Previews - Reviews - Media Galleries
Larkin Poe at Union Transfer 5/8/2025
photos: Izzie Chausse
Fresh in from a stint of west coast shows on their current US tour, Larkin Poe returned to Philadelphia joined by Amythyst Kiah at Union Transfer to celebrate the January release of the grammy-winning sister-duo's seventh album, Bloom.
Anna Shoemaker at The Foundry at Fillmore 5/7/2025
Philadelphia-born singer-songwriter Anna Shoemaker returned home for a well-received performance at The Foundry at Fillmore, joining Brisbane songstress Mallrat, also known as Grace Shaw. Shoemaker is currently on tour celebrating the recent release of her 12-track sophomore album, Someone Should Stop Her—an honest, reflective, and unfiltered post-breakup record that draws inspiration from the growing pains of love and life on the road—released this February.
The Melvins at Union Transfer 5/5/2025
photos: Paul Havelin
Photos: Arcade Fire at The Met Philly 5/5/2025
photos: Julia Hill
Bullet For My Valentine at Fillmore Philly 4/30/25
photos: Izzie Chausse
Bullet For My Valentine have been out on their North American tour for the past month celebrating the release of their 20th anniversary album for ‘The Poison' and returned to Philadelphia last night joined by Orlando’s heavy rockers, Trivium, Lancaster's August Burns Red, and Glasgow's Bleed From Within at Fillmore Philly.
Franz Ferdinand at Fillmore Philly 4/8/2025
photos: Julia Hill
Anna Shoemaker Coming to The Foundry at Fillmore Philly 5/7/2025
This Spring, Anna Shoemaker will be joining Mallrat on her headline tour, performing here in her hometown at The Foundry at the Fillmore Philly on Wednesday on May 7.
Anna just released her sophomore album Someone Should Stop Her on February 21, a deeply personal album as it finds Anna on the road - moving from NYC to LA, after a heartbreak and leaving a long-time relationship which she knew wasn’t right. The album displays Shoemaker shedding all her NYC angst for LA sunshine and wistful future — thus the record is more “songwriter” than her June 2023 EP, Hey, Anna, mostly recorded in Nashville.
Featured on People’s Emerging Artists list and Alt Press' Rising Artists list, she’s the perfect mix of Phoebe Bridgers’ spiraling charm, Holly Humberstone’s sweet lilt, and the raw, unfiltered energy of ’90s legends like Alanis Morissette and Sheryl Crow. NYLON even crowned her “Brooklyn’s own Olivia Rodrigo”.
Grab tickets for the May 7th show joining Mallrat at The Foundry HERE.
Anna just released her sophomore album Someone Should Stop Her on February 21, a deeply personal album as it finds Anna on the road - moving from NYC to LA, after a heartbreak and leaving a long-time relationship which she knew wasn’t right. The album displays Shoemaker shedding all her NYC angst for LA sunshine and wistful future — thus the record is more “songwriter” than her June 2023 EP, Hey, Anna, mostly recorded in Nashville.
Featured on People’s Emerging Artists list and Alt Press' Rising Artists list, she’s the perfect mix of Phoebe Bridgers’ spiraling charm, Holly Humberstone’s sweet lilt, and the raw, unfiltered energy of ’90s legends like Alanis Morissette and Sheryl Crow. NYLON even crowned her “Brooklyn’s own Olivia Rodrigo”.
Grab tickets for the May 7th show joining Mallrat at The Foundry HERE.
Saturday Night with Rebecca Black at TLA Philly 3/29/2025
photos: Izzie Chausse
Father John Misty at Fillmore Philly 2/28/2025
photos: Izzie Chausse
Greensky Bluegrass at The Fillmore Philly 2/6/2025
photos: Dave Avidan
Greensky Bluegrass returned to Philly on Thursday night with Nashville's Moon taxi for a jam-packed night at The Fillmore Philadelphia. For over two decades now, the beloved bluegrass band has become known for their dynamic live performances and extensive touring schedule, which always seems to bring them back to us on a cold winter night, just the warmth we needed at the Fillmore. The band kicked off the show with Old Barns and traversing through their catalog with songs like Train Junkie, Burn Them, Past My Prime, Down The Road, and Murder of Crows off the band's 2019 release, All For Money. The night saw fans giving a healthy dose of 'GO BIRDS' chants through the night ahead of Sunday's game. The band obliged and also received a visit from their good friend in Philly, Tom Hamilton to perform Lose My Way from the bands 2011 album, Handguns, followed by The Miracles classic, I Second That Emotion. Check out the full schedule of Greensky's Winter dates here.
Photos: Haley Reinhart at City Winery Philadelphia 12/10/2024
photos: Izzie Chausse
Interview & Photos: Dexter and The Moonrocks at Brooklyn Bowl Philly 11/14/2024
words & photos: Izzie Chausse
image: Izzie Chausse
Dexter and The Moonrocks, the self-described “Western Space Grunge” band, took the stage at Philadelphia’s Brooklyn Bowl to deliver their special mix of y’allternative grunge-rock. The Abilene, Texas natives that make up the group started their careers far from the bright lights of your favorite local venue. As a former fry cook, oil field operator, concrete surface decorator and kids baseball coach, the band’s members bring a level of earnestness and grit that can be heard throughout their entire discography.
We sat down in the bowling alley lanes with vocalist James Tuffs, drummer Ryan “Fox” Fox, guitarist Ryan Anderson, and bassist Ty Anderson, to hear a bit more about their background, tour life, and what they’d like to explore here in Philly.
Are there any aspects of your previous jobs that serve as assets in your experience as touring musicians?
Tuffs: “I think partly, yes. Just having a type of job where it doesn't allow too much focus, so you can kind of think of, you know, a song that you're just working on in your head, and that's sometimes where it starts.”
Fox: “Yeah, true. Also motivation to just be able to do what you love for a living that comes along too. That's very nice.”
Do you think you'll be forever tied to the Western Space Grunge sound and aesthetic, or are you open to exploring something different, either visually or musically, in the future?
Tuffs: “We never want to put ourselves in a box, but definitely right now, it's something we agree with. We're never going to say ‘we'll never go this direction or that direction,’ because we don't know how we will want to evolve as musicians in a couple years.”
Is there a common thread amongst your fans? Any trait they all have in common from your POV?
Tuffs: “They come in all sorts. That is the coolest thing about it, is just how many different kinds of people you'll see coming to support us. It's pretty nuts.”
Fox: “I love this saying that we have: ‘We have people who think a pair of boots could mean cowboy or combat.’ So you've got people in worn-out cowboy boots, and people in Doc Martens - Very country, very grunge, still blended together. It's very interesting to see super Western versus, like, split-dyed hair, versus that kind of vibe.
What have you enjoyed most about touring so far? What is the least glamorous aspect, and what has been surprising?
Tuffs: “I had barely left Texas, ever, before we started touring a couple years ago. So, I mean, my favorite part is the food. I'm not gonna lie. I'm a foodie.”
Fox: “We're getting to the point where we're getting big enough that other people who are also big in their field are fans. So then, they're like, ‘Hey, we’re fans of y'all. Come tour this baseball field. Come out and watch batting practice,’ and that's cool to me, because we get to do fun things whenever we're in different cities. We went to the Basketball Hall of Fame yesterday, so like, just cool stuff.
Is there anything you want to have or do while in Philly?
Tuffs: “I want to go get a Philly cheesesteak. I heard about Angelo's Pizzeria. They say you have to wait in line forever.”
Fox: “I want to go to a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park, really, really bad.”
Tuffs: “I’m just trying to not get beat up because I like the Cowboys.”
Any movie soundtrack you wish you could have one of your songs featured in?
Tuffs: “If you could throw us anywhere in ‘Shrek 2,’ one of the greatest soundtracks of any movie. I think we belong.”
Fox: “I think my three top movies that I’d love for our songs to be on the soundtrack of would be ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘Ray,’ the movie about Ray Charles, and ‘Walk the Line’ about Johnny Cash. I think every new biopic music movie [...] should just be our music. I'd also say ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower,’ or a good coming of age movie, like ‘Sixteen Candles’ or some shit like that.
Song, album or artist you’ve had on repeat as of late?
Tuffs: “I have gotten back into Remo Drive. Their greatest hits album is incredible. And Mom Jeans. I'll never stop listening to them. And I'm always listening to Death Cab for Cutie and stuff like that.”
Fox: “Chappell Roan is one for me. And then I forget how good Alice in Chains is. I think, ‘Oh, I've listened to all of their good songs,’ and then I find one that I've never heard before. I'm like, wow, they're an amazing band.”
R. Anderson: “I love Slow Pulp - They are an indie band from Chicago.”
Tuffs: “There is a song I listen to by them called, ‘High.’ It’s a great song.”
Fox: “Also, King Lazy Eye, a very small dude from Nashville who is very much in the weird, western-grunge space that we're in. He's phenomenal.”
Tuffs: “And then Ty exclusively listens to Limp Bizkit.”
Fox: “He likes the Icelandic Symphonic Orchestra, so he listens to a lot of that and a lot of Mongolian throat Metal. He’s into a band called ‘Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs.’”
Any pre-show superstitions?
Tuffs: “We take a moment and just be together and be thankful for where we're at before every show.”
R. Anderson: “This is not a joke. I have to wash my hands. I don’t know why but I’m not a germaphobe.”
Fox: “I have to pee because I have a really bad bladder. I remember very early on, when we weren’t selling tickets, we were playing a car show outside, and I looked at James, and I was like, ‘Dude, I need you to play two acoustic songs.’ The bathroom was all the way in the back and [...] I was like, ’Just make something up. I'll be back.’ I ran to go to the bathroom, and he stopped the show and went, ‘Everyone, that's our drummer. He had to go piss.’ Everyone laughed. So now I go pee before every show.”
This interview has been minimally edited for clarity and length.
Their latest releases include Western Space Grunge, an EP that was released in July, along with their single “Messed Up Kid (Live),” released on November 13. Check out photos from the Brooklyn Bowl show with Red Leather below.
We sat down in the bowling alley lanes with vocalist James Tuffs, drummer Ryan “Fox” Fox, guitarist Ryan Anderson, and bassist Ty Anderson, to hear a bit more about their background, tour life, and what they’d like to explore here in Philly.
Are there any aspects of your previous jobs that serve as assets in your experience as touring musicians?
Tuffs: “I think partly, yes. Just having a type of job where it doesn't allow too much focus, so you can kind of think of, you know, a song that you're just working on in your head, and that's sometimes where it starts.”
Fox: “Yeah, true. Also motivation to just be able to do what you love for a living that comes along too. That's very nice.”
Do you think you'll be forever tied to the Western Space Grunge sound and aesthetic, or are you open to exploring something different, either visually or musically, in the future?
Tuffs: “We never want to put ourselves in a box, but definitely right now, it's something we agree with. We're never going to say ‘we'll never go this direction or that direction,’ because we don't know how we will want to evolve as musicians in a couple years.”
Is there a common thread amongst your fans? Any trait they all have in common from your POV?
Tuffs: “They come in all sorts. That is the coolest thing about it, is just how many different kinds of people you'll see coming to support us. It's pretty nuts.”
Fox: “I love this saying that we have: ‘We have people who think a pair of boots could mean cowboy or combat.’ So you've got people in worn-out cowboy boots, and people in Doc Martens - Very country, very grunge, still blended together. It's very interesting to see super Western versus, like, split-dyed hair, versus that kind of vibe.
What have you enjoyed most about touring so far? What is the least glamorous aspect, and what has been surprising?
Tuffs: “I had barely left Texas, ever, before we started touring a couple years ago. So, I mean, my favorite part is the food. I'm not gonna lie. I'm a foodie.”
Fox: “We're getting to the point where we're getting big enough that other people who are also big in their field are fans. So then, they're like, ‘Hey, we’re fans of y'all. Come tour this baseball field. Come out and watch batting practice,’ and that's cool to me, because we get to do fun things whenever we're in different cities. We went to the Basketball Hall of Fame yesterday, so like, just cool stuff.
Is there anything you want to have or do while in Philly?
Tuffs: “I want to go get a Philly cheesesteak. I heard about Angelo's Pizzeria. They say you have to wait in line forever.”
Fox: “I want to go to a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park, really, really bad.”
Tuffs: “I’m just trying to not get beat up because I like the Cowboys.”
Any movie soundtrack you wish you could have one of your songs featured in?
Tuffs: “If you could throw us anywhere in ‘Shrek 2,’ one of the greatest soundtracks of any movie. I think we belong.”
Fox: “I think my three top movies that I’d love for our songs to be on the soundtrack of would be ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘Ray,’ the movie about Ray Charles, and ‘Walk the Line’ about Johnny Cash. I think every new biopic music movie [...] should just be our music. I'd also say ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower,’ or a good coming of age movie, like ‘Sixteen Candles’ or some shit like that.
Song, album or artist you’ve had on repeat as of late?
Tuffs: “I have gotten back into Remo Drive. Their greatest hits album is incredible. And Mom Jeans. I'll never stop listening to them. And I'm always listening to Death Cab for Cutie and stuff like that.”
Fox: “Chappell Roan is one for me. And then I forget how good Alice in Chains is. I think, ‘Oh, I've listened to all of their good songs,’ and then I find one that I've never heard before. I'm like, wow, they're an amazing band.”
R. Anderson: “I love Slow Pulp - They are an indie band from Chicago.”
Tuffs: “There is a song I listen to by them called, ‘High.’ It’s a great song.”
Fox: “Also, King Lazy Eye, a very small dude from Nashville who is very much in the weird, western-grunge space that we're in. He's phenomenal.”
Tuffs: “And then Ty exclusively listens to Limp Bizkit.”
Fox: “He likes the Icelandic Symphonic Orchestra, so he listens to a lot of that and a lot of Mongolian throat Metal. He’s into a band called ‘Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs.’”
Any pre-show superstitions?
Tuffs: “We take a moment and just be together and be thankful for where we're at before every show.”
R. Anderson: “This is not a joke. I have to wash my hands. I don’t know why but I’m not a germaphobe.”
Fox: “I have to pee because I have a really bad bladder. I remember very early on, when we weren’t selling tickets, we were playing a car show outside, and I looked at James, and I was like, ‘Dude, I need you to play two acoustic songs.’ The bathroom was all the way in the back and [...] I was like, ’Just make something up. I'll be back.’ I ran to go to the bathroom, and he stopped the show and went, ‘Everyone, that's our drummer. He had to go piss.’ Everyone laughed. So now I go pee before every show.”
This interview has been minimally edited for clarity and length.
Their latest releases include Western Space Grunge, an EP that was released in July, along with their single “Messed Up Kid (Live),” released on November 13. Check out photos from the Brooklyn Bowl show with Red Leather below.
Dexter and The Moonrocks at Brooklyn Bowl Philly 11/14/2024
Photos from Jam on the Grass 9/14/2024
Miss Cantaloupe at Ardmore Music Hall 9/11/2024
Miss Cantaloupe at Ardmore Music Hall 9/11/2024
Saturday Night in Philadelphia with Pearl Jam at Wells Fargo Center 9/7/2024
Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
With a fabulous a pre-show rainbow to guide us right, Saturday night saw rock titans, Pearl Jam, out celebrating the April release of their latest album, Dark Matter, at Wells Fargo Center, the first of two nights at the Philly venue. A sprinkle of new and old songs, some rarely played tunes, and even a Tom Petty song, watch that below. The band indeed seemed 'tuned' as well, with Philadelphia fans completely in synch with many of the famed sing-along tunes performed, like 'Even flow', 'Black', 'Breath', and 'Daughter', spanning their discography, which is customary for most of their shows. The band returns to the stage Monday night at 8:45pm for a second performance at WFC and then continues on to Baltimore at CFG Arena, followed by two shows at Fenway Park in Boston, before performing two days at the upcoming Ohana Festival at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, CA
Photos: The 4th Annual Ardmore Rock n' Ride Bike Race & Music Festival 8/11/2024
Sunday in Ardmore at Schauffele Plaza & Suburban Square for the 4th Annual Ardmore Rock n' Ride benefitting the Narberth Ambulance service with Rebirth Brass Band, Yellowman, Remember Jones, Octave Cat, Stella Ruze, Marielle Kraft, Johhny Shortcake, Omar's Hat. Produced by Rising Sun Productions & Ardmore Music Hall, presented by Mainline Health, Independence Blue Cross & Shield, and sponsored by WXPN.
New Year's Eve with Phish at Madison Square Garden 12/31/23
Phish closed out 2023 with their yearly New Year's run at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, culminating with a very highly anticipated theatrical performance of Trey Anastasio's short story, 'The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday', commonly known as Gamehendge to fans. During the second and third sets, the band was joined on stage by a cast of characters, beasts, and dancers from the fairytale, bringing to life Anastasio's concept album from 1987, greatly surpassing expectations of Phish fans. As the band celebrates their 40th year together, they know their fans well and know just what and how to deliver the magic to them. Phish returns to Riviera Maya Mexico February 21-24 before making their debut performance with a 4-day run at the Las Vegas Sphere, April 18-21. The quartet has also announced their upcoming 4-day festival to be hosted near the Dover Raceway at The Woodlands in Dover, DE August 15-18 with details to follow soon.
Photos: The Krasno/Moore Project at Ardmore Music Hall 12/13/23
photos: Michael Naber
Photos: Spafford at Ardmore Music Hall 12/9
photos: Michael Naber
Tool in Philly at Wells Fargo Center 11/16/2023
photos: Paul Havelin
Photos: The Ardmore Rock n' Ride at Schauffele Plaza & Suburban Square 8/19/2023
Saturday afternoon at the Ardmore Rock n Ride with Rubblebucket, Ocean Avenue Stompers, Rayland Baxter, Yam Yam, York Street Hustle, Pressing Strings & William Tyler & The Impossible Truth at Shauffele Plaza & Suburban Square benefitting the Narberth Ambulance Service.
Sunday night with Fishbone at Ardmore Music Hall 8/13/23
words & photos: Paul Havelin
Fishbone still wear the crown as one of the best live acts ever. They proved this on Sunday night as they blew the roof off of Ardmore Music Hall with their eclectic mix of ska, punk, funk and metal that they've perfected over their 40 year career. The Los Angeles sextet packed onto the stage and set the tone for the night, opening with a fiery rendition of "Sunless Saturday" from 1991's 'The Reality of My Surroundings' and didn't take their foot off the gas for the next 90 minutes. The rest of the set was a non-stop dance and sing-a-long party for the capacity crowd, which included a handful of new songs from their most recent self-titled EP released earlier this year on Fat Wreck Chords. The band is currently on tour supporting Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton, with a number of separate headlining dates scheduled throughout. More at fishbone.net.
Photos & Vids: The 9th Annual Fourth on the Farm at Morgan Creek Farms 7/8/2023
Saturday at the 9th Annual Fourth on the Farm camping & music festival at Morgan Creek Farms in Quakertown, PA with the Brendan Brisk Band, Trouble City Allstars, Paper Aliens, Deep Seize, Solar Circuit, and Humandala with a silent disco from Discowolfe to close the night out. Presented by Hog Wild Productions.
Friday night in Philly with Worldtown Soundsystem, Nik Greeley & The Operators and Hennessey Bonfire
4/21/2023
photos: Alex Buschiazzo
Friday night at World Cafe Live with three of Philly's local powerhouse bands on the main stage, featuring Worldtown Soundsystem, Nik Greeley & The Operators and Hennessey Bonfire . Worldtown celebrates the release of their latest EP, The House of Love, and kicked off their Spring tour right here in Philly at World Cafe Live. The House of Love showcases the band's signature sound, incorporating soulful house and globally-inspired electronic dance music. The EP features five electrifying tracks that embody the band's energy, transcending borders and elevating their sound to new heights. Notable collaborations on the EP include five-time Grammy Award winner Pablo Batista on percussion and co-production, vocals from rising stars Zeek Burse and Fawziyya Heart, international high fashion supermodel Anna Cleveland, and Miyeko and Leonzo of the Philly music collective Global Village. Listen to The House of Love here on Spotify.
The celebration continues next Friday 4/28 at Funk n' Waffles in Syracuse, then Fete Music Hall in Providence, RI on the 4th of May, Brooklyn's The Sultan Room on 5/5, and finally Baltimore's The 8x10 on 5/20. Check out photos below from the evening at World Cafe Live.
The celebration continues next Friday 4/28 at Funk n' Waffles in Syracuse, then Fete Music Hall in Providence, RI on the 4th of May, Brooklyn's The Sultan Room on 5/5, and finally Baltimore's The 8x10 on 5/20. Check out photos below from the evening at World Cafe Live.
Star Kitchen featuring Jennifer Hartswick, Aron Magner, with Hiruy Tirfe & special guests at
Ardmore Music Hall 4/20/23
photos: Michael Naber
Bikini Kill at Franklin Music Hall 4/7/23
words & photos: Paul Havelin
As much as things have changed in the 30 years since Bikini Kill released their seminal full length "Pussy Whipped" (Kill Rock Stars), the more they've stayed the same. Their music is as relevant as ever, addressing issues of feminism, sexism & inclusivity, and giving a voice to and empowering those who feel marginalized or undermined. After two years of postponements, the punk legends finally played Philadelphia (for the first time since 1994) to a capacity crowd at Franklin Music Hall. Fronted by Kathleen Hannah, along with founding members Tobi Vail (drums & vocals) and Kathi Wilcox (bass, guitar, drums) plus guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle, the quartet blazed through a 25-song set that pulled from all of their releases and had the overly enthusiastic (and multi-generationally mixed crowd) dancing and screaming along to Riot Grrrl anthems. The tour continues through the end of April with no other dates announced at this time, so catch this while you can.
New Single from The Funky T, Performing at City Winery 5/7/23
Artwork by Aphrodeezyack Artwork
Released today, Philly funk squad, The Funky T, have released their latest single titled Just What I Want, a groovy upbeat tune with bright, soulful vocals and sound. Just What I Want marries vintage boy band vibes with classic pop instrumental prowess to create a modern and funky sound that will get you grooving. Velvet-smooth multilayered vocals deliver an indelible hook straight to your brain, while a tapestry of acoustic & electric guitar lends gorgeous atmosphere and provides small breaks for the inevitable singalong. An ethereal breakdown leads to a dramatic key change through to a triumphant guitar solo, punctuated by effervescent drums and driving bass, then only another taste of the hook before it's all over. Each moment an earworm, never outstaying its welcome, never too much or too little...just what you want.
The Funky T is comprised of Ethan Cain(Guitar/Vocals), Eric Cooper(Bass), Mykk Hoffman(Lead Guitar), and Josh Steingard(drums), and the four also serve as the backing band for local Philly singer-songwriter Emily Drinker. The band looks to release more singles this year and aim to release a full-length album in 2024. The quartet will perform next month at Philly's City Winery in The Loft joining Nick Lombardo and the Decent OK on May 7th. Check out the newly released single below and grab tickets for the show here: https://bit.ly/TheFunkyTNLDOK
The Funky T is comprised of Ethan Cain(Guitar/Vocals), Eric Cooper(Bass), Mykk Hoffman(Lead Guitar), and Josh Steingard(drums), and the four also serve as the backing band for local Philly singer-songwriter Emily Drinker. The band looks to release more singles this year and aim to release a full-length album in 2024. The quartet will perform next month at Philly's City Winery in The Loft joining Nick Lombardo and the Decent OK on May 7th. Check out the newly released single below and grab tickets for the show here: https://bit.ly/TheFunkyTNLDOK
Philly's Pickle Rehearsal & Recording Space Re-opens
Re-emerging from the barrel of uncertainty and world-wide chaos, the Pickle Rehearsal Space in west Philly has re-opened for business. Under the design and management of Philly local, Soren Wagner, countless hours of work have been put in to re-open the location for a once-again thriving music community in the area. The Pickle aims to service Philly's local musicians with music production, rehearsal, and a livestream location with very reasonable prices for band bookings for rehearsal or recording with a hands-off approach, allowing bands to take control and make key choices during the process.
The facility at Pickle Rehearsal is well equipped for musicians and bands who want to turn the knobs and try different sounds, with an equipment closet packed with accessory guitar/bass/piano pedals and other devices for use at very reasonable hourly rates. The space also provides a comfy living room area where artists can rev up for or decompress from their session. The 300sq/ft room can hold a full backline, with different style amplifiers for the shredder-type, rhythm guitarist, or bass player on the team, with a full PA system and subwoofers, offering in-ear headsets for each member by rental....there is even a standup piano in the room to rent. Artists and groups have the liberty to schedule sessions and times using the Pickle Rehearsal's easy-access online booking portal right on the website with the ability to add extras and add-ons so the room can be ready for when they arrive to jump into rehearsal or music production.
With some time off due to the pandemic, a little bit of painting, and lots of elbow grease, the Pickle Rehearsal Space is back in action and ready to serve the Philly music community for rehearsal, recording and live stream performance needs. Located at 5213 Grays Ave in west Philadelphia, the Pickle Rehearsal Space is open every day from noon to midnight by appointment using the online scheduling tool at picklerehearsal.com
The facility at Pickle Rehearsal is well equipped for musicians and bands who want to turn the knobs and try different sounds, with an equipment closet packed with accessory guitar/bass/piano pedals and other devices for use at very reasonable hourly rates. The space also provides a comfy living room area where artists can rev up for or decompress from their session. The 300sq/ft room can hold a full backline, with different style amplifiers for the shredder-type, rhythm guitarist, or bass player on the team, with a full PA system and subwoofers, offering in-ear headsets for each member by rental....there is even a standup piano in the room to rent. Artists and groups have the liberty to schedule sessions and times using the Pickle Rehearsal's easy-access online booking portal right on the website with the ability to add extras and add-ons so the room can be ready for when they arrive to jump into rehearsal or music production.
With some time off due to the pandemic, a little bit of painting, and lots of elbow grease, the Pickle Rehearsal Space is back in action and ready to serve the Philly music community for rehearsal, recording and live stream performance needs. Located at 5213 Grays Ave in west Philadelphia, the Pickle Rehearsal Space is open every day from noon to midnight by appointment using the online scheduling tool at picklerehearsal.com
|
|
Comic book-inspired hard rock band The Stereotytans Announce “Here We Are” in New Song and Video
Philly-based comic book-inspired hard rock band The Stereotytans just released their latest single, “Here We Are,” an inspirational, high-energy blend of anthemic rock and hip-hop. While in the vein of Rage Against the Machine, Prophets of Rage and Living Colour, “Here We Are” is unmistakably The Stereotytans’ unique DNA.
“We needed a song that showed the unification of the DemyGods. Not everyone reaches that status, which makes that transformation so special. Now together they join the Stereotytans and the growing DemyGod Army to destroy the Imprisoner and Captor Zeus!” explains lead singer Damon, aka St. Prometheus. “We always have to make sure we're telling the story that's related to our comic books and keep the listeners enthralled with the ‘What's Next’ adventure.”
While Damon sings lead on the song, all of the band members contributed their voice, from the bellows of Kronos all the way to the fun energetic screams of Athena. The song was recorded at Studio 4 Recording in Conshohocken, home of the former legendary studio Ruffhouse Records, and produced by Billboard-charting producer and engineer Ron DiSilvestro, who is also the founder of RDS Music and Media.
“We needed a song that showed the unification of the DemyGods. Not everyone reaches that status, which makes that transformation so special. Now together they join the Stereotytans and the growing DemyGod Army to destroy the Imprisoner and Captor Zeus!” explains lead singer Damon, aka St. Prometheus. “We always have to make sure we're telling the story that's related to our comic books and keep the listeners enthralled with the ‘What's Next’ adventure.”
While Damon sings lead on the song, all of the band members contributed their voice, from the bellows of Kronos all the way to the fun energetic screams of Athena. The song was recorded at Studio 4 Recording in Conshohocken, home of the former legendary studio Ruffhouse Records, and produced by Billboard-charting producer and engineer Ron DiSilvestro, who is also the founder of RDS Music and Media.
“Surprisingly, this song was written right before the 2020 shutdown and numerous protests that we all witnessed during the pandemic,” says Damon. “It was really interesting and serendipitous how the energy of the world pushed the recording process even though the song itself was already written many months before.” The band was even able to sample the late, great Civil Rights activist and Congressman John Lewis into the track.
“Here We Are” is high-energy and bound to get the listener filled with adrenaline, but this song, like previous Stereotytan singles, features multiple levels. It speaks to the comic book storyline and to those that feel lost and need to hear that voice rallying them to take action. Most importantly, they need that voice to lead them to their group that they probably did not know they had. The Stereotytans want their beloved Nerd and Blerd communities to know that there is a safe place with a supportive village waiting for you, as you are in return “anxiously, patiently waiting for it.”
On Saturday, May 13th, The Stereotytans will be performing at PuchiCon at Bally’s Resort in Atlantic City.
Tickets and more info available here.
Krasno/Moore Project at Ardmore Music Hall 3/10/2023
photos: Michael Naber
Friday night at Ardmore Music Hall with the Krasno/Moore Project duo featuring Galactic's Stanton Moore and Eric Krasno of Lettuce/Soul Live kicking off their early Spring national tour celebrating the upcoming debut recording, 'Book of Queens', with more dates planned for MD, MA, NY, CT, NH, MN, IL, and several west coast dates. With Eric Finland on keys and vocals, the duo was also joined by Danny Mayer on guitar during the second set for several tunes.
The duo is slated to release 'Book of Queens' on March 17th. Recorded at the fabled Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY, and timed well for National Women's Month, is a tribute to women in music, showcasing nine soulful covers written by Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse, Brittany Howard, Billie Eilish and more. The album also features guest appearances from Branford Marsalis, Cory Henry, and Robert Randolph. Check out photos and audio from the show below.
The duo is slated to release 'Book of Queens' on March 17th. Recorded at the fabled Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY, and timed well for National Women's Month, is a tribute to women in music, showcasing nine soulful covers written by Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse, Brittany Howard, Billie Eilish and more. The album also features guest appearances from Branford Marsalis, Cory Henry, and Robert Randolph. Check out photos and audio from the show below.
MORE with Muskrat Flats at Ardmore Music Hall 2/24/2023
Friday night at Ardmore Music Hall for a double-header of Philly-based jammers with More joined by Muskrat Flats.
Muskrat Flats
You Do You Releases "The Oil" and performs at Ortlieb's in Philly 12/2
Photo: Lisa Schaffer
Philly's female-fronted funk-rock troupe You Do You has released their latest single, "The Oil", a heavier than usual composition from the band, highlighting some of their progressive rock influence. "The Oil" is the final single from upcoming album Funky Dinos, which the band will be releasing on January 22, was recorded at Philly's Retro City Sound Studios. The 10-track full-length concept album is the long-awaited follow up to their 2017 Political Party EP and marks a new era sonically for the 7-piece band, which formed in 2012.
You Do You's next performance goes down at Ortlieb's in Northern Liberties joined by special guest, Philly songstress Maggie Mae, marking their first live show since October 2019. Tickets are $10 adv and also $10 at the door. Give a listen to the new single below and Grab tickets for the upcoming show here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/you-do-you-with-special-guests-maggie-mae-tickets-204069255637
You Do You's next performance goes down at Ortlieb's in Northern Liberties joined by special guest, Philly songstress Maggie Mae, marking their first live show since October 2019. Tickets are $10 adv and also $10 at the door. Give a listen to the new single below and Grab tickets for the upcoming show here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/you-do-you-with-special-guests-maggie-mae-tickets-204069255637
GWAR at Franklin Music Hall 10/30/21
If you want blood... you've got it. Antarctic overlords GWAR descended upon Franklin Music Hall Saturday night to lay waste to every Bohab in the tri-state area while celebrating the belated 30th anniversary of their 1990 release "Scumdogs of the Universe". Led by Blothar The Berserker, the quintet flanked by longtime henchman, The Sexecutioner, blazed through almost every track from "Scumdogs" while debasing and eviscerating an unfortunate cast of characters along the way. The show culminated in a knockdown, drag out, blood-soaked death match between Gwar and their and long time cybernetic arch-nemeses Techno Destructo & Sawborg Destructo. Gwar reigned victorious and ended the night with a rousing rendition of "Fuck This Place" from their 2017 release "The Blood of Gods". Gwar's 'Scumdogs of the Universe 30th Anniversary Tour' will continue to level towns across the U.S. through mid-December with support from British grind pioneers Napalm Death and New Orleans sludge kings EYEHATEGOD.
30TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL MUSIC RADIO PROGRAM WORLD CAFE WILL BE CELEBRATED WITH
“30 YEARS OVER 30 WEEKS”
As “ground zero” for contemporary music discovery, the nationally-syndicated daily music program World Cafe has been giving public radio audiences an up-close view of the artistic process since October 14, 1991 - 30 years ago today. To commemorate the milestone, this week World Cafe launched its “30 Over 30” (30 years over 30 weeks) series of special programming features that highlight its rich history as a trusted music guide. The highly regarded World Cafe is a dynamic, carefully crafted platform for musical discovery without genre boundaries.
“For 30 years, listeners have relied on World Cafe’s deeply human curation to explore content that continually broadens and heightens their music knowledge and enjoyment,” said Bruce Warren, Executive Producer. “Over the next 30 weeks, we’ll present ‘deep cuts’ from World Cafe archives - some of the best moments from the last 30 years - along with what we think is happening now, and next.”
Warren has been with World Cafe since its inception, when public radio station WXPN/Philadelphia leveraged its programming expertise and a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to design a national program that would attract younger listeners to public radio. Initially distributed by PRI (Public Radio International) to five affiliates, it was carried by approximately 50 radio stations by the end of 1992. NPR began distributing it in 2005, and today World Cafe is carried by 267 radio stations across the US. Combining terrestrial reach with online streaming, podcasts, on-demand archives, and video content, more than a million music fans engage with World Cafe content each month.
“As a crucial part of NPR Music’s programming, World Cafe has introduced its loyal audiences in an integrated manner to talented new and legendary musicians, with exclusive interviews, brilliant performances, powerful conversations and special features," says Director of NPR Music Keith Jenkins. "World Cafe celebrates its 30th anniversary by offering to remember its great past as it looks forward to the next 30 years with its listeners."
“For 30 years, listeners have relied on World Cafe’s deeply human curation to explore content that continually broadens and heightens their music knowledge and enjoyment,” said Bruce Warren, Executive Producer. “Over the next 30 weeks, we’ll present ‘deep cuts’ from World Cafe archives - some of the best moments from the last 30 years - along with what we think is happening now, and next.”
Warren has been with World Cafe since its inception, when public radio station WXPN/Philadelphia leveraged its programming expertise and a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to design a national program that would attract younger listeners to public radio. Initially distributed by PRI (Public Radio International) to five affiliates, it was carried by approximately 50 radio stations by the end of 1992. NPR began distributing it in 2005, and today World Cafe is carried by 267 radio stations across the US. Combining terrestrial reach with online streaming, podcasts, on-demand archives, and video content, more than a million music fans engage with World Cafe content each month.
“As a crucial part of NPR Music’s programming, World Cafe has introduced its loyal audiences in an integrated manner to talented new and legendary musicians, with exclusive interviews, brilliant performances, powerful conversations and special features," says Director of NPR Music Keith Jenkins. "World Cafe celebrates its 30th anniversary by offering to remember its great past as it looks forward to the next 30 years with its listeners."
World Cafe's Raina Douris
Hosted by Raina Douris, the daily, two-hour radio show and online content connects today's essential and emerging artists with listeners through its hallmark in-depth artist interviews and in-studio performances. Longtime features such as Latin Roots and Sense of Place help introduce under-the-radar artists to a national audience and take listeners to great music cities around the globe. Douris and Contributing Host Stephen Kallao also co-host the weekly World Cafe Words and Music Podcast from WXPN.
Artists have seen their profiles and careers elevated due to being featured on World Cafe, and many credit the show with supporting them over the years, as well as breaking numerous songs. World Cafe maintains music bureaus in Philadelphia, Nashville and New Orleans, and has issued more than 40 Live at World Cafe CDs and two World Cafe books. The show’s attraction is also reflected in the popular Philadelphia concert venue World Cafe Live, which shares a building with WXPN and licenses the name.
Listeners can enjoy World Cafe and its “30 Over 30” special programming on public radio stations nationwide, and online at https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe
Artists have seen their profiles and careers elevated due to being featured on World Cafe, and many credit the show with supporting them over the years, as well as breaking numerous songs. World Cafe maintains music bureaus in Philadelphia, Nashville and New Orleans, and has issued more than 40 Live at World Cafe CDs and two World Cafe books. The show’s attraction is also reflected in the popular Philadelphia concert venue World Cafe Live, which shares a building with WXPN and licenses the name.
Listeners can enjoy World Cafe and its “30 Over 30” special programming on public radio stations nationwide, and online at https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe
Karina Rykman at Tailgate Under The Tent at 118 North 5/14/21
The 2019 Peach Music Festival July 25-28 at Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA
The Peach Music Festival returns this year for the fourth weekend in July, again in 2019 at Montage Mountain in Scranton, with an impressive musical lineup of acts from the Jam, Funk, Groove, Bluegrass, and Folk genres. This year's headliners include the Trey Anastasio Band(2 sets), The String Cheese Incident(3 sets), Joe Russo's Almost Dead and Phil Lesh & Friends, featuring Warren Haynes, John Scofield and John Molo(2 sets).
Joining the headliners are veteran acts at Peach Festival like Moe., Greensky Bluegrass, Lettuce, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, The Marcus King Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Allman Betts Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, Bill Strings, Aqueous, Ghost Light, Hayley Jane & The Primates, and more. New appearances at The Peach include Lotus, Stephen Marley, Blue Traveler, Goose, Andy Frasco & The UN, Upstate and Cycles. Montage mountain resort and Livenation provide a great atmosphere and facilities for the festival, with a multitude of food & beverage choices, craft vendors, activities, and of course the wave pool and water park.
Peach Music Fest is one of the biggest festivals in the tri-state area showcasing local, regional, and national talent on three stages, bringing fans from all over the country for the yearly fest. Festival passes, camping passes, and parking passes are now on sale.
Joining the headliners are veteran acts at Peach Festival like Moe., Greensky Bluegrass, Lettuce, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, The Marcus King Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Allman Betts Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, Bill Strings, Aqueous, Ghost Light, Hayley Jane & The Primates, and more. New appearances at The Peach include Lotus, Stephen Marley, Blue Traveler, Goose, Andy Frasco & The UN, Upstate and Cycles. Montage mountain resort and Livenation provide a great atmosphere and facilities for the festival, with a multitude of food & beverage choices, craft vendors, activities, and of course the wave pool and water park.
Peach Music Fest is one of the biggest festivals in the tri-state area showcasing local, regional, and national talent on three stages, bringing fans from all over the country for the yearly fest. Festival passes, camping passes, and parking passes are now on sale.
Muscle Tough Releases 'Modern Romance': A Bizarrely Funky Tribute to The Trials of Modern Dating
Muscle Tough announces the release of 'Modern Romance', their 4th release, a set of adventurous “future-funk-fusion” compositions which lean heavily on dance grooves and bizarre sounds, all with tongue-in-cheek titles that serve as a playful take on the world of modern dating in 2019. You can stream the album now at the bottom of this page.
Muscle Tough is an instrumental trio featuring Joe Baldacci on drums, Jonathan Colman on bass and Ross Bellenoit on guitar; all of whom are heavily active members of the Philadelphia music community. Baldaccispent a number of years as a member of bands like Nik Greeley and the Operators, DRGN KING and Elevator Fight, has produced/mixed/mastered for Hop Along, Out of the Beardspace, and Swift Technique, and has played drums on the opening track of Kendrick Lamar’s Untitled Unmastered record. Colman is a regular bassist for Ben Arnold and Trap Rabbit, and has also performed/collaborated with Kate Faust and Flyermile. Bellenoit has spent his years producing records for various local acts (The Sweetback Sisters, Sonja Sofya, Ginger Coyle), is a long-time collaborator of Philly songwriters such as Birdie Busch and Chris Kasper, all while continuing to pursue his solo career (now 7 records deep since 2010) as a singer/songwriter.
Muscle Tough is an instrumental trio featuring Joe Baldacci on drums, Jonathan Colman on bass and Ross Bellenoit on guitar; all of whom are heavily active members of the Philadelphia music community. Baldaccispent a number of years as a member of bands like Nik Greeley and the Operators, DRGN KING and Elevator Fight, has produced/mixed/mastered for Hop Along, Out of the Beardspace, and Swift Technique, and has played drums on the opening track of Kendrick Lamar’s Untitled Unmastered record. Colman is a regular bassist for Ben Arnold and Trap Rabbit, and has also performed/collaborated with Kate Faust and Flyermile. Bellenoit has spent his years producing records for various local acts (The Sweetback Sisters, Sonja Sofya, Ginger Coyle), is a long-time collaborator of Philly songwriters such as Birdie Busch and Chris Kasper, all while continuing to pursue his solo career (now 7 records deep since 2010) as a singer/songwriter.
Listen to Modern Romance Apple Music and on Spotify
After steadily gigging at local jazz hotspot TIME since they 1st formed in 2014, the band released their first EP, Greasin’ Up The Mediocrity Wheel in the spring of 2016. A number of jam luminaries such as Jon Fishman (Phish), John Medeski (Medeski, Martin & Wood), Eli Winderman (Dopapod) and the horn section of Snarky Puppy have joined them on various stages throughout the last three years. Their first full-length record Magical Achievements was released at the end of 2017, which earned them opening slots for Lotus(at the Capitol Theater) and Matador Soul Sounds (throughout the Northeast), a set for WXPN’s “Free-at-Noon” radio broadcast in August 2018, and a feature article in JUMP Philly, where they were lovingly described as “highly skilled and hilarious”.
Modern Romance kicks off with a 90-second snippet of an apparently 20-minute-long jam that arose spontaneously while tracking at Turtle Studios in Philadelphia. Several snippets from this jam appear under the moniker “Tiers of Voyeurism” and are crackling with reckless energy and heavy grooves. The first two proper compositions, “Say Yes To The Mess” and “Down 2 Clown” invite the listener into up-tempo, Devo-meets-The Police dance grooves with increasingly disturbing psychedelic guitar textures spun out by Bellenoit. The Colman-penned “Waiting 4 Bae” offers a well-earned slow down in tempo and allows the composer to showcase what the band has dubbed “The Switch” (where the two pitch their respective instruments to opposing octaves to sound like each other, so that Colman can unleash some serious improvising, foregoing the much-maligned genre of “bass solos”). Also featured on this track are trumpeter Koofreh Ibi Umoren, trombonist Hailey Brinnel, and flautist David Fishkin, adding color and shade to the song. The final two major compositions, Baldacci’s “We Met On Chat Roulette” and Bellenoit’s “Marry Me Marsha” offer the band to a chance to really dig in and let Bellenoit showcase some virtuosic guitar playing.
Photos: TAUK with Philly Supergroup Maximus Animae Musicae featuring members of Lotus, Gnarbot, Muscle Tough & Cocktail Party Phenomenon at Ardmore Music Hall 2/2/2019
Saturday night at Ardmore Music Hall for the return of TAUK joined by local supergroup, Maximus Animae Musicae, comprised Mike Greenfield of Lotus, Zach LoPresti of Gnarbot, Jonathan Colman of Muscle Tough, Thomas McKee of Let's Danza and Steve Catania & Max Young of Cocktail Party Phenomenon.
TAUK
Cape Cod's Psychedelic Jam Rockers, The New Motif, set to release debut
studio LP 'The Reciprocal Boogie' 1/26
Funky Psychedelic jam rockers The New Motif are excited to announce the release of their first full length album titled "The Reciprocal Boogie", recorded and produced by Alan Evans at Iron Wax Studios this past fall. The album release party will be held in Somerville, MA at Thunder Road Music Club & Rock n Roll Bistro on January 26, 2019. This will kick off 'The Reciprocal Boogie' Winter Tour where the band will circle New England, New York, and will include local performances on 3/7 at The Music Ward in Philadelphia and on 3/8 at Sprout Music in West Chester PA. The tour will conclude on March 29 at The Spire Center for Performing Arts in Plymouth, MA. Ahead of its release and upcoming tour, we had the chance to preview the band's new album, The Reciprocal Boogie.
The Reciprocal Boogie opens with Manifest, a tune comprised of pronounced synth/keyboard sections from Cory Schechtman, and coupled by strong vocals from guitarist Dennis Christiano & bassist Dan Kelly, with a nice jam-out to close it. Followed by City Situation, we find Schechtman switching over to the saxophone, joining Christiano and Kelly in a funky jam in unison with some delightful guitar licks that bring it to a close. The third track, CroOoOoshTOWN, is a fun and funky instrumental piece that really displays the prowess of The New Motif, a sure vehicle for some live improvisational fun. Track 4, Swerve, opens with a keyboard/guitar duo that gives way to a full band swing and vocals from Christiano & Kelly, tied up in a nice bow by Schechtman on keys to finish off.
Enter Schechtman again on Saxophone in track 5, Reciprocal Boogie, a gentle groove to start, with Kelly on bass giving way to shreddy licks from Christiano on guitar. Track 6, Whatevers Clever, comes in as a chill, funky walk with Terence Kelleher on drums sticking the beats joined by Schechtman again with a keyboard intro, leading to Christiano & Kelly taking the vocals again. Track 7, YASSS!!, is a bouncy and fun instrumental track where the band takes us on a ride with a funky, upbeat tempo. Flown, track 8 on The Reciprocal Boogie, is another bouncy tune that lands in a reggae-esque territory with more vocal work from Christiano and Kelly, and more skilled shredding on guitar. Late Cretaceous, the closing track on The Reciprocal Boogie, has a joyful instrumental opener with all members in unison once again, a technique that really bolds the sound of TNM. Light piano and guitar work dance within each other with increasing intensity from the rest of the band, with a synth-driven sound, bringing this fun and well-produced album to a close. The Reciprocal Boogie is due for release on January 26th, igniting the band's winter tour the same night at Thunder Road in Somerville, MA.
We had the chance to catch The New Motif this past Summer at the 1st annual Knuckleball Festival in northern New York and were blown away by their energy and skilled delivery. This hard hitting funky quartet that can surely boogie down in any room and are coming to a city near you. Give a listen on Spotify and grab a copy of their debut LP album, The Reciprocal Boogie, which can be purchased on 1/26 here: http://bit.ly/TheNewMotif_Shop
Grab tickets to the March 7th show at The Music Ward in West Philadelphia at 5101 Grays Ave: http://bit.ly/TheNewMotif1
Enter Schechtman again on Saxophone in track 5, Reciprocal Boogie, a gentle groove to start, with Kelly on bass giving way to shreddy licks from Christiano on guitar. Track 6, Whatevers Clever, comes in as a chill, funky walk with Terence Kelleher on drums sticking the beats joined by Schechtman again with a keyboard intro, leading to Christiano & Kelly taking the vocals again. Track 7, YASSS!!, is a bouncy and fun instrumental track where the band takes us on a ride with a funky, upbeat tempo. Flown, track 8 on The Reciprocal Boogie, is another bouncy tune that lands in a reggae-esque territory with more vocal work from Christiano and Kelly, and more skilled shredding on guitar. Late Cretaceous, the closing track on The Reciprocal Boogie, has a joyful instrumental opener with all members in unison once again, a technique that really bolds the sound of TNM. Light piano and guitar work dance within each other with increasing intensity from the rest of the band, with a synth-driven sound, bringing this fun and well-produced album to a close. The Reciprocal Boogie is due for release on January 26th, igniting the band's winter tour the same night at Thunder Road in Somerville, MA.
We had the chance to catch The New Motif this past Summer at the 1st annual Knuckleball Festival in northern New York and were blown away by their energy and skilled delivery. This hard hitting funky quartet that can surely boogie down in any room and are coming to a city near you. Give a listen on Spotify and grab a copy of their debut LP album, The Reciprocal Boogie, which can be purchased on 1/26 here: http://bit.ly/TheNewMotif_Shop
Grab tickets to the March 7th show at The Music Ward in West Philadelphia at 5101 Grays Ave: http://bit.ly/TheNewMotif1
The 215music 2018 Photo Rewind
Orchard lounge returns to Philly with Let'z Danza! & Double D at Ardmore Music Hall 12/22
Let’s Danza! is rooted in Philly, so they’re no stranger to dazzling fans from the stage at Ardmore Music Hall. The project features founding Brothers Past members Thomas McKee (keys) and Clay Parnell (bass - also of Particle/Biodiesel/CIA) alongside second keyboardist Ian McGuire (CIA/McZwang). In addition to a hallmark two key-player setup, the project has another distinctive X-factor: a rotating drummer selected from among some of rock and livetronica’s best touring acts nationwide.
While their music centers around McKee and Clay Parnell’s tunes from their Brothers Past days, they’ve been releasing new music like their single “Money Hook” and plans to release an original album aren’t far off on the horizon. Previous performances have included drummers such as Mike Greenfield (Lotus), Kito Bovenschulte (Particle), Scotty Zwang (Ghost Light, RAQ) and Allen Aucoin (Disco Biscuits). Let’s Danza!’s special guest drummer for Dec. 22 at Ardmore Music Hall is still TBA.
More info and tickets available here: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1768578
Orchard Lounge is returning to Philadelphia for the first time since 2013 to perform at Ardmore Music Hall on Sat. Dec 22, and they’re being joined by Philly’s own Let’s Danza!, known to fans as the current incarnation of notable Philly livetronica powerhouse Brothers Past. Double D will kick off the musical programming for the night with doors opening at 8 P.M. and showtime at 8:30 P.M.
“We’ve been in town to play separately a few times over the last few years, but this is the first time in half-a-decade we’ll all be throwing down together as a trio,” said Orchard Lounge’s Ben Silver. “We couldn’t be looking forward to it more, and we’re happy to have our buddies in Let’s Danza! joining the night.”
Formed in Chicago over eighteen years ago, the DJ collective known as Orchard Lounge is made up of Ben Silver, Spencer Lokken and Bethany Lokken. Looking back over an almost two-decade career, Philadelphia has popped up on the OL-performance radar at least a couple dozen times. They’ve played venues all over the city, from The Mann Center and the Electric Factory to regular plays at The Blockley during its heyday.
Photos: Marco Benevento & Muscle Tough at Ardmore Music Hall 9/22/2018
Muscle Tough
Formula 5 get their own shake at local Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops, host Rock the Dock Music Festival on July 13 in Lake George
The Formula 5 Flavor Shake, combining Cherry Garcia, Totally Baked, Phish Food ice creams, plus milk & mini M&Ms, is available this summer at the Ben and Jerry’s on Madison Avenue in Albany, as well as the Saratoga Springs and Lake George Scoop Shops. Albany co-owner Mike Sperduto said of the shake “Bringing Ben & Jerry’s and Formula 5 together to mix up a shake just made sense. From The Grateful Dead and Phish to Willie Nelson, we keep our eyes on the smile, music and ice cream, so taking this to a local level made sense, and especially with the commitment of a band who embraces our values really solidified it for us.”
Giving back to the local community, 15% of sales of the shake at the Albany store will benefit The FUND for Lake George and Friends of Five Rivers.
Watch Formula 5’s commercial announcing their shake
Giving back to the local community, 15% of sales of the shake at the Albany store will benefit The FUND for Lake George and Friends of Five Rivers.
Watch Formula 5’s commercial announcing their shake
Albany jam band Formula 5 will lend their name this summer to a refreshing Ben & Jerry’s shake and a Lake George music festival, a bold step forward for the quartet who have toured extensively in the Northeast, with recent tours of Colorado, the Midwest and Southeast pointing to rapid growth on the horizon.
Formula 5’s ‘Rock the Dock’ Music Festival will be held on July 13, 2018 in Lake George, NY on the dock of the Lake George Steamboat Company. The lineup features Formula 5, Soule Monde (Featuring Ray Paczkowski & Russ Lawton of Trey Anastasio Band), Strange Machines and Let’s Be Leonard, all of which can be enjoyed from any of the 3 historic Lake George steamboats that dock around the stage.
Luke Dow, event manager for Rock the Dock, shared background on bringing the event to the docks on Lake George. “Rock the Dock was started as a way to celebrate the Lake George Steamboat Company's 200th anniversary by doing something that the company has never done in its history, hold a concert on the pier. The free concert was a way of giving back to all the loyal patrons as well as showcase the talents of local artists and food trucks. This year's festival will also be focused on giving back, with 25% of all ticket proceeds benefiting the FUND for Lake George, to help with their efforts to keep the lake clean and pristine for years to come.” Craft and food vendors will also be on hand for Rock the Dock, tickets are on sale now at rockthedocklakegeorge.com.
Event Link: www.facebook.com/events/1367251946736551/
Formula 5 recently covered Rush’s “La Villa Strangiato” at The Hollow in Albany on April 28. The Rush original appears on ‘Hemispheres’ and marks the first time Formula 5 has covered the prog-rock pioneers. Watch here: https://youtu.be/S1eLA9ns
Photos: Dr. Dog album release party at World Cafe Live 4/28
Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
A packed house last night in Philly for a midnight set with Dr. Dog for their free performance in support of 'Critical Equation', their latest release. Performing songs from the new album and treating fans to some old favorites, this quintet remains a staple Philly home-town band. With an extensive Spring/Summer tour celebrating the album, Dr. Dog appears at Festival Pier in Philadelphia on July 23rd on the waterfront. Tickets: https://bit.ly/2r64326
God Street Wine 30th Anniversary Tour: Summer Swing
coming to the Ardmore Music Hall 8/2
A jam-rock staple, one some of us may remember from college, God Street Wine has never really left us. Any time I come across one of their albums I end up listening to the whole thing. Simple tunes of complex situations of women and wine coupled with some truly fun jams. After some juggling of personnel at the turn of the millennium, GSW have since put the original crew back together and have played a handful of sold-out shows at Gramercy Theatre in New York. In 2013, God Street Wine released their 25th anniversary 7-disc box set which included special documentary footage and unheard cuts from the classic albums Who's Driving, $1.99 Romances, and Bag, recorded at TRL studios in 2012.
2018 marks the 30th year the band circles the sun and they have put together a mini-tour, titled 'Summer Swing', starting at the end of July, stopping in Chicago, Washington DC, here in the Philly area at Ardmore Music Hall, then Boston and finishes up at home in NYC at City Winery.
Tickets for the Ardmore Music Hall show August 2nd on-sale Thursday 4/26 at 3pm.
Click HERE for Tickets
God Street Wine is:
Lo Faber (lead vocals, guitar),
Aaron Maxwell (lead vocals, guitar)
Tom Osander (drums and percussion)
Dan Pifer (bass)
Jon Bevo (keyboards)
http://www.godstreetwine.com
|
|
Night 1 in Philly with The Disco Biscuits at Fillmore Philadelphia 4/19
photos: Alex Buschiazzo
Hometown favorites, The Disco Biscuits, make a habit of taking over the Fillmore Philadelphia at least once a year. This time around, the third week in April is a bit later than the usual February run. Nevertheless, the band is always comfortable in their hometown and it shows. Old favorites and a fun cover filled the air, but most notable in the 1st set was the giant Caterpillar sandwich, as I called it. Second set gave us another 'sandwich' with Little Shimmy in a Congo Line, which contained the rager, Rock Candy, and Pimp Blue Rikki within, followed by Spy. Closing it all out, thefamiliar presence of Home Again was expected to either open or close the show, and close the show it did.
With so many acts out there melding genres of music and styles it's tough to nail down a label for some....the term 'jamband' is just about as watered-down as it can get these days. The Disco Biscuits are the equivalent of Disco to the jam scene - many crossings in taste but just labeling them a jamband would be an insufficient assessment, one thing I know is true: some bands just want you to dance! I vote we put this 'jamband' label to rest ::wink::
The quartet returns to the stage tonight at 9:30pm joined by The Magic Beans from Colorado to start it off at 8pm here in Philly back at the Fillmore. Tickets are available at the door. See you at the Fillmore.
Setlist:
I: Caterpillar-> Aquatic Ape (inverted)-> Safety Dance-> Caterpillar, Once the Fiddler Paid
II: Little Shimmy in a Conga Line-> Rock Candy-> Pimp Blue Rikki-> Little Shimmy in a Conga Line, Spy
E: Home Again
With so many acts out there melding genres of music and styles it's tough to nail down a label for some....the term 'jamband' is just about as watered-down as it can get these days. The Disco Biscuits are the equivalent of Disco to the jam scene - many crossings in taste but just labeling them a jamband would be an insufficient assessment, one thing I know is true: some bands just want you to dance! I vote we put this 'jamband' label to rest ::wink::
The quartet returns to the stage tonight at 9:30pm joined by The Magic Beans from Colorado to start it off at 8pm here in Philly back at the Fillmore. Tickets are available at the door. See you at the Fillmore.
Setlist:
I: Caterpillar-> Aquatic Ape (inverted)-> Safety Dance-> Caterpillar, Once the Fiddler Paid
II: Little Shimmy in a Conga Line-> Rock Candy-> Pimp Blue Rikki-> Little Shimmy in a Conga Line, Spy
E: Home Again
Let's Danza! Announce Release of their first single 'Moneyhook'
The catchy synth-driven single was written and produced by Tom McKee and Clay Parnell, both of whom cut their teeth as members of Philadelphia-based indie-electronic pioneers Brothers Past starting back in 2000.
“The song is meant be sort of a commentary on the inevitable arc of fame,” McKee said. Let’s Danza! has a few upcoming tour dates on the calendar, including a show this Thurs. April 19th at the Fillmore in Philadelphia supporting The Disco Biscuits. The band will also be performing at Camp Bisco, which takes place in Scranton, PA July 12th through 14th.
“Most of this year we’ve been focusing on the studio rather than the stage,” McKee said. “We’ve been putting together a bunch of new songs that we’re going to release over the next few months, one at a time. ‘Moneyhook’ is the first one - I like to think of it as the side A of our digital 45. Side B is called Every Colour of the World, and the two pair really nicely together. That will be the next song to drop.”
“Moneyhook” was written, recorded, produced and mixed entirely by McKee and Parnell, a first for the two longtime bandmates. Additional synths are provided by Let’s Danza! synthesist Ian McGuire.
“We were figuring out new material, new work spaces, and new gear,” Parnell said. “While Tom and I have been working together for a long time, we took a fresh approach to these sessions and laid a foundation for the future releases that we have planned.”
Drums were provided by Chuck Treece, a Philadelphia-based musician and skateboarder who has toured with McRad, Bad Brains and Urge Overkill. Treece has recorded with Billy Joel and regularly works with producers like Joe Nicolo and Scott Storch. “We were lucky to get a seasoned studio pro in on the drums,” Parnell said. “Chuck not only brought amazing drumming to the sessions but also his knowledge and experience as a force in the studio and as a producer.”
Let’s Danza! plays live electronic music that employs a unique two-keyboard setup and rotating drummer concept. McKee is flanked by Philly-based synthesist Ian McGuire, whose other projects include CIA and McZwang. Parnell, well known for his work with Brothers Past, BioDiesel and most recently Particle, provides the low end. The band rotates drummers to keep things fresh. Past special guests have included Mike Greenfield (Lotus), Allen Aucoin (The Disco Biscuits), Kito Bovenschulte (Particle) and Scotty Zwang (Ghost Light, Dopapod, RAQ).
Released April 17th, 2018 - Moneyhook
“The song is meant be sort of a commentary on the inevitable arc of fame,” McKee said. Let’s Danza! has a few upcoming tour dates on the calendar, including a show this Thurs. April 19th at the Fillmore in Philadelphia supporting The Disco Biscuits. The band will also be performing at Camp Bisco, which takes place in Scranton, PA July 12th through 14th.
“Most of this year we’ve been focusing on the studio rather than the stage,” McKee said. “We’ve been putting together a bunch of new songs that we’re going to release over the next few months, one at a time. ‘Moneyhook’ is the first one - I like to think of it as the side A of our digital 45. Side B is called Every Colour of the World, and the two pair really nicely together. That will be the next song to drop.”
“Moneyhook” was written, recorded, produced and mixed entirely by McKee and Parnell, a first for the two longtime bandmates. Additional synths are provided by Let’s Danza! synthesist Ian McGuire.
“We were figuring out new material, new work spaces, and new gear,” Parnell said. “While Tom and I have been working together for a long time, we took a fresh approach to these sessions and laid a foundation for the future releases that we have planned.”
Drums were provided by Chuck Treece, a Philadelphia-based musician and skateboarder who has toured with McRad, Bad Brains and Urge Overkill. Treece has recorded with Billy Joel and regularly works with producers like Joe Nicolo and Scott Storch. “We were lucky to get a seasoned studio pro in on the drums,” Parnell said. “Chuck not only brought amazing drumming to the sessions but also his knowledge and experience as a force in the studio and as a producer.”
Let’s Danza! plays live electronic music that employs a unique two-keyboard setup and rotating drummer concept. McKee is flanked by Philly-based synthesist Ian McGuire, whose other projects include CIA and McZwang. Parnell, well known for his work with Brothers Past, BioDiesel and most recently Particle, provides the low end. The band rotates drummers to keep things fresh. Past special guests have included Mike Greenfield (Lotus), Allen Aucoin (The Disco Biscuits), Kito Bovenschulte (Particle) and Scotty Zwang (Ghost Light, Dopapod, RAQ).
Released April 17th, 2018 - Moneyhook
April's Featured Artist:
Calla Bere & The Attitude
Hailing from New Hope, Calla Bere & The Attitude Formed in January of 2017 and is led by the powerful vocals and classic songwriting of Calla Bere (Ka-luh Behr), driven by Mastermind's Rich Berends on drums and the eclectic improv-heavy style of Kevin Rovner on guitar. After releasing their debut album, Good Day, in the summer of 2017, the band has been performing all over the Tri-State Area, playing numerous local venues and festivals, harnessing their craft, and working on their next record, set for release later in 2018. Quickly growing a dedicated grassroots fan base, Calla Bere & The Attitude has shared the stage with artists like New Hope's resident shredder, Dean Ween, Michael "Kidd Funkadelic" Hampton, Doug Wimbish, Jimmy Sturr, Chris Caffery, Dave Dreiwitz, Glenn McClelland, Michael Allman, The Freeway Revival, Keith Kenny and many other great local and regional artists.Have performed in notable venues such as the Trocadero Theatre , John and Peter's of New Hope, Cedar Gardens in Hamilton, NJ, ISIS Music Hall in Asheville, Dockside at Dave and Buster's Philly, Strange Brew Tavern in Allentown, the 2300 Arena in Philly, Harper's Pub in Clementon, PUCK Live in Doylestown, among many others.
A fresh young take on Blues-Rock with influences like Tedeschi Trucks Band, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Lake Street Dive and Janice Joplin with a clean and passionate delivery. Calla Bere leads the troupe on vocals and guitar, but you're bound to hear some stellar guitar licks from Kevin Rovner by her side. You'll get a good taste of Rich Berends in the video below which features a great drum solo. With the growing number of jam and funk bands in Philly, one may find it refreshing that Rock/Blues is still alive and well on the Philadelphia music scene. On April 14th, Calla Bere & The Attitude are set to play the Women That Rock festival with Afrobear, Christine Irizarry and The Foolhardy, Renaissance Blvd, and Pieces of Arbor at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia just south of Snyder Ave.
More CBA dates:
April 7 - with Corey James & Pour Soul - Harper's Pub in Clemnton, NJ
April 21 - BestFest Craft Beer and Music Festival - Harpers Pub in Clementon, NJ
June 29 - Triumph Brewing in Princeton, NJ
July 6 - Puck in Doylestown, PA
A fresh young take on Blues-Rock with influences like Tedeschi Trucks Band, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Lake Street Dive and Janice Joplin with a clean and passionate delivery. Calla Bere leads the troupe on vocals and guitar, but you're bound to hear some stellar guitar licks from Kevin Rovner by her side. You'll get a good taste of Rich Berends in the video below which features a great drum solo. With the growing number of jam and funk bands in Philly, one may find it refreshing that Rock/Blues is still alive and well on the Philadelphia music scene. On April 14th, Calla Bere & The Attitude are set to play the Women That Rock festival with Afrobear, Christine Irizarry and The Foolhardy, Renaissance Blvd, and Pieces of Arbor at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia just south of Snyder Ave.
More CBA dates:
April 7 - with Corey James & Pour Soul - Harper's Pub in Clemnton, NJ
April 21 - BestFest Craft Beer and Music Festival - Harpers Pub in Clementon, NJ
June 29 - Triumph Brewing in Princeton, NJ
July 6 - Puck in Doylestown, PA
Dangermuffin hits the road and returns to Philly area 4/5
Charleston, SC’s Dangermuffin is an eclectic quartet that weaves lyrical themes of sea, sun, and spiritual connection with Americana, Island influenced, Folk and Jam grooves. The band's live show swims between tasty acoustic, and rockin’ electric sounds. On the band’s 6th and latest release, ‘Heritage,’ which still remains in the top 25 of Jamband Radio charts, Dangermuffin reaches into their creative arsenal to craft an album showcasing the band’s signature coastal-influenced grooves mixed with Americana sensibilities and Appalachian fingerpicking. The album’s lyrics contemplate the universal human connection to our ancestors, ancient traditions and symbols while yearning for humanity to get back to its roots. It is an audible showcase weaving introspective lyrics with catchy, nimble guitar riffs. Fittingly, the album’s soaring vocals were recorded in Charleston’s historic Unitarian Church, a National Historic Landmark built in 1772.
On their current tour which began at home, Sunday in Charleston, SC, Dangermuffin continues on to Wise Man Brewing in Winston-Salem, NC before making their appearance at The Kennett Flash in Kennett Square, PA just outside of Philly. Tickets are available and can be purchased here: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1640053
On their current tour which began at home, Sunday in Charleston, SC, Dangermuffin continues on to Wise Man Brewing in Winston-Salem, NC before making their appearance at The Kennett Flash in Kennett Square, PA just outside of Philly. Tickets are available and can be purchased here: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1640053
More dates:
April 4 - Wise Man Brewing in Winston-Salem, NC
April 5 - The Kennett Flash in Kennett Square, PA
April 6 - FTC StageOne in Fairfield, CT
April 8 - The Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe, PA
April 10 - Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY
April 12 - 5 Points Music Sanctuary in Roanoke, VA
April 13 - The Purple Fiddle in Thomas, WV
April 14 - Rockin' on The River in Charleston, WV
Golden City: The latest from Nakama
Nakama, formerly known as The Space Cats, are the recently re-named progressive instrumental/improv quartet in Philadelphia have recently released their latest work, Golden City, mixed and produced by Ben McGuinn. Name change or not, these four cats have been in the lab at work, and you can tell. Title and leading track, Golden City, opens to an improvisational soundscape with Ian Mayer skillfully traversing the frets with arpeggios and riffs into a strong, triumphant close. Mayer brings the shred factor to Nakama, this is clear. Dancing notes from keyboardist Adam Nash open track 2, Bastet, joined in by drummer Sal Galati and David Rosen on bass guitar in unison...and then Ian Mayer steps up again, hurling metal flying at you like he came out of the smoke with a chainsaw in his hand. On keys, Nash masterfully fills in space and time with wailing synth notes which finally come to a simmer to help guide the track to silence. Waves of Bliss, a more delicate piece by David Rosen on the low end, has a certain bouncy wave-like step to it, as he and Nash weave in and out with Galati holding the center line beats. Tom Says Tom, a personal favorite from their catalog, is the fourth track on Golden City which showcases Nash on the keys taking us through a video game-like synth-scape, as he picks up speed and force with Rosen thumping sturdy bass lines at us. Swooping in for the last piece of the melody, Mayer volleys with some more explosive guitar licks. Closing out Golden City, with a name reminiscent of the furry creatures that once roamed these lands, Furra is the 5th and final track on Nakama's latest work. At first dark and stormy, the composition reveals itself to be laced with syncopated rhythms and hand-work from Nash and Mayer equally. Furra must be cat-speak for 'fireworks', for when combined with the thickly fluid bass line from Rosen and strong hands on the skins from Galati...It packs the punch, as they say. Our adventure ultimately and skillfully brings us back to a quiet chamber within the Golden City among the warm and furra.
Nakama is slated to play The Red Stallion Bar & Grill in Warminster, PA on 3/31 with special guests and then Manayunk's The Grape Room on 4/14. More dates to be announced.
Nakama is slated to play The Red Stallion Bar & Grill in Warminster, PA on 3/31 with special guests and then Manayunk's The Grape Room on 4/14. More dates to be announced.
Photos: Mike Gordon at Union Transfer Philly 3/9
DJ Logic and Friends at Ardmore Music Hall 2/24
DJ Logic & Friends threw down at The Ardmore Music Hall for a night full of improv jams with Borahm Lee of Break Science, Marc Brownstein of The Disco Biscuits, Michael Travis of The String Cheese Incident & Rob Compa of Dopapod. This was the first configuration of Logic's crew, and it didn't take much time for these cool cats to jump into a good groove. DJ Logic & Friends is set to also play in Stephentown, NY June 7-10 with a slightly different mix of members, yet still featuring personnel from The Disco Biscuits, Dopapod and members of Turkuaz reported to be joining in. Keep an eye out for more info on that. Check out photos, video and full set audio from Saturday night's show below.
Full Set Audio
Trey Anastasio at Mayo Performing Arts Center 2/8/18
Trey Anastasio began his solo acoustic tour last night in Morristown, NJ at the Mayo Performing Arts Center, treating the crowd mostly to acoustic Phish songs sprinkled with humorous stories and tales from Phish tour while taking some sentimental moments to pay tribute to his sister and also honoring his late friend, Chris Cottrell, who spent much time growing up with Trey and on tour with Phish, times and tales which later became fuel to Trey's songwriting. Anastasio debuted a handful of songs never played acoustically before from the Phish catalog, singing songs he usually doesn't sing, with only one song from the Trey Anastasio Band formation, Push On Til The Day, a usual show-closer for his side-project band. Trey's solo tour continues on for 8 more dates including tonight in Ithaca, NY, then on to Cambrige, Pittsburgh, Wilmington, Washington DC, Durham, Charlotte, and finishes up the solo tour in Athens, GA at The Classic Center. More at http://Trey.com/tour
|
|
Toubab Krewe at Ardmore Music Hall on March 9th - New Album out March 2nd
The dynamic instrumental quintet Toubab Krewe are excited to announce the upcoming release of their third studio album, Stylo, and coinciding tour. To celebrate the release of their new album, Toubab Krewe are offering an exclusive PledgeMusic campaign that allows fans to pre-order Stylo before it’s released to the public on March 2nd, 2018. The PledgeMusic campaign, which launches today at pledgemusic.com/toubabkrewe, offers exclusive merchandise with a portion of proceeds benefiting non-profit Seed Programs International. In February, Toubab Krewe will hit the road after a two year hiatus and return to clubs and stages across North America for a 2018 album release tour.
Stylo (pronounced Stee-lo) will be released in follow up to Toubab Krewe’s critically acclaimed sophomore album TK2 (released in 2010). Over the last seven years, the band has developed and evolved their authentic blend of Appalachian and West African music traditions. The result is a jubilant collection of eight-songs steeped in the group’s experimental and genre-bending sounds that have propelled them for more than a decade. The album’s lead single, “That Damn Squash”, draws from influences as diverse as Pakastani film scores, New Orleans funk, and Wassoulou grooves. The track’s dynamic melody ricochets across the strings of electric and acoustic guitars, Casio and Realistic keyboards, while djembe and bass guitar drive the beat. “That Damn Squash”, now available on all major streaming services, is a just taste of what Stylo has to offer.
Toubab Krewe’s PledgeMusic Campaign features a variety of options for various budgets and interests. Pledge packages range from customly designed clothing to an exclusive Toubab Krewe seed garden with collectors box, as well as opportunities to interact with band members via private instrument lessons on Skype, and private concerts. A portion of all proceeds will support Seed Programs International (SPI), a non-profit organization based in the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC. Seed Programs International provides quality seeds and critically-needed expertise to impoverished communities in developing countries. With every pledge Toubab Krewe receives for physical merchandise, the band will send out a limited edition “That Damn Squash” seed package to the fan, allowing them to grow their own Toubab Krewe squash plants. SPI will then ship out a vegetable packet to a family or humanitarian organization in need.
The Stylo 2018 album release tour will make stops in Colorado, the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast. 2018 promises to be a big year for the group with music festival lineup inclusions on Electric Forest and Fractal Beach, with more to be announced soon. On Friday, March 9th the band will be in town for a performance with Melvin Seals & JGB at the The Ardmore Music Hall, click HERE for tickets. This will be the band's first tour in seven years and we look forward to the performance. A full listing of confirmed tour dates is below, with additional tour date announcements coming soon.
For more information, and to pre-order Stylo, visit: https://www.pledgemusic.com/toubabkrewe
Stylo (pronounced Stee-lo) will be released in follow up to Toubab Krewe’s critically acclaimed sophomore album TK2 (released in 2010). Over the last seven years, the band has developed and evolved their authentic blend of Appalachian and West African music traditions. The result is a jubilant collection of eight-songs steeped in the group’s experimental and genre-bending sounds that have propelled them for more than a decade. The album’s lead single, “That Damn Squash”, draws from influences as diverse as Pakastani film scores, New Orleans funk, and Wassoulou grooves. The track’s dynamic melody ricochets across the strings of electric and acoustic guitars, Casio and Realistic keyboards, while djembe and bass guitar drive the beat. “That Damn Squash”, now available on all major streaming services, is a just taste of what Stylo has to offer.
Toubab Krewe’s PledgeMusic Campaign features a variety of options for various budgets and interests. Pledge packages range from customly designed clothing to an exclusive Toubab Krewe seed garden with collectors box, as well as opportunities to interact with band members via private instrument lessons on Skype, and private concerts. A portion of all proceeds will support Seed Programs International (SPI), a non-profit organization based in the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC. Seed Programs International provides quality seeds and critically-needed expertise to impoverished communities in developing countries. With every pledge Toubab Krewe receives for physical merchandise, the band will send out a limited edition “That Damn Squash” seed package to the fan, allowing them to grow their own Toubab Krewe squash plants. SPI will then ship out a vegetable packet to a family or humanitarian organization in need.
The Stylo 2018 album release tour will make stops in Colorado, the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast. 2018 promises to be a big year for the group with music festival lineup inclusions on Electric Forest and Fractal Beach, with more to be announced soon. On Friday, March 9th the band will be in town for a performance with Melvin Seals & JGB at the The Ardmore Music Hall, click HERE for tickets. This will be the band's first tour in seven years and we look forward to the performance. A full listing of confirmed tour dates is below, with additional tour date announcements coming soon.
For more information, and to pre-order Stylo, visit: https://www.pledgemusic.com/toubabkrewe
Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents: Music of the Grateful Dead for Kids
hosted by Ardmore Music Hall with Tom Hamilton & Friends January 28th, 2018
The Rock and Roll Playhouse has joined up with Ardmore Music Hall to bring a series of special family music concerts to the area, paralleling some of the great acts in the area that come through AMH to join in the fun. This past weekend RRPH held a sold-out event featuring Tom Hamilton joined by Raina Mullen on acoustic guitar, Mike Greenfield on drums and Tom's brother Jim Hamilton on bass, who previously played in Tom's band, American Babies. The event theme this time around was music of the Grateful Dead, a catalog of music which Hamilton and his brother are no stranger to so we know this would be a treat. Fans enjoyed classic tunes from the quartet, playful enough for both the kids and the seasoned Dead fans in the room. Ardmore Music Hall is somewhat of a Grateful Dead headquarters here in the metro area, as locals and familiar faces poured in to the night spot they often frequented to see live music. During the performance, the tiny deadheads were treated to gifts like glow-stick bracelets and necklaces, streamers, and the kids got to participate in group parachute fun with everyone as Hamilton and friends played a fun version of the hit, Eyes of The World.
Rock and Roll Playhouse returns to AMH on February 25th for a sold-out show featuring Phish for Kids with Phish tribute act Uncle Ebanezer, then again on March 18th for a special Sunday morning for the Music of David Bowie, tickets to this show available here: https://www.ardmoremusic.com/event/1634610
http://therockandrollplayhouse.com
Rock and Roll Playhouse returns to AMH on February 25th for a sold-out show featuring Phish for Kids with Phish tribute act Uncle Ebanezer, then again on March 18th for a special Sunday morning for the Music of David Bowie, tickets to this show available here: https://www.ardmoremusic.com/event/1634610
http://therockandrollplayhouse.com
Photos: Kung Fu at The Foundry at Fillmore Philly 1/20/18
Review and Photos: Stick Figure at The Fillmore Philly 1/17
Hailing from California and bringing all the sunshine with them, Stick Figure popped into town Wednesday night for the first performance of an extensive US tour at The Fillmore Philly. The developed brain-child of Scott Woodruff is orchestrated mainly on familiar island reggae vibes with influences like Steel Pulse, Sublime, Bob Marley, Midnite, Slightly Stoopid, and Barrington Levy. Stick Figure unfolds melodic roots-reggae harmonies with an electronic construction and unique improvisational approach, leading some of the compositions open to 'jam'. Although an accomplished and self-taught musician & producer, Woodruff takes the party on the road across the country this winter joined by his Cali brothers.
A surprise guest hit the stage last night a bit before her scheduled debut...the entire floor at the Fillmore had the pleasure of meeting Cocoa the dog during Twiddle's set, as she randomly wandered and meandered on stage, peering out into the crowd. Woodruff's pooch has been on tour with the band since their 2013 tour while supporting Tribal Seeds, and she even has an adventure blog that chronicles her travels and experiences, that's one cool dog! As Stick Figure took the stage I scanned the room and could tell lots of fans on the floor were ready to jam, pressed against the front guard-rail or joined in with friends to get close to the action. Woodruff and his crew came out saluting the audience with smiles, jumping right into tunes like Shadow, White Fire, Coming Home, Thick n thin, Winds from the West, Livin' It and the Bob Marley hit, Mellow Mood with an extended jam outro and finally a splash of The Beatles with a short segment of Hey Jude. And sprinkled on top somewhere in the later part of the 2nd set I swore I heard a Norwegian Wood tease! Stick Figure kept the party going with a 3-song encore, including the track from their newly released video, 'Above The Storm' (video below).
The Fillmore crowd ate up every song performed and sang along to high-energy anthem-style reggae vibes and grooves interlaced with improvisational jams that added flavor with an utmost uplifting feel. Scott and his crew execute these tunes like they have known them forever, touching on the different styles of Reggae and Dub with syncopated tempos and largely pronounced bass lines. Having very little knowledge of the band, I went in with a clean slate and only knew the genre and the name of the troupe's leader, Woodruff. It didn't take long before I realized that the venue was filled with fans who knew this music well and celebrated with Stick Figure accordingly. Unlike most reggae acts, Stick Figure possesses a special spark that connects them well with their following.
A surprise guest hit the stage last night a bit before her scheduled debut...the entire floor at the Fillmore had the pleasure of meeting Cocoa the dog during Twiddle's set, as she randomly wandered and meandered on stage, peering out into the crowd. Woodruff's pooch has been on tour with the band since their 2013 tour while supporting Tribal Seeds, and she even has an adventure blog that chronicles her travels and experiences, that's one cool dog! As Stick Figure took the stage I scanned the room and could tell lots of fans on the floor were ready to jam, pressed against the front guard-rail or joined in with friends to get close to the action. Woodruff and his crew came out saluting the audience with smiles, jumping right into tunes like Shadow, White Fire, Coming Home, Thick n thin, Winds from the West, Livin' It and the Bob Marley hit, Mellow Mood with an extended jam outro and finally a splash of The Beatles with a short segment of Hey Jude. And sprinkled on top somewhere in the later part of the 2nd set I swore I heard a Norwegian Wood tease! Stick Figure kept the party going with a 3-song encore, including the track from their newly released video, 'Above The Storm' (video below).
The Fillmore crowd ate up every song performed and sang along to high-energy anthem-style reggae vibes and grooves interlaced with improvisational jams that added flavor with an utmost uplifting feel. Scott and his crew execute these tunes like they have known them forever, touching on the different styles of Reggae and Dub with syncopated tempos and largely pronounced bass lines. Having very little knowledge of the band, I went in with a clean slate and only knew the genre and the name of the troupe's leader, Woodruff. It didn't take long before I realized that the venue was filled with fans who knew this music well and celebrated with Stick Figure accordingly. Unlike most reggae acts, Stick Figure possesses a special spark that connects them well with their following.
Phish New Year's Eve at Madison Square Garden
Photos/Videos: Alex Buschiazzo
Muscle Tough releases 'Magical Achievements'
Muscle Tough is an instrumental trio featuring Joe Baldacci on drums, Jonathan Colman on bass and Ross Bellenoit on guitar; all of whom are heavily active members of the Philadelphia music community. Baldacci spent a number of years as a member of bands like DRGN KING and Elevator Fight, has produced for Hop Along and Swift Technique, and is also currently the live drummer for Nik Greeley & The Operators. He also played drums on the opening track of Kendrick Lamar’s Untitled Unmastered record. Colman is a regular bassist for Ben Arnold and Sonja Sofya, and has also performed/collaborated with Kate Faust and Flyermile. Bellenoit has spent his years producing records for various local acts (Ben Kessler, Aaron Parnell Brown, Ginger Coyle), is a long-time collaborator of Philly songwriters such as Birdie Busch and Chris Kasper, all while continuing to pursue his busy solo career (now 7 records deep since 2010) as a singer/songwriter.
As a trio, their modus operandi is “futuristic funk fusion”, trying to combine bizarre sounds with heavy dance grooves. After steadily gigging at local jazz hotspot TIME since they 1st formed in 2014, the band released their first EP, Greasin’ Up The Mediocrity Wheel in the spring of 2016, and a one-off single Trump Dump released on the verge of the 2016 election.
As a trio, their modus operandi is “futuristic funk fusion”, trying to combine bizarre sounds with heavy dance grooves. After steadily gigging at local jazz hotspot TIME since they 1st formed in 2014, the band released their first EP, Greasin’ Up The Mediocrity Wheel in the spring of 2016, and a one-off single Trump Dump released on the verge of the 2016 election.
Having recorded Magical Achievements at Turtle Studios in Philadelphia, the band is on the verge of becoming the next jazz/jam mega-group to emerge from the area. Formed in 2014 by Bellenoit, the trio steadily gigged throughout the region and made big impressions. So much so that some jam luminaries such as Jon Fishman (Phish), John Medeski (Medeski, Martin & Wood), Eli Winderman (Dopapod) and the horn section of Snarky Puppy have joined them on various stages throughout the last two years.
After a brief snippet of a spontaneous, live-in-studio jam, the record takes off with a brisk composition entitled “Text Your Dad” where Bellenoit unleashes high-pitched angular riffs over a propulsive rhythm that gains momentum throughout. The band embraces some of their progressive rock influences in the odd-metered “Albino Peacock (Reverse Black Swan)”, written by Baldacci. “Field Trip Balls” initially sounds like a video-game soundtrack where the player keeps losing, until the listener is transported to a sort of “alien robot disco” where the bizarre meets the infectious. Towards the end, “Won’t You Slap Me?” showcases what Colman and Bellenoit call “the switch”, where the two pitch their respective instruments to opposing octaves to sound like each other, so that Colman can unleash some serious improvising, foregoing the much-maligned genre of “bass solos”.
After a brief snippet of a spontaneous, live-in-studio jam, the record takes off with a brisk composition entitled “Text Your Dad” where Bellenoit unleashes high-pitched angular riffs over a propulsive rhythm that gains momentum throughout. The band embraces some of their progressive rock influences in the odd-metered “Albino Peacock (Reverse Black Swan)”, written by Baldacci. “Field Trip Balls” initially sounds like a video-game soundtrack where the player keeps losing, until the listener is transported to a sort of “alien robot disco” where the bizarre meets the infectious. Towards the end, “Won’t You Slap Me?” showcases what Colman and Bellenoit call “the switch”, where the two pitch their respective instruments to opposing octaves to sound like each other, so that Colman can unleash some serious improvising, foregoing the much-maligned genre of “bass solos”.
|
|
Consider The Source with iNFiNiEN and Gnarbot at Ardrmore Music Hall 12/2/17
Consider The Source
GNARBOT
INfiNiEN
The debut of JEDI w/ Let's Danza at Ardmore Music Hall 11/30
Words: Brian Overton | Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
The Ardmore Music Hall has been at the top of their game lately, consistently booking quality artists and projects, selling out shows, and providing music fans with a with a plethora of musical genres to choose from during any given week. Last night was no different, with the venue hosting the always fun and energetic Lets’ Danza project and the debut of a brand new project called J.E.D.I. or Jazz Electronic Dance Improvisation. Lovers of music, new and old, filed into the venue in excited anticipation to experience the very first live performance from this greatly crafted lineup of musicians. J.E.D.I. is the brain child of Aaron Johnston (Brazilian Girls) on drums and Joined by Borahm Lee (Break Science) on keys, Ryan Zoidis (Lettuce, Shady Horns) on saxophone, and Nate Edgar (The Nth Power) on bass. With a stacked lineup of such tenure and talent, the band set high expectations for their jazz dance improvisation that were met with harmony, creativity, and rhythm.
The night commenced with the electronic space explorers, Let’s Danza. No strangers to the Philly music scene, Let’s Danza provides a unique EDM-inspired sound featuring members of Brother’s Past, Particle, CIA, and rotating drummers. For Philly music fans who have been in the jamtronica scene for a long time, Let’s Danza Provides and overwhelming nostalgia of the days when Brothers Past were at their peak and pumping Philly full of sound. Staying true to that sound of Brother Past, Let’s Danza moves in and out of Brothers Past songs while adding their own style of improvisation used as a springboard for the thematic exploration of the electronic music realm. Last night the band provided a full set of nothing but BP and it was an old-school set that was a real treat for those who were truly into BP. The set progressed as follows: One Rabbit Race, Big Blue Applesà Getaway Somehowà Big Blue Apples, Year of the Horse. From beginning to end, Let’s Danza brought the heat with tight beats, thick funky bass tones, and blasted into a world of synth soundscape exploration.
The night commenced with the electronic space explorers, Let’s Danza. No strangers to the Philly music scene, Let’s Danza provides a unique EDM-inspired sound featuring members of Brother’s Past, Particle, CIA, and rotating drummers. For Philly music fans who have been in the jamtronica scene for a long time, Let’s Danza Provides and overwhelming nostalgia of the days when Brothers Past were at their peak and pumping Philly full of sound. Staying true to that sound of Brother Past, Let’s Danza moves in and out of Brothers Past songs while adding their own style of improvisation used as a springboard for the thematic exploration of the electronic music realm. Last night the band provided a full set of nothing but BP and it was an old-school set that was a real treat for those who were truly into BP. The set progressed as follows: One Rabbit Race, Big Blue Applesà Getaway Somehowà Big Blue Apples, Year of the Horse. From beginning to end, Let’s Danza brought the heat with tight beats, thick funky bass tones, and blasted into a world of synth soundscape exploration.
After an excellent set from Let’s Danza, we waited anxiously for the for the debut of J.E.D.I. Through the collaborative vision of Aaron Johnston, J.E.D.I. was created as a jam vehicle for the exploration into a new realm of jazz fusion. Combining two very different genres, this show was bound to be a display of improvisational experimentation that would push the envelope of typical fusion, and it did. Unknown to many fans who were present, the set played had a core centered around classic jazz/dub covers which the band would use as base to improvise on. The opening tune revolved around improvisation on the keys provided by Broham Lee which brought the band to move into a cover from American jazz trumpeter, Eddie Henderson. After exploring the realms of Eddie Henderson, they moved into the more improvisational Miles Davis number, Freedom Jazz Dance. The band used that as a catalyst, diving into a series of tempo and progression changes that stretched into an exciting space of jazz/dance fusion, as saxman Ryan Zoidis used his powerful notes to send the music into jazz fusion bliss, then followed by an extensive jam that was common to Nate Edgar's always funky bass lines. Next, the band went into the dub-reggae jam, “Murder Dem”, by Ninja Man and then into Nautalist, by Bob James. The band then went into another realm of saxophone jazz space music as Ryan Zoidis put down a sax solo-centered jam that moved into the Acid Jazz genre. The show would end with an incredibly energetic piece called “Fela”.
This lineup set high expectations for the fans who attended but the band delivered an excellent performance for their debut show that left no one in the crowd disappointed and left us only wanting more. The first of hopefully many shows will go down as an amazing night of jazz and dance fusion improvisation that left us hooping and hollering in appreciation for this amazing new project. With a series of shows booked in the upcoming weeks, J.E.D.I will take on the energy of the crowd in New York City at American Beauty tonight and continue on to Albany's Hollow Bar & Kitchen tomorrow night.
This lineup set high expectations for the fans who attended but the band delivered an excellent performance for their debut show that left no one in the crowd disappointed and left us only wanting more. The first of hopefully many shows will go down as an amazing night of jazz and dance fusion improvisation that left us hooping and hollering in appreciation for this amazing new project. With a series of shows booked in the upcoming weeks, J.E.D.I will take on the energy of the crowd in New York City at American Beauty tonight and continue on to Albany's Hollow Bar & Kitchen tomorrow night.
Solar Circuit: One Around The Sun
August 21st, 2017
Released last week on August 21st, Solar Circuit's One Around The Sun is the debut album from the Philadelphia Jamtronic/Trance/Funk fusion quartet which features tracked out cuts of their energetic live performance improv and ambient jams, giving a richly produced studio sound. Solar Circuit's 10-track LP takes listeners through a dynamic journey while they manipulate space and sound on the album. Tracks like Nectar, Colors and Retinal take deep jumps in tempo and improvisation, blasting through galactic nebulas with skilled guitar work from Nick Orlove and mind-bending tones from Becca LeVan on synths and keys. Even with influences like The Disco Biscuits, STS9, Lotus, and Phish, Solar Circuit maintains a unique style and sound in their live performances and in their recent studio work while mixing in the dance/trance element and sometimes even reggae and ska. Philadelphia is recently a breeding ground for young jamband/jamtronica acts, and Solar Circuit is a clear contender and player in the field. Keep an out for Solar Circuit at a venue near you. In the meantime, Download and listen to their new album here: https://solarcircuit.bandcamp.com/album/one-around-the-sun
Solar Circuit on Bandcamp: https://solarcircuit.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SolarCircuitMusic
on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Solar_Circuit
on Instagram: https://instagram.com/solar_circuit_music
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SolarCircuitMusic
on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Solar_Circuit
on Instagram: https://instagram.com/solar_circuit_music
Phish at Madison Square Garden: The Baker's Dozen
7/21-23 - Weekend 1
photos: Alex Buschiazzo
Phish and their fans returned to Madison Square Garden this past weekend for the first three of their 13 Baker's Dozen donut-themed shows, with each of the three show days announcing a new tasty flavor of donut, provided by Philadelphia's own Federal Donuts, which the band then incorporated into their musical set lists, serving up the show openers with one-shot obscure covers like that touched on the flavor of the day, Coconut, Strawberry, and Red Velvet for the weekend, and then followed up in the show with one of their own songs that referenced the flavors . As the band got comfortable inside the venue, we were treated to bust-outs, old classics and of course the jams. Also, Friday afternoon featured the debut of Ben & Jerry's new limited edition Phish-themed flavor Freezer Reprise (titled after the popular Phish song 'Tweezer Reprise') which was served free of charge outside of The Garden as a tasty pre-show treat. Delicious Donuts, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, and jam-filled nights are what this band is all about for the Bakers Dozen. After having Monday off, the band hits the stage again tonight featuring the 'Jam Filled' mini honey donuts with a raspberry jam center. So the question is: what will they play today? Check out photos below from the weekend inside The Garden.
Photo Gallery: Umphrey's McGee with Aqueous at The Stone Pony Summer Stage 7/9/17
Q & A with Bazmati Vice
Philadelphia is cauldron bubbling with new music, young bands, and people who know that this city is great place where they can anchor-down and work on their craft, because here we appreciate and celebrate live music. One such group of young troubadours is Bazmati Vice, funk/rock quintet comprised of Clayton Brandt on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Chris Gibson on drums, Chris Jackowski on lead guitar, John Kerber on bass, and Andrew Szczurek on keys-vocals-electric mandolin, formed in 2013. Four of the members are recent graduates from nearby Haverford College, with Chris Jackowski hailing from St. Joseph's, yet they already have their act in 2nd gear, having played several local Philly venues like Connie's Ric Rac, Ardmore Music Hall, The Grape Room, and The Fire. With each member having varied backgrounds of musical influences and tastes, their sound develops through originals work and covers performed, keeping a balance with audiences and touching on many of the genres. Bazmati Vice just released their self-titled debut at the tail-end of April at Buckeye Recording Studio, recorded and mixed by Peter Richan.
In August, Bazmati Vice is set to play Liberty Music Festival held throughout Manayunk August 17th-20th, Bourbon & Branch on August 26th with Jak Lizard, and two dates in Boston...with more dates in September to be announced, including two shows in NYC. We had a chance to sit down for a quick chat with Bazmati Vice to find out a little more about what they're upto and where they're going.
***
In August, Bazmati Vice is set to play Liberty Music Festival held throughout Manayunk August 17th-20th, Bourbon & Branch on August 26th with Jak Lizard, and two dates in Boston...with more dates in September to be announced, including two shows in NYC. We had a chance to sit down for a quick chat with Bazmati Vice to find out a little more about what they're upto and where they're going.
***
215music: A little background on Bazmati Vice, can you name some artists who have inspired/influenced you collectively as a group?
Bazmati Vice: That’s a funny question because all five of us have very different musical influences. As a group, we’d have to say the Red Hot Chili Peppers just in terms of a band to compare ourselves to, but really our influences range from heavy metal and prog rock, to jam bands, jazz and classic rock. For example, Andrew is inspired by Vulfpeck and Coltrane, while Chris Jackowski grew up listening to John Mayer and Guthrie Govan. Chris Gibson brings Tool, Deftones, and Tesseract into his drumming, Clayton is bringing some Alan Stone and Anderson .Paak into his vocals while Kerber is echoing Phish, The Grateful Dead, and Led Zeppelin. So collectively those different influences all kind of come out in our own music simultaneously because everyone is playing according to their favorite styles.
215: We have some varying size venues in the area....to date, what is the largest venue you’ve played at and how did that impact the band?
BV: We got the opportunity to perform at The Ardmore Music Hall last February, which was a really awesome experience. We managed to draw a really good crowd from our friends and fans in the area, and the equipment was really top notch. It’s amazing how much better it feels to play with a great backline, sound tech and light show. It definitely set the bar for what we’re trying to accomplish in this next year, it was a lot of fun.
215: How do you write your music…is it written collectively or does one person usually do most of the writing and composing/and or lyrics?
BV: It’s kind of all over the place. Clayton, Andrew and Chris Jackowski write most of the songs, but generally someone just shows up to rehearsal with some ideas for a verse, or even just a riff that we all work on as a group to develop into a complete song. Most of the songs develop over a few days as people come up with ideas piece by piece, and we kind of just whittle it down from there. Then once they’re close to being complete, we start adding things like bridges, breakdowns, and solo sections to fill them out and make them unique.
215: Philly is chock-full of local bands and musical acts, what other local bands has Bazmati Vice supported and which has been a highlight for you?
BV: We performed with Pet Cheetah at Bourbon & Branch for their EP release party last Spring. That was a great time because a ton of people came out and packed the room, and it was our first time playing there, so we really had a fun night bringing the energy there. We’re really excited to go back to B&B on August 26 for a show with the NYC group Jak Lizard.
At The Ardmore Music Hall show we opened for Space Cat and Control for Smilers, two really awesome bands who both know how to show off their abilities. We’ve been implementing some more improvisation into our music lately so it was really impressive to see those two groups create something onstage.
215: In what direction is the music of Bazmati Vice moving at this point?
BV: We think it’s getting more intricate as we’ve gotten more experience writing songs together and learning how to feed off one another. We’ve been more critical of our ideas lately because we’re really trying to keep things fresh and unique but at the same time accessible for listeners. It’s hard to identify a genre because all of our influences are so varied, we like to think that we’re kind of creating music without rigid barriers. Certain songs dip into jazz, metal, funk, and blues without really committing too hard to any of them.
215: Keeping a band together can be a struggle for many artists and bands, what has been your biggest challenge as a band?
BV: Logistics have been a serious challenge for us. All five of us not only have different musical tastes, but also different interests outside of the band. So staying organized and getting our schedules to line up is always a process that we have to stay on top of. We’re hoping now that we graduated college and have all moved in together that we’ll be able to practice almost every day and really hone our sound. We were only rehearsing 1-2 times a week up until this point, so if we can triple that rate then we hope we’ll be able to really push ourselves to new heights.
215: Do you feel that live performances hold more overall value than album work… Do you see more appreciation for the live shows and the live music scene than you do with recorded/studio work?
BV: We’re definitely focused on our live sound right now. We all love performing for a crowd, and our music definitely lends itself to that setting, because we have a lot of musical peaks, solo sections, and segues that work to form an exciting and cohesive show. We definitely are big on live shows. Looking forward to the next performance and coming up with ways to keep things fresh and exciting is where most of the fun is. Seeing the crowd’s reaction to a huge build up or a recognizable cover is one of the most rewarding and satisfying moments of the whole process.
215: You recently released the self-titled debut album…can you pick anything in particular surrounding the album that has left a lasting impression, such as the recording of a specific track, the response from fans to the album, or how certain songs have made an impact on your live sets?
BV: Releasing the album was a great experience for us. We had been playing around Haverford’s campus and out on the main line for so long with no recordings to show for it, so the album was definitely a long time coming for us and our fans of the music. Since we already had about three years of experience before starting work on the album, we had a huge bank of old and new songs to choose from. 6 of the songs came from that period, while 3 of the songs were actually written during the time between our two recording sessions, so they were kind of an added bonus to the album. We see the recordings as a way to capture and kind of immortalize what we’re trying to do. Since so much of our playing comes from feeding off of each other and shows, we decided to make the album using live tracking, so pretty much all of what’s recorded on there was performed simultaneously in the same room.
215: Bazmati Vice is performing at Liberty Music Festival coming up Aug 17-20th with multiple venues/stages – will this be your only festival of the season?
BV: We’re really looking forward to the Liberty Festival, should be a great way to reach new fans and we’ve definitely been itching to play on an outdoor stage. We weren’t able to get into any other festivals this summer since we’re taking the month of July off to settle into our new house, but we have been lucky enough to book up the months of August and September. We’re playing at The Grape Room, Bourbon & Branch, and have some others in the works. We’re also experimenting with touring, and we’ve booked a trip to Boston for two shows and then a road trip in September to New York City to play at Piano’s and The Bitter End.
215: Lastly, where do you see (or would like to see) BV in 3yrs, 5?
BV: 3 years - Madison Square Garden. 5 years - Dancing With The Stars.
Bazmati Vice: That’s a funny question because all five of us have very different musical influences. As a group, we’d have to say the Red Hot Chili Peppers just in terms of a band to compare ourselves to, but really our influences range from heavy metal and prog rock, to jam bands, jazz and classic rock. For example, Andrew is inspired by Vulfpeck and Coltrane, while Chris Jackowski grew up listening to John Mayer and Guthrie Govan. Chris Gibson brings Tool, Deftones, and Tesseract into his drumming, Clayton is bringing some Alan Stone and Anderson .Paak into his vocals while Kerber is echoing Phish, The Grateful Dead, and Led Zeppelin. So collectively those different influences all kind of come out in our own music simultaneously because everyone is playing according to their favorite styles.
215: We have some varying size venues in the area....to date, what is the largest venue you’ve played at and how did that impact the band?
BV: We got the opportunity to perform at The Ardmore Music Hall last February, which was a really awesome experience. We managed to draw a really good crowd from our friends and fans in the area, and the equipment was really top notch. It’s amazing how much better it feels to play with a great backline, sound tech and light show. It definitely set the bar for what we’re trying to accomplish in this next year, it was a lot of fun.
215: How do you write your music…is it written collectively or does one person usually do most of the writing and composing/and or lyrics?
BV: It’s kind of all over the place. Clayton, Andrew and Chris Jackowski write most of the songs, but generally someone just shows up to rehearsal with some ideas for a verse, or even just a riff that we all work on as a group to develop into a complete song. Most of the songs develop over a few days as people come up with ideas piece by piece, and we kind of just whittle it down from there. Then once they’re close to being complete, we start adding things like bridges, breakdowns, and solo sections to fill them out and make them unique.
215: Philly is chock-full of local bands and musical acts, what other local bands has Bazmati Vice supported and which has been a highlight for you?
BV: We performed with Pet Cheetah at Bourbon & Branch for their EP release party last Spring. That was a great time because a ton of people came out and packed the room, and it was our first time playing there, so we really had a fun night bringing the energy there. We’re really excited to go back to B&B on August 26 for a show with the NYC group Jak Lizard.
At The Ardmore Music Hall show we opened for Space Cat and Control for Smilers, two really awesome bands who both know how to show off their abilities. We’ve been implementing some more improvisation into our music lately so it was really impressive to see those two groups create something onstage.
215: In what direction is the music of Bazmati Vice moving at this point?
BV: We think it’s getting more intricate as we’ve gotten more experience writing songs together and learning how to feed off one another. We’ve been more critical of our ideas lately because we’re really trying to keep things fresh and unique but at the same time accessible for listeners. It’s hard to identify a genre because all of our influences are so varied, we like to think that we’re kind of creating music without rigid barriers. Certain songs dip into jazz, metal, funk, and blues without really committing too hard to any of them.
215: Keeping a band together can be a struggle for many artists and bands, what has been your biggest challenge as a band?
BV: Logistics have been a serious challenge for us. All five of us not only have different musical tastes, but also different interests outside of the band. So staying organized and getting our schedules to line up is always a process that we have to stay on top of. We’re hoping now that we graduated college and have all moved in together that we’ll be able to practice almost every day and really hone our sound. We were only rehearsing 1-2 times a week up until this point, so if we can triple that rate then we hope we’ll be able to really push ourselves to new heights.
215: Do you feel that live performances hold more overall value than album work… Do you see more appreciation for the live shows and the live music scene than you do with recorded/studio work?
BV: We’re definitely focused on our live sound right now. We all love performing for a crowd, and our music definitely lends itself to that setting, because we have a lot of musical peaks, solo sections, and segues that work to form an exciting and cohesive show. We definitely are big on live shows. Looking forward to the next performance and coming up with ways to keep things fresh and exciting is where most of the fun is. Seeing the crowd’s reaction to a huge build up or a recognizable cover is one of the most rewarding and satisfying moments of the whole process.
215: You recently released the self-titled debut album…can you pick anything in particular surrounding the album that has left a lasting impression, such as the recording of a specific track, the response from fans to the album, or how certain songs have made an impact on your live sets?
BV: Releasing the album was a great experience for us. We had been playing around Haverford’s campus and out on the main line for so long with no recordings to show for it, so the album was definitely a long time coming for us and our fans of the music. Since we already had about three years of experience before starting work on the album, we had a huge bank of old and new songs to choose from. 6 of the songs came from that period, while 3 of the songs were actually written during the time between our two recording sessions, so they were kind of an added bonus to the album. We see the recordings as a way to capture and kind of immortalize what we’re trying to do. Since so much of our playing comes from feeding off of each other and shows, we decided to make the album using live tracking, so pretty much all of what’s recorded on there was performed simultaneously in the same room.
215: Bazmati Vice is performing at Liberty Music Festival coming up Aug 17-20th with multiple venues/stages – will this be your only festival of the season?
BV: We’re really looking forward to the Liberty Festival, should be a great way to reach new fans and we’ve definitely been itching to play on an outdoor stage. We weren’t able to get into any other festivals this summer since we’re taking the month of July off to settle into our new house, but we have been lucky enough to book up the months of August and September. We’re playing at The Grape Room, Bourbon & Branch, and have some others in the works. We’re also experimenting with touring, and we’ve booked a trip to Boston for two shows and then a road trip in September to New York City to play at Piano’s and The Bitter End.
215: Lastly, where do you see (or would like to see) BV in 3yrs, 5?
BV: 3 years - Madison Square Garden. 5 years - Dancing With The Stars.
The 2017 Disc Jam Music Festival in Stephentown, NY June 8-11
photos/video: Alex Buschiazzo
The Disc Jam Music Festival returned for their 7th year June 8th to the 11th in Stephentown, New York with some of the scene's best jam, funk, and DJ acts. The 4-day festival music headliners included Dopapod, Turkuaz, Break Science, Kung Fu, TAUK, Lespecial, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Electric Beethoven, Aqueous, The Motet, Consider The Source, Kung Fu, Pink Talking Fish, G-Nome Project, the Twiddle project Gubbulidis and Manic Focus. Joining them were dozens of acts from the New York and the New England area including Wild Adriatic, In Flux, Formula 5, Funky Dawgz Brass Band, West End Blend, Chromatropic, Litz, Annie in the Water, Roots of Creation, Ryan Montbleau & Hayley Jane's new project: Yes Darling, The Schooley Mountain Band, After Funk, The Other Brothers and this year we even had the pleasure of having our own Philly funk squad, Swift Technique make their Disc Jam debut! Coupled with the jam headliners, bunches of DJs and Producers like Yheti, Bells and Robes, Zoo Logic, Bunk Buddha and several solo/roaming acts like Hayley Jane, Holly Bowling and Zack Slik provided constant music throughout the weekend on four different stages, centered by a generous collection of crafts, services, and food vendors to keep Disc Jammers fed, happy, and enlightened.
Aside from the usual morning dew, the weather turned out to be perfect at Disc Jam, bringing out sunners, daytime activities, workshops, and mural paintings to keep us all entertained while lounging around the festival grounds, throwing some discs around the farm or in transit to another stage for more music, which indeed went on all day and all night (We're talking until the sun comes up!) Hot during the day and chilly at night is how they do it in Stephentown in the Spring...something a camper must be ready for or you'll be quite sorry! With just shy of 4,000 attendees on ample grounds and facilities, Disc Jam proves to master the home-grown feel and you'll find that many people there know each other or are one step off. Festival organizer Tony Scavone appeared to have a very capable team & festival staff that truly put in their time & hard work, which clearly paid off for Disc Jam 7 as it seemed to go off without a hitch. We anticipate Disc Jam 8 to be an even larger event next year with many of the same acts and many new ones too. Check out campus photos and band photos below from Disc Jam 2017 in Stephentown, NY June 8-11
Aside from the usual morning dew, the weather turned out to be perfect at Disc Jam, bringing out sunners, daytime activities, workshops, and mural paintings to keep us all entertained while lounging around the festival grounds, throwing some discs around the farm or in transit to another stage for more music, which indeed went on all day and all night (We're talking until the sun comes up!) Hot during the day and chilly at night is how they do it in Stephentown in the Spring...something a camper must be ready for or you'll be quite sorry! With just shy of 4,000 attendees on ample grounds and facilities, Disc Jam proves to master the home-grown feel and you'll find that many people there know each other or are one step off. Festival organizer Tony Scavone appeared to have a very capable team & festival staff that truly put in their time & hard work, which clearly paid off for Disc Jam 7 as it seemed to go off without a hitch. We anticipate Disc Jam 8 to be an even larger event next year with many of the same acts and many new ones too. Check out campus photos and band photos below from Disc Jam 2017 in Stephentown, NY June 8-11
South Street Spring Festival 2017
5/6/2017
Photos and videos from Saturday on South Street at the South Street Spring Festival featuring: Calla Bere, Aviance, Dr. Beardface and the Spaceman, The Sly Foxes, The Quixote Project, Ivory, The Jawn, Post War Dream, Buster and street performers
Pink Talking Fish with Elise Testone, Kit Holiday, and The Bad Horns joined by Hayley Jane & The Primates at Ardmore Music Hall 4/7/17
A Weekend with Dopapod at TLA Philly - 3/31 & 4/1 Philadelphia, PA
Dopapod's return to Philly this weekend brought some old favorites and new songs, a few fun covers, and a couple sit-ins from special guests. Their visit here was also marked by the released of their newest live album, II Saw Live Dopapod Evil Was II, which released Friday, March 31st. Philadelphia is basically Dopapod's 2nd home in a way, family and friends came out for the show and we even caught sighting of and spoke with several local Philly bands in the house at the TLA. Ten years into the game, Dopapod has forged a spot in the music community as a powerhouse act that we personally have never seen disappoint...(read more)
Pimps of Joytime & Swift Technique at Ardmore Music Hall 3/23/17
Words: Brian Overton | Photo/Video: Alex Buschiazzo
On yet another cold and blustery night in Ardmore, hometown heroes Swift Technique and Brooklyn based artists Pimps of Joytime joined forces to bring the people some fiery funk. No strangers to the stage at Ardmore Music Hall, both bands are AMH Live from the Lot alumnus, which makes them no strangers to their fans as well. Swift Technique and The Pimps of Joytime both bring their own particular style and twist to traditional funk and soul with a smooth multi-genera blend that makes for an eclectically cumulative formula for FUNK....(read more)
Kung Fu and The Royal Noise at Ardmore Music Hall 3/16
Natalie Cressman releases Traces EP -Performing at Ardmore Music Hall 3/25
Possessing a voice as cool and crystalline as an Alpine stream, Natalie Cressman is a rising singer/songwriter who draws inspiration from a vast array of deep and powerful musical currents. Her new five-song EP, Traces, reveals her latest evolution - a sleek and sensuous electronica-laced sound with a trace or two of dance floor sweat. Steadily evolving in many directions, the 25-year-old Cressman has already put down deep roots in several overlapping scenes. A prodigiously talented New York City-based trombonist, she’s spent...(read more)
The Disco Biscuits takeover Fillmore Philly with special guests Aqueous, Swift Technique and Tom Hamilton's American Babies Feb. 2-4
We're just about two weeks away from a home town throw-down like no other: The Disco Biscuits return to Philadelphia and will be joined by Philly's finest funk troupe Swift Technique on Thursday the 2nd, Buffalo's jam kings, Aqueous on the 3rd, and Tom Hamilton's American Babies on the final night, the 4th. The Disco Biscuits have a deep-rooted background in the Philadelphia area and seem to make a habit of delivering stellar runs when they play here. Bassist Marc Brownstein and keyboard wiz Aron Magner are both residents and family men hailing from just outside Philly. Marc and Aron are both key components to the band Electron, with guitarist Tom Hamilton and drummer Mike Greenfield, who play often in the Philly area and at festivals during the summer. Shredder Jon "Barber" Gutwillig will be on guitar as usual with the Biscuits, a man who really defines the term 'shredding' when he plays, honing a masterful and improvisational skill-set on the frets, its always a treat to watch Barber play. Allen Aucoin is most certainly a force to be reckoned with on the beats as drummers all around the jam scene seem to often make note of his precision playing.
On the first night of the run, Buffalo's Aqueous will join in to support at the Fillmore with Mike Gantzer on guitar/vocals, David Loss on guitar/keys/vocals, Evan McPhaden on bass and Rob Houk on drums. The jam-heavy groove-rock act recently released their 2016 album, Best In Show and have visited the Philly area several times, playing at the Ardmore Music Hall and at Milkboy Philly, a band we never miss. You can tell right off the bat these trained musicians know their stuff, in and out of scales and complex jams yet give a simple overall feel of musicality and harmony. These young lads have stepped up their game the past few years playing larger shows & festivals, and are most certainly an act we'll be seeing again soon and this summer at festivals.
Swift Technique has been a solid funk influence in the community the past three years and have really started to shine in the music scene in Philadelphia. The uber-charismatic Nik Greeley and Chelsea LaCava lead powerhouse group of funketeers with an enthusiastic brass section including Greg Rosen on Trumpet, Ian Gray on Trombone, Brian Blaker on Tenor Sax, the funky bassman Jake Leschinsky, Andy Bree on guitar, that cool cat Jay Davidson on keys, and Johnny Perry taking no mess on the skins. We're always excited to hop out and see our funky Philly friends play in the area but This time around we are more than thrilled that they'll be joining The Disco Biscuits the second night at the Fillmore. After the Fillmore, Swift marches on to perform at Brooklyn Bowl on February 8th, the Rock n Roll Hotel in Washington DC on the 10th, and the famous Nectar's of Burlington, VT on March 11. Keep an eye for new recordings from this group in 2017!
On the final night of the run, The Disco Biscuits will be joined by Tom Hamilton's American Babies, an act local to Philly and led by guitarist Tom Hamilton. The Philly-born Hamilton is known also for playing with Joe Russo's Almost Dead and with friends and band-mates Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner with Electron. Tom has also played with the band led by Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Billy and The Kids. American Babies recently released their album An Epic Battle Between Light and Dark and have further scheduled dates after the Fillmore at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ on the 9th, The Acoustic in Bridgeport, CT, Alchemy in Providence, RI, and a final stop in Chicago at Dunn Dunn Fest on 2/16. We look forward to the 3days of funk & jams at the Fillmore with four of our favorite acts out there today and we hope to see you there. Stay with us for updates and coverage from the shows!
On the first night of the run, Buffalo's Aqueous will join in to support at the Fillmore with Mike Gantzer on guitar/vocals, David Loss on guitar/keys/vocals, Evan McPhaden on bass and Rob Houk on drums. The jam-heavy groove-rock act recently released their 2016 album, Best In Show and have visited the Philly area several times, playing at the Ardmore Music Hall and at Milkboy Philly, a band we never miss. You can tell right off the bat these trained musicians know their stuff, in and out of scales and complex jams yet give a simple overall feel of musicality and harmony. These young lads have stepped up their game the past few years playing larger shows & festivals, and are most certainly an act we'll be seeing again soon and this summer at festivals.
Swift Technique has been a solid funk influence in the community the past three years and have really started to shine in the music scene in Philadelphia. The uber-charismatic Nik Greeley and Chelsea LaCava lead powerhouse group of funketeers with an enthusiastic brass section including Greg Rosen on Trumpet, Ian Gray on Trombone, Brian Blaker on Tenor Sax, the funky bassman Jake Leschinsky, Andy Bree on guitar, that cool cat Jay Davidson on keys, and Johnny Perry taking no mess on the skins. We're always excited to hop out and see our funky Philly friends play in the area but This time around we are more than thrilled that they'll be joining The Disco Biscuits the second night at the Fillmore. After the Fillmore, Swift marches on to perform at Brooklyn Bowl on February 8th, the Rock n Roll Hotel in Washington DC on the 10th, and the famous Nectar's of Burlington, VT on March 11. Keep an eye for new recordings from this group in 2017!
On the final night of the run, The Disco Biscuits will be joined by Tom Hamilton's American Babies, an act local to Philly and led by guitarist Tom Hamilton. The Philly-born Hamilton is known also for playing with Joe Russo's Almost Dead and with friends and band-mates Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner with Electron. Tom has also played with the band led by Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Billy and The Kids. American Babies recently released their album An Epic Battle Between Light and Dark and have further scheduled dates after the Fillmore at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ on the 9th, The Acoustic in Bridgeport, CT, Alchemy in Providence, RI, and a final stop in Chicago at Dunn Dunn Fest on 2/16. We look forward to the 3days of funk & jams at the Fillmore with four of our favorite acts out there today and we hope to see you there. Stay with us for updates and coverage from the shows!
The 11th Annual Gem and Jam Festival in Tuscon, AZ - Feb 2-4
In most parts of the country, mid-winter is a time period consisting of short, dark, and cold days. For the 50,000 plus jewelers, collectors, and music fans that flock to Tucson, Arizona every year for the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase, the dark and dreary days are put to rest, and an absolutely mind-blowing collection of artists and art-lovers gather in unison for a 3-week period. Luckily for music fans of all genres, Tucson graciously hosts Gem and Jam Festival, throughout one weekend of the 3-week showcase. Pima County Fairgrounds will be host to the 11th Gem and Jam Festival for the first time, and the lineup this year is stacked with a wide-variety of music that is sure to please any live-music lover.
Slovenian DJ/Producer Gramatik is at the top of the list, headlining Saturday night, February 4th. Bringing a unique flavor of electronic-fused music to the festival, Gramatik is accompanied by a live guitar player while DJ’ing. He’s built a large and loyal fan-base over the rise of the EDM movement, selling out shows all over the world and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser in the desert this year.
Coming off an unbelievable 15-show fall tour, Mike Gordon of the hard-hitting rock band Phish, will headline Friday night, February 3rd, with the freshest and tightest lineup he’s had with his side-project since its original formation. Longtime members Scott Murawski and Craig Myers still hold down guitar and percussion duties respectively, and with the addition of Robert Walter and John Kimock over the past couple of years, fans are surely in for a treat that will not be forgotten in the land of the cacti.
The final night, Sunday, February 5th, is stacked to the brim with some of the hottest artists in the scene, leaving it difficult for any Gem and Jam attendees to leave with anything but a monstrous smile from cheek to cheek. Switching between two main stages all weekend, Sunday night will host the likes of Steve Kimock & Friends, The Motet, The New Deal, and a very special late-night set to wrap up the festival, ending with a Grateful Dead tribute set. Steve Kimock, father of Mike Gordon’s drummer John, will lead the Dead tribute alongside Dead and Company keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, Bobby Vega, various members of The Motet, and a slew of even more mind boggling musicians.
It’s unbelievable that there are so many other artists not yet mentioned; Lotus, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Trancident (Michael Kang, Kyle Hollingsworth, Michael Travis and Jason Hann of the String Cheese Incident), G. Jones, Opiuo, The Kitchen Dwellers, Gypsy Moon, and Evanoff are just a fraction of the MUST SEE acts at this years Gem and Jam. If at any point over the past couple months, or year you’ve considered going to Gem and Jam, pull the trigger and come boogie down in the beauteous nature that Tucson has to offer. I promise you this year is not a year to skip out on, so get ready, put on your party-pants, and see you in Tucson!
Tickets: http://gemandjamfestival.ticketfly.com/
More info at http://gemandjamfestival.com/
Slovenian DJ/Producer Gramatik is at the top of the list, headlining Saturday night, February 4th. Bringing a unique flavor of electronic-fused music to the festival, Gramatik is accompanied by a live guitar player while DJ’ing. He’s built a large and loyal fan-base over the rise of the EDM movement, selling out shows all over the world and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser in the desert this year.
Coming off an unbelievable 15-show fall tour, Mike Gordon of the hard-hitting rock band Phish, will headline Friday night, February 3rd, with the freshest and tightest lineup he’s had with his side-project since its original formation. Longtime members Scott Murawski and Craig Myers still hold down guitar and percussion duties respectively, and with the addition of Robert Walter and John Kimock over the past couple of years, fans are surely in for a treat that will not be forgotten in the land of the cacti.
The final night, Sunday, February 5th, is stacked to the brim with some of the hottest artists in the scene, leaving it difficult for any Gem and Jam attendees to leave with anything but a monstrous smile from cheek to cheek. Switching between two main stages all weekend, Sunday night will host the likes of Steve Kimock & Friends, The Motet, The New Deal, and a very special late-night set to wrap up the festival, ending with a Grateful Dead tribute set. Steve Kimock, father of Mike Gordon’s drummer John, will lead the Dead tribute alongside Dead and Company keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, Bobby Vega, various members of The Motet, and a slew of even more mind boggling musicians.
It’s unbelievable that there are so many other artists not yet mentioned; Lotus, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Trancident (Michael Kang, Kyle Hollingsworth, Michael Travis and Jason Hann of the String Cheese Incident), G. Jones, Opiuo, The Kitchen Dwellers, Gypsy Moon, and Evanoff are just a fraction of the MUST SEE acts at this years Gem and Jam. If at any point over the past couple months, or year you’ve considered going to Gem and Jam, pull the trigger and come boogie down in the beauteous nature that Tucson has to offer. I promise you this year is not a year to skip out on, so get ready, put on your party-pants, and see you in Tucson!
Tickets: http://gemandjamfestival.ticketfly.com/
More info at http://gemandjamfestival.com/
TAUK with Lettuce at TLA Philly 1/5
words: Christopher Snyder | Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
Philadelphia became super funky last Thursday evening. The Theatre Of Living Arts on South Street hosted Brooklyn funk powerhouse, Lettuce with special guests, TAUK. Gaining momentum in the jamband circuit over the past year the New York based foursome, TAUK Led by guitarist Matt Jalbert, the group treated the City Of Brotherly Love with a nine song opening set. “Afro-Tonic” along with “Rainwalk”, got the early concert goers groovin’ to their instrumental sounds. You could tell right off the bat that the band was feeling it, as bassist Charlie Dolan, and keyboardist Alric “A.C. Carter, showcased their talents and took the New York natives to the next level throughout their opening slot. Isaac Teel, kept the band on point, with his unique drumming technique. Highlighting the group’s opening slot was the Led Zeppelin classic number, “No Quarter”.
Lettuce, is known for their high energy shows and engaging the crowds from the first note. Hitting the road on their “Mt. Crushmore” tour, the band brought their funky grooves to South Street on Thursday night. Guitarist, Adam Smirnoff and bassist Erick 'Jesus' Coomes were firing on all cylinders early on in the set during the tunes, “Reunion” and “Double Header”. Standing side stage were the infamous brass section of Ryan Zoidis (saxophone) along with his counterpart Eric Bloom (trumpet). The two shined like the mid-day sun, showcasing their talents on their respective instruments throughout the night. Adam Deitch, for all drummers in the audience is always a thrill to experience. He takes a normal beat, and brings life to it with his ghost notes and smooth groove. Two highlights of the set included, “116th Street” along with the Tears For Fears tune, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”, sung by keyboardist, Nigel Hall, sporting a Philadelphia Phillies hat and jersey. Taking the capacity crowd to new heights were tunes, “Lett Bobby” and “Get Greazy”. Closing out the evening everyone was feelin’ a little extra funky during “Slap”. On Thursday evening Lettuce and TAUK made Philadelphia, “Funkadelphia”. You could feel the energy resonating throughout the venue as the bands were very appreciative of the response they got from the City Of Brotherly Love.
Lettuce, is known for their high energy shows and engaging the crowds from the first note. Hitting the road on their “Mt. Crushmore” tour, the band brought their funky grooves to South Street on Thursday night. Guitarist, Adam Smirnoff and bassist Erick 'Jesus' Coomes were firing on all cylinders early on in the set during the tunes, “Reunion” and “Double Header”. Standing side stage were the infamous brass section of Ryan Zoidis (saxophone) along with his counterpart Eric Bloom (trumpet). The two shined like the mid-day sun, showcasing their talents on their respective instruments throughout the night. Adam Deitch, for all drummers in the audience is always a thrill to experience. He takes a normal beat, and brings life to it with his ghost notes and smooth groove. Two highlights of the set included, “116th Street” along with the Tears For Fears tune, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”, sung by keyboardist, Nigel Hall, sporting a Philadelphia Phillies hat and jersey. Taking the capacity crowd to new heights were tunes, “Lett Bobby” and “Get Greazy”. Closing out the evening everyone was feelin’ a little extra funky during “Slap”. On Thursday evening Lettuce and TAUK made Philadelphia, “Funkadelphia”. You could feel the energy resonating throughout the venue as the bands were very appreciative of the response they got from the City Of Brotherly Love.
Phish at Madison Square Garden
12/29-12/31
Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
Consider The Source with Tweed at Ardmore Music Hall 12/1
Words: Sean Sabo | Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
We have now rolled into December, the final month of an interesting 2016, with yet another great show at the Ardmore Music Hall. Billed as two sets by Consider the Source (hereafter CTS) with local stalwarts Tweed as “openers,” the show was actually much more intricate. That is because CTS opened the show with a set of ALL Radiohead covers, followed by a set from Tweed, then the night was anchored by a raucous set of original material by CTS.
As only an occasional Radiohead fan, CTS actually energized my enthusiasm in returning to the English band’s back catalog. Beginning the show with the classic “Paranoid Android”, CTS showed the audience this wasn’t going to be your typical cover set as the band put their unique stamp of self-described “Sci-Fi Middle Eastern Fusion” into these rock songs. Gabriel Marin (on fret-less double-neck guitar) quickly brought the heat early and often. The band then played "2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.)" and the hard-hitting (and slapping) notes of bassist John Ferrara were on full display. I appreciate a good bass/drum tandem to anchor any band, and both Ferrara and drummer Jeff Mann are on another level. The song “Reckoner” from the album In Rainbows followed and saw Ferrara taking a seat, literally, to use an additional instrument, something akin to a foot-pedal organ, to add to the song before the band brought the tune to a blistering end. Next up was the first track off Amnesiac, “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box”, on which Marin employed a Tanbūr instead of his normal double-neck guitar. The song began slow and methodical before working up to a tempestuous, jammy end. Mann on the drums brought the beat and the heat to the tunes, leading to many in the audience getting a groove on. For the next song, “Backdrifts”, Ferrara played the song using a Mezzo SlapStick to add another interesting and unique CTS touch. Ferrara then performed solo for a song before the band rejoined to finish the set with “15 Steps” and “Exit Music (for a Film)”, the latter of which saw Mann come from behind the kit to perform on acoustic guitar at the beginning and end of the song, while the middle section built to a crescendo. The band left the stage to make way for Tweed, but the surely left the audience in awe for the hour of well-played and innovative renditions of Radiohead tunes.
As only an occasional Radiohead fan, CTS actually energized my enthusiasm in returning to the English band’s back catalog. Beginning the show with the classic “Paranoid Android”, CTS showed the audience this wasn’t going to be your typical cover set as the band put their unique stamp of self-described “Sci-Fi Middle Eastern Fusion” into these rock songs. Gabriel Marin (on fret-less double-neck guitar) quickly brought the heat early and often. The band then played "2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.)" and the hard-hitting (and slapping) notes of bassist John Ferrara were on full display. I appreciate a good bass/drum tandem to anchor any band, and both Ferrara and drummer Jeff Mann are on another level. The song “Reckoner” from the album In Rainbows followed and saw Ferrara taking a seat, literally, to use an additional instrument, something akin to a foot-pedal organ, to add to the song before the band brought the tune to a blistering end. Next up was the first track off Amnesiac, “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box”, on which Marin employed a Tanbūr instead of his normal double-neck guitar. The song began slow and methodical before working up to a tempestuous, jammy end. Mann on the drums brought the beat and the heat to the tunes, leading to many in the audience getting a groove on. For the next song, “Backdrifts”, Ferrara played the song using a Mezzo SlapStick to add another interesting and unique CTS touch. Ferrara then performed solo for a song before the band rejoined to finish the set with “15 Steps” and “Exit Music (for a Film)”, the latter of which saw Mann come from behind the kit to perform on acoustic guitar at the beginning and end of the song, while the middle section built to a crescendo. The band left the stage to make way for Tweed, but the surely left the audience in awe for the hour of well-played and innovative renditions of Radiohead tunes.
Up next were Philly locals (by way of the University of Delaware), Tweed. The jamtronica band started their set with “RLWRLD”, with synth-vocals from Jon Tomczak (keys, vocals). Dan McDonald (bass) brought the beat in along with Joe Vela (drums) and they got the audience grooving along quite easily to begin the set. Next up was a song called “Sweet”, I believe, which had Tomczak really laying down a groove on keys. “Don’t Be That Guy” was up next and saw AJ DiBiase (guitar, vocals) riffing on some funny phrases for people not to “be that guy”. The jam then got pretty spacey and groovy before ending with a reprise of the lyrics. Tweed then played Loup-Garou before ending their set with cover of the a-ha classic “Take on Me”. It was obvious that the band had some dedicated fans in the audience who didn’t want them to leave the stage, but Tweed delivered a great hour-long middle set and made way for CTS to return for their second batch of songs.
CTS started off their reappearance with “Aquarians” by slowly getting the crowds attention before they revved it up hard to start the last batch of music for the night. The incredible 10-minute song get some heads banging at the ending. The trio of songs “Wandering Bear”, “( | )” (not a song name, more of a hand gesture),and “This Dubious Honor” were up next, with the latter having a sweet, thoughtful start before Marin utilized his guitar pedals to coax out vibraphone-like notes from his axe. “Do Not Shrink Me Gypsy” and “White People Problems”, which included a great drum solo from Mann, anchored by Ferrara, before Marina and Ferrara did some music jousting that eventually led to them both letting loose. Beginning with some ambient ad-libbing, CTS launched into one of their oldest songs, “Abdiel”. Mann, on synth drum kit, and Ferrara then laid out some rhythm beats before they ended the song with heat.
The band ended the night first with Ferrara performing solo for a few minutes in a brilliant technical display before Mann and Marin returned to the stage to rock out the waning minutes of their set, evidenced by Marin now hair-out and ready to rock (he typically wears a kippah for CTS shows). After nearly an hour and a half, the band thanked the audience and had them participate in the “mannequin challenge”, hoping to best their buddies in the band TAUK, who they would be playing with on Saturday night in Lancaster, PA. Having seen the band a year ago for the first time at Ardmore with Out of the Beardspace, I can now say, after this show, that I will unequivocally go to see them anytime they are in the Philadelphia area. And you should too! It is quite the experience.
Mike Gordon at Union Transfer Philadelphia 11/28/2016
words: Christopher Snyder | Photos: Ron Adelberg & Alex Buschiazzo
Phish bassist Mike Gordon brought his own band to Philadelphia's Union Transfer on Monday night, a usual stop on his east coast tour comprised of a quintet that Gordon assembled three years ago for the fifteen date tour and features some of the most versatile musicians in the scene today: Robert Walter (Keyboardist/Robert Walter’s 20th Congress), Scott Murawski (Guitarist/Max Creek), Craig Myers (Percussion/Rubblebucket), John Kimock (Drums/JMMY)
Lots of familiar faces filled in to Union Transfer as Gordon, or Cactus as long-time Phish fans know him by, started into the head-bopping “Say Something”, co-written with Murawski. Word has it that Mike is not too fond of the nickname, "Cactus", but even Phish bandmate Trey Anastasio calls him that from time to time on stage and Gordon seems past the stage of battling the given name. The beauty of attending Mike Gordon Band shows is that you get to hear tunes that may rarely be in the Phish catalog (“Say Something” has been played twice by Phish). As the set progressed with a strong version of “Daisy Hill Grove” and the versatile new song “Check Your Pepper”, you could tell that the group were finding their groove and gelling with another. Gordon told a quick story about longtime friend and Phish lyricist Tom Marshall, who also was in attendance for the show, with one word “SPUNK”. The word seemed to ring throughout the show and also got morphed into the word 'SKUNK'. Word play is something Mike has always been fond of, a common connection with the lyricist, Marhsall.
Lots of familiar faces filled in to Union Transfer as Gordon, or Cactus as long-time Phish fans know him by, started into the head-bopping “Say Something”, co-written with Murawski. Word has it that Mike is not too fond of the nickname, "Cactus", but even Phish bandmate Trey Anastasio calls him that from time to time on stage and Gordon seems past the stage of battling the given name. The beauty of attending Mike Gordon Band shows is that you get to hear tunes that may rarely be in the Phish catalog (“Say Something” has been played twice by Phish). As the set progressed with a strong version of “Daisy Hill Grove” and the versatile new song “Check Your Pepper”, you could tell that the group were finding their groove and gelling with another. Gordon told a quick story about longtime friend and Phish lyricist Tom Marshall, who also was in attendance for the show, with one word “SPUNK”. The word seemed to ring throughout the show and also got morphed into the word 'SKUNK'. Word play is something Mike has always been fond of, a common connection with the lyricist, Marhsall.
With Robert Walter’s driving keyboard work along with Murawski’s roaring guitar solos, the show was shaping up to be a musicians dream. Craig Myers led the way with his percussion expertise throughout the set, as John Kimock, showed why years of experience behind the drumkit has made him one of the most unique drummers in the scene today. Closing the first half of the performance was a powerful version of “Crazy Sometimes”, featuring a few “ Purple Haze” teases by the legendary bassist and guitarist.
Second set brought the energy and that was apparent in the opening number “Ether”, off of Gordon’s 2014 album “ Overstep”. The band and audience were all smiles, as the highlight of the second set “Susskind Hotel --> Mother's Song --> Susskind Hotel”, which gave an opportunity for all of the musicians to showcase their skills on their respective instruments. As the night came to a close with fan favorite “Spock’s Brain" and a newer song performed by Phish this past summer, "Let’s Go”, it was evident that Mike Gordon along with his crew made a great impression on the Philadelphia fans - the energy in the room had literally quadrupled in two hours.
After the Tuesday visit to DC's Lincoln Theatre and a stop tonight down to Asheville's Orange Peel, Mike and crew will play the Nashville Cannery Ballroom on Friday. The band are then off to Atlanta to the Variety Playhouse, circling back north after a few days off for three sold out nights in Cambridge, MA at The Sinclair, 12/9-11, to end the tour.
Mike Gordon will appear next with Phish at Madison Square Garden for their traditional (and somewhat annual) four-day New Years run in New York City on December 28-31. Mike and Phish will then make their second consecutive visit to the Barcelo Riviera Maya Deluxe Resort where they will host three days of music on the sunny Mexican beach by the ocean, January 15-17. (more at http://phishrivieramaya.com)
Second set brought the energy and that was apparent in the opening number “Ether”, off of Gordon’s 2014 album “ Overstep”. The band and audience were all smiles, as the highlight of the second set “Susskind Hotel --> Mother's Song --> Susskind Hotel”, which gave an opportunity for all of the musicians to showcase their skills on their respective instruments. As the night came to a close with fan favorite “Spock’s Brain" and a newer song performed by Phish this past summer, "Let’s Go”, it was evident that Mike Gordon along with his crew made a great impression on the Philadelphia fans - the energy in the room had literally quadrupled in two hours.
After the Tuesday visit to DC's Lincoln Theatre and a stop tonight down to Asheville's Orange Peel, Mike and crew will play the Nashville Cannery Ballroom on Friday. The band are then off to Atlanta to the Variety Playhouse, circling back north after a few days off for three sold out nights in Cambridge, MA at The Sinclair, 12/9-11, to end the tour.
Mike Gordon will appear next with Phish at Madison Square Garden for their traditional (and somewhat annual) four-day New Years run in New York City on December 28-31. Mike and Phish will then make their second consecutive visit to the Barcelo Riviera Maya Deluxe Resort where they will host three days of music on the sunny Mexican beach by the ocean, January 15-17. (more at http://phishrivieramaya.com)
Joe Russo's Almost Dead at Fillmore Philly 11/26
words: Christopher Snyder | Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
On Saturday evening, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead were welcomed with open arms to a sold out crowd at The Fillmore Philadelphia. As the band hit the stage around quarter after nine, fans noticed that there was new face in the group, bassist Jon Shaw who has shared his talents with Cass McCombs and Shakey Graves, along with WOLF! with guitarist Scott Metzger. Shaw sat in for the evening for Dave Dreiwitz, who was performing with Ween at The Capitol Theatre for the weekend. The show opening flowed nicely into a classic rendition of “Cumberland Blues” that got the capacity crowd grooving, and featured Russo banging away effortlessly on the kit. The band was firing on all cylinders during the song as everyone chimed in on vocals.
Tom Hamilton (American Babies) and Scott Metzger (WOLF!) have been in the scene for a number of years together and are like peanut butter and jelly basically. One of the most popular Grateful Dead tunes, “Casey Jones”, segued straight into an upbeat “Mr. Charlie”, with Metzger taking the lead on vocals. Marco Benevento showcased his virtuosic keyboard skills with a fantastic solo that featured teases from The Beatles and Radiohead, “Dear Prudence” and “Everything In It's Right Place", respectively. Bringing the eighty five minute first set to a close was an epic “Morning Dew”, featuring a rip roaring solo by the Philadelphia native, Hamilton.
Tom Hamilton (American Babies) and Scott Metzger (WOLF!) have been in the scene for a number of years together and are like peanut butter and jelly basically. One of the most popular Grateful Dead tunes, “Casey Jones”, segued straight into an upbeat “Mr. Charlie”, with Metzger taking the lead on vocals. Marco Benevento showcased his virtuosic keyboard skills with a fantastic solo that featured teases from The Beatles and Radiohead, “Dear Prudence” and “Everything In It's Right Place", respectively. Bringing the eighty five minute first set to a close was an epic “Morning Dew”, featuring a rip roaring solo by the Philadelphia native, Hamilton.
As the lights went down on The Fillmore, the supergroup you crowd feel the energy in the room with the opening notes of “Feel Like A Stranger” (Metzger vocals) transitioning smoothly into the ending of “Slipknot!” and a long version of “Franklin's Tower”. At this point in the evening you could tell the band were smiles, enjoying each others company, and flowing beautifully with the music. The surprise of the evening came when JRAD deviated from their normal Grateful Dead material and performed instrumental rendition of “Myxomatosis Jam” (Radiohead). In typical fashion, “the music never stopped”, on Saturday Evening. Pulling out some of the classics, “Eyes Of The World” and “Playin’ In The Band”, is where all band members took the time to shine as individual musicians. The group left their a lasting impression on The Fillmore, encoring with “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad ---> We Bid You Goodnight.”
Led by Russo on drums, along with his friends (Benevento/Metzger/Hamilton/Shaw) JRAD proved to The City Of Brotherly Love that 50+ years later the Grateful Dead’s music is as influential today as it ever has been.
Check out the photos below and video for 'Playing In The band'
Led by Russo on drums, along with his friends (Benevento/Metzger/Hamilton/Shaw) JRAD proved to The City Of Brotherly Love that 50+ years later the Grateful Dead’s music is as influential today as it ever has been.
Check out the photos below and video for 'Playing In The band'
Darla Rolls The Dice at Boot & Saddle with Special Guest Nik Greeley & The Operators 11/16
Boot and Saddle hosted Darla's album release party for 'Darla Rolls The Dice', an album chock full of 'basement blender funk' as they call it and feel good vibes that put a pep in your step. Don't miss them next month at Phil Nicolo's Eve of Deconstruction. Grammy Winning producer and Philly native, Phil Nicolo, has some surprises for us at World Cafe Live on 12/31 in University City.
Nicolo states, "I’m going to take some of the greatest rock songs ever recorded from The Beatles, Led Zepp, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix and others. Break them down to their individual parts by isolating the instrument and vocal tracks that actually make up the song. You’ll be able to hear for the first time what the artist heard while in the recording studio. Details in the music you never heard before." Tickets for the World Cafe Live event with Darla can be found here: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1382397
Darla is: Mike Morrongiello, Richie Straub, Alex Marino, Kosta Johnson, Dave Bartler, Brendan Monahan, Wil Schade, and Jake Held
Nicolo states, "I’m going to take some of the greatest rock songs ever recorded from The Beatles, Led Zepp, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix and others. Break them down to their individual parts by isolating the instrument and vocal tracks that actually make up the song. You’ll be able to hear for the first time what the artist heard while in the recording studio. Details in the music you never heard before." Tickets for the World Cafe Live event with Darla can be found here: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1382397
Darla is: Mike Morrongiello, Richie Straub, Alex Marino, Kosta Johnson, Dave Bartler, Brendan Monahan, Wil Schade, and Jake Held
Sound Tribe Sector 9 at Fillmore Philly 11/11
by Sean Sabo
Sound Tribe Sector 9 (known perhaps better by their acronym STS9) touches down this Friday at the Fillmore in Philadelphia looking to continue the band’s fall tour in support of their newly released album The Universe Inside. With a couple of days left in the Northeast this week before heading out West to finish off the year, STS9 brings its own brand of danceable jam-tronic sound scapes to an area already familiar to such sonic scenes, thanks to local favorites The Disco Biscuits and Lotus. However, STS9 brings a different approach to their own live shows in which they look to anchor their songs base structures with philosophy of full-band jamming exploration (as opposed to single member-focused soloing).
The band is highlighting material from its first studio album in close to a decade and first with Alana Rocklin on bass after she joined the band in 2014. Included among the dozen tracks are tour staples that includes “Totem,” “World Go Round,” and “New Dawn, New Day.” Overall, the album draws heavy inspiration from the launch of Voyagers 1 and 2 space probes that blasted into space nearly 30 years ago. The missions for the Voyager probes, once their primary purpose of inspecting planets in our own solar system, was to cross the heliopause and become the first spacecrafts to enter interstellar space and study out into the deep void. Along for the ride were transmissions meant to be beamed out into the void of space with messages of information from our little planet Earth.And, as the band puts it, “[The Universe Inside] is an album about human identity and the magical truth of who we are, where we’re going, and our place in the Universe.” Truly some deep and interesting thoughts to ponder while enjoying the inevitable aural and ocular treats the band will be spilling from the stage this weekend in city of brotherly love.
The band is highlighting material from its first studio album in close to a decade and first with Alana Rocklin on bass after she joined the band in 2014. Included among the dozen tracks are tour staples that includes “Totem,” “World Go Round,” and “New Dawn, New Day.” Overall, the album draws heavy inspiration from the launch of Voyagers 1 and 2 space probes that blasted into space nearly 30 years ago. The missions for the Voyager probes, once their primary purpose of inspecting planets in our own solar system, was to cross the heliopause and become the first spacecrafts to enter interstellar space and study out into the deep void. Along for the ride were transmissions meant to be beamed out into the void of space with messages of information from our little planet Earth.And, as the band puts it, “[The Universe Inside] is an album about human identity and the magical truth of who we are, where we’re going, and our place in the Universe.” Truly some deep and interesting thoughts to ponder while enjoying the inevitable aural and ocular treats the band will be spilling from the stage this weekend in city of brotherly love.
Album Review: Paper Bird's self-titled album 'Paper Bird'
by Christopher Snyder
|
|
Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Paper Bird is a band that has been on the rise for a number of years now. Their latest, self-titled release, off of Thirty Tiger/Son Of Thunder Records, is a record, that will have listeners hooked on the first listen. The album is extra special for the group as they called upon legend, John Oates, to join them in the studio. The opening track “To The Light”, features a strong vocal performance by lead vocalist, Carleigh Aikins, showcasing her powerful voice. To the listener, this song rings true in life sometimes with the lyrics: “The world is full of broken hearts. The world is full of hard times.” Let’s be honest, we’re all going to go through some hardships at some point, but we just need to keep looking “to the light”. The track is a testament of how Paper Bird’s dedication to their craft has brought them to where they are today. Lending his masterful skills on guitar, Paul DeHaven, shows off his craft, in the foreground of the opening number.
The hidden gem on this eleven track self-titled album is, “Heavy Road”. All three singers harmonies are “A+” on this number and the musicianship is top notch from all the musicians. Drummer, Mark Anderson, keeps a strong background beat on Aikins and vocalist Genevieve Patterson, harmonize flawlessly on, “Don't Want Half”. The six-piece displays their wide range of influences with, “The Run”, DeHaven’s down and dirty guitar work compliments Caleb Summeril’s thumping bass lines well as vocalist, Sarah Anderson, along with her counterparts, Patterson and Aikins, display why three vocalists are a perfect fit for the group. “Waiting For You”, closes out the Colorado based, quintet's best release to date.
This record shows that hard work, and a passion for the music is what takes a group, like Paper Bird, to the next level in their musical endeavors. The self titled album is one that will have waiting patiently from their next release
The hidden gem on this eleven track self-titled album is, “Heavy Road”. All three singers harmonies are “A+” on this number and the musicianship is top notch from all the musicians. Drummer, Mark Anderson, keeps a strong background beat on Aikins and vocalist Genevieve Patterson, harmonize flawlessly on, “Don't Want Half”. The six-piece displays their wide range of influences with, “The Run”, DeHaven’s down and dirty guitar work compliments Caleb Summeril’s thumping bass lines well as vocalist, Sarah Anderson, along with her counterparts, Patterson and Aikins, display why three vocalists are a perfect fit for the group. “Waiting For You”, closes out the Colorado based, quintet's best release to date.
This record shows that hard work, and a passion for the music is what takes a group, like Paper Bird, to the next level in their musical endeavors. The self titled album is one that will have waiting patiently from their next release
Umphrey's McGee takes Philadelphia: Night 3
10/22/2016
Words: Steven Vickner | Photos & Vids: Alex Buschiazzo
The team at 215Music would like to take a moment to say thank you to Umphrey’s McGee, band and crew, for inviting us to come out and hang at the Fillmore for three nights of guitar shredding, dance and rawk! We had a blast documenting the three nights from every angle in the venue as Mr. Waful lit the chandelier-filled room as only he can do. It was a pleasure meeting everyone and we wish you all a great Fall run.
For those of you we met along the way at the venue or interacted with on social media, thank you for helping to contribute to the good vibes. The band stretched their catalog of originals and covers, delivering more than a handful of tasty jams. To top it off, the band got to celebrate their Chicago Cubs World Series clincher during the set break of night three. If you have not heard the shows yet then you missed highlights such as: 16-minute “Ringo”, with an extended “Jessica” jam; “In the Kitchen”, with Marc Brownstein on bass; 5-song acoustic segment; and a return of the Nine Inch Nails song “Wish”, played for only the second time ever. Like with most good live music shows, someone was wise enough to record the all of this and you can find that here.
Umphrey’s McGee returns to the Philadelphia area on January 22 at the absolutely gorgeous Penn’s Peak venue in Jim Thorpe, PA. We hope to see you at the next show and look forward to more Philly #umphlove in the near future. Be sure to follow/like us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for real-time updates and photos of the bands you care about most, here in the greater Philly area.
Umphrey’s McGee returns to the Philadelphia area on January 22 at the absolutely gorgeous Penn’s Peak venue in Jim Thorpe, PA. We hope to see you at the next show and look forward to more Philly #umphlove in the near future. Be sure to follow/like us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for real-time updates and photos of the bands you care about most, here in the greater Philly area.
Luna Light Music and Arts Festival 2016 - October 13-16
Camp Ramblewood
Festival season isn't over, apparently. The third annual Luna Light Music and Arts Festival tails things off in Darlington, MD next weekend, boasting a beefy lineup of musicians and featuring a myriad of arts, performing artists, crafts and activities. 215music will be there capturing the action with British composer and producer Dave 'Tipper' headlining the party with the promising and awaited collaboration of John Medeski, Billy Martin, Marco Benevento and Joey Russo who will no doubt form as Voltron on Sunday night to destroy all in their path (no, that's not their stage name...yet?) Joining the crew are seasoned jam acts like The New Deal, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Pink Talking Fish along with Electron and Dopapod, who both delivered excellent sets up at Catskill Chill 2016 two weeks ago.
TIPPER
Electron at Catskill Chill 2016
Dopapod at Catskill Chill 2016
|
Scrambled Greg from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at Disc Jam 2016
Joe Russo at Peach Music Festival 2016
Tom Hamilton at Live From The Lot 2016
|
Luna Light Festival Grounds
Luna Light Fest Musical Artists
We'll be sure to see a good mix of collaboration at Luna Light Festival, with Medeski and Martin pairing up again as MAGO, and from CIA with Particle bassist Clay Parnell, Ian McGuire and drummer for the Disco Biscuits, Allen Aucoin. American Babies, Tweed, Muscle Tough, Flux Capacitor, Sexy Black Female, Grimace Federation, Manifested, Wax Future, Ichisan, Architekt and Risky Disko will all be in attendance representing our great city of Philly, with Nashville's Zoogma, Albany's Mister F, Boston's Wobblesauce, Indobox and Grateful Dead tribute, Bearly Dead. Hailing from New York City and Brooklyn are Teddy Midnight, Horizon Wireless and the sometimes-seen-on-phish-lot, In Flux. The duo of Bells & Robes bring a live electronic element from Atlanta with Of The Trees coming in from Portland as well as Need & Necessity with some deep cuts from Denver. As you can tell there is a great geographic musical mix with a focus on some of the Philly artists who have us even more excited for this festival.
Joining Luna Light Festival with wandering sit-in mentalities are Marco Benevento, Holly Bowling and the Snarky Horns: Chris Bullock, Mike Maher and Justin Stanton from the Grammy award winning Snarky Puppy family. A popular theme at many festivals this summer was the roving/roaming/artist-at-large which always makes sit-ins and collaborations fun. One thing we know for sure, horns always makes it better! Luna will be held at Camp Ramblewood in Darlington, Maryland on October 13th - 16th with some returning Luna veterans and some new acts to the lineup. Stay with us on social media to keep up on the action next week at the 2016 Luna Light Festival.
More info at: lunalightfestival.com
Joining Luna Light Festival with wandering sit-in mentalities are Marco Benevento, Holly Bowling and the Snarky Horns: Chris Bullock, Mike Maher and Justin Stanton from the Grammy award winning Snarky Puppy family. A popular theme at many festivals this summer was the roving/roaming/artist-at-large which always makes sit-ins and collaborations fun. One thing we know for sure, horns always makes it better! Luna will be held at Camp Ramblewood in Darlington, Maryland on October 13th - 16th with some returning Luna veterans and some new acts to the lineup. Stay with us on social media to keep up on the action next week at the 2016 Luna Light Festival.
More info at: lunalightfestival.com
Catskill Chill 2016 - Lakewood, PA 9/23-9/25
Mike Gordon, Cabinet, Keller Williams, Turkuaz, Dopapod, Particle, Lettuce, Electron, Greensky Bluegrass, Perpetual Groove, Ryan, Dopapod/Turkuaz, Roosevelt Collier's NY Getdown, The Nth Power, Michelangelo's Sunday Sauce, Elise Testone & The ChillFam Allstars, Danny Mayer, Formula 5, Ryan Montbleau, The Main Squeeze, Animal Reporters, Breakneck Boys
photos/videos: Alex Buschiazzo
photos/videos: Alex Buschiazzo
|
|
Assembly of Dust at Ardmore Music Hall 9/9/2016
words: Christopher Snyder | photos: D-Lo with Jambandlotshirts.com
The 23 East Lancaster Avenue location of The Ardmore Location has been host of live music for over thirty five years (also named 23 East Cabaret & Brownie’s 23 East in the past). Last Friday evening, folk/Americana veterans, Assembly Of Dust, headlined the venue, nestled right outside of Philadelphia.
The beauty of years of experience in the live setting is that the group is able to mix up the setlists every night. “Valhalla”, kicked off the evening, with led vocalist, Reid Genauer, taking the forefront on the number that has gained popularity with longtime Assembly Of Dust fans. Adam Terrell showed why he ranks up as one of the top tier guitarists in the scene today during the rock-n- roll tune, “Fountain” as well as “Arkansas Down”, off their latest studio effort, “Sun Shot “. Genauer describes the quintet as “face-melting folk rock”. This was spot on during Friday night’s performance. Multi-instrumentalist Jason Crosby showcased his violin as well keyboard skills on “Amplified Messiah”. John Leccese (bass) and Dave Diamond (drums) rounded out the group, adding a nice backbeat on their respective instruments throughout the set. You could feel the electricity in the room as the band led the crowd in The Beatles number, “Don’t Let Me Down”, penned by John Lennon & Paul McCartney.
Assembly Of Dust is a band, that has,stayed true to their roots over the years. Their intricate songwriting and energetic live shows keeps fans coming back for more.
The beauty of years of experience in the live setting is that the group is able to mix up the setlists every night. “Valhalla”, kicked off the evening, with led vocalist, Reid Genauer, taking the forefront on the number that has gained popularity with longtime Assembly Of Dust fans. Adam Terrell showed why he ranks up as one of the top tier guitarists in the scene today during the rock-n- roll tune, “Fountain” as well as “Arkansas Down”, off their latest studio effort, “Sun Shot “. Genauer describes the quintet as “face-melting folk rock”. This was spot on during Friday night’s performance. Multi-instrumentalist Jason Crosby showcased his violin as well keyboard skills on “Amplified Messiah”. John Leccese (bass) and Dave Diamond (drums) rounded out the group, adding a nice backbeat on their respective instruments throughout the set. You could feel the electricity in the room as the band led the crowd in The Beatles number, “Don’t Let Me Down”, penned by John Lennon & Paul McCartney.
Assembly Of Dust is a band, that has,stayed true to their roots over the years. Their intricate songwriting and energetic live shows keeps fans coming back for more.
Phish at Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Commerce City, CO
9/2-9/4 Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
The Claypool Lennon Delirium with Marco Benevento
Fillmore Philly 8/31/2016
2016 Xponential Music Festival at Wiggins Park & BB&T Pavillion 7/22 to 7/24
Click here to see the full photo recap from the weekend
Jane's Addiction at The Fillmore Philly 7/20/2016
words and photos by friend and guest writer @samishoshi
I am to concert reviews as Melania Trump is to RNC speeches. This is my first attempt, I don't speak the language, and I am entering personally un-chartered waters. So please forgive me if I echo the sentiment and form of those who have come before me (I am lookin’ at you Michelle Obama and @TheVic.) Let me set the scene—its 10:45PM on a Wednesday night at The Fillmore in Philadelphia. Both Living Colour and Dinosaur, Jr. have already performed, and the main floor of the venue is jam-packed with excited 40-somethings eagerly waiting for the main act which is a band that they loved as high school seniors back in the early 90s. They likely saw this band at the 1st Lollapalooza 25 years ago—Señores and Señoras....JUANAS ADDICCION!!!!
The crowd is primarily male, heavily tattooed, and rowdy. Spaces up front are hard to come by, but my tenacity for always getting as close as I possibly can overrides the dirty looks and shoves I receive as I make my way up. I find a spot front and center next to 2 very large gentlemen who immediately prove to be excellent pit-mates and it looks like they are willing and able to protect me if things get weird. We are smushed together like sardines. Literally, no one is leaving.
I count myself firmly within the predominate fan demographic, with a few minor exceptions. I am forty-ish. I am thrilled to be at the Fillmore, a fantastic new (ish) venue in my hometown to see one of my top-5-of-all-time bands, AND I am feeling quite rowdy myself! However, I am a 5'1 female, sans tattoos (that whole “Jewish cemetery thing”-thanks Mom) and I have never before seen Janes Addiction live in my life. Just before the lights go out, one of my superb pit-mates turns to me and asks, "are you a Perry Farrell or Dave Navarro kind of girl?” My answer will change multiple times over the course of the night...
Ok, so it's ON! The crowd absolutely freaks when the boys, looking surprisingly fresh, fit, and delicious, storm the stage and give us “Stop.” (Note: This has been the opener of every show so far on the 2016 Sterling Spoon tour, which marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Ritual de lo Habitual and the 1st Lollapalooza.) Perry looks sharp, if a little Beetlejuice-esque, and Dave is smoking hot in all his tattooed, nipple-pierced, winged-eyeliner glory. Lots of eye contact, smiles, and “what’s up” head nods make for an instant connection between artist and fan right out of the gate, and I feel sure that whatever is in store, we are all going to be in this together.
The crowd is primarily male, heavily tattooed, and rowdy. Spaces up front are hard to come by, but my tenacity for always getting as close as I possibly can overrides the dirty looks and shoves I receive as I make my way up. I find a spot front and center next to 2 very large gentlemen who immediately prove to be excellent pit-mates and it looks like they are willing and able to protect me if things get weird. We are smushed together like sardines. Literally, no one is leaving.
I count myself firmly within the predominate fan demographic, with a few minor exceptions. I am forty-ish. I am thrilled to be at the Fillmore, a fantastic new (ish) venue in my hometown to see one of my top-5-of-all-time bands, AND I am feeling quite rowdy myself! However, I am a 5'1 female, sans tattoos (that whole “Jewish cemetery thing”-thanks Mom) and I have never before seen Janes Addiction live in my life. Just before the lights go out, one of my superb pit-mates turns to me and asks, "are you a Perry Farrell or Dave Navarro kind of girl?” My answer will change multiple times over the course of the night...
Ok, so it's ON! The crowd absolutely freaks when the boys, looking surprisingly fresh, fit, and delicious, storm the stage and give us “Stop.” (Note: This has been the opener of every show so far on the 2016 Sterling Spoon tour, which marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Ritual de lo Habitual and the 1st Lollapalooza.) Perry looks sharp, if a little Beetlejuice-esque, and Dave is smoking hot in all his tattooed, nipple-pierced, winged-eyeliner glory. Lots of eye contact, smiles, and “what’s up” head nods make for an instant connection between artist and fan right out of the gate, and I feel sure that whatever is in store, we are all going to be in this together.
Perry Farrell
|
Dave Navarro
|
Insert extremely scantily-dressed, insanely hot dancing girls to the mix (including Perry’s sexy as hell wife, Etty Lau) and now we’ve got ourselves a party. As an avid live-music-goer, primarily of the jam band variety, I am used to dancing my face off at shows, surrendering to the flow, and entering a sort of hazy bliss. This is NOT the case tonight--I must keep my eye on the prize! In one instance, the prize is Etty Lau getting completely undressed, dancing on a chair naked, and then redressed by an adoring, nearly naked blonde hottie. I am thinking to myself that if I keep sending heady direct eye contact vibes to Dave, maybe I can get him fall in love with me. I'm focused and hyper alert. Instead of my normal dancing, I find myself gawking. Song after song, of which the crowd knows every word, the band keeps coming at us with excellent vocals by Perry, intense and sexy guitar-playing by Dave, and expert overall showmanship, thus keeping the crowd firmly engaged with what is happening on the stage at all times. It is more of a spectacle than a jam session, with extremely high entertainment value. Although this is my first rodeo of the sort, it quite certainly is not the band’s. Transitions between songs are short and tight, the burlesque dancers are talented, lustful, and perfectly choreographed, and there is a sense of confidence and sexiness that oozes from the boys that is making me want to be their bitch. Wait did I just say that?
So anywho, I mentioned earlier Perry looking a bit like Beetlejuice what with his straw hat, pin-striped pants, and a bit of a whitish, well-preserved face. The similarities to the Beetlejuice vibe continue. When the 2 bikini-clad girls rise above the crowd suspended to flying wires by their back piercings, yes you heard me right—back piercings, what unfolds before my eyes is right out of the waiting room scene from Beetlejuice, complete with tons of zany characters all trying to get noticed while waiting for their number to be called. And there is blood, people. Blood dripping down the backs of the maniacal-looking zeniths who are wriggling back and forth above me, hanging by their own skin. There are strippers slithering around everywhere like sexy weird animals stalking their prey. Sex is Violent…um, right? Although I appreciate the "nothing's shocking" approach to which the band is firmly committed, I am glad that the girls are being lowered, and this part of this show is over because TBH, I am starting to get a little skeeved out.
So anywho, I mentioned earlier Perry looking a bit like Beetlejuice what with his straw hat, pin-striped pants, and a bit of a whitish, well-preserved face. The similarities to the Beetlejuice vibe continue. When the 2 bikini-clad girls rise above the crowd suspended to flying wires by their back piercings, yes you heard me right—back piercings, what unfolds before my eyes is right out of the waiting room scene from Beetlejuice, complete with tons of zany characters all trying to get noticed while waiting for their number to be called. And there is blood, people. Blood dripping down the backs of the maniacal-looking zeniths who are wriggling back and forth above me, hanging by their own skin. There are strippers slithering around everywhere like sexy weird animals stalking their prey. Sex is Violent…um, right? Although I appreciate the "nothing's shocking" approach to which the band is firmly committed, I am glad that the girls are being lowered, and this part of this show is over because TBH, I am starting to get a little skeeved out.
|
|
I am grateful for the change in vibe as Perry lights up a joint, a gift that he has received from a fan earlier in the night. He wonders aloud if it is “grown hydroponically, or in the great outdoors?” Who cares, if Perry is gonna light up right here, right now, so are we! Um, by “we” I mean everyone else….not necessarily me, per say, but the collective “we.” Right.
With Perry’s mellow vibe hydroponically situated, the stage is set for the last song of the evening. Drums are brought out to the front of the stage, the lights come up a bit, and Dave takes a well-deserved seat and puts his feet up. As soon as we hear the familiar melody of the steal drums and the gentle strumming of Dave's acoustic guitar, we know it's "Jane Says." Perry is so close to me during this song, physically and spiritually, that I'm fully convinced that if I reach out and caress his brow, he would take my hand.....Wow. Just wow.
As the lights come up and the crowd clears, I make my way back across the pit, nearly slipping multiple times on all the spilled beer and empty cups. I wonder what in the world did I just see? Does it get any better than this? How lucky am I to have gotten the chance to see one of my all-time favorite bands ever? And more importantly, how much will it hurt when I get my first tattoo? And my nipples pierced??
7/20/2016
Fillmore Philly
Philadelphia, PA
Setlist:
Stop, No One's Leaving, Aint No Right, Obvious, Been Caught Stealing, Three Days, Then She Did, Of Course, Classic Girl
Encore:
Mountain Song, Just Because, Ted, Just Admit it, Jane Says
With Perry’s mellow vibe hydroponically situated, the stage is set for the last song of the evening. Drums are brought out to the front of the stage, the lights come up a bit, and Dave takes a well-deserved seat and puts his feet up. As soon as we hear the familiar melody of the steal drums and the gentle strumming of Dave's acoustic guitar, we know it's "Jane Says." Perry is so close to me during this song, physically and spiritually, that I'm fully convinced that if I reach out and caress his brow, he would take my hand.....Wow. Just wow.
As the lights come up and the crowd clears, I make my way back across the pit, nearly slipping multiple times on all the spilled beer and empty cups. I wonder what in the world did I just see? Does it get any better than this? How lucky am I to have gotten the chance to see one of my all-time favorite bands ever? And more importantly, how much will it hurt when I get my first tattoo? And my nipples pierced??
7/20/2016
Fillmore Philly
Philadelphia, PA
Setlist:
Stop, No One's Leaving, Aint No Right, Obvious, Been Caught Stealing, Three Days, Then She Did, Of Course, Classic Girl
Encore:
Mountain Song, Just Because, Ted, Just Admit it, Jane Says
Beard Fest 2016 - Paradise Lakes Campground -Hammonton, NJ
Saturday June 18th: Consider The Source, Splintered Sunlight, Arc Iris, Muscle Tough, Out of The Beardspace, Darla, West Philadelphia Orchestra
Click Photo to see full Gallery from 6/18/2016
Click Photo to see full Gallery from 6/18/2016
CBDB with The Broadcast at Milkboy Philly 6/15/2016
Tuscaloosa's CBDB made a long trek north yesterday stopping in at Milkboy in Philadelphia on Chestnut St. for a powerful set of progressive jams and 'JoyFunk'. Funky bass tones were delivered from David Ray with Cy Simonton on the main vocals and guitatr, Kris Gottlieb shredding up solos and adding more flavor on vox. Glenn Dillard charmed us with Sax solos and spacey keyboard tones with drummer Paul Oliver gripping the sticks. These guys can jam and they want you to know it. They dive deep into it and definitely possess a certain tightness as a band. Watch the video below from last night. They stop at Gypsy Sally's in Washington D.C. on Friday 6/17 and make their way back up north to Port Chester NY at Garcia's after The Claypool Lennon Delirium at The Capitol Theatre on 6/18 and NYC's Mercury Lounge on Sunday 6/19.
More at cbdbmusic.com
More at cbdbmusic.com
The Broadcast
The Broadcast hails from Asheville, NC and possesses a soulful americana rock band sound fronted by vocalist Caitlin Krisko reminicent of the classic rock of the 70s. Their new album 'From The Horizon' releases Friday 6/17 and can be found at ilovethebroadcast.com. The upcoming release was produced by engineer and producer Jim Scott, who has worked with talented artists including Tedeschi Trucks Band, Dixie Chicks, Tom Petty, Sting, the Rolling Stones, Roger Daltrey, Crowded House, 7 Worlds Collide, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lowen & Navarro, Jack's Mannequin, Ron Sexsmith and many others. Their current tour continues today, Wednesday June 16th at American Beauty in NYC with Suitcase Junket then they bounce back down south for the remainder of their extensive tour including a stop at Gypsy Sally's in D.C. with CBDB, Wilmington, Richmond, Lexington, Charlotte, Greenville, Raleigh and Beverly West Virginia. In October the band makes their trip over the pond to Europe where they'll visit Belgium, France, Spain, Germany and The Netherlands.
Disc Jam 2016 video recap - Stephentown, NY
Artists featured: Electron, Dopapod, American Babies, Hayley Jane and the Primates, Kung Fu, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Space Bacon, Mister F, Funky Dawgz Brass Band, Teddy Midnight, Wobblesauce Wu Tang Clan's Capadonna, Panda Jam, Incus, Bearly Dead, Wyllys, Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band, Litz, Incus, Chromatropic,and Members of Turkuaz
The 6th annual Disc Jam Music and Arts Festival finished up this past weekend in Stephentown, NY with a lineup chock-full of Jam fun and despite a rainy Saturday morning the festival seemed to flow smoothly and continuously with mostly all acts performing on-time. Festival staff worked day and night to keep up with the needs and requests of artists, fans, and staff. A large number of food and crafts vendor were on site including a general store where fans could purchase items like ponchos, tent stakes, lighters, cigarettes, water bottles, blankets, candy, snacks and many other items you’d find yourself using at a camp-out festival. "If you forgot it...we brought it!" is the saying on the banner at the general store, which usually ends up to be true.
Arriving at Disc Jam late in the night we were primed and ready the next morning for a full day of music from Friday’s acts like Litz, Teddy Midnight, Bearly Dead, (performed both Friday and Saturday morning), Panda Jam, Chromatropic, Incus, Wobblesauce, Space Bacon, Hayley Jane and The Primates, Tom Hamilton’s American Babies, Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Kung Fu, and Wutang Clan’s Cappadona with sit ins by drummer Michelangelo Carruba and axe player Craig Brodhead from Turkuaz. Shira Elias joined Hayley Jane and The Primates along with the Turkuaz horn section treating the crowd to a fun and familiar David Bowie tribute set. On Saturday Bearly Dead brought all the Deadheads back to the Tent stage huddled away from the rain storm in the late morning where the group covered some of the familiar classics from the Grateful Dead. Boston’s Wobblesauce, Brookyln’s Space Bacon and Chromatropic also played afternoon sets on Friday, each putting on sets of their own unique blend of jam.
The 6th annual Disc Jam Music and Arts Festival finished up this past weekend in Stephentown, NY with a lineup chock-full of Jam fun and despite a rainy Saturday morning the festival seemed to flow smoothly and continuously with mostly all acts performing on-time. Festival staff worked day and night to keep up with the needs and requests of artists, fans, and staff. A large number of food and crafts vendor were on site including a general store where fans could purchase items like ponchos, tent stakes, lighters, cigarettes, water bottles, blankets, candy, snacks and many other items you’d find yourself using at a camp-out festival. "If you forgot it...we brought it!" is the saying on the banner at the general store, which usually ends up to be true.
Arriving at Disc Jam late in the night we were primed and ready the next morning for a full day of music from Friday’s acts like Litz, Teddy Midnight, Bearly Dead, (performed both Friday and Saturday morning), Panda Jam, Chromatropic, Incus, Wobblesauce, Space Bacon, Hayley Jane and The Primates, Tom Hamilton’s American Babies, Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Kung Fu, and Wutang Clan’s Cappadona with sit ins by drummer Michelangelo Carruba and axe player Craig Brodhead from Turkuaz. Shira Elias joined Hayley Jane and The Primates along with the Turkuaz horn section treating the crowd to a fun and familiar David Bowie tribute set. On Saturday Bearly Dead brought all the Deadheads back to the Tent stage huddled away from the rain storm in the late morning where the group covered some of the familiar classics from the Grateful Dead. Boston’s Wobblesauce, Brookyln’s Space Bacon and Chromatropic also played afternoon sets on Friday, each putting on sets of their own unique blend of jam.
I expected to be and found myself feeling a bit like a ping pong ball…popping back and forth between stages, but if you want to keep up - well, you’ve got to keep up! Luckily at this small festival the grounds were not on the massive scale and it was easy to get around from stage to stage and back to the central vending area. If one really needed to get to the local gas station it was directly up the road about 500 yards. Disc Golfers and Yogis milled around the festival campus with morning routines on the main field and in the woods before the music started. The Disc Jam grounds were also riddled with live painting artists, fire performers, hula-hoopers and the troupe of dancers called The Magnaterrestrials, a joyous bunch full of love and smiles and were a core part of this festival. One thing I noticed immediately is that there was plenty of vending and wares on site to keep you busy on Shakedown Street, or whatever they call it these days. As the evening set in, Kung Fu brought great energy to keep us going directly after Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, who finished up at 7pm. Just as the sun was going down I also got over to the Woods stage (the stage in the woods, duh. That's where DJs spun) to see our friend and fellow Philadelphian, Wyllys, who had those fest goers in the woods grooving out to dance music just before the headlining sets from Electron and Dopapod. Wyllys returned to the Woods stage at 3am for a late-night silent disco set.
Bela Fleck & The Flecktones at The Keswick Theatre 6/3/2016
The original Flecktones together again after a 4 year break making their 3rd stop outside of Philadelphia in Glenside at The Keswick Theatre, with Bela Fleck on Banjo, Victor Wooten on bass guitar, Roy "Futureman" Wooten on percussion, and Howard Levy on piano/piccolo/harmonica. Impressive display of musicianship and of the overall group sync, a tightness that only men who know each other well can have. The intricacies and skill of the compositions and of the finger-work on the fret-boards is almost un-equaled in most music, Bela and the Flecktones still maintain a unique sound that draws a crowd - a sold out show to be precise. Just a few days ago in Roanoke, Virginia at the Jefferson Center the Grammy award winning artist invited students from the center's music program to watch the band's sound check before their reunion concert on Wednesday night. Bela asked students about their career and encouraged students to ask them questions about the music business and what direction they'd like to pursue. The two-week tour rolls on tonight in Port Chester at the Capitol Theater, then the Lebanon Opera House in NH, Binghamton, Albany, Burlington, Cleveland, Chicago, Kansas City, Boulder and finishes up in Teluride, CO at the Teluride Bluegrass Fest.
Welcome back Flecktones!
Welcome back Flecktones!
Kung Fu and The New Mastersounds - Ardmore Music Hall 6/2/2016
Live From The Lot at Ardmore Music Hall and Electric Factory
May 21st & 22nd
Photos: Alex Buschiazzo / Ashley Guest
Videos: D-Lo of Jambandlotshirts
Rain Shmain. There was no stopping Ardmore Music Hall's Live From The Lot festival this year with two stages both days, packed with awesome talent and great fans too. Stepping up to the plate in time of brotherly love was the the Electric Factory, housing the first night of LFTL due to the impending rain forecast which would have soaked us all completely had they not taken this festival and put a roof on it.
SpotOnTheLot winners The Phonies got the ball to a roll on Saturday afternoon as people filed into the Electric Factory and by the time Charlie Hunter played, joined by Chris Bullock of Snarky Puppy, the party was in full swing. Brooklyn's Pimps of Joytime hit the stage and you could start to feel the electricity in the room jump up a bit. As we all walked in I was anxious to see how this would be pulled off having two stages inside the Electric Factory, a first for the venue, but I quickly realized that this crew (both AMH and EF) know what the hell they're doing. The transition between bands was almost seamless, from the stagehands, ushers, ticket windows, sound/video/light techs to management, the Live From The Lot squad appeared almost as if they'd done this before. Great cooperation and coordination from the cousin venues and we were quite grateful to be invited out to cover this event at both locations.
From Charlie Hunter to Foundations of Funk, the Brooklynites Marco Benevento and Pimps of Joytime to Superhuman Happiness, The Revivalists and Snarky Puppy had their work cut out for them...and disappoint, they did not. Strong sets delivered by both headliners generating a rather active crowd on the floor at the Electric Factory with powerful funky and progressive jazz fusion scores. Revivalist front-man David Shaw engaged fans jumping off the stage and into the photo pit forming a happy connection with young fans nearby. Closing out the night, Everyone Orchestra brought their own form of a powerhouse punch to the after-party with the likes of Galactic bassman Rob Mercurio, a horn section with Natalie Cressman & Jennifer Hartswick of Trey Anastasio Band, and David Shaw of The Revivalists adding flavor on vocals. Meters' drummer Zigaboo Modeliste joined side by side with drummer Johnny Kimock paralleled with Philly's own Tom Hamilton duking it out on guitar with Brian J of Pimps of Joytime. Disco Biscuits' Aron Magner paired up with Marco Benevento (or shall we call him Beetlejuice?) and double-teamed on keys with last but not least Matt Butler at the helm in his standard funky conductor attire and charisma. Dual horns, Dual Drums, Dual Guitars, Dual Keys leaving the certainly capable Mercurio to stand on his own on the bass. The ever-changing lineup of EO is a sure thing that always keeps us coming back with a definite super-group feel to it. As we waited for Everyone Orchestra to take the stage Marco Benevento took over the DJ table in his usual striped suit and top-hat donning a pair of shades and dishing out some old school main ingredients to get down to, or 'get on up' to.
SpotOnTheLot winners The Phonies got the ball to a roll on Saturday afternoon as people filed into the Electric Factory and by the time Charlie Hunter played, joined by Chris Bullock of Snarky Puppy, the party was in full swing. Brooklyn's Pimps of Joytime hit the stage and you could start to feel the electricity in the room jump up a bit. As we all walked in I was anxious to see how this would be pulled off having two stages inside the Electric Factory, a first for the venue, but I quickly realized that this crew (both AMH and EF) know what the hell they're doing. The transition between bands was almost seamless, from the stagehands, ushers, ticket windows, sound/video/light techs to management, the Live From The Lot squad appeared almost as if they'd done this before. Great cooperation and coordination from the cousin venues and we were quite grateful to be invited out to cover this event at both locations.
From Charlie Hunter to Foundations of Funk, the Brooklynites Marco Benevento and Pimps of Joytime to Superhuman Happiness, The Revivalists and Snarky Puppy had their work cut out for them...and disappoint, they did not. Strong sets delivered by both headliners generating a rather active crowd on the floor at the Electric Factory with powerful funky and progressive jazz fusion scores. Revivalist front-man David Shaw engaged fans jumping off the stage and into the photo pit forming a happy connection with young fans nearby. Closing out the night, Everyone Orchestra brought their own form of a powerhouse punch to the after-party with the likes of Galactic bassman Rob Mercurio, a horn section with Natalie Cressman & Jennifer Hartswick of Trey Anastasio Band, and David Shaw of The Revivalists adding flavor on vocals. Meters' drummer Zigaboo Modeliste joined side by side with drummer Johnny Kimock paralleled with Philly's own Tom Hamilton duking it out on guitar with Brian J of Pimps of Joytime. Disco Biscuits' Aron Magner paired up with Marco Benevento (or shall we call him Beetlejuice?) and double-teamed on keys with last but not least Matt Butler at the helm in his standard funky conductor attire and charisma. Dual horns, Dual Drums, Dual Guitars, Dual Keys leaving the certainly capable Mercurio to stand on his own on the bass. The ever-changing lineup of EO is a sure thing that always keeps us coming back with a definite super-group feel to it. As we waited for Everyone Orchestra to take the stage Marco Benevento took over the DJ table in his usual striped suit and top-hat donning a pair of shades and dishing out some old school main ingredients to get down to, or 'get on up' to.
Day 2 of Live From The Lot launched back on home turf in Ardmore without a hitch and took us on a bit of a jazz/funk see-saw throughout the day between stages. Philly's own funky brassers Darla got feet moving as Live From The Lotters filed in and got the lay of the land. And if you didn't try the cheese curds from The Cow and the Curd you missed out! Repeated on the second day's events, stage transitions and sound were right from the get-go in the lot which had plenty of activity from the VIP section, the kids' corner, multiple beer and food vendors and not to mention some seriously good tunes. This time around Snarky Puppy had the earlier slot and played around 2pm to a growing lot with more jazz fusion and funky tones coming at us. Bouncing back to the 2nd stage at 3:15 we caught one of our Philly favorites, Swift Technique, throw down like nobody else with front-man-&-woman team Nik Greeley and Chelsea ViaCava hyping the crowd up and keeping up the energy. Midway through the Swift set Philly jazz bassist Gerald Veasley joined in to duel it out with Swift Technique's bassman Jake Leschinsky, who proves himself a master on the frets.
Karl Denson and The Greyboy Allstars took us down a notch with chill acid jazz and a touch of funk. But then came Brooklyn's High & Mighty Brass Band, chock full of energy to bring the crowd right back to the 2nd stage with a youthful cast of gents from the borough led by the energetic front-man on trumpet, Ivan Jackson. Headlining day two was Soulive to close out the festival, putting on an impressive performance joined by the horn section of Snarky Puppy, Nigel Hall with Karl Denson returned to the stage to help close out the festival with a slightly worn-out but joyous crowd doing a soulful rendition of the Tears for Fears hit "Everybody Wants to Rule The World."
Live From The Lot exceeded expectations this year with the organization and coordination of both venues and with the superb music talent brought into town. A truly special event delivered to us by two special iconic Philly venues. This is a cherry on top to our city...the unmatched display of amazing talent that comes through the Philadelphia area and specifically The Electric Factory and The Ardmore Music Hall. We can't wait for Live From The Lot 2017. Book it!
Karl Denson and The Greyboy Allstars took us down a notch with chill acid jazz and a touch of funk. But then came Brooklyn's High & Mighty Brass Band, chock full of energy to bring the crowd right back to the 2nd stage with a youthful cast of gents from the borough led by the energetic front-man on trumpet, Ivan Jackson. Headlining day two was Soulive to close out the festival, putting on an impressive performance joined by the horn section of Snarky Puppy, Nigel Hall with Karl Denson returned to the stage to help close out the festival with a slightly worn-out but joyous crowd doing a soulful rendition of the Tears for Fears hit "Everybody Wants to Rule The World."
Live From The Lot exceeded expectations this year with the organization and coordination of both venues and with the superb music talent brought into town. A truly special event delivered to us by two special iconic Philly venues. This is a cherry on top to our city...the unmatched display of amazing talent that comes through the Philadelphia area and specifically The Electric Factory and The Ardmore Music Hall. We can't wait for Live From The Lot 2017. Book it!
215music Video Review
Cactus Karma: His Home The Sky
The soft jazzy melodies of Cactus Karma come through in a 6-piece team of steadfast R&B troubadours from Princeton, NJ who recently released their new song "His Home The Sky" on video. Cactus Karma plays World Cafe Live next week on June 3rd after this weekend's show at the Terrace in New, KY. Soothing vocals from Pam Soffer paired with the sensual saxophone of Divya Farias open the doors to this tune, joined by Spencer Hadley on Trumpet and Noah Fishman on the mellow bass lines. Logan Roth, keys, and Arjun Dube on drums complete the composition in this subtle and soulful yearning to take flight felt in the lyrics and the vibe of a broken-winged bird with light inspired eyes who dreams of the sky. "He's from the sky, just let him fly". Comforting solos to the bird from keyboardist Logan Roth and from trumpet Spencer Hadley, who composed the soulful track
The song, which was not part of their 2015 released EP Marmalade, is a hip-hop and jazz inspired tune that features contemplative lyrics exploring the concept of freedom as an artist. The introduction, reminiscent of Ornette Coleman, is free and carefully layered while the groove, laid back but still danceable, harkens back to Outkast and J-Dilla. The video is clean and simple, highlighting the earnest energy with which these technically skilled musicians play their instruments. Shot by Evan Chapman of Four/Ten Media and produced by Darla Hood Productions.
Tickets to their World Cafe Live show with GR Stone's EP release show on June 3rd are available and can be purchased here: http://tickets.worldcafelive.com/event/1167659-gr-stones-ep-release-show-philadelphia/
The song, which was not part of their 2015 released EP Marmalade, is a hip-hop and jazz inspired tune that features contemplative lyrics exploring the concept of freedom as an artist. The introduction, reminiscent of Ornette Coleman, is free and carefully layered while the groove, laid back but still danceable, harkens back to Outkast and J-Dilla. The video is clean and simple, highlighting the earnest energy with which these technically skilled musicians play their instruments. Shot by Evan Chapman of Four/Ten Media and produced by Darla Hood Productions.
Tickets to their World Cafe Live show with GR Stone's EP release show on June 3rd are available and can be purchased here: http://tickets.worldcafelive.com/event/1167659-gr-stones-ep-release-show-philadelphia/
Bernhoft & The Shudderbugs with Jonny P - Fillmore Philly 5/12/2016
South Street Spring Festival 5/7/2016 - South Street Philadelphia
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pearl Jam in Philadelphia 4/28/2016 Wells Fargo Center
Johnny Showcase -Tribute to Prince at Ardmore Music Hall 5/7/2016
|
|
South Street Spring Festival - 5/7/2016
Modern Colour - 5/1/2016 Festival Pier in Philadelphia
Modern Colour focuses on their live show, bringing 110% on stage while going through the motions with recordings...the band wants to do it the 'old-school' way of just getting out and playing the bars and clubs. Their debut EP 'Rally at The Summit' was released just over two years ago through the recently closed Sigma Sound Studios, a legendary recording studio founded in 1968 by Joseph Tarsia that has hosted clients like Aretha Franklin, Teddy Pendergrass, the Jackson 5, David Bowie, Billy Joel, ZZ Top, the Roots, Boyz II Men, and Mary J. Blige. But only a short several months after the release of Rally the Summit they pushed on with planning and launching a 30-day Kickstarter campaign, exceeding their goal in raising over $10,000. With the money raised, Modern Colour was determined to prove they could make a DIY rock record without the aid of a record label. The summer was spent writing and rehearsing new material, and the band ultimately decided to work at Forge Recording in Oreland with Ron DiSilvestro, the studio’s lead engineer.
The blues-rock quartet from Philly are no strangers to their hometown venues, having played venues like the Trocadero, Underground Arts, the Legendary Dobbs, World Cafe Live, Northstar Bar, Ardmore Music Hall, The Fire and more since 2011. Modern Colour has taken a few twists and turns in their musical development which has helped snowball the band on the music radar, going from a three piece to four piece with the latest inclusion of guitar player and songwriter Nate Ridgeway, referred to as their 'secret weapon'.
On a cold wet day in Philly, the music kept playing. I got the chance to check out Modern Colour at the Radio 104.5 Block Party at the Festival Pier Sunday May 1st to get a listen live with my own ears. They opened the day's events at the Festival Pier at Penn's Landing with a great showing of fans baring through the rain which tapered off a bit just as their set ended. Their changing sound and lyrical adeptness has stepped up and the live show rules the land. A bluesy-rock sound with an extra dash of metal with it, shredding solos and crunchy guitar licks are a plenty. Lead vocalist and guitar player Stephan Sirochman happily greeted fans in the crowd and proved to be a charismatic front-man for the band. Tom Weir on drums as well showed the guns with a positive energy while wailing away on the skins. Bass player Chris Boyle held solid on the line, adding vocals to the mix with Nate Ridgeway bursting out solos and bluesy riffs. The crowd at Festival Pier gave a warm welcome to the band as they jumped into their originals like Mercury(video below) and engaging the crowd, keeping them in spirits through the steady afternoon downpour. I observed a true rock presence with their sound with a soulful blues vibe. Although at times it seemed like the guitars could be higher in the stage audio mix, the overall sound did not disappoint at all. This band rocks the blues and will continue to in Philly. Modern Colour appears next at the South Street Spring Festival on Saturday May 7th and again in Philly at Voltage Lounge on 7th st. on May 12th. Check out our photos and videos from the show at Festival Pier with Radio 104.5.
Pearl Jam in Philadelphia 4/28/2016 Wells Fargo Center
Jazz is Phsh - Ardmore Music Hall 4/21/2016
Phish is in the air. With their back-to-back appearances in Philly the past two years and coming up this year in late June it's no wonder we get a special project like this to come visit us. The Chase Brothers, drummer Adam and guitarist/vocalist Matthew have spearheaded the project of Jazz is Phsh which began in 2015. The Phish tribute is currently finishing up their touring with Trombonist Scott Flynn of Pretty Lights, saxophonist Chris Bullock of Grammy winning Snarky Puppy, bass player and instructor Anthony Wellington of the Victor Wooten Band, Kevin Moehringer on Trombone, Josh Thomas on Keyboards and Michael Ray on Trumpet who has played on Phish's 'A Live One' recording in 1995 and with Trey Anastasio's Surrender to the Air project with Jon Fishman. Jazz is Phish has taken the collective approach at these tricky, progressive tunes from the famous jam band from Vermont and deliver a sound that any true fan of music would love.
Starting off the show with a fan favorite and also the most played Phish song, You Enjoy Myself got things moving at Ardmore Music Hall as they shuffled through the Phish catalog followed by tunes like The Story of The Ghost, Dinner and A Movie, The Moma Dance, Carini, and although they hinted at not playing a Prince song the ensemble capped the night off with Purple rain (see video below). Back in the early 1990s Phish made a habit of touring with a horn section, The Giant Country Horns which always added a fun flavor to their music. One of the prominent GCH members, Carl 'Gears' Gerhard, joined Jazz is Phish on trumpet and provided some strong solos. Matthew Chase held a solid grasp on the Anastasio tones, tearing away at scales and arpeggios, yet kept himself a bay with a whole herd of wind instruments ready to pounce back. Jazz is Phsh continues on to New Orleans on April 26th to join Turkuaz at the Howlin' Wolf at Midnight then closes the tour up with their last performance at the House Of Blues Chicago on June 24th.
Starting off the show with a fan favorite and also the most played Phish song, You Enjoy Myself got things moving at Ardmore Music Hall as they shuffled through the Phish catalog followed by tunes like The Story of The Ghost, Dinner and A Movie, The Moma Dance, Carini, and although they hinted at not playing a Prince song the ensemble capped the night off with Purple rain (see video below). Back in the early 1990s Phish made a habit of touring with a horn section, The Giant Country Horns which always added a fun flavor to their music. One of the prominent GCH members, Carl 'Gears' Gerhard, joined Jazz is Phish on trumpet and provided some strong solos. Matthew Chase held a solid grasp on the Anastasio tones, tearing away at scales and arpeggios, yet kept himself a bay with a whole herd of wind instruments ready to pounce back. Jazz is Phsh continues on to New Orleans on April 26th to join Turkuaz at the Howlin' Wolf at Midnight then closes the tour up with their last performance at the House Of Blues Chicago on June 24th.
|
|
|
Old Soul Revival at Ardmore Music Hall
April 10th, 2016 Ardmore, PA
Philadelphia's music scene continues to flourish. Week after week we are visited by so many great artists and bands that it often over-shadows some of our great talent living and performing on the regular right here in Philly. Let's face it, if you had the choice to see a small local band versus a Grammy award winning act at Wells Fargo Center or the Tower Theater we both know which you'd choose. But you'll find that you're sometimes willing to kick yourself because of what you missed at that smaller show...but rest assured that some of the great, hard-working bands in the Philly area will still be here after the big lights go down, the rock stars leave the stage and don't return for another year.
One such local hard-working group of talent specializes in combining the music of The Allman Brothers Band and The Grateful Dead, Old Soul Revival seems to cover the essence of these two bands quite well with genuine added 'Soul' to each song while keeping form and detail to the original score. After a few minutes of listening you can tell that vocalist and lead guitar player Marc Singer has spent a great deal of time absorbing the Grateful Dead/Allman Bros. catalogs. Adept guitar solos, recognizable 'Jerry licks', and the jammy feel of the classic rock,Jam and blues spirit is quite alive at their performances. They seemed to put the crowd in familiar rhythmic places, as feet and hips moved throughout the set.
Old Soul stocks not one but two drummers, much like the Grateful Dead with Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart on the skins, Tamar Kalkstein and John DiGiovanni manned(and wo-manned) the percussion section which I found entertaining to watch. On Rhythm and solo guitar, Jimmy Faber proved to be quite a bit of a shredder himself and during the show I wondered if they let him out of his proverbial cage much, as he showed us lightning fast notes on the fret board. Gene Isayev added the element of wind, sprinkling songs like Shakedown Street and Dreams with the perfect added touch. Keyboardist Adam Flicker held firm on the ivorys, adding vocals to the mix with the calm and collective Mark Shewchuk laying down the bassline securing a full and bold sound for the group.
One such local hard-working group of talent specializes in combining the music of The Allman Brothers Band and The Grateful Dead, Old Soul Revival seems to cover the essence of these two bands quite well with genuine added 'Soul' to each song while keeping form and detail to the original score. After a few minutes of listening you can tell that vocalist and lead guitar player Marc Singer has spent a great deal of time absorbing the Grateful Dead/Allman Bros. catalogs. Adept guitar solos, recognizable 'Jerry licks', and the jammy feel of the classic rock,Jam and blues spirit is quite alive at their performances. They seemed to put the crowd in familiar rhythmic places, as feet and hips moved throughout the set.
Old Soul stocks not one but two drummers, much like the Grateful Dead with Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart on the skins, Tamar Kalkstein and John DiGiovanni manned(and wo-manned) the percussion section which I found entertaining to watch. On Rhythm and solo guitar, Jimmy Faber proved to be quite a bit of a shredder himself and during the show I wondered if they let him out of his proverbial cage much, as he showed us lightning fast notes on the fret board. Gene Isayev added the element of wind, sprinkling songs like Shakedown Street and Dreams with the perfect added touch. Keyboardist Adam Flicker held firm on the ivorys, adding vocals to the mix with the calm and collective Mark Shewchuk laying down the bassline securing a full and bold sound for the group.
Old Soul was joined by seasoned tenor Sax-man from Washington D.C Ron Holloway for the song Dreams. Holloway is a seasoned vet and has toured with The Allman Brothers, Susan Tedeschi, Warren Haynes and currently is on tour with his own band, The Ron Holloway Band. Old Soul continued on their run of shows with The Ron Holloway Band last night in Brooklyn, New York at Brooklyn Bowl, a largely growing popular venue to say the least. Check out two videos from their show below.
|
|
|
Jon Fishman and Company at North Bowl Philadelphia
3/28/2016
Phish's drummer Jon Fishman appeared at North Bowl in Northern Liberties Philadelphia as part of his ongoing effort in support of the Bernie Sanders campaign and was joined by keyboard wizard Eli Winderman of Dopapod, Ian McGuire of CIA (both on keys), Clay Parnell of Particle alternating on bass, and the Muscle Tough trio of Joe Baldacci, Jon Coleman and Ross Bellenoit who helped filled this crew with all the right stuffing. Fishman finally caught up with the gang after a long night of meet and greets with phans, some getting right into topics of NCAA Basketball or Ice Hockey and others of course prodded with Phishy questions about songs, tour rumors, and what Fishman eats for breakfast.
Representatives from the Bernie Sanders campaign were present and diligently engaging prospective registrants at the event, as yesterday was the last day to register in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia was the drummer's first stop in continuing his support for the presidential candidate after recording the most recent Phish album in Nashville with all three other members of the band and producer Bob Ezrin. Fish covered good ground in Philly making stops at the south Philly coffee shop Cinemug, Philly Sweettooth and finally north-ways at Northbowl. The event was conveniently timed with the Sanders campaign's opening of a Philadelphia office this past Saturday where the headquarters opened along East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia.
Phish’s 2016 Summer Tour begins on June 22 with the band’s first concert in the Twin Cities since 2000, and culminates with its sixth year of summer-ending shows in September at Dick’s Sporting Good Park in Commerce City, CO. The tour will include the band’s first appearances at Chicago’s storied Wrigley
http://phish.com/tours/summer-2016/
3/28/2016
Phish's drummer Jon Fishman appeared at North Bowl in Northern Liberties Philadelphia as part of his ongoing effort in support of the Bernie Sanders campaign and was joined by keyboard wizard Eli Winderman of Dopapod, Ian McGuire of CIA (both on keys), Clay Parnell of Particle alternating on bass, and the Muscle Tough trio of Joe Baldacci, Jon Coleman and Ross Bellenoit who helped filled this crew with all the right stuffing. Fishman finally caught up with the gang after a long night of meet and greets with phans, some getting right into topics of NCAA Basketball or Ice Hockey and others of course prodded with Phishy questions about songs, tour rumors, and what Fishman eats for breakfast.
Representatives from the Bernie Sanders campaign were present and diligently engaging prospective registrants at the event, as yesterday was the last day to register in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia was the drummer's first stop in continuing his support for the presidential candidate after recording the most recent Phish album in Nashville with all three other members of the band and producer Bob Ezrin. Fish covered good ground in Philly making stops at the south Philly coffee shop Cinemug, Philly Sweettooth and finally north-ways at Northbowl. The event was conveniently timed with the Sanders campaign's opening of a Philadelphia office this past Saturday where the headquarters opened along East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia.
Phish’s 2016 Summer Tour begins on June 22 with the band’s first concert in the Twin Cities since 2000, and culminates with its sixth year of summer-ending shows in September at Dick’s Sporting Good Park in Commerce City, CO. The tour will include the band’s first appearances at Chicago’s storied Wrigley
http://phish.com/tours/summer-2016/
Mason Porter
by Becky Blumenthal
Philly roots-jammers, Mason Porter, are generating a lot of buzz lately. So it's no surprise that Pheonixville's own Sly Fox Brewery is releasing a beer in honor of the band this week. 215Music caught their set last week at Ardmore Music Hallwhere they opened the night for Melvin Seals & JGB. They got the crowd on their feet right from the start.
At first look you might think that you're about to see a bluegrass band, with the presence of mandolin, upright bass, and fiddle. Although an obvious bluegrass influence is there, the drumming of Evan Smoker and songwriting and vocals of mandolinist Joe D'Amico along with the overall approach of the band tell a different story once they start playing.
The set kicked off with "A2B Machine," a fast tempo D'Amico original from their 2015 release "Key to the Skyway" The fast pickin' shows the song's bluegrass roots, however it wasn't long before the band took a serious departure and found themselves in a spacey drum driven exploratory jam. D'Amico managed to get an almost keyboard-like sound from his mandolin while guitarist Paul Wilkinson and violinist Sarah Larsen layered in effects to create an impressive sonic landscape before weaving back to the original feel to close out the song.
by Becky Blumenthal
Philly roots-jammers, Mason Porter, are generating a lot of buzz lately. So it's no surprise that Pheonixville's own Sly Fox Brewery is releasing a beer in honor of the band this week. 215Music caught their set last week at Ardmore Music Hallwhere they opened the night for Melvin Seals & JGB. They got the crowd on their feet right from the start.
At first look you might think that you're about to see a bluegrass band, with the presence of mandolin, upright bass, and fiddle. Although an obvious bluegrass influence is there, the drumming of Evan Smoker and songwriting and vocals of mandolinist Joe D'Amico along with the overall approach of the band tell a different story once they start playing.
The set kicked off with "A2B Machine," a fast tempo D'Amico original from their 2015 release "Key to the Skyway" The fast pickin' shows the song's bluegrass roots, however it wasn't long before the band took a serious departure and found themselves in a spacey drum driven exploratory jam. D'Amico managed to get an almost keyboard-like sound from his mandolin while guitarist Paul Wilkinson and violinist Sarah Larsen layered in effects to create an impressive sonic landscape before weaving back to the original feel to close out the song.
A few other highlights for the set include "Story in Reverse," a dark, swampy song which allowed Wilkinson to showcase his guitar work. A lively rendition of a Garcia / Grisman classic "Stealin'" and bassist Tim Celfo's song '"Can't See" kept the room moving. The band played to the crowd with the beloved Dead tune "Cumberland Blues," effectively closing the set, while setting stage nicely for the headliners, Melvin Seals & JGB; although I kind of was hoping for a return to their more original sounding space-folk from earlier in the set.
It might be hard to pin down exactly what genre they fall into, their acoustic roots combined with the ability to explore and improvise might lead some to label them 'jamgrass'. But, their funky/rock elements and use of drums create a wider pallet than any "-grass" name could do justice. One thing is for sure, they have the songs, they have the chops, and they have a bright future ahead.
It might be hard to pin down exactly what genre they fall into, their acoustic roots combined with the ability to explore and improvise might lead some to label them 'jamgrass'. But, their funky/rock elements and use of drums create a wider pallet than any "-grass" name could do justice. One thing is for sure, they have the songs, they have the chops, and they have a bright future ahead.
Turkuaz
Ardmore Music Hall 2/20
Words: Lou Cervantes ~ Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
Ardmore Music Hall 2/20
Words: Lou Cervantes ~ Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
It’s Always Funky In Turkuadelphiaz
You find yourself stepping up-and-down, moving side-to-side, however you’re going nowhere. The lights blink as your veins fill with the frenzied sounds coming from a mixture of speakers and instruments scattered around the stage. A smile is the result of those large wondrous notes of glory the ears can barely contain. If there’s one thing you know about what you’re witnessing, it’s that you’re glad you came out to witness it. Loyal fans of live music live for this moment. It’s the one point where the pulse between the crowd and the band mutate into one. Last night, at the Ardmore Music Hall, there was a point where the 9-piece powerhouse funkster known as Turkuaz slapped me right upside the head. It came after a mind bending one-two punch which consisted of fan-favorite ‘Tiptoe Through The Crypto’ segueing into fan classic ’20 Dollar Bill.’ The band paused for a brief second before kicking into a cover of the Talking Heads song ‘Slippery People’ a song showcased in the film Stop Making Sense (a film the band has paid tribute to in the past). This band is about as close to the authenticity of this era of the Talking Heads as you can get without even trying to be the Talking Heads. Turkuaz is that good and at this moment they hit me, leaving two thoughts swaying back and forth for the rest of the evening: 1) how lucky I was to be standing so close to a collective of musicians as talented as these guys and 2) could this be the last time I’m seeing this band at the tiny 600-person venue located in the Main Line off Lancaster Avenue.
You find yourself stepping up-and-down, moving side-to-side, however you’re going nowhere. The lights blink as your veins fill with the frenzied sounds coming from a mixture of speakers and instruments scattered around the stage. A smile is the result of those large wondrous notes of glory the ears can barely contain. If there’s one thing you know about what you’re witnessing, it’s that you’re glad you came out to witness it. Loyal fans of live music live for this moment. It’s the one point where the pulse between the crowd and the band mutate into one. Last night, at the Ardmore Music Hall, there was a point where the 9-piece powerhouse funkster known as Turkuaz slapped me right upside the head. It came after a mind bending one-two punch which consisted of fan-favorite ‘Tiptoe Through The Crypto’ segueing into fan classic ’20 Dollar Bill.’ The band paused for a brief second before kicking into a cover of the Talking Heads song ‘Slippery People’ a song showcased in the film Stop Making Sense (a film the band has paid tribute to in the past). This band is about as close to the authenticity of this era of the Talking Heads as you can get without even trying to be the Talking Heads. Turkuaz is that good and at this moment they hit me, leaving two thoughts swaying back and forth for the rest of the evening: 1) how lucky I was to be standing so close to a collective of musicians as talented as these guys and 2) could this be the last time I’m seeing this band at the tiny 600-person venue located in the Main Line off Lancaster Avenue.
Before last night’s show, I inched my way toward the front. I like watching Craig Brodhead balancing his dual role as both a keyboard player for the band and as guitar virtuoso. Craig was on the stage as the show began accompanying Turkuaz’s world-class rhythm section, which consists of Michelangelo Carubba and Taylor Shell, to get the sound going. The other multi-tasker, trumpet-keyboardist Chris Brouwers was first man to jump into the groove with the rest of the band soon to follow into the night’s opener, ‘The Mountain,’ the opening track to their their self-titled 2013 album. As the rest of the band gets onto the stage you can feel the excitement build up. This band was created for the sole purpose of that little thing we like to call: good times. As you get lost in the sound it would be no surprise if the band were really Bootsy Collins, Nile Rodgers, Eddie Hazel, Bernie Worrell, Sly Stone and all the other funk/r&b greats, dead-or-alive, in their prime and in costume. It’s not until you have the pleasure of seeing Turkuaz play live a couple times that you really get the idea that these guys don’t need to be anybody, they’re creating their own personas. The best example of this is the different colors represented by each member of the band. If front man Dave Brandwein walked onto the stage not wearing his signature color, blue (for example), I’d probably not recognize him at first. Speaking of Brandwein, I want to take this moment to thank both him and bassist Taylor Shell for taking what started as a mere funk project and turning it into one of the best live bands out there right now. Greg Sanderson and Josh Schwartz round out the horn section while Sammi Garret and Shira Elias provide the soul-sister vocals.
There was another slight pause after ‘Lookin Good, Feelin Tough,’ the closing track to their first l.p. Zerbert, where Dave told the sold-out crowd that the band would be playing a couple songs from their new album: Digitonium. That’s when the band went into ‘Lift it Up’ the first track on Digitonium and the fandemonium continued. People were getting down last night on that Ardmore dance floor. It’s damn near impossible not to get down when Turkuaz is on stage. They closed their set with a rollicking cover of the Band’s ‘Shape I’m In’ leaving any of those who had been up front dancing and getting down last night in much better shape as a result. The opening act, Pimps of Joytime, were a pleasant surprise. Turkuaz is always taking great bands out on tour with them. You would expect nothing less from a conglomerate of musicians who studied at Berklee to have such a great ear for good music. The Pimps of Joytime found themselves a new fan last night as I will most certainly be on the lookout for when they come back to play in the Philadelphia area. Maybe they’ll even find themselves on a bill with Turkuaz again. As of now, I have three great shows of Turkuaz at Ardmore to treasure in my memories just like the people who came to this same building on 23 East Lancaster Avenue over 20 years ago to see bands like Phish, Dave Matthews Band, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. It’s like the lyrics to the song ‘Future 86’ suggest, “the future is coming now.” Turkuaz is one of the next big bands of the future and they are touring heavily, setting anything in their path on fire. Catch them now while you can still see them up close and personal before their time playing in smaller venues becomes nothing more than a great memory.
There was another slight pause after ‘Lookin Good, Feelin Tough,’ the closing track to their first l.p. Zerbert, where Dave told the sold-out crowd that the band would be playing a couple songs from their new album: Digitonium. That’s when the band went into ‘Lift it Up’ the first track on Digitonium and the fandemonium continued. People were getting down last night on that Ardmore dance floor. It’s damn near impossible not to get down when Turkuaz is on stage. They closed their set with a rollicking cover of the Band’s ‘Shape I’m In’ leaving any of those who had been up front dancing and getting down last night in much better shape as a result. The opening act, Pimps of Joytime, were a pleasant surprise. Turkuaz is always taking great bands out on tour with them. You would expect nothing less from a conglomerate of musicians who studied at Berklee to have such a great ear for good music. The Pimps of Joytime found themselves a new fan last night as I will most certainly be on the lookout for when they come back to play in the Philadelphia area. Maybe they’ll even find themselves on a bill with Turkuaz again. As of now, I have three great shows of Turkuaz at Ardmore to treasure in my memories just like the people who came to this same building on 23 East Lancaster Avenue over 20 years ago to see bands like Phish, Dave Matthews Band, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. It’s like the lyrics to the song ‘Future 86’ suggest, “the future is coming now.” Turkuaz is one of the next big bands of the future and they are touring heavily, setting anything in their path on fire. Catch them now while you can still see them up close and personal before their time playing in smaller venues becomes nothing more than a great memory.
Lotus at The Electric Factory - 1/29/2016
Philadelphia, Pa
words and photos by Alex Buschiazzo
Philadelphia, Pa
words and photos by Alex Buschiazzo
Philadelphia eventually always gets its winter weather...it has to. Last night was no exception , temps dipping into the 20s with high winds but about 2200 of us kept warm inside the close-to-sold out, always raging Electric Factory with Lotus and special guest post-rock duo El Ten Eleven, from Los Angeles. The timing for Lotus seemed well executed with releasing their new track Eats The Light the day of their tour opener in Philadelphia. Joined by Gabe Otto on vocals, the track has been made public and can be streamed here on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/lotusvibes/eats-the-light
|
|
Staples of Jam nobility, Lotus has been electrifying (and arguably helped pioneer) the jamtronica/jamdance scene with their constant touring and devout following since 1999. A very psychedelic yet structured groove comes from this troupe, keeping feet moving basically all night and exploring jams in a rock-like method. Just 10 minutes to 10pm the band took the stage in Philly hopping right into their cool jazzy hit, 'Jump Off' from the 2004 album, Nomad followed later in the set by twangy guitar favorite, 'Hammerstrike' and the new track 'Eats the Light'. This new song has a quick step to it and has a sure David Byrne vocals/Talking Heads sound to it while maintaining a fluid bounce. Only two of the songs played Friday night contained lyrics, leaving the enlightened crowd of hippie chicks, spinners, bros, flat brimmers, pot heads, pinners and the sparkly-eyed molly dippers to absorb a very heavily jammed 2nd set and a detailed lightshow delivery. Songs like Kesey Seed (from Strength of Ties-2006) and the familiar Wax graced set two concluding with a three song encore, playing until absolute curfew at the eFactory.
It’s worth mentioning the songwriting and style of brothers Jesse and Luke Miller has evolved while staying on the touring rails for so many years. The process involved seems trained and well paced in an organic nature mixing a rock/jam balance that I’d agree most people can ‘get down with’. Philly native Mike Greenfield delivered a solid background of beats and percussion joined by Chuck Morris who also joined in on background vocals with the Miller Brothers. Mike Rempel is a bit of a hidden shredder, you can see the potential he has to unleash a lashing solo from the 6-string but the man keeps his cool very well and proves essential to this mix.
Lotus makes the next few stops on their tour at the F-Shed in Syracuse, NY, Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT, the State Threatre in Portland, ME, Higher Ground in Burlington,VT, Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, House of Blues in Boston, Terminal 5 in NYC and later stretching down to Florida's Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival in early March. Lotus has also been added to the Mountain Music Festival in New River Gorge, WV.
Lotus makes the next few stops on their tour at the F-Shed in Syracuse, NY, Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT, the State Threatre in Portland, ME, Higher Ground in Burlington,VT, Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, House of Blues in Boston, Terminal 5 in NYC and later stretching down to Florida's Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival in early March. Lotus has also been added to the Mountain Music Festival in New River Gorge, WV.
|
Electric Factory Philadelphia 1/29/2016
Set One: Jump Off > Sid > Hammerstrike, Destroyer, Blue Giant, Eats The Light, Spaghetti > Jump Off Set Two: Juggernaut, Kesey Seed, Cold Facts, It's All Clear > Bubonic > The Surf, Wax Lotus is: Jesse Miller (Guitar, synths, vocals) Luke Miller (Bass, Synths, vocals) Mike Rempel (guitar) Mike Greenfield (drums) Chuck Morris (percussion) Website: http://www.lotusvibes.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lotusvibes/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/lotusvibes Twiter: https://twitter.com/lotustweets |
|
Trey Anastasio Band at King's Theatre 10/17/15
|
I'm always impressed with showmanship, how one can command a stage and keep eyes glued front and center. The recently renovated King's Theatre in Brooklyn may have even acted as a catalyst to Trey Anastasio's showmanship last night. The band shined a bit brighter on their second night of tour in a venue that I earlier referred to as 'palatial'. Flanked by the horns of James Casey, Jennifer Hartswick, Natalie Cressman and on the other side by the funky keys of Ray Paczkowski while backed by solid bass and drum thumps from Tony Markellis and Russ Lawton respectively, the redhead can't lose.
I've read recent chatter on social media feeds that suggest most Phish fans don't subscribe to the 'dad rock' and softness Trey displays with TAB. Overall, Phish fans don't particularly dig into ballads or slow rock. It's clear as day, because the fans speak, loudly. And, well...Phish really isn't about ballads and slow rock. So forget about Phish for the moment, your captain has chartered this vessel and has requested you leave your rods ashore. Are you too near the shore? During the first set of night one at King's Theatre Trey got rather chatty and told the story of meeting Graham Nash from Crosby Stills & Nash in 2000 shortly after the Big Cypress Festival had ended. "Congratulations on your success," Graham praised...then quickly grabbing Anastasio by the shirt and imposing his sage advice, "Don't Fuck it up!" Many people know about the guitar player's past and his tangle with addiction and with the law, some would say he DID fuck it up. In 2015, you'd never know it. I say this for several reasons: Fare Thee Well was a wild success, Phish recently tied up an impressive and quite talked about summer tour, TAB's latest studio album Paper Wheels becomes available October 30th, and now the band is two shows into their fall tour with rumors of another tour in February. Phish plays their four day New Year's run at Madison Square Garden this year and how could we forget about Mexico in January. Aye Caramba! I'm convinced there's some sort of nuclear reactor hidden inside this man. The amount of energy he possesses sometimes is almost startling and it seems to leak out into the crowd much easier on his own with TAB. Phish is like Voltron, comprised of parts - each as strong as the other in their talents and creativity. When together, the superpower emerges that is Phish. As a key Voltron member, the lead guitar player and the leader of the band Phish, Trey has honed his stage presence and has carried this over to the TAB field in a strong way. Watching him dance around on stage while playing guitar and revving himself up like a dynamo was something to see, for any music fan. There's something to be said about the inherent love and respect most show attendees have for Trey, knowing his story, knowing his music, knowing Trey...or they wouldn't be there. Some would say Anastasio is humble, even shy and silly at times. But what I see is a man who is happy and this unequivocally comes through in his music. This Happy rubs off on so many fans and even on longtime friends of Trey like former Phish lyricist, The Dude of Life (Steve Pollak) who I had the chance to chat with after the show outside of the venue. It became clearer to me after listening to his reaction from the show that Trey's happy rubs off on all who absorb it. I could see that feeling right on his face, the same one I had...you can't hide that sort of thing. You shouldn't. They always say you won't make someone else happy unless you, yourself, are a happy showman. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trey Anastasio Band King's Theatre Brooklyn, NY 10/17/2015 (Setlist via Phish.net) Set 1: Sometime After Sunset, Cayman Review, Mozambique, O-o-h Child, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Wherever You Find It, Pigtail, 1977, Night Speaks to a Woman, What Is Life[1], Small Axe, Tuesday Set 2: Curlew's Call, Plasma, Shine, Simple Twist Up Dave, Flock of Words, Goodbye Head, Architect, Mr. Completely, Dazed and Confused Encore: Push On 'Til the Day [1] debut Watch video from King's Theatre: Mr. Completely
|
|
Tame Impala at the Tower Theatre 10/5/2015
words by Lou Cervantes | Photos by Alex Buschiazzo
The sound waves.
Some of us are surrounded by the display of waveform signals on a graph more often than others. If there was ever a situation where all the oscilloscopes that display these signals in the world stopped working for one day, constant yet easy to fix problems like losing the Internet when it goes down or pin-pointing a transmission issue in your car would present more difficulty in their analysis. Medical professionals would have a very rough day of work on their hands as would professionals in every other industry that relies on the analyzation of alternating currents provided by these oscilloscopes. A world without measurement of this electrical pulse for one day would provide a glimpse into a post-apocalyptic vision many fear to even dream about. It’s quite incredible to picture the impact of this scenario considering that oscilloscopes have been around for less than a hundred years.
For the band Tame Impala, if all the oscilloscopes stopped working for a day, they may as well have to cancel their live show. To say that the display of the backdrop that constantly showcase these visual soundwaves is a mere component of their set is an understatement. The entire essence of their live show thrives on it. One moment last night that completely represents this essence took place during a brief interlude about three quarters into their set where all the members except frontman Kevin Parker stopped playing and walked to the side of the stage. Parker faced the backdrop which projected a green wavelength that was manipulated by each of the guitar player’s notes. A guitar which Parker proudly engineers to mimic the sounds of a synthesizer. Its current, a visual wave of noise, pulsated on the backdrop leaving everybody witness to the magic of a soundwave’s physical presence. During this interlude, the pulse of the audience beat along with every note played by Parker’s guitar.
After soloing for a couple minutes, the other band members came back onto the stage and erupted into ‘Cause I’m A Man’ (the first single they released off their new album) much to the delight of the sold-out crowd. It was one of many sonic eruptions you can expect when seeing a band where both the music and the physical presence of each member constantly morphs into a psychedelic backdrop that projects the sounds through an oscilloscope. It’s also a great excuse to see them live. Another plus is the great rapport Tame Impala has with their audience. Frontman Parker constantly thanked the crowd for their enthusiasm and at one point between songs pointed out a guy on the balcony that was emphatically air-drumming to their music. They even took a request from a fan to play a tune (Half Full Glass of Wine) that does not appear on their touring setlist. Most importantly, they gave the fans a visual conception of their new music, which stems from the album appropriately titled: Currents. Make no hesitation in taking the opportunity to witness the visual wavelengths Tame Impala creates on their stage. Say hello to this sound and it will have no problem waving right back at you.
For a glimpse of last night, check out the footage below of the encore, a cut from their previous album Lonerism-‘Feels Like We Only Go Backwards’
|
|
Encore 1: Feels Like We Only Go Backwards