Spoon opened their second leg of their summer tour at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo on July 7. Touring in support of their recent release Lucifer On the Sofa. Though it was the first show they had played since June, you wouldn’t know it. Opening up the leg with a Smog cover of Held, the show was an eclectic mix of old and new, playing 5 songs from Lucifer on the Sofa, along with an impressive mix of their older catalog. It really highlighted the deep well they can draw from and keep the audience on their toes.
Spoon is a band that serves no bullshit; no stage theatrics, no elaborate light setup or costumes. Britt Daniel (vocals, guitar), Jim Eno (drums), Alex Fischel (keyboards, guitar), Gerardo Larios (guitar, keyboards) and Ben Trokan (bass, keyboards) are just 5 guys on stage who are focused on just playing their music. The band represents their cool Austin roots from the 80’s and 90’s where bands were cool without trying too hard. The show moved along like a locomotive, it didn’t slow and keep chuggin along and gaining momentum. Their 5 song encore started with a cover of John Lennon’s Isolation and ended with their musical nod to The Rolling Stones with 2014’s Rent I Pay. Some people say that rock is dead, but Spoon is proof that it’s alive and well.
Setlist: Held (Smog Cover), The Devil & Mister Jones, Don’t You Eva, Wild, The Beast and Dragon, Adored, The Way We Get By, Don’t Make Me a Target, The Underdog, I Summon You, My Babe, Feels Alright, My Mathematical Mind, Do I Have To Talk You Into It, Inside Out, I Turn My Camera On, Got Nuffin
Encore: Isolation (John Lennon Cover), The Hardest Cut, Do You, Small Stakes, Rent I Pay
Phishâs summer tour opening run at Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts was a heater to get the band on the road again after a month or so off. The former “Great Woods” has seen many Phish shows – 19 as of Friday, July 15 – and drew a New England crowd and many more to get summer started.
On Thursday, Phish dove in right away with “Ghost” and a “Set Your Soul Free” wedged in between before playing “The Wedge.” The second set opened with an unfinished “Chalkdust Torture” that segued into “Plasma” and “Weekpaug Groove,” which made Friday night interesting when they opened the second set with “Mike’s Song.” A deep trio of “Prince Caspian” > “Backwards Down the Number Line” > “Bug” provided quality jams, with a big “Sand” to end the set.
Friday night, the band was on fire out of the gate with “46 Days,” a big “Everything’s Alright” moving into “Rift” and a “Maze” > “Bathtub Gin” > “Rock n Roll” segue that was a powerful end to the first frame. Set 2 started with “Mike’s Song” but when they finished up “I Am Hydrogen,” Trey Anastasio quickly moved into a heavy “Carini” which slowly gave birth to “Blaze On.” The non-stop segues continued with “Golden Age” > “The Howling” > “A Wave of Hope” > “Harry Hood” provided an equally energetic ending as Set 1. A three-song encore of “Bouncing Around the Room,” “NICU” and “Slave to the Traffic Light” closed the night as everyone headed north to Bangor, Maine for the next show.
Phish – The Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA – Thursday July 14
Soundcheck: Jam -> Plasma
Set 1: Ghost -> Set Your Soul Free -> Ghost, The Wedge, Mound, Mountains in the Mist, Back on the Train > Ruby Waves, I Been Around, Tube > About to Run
Set 2: Chalk Dust Torture[1] -> Plasma -> Weekapaug Groove -> Saw It Again -> Prince Caspian > Backwards Down the Number Line > Bug > Sand
Encore: Punch You in the Eye > Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
[1] Unfinished; Chalk Dust Torture was unfinished. Trey teased Tweezer Reprise in Weekapaug.
Phish – The Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA – Friday, July 15
Soundcheck: Jam
Set 1: 46 Days, Water in the Sky, Everything’s Right -> Rift, Wolfman’s Brother, Maze > Bathtub Gin > Rock and Roll
Set 2: Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Carini -> Blaze On -> Golden Age > The Howling > A Wave of Hope > Harry Hood
Encore: Bouncing Around the Room, NICU > Slave to the Traffic Light
Kirsty Rock, a member of the internationally renowned reggae super group Easy Star All-Stars, has announced her debut solo album Slow Burn on Easy Star Records.
Bringing a distinctive, soulful, and earthy reggae sound, Slow Burn coincides with an official video release of the title track, which was a collaboration between acrobatic dancer Julia Baccellier, Rock, and Rock’s long standing collaborator D888.
The visuals and movements are an unveiling in which we accentuate the beauty of that journey – vulnerability, a shedding, and in finality, empowerment. It’s a personal journey with a universal message.
Kirsty Rock
Kirsty Rock came up in the Brooklyn music scene of the 1990s. Her first lead vocal with Easy Star All-Stars was on their 2003 album Dub Side of the Moon, performing “The Great Gig In The Sky,” which earned praise from the original vocalist. In 2003, she joined the tour of Easy Star All-Stars in over 30 countries on 6 continents. She was featured on vocals on their studio albums Radiodread, Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band, and Easy Star’s Thrillah, as well as on First Light. Currently Rock is back with ESA after a COVID hiatus.
The first single “The Feeling” may appear to be the most lighthearted song on the album. It was the most difficult and cathartic to write for Rock since it’s a reminder of love and joy that when we release grief, sorrow, pain, and anger.
Her next single, “L.E.O.” is filled with a steady bass groove and slapping drums. Rock wrote and sings the lyrics: “The space between us pulls me in with thoughts darker than your skin. It’s incredible. Burn my solar wings and carry me towards L.E.O.”
Many of the songs on Slow Burn were started on the road with Easy Star All-Stars and with her own long-running band Trumystic. Without the stress and expectations of rushing out products, she just let the songs evolve. Observing diverse relationships and changes in political agendas, Slow Burn had been inspired. After the bones of the songs were recorded in her home in Vermont, Rock began reaching out to her friends to add more into the album.
The first few tracks completed were co-produced and mixed by Grammy-nominated producer Matt Stein while the rest of the album brought in collaborators in Easy Star All-Stars. These fantastic artists including guitarist/vocalist Shelton Garner Jr., keyboardist/vocalist Elenna Canlas, drummers Ivan Katz and Cliff Simpson, and the horn section of Jennifer Hill, Buford O’Sullivan, and Matt Bauder, and other musicians.
Slow Burn is a stunning “debut” for Kirsty Rock. She is already at work on new songs and looking forward to bringing this music on the road with both ESA and on her own in the coming year.
There are two things you can find a great deal of in Upstate New York – music venues in nearly every town, and Stewart’s Shops. There are more than 345 Stewart’s in New York and Vermont, and if you’ve been to a show or gone camping Upstate, you’ve probably stopped at a Stewart’s for provisions. With newly remodeled shops, Stewart’s is a staple for locals and visitors alike.
One of Stewart’s best sellers is their ice cream. Made from milk from New York farms, the variety of flavors goes well beyond the basic Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberry. The variety of music venues Upstate is equally varied, and gives music lovers an opportunity to see their favorite bands and new artists in unique settings.
We’ve partnered with Stewart’s Shops to look at their ice cream flavors and compared them to Upstate music venues. Below you’ll find 15 flavors paired with their appropriate venue, a small sampling of the more than 30 flavors Stewart’s Shops offer. Get the scoop before you get a scoop heading to your next show!
Brownie Cookie Sundae // Ulster Performing Arts Center, Kingston
This venue and flavor have each got it all. UPAC features one of the widest arrays of musical selections in the state. From Meatloaf to Willie Nelson, the HV Philharmonic to plays and musicals, UPAC has it all. Likewise, Brownie Cookie Sundae comes loaded with vanilla ice cream, chewy brownie bites, soft cookie dough pieces and a rich fudge swirl. Available in a cone or half-gallon.
Star Gazer // Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Saratoga Springs
Where can you see the most stars? Head north on I-87 and get off at exit 13 for Saratoga Performing Arts Center, where you’ll see the biggest artists and national touring bands at SPAC each summer! Originally the home of the NYC Ballet, SPAC has been bringing concerts to the edge of the Adirondacks since the 1960s, making this the perfect venue for seeing stars. Stargazer has Malt flavored ice cream with a rich caramel swirl and pieces of Milky Way candy bars mixed in. Available in a half-gallon.
Chocolate Sea Turtle // Snug’s Harbor, New Paltz
Turtles are found throughout the state, but they’ll always need a snug harbor somewhere to rest their shell. Snug Harbor provides a comfortable space for bands to play in the college town of New Paltz, with a variety of music and cold beer on tap. Stewart’s Chocolate Sea Turtle features chocolate ice cream with a sea salt caramel swirl and chocolate fudge pecans. Available in a cone for a limited time.
Fireworks // Empire State Plaza, Albany
One of the best spots for fireworks in Upstate New York is the Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany. Capable of hosting more than 10,000 people and room for even more nearby, the Fireworks every 4th of July and for select events are a must see event, as well as the bands that perform on the plaza during the summer months. Pop Rocks encased in vanilla ice cream with a tart cherry swirl helps this flavor live up to its name! Available in a cone.
Blueberry Pie in the Sky // Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel
Summer and blueberry pie are synonymous. The summer of love lives on through Bethel Woods. Grab a cone of Blueberry in the Sky, with blueberry ice cream with shortbread and a Maine blueberry swirl, on the way to your next show and imagine the roads filled with cars headed to Yasgur’s Farm. Available in a pint.
Happy Camper // Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Oak Hill
When the music on the stage is done for the day, head to your campsite anywhere at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival’s campgrounds for pickin’ parties, where you can hear classic bluegrass songs and singalongs, just like at camp enjoy s’mores! With graham cracker flavored ice cream with a graham cracker pieces, a marshmallow swirl and peanut butter pieces, enjoy a cone of Stewart’s Happy Camper while friends old and new sit around and pluck away. Available in a cone.
Campfire S’Moreo // Levon Helm’s Barn, Woodstock
Located just a few miles from Mount Marion near Saugerties, Levon Helm’s Barn is the perfect pairing for this summer time treat. Living in Woodstock at Big Pink with The Band and backing Bob Dylan for years, Levon Helm made a second home in Woodstock, establishing Midnight Rambles that continue to be a thing of legend. Outside Levon’s Barn, you’ll find small campfires before and after shows – year round – making the Campfire S’Moreo a perfect pairing to this classic venue. Available in a cone for a limited time.
Mint Cookie Crumble // The Bardavon, Poughkeepsie
Two classics, presented in a new way. The Bardavon is the oldest continually operating music venue in New York State, offering various performing arts, cinema, theater, vaudeville, and performers ranging from David Byrne to Chick Corea, Dr. John to Gladys Knight, and Joan Baez to Natalie Merchant. Bardavon is also the home of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, making the classic venue fresh for a new generation of music lovers. Mint Cookie Crumble is a spin on mint chocolate chip, but with a chocolate cookie crumble fudge swirl mixed in smooth cool mint ice cream. A classic, presented in a fresh new way. Available in a cone, pint or half-gallon, and now available in a non-dairy pint!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup // The Egg, Albany
One of Stewart’s tastiest ice creams has a swirl of peanut butter inside, ready to surprise you with each bite. Inside The Egg in Albany, you’ll find not one but two music venues – The Hart Theatre and The Swyer Theatre, both offering an array of musical offerings, not to mention surprisingly incredible acoustics! Available in a cone, pint or half-gallon.
Chocolate Caramel Tornado// The Falcon, Marlboro
Combining chocolate and sea salt caramel ice creams with chocolate covered honeycomb pieces and a chocolate/caramel swirl makes for unique yet delicious treat. Similarly unique and offering delicious music is The Falcon, where you can find jazz in an intimate and rustic Hudson Valley setting. Available in a cone for a VERY limited time.
Crumbs along the Mohawk // Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes
Located 500 feet from the Mohawk River, Cohoes Music Hall, opened in 1874, has been home for live music performances, high school musicals and plays, theater performances and much more. With a name synonymous with music, Cohoes is a great small town to stop in for an evening. The perfect ice cream to go with such a classic venue is Crumbs Along the Mohawk, inspired by the 1939 film “Drums Along the Mohawk,” with graham cracker flavored ice cream holding together graham cracker pieces with a caramel swirl. Available in a pint or half-gallon.
Brew Ha Ha // Saranac Brewery, Utica; Ommegang Brewery, Cooperstown
Where in New York can you get brewery fresh beer and live music? Two places come to mind – Saranac Brewery in Utica, and Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown. With their own wide selections of beers and other beverages, these breweries offer two things that New York is known for – great beer and great music – Brew Ha Ha takes Stewart’s richer roast coffee ice cream with espresso bean flavored chocolate flakes, a nice combination as well! Available in a cone or half-gallon.
Adirondack Bear Paw // The Waterhole, Saranac Lake
The northernmost venue on our list is The Waterhole, home to music year round, with Party on the Patio on Thursdays each summer, Winter Carnival music performances in February, and the heart of this Adirondack town. Vanilla ice cream mixed with sweet praline cashews and caramel swirls make a rich combination in this tasty northern delight. Available in a half-gallon.
The classic creamsicle flavor is a throwback to summers spent in Saratoga Springs, with a twist. A classic Saratoga venue, Caffe Lena, has been a fixture in the Spa City since the 1960s, and new renovations in the building put a twist on the original! Available in a half-gallon at your local Stewart’s Shops!
Colombian Coffee // Club Helsinki, Hudson
Like coffee, Club Helsinki has something for everyone, serving as a music venue, bar and restaurant. Open mic nights, both virtual and in person, welcome all people and talents. The many flavors of coffee can be found in this Columbia County venue that welcomes a variety of artists to the east shore of the Hudson River. Available in a cone or half-gallon.
Hudson Valley-emerged band Upstate shared their new single “Lovers & Friends” after a time of profound exploration and self-discovery in the last few years. They are returning with tours in New York State in July, August and October.
Upstate is a band guided by clear ambitions: to write honest songs, play rich music, and “leave it all” on the stage and in the studio. Melanie Glenn, Mary Kenney lead as singers and guitarists, while Harry D’Agostino plays bass with percussionist/drummer Dylan Mckinstry. The band weaves traces of Americana, Jazz, Gospel, and R&B with their eyes towards music that tells the truth above all.
Great changes happened to Upstate since the last new music in summer 2020. There’s been babies, marriages, engagements, relocations, new career paths, band members changed. Upstate has been writing and recording a fresh collection of songs and lately shared the first single, “Lovers & Friends”, a delicate yet soaring indie folk gem that explores the subtle intricacies of cherished relationships.
Photography by Genesis Baez
This is a tune that reflects on the different kinds of stakes wrapped up in our romances and intimate friendships, the ways that we know each other, and the ways that we don’t. The kind of honesty that can flourish in a genuine friendship, and the kinds of lies that romance often begets.
Harry D’Agostino
“Lovers & Friends” hints at Upstate’s creative rebirth which may arrive with their forthcoming album in Spring 2023. In the meantime, Upstate scheduled dates for tour in the remainder of this summer as followed with additional Autumn shows to be added shortly.
Upstate Tour Dates
7/16 – Sherman, NY – Heron Farm & Event Center 7/29 – Cortland, NY – Main Street Music Series 8/17 – Katonah, NY – Caramoor Center for Music & Arts 10/15 – Geneva, NY – Smith Center for the Arts
Returning in 2022 to the south shore of Long Island was the Great South Bay Music Festival, featuring four days of artists on multiple stages. Attending on Saturday, July 9, artists included Aqueous, Galactic, Joe Russoâs Almost Dead, Tedeschi Trucks Band, moe. and Escaper, among many others over the long weekend.
Saturday kicked off with Aqueous on the main stage, who are taking a light 2022 to focus on family time, something well deserved for the Buffalo band. Brooklyn’s Escaper played an incredible set at the Clamshell Bandshell featuring Lespecial bassist Luke Bemand. With boats around the shore and some making their way to hear the music via kayak, the New Orleans sound of Galactic proved to be funky as always.
moe. played an outstanding set of music giving way to an evening sunset, on the heels of shows in Albany, Buffalo and at Levitate Music Festival. Joined by Suke Cerulo on guitar and Nate Wilson on keys (both in place of a recovering Chuck Garvey), the band shared their honed sound, including an ode to the Allman Brothers in a set closing “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.” Listen to the show here.
moe. Setlist: Plane Crash, LL3, Mar De Ma-> Jam->Tailspin, NYC, Skrunk > In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
JRAD closed up the night with a firey, jam filled set. Russo and his bandmates are back in New York in late August at SPAC, with many more fall tour dates planned in the Northeast.
Great South Bay Music Festival has become a staple of summers in Long Island for the past decade. We look forward to the 2023 installment and all the music in store.
God knows we all love a good gimmick. Especially when it wildly exceeds our expectations and produces something that is profoundly eye-opening, or in this case, ear-opening! Such is the case with Uncaged, an album of much-loved rock covers, rendered in a supremely deep and darkly delicious heavy metal style, by Milwaukee-based lap steel slasher, Sean Williamson, aka Velocihamster.
Album art by Steven Bossler
For those not in the know, the lap steel guitar, also known as Hawaiian guitar, is a steel stringed guitar, sans pedals and frets, that is played with a slide in an open tuning while laid across a player’s lap. It was an outgrowth of Hawaii’s popular slack-key guitar style, which was incredibly popular in the earliest decades of the record industry. Like the traditional guitar, the lap steel would become electrified in the 1930s and eventually be employed in other musical styles – jazz, blues, gospel and especially country and Western swing. While not as popular or utilized as its cousins the traditional pedal steel or dobro, the lap steel has been a standout instrument in the hands of artists of the past like Roy Smeck and modern era ones like L.A. session ace and Jackson Browne sideman David Lindley.
In Williamson’s hands, the lap steel is another animal all together. It’s a roaring, screaming beast, an instrument of melodic assault and chordal crunch that brings to the ears a virtuosity that is way more Van Halen (Sean taps his ass off here too) than Bob Willis and The Texas Playboys.
Williamson has super-charged his lap steel with EMG humbucker-styled pickups, the kind favored by Judas Priest’s K.K Dowling, Primus’ Les Claypool, Metallica’s James Hetfield and dozens of other metal mavens. His sound is thick, lush, layered and fuzzy, with his instrument further empowered with everything from distortion and chorus pedals to wah wah and harmonizer.
Photo by Greg Vorobiov
My favorite tracks are the instrumentals. His mysterioso take on Led Zeppelin’s Middle Eastern-y “In the Evening,” his jam on Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein” and his uber dirty, nasty interpretation of the Sneaker Pimp’s “6 Underground.” Williamson does the Beastie Boys proud with his wanky, wah wah driven cover of “Gratitude,” one for which he also provides the appropriately juvenile sounding vox (that’s a compliment, Sean!)
Another highlight is the album opener, a super-caffeinated version of Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades,” with a guest vocal by Alice Cooper bassist and Beasto Blanco frontman Chuck Garric. Williamson also admirably covers of classics like Santo & Johnny’s “Sleepwalk” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” And while a lot of this is shred-centric, Williamson never loses sight of the melodies that have made these songs so memorable.
Uncaged is an album that will delight metal and classic rock lovers by breathing new life into songs you have heard hundreds of times before. But it does something even bigger. It uncages a sleep instrument in music’s arsenal and lets it roar and thrive in new avenues and genres of sound.
With more than 95 acres of space for entertainment, Lincoln Hill Farms offers a music and event venue like no other. Situated just a few minutes from downtown Canandaigua, the spot is perfect for music, drinks, and food alongside beautiful scenery.
The idyllic property offers a great environment for celebrations, music, corporate and private events, weddings, and more. Originally settled by the Dewey Family over a hundred years ago, the space was transformed by local owner Brain Mastrosimone and opened to the public in 2019. From rows of picturesque sunflowers, a two-story silo bar, a food truck, and a rustic pavilion, the atmosphere is one-of-a-kind.
Over the course of the year, the space holds multiple events for all attendees to enjoy, including music in front of the gorgeous Lincoln Hill Farms Hops Yard stage. The venue’s Summer concert series also began back in May with the Skycoasters kicking off the season. Other shows continue into the summer, including bluegrass septet Railroad Earth on July 28 and folk musician Trevor Hall on August 9, and more. In addition to Lincoln Hill Farms’ summer concert series, the venue will also host BrewFest 2022 on August 13 with headliner Tim Reynolds.
In addition to all the music entertainment opportunities at Lincoln Hill Farms, Sunday Fun Days occur every Sunday from 1 to 8 pm through August 28. The festivities include live music, free parking, and baby goat petting open to all ages. The venue also partners with nearby venue CMAC and offers shuttle rides when both spaces are hosting shows.
Lincoln Hill Farms nestled in the scenic Finger Lakes region offers multiple entertainment options for anyone to choose from. Throughout the season there is always something new and exciting happening in the space to explore and enjoy.
Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs for any Lincoln Hill Farms event or concert and leashed friendly dogs are also permitted. For more information on all events, and to purchase tickets, visit the venue’s website.
Brooklyn-based bedroom pop artist, PRONOUN, has released a new song called “roe vs gofvckurself,” detailing the utter frustration and hopelessness many are feeling with the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, which protects the right to get an abortion, among other things.
Alyse Vellturo, aka PRONOUN.
PRONOUN is the lovechild of Alyse Vellturo, and she is an American singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist making indie-synth music. Billboard named her as one of their breakout indie artists for 2019, and she is also the founder of Sleep Well Records.
The song is very slow, and gradually picks up speed with guitars and electrifying bass lines. Vellturo encapsulates the dire feelings as she sings, “I was outside having a cigarette/When I first heard the news/Really hard for me to quit smoking/When it feels like i have nothing to lose.” It is short but sweet, as the only emotions that come to mind are anger and shock when hearing the news.
The end of the song is the most emotional as she sings “And it’s the way you make us feel like nothing at all/Five years later/Burn it all/Burn it down.” Having the essential right to an abortion being taken away from you is scary, especially for women in states that aren’t allowing them and for low income people.
Overall, PRONOUN encapsulates the emotional and dire feelings surrounding the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and how we all must fight and protest more than we have before to try and get the decision overturned.
Teenage boys pick up guitars, drums and the like in hopes of achieving one attribute.
F*ckability.
Wailing with your voice or an instrument in the sleek attire of the bad boy can make any nerd desirable. There’s three-quarters of a century of evidence in the history of rock-n-roll to prove it – spanning from Jagger to Justin Timberlake to Jack Antonoff.
The many shorts of Bob Weir
But now that summer has arrived, some musicians are compromising their sexy status and marketability by caving into the high temps and humidity and committing the ultimate performer music fashion faux pas…
They are wearing shorts on stage!
The shorts-on-stage trend dates back to the middle “Me-Decade.” From my not so scientific observations, I believe it all started with Jimmy “Margaritaville” Buffett and his hard-partying Parrothead fans.
Buffett is the ultimate anti-airs rock star. On the surface, he is the wonderfully unassuming everyman schlub wholly dedicated to sharing good times, the guy most likely to buy underage kids brews at a 7/11. His fans come to his shows to cut loose – to drink, smoke, sing, spaz dance, puke and pass out in a joyful heap. As a survey of his many businesses and $500 million in net worth demonstrates, he’s also probably one of the most financially savvy of all popular musicians.
With those dollars, he can basically wear whatever the hell he wants, just like Bill Gates.
A congregation of Buffett and his Parrotheads is not a night at the opera, so the tuxedo is out. For Buffett’s crowd, it’s the cargo shorts that are the below-the-belt uniform. Why? Mainly for their capacity to contain all your party essentials in their many securable pockets – the saltshaker, lime, sunblock, hacky-sack, rolling papers, roach clip, Visine, bail money, etc. etc. And for Buffet and his Coral Reefer band, it’s the same uber casual uniform – cargo utility and comfort topped with a splashy Hawaiian shirt, one worn without the slightest hint of hipster irony.
The pictures here are just the tip of this wide stylistic depravity, the plague that breaks out on festival and concert stages whenever the warm weather arrives.
The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir, Eric Clapton, Eddie Vedder and even Metallica’s he-man bassist James Trujillo are just a few of rock’s cargo short wearers. Donning these baggy atrocities (or Weir’s ‘Bobby Shorts’) makes all hints of cool and sexy go out the window, in the image of the musician and the music that emanates from him when he is so lamely attired. How can you play the blues in Docker cut-offs Mr. Clapton? P-Funk’s late great guitarist Gary Shider, who was known as “Diaper Man” for the giant one he wore on stage, cut a far sexier image than Clapton in his cargos emoting “Have You Ever Loved A Woman?”
You won’t be lovin’ any woman any time soon in those shorts, Slowhand.
The cargo dilemma is most prevalent in the jam band circuit with the likes of Dave Matthews, with mega-selling stars whose improv laden performances are largely free of any showbiz theatrically, especially the sparkly wardrobes prescribed by professional stylists.
But more appalling are the multitude of classic rockers of the past who chose to perform in jeans shorts.
The cut-off jean shorts for men trend emerged in the early-70s and was mercifully snuffed out by the middle of the next decade. But in that time, everyone from Def Leppard and The Eagles to Lemmy and Willie Nelson had been captured in performance photos in their Levi’s short shorts, ones that live forever on the Internet. And unlike their cargo brethren whose formlessness made the sexy vanish, a pair of tight jeans shorts on a rocker left way too little to the imagination. They were a neon Times Square billboard for a rocker’s trouser snake and his delusions of his sexual prowess, an overt visual assault of all five senses from a far less P.C. time.
The 80s also gave us two more offending shorts to contend with – the Richard Simmons-styled slit-leg running/aerobics short and the ghastly Spandex.
Sting and his peroxide-locked band, The Police, frolicked in the former in the video for their hit, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” And as for the Spandex, it was a favorite performance attire of Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinsin and a whole host of other metal mavens.
This story would not be complete without a visit to the short-short sins of The Godfather of Soul, James Brown.
One of the most famous images of Brown was caught when he was performing wearing hot pants at a 1974 concert in Zaire, one that took place before the Ali-Foreman fight. Combined with his cop-like fu Manchu moustache and his Conquistador boots, this artifact completely sums up the over-the-top, anything goes fashions of the mid-70s. All is forgiven when you consider the greatness and longevity of Brown’s 1971 hit, “Hot Pants” and the even more outlandish 11+ minute jam, “For Goodness Sakes, Take a Look at Those Cakes!”
But when it comes to wearing shorts on stage, there is but one rocker who gets a pass: AC/DC’s eternally young Angus Young.
Now 67 years old and still rocking his Aussie schoolboy outfit with shorts, Young first started wearing the attire in April 1974. The shocked and delighted reaction of the audience was one reason he kept wearing it. The other was that it helped him move fast on stage to avoid the bottles being thrown at the band in the pre-Platinum-selling days.
Musicians, the hideously wretched Nancy Reagan told us all to just say no to drugs. I’m telling you to just say no to shorts on stage this summer, even as global warming is pushing the temps into the triple digits.
