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Posts Tagged ‘bill’

JUI-F quits coalition


ISLAMABAD/LAHORE – The PPP-led government suffered another setback as it plunged to another crisis Tuesday when JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced Tuesday that his party had decided to quit the coalition government.
The latest twist in the countryÂ’s politics came after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani earlier in the day sacked Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi and Minister for Science and Technology Azam Swati from their offices. It is worth mentioning that Swati was one of the three JUI-FÂ’s ministers who were inducted in the cabinet.
As soon a high-level meeting of JUI-F made the decision, the remaining two ministers also sent their resignations to the prime minister.
They include Federal Minister Housing and Works Minister Rehmat Ullah Kakar and Federal Minister for Tourism Atta-ur-Rehman.
After the announcement, President Zardari and Premier Gilani telephoned Fazlur Rehman but he refused to talk. When asked about the contact by the Presidency, Fazl while talking to media said, “Please avoid such critical questions.”
He said the governmentÂ’s one-sided decision compelled them to quit the coalition government, adding that they were not taken into confidence over issue.
The JUI-F chief said he had responded positively to the reconciliation policy of the PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, adding that he asked the president to implement the agreement reached with the JUI-F which had joined the government on the basis of the deal.
He said the party had written many letters to Prime Minister Gilani to take action against the people involved in the Haj scandal but the government did not take any action. Instead, it dismissed their minister Azam Swati who stood firm against the huge corruption in Haj operations, he added.
When asked about the blasphemy law, he ridiculed Punjab Governor Salmaan TaseerÂ’s statements about amending the law and expressed his anger over the private bill moved by PPP MNA Sherry Rehman for this purpose.
In response to a question, he asked the PPP government to revoke the notification of SwatiÂ’s removal and issue a formal apology.
About the future plan of action and RGST Bill which would soon be tabled in the Lower House of the Parliament, Fazl said the JUI-F would oppose the bill and would not bail out the govt from the possible embarrassment during the voting.
Later, as a reconciliatory move, President ZardariÂ’s spokesman Dr Qayyum Soomro reached FazlÂ’s residence for convincing him to withdraw his decision.
Meanwhile, talking to media after a religious ceremony at Kala Shah Kaku near Lahore, Kazmi said a particular group was conspiring against him after his appointment as the federal minister for Religious Affairs. They wanted to grab the ministry, he added.
Talking about his removal, Kazmi said the decision had been taken although there was no solid proof against him but he had no complaint over the move.
“I am simple man and not involved in any corruption,” he said.
He said fabricated stories were being spread just for targeting him.
When asked why he did not resign despite constant pressure, Kazmi replied he wanted to stand up against the conspirators and there was no reason to do so in the absence of concrete evidence.
He reminded the reporters that no accused could be termed criminal till the charges were proved in the court.
On the reports of freezing his bank accounts, Kazmi he had no wealth; therefore, the decision, if taken, would not affect him.
In an exclusive telephonic conversation with Nawa-i-Waqt from Zurich, Azam Swati described his removal as an honour, saying he was the lone minister in Pakistan who had ever been sacked over pointing out corruption.
He said he was grateful to Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other party elders for deciding to quit the govt after his expulsion from the cabinet. He also thanked the people and media for, what he called naming, him as the ‘honest minister’.
“This day will always be remembered as an important milestone in the country’s history,” he remarked, adding that it had inculcated a new feeling in the nation.
It was a JUI-F minister who exposed corruption prevailing in the government, he said.
Swati said the incumbent govt never paid attention to science and technology, as the budget of Higher Education Commission (HEC) was slashed while that of BISP, which he termed as bogus, was increased from Rs30 billion to Rs90 billion. He had walked out of the cabinet meeting when it was approved, Swati added.
The JUI-F senator said he would stay in Zurich at his daughterÂ’s house and also land in Dubai for some days.
It is pertinent to recall that Swati runs a departmental store chain and oil companies in the US where he had stayed till late 1990s but later opted to return to Pakistan.
Talking to media, Federal Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira said obviously there were some differences between the two allies but the matter would soon be resolved amicably.
Though the PMÂ’s House statement about the sacking of the two ministers did not mention any reasons but they have been fired over the controversy about the corruption in the Haj operations. Kazmi is facing serious allegations of corruption in Haj levelled against him by Swati and others. It resulted in media war as both the ministers did not follow the premierÂ’s advice to avoid issuing statements, thus aggravating the differences between the two cabinet fellows.
Prime Minister Gilani has given the additional charge of Religious Affairs to Syed Khursheed Shah, Minister of Labour and Manpower Minister of Education Sardar Assef Ahmed will look after the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The premier has also appointed Makhdoom Shahbuddin as Minister for Defence Production, who will continue to hold his portfolio of the Health Ministry. The slot was vacant after the resignation by former minister Abdul Qayyum Jatoi.
Meanwhile, Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs Agha Sarwar Raza
Qazalbash has been directed to report to the Establishment Division, while Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Division Saeed Khan has replaced Qazalbash.

Bill & Giuliana Rancic Talk Show?

Are Bill and Giuliana Rancic the next Regis and Kathie Lee? Tinseltown informants say the endearing couple are developing a talk show based out of Bill’s homebase in The Windy City that would see both Rancics featured as hosts. E! News correspondent Giuliana’s even considering abandoning her tony gig in Los Angeles to get to [...]

Dr. Drew Bill O’Reilly Weigh In On Miley Cyrus Salvia Scandal

If Miley Cyrus ever feels like purging her soul on the next season of VH1′s Celebrity Rehab, Dr. Drew’s got a cot with her name on it. Now that Miles has replaced Lindsay Lohan as Hollywood’s newest high-profile eff-up, celebrity drug counselor and addiction specialist Dr. Drew is sharing his two cents on how the [...]

Dawes, Deer Tick & Delta Spirit Vocalists Start New Group

TOUR DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY; SELF-TITLED ALBUM OUT MARCH 1

Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes,
Deer Tick‘s John McCauley,
and Matthew Vasquez of Delta
Spirit
have come together to create their new group Middle Brother.

The trio have
announced
that their self-titled debut album will be released March 1 on Partisan Records. Tour dates are being planned for the
spring, although nothing has been confirmed yet. The band will perform at a benefit for the Invisible Children
charity on On December 20 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. Below is a clip of the band performing ‘Daydreaming.’

Track Listing:

1. Daydreaming
2. Blue Eyes
3. Thanks For Nothing
4. Middle Brother
5. Theater
6. Portland

7. Wilderness
8. Me Me Me

9. Someday
10. Blood and Guts

11. Mom and Dad
12. Million Dollar Bill

Middle Brother
Tour Dates

::
Middle Brother News
::
Middle Brother
Concert
Reviews


Carla Bruni to visit Safdarjung Hospital to see anti-natal, HIV care procedure

Carla BruniFrance’s First Lady Carla Bruni will visit the Safdarjung Hospital and the New Delhi-based Naz Foundation Trust, an NGO working on HIV/AIDS and sexual health on Monday. Most people around the world know Bruni as an Italian-born French songwriter, singer and former model, but few know that she is also the brand ambassador for the [...]

Hungarian protest against media bill

Several Hungarian newspapers published blank front pages or cartoons yesterday in protest at a bill which they say would restrict media freedom.

The legislation now being debated in parliament would allow the official media watchdog to impose heavy fines on privately run publications.

Bill Frisell & Vinicius Cantuária: Lagrimas Mexicanas Out 1/25/11

DUO WILL TOUR IN 2011


Lagrimas Mexicanas

Bill Frisell and Vinicius Cantuária‘s new album,
Lagrimas Mexicanas,
epitomizes
a union of extraordinary musicians. Frisell’s and Cantuária’s own music have clearly distinctive origins, but with
complimentary styles. Through the blending of emotive rhythms and harmonies, and the melding of classic and
experimental sounds, the two artists have found an easy home with one another. Lagrimas Mexicanas is
scheduled for release on January 25, 2011 via Entertainment One Music.

TOUR DATES

February 16 &17 San Francisco, CA Yoshi’s

February 19 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
February 22 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center

*More to be announced soon.


Cooperation is the means to development: Nitish Kumar

Nitish KumarBihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called upon all parties, including the opposition to cooperate in the development of the state. Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Kumar said: “”All of us together, whether we are in ruling side or opposition, we will work for Bihar and will take Bihar on the speedy path of [...]

PML-Q’s boycott bails out govt


ISLAMABAD – There was a rumpus in the Upper House of the Parliament on Friday when Chairman Senate, Farooq H Naek, declared the passage of the recommendations by the Senate to the National Assembly on the controversial General Sales Tax (GST) Bill.
Hullabaloo was not yet over when the Chairman announced to prorogue the House.
The Upper House passed the recommendations on the General Sales Tax (GST) Bill and Finance (Amendment) Bill (RGST) amid opposition from JUI-F and MQM, the ruling coalition partners, and PML-N and Jamaaat-e-Islami, the opposition parties.
Former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar of PML-N and Prof Khurshid Ahmed of JI wanted Chairman Senate Farooq H Naek to hold voting on the GST Bill, 2010, usually known as the Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) Bill. But the Chair announced to prorogue the house while turning a deaf ear to the advice of the two senior Parliamentarians and what they called a bid to bulldoze the parliamentary norms of the Upper House. The Chairman read the prorogation order without taking into consideration that the Finance Minister had to deliver a concluding debate on the issue amid voices of Ishaq Dar that his party would walk out of the House if voting was not conducted.
Instead of holding the counting on the RGST, the Chairman only asked the members that those who were in favour of the recommendations might say ‘yes’ and those who were against the recommendations might say ‘no’ amid the slogans of “No RGST, No RGST” by the MQM and JUI-F.
PML-Q staged a token walkout of the House for not allowing them to move some fresh proposals forward on the RGST in the House before the Senate passed the recommendations on both the bills to be sent to the National Assembly for further proceedings.
The House was hit another constitutional controversy with the start of its proceedings on Friday when Wasim Sajjad, Leader of the Opposition, on the point of order requested the chair to relax the rules while using his discretionary powers for allowing him to move some fresh proposals on the RGST Bill in the House. The fresh proposals given by the Opposition Leader with consent of JUI-F and ANP, coalition partners of the Government, stated that the House recommended to the National Assembly that it would not pass the RGST.
Many legislators both from the treasury as well as opposition benches were of the view that the recommendations of the Senate Standing Committee were not final and the chair should accommodate fresh proposals while using his discretionary powers. Kalsoom Perveen accused some of the parties of adopting double standard, saying that they had supported the recommendations in the Senate Committee and now they were asking for fresh recommendations. Dr Babar Awan and Mian Raza Rabbani gave their constitutional opinions before the Chairman gave a ruling on the issue. Rabbani while quoting the prescribed rules 95, 96 and 97 said that as the recommendation that Wasim Sajjad wanted to move was negative in nature, so it could not be taken into consideration under the rules. Babar Awan said that according to Rule 119 &120, a private member who wished to move a resolution (or motion or fresh proposal) should give 7 daysÂ’ notice prior to this. Wasim Sajjad asked the Chairman to issue directives under Article-77, as the rules did not provide any regulations for this purpose in the Article 73.
The Chairman Senate assured the members that he would resolve the issue by giving his ruling before laying the report of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance containing proposals for making recommendations on the GST Bill and Finance (Amendment) Bill.
But, Senator Ahmed Ali first presented the report after many requests from the chair as he was hesitating to present it and then Farooq H Naek gave his ruling. Zafar Ali Shah also said that the Chairman was becoming partial as he was continuously using some words in favour of the treasury benches and the chair had to expunge these words on ZafarÂ’s request.
The Chairman Senate in his ruling said that the point raised by Wasim Sajjad violated the rules, as the time to give any proposals regarding the bill had lapsed. “The GST Bill was laid down on November 12, 2010 before the House for recommendations and the Chairman Senate at that time with the sense of the House decided that any proposal for making recommendations to NA may be given to the Senate Secretariat within two days”, he added. He said as the time had lapsed so no member would be allowed to submit fresh proposals at this stage.
Minister of Ports and Shipping, Babar Ghauri, wanted that the issue should be resolved in accordance with the sense of the House, as his party also wanted to submit fresh recommendations on agriculture tax. JUI-F was also in favour of submitting the fresh proposals.
Sabir Baloch while pointing towards Ghauri said that the Minister was a part of the Government and was speaking against it, he should first resign and then speak. Wasim Sajjad was of the view that the views of his party in the form of fresh proposals should be accommodated, as it had become a majority view because the ruling parties were also supporting it.

Senators reject RGST


ISLAMABAD – The legislators on both treasury as well as opposition benches in the Upper House of the Parliament stressed upon the Government to eradicate corruption, revamp Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for improving tax collection system and recover written off loans instead of introducing Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST).
There was consensus on one point among all the Senators who took part in the debate for making recommendations to the National Assembly on General Sales Tax Bill, 2010 and Finance (Amendment) Bill, 2010 that the Government should check corruption in public sector organisations to generate revenue. They viewed that imposition of new tax in the form of RGST would increase inflation and would be another burden on the poor.
The recommendations of the Senate Standing Committee of Finance on RGST Bill and Flood Tax Bill would be presented before the House at a time when Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh would conclude the debate today (Friday).
The legislators belonging to the allied parties of the PPP-led Government including MQM and JUI-F while reiterating their resolve to oppose the RGST Bill also criticised the Government for its failure to check the menace of corruption that was rampant in the public sector organisations.
Prior to this, the Chairman Senate gave his ruling regarding the constitutional point raised by Leader of the Opposition, Wasim Sajjad, the other day. He observed that a money bill should originate from the National Assembly and the NA Speaker had the final say when there was a question about the bill whether it was a money bill or otherwise.
He further said that both the bills under discussion in the Senate had been laid before the National Assembly under Article 73 the Constitution and further sent to Senate for recommendations under the specific procedure laid down in the constitution.
Senator S M Zafar while taking part in the debate said that the impression was being given that RGST was an old one in the form of reforms but it was a new one, as it would repeal the old GST of 1990s. He termed it a mini-budget and a fine example of bad governance of the Government to introduce it after the announcement of budget. “700 new items would be included in the RGST that will automatically raise inflation,” he said, adding that the Government should eradicate corruption and withdraw the proposed bill.
Haseeb Khan of MQM stressed upon the Government for reforming taxation system and revamping FBR instead of bringing reforms in GST to generate more money.
Ishaq Dar in his speech advised the Government in economic terms to check leakage of Rs 300-400 billion in tax collection, of more than Rs 300 billion losses of state-owned enterprises and announce austerity measures to generate more money and make up Rs 700 billon gap of fiscal deficit. He also suggested for introducing wealth tax to produce more money. He was of the view that the Government intended to generate RS 50-60 billion in the next six months and Rs 200 billion in the next year through RGST but if it would act upon his advice, it would generate more than Rs 700 billion.
Dr Babar clarified a point before the Chair gave the floor of the House to Senator Haroon Akhtar to speak on the issue. Dr Babar said that the imposition of taxes on income including the agriculture income tax was the domain of the provinces under the law and the Federal Government had noting to do with it. He said this as many voices were being raised in the House that the Government should bring the agriculture sector under the tax network.
However, Senator Haroon contradicting the statement of Awan said that PPP was a part of the governments in three provinces and it should take the initiative, adding that RGST was also a provincial subject.
“The Government should eliminate corruption from its lines and review Afghanistan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA) to check leakage of revenue,” Senator Talha Mahmmod said this while announcing that his party would oppose the bill.
Tahir Mushahdi of MQM said that as the county had no documented economy, ultimately corruption would rise after the imposition of RGST. He said that it would cause raise in inflation and due to the reason, his party would oppose the bill. He urged the need for bringing elite class under the tax network and bringing reforms in ATTA.
Sajid Mir urged the need for recovery of written-off loans, besides decreasing the number of ministers, preventing leakage of taxes as well as expanding income tax network.
Maulana Gul Naseeb of JUI-F and Gufran Khan of PPP-S endorsed the point of many legislators that the Government should abolish corruption.
Senator Haroon Akhtar said that the agriculture sector should contribute to the countryÂ’s economy, adding that agriculture sector, real estate sector, textile and leather industries should be brought under the tax net. He suggested the Government to cut its expenditures and bring the GST ratio up to the rate of 10 per cent.
Senators Haroon Akhtar and Ilyas Bilour firmly said that the Senate Standing Committee on Finance had passed some recommendations on the RGST and it would be unfair if some one opposed these in the House. They said that members of the House should send their recommendations before the committee for discussion on RGST but it was a pity that only three members from the House sent their recommendation.

Flood tax, RGST pass first hurdle


ISLAMABAD – To the utter surprise of all, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on Tuesday unanimously passed the drafts of Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) Bill and Flood Surcharge Bill with all diehard opponents – both in ruling alliance and Opposition – keeping complete mum except making a few recommendations to be incorporated in the aforementioned drafts.
The Committee met under the chair of Senator Islamuddin Shaikh. The Committee Chairman Senator Ahmed Ali, an MQM MNA and a strong opponent of RGST, was not present in the two-day meeting. The Committee did not face any hurdle in the passage of the drafts of these bills, as neither opposition party nor the coalition partners opposed them.
The Committee members suggested giving tax exemptions to all food items whether they were packed/ canned or open commodities. Similarly they demanded that the Government should also exempt all types of locally produced medicines and stationary items including books from taxes.
Talking about Flood Surcharge Bill, the Senators suggested that minimum level for this tax should be enhanced to Rs 0.5 million instead of Rs 0.3 million. These recommendations would be presented in the Upper House of the Parliament in the next couple of days, which would then refer them to the Lower House.
The Committee approved increase in Special Excise Duty from one to two per cent.
Earlier talking in the meeting, Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said, “We have no other option but to introduce RGST in the country for revenue generation.” He was of the view that prices of those items would go up which were still exempted from the taxes, while prices of some commodities would come down, as the GST percentage would be reduced to 15 percent from 17 per cent in RGST, he added.
“It will not have even a least effect if we do not get the tranche from International Monetary Fund (IMF), however by not bringing RGST, we will give negative message to the international community,” he said. He further said that military as well as political governments failed to start structural reforms in the economy in the last 20 to 30 years.
He said, “We have to generate our own resources in order to get rid of IMF. If we do not introduce RGST and power losses, how would we make our budget?” He said, “I am ready to discus the Government’s expenditures in this Committee whenever it wants. The Committee members then can tell me from where we have to cut the expenditures. However it would not be in billions which we expect to generate through reforms in our taxation system,” the Minister added.
Talking about the National Finance Commission Award and the 18th Amendment, Shaikh said, “We have transferred the resources from the Centre to the provinces, which is a great achievement. However, the Centre has suffered a lot in the first year, as our fiscal deficit surged to 5.2 per cent from the targeted four per cent.”
The Secretary Finance informed the Committee that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) would only collect tax on service sector when provinces would authorise it by making change in their laws. He was of the view that provincial governments would also table their drafts at the end of this month. “We held more than 50 meeting with provinces for creating consultations on RGST,” he added. He further informed that three provinces were ready to authorise FBR for collecting GST on services in their laws and only Sindh wanted to collect it at its own.
Earlier Senator Safdar Abbasi of Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party said that there were a lot of constraints in the Bill and it could be challenged in the courts, therefore the Government should withdraw it from the Parliament and new improved bill should be tabled.
Senator Ishaq Dar of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) said that the Government tabled the Bill in a rush as they were facing pressure from donors to table it in the Parliament before Pakistan Development Forum. He said there was no need for the provincial assemblies to pass any resolution for RGST. He said the Government should consider its all aspects otherwise strikes could start in the country due to passage of RGST.
Later MQM presented its resolution seeking not approval of RGST from the Committee and imposition of tax on agriculture sector, besides taking measures to control corruption.
Online adds: The Committee also approved amendment of not implementing flood surcharge on those individuals earning less than Rs 500,000.
The MQM also tabled its dissention note on the opposition of this bill which stated that the govt instead of RGST could earn billions by imposing tax on agriculture sector.
All the four provinces would begin the process of legislation regarding RGST (reformed general sales tax) on November 27-28, as all the four provinces have consensus regarding the issue.
Senator Ishaq Dar said that Nawaz Sharif had addressed all the concerns and reservations in his letter addressed to the Government, whose reaction had been equally positive.
Debating the issue, Senators Safdar Abbasi and Professor Khurshid Ahmad stressed on withdrawing the proposed Bill from the Parliament.

Telework for Federal Employees Gets Big Push

A bill aimed at driving down federal office rental and commuting costs, giving more flexibility to government workers, and cutting pollution emissions has passed the Houses of Congress. If signed into law, remote worker and mobile technologies are poised to see a boom. – If
you’ve ever driven in or around the horrendous traffic of Washington D.C., then we’ve got some
good news for you.
A
bill that has been in the works since 2009 and would allow more federal workers
to work from home is on the desk of President Obama. Known as the quot;telework quot;
bill, th…


Bill Nye “The Science Guy” Collapses On Stage During College Lecture

Bill Nye — perhaps best remembered to we “Children of the ’90s” as television’s “Bill Nye: The Science Guy” — collapsed onstage during an appearance at the University of Southern California (USC) on Tuesday. Perhaps even odder than the collapse itself was the audience’s reaction (or lack thereof) to it. Nye, 54, apparently fainted in [...]

We Won! Bill to Retroactively Immunize Mortgage Fraud Defeated

A friend on the Hill just wrote me the following:HR 3808 Veto UpheldHR 3808 went down.Most Democrats voted to uphold Obama’s veto. Nearly all Republicans voted to override Obama’s veto.I’m somewhat surprised at the roll call, I hadn’t expected…

“We are closely monitoring corruption in Pakistan”: Holbrooke

The US has its reservations over the growing corruption in Pakistan and is monitoring it closely, the US Special Ambassador for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke has said. “We are closely monitoring corruption in Pakistan”, The Nation quoted Holbrooke, as saying in an exclusive chat with a TV channel. He said that the United States [...]

Bill Clinton “The Hangover 2″ Cameo

From Mel to Bill! Former President Bill Clinton has joined Liam Neeson and Paul Giamatti as the latest A-lister to nab a cameo role in the upcoming sequel to The Hangover, PEOPLE reports. The film is currently in production in Bangkok. Clinton — who will be playing himself in the feature — filmed his brief [...]

Clinton and I are buddies, says George W. Bush

It seems that despite political differences, Former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush share a good relationship. In an interview with George W. Bush and his brother, Jeb on CNN, host Candy Crowley, had a little fun with the Bush-Clinton relationship, reports the Politico. “Your father, 41, has said that he looks at [...]

Opp, allies up in arms as RGST tabled in NA


ISLAMABAD – After its failure in passing NRO, the PPP-led federal government, Friday, suffered another moral setback when its coalition partners in the National Assembly not only opposed the Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) Bill, 2010, but also termed it a final nail in the coffin of Pak economy.
Whereas the opposition parties, PML-N and PML-Q, protested against the RGST during the Lower House proceedings, members of the MQM and ANP that are coalition parties in federal as well as provincial governments of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also chanted slogans against the imposition of any new tax.
Minister for Labour and Manpower Khurshid Shah, however, approached the ANP legislators presumably to convince them but all in vain.
They, including Bushra Rehman, remained firm to their stand. It was the second time when PPP seemed alone in the House and the Finance Minister Hafeez Shiekh had to lay the RGST bill 2010 and flood surcharges, in an environment charged with protest on the last day of the 26th session of the Lower House.
“The bill will reform the sales tax regime by introducing and implementing a broad-based tax on sale and purchase of goods in all areas of Pakistan and services in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) on an integrated basis with taxes on sales and purchases of services, specified by the provinces so as to form a broad-based and integrated tax regime on consumption in Pakistan” Hafeez Shiekh said while introducing the RGST Bill 2010.
“We oppose the RGST. Actually, it is an indirect tax that will be imposed on the production of all things. If it gets through, it will be a final nail in the already sinking economy of the country,”, Dr Farooq Sattar the senior leader of MQM commented. It is VAT in the guise of RGST, Sattar added.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who was in the House at the time had to come forward to calm down the situation as he had been asking opposition and his coalition partners to sit down and let the finance minister introduce the bill and they could later oppose it at the concerned standing committee.
PM Gilani brushed aside the impression that the bill was being introduced without taking opposition and coalition parties on board and said that the House had been discussing it for the last six months.
“It is discussed in Cabinet which approved it while in the recent meeting of the Council of Common Interest, all the four chief ministers gave go-ahead to the federal government for imposing RGST”, he said. The Prime Minister said that the country needed Rs160 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation process after natural disaster while after 7th NFC Award the resources were shifted to provinces, which had refused the federal government to contribute in the rehabilitation process.
“We, the federal government, accepted it. We will not go for any undemocratic move. The bill will be introduced according to the order of the day, however, it’s up to the House whether it accepts it or not”, the Prime Minister said.
Responding to the Leader of the Opposition Ch Nisar Ali Khan regarding the incident that took place with Law Minister at Constitution Avenue where allegedly some army officials aimed guns at the minister, Prime Minster said that he himself contacted Law Minister who expressed ignorance of any such incident occurred with him.
“When the Law Minister himself was not accepting it then what kind of report you are seeking. Why you want from us to condemn this institution,” Prime Minister said while addressing the Opposition Leader. Earlier, Ch Nisar Ali whereas not only demanded the report of the incident but also cautioned the Government that it would have to throw 145 members out of the House for the passage of the RGST bill. Later, Dr Farooq Sattar rejected the claim of Prime Minister and said that RGST and conditionality of IMF packages had never been discussed in the Cabinet. “I and Babar Ghori attended a number of Cabinet meetings and during these meetings, RGST and IMF package never came under discussion”, Sattar said. He said RGST would be implemented on every single commodity and would directly put a burden on the people. We are shedding crocodile tears…a tsunami of price-hike is in the offing,” he said. Farooq Sattar offered to generate Rs1,000 billion from the countryÂ’s economy and the budget. He demanded imposition of agriculture land tax besides reforms in FBR, PIA, Steel Mill, PEPCO, land and WAPDA to generate Rs160 billion.”

New taxes to trigger tsunami of price hike


ISLAMABAD – The Federal Cabinet on Wednesday accorded approval to the flood tax and Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) Bill and to be presented in the current session of the National Assembly. However, many economic analysts believe that it would trigger a tsunami of price hike and inflation in the country.
“The bill will be tabled in the current session of National Assembly,” said Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh while addressing a press conference here. He was flanked by Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira and Minister for Interior Rehman Malik. To a question, Hafeez said that a salient feature of the Reformed-General Sales Tax (R-GST) is that there will be a uniform sales tax rate of 15 per cent instead of the rates ranging from 17 to 26 per cent.
He said that the measures are designed to broaden the tax base by bringing the exempted sectors in the tax net and charging all income groups at a rate of 10 per cent of their payable liability.
Explaining about the bill, the Minister said that after the approval the RGST would be implemented from January 2011 and may fetch in Rs30 billion in the remaining six months of the current fiscal year.
He further said that the Cabinet also approved the flood surcharge to be imposed for six months from January 2011 on the persons having income more than Rs 30,0000.
He said that a person earning Rs 25,000 per month will pay additional Rs 30 per month tax and a company earning Rs 10 billion annually will pay additional Rs 170 million in six months.
He said that the government has decided to levy one-time flood surcharge at the rate of 10 per cent of the payable tax on all income groups that will generate Rs28 billion in six months.
He further said that the incumbent government also doubled the rate of Federal Excise Duty on all non-essential and luxury imports.
Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira dispelled the impression that the bill was being passed by the Parliament without evolving a consensus among the provinces.
He was of the view that the introduction of the bill would help the country in putting its economy on the path of self-reliance by broadening the tax base.
He said that the cabinet also discussed the issue of availability of sugar in the country. The stocks of 350,000 metric tons of sugar available with TCP will be sent in the open market.
It was also discussed to move against millers and wholesalers allegedly hoarding sugar in anticipation to earn more profits, he added.
Rehman Malik said that his agencies would now be on a hunt for hoarders and millers in the provinces would be pushed for starting the crushing operations.
It would not be out of place to mention here that MQM ministers expressed reservations on the bill.
Agencies add: The IMF has linked PakistanÂ’s next tranche of aid to the approval of the RGST bill in the federal and provincial assemblies before November 13.
The IMF insists that it will not accept a “piecemeal approach” or anything except a universal RGST regime.
Earlier this month, Pakistan assured international donors that five bills will be presented in federal and provincial assemblies in their current sessions to seek approval for the tax.
The plan to get the bill passed, though, has been slowed down by provincesÂ’ refusal to budge from their stated positions regarding revenues collected from import, export and ports related services.
Punjab wants revenues to be allocated on the basis of origin of services while Sindh argues that revenues should be authorised to the province where it is collected.

Las Tortugas V | Review | Pics

Words by: Dennis Cook | Images by: Chad Smith

Las Tortugas – Dance of the Dead V :: 10.28.10-10.31.10 :: Evergreen Lodge :: Groveland, CA

Las Tortugas V by Chad Smith

We are pulled through this life by small miracles. One needn’t be religious or even spiritual to understand this. The muck of bosses, bills and bullshit we trudge through would be simply unbearable if not for the oases along our trek. For several years, a nigh-perfect music festival in the lush Yosemite woods has proven such a blessed respite for a growing tribe, and the fifth anniversary installment was far & away the finest outing yet, one of those small miracles that makes all the weary miles fade and invigorates us for the rocky road ahead.

Las Tortugas V, like previous outings, miniaturized and refined all the best aspects of a festival, throwing an incredible four-day party with an extraordinary soundtrack. While other fests may have bigger names and carnival rides, Tortugas focuses on serious musicians who overflow with passion and heartfelt artistry. This is a showcase for some of the best music coming out of California today paired with kindred spirits from around the country, a place where veterans embarking on a new thang (7 Walkers), utter pros seeking one of the most engaged, joyful audiences they’ve ever encountered (Yonder Mountain String Band), workingman’s lifers (The Mother Hips, ALO, Cornmeal) and crazy talented comers (Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, Antioquia, Big Light, Pimps of Joytime) mingle. A feeling of creative freedom and smiling connection with all the things that originally got these players into the music game floats in the air.

And this palpable, happy charge buzzes in equal amplitude from the attendees. Perhaps more than any other festival I’ve experienced, Tortugas creates a beautiful crucible that burns hot and bright because EVERYONE throws a pinch or two into the pot (Jam Cruise is the only thing that compares, though each gathering is singular & beautifully strange in its own way, and something any serious music geek should experience at least once, like Glastonbury, Bonnaroo and a handful of others). With most folks bringing different costumes every day and an all-in enthusiasm that hums loudly before the first set kicks off, Tortugans are a rare breed. The near total absence of thievery, sketchiness and rudeness common at most music fests immediately sets Tortugas apart in a big way. It’s not to say that everyone is cool but un-cool moments are quickly defused, and there’s so much obvious love and care bouncing around the tents and trees that even grumps inclined to kick up dust are charmed into grinning contentment. The depth of conversation and generally open-handed attitude that abounds at Tortugas is a glimpse of our better angels, the way the world might be if we shared our bounty and lived with less fear and worry.

If this seems like an overreach for a music festival it isn’t. Las Tortugas is a playground for music loving people with an amiable synergy that relaxes muscles, eases minds and lifts spirits. Scoff if you must – modern cynicism is hard to shake – but four years running I’ve witnessed this vibe grow & grow & grow, seeing it put the zap – in the best way – on the heads of first timers that leaves them pleasantly shaken by weekend’s end. It is why the vets scheme all year long on how we might delight others, tickling fancies and pricking up ears in any way we can dream up, and then sharing that dream with anyone willing to jump through the looking glass with us.

Nestled in one of the most unique, idyllic settings in the United States (Evergreen Lodge), Las Tortugas situates about a 1000 people in a world apart and lets them share in a fully communal shindig. Each year a couple tunes spring into my head during the course of my wooded walks, a few lines that repeat like mantras as I gather up as much Tortugas mojo as I can before heading homeward. This year it was these verses from Jackson Browne’s “Farther On” and the Grateful Dead’s “The Music Never Stopped.”

Las Tortugas V by Chad Smith

Adrift on an ocean of loneliness
My dreams like nets were thrown
To catch the love that I’d heard of
In books and films and songs
Now there’s a world of illusion and fantasy
In the place where the real world belongs
Still I look for the beauty in songs
To fill my head and lead me on

AndÂ…

There’s a band out on the highway.
They’re high-steppin’ into town.
They’re a rainbow full of sound.
It’s fireworks, calliopes and clowns

And everybody was dancing, drink hoisting blurs of color and laughter that convinced one that the world might not be so bloody awful after all.

What follows are some musical highlights, pointers towards sweet new bands, and a whole bunch of great pictures from Chad Smith, heavy on Tortugans and their mirthful ways. Even if every band isn’t mentioned it’s important to point out that EVERY band that graced a stage at Tortugas V was the real deal, dedicated craftsmen born to meld melody and verse. Where one might wonder at other fests why a band made the lineup, Tortugas only presents quality, ranging from the newly born to the well-seasoned. It’s a formula that’s generated a lot of connections between the bands, resulting in some of the finest sit-ins one can find in the festival world. The sense that we’re ALL in this together – both for this weekend and in a much larger sense – is inescapable on both sides of the stage at Tortugas.

Continue reading for Thursday highlights…

Thursday Highlights

See the full gallery for Thursday here

Theme: Gypsy Circus

Lebo by Chad Smith

1. Lebo :: 2:15-3:30 am. :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

With a shortened introductory day, it wasn’t hard to stay up for the first rousing late night set in what turned out to be Tortugas’ finest night owl programming to date. As usual, Thursday felt like a Saturday here, and ALO’s guitar shredder and a special rhythm section were the flaming cherry atop everything. Flowing loose ‘n’ heavy, Dan Lebowitz, playing a hollow-body electric instead of his usual axe, gave us a commanding showcase that reaffirmed his place amongst today’s very best guitarists. Backed by ALO bandmate Dave Brogan (drums) and Tracorum‘s jaw-dropping rhythm section, Ian Herman (drums) and Mark Calderon (bass), Lebo stirred up his own Band of Gypsys roar, jamming with impunity and instigating some of the fiercest rhythm work heard all fest. Lebo’s versatility as a singer also shown through, and the obvious camaraderie these guys displayed made for some of the least predictable, most immediate music I’ve heard from any of them.

2. Poor Man’s Whiskey :: 9:15-10:30 pm :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

PMW pulled off a real neat trick: Playing the iconic, deeply held music of Old & In The Way – an obvious root source for their music – while authoritatively putting their own stamp on the material. For one thing, bassist Aspen holds his own against John Kahn’s original bass work, and he’s got a whole new sonic range to explore with drummer George Smeltz, bringing a whole new beat to things. As great as the musicians were in Old & In The Way, they weren’t exactly forthcoming performers. By contrast, PMW boasts two natural born rock stars in multi-instrumentalist/singers Eli Jebidiah and Josh Brough, who have that thing that gets everyone in the room off. Ably goosed by guitar-mandolin whiz Jason Beard, the boys made the well-tread newly furrowed and showed once again that Poor Man’s Whiskey is one of the premiere country-rock outfits today, a wild bunch that could have handily shared bills with the Flying Burrito Brothers, Goose Creek Symphony and Garcia and his picking pals.

Allie Kral by Chad Smith

3. Cornmeal :: 11:45 pm-1:00 am.:: Terrapin Big Top Stage

I like when Chicago’s Cornmeal get weird and they certainly did on this inaugural eve. There’s no doubting their hard strummin’ might – bluegrass doesn’t get more blue or grassy – but like a lot of quality acts lumped into the string band basket, Cornmeal have a LOT more variety in their Crayon box, and they didn’t hesitate to color outside the lines at Tortugas. Especially impressive was their ability to move from incredibly melodic strains to downright psychedelic runs, each feeling a part of the other instead of bordered off segments. The many raised glasses and elevated bonhomie in the tent spoke to their pronounced ability to lift heels, and the whole lot of them is goddamn charming as hell. Extra gold stars for ever-compelling violinist Allie Kral, who seemed possessed in a lovely way at several junctures, and dead-on-it drummer JP Nowak. Also, I’m kind of in love with their easy flowing songwriting and the entire delivery and style of banjoist-singer Wavy Dave Burlingame after this set.

Ones To Watch

Jack Grace Band
Full of good time, bohemian energy of the sort Tom Waits left behind when he grabbed a bullhorn, Grace and his slinky compatriots are a bar band in the archetypal sense, specializing in Latin tinged, gold standard song craft instead of by-the-numbers boogie, but still perfect for tossing back a few. First band to play the Tuolumne Hall and one I came home anxious to explore further.

Dead Winter Carpenters
With members of Montana Slim, it’s no surprise these cats ‘n’ kittens twang a bit, but they do so very winningly, and while their set on Thursday was appropriately uptempo, their recent self-titled debut shows a knack for slower, more meditative fare. They’re still getting their feet fully under them but there’s already some very appealing things happening in this band.

Continue reading for Friday highlights…

Friday Highlights

See the full gallery for Friday here

Theme: Decade Dance (retro looks from TV, history, etc.)

ALO & Friends by Chad Smith

1. ALO :: 2:00-4:00 am. :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

What other band could meld Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ In The Years” with snippets of The Four Seasons’ “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” with the whole panoply of pop past & future sandwiched in between? Dressed in the outfits from the Man of the World photo/video shoot, ALO lived up to every part of their name at this dawn chasing performance. In fact, keyboardist-singer Zach Gill even got so in touch with his animal side that he started talking to the stuffed birds on the branches decorating the stage late in the set. When these boys are on – and believe you me, this was as ON as I’ve ever seen them – music feels alive and organic, something to be touched and tasted, savored and slathered all over. That its also incredibly tuneful and you can dance to it speaks to their great talent and dedication to making even outside-the-norm music conform to something more sophisticated and thoughtful. After spending the better part of the summer and fall opening up for pal Jack Johnson, ALO played like men balling without a condom for the first time in a LONG time – liberated beasts whose bite set a good many of us free, too.

2. New Monsoon :: 6:15-7:30 pm. :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

For a band that doesn’t play out that much anymore, New Monsoon commanded the stage like utter professionals. There’s so much damn talent in this quintet that it remains shocking to me that more people don’t know and adore them. But regardless of stardom, San Francisco’s New Monsoon demonstrated how adept they are at commingling styles and giving all of them rock ‘n’ roll oomph in this early evening set. Filled with rhythm and force, their mix of originals and tasty covers (and a whole lot more well-picked, well-executed covers on Saturday from ZZ Top and more) goes down so smoothly that the many hours of woodshedding and sweat that lay before each performance are invisible. What we got at both sets this Tortugas was a band fully in control of their instruments and material, able to knock it out with aplomb at a moment’s notice. Drinking in electric guitarist Jeff Miller – long a personal favorite – renewed my desire to see him form a Derek & The Dominoes tribute band since he’s one of the few axe slingers who could generate the same guitar magic as Clapton at his inarguable peak.

Pimps of Joytime by Chad Smith

3. Pimps of Joytime :: 8:45-10:00 pm. :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

Dressed as ragtag cowpokes, the Pimps offered a master class in funk and its roots, showing equal flair for gutbucket blues, silky soul and myriad other variations on what seem like overplayed, boring forms in lesser hands. This band knows groove, way down in their bones, and they move with harnessed power and abundant natural charisma. Every single time I see the Pimps I like them WAY better. Shooting straight, I haven’t been this wholly charmed by a band in the funk-rock vein since I first saw Prince back in the day. Only Seattle’s Staxx Brothers are competing in the same arena, and rather than play favorites, I’ll just say that anyone who likes to get more than knee-deep as they howl about atomic dogs and funky drummers should get familiar with both. Quickly.

4. Antioquia :: 10:15-11:45 pm. :: The Tavern

With the propulsive energy of Remain In Light Talking Heads and political dance-mindedness of The Clash, SF’s Antioquia turned heads in their Tortugas debut. Admittedly, it wasn’t just their reach-out-and-grab-ya sound alone that did the job. The band set a new fest record for the most exposed flesh by dressing as the cock-socked Red Hot Chili Peppers with lead singer Maddy Streicek dolled up like an actual chili pepper. In their veins flows the sticky stuff that agitated early Brian Eno, the initial wave of jazz-fusion cats, Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band and similar inspired wackos. In so many ways, this set showed that Antioquia is exposed, fearless and free of boundaries, and they’ve got the chops to back up the bravado with substance and style.

Continue reading for Saturday highlights…

Saturday Highlights

See the full gallery for Saturday here

Theme: Monsters vs. Aliens

1. 7 Walkers :: 4:00-7:15 am :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

Bill Kreutzmann by Chad Smith

Bill Kreutzmann returned to Tortugas with his new labor of love, 7 Walkers. Hitting the stage in the middle of the night and playing till well after sunrise, Billy, Papa Mali, George Porter, Jr. and Matt Hubbard took us into the thickest, headiest swampland, brimming over with bayou shuffles, primal rock, psychedelic sparks and other rich, earthy textures. The only break any of them had during this three-hour-plus journey – and if you took the whole trip you really felt like you’d conquered a major peak – was when Papa and Matt paired off for some harmonica pierced deep blues and tender balladry followed by a bass-drums conversation between Bill and George. Each is a marvel in their own right but the chemistry in 7 Walkers just bowled folks over during this set, where they offered almost all of their fabulous self-titled debut, Dead & New Orleans chestnuts and fat-free jams that pounced and tore at one like a hungry gator. 7 Walkers feels vibrantly alert, alive in all the ways that count, and this only seems like the beginning of more and better music to come. [The band killed it again on Sunday night, only 13 hours after this set, where they leaned more heavily on Dead tunes like "I Know You Rider" and a great "Sugaree" with George on lead vocals. What's so cool about this band is how the familiar numbers feel freshly washed and ready to be pushed into service in the way they handle them. The final encore of "Iko Iko" lit up the tent with a light that comes from within, steering our ragged conga line into folklore and festivity with sure hands and hearts.].

2. Guitarmageddon:: 3:00-4:15 pm :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

Under the new leadership of PMW’s Eli Jebidiah, this starts-over-the-top celebration of shred science topped themselves with this Prince themed set. Any serious fan of His Purple Mounted Majesty would have stumbled away grinning ear-to-ear after this display that launched with a sizzling reading of “Let’s Go Crazy” but then weaved into killer recent tunes (“Chelsea Rogers,” “Musicology,” “Guitar”), the infamous Black Album (“Rockhard in a Funky Place”) and the choicest medley ever (“Raspberry Beret > Kiss > Sexy MF > Little Red Corvette > 1999″). The core band consisted of Eli (guitar, vocals), absolutely stunning heavy hitter Daria Johnson (drums, vocals), bassist Mark Calderon (doing some primo tough-funk bass faces), Tracorum keyboardist Fletcher Nielsen (the “Doctor” suited up in scrubs!) and guitar marvel Sean Leahy, who also summoned up a host of voices to fill different Prince-ly holes. Guest six-stringers included former Guitarmageddon leader Josh Clark (TLG), NM’s Jeff Miller, Newfangled Wasteland’s Chris Haugen, Tracorum’s Louis XIV-attired Derek Brooker and Big Light’s Jeremy Korpas, with each cameo suiting the songs to a tee and showing off how much amp-rattling guitar talent resides in Northern California today. The material was well rehearsed but not so much so that flashes of inspiration didn’t prevail. The whole gliding, intoxicating set ended in Gold Experience standout “Endorphinmachine.” Let’s hope that tapers were active during this one because the Minneapolis faithful just gotta hear this performance. One of the absolute best times all weekend.

3. Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers :: 4:15-5:15 pm :: Tuolumne Hall

Nicki Bluhm by Chad Smith

It’s a blast to watch an audience be warmed by Nicki and her gifted Gramblers. It starts slow, the potency of their songwriting and their leader’s obvious vocal pow scooping one up, pulling them in close, and whispering sweet, softly wise things in their ears. Once snuggled in, well, they’ve got you and good. Bluhm is a throwback to classics like Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt and other strong women who carved their place in the largely male rock game. She’s a far cry from the manufactured divas and half-talents that pass for “female artists” in the mainstream today, and it’s her abiding quality, natural gifts and good instincts for collaborators that are making her an artist to watch VERY closely. The new songs from her forthcoming sophomore album were uniformly excellent, and as ever guitarist Deren Ney is a haunting knockout, especially when he works a slide. Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers are the full package, and they left Tortugas with a LOT of new fans this year.

4. Sean Leahy Trio :: 12:00-1:45 pm :: The Tavern

Leahy may be one of THE best guitar players you’ve never heard. His cult amongst Northern Cali musicians and serious music nuts is well established, but it probably wouldn’t have taken more than a single tune at this blazing trio set to win over almost anyone with a six-string boner. Lean, fast and highly interactive, Leahy’s trio consists of himself on electric guitar and lead vocals with Tortugas all-star Mark Calderon on bass (only ALO/Big Light bassist Steve Adams worked as many sets) and drummer Daria Johnson, equally fantabulous here as her Guitarmageddon stint earlier in the day. The gal is a real talent and a show unto herself – just watch her face if you want a whole movie to accompany the music. Blues, classic rock, fleet-fingered jazz and more were explored in this set, and all of it packed with thick, ropy muscle. When Leahy lets go and trusts in his abilities, as he did here, he’s positively superhuman and a joy to watch. Johnson and Calderon are perfect foils, and they even made time for a brief M80 Mailbox cameo, a Leahy project with Dave Brogan and Josh Clark, that included a bruising cover of Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing In The Name Of.”

Ones To Watch

Five Eyed Hand
The Tavern seemed wonderfully afloat when this SF unit unleashed their energetic, free flowing music on Saturday night. For sure there’s a foundation of rock ‘n’ roll but things sizzle and switch around with the technically possessed feel of Weather Report taken down to “Shakedown Street.” Mix in the phased dynamics of Bill Frisell, the swerving violin of Mahavishnu and more than a dollop of quality space rock and you’re getting closer to the ballpark. Five Eyed Hand showed being hard to place is a virtue, and jam kids looking to do some traveling between their ears should definitely investigate their self-titled album and fine live show.

Continue reading for Sunday highlights…

Sunday Highlights

See the full gallery for Sunday here

Theme: The Masquerade Ball – Halloween

1. The Mother Hips :: 5:30-7:00 pm.:: Terrapin Big Top Stage

The Mother Hips by Chad Smith

Having seen a ludicrous number of Hips shows (quickly approaching triple digits and spread over the group’s entire history), it’s heartening and more than a little shocking that these guys can still completely blow me away. That’s what happened at this late afternoon set that began with a surprising cover of “Long Black Veil” and seemed like it was going to be one of the band’s cozier, country-tinged daytime sets (“Whiskey On A Southbound,” “Later Days”). Then, they took a wide left turn with a stunning reading of “Young Charles Ives,” fired up the over-thrusters and charged into the unknown, unleashing all the brilliance they possess in a rock show that knocked far more than me back on our heels. Other highlights included “October Teen,” “Chum” and “Precious Opal,” but for sheer audacity and skill it’s hard to beat the rush from “Mission In Vain” into Grateful Dead classic “The Other One,” which the Hips made their own, layering on hard guitar and limber rhythms in a way that nailed the original and infused it with newness. After The Mother Hips recent barnburner at The Fillmore, it’s clear this band is on a very nice tear right now – one more reason to fully commit to one of America’s best bands, as if folks really needed more inducements with the Hips!

2. Yonder Mountain String Band :: 11:00 pm-12:45 am.:: Terrapin Big Top Stage

A couple things struck me quite poignantly at this Yonder performance: 1) What a massively satisfying sound, and 2) how little this music relates to bluegrass despite the stupid label they’ve been given. For just four guys, playing rather quietly, YMSB generates voluminous waves of music, each player accenting and commenting on the lead lines in a clever, unobtrusive way that nonetheless supports the main thrust at all times. In about two hours, one heard echoes of small group jazz from the 20s/30s, 60s modal exploration, hardcore traditional folk, good ol’ fashioned rock, early country music and some of the free-ranging stylistics Oregon introduced to acoustic music.

Yonder Mountain String Band by Chad Smith

There was none of the showy, dick measuring, spotlight grabbing qualities one finds in most actual bluegrass bands, and even when they took solos, they didn’t go on endlessly or freeze out what everyone else was doing. Where at times I’ve found some of Yonder’s selections a little jokey, today’s YMSB came off as relatively serious and considered, but not too much so. There’s no being overly stuffy when you’ve got a natural born court jester like Jeff Austin dancing on the needle’s head, and though a touch jet-lagged, Austin didn’t disappoint. He makes everyone feel welcome and serves as the chief ambassador to Yonder Mountain, though never staying so long in the foreground that the other three guys are overshadowed. Like most aspects of their music, there’s a hearty balance that’s refreshing and worthy of a lot of respect and genuine enthusiasm.

And jeezus can these guys play! As pickers, each is a blast and perfectly attuned to their brethren. A delight in all ways and one of the best closing night exclamation points ever at Tortugas.

3. Tracorum :: 12:45-1:45 am.:: Tuolumne Hall

Sometimes we listen to music without really hearing it. However, when we’re ready to open up and experience a thing as it truly is, well, it can feel like a baptism. Such was my experience with Tracorum on Sunday night. Having enjoyed them at previous Tortugas, this time I got it in a huge way. What they do is rock ‘n’ roll but done so fundamentally right it makes you want to kiss them when they power down their instruments. This night, as the festival raged like we’d never seen before on a Sunday eve, Tracorum embodied our collective high spirits and unspoken ache at this experience coming to a close and put those elements to work in some of the best boogie-minded, straight-great rock heard all weekend. Comparisons to The Band and studio aces The Wrecking Crew flitted through my brain as I danced to the heart of this fleeting makeshift town next to my loose-limbed sisters and brothers. Every aspect was right on the money and every man showed himself a massive talent on their respective instruments, pouring soul into every note, their conviction becoming our own. While they display a lighter hand and more Latin-y hips on their new album, The Lesson, live this band exudes legend-making magic.

4. Big Light :: 12:45-2:00 pm.:: Tuolumne Hall

Big Light belongs on big stages. They are rapidly outgrowing small spaces, pushing their already appealing material into skyward reaching constructs that need room to breath and cavort. A modern rock band to be sure, Big Light betters the majority of the Pitchfork darlings by being able to deliver in a salacious, snarling way live, which is exactly how they charged at folks on this afternoon. A guest turn from Izabella keyboardist Jeff Coleman stirred up the best “Panther” to date, and nothing else was less than excellent. An ever-forward arching NEED to be better is what’s fueling Big Light’s rapid growth. Seeing them onstage in a set like this is to watch evolution take place in real time. It’s exciting and more than a little fun to behold. Based on showings like this, only expect more and finer music from this quartet in the future.

Ones To Watch

Kate Gaffney

Gaffney is a real emerging talent, filling The Tavern with songs that were easy to like but filled with nuances that make you want to hear them again right away. She’s got an instantly likeable voice that’s only growing more subtle and powerful the longer she plies her craft. She’s surrounded herself with top-notch players and keeps adding interesting material to her songbook. So, in short, there’s nothing not to dig about this Bay Area lady.

Newfangled Wasteland

A Beck cover band is a clever idea. Better still is a Beck cover band that plays nearly unrecognizable versions of Beck’s tunes. Dave Brogan, Chris Haugen, Steve Adams and TLG’s Trevor Garrod hit a sublime groove in their Sunday night set, showing that the longer they toy with these mutations the more they become their own. Said it before but it bears repeating: Festival bookers need to pay attention to this band.

The Hydrodynamics

The Hydrodynamics are the new project of former Blue Turtle Seduction chief songwriter/singer/guitarist Jay Seals. While his old band gave folks warm fuzzies in their festival one-off reunion, it’s clear this is where Seals’ heart is. Filled with hooky, bouncing melodies and abundant female energy, The Hydrodynamics were a touch ragged in their Tortugas debut but it was still evident that this is catchy stuff, pulling from the pop side of The Clash and marrying it to smoother vibes. A young band worth putting on your radar.

Epilogue

There’s no real way to say goodbye to Las Tortugas. Life over these four days is so wonderfully intense and happy that disconnecting from it and returning to time sheets and business calls is inevitably a shock to the system. Still, it’s incredible that Tortugas exists at all. What one finds at Tortugas is the sheer capacity for human beings to share and cavort is FAR greater than we might imagine. This feeling stays with us if we’re conscious about it and nestle away a portion in our breast for the long haul that awaits us beyond Evergreen Lodge. Everywhere one turns at Tortugas is evidence of human ingenuity and compassion delivered with melody and harmony. If you didn’t get kissed, bear hugged or otherwise lovingly groped it’s because you didn’t open your arms. But, as we revel, we’re given chances for revelation, too, and these deeper currents make Tortugas more than just a good time. The idea that we might be better citizens of the world – more loving neighbors, more welcoming strangers – is writ large at Las Tortugas, interwoven with the notes hanging in the air, ephemeral but real all the same.

Continue reading for Thursday/Friday pictures…

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Continue reading for Saturday pictures…

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Continue reading for Sunday pictures…

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