Category: Audio

The Phish Before The Storm: December 30, 1995 at MSG

Nineteen ninety-five was as formative and important a year for Phish as they come. So, it should come as no surprise that it ended at Madison Square Garden, a venue the band today calls “home.” However, the New Year’s run for 1995 would mark only the second and third times Phish ever played MSG. Even though New Year’s Eve ’95 may get all the “glory,” it’s lead-in from the night before has a lot to offer as well.

The show began with the relatively new “Prince Caspian,” from then yet to be Billy Breathes album. It’s a relatively quick and nondescript version. But immediately at its conclusion, some familiar feedback ensues, the signature drum beat kicks in and Phish is off and running with a rare first set, “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” or simply “2001” as it’s commonly referred to today. Phish packs a decent punch in this arena rocker that certainly is a short version when compared to contemporary ones. Yet again, the next song begins before “2001” can even finish. This time it’s “Suzy Greenberg” with Page McConnell leading the way on piano, completing a unique opening trifecta.

Another quick, familiar-sounding feedback jam slows things down a bit before Phish takes off again. This time it’s fueled by Jon Fishman’s signature drum intro to “David Bowie.” This gives the band their first real opportunity to explore the New Year’s space at MSG, and they do just that. A patiently crafted jam is accentuated with some brilliant Anastasio-provided guitar licks, which grow slowly in ferocity. This yields a hearty response of approval from the crowd as the first real jam of the night.

The first set also features a “Kung” sandwich, with the opening and closing sections of “It’s Ice,” ably serving as the bread. There’s even a nod to Gamehendge, courtesy of the ensuing “The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday” sequence, with the Mike Gordon-led “Avenu Malkenu,” placed right in the middle per usual. Emotions then come to a peak in the first set with an absolutely rousing “Divided Sky” that features a noticeably long “pause.” A quick romp through “Sample In A Jar” brings a first set that seemed to pull a little bit of everything from the band’s mid-90s repertoire.

Native New Yorker, Mike Stone, got to make the chess move, on behalf of the audience prior to the start of the second set. This was the second of two chess matches between the band and their fans in 1995. These wound up being split. And for those unaware, the rematch looms.

While the second set doesn’t offer up as much in the way of rarities as the first, it more than makes up for it in execution. “Ya Mar” opens the second stanza and includes a perfectly placed “Auld Lang Syne” tease from Trey. Another fairly new song still finding its legs in “Free” follows this. But the highlight of the set, and possibly the show, is the triumphant “Harry Hood” that comes next and builds to an incredibly emotional peak. When this is paired with a thunderous “AC/DC Bag,” it creates one of the earlier special Phish moments at MSG.

“Lifeboy” serves as the well deserved ‘breather’ song after this impressive sequence of music. But that’s the last of its kind for this show. “Scent Of A Mule” sees a particularly drawn out “Mule Duel” between Trey and Page before its maniacal klezmer-esque finish. And the set ends in fine fashion with a double closer of sorts. A standard take on the Picture of Nectar classic “Cavern” begets an absolute whirlwind of a “Run Like An Antelope” and the typical musical chaos that comes with it.

For an encore, Phish trotted out “A Day In The Life,” a Beatles cover that was also new to 1995. This would be the only non-instrumental cover of the evening. An impressive performance of nearly all originals, both new and old, defined the second ever Phish show at MSG. And it certainly laid the groundwork for what would be the third time’s “charm” the following evening.

Phish MSG New York, NY 12/30/95

Set 1: Prince Caspian > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Suzy Greenberg > David Bowie, Simple > It’s Ice -> Kung -> It’s Ice > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Divided Sky, Sample In A Jar

Set 2: Ya Mar, Free > Harry Hood > AC/DC Bag > Lifeboy, Scent Of A Mule > Cavern > Run Like An Antelope

E: A Day In The Life

December 29, 2024
Phish Dives Deep In Rochester: December 11, 1997

There are certain years in Phish lore that are held in higher esteem than some others. 1997 would certainly be one of these. The Fall Tour this year, aka “Phish Destroys America,” produced some of the greatest moments in the band’s storied history. 23 years ago today, the legendary tour stopped in Rochester, NY and delivered a few monumental jams as well as the debut of a soon-to-be Phish regular.

Phish runs right out of the gates tonight in Rochester and sets the tone early with a massive three-song opening sequence. A raucous War Memorial crowd is greeted with a quick trip to Gamehendge first via “Punch You In The Eye.” The popular opener choice revs the crowd up even more with its signature lyrics, fun calypso rhythms and, of course, the customary Mike and Trey salsa dance.

While “Punch” may not have been a surprise, the absolutely monstrous “Down With Disease” that immediately follows surely must have been. Phish’s second song in Rochester was played like a second set with an electric Anastasio-driven jam that starts around the five-minute mark. From there on out, it’s a masterclass in controlled chaos with the band firing on all cylinders. This eventually devolves into an ambient-type jam replete with digital delay loop effects, giving it that vintage late 90s sound.

20 minutes and one funky start-and-stop jam later, the “Disease” slowly crawls to an end. At this point, anything is possible. But then the familiar high-hat drum pattern of “Maze” arises from the mist. The dark organ tones produced by Page on keys combined with Trey’s relentless guitar rhythms shine on this one. This marks the end of a mesmerizing, and certainly exhausting, opening 1-2-3 on the lineup card tonight in Rochester.

Things understandably cool down a tad afterwards, starting with the “Dirt” that follows. Trey leads the band on a quick trip beneath the surface with this new tune that debuted earlier in the year. Afterwards, another new tune makes an appearance in “Limb By Limb.” This one is supplied with a quick, blissful jam on the back end. “Limb” would later be featured on Phish’s The Story Of The Ghost album released the following year.

These two up and coming songs are then followed by two cover selections to close out the opening stanza. McConnell and his baby grand piano take charge and lead the way on a take of The Rolling Stones’ “Loving Cup.” And a rip-roaring “Rocky Top” then closes the book on a first set that’s certainly going to be most remembered for its impeccable start.

Phish goes deep once again to start the second set with a thorough take on yet another cover, The Who’s “Drowned.” Trey wastes no time before unleashing a plethora of notes with the rest of the band close behind in another frenetic early set jam in Rochester. This yields a pleasant, improv-heavy jam that once again devolves into a loop-heavy ambient segment, stretching to the 20-minute mark once again.

Suddenly, Trey begins strumming a distinct melody as they segue a bit awkwardly into the next number. But it’s one they’ve clearly been practicing (Mike especially), as memorialized in this clip from the movie Bittersweet Motel seen below.

A cover that few saw coming, Phish takes on Ween’s “Roses Are Free” for the first time ever. They get through it ably enough and some more inspired guitar play from Trey drives it home nicely. Quite suddenly, it then shifts from a debut to bust out of sorts as “Big Black Furry Creatures From Mars” rears its head for the first time in 118 shows. The old school, nonsensical rocker shows no real signs of dust as the usual mayhem it produces ensues.

Out of the feedback-heavy ending arises “Ghost,” the title track of the aforementioned 1998 album. This lays the groundwork for one last notable Rochester jam. Mike’s thunderous bass play and Page’s work on the electric keys lead the way early on. A beautifully patient and slowly progressing sequence then takes shape as Trey and Fishman begin to get more prominently involved.

At the end of yet another monstrous jam, a distinct “Down With Disease” section is played, as if in a nod towards its first set brethren. An incredibly random but blistering take on Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” then closes out the second set in grandiose fashion. This would be the second to last time it’s ever been played at a Phish show, to date. And as a complete juxtaposition, the delicate ballad “Waste” wraps things up as the encore selection on this chilly Rochester evening.

Phish Rochester War Memorial – Rochester, NY 12/11/97

Set 1: Punch You In The Eye > Down With Disease -> Maze, Dirt, Limb By Limb, Loving Cup > Rocky Top

Set 2: Drowned -> Roses Are Free -> Big Black Furry Creature From Mars > Ghost -> Down With Disease -> Johnny B. Goode

Encore: Waste

December 11, 2024
Grateful Dead Close Out Their Lone Felt Forum Run: December 7, 1971

For their final East Coast shows of 1971, The Grateful Dead played a four-night run at the Felt Forum in New York City. December 7 marks the fourth and final one of these shows during a still transitional era for the band. Drummer Mickey Hart left the group earlier in the year and the Dead were still in the process of integrating new keyboardist Keith Godchaux who joined them in September.

Original keys player and founding member Pigpen had also recently rejoined the group after a stint in the hospital. With the band now at full strength, they unleashed a chock full two sets of music on this evening that showcased their full potential, paving the way for their legendary Europe ’72 Tour that would follow a few months later. This show in particular was deemed so good that it would later go on to become an official Dave’s Picks release, serving as Volume #22 in the series. It sees the band at their finest, mixing up a healthy blend of rock, rhythm, and blues along with a little holiday cheer.

Grateful Dead Felt Forum 1971 Dave’s Picks

The last show of the Felt Forum run of ’71 begins with “Cold Rain and Snow,” a song that had established itself as a common opener in this era of Grateful Dead. Garcia delivers a couple of pristine guitar licks with new keyboardist Keith Godchaux providing timely fills on organ. The newest member of the band then moves over to piano as Bob Weir takes over on vocals for a quick yet feisty “Beat It On Down The Line.” With the band seemingly warmed up on a couple of classic numbers, Pigpen then takes over on lead vocals for the first time with the fairly new “Mister Charlie,” a song that debuted just a few months ago at the Yale Bowl which would be played every night of this run and for good reason. His sultry singing combined with some more vintage Garcia guitar play make for a soulful combination that, alas, doesn’t stray too far.

The first extended play of the evening is another fairly new song that actually debuted at the same show, “Sugaree.” Garcia and Godchaux exhibit more great chemistry early on with each taking a nominal solo and bassist Phil Lesh locking down the bottom line in style throughout. An even newer song that would remain a staple of live Dead shows for their entire career then follows in “Jack Straw,” another one that made an appearance at all four shows of the run. Godchaux’s work on piano compliments Weir’s vocals perfectly and the band eases through this classic number that seems to pick up speed from start to finish. After a quick introduction from Lesh, Pigpen then returns to center stage for his typical rambunctious take on “Next Time You See Me” that includes a couple of ripping solos on harmonica. The joy that the Grateful Dead get in playing this blues cover is nearly palpable.

This carries right over into another one of the new batch of songs, “Tennessee Jed,” which has Weir and Garcia harmonizing nicely on the choruses. Another song that would remain on set lists for years, this one is peppered with an extra bluesy guitar solo from Garcia that’s dripping with flavor. After Weir leads the Dead through a lively “El Paso,” things slow down considerably with the “Brokedown Palace” that follows which gets a considerable round of applause from the Felt Forum crowd at the onset. It’s a true group effort with Lesh joining in on some vocal harmonies and another typically tender, yet brief, solo from Garcia.

With the Dead no strangers to a Chuck Berry cover, afterwards they get in the holiday spirit and bust out a cover of “Run Rudolph Run,” a song they would only play a handful of times ever this month. It’s classic 12-bar blues with Pigpen, naturally, on lead vocals for a quick song that’s melodically similar to Berry’s “Little Queenie.” The band then stays in blues cover mode with a rare take of “You Win Again,” a ballad first sung in 1952 by Hank Williams which made its live debut just last month and would never be played again after 1972. The first set then wraps up with a couple of Grateful Dead classic originals starting with a fiery “Cumberland Blues” that sees Lesh leading the way with spirited bass play and Godchaux delivering a flurry of chords on piano. That troublesome train conductor “Casey Jones” then caps off a jam packed first set that seems to cover all the bases.

With the bar set high from a rollicking first set, the momentum carries right over into the second set with a powerful opening 1-2 combination of “Sugar Magnolia” and “Ramble On Rose” that sees Weir and Garcia passionately belting out the vocals on each, respectively. The torch is then passed back over to Pigpen who leads the band through yet another classic cover, this time it’s Jimmy Reed’s “Big Boss Man.” Another soulful harmonica solo serves as the bridge to some more bluesy guitar licks delivered by Garcia on this one. A lightning quick take on the new “Mexicali Blues,” another song that found its way onto the set list all four nights, then precedes a silky smooth rendition of “Brown Eyed Women.”

This sets the stage for the last Pigpen-centered song of the evening and the most extended “jam” of the show – a 12-minute enthralling cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Smokestack Lightning.” Pigpen’s iconic singing and harp play mesh perfectly with Garcia’s blues-driven guitar stylings and the band takes their time on this one, stretching it out nicely. Sadly, this is the second to last version the Dead would ever play with Pigpen, a founding member of the band. The “I been gone so long” lyrics sang in repetition towards the end of the song hit especially hard knowing that.

This is followed up by a rather mellow take, compared to later standards of “Deal” another fairly new song in the band’s catalog that made its debut at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre earlier that year. This is succeeded by “Truckin’,” a song the Dead played at every show of that vaunted Capitol Theater run earlier in the year and one that finally sounds like it’s starting to develop an identity and jam capabilities thanks to the addition of Keith Godchaux who shines on the organ on this rendition.

The second set then comes to a triumphant finish with the classic closing sequence of “Not Fade Away” > “Goin’ Down The Road Feeing Bad” > “Not Fade Away.” Bill Kreutzmann on drums makes his presence felt early and often on “Not Fade Away” which elicits a truly blissful jam of sorts that flows effortlessly into the beginning of “GDTRFB.” For an encore, the band breaks out one last song from the new batch, “One More Saturday Night.” It would only be the second time ever used in this spot, one that it would soon become commonplace for the rest of their storied career, closing out the fourth and final show Dead show at Felt Forum in grand fashion.

Grateful Dead – Felt Forum, New York, NY – December 7, 1971

Set 1: Cold Rain and Snow, Beat It On Down The Line, Mister Charlie, Sugaree, Jack Straw, Next Time You See Me, Tennessee Jed, El Paso, Brokedown Palace, Run Rudolph Run, You Win Again, Cumberland Blues, Casey Jones

Set 2: Sugar Magnolia, Ramble On Rose, Big Boss Man, Mexicali Blues, Brown Eyed Women, Me and My Uncle, Smokestack Lightning, Deal, Truckin’, Not Fade Away > Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade Away

Encore: One More Saturday Night

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

December 6, 2024
The Prodigal Son Returns to Phish: December 1, 2003

Phish and the City of Albany have always had a cozy relationship. Going to back to 1989 and their first gig at Pauly’s Hotel, Phish has played a total of 17 shows in Albany during the course of their career. Shows in the early 90’s at the Palace Theatre helped establish their Upstate New York following. So it would come as no surprise when their 2003 20th Anniversary Tour rolled around that Albany would be one of the stops. This would only be a short, four-show trek around the Northeast, culminating in the “anniversary” of their first ever show on December 2.

The first two shows of the tour did not disappoint at all. Special guests like the Dude of Life popped out for the encore in Long Island on November 28, and Tom Marshall joined in on a classic version of “Buffalo Bill” the night before in Philadelphia. Now it was Albany’s turn and the band went even further back in their history for tonight’s guest selection.

Picking up on the palpable December pre-show energy, the show begins with a “Chalkdust Torture” that ramps it up even more. The entire Pepsi Arena crowd seems to join in on the “Can’t I live while I’m young” line. A blistering guitar solo from Trey Anastasio highlights this one before all is said and done. The “Stash” that comes next allows for plenty more audience participation. It eventually develops into a dark, yet fairly uneventful jam. A standard run-through of “Guyute” then follows, with the Albany crowd audibly loving every minute of this first set Phish staple.

An interesting little juxtaposition of both styles and song histories then proceeds this. The delicately mellow “Thunderhead,” from 2002’s Round Room release, makes a rare appearance. It’s only the sixth live performance ever of this song. And, to date, it has yet to be played a seventh time. After a tidy little jam that gradually picks up in intensity, “Sparkle” emerges. The high pace, first set romper dates all the way back to 1991 and has been played hundreds of times.

“Wolfman’s Brother” finally gives the band a chance to stretch things out a little again. Aside from “Stash,” this is really the only other true “jam” of the first set. Mike Gordon’s aggressive bass play provides the fuel for this one and dominates throughout. Gradually, the rest of the band seems to catch up in this “Wolfman’s” that easily glides past the 15-minute mark after an exuberant finish. “Good Times Bad Times” then puts a cap on a rockin’ but relatively quick first set. Perhaps this was done to allow some additional set break practice time with the still-TBA special guest.

Before said guest would be revealed, there was still some business to tend to first. Phish would grace the Albany crowd with three classic songs sure to make any show memorable. “Tweezer” promptly begins the second set. It sees more inspired guitar play from Anastasio atop the funky rhythms generated by Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman. The jam continues to ascend accordingly until about the ten-minute mark, when it takes an ambient hard left turn. The music continues to devolve and get spacey for another few minutes before Fishman slyly increases the tempo and the band is off and running with the instrumental “Also Sprach Zarathustra” aka the theme to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Keyboardist Page McConnell takes control early on with his standard electric keyboard fills complementing Anastasio’s iconic guitar riffs.

Before the last remnant of “2001” even finish echoing, Phish launches into “You Enjoy Myself,” further delighting the Albany faithful with an epic start to the second set. There’s no issues with this version at all as the band rips through the composed sections with ease. Then another cohesive, psychedelic jam emerges with McConnell continuing to dazzle on piano.

Finally, it was time to reveal tonight’s special guest. It would be none other than Jeff Holdsworth, one of the original members and co-guitarists of Phish from its inception in 1983. Jeff would eventually leave the band before they gained much notoriety. Tonight marked the first time he played with Phish since a gig on May 17, 1986 at Goddard College in Plainfield, VT. As befitting for an anniversary run, they would play a few of the songs he wrote that are still regular fixtures at Phish shows to this day.

The first of these was “Camel Walk.” Holdsworth seems to have a little issue with the lyrics early on, but manages to keep it together for this longtime favorite. Trey then gives him proper thanks for writing that song as well as the next one, “Possum.” Despite some feedback issues, they manage to maneuver through this Phish classic as well, with Anastasio doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

Jeff stays on stage and even takes lead vocals on the first song Phish ever played as a band, a cover of The Hollies’ “Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress.” Understandably, he seems to be a little more comfortable singing on this one than the Phish songs he hadn’t played in more than 17 years.

“Run Like An Antelope” would then go on to close the second set. While Holdsworth would remain on stage to play guitar, he must have been turned down fairly low in the mix. This also gave Phish one last chance to surprise the Albany crowd. Longtime lyricist and friend of the band Tom Marshall emerged to deliver the song-ending vocals. One last cover, Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire,” would complete one of the more interesting and memorable Phish show in Albany’s rich history.

Check out the full audio below, or go here for track-by-track selections.

Phish – December 1, 2003 – Pepsi Arena – Albany, NY

Set 1: Chalkdust Torture, Stash, Guyute, Thunderhead -> Sparkle, Wolfman’s Brother -> Good Times Bad Times

Set 2: Tweezer -> Also Sprach Zarathustra > You Enjoy Myself, Camel Walk, Possum, Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress > Run Like an Antelope

Encore: Fire

Note – Camel Walk through Fire with Jeff Holdsworth on guitar

December 1, 2024
Uncle Ben’s Remedy Releases Sixth Album

Western New York alternative rock band Uncle Ben’s Remedy have released their sixth album, Saturday Night Swindle.

Rooted in the small towns of Western New York, Uncle Ben’s Remedy provides lively performances and unparalleled storytelling to their enthusiastic fanbase throughout the area. With a fascinating blend of punk rock energy and the twang of swampy-backcountry alternative rock, members Ben Westlund, Harmony Griffin, Shawn Huestis, Brendan O’Connor, and Josh Mullin deliver riveting performances of catchy songs and rowdy theatrics time and time again.

Uncle Ben’s Remedy has returned once more with their newest release, Saturday Night Swindle. Their sixth release since their debut in 2014, the path to this album was not an easy one. With a drummer swap due to their previous decades-long partner having to pass the baton from tinnitus and the recovery of their soundman/busdriver after a bout of cancer, Saturday Night Swindle has certainly been an emotional one to produce- a testament to the band’s dedication to one another and the music they share.

A masterful entwining of rock, blues, and country sounds, Saturday Night Swindle captures the listener in an indescribable experience of understanding. Perhaps through the emotionally charged lyrics, or the effortlessly moving instrumentals; whatever the reason, Uncle Ben’s Remedy brings you into a conversation that can only be truly communicated through sound. Strings, keys, drums, guitar, horns, vocals that perfectly toe the line between southern twang and alternative rock, and more culminate in Saturday Night Swindle.

Opening with the narrative-focused “Never Get Caught,” Uncle Ben’s Remedy perfectly balances the story unfolding in the lyrics with kicking instrumentals that perfectly set the tone for the rest of the album, one that promises to take you along for an exciting six track adventure.

On “From The Outside” and “While Back”, the band leans into the more rock-influenced-country aspect of their sound. “From The Outside” takes on a cowboy on the frontier attitude paired with a concluding echoing duet that reinforces this feeling, the narrator refusing to listen to the words of those meant to tear them down as they trek towards their future unflinchingly.

“Heartbreaker’s Heart,” leans full-in to the country twang energy with a bright tone and layers upon layers of guitar and strings that practically beg to be stomped along to, and Uncle Ben’s Remedy follows this immediately with “Liquor Wrote These Records”, the kind of song that starts off hard-hitting and concludes by pulling you to the dance floor with an infectious liveliness you can’t refuse.

The album closes out with “Coming To The Show,” a deeply vulnerable track that perfectly explains why it’s never just music to artists like themselves, wrapping the project in a bow of self-assurance and careful optimism that leaves listeners with a sense of satisfying completion.

Saturday Night Swindle is out now. To learn more about Uncle Ben’s Remedy their newest release, and future endeavors, visit their website here.

October 5, 2024
Bad Bloom Releases New Shoegaze Single, ‘onion’

Rochester-based new wave shoegaze band Bad Bloom has released their latest single, “onion.”

Described as having a goth, grunge gaze sound, Bad Bloom has been evolving traditional genre patterns since their initial release of the three-track Candle in November of 2019. Since their inception, the band has shared the stage with the likes of Ringo Deathstarr, SUUNS, Greet Death, and Pet Fox, with Kal Marks soon to be added to the list.

Known for pop hooks tucked underneath a distinct shoegaze distortion and riveting instrumentals, members Kate Rogers, Jay Trovato, Travis Johansson, and Jenn Wameling have dedicated themselves to constantly evolving as they experiment with noise through several pedal boards and a determination meld the conventions of the shoegaze genre to their liking.

Once more, Bad Bloom has delivered upon this promise with their latest release, “onion.” As the title suggests, the track itself and its significance offers listeners several layers to dissect. Rooted in hazy rock instrumentals and dreamy vocals, “onion” explores the feeling of having a dream so enjoyable it’s almost disappointing to find yourself back in the real world once you’ve awakened.

Rogers, lead vocalist and bassist, penned the track in the hopes of recreating the feelings of innocence, playfulness, and boundless delight that come with a wandering mind- the magic that happens when one is left to their own devices, bored out of their mind and following whatever weird path boredom leads their thoughts down.

“onion” is only the first track of many to come from Bad Bloom, being the initial pre-release leading up to their upcoming EP Pepper, to be released later this year. In addition, the band plans to release the official music video for “onion” in October.

Bad Bloom is currently on tour, performing at the Bug Jar in Rochester on October 11 and in Kingston on November 1. For more information on future shows, the upcoming Pepper EP, and all of Bad Bloom’s other happenings, visit their Linktree here.

September 29, 2024
Singer-songwriter allie Releases Second Studio Album Every Dog

New York City based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer allie has released her second studio album Every Dog.

Allie Cuva, better known under her moniker allie, is a songwriter, producer, mix engineer, multi-instrumentalist and performer- it’s no exaggeration to say that her work is entirely her own.

With a pulse on everything music from the age twelve onwards, allie began her professional musical journey after a move to Nashville that allowed her to hone her musical skill set and identity as a musician. In 2021, allie toured extensively as the hired drummer for indie pop artist Cavetown, the same year a debut LP of her own was released- Maybe Next Time.

The gutturally honest and sonically ambitious sounds that had caught the attention of those in the New York City indie-rock scene back in 2021 are sharpened in allie’s newest release, Every Dog. Filled with sounds that are unapologetically allie, the album aims to take a space so often dominated by men and expand the horizons, reaching out to listeners and connecting them based upon the fundamental human experience framed within a lesbian, trans, and leftist lens.

A vulnerable exploration of queer love and one’s self, Every Dog offers 27 minutes of sitting alongside allie as she spins poetry out of her most vulnerable experiences. Not unlike paging through a personal journal, the listening experience of Every Dog is as self-reflective as the writing process was for allie herself.

Throughout each track, she explores the jarring shift of life in suburban Michigan and Tennessee to the vibrant constancy of New York City, struggling through self isolation, finding yourself in the midst of pure creative freedom, and queer love and loss.

The title track was one of three tracks selected for pre-release- “Radio Shower,” “Every Dog,” and most recently “Tiny Colored Pills”. “Every Dog” and its coinciding music video recorded along the Long Island Coastline explore the simultaneous acceptance and aching loss felt after a necessary separation from those once kept close.

“I wanted to create something that felt flickering–the oscillating guitar can resemble the constantly churning transportation flowing through NYC–and that also evolved to deliver the listener somewhere different than expected, which was meant to represent big, structural change in a relationship.”
– allie, on “Every Dog”

The video itself is intentionally rather impressionistic and left to interpretation, the only goal when recording being to explore the coastline and possibly capture some of the most mentally engaging imagery.

Similarly, the first of three pre-release tracks to see the light of day, “Radio Shower”, is a deeply impressionistic montage of aging, loss, and love that considers the weight of the passage of time above alternatively tuned guitar plucks and sonically layered instrumentals that lend the song a beautifully textured feel.

Clearly a labor of love, the track had gone through over 32 mix revisions with countless arrangement changes and scrapped vocal recordings that resulted in a cohesive testament to allie’s skill across the music-making experience.

allie has also announced a special one night only album release party at Cassette NYC on October 4 with support from Precious Human and Kid Lake. The evening will celebrate her newest work as she performs the LP from beginning to end. Tickets for this event start at $15 and are available here.

The full track list for allie’s newest LP Every Dog, out now, is below. Fans can learn more about allie’s works and keep up with all of her latest happenings on her website here.

September 27, 2024
Trey Anastasio Releases Instrumental Album ‘Atriums’

Phish lead guitarist Trey Anastasio has officially released a new guitar-only instrumental album entitled Atriums via Rubber Jungle Records. The music is culled from years of experimental soundchecks and selections that were played in the public spaces, namely the atrium, at Las Vegas’ Sphere during the band’s recent run there in April. Proceeds from this new release will benefit the Divided Sky Foundation and its newly opened facility in Ludlow, Vermont.

Anastasio and Phish – renowned for creating immersive concert experiences – took full advantage at Sphere, utilizing sculptures, light and sound to transform the hallways of the futuristic venue. Those ambient soundscapes are now released as ATRIUMS. The six-track album doesn’t feature any strange song names but the music is far from ordinary and each one is approximately 15 minutes in length and offers a unique sonic composition consisting primarily of droning loops, echoes, and waves of tonal feedback layered with gentle, melodic fretwork.

“Atrium 1” features some harrowing, echoey guitar effects interspersed with brief moments of digital feedback. Whereas “Atrium 3” has a more blissful demeanor with simple, repetitive melodies on a loop, not too dissimilar from how the band’s “secret” third set at Mondegreen started where they played behind a screen of accompanying visuals instead of in front of one like Sphere. See below for all selections from the recently released Atriums.

In addition to this album, Phish also recently announced a special three-day run of shows in Albany, NY at MVP Arena that will also serve as a benefit to the Divided Sky Foundation. A limited amount of tickets can still be found on tickemaster.com.

September 23, 2024
Unheard Version of Bob Dylan and The Band’s “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” Out Now

“Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” recorded on Jan 30, 1974 at Madison Square Garden has been released ahead of the upcoming Bob Dylan compendium, The 1974 Live Recordings. The album will contain never-before-heard recordings from Dylan and The Band and will be released on Sept 20.

Photo Credit: Barry Feinstein

Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, have released “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” recorded by Bob Dylan and The Band live at Madison Square Garden, on Jan 30, 1974.

From Dylan’s first tour in 8 years, The 1974 Live Recordings is a collection featuring every professionally recorded show from Bob Dylan’s 1974 arena tour with The Band. The complete recordings are out on September 20 celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bob Dylan’s return to touring that year. Bob Dylan and The Band performed 30 dates in 42 days for that tour to an average audience of 18,500.

The collection features 417 never-before-heard versions of some of Dylan’s most beloved songs, as well as some of his lesser known songs. Nearly all the recordings were not included on the original live album Before The Flood. The 1974 Tour was captured on a stereo soundboard mix, on both 1⁄4” tape and cassette.

The collection will be available as a deluxe box set across 27 CDs, and includes 133 recordings newly mixed from 16-track tape, and every single surviving soundboard recording – along with new liner notes by journalist and critic Elizabeth Nelson. Jack White’s Third Man Records has announced the release of The 1974 Live Recordings – The Missing Songs From Before the Flood, a 3-LP / 1 x 7-inch set culled from the same recordings, featuring versions of every song Bob Dylan recorded that was not included on the original 1974 live album. The set will be available through The Vault on Colored Vinyl.

Learn more and pre-order the box set here.

September 9, 2024
JOE GENI Unveils Newest Single ‘City of Light’ Prior To October Album Release

JOE GENI reveals his newest single ‘City of Light’ ahead of the October 4 release of his album ‘Cities Built Upon Cities’.

Born in Illinois but living most of his adult life in New York City, Joe Geni has been releasing reflective indie-pop tracks since 2019 with his debut album ‘After Wandering Empire’, followed by the release of ‘Doggerland’ in 2021. Narratives of international affairs, climate change, urban infrastructure, and transportation all connect with the depths of the emotional human experience throughout his discography, a careful weaving that continues through his most recent releases.

About The New Single

“City of Light” joins two other pre-release singles for Geni’s newest album, “City of Energy” and “City Where The Sky Subsides,” creating a culminating piece that traces the transformation of Long Island City from its industrial past to the booming skyscrapers of today, all while reflecting on change, impermanence, the parting of friends, and feeling lost in the experience that is the city’s constant evolution.

“City of Light” in particular highlights the power of human connection and resilience in the face of lockdowns. While highlighting the friendship and community that can come from such dire situations- a testament to human connection and hope that emerged while the earth heals.

“And as the pandemic abated and something vaguely resembling normal life began to re-emerge, I, like one of our tiny mammalian ancestors crawling out of its burrow after the meteor that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs, felt a burst of energy, and a feeling that that really in spite of everything we will be OK. Maybe.”
– JOE GENI

The upcoming album, as with Geni’s previous works, is produced, mixed, and mastered by Charlie Nieland, who has previously worked with the likes of Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, and Blondie.

To learn more about “City of Light,” his upcoming album, and his story, visit JOE GENI’s website here.

September 7, 2024