Category: Reviews

Phish Make Their Radio City Music Hall Debut : May 21, 2000

Today we celebrate the anniversary of the first Phish show ever held at New York City’s esteemed Radio City Music Hall. Fresh off the heels of a New Year’s Millennium celebration in the Everglades that made headlines worldwide, Phish was ready to take on the year 2000 with a Spring Tour of Japan on the books. But first, they would play a few gigs in New York City to dust off the cobwebs and help support their album Farmhouse which was released just days earlier. On this the first of a two-night run here, Phish would wind up playing about half of the new album’s songs while mixing in other classics in a show that certainly lived up to the anticipation surrounding it.

Phish seems to soak in the applause for a bit from a raucous Radio City Music Hall before starting the show with thunderous “First Tube” that seemed to move the ground itself. Mike Gordon’s constant, unwavering bass line dominates this one pulled from Farmhouse that continues to be a mainstay at shows to this day. A familiar first set face in “Wolfman’s Brother” gets played next, adding a veritable dose of funk to the revered music hall, with sound coming through in pristine fashion thanks to Radio City’s amazing acoustics.

An early show “Squirming Coil” then makes an appearance. The “Little Jimmy’s off to camp” line seems to get a noticeable roar of approval from the crowd, perhaps in respect to last summer’s legendary (and sweltering) Camp Oswego festival in Upstate New York. After a fairly brief Page McConnell closing piano solo, the opening to “Possum” emerge which reenergizes Radio City and then some with the floor once again seeming to have a discernable bounce to it, especially on the upper levels of the building. After a brief pause, the funk returns once more, this time courtesy of a bubbly “Moma Dance.”

Once “Moma” comes to a rolling stop, the opening chords to “Limb By Limb” ring out, a fellow Story Of The Ghost selection. “Limb” elicits one of the finer jams of the first set, one that slowly increases in fervor and intensity, with McConnell and Trey Anastasio on guitar musically sparring back and forth, before it closes with Jon Fishman alone on drums. “Character Zero” then wraps a bow around the much anticipated first Phish set at Radio City, a spirited and well-played one with fairly standard selection of songs for 2000.

The second set stays very much in that same vein, beginning with a “Gotta Jibboo” that produces the next standout moment of the evening. The band is instantly locked in on a blissful jam that takes off right away, aided by Anastasio’s signature digital delay loop running underneath it the entire time. This momentum carries squarely into the “Down With Disease” that comes next. The band rips through the composed section and jumps immediately into an aggressive high-octane jam that starts strong and never really lets up, with Fishman pushing both the tempo and the limits in a masterclass of drumming. Eventually, Trey reintroduces the digital delay loop with Page adding in some harrowing organ fills as the band takes their time crafting this one. It all adds up to a 20-minute “Disease” that’s the highlight of the show and one of the better ones ever played to date.

In a true case of juxtaposition, Phish lets the crowd catch their breath a little and trots out the introspective “Dirt,” yet another Farmhouse selection. This would actually begin a three-song run from the new album (and four of five including “Jibboo”) in the second set as “Twist” follows and brings with it a mellow, groove-infused jam that turns into near ambience.

This lays the foundation for “Piper” and its customary (at the time) slow build introduction. “Piper” goes from slow to lightening quick in a hurry, with Anastasio shredding out the main chords in rapid fashion with Fishman, once again, doing some otherworldly business on the drums. Instead of stretching “Piper” out further, it comes to a rather abrupt stop and Phish pivots to “Harry Hood,” much to the delight of the Radio City crowd.

Phish doesn’t mess around with “Hood” and delivers a splendidly euphoric version of one their signature songs, a slow build of emotion before cresting perfectly. A second set full of music and memorable jams could have easily ended right there with few complaints. But from the ashes of “Hood,” McConnell emerges alone on piano and begins “Wading In The Velvet Sea” to add another emotion-provoking song to the list. Afterwards, both he and Trey expressed their appreciation for being able to play at Radio Music Hall, where they had both been able to see the great Stevie Wonder perform, with Trey making some especially poignant and heartfelt remarks about the current state of Phish and the scene it has created.

With that said and done, the resurrected “Guyute” then closes out the second set in grand fashion. The “I hope this happens once again line” at its completion gets another extra round of applause from the crowd. For an encore, Phish trots out one last Farmhouse selection with the acoustic “The Inlaw Josie Wales” before “Loving Cup,” the lone cover song of the night, sends the Radio City crowd home glowing, eagerly anticipating what’s to follow in round two tomorrow.

Take a listen to the whole show below or song by song at PhishTracks.

Phish Radio City Music Hall – New York, NY 5/21/00

Set 1: First Tube, Wolfman’s Brother, The Squirming Coil, Possum, The Moma Dance > Limb By Limb > Character Zero

Set 2: Gotta Jibboo, Down With Disease > Dirt, Twist > Piper, Harry Hood > Wading In The Velvet Sea, Guyute

E: The Inlaw Josie Wales, Loving Cup

May 21, 2022
Tribute to Kings: Primus Gives Albany the Royal Treatment

Celebrating 518 Day on May 18^th, bass-heavy psychedelic prog rock ‘bastards’ Primus made their triumphant return to Albany. Amidst a special 46 date, coast-to-coast tribute tour paying homage to fellow prog-rock legends Rush and drummer Neil Peart, the influential Bay Area trio performed two distinct sets; one of original music and the other, a full cover set of Rush’s seminal 1977 album A Farewell to Kings.

Curated by charismatic Primus front man and bass playing virtuoso, Les Claypool, the only logical venue suited for an occasion of such royal proportions was downtown Albany’s historic Palace Theatre.

Les Claypool of Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22

The man, the myth, the compulsive entertainer, Les Claypool has arguably been one of rock’s most influential players of the last thirty years. Creating a mythical, almost cult-like following through his multitude of side projects, some may know him from his time with Trey Anastasio and Oysterhead , or with Buckethead and The Flying Frog Brigade, or more recently with his “Delirium” collaboration with Sean Lennon, son of Yoko and John. An impressive pedigree to be sure, but make no mistake, Primus has always been the bread and butter for Les and also his most successful.

But what made him want to start playing music in the first place?It all goes back to a single day in 1978 when a young Claypool attended his first ever rock concert. Performing that night was a young Canadian banned named Rush. Mesmerized by what he saw on stage, it was then Claypool decided music was what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. 14 years later and now spearheading a colorful band of his own dubbed “Primus,” things came full circle when they were offered a supporting slot on Rush’s 1992 tour. They say never meet your heroes or you’ll be disappointed, but in the case, the two bands shared an instant connection and would develop a close friendship organically through years of touring together. According to Claypool, paying tribute to Rush is simply a way to say “thank you” for all of their inspiration.

Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22

Bringing the “Tribute to Kings” Tour to the Palace Theater this past Wednesday, fans turned out in droves, but not necessarily to see Primus. With the passing of iconic drummer Neal Peart, Rush played their final show in August of 2015, yet based on the sheer amount of vintage Rush t-shirts and memorabilia that was present at the Palace, it’s fair to say there is still a significant demand for their music. If there is any three-piece unit that has the talent and the chops to fill that void, it would have to be the mighty Primus.

Taking the darked Palace stage as the customary Danny Elfman “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” theme piped in over the PA, Claypool, along with guitar player Larry “Ler” LaLonde and frummer Tim “Herb” Alexander, wasted no time in letting their intention be known. Playing the type of songs that don’t exactly fit well with the radio format, class was in session early as Primus opening their performance with an “American Life” history lesson. Complete with a massive rear projector high above the stage displaying hypnotic video loops and depicting things like immigrants registering at Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, along with images of Mount Rushmore and Honest Abe, the projections would subtly change to a ‘military marching orders’ theme during classic Primus cuts like the songs “Too Many Puppies” and “Sgt. Baker.

The low-end pulse would beat a little louder (and darker) on the next song, 1989’s repetitive, percussion-heavy trance educing song “The Pressman,” after which Claypool claimed the band had not played in a while. One of the highest highlights of the first set came next with a rare “Professor Nutbutter’s House of Treats” which segued nicely into a “Del Davis Tree Farm” bust-out, played for the first time since 2017. Sensing an opportunity to slip in something new, Primus then unloaded their brand new sprawling and groovy single, the covid-inspired, tongue in cheek eleven minute opus “Conspiranoia.” The opening set concluded with a condensed mash-up of “Welcome to This World” and the always awesome “My Name Is Mud.”

Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22

From there the Rush was on, literally. In an evening billed as a “Tribute to Kings,” Primus would honor their musical heroes by performing the 1977 classic Rush album A Farewell To Kings in its entirety. Other than a minor wardrobe change and Claypool trading in his signature Carl Thompson ‘Rainbow’ bass for a black and white Rickenbacker model, Primus tore through the set with such complete confidence it almost made you forget these were someone else’s songs.

Technically proficient, it was the vocals that proved to be the biggest challenge for Claypool. At one point addressing the audience between songs, acknowledging Geddy Lee’s high pitched (and often polarizing) vocal style isn’t exactly “easy” to mimic and then encouraged those who knew the lyrics to try and help sing the next one, then launching into one of Rush;s biggest radio hits, “Closer to the Heart.” For a brief time during “Xanadu,” both Claypool and Ler could be seen wielding a pair of huge, double necked axes. Allegedly the first to ever play an electric 12 string bass, Geddy Lee claims Rickenbacker specifically built the first one for him.

After witnessing Lee perform with the mammoth instrument at his first ever concert, Claypool confessed he’s wanted one ever since and joked that it took him all these years to finally be able to afford one. Always cracking wise, Claypool would also make several light-hearted jabs at the people in the first few rows who were still inexplicably sitting down, saying “it’s that mutual exchange of energy that [he] feeds off and that if he has to remain standing through the entire performance, everyone else should be up off the asses too.” Les then dove into his favorite Rush song of all time, the set closing “Cygnus x-1.” Just prior to the encore, Claypool would later apologize to anyone who may have been offended by his heckling and then proceeded to drop into the opening notes of Primus Frizzle Fry fan favorite “Groundhog’s Day” from 1990. Still not satisfied, fans begging for “just one more” were treated to a tune Claypool introduced as “a true story about a friend…who was addicted to crack.” His name was Harold.

Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22

Coming to a close a little before midnight, most people stayed all the way to the end as the theme from the original “Charlie and Chocolate Factory” helped send them home with a smile. There was a little something for everyone at this show. Sure, real Primus fans want to hear all Primus all the time and the faithful Rush fans were probably a little overwhelmed by the undeniable heaviness and some of the weirdos the Primus scene tends to attract, perhaps even hoping for another radio hit like “Tom Sawyer” or “Spirit of the Radio.”

The real winners on this night were the scores of young fans in attendance. Similar to the way Les Claypool’s life was forever changed by his first concert, you couldn’t help but notice the abundance of skid fathers who brought their boys with them. Perhaps the sentimental notion of passing the prog-rock crown from Rush to Primus? Or maybe they just couldn’t find a babysitter? Or maybe, just maybe the next great virtuoso bass player was sitting right there in the Palace Theatre all along, absorbing the magic of live music at their very first concert. One thing is for sure, Primus most certainly does not suck.

Primus | May 18th, 2022 | Albany, NY | Palace Theatre

Set 1: American Life, Too Many Puppies(>)Sgt. Baker(> ‘Too Many Puppies’ reprise), The Pressman, Last Salmon Man, Conspiranoia, Professor Nutbutter’s House of Treats, Del Davis Tree Farm (First time live since 2017), Welcome to This World, My Name Is Mud

Set 2: A Farewell to Kings, Xanadu, Closer to the Heart, Cinderella Man, Madrigal, Cygnus X-1

Encore: Groundhog’s Day, Harold of the Rocks, Follow the Fool >Harold of the Rocks Reprise

May 21, 2022
Hearing Aide: Glass Pony “Nowhere Daydream”

Albany’s Glass Pony continue a hot streak that has seen the group persevere through a pandemic to build an audience and unique sound, and return from the studio with a strong sophomore album, Nowhere Daydream.

Comprised of Chanda Dewey (drums), Eddie Hotaling (guitar, lead vocals), Jeff Picarazzi (bass), and Greg Pittz (lead guitar), Glass Pony has used the last two years wisely, honing their craft in practice and performance, preparing for the return of live music and hitting the ground running. Expanding their touring area to Central New York and the North Country puts Glass Pony on an upward trajectory, fueled by Nowhere Daydream.

photo by Frankie Cavone

The album begins with the Hotaling composition “North Bound,” giving an early Ominous Seapods feel to the album, which dips quickly into a track that has quickly become a fan favorite, “Something Good.” The first notes to the album’s first single have a “Let’s Dance” intro vibe, a soaring guitar hook throughout from Pittz and serves as an upbeat post-pandemic anthem for an uplifting 7+ minute ride, .

“House on a Hill” has a happy, upbeat jamgrass vibe, with lyrics by Keith Drinkwine. “Mortimer” brings in a “Wife Soup” feel in the intro before entering a swing-revival section – this fiery instrumental segues neatly into the brief and ambient “GN-z11.” The guitar groove of “St. Atocaster” from Pittz fits snugly into a pocket created by Picarazzi and Dewey, a track that captures the Glass Pony sound that has developed these past three years.

Nowhere Daydream was recorded at Jellystone Park in Pound Ridge, NY; Blue Sky Studios, Delmar, NY; and Glass Pony Stables, Albany, NY. The album was mixed and engineered by Eddie Hotaling and mastered by Raelynn Janicke at Infrasonic Mastering, Nashville, TN. Matt Richards (Annie in the Water) is featured on keys on all tracks, with Will Hayes playing cello on “Lunar Flare.” Visit Glass Pony on Bandcamp.

Key Tracks: Something Good, Mortimer, St. Atocaster
<a href="https://glasspony.bandcamp.com/album/nowhere-daydream">Nowhere Daydream by Glass Pony</a>
Glass Pony will hold an album release show on May 21, 2022 at Parish Public House (388 Broadway, Albany. Tickets are $15, with 3 sets and doors at 7. Tickets are available via Glassponyband.com or guthriebellproductions.com

poster by Zak Radick

May 20, 2022
Superbloom Roars Back with New Single “Falling Up”

On Friday, Brooklyn-native band Superbloom released their new single “Falling Up,” the group’s first new music since their 2021 debut album Pollen.

Superbloom first promoted the single via Facebook and Instagram on April 29, saying “something short, fast and loud coming soon.”

Promotional artwork for “Falling Up” done by Patrick Turk.

Produced by Superbloom, the two-minute “Superbloom” is a grunge track also features mixing & mastering from Zach Tuch, a Los Angeles-based engineer who has worked with Touché Amoré among many others since 2016.

The song’s structure is simple enough, consisting of two verses and choruses each before the moody but melodic track quickly wraps up.

While glossily produced, the song doesn’t remotely shy away from being loud. Shades of My Bloody Valentine-esque shoegaze are there, with Dan Hoon’s soft, layered vocals competing against waves of dirty guitar noise.

“Falling Up” is at its best when it leans into this noisier side. This is on point during the pre-verse/post-chorus section, where vigorously alternating guitar chords blend with an explosion of drumming.

This energy is matched by the angst of the lyrics, which are somewhat ambiguous. “Shit may hit different if you’re sipping off the pain,” Hoon sings at the end of the second verse.

“Falling Up” does a good job showing awareness for pop-grunge conventions of songwriting while not sounding restrained.

May 18, 2022
Dark Star Orchestra Brilliantly Recreate Lille Fairgrounds in France on 50th Anniversary

The Capitol Theatre was packed on Friday, May 13 with Deadheads young and old as Dark Star Orchestra paid homage to the Grateful Dead at the iconic Deadhead venue at The Capitol Theatre. On this night they recreated one of the Dead’s shows from their great Europe 1972 tour. More specifically the show from May 13, 1972 at Lille Fairgrounds in Lille, France. It was a hell of a set then and it was a hell of a show now.

The first set was played with precision and umph, never getting too noodley. The second set started off with a thunderous “Truckin’” into a jam filled “drums” > “The Other One.” Other highlights of the evening included “Beat It On Down The Line,” “Playing in the Band,” & “GDTRFB.”

Dark Star Orchestra – The Capitol Theatre – May 13, 2022 – recreating May 13, 1972 – Lille Fairgrounds of France

Set 1: Bertha, Black Throated Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, Loser, Beat It On Down The Line, Mister Charlie, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Me And My Uncle, Big Railroad Blues, Next Time You See Me, Playing In The Band, Sugaree, Mexicali Blues, Casey JonesÂ

Set 2: Truckin’ > drums > The Other One > He’s Gone, It Hurts Me Too, Sugar Magnolia, Not Fade Away > Going Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade AwayÂ

Encore: One More Saturday Night

May 17, 2022
The Dead Tongues Let the Music Do the Talking at Restaurant Good Luck

Honest Folk, purveyors of, er, honest folk concerts in Rochester, brought The Dead Tongues to town from Asheville, North Carolina on Sunday, May 15. The Dead Tongues, the project of singer-songwriter Ryan Gustafson, is sometimes a solo act, as it was on his previous visit to the area last summer at the Point of the Bluff Vineyard on Keuka Lake. But tonight it was a full band show, and electric at that. Not unheard of for an Honest Folk show, but not the norm either.

To prepare for this, the crowd had the opportunity to stretch their listening muscles. The band’s drummer, Joe Westerlund, started the evening with about 30 minutes of drum and electronics improvisation. Subtly shifting rhythmic electronic loops created a bedrock for Westerlund to explore his well-equipped kit, which featured all the bells, but no whistles. Even the shakes, rattles and clanks emerging from the bar, which can distract from the usual folk fare, added an unintentional surround sound effect. Inner ears and minds stretched and loosened, the previous hours of the day washed away, the crowd was ready to settle in for The Dead Tongues.

After a short break, Westerlund was joined on stage by Gustafson on guitars, harmonicas and vocals, Maddie Schuler on guitar and lap steel and Jeff Ratner on bass. They opened with the title track off of their stellar 2022 release, Dust. The album was written and recorded in a short period, a burst of inspiration for Gustafson. Live, there was no urgency though. Songs could ooze into existence and drift out just as languidly.

Older songs worked seamlessly into the set, some retooled to take advantage of the current band. On “Peaceful Ambassador” Gustafson’s harmonica meshed beautifully with Schuler’s lap steel, creating an almost organ-like effect, a unique mix of sound that would show up throughout the set. Ratner picked up the pace with a popping bass line that opened the song up into a jam featuring a searing slow burn solo from Gustafson. He strapped on the 12-string acoustic as his band continued to fizzle the song into a spacey outro that led right into “Sweet Relief,” another mellow groove that got pulled and stretched by the band.

Each song expanded their sound universe in subtle ways. “Nothingness and Everything” added a bit of reggae, some beautiful 3-part harmonies and featured a crowd-wowing guitar solo from Schuler. Westerlund continued exploring his kit throughout the night, from a softer hand drummed beat for “Pale November Dew,” to a sharp electronic beat on “Little Lies” or just flat out wowing with unique fills on the twanging rocker “Pawnshop Dollar Bills.”

It all remained rooted in Gustafson’s heartfelt and evocative songcraft, which he let speak for itself, keeping the banter to a minimum throughout the night. And these are songs begging to be heard again and again. Time to give that record another spin.

Setlist: Dust, Ebb and Flow, Through the Glass, Strangers, Graveyard Fields, Peaceful Ambassador, Sweet Relief, Pale November Dew, Nothingness and Everything, Garden Song, Little Lies, Pawnshop Dollar Bills, Won’t Be Long

May 17, 2022
Creature & The Butterflies Serve Up Melodic Bombast at Berlin

If you like the soft/loud approach of The Pixies and the noise pop perfectionism of Nirvana, there’s a new trio on the NYC scene that’s sure to delight – Creature & The Butterflies.

Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Chris Seifert debuted the band as a solo project in 2019 with the release of two singles, “Sweet Tooth” and “Turnaround.” The latter is a delightfully noisy and demented reinvention of the DEVO classic, one also covered by Nirvana on their Incesticide compilation. In 2021, Seifert released his tenth and perhaps most commercially appealing song, “Murder Machine.” This is a suitably mad, mid-tempo Ramones/Nirvana stomp with a cutting, single-note guitar solo straight out of the Neil Young “Cinnamon Girl” school.

While the multi-instrumentalist Seifert comported himself well on guitars, keys, bass and drums on his slew of singles, the band is even tighter now with the recent addition of a new killer rhythm section. The band’s newbies are pigtailed drummer Timmy Emmerich and bassist Bettina C. Emmerich has a sledgehammer, four-on-floor approach and a never flagging energy that brings a new level of vitality to Seifert’s prior recordings. Like Talking Head Tina and Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, Bettina C is a cool presence on stage. She’s also the sonic glue that holds (or maybe herds?) together Chris and Timmy’s poppy cacophony, one that could easily go off the rails her rock steady riffage.

This new lineup showcased their stuff at their second-ever gig together Wednesday night at Berlin Under 2A in Manhattan.

Like his idol Cobain, the eight Seifert originals played were grungy, noisy, feedback-laced pop perfection. They each boast killer riffs, crunchy chord sequences and smart, hook-leaden middle-eights – a compositional maturity that shows the band could be real contenders in the altrock marketplace.

On stage, Seifert has the dry sardonic presence of another of his idols, Lou Reed. At the performance, he cast off self-depreciating introductions to songs that amused the packed house.

The band ran through several of the singles you can find on their Spotify page like “THEM,” “Boy with Guns” and “Murder Machine.” But perhaps my favorites were two new tunes. “Viper Dog Fish” is a dropped-D tuned smasher driven by a riff Black Sabbath would love to have penned while “Friends” is, again, Seattle grunge more than a pinch of Lower East Side punk nihilism. It’s lyrical hook, one repeated again and again in the chorus – “I Don’t Have No Friends.” That certainly wasn’t the case at this performance.

Creature & The Butterflies have several area gigs upcoming, and will be at The Delancey June 4 at 10 pm. Visit them on Instagram.

May 16, 2022
Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum Play 2 Sold Out Shows At LPR

On May 11th and 12th, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum played 2 sold out shows at New York City’s LPR. PGTTBM is an avant-indie supergroup that features actor Michael C. Hall on lead vocals, Peter Yanowitz on drums and Matt Katz-Bohen on keyboard. The trio formed the group in New York City after years of mutual friendship and group jam sessions. They released their debut album, Thanks For Coming, in February of 2021. Their sound mixes styles of New Wave with heavy synth and has been self described as “kaleidoscopic sound weather” and “danceable apocalypse.”

Their first post pandemic gig was at Mercury Lounge in January 2021. Because of covid restrictions at the time, there was no live audience and the gig was live streamed. Finally, the band can now play to a live audience and has gained much momentum with these 2 sold out shows at LPR. You can see all their upcoming dates here. They have also recently released a remix of their song “Ketamine” and a new video for their song “Sideways.”

Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum – le poisson rouge – NYC

Setlist: Intro/Vicious, Love American Style, Ketamine, Nevertheless, The Deeper Dow, Eat An Eraser, Let It Go, Into the Void, Sideways, Airhead, Angela Peacock, Jetpack, Cruel World, Tomorrow’s Screams, Thanks for Coming, Escape Route, Land of Make Pretend, Armageddon Suite, Come Talk To Me

May 16, 2022
Masters of their Craft: All Them Witches Spellbind in Syracuse

Finding a rare balance between heavy riffs, southern blues and psychedelic space rock, Nashville, Tennessee’s All Them Witches wowed a packed Westcott Theater crowd on Tuesday, May 10 in Syracuse. Now celebrating ten years as a band and also the birthday of one of their founding members, fans were treated to a career spanning powerhouse performance of unapologetic, in-your-face stoner-rock of the highest caliber – gloomy yet groovy, visceral, thought provoking and loud. Very loud.

All Them Witches performing at the Westcott Theater on May 10, 2022

Garnering a substantial “cult-like” fan base through a decade of relentless touring, All Them Witches (AIW), comprised of birthday boy Ben McLeod on guitar, vocalist Charles Michael Parks Jr. on bass, drummer Robby Staebler, and multi-instrumentalist Allan Van Cleave on keyboards and violin, have firmly established themselves as heavyweights of their genre. The Nashville psych-rock quartet already has an impressive six studio albums and three live albums under their belt. Sidelined by the pandemic for the better part of two years and eager to play in front of people once again, the Witches’ are currently in the midst an extensive spring tour, one that often sees them doing five nights in a row. We caught up with the hard working and harder rocking road dogs as they rolled into the Westcott Theater for a special Tuesday night treat.

With a stage setup that featured a massive backdrop depicting the same “acid face” seen on much of AIW’s merchandise, the show began at 8pm with a blistering opening set from Ocean City, Maryland psyc-metal power trio The Swell Fellas. Their first time hitting the road on a national tour, the band expressed their sincere gratitude to ‘The Witches’ for showing them the ropes and bringing them along. After their impressive and thunderous, percussion heavy performance, the house lights dimmed and it was finally time to see what sort of strangeness our headliners were brewing up.

AIl Them Witches Charles Michael Parks Jr. performing at the Westcott Theater on 5/10/22

As the silhouettes of All Them Witches took their positions on the darkened stage, an eerie and brooding ambiance began funneling in, swelling and building tension in the now mostly full room. Finally, after much anticipation, the thick bass line and steady snare beat of the song “See You Next Fall” kicked in as vocalist Charles Michael Parks Jr. crooned his first words of the evening, “If all is well / I can not tell,” setting the tone for the heavy subject matter still to come. As the layers of sonic distortion, spacey textures and psychedelic fuzz continued to amplify, there was always a type of impending dread under the surface.

The band was always in control, showing a calculated restraint while building the tension to a boiling point before The Witches would finally kick on the overdrive pedals and unleash an all-out sonic assault of the senses. Brilliantly executed throughout the evening, the band was able to ‘craft’ a well-balanced setlist that both kept the listener on their toes and built momentum through the duration of the show. Working their way through AIW staples like “When God Comes Back,” “Diamond,” and “1×1” (which featured the crowd shouting in unison “I can’t wait to be defeated,”) the band flexed their musical might with a cool confidence that never seemed too “over the top.”

Rooted in the blues, but with a propensity for all things heavy, the influences for AIW’s sound are all over the map. While you would never confuse them for the Grateful Dead, it was hard not to notice the huge Steal Your Face slap on guitar player Ben McLeod’s amp, or the Gilmour influence on stand out tracks of the night like “Saturnine & iron Jaw,” which goes from delicate and tasty Pink Floyd-esq licks to suddenly shifting directions to a chugging, meaty crunch reminiscent of bands like Tool and Mastodon. Perhaps the essence of this versatility was best on display during the incredible one-two punch of the bluesy, almost spoken word styled “The Marriage of Coyote Woman” which alligatored nicely with the relentless riffage of “Enemy of My Enemy.” Footage of that can be seen below:

Pausing for a moment to acknowledge The Swell Fellas kicking off the party, Parks would then lead the crowd in a “Happy Birthday” singalong to bandmate Ben, who suddenly found himself on stage alone in the spotlight. Seizing the opportunity, McLeod would noodle his way into a beautiful instrumental called “Everest.” When the rest of the band returned to the stage, Parks claimed the birthday boy had wrote that song when he was just twelve years old.

AIl Them Witches guitarist Ben McLeod celebrates his birthday at the Westcott Theater on 5/10.22

Now trading his bass guitar for an acoustic one, Parks would duet with Allan Van Cleave on electric violin for the song “The Children Of Coyote Woman.” Van Cleave, an original member clad in a ridiculous cat shirt, took a break from the band in 2018 and only has played a handful of shows since rejoining The Witches in 2021. Afterwards, the multi-talented Van Cleave could be seen talking with fans, handing out setlists and taking selfies, clearly happy to be back on the road again.

All Them Witches Allan Van Cleave rejoined the band in 2021

Moving forward, vocalist Charles Michael Parks Jr. then introduced a song the band has “rarely played,” partially because it’s a newer one called “ Fall into Place.” A decade into their career and with six albums to choose from, it was obvious they couldn’t play everything. As fans started to worry they might not hear their favorite AIW song, many of those fears were quelled when The Witches launched into “41” and then closed out the set with a towering rendition of “Blood and Sand / Milk and Endless Waters.” Exiting stage left to a rousing ovation, the boys still had one song left in their back pocket. The one people were calling out for all evening long.

After a brief encore break and some more begging from the thirsty crowd, All Them Witches returned to the stage to send them home happy. Whether they heard their call, or were perhaps playing the audience like a fiddle, the band closed the show with perhaps their most well-known song, “Alabaster” which Parks described as a “dancing song, if you feel comfortable enough.” As the band took their final bow of the evening, Parks then simply said, “Thanks everybody. Get home safe. We love you a lot.” Footage of the band performing “Alabaster” can be seen by clicking on the link below:

Watch All Them Witches perform “Alabaster” live from the Westcott Theater on 5/10/22

An impressive performance from start to finish, the band showcased exactly why they are at the top of their genre. While their name my conjure up some preconceived notions, It was a pleasant surprise to see the vibe wasn’t all doom an gloom. At one point, Parks even stated he “hoped everyone had a good time, maybe talked to some new people, made a new friend. Cause that’s what it’s all about. We’re all in this together, so it’s important to try and love thy neighbor.” Complete with a distinctive sound, attention to arrangements, great vocals and strong visuals, All Them Witches have artfully crafted a presentation full of technical complexity, subtle nuance and mystery. A band worthy of your time.

All Them Witches | 5.10.2022 | Syracuse, NY | Westcott Theater

Setlist: See You Next Fall, 3-5-7, When God Comes Back, Saturnine & Iron Jaw, Diamond, 1×1, Fall Into Place, Everest, The Children of Coyote Woman, The Marriage of Coyote Woman, Enemy of My Enemy, 41, Blood and Sand / Milk and Endless Waters

Encore: Funeral for a Great Drunken Bird, Alabaster

For more photos of this show, check out the full gallery below, courtesy of NYS Music photojournalist Zak Radick.

May 14, 2022
The Grateful Dead Begin Third Tour Of Duty At Nassau: May 14, 1980

By 1980, the Grateful Dead certainly didn’t feel like a stranger at Nassau Coliseum. The band had played ten shows at this arena already, five in 1973 and another five the previous year in 1979. However, 1980 would only see a single three-show run at Nassau. With the Brent Mydland era now fully initiated and underway, we take a look back at this opening night of the run on its anniversary, aided by a sterling soundboard recording.

The 1980 Nassau run kicks off with an “Alabama Getaway” that does nothing to wane the excitement present in the building. Some lively Brent Mydland harmonies and a few short but spirited guitar solos from Jerry Garcia highlight the opener that never really stops and instead instantly veers into a “Promised Land.” Bob Weir mans the vocals on the Chuck Berry cover and, by now, Mydland’s Hammond organ is fully turned up in the mix in a big way, adding a palpable layer of soul.

After that spirited 1-2 punch to open the show, the Dead then slow things down in a big way with a “Candyman” that hits all the right notes, with the band taking a delightfully patient approach to this live show staple.

Things then liven back up as the band takes a musical trip south of the border, so to speak, with an interesting “Mexicali Blues” and “El Paso” pairing. Bassist Phil Lesh throws down some stellar fills on “El Paso” before the Dead bring things back to the States with a “Tennessee Jed” that gets a roaring endorsement of approval from the Long Island crowd. “Jed” is played to perfection and after some brief deliberation, they jump right into “Let It Grow,” the second part of the esteemed “Weather Report Suite” that made its live debut at Nassau Coliseum nearly seven years ago. This elicits a brief but mesmerizing jam that sees Garica and Mydland fully in synch with one another.

They then take command of the next two songs, as Garcia lays down the opening guitar licks to “Althea” that, like much of the opening set, is played with a comfortably deliberate pace with each note serving a purpose. Lesh shines again on bass here, backing up another typical stirring Garcia guitar solo. Mydland then puts his signature raspy vocals on full display on the “Easy To Love You” that follows alongside some delightful play on the electric piano. The set then comes to a rousing finish thanks to “The Music Never Stopped” and a closing breakneck jam that sees the whole band immersed and engaged on this crowd favorite.

The second set begins with a rather funked out “Feel Like A Stranger,” a new weapon in the Dead’s live arsenal that just made its debut a few months ago at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ. Weir handles the vocals with ease and the song is aided by some droning synthesizer work on Mydland’s end that peppers the song throughout. Instead of its traditional ending, they jam out the ending of “Stranger,” and rightfully so, until Garcia initiates the introduction to “Sugaree.” Garcia and Mydland, on organ now, lock in together once more on a rousing version with a jam that slowly builds in intensity.

This first show of the Nassau run then features another pairing of Dead songs, this time it’s “Lost Sailor” and “Saint Of Circumstance,” with the latter making it another song that made its live debut in New York State. The first “Saint” was played in Glens Falls in August of 1979. To slow things down once more, the Garcia-led ballad “Comes A Time ” then emerges, replete with one more emotion-laden guitar solo.

The harrowing outro jam to “Time” slowly but surely begins to increase in tempo, with Garcia fluttering all around the fretboard, until Phil Lesh rings out the signature bass line that begins “The Other One” and the Dead are off and running once more. A madcap, psychedelic journey ensues between the two main verses on this classic tune that harkens back to the days of San Francisco and “Cowboy” Neal Cassady. Once the second verse is completed, the band almost stops playing instantly and defers to Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart for the “Drums” portion of the evening.

From the ashes of “Space” emerges the always reflective “Black Peter,” with Mydland once again lending a delicate touch thanks to the Hammond. The Dead then close the doors on the second set at Nassau with a couple of traditional rock and roll covers. Weir helms the vocals once more, starting with “Around And Around” and ending with “Johnny B. Goode,” rounding out a trifecta of Berry covers for the night. “Don’t Ease Me In” then served as a fitting encore for this show, with the Dead having laid the ground work for another memorable run of shows at Nassau Coliseum.

Listen to this show below or at Live Music Archive here.

View this show and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below

Grateful Dead Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum – Uniondale, NY 5/14/80

Set 1: Alabama Getaway > Promised Land, Candyman, Mexicali Blues > El Paso, Tennessee Jed, Let It Grow > Althea, Easy To Love You > The Music Never Stopped

Set 2: Feel Like A Stranger > Sugaree > Lost Sailor > Saint Of Circumstance > Comes A Time > The Other One > Drums > Black Peter > Around And Around > Johnny B. Goode

E: Don’t Ease Me In

May 14, 2022