On Wednesday, March 5, 1997, Phish was the musical guest at The Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway, performing “Character Zero” on the Late Show with David Letterman.
The band had just returned from a tour of Europe a few days prior, with Trey Anastasio and Jon Fishman both sporting a post-international tour/vacation beard.
Following the performance, Letterman came over to shake the band’s hands, saying “Nice to see you again” to which Anastasio replied, “Hope you got the ice cream,” referring to the new Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor, Phish Food, just released nationwide a month prior. A concert at the Flynn Theater in Burlington, VT on March 18, 1997, would officially release the flavor, including an appearance by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield just before the show began.
Guests on the show this evening included Chevy Chase and Mary McCormack from the ABC show Murder One.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7frkMAW6-g
One of the arena rock songs in the Phish repertoire, “Character Zero” typically is found as a set closer in recent years, putting an exclamation point on a show and extracting jubilation from fans in the song’s refrain.
I was taught a month ago To bide my time and take it slow But then I learned just yesterday To rush and never waste the day Well I’m convinced the whole day long That all I learn is always wrong And things are true that I forget But no one taught that to me yet
I ought to see the man Mulcahey
I was taught a month ago To bide my time and take it slow But then I learned just yesterday To rush and never waste the day Now I’m convinced the whole day long That all I learn is always wrong And things are true that I forget But no one taught that to me yet
Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Sam Beam, better known by the stage name Iron & Wine, made a long overdue visit to the Capital Region Sunday night, bringing the “Back to Basics Tour” to a mostly sold out Swyer Theatre crowd at The Egg. Delivering a masterful set of original music while simultaneously putting on a clinic of “cool”, the thought provoking and soul-searching show was the kind of thing every fan of modern folk music dreams of. Straddling the line, but always finding the balance between intensely personal pain and lighthearted laughter, the stripped-down performance was nothing short of mesmerizing.
The evening began with a brief opening set from female singer/songwriter Hannah Cohen who was marvelous in her own right. Quickly making mention of how nice and clean the venue was, for whatever reason, it made her want to be dirty and curse out loud. “Fuckitdy fuck fuck fuck,” she blurted out, breaking the ice as the audience doubled over in laughter. After playing her first song, she told the crowd “This is not working for me, you guys are just way too quiet. You always hope for an attentive audience, but what do you do when you actually get one?” she pondered. Her beautiful and delicate voice juxtaposed with her raw sense of humor, foul language and a “tongue in cheek” invitation to pass one of her smelly shoes around for the room for anyone who wants a whiff all made for a memorable opening act for an artist worth keeping an eye on.
Hannah Cohen gets a leg up at The Egg
After a brief intermission and the customary dimming of the lights five minute prior to showtime, just a stool, a glass of water and a rack full of Taylor acoustic guitars set the stage for the evening’s headliner. No flashy lights, no fog machines, no video projections. Just a soft-spoken man named Sam and his signature “Rick Rubin-like” beard. Taking the stage to a hearty applause, Iron & Wine surveyed the audience while tuning up, asking where everyone was from and essentially letting them know it was ok to let their hair down a bit and interact. “They say I’m a folk singer, which isn’t exactly true. But I don’t give a shit, if it fits, it fits.”
Papa died Sunday and I understood; All dead white boys say, “God is good” -Sodom South Georgia
After a bit of noodling on the nylon, Iron & Wine opened the set with some heavy subject matter in the form of “Sodom South Georgia,” likely in acknowledgment that it was a Sunday evening during the coldest month of winter. The well-mannered crowd hanging on every word in total silence from the get-go, then unanimously erupting in approval upon the song’s final note, an ovation so loud even Sam seemed surprised. “Oh, it’s gonna be that kind of night. Ok Albany, I see you. As a performer, you have no idea how strong that kind of applause makes us feel,” Beam said. “But no matter how many times I’ve played this next one, all the clapping in the world won’t stop me from messing up.”
Alone and vulnerable on darkened stage Sam did screw up, even stopping mid song at one point and telling us there were just so many chords to remember. “I probably should have practiced.” Charming in his honesty, it’s part of what makes Iron & Wine so endearing and relatable to both new fans and old. “It’s ok Sam, we still love you!” shouted a female voice near the front. “Thanks for coming, Mom” Beam immediately responded with razor-sharp wit. “I’m so glad you could make it out tonight.” A joke that had everyone laughing and one he’d play up for the remainder of the show. Beam’s personality always showing through, despite a set made of mostly melancholy material. “Now I don’t know about you,” he joked, “but when I think about uplifting feel good albums, ones you can throw on at the gym, I think we know who’s right at the top. These little rooms are fun though, yeah? For some people.”
Some call it talking blues (talking blues) Some call it bitter truth Some call it getting even in a song
I can’t read it, didn’t mean it As you would rage how I was wrong Life is too short, and you’d stay too long Let’s be honest, we were strongest till I let you drag me down I was sorry then, I’m not now
You’d better love yourself, ’cause I tried
-Bitter Truth
“What a weird job. You can say bullshit and people will clap. It’s amazing, you guys should try it. Just go to your job and like totally fuck up everything that you try to do, curse, and see what happens. You never know, you might be rewarded like me? It’s fucking crazy.” And with that confession, came perhaps the standout song of the night and also the biggest hit in the brilliant Iron & Wine catalog; a hauntingly unique, vocal only rendition of “Flightless Bird, American Mouth.” Prominently featured in Hollywood’s ultra-successful Twilight saga, the song currently has over 162 million streams on Spotify alone. Claiming vampires have long been a great muse for songwriters, he is very aware of just how pretentious some people view his music. “It’s pretty crazy to write these songs and put them out. You don’t know who it lands on. Sometimes it lands pretty hard though and you have no idea. I just want to say ‘thanks.’”
Watch Iron & Wine perform “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” live at The Egg!
All tallied up, Iron & Wine played a total of 16 songs spanning across 10 albums. Fans were also treated to an as-of-yet unreleased song called “Why Hate Winter.” Other notable highlights included “Grace for Saints and Ramblers,” Each Coming Night, ”Autumn Town Leaves,” “Call it Dreaming,” and the set closing “Waitin’ for a Superman.”
The story the setlist doesn’t show, however, is what the audience brought to the table. While it may have been a one man show mostly consisting of slow and sad songs, the crowd was fully invested and lively the entire night. A mutual back-and-forth- feeding of energy through off the cuff banter, a little beatboxing, and lots of mutual laughter, this was the variable that truly made the show something special. Combined with a carefully crafted setlist chosen specifically for Albany, you won’t get this same show the next time, or in the next city. While Beam’s playing wasn’t aways perfect, he’s a perfect example of personality going a long way and that it’s somehow possible to turn sorrow into success. A special kind of artist capable of changing the way you think and how you feel. I dare say anyone who was at Swyer Theatre on Sunday night left The Egg as a different, more complete person.
Up next for Iron & Wine, a few weeks of rest before returning to the road for the remainder of the Back-to-Basics tour. After that, Beam will join up with his ultra-talented buddy Andrew Bird for the recently announced Outside Problems Tour. The co-headlining jaunt is set to bring the two acclaimed artists to more than 25 cities later this summer, including stops at both Pier 17 in New York as well as Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard in LaFayette, New York. The smart money says you’re not going to want to sleep on this one.
Iron & Wine / February 27, 2022 / Swyer Theatre at The Egg, Albany, NY
Setlist: Sodom South Georgia, Follow the Water, Lion’s Mane, Bitter Truth, Lover’s Revolution, Each Coming Night, Flightless Bird, American Mouth, Autumn town Leaves, Woman King, Resurrection Fern, Rabbit Will Run, Grace for Saints and Ramblers, Why Hate Winter, Call It Dreaming, Waitin’ for a Superman.
Indie rockers and St. Paul, Minnesota natives Hippo Campus stopped at Brooklyn Steel Tuesday, March 1st, for their first of two concerts in the city. The tour is fresh off the release of the band’s new album LP3, featuring the popular singles “Ride or Die” and “Semi Pro.” The band harnesses a classic indie rock base and adds embellished horns and a cheeky vocal and lyric style.
Hippo Campus at Brooklyn Steel, 3/1/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Hippo Campus made the long trip across the East River for a second gig at Webster Hall on Wednesday night. Support is being provided by San Diego native and rising indie-pop sensation Jelani Aryeh. Providing a perfect complement to Hippo Campus, Jelani Aryeh mixes a breezy R&B vocal style with electro-pop instrumentals. Despite playing with a new band, they perform with the chemistry of a longstanding group. The band is gaining momentum so quickly that Jelani joked on stage that they are “trying out a different band name every night” until they find one that sticks. While unfamiliar with the group prior to the show, the hard hitting jams and outros left a stinging impression on us and the rest of the crowd. Many fans made sure to grab a shirt and record from the surging young artist.
Jelani Aryeh at Brooklyn Steel, 3/1/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Hippo Campus released their first two LPs back in 2017 and 2018. After a short turned extended break due to the pandemic, the band returned in February with their third effort. LP3 is the band’s first album on Grand Jury Records and sees the group making strides in their production and album development. The 10-track album spans a concise 33 minutes but packs in indie rock bangers, soulful ballads, and crowd pleasing sing alongs. Fans filled out two sold-out NYC shows and most of the remaining tour is sold out.
Hippo Campus at Brooklyn Steel, 3/1/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
The Hippo Campus tour is in the final phase. Beginning in early February around the release of LP3, shows are scheduled through the middle of March. There is one more New York stop on the run, over at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom with support coming from Boyish. Tickets are still available for this show. Head over to the band’s website for the tour itinerary and see our full photo gallery from the Brooklyn Steel show below.
“You can’t move atmosphere and you can’t move history.” That is what Elton John said about Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, February 22, when referring to the Garden possibly being moved a few years ago. He has said many times that the Garden is his “most favorite stage on Earth”. John has performed there over 70 times spanning his 60 year career, but it is still sad to think that no future generations will get to experience an Elton concert at MSG ever again.
That being said, his farewell shows at The Garden were nothing less than extraordinary. The setlist was filled with his greatest hits from the 70’s and 80’s with the exception of “Cold Heart”, his recent duet with Dua Lipa from his “Lockdown Sessions” album which came out in October of last year.
He kicked off the show with “Bennie and the Jets” and “Philadelphia Freedom.” Other songs on the setlist included “Rocket Man”, “Levon” and “The Bitch is Back”. He played for 2 and a half hours and only took two small breaks for costume changes. While addressing the crowd for the final time, Elton said “After this tour is finished, I’m going to spend time with my family, my children, and enjoy the rest of my life. Thank you for understanding. I love you so much.” It was a bittersweet moment. The crowd gave him a standing ovation as he transitioned into “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”
On the way to NYC, Elton’s private jet was forced to make an emergency landing after it suffered hydraulic failure at 10,000 feet. Luckily he was able to get on another plane and make it to NYC and perform the final two Garden shows. These shows were already rescheduled from last year because of the rise in Covid cases. This tour does not end until 2023 with the last show being scheduled in Sweden. You can see all the remaining tour dates here
Elton John – Madison Square Garden, NYC – Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Setlist: Bennie and the Jets, Philadelphia Freedom, I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues, Border Song, TIny Dancer, Have Mercy on the Criminal, Rocket Man, Take Me to the Pilot, Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Levon, Candle in the Wind, Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Burn Down the Mission, Sad Songs (Say So Much), Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, The Bitch is Back, I’m Still Standing, Crocodile Rock, Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting, Cold Heart, Your Song, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
February 26, 2022 is a day I will remember for the rest of my life. The last time I was this excited to see a band for the first time was for Phish in June 2012. Just over two years since the 1/25/20 “Hot Tea” earwormed me and I dove into the Goose rabbit hole, I was finally able to see them live – and not just any show. The eighth annual Goosemas celebration at and their first ever show in an arena, at Mohegan Sun.
Mohegan Sun was absolutely bursting at the seams from the beginning of the day. I spent most of the afternoon at the PhanArt “The Hometown Flodown” show (shoutout to the El Goose Times and GrooveSafe crew) before heading into the venue a little before showtime. I was stationed with one of my Always Almost There co-hosts Neal on the floor Peter side.
Goosemas VIII was not about massive jams. It was about a single statement: this band is built for arena rock.
Three sets with nary a ballad, two debuts, and a distinct shift away from the expected songs (I hit just two of my Fantasy Goose picks that were largely comprised of longtime setlist staples). Percussionist Jeff Arevalo even remarked how he was glad they had to reschedule Goosemas from December – this gave the band the opportunity to incorporate many of their more recent songwriting efforts that had yet to be debuted in 2021.
The lights dropped around 8:15 and thousands of people simultaneously yelled “GOOOOOOOSE!”. The band walked on stage and started into holiday classic “Linus and Lucy,” Peter’s special grand piano shining from the get-go. Ripping a hot “Yeti” next, the energy in the venue seemed to grow with each note as I basked in finally hearing one of my favourite bands live for the first time.
After “Yeti” came a fantastic “Atlas Dogs,” one of the best songs debuted by the band in 2022, Peter yet again shining on piano. The sound in the room was crystal-clear, and Spuds’ tom work especially cut right through and sent vibrations through the room.
The uptempo “Echo of a Rose” arrangement came next and got my feet grooving through another fantastic jam. The big musical focal point of the night, as mentioned earlier, was Peter’s grand piano. Dominating almost every jam with its incredibly deep sound, the ivories were sounding phenomenal.
The first set came to a close with an always-fiery “So Ready” and a new, reworked “Silver Rising.”
Goose came out swinging in set two with a “Rockdale” that built to FIVE peaks and rivals the 11/21/21 version for G.O.A.T. status (note: this is a #HastyRank and is subject to change). A song that has become special to me recently, “Red Bird” (written about Peter’s mother), began with soft “Vintage Vibe” work as we all were #StraightBirdn. Continuing the theme of the night, the jam was relatively short, packed some serious energy, and faded nicely into “Rosewood Heart.” The band made the long-awaited live debut of Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” before blasting into “The Empress of Organos” to close the set.
“Empress” is one of my favourite songs and I was OVER THE MOON to see it live at my first show. From Trevor’s bass solo to the blistering peak, I was dancing my ASS off until the end and was just about to head to the bathroom when Spuds grabbed the mic and called his girlfriend Sam on stage.
What followed was an incredibly heartfelt proposal (somehow not involving potatoes) as the whole arena cheered the two of them on.
Set three consisted of three songs, all 2022 debuts and the first three songs on the upcoming Dripfield album.
“Borne” opened the final frame, and while it lacked the extended groove-based jam of its L.A. and Seattle counterparts, Rick and Peter’s guitar/synth build seemed to stretch out forever as Andrew Goedde’s expanded arena-size light rig washed colours and patterns over the audience.
Moving next into the debut performance of “Hungersite,” the band established it quickly as a top-notch jam vehicle as the energy in the venue continued to climb higher and higher.
The jamming highlight of the show, however, would come in the live debut of “Dripfield.” The title track to the band’s upcoming album and most recent single release, this song showcases the dual-drummer attack of the band in a Peter Gabriel-esque vibe (Thank you Becky Chinman for that fantastic parallel!) that came close to shaking the walls. A jam like the San Francisco “Wysteria” but without some of the evil, Spuds’ incredible tom work pushed Rick and Peter’s dueling guitars into a churning and rhythmic groove that stretched for minutes (#HastyRanking as a top jam of the year so far).
There was only one song that the band could encore with, despite the setlist saying “Tumble.” Mohegan ERUPTED as Rick strummed the familiar opening chords to “Arcadia” and thousands of people sang along to the lyrics of what is arguably the quintessential Goose song. The band drove this jam into a piano-led and bright space before the second-ever “slow ending” (LTP 6/18/21) to the song built into the typical scorching final “Arcadia” solo to end the third set.
Mark my words: this was Goose’s first arena show, but it is far from the last. The band’s sound will continue to evolve and grow, and so too will its fanbase. We are incredibly lucky to witness this growth firsthand and I can’t wait to continue listening to and enjoying every note they play for decades to come.
There was a moment during “Arcadia” where I realized that decades from now, I’ll be taking my children to Goose concerts and passing on the live music gift that my dad has given me my whole life. Thank you to this incredible band for welcoming me (second set “American Woman” and all) and cultivating an environment of positivity and love while producing some truly mind-blowing music.
Shoutout to everybody who came up and said hello at Mohegan as well – such an honour and a pleasure to meet all of you!!
And an extra-HUGE thank you to Jake Silco for bringing me on Goose tour as assistant/driver – having the opportunity to travel and see this band is amazing!!
Tune into a special Always Almost There Goosemas recap episode here.
Goose – Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT – Goosemas VIII – February 26, 2022
Set 1: Linus and Lucy, Yeti, Atlas Dogs > Echo of a Rose, So Ready, Silver Rising Set 2: Rockdale, Red Bird > Rosewood Heart, Sinnerman*, Empress of Organos Set 3: Borne, Hungersite* > Dripfield* Encore: Arcadia
Los Angeles based rockers Illuminati Hotties made their way to Manhattan’s Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, February 24th as part of their co-headline tour with Fenne Lily. The band is touring behind their excellent sophomore LP, Let Me Do One More, released last October on Hopeless Records. The show on Thursday was opened by Texas native Katy Kirby, with Illuminati Hotties in the middle spot followed by Fenne Lily. Check out our full photo gallery below.
Illuminati Hotties is the brainchild of singer, producer, and guitarist Sarah Tudzin. Getting her start as a recording and mixing engineer, the music of became an extension of her work into more creative areas. Presenting a fun, upbeat, and incredibly catchy pop-punk, the band has made a huge splash with this latest record. Let Me Do One More highlight “Pool Hopping” is an essential jam for any summer playlist, reminiscing about hot summer days spent floating in the pool.
The co-headline tour with Fenne Lily began at the beginning of February and continues through mid-March with stops to be made in Chicago, Canada, and Portland. After this run of shows, Illuminati Hotties head over to Europe for a lengthy headlining tour into May. Head over to the band’s Bandcamp page for the full tour schedule.
The Capitol Theater in Port Chester has provided a stage and an audience for many a band throughout its heralded history, though perhaps none with a legacy quite like that of The Grateful Dead. When they weren’t busy selling out Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, The Cap became the other de facto home away from home for the Grateful Dead on the East Coast. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end and today marks the anniversary of the band’s 19th and final show at this historic venue. It comes at a time when the Dead had to reinvent themselves a bit, with the abrupt self-imposed departure of drummer Mickey Hart that transpired after the opening night of this six-show residency. The shows that followed serve as the beginning of a new chapter in the band’s voluminous history, one that sees them still trying to carve out the identity of multiple brand new songs that would go on to become mainstays at a Grateful Dead show.
The Dead start this final show at The Cap with a “Casey Jones” that starts off in rather mellow fashion but fittingly picks up steam as it develops and is roaring down the tracks by song’s end, with Bob Weir growling out the accompanying vocals. He then jumps into the lead vocal position for the Country Western-themed cautionary classic “Me And My Uncle.” Jerry Garcia delivers a bevvy of slick electric guitar fills and Bill Kreutzmann, once again the sole drummer, doesn’t miss a beat while belting out the rhythm. After some now-customary extended post-song tuning, Kreutzmann initiates the opening drum pattern for “Cumberland Blues.” The harmonized vocals are a little delayed in joining in at first but Garcia makes up for this with another effortless run up and down the fretboard and the rest of the song goes off without a hitch.
Afterwards, Pigpen gets his first taste of the spotlight, leading the band through a quick take of “Next Time You See Me,” replete with its typical blues-infused harmonica solo that’s matched by one from Garcia on guitar. Garcia then reclaims the mic for the fledgling Dead tune “Bird Song,” a song played every night of this last run at The Cap except for the opening one. Between verses, Garcia finesses a patiently melodic solo with Kreutzmann nailing the signature syncopated drum beat for a song that would go on to become a live Dead staple.
The Dead then trot out a fairly new cover selection in their live repertoire, “Me And Bobby McGee,” a song popularized by the great Janis Joplin on her iconic Pearl album that was released just last month shortly after her death in October of 1970. Weir belts out the lead vocals with aplomb with Garcia adding a tender touch to the harmonies. “Bobby” is then followed by “Bertha,” one of the few songs to make an appearance at every night of this run as the Dead continue to hone another soon-to-be classic.
Pigpen, now warmed up sufficiently, adds his signature bluesy drawl to the mix with a spirited take of “Hard To Handle” that provides the first real opportunity for some brief opening set jamming, of which Garcia and company take full advantage. The music slowly reaches a psychedelic crescendo before Pigpen reels it back in. This is followed up by “Loser,” another new Dead song that made its live debut at this final run at The Cap. Garcia sounds emotionally invested in the lyrics for yet another another song that involves a high stakes cards game, along with “Uncle,” before laying down a brief solo that fits the mood perfectly.
The Dead gear up for the stretch run of the first set with several minutes of more extended tuning before launching into “Playing In The Band,” another song still very much in its nascent phase after being debuted on the first night of the run. Like that one, it still doesn’t yield anything in terms of exploration or an extended jam. This would be left to the first set closing sequence that begins with another Kreutzmann-fueled drum pattern before Pigpen jumps in on vocals for a cover of “Good Lovin’.” With the first verse complete, the lead then shifts back to Bill The Drummer for an extended one-man drum solo. It’s an impressive display of rhythmic wizardry that changes tones and speeds with ease, before Garcia slyly re-enters the mix, soon followed by the rest of the band. It’s a precursor for the even more psychedelic “Drums” > “Space” sequences that would be a signature of live Dead shows in the years to come. Literally built from the ground up, the jam slowly begins to take on a more solid state and morphs back into the ending of “Good Lovin’.” It caps off a first set that, overall, has a very mellow vibe to it, perhaps as a result of coming at the end of an epic six-show residency or just due to the comfort level that the Dead had established by now at The Cap, with the answer likely lying somewhere in between.
The second set immediately seems to shift gears, beginning with a funked out, wah-heavy “Sugar Magnolia that has plenty of groove to it. Although this lively mood doesn’t last long, instead it sets the stage for the return of Pigpen and his “harp” for an extremely mellow and drawn out cover of Slim Harpo’s “I’m A King Bee.”
The Dead then begin to liven things back up again, starting with “Greatest Story Ever Told,” yet another song that can cite this run at The Cap as its birthplace in the live setting. Instead of stopping there, they segue right into a cover of “Johnny B. Goode” afterwards. Another new addition to the band’s catalog follows in “Deal,” only the second one ever performed live and much slower than the format it would go on to develop. Bob Weir then livens things back up again with vocals that border on screaming for the better part of “New Minglewood Blues.”
The rest of the band then ably backs up Weir on the “Truckin’” that follows this which also elicits one of the better jams of the evening, with Phil Lesh helping navigate the complex rhythms beneath some powerful guitar licks supplied by Garcia.
Just as they had the opening night of the run, The Dead then throw in a late second set sequence of “Not Fade Away” > “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad” > “Not Fade Away.” The “meat” of this particular sandwich is stretched out nicely and serves as a true testament to the band’s ability to shift between the serene and the psychedelic with utter ease. With one last bullet in the chamber, the band then places Pigpen center stage once more for an absolutely classic take of “Turn On Your Love Light” that ebbs and flows with a classic Pig “rap” thrown in the middle for good measure.
It’s a more than fitting end to this legendary six-show run at The Cap. The Dead would go on to play throughout New York State for the rest of their career, performing at other theaters and eventually arenas, but never again would they grace the stage in Port Chester.
The entire show is available to listen to below and also at Live Music Archive
Grateful Dead Capitol Theater – Port Chester, NY 2/24/71
Set 1: Casey Jones, Me And My Uncle, Cumberland Blues, Next Time You See Me, Bird Song, Me And Bobby McGee, Bertha, Hard To Handle, Loser. Playing In The Band, Good Lovin’ > Drums > Good Lovin’
Set 2: Sugar Magnolia, I’m A King Bee, Greatest Story Ever Told > Johnny B. Goode, Deal, New Minglewood Blues, Truckin’, Not Fade Away > Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade Away > Turn On Your Love Light
View this and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below!
During a break from Dead & Company tour in June of 2018 John Mayer started to build “Sob Rock” on your Instagram in portrait mode from Electric Lady studios in New York City. The IGTV episode compartmentalizes the ideas behind the albums first single “New Light”. Mayer said on a Tales from the Golden Road broadcast that Dead & Company is a little “Hendrixy.” Well Sob Rock is a little “Princey.” Mayer takes you on the ride from the songs original sample to one of Prince’s guitars making it’s way on the album. It was unplanned that it showed up during the recording.
He even put a compressor on the studio sound like the Purple one used to do. Mayer tells IGTV during the making of “New Light”… There’s this moment at the end of the solo going in to the last chorus…that’s cool. When you got a guy like Pino Palladino for a turn around like that, you set the dude free and go let him just feel it out.
Bassist Pino Palladino joins guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, drummer Steve Farrone, percussionist Lenny Castro, keyboardists Gregg Phillinganes & Jamie Muhoberac, guitarist and vocalist David Ryan Harris, Carlos Ricketts, Tiffany Palmer, and John Mayer for the “Sob Rock” 2022 tour. It hits 20 cities this year. Mayer debuted “New Light” in the encore live with a Phish like confetti curation during his last solo world tour opener in Albany in July of 2019.
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Mayer welcomed everyone at Albany’s old Knickerbocker Arena to “The Sob Rock Era” on the February 17 2022 debut show. The former “Dozin at the Knick” room holds the same stage Mayer birthed his Dead & Company role for transportation in October of 2015. Oteil Burbridge told NYS music about his perception in Dead & Co. “When Bill Walton says you’re good you stop worrying.” In fact the next venue the new group played that tour was MSG.
Let me tell you something this blows my mind. I’m up here playing these songs and I look out to see you & the dream is complete. Thank you.
John Mayer
The Albany audience responded with the same pieces of 80’s flair as Mayer on stage. The crowd sported radio walkmans with dead tape in deck, vintage commercials, faded sport jackets, tie dyes, scrunchies, wayfarers, Sob Rock newspapers, Stealie fleeces and Fast Times at Ridgemont High piano scarfs in motion. John Mayer thanked Lee Chris Art mid show for her vibe in the crowd.
The last train home carried the act down the Hudson River to Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden for two sold out evenings of John Mayer on February 20 and 21. Mayer’s last two night run at the Garden was with the Dead & Company for Halloween 2019.
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It should come as no surprise that the only artists work weaved in the tour’s set list so far is “The Beautiful Ones” by Prince sung by “Sob Rock” guitarist David Ryan Harris. John saw David Ryan Harris from the crowd during his sit in with the Leroi Moore era Dave Matthews Band at Jones Beach in 1995. Mayer and his new band also played material off “Room for Squares”, “Heavier Things”, “Continuum”, “Battle Studies”, “Born and Raised”, “Paradise Valley”, and “The Search for Everything”.
Mayer encouraged everyone in Albany to dance in unison to “Moving on and Getting Over”. John sings to “Rosie” at the Garden… Don’t Leave me here under the January rain, come let me in, take my heart by the hand. “I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You)” was played in Albany and New York City for those suspicious minds in each town.
I will beg my way in to your garden and then I’ll break my way out when it rains. Monday night at Madison Square Garden had the show turn split screen for a special presentation. For the first time ever the “Sob Rock” catalog was performed live stripped down acoustic along side many other classics on the fourth night of the tour. It felt vert reminiscent of The Grateful Dead’s 1980 Radio City Halloween shows that split the bill acoustic & electric.
Mayer started the night solo to light the room with “Neon”. He led the pack from his seated chair on the psychedelic piece “If I Ever Get Around To Living” that explored the Garden’s room. Tom Petty’s Drummer Steve Farrone is also a part of Sob Rock University. David Ryan Harris and John Mayer did an acoustic duo cover of “Free Falling” for extra credit.
The only other artist work besides Mayer to be featured on the acoustic set was Paul Simon. Mayer sang Simon’s “Homeward Bound” as the outro to his original track “Stop this Train” at Penn Station. The set closed with a “Sob Rock” & “Graceland” album hybrid debut. Mayer and the entire Garden sang “You Can Call Me Al” in between his new original “Til the Right One Comes”.
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Monday nights special guest in place of Steve Farrone was Philadelphia’s Questlove fresh off his January birthday. Sob Rock guitarist Isaiah Sharkey is a fan of the Philadelphonic sound in Manhattan. Sharkey told NYS music in July that his most influential show from a NY crowd was Pennsylvania’s Joey DeFrancesco at the legendary Blue Note in the village. Philli’ born Saxophonist Vanessa Collier told NYS Music about Questlove’s knowledge and love of music.
It’s not a surface level thing with Questlove. It’s all life. He knows every groove from every single song he’s heard. From a DJ perspective and drummer angle is great.
Vanessa Collier
Questlove was on his way to attend “Sob Rock” at the Garden when he found out he would be sitting in for one of his favorite drummers. Quest’s stop at Penn Station from Rockefeller was immediately felt during “Vultures” to open the second set. He sat on the throne for the six song electric change up & encore. Quest, who laid studio drums to Mayer’s 2004 cut ”Clarity”, loved playing it live to a sold out Garden. The Sob Rock cast saved Prince’s “The Beautiful Ones” snippet for Quest’s set as well. “Something like Olivia” hit like “Lay Down Sally” at MSG.
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All the Sallys swaying next to the wrong Harrys in the audience at the Garden caught a vibe during “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” to end the show. John Mayer & Isaiah Sharkey pick’s light the same fire Eric Clapton & Robert Cray’s “Old Love” burned in 1989 when he debuted “Journeyman”. In similar fashion Keith Richards & Ivan Neville are headlining the Love Rocks NYC benefit at the Beacon Theater in March to recast his 1989 X-Pensive Winos to the stage with Steve Jordan.
Truth be told I coulda played the whole show. I texted Jimmy (Fallon) earlier I felt like Don Henley in 1988 when last minute he played drums for Guns N’ Roses at the AMA’s. It was hella fun tonight.
Questlove
Pino Palladino certainly saw a dead head sticker on a Cadillac on the way to the Garden. He plays bass on Don Henley’s big apple island ballad “New York Minute.” Jimmy Fallon had a head full of roses and calavera art on his face in the crowd during Dead & Company’s Halloween show at MSG in 2019. John Mayer took a solo during “Standing on the Moon” that night which permeated through the worlds most famous arena in to “Gravity” for his own band’s 2022 encores. In a New York minute everything can change.
Mayer is truly channeling the same solo paths that Petty & Garcia once trailed. Sob Rock’s vibe is very Traveling Wilburys though. Drummer Steve Farrone has backed George Harrison, Tom Petty, and Eric Clapton. George Harrison once reflected about Eric Clapton’s stage presence from the crowd during his legendary Rainbow Theatre Concert from London in January of 1973.
While dressed in an all white suit with his foot tapping on the stage Harrison said he took on the glow of an angel playing a long to the music. At 44, Mayer keeps his gravity where the same light Leroi shines on him. Except the New Light is Purple.
John Mayer, Madison Square Garden – February 20, 2022
Setlist: Last Train Home, Shot in the Dark, Belief, Something like Olivia, I Guess I Just Feel Like, Who Says, Rosie, Shouldn’t Matter but it Does, Helpless, Your Body is a Wonderland, I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You), Wild Blue, Edge of Desire, Til’ The Right One Comes, The Beautiful Ones*, Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, New Light, Waiting on the World to Change, All I Want Is To Be With You Encore: Gravity *Prince Piece sang by David Ryan Harris
John Mayer, Madison Square Garden – February 21, 2022
Acoustic Set: Neon, Last Train Home, Shot in the Dark, Belief, In the Blood, If I Ever Get Around to Living, New Light, Wild Blue, Your Body is a Wonderland, In Your Atmosphere, Somethings Missing, Daughters, Free Fallin’. Carry Me Away, Who Says, Stop This Train*(Homeward Bound), Til’ The Right One Comes *(You Can Call Me Al)
Encore: Gravity
*Paul Simon verse
Questlove Set: Vultures, Clarity, Something Like Olivia, The Beautiful Ones**, Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
The third try was a charm over president’s day weekend, as Buffalo based grove rockers Aqueous made good on their promise to blow the roof off the newly minted Brooklyn Mademusic venue upon their return to the big city. Once a band that appeared to be on a perpetual never-ending tour, dates for these one-time road warriors have been few and far between ever since the emergence of Covid-19 almost two years ago. For long time fans of the band, AKA AQuaintances, these days it feels like any scheduled Aqueous show is something of a “must see.”
Originally set to take place back on November 6th, 2021, then later rescheduled to December 29th, both shows were postponed due to lingering health concerns. Now late February 2022 and with concerts slowly starting to happen again, the timing was ripe for a rager and fortunately for patient music fans, that’s exactly what Aqueous delivered. Complete with surprise sit-in’s, candid moments and teases galore, on this cold Saturday night in Brooklyn, the boys from Buffalo carved out stellar, fiery performance that was well worth the wait.
Opening the show was Philadelphia five piece Chestnut’s Groove. Known for their down ‘n dirty, shake, rattle and rock ‘n roll vibe, this band of best friends were quite impressive in their Brooklyn Made debut. Fighting through excessive stage fog like something out of This Is Spinal Tap and lead by the charismatic “bad girl” energy of singer Dee Gerhart and the powerhouse vocals of drummer James Daniels, it wasn’t long before the band won fans over and had everyone in the place stomping their feet and clapping along too. So much fun in fact, even Aqueous guitar player Mike Gantzer couldn’t resist getting in on it, sitting in with the band on their final song of the high octane set.
After a brief set break all the waiting was over, the stage was set and on this bitterly cold winter night in Brooklyn, it was finally going down. Aqueous, consisting of Mike Gantzer (guitar/vocals), Dave Loss (guitar/keys/vocals),d rummer Rob Houk and bassist Evan McPhaden made their intentions clear from the get go, launching into one of their signature originals “Don’t Do It.” Complete with an extended ‘build up’ intro and a healthy dive into Phish’s “First Tube” territory, the party was already off to a rollicking start. Following it up in the two-hole with one of their more electronic/ hip-hop sounding songs was “Split the Difference” which seamlessly segued into “Skyway”, resulting in one of the bands biggest jams of the night.
“I don’t see any reason to get worked up, already got enough on my plate
in this mess we call life, takin’ it day by day
I don’t see any reason to get worked up when you got nothin’ to say
you never have nothin’ to say”
-Skyway
Following up “Skyway” was another highlight of the evening, a most welcome surprise sit in by the newly formed Horn Section, featuring former Turkuaz members Greg Sanderson on saxophone and Chris Brouwers on trumpet, lending their talents on a cover of the Steely Dan classic “Peg.”
The Horn Section
Turning up the funk now, Aqueous would uncork a monster version of Mosquito Valley, Pt. 1 that stretched so far it reached AC/DC’s “Back in Black” territory, much to the delight of everyone in the room. By this point fans had to be thinking to themselves “is this the longest first set in AQ history or what?” before the band would confirm they want to keep the energy going and therefore play right though set break, then launching into another signature AQ song, The Median. Notable about this particular version was the distinctly heavier vibe it took on, presumably a direct byproduct of Ganzter’s recent time on the road with his new throwback Punk/Metal outfit known as the Death Kings, which also features former Turkuaz drummer Mikey “Ox” Carubba and Umphrey’s McGee bass player Ryan “Little King” Stasik.
Following up “The Median” came another fan favorite in “Second Sight,” a song about human interaction, shedding cynicism and bridging petty gaps.
“Not worth its weight in gold I feel a great divide We’re more alike than different And still we’re picking sides”
The Median
Following a brief pause between songs, some playful stage banter resulted in an impromptu crowd singalong of Greenday’s nostalgic anthem “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), which was then quickly was rip-corded in favor of one the oldest songs in the Aqueous catalog, Eon Don. About half way into the tune, Aqueous invited their friends in the Horn Section back out once again, this time resulting in a jaw dropping display of musicalty, as Ganzter conducted extended “call and response” type duels with both Sanderson and Brouwers before the song finally reached it’s climactic peak and left the audience howling in approval as the band finally put down their instruments for the first time all night and walked off the stage.
After a few minutes of straight up begging, Aqueous finally obliged and came back out for a single song encore, treating fans to a new tune called “Finding Our Way” which has only been played three other times since debuting at the Peach Festival last summer. With enough space to let each member shine individually and a chorus that sees all of the band singing along in unison, the groove heavy catchy tune, while still new, has all the moxy to become an AQ staple of the future. On a night that featured an absolute bevy of fan favorites, closing the night out like this just seemed to make sense. A most impressive showing for their debut at Brooklyn Made. Despite having to be rescheduled twice and almost never happening, anyone who was there will undoubtedly tell you that “this show was worth the wait.”
Up next for the Aqueous is another highly anticipated makeup date, returning to Buffalo’s Town Ballroom for their belated hometown New Year’s Eve celebration this Friday, February 25th. Fans will want to make sure they get there early to catch the exciting opening act as Connecticut’s Eggy gets the festivities going at 7pm. Aqueous then return to New York on April 8th and 9th for a pair of shows in Saratoga Springs and Syracuse with support from Long Island’s Baked Shrimp.
Aqueous – February 18, 2022, Brooklyn Made, Brooklyn NY
Setlist: Don’t Do It, Split the Difference > Skyway, Peg*, Mosquito Valley Pt 1 > Back in Black > The Median, Second Sight, Eon Don*
The biggest stars of underground hip-hop today, Earl Sweatshirt, Action Bronson, Boldy James, and The Alchemist brought their “NBA Leather” tour to New York City’s Terminal 5 venue on Thursday, February 17th, for their second of back-to-back shows. With a rapidly eager crowd hungry for concerts to continue post-Omicron surge, this quartet certainly did not disappoint.
The Alchemist at Terminal 5, 02/17/22. Photo by Kunal Khunger
They all performed a variety of tracks, ranging from recently released albums like Earl Sweatshirt’s “Sick!” (released this year) to Action Bronson’s classic “Blue Chips 7000” (released 2017). Some guests were brought out as well, most notably Benny the Butcher of Griselda fame. The New York hip-hop scene was well represented.
Boldy James at Terminal 5, 02/17/22. Photo by Kunal Khunger
All the artists engaged the crowd in their own unique ways, from Action Bronson asking his DJ to play old instrumentals to see if he remembered the words to some of his more niche songs, to Alchemist playing his well-known role as a great hype man. Earl Sweatshirt, as he is known to be, was a very low-key stage presence, solely focused on his raps. The variety of sounds and styles was on full display Thursday night, giving an enthusiastic crowd a little bit of everything.
Action Bronson at Terminal 5, 02/17/22. Photo by Kunal Khunger
The “NBA Leather” tour with Earl Sweatshirt, Action Bronson and The Alchemist has a few more stops left, mainly on the East Coast of the US. You can see more tour dates here. Be sure to check out the photo gallery below!
