Over the weekend of July 5-7, Levitate Music and Arts Festival returned to the Marshfield Fairgrounds in Marshfield, MA for the 11th installment.
This family friendly festival is full of good vibes, art, music and community, featuring three stages, a skate ramp as well as a kids zone.
There were many food and beverage vendors which offered a great variety of cuisines and dessert options, as well as a large number of vendors selling their artwork and handmade items, offering henna, jewelry, glitter hair and make up.
As you walked through festival, you could watch artists work on large murals, an incredible sight to watch them work and create over the three day festival. Large sails were suspended overhead, and a misting tent helped provide shaded areas for festival attendees to take a break from the sun and chill out.
This year there was a stellar line up of performers, as there has been in past years, with every performance a treat to see.
Friday
Kicking off the weekend of music was the Levitate Foundation Winner Blue Light Bandits, playing on the Soul Stage, where fans later caught Lee Ross and Stolen Gin. The Style Stage saw performances from Grace Bowers, Neal Francis and Orebolo, with crowds greeting them with excitement.
The Stoke Stage held performances from Jon Muq, The Moss, Dirty Heads (who played songs “Medusa”, “Bum, Bum”, “Sloth’s Revenge”, “Burn Slow” among others) and Mt. Joy who closed out the music on Friday.
Orebolo
Saturday
The overcast day with off and on misty weather didn’t stop the crowds from enjoying the day. Eagerly awaiting the 12:30pm start time, multiple entrances were filling fast. While in line, attendees chatted about their experiences on Friday and what they were looking forward to doing or what bands they were planning to check out that day. Playing first on the Soul Stage was the band Snacktime from Philadelphia, along with The Mark King Band and Joe Samba later that day.
The crowds swarmed around the other stages through the day, with The Hip Abduction, Iration, and Tash Sultana playing sets on the nearby Style Stage. Staggered set times gave everyone plenty of time to catch many shows throughout the weekend. G. Love & Special sauce, Cory Wong, and The Elovators all had great sets on the Stoke Stage.
Sunday
Sunday was the warmest day of all three days at Levitate Music and Arts Festival but that didn’t stop the crowds from continuing to enjoy the festival. Performing throughout the day was Gracie Grace & All The Good Boys, Little Stranger, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, The Rins, Richie Mitch & the Coal Miners, Ziggy Alberts, Karina Rykman, Oliver Anthony played his well-known hit song “Rich Men North of Richmond.”
Closing the main stage were Charlie Crockett and the highly anticipated performance from Sublime, who drew multiple generations of fans, playing a great selection of hits such as “What I Got,” Pawn Shop,” “Saw Red,” and “Bad Fish.”
After a nine-year-long hiatus, Australian alternative rock band Atlas Genius co-headlines a tour with electronica-pop artist Robert Delong starting this September in Chicago and ending in October in Los Angeles. The tour takes the headliners across North America, with two back-to-back stops in New York on September 15 and 17.
Atlas Genius’s upcoming tour comes in anticipation of their newest album, End of the Tunnel, the band’s first in nine years, set to release on September 6. Co-headliner Robert Delong has also recently announced his newest album, Playlist of Doom, set for release on September 13 through Round Hill Records.
Before their hiatus, Atlas Genius traveled the world supporting Weezer, Blink-182, The Neighborhood, Imagine Dragons, The Kooks, and more. Atlas Genius have performed at some of the most iconic and prestigious festivals, including Lollapalooza, and featured on the late-night television shows of Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, James Corden, Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, and Jay Leno. Delong is no stranger to festival stages, either, captivating audiences with his incredibly unique and dynamic performances at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and Reading and Leeds.
Now, after a long-awaited return, Atlas Genius are ready to re-emerge on stages across North America, including two shows in New York. Their first NY show is in Wantagh, Long Island, at Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall on Sunday, September 15. Their second New York show brings them to the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan at Racket NYC, a concert venue located inside the Western Beef Supermarket on W 16th Street.
Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall – Long Island Catering Halls
The full tour dates are listed below. Tickets go on sale on Friday, July 12, at 10 am local. Any additional information can be found on Atlas Genius and Robert Delong’s websites, linked here.
ATLAS GENIUS AND ROBERT DELONG: FALL 2024 TOUR
SEPTEMBER
8 – Chicago, IL – Taste of Chicago
10 – Detroit, MI – The Shelter
11 – Columbus, OH – A&R
13 – Jersey City, NJ – White Eagle Hall
15 – Long Island, NY – Mulcahy’s
17 – New York, NY – Racket
18 – Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry
22 – Boston, MA – Middle East – Downstairs
24 – Hartford, CT – Webster Underground
26 – Norfolk, VA – The Annex
27 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
29 – Atlanta, GA – Hell at the Masquerade
OCTOBER
1 – Nashville, TN – Basement East
3 – Austin, TX – The Ballroom at Spiderhouse
4 – Houston, TX – The Heights
5 – Dallas, TX – Kessler
7 – Kansas City, MO – Madrid Theatre
9 – Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep
10 – Denver, CO – Marquis
12 – Bellingham, WA – Bellingham Exit (Wild Buffalo)
Poughkeepsie-based jazz artist Cory Wong released his newest single, “Quotidian Fields,” on June 28. The second single off of his forthcoming album, Starship Syncopation, “Quotidian Fields” saw Wong collaborate with Metropole Orkest and piano icon Bruce Hornsby. Moreover, this newest single brings a bright, fresh sound to the world of jazz, and creates excitement for Wong’s newest album.
Known for his solo work with artists including the Dave Matthews Band, Vulfpeck, and many more, Cory Wong has been refreshing jazz since the late 2000s. In like manner, his newest single with Bruce Hornsby and Metropole Orkest, a jazz orchestra based in the Netherlands, is just the latest addition to his laundry list of fantastic collaborations.
After all, Cory Wong’s “Quotidian Fields” gives us a glimpse into his mind. In the early stages of the single, Wong and Hornsby used samples and previously discarded tunes to brainstorm their ideas. When Hornsby sent Wong the piano riff heard at the beginning of the single, he knew that it was the perfect symbol of what he envisioned in his mind: a grandfather clock in the middle of the desert with mountains in the background. Hornsby’s piano tunes represent the clock, as something classic, elegant, and easily recognizable. The additional guitars and bass represent the mountain ranges in the background: something strong, powerful, and grounding that doesn’t take away from the grandfather clock standing before it. As a result the orchestra parts, mainly brass and drums, are meant to represent the desert, where the whole landscape is.
Additionally, the arrangement and orchestration are inspired by a lot of classic American classical music. Inspiration from American classical composers like Aaron Copeland, George Gershwin, and Leonard Bernstein is obvious, as the single moves forward to a rising crescendo, then transitions into a full orchestra that still manages to uphold the elegance of Hornsby’s original piano riff.
Cory Wong officially begins his tour in October. In addition to his Fall Tour, Wong will be performing two shows at the 2024 Caroga Lake Music Festival from July 30-31. He will also be part of the Caroga Arts Collective on Wednesday, July 31, where a raffle for a limited edition Fender guitar will be held. Moreover only 100 raffle tickets will be sold at $100 each and can be purchased HERE.
Below are Cory Wong’s official Fall Tour dates. For more information and tickets, visit his official website.
On July 6, funk keyboardist Neal Francis brought a mixture of blues and rock-laced syncopation to Ridgefield Playhouse. The Saturday show brought folks together from across the tri-state area, treating concert-goers to a thrilling show in the small town of Ridgefield, CT.
With shaggy hair and striped pants, Neal Francis graced the stage. Accompanied by bassist Mike Starr, drummer Collin OâBrien, and guitarist Kellen Boersma, the band approached the audience. The show in Ridgefield marked their third day of back-to-back shows. Nevertheless, it was hard to tell based on their electrifying performance.
Francis and his band are currently in the middle of a U.S. tour, with a mix of headline shows and opening sets. Most recently he opened for Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue as well as KALEO and My Morning Jacket. The Connecticut show, however, was one of a select few without an opener, making the show extremely personal and to the point. Next, they’re off to Winnipeg, Canada on June 13th, after which they take a short break until their return to the east coast in August.
Neal Francis
The show immediately started with dynamically composed arrangements, however staying true to the nature of live music, Francis had to fix some technical issues from his pedals. Despite any malfunctions, he commanded the band to give a beat, making sure the music never stopped while he got to work on his rig. The dedication that the band displayed to keep the audience grooving exhibited true showmanship.
Being that Ridgefield Playhouse is a smaller room in the middle of a small town, the energy was more like that of a party, rather than a concert. Francis was able to communicate with the audience giving the environment such strong personableness. Everyone was excited to be there, whether they traveled for it or were just checking out a cool show nearby. Regardless, the crowd was brought together by their excitement and love for the music.
The versatility of the show also made for an outstanding experience. Francis of course gracefully tackled his hits, but not without playing some unfamiliar tunes. Everyone in the auditorium got to witness songs that only those with the honor of seeing Francis live receive. This emphasized the importance of live music and the role it plays in bringing fans and artists together. The songs all included rhythmic breakdowns. The expansion of the music continued to produce unique renditions special to the live show.
Greenwich Entertainment has released the documentary Revival69: The Concert That Rocked the World in select theaters across the US and on streaming platforms. The film tells the story of the 1969 Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival, and how two friends inadvertently changed the course of music history forever. This festival single-handedly cemented the legendary status of classic acts, highlighted up-and-comers, and ended the greatest act in music history. With a mix of archival footage, slick animation, and artist interviews, Revival69 captures the energy of its titular festival without sacrificing any details.
Award-winning filmmaker Ron Chapman directs bringing his concert film expertise. Chapman has previously collaborated with Madonna, U2, Sting, and Lady Gaga on his documentary Who the F**K Is Arthur Fogel, bringing him much acclaim. This acclaim has continued with the release of Revival69, winning Best International Feature at the Florida Film Festival. Additionally it was officially selected at the SXSW Festival.
Revival 69 Synopsis
For much of the 1960s, Toronto was not on the map musically. Despite this, two friends were dead set on bringing touring acts to their city. 22 year old John Brower and 23 year old Ken Walker decided to take matters into their own hands when it came to booking acts. The duo started an independent promotion business to bring their favorite artists to Toronto. By 1969, their dreams had become a reality with the duo organizing the Toronto Pop Festival. Legends like the Velvet Underground and Chuck Berry all performed at the first major pop festival in Canadian History.
Building off the success of this festival, the duo immediately began to plan a new event for the fall. While the pop festival was a rapturous success, this new festival’s planning was anything but. The spark for Rock and Roll Revival was purely coincidental, with Brower realizing that some of the biggest names of 1950s rock were all available on the same day – September 13th. The plan from there was simple: book these legendary acts and wait for audiences to flock to Toronto for a historic concert. With Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley and more, who wouldn’t want to see the concert? This however was not the outcome, with the festival planning proving the maxim “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”
As it turns out, not as many people wanted to see these acts as expected. Brewer and Walker had only sold 2,000 tickets – 7,000 fewer than needed to break even. Needing a headliner, Brower contacted the Doors, who were riding high off the success of their no. 1 hit “Hello I Love You.” This, however, only added to Brower’s issues. The Doors requested $25,000, which Brower did not have, forcing him to borrow money from a local motorcycle gang. On top of this, the Doors soon had to deal with legal issues, as Jim Morrison faced felony indecent exposure charges, leading to a cancellation of all shows.
Enter John Lennon
In a hail mary, Brower and Walker called John Lennon‘s office in London. This point marks a shift in tone for the rest of the documentary. While anxiety still exists in the background, pieces slowly begin to fall into place, with the Rock and Roll Revival seeming more and more likely to succeed. Through the assurances of mutual friends, Lennon eventually agrees to perform in Toronto. This sequence of the film is brought to life by office recordings of John Lennon, humanizing such a legendary figure, and bringing a needed authenticity to these interactions.
Art of the Plastic Ono band from Revival69
Lennon – who had not performed live in years – needed a new band. Much like the haphazard planning of the Revival festival, the formation of the Plastic Ono Band was equally chaotic. Viewers see Lennon alongside Yoko Ono, bassist Klaus Voorman, Drummer Alan White of Yes, and Eric Clapton band together for the first edition of the group. Despite having a large festival scheduled, the group never rehearsed together until they were on the plane heading to Toronto. This sequence feels straight out of a superhero movie, with these legendary artists banding together to form a true supergroup . Additionally, it features small artistic flourishes for keen viewers. Whether it is Voorman’s Revolver-esque drawings of the group, or the instrumental for “Roundabout” playing during White’s introduction, music fans will take joy in these little details.
Revival Comes to Life
Cutting to the day of the festival, the documentary truly comes to life. The driving force for the rest of the film is archival footage from documentarian D.A. Pennebaker and camerawoman Molly Davis. During Bo Diddley’s set, the footage shows audiences smiling, smoking, and dancing without a care in the world. With the anxiety and fear that marks the first half of the film, this footage is a cathartic release. Audiences can see that all of the gambles and hard-work going into the festival actually paid off.
The high-point of these classic performances comes from Chuck Berry. Berry was known for assembling rag-tag backing bands in each city he traveled to. The footage shows Berry enter alongside the teenage members of the local band Nucleus. Berry calls out to the audience “Ole” and “Peace,” ramping up the energy more and more. Then without saying what song will be played or what key it is in, Berry bursts into song. The footage of this set does a spectacular job at visual storytelling. At the beginning of the set, you can see drummer Danny Taylor with fear in his eyes trying to keep up with Berry. After a few songs, however, things begin to click, and following a single chef’s kiss motion from Berry, you can see the band begin to mesh like they had been playing together for years.
Chuck Berry’s performance from D.A. Pennebaker’s footage
The festival was not just classic acts, also acting as a springboard for one of the greatest names in rock. Brower needed to find a backing band for rockabilly so Gene Vincent enlisted the help of Arizona’s Alice Cooper. Chapman’s direction alongside Pennebaker’s film does an amazing job illustrating the energy and sheer horror of Alice Cooper’s set. As Cooper recalled, they were the underdogs of the show, so had to make their time on stage count. On top of playing scorching proto-metal, Cooper turned the stage into a battleground. He fought with his bandmates, hammered the stage, and sprayed a feather pillow out into the crowd. Interview with singer and audience-member Claudia Barry illustrates the atmosphere of the moment, recalling feeling like “Somebody’s gonna die.”
Alice Cooper’s set illustrates another strength of the film: making the legendary feel human. Throughout the segment, there is a comical back and forth between Cooper and agent Shep Gordon. Their interaction – strangely enough – revolved around a chicken in a pillowcase. Gordon thought it would be funny to release it on stage during Cooper’s set. Cooper, seeing the chicken, decided to throw it assuming that chickens could fly away. It did not fly, and rather plummeted into the crowd, spawning rumors of Cooper’s chicken killing spectacles at concerts. In an interview, Cooper still fights back, saying Gordon refuses to admit he released the chicken. Little flourishes like this help bring a sense of levity and humanity to such a big event.
Alice Cooper’s infamous chicken throw
Lennon Finds Peace
The highlight of the festival – and the film – is John Lennon’s much-anticipated performance. Lennon, despite being the biggest star of the era, is mortified to go out on stage. The archival footage shows him throwing up before the performance, really humanizing Lennon. Despite his anxieties, he alongside the Plastic Ono Band emerged to deafening applause and a sea of candles throughout the crowd. The applause however, died out quickly, as Yoko Ono began to sing. As bassist Klaus Voorman recalled, someone “must have stepped on a nail or something.” Despite the cold reception, John stuck by Yoko throughout the set, hugging her and yelling at the audience to “Wake up” and realize the artistic merit of her performance. These small acts of devotion and love really help to humanize a couple as legendary as John and Yoko.
Voorman provides a thought-provoking monologue through this portion of the film, set alongside a montage of the Vietnam war. This marks a stark contrast with the rest of the film, being much more somber and even bone-chilling at points. Voorman recalls the performance clicking, realizing the duality of Lennon and Ono. He realized that as Lennon sang “Give Peace a Chance,” offering hope for the future, Ono howled with her classically-trained voice, reflecting the current death and destruction of the Vietnam war, with both of these halves coming together to form a truly moving reflection on the war.
Leaving the stage, Lennon immediately announced to his bandmates that he was leaving the Beatles. He had found a new band, a new identity, and a new lease on life, and wanted to move into a new era of his career. Ending on such a big piece of music history like this really works to wrap up the film well. At its heart, the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival was a pet project between two friends that was not assured to succeed. Despite countless monetary, legal, and booking issues that threatened to derail the show, it somehow persevered. Through this perseverance, Brower and Walker inadvertently ended the Beatles, bringing about a symbolic end to the 1960s, and moving rock into a new era.
“When we played at the Rock n’ Roll Revival show in Toronto…it was exciting for John because he felt he didn’t need to live up to the Beatles mystique…we had total freedom”
– Yoko Ono, 2020
Review
In conclusion, Revival69: The Concert That Rocked the World brings one of the most momentous nights in rock history to life. Pennebaker’s superb archival footage displays the utter joy of both the performers and audience. This combined with interviews from organizers, performers, and audience members weaves a complex tapestry. These interviews are the emotional backbone of the film’s compelling narrative. Overall, Revival69 is a perfect film for lovers of 1950s and 60s rock, history, or live performances more generally.
The film is now playing at Manhattan’s New Plaza Cinema for a limited time. Additionally, the film is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video.
Electric Forest 2024 friends and family all gathered from thousands of miles away to experience the magic that resides in the middle of the woods in Rothbury Michigan. The festival ran from June 20 to June 23 but people gathered days before this to set up camp and embrace the full forest experience.
DRAMA, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Early arrivers got treated to pre-party sets at the Evolve Afters stage where performances by Super Future and Tripp St. wooed the crowd. Their experimental bass music gave people the perfect hype to kick off this festival weekend.
Day 1 – Welcome to the Forest
First time Forest attendees and vets quickly entered the grounds the first day in a heavy anticipation of what the festival had in store for them this year. Art installations encompassed the scene including beautiful murals, interactive games, light installments, huge statues, and more. So many people are seen embracing their creative spirit from checking out vendor shops, to watching live painting, and exploring the art spread across the trees.
The heat was booming which made The Observatory stage set in the middle of the trees the place to be. It also helped that international electronic producer CloZee’s Odyzey label was doing a stage takeover. This featured performances from Dixon’s Violin, Redrum, Zen Selekta, Super Future, Tripp St., Zingara, and Marsh.
Zen Selekta’s energy at the Observatory was insane. She knows exactly how to handle a crowd and leave them wanting more. Her music intertwines dark vibes with ethereal melodies and ethnic influences.
Zen Selekta, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Over on the Ranch main stage though DRAMA had a soulful performance. This multicultural collaboration is between producer Na’el Shehade’s chic house-infused production style and vocalist Via Rosa’s inspirational delivery. Their dynamic is so complementary it plays on patterns of hip-hop and bossa nova.
Back at the Observatory Zingara made her return to Electric Forest, but this time with a night time set. Fresh off of her Code of Dreamz tour, she gave the crowd tons of new music and remixes to listen to. She performed her tracks, “Unlock Your Keys,” and “Up is Down.” Seeing a Zingara set transports music through the mind and body in a unique way.
Zingara, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The Observatory stage had a round of insane performances from some of the most talented producers. After countless artists played, the electronic rhythmic figure CloZee came on stage for a secret set. She shared she always wanted to play at this specific stage but with her status now it became difficult with the available capacity around that area. This made her secret performance even that much more special and intimate for the lucky fans who got to experience it.
CloZee, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Day 2 – Bass Rush
It’s a Forest tradition that on the second day bass-heads camp out at the Tripolee stage for the numerous dubstep artists that throw-down hard one after the other. People brought out their chill-bos and flow toys for the hard-hitting tunes.
Up and coming artist Canabliss kicked off this day with her pink visuals. She plays on funky beats and is constantly remixing booming tracks. Canabliss even remixed the latest Irish hit “The Spark” making people go crazy. She did mix in some of her own tunes including “Saudade.”
Canabliss, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
More talented women steam-rolled the crowd with their high energy. The bass that day was flourishing to say the least. Dubstep producers Level Up and ALLEYCVT each had a set that was unbelievable. Level Up brought Subtronics out for their latest collab they’ve been working on together.
ALLEYCVT’s visuals and pyro took her performance to the next level. This was her debut at Electric Forest and it did not disappoint. Headbangers were going wild during her set and moshing at any chance they got. Many people left her performance immediately wanting to see more.
ALLEYCVT, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Later into the night Pretty Lights had their comeback performance at Ranch Arena. After 10 years Pretty Lights came back to the fields in Michigan and they left zero crumbs. They brought their own fusion of electronic beats, poetic samples, and modular synthesizers. This musical project is transformative and definitely leaned into more of a jam experience in the Forest.
Back at the Tripolee stage though the late-night dubstep DJs were still giving hard-hitting performances. Boogie T, ATLiens, Wooli, and BTSM finished the round up. BTSM closed out the stage with their mesh of heavy bass and techno. Lately they have been performing with their new anime visuals from Attack on Titan and watching that from the crowd is insane to see.
Boogie T, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Day 3 – Rain Rain Go Away
Okay maybe it’s not the rain so much as the storms that Forest goers had to undergo this day that needed to go. Many started off their day at the Brainery getting in their daily dose of positive affirmations and good vibes. All week different classes were held there including meditation, yoga sessions, and shuffling courses.
Others who entered the festival grounds early attended a party at the Chapel where people got to celebrate their freaky unique selves. And if some attendees got there at the right time special wedding ceremonies would take place.
Super Future, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Unfortunately though this day ended quite early as everyone inside the festival grounds was told to evacuate to their campsites due to severe storms coming in. The intense thunder storms lasted for hours flooding campsites with heavy rain and creating so many mud pits. Many artists didn’t get to perform their set due to this.
They didn’t open the festival back up until after midnight pushing so many artists to now overlap with one another. When the gates opened back up fans ran to the stages to get a good spot for the few late night producers who didn’t lose their set. Subtronics got to throw down at Ranch. His tesseract visuals are stunning and his mixing is top of the EDM game by a landslide. He got to play his flip of Hozier’s song “Too Sweet” and his latest single “Sploinky Dub.”
Tripp St., Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
LSZEE, also known as the project by LSDREAM and CloZee, made their first ever debut as a duo this night. They performed so many unreleased songs and fun remixes. The euphoric energy these two artists brought is unmatched. The two know how valuable certain sound wave frequencies play on mood and they utilize this to take their audience on a journey. These renowned producers got to perform their songs “FRENCH DREAM” and “CHRYSALIS” for the first time as well. A night that people thought might not happen throughout the day was finished with an absolute breathtaking experience.
Day 4 – The Forest Family
Despite the third day having quite the unexpected journey, so many people were ready to fully embrace what the final day of Forest had to offer. Many who missed out on the scavenger hunt the days before went to the “Time Travel Agency” to receive their quest and start their excursion. Others went inside the Dream Emporium to watch a wrestling match, roller-skate, and even go kayaking.
An absolute highlight of the final day, if not the entire weekend, was the return of Lightcode by LSDREAM. In the afternoon at Sherwood Court, LSDREAM presented his sound healing and ambient bliss-inspired project. This meditative experience is one that no words can do justice. It truly is so transformative that it left so many people in tears. The exercise is unlike no other that sets to reopen peoples’ hearts and minds to what not only the festival, but the human experience should consist of.
Level Up, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Later in the day, the up and coming trio Levity performed a set at the Observatory. This group first started taking off last year at Electric Forest when the festival needed someone to cover a slot at the Honeycomb stage and one member just so happened to bring his USB. Their 2023 last minute set ended up popping off online and caused this group to get so much commotion behind their name. It truly is a full circle moment watching Levity grow from a last minute fill-in to a night time set at forest. This group encompasses what Electric Forest is all about and their performance was nothing short of eccentric.
Levity, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Experimental bass artist INZO also had a performance that was exceptionally moving. He played on Sherwood Court and of course utilized his signature Alan Watts verbiage. Some tracks fans got to hear were “Overthinker” and “Drift Like a Cloud, Float Like Water.”
Into the night, fans gathered at Ranch Arena for GIGANTIC NGHTMRE. This is a project by Big Gigantic and NGHTMRE that has such heavy hitting beats. The layered sound from the drums, saxophone, and mixing on stage blends effortlessly. The trio definitely know how to pump up a crowd and provide that much needed energy boost. The pyro matched with the fun visuals and fireworks were captivating. The group also performed a good amount of riddim which is exactly what the Forest family needed.
GIGANTIC NGHTMRE, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
After GIGANTIC NGHTMRE ended many gathered up for a performance from the dubstep king himself, Excision. However, this was shortly met with an evacuation announcement due to another wave of severe storms that were coming in. Unfortunately there was no re-entry after the evacuation notice and this sudden goodbye left many upset.
As much as the storms were such an inconvenience to people it didn’t ruin the Forest family’s time. You can’t control the weather, but you can control how you respond to the weather. And how people responded to it was by dancing in the rain, creating parties at campsites, and enjoying this time everyone got to spend together in the middle of the woods in Michigan.
ALLEYCVT, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
That is exactly what Electric Forest is all about. As much as you can play out how your weekend is going to go and schedule what artists you’re going to see, you truly can’t plan for everything. Surrendering to those moments of disarray and wonder can lead you to some of the best times. “While timing is everything, the present is where true discovery lies.” Electric Forest has always provided those moments of discovering what is really important and serves as a reminder of why we’re all here on this Earth: to let go and enjoy our time together. Maybe we didn’t get to see an Excision Electric Forest set, but at least we got to dance in the rain with our friends.
DRAMADRAMAEquanimousZen SelektaZen SelektaZen SelektaSuper FutureTripp St. Tripp St. ZingaraZingaraZingaraZingaraCanablissCanablissALLEYCVTALLEYCVTALLEYCVTLevel Up
What do you do when your husband and musical partner of many years runs off with your teenage goddaughter? You write a boatload of wonderful songs, dye your wedding dress black and make it into a dynamic, emotional rollercoaster of a musical stage show. That’s how the soulful Australian-born, New York-based singer-songwriter-pianist Tracey Yarad coped with heartbreak by crafting an emotionally raw and sometimes even humorous blend of memoir and song entitled All These Pretty Things.
New Yorkers will get a chance to experience this unique fusion of song and monologue when it comes to the 59E59 Theater in New York City, July 13, 14 and 16. Yarad’s Big Apple run is a part of 59E59’s East to Edinburgh 2024, a showcase of 16 shows, including Yarad’s, which will be heading to the famed Edinburgh Fringe Fest in August 2024.
This confessional and cathartic one-woman show is a classic illustration of when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. A phoenix rising from the ashes story, it takes the audience from the fallout of a devastating divorce in Australia, following her husband’s affair with their goddaughter, to an inspiring new life and musical career in New York City. Tracey Yarad plays both the damsel in distress and the heroine who saves the day in this dramatic sound play.
“I started writing these songs to keep myself from going insane,” explains Yarad. “I didn’t realize that it would ever be recorded or performed. It was just my healing process. But the audience reactions so far have shown me it’s something that touches and helps other people to move through their struggles and challenges too.”
Yarad’s sprawling All These Pretty Things began life as an album. It features contributions from some of New York’s finest jazz musicians including guitarist Luca Benedetti (Jim Campilongo), bassist Tony Scherr (Norah Jones, Bill Frisell), violinist Zach Brock (Snarky Puppy, Stanley Clarke), drummer Josh Dion (Chuck Loeb, Bob James) and organist Jon Cowherd (Brian Blade Fellowship, Joni Mitchell). An accompanying illustrated book will be available for purchase at the show and online at her Yarad’s website. Acclaimed jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux has called All These Pretty Things “an emotional roller coaster ride from thoughtful resignation to heartbreak, rage, acceptance and back again. I like it when I hear her roar!” BroadwayWorld.com labels it “a beautiful alchemy, breathtakingly honest and gorgeously sung songs on the themes of loss and abandonment and the restorative power of music and love.”
Tracey developed this evocative portrayal of one woman’s capacity to come back stronger than ever with the help of her co-writer and director, the acclaimed jazz songstress Tessa Souter. The work also serves as Souter’s directorial debut. Yarad names “heart-on-sleeve” songwriters like Laura Nyro, Rickie Lee Jones, Joni Mitchell and Bonnie Raitt as some of her primary influences for the piece. Her music reflects her diverse experience as a performer – from classical pianist to singing German lieder, from leading a jazz fusion trio to fronting funk bands. All these stylistic variants blend to create Yarad’s singular style.
All These Pretty Things showcases Yarad’s strength as an instrumentalist and vocalist. With only a piano and her powerful voice, she communicates a wide range of human emotions, ones that come with the burgeoning of new love through to its inevitable and uniquely tragic unraveling to her rebirth as both a woman and an artist. Her musical and lyrical acumen are showcased in the spoken word passages which are the connective tissue to the musical pieces. They are a testament to another of her unique talent as a dramatist.
Yarad’s musical life has been varied and globe-trotting. A pianist and singer-songwriter with jazz sensibilities, her career has taken her from touring her native Australia with her original music and having a Top 40 single in the 1990s, to a seven-year residency singing in 5-star hotels in Japan, to running her own music school for 18 years in the Blue Mountains of Australia and, finally, to New York City.
Since relocating to the Big Apple in 2017, she has added jazz photographer to her list of professional accomplishments, specializing in portraits of leading names in jazz. Her work has appeared in Downbeat, Guitar Player and Drum Scene magazines to name a few.
New York serves as an inspiring backdrop that has greatly fueled Tracey’s creative musical spirit. In the relatively short time since moving here, Tracey has produced two original music projects—one with her all-female group featuring Claudia Acuña, Jennifer Vincent, Elsa Nilsson and Rosa Avila and this one-woman version of All These Pretty Things. Another musical memoir, Lost in Translation, featured stories and songs from her days as a hotel singer in Japan and was performed with virtuoso jazz pianist Jim Ridl.
I Don’t Want To Go Home, The Oral History of the Stone Pony, was released in early June. New Jersey native Nick Corasaniti explores the history of the venue and the surrounding community. Complete with a foreword from Bruce Springsteen, Oral History of the Stone Pony documents the community’s resilience in the face of ruin.
In 1974, Asbury Park’s future was uncertain. Recovering from a riot and facing ruin, the Stone Pony offered the gleam of hope the town needed. Bouncers Jack Roig and Butch Pielka, underprepared and minimally funded, were determined to own their own venue. Soon, Bruce Springsteen called the Stone Pony Home. Despite success in attracting notable artists like Stevie Van Zandt, “Southside” Johnny Lyon, and Springsteen, the Stone Pony struggled to get by.
The history of the Stone Pony is emblematic of American life: dogged resistance and big reams, all in the face of decline and neglect. Corasaniti’s insight as a lifelong New Jersian is boosted by his experience as the New York Times’ Jersey correspondent. Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Southside Johnny, members of the E Street Band and Asbury Jukes, the Ramones, the Jonas Brothers, Pearl Jam, the Kinks, Tom Morello, Kenny Chesney, Jack Antonoff, The Gaslight Anthem, the Bouncing Souls, the Lumineers, Russell Crowe and other legendary musicians have featured interviews. Non-musicians associated with the history of the Stone Pony, including bouncers, bartenders, local bon vivants and politicos, including Govs. Chris Christie and Phil Murphy, are also featured.
The book has already received critical praise: Kirkus Reviews described it as a work with, “charming bits of Springsteen-iana… [with the] theme of a community stubbornly determined to survive amid adversity.” Booklist says the book promises a, “stirring tale of rock ‘n’ roll survival.”
Umphrey’s McGee at The Stone Pony, 2018 – photo by Capacity Images, Chris Capaci
It is difficult to overstate The Stone Pony’s role in rock ‘n’ roll history. During the 70s, Ocean Grove resident Johnny Lyon and Middletown’s Steve Van Zandt named their band for the Pony. With soulful, classic, and horn driven R&B music, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes played the Stone Pony three nights a week. Van Zandt would leave the group to play with Bruce Springsteen and the new version of the E Street Band. Salty Dog, Stir Crazy, Winfield, Holme, Salvation, Mad Dog and the Shakes (featuring local legend and former E Street drummer Vini Lopez), The Shots, Cold Blast & Steel, Cahoots and Acme Boogie Company all played the Stone Pony during the 70s.
The 80s brought a new wave of rock and dance music to the Pony. Legendary performances included stars on the way up such as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Elvis Costello, The Ramones, Cheap Trick, Skid Row, Blondie, The Stray Cats and Winger. Other artists who took to the Pony stage included Meatloaf, Todd Rundgren, Jimmy Cliff, Joan Jett, Blue Oyster Cult, Gregg Allman, Dickie Betts, Ace Frehley of Kiss, Levon Helm, Robert Gordon, Johnny Winter, Vanilla Fudge, David Johansen (a.k.a. Buster Poindexter), Mink DeVille, Dion, Ronnie Spector and Mountain. Van Morrison used the club for the shooting of a music video because of its “cool atmosphere.”
The Stone Pony hit a slump in the late 80s and early 90s. With insurance prices and other expenses rising, the Stone Pony came close to ruin. Steven Nasar bought the venue in bankruptcy court, and planned to make it into a dance club. In 2000, Jersey City restaurant owner Domenic Santana promised the Pony would be open by Memorial Day in a press conference.
Credit: Michael Dinger; The Pretenders playing at the Stone Pony
Santana renovated the Stone Pony, adding a permanent exhibition of art and artifacts from the history of the city and the venue itself. With a new state of the art lighting and sound equipment, redesign of the outside Stone Pony Landing area, tenting and a small food facility, the venue was ready to retake its rightful place in popular culture.
Artists did not abandon the Stone Pony: The Pretenders, The Strokes, Interpol, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Patti Smith, Jason Mraz, Third Eye Blind, Sean Ono Lennon, Clarence Clemons, The Wailers, The Backseat Lovers, Indigo Girls, and Ziggy Marley among many others have continued to play at the Stone Pony. New Jersey native musicians continue to play the Stone Pony, and pay tribute to their roots, including Grateful Dead Tribute Band JRAD. The community’s resilience in the face of difficulty is remarkable, and a testament to the strength of music.
In celebration of their 50th anniversary, The Stone Pony is hosting a summer series, more information is available here.
The book is available for purchase here, and a CNN report on a the Stone Pony’s history is below.
Bonnaroo 2024 was my first time attending a music festival of this size as well as camping there. Going into it, I had no idea what to expect or how vast the grounds and crowds would be. The sheer scale of the festival was awe-inspiring, and was a humbling experience to be part of.
The festival drew over 70,000 Bonnaroovians to the festival in Manchester, TN over four days, June 13-16 with the festival completely sold out. Throughout the festival, the temperature soared to a high of 94 degrees, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of Bonnaroovians from partying all day and night.
Bonnaroo Day 1: June 13
I arrived at the media camping grounds at 8 am to claim my spot and swiftly set up camp before the gates for Centeroo opened at noon. At noon, I made my way to Centeroo for the first time and walked the grounds. Right away, there was a contagious energy of excitement on the ground from veteran Bonnaroovians returning home to first-timers like myself in awe of all of it.
While exploring Centeroo, I made my way to the House of Matroomony. I heard about this house performing weddings at Bonnaroo and thought the idea was cute; little did I know when I walked in there, I would witness and photograph the first wedding of Bonnaroo. The couple was Savannah and Nathan Ingle, who were officiated by Virginia Slim Jim. What a way to kick off my Bonnaroo.
Savannah and Nathan Ingle center left and right, Virginia Slim Jim in the center
My first show of the day was later in the evening Durand Bernarr at the This Tent. His set was high energy, and he had a fantastic stage presence and the crowd was eating up his performance from the moment he walked out in his all-denim look. Throughout his performance, he sang songs from his EP En Route released May 31 this year. I stayed at This Tent for the next show Nation of Language. This was my first time hearing and seeing them perform, and it was a thrilling experience. The band has an 80s synth pop melodic sound to them that really works and kept the crowd grooving. They started their set off with ‘A New Goodbye’ from their new studio album Strange Disciple. From the This Tent, I quickly had to make my way to the What Stage to catch headliner Pretty Lights.
Durand Bernarr
Pretty Lights had such an imaginative backdrop behind the DJ booth, a wall of circuit panels with wires that was part of his setup. With a band accompanying him, Derek Vincent Smith started his set by hyping up the crowd and giving them a performance of “Swirl Song/Sun Machine,” the lighting that followed keeping the crowd hyped and flowing to the tunes.
Towards the end of the song, hearing the crowd sing lyrics from David Bowie‘s “Memory of a Free Festival” – ‘Sun Machine is coming down and we’re gonna have a party’ – was such a magical moment. Hearing the crowd of that magnitude for my first time at the festival was just a small taste of what would come the next couple of days. To finish off my first day of Bonnaroo, I made my way to That Tent to see Geese. Another first-timer seeing and hearing of this band, who brought their punk-rock fusion and had the crowd in their grasp from the moment they got on the stage.
Pretty Lights Crowd
Bonnaroo Day 2: June 14
Friday was a jam-packed day for music. Starting my afternoon off at the That Tent for MIKE who brought his profound sound that showcased his lyrics and wisdom within the music. Throughout his set, he got great crowd participation whenever he interacted with them. He performed songs from his new record ‘Burning Desire’ and a couple of songs that were untitled and were still a work in progress. The crowd loved each song he did.
After MIKE’s set, I headed towards This Tent for Bonny Light Horseman. The band brought a calm demeanor with their folk sound and strong lyrics behind each song. It was a nice change of pace, from all the hustle and bustle that a festival can bring. After the calm, I made it to Which Stage for The Japanese House who continues the same level of calm in her performance. A blue sky and cloud backdrop set the tone perfectly for it. She performed an unreleased song called ‘Smiley Face’. In her words, it’s “about my big gay love,” and the crowd went absolutely crazy for it.
MIKE
Drivers Era at the What Stage had tremendous energy throughout their whole set. There was amazing chemistry between the band and the crowd that carried the performance. ‘Turn Up the Music’, ‘Get Off My Phone’ and ‘Feel You Now’ started the set, and all around you couldn’t have walked away after their set without having a smile on your face. I then raced over to This Tent to catch Grouplove, my second time seeing them perform, and I knew the moment that they took to the stage they were going to take everyone on a ride with them. The atmosphere was so electric and contagious. I had such a fun time photographing them.
The Drivers Era, Ross Lynch
I got a little break before heading back to Which Stage for Lizzy McAlpine. Her stage setup was quite unique, it was giving off living room vibes, with a band set up straight across the stage with her being right in the middle and having stage light stands as her backlight across them all. Her performance felt very intimate, no matter where you were in the crowd. She started her set with ‘doomsday’ that got everyone in their feelings from the start. In the middle of her set, she did a mashup of Rascal Flatts “Bless the Broken Road” and John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane” that the crowd loved.
After getting in my feels with Lizzy, Maggie Rogers took the Which Stage next. Maggie had by far one of my favorite artist’s entrances of the festival. Her band started playing the intro to ‘It Was Coming All Along’, and she rose from a lift on top of her stage stairs case, and when she popped up, the crowd went crazy for her. She went on to perform ‘Drunk’ and ‘That’s Where I Am’ but by the end of her third song, I had scurried off to the What Stage for headliner Post Malone.
Maggie Rogers
Post Malone’s intro was the most exciting thus far this weekend, starting with a string quartet walking out and beginning to play softly, then getting louder, followed by a female guitarist who gave a killer guitar solo that led into the band’s intro to ‘Better Now’ and his entrance to the stage was accompanied with pyrotechnic fireworks. The crowd was beyond ready for Posty, and from the moment he took to the stage, the crowd sang every song along with him. He had such a smooth transition into ‘Wow’ and a mashup of ‘Zack And Codeine’ and ‘Psycho.’
Post Malone
To wrap up my night, I headed back to the Which stage for my most anticipated show of the night T-Pain. I don’t think people really realized how many hits this man has. His set was packed with almost all of them, he started his set with ‘Take Your Shirt Off’ and then went into ‘Up Down’ then ‘Bag of Money’. After the third song I quickly went to put my camera away to go join the crowd for the rest of his set.
To be part of this crowd was truly insane, everyone was having such an amazing time singing, and two stepping the night away. He had such tremendous stage presence throughout the whole set. My favorite songs he performed were ‘Good Life’, ‘Black and Yellow’, ‘Kiss Kiss’, and his cover of Sam Smith’s ‘Stay With Me’ blew me away! Crowd favorites were ‘2 Step’, ‘Low’, cover of Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ and of course ‘Buy U a Drank’. He wrapped up his set by doing ‘All I Do Is Win’ and ‘I’m on a Boat’.
Bonnaroo Day 3: June 15
I managed to get some sleep after T-Pain’s late set, which went into the early morning. By noon, it had reached the festival’s hottest temperature at 94 degrees. I made my way to Outteroo and headed towards Plaza 3 House of Yes Pride Parade. This was the fourth year that the House of Yes has hosted the Pride Parade.
When I arrived and entered the House of Yes was a truly heartwarming moment, to be surrounded by the queer community and feel love in the air instantly. Knowing everyone in that room was in a safe space to be their authentic self and no judgment by anyone. Just before the pride parade kicked off, a little dance party broke out in the House of Yes. Everyone was enjoying themselves, and soon enough, the parade kicked off, and the party continued outside. From the House of Yes, the parade took everyone to Where in The Wood for the after-party, where the dance party continued with a DJ set.
I made my way back into Centeroo to catch my first show of the day, The Maine at the What Stage. The rock band brought high energy that had the crowd dancing from their opening song ‘Blame’ and they performed ‘Sticky’ and ‘Slip The Noose’. I finally had a nice break from the sun before going to the Which Stage for Brittany Howard. I’ve been a big Brittany Howard fan for quite some time now, and to finally have gotten to photograph her and see her perform was such a dream. Her vocals are so unique and powerful, the energy she gave off the stage was amazing. ‘Earth Sign’ started her set, with her soulful vocal chops that set the tone for her set. Her soulful voice continued into ‘Georgia’ and the song ‘Stay High’ gave the crowd an insight into the wide range of her vocal ability and sound she has developed.
From one soulful performance to another one. I made my way back to What Stage for Jon Batiste. As with Brittany, I was excited for Jon’s set. His vocals and lyrics are so powerful, and on top of that, there aren’t that many people who can pull off a sequin suit, but he did. There are no words to describe the sheer radiant energy he was giving to the crowd. My favorite song he performed was ‘Freedom’, an energetic song and mood booster that had the crowd on their feet dancing.
Jon Batiste
I boogied my way back to Which Stage for my favorite artist at the festival, Renee Rapp. I’ve been lucky enough to have seen her perform before, but this was my first time photographing her, and she did not disappoint. Her fans were among the loudest at the festival at that time. I love how Renee is able to do such smooth transitions from her upbeat songs ‘Talk Too Much ‘and ‘Poison Poison’ right into her softer song ‘Bruises.’ I enjoyed the rest of her set once I was done, my personal favorites were ‘Not My Fault’, ‘Pretty Girls’, ‘Tummy Hurts’ and the song she hates ‘Too Well’. After her set, I walked away from it with one of the biggest smiles on my face.
Renee Rapp
To end my night, This Tent had the Dashboard Confessional Emo Superjam. Bonnaroo is known for doing Superjams where a mix of artists perform a set based on the theme and it’s always a festival highlight. When I got there, I saw Dashboard Confessional and Andrew McMahan doing Something Corporate’s “I Woke Up In a Car.” By this point, I was running on about 5 hours of sleep, and it was finally catching up to me. I left the Superjam early and called it a night.
Dashboard Confessional and Andrew McMahon, Emo SuperJam
Bonnaroo Day 4: June 16
I couldn’t believe it was the final day of the festival, and I had so much in store for myself that day. I couldn’t miss seeing Chappell Roan on the Which Stage. This artist is right up there with T-Pain, Renee Rapp, Brittany Howard, and Jon Batiste for my must-see performances while here. She’s been having one hell of a year, and had by far the biggest crowd for any artist at the festival. She and her band are dressed in all latex doctor/nurses outfits. The sheer volume of the crowd could be heard throughout the festival grounds and camping grounds. ‘Femininomenon’ got the party going with a song ‘with a fucking beat.’
With every song, the crowd was singing right along with Chappell. She then went into ‘Naked in Manhattan’ and ‘Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl’. Hands down the most anticipated song of hers I was looking forward to and also a crowd favorite is ‘HOT TO GO’. To see the sea of people in the crowd doing the dance was so magical and definitely a core memory for me from the festival. She debuted a new song called ‘The Subway,’ another show that left a smile on my face afterward.
Chappell Roan, photographed from the crowd
With a little break, I headed to the What Stage for Carly Rae Jepsen. Right from the start, she brought out high energy, and there was a strong crowd connection from the beginning when she sang ‘Now That I Found You’. Unfortunately, due to thunder and lightning, her set was cut short, but after the weather cleared up, she was able to get back on stage and finish her set. Due to the weather, the schedule changed a little, but that’s just festival life for you.
Which Stage had Goth Babe, and they were another artist that I hadn’t heard of before, and I really didn’t know what to expect. When he came out to start his set, I was pleasantly surprised. He had an indie vibe to him with a hint of pop. I definitely jammed to his music while in the pit and instantly became a fan. For as much as I wanted to stay for his set, I had to head out to catch Megan Thee Stallion on What Stage.
Goth Babe
Megan knows how to put on a show! She started her set with ‘HISS’ accompanied with pyrotechnics. The crowd roared when she came out and kept the energy going with ‘Ungrateful’ and ‘Thot Shit’. For the last time of the festival, I made my way back to Which Stage for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. With his Americana sound, he slowed down the pace and had everyone bobbing and singing to ‘King of Oklahoma’ and ‘Stockholm.’
Here is where I made an executive decision to stay for two songs of his instead of the three in order to make it to my last show of Bonnaroo at the This Tent for Taking Back Sunday. I made it just in time as the band was starting to play ‘S’Old.’ The crowd was electric for the pop-punk group, and honestly, it was such a perfect way for me to end my Bonnaroo experience.
Megan Thee Stallion
Reflection
I am forever thankful to have had this opportunity to have come and cover Bonnaroo 2024. Before I got to Bonnaroo, I heard and read about The Bonnaroovian Code and didn’t really think too much about it. As I sit here reflecting on my time on the farm I understand now when everyone says ‘The Bonnaroovian code isn’t just for four days a year in Tennessee – it’s for all Bonnaroovians, everywhere and all the time. Bringing the spirit of Bonnaroo with you out into the world.’ I can’t wait to go back for round two in 2025.
Only You Know and I Know is not only the name of one of his biggest hits, but it is also now the title of Dave Mason’s forthcoming autobiography. It’s a freewheeling testament proving that Dave was one of the most Zelig of rockers. He’s a “quiet giant” who had his fingerprints all over the work of not only the famous group he co-founded, Traffic, but defining tracks by pals like Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Derek and the Dominoes, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Delaney & Bonnie, Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, Fleetwood Mac and many more.
Raised on a farm and saddled with a hip condition that kept him bedridden for a year as a child, Dave discovered music at 12, when he plucked a ukulele out of a trash can while visiting his sister in San Diego. His first axe didn’t last long; his mother summarily used it to fix a stopped-up toilet! The would-be songwriter’s love of melody and harmony came from listening to The Platters while his still-underrated guitar chops were seeded by coping the solos of Hank Marvin and The Shadows and the Ventures, ones which he played in his early band, The Jaguars. He would see The Beatles, Stones and Dylan in concert and even meet Little Richard before he struck out on a professional career.
But it was the all-nighters at clubs in Birmingham where he would make his big connection, first with drummer Jim Capaldi in The Hellions then teenage Steve Winwood, when he was the star attraction in the Spencer Davis Group. Mason would contribute to the group’s latter-day hits, “Gimme Some Lovin’” and “I’m A Man,” before joining forces with Winwood, Capaldi and flautist Chris Wood in Traffic.
Dave Mason – photo by Chris Jensen
Mason’s star-crossed, on-again/off-again history with Traffic is a thread that runs through the entire book. After “getting it together” at their little country cottage in Berkshire, just like Dylan and The Band at Big Pink, they would record Mr. Fantasy, their hit debut disc. But it’s Dave’s song that the rest of the band hated, “Hole In My Shoe,” which was the biggest hit (#2). The tension within the band would lead Dave to quit on the eve of their first U.S. tour. But because the trio was lacking in original songs, Mason and his songs are welcomed back for the second album, 1968’s Traffic. He contributes “All Join In,” a tune penned on a caffeine jag in an Athens café and “Feelin’ Alright,” written on the Greek island of Hydra that would achieve classic status in its cover by Joe Cocker. Before the album was released, Dave would be fired from Traffic. He would be back for a couple of gigs captured on the album, Welcome to the Canteen, before a final split. At their 2006 induction into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, Dave was not invited to play with the band.
Dave’s move to the U.S. in 1971 puts him in the circle of Cass Elliot and the CS&N crew, along with Delaney & Bonnie. He becomes a part of the L.A. music scene bringing in A-list stars and session legends to record his truly great debut disc, Alone Together, closely followed by a duet album with Cass Elliot. He also becomes a part of the LaLa social whirl: partying with Sharon Tate and Abigail Folger shortly before the Manson murders, romancing actress Leigh Taylor Young and establishing close friendships with Dan Haggerty (TV’s Grizzly Adams) and Patrick Swayze.
Dave Mason must be a really great hang because many of the true icons of rock are pals who call upon his talents in the recording studio. He is featured on Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watch Tower,” The Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man,” Paul McCartney & Wings’ “Listen to What the Man Said” and George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass.” It is Harrison who gives him a sitar which Mason plays on early Traffic tunes. It’s also Mason who purportedly shows George how to play slide during a break in a Delaney & Bonnie tour date. Through Delaney & Bonnie and the Harrison sessions, Dave is enlisted into an early version of Derek and The Dominoes. He leaves after a little recording and one live performance when the drug use in the band proves too much even for him. Though it’s seldom discussed, Dave was also a member of a post-Rumors Fleetwood Mac, touring from 1994-1995 and recording the album, Time.
While charmed in many places, Only You Know and I Know demonstrates Dave’s life has not been a complete bed of roses. He is honest here about his battles with addiction (mostly cocaine), his broken romances, the loss of his son and shortcomings as a father and his faulty business acumen (bankruptcies, bad management and recording contracts). There’s also talk of aborted music projects with Ginger Baker, Bob Dylan during his Desire album sessions and his trio with Leon Russell and Gary Wright. There is also his decision to move to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands… a few days before Hurricane Hugo decimates it.
Mason is priming his fans for the release of his new memoir with 40-concert running through mid-October. The book and this latest tour prove that Dave is one of the true rock-n-roll survivors, someone for whom music is a salve and salvation which has helped him and his generations of fans cope with life’s inevitable hurdles.
Dave Mason tour Info can be found here, pre-order Only You Know and I Know, co-authored by Chris Epting, here
