The whimsical singer-songwriter AURORA graced the stage of the Beacon Theatre for two nights amid her sold out What Happened to the Heart? world tour.
If you’re in search of an act straight from a storybook, look no further than AURORA. With a signature sound akin to a woodland fairytale, a voice that positively twinkles, and whimsical yet cutting lyricism, AURORA revels in the magical and channels the mystical in every sense of the words.
Born and raised in Norway, Aurora Aksnes exists within an ethereal sonic sphere entirely of her own. Beginning her songwriting and dance journeys at the age of six, creation is in her blood.
A self described “forest person,” AURORA has compared her home place of Drange to Narnia, spending her time in her home when not spent adventuring through the woods.
Releasing her fifth album What Happened to the Heart? in June of this year, AURORA’s most recent release and its subsequent headlining tour stems from a letter co-written by indigenous activists titled “We Are The Earth” which described the earth as “the heart that pulsates within us,” creating the inspiration for the album’s core concept.
Announced alongside the album was the What Happened to the Heart? world tour, which has and will continue to take AURORA throughout Europe, the United States, and South America- including a date at Manhattan’s own Beacon Theatre, which was soon expanded into a two-show run for its impressive demand.
Before the show even began, the Beacon Theatre was positively teeming with excitement. Folks were dressed in everything from band tees to ball gowns, couples were wandering the packed foyer excitedly pointing towards the merchandise table, and children were gasping in awe of the theater’s grandeur atop parents’ shoulders.
With opening support by neo-soul and hip hop artist Biig Piig, the evening’s festivities were off to a wonderfully mesmerizing start as she encouraged audience members to stand up and dance if they so wished in between tracks like the wonderfully smooth “Roses and Gold” and the hard hitting “Decimal” that had light production for days.
Prior to AURORA’s exciting step on stage, the lights dimmed to allow a nostalgically hazy projection begin to play. The excitement was palpable, but fans kept sound to an absolute hush to experience the visual to its fullest extent before she twirled her way on stage to an explosion of cheers.
Delivering a hauntingly magical performance of “Church Yard” and “Soulless Creatures,” AURORA’s main support was a small set of other vocalists that turned the theatre into an echo chamber.
With a full set list of 21 tracks, AURORA’s musicality and vibrancy both vocally and in her stage presence was on full display paired with the Theatre’s groundbreaking new Sphere Immersive Sound system.
Dazzling fans for the second night in a row with her shimmering voice, dazzling spins and leaps, and effortless sense of musical presence, AURORA made the New York dates of her What Happened to the Heart? tour ones to remember.
AURORA – Beacon Theatre – Friday, December 6, 2024
Music is a force, a force that triggers emotions, not unlike religion. This force can elicit elation. It can contribute to sorrow. As a social experiment, a concert reveals emotions across that spectrum. It is the rare occasion, however, that a venue can do the same. Enter, Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock.
Affectionately known as “The Barn,” Levon Helm Studios is a nondescript building set off a country road on the outer edges of Woodstock. This building has an air of reverence about it as soon as you approach it. Once inside, its easy to get the feeling of being inside a church. High, vaulted ceilings with impeccable woodwork force one to take in the architecture. It’s not uncommon to see first-timers looking around with jaws agape at the craftsmanship that went into building this structure.
The story of The Barn has its origins as the home and recording studio of Levon Helm. Helm was best known as the drummer for The Band but also took turns acting in such films as “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “The Right Stuff” and “Feeling Minnesota” among others. The Arkansas-born musician grew up with minstrel shows and wanted to recreate that in his home studio. What became known as The Midnight Ramble was born out of necessity, but also out of a love for the informal feel of a simple jam session. Helm’s Midnight Rambles began in 2004. Word spread in the musical community and Helm and his Midnight Ramble Band (guitarist/mandolinist/fiddler Larry Campbell, guitarist Jimmy Vivino, Helm’s daughter Amy and Campbell’s wife Teresa Williams) began attracting the likes of Elvis Costello, Phil Lesh, Dr. John, Emmylou Harris, My Morning Jacket and Norah Jones to this tiny Catskills hamlet two hours north of New York City.
When Helm died in April of 2012, his final words to Amy and his manager Barbara O’Brien were, “Keep it going.” And keep it going they have. The Midnight Rambles occur regularly and provide an opportunity for musicians of Helm’s ilk to “keep it going.”
The magic that occurs at The Barn isn’t just with the music and the venue. What is truly magical about this venue, is experiencing the reactions of first-time attendees. NYS Music photographer Brian Cornish attended his first Ramble with his brother in 2006. The joy in his retelling of his first Ramble is consistent with so many others who have experienced this jewel of a venue:
It was November of 2006. My brother had heard about these house parties in Woodstock where you could buy a ticket and listen to Levon Helm sing and play, and the kicker was that it was in his own home/studio. We decided to go. Following the opening act, with no fanfare and no announcement, Helm and his band emerged and walked down a hallway to the studio. He preferred to set up on stage left, to be able to look directly at all of the other musicians and catch their eye, read their moves, maybe give them a cue or a nod, or maybe grin and point a drumstick at someone approvingly at the end of a song. Due to this atypical arrangement, we astonishingly found ourselves seated at his left elbow, six feet or so from an American treasure. With a brief flourish on the snare drum, he set the tempo, the horns kicked in, and the band followed. “Boards on the window, mail by the door…” The entire crowd was immediately dancing, tapping their feet, or singing along. It was magical. It still is.
Cornish’s proximity to Helm during his first Ramble is what makes this venue so unique and keeps people coming back. You’re not attending a concert at Levon Helm Studios. You’re celebrating music in a pure listening room with friends, friends you know and friends you just haven’t yet met. The capacity is around 200 and there isn’t a bad spot in the house. It lends itself to chatting with your neighbor between songs and the chance of chatting with any of the musicians at some point during the night.
Amy Helm taking in a performance at “The Barn”
Cornish continues with another Ramble experience:
One time, I and a few friends were seated behind the keyboards so we could look across the room at Levon. A man emerged to the right of my friends, stood at the end of the row, nodded hello, and exchanged small talk between songs in the semi-darkness. After ten or fifteen minutes, he said, “It’s been nice talking to you folks, but I have to go to work.” Only when he was under the stage lights and grabbed his guitar did we realize we’d been chatting with John Prine. Unannounced drop-in guest appearances and unexpected moments are hallmarks of many Midnight Rambles.
Cornish has made it his mission to introduce as many of his music-loving friends as possible to this experience by gifting a ticket to a first-timer as long as the next time that person goes, he or she brings another first-timer and does the same. This writer was the recipient of one such gifted ticket to a Ramble. We were joined by two other music loving friends, Dan Frieden and Rob Bishton for a performance of Amy Helm and Friends on Black Friday 2015. What made this performance so incredibly special was the appearance of Donald Fagen of Steely Dan sitting in for a performance of his band’s “Black Friday.” The fact that this musical legend was mere feet away from us during this performance was not lost on us that night and is the stuff that will be remembered for a lifetime. Two new converts to the Church of Levon were made that night.
A visit to Woodstock isn’t complete without stopping by Big Pink, the house rented by the members of The Band as they killed time waiting for Bob Dylan to recover from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident in 1966. Dylan lived in Woodstock at the time and the members of what would become The Band were members of Dylan’s backing band. Band members Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson lived in this rental in the town of West Saugerties and spent time in the basement recording covers and Dylan originals. The time spent at Big Pink, so named for the pink siding that adorned the house, solidified The Band’s sound and resulted in the oft-bootlegged and finally released album The Basement Tapes in 1975.
Each time this writer visits Levon Helm Studios, a visit to Big Pink is on the itinerary, as well as a stop at Catskill Mountain Pizza Company, a pilgrimage if you will. It will be left to the reader as to how to find this legendary abode. Anyone familiar with the music of Dylan or The Band can feel the ghosts surrounding this property. Frieden described it this way:
There is an energy at Big Pink. I had never been a big Dylan fan, but being on a property that sparked so much musical creativity made me wonder what it is that really flipped the artists’ “on” switch.
A recent visit to Woodstock for a performance by Joe Henry and Rose Cousins on December 9 indoctrinated April and Enzo Cacciatore to The Barn and Big Pink. Witnessing each of them as they took in the entire experience is what sharing a Ramble is all about.
The nearly two and a half hour trip from Rome took longer than anticipated due to a Nor’easter clipping the southeast section of the state. Despite that, a visit to Big Pink still occurred as did a dinner of pizza and craft beers at Catskill Mountain. Traveling through Downtown Woodstock during Christmas season, especially in the midst of a snow storm, is magical in itself. The storefronts are all decorated as is the town square. The snow cover offered an added air of peacefulness to the town that prides itself on the ideal of peace.
Adding to the family gathering atmosphere at the barn is the communal food table in the merchandise area. Each person is asked to bring a “dish to pass” just like at the potluck dinners of yore. This communal space in what would normally be a garage, is a place for all to gather, share food and talk music. Here, you’ll hear tales of past shows at The Barn or encounters with musicians. This is also the area where the artists’ merchandise is sold, often by themselves after their set, as was the case with Rose Cousins on this night. Cousins was friendly and quick with a joke with each person she dealt with.
Once inside, the Cacciatores took in every inch of the space. Enzo has been in the construction business as a licensed plumber and pipe fitter for almost 40 years. He’s a man who appreciates good construction and good music. He and his wife, April are 17-year veterans of the Poconos Blues Festival and regularly attend the Chenango Blues Festival. His pure appreciation for the architecture of the room was worth the price of admission. He commented that the room is perfectly built for acoustics.
April is a massage therapist and completely took in the arts-centered culture of Woodstock. Those who know April, know she wears her heart on her sleeve and this was clear in her appreciation of the music that she was just being exposed to on this night. She warned earlier in the day that tears may flow early and often throughout the show and while that can’t be proven, the emotion exhibited on stage between Cousins’ and Henry’s sets would lean this writer to believe that there were some tears shed.
Joe Henry is no stranger to this setting. His previous performance at Levon Helm Studios was with British folk/punk troubadour Billy Bragg in 2016 as they were touring their train songs album,Shine a Light. Henry commented during his performance that he and his band don’t view a stop at The Barn as just another tour stop. He likened it to being at a church, deserving of reverence.
The fact that a venue such as Levon Helm Studios exists in the age of big sheds and ticket brokers is a miracle in itself. The down-home flavor that accompanies the attendance at a Ramble and the pure magic of the room itself makes this venue a required trip for any music aficionado.
Upcoming shows at Levon Helm Studios include blues guitarist Carolyn Wonderland on January 19, The Weight Band on February 17, David Bromberg on March 3, the Zombies on March 9 and Jorma Kaukonen on March 10. To purchase tickets, you must visit the studio’s website. You will not receive a physical ticket, but rather a wristband with a number. The number on your wristband determines when you are allowed to enter the venue to claim your spot.
Join the congregation. You won’t regret the services, that’s for sure.
For the past quarter century, a trio of future-forward NYC-based musicians have been deftly navigating the boundaries between King Tubby-style dub, Delta Blues, electronica, 70s-styled jazz fusion, metal, ambient, noise- and progressive-rock to the delight of discerning audiences and delighted critics alike. On Saturday, December 7, this triumvirate, Harriet Tubman, provided a 90-minute set of unparalleled sonic and melodic creativity for the culmination of the latest season of soul-stirring concerts at Poughkeepsie’s Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center curated by Elysium Furnace Works.
Harriet Tubman was formed 25 years ago by some of the most versatile and ferocious players on the scene: guitarist/vocalist Brandon Ross (Cassandra Wilson, Lounge Lizards), bassist Melvin Gibbs (Decoding Society, Henry Rollins), and drummer JT Lewis (Sonny Sharrock, William Parker, Whitney Houston). They take their moniker from Harriet Tubman, an African-American woman born into slavery who was renowned as a liberator of other slaves who, like she, chose to seek freedom by escaping to the North. She accomplished this with the help of a secret network of safe houses, or “stations,” on what was known as “The Underground Railroad.” Together, the trio has waxed five critically acclaimed albums, including I Am A Man (1998), Ascension (2011), and their latest, The Terror End of Beauty (2018).
Many of the original compositions performed commence with tightly structured melodic heads before departing for improvisations that venture into noisy, fierce dissonance. But for all the stylistic departures and daring atmospherics, the underlying melodies and phrasing are a mournful and beautiful blue. Maybe like Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys, a favorite comparison often pulled up by critics, Harriet Tubman is a blues band in disguise – a genuinely original one unchained from the 12-bar, 1-4-5 form, one completely abetted rather than undermined by the technology they wield.
In his work with vocalists like Cassandra Wilson and Jewel and his excellent solo discs like Costume (2004), Ross is coveted for his delicate acoustic guitar work. In Tubman, he is unleashed and fully electrified. He’s most often the one creating the backdrop, with washes of gentle chording and loops that serve as the sonic undercurrent for Tubman’s tunes. Then he turns his Fender Twin to 11 and stomps on his numerous distortion pedals, filters and wah-wah to conjure soaring solos that square the root of Hendrix, Sonic Youth, saxman Albert Ayler, and another great avant-garde guitarist of a generation only slightly before, Michael Gregory Jackson.
Once called the “egg in the meatloaf” by his one-time band leader, the late Ronald Shannon Jackson, Gibbs’s bass playing is as solid and rootsy as it comes. He uses his five-string fed through a massive Ampeg speaker cabinet to provide rib-shaking sub-harmonic riffery. These are usually unadorned and repetitive four to five-note lines that anchor the band. However, much of the uniqueness of the Tubman sound comes when Melvin stretches the limits of the bass. His lines are often heavily distorted and looped, and he frequently holds down the harmony for the band with his chording on tunes like “Farther Unknown.” On several, Gibbs was the main texture, laying down his repetitive echoed drenched textures, often with a string generator, over which he laid down furious sheets of sound solos.
Drummer Lewis provided an adept circle of rhythm to keep the trio firing on all cylinders. But what may be most impressive is his restraint. Several times in the set, JT just sat out completely, adding a more intimate dimension for the duet and interplay created by his guitarist and bassist.
Standouts in the set were the aforementioned “Farther Unknown” and “Green Book Blues,” the latter is a nod to the famous travel guide written in the 1930s that helped African-American road trippers get safely from one place to another. This tune included a great deal of melodic tension, with a cool reverse-delay effect on Ross’s guitar during his fuzzy, screamy solo providing a ghostly ambience.
The trio offered up an excellent take on the bluesy ballad, “Where We Stand,” from their acclaimed 1998 debut disc, “I Am A Man.” Ross’ melody evolves slowly, with subtle volume swells, over Lewis’ chattered cymbal work. It was an unhurried purple lament, a sad lullaby with spacey overtones. A higher energy approach came to the fore with “Adapted,” the set opener also from their debut disc, and “The Terror End of Beauty” the title track of their latest album.
After a brief flowing intro, “Adapted” kicked in, driven by a strong, kind of prog-rock, odd meter beat by Lewis and Gibb’s busy percolating bass. Ross’s solo was brisk, leaning on blues and chromatic side-stepping smears. This tune showcased JT’s deft drumming, with his building to numerous crescendos introduced with tight rolls to fire Ross’ soloing. “The Terror End of Beauty” was introduced as a tribute to the late avant-garde guitar pioneer Sonny Sharrock. An evocative climbing and descending minor chordal pattern played by Gibbs devolves into a fierce noise extravaganza, one that was pure Sharrock and made a Sonic Youth rave-up sound like Yacht Rock. Noise and dissonance led to even more furious strumming and, finally more dark, unnerving majesty when Ross, like Sonny, employed a slide and some furious fist bashing and atonal tapping on his guitar.
Seeing a healthy crowd support this kind of exploratory music in the Hudson Valley was heartwarming. Some audience members even traveled up from the Big Apple for this event. James Keepnews and Mike Faloon, the duo behind event curator Elysium Furnace Works, should be commended for their dedication to bringing “vanguard artists” like this immensely talent trio to our area.
On Nov. 13, Gina Birch, founding member of influential punk band The Raincoats, released a cover of Yoko Ono‘s “Listen, The Snow is Falling” through Jack White‘s Third Man Records.
The single, written by Ono and recorded with the Plastic Ono Band, was originally released as the b-side of John Lennon’s 1971 single “Happy Xmas (War is Over).” This single marks Birch’s first release since her solo debut album, I Play My Bass Loud, in 2023.
In 2023, Birch, with bandmates Marie Merlet and Jenny Green, chose to play “Listen, the Snow is Falling” at Tate Britain during the Yoko Ono exhibition. Birch thought it would be great to play one of Ono’s songs during the performance even though it was August.
Feeling particularly connected to Ono at the time, Birch selected the song for its haunting beauty, noting that it was released as a b-side. “Who doesn’t love a b-side?” she remarked. Birch had also been asked to write about Yoko Ono for the Tate magazine and had recently painted a full-length portrait of her for her exhibition featuring “Goddesses and Inspirations” at Gallery 46.
Inspired by the performance, Merlet suggested they record the song as a Christmas single. Birch noted that she had never made a Christmas single before, making it feel particularly fitting. They recorded it in Birch’s basement, collaboratively coming up with ideas. The track was mixed by Merlet and then mastered by Warren Defever at Third Man Mastering in Detroit.
In addition to a headlining tour in the UK, Birch has supported artists like Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, and This Is The Kit. She was also part of Tate Britain’s high-profile exhibition “Women in Revolt,” which celebrated 20 years of feminist art and activism. Her piece, “3 Minute Scream” (1977), was showcased as the poster image for the exhibition.
Nineteen eighty-seven was undoubtedly “the year of the Anthrax.” The Queens thrash metal band released their third album, Among The Living, which elevated them from underground thrash metal heroes to wider acclaim.
The first show of that tour was at a club in Rochester, in May 1987. In Albany they played a half-filled Palace Theatre that same month and then toured both nationally and internationally for the rest of the year. Among the Living garnered wider record sales and great reviews, and they had a surprise hit when b-side hip-hop/metal crossover song “I’m The Man” broke big. By December 1987 Anthrax were headlining large theaters and small arenas – including this packed-out show at Poughkeepsie’s Mid-Hudson Civic Center.
This show had a bulletproof triple-bill, with two fantastic opening acts: Bay Area thrashers Exodus, promoting second album Pleasures Of The Flesh, and the mighty Swiss heavies, Celtic Frost on their Into The Pandemonium tour.
Exodus guitarists Rick Hunholt and Gary Holt – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Exodus and Celtic Frost switched playing first and second throughout this tour, and in Poughkeepsie Exodus opened. They blasted through a quick 6-song set, mostly tracks from the new Pleasures album like “Faster Than You’ll Ever Live to Be,” but some tracks from that classic first album Bonded By Blood (“Piranha,” “And Then There Were None”) and a cover of AC/DC’s “Overdose” dedicated to Celtic Frost drummer Reed St. Mark, for his birthday.
Exodus vocalist Steve Souza – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Celtic Frost played next, and this was their classic Tom Warrior/Martin Ain/Reed St. Mark lineup, and they were amazing. They opened with “The Usurper,” from second album To Mega Therion, an absolute blast of real metal greatness and played a mix from all three of their records. Then-new album, Into The Pandemonium, was different from the guttural early thrash of the first two records, definitely not a sell-out or commercial compromise (they’d do that the next year with the shitty Cold Lake record), but kind of adventurously artsy-fartsy, or “avant garde” as all the reviews called it.
However, the adventurous third record didn’t translate live as well as those earlier songs, so the set had a few new songs (including their cover of Wall of Voodoo’s “Mexican Radio,” and the more traditionally thrash “Inner Sanctum”) but relied more on earlier songs like the crushing “Circle of the Tyrants” and the chugging, head-stomping show-closer “Procreation (of the Wicked).”
Celtic Frost drummer Reed St. Mark – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Drummer Reed received a “Happy Birthday” salute-song onstage, with silly string from the other bands, before Frost concluded their set. Great stuff from a band at their peak, but sadly this lineup’s last show was a few days later when this tour ended, after which drummer St. Mark and iconic bassist Martin Ain departed the band, and mainman Tom Warrior assembled a new lineup which would produce the 1988 blunder Cold Lake, an ill-advised foray into hair metal which destroyed the band’s reputation for some time.
Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Anthrax then hit the stage to huge mosh pits with new album title track “Among The Living,” and played mostly songs from their second and third records: “Caught in a Mosh,” “Indians,” “Medusa,” “Armed & Dangerous,” etc., with only “Metal Thrashing Mad” from first album, Fistful of Metal. The response was huge, and the set finished with key thrasher “A.I.R.,” which had a mid-song sidetrack into “I’m The Man” (singer Joey Belladonna taking over drums while the other band members took the mic and guitarist Danny Spitz chugged along on guitar), back into “A.I.R.,” followed by an encore cover of the Sex Pistols’ “God Save The Queen” and the total thrash of “Gung-Ho!” to conclude the night. A ripping set, and a legendary thrash metal triple-bill.
Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Anthrax setlist: Among The Living, Caught In A Mosh, Metal Thrashing Mad, I Am The Law, Madhouse, Indians, Medusa, NFL, Armed & Dangerous, A.I.R., I’m The Man, A.I.R. (cont’d), God Save The Queen, Imitation of Life/Gung Ho!
“Give peace a chance, not shoot people for peace. All we need is love. I believe it. It’s damn hard, but I absolutely believe it… We’re carrying that torch, passing it from hand to hand, to each other, to each country, to each generation. That’s our job.”
There is no better way to capture the whit of music legend and galactic dreamer, John Lennon, than amidst his own words. In hindsight, a dramatic quote proves ever important on the icon’s 40th death anniversary. His words spark a flame in young and old, seasoned and aspiring; to carry on a tradition, to be one, to share your quirks through this thing we call music. It’s why you’re here, reading.
Three days later, Lennon was shot dead in the archway of the Dakota apartment building, in New York’s upper west side. Living with wife Yoko Ono, and inseparable, they were on their way back from a recording session when Lennon was pointlessly gunned down.
John Lennon – December 5, 1980.
“Welcome to the inner sanctum!”
Lennon’s words in comparrison were wilful, he knew exactly what he was doing. Even pro-Beatle Lennon, wanted to get away from any grounds on his blooming self exposition. It’s a continuous flow of self exploration that Lennon created over. It seems overly introverted, yet Lennon learned about himself in a roundabout, extroverted way. “We write lyrics, and I write lyrics that you don’t realise what they mean until after… like ‘Walrus.’ The whole first verse was written without any knowledge, and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows‘— I didn’t know what I was saying, and you just find out later.”
As we delve into Lennon interviews over the years it is clear why he has reached monumental stature. According to Writer Jonathan Cott, Lennon was unlike almost any other artist, “he allowed himself to be interviewed at crucial points in his life in order to reveal and, perhaps, define for himself where he was in his world,” Shadow In The Night.
Jann Wenner said his interview with Lennon was “The most important, and the peak, of the whole concept of the Rolling Stone Interview. He [Lennon] went all the way to the theory of it, to the hilt.” Wenner never did another one, except with the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia.
John Lennon’s Self Portrait elusive in value, yet monumental in pop-culture.
Mark Chapman, a troubled American “Beatles fan” had travelled from Hawaii to NYC. After Lennon kindly signed his copy of Double Fantasy, Chapman would seek out the star and fire five hollow-point bullets from a .38 special revolver. Four hit Lennon in the back. Chapman claimed he was angered by Lennon’s lifestyle and public statements, thus remained at the scene, reading The Catcher in the Rye until he was arrested. Lennon was pronounced dead on scene. The world was devastated.
Yoko: There’s no bullshit.
John: There’s no bullshit.
But, this was bullshit.
It wasn’t until ten years ago that these last interviews began to see light. With each passing year Lennon would grow stronger in our hearts. His music, and moreover, his philosophy would continue to inspire for generations to come.
“Ive never claimed divinity. I’ve Never claimed purity of soul. I’ve never claimed to have the answer to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can, but only as honest as I can—
John Lennon, Dec. 5, 1980.
With earlier Rolling Stone interviews, on Sept. 17 and 18, 1968, John Lennon was much less raw in his response. His light and airy nature was apparent, walking around the room of his apartment, singing “Hold Me Tight,” and sitting on the floor to chat, despite two hours’ sleep.
Still distinctively Lennon, he remised about his past and heightened personal nature of his work. Lennon is direct. It’s wasn’t a child’s feeling, it was mine. “It was writing about my past, so it does get the kids because it was me at school, my whole bit,” on “Good Morning, Good Morning,” and the same with “Penny Lane.”
“We really got into the grove of imagining Penny Lane— the bank was there, and that was where the tram sheds were and people waiting and the inspector stood there, the fire engines were down there, it was just reliving childhood.”
“I don’t like the Blood, Sweat and Tears shit. I think all that is bullshit. Rock & roll is going like jazz, as far as i can see, and the bullshitters are going off into that excellentness which I never believed in and other going off… I consider myself in the avant grade of rock & roll.”
Here John begins, and was the only to explicitly, demystify his Beatles persona. “We were like kings of the jungle back then,” and later on when asked if Lennon would take it all back he says: If i could be a fuckin’ fisherman, I would. If I hat the capabilities of being something other than I am, I would.
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy
Nothing you can make that can't be made
No one you can save that can't be saved
Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy
A mass of John Lennon interviews is worth the read. Don’t listen or analyse too much, just be free in the moment like he was. Put a record on and recount Lennon’s LSD trips, gripes with The Beatles, his love for Yoko and pure artistic outlook on the world. It’s enlightening.
John Lennon is the musical equalizer. He says it how he sees it, and sadly he unexpectedly paid for those words 40 years ago today. The simple minded Lennon (in principle) fancied classic rock like “Spirit in the Sky,” and was “influenced by acid and got psychedelic, like the whole generation, but really, I like rock & roll, and I express myself best in rock.
“Because that’s what’s happened, all these songs just came out of me. I didn’t sit down to write. They all came out , like the best work that anybody ever does, wether it is an article or what, it’s just the best ones that come out.”
The dream is NOT over.
Why Can’t Lennon be alone, without Yoko?
I can be, but I don’t wish to be. Theres is no reason on earth why I should be without her. There is nothing more important than our relationship, nothing. We dig being together all the time, and both of us could survive apart m but what for? Im not going to sacrifice love, real love for any… 🙂 …
Rest In Peace John Lennon: to the one you loved most and to a world you continually inspire.
Months earlier marked Lennon’s 80th birthday. On October 9, a live stream from London’s Hard Rock Hotel celebrated the 2nd annual Dear John concert. The event supported a heartfelt charity, War Child U.K., an organization that helps impoverished families across war zones throughout the world.
Blurred Vision frontman, Sepp Osley, hosted the virtual show featuring tributes from Peter Gabriel, Richard Curtis CBE, Maxi Jazz of Faithless, Lindsay Ell, PP Arnold, Lawrence Gowan (Styx), Andy Fairweather Low, KT Tunstall, Larkin Poe, John Ilsley of Dire Straits, Nick Van Eede (Cutting Crew), Mollie Marriott and Laura Jean Anderson.
hannah bahng brought her sold-out debut Abysmal Tour to Mercury Lounge on December 5, promising to deliver “The Worst Night Of Your Life”.
Self-written, self-composed, and co-produced, hannah bahng is a multitalented artist with the skill and vision to realize every facet of her creative endeavors with evident care and precision. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, 20 year old bahng entered the music sphere with the perfectly nostalgic, sea-salt tinged “perfect blues” and its slightly hazier, dreamy counterpart “OLeander” on July 14, 2023.
Since the dual-single release, bahng has seen a meteoric rise in popularity, and certainly for good reason. Releasing her debut The Abysmal EP on May 31 produced in partnership with Andrew Luce, bahng delivered a total of seven tracks that cut deep sonically and lyrically, pulling listeners through each and every emotion with vibrant intensity.
This same intensity was on full display at the Mercury Lounge on December 5, one of several shows of bahng’s first ever tour which very quickly sold out and saw various venue upgrades due to a widespread hope to experience what was marketed as “the worst night of your life.”
This sentiment was equally felt in line outside the venue and within its doors, the warm lights of the Mercury Lounge twinkling invitingly as fans meandered their way inside.
Concert-goers could be found excitedly waiting in line for bahng’s adorably curated merchandise or exchanging homemade goods like bracelets and photocards just outside the entrance (the latter a tradition emerging from the K-Pop scene, which has since evidently bled into tangential spaces and beyond)- all various shades of blue in a lovely nod to her debut single.
Chatting with other fans proved effortless as everyone shared an intangible undercurrent of knowledge that something special was about to happen- after all, the Mercury Lounge marked the historic third show bahng has ever performed in the professional sphere following two dates in Texas.
And, as hannah herself would mention later in the evening, it marked her first ever performance in New York after visiting the city as a songwriter and audience member prior.
As bahng took the stage, the energy was electric. Opening the similar form to her Abysmal EP, she delivered a captivating performance of “OLeander” followed by a gut wrenching rendition of the deeply personal “hannah interlude” which was written while bahng was visiting New York out of a rented studio.
Similarly, the unreleased “Ribs” features bahng and a piano in a moment so deeply vulnerable it was as if the entire space around her took a moment to pause and listen in.
Between tracks, the intimacy of the venue resulted in an almost conversational rapport between hannah and the audience in which fans showered her in compliments, asked about her Pokémon jacket- custom made by a friend in the audience- and learned that her favorite Pokémon of the franchise is the definitively underrated cubone.
I’d also be remiss to not mention the vicious Rubiks Cube battle that occurred on stage. A lovely audience member went head to head with bahng in a tense battle of wits, and hannah reigned victorious- but not before passing off her newly signed cube to the audience participant with a hug and cheers from the crowd.
More hard hitting tracks followed, including the bass-heavy “POMEGRANATE” and the unreleased “What Never Lived” that mourns the death of a relationship that never quite happened, which quickly grew to be a personal favorite.
Tracks of her own weren’t all that hannah had to offer, either. Covers of Chase Atlantic’s “Church” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” came next, the former a favorite of bahng’s that she explained was performed to balm the lack of the track at a Chase Atlantic concert she had attended, and the latter for the parents in the audience- though, as a nearly twenty-something myself, I found myself thanking my father’s influence on my music taste as I belted along.
As bahng bowed out for the evening, the cool blues of the lights faded to a dim gray- but this did nothing to deter the audience, who promptly jumped into cheers asking for just “one more song,” to which hannah delivered. Returning for a vibrant performance of “perfect blues,” the carefree joy felt in the room was tangible.
A room full of folks young and old gathered to celebrate the promising start of something beautiful, singing in tandem to the first song of her professional career- the promising creative sway of hannah bahng was in full effect as her first official concert in New York came to an end.
hannah bahng – Mercury Lounge – The Worst Night Of Your Life – Thursday, December 5, 2024
Fresh off a year that included the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime show and a critically acclaimed Las Vegas Residency, Usher brought Round Two of his Past Present Future tour for a two-night special in Brooklyn.
The crowd embraced Usher, one of the most influential artists of the early 2000s — eight-time Grammy-winning, multi-platinum influential and is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. The R&B phenom dazzled Brooklyn’s Barclays Center with an all-world, shining spectacle that added to his allure.
Usher performs in Brooklyn, New York during a Past Present Future tour stop. (Karl Jean Baptiste, NYS Music)
At around 9:30 p.m., the luminary touched the stage, commanding the landscape with a kind of mesmerizing aura and opened with “Coming Home,” the title track from his latest chart-topping outing. He followed that up with “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home),” which quickly summoned ecstatic gasps from the audience mid “I just wanna get your attention…” Like that, the sold-out audience went down memory lane singing right along.
Usher performs in Brooklyn, New York during a Past Present Future tour stop. (Karl Jean Baptiste, NYS Music)
Between the hits (“You Make Me Wanna…,” “U Got it Bad”), (“Yeah!,” “OMG”), and (“There Goes My Baby,” “Throwback”), Usher’s undeniable collection of classics was undeniable.
With each performance, each song sounded just as fresh as they did in 1997, 2001 or 2004 and is a testament to the singer’s enduring catalog. The show carefully curated these times by traveling through these eras as a way to illustrate the singer’s transformation through the years.
Usher performs in Brooklyn, New York during a Past Present Future tour stop. (Karl Jean Baptiste, NYS Music)
Above all things, if anything was clear from the two-hour extravaganza other than that an Usher concert is top-tier experience, it’s that one of the world’s greatest entertainers of all time and is still at the top of his game.
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
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The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) marked its 20th anniversary with a special Holiday Celebration over the weekend of November 30th and December 1st. This two-day event brought together an incredible mix of local and legendary talent, creating an unforgettable experience for attendees.
Day 1: A Rich Tapestry of Sounds
The festivities kicked off on November 30th, featuring an eclectic mix of performances. Casey Adams opened the night with his soulful energy, followed by Mark Newman’s smooth rock stylings. The Kerry Kearney Band brought their signature blend of blues and rock, while the Stanton Anderson Band closed out the evening with an electrifying set that kept the crowd on their feet.
Day 2: A Star-Studded Celebration
The second day, December 1st, was a true celebration of music, featuring a lineup that spanned genres and generations. One of the highlights of the day was the performance by Ernie and the Band, who took the stage with a setlist that included Tangled Up in Blue, No Rest, Summertime, and Dead Man Walking. The band’s dynamic sound was a testament to their organic, genre-blending approach to music, which has earned them a devoted following.
I had the chance to talk with Ernie and the Band after their performance, where they shared insights into their musical journey. Founders John and Rob, best friends since childhood, were joined by Nick and Brady, who completed the band’s lineup. Their songwriting process is fluid, beginning with a simple melody, lyric, or progression that grows into a full song. The band cited standout performances at the Great South Bay Music Festival and their recent two-night run at Industry in Huntington as major highlights of their career.
Next up was the legendary DMC (Daryl McDaniels), who took the stage with Johnny Juice and Richard Barone. Before his performance, I had the chance to speak with DMC, where he shared how his passion for storytelling has expanded beyond music. He began by talking about how his college lectures evolved into speaking engagements at high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools, where he adapted his message for younger audiences. His love for storytelling led him to write a children’s book about his childhood experience with bullying, offering kids a relatable narrative that connects with his career in hip-hop.
DMC also reflected on his early influences, revealing how his love for comic books sparked his creativity before he found music through the diverse sounds of 1970s New York radio. When I asked about today’s hip-hop scene, DMC rejected the notion that hip-hop is only for the young, asserting that veteran artists like himself continue to carry the torch for future generations.
In a conversation with DJ Johnny Juice, renowned turntablist and producer for Public Enemy, he emphasized the importance of authenticity for aspiring DJs and producers, advising them to “do it for yourself” and trust that the right audience will follow. Juice distinguished between DJ culture and turntablism, praising the technical advancements but cautioning against losing the human touch, urging DJs to “inject your personality into the cut.” Reflecting on his roots as a Latin percussionist, he explained how his rhythmic style of scratching was influenced by playing bongos and congas as a child. His move from the Bronx to Long Island allowed him to blend diverse influences, creating a unique, genre-defying sound that set Long Island hip-hop apart.
A major highlight of DMC’s set was his tribute to Billy Joel, where he shared his excitement about a collaboration that blends Billy Joel’s You May Be Right with hip-hop. DMC jokingly revealed his dream of getting Billy Joel involved in writing original songs for his Broadway musical, which is based on DMC’s life story. “I think Billy Joel needs to be a part of this. We’re gonna make history, baby!” DMC laughed.
Following the tribute, DMC performed several Run-D.M.C. classics, including It’s Tricky, Walk This Way, and Christmas in Hollis. The crowd was energized as he seamlessly blended his iconic hip-hop sound with rock influences, paying homage to the roots of both genres. DMC’s son, Dson McDaniels, also performed his new song Pray, showing the next generation of McDaniels talent.
He also praised the LIMEHOF as a “holy place” where diverse genres come together to create a rich cultural tapestry—a “gumbo” that nourishes the heart, mind, body, and soul. Reflecting on his journey from a fan listening to rock legends on the radio to sharing stages with icons like David Lee Roth, Dave Navarro, and Aerosmith, DMC highlighted the surreal honor of standing among those he once admired. He emphasized the unity of genres—rock, hip-hop, blues, and jazz—and reminded the audience that while disco may have faded, the music and its spirit live on. With heartfelt gratitude, DMC concluded by urging everyone to keep dancing and supporting live music, leaving the audience energized and inspired.
After DMC’s electrifying performance, comedian Paul Anthony took the stage for a killer stand-up routine that had the audience laughing from start to finish.
The festivities continued with Firetog & Co, who performed tracks like How a Heart Breaks and Ball and Chain, followed by American Idol’s Christiaan Padavan, who captivated the crowd with his renditions of Vienna by Billy Joel, Just the Two of Us, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, and Please Come Home for Christmas.
The celebration at the LIMEHOF concluded with a high-energy performance from The Original Gossip Band, who closed out the weekend with their songs Above Water, Front Liners, Megan, and Driving to the End.
