced the band as from the year 4680 (the total of the October 28, 2021 songs as noted during that night’s encore-ending Grind). During The 9th Cube, there were projections of donuts and turtles on a cube above the band. Fireworks rained down on the stage during The Inner Reaches of Outer. For I Am in Miami, Trey switched to an acoustic guitar and the band stood together at stage front with the four-mic a cappella setup. After the set, the band departed as holograms back up the colored tubes. The start of Harry Hood included alternate lyrics (Holy Blankenstein). Soul Planet contained Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue and Don’t Doubt Me quotes.
Legendary punk rockers Bad Religion stopped by the Hammerstein Ballroom Friday October 29, 2021 as part of their 40th Anniversary tour. The tour was originally scheduled for last year but was postponed due to Covid-19. The supporting acts include co-headliners Alkaline Trio and openers War On Women.
War On Women is a feminist harcore-punk band from Baltimore. After being inspired by the riot grrl bands that started in the nineties, Shawna Potter and Brooks Harlan formed War On Women in 2010. Their debut album was a six-song EP titled Improvised Weapons released in 2012. Their newest album Wonderful Hell was released last year on Bridge Nine Records. The bands current lineup includes Shawna Potter (lead vocals), Brooks Harlan (guitar), Jennifer Vito (guitar), Suzanne Werner (bass) and Dave Cavalier (drums).
Alkaline Trio has been described as pop punk, punk rock, emo and harcore punk. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Matt Skiba (vocals, guitar), Dan Andriano (vocals, bass) and Derek Grant (drums, vocals). They started their eighteen song set Friday night with “Private Eye” from their 2011 album FromHere to Infirmary. The crowd was amped as the trio got into some even older songs like “We’ve Had Enough” and “Nose Over Tail.” They also did a few songs from their newest album Is This Thing Cursed? released in 2018. The set ended with “Radio” from their second album Maybe I’ll Catch Fire released in 2000. The crowd was now well primed for the anticipated headliners.
Bad Religion came out and played a 22 song set that spanned their entire 40 year career from their first LP How Could Hell Be Any Worse? all the way to their latest album Age of Unreason. They started with “New Dark Ages” but quickly got into older classics like “Modern Man” and “Recipe For Hate”. As soon as they started playing I felt like it was twenty years ago and I was back at Roseland Ballroom. They sound exactly the same as did then and the mosh pit was just as rough as I remember it. You can definitely feel more energy during certain songs, especially the older ones like “I Want To Conquer The World,” and “Better Off Dead” which was the first time they played it live. I was very excited to finally see BR post covid and they did not disappoint. The band is the same, Greg Graffin (lead vocals), Jay Bentley (bass), Brian Baker (guitar), Mike Dimkich (guitar), and Jamie Miller (drums). This tour ends on November 27th in Hollywood, CA. You can see the rest of the dates here.
War On Women Setlist: YDTMHTL, Divisive Shit, White Lies, Lone Wolves, Big Words, Aqua Tofana, Predator In Chief, Silence Is the Gift, The Ash Is Not the End
Alkaline Trio Setlist: Private Eye, We’ve Had Enough, Blackbird, Is This Thing Cursed?, I Wanna Be Warhol, Nose Over Tail, Every Thug Needs A Lady, Cringe, Clavicle, Armageddon, Mercy Me, Emma, In Vein, Continental, Warbrain, Fine, This Could Be Love, Radio
Bad Religion Setlist: New Dark Ages, Modern Man, Recipe For Hate, Los Angeles Is Burning, Fuck You, Chaos From Within, Epiphany, I Want To Conquer The World, 21st Century (Digital Boy), Damned To Be Free, Man With A Mission, Murder, Better Off Dead, Candidate, Do What You Want, No Control, Generator, You, Infected, Sorrow, American Jesus Encore: We’re Only Gonna Die
Canadian singer-songwriter Frazey Ford brought her calming presence to a sold-out crowd at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn on Oct. 28, 2021.
The folk-soul artist beautifully belted hits such as “One More Cup of Coffee” and “Blue Streak Mama” to the gleeful audience. While most of her setlist was relaxing and down-tempo, Ford made sure to intersperse some higher-tempo songs such as “Done” and “September Fields” to get the audience dancing.
In between songs, the mother of two shared stories, engaging with the crowd and making the performance even more intimate. Sharing her experiences from performing in L.A. the day prior and speaking on the cultural differences between Los Angeles and New York City. Most notably, she went on to divulge some information about her “hippie” parents, who named her Frazey Ford and allowed her brothers to choose her middle name. As she laughed off the memories, she continued, revealing that her brothers decided on the name Obadiah, who was their pet cat that had recently run away.
Rolling into Las Vegas on a tour chock full of surprises and jaw-dropping jams, Phish took a stroll “Backwards Down the Number Line,” playing a series of numerical songs throughout the night.
Opening with “2001” (Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra”) for a spacy intro to the night, and the first such opening slot for “2001” since 1999, appropriately segued into Prince’s “1999.” Two songs in, both with numbers, might not give away the gag, but when “555” and “46 Days” followed, it became apparant to some what was unfolding on night one of Phish’s four night run.
An additional bustout of “Strawberry Letter 23” by Shuggie Otis followed, with “Twenty Years Later” wrapping up the set with an exclamation point. With setbreak upon the crowd, discussion revolved around “Seven Below” and “Character Zero” which ended up bookending the set – the songs in between were remarkable in their choice and execution.
Hendrix’s “If 6 Was 9” featured Trey Anastasio strapping on a Koa2 guitar, and as one Twitter user pointed out, detuned his guitar, in pure Hendrix style. If a spacy psychedelic bustout wasn’t enough, David Bowie’s “Five Years” followed, performed for only the second time, the first being performed in the same room, five years prior (almost to the day).
A jammed out “Two Versions of Me” fell into “NO2,” with its trippy dentist chair narration from Mike Gordon. A handful of “1” songs followed, with “Army of One,” “My Sweet One” and “First Tube,” followed by the expected and regular set closer, “Character Zero.”
To cap the set off, “Backwards Down the Number Line” was properly played, with Phish walking to stage right to sing a capella to sing “Grind,” but instead of adding up their age in days, they added up the song numbers, leading to the sum 4680. A mysterious tweet from Phish followed, leading fans to speculate what it means, if anything, leading into Sunday’s Halloween show, where speculation is both a trick and a treat.
Setlist via Phish.net
Phish – MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV 10/28/21
Set 1: Also Sprach Zarathustra, 1999 > 555 > 46 Days, Strawberry Letter 23 > Twenty Years Later
Set 2: Seven Below > If 6 Was 9 > Five Years > Two Versions of Me->NO2, Army Of One, My Sweet One, First Tube > Character Zero
