Legendary rock groups Dispatch and O.A.R. will share the stage together in summer 2022, with a 37 date tour announced this past week. The two groups will make their way through New York in August 2022, with shows in Saratoga Springs (SPAC), Lewiston (Artpark) and Long Island (Jones Beach). The tour kicks off in June, and will find the two groups joined by special guests Robert Randolph Band (July 15-August 10) and G. Love (August 12-September 10).
Dispatch and O.A.R. each got their start in the mid-90s as indie rock groups with a jam/roots vibe, performing on the same lineups, occasionally mistaken for each other and after 25 years, finally collaborating together.
For the first three or four years of our career, we’d often see each other kind of weaving in and out of each other’s storylines. Then we didn’t see each other for a long time but there was always this idea that we eventually would get together. I think it was just a matter of everyone figuring out how their own individual lives fit with the band, and so the planets just kind of aligned.
Tickets for the tour will be on sale at Noon on December 6, with public on-sale starting December 10 at Noon. For tickets or more information, click here.
Dispatch & O.A.R. 2022 Tour
7/15 – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Amphitheatre
7/16 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
7/17 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
7/19 – Paso Robles, CA – Vina Robles Amphitheatre
7/20 – Rohnert Park, CA – SOMO Village Event Center
7/22 – Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater
7/23 – Redmond, WA – Marymoor Park
7/24 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater
7/28 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
7/29 – Salt Lake City, UT – Venue TBD
7/30 – Denver, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
8/5 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
8/6 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
8/7 – Columbus, OH – EXPRESS LIVE!
8/9 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
8/10 – St. Louis, MO – St. Louis Music Park
8/12 – Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
8/13 – Highland Park, IL – Ravinia Festival *on-sale spring 2022
8/14 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre Freedom Hill
8/15 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
8/18 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at the Mann
8/19 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
The Egg was packed this past Wednesday, December 1st, for two legendary groups: The Midnight Ramble Band and Hot Tuna. Fans of both groups were present and full of energy from the moment The Ramble Band took the stage. Throughout the night, these concert-goers cheered on what proved to be a clinic in musicianship.
(Pictured left to right: Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Amy Helm, and Jim Weider)
There’s a reason most bands have three to five members: because it’s really freakin’ hard to play in large groups. The Ramble Band’s ten members, however, made it look easy. This ensemble had no defined leader, and the crowd’s attention was masterfully directed all over the stage. It seemed as though each and every song featured a different band member taking over lead vocals, while different groups of instruments took the spotlight during breakdowns.
Larry and Jim led the way on guitar while Adam and Tony kept the groove going on bass and drums. Their parts were punctuated by the horn section, who left plenty of room for Amy and Teresa to steal the show with their powerful vocal performances. The crowd appreciated The Ramble Band’s high energy set that showcased each member’s raw talent.
(Pictured left to right: Brian Mitchell, Larry Campbell, Teresa WIlliams, Steven Bernstein, Erik Lawrence, Jay Collins, Amy Helm, Adam Minkoff, Jim Weider, and Tony Leone)
The Midnight Ramble Band and its members can be seen performing at Levon Helm Studios – Woodstock, NY, and across the country. Check out their future shows here.
(Jack Casady: bass, Justin Guip: drums, Jorma Kaukonen: guitar/vocals)
After The Midnight Ramble Band, Hot Tuna took the stage, and the blues rock trio picked up right where the big band left off. Jorma and Jack have been playing together since they were teenagers, and both went on to join Jefferson Airplane in 1965. This close connection was evident from the start of the set as the duo locked into their groove.
The crowd peppered the show with shouts of “WOO!” and “HOT TUNA!” throughout the night as Jorma and Jack showed The Egg just how sharp they are. The duo played through their set with strong intention; Jack’s grooves were full of space, and Jorma’s licks followed suit. Their music seemed to breathe while notes were held, ringing out, allowing their tones to fully develop. By the end of the night there was no question about the fact that Hot Tuna and The Egg are a perfect match.
Hot Tuna are closing out the Northeast leg of their tour on Dec. 4 at The Capitol Theatre, then Dec. 5 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, then finally on Dec. 7 at Carnegie of Homestead Music – Munhall, PA. For all dates, visit their website.
Authentic Americana spirit was alive and well in Albany on Wednesday evening at The Egg, as critically acclaimed singer/songwriter M.C Taylor and his band, Hiss Golden Messenger, unhatched an inspired, genre defying, career spanning stellar performance that fans fortunate to be in attendance won’t soon forget.
Bolstered by a surprise sit-in from Amy Helm (Levon’s daughter) on a barn-burning cover of the Grateful Dead classic “Bertha,” the intimate evening with arguably one of ‘this generation’s most relatable lyricists” was the kind of thing that left you feeling human again. A special kind of show you walked away from thinking perhaps you just had a rare brush with true musical greatness.
If you’ve never heard of Hiss Golden Messenger before, there’s plenty of back catalog to sink your teeth into. Now with 12 studio albums to their credit, it would be inappropriate to merely label HGM as “Indie Folk,” as they so often are. There’s just so much more to it than what that implies. Anchored by smart, deeply personal and vulnerable, thought-provoking lyrics mixed with elements of Southern Rock, Blues, and even some psychedelic Jazz- fueled Funk, M.C Taylor was largely influenced by his friend and mentor, the late great Neal Casal. The two had planned on doing an album together before the tragic news of Neal’s passing in 2019. That same year, Hiss Golden Messenger would earn scores of new fans when Terms of Surrender earned a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album, but ultimately losing out to Keb’ Mo’s Oklahoma; no shame in that.
Riding a solid wave of momentum, things suddenly came to a screeching halt in 2020. When the scary and deeply fraught reality of the pandemic hit, everything changed and everyone handled ‘the unknown’ a little different. Forced into solitude for the foreseeable future, the ever-prolific and creative Taylor managed to make the most of it. By Looking deep within and somehow turning complex feelings into songs that are highly relatable to “the everyman,” Hiss Golden Messenger ended up writing and recording a wealth of new material, releasing 3 news albums in 2021 alone; Quietly Blowing It, the timely O Come All Ye Faithful and it’s companion album, The Sounding Joy, of which Taylor describes as “a record about community, celebration, faith and grief. It’s a holiday record. And it isn’t. Sinking myself into this music helped me a lot during some hard times.”
With live concerts now back in full effect, Hiss Golden Messenger is finally able to take those songs on the road and play for real people again and for fans looking for a musical elixir to help get over the Humpday blues, The Egg was the perfect place to be Wednesday night. Taking part in the American Roots & Branches series, the evening kicked off with a lovely opening performance by Philadelphia-based female duo Rosali and Emily Robb, before the members of Hiss Golden Messenger would casually take the Swyer stage around 8:30pm. All tuned up and ready to go, the show began with “Rock Holy,” the opening track from 2018’s Virgo Fool. then promptly turned a bit funkier with “Mighty Dollar.” All warmed up now, “My Wing” and “Mahogany Dread” came next before a slight guitar strap snafu resulted in a bit of humorous story time banter.
You see years ago, back with M.C. Taylor was just breaking in, he briefly played in a group called American Music Club, who still has a bit of a cult fowling. During his very first show with them, in an alleged fit of drunken on stage rage, front man Mark Eitzel fired the entire band in the middle of the show. Taylor, who chuckles about it now, remarked, “Seeing your hero have meltdown. I kinda miss those days” before the band launched into the next song, the upbeat “Jenny of the Roses” from 2017’s Hallelujah Anyhow album.
After the next tune “Biloxi,” Taylor addressed the audience once again, saying “He woke up today and was thinking about Levon Helm,” the legendary drummer/vocalist for The Band. “So I decided to call up my good friend Amy who I know lives nearby and see if she wanted to come to the show. She says ‘Where at?’ A place called The Egg. She says, no way, I’m playing at the Egg too!” Indeed she was, as Amy’s Midnight Ramble Band was opening for Hot Tuna across the hall simultaneously at the The Egg’s larger Hart Theatre. By sheer coincidence or not, the undisputed highlight of the evening came next when Amy was called up to the stage to lend her vocal talents to a pair of songs, first was “Sanctuary” and uplifting song about hope and moving on which also contains lyrical references the late John Prine {“Handsome Johnny had to go, child…”).
As incredible as that was, it was Amy’s contribution to the next song that really made the room light up, as the band then launched into the classic Grateful Dead staple, “Bertha.” Keeping the funk-folk vibe alive, HGM would really find their groove on the next number, “Like a Mirror Loves a Hammer” from 2016’s Heart Like a Levee. Afterwards, Taylor would joke how prior to the pandemic, none of them knew how the play a guitar, but it’s amazing what you can learn during a lockdown if you really put your mind to it.
Taking it down a notch, “Passing Clouds” and “I’ve got a Name for the Newborn Child” were up next, followed by “Cat’s Eye Blue,” a stellar version of Bright Direction (You’re a Dark Star Now) before “Southern Grammar” would bring the show to a close.
It’s unclear if Hiss Golden Messenger intended on returning for an encore (though one was written out ahead of time on the setlist), but after a sustained ovation from Albany’s music loving faithful, Taylor and company finally returned to the stage, commenting how he “thinks the art of the encore has slowly been lost, but that’s a discussion for another tim.” and that he could tell our thirst for one more was “real.” With that, “Way Back in the Way Back” was chosen as the final song evening, closing the book on a fantastic, well rounded, poignant night of music filled with impassioned storytelling, top-tier musicianship, a memorable sit in and even a few lighthearted laughs too.
Hiss Golden Messenger – Lewis A. Swyer Theare at the Egg – Albany, NY – 12/1/2021
Setlist: Rock Holy, Mighty Dollar, My Wing, Mahogany Dread, Jenny of the Roses, Biloxi, Sanctuary*, Bertha,** Like a Mirror Loves a Hammer, Caledonia, My Love, Passing Clouds, I’ve Got a Name for the Newborn Child, Cat’s Eye Blue, Bright Direction (You’re a Dark Star Now), Southern Grammar
Encore: Way Back in the Way Back
*Featuring Amy Helm on Vocals **Grateful Dead cover, Amy Helm on Vocals
The Central Jersey rock duo known as the dt’s have officially released their third single called “Need You (Forever).” This multi-instrumental two-piece (Dave Cacciatore, Tom Losito) officially formed last year after years of playing together after first meeting at a local bar’s open mic night.
They each play an array of instruments that include guitar, bass, ukelele, drums, and piano and seamlessly shift from rock to blues to power pop while incorporating soaring harmonies.
Dave Cacciatore wrote “Need You (Forever)” while in college by first coming up with the riff, which infuses elements of Oasis and The Beatles, and then adding lyrics afterwards. The song is a concoction of different life experiences, events, and feelings that he was going through at the time. Everything from school, work, and relationships were infused in the lyrics.
The song was recorded at the dt’s home studio while quarantining last year, starting first with just two acoustic guitars before adding layers of electric ones through vintage Fender, Peavey and and Vox amps. A Gibson Les Paul Custom SG and Tom’s dad’s 74’ Fender Strat were also heavily utilized in addition to experimenting with a plethora of vocal harmonies. Frank Letteri of The Paper Jets and Dust Of Days was brought on to record the drums and Joe Pomarico did the mixing and mastering over at Telegraph Hill Records.
The dt’s said one of the things they’re most proud of about their most recent single “are the peaks and valleys throughout the song, eventually crescendoing to a massive peak at the end.” It’s a song rich with vocals, guitars, drums and catchy melodies. Check out the band’s website for more of their music.
Eddie Vedder and bandmates the Earthlings will hit the road in a series of U.S. concert dates in February 2022. The shows kick off on February 3 in New York and wrap up on February 22 in Vedder’s hometown of Seattle. Special guest Glen Hansard will open the shows.
Vedder and the Earthlings will appear at the Beacon Theatre in New York City for two nights on February 3 and February 4, and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ, on February 6.
The Earthlings are drummer Chad Smith, keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Josh Klinghoffer, bassist Chris Chaney, guitarist/vocalist Glen Hansard, and guitarist Andrew Watt. The newly formed group gave their live debut at Vedder’s own Ohana Festival this September.
Hansard is a singer-songwriter born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. Over the course of his career, he has released records as a member of The Frames, The Swell Season and as a solo artist under his own name. He continues to perform in all three of these outlets as time, opportunity and demand arise.
Vedder’s highly anticipated new album Earthling will be available on February 11, 2022 via Seattle Surf/Republic Records. Earthling, was produced by Grammy Award® winning producer Andrew Watt, is the first album since Vedder’s 2011 Ukulele Songs.
A presale for Ten Club members active as of November 30 will be held through Ticketmaster’s Eddie Vedder Request page. The Ten Club presale registration is open now through Sunday December 5 at 5pm PT. To learn more, please go HERE.
All public tickets will be available through Ticketmaster Verified Fan Registration. Verified Fan ticket registration is open now through Sunday December 5 at 5pm PT. To register, please visit: HERE. . There will be no general public sale.
February 3 New York, NY Beacon Theatre February 4 New York, NY Beacon Theatre February 6 Newark, NJ New Jersey Performing Arts Center February 9 Chicago, IL Auditorium Theatre February 15 El Cajon, CA The Magnolia February 17 Inglewood, CA YouTube Theater February 21 Seattle, WA Benaroya Hall February 22 Seattle, WA Benaroya Hall
Newly inducted Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Foo Fighters will be giving the people a lot more of what they want in 2022 with an 18 show tour of amphitheaters, stadiums and festivals across North America. The tour kicks off in May in Burgettstown, PA, with Empire State shows at Citi Field in Queens on July 17 and two nights later at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
The 2022 dates will mark Foo Fighters’ most extensive North American run since the February release of the band’s 10th album, Medicine at Midnight hailed as “brighter and more optimistic than anything they’ve ever done” (Rolling Stone)” and “one of Foo Fighters’ best albums of this century” (Wall Street Journal).
Foo Fighters 2022 North American Tour
5/14 – The Pavilion at Star Lake – Burgettstown, PA
5/20 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park – Raleigh, NC
5/24 – PNC Music Pavilion – Charlotte, NC
7/17– Citi Field – New York, NY
7/19 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY
7/22 – Rogers Centre – Toronto, ON
7/24 – Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia, PA
7/27 – Maine Savings Amphitheater – Bangor, ME
7/29 – Osheaga Festival – Montreal, QC
8/1 – Ruoff Music Center – Noblesville, IN
8/3 – Huntington Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN
8/6 – Empower Field at Mile High – Denver, CO
8/8 – USANA Amphitheater – Salt Lake City, UT
8/10 – Big Sky Events Arena – Big Sky, MT
8/13 – T-Mobile Park – Seattle, WA
8/18 – Banc of California Stadium – Los Angeles, CA
8/20 – Banc of California Stadium – Los Angeles, CA
Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Tuesday, November 30 at 12 p.m. ET until Thursday, December 2 at 10 p.m. local time through Citi Entertainment. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.
For further information on Foo Fighters’ 27th anniversary tour, including special guests to be announced soon, keep an eye on foofighters.com.
Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, December 3rd at 10 a.m.
Thanksgiving is a time for tradition and perhaps a new one was born on Wednesday night in Albany. Coming together in grand fashion family, friends and fans of The Band convened at Lark Hall on Thanksgiving Eve for a memorable evening billed as The Last Waltz on Lark Street; a stellar tribute to one of the most celebrated concert performances in rock history.
For anyone not familiar, The Band are about as close to music royalty as it gets in New York State, particularly in the Capital and Mid-Hudson Regions where the group famously lived, partied and wrote music together under the roof of a ‘Big Pink‘ house near Saugerties. Often referred to as just “the band” by Bob Dylan (with whom they often backed), the name stuck and over the course of 16 years, The Band — Rick Danko on bass, violin and vocals; Levon Helm on drums, mandolin and vocals; Garth Hudson on keyboards and saxophone; songwriter Richard Manuel on keyboards, percussion and vocals; and guitarist, songwriter and occasional vocalist Robbie Robertson, would go on to write some of the most timeless songs and albums in American music history.
As the story allegedly goes, after burning out from the demands of the touring lifestyle, it became clear the dynamic that had made The Band so special and unique had changed, the brotherhood and comradery had faded a bit and it was starting to reflect in the music. Then in 1976 it was officially announced they’d be playing their final show; one last chance to dance and it was to be held on Thanksgiving Day at the legendary Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. What took place that night, as famously documented in Martin Scorsese’s iconic film of the same name, The Last Waltz, would go down as one of the greatest star-studded, ground breaking concert celebration spectacles of all time. The film itself would later go on to be selected by the Library of Congress to be forever preserved due to it cultural and historical significance.
Now some 45 years later, the magic made and songs played that night are still being talked about, still influencing and still being played by a whole new generation of New York based musicians and for one close-knit group of Capital Region players and friends, an idea that sparked from a brainstorming jam session somehow serendipitously snowballed into reality and perhaps simultaneously became the next “can’t miss” pre-Turkey day musical meet-up for those who call the surrounding Albany area “home”.
To do this properly and with any sort of ‘relative’ justice, of course, was no easy task and with so many moving parts, variables and logistics to the show, it would also require a bit of help from friends, the good natured people behind the scenes and well, a little luck too. Those obstacles aside, here’s a ‘not-so exclusive’ scoop for the NYS Music reading faithful: never doubt the heart or talent that dwells within the 518 area code. If anyone was up to the challenge, it was the bunch who dared to dream to put this event together in the first place.
With 2021’s incarniton of The Band not finalized until the very last minute, the one-time-only line up ultimatley consisted of 18 players; a ‘who’s who’ of capital region musicians that featured members of The Wheel, The NolaNauts, Eastbound Jesus, Dead Man’s Waltz, Sarah Sippely and Brian Lapointe and the Joints.
Albany’s newest venue, Lark Hall hosted the event. With full support of Jennifer Miller, the visionary proprietor of Lark Hall, the recently renovated, historically preserved venue has quickly made a name for itself, largely by hosting nights like this; unique one-off collaborations and themed performances in a comfortably intimate, church-like setting that’s already earned the praises of nationally known artists like Keller Williams, The Futurebirds, Carl Bromel, Liz Cooper, and legendary Phish lyricist The Dude of Life. All hype and anticipation aside, the time for the inaugural Last Waltz on Lark Street had finally come.
Piped in over the PA system, the performance began with an orchestral rendition of “Theme From the Last Waltz” as the core members of “The Band” gradually filled up the stage. All tuned up and ready to go, the celebration kicked off with ‘Up on Cripple Creek’ into “The Shape I’m In.” The set would begin to stray from its familiar order when our first guests of the evening, NolaNauts horn section Bill Ringwood and Brian George, joined in for a crowd pleasing ‘Ophelia” and “This Wheel’s on Fire.” Mike Coleman would then switch out with Brian Bean on bass for “Further Up the Road” and “Who Do You Love” before the spotlight would shine on Rick Rothermel, The Wheel’s burley multi-talented keyboardist with a voice of gold who arguably had the most challenging role of the evening in filling the legendary shoes of Garth Hudson. After nailing “Chest Fever,” Rothermel handedly made a believer out of anyone in attendance not already having fun. The Nola horns would return once again for “Caledonia Mission” and an upbeat version of “King Harvest”. Following an inspired rendition of “It Makes no Difference” that featured the lovely talents of Sarah Sheppeck on lead vocals, “Life is a Carnival” would bring the opening set to a close and send fans to intermission with huge smiles and lots to talk about.
With the fuse already set for a party following the wickedly fun opening set, somehow this collective ensemble of talented musicians made of varying ages, sexes and backgrounds that came together with little time to rehearse, followed it up with an even more epic second set. It was the kind of thing capital region music fans have been dreaming of, really.
Kicking off with Brian Bean back on bass was “The Same Thing” followed by the iconic song “The Weight” which had everyone in The Hall singing along. Now that everyone was friends here, it really started feeling like a family affair when Bryan Gautie and Jill Gautie (along with Dr. Pete Andriakos of The Wheel) took over the stage to perform the only acoustic song of the night, “Coyote.” Sarah Sheppeck would then join them for another classic, “Long Black Veil” and remain on stage as Eastbound Jesus mandolin player Andrew Lynch and fiddler Jessica Bowen then got in on the fun with another highlight on the evening, “Atlantic City.” The strings would stick around for the next number Tom O’Connor introduced as a personal favorite, “Rag Mama Rag.”
Ratcheting up the ramble to a raunchy new high was “Mystery Train” which featured the talented Brian Lapointe on a screaming harmonica. “Across the Great Divide” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” came next, followed followed by “Caravan.” Now with all of the musicians who had participated on the night on the stage, the sentimental set closed with a family-jam style singalong version of “I Shall be Released.” Following pleas from the enthusiastic and appreciative crowd, “Don’t Do It” was selected as the lone encore, bringing the first ever Last Waltz on Lark Street to a celebratory close.
Like rock music itself, the rock concert has very humble, homegrown origins. It started way back in the later 40s/early 50s when radio DJs and record store owners saw them as a way to generate more bucks from the racy new musical style that was igniting the passions of a new, monied class of teenagers. Over time, rock concerts would explode in size, scope and cultural and revenue impact. They evolved from quaint “hops” at high school gyms to a circuit of psychedelicized theatres, then onto sports arenas, stadiums and, ultimately, multiday outdoor festivals. In 2019, before COVID-19 blew it to smithereens, the live music business was a $136 billion-a-year global juggernaut.
With his new book Rock Concert(Grove/Atlantic Press), veteran journalist Marc Myers has marshalled an army to tell the free-wheeling story of the growth of this entertainment staple. Like Legs McNeil’s punk history classic, Please Kill Me and Frank Mastropolo’s recent, Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock History, Myers’ book is a well ordered oral history weaving through decades of fascinating facts and anecdotes. It is told by some of rock’s most iconic stars including Alice Cooper, Ian Anderson, Steve Miller, Roger Walters, Angus Young, Hall & Oates and Bob Weir, as well as an A-list of promoters, managers, songwriters, producers, photographers, sound and lighting techs, filmmakers, fashion designers, roadies and fans. These are the people who witnessed many watershed concerts firsthand, from the days of L.A.’s proto-rock R&B scene through to 1985’s Live Aid, the final event before the era of corporate sponsorship and out of sight ticket prices took hold.
Myers goes back 3,400 years to set the stage for his story. In the book’s preamble, he introduces The Hurrian Songs. This is the world’s oldest known sheet music, tablets from ancient Syria containing tunings and tablature for lyre music meant to be performed before a live audience – the first historical evidence of what would become today’s concert spectaculars. Also noted in the deep history are two Big Band-era pop concert events – Paul Whiteman’s 1924 performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue at NYC’s Aeolian Hall and 1938’s Carnival of Swing on Randall’s Island, the first outdoor jazz fest headlined by Benny “King of Swing” Goodman which drew over 20,000 white and black fans.
As stated earlier, the real genesis of the first era of rock concerts is credited to radio DJs. In late 1940s Los Angeles, musician/radio host Johnny Otis commenced his Barrelhouse Club shows in Watts featuring R&B stars of the day. This was followed by shows at additional sites on Central Avenue, many headlined by the original “honking” sax man, Big Jay McNeely, including Hunter Hancock’s popular Midnight Concerts.
The true “rock concert” commenced in Cleveland when Rendezvous Record Store owner Leo Mintz partnered with radio DJ Alan Freed, the man who coined the term rock ‘n’ roll, for events like his Moondog Coronation Ball. With Freed’s move to NYC and radio giant WINS in 1954, he introduced the big concert concept to the Big Apple, with huge shows that ultimately settled at Brooklyn’s Paramount Theater. Myers also quotes the recollections of rockabilly great Wanda Jackson to bring to life the frenzy around Elvis Presley’s early barnstorming tours of the South.
The modern-day rock festival is traced back to George Wein, who inaugurated his annual Newport Jazz Festival in 1954, which included a performance by bluesman-turned-rocker Chuck Berry in its 1958 edition. Wein followed this with the inaugural Newport Folk Festival in 1959, whose headliners like John Baez and Peter Paul and Mary recall performing at what truly might have been the forerunner of Woodstock, the March of Washington. This event which attracted over 250,000 to D.C. in 1964 to hear the political folkies and, more importantly, civil rights leader Martin Luther King.
The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein are given their due for pioneering the modern stadium tour, beginning with their August 1964 cross country swing to the Hollywood Bowl and their famed Shea Stadium concert in 1965. Of the latter, photographer Henry Diltz relates anecdote about him and Lovin’ Spoonful having to be whisked into the dressing room with the Beatles at the frenzied show. This was when the Spoonful’s lead singer, John Sebastian, was mistaken for Beatle John as they sat in the audience of 50,000 plus. With the help of folks like stage manager-turned-record producer Joe Boyd and folk star Peter Yarrow, Myers clarifies some of the erroneous beliefs around Dylan’s famed, audience inflaming “going electric” set at the Newport Folk Fest in 1965.
Myers then takes readers through the era of the rock theater. This section chronicles the rise of Fillmore’s West and East, the Boston Tea Party, The Avalon, Detroit’s Grande Ballroom, Philly’s Electric Factory and more, and the many innovations they brought in lighting and stage craft and the role emerging FM radio played in their success. There are more great details about how the Bay Area’s Beat poets and their “Happenings” helped usher in the hippies, leading to events like the Human Be-In and the first modern rock festival in 1967, Monterey Pop, another offshoot of a jazz fest inaugurated in 1958. This comes with some great insights from both Monterey Pop filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker and Steve Miller, who was inspired by Hendrix’s musicality but turned off by his and The Who’s guitar bashing antics.
Monterey Pop then led to 1968’s Miami Pop Festival, where we meet Michael Lang, a failed headshop entrepreneur who later play a key role in Woodstock. Myers also relates info about some fests you may have never heard of including Washington’s Skyriver Festival, one promoted by dropping a piano out of a helicopter, along with Atlantic City Pop, which featured 29 acts over three days and drew an audience of 120,000, with no advertising, two weeks before Woodstock ‘69. The author spends a good deal of time clarifying the history of the Woodstock Fest and some legends about how the crowd narrowly escaped mass electrocution during the torrential rain and the importance of the 1970 film to cementing it in history about all other rock fests. There are some great firsthand memories from Blondie-to-be Chris Stein about his experiences at Woodstock. There is also eye-opening details from Abbey Road cover photographer Ethan Russell about his time with the Rolling Stones’ at their disastrous attempt at a Woodstock knockoff, Altamont in December 1969.
After Woodstock, everything changed and escalated and somehow gets more formulaic – less fun but way more profitable. Myers then traces the move to sporting arenas and stadiums. There is a great discussion here on band branding with Nick Fasciano, the man who created the Coca-Cola inspired logo and album cover art for rock/jazzers Chicago and with the Rolling Stones’ famed “lips logo” creator John Pasche. Now technology and spectacle come to the fore, with stars like Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson, Alice Cooper, Roger Waters and Bob Weir going into their need for dazzling props, lasers, confetti canons, wireless guitar packs and having to create and truck their own custom staging, lighting and sound systems – all to have an impact on audiences that could now be a football field away.
Fashionistas will enjoy the recollections of famed designer Norma Kamali. She is the woman who outfitted everyone from Robert Plant, Keith Richards, Sly Stone and The New York Dolls in their glam looks. Also notable is the discussion of the charity rock concert, with intriguing backstory on George Harrison’s 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, No Nukes in 1979, the various Farm Aid events and 1985’s Live Aid.
Deadheads will enjoy the chapter titled “Concert Maximus.” In this, Myers chronicles the true rock concert superfans, those of the Grateful Dead. These all-in devotees would follow the band to all sites on their tours, including July 1973’s Watkins Glen, which attracted over 600,000 to hear the Dead, The Allman Brothers and The Band. Also included is a discussion of Wattstax, the August 1972 concert/movie/album created by the Memphis-based soul label which drew an audience of 90,000 to the Los Angeles Colosseum. Former label chief Al Bell describes the many obstacles overcome and how this massive event came off peacefully, without a police presence, with a security crew headed by none other than actor Melvin Van Peebles. The author also touches on the mega-sized ABC-TV broadcast event California Jam, with Deep Purple, ELP and Black Sabbath.
The death knell to this era of rock came with a few final factors. First is the rise of solitary listening with the introduction of the Sony Walkman in 1979. This was followed by the rise of MTV and the accent on visuals. Lastly is computerized ticketing which only served to rapidly increase the price of entry for music fans. As mentioned earlier, Myers wraps it all up with Live Aid, the August 1985 event spanning stages in London and Philadelphia, with a TV audience of 1.5 billion. It was the final event where ticket prices were within the reach of everyone ($35.00), before everything was scaled up with the help (or harm?) of massive corporate sponsorship. It’s an event famed artist manager and Live Aid eyewitness Shep Gordon called “the end of innocence.”
As you can see from this review, Myers is a music journalist who digs deep and tells a tale clearly. If you enjoy this book, check out his regular contributions on music and culture at The Wall Street Journal and his award-winning site, JazzWax.com.
Fresh off the heels of another legendary Halloween performance in Vegas and two iconic shows in Hampton, Phish rolled into Albany for the second to last stop on their legendary Fall 1998 tour. It sees the band at the height of its powers, mixing in new, fresh material to go alongside a bevvy of cover songs that have been unearthed this year. With a rare one-night only appearance in Albany, Phish lets it all hang out in a show that often gets overlooked, but certainly shouldn’t be.
Tonight’s festivities begin with the signature guitar intro to “Punch You In The Eye,” which receives a giant roar of approval from the Pepsi Center. Page McConnell shines early with some stellar runs on both the electric keys and grand piano as the Gamehendge-adjacent number revs up an already rabid arena even further. At its conclusion, another familiar guitar riff emerges. This time it’s the bluesy intro to “My Soul,” a cover song Phish first started injecting into their live shows the year before. McConnell again dazzles with a ferocious piano solo before handing off to Trey Anastasio who returns the favor in kind and then some on guitar. Phish then eases off the gas pedal a bit with another new number, “Roggae,” one of the tracks from The Story Of The Ghost which was released just last month.
The musical setting then shifts back to Gamehendge with “AC/DC Bag.” Anastasio again takes the reigns on a patiently developing jam that gets plenty of noticeable assistance from Mike Gordon on bass and drives the crowd into a certified frenzy by the end. McConnell has a little fun on piano as well, stretching out the ending until Phish changes lanes once more and jumps into the increasingly rare “Lifeboy.”
Afterwards, Jon Fishman’s familiar hi-hat drumming signals the introduction to “David Bowie,” which is stretched out and teased beautifully before being cleared for launch. Phish then absolutely obliterates the song’s composed section, playing at a near manic pace, before embarking on a jam that serves as one of the show’s true highlights. It’s patiently crafted, with Anastasio and McConnell parrying back and forth early and often. As the jam continues to build in intensity, Phish does the same with the ending, stretching it out for all its worth to complete a 19-minute journey that blows the roof off the Albany arena.
Few would complain if the first set ended right there, but instead the band throws out one more change of pace pairing. Trey jumps on acoustic guitar for only the sixth ever “Sleep,” a song first debuted earlier this tour, and “Driver,” both songs that would be included on the band’s forthcoming 2000 release Farmhouse. To cap things off, Phish throws in a cover of Led Zepelin’s “Good Times, Bad Times,” with another incendiary guitar solo from Anastasio escorting the Albany faithful to set break.
After a little spacey ambiance, another familiar Fishman drum beat starts up set two. This time it’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” aka the theme to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Again, Phish takes their time in slowly building up the song’s introduction, going well past five minutes before the first signature guitar lick rings out. The jam that ensues is flavored by some tremendous Mike Gordon bass play before coming to a rousing finish. “Golgi Apparatus” serves as another throwback song to the days of yore and goes off without a hitch before they get into another jam vehicle, this time a cover of The Who’s “Drowned.”
As another whirlwind musical excursion slowly comes to an end, Anastasio quietly starts the beginning of “Prince Caspian” and the rest of the band quickly follows along. After another stout feedback-heavy guitar solo, the music comes to a crawl and then “Piper” emerges, with it’s now “classic” slow build which fits in perfectly with the show tonight. The slow build yields another manic jam, with McConnell furiously pounding away on the baby grand piano. With the Albany crowd once again supercharged, Phish then drops a “You Enjoy Myself” on them in what’s already a full second set of music.
The closing sequence for this show is straight out of 1998 and not one to be duplicated anytime soon. As “YEM” and its customarily eerie vocal jam concludes, instead of taking a bow, Phish bursts into “Been Caught Stealing,” the Jane’s Addiction song that made its debut earlier in year during the “Summer of Covers.” Until a certified bust out at Walnut Creek in 2011, this was the last one played. A rip roaring “Llama” then closes out the second set in fine fashion. For the encore, Phish breaks out yet another cover selection, this time its The Beatles’ “Something,” penned by George Harrison and covered by Phish only on this Fall 1998 tour. To date, it’s the last time it’s ever been performed. “Guyute,” another pick from the recently released Ghost, follows this before an a capella “Free Bird,” as only Phish can do, closes out yet another sterling Albany gig.
Listen to show at PhishTracks or see complete audio recording below.
Phish Pepsi Center – Albany, NY 11/25/98
Set 1: Punch You In The Eye > My Soul, Roggae, AC/DC Bag > Lifeboy, David Bowie, Sleep, Driver, Good Times Bad Times
Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Golgi Apparatus, Drowned->Prince Caspian > Piper, You Enjoy Myself, Been Caught Stealing > Llama
Cold played in the equally cold Niagara Falls on Monday November 22 at The Rapids Theater. Cold, comprised of Scooter Ward (lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar), Sam McCandless (drums, percussion), Lindsay Manfredi (bass, backing vocals), Nick Coyle (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Jonny Nova (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), brought with them Waiting For Eternity and Otherworldly Entity as the opening bands.
Cold has been on their current tour since September. and are coming to the end of their current tour with only a few shows left. The band performed 12 songs tonight including their hits “End of the World” and “Just Got Wicked.”
Cold – The Rapids Theater, Niagara Falls, NY – Monday, November 22
Setlist: Back Home, Happens All the Time, No One, When Angels Fly Away, End of the World, Another Pill, Ocean, A Different Kind of Pain, Just Got Wicked, Suffocate, Remedy, Bleed
