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Nateva Music Festival: 07.02-07.04 | Maine

July 8th, 2010 | No Comments

Words & Images by: Andrew Bruss

Nateva Music & Camping Festival :: 07.02.10-07.04.10 :: Oxford Fairgrounds :: Oxford,
Maine

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(Oxford, ME) View Photos

The first-ever Nateva Music & Camping
Festival was an impressive launch for an event that CEO Frank Chandler hopes will become an annual
institution. Factors ranging from attendance to lack of on-site camping may have caused the promoters headaches,
but for ticket-holding music lovers, Nateva demonstrated that there was no better place to spend 4th of July
weekend. Every new event hits a few roadblocks, so below are a list of weekend highlights, as well as a few thoughts
on how to improve the festival for next year.

Top Highlights

1. The McLovins
These teens from Connecticut have developed a cult following thanks to their self-made YouTube videos going viral.
Although they were far from top-bill, anyone who attended their Saturday afternoon performance will tell you they
dished out the best set of the weekend. If further acknowledgement was needed, Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips had the acne-clad teens
grace the stage in costume during the Lips’ headline set. No other performers had the crowd wound so tightly
around their finger at any point in the weekend, Wayne Coyne included.

2. The Electronica Acts
Nateva booked psychedelic, reggae, hip-hop, and jam bands galore, but no genre represented quite like the
electronica acts. Ghostland
Observatory ‘s laser lights show was Friday’s highlight, and the night before Lotus served up a solid set of dance-
grooves that let the early birds get the party started. Concluding at 4:20am, EOTO‘s performance was by far the
best late-night set of the weekend, and Sound Tribe Sector 9‘s sundown set was the largest dance-party of the weekend,
featuring the single best sound quality heard during any of the 50-plus performances on the roster.

3. Joe Russo of Furthur
There’s not a whole lot left for Phil
Lesh and Bob
Weir to do with the Grateful
Dead catalog that they haven’t already done. That’s why it was the latest addition to the Grateful Dead family
that really made the show interesting. Joe Russo has backed Mike Gordon and Trey Anastasio to fill the shoes of Jon Fishman on tour with G.R.A.B., and as half of the Benevento/Russo Duo he’s made a name
for himself as one of the finest drummers of our generation. More than “Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s
Tower,” a cover of “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” Bobby’s short-shorts or the 4th of July fireworks, the highlight of Furthur’s set
was hearing how Sir Joe Russo brought new life to decades-old Dead tunes.

4. The Logistics
Nateva offered up the lineup of a national-scale festival with the creature comforts of a backyard BBQ. For a first-
time event, Nateva aced all of the “details” that can make or break a festival. All on-site camping was a short
distance to the stage, and Wayne Coyne was spot-on when he commented that the Port-O-Potties were “clean
enough to eat off of.” The sound system was golden, but most the important logistical factor was the effectiveness
of security. For any festivalgoer whose been up at night in their tent, annoyed or unsettled by the hissing of a
nitrous tank or overly rowdy neighbors, you would have been well-rested at Nateva. The events security team
walked the fine line of keeping hands-off while effectively asserting control over the premises. “Personal use” was
openly engaged in throughout the weekend but the sketchier, more-aggressive elements that come along with the
drug trade were checked at the door. This played a large part in what made Nateva the most family friendly festival
around.

3 Tips For Next Year

1. More Sensible Scheduling
On paper, scheduling Umphrey’s
McGee and Keller
Williams to go on before moe. is a smart move, but not when you have Jakob Dylan and Passion Pit in between. These are
all solid acts that deserve a place at Nateva, but when moe. is the biggest act of the day, you should orchestrate the
bill around the jam band crowd. Umphrey’s played an uninspired afternoon set prior to Keller Williams’ performance,
but after those shows, the overwhelming majority of the attendees went back to camp until moe. came on. As a
result, Dylan, Passion Pit and Jackie
Greene played to a near-empty field and the rhythm of the day’s schedule was thrown off. The non-
jammy acts should have gone on prior to groups like Umphrey’s and Keller. Everyone loves eclecticism, but if you’re
catering to a jam band crowd, be sure to give the actual jam bands priority over the crooners and indie darlings.

2. Lower Ticket Price
The festival-going masses have proved time and time again that they are willing to pay $250 for a weekend of music,
if it’s worth it. But events charging that much tend to be more like Bonnaroo Music Festival than Newport Folk Festival. Nateva caught a
break when the Rothbury Music
Festival announced they were not holding an event this year, but if they come back next summer, Nateva will be
in direct competition. If Nateva wants to survive, they’ll need to make their product more competitive by charging
considerably less for admission.

3. Increase On-Site Camping
Increasing on-site camping is the single most important change needed to ensure this events survival. Nateva had a
15,000-person capacity but only a third of those ticket holders were offered on-site camping. The rest were
expected to camp 2.5 miles from the event and be shuttled back and forth. Needless to say, this was not popular
with potential attendees and the empty off-site parking lots testified to that. On-site camping sold out in advance
and was a major hit, but if Nateva wants to turn a profit and draw in a max-capacity crowd, they’ll need to find a way
to offer everyone in attendance on-site accommodations.

JamBase | Maine
Go See Live Music!

Crash Kings | 12.13 | Cambridge

January 20th, 2010 | No Comments

Words & Images by: Andrew Bruss

Crash Kings :: 12.13.09 :: Middle East :: Cambridge, MA

Crash Kings :: 12.13 :: Boston

Crash Kings won over the Middle East Downstairs even though the sold out crowd was not their own. The keys/drum/bass trio was the first of three acts slated to perform on a snowy Sunday evening in Cambridge. With the odds against them, Crash Kings performed a 45-minute set that rocked to its core, effectively turning a crowd of strangers into fans.

The bulk of the set consisted of material off their self-titled debut, but they played a few songs that have yet to be released on any proper studio product. Bassist Mike Beliveau and drummer Jason Morris were the real core of the experience as the rhythm section functioned in perfect unison. Their ability to follow each other made you wonder if these guys slept and breathed on the same cycles.

Frontman Tony Beliveau (brother of Mike) was the most active onstage, holding down vocal duties as well as keyboards. Although his singing felt a bit forced, he made up for it with his instrumental work. His keyboard featured a steel extension that acted like a whammy bar, bending the notes and allowing his rig to play the role of electric guitar.

Beliveau’s guitar simulation was most apparent during their set closing cover of Black Sabbath‘s “War Pigs.” Without a guitar player, the leads made famous by guitarist Tony Iommi were played by Tony Beliveau, who botched the vocals in the second verse but nailed the riffs, even capturing some of Iommi’s dark tone.

Crash Kings borrow from a lot of the same resurgent rock we’ve heard over the past decade and do their best to make it their own. Unfortunately, their sole studio product fails to capture the power they bring to the stage. But, as an opening act who won over another group’s sold out crowd, it’s fair to say their live show is the best asset they have to work with.

Crash Kings tour dates available here.

JamBase | Crashing
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Medeski, Martin & Wood | 11.14 | NYC

November 18th, 2009 | No Comments

Words & Images by: Andrew Bruss

Medeski Martin & Wood :: 11.14.09 :: Nokia Theatre :: New York, NY

MMW :: 11.14 :: NYC

Medeski Martin & Wood brought their freak jazz-fusion home for a gig in New York City that effectively stimulated the frontal lobes of their audience, but did little to get feet moving on the dance floor. Given that the group cut their teeth on the Blue Note circuit, expecting a little something extra to come from a show in Time Square would have been a fair assumption, but their two sets didn’t deviate much from the norm.

The first set started off with “Zagzagel,” the opening track off Zaebos: Book Of Angels Volume 11, before they segued into “Broken Mirror” and “Wonton,” both off the third installment of their Radiolarian Series. There are many faces to Medeski Martin & Wood, and over the past few years, they’ve proven themselves to be more challenging than ever. With groove-heavy albums like 1998′s Combustication and 2004′s End Of The World Party (Just In Case) under their belt, MMW can clearly get the dance floor moving. At the same time, they can just as easily perform two hours of avant-garde, neo-free jazz that is more about listening than anything else.

Their performance at the Nokia Theatre Times Square, which took place over a hundred feet below street level, proved to fall into the latter category, snuffing out the audience’s dance floor ambitions with instrumentals that wove between intricate rhythms and, more than anything else, demonstrated the technical proficiency that’s made MMW a jazz-heavy phenomenon on the jam band circuit.

Where most drummers keep the beat, Billy Martin has the preternatural ability to take his percussion into the spotlight, effectively coming off as a lead musician as opposed to the supporting role usually reserved for drummers.

John Medeski :: 11.14 :: NYC

Chris Wood, the only member of the trio who stands while performing, had the unique position to really rock out onstage. He worked off of Martin while running his fingers up and down the neck of his bass, engaging in a competitive call-and-response while showcasing a badass grin on his face.

While Martin and Wood played off each other’s licks, John Medeski worked his magic from behind the confines of his electric organ, slapping and sliding his fingers across the keys of an array of instruments. As he mouthed the notes he was playing on his assortment of key-based instruments, he came off like a mad scientist, mixing a dash of this and that from assorted test tubes, inching closer and closer to a perfect formula.

An important addition to their performance was the percussion of Eddie Bobe on the second half of their first set. He really accentuated Martin’s work throughout “Chantes Des Femmes,” which was followed by a solo of his own.

The second set featured more cuts from the Radiolarian Series, and was followed by a fan-friendly encore of “New Planet,” that let people get their groove on, but unfortunately, following the first set, plenty of attendees were seen headed for the exits. As impressive as their improvisational skills are, without including a bit of funk in the mix their performance came off as pseudo-masturbatory. With a back-catalog that features jazz, funk, John Zorn compositions, and kid’s tunes, a more eclectic setlist would have been more stimulating for their audience. But given the energies put into Radiolarians (released in three volumes over two years), their choice of tunes should have been expected. However, even through the haze of disappointment, the folks who left early were sure to have been impressed by the virtuosic playing that they got to hear.

MMW tour dates available here.

JamBase | Gotham
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Mastodon/Dethklok | 10.27 | Boston

November 4th, 2009 | No Comments

Words by: Andrew Bruss | Images by: Steve Klise

Mastodon/Dethklok :: 10.27.09 :: House of Blues :: Boston, MA

Brann Dailor – Mastodon :: 10.27 :: Boston

Mastodon came through Boston’s House of Blues, performing the entirety of 2009′s Crack The Skye, effectively fucking the eardrums of their fans for the first of a two-night, sold out run.

Touring alongside Dethklok, the fictional cartoon metal band staring on Cartoon Network’s Metalocalypse, Mastodon had their work cut out for them. Although the Atlanta-based quartet had the longest set of the two acts, the bearded, tattooed members of Mastodon found themselves performing to a crowd of greasy haired high school kids who came to support their favorite cartoon. For as many Mastodon fans as there were in the house, those in attendance for Dethklok seemed to have minimal background on the ever-intense nature of one of the most progressive metal bands in the world.

To Mastodon’s credit, they sold out the venue the last time they came through Beantown, without the assistance of Dethklok. Following their performance, while stagehands set up the massive screen that Dethklok performed under, Mastodon’s Brann Dailor (drums) told JamBase, “It was pretty much just as packed as the last time [we played here], but I think Dethklok is awesome. We’re all huge fans of the show.” He added, “The crowd seemed awesome, and I think they’re going to go fucking ballistic for Dethklok.”

Attendees proved responsive to Dethklok, but from the opening licks of “Oblivion,” the entire crowd was eating out of Mastodon’s palm. With devil horns in the air, the group’s crowd moshed and head banged along to every intricate rhythm that boomed out of the house PA.

Troy Sanders – Mastodon :: 10.27

As video projections of Rasputin filled the back of the stage, Troy Sanders (bass) and Brent Hinds (guitar) traded vocal duties, the former covering the low end and the latter forcing a higher-pitch, Ozzy Osbourne-esque tone through his embattled larynx.

When the group went into the instrumental segments of their carefully crafted compositions, Sanders, holding down center stage, had a tendency to rock out towards the back by the drum kit, while Hinds and Bill Kelliher (guitar) flanked both sides of the stage as they powered through the intricate, multi-layered six-string components they’ve trademarked.

Mastodon has developed a reputation as one of the fiercest, tightest acts known to man. But if there was one member who stood out as the leader, it was Dailor. You don’t see a lot of drummers who can take care of vocal responsibilities from behind their kit, and amongst those who can, Dailor put the Don Henleys of the world to shame. When describing Dailor’s method, the words ‘power’ and ‘speed’ cannot be used lightly. For the entirety of their set, it seemed as though Dailor was plowing through nonstop drum rolls with the explosive energy of a frag grenade.

Although “The Czar” runs at the core of the album’s Rasputin/Space Travel theme, the title track seemed to elicit the strongest response from the crowd. “Crack The Skye,” written in memory of Dailor’s late sister, opens on a mellower note, but in no time had the crowd stampeding in circles harder than they had for any other tune.

After the albums closer, “The Last Baron,” Mastodon left the stage before an encore consisting of tunes from their other albums, 2006′s Blood Mountain, and 2004′s Leviathan.

Dethklok :: 10.27 :: Boston

Dethklok came out cloaked in black, under dim lighting that allowed Metalocalypse‘s behind-the-scenes masterminds to keep a low profile. Cartoon projections took the place of any effective showmanship, and as the group tore into the show’s theme song, cheers erupted, although a reasonable chunk of the crowd left following Mastodon’s performance.

For men whose primary job is the creation of a cartoon, Metalocalypse creators Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha deserve massive props for writing technically proficient metal tunes that can share the stage with an act like Mastodon. But unlike Mastodon, Dethklok’s biggest problem lies in their authenticity. Rather than converting Mastodon fans with guitar-shredding credentials, they played to a crowd of existing fans who saw a performance that, more than anything, came across as a caricature of acts like Mastodon.

Given the lopsided nature of the bill’s authenticity, in hindsight it would have been more appropriate to have Mastodon follow Dethklok, but given the finances that EA Games’ Brutal Legend put into promotions, the reasoning behind the order was obvious. Regardless, even with a less-than-perfect schedule, anyone who bought a ticket to see Mastodon got to witness something they probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise. And the folks in attendance who came for Dethklok likely walked away with a new appreciation of what metal can truly be.

Mastodon and Dethklok are on tour now; dates available here.

And for more on Mastodon, check our exclusive feature/interview here.

Continue reading for more images of Mastodon and Dethklok in Boston…

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JamBase | Throwing The Horns
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Nathan Moore: Tip of the Iceberg

September 22nd, 2009 | No Comments

By: Andrew Bruss

Nathan Moore

Everything about singer/songwriter Nathan Moore is befitting of a modern-day troubadour. Whether it’s his background, his nomadic lifestyle, his onstage persona or his speech patterns, Moore comes off as a man who was born for his craft. His latest release, Folk Singer (released August 18 on The Royal Potato Family – see our review here), is a bare-bones collection of old-school folk songs that is void of any “studio magic,” and leaves the listener with a naked picture of Nathan Moore, the songwriter. But Moore’s views on music – folk or otherwise – share a lot with his views on life, and when you get him talking, he’s not afraid to go deep.

“I think [folk] goes back to the poets before [singers like Joe Hill and Bob Dylan], who were troubadours themselves, in the way that their poetry was received. I don’t look at something and say, ‘I want to try to be that,’ but I definitely gravitate towards things I feel I could become, which I’ve always thought was interesting,” says Moore. “I always thought the things I liked the most are the things I thought I could possibly do. I like Led Zeppelin, but in terms of my table of heroes with all the Townes Van Zandts and John Prines and Tom Waits, it struck me as strange that I like things, I think on some level, I could pull off like Leonard Cohen. I’ll hear that and say, ‘Wow that’s amazing,’ but deep down, I’m thinking, ‘I could do that.’”

During a phone conversation with Moore following the release of Folk Singer, he discussed music, politics, life on the road, and life at home, but what stood out most about him was his degree of engagement. Moore will take any question you give him, analyze it and answer, piece by piece, often using his own answer as a platform to discuss a whole array of subjects that he somehow manages to fit within the specific context of the original question.

Nathan Moore

When asked about the current state of political songwriting, Moore used the opportunity to not only answer the question, but to analyze the political activity of his generation at large.

“I’d say that when Obama was running, we all went for it for a little while. Before [the election], and even before that, Bush brought out the fighting spirit in us, but one of the regretful things about Obama winning is a lot of people said, ‘Alright! It’s alright for us to pull the Hawaiian shirt out of the closet and get back to drinking piÃ±a coladas [laughs].’ That’s sort of a shame because we still need to be seeking the truth with a passion that doesn’t seem to be that common place these days,” Moore says. “I think there still is [a silence within the artistic community]. I think Bush was a good opportunity and a lot of people seized on it, but I think there’s a certain depth of idealism that contemporary culture has created. We all saw the ’60s come and go, even if it was through the lens of history. We know that time period. It’s a new day and a different, interesting time. It stills my heart that there are young idealists. There always have been and there always will be. My generation was a terrible example in terms of activism or taking those ideals and making them glorious.”

Aside from the perceived ideological failures of his generation, Moore seemed to feel as though the role of a folk singer is the same as it ever was. Both articulate and concise, Moore spoke in stream-of-consciousness-like sentences, breaking to breath, but ever-ready to continue vocalizing his train of thought.

“I think there’s a timeless roll [to being a folk singer],” he says. “I was wondering whether it’s the same as it’s always been, but ultimately it’s the folk singer’s roll to mark in time stories of our day, and sort of [be] a historian encapsulating pictures of the world around us, and then preserve those stories for everybody. And in terms of performance and singing, it’s giving people a chance to… feel.”

Nathan Moore by Anne Staveley

“I guess with the new album there’s a picture of hard times, of the recession that we’re involved in, and there’s a little bit of the traveling vibe [incorporated] but from the perspective of a traveling troubadour, so there are Walmarts instead of boxcars,” Moore says. “This really is an EP, in the sense that it’s an introduction, a beginning of a new relationship with a label, so this is more of a half guitar/travel/calling card thing that we’ve made. If I was making an album, I’d be sure I was making a well-rounded expression, but with this, the thought process was a little different. It’s a little more utilitarian, and a little less conceptual. When I make an album, everything complements each other and makes a story. This wasn’t a storytelling album.”

Moore seems to feel the role of a folk singer is to tell tales of the world around him. But, the world starts at home, and this concept is far from lost on Nathan Moore.

“I’m getting a little older and I’ve found that the balance that home brings to my life, in terms of going out and having fun and getting loose on the road, but then coming home to a stable community and a beautiful home life, is pretty ideal for me. It keeps me balanced, as opposed to when I was in my twenties and entirely nomadic. Now I’m more balanced.” With pride in his roots, Moore built upon his connection to his community, saying, “You go downtown and you see so many people that you know. I went to the same high school my grandmother went to. It’s a tight community with a lot of history.”

Even in describing his life on the road, Moore emphasized his connection to his hometown.

“When I left home I felt like a pioneer, but what was Columbus without Spain? I got to discover new worlds, but in my community’s name and behalf. I always had a sense of that with what I was doing, way more than my community. I always felt like a pioneer for my home town,” he says. “I had a revelation recently where I realized how important it is to me where I come from. ‘Remember where I’m from.’ It’s a stabilizing mantra for me. It brings me back to what I have to offer.”

Nathan Moore

The authenticity Moore radiates in conversation is just as apparent, if not more so, in his songwriting. When asked about his creative process, he describes his songwriting as being nothing but from the heart. “I can’t just sit down and say, ‘I need a song that’s marketable or danceable like that, or catchy like this.’ If it doesn’t come through my heart then it doesn’t happen,” he says. “I write as a means of survival. It’s like the air that I breathe, so in that sense, I’m not trying to sell anything really. I’m just trying to exist.”

Although he said very little about Surprise Me Mr. Davis, his rock project alongside the three members of The Slip, Moore did comment that although for now he’s promoting Folk Singer, “We have 2010, [and] we’re going to take over the world.”

When talking about the big picture, be it past, present, or future, Moore has a way of making things seem specific. When asked what his future holds, he dabbled in metaphors that beat around the bush, yet managed to give a very clear answer anyway. “I’ve been feeling good about things,” he says. “We’re dealing with a lot with Folk Singer and Davis, [but] I feel like we’re still at the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot about to come from me into the world, so people should stay tuned.”

Nathan Moore is on tour now; dates available here.

You can download “Hard Times” off Folk Singer for FREE here.

See more of Nathan Moore’s performance with Big Light at the JamBase offices over here.

JamBase | Tuned In

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Dirty Projectors: Clear Vision

September 10th, 2009 | No Comments

By: Andrew Bruss

Dirty Projectors

For a group that’s been touring and recording for the better part of the past decade, Dirty Projectors didn’t break into the blogosphere hype machine until the second half of 2009. The release of their latest studio album, Bitte Orca (released June 9 on Domino), has earned them billing on an array of major festivals, an opening slot on tour with TV On The Radio, and the very public adoration of both David Byrne and Bjork.

Their lineup has changed drastically over the years, boasting more ex-members than they currently have on the road with them, but it seems as though things are finally settling into place for Dirty Projectors. They’ve been touring behind a steady lineup, making fans across the country, and it seems as though Bitte Orca is likely to find its way to many “Best Of ’09″ lists.

With all that’s been going on in their world, JamBase caught up with Angel Deradoorian, keyboardist, guitarist, and backup vocalist for Dirty Projectors, to get a feel for the inner workings of the group and discuss the direction things are headed in.

JamBase: How did you get involved with the band?

Angel Deradoorian: [Dirty Projectors' founder and principle songwriter] Dave [Longstreth] invited me to be in the band when I moved to New York and I’d known Amber [Coffman, vocals/guitar] previous to that. Dave was looking for a new person so he invited me [to join the band].

So, as someone relatively new to the group, why do you think the latest album, Bitte Orca, has received so much more attention than the group’s previous studio works?

We’re working really hard. We toured really hard on [our reimagined cover of Black Flag's] Rise Above, to push that record and to get the word out and I think things are building up a bit more. But, Dave has been working really hard for a long time. Eventually, I think with hard work you get recognized, and the fact that we pushed the Rise Above stuff until people realized how motivated we all were it helped to get the word out on Bitte Orca.

Is it tough getting the tunes to transfer into the live setting?

Dirty Projectors by Greg Neate

For the new record it was tough. I switched my musical role a bit in the band and we had new people come in, so it was like starting over and learning a lot of new material with new people. Working out those parts together isn’t always easy, but we did it. We got it.

What instruments are the new members playing?

So, there used to be four people in our band – me, Dave, Amber and Brian [Mcomber, drums] – and we brought in Nat [Baldwin, bass] and Haley [Dekle, vocals].

How did the group come to the conclusion that more members were needed?

We knew we needed new people because of the instrumentation on the new record. We needed help playing these songs live so they sounded similar to what we recorded.

I know Dave is the longest running member of the band. Is Dirty Projectors his group or is it a democracy?

It is Dave’s group. It’s been his project for a long time.

So, what kind of creative input do the other members have? Do other members in the group write songs or help with making set lists? Or is that all up to Dave?

Angel Deradoorian – Dirty Projectors

It’s usually up to Dave. He writes the music, but we are part of the process because we’re all in this together, making music and making our sounds.

Are you working on getting another album ready, or is the group focused on touring behind Bitte Orca?

We just released Bitte Orca in June so we’re just touring and promoting it right now. We’re getting it going, so it’s going to be a while before we make another record, but we’ve always planned on making another record.

Are things stressed within the group? Is it more difficult being under the public lens now that things are picking up or are people psyched about the response? What’s the affect like within Dirty Projectors?

It’s a lot being on tour and doing press and balancing all of these things, and being tired and wanting to rest for a bit. We’ve been on tour for two months at this point, but we’re excited about the feedback we’re getting for the record and how supportive everyone has been.

How do you feel about doing press? Does it feel like a chore or do you enjoy it?

Doing press? That depends… it depends on where you’re at. It isn’t always fun to do when you’re on tour because you’re working so hard as it is. But nobody is anti-press. It’s a good thing that helps the band.

David Byrne sat in with you guys at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. How did that come to be?

Dirty Projectors from last.fm

I’m not sure. I think Dave and David [Byrne] spoke about it before hand. It was Byrne’s curate stage [that we were performing on], and he came around checking out the band. I didn’t know until right before he came onstage [that he would be performing with us]. So, I was pretty surprised.

Did it throw you off? Or did it psych you up?

It was totally awesome. It didn’t throw me off. Big festivals are a little intimidating but we’re getting more used to it now, and we’re playing larger audience capacity rooms.

When you think about the ideal Dirty Projectors performance, is it in a nightclub, a theater, a festival or an amphitheater?

Personally, I like playing smaller shows and slightly dingy venues [but] not like dingy bars. If you’re playing where everyone is going to be psyched, and everyone in the room has the same feeling of excitement about what is going to happen, that helps. A lot of what makes a band great is the audience and their reaction.

So, if Bitte Orca went platinum overnight and you guys found yourselves playing arenas on a nightly basis, would you be stoked or would you consider that to be less than ideal for a performance?

I have no idea [laughs]. Sorry. If I had something to compare that to I would have something to tell you, but I have no idea. We played last night to about five thousand people at the Brooklyn Waterfront in Williamsburg.

If you were going to summarize the essence of Dirty Projectors, how would you summarize it?

That’s a hard question to answer. We’re just a really vocal oriented band. It’s always really hard to answer that question. I’d like to pass on this one.

How about the fans? Do you appeal to a specific demographic?

Dirty Projectors from last.fm

Our audience has expanded as we’ve become more recognized, but usually it’s a cool, diverse crowd at every show. I like that they go in that direction instead of one targeted demographic.

Do you think there’s a genre you guys fall into?

Not particularly. I think we cover a pretty broad array of sounds, and I think people need to find things in your music that they can associate with one word. I’m not trying to sound pretentious or avoid answering this question, but it is difficult to describe it. I haven’t really thought about what the music is. It could fit into many different genres I suppose.

Where do you want Dirty Projectors to be in a year? Do you expect things to keep up at this pace?

Things are becoming much more positive and our career is starting to bloom, so in a year? I think we’re moving in an upward direction, so I’d like to be playing new songs and maybe playing some festivals in Europe or something like that.

As far as new songs, are you looking to write new material or is it understood that Dave exclusively writes new material?

Just Dave. I have my own project I write for, so I’ve never thought about writing for Dirty Projectors.

Ever think about opening for Dirty Projectors?

Nope [laughs]! That would be too hard.

As a solo recording artist with her own thing going on, what do you bring to the Dirty Projectors?

Every person in this band is very individualistic. We work well together, so I don’t know if any of my style musically has much to do with what I bring to the band because I learn what Dave writes. Ultimately, everyone’s personality goes into the band individually in its own way.

Dirty Projectors are on tour now; dates available here.

JamBase | Projecting
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Deer Tick Burrow In

July 22nd, 2009 | No Comments

By: Andrew Bruss

Deer Tick

Prior to the release of Deer Tick‘s sophomore studio album, Born On Flag Day (released June 23 on Partisan Records), frontman John McCauley III talked backstage at Boston’s House of Blues about the expectations for his new album, the band’s heightened presence in the press and where he hopes things will go from here. When asked about the prospect of fame, McCauley joked, “If it ever gets to a point where I can’t go anywhere without being recognized or if folks are taking my picture… I’ve always said that if I was faced by paparazzi I’d just pull my dick out [laughs]. If I keep doing that every time someone takes my picture, the value of my photo will go down to the point where nobody will want to deal with me. I’m not going to be punching photographers in the face… but I will show them my dick.”

The above statement wasn’t anything more than McCauley having a sense of humor, but he added with a serious tone, “I don’t know that I’ll ever change my lifestyle. I’m always going to be a guy who goes to neighborhood bars and do my own grocery shopping and shit like that. I don’t think fame could ever faze me.”

The guys in Deer Tick were opening for Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley fame on a stretch of her current tour, and they came through Boston on a helluva night. Born and based out of Providence, Rhode Island, the group seemed stoked to be performing across the street from Fenway Park on a night that found the Boston Red Sox wrapping up the second game of a three-day sweep against arch rivals the New York Yankees. The win amplified the affect of Deer Tick’s pseudo-homecoming crowd in Boston, and after the performance, while the greater Deer Tick crew was cutting loose in their dressing room, guitarist Andy Tobiassen stormed in, amped-up over a t-shirt he’d gotten with the Red Sox logo on the front and the album cover for Flag Day on the back. When drummer Dennis Ryan asked in amazement “Where’d you get that?” Tobiassen replied that he’d be getting his soon.

Deer Tick from flickr.com/photos/lacautiva

That was the vibe brewing around Deer Tick in Boston. During the conversation with McCauley following the set, he commented, “Tonight really almost felt like we were playing to a hometown crowd. Just to play for fellow New Englanders and see them get excited and applaud for us and to entertain them and to see they were even paying attention, it was really flattering and put me in a good mood. As soon as we started the first song I knew it was going to be a good night.”

Their set clocked in just under an hour and featured a handful of tunes off their freshman debut, War Elephant (JamBase review here), as well as a solid run through their more recent material. They humored hecklers with a tease of Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” as well as an impromptu “Day Man” from FX’s It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, before wrapping their set with an ass kicking cover of “La Bamba,” leaving an impressed crowd for Jenny Lewis. Follow she did, making it clear to anyone in the house who the people came to see. However, based on the crowd’s response and the nothing-but-rock-n-roll performance they gave, there was no doubt that Deer Tick left Boston with a bunch of new fans.

For as impressive of a frontman as McCauley is on stage, you wouldn’t recognize the blonde haired, mustached singer when he’s in a social setting. Sporting a tattoo of a Deer Tick on his left bicep, his singing carries an almost Southern accent that appears through his gritty howl on tunes like “Not So Dense” and on Flag Day tracks like “Easy” and “The Ghost.” But in person, McCauley is soft spoken, near whispering answers to questions while barely moving his lips. Even when surrounded by friends and bandmates, McCauley was more inclined to slouch into his chair, sip on a beer and mellow out, rather than strive to be the center of attention like many other frontmen. Before the group took the stage, Liz Isenberg, Providence-based singer-songwriter who performs with the band, spoke about McCauley’s duality. “He’s a completely different person on stage,” she said, “but he’s a very quiet guy. The first time I saw him on stage I thought he was very energetic and charming; he was talking way more than he used to, and I thought he was a great entertainer.”

Continue reading for more on Deer Tick…

I’m not going to be punching photographers in the face… but I will show them my dick.

-John McCauley

“There’s some sort of transformation that happens [on stage],” commented McCauley. “I don’t consider myself very well spoken or long winded or extroverted, but when I’m on stage, something… changes. I don’t know if it’s that I feel a sense of security or an honest to goodness deep interaction with the crowd. I can’t really put my finger on it, what happens when I get on stage, but it does completely change me. I’m very comfortable on stage.”

Deer Tick

When it comes to all things Deer Tick, McCauley is behind the wheel. Drummer Dennis Ryan said that it’s far from a dictatorship but McCauley primarily drives the musical direction of the band. “We just read this article in the [Boston] Metro with a quote from him about not having to write parts for us because we play what we want, [and] that’s how the whole thing goes,” Ryan said. “He has these fucking amazing songs, and he tells me what type of feel he wants for the song and I play what I want from there. I could play something other than what he envisioned but it’s never happened. We’re on the same wavelength.”

Although he made a point of highlighting his bandmates’ contributions, McCauley’s outlook on the group’s creative process corroborated Ryan’s take on things. “Most of what we play are songs I’ve written,” he said. “About 98-percent are my songs, but Andy writes songs and Dennis writes songs. Dennis played a song of his [tonight] on lead vocals that will be on the third album.”

With the release of Born On Flag Day talk of a third studio album came from out of the blue. When asked to elaborate, McCauley said that Flag Day was finished by September of 2008 and that their third LP, finished this past January, is slated for a winter release. “[The third album is] already done. I don’t want to go too deep into it because, you know, it’s kind of secret,” he said, “but it’s a little darker and a lot heavier than anything we’ve done.”

It seems like Deer Tick is keeping two steps ahead of the game, and that’s the way McCauley likes it. “It’s not such a bad place to be,” he said. “It sort of takes the pressure off. You don’t have to think what we’re going to do for the next album. We haven’t written shit.”

Deer Tick

Although Born On Flag Day is very much the product of John McCauley’s songwriting, it showcases a noticeable progression from where they left off on War Elephant. As Deer Tick’s permanent membership has gradually filled in, less of the in-studio recording fell on McCauley’s shoulders. When asked about how it was different recording Flag Day, McCauley said, “I didn’t have to worry as much about doing drums and bass, which I did on War Elephant. I’m not the best bassist or drummer, so it was cool just having to work on my guitar parts. I think this new album will sound more like our live show than War Elephant ever could.” However, in the same breathe, he added, “We’re more rambunctious live. There’s recorded Deer Tick and then there’s live Deer Tick.”

The guys in Deer Tick are far from oblivious about their rise in prominence over the past year, and the possibility of that continual rise didn’t seem far off their radar at any point in time. “It’s funny because when I joined, John booked the tour himself. When we played Boston, we were playing at house parties, a lot of basements and dive bars with 15 people. It wasn’t anything glorious,” Ryan commented. “Even then we didn’t have enough CDs. John was making them himself, and I drew a cover with a weird clown. We toured for a whole year with no merchandise, and sold whatever we could when we had it. It was when we met [label founder] Tim [Putnam] from Partisan Records that they re-released War Elephant and things started to go a little better.”

As for the buzz itself, McCauley said, “[Born On Flag Day] has been getting a lot of hype and it’s not even out yet, so I sense a lot of anticipation for this album, so I think things will change for us. The hype is sort of something I feel I’m supposed to live up to, but we recorded it in September and I still think it’s a good album.”

But when it comes to playing bigger venues, getting a nicer tour bus or reaching any of the other plateau’s affiliated with rock ‘n’ roll fame, McCauley seemed to care less. “I don’t care about fame,” he said. “I care about our fans and the more the merrier.”

FREE MP3: Deer Tick – “Easy”

http://partisanrecords.com/mp3s/deertick-easy.mp3

Deer Tick has several dates coming up including shows with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and These United States; complete tour dates available here.

JamBase | Wavin’ That Flag
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