Jeremy Hilliard has released Long Lives: A Collection of Home Demos that represent the first incarnation of songs that are later worked out and performed by his band PEAK.
Hilliard stresses these are home demos and are very rough around the edges, originally not intended for release. Hilliard recorded them using only an outdated version of Logic Pro X, one 58 mic, one electric and one acoustic guitar, and a little 1.5 octave keyboard. A testament to the raw tracks, he spent no more than a session recording each one. These demos are released ahead of the new PEAK album, due out this September.
About half of the songs on here I’ve been carrying with me for ten years or more, and the other half is from recent writing. These are songs that are super chill and Americana in style, falling outside the usual material I end up presenting to the band. They also seem to be a bit more personal in nature. In fact, I realized recently there’s a full song cycle here, and I engaged Beth to sing the harmony vocals on a lot of these to help finish them, especially as we have lived them all together.
Jeremy Hilliard, PEAK
Enjoy this 35 minute collection of demos from Hilliard, with “extremely homemade” video slideshows. Follow Jeremy Hilliard on Facebook.
Tracklist: Shot In The Dark, Long Lives, While The Days Go On Back Home, Pahrumpadise, Low-Down Fahrenheit Frostburg Blues, The Wind and the Rain, Soulard Wedding, Four Forces, Morning In Brooklyn, Blue Parkway
It’s true, the Music Never Stopped, as Dead and Company will head out on the road this summer, their first shows since Playin in the Sand in January 2020. Dead and Company will embark on a 2021 Summer Tour, making four stops in New York State. Citi Field, Bethel Woods, Darien Lake and SPAC will all find multiple generations of Deadheads traversing the state this summer on a mission to get down.
The most recent New York appearance for Dead and Company was their Halloween run at Madison Square Garden in 2019. The Empire State will have an “Easy Wind” blowing across it later this summer, as Dead and Company comes to Citi Field on Friday, August 20, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Monday, August 23, Darien Lake Amphitheater on Wednesday, August 25, and Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Friday, August 27.
The Capital Region served as the foundation for Dead and Company’s start with their first performance at Times Union Center in Albany on October 29, 2015. John Mayer and Oteil Burbridge joined the band beyond description for “Playing in the Band” as the first tune to start their journey.
To ensure fans get tickets in their hands directly, Fan Registration is now available here until Sunday, May 16 at 10PM PDT, through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program. The Verified Fan Presale begins Wednesday, May 19th at 10 AM local through Thursday, May 20 at 10 PM local venue time. Supplies are limited.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, May 21 at Noon local venue time through Ticketmaster.
A rainbow over SPAC, June 2019
Dead & Company will continue their work with longtime sustainability partner REVERB. This summer the band has committed to a comprehensive carbon offset program via Reverb’s unCHANGEit Climate Campaign, covering all projected emissions from this year’s tour – including fan travel to and from shows. These Dead & Company tour offsets will immediately fund important projects around the world and here at home that directly fight climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.
Dead and Company Summer 2021 Tour will offer a variety of enhanced experience packages that range in amenities from Loose Lucy’s Lounge access and early venue entry to branded lawn chairs and limited-edition screen-printed posters, paired with premium concert tickets. Travel Packages that bundle concert tickets with local accommodations will also be available. All enhanced offerings and travel packages go on sale May 19 at 10AM local venue time. For full details, visit here.
Jerry Garcia’s words and music get to carry another Summer and Fall Tour across the country. This cast certainly knows how to honor his historic improvisational ability while expressing their own voices on it. They have been given the seal of approval from original crew members and fans a like. Six years later it remains the Dead’s biggest revival. Oteil Burbridge doesn’t feel like a stranger for another tour. “When Bill Walton says you’re good, you quit worrying.”
On your way to SPAC, don’t forget that Stewart’s Shops is your ice cream shop! With over 345 shops in 31 counties across New York and southern Vermont, the convenience store chain is known for their fresh &local dairy products. With dozens of choices at the cone counter, you’re bound to find something you love! Try a shake, sundae, or cone today, What’s Your Flavor?
Dead & Company 2021 Tour
Mon-Aug-16 Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park
Wed-Aug-18 Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
Fri-Aug-20 – New York, NY – Citi Field
Sat-Aug-21 Philadelphia, PA – Citizens Bank Park
Mon-Aug-23 Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Wed-Aug-25 Darien, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
Fri-Aug-27 Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Sat-Aug-28 Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
Thu-Sep-02 Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
Fri-Sep-03 Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
Sun-Sep-05 Hartford, CT – The Xfinity Theatre
Tue-Sep-07 Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
Fri-Sep-10 Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
Sat-Sep-11 Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Mon-Sep-13 Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre STL
Wed-Sep-15 Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
Sep 17-18 Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field
Wed-Oct-06 West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
Thu-Oct-07 Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Mon-Oct-11 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
Tue-Oct-12 – Atlanta, GA – Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
FRANK, a Brooklyn based group made up of Christian Linsey (drums and percussion, vocals), Billy Ziff (bass) and Scott Porter (guitar, vocals). On April 23, FRANK released their most recent piece of their already great discography. The title, Dreams and Fears of the Outside, is a perfect reflection of where we are now.
With the opening lyrics, “Things will never be the same now, somehow everything’s the same” FRANK puts forth their most eclectic album to date by changing everything while keeping their unique style intact. With a collection of folksy, lyrically driven tunes and funky dance numbers, this latest release offers something that everyone can enjoy. For that matter, this album is loaded with really unique songs that flow nicely into one another.
The album opens with “The Confusion”. This acoustic track builds brilliantly throughout and transitions into an incredibly danceable song, “New York (How I Feel)”. The group finds their groove here before moving on to a song that sounds like it could be right from The Big Pink. Big credit to the band for being able to span such a vast gamut of styles through the first half of the album. Though each song is so different, there is a cohesiveness to the atmosphere of the record.
The bass goes wild on “Namaste” as the drums groove with a spry pep. The energy picks as the anthemic “Can You Hear Me Now?” injects a bit of a Neil Young with guitarist Scott Porter’s dirty yet wonderfully melodic vocals. “Big Sur” is a great downtempo song with lush harmonies and a really harrowing guitar part that hovers like a cloud above the song. “Have a Good Time” is a beautifully written song. It has everything you want from a Rolling Stones influenced vibe. It still maintains the characteristic heavy drums and renegade guitar that FRANK has been putting on display throughout the record.
The last couple songs are a nice come down from the meaty middle of this release. “Today” is a perfect bookend for the album to pair with the opening track. This whole work is a pleasure to listen to, and as guitarist Scott Porter puts it, “The record is like calling a friend.” While each song oozes influence from past artists, FRANK does a spectacular job of making each tune their own. From top to bottom, there is not a song that you should skip. There is plenty of replay value. Keep on the lookout for more from this group. While they are split between the Catskills and NYC area currently, they are still able to release gems like this while apart. Stream the album and access all streaming platforms here. Check out their YouTube, Instagram and Facebook for more info.
Key Tracks: New York (How I Feel), Have a Good Time, Today
On Saturday, May 8, Pink Talking Fish played at State Theatre of Ithaca, to celebrate the town’s Grateful Dead Day and pay tribute to the Grateful Dead’s 5/8/77 Cornell Show. This year marked the 44th anniversary of the Barton Hall show,
photo by Casey Martin
Fusing Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, PhishandGrateful Dead songs from the May 8, 1977 performance at Cornell, Pink Talking Fish dove deep and honed in on the Dead catalog and the spirit of the original show.
The show is set to rebroadcast Thursday, May 27 on Fans.Live.
photo by Casey Martin
Pink Talking Fish May 8th, 2021 The State Theater Ithaca, NY Set 1: New Minglewood Blues >Happiest Days Of Our Lives >Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 >Another Brick In The Wall Part 3 >Free, They Love Each Other, Nothing But Flowers, Jack Straw, Pigs (3 Different Ones) >This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), Deal, Run Like An Antelope
Set 2: Scarlet Begonias >Fire On The Mountain, Divided Sky >Fearless* >Divided Sky, Crosseyed And Painless, Estimated Prophet >Alumni Blues >Letter To Jimmy Page >Alumni Blues, Wish You Were Here >Not Fade Away >St Stephen Outro >Once In A Lifetime
In an act of courage, Goose took the stage only 30 minutes after the last bolt of lightning struck at The Caverns in Pelham, TN. Rain was imminent. Fans marched deep into the woods, adjacent to a misty cave spitting dragon-like smoke. On the night of May 9, a life-time’s worth of campfire stories materialized.
Peter Anspach (multi-instrument, vocals) playing brand new gear while it becomes soaking wet. Photo by Em Walis
The Connecticut based jam band experienced meaningful growth over the last few years. Fans felt a calling and a reason to travel far and wide. Many were on quests to seek healing after such a painful year. Seekers flew or drove day in and day out in order to find what they were looking for. For many, Goose’s quality live streams provided one small pocket of joy during the COVID-19 shutdown. Those out of work had a reason to find out what day was; especially during the Bingo Tour.
Rick Mitarotonda (guitar/ vocals) channeling a darker feel. Photo by Em Walis
Goose delivered a reflective musical journey. Each song during the first set had a dark undertone. Lights were minimal and intimate. The atmospheric music complemented incoming thunder, lightning, and pouring rain. Upbeat songs like “Butter Rum” were not all fun and games after some lyrical digging.
Ben Atkind (drums) showing intensity during his favorite tune. Photo by Em Walis
During set break, fans were asked to descend into the cave where concerts are typically held in order to take shelter from the storm. There was uncertainty, but spirits remained high. This waiting period built up serious energy in the crowd. Everyone prayed for a collective bargain. If the band could only play a few more songs, they would pay back the energy ten-fold.
Second set precautions. Photo by Em Walis
Goose returned for a heavy hitting, yet positive second set. The power of the crowd pouring out of the cave could only be described as one with dragons. The band was armored with an easy up, and fresh clothes appropriate for the high seas; as well as plenty of towels.
Jeff Arevalo (drums) ready to set sail. Photo by Em Walis
What ensued next was where the deviation in future folktales unfurled. “Madhuvan” roared. The weather cleared. Catharsis achieved. Some reported questioning their state of awakening and considered the probability that they were dreaming. Others briefly contemplated retiring from Goose shows all together in order to end on a high note. The consensus was that the exorcism-like power of “Madhuvan” followed by the reincarnating comfort in “Spirit of the Dark Horse” released everyone from their beasts of burden.
Veteran fans Val Walis (right) and Tony Vasile (left) boogie down to “Don’t Do It” during their fourth of seven Goose shows planned this season. Photo by Em Walis
The rest of the night was light hearted. Pure bliss covered everyone’s face, while mud covered the rest of them.
Happy feet attending Goose in Pelham, TN. Photo by Em Walis
Quests complete and beasts slayed, Goose once again delivered an experience that will last a lifetime. Much appreciation was felt for the crew, band, and fellow attendees for making it an unforgettable night.
Rick Mitarotonda (guitar/ vocals) finding the light. Photo by Em Walis
There are a small handful of tickets left for Goose’s run in Perry, NY. Get them while you can!
Trevor Weekz Bass
Check out an earth-shattering “Madhuvan” below.
Setlist: Atlas (Wood Brothers), Indian River Alternate Ted Version, Butter Rum, Elmeg The Wise, Madhuvan, Spirit of the Dark Horse, Madhuvan Reprise, Doobie Song, Tumble, Don’t Do It (The Band)
Encore: Crosseyed & Painless (Talking Heads), Elmeg The Wise Reprise (Credit Jon Lombardi via El Goose Facebook Page)
After much anticipation, Phish has announced their rescheduled Summer Tour 2021 dates, plus some Fall dates as well.
Included are all the original dates, with venue changes in Georgia and Pennsylvania, some summer shows rescheduled to late August, and additional West Coast dates in October. Fans will have a chance to see them in nearly every part of the country, after a 19-month delay.
For most of the shows that are not newly announced, a limited quantity of tickets are available now as a real-time sale (while supplies last), as well as at public outlets such as Ticketmaster. A limited number of Travel Packages have been released for George, Lake Tahoe, and Commerce City show dates. In Atlantic City, Foundation Tickets as well as Travel Packages are now available here.
The Piedmont Park shows in Atlanta and the Giant Center shows in Hershey have been cancelled, and refunds will be automatic at the point of purchase. Ticketmaster and Phish Tickets will be contacting all buyers directly.
In their place, however, Phish has scheduled new shows in Alpharetta and at Hersheypark Stadium, plus a slew of new west coast dates that are part of a lead-up to a 4-day run in Las Vegas over Halloween. This Fall Tour marks Phish’s first return to Arizona since 2003, and the band’s first show in Sacramento since 1996.
A ticket request period (note: it’s shorter than usual) for all of these newly-announced shows is currently underway at here and will end on Monday, May 17 at 10AM ET. Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning Friday, May 21 at 10AM ET. Travel packages for Las Vegas go on sale Thursday, May 20, 1PM ET here.
Specific ticketing information for each show is available at phish.com/tours.
Phish Summer 2021 Tour dates
July 28 – Walmart AMP, Rogers, AR July 30 – Oak Mountain Amphitheater, Pelham, AL July 31, August 1 – Ameris Bank Amphitheater – Alpharetta, GA August 3-4 – Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN August 6-8 – Ruoff Music Center – Noblesville, IN August 10-11 – Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA August 13-15 – Atlantic City Beach – Atlantic City, NJ August 27-29 – The Gorge Amphitheater – George, WA August 31, September 1 – Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s, Stateline, NV September 3-5 – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, CO October 15 – Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA October 16-17 – Chase Center, San Francisco, CA October 19-20 – Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, OR October 22 – Ak-Chin Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ October 23 – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, CA October 24 – The Forum, Inglewood, CA October 26 – Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA October 28-31 – MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Spring has arrived, and Brooklyn’s PEAK bring with them fresh dates and the world looking ahead to Summer 2021.
For the first announcement in what will be a big year for the band, they’ll release their forthcoming full-length sophomore album, Choppy Water, in September, with a the Brooklyn, NY-based quartet will be hosting an album release show at the Knitting Factory on September 10 (at full capacity), with a support acts to be named very soon.
PEAK Summer 2021 TOUR DATES:
May 30 Yasgur’s May Meltdown, Bethel, NY (PEAK headline Friday) June 17 Stella Blues, New Haven, CT July 10 Electric Haze, Worcester, MA July 17 Snug’s Bar, New Paltz, NY July 23 B.R.Y.A.C. Bridgeport, CT August 26 Tellus 360, Lancaster, PA August 27 Altered State Distellery Erie, PA September 10 ALBUM RELEASE SHOW Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
Watch PEAK perform “Vanishing Skies,” live from the Studio.
The Grateful Dead have always been able to find shelter in Syracuse. Much like the band’s much lauded previous year, 1978 would feature an extensive spring tour up and down the East Coast. 43 years ago, two nights after playing a show at RPI in Troy, NY, the Dead returned back to Syracuse and the Onondaga War Memorial. This would be the fourth of six times they would ever grace this venue, before moving on to a bigger room..er..Dome.
The Syracuse show starts off in interesting fashion with a “Franklin’s Tower” opener. The crowd is instantly engaged, clapping along in unison at the outset. Jerry Garcia’s lead vocals are backed up nicely by fellow guitarist Bob Weir and Donna Jean Godchaux. For an opener, it develops a surprisingly intense little jam that peaks nicely, setting a wonderful tone for the rest of the night. The set then proceeds in a little more customary fashion with Weir next belting out “New Minglewood Blues.” He even throws in a “And I’ll do it again” when singing about stealing women from their men. “Row Jimmy” then slows things down a bit and features a few delicate Garcia guitar solos and more Gochaux-supplied harmonies. Donna Jean and Weir then team up for a beautiful “Looks Like Rain” that has the Syracuse crowd enraptured.
With the exception of the rousing finish to “Looks Like Rain,” the generally relaxed, current vibes carry right over into “Friend Of The Devil,” played ever so slowly and deliberately around another dazzling Garcia guitar run. After some deliberation, “El Paso” is selected, with Weir regaining lead on the classic country-western first set staple. Then it’s Jerry’s turn to sing about “pretty women” as he leads the band through “Candyman.” The Dead finally rev it up a little for the ending of this Syracuse first set, starting with “Passenger.” The harmonies from Weir and Godchaux drive this one as Garcia delivers run after run of pedal steel-sounding guitar licks behind them. This gets a well deserved roar of applause from the War Memorial crowd that soon transitions to the beginning of “Deal,” with more audience clapping in tow. The ending peaks with some absurd harmonies from all singers on stage and a flurry of guitar notes, ending the first set in grandiose fashion while setting hopes high for the second one.
The second set begins with everyone’s favorite crowd management game, “Take A Step Back,” directed, as usual, by Bob Weir, in an effort to keep the people at the front of the stage from getting squished entirely. After some requisite tuning, the percussive intro of “Samson And Delilah” starts up, soon followed by some melodic riffs from Garcia on guitar. This produces a mild jam, with Garcia continuing to riff over the drumming tandem of Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart.
“Ship Of Fools” fills in the two-spot in the second set, much to the Syracuse crowd’s delight. This allows Garcia another chance to drop a poignant guitar solo in the midway through a version that’s rife with energy and emotion. But the highlight of the set may be the extended “Dancin’ In The Street” that comes next, the Dead’s own take on this Martha & The Vandellas number. It’s a funk-laden version, with Garcia relying heavily on his favored Mu-Tron guitar effect early, that later evolves into a full group effort that escalates nicely. It winds up producing one of the longer stretches of pure improvisation and jamming this evening before rounding back into form
This energy carries right over into the “Drums” portion of the evening. And what a portion it is – well more than 15 minutes worth of pure percussive madness. At multiple points, at least one Caribbean-esque steel drum can be heard. After the requisite “Space” chaser, the latter part of this Syracuse show begins to wrap up with another vintage Dead cover selection, “Not Fade Away.” This seems to reenergize the crowd as they once again begin clapping along in time earnestly. A surprisingly intense jam develops between verses, giving this NFA a little extra kick.
Instead of taking things even further, the Dead then slow things down one last time and turn left into “Black Peter.” Another soulful Garcia solo serves as the foundation for this one, with each note, both sung and played, piercing through the sound with ease. Yet another cover closes out the second set, with Weir leading the charge on a wild romp through Chuck Berry’s “Around & Around.” They do a fun little vocal breakdown on this one, with Donna Jean getting in on the act. They bring the volume to near whisper-level, with the Syracuse crowd and their applause overpowering them towards the end. For an encore, the Dead donned Halloween masks and treated everyone to “Werewolves of London,” wrapping up just another ho-hum Syracuse gig.
Bob Weir wearing a wolf mask – shared by Bob Weir’s Facebook page
Grateful Dead Onondaga County War Memorial Syracuse, NY 5/9/78
Set 1: Franklin’s Tower, New Minglewood Blues, Row Jimmy, Looks Like Rain, Friend Of The Devil, El Paso, Candyman, Passenger, Deal
Set 2: Samson & Delilah, Ship of Fools, Dancin’ In The Streets-> Drums-> Not Fade Away-> Black Peter-> Around & Around
Some Kind of Jam 15 went down in Schuylkill Haven, PA from April 29th until May 2nd, 2021. While patrons started showing up Thursday, the main festivities began on Friday and despite unrelenting winds the festival went off in a well oiled fashion. Headlining Friday was Lespecial, eager to play tracks from their latest album, Ancient Homies, in front of a dance happy crowd. Saturday culminated with Colorado jam stalwarts the Magic Beans taking the main stage also with plenty of new material to play with their latest album, Slice of Life, dropping the day prior.
In between mainstage acts, the indoor stage kept revelers entertained and out of the wind. Lee Ross might have been the busiest man on site with no less than five sets throughout the weekend. Other sets of note were the psychedelic stylings of the Iceman Special and a latenight set by up and coming Neighbor that balanced catchy songs and deep jams to the delight of those in attendance.
While many aspects of the live music and festival landscape are still up in the air for 2021, the smiles and revelry of those in attendance at Some Kind of Jam 15 showed that a return to something close to normal is possible in these uncertain times.
Tickets are currently on sale for both one day and two day passes. The event has limited capacity due to the pandemic with only 200 tickets available for each day. While camping and lodging is available through Blackthorne Resort, it is not included with the ticket. Spring Jubilee will be following protocols such as mask wearing to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
