Patti Smith was awarded the key to NYC by Mayor Bill de Blasio just weeks before the end of his term on December 27, 2021.
Patti Smith at Central Park Summerstage 10 by S. Malinski
The Key resembles the large skeleton key that opens the back door of City Hall, but is purely symbolic and it does not open any locks or doors in reality. It is a symbol of civic recognition and gratitude reserved for individuals whose service to the public and the common good rises to the highest level of achievement.
Although Patti Smith was actually born in Chicago, Illinois she has considered NYC as her adoptive city having grown up in South Jersey. Her love for the city is known wide and far so her receiving this symbol of civic recognition was obviously a big deal for her. Her reaction to this honor was saying,“I wish I could give New York City the key to me, because that’s how I feel about our city. With all its challenges and difficulties, it remains—and I’m quite a traveler—the most diverse city in the world. To receive this at 75, it makes me look even more forward to the next 25 years.”
De Blasio spoke of his decision to bestow the key to Patti Smith,”To me, Patti Smith has an authenticity that you just didn’t find… in that many places,” noting that she’s been called the “godmother of punk.”
De Blasio has been bestowing keys to a number of public figures apart from the legendary Patti Smith. Some of the public figures include legendary music producer Clive Davis (who helped stage the ultimately Mother Nature-interrupted “Homecoming” concert in Central Park), and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for his indefatigable support for the city.
Watch the full video of Patti Smith receiving this key bellow:
For more information on this Patti Smith being awarded a Key to NYC by Mayor Bill de Blasio read Pitchfork’s article on it here.
One of the most influential years in the history of Phish couldn’t end without a stop at MSG, The World’s Most Famous Arena, and it was 1997 that would bring the band to new highs, including their first ever three-night headlining bill at The Garden.
Today marks the anniversary of the second night in this run, a show marked by one of the greatest bust outs in terms of show gap, a legendary “Harpua” with assistance from Tom Marshall, and a handful of fan favorite cover songs played alongside some of the traditional heavy hitters. In addition to all the clips seen below, the entire show can be streamed here.
1997 Holiday Run shirt design by Erin Cadigan via PhanArt
After a quick discussion, Phish casually greets the Garden crowd with one of the greater bust outs of all time. It’s merely the first “Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley” in 920 shows, last played at Ian McLean’s party in Hebron, NY in 1989, a likely much more intimate gathering. After shaking off some of the early rust, Phish easily settles into a funk groove so reminiscent of this era, fueled by Trey Anastasio on guitar with Page McConnell eagerly aiding and abetting on the clav.
Instead of ramping up towards a (now) customary vocal jam, the funk jam slowly devolves and Anastasio adds some digital delay loops as the tone shifts towards a much more ambient feel before the opening guitar lick of “Taste” ensues. McConnell throws down some thunderous play on the baby grand piano before yielding the floor to Anastasio for a spellbinding crescendo of electric guitar.
Things cool off a bit with the relatively new “Water In The Sky” that follows, still in its early, slower tempo. But Anastasio puts a stop to that quickly at song’s end, starting up the familiar strumming that initiates “Punch You In The Eye” and a quick stop at Gamehendge.
“Punch” goes off without a hitch and after some brief high-intensity feedback, Anastasio seems to make the audible call for “Stash.” Aside from the opening funk produced in “Sally,” this provides the other real notable jam of the first set, a brooding, mesmerizing sequence that has some distinct touches of “evil” Phish. Drummer Jon Fishman continues to push the pace to an almost alarming rate before the reigns are pulled back in, somewhat quickly, and the song finishes rather meekly.
To rev things back up, Phish resorts to a reliable figure, “Chalkdust Torture.” Fishman and bassist Mike Gordon steer the collective ship more than ably as Anastasio reaches back and delivers one last scorching first set guitar solo that the Garden crowd visibly devours with delight.
The first set that opened with a bust out comes to an end with a cover, this time The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life,” with Page McConnell on lead vocals. Some more extended feedback from Phish ends the song in a flourish as MSG collectively shows their appreciation at the conclusion of a rather short opening set, one that barely lasted an hour.
Anyone who would complain about that fact, would soon be put in their place thanks to the giant second set and extended encore for which this show is best remembered. It all starts off with, arguably, one of the better “AC/DC Bag”s ever played. It starts out innocently enough, but soon shifts back into that sinister tone that was prevalent in the first set. In vintage Phish style, simple melodies are stretched out, reexamined and continually revisited until all four band members are firing in sync like gears in a well-oiled machine. Throw in some classic ’97 funk, more relentless guitar play from Anastasio, a sprinkling of Gordon-supplied bass bombs, “Pyscho Killer” and “Third Stone From The Sun” teases and, 25 minutes later, you’ve got the latest in a (now long) line of Phish gems mined at MSG.
After an opening number that took up almost half of the length of the first set, Phish wastes no time in bringing it back to Gamehendge for a well-received “McGrupp And The Watchful Hosemasters.” The band deftly makes its way through the composed section of this classic song before giving way to a brief but beautiful two-person duel between Trey and Page on their respective instruments before it comes to an end.
Afterwards, the familiar oom-pa-pa intro of the first ever “Harpua” at MSG rings out and the Phish crowd erupts with glee. They would have good reason to as this would be a special one, dubbed the “Pentagram Harpua” based on Trey’s “life changing” narration. The following sequence includes nothing less than a Lost In Space reference, a young Trey crafting a pentagram out of lunch boxed goods, and Tom Marshall joining the fray for a hilarious cover of The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).”
Phish keeps the proverbial pedal down after all of this madness and launches right into some more classic rock, this time it’s Jimi Hendrix’s “Izabella,” a now revered cover selection that debuted only earlier this summer. Anastasio simply annihilates the guitar solo and MSG is nearly combustible at this point.
Seizing this opportunity, Phish then goes all in with a majestic “Harry Hood” to cap a special sequence of music. A mild glowstick war early on gives way to a “Hood” that’s anything but, with Mc Connell producing a bevy of dulcet tones on the electronic keyboard and the customary mesmerizing guitar solo from Anastasio. It’s as well executed a “Hood” as they come and, along with “AC/DC Bag,” serves as a more than willing co-anchor as far as second set exploratory jams go.
In fact, the normally euphoric outro jam eventually develops into a full-on blues one and instead of bringing “Hood” to an end, Phish slides right into another cover tune – “My Soul.” Steady bass play from Gordon provides the floor for another scorching guitar solo as the band romps effortlessly through another recently debuted favorite. This is followed up with a “Sleeping Monkey” that brings a little levity to the ending portion of the set. Trey then thanks the MSG crowd, promising one “last” song that turns out to be “Guyute,” one of the key tracks from the yet-to-be-released Story Of The Ghost.
Phish fan shirt from the 97 Holiday run via PhanArt
Tonight’s encore gets the 1997 New Year’s Eve celebration off to a rollicking start. Trey begins the encore noting the closeness to midnight and that the band may as well “play two New Year’s Eve shows.” Turns out he wasn’t kidding as Phish then proceeds to drop down one of the more legendary encores of their playing career. Things start off with yet another new number to live repertoire, “Carini,” which features a quick stand-in by the man himself, Phish crew member Pete Carini.
After those pleasantries are dispersed, Phish then immediately drops back into a molasses-thick funk jam that soon reveals itself to be “Black Eyed Katy.” Although not known at the time, this instrumental steeped in cow funk would be the last one ever played before lyrics were added and it would go on to live the rest of its days as “The Moma Dance.”
“Katy” then eventually turns back into “Sally” as Phish slyly segues back into it and revisits the bustout opener in the encore for another go ’round. And as if all this weren’t enough, “Frankenstein” replete with feedback galore, strobelight insanity and Jon Fishman on vacuum for good measure. When all is said and done, it’s a near 30-minute encore that wraps up one memorable New Year’s Run gig, or just another ho-hum Phish show at MSG depending on how you look at it.
Phish Madison Square Garden – New York, NY 12/30/97
Set 1: Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley -> Taste, Water In The Sky > Punch You In The Eye > Stash, Chalkdust Torture, A Day In The Life
Set 2: AC/DC Bag > McGrupp And The Watchful Hosemasters, Harpua > I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) > Harpua > Izabella > Harry Hood -> My Soul > Sleeping Monkey > Guyute
E: Carini -> Black Eyed Katy -> Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley > Frankenstein
Joshua Thew, a London-born, Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter and former member of the New York City Ballet, has released a new single, “Lose Myself,” accompanied by a cinematic music video directed by Jake Kolton.
Thew’s soulful vocals are front and center on “Lose Myself,” demonstrating his first passion (music was the reason he became a dancer in the first place.) In 2017, after nearly a decade in the Company, Thew left the professional dancing space behind to pursue another dream.
Thew grew up in Hertfordshire, England, just north of London, and moved to New York City in 2005 to study at The School of American Ballet, which led to a spot in New York City Ballet.
As I got into my mid to late 20s, I started to feel like I wanted to be in the real world. You live and breathe [ballet], and it’s such a small niche world. I just wanted to get out and make original music.
Joshua Thew
Working with producer and multi-instrumentalist Cale Hawkins at Greylock Studios in Brooklyn, Thew began composing songs in earnest, drawing on classic influences like Donny Hathaway, Nina Simone, and Lee Hazlewood as sources of inspiration. Thew added a contemporary spin, invoking modern icons such as Amy Winehouse and Frank Ocean.
As a singer, Thew creates highly stylized yet unpretentious ballads about love, loss, and starting over. The lush, aching “Lose Myself” chronicles a two-year relationship that ultimately had to end but gave Thew renewed hope around romance itself.
Ultimately, Thew is eager to ingratiate himself with listeners, who will no doubt feel an instant connection to his gentle, meditative ballads. Though he’d been considering a career change for some time, watching fellow dancer and Tony-winner, choreographer Justin Peck doggedly pursue his goals nudged Thew to take a crucial leap.
I just remember always watching him; we were in class together. Dancing was a thing for him, but choreography was always his thing. I remember watching him and part of me would be like, ‘he’s really doing what he really wants to do.’ And that’s how I felt about singing.
Joshua Thew
“Lose Myself” will be featured on Thew’s upcoming second EP, which follows 2019’s Quiet Words.
NYC post-punk outfit Catcher have shared a comeback single entitled “Comparing Saviors and Friends,” off their upcoming debut album, due out in 2022. The single is regarded as one of the first tracks they’d written with the genesis of the band, and comes alongside a DIY music video.
Photo by Kevin Allen
Catcher is a Brooklyn-based post-punk band with a reputation for visceral and powerful live performances. Drawing comparisons to Iceage and Protomartyr, Catcher deliver music with a driving and inundating low-end, provided by childhood friends Cameron McRae and Wilson Chestney, on bass and drums respectively. Guitarists Jack Young and Christian Reech, each having been recruited earlier this year via a Craigslist ad and connection via the band’s shared Tinder, interweave melodies and noise to create an environment that manages to be at once both bleak and moving, desolate but hopeful, violent but tender.
Vocalist Austin Eichler commands listeners with a domineering and chaotic presence. From drawling croons to powerful screams, Austin’s narrative lyrics invoke a wide spectrum of emotion while creating a world of their own. Through endless hours of practice and work, the band has crafted a gripping and tight live performance and a growing international fanbase.
With a sludgy bass and frenetic guitar chords, “Comparing Saviors and Friends” charges forward like an angry bull out the gate, with a deep-seated drawl from vocalist Austin Eichler. The new single comes on the heels of the band’s first four singles: “Yesterday’s Favorite,” “The Skin,” “Only Advice,” and “Fallen Stones,” amid playing countless sold-out shows across New York City, as well as their first headlining tour across the U.S. with fellow NYC rockers Been Stellar.
Catch Catcher at Mercury Lounge on January 2, 2022 with Hello Mary. More information and tickets are available here.
Amid cancellations and postponements, David Byrne has announced he will put on a special run of “American Utopia” shows back at the St. James Theatre on Broadway from Dec 28-30, 2021 and Jan 1-2, 2022.
Making this decision was not a light one, but comes after several company members of the Tony Award-winning Broadway show tested positive for COVID-19. Byrne announcing there would be a few changes as a result of this, but the good news is the inclusion of new “Unchained” versions of songs from the show.
Fortunately, the vaccinated band members and crew who have tested positive don’t have severe symptoms and are staying home following the CDC guidelines. Unfortunately, they can’t come to the theatre for the next week or so, which means we’ve chosen to make some creative changes to enable us to put on a show.
David Byrne
Performances of American Utopia will feature songs from the Talking Heads as well as some of the solo catalog of David Byrne and will be supplemented by songs already in the show that cannot be performed without the missing company members. Byrne continued, saying “I know it’s going to be a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ experience, that will only be seen for a few performances. We are ready to have a good time!” wrote Byrne.
Tickets for American Utopia are on sale through April 3, 2022 here. Read more on American Utopia here, with the schedule for the special run of shows is as follows:
Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at 8PM
Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at 8PM
Thursday, December 30, 2021 at 5PM and 9PM
Saturday, January 1, 2022 at 5PM
Sunday, January 2, 2022 at 3PM
For information on what’s playing every day on Broadway, visit bwaytoday.com.
Less than a week before they were slated to take the stage at Madison Square Garden, Phish announced today that due to the concerns over the wave of COVID-10 Omicron variant that is sweeping through New York City and elsewhere, the MSG shows will postpone to April, rather than being outright cancelled.
Phish will honor all tickets for the December 29-January 1 shows at MSG on the rescheduled dates of April 20-23, marking the first time Phish has played New York City in April since 1994 at the Beacon Theatre. Get the Webcast here.
The band said in a statement:
With the Omicron variant of Covid-19 surging in New York City, we have made the very difficult decision to reschedule next week’s run of shows at Madison Square Garden.
The health and safety of Phish fans, our crew, and venue staff is paramount in our minds. While Phish has played shows this year as the pandemic has continued, this variant’s ability for rapid transmission is unprecedented.
We are also mindful that a significant number of people travel for these shows and then return to their communities, and we want to avoid accelerating transmission of the virus.
Finally, even with the strictest of tour Covid protocols, the prolonged exposure of a four-night indoor run (plus the days of preparation and travel) to critical crew and staff considerably increases the possibility of having to shut the shows down once they’ve started.
We’re fortunate to have found a four-night window in The Garden’s schedule, and the shows will now take place April 20-23, 2022, including a three-set show (as originally planned for New Year’s Eve) on April 22.
Ticket holders can request a refund anytime over the next 30 days, beginning today, if they cannot commit to the rescheduled show date. If a refund is not requested during the allotted time, tickets will be valid for the new show date. Please note: If you purchased from an authorized ticket sales channel (Ticketmaster, Phish Tickets, CID or venue website) these ticketing partners will be contacting all buyers shortly with further instructions.
Thank you all for your understanding. Stay healthy and safe, take care of each other out there and please get vaccinated and boosted if you haven’t already.
No word yet if Phish will stream archival shows in place of the anticipated New Years run at Madison Square Garden.
The April shows would mark the second ever ‘Island Run’ of shows, although unofficially so.
The rescheduled shows also mean that Phish will start the rescheduled dates on 4/20/22. Phish has not played on April 20 since 1994, so there’s that.
The sound of New Orleans will make its way across New York State in Spring 2022 as The Soul Rebels embark on “Epic Vibes Tour” with stops in Buffalo, Waterloo, Albany, Brooklyn and Westhampton Beach.
The Soul Rebels recently announced they will be taking part in fellow New Orleanian Trombone Shorty on his Summer 2022 Threauxdown Tour. Their Epic Vibes Tour runs from December 2021 through April 2023, with shows on the West Coast, the Northeast, a monthly residency in Memphis and a healthy amount of shows in New Orleans.
The brass band continue to ride high off the release of their latest album Poetry In Motion. The eight-member collective appeared on Def Jam artist Dave East and Nas’ “Godfather 4” single, Big Freedia and Icona Pop’s “Pipe That”, and reached fans with original singles “Greatness” which was featured as ESPN’s official College Hoops theme anthem, and “Good Time” featured on Netflix’s #BlackAF and Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!
The Soul Rebels have impressed viewers with two recent appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series with Wu Tang Clan frontman GZA, headlined the global TED Conference, and appeared on the official soundtrack for Universal Pictures’ hit comedy Girls Trip.
Soul Rebels Epic Vibes 2022 Tour
12/17 Memphis, TN RAILGARTEN 12/22 New Orleans HOUSE OF BLUES 12/31 New Orleans MAISON 1/14 Memphis, TN RAILGARTEN 1/15 Baton Rouge, LA CHELSEA’S 1/22 New Orleans BLUE NILE 2/11 New Orleans DBA 2/16 San Diego, CA MUSIC BOX 2/17 Los Angeles, CA TERAGRAM BALLROOM 2/18 San Francisco, CA THE INDEPENDENT 2/19 Oakland, CA THE NEW PARISH 2/20 Felton, CA FELTON MUSIC HALL 2/23 Seattle, WA NECTAR LOUNGE 2/24 Olympia, WA CAPITOL THEATER 2/25 Portland, OR PDX JAZZ FESTIVAL 2/26 Bellingham, WA WILD BUFFALO 2/27 Victoria, BC UPSTAIRS CABARET 3/24 Waterloo, NY THE VINE @ DELLAGO CASINO RESORT 3/25 Philadelphia, PA BROOKLYN BOWL 3/26 Washington, DC 930 CLUB 3/27 Pittsburg, PA THUNDERBIRD CAFE 3/29 Buffalo, NY BUFFALO IRON WORKS 3/30 Albany, NY LARK HALL 3/31 Boston, MA BIG NIGHT LIVE *w/ GZA & Talib Kweli 4/1 NYC BROOKLYN BOWL 4/2 NYC BROOKLYN BOWL 4/3 Millersville, PA PHANTOM POWER 4/6 Bridgeport, CT PARK CITY MUSIC HALL 4/7 Fall River, MA NARROWS CENTER FOR THE ARTS 4/8 Greenfield, MA HAWKS AND REED 4/9 Westhampton Beach, NY WESTHAMPTON BEACH PAC 4/10 Ventura, CA SKULL & BONES 4/23 New Orleans DBA
Ahh, the morning social media tune-in (sigh). It’s increasingly filled with the kind of news you really don’t want to hear and certainly can’t use. On Monday, December 21, it was teeming with word that the NYC music and arts scene had lost one of its boldest and most congenial promoters, Steven Paul Trimboli, on the night before Thanksgiving due to a massive stroke.
New York actually lost Steve Trimboli a few years back when he decamped from high rents NYC for Detroit with the 2014 closing of his beloved Goodbye Blue Monday. Opened in 2005, Goodbye Blue Monday was one of the first clubs established in Bushwick with the gentrification of the Lower East Side. The West Village was where Trimboli ran another popular institution, the metal music-centric Scrap Bar from 1986 – 1995. All totaled, Trimboli spent over 40+years in the scene, as club owner, booker, bartender and ceaseless creative pot stirrer.
According to an article by former Observer culture writer Drew Grant, Trimboli’s Scrap Bar was “the place where punk went to die and hair metal held the wake.” It was the metal sculpture-adorned venue, a dive bar as done by H.R. Giger of Alien film fame, where MTV held some of its most raucous Christmas parties during the hair band era. It was where Johnny Thunder would go on the nod and Slash would be “serviced” under the table by porn star Savannah.
To avoid noise issues, Trimboli created one of the weirdest sound systems I ever encountered in my life as a musician. Guitars, bass, keys, vocals, etc. would all essentially be plugged into a giant stereo, including the drummers, who had to bash away on electronic kits (not always happily). This was all feed into a seemingly endless array of tiny speakers placed throughout the Goth-like venue. Bands not only got to play, but to walk away with a video of their performance provided on VHS by Trimboli’s sound guy for a few bucks. It had a liberal booking policy, mostly metal in its early days. But it woud later evolve into nightly lineups showcasing emerging indie, folk, punk, poets and even no wave-ish and experimental jazzbos.
Trimboli himself departed Manhattan for Bushwick in 1999, and spent the next five years trying to get his newest venture off the ground.
Situated under the elevated J Subway line on a seriously darkened stretch of Broadway, Goodbye Blue Monday was another wholly unique institution. It matched the carnivalesque vibe of a junk shop with a dive bar/performance venue. There was never a cover and a booking policy that would grant pretty much anyone a bit of stage time – from musicians to comics, from poets to mimes. The stubbornly seedy joint seemed to cook 365 days a year and helped launch the careers of notables like Vampire Weekend and events like the quirky songwriting conclave, The Bushwick Book Club.
“Goodbye Blue Monday was an old-school Brooklyn radical art hole both epic and legendary,” remembers Radio Free Brooklyn host Robert Prichard. “GBM was something very rare and very precious; it was a real creative community. It was the kind of place that brought smiles to faces and inspiration into hearts. The world seems a lot smaller today without Steve (Trimboli) in it.”
“When you’re trying to find yourself creatively, there is nothing more helpful than having a space to do it,” writes Christopher Mastumoto, MC C.B on Facebook. “A space free of judgments where you can just go up on stage and see what sticks. Something that nowadays is very, very scarce.
“Steven helped me get to that stage when I needed it the most.” Adds Mastumoto. “He was upfront and honest and gave unlimited opportunities to any person looking to be creative. His venues never held you to a cover or any of that bullshit “you need to bring 15 people at $10 a pop” – a scam many promoters still do. It was something a young kid like me, and so many others, needed to begin to make their mark.”
For more on the life of Steve Trimboli, read Drew Grant’s Observer article.
Carnegie Hall will host two legends in 2022, each celebrating their own milestone from the Perelman Stage in the Stern Auditorium. On April 22, Jorma Kaukonen will celebrate his 80th trip around the sun with an electric performance by Hot Tuna, and on May 10, double-bass jazz legend Ron Carter will be fêted for his 85th birthday celebration.
filled with music and memories at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. NBC newscaster Lester Holt will serve as emcee, with appearances from fellow artists Stanley Clarke and Buster Williams already confirmed, and additional guests to be announced in the coming weeks.
For Kaukonen’s celebration, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member will join his fellow bandmates, bass guitarist Jack Casady and drummer Justin Guip for an electric evening. Casady and Kaukonen, two rock veterans and founding members of Jefferson Airplane, have been performing together as Hot Tuna since 1969, marking their 50th anniversary together as a duo in 2019.
Ron Carter, has been called by NPR as “one of the most influential and widely recorded bassists in jazz history,” and The New York Times who said “Playing with Mr. Carter can be a fearsome experience. Legendary for his professionalism and his rigorousness, he challenges musicians to stretch and improvise, not just piece together rehearsed ideas and phrases.”
Presented by Tzedakah 4 All, the event will feature performances by Carter-led groups in three combinations – Trio, Quartet, and Nonet – exploring material from his illustrious six decade career. NBC newscaster Lester Holt will serve as emcee, with appearances from fellow artists Stanley Clarke and Buster Williams already confirmed, and additional guests to be announced in the coming weeks.
Carter, synonymous with jazz bass, has performed and collaborated with a who’s who of music history, including Miles Davis, Alice Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Herbie Hancock, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Bette Midler, Gil Scott-Heron, A Tribe Called Quest, Wayne Shorter, Paul Simon, McCoy Tyner, Aretha Franklin, Stan Getz, Roberta Flack, Bill Evans, Chet Baker, and dozens more. Carter is also a distinguished professor emeritus at City College and a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music.
Tickets for Hot Tuna at Carnegie Hall on the 80th birthday of Jorma Kaukonen, and tickets for the 85th birthday celebration of Ron Carter, are now on sale here.
Award-winning bluegrass band The Wooks embark on a tour in Spring 2022, bringing their traditional and unconventional form of bluegrass with them to New York. They’ll make stops at Funk n Waffles in downtown Syracuse, and the Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn this coming April.
The Wooks have established a distinctive sound through original songwriting, exceptional musicianship, and outside influences ranging from jam bands to Southern rock. Their third album, Flyin’ High, due out in February 2022, offers a refreshed lineup of the group, even though its members have been crossing paths with each other at music festivals for years.
Band member CJ Cain (guitar, vocals) started the duo in 2014 in Kentucky, with a lineup that now includes Harry Clark (mandolin, vocals), George Guthrie (banjo, vocals) and Allen Cooke (dobro), with the latter three musicians based in Nashville. Various bass players stay in rotation on the road, filling out the ensemble’s driving sound.
Love songs that stand-the-test-of-time tend to come from unlikely origin stories, and until The Wooks’ founder CJ Cain wrote the song “Flyin’ High,” not one of them has been inspired by the crash landing of a buddy’s World War I bi-plane. The resulting tune is a story of two different couples, real folks from the small town of West Liberty, Kentucky, where Cain’s father grew up, that falls somewhere perfectly between the sound of The Band, Van Morrison, and The Wooks’ ever-evolving signature style.
He had bought this plane at a good price and would soon find out why. He lost oil pressure and had to take her down in front of his family who had gathered in the yard to watch him buzz the farm. Luckily he made it out.
CJ Cain
Rather than repeating the formal studio experiences for past albums, The Wook recorded Flyin’ High over two sessions in Nashville in the home studio of bluegrass guitarist Jake Stargel. As a producer, he brought an easygoing vibe as well as acoustic expertise to the project, which is the band’s first full-length album since the fall of 2018. After Tony Rice’s death in December 2020, Cain wanted to honor his legacy in some way, so he cold-called Bill Wolf to see if he would master the album. Wolf wrote back, asking to hear it – and then elevated Flyin’ High to the next level.
While their origin stories are diverse, all four members of The Wooks have forged a common bond that honors individuality and innovation. But with minimal shows to road-test the material on Flyin’ High, Cooke speaks for the band when he says he’s eager for fans to discover these new songs—on the album as well as the stage. “This band is definitely not a band that is set on keeping things to the way they sounded on the record,” he says. “We’re all about keeping these songs fresh and new-sounding as shows go on.
The Wooks are ambassadors for Can’d Aid, a nationally recognized nonprofit that rallies volunteers from all walks of life to build thriving communities; through their work with Can’d Aid, they’ve performed and donated instruments to schools and underserved youth.
The Wooks 2022 Tour Dates
2/24 – Louisville, KY – Zanzabar 2/25 – Huntington, WV – The Loud 2/26 – Lexington, KY – The Burl 3/1 – Atlanta, GA – Eddie’s Attic 3/2 – Birmingham, AL – The Nick 3/4 – Asheville, NC – Isis Music Hall 3/5 – Nashville, TN – Station Inn 3/9 – Awendaw, SC – Awendaw Green 3/10 – Raleigh, NC – Pour House 3/12 – Roanoke, VA – Martin’s St Patty’s Street Fair 3/13 – Richmond, VA – The Camel 3/16 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern 3/17 – Washington DC – Pearl Street Warehouse 3/18 – Farmville, VA – North Street Press Club 3/19 – Round Hill, VA – B Chord Brewing 3/30 – Ferndale, MI – Otus Supply 4/1 – Newport, KY – Southgate Revival House 4/2 – Morgantown, WV – 123 Pleasant 4/5 – Syracuse, NY – Funk n Waffles 4/7 – New Haven, CT – Cafe Nine 4/8 – Boston, MA – The Burren 4/9 – New York, NY – Jalopy Theater 4/10 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Saint 4/13 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery 4/14 – Lancaster, PA – Zoetropolis 4/15 – Grove City, PA – Big Rail Brewing 4/16 – Thomas, WV – The Purple Fiddle
