moe. is throwing a party to celebrate the release of their next album, Circle of Giants, at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock. The party is so big, they’re stretching it over two night – Friday, Jan. 17 and Saturday, Jan. 18.
The shows at Bearsville are part of the band’s 35th anniversary tour, which includes intimate concerts around the country. Check out full tour details here.
The upcoming Circle of Giants reiterates the dynamic, genre-defying sound that has contributed to the beloved ensemble’s longevity in the jam world. This album is also the first to feature keyboardist Nate Wilson, who joined the band in 2023–a testament to moe.’s spirit.
For hardcore moe.rons, VIP packages are available for Saturday, which features an intimate pre-show set and Q&A, early entry, first dibs at the merch table, a VIP laminate, and an exclusive merch item.
Circle of Giants is available for pre-order. Tickets for moe. at Bearsville Theater are on sale now – for more info, head to moe.org/tour.
Phish has made their way across New York State in the Fall many times over the years, particularly in 1995 and 1997. Those stand out years in Phish history overshadow 1999, and the December 5 show in Rochester deserves a second look for more than the “Jennifer Dances” premiere with which it has come to be associated.
A warm afternoon before the show gave way to a cold and windy night, just the weather shift you’d expect near Lake Ontario in early December. Two years removed from their December 11 show at Blue Cross Arena, which featured a monster “Down with Disease” and the debut of Ween’s “Roses are Free,” you’d be forgiven if you didn’t listen to the other Rochester Phish show from the tail end of the 90s. But what a show this one was too.
An overlooked Fall Tour show, this one captures ‘Never Miss a Sunday Show’ perfectly. Give a listen via Phish Tracks and you’ll see why. The first set begins with “Carini” busting out of the gate for a short and sweet version. “Gotta Jibboo,” was just beginning a span of heavy rotation that went through Fall 2000, and featured deep bass from Mike Gordon who tucked himself right into the pocket of the groove, with Trey Anastasio accelerating towards a hearty finish.
“Back on the Train” follows, adding another of the four Farmhouse tracks heard this night, then a top tier “Taste” that clocked in over 13 minutes is a must hear version as well. “Bug” and “Sparkle” follow, and then BAM!, a strong “Tube” with added keys from Trey who explored this added outlet many times on this tour, all the way through Big Cypress.
“Lawn Boy” and “Ginseng Sullivan” filled in before a new twist on “Twist” emerged, with a new arrangement that would continue to evolve over time, and may feel even more familiar to fans these days than versions prior. This long and winding “Twist” keeps it up for 12 minutes to close the first set.
Starting set 2 with “Mike’s Song” boded well and ol’ reliable did not shy away from stretching its legs until an unexpected segue into “Meatstick,” which had been finding frequent plays since that summer. While this version clocks in at a strong 12 minutes, it is only the second most notable version from New York State (at that time,) as the band led an effort to have the crowd perform the “Meatstick” dance at Camp Oswego enter the Guinness Book of World Records. Little did the Rochester audience know that this song would usher in the new millenium a mere 26 days later.
This version of “Meatstick” is now unique in that it does not feature Japanese lyrics, something that would not appear until the next summer in Japan, and later in America, becoming a staple of nearly every version of since 2009.
After “I am Hydrogen” segued out of “Meatstick,” a fiery “Weekapaug Groove” with no let up wrapped up this Mike’s Groove. A loud speaker hiss can be heard before the start of “Brian and Robert,” and after this breather, Trey spoke to the audience, saying,
Thank you, we played here a few years ago and we were talking backstage, this is definitely a very favorite room of ours, people are very cool and its a special place and we apprecaite being here. we’re going to trying out a brand new song on you, it’s called “Jennifer Dances”
Trey Anastasio, preparing the world for “Jennifer Dances”
With a little less salt in the gravy this night, the excitement and elation of getting a debut original was palpable, and the crowd got the first of the storied “Jennifer Dances.” Maybe you enjoy it, maybe you chase it, and perhaps you loathe the mention of this ‘ballad,’ but on this night, the audience was laser focused on the new tune.
The remainder of the set picked up after the dip in the middle that the interrupted the flow. The “Maze” clocks in at nearly 15 minutes, full of driving funk via Page McConnell’s keys, and is followed up nicely by “Fluffhead,” adding an exclamation point to the “Maze.” But wait, there’s more! “Chalkdust Torture” > “Frankenstein” closed the set with as much back to back energy as pounding a Red Bull and following up with a 5 Hour Energy – hearts were pumping at full capacity for the final half of this set.
For an encore, the band left the stage and returned to a microphone set up on Page Side, so those on the floor gravitated over for an up close version of the barbershop quartet “Hello My Baby, ” by then a fading acapella number and the last one until 2009. “Character Zero” found the energy from the second set, bottled it up and unleashed on the crowd to close the night.
Phish have made their presence known in Rochester over the years and made their December 1999 show as memorable as the 1997 show that garners the most attention. In that way, December 5, 1999 is the Jan Brady of Phish shows in the Flower City. Stream the show via Phish Tracks.
Phish, December 5, 1999 – Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, NY
Set 1: Carini > Gotta Jibboo, Back on the Train, Taste, Bug, Sparkle, Tube, Lawn Boy, Ginseng Sullivan, Twist[1] Set 2: Mike’s Song -> Meatstick > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Brian and Robert, Jennifer Dances[2], Maze, Fluffhead > Chalk Dust Torture > Frankenstein Encore: Character Zero, Hello My Baby [1] Slightly new arrangement. [2] Debut.
Spafford has just announced the first details of their 2025 Spring Tour which comes on the heels of an extensive winter run set to start later this week. The much anticipated run includes stops at iconic venues throughout the Northeast and will feature special guest The Jauntee on select dates. Spafford Spring Tour includes two New York dates as well. The second stop of the tour will be in Saratoga Springs on March 14 with a show at Putnam Place. Four days later the meteoric jam band will visit Buffalo Iron Works on March 18.
The tour also features a first time visit to the ski-mecca town of Killington, VT with a show at the Pickle Barrel. It later wraps up with a three-night residency at Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke, MA, from April 3-5.
Tickets go on sale Friday, December 6 at 10 AM local time through spafford.net where additional information can also be found.
Spafford Spring 2025 Tour Dates:
March 12-13: Broad Brook Opera House – Broad Brook, CT
March 14: Putnam Place – Saratoga Springs, NY
March 15: Aura – Portland, ME
March 16: Pickle Barrel – Killington, VT
March 18: Buffalo Iron Works – Buffalo, NY
March 19: Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH*
March 20: Mr. Smalls – Millvale, PA*
March 21: Moontown Brewing Company – Whitestown, IN
Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio is once again going out on a solo acoustic tour in 2025, his first one in three years. The tour starts on March 8 in Springfield, MA at Symphony Hall and will cover a large swath of the Midwest and Southeast regions of the country through early April. It includes one New York gig on March 12 in Rochester at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. See all tour dates listed below.
Real-time presales begin Wednesday, December 4 exclusively via treytickets.shop.ticketstoday.com. All remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 6 – check venues for on-sale times. For complete details, please see trey.com/tour.
TREY ANASTASIO – SOLO ACOUSTIC TOUR 2025
MARCH
8 – Springfield, MA – Symphony Hall
9 – Boston, MA – Wang Theatre at Boch Center
11 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – The F.M. Kirby Center
12 – Rochester, NY – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
14 – Columbus, OH – Mershon Auditorium
15 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theater
16 – Nashville, IN – Brown County Music Center
18 – Chicago, IL – Orchestra Hall
19 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theatre
21 – New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre
22 – Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre
23 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
26 – Orlando, FL – Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
28 – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall
29 – Savannah, GA – Johnny Mercer Theatre
30 – Charleston, SC – Gaillard Auditorium
APRIL
1 – Knoxville, TN – Tennessee Theatre
2 – Greenville, SC – Peace Concert Hall
4 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre
5 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Center for the Arts
On Friday, November 29, perhaps the two biggest rising stars in the jam-band scene – Dogs in a Pile and Eggy – took another giant leap, packing out The Capitol Theatre to near capacity.
The first time both bands were set to headline the iconic venue, Dogs In A Pile and Eggy had their fans pour in early to check out a pre-show at Garcia’s featuring Residual Groove. The link between the two fanbases was as clear as day, as was the decision to make the two evenings a co-headlining spectacle.
As announced on social media by Peter Shapiro a few days prior via a coin-toss, Dogs In A Pile were set to open Day 1 with Eggy following, and the reverse happened the next day.
Dogs In A Pile hit the stage at 8pm sharp on Friday night, busting of the gate strong with “Look Johnny ll”. Hailing from Asbury Park, New Jersey, Dogs In A Pile have become a nationally recognized act, touring all around the country with great frequency. Certainly no stranger to the New York music scene, playing huge shows like the Phish after show last year at Sony Hall, Great South Bay Music Festival, as well as going on tour with Andy Frasco at Pier 17 and The Capitol Theatre itself, though this time, under a very different circumstance.
Childhood friends who met fellow students at Berklee, the band consists of Jimmy Law on Guitar and Vocals, Joey Babick on Drums, Jeremy Kaplan on Keys and Vocals, Sam Lucid on Bass, and Brian Murray on Guitar and Vocals. Ending on a real high note, a difficult task was set upon Eggy, following what had just occurred was no small feat.
Eggy gracefully took the stage to great anticipation. In quite fitting fashion, “Here and Now” was the designated opening number as dancing re-emerged throughout the audience. Fresh off the release of their new album, “Waiting Game“, the band consists of Jake Brownstein on Guitar and Vocals, Dani Battat on Keys and Vocals, Mike Goodman on Bass and Vocals, and Alex Bailey on Drums and Vocals.
New York is a frequent stop for Eggy, and its easy to see why. Their impressive song writing abilities, along with deep experimentation of the material, a fantastic tour-de-force is always on full display. As the first set winded down, Dani Battat slowed things down, paying tribute to his bandmate and dear friend, Jake, to celebrate his birthday.
A cake was brought out as this touching moment was rang in by Bailey switching to his cajon and Goodman to his standup bass. An acoustic set brought the evening home, but the festivities were not over just yet.
For an encore, Dogs In A Pile came back on stage to join Eggy in family band style fashion. Paying homage to the day, “Black Friday” by Steely Dan rang out, followed by the Hunter/Garcia classic, “Bird Song”.
The evening concluded with strong enthusiasm as another epic night of music awaited everyone the following evening. Though the two bands have similar fanbases and style, their momentums are respectively separate and strong.
Dogs In A Pile go on to play more dates throughout December, including a 4 night run through New Years in Saratoga Springs at Putnam Palace. Eggy will also be playing in New York at the end of this month, hitting Electric City in Buffalo on the 27th, and Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock on the 29th. Tickets for all shows are available now.
Just prior to Thanksgiving, the Disco Biscuits wrapped up their final tour of 2024, with shows in Rome and Buffalo. Over the next few weeks, the band enters the studio and have four final shows to close 2024 out.
photo by Pete Mason
Held at the Capitol Theatre in Rome, situated just west of Utica, the venue has been open since 1928, originally part of a chain of movie houses and screening films through 1974. The venue reopened in 1985 as the Capitol Civic Center, when live music and theatrical performances were offered in addition to classic films.
The show in Rome – a first for the band, and at the ‘other’ Capitol Theatre – was a high point from the start, with a 27-minute “Magellan” opening the show. Feeling rarer these days, “Magellan” hit home with the veteran fans in the audience, many of whom made the Upstate trio of shows a weekend adventure.
With the energy shifting out of “Cyclone,” a peak jam of the first set arose in “Times Square,” before passing the torch to “Bombs,” a once-shelved fan favorite that was brought back in May 2021 thanks to a fan request. “Shelby Rose” rounded out the first frame of music, which was full of songs for the older heads in attendance this evening.
Set 2 opened with the slow burn of “Fire Will Exchange,” setting forth a 95-minute torrent of music. This opening 25-minute version was patient as it built and ended up giving way to a full version of “Shem-Rah Boo” that clocked in at over a half-hour, “No Rain” tease and all.
Less than a month old, the Disco Biscuits version of Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathrusta” is a hybrid of “Orch Theme” and Phish’s own version, “2001,” but this industrial version of “Also Sprach Zarathrusta” is nothing like what Strauss or your average Phish fan would expect. Darker, heavier and exploring the darkness between ascendent peaks, this “ASZ” in the industrial/classical crossover we didn’t know we needed.
Sandwiched in between “ASZ” were “No Recollection” and “Catalyst,” each keeping the fire burning in the set, and bringing it to an exultant finish. And with under 10 minutes left to wrap the show up, the band opted to stay old school with “Rock Candy” in the encore slot, and the show ended promptly before 11pm.
Disco Biscuits – Rome Capitol Theatre – Rome, NY – Friday, November 22, 2024
Soundcheck: The Very Moon -> Sirens Sing
Set 1: Magellan > Cyclone > Times Square > Bombs > Shelby Rose
Set 2: Fire Will Exchange > Shem-Rah Boo1 > Also Sprach Zarathustra > No Recollection> Catalyst > Also Sprach Zarathustra
Encore: Rock Candy 1 with âNo Rainâ (Blind Melon) teases
While NYS Music was not on hand for the Buffalo shows the next two nights, the two shows are each an adventure in their own right. Saturday night’s show features a reworked “Sirens Sing” (formerly, “The Champions”) with an inverted “Munchkin Invasion” in the second set.
Disco Biscuits – The Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY – Saturday, November 23, 2024
Soundcheck: Little Lai, Rainbow Song, Frog Legs
Set 1: House Dog Party Favor > Grass Is Green 1 > Sirens Sing 2 > Falling 3 > House Dog Party Favor
Set 2: M.E.M.P.H.I.S. 4 > Trap Door 5 > Pimp Blue Rikki > Munchkin Invasion 1 > Floes
Sunday’s show was comprised of songs written by Joey Friedman over the last two years, in honor of his 500th show. The full show gives a faint picture of what to expect from the Biscuits time in the studio this month – get a full breakdown here via Relix.
2024 is nearly in the books and the Disco Biscuits barnburner of a tour is for now, to be continued.
Disco Biscuits – The Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY – Sunday, November 24, 2024
Soundcheck: Park Ave -> Running, Confrontation
Set 1: To Be Continued > Ring the Doorbell Twice > Country Royale 1 > One Chance To Save The World > Risky Business 1 > Another Plan of Attack 2
Set 2: The Wormhole > Twisted in the Road 3 > Dino Baby > Another Plan of Attack 2 > One Chance To Save The World > Photograph > To Be Continued
Encore: Buy The Time > Ring the Doorbell Twice 1 1st time inverted 2 dyslexic (ending first, then beginning) 3 inverted
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
For the first time in over a decade, ’90s jam stalwarts Addison Groove Project will perform live with two shows, one in Boston and another a week later at DROM in the East Village, slated for 2025.
Addison Groove Project formed in high school in the suburbs outside of Boston, gaining a reputation as a hard working and talented band, performing at festivals including Bonnaroo and across the Northeast, bringing a combo of funk, soul, rock, groove and jazz. The band’s founding bassist, John Hall, passed away in 2004.
As the band notes, it has been about a lifetime since the group last performed live. Brendan McGinn (vocals/guitar) is now a doctor, Andrew Keith (drummer) is a therapist, Ben Groppe (tenor sax) is a chef, Dave Adams (saxophone) is currently band director at a middle school, and Rob Marscher (keys) continues to play music with Matisyahu and Star Kitchen, on the side of software development gigs.
With the band each with families at the forefront of their lives, instead of getting together each weekend at iconic New England rock clubs, the band’s group chat has led to a desire to play together again for the first time since 2013.
The band joked about their absence for fans to “come out in March to see if we’ve still got it or if we should stick to our day jobs.”
Addison Groove Project will perform in 2025 at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA on Saturday, March 29, and the following week on Saturday, April 5 at Manhattan’s DROM.
Tickets are on sale now for the Drom show – General Admission is $32.61 ($25.00 + $7.61 fees) and GA Preferred Seating is $61.38 ($49.99 + $11.39 fees).
On Sunday, November 24, Madison Square Garden hosted the Soulshine Concert, a powerful evening of music and charity dedicated to hurricane relief and recovery.
Net proceeds from the event supported the SOULSHINE Concert Fund at the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, benefiting non-profits aiding communities in North Carolina and Florida heavily impacted by recent storms. At the heart of the event was Warren Haynes, renowned for both his musical talent and commitment to philanthropy.
Through ticket sales, merchandise, sponsorships, and donations, the event raised over $4.5M for the Soulshine Concert Fund, which will distribute funds to a variety of organizations on the ground in North Carolina and Florida.
While Haynes played a pivotal role in curating the lineup, the concert was a collaborative production by Dayglo Presents and Live Nation, delivering an unforgettable night of performances for a worthy cause.
A Star-Studded Lineup
The concert began with an intimate acoustic performance of “Soulshine” by Warren Haynes and Dave Matthews, setting the tone for the night with heartfelt emotion. The baton was then passed to Goose, whose electrifying set featured collaborations with some of the biggest names in music. Highlights included:
“Give It Time” with Robert Randolph
“Hungersite” with Derek Trucks
“Baby Donât You Do It” with Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks
“The Way It Is” (a Bruce Hornsby cover) with Dave Matthews
The collaborative spirit continued as Haynes joined forces with Tedeschi and Trucks for a moving acoustic rendition of “700 Houses”, a song with deep emotional resonance.
The stage then welcomed the Warren Haynes Band, who delivered a fiery set punctuated by guest appearances:
“Man in Motion” with Trombone Shorty
“This Life as We Know It” with Robert Randolph
“Shakedown Street” with Joe Russo
“These Changes” with Derek Trucks
A show-stopping “Whipping Post” featuring Trucks and Russo
Next, Susan Tedeschi and Dave Matthews delivered an acoustic version of “Angel from Montgomery”, honoring John Prineâs timeless legacy.
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats Bring the Party
The soulful energy of Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats followed, featuring crowd favorites like “Look It Here”, “You Worry Me”, and “Call Me Whatever You Like”.
The set crescendoed with Mavis Staples joining for a heartwarming rendition of “Friendship”, culminating in a raucous performance of “S.O.B.”, with Robert Randolph and Trombone Shorty adding their flair.
Closing Acoustic and Dave Matthews Band Finale
Warren Haynes and Dave Matthews returned for a poignant acoustic segment, performing:
“Carolina on My Mind”
“Southern Accents” with Derek Trucks
“Waste” with Trey Anastasio
Finally, Dave Matthews Band headlined the evening with a dynamic set, launching with “The Weight”, featuring Susan Tedeschi, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Trey Anastasio. The band delivered a mix of classics and collaborations, including:
“Rapunzel”
“So Much to Say” into “Too Much”
“Jimi Thing” with Trombone Shorty
“Brick House” with Trombone Shorty
“Lie in Our Graves” with Trey Anastasio
A beautiful rendition of the Allman Brothersâ “Melissa” with Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, and Trey
The grand finale brought all the nightâs performers back on stage for a powerful rendition of “Come Together”, symbolizing the unity and purpose of the evening.
A Night to Remember
The Soulshine Concert was more than a musical extravaganzaâit was a testament to the power of music to bring people together in the face of adversity. With its all-star lineup and heartfelt performances, the event left an indelible mark on attendees while raising much-needed funds for hurricane relief.
As Warren Haynes has proven time and again, music can shine a light in even the darkest times, and the Soulshine Concert at MSG was a beacon of hope for those in need.
Ari Joshua is on a mission to release 24 songs in 2024. Over the course of the last ten months, the South African-born, now American-based songwriter has been consistently releasing these singles, some of which contain multiple tracks and several stand-alone remixes. Each release features a unique line-up of all star musicians, including members of Trey Anastasio Band, Medeski Martin & Wood, and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.
Photo by Joshua Hitchens – Bolt of Sunshine Photography
I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Ari who shined a light into his musical process, spoke on his luminary collaborators and opened up about navigating the music industry and the world he has dedicated his life to.
“I’m super honored to be at the point in my career where I can share all the art I’ve been making. When I think about my art and the message that I want to give with it – something from the soul – it reminds me of creating an organic garden, planting seeds, and harvesting foods. If you scale it out one can imagine being an artist today is like sending a rocket ship or a satellite into orbit. I feel like once you’re in orbit as an artist, or once your seeds are harvesting fruits, you can feel like you are achieving your job – each note, each song, has the potential to propel things further. In a way all the legends are in orbit. In order to get up there, to resonate with listeners, you need a tremendous amount of fuel, and it’s a full time pursuit to manifest that.”
That need to resonate through the music inspired Ari to found The Music Factory, a Seattle-based music school giving lessons to hundreds of kids each week. He is a huge proponent of music education and has continued to grow the school since its inception. Ari has found himself at a point where he is able to take a step back and shift focus on his career being an artist and performer. “After years of juggling duties and taking continuous small steps forward I’ve found myself at a balancing point investing more time into creating meaningful and soul-fulfilling art.”
Left to Right: Medeski, Martin & Joshua – Photo by Chris Bittner
Ari’s first three releases of the year, “Dragon’s Layer”, “Country Stroll” and “Elephant Walk,” feature John Medeski and Billy Martin. These Woodstock, NY recorded country and jazz influenced instrumentals are defined by their laid back grooves and catchy melodies. Ari has spent his life studying diverse artists across all genres and setting the foundation for himself so that he can be both over prepared yet able to let go of everything in the moment. When asked about his process of going into the studio with the high caliber collaborators he shares his body of work with, he makes it clear that he wants to allow the space for them to shine and be who they are. It’s their unique voice that he wants captured in the studio. “There’s a certain kind of magic that comes from not knowing what’s going to happen and knowing that the musicians you’re working with are at a certain point. You’re free to trust the process and provide the space for them to do what feels right, and speaks for them.” These songs feel like an extension of the MMW universe – Medeski, Martin & Joshua. “Country Stroll” and “Elephant Walk” showcase tasteful soloing by all three musical juggernauts.
Ari holds the artists he has worked with to the highest regard. No collaboration is the same. No circumstance is the same. Improvisation usually takes the wheel. When working with artists on complete ends of the spectrum, you have to be able to adapt. Some of his collaborators prefer being sent audio and charts prior, while others only care about the moment once they’re all together. “Each person and each group of people that I get to work with is a totally different situation.” He compares this to making a child. “We’re going to go in there [the studio] and we’re gonna mix up our DNA, ideally with good intentions and love, and ideally a good level of pleasure [laughs]. And we’re going to come out with something that’s its own thing – a new creation.”
Ari’s songwriting knows no bounds. There is truly something for everyone. This is evident with the release of “Elon’s Musk”, his psychedelic, Tipper-inspired electronic single released under the moniker Guitari with ill.gates and Cory Cavazos. Ari’s follow up, “Rare Groove” once again shifts genre and lineup entirely. This funk, R and B-inspired instrumental features Skerik, Grant Schroff and Delvon Lamarr. A recurring theme in Ari’s song writing is his ear-worm melodies, his focus on improvisation and the prominence of organ players. “I am obsessed with really great organ players. There’s just this match made in heaven for me. I really studied that stuff so heavily and I just have this natural gravitation towards it.” “The Clinic” and “Audio Bicycle Day” were also released with the same ensemble. These singles can be categorized by their funky, yet more sinister progressions and feature fantastic improvised solos by all. “Audio Bicycle Day (Suncatchers Version)” is a unique take on the same song but recorded with Joe Doria and Brad Gibson. The Suncatchers Version has a more whimsical, airy quality. He continues this onward trend of eclecticism with his release of “One Dub”, a reggae-inspired instrumental groove that features John Kimock, Andy Hess, and Eden Ladin. There are four remixes of “One Dub” currently available on streaming services.
Ari has also worked and recorded alongside Russ Lawton and Ray Paczkowski of Trey Anastasio Band. When talking about his unique songwriting approach when working with different artists, he spoke about how Russ would send drum recordings to Trey over the phone, and then Trey would write parts based on Russ’ recordings. This is the approach that Ari wanted to take in the studio, and he had Russ send him a bunch of demo ideas prior to their session in that spirit. These sessions, which originally took place during the pandemic, resulted in over 25 songs, many of which have yet to be released. “Starlight Mountain” is the first release of the year that features Ari on lead vocals. These emotionally delivered vocals, along with his well-crafted distorted guitar solo are extremely powerful and moving. “The TriCeraphClops” was released with the same all star lineup – dubbed the RAAR Trio. This funky and crunchy instrumental showcases the band’s virtuosity and their chemistry as a unit.
Left to Right: Paczkowski, Joshua & Lawton – Photo by Ben Collette
What you see of Ari’s art is just the tip of the iceberg – “almost 90% of it is underwater.” He relates each piece of music to a blank canvas that he’s constantly revisiting, which could take years, if not decades to complete. “Tagine,” recorded with Marco Benevento and Joe Russo over 15 years ago, is just now seeing the light of day. This psychedelic soundscape takes the listener on a sonic journey through the unknown. It exudes imagery of exploring a distant alien planet.
With no slowing down in sight, Ari has recently announced a brand new supergroup, The All’s Eye, consisting of Ben Atkind (Elephant Proof) and Kris Yunker (Bearly Dead) formerly of Goose. The trio fuse boogaloo funk, soulful organ grooves, Afrobeat, bluegrass, and alternative rock. Fresh off a recording session at Carriage House Studios, the trio is set to release a series of singles over the coming months. They just announced their first official run, four dates on the East Coast and will be sharing their latest single “West Hill Road” on November 20th. When taking the deep dive into Ari’s catalog, you may find yourself pleasantly lost in a rabbit hole of musical and auditory goodness – a yellow brick road of art and sound.
Left to Right: Atkind, Joshua & Yunker – Photo by Mclee Mathias
