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Harpers Ferry in Boston to Close After 40 Years

October 4th, 2010 | No Comments

FINAL PERFORMANCE TO FEATURE SOUL REBELS BRASS BAND

After forty years, famed music venue and bar Harpers
Ferry in the Allston neighborhood of Boston will be closing its doors on Halloween night. Speaking to The Boston Herald, General Manager Andrew Wolan said,
Â“He
didn’t want us there anymore,Â” in reference to landlord John Corey.

Â“We were working on something for the last few months to keep the place open,Â” Wolan said. Â“In the last few weeks
we
set a deadline and when that passed, that was it. We already had shows booked through December, but we decided
Halloween would be the last day.Â”

Since opening in 1970, performers at the club have included Steven Tyler & Joe Perry, Bo Diddley, Maroon 5, Lee
“Scratch” Perry, Dropkick Murphys, and many more.

The final performance on Halloween night at Harpers Ferry welcomes New Orleans’ own Soul Rebels Brass Band.

Jazz Fest 2010 Survival Guide

April 23rd, 2010 | No Comments

The 41st annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – set to run April 23 through May 2 – is about much more than just music. Notice that the official name of the event includes the word “Heritage,” this is a true celebration of culture, history, food, art and music that could only have sprouted from the fertile soil of New Orleans. And while the music programming shines a giant light on jazz, no genre is left untouched with headliners ranging from Widespread Panic to Aretha Franklin.

The JamBase editors have put together a Jazz Fest Survival Guide featuring 21 Must-See bands, a list of gastronomical delights found at the Fairgrounds, local restaurant suggestions, as well as a run down of late night shows (Weekend 1, Daze Between and Weekend 2), photo galleries and a few Fest Insider Tips.

21 MUST-SEE BANDS

Over the course of seven days on 11 stages, Jazz Fest will feature around 450 artists. This list is in no way meant to cover even a fraction of the amazing talent on display. The 21 bands highlighted here are designed to help you uncover a lesser-known great, local hero, or perhaps help you make a tough decision at a certain time slot. Instead of giving love to well known headliners we adore like The Allmans, Neville Brothers (who always close the final day in epic fashion), My Morning Jacket, Black Crowes, Anita Baker, The Dead Weather, Derek Trucks and Pearl Jam, we’re focusing on three bands each day you might not be planning to see that are worthy of your attention. You can check out the entire Jazz Fest schedule here.

Friday, April 23

Dr. John

1. Dr. John & the Lower 911 :: 3:30 PM :: Gentilly Stage

Malcolm John “Mac” Rebennack, Jr., aka The Night Tripper, aka Dr. John, is considered by many to be the most significant living New Orleans musician today. A master of traditional New Orleans R&B, swamp funk and voodoo-psychedelia, this is a set you don’t want to miss on the first day of Fest.

2. Irma Thomas Tribute to Mahalia Jackson :: 4:40 PM :: Gospel Tent

Despite being gone nearly 40 years, Mahalia Jackson remains a pillar of the gospel world. The power, artistry and sheer personality of her work birthed the modern gospel movement that followed in her wake, and perhaps more importantly, continues to stir spirits and fuel faith on a daily basis. Not many 20th century musicians deserve a tribute more and there’s simply no better candidate to pull off a spectacular homage than Ms. Thomas, the “Soul Queen of New Orleans,” who’s mingling of blues grit, soulful fire and gospel inflection is exceedingly well suited to Jackson’s catalog. And don’t miss Irma Thomas set of her own material on Sunday, May 2, at 1:40 p.m. on the Acura Stage.

3. Rotary Downs :: 4:40 PM :: Lagniappe Stage

New Orleans has far more than one sound. Yes, funk, jazz and second line dominate, but there’s also a fine rock scene bubbling under, including the increasingly excellent Rotary Downs, who merge Pavement, Bowie and other threads into something extremely catchy and all their own. Their new release, Cracked Maps & Blue Reports (JamBase review), shows they’re armed with a pile of great new tunes, and their live show is an energetic, passionately played blast.

Don’t Miss Culinary Delight: Soft Shell Crab Po-Boy

Saturday, April 24

Red Stick Ramblers

1. Red Stick Ramblers :: 4:25 PM :: Lagniappe Stage

A real Louisiana treasure, the Ramblers’ swirl of classic western swing, Cajun and hot jazz music goes down real easy, which slightly obscures just how ridiculously together every aspect of their sound is – sweet (but not too sweet) harmonies, moaning fiddle, dancing guitars and a joie de vivre demeanor. Red Stick makes traditional music seem, well, less traditional and more immediately alive. If Buck Owens and Bob Wills were still with us they’d be at this set.

2. Treme Brass Band :: 12:25 PM :: Peoples Health Economy Hall Tent

The Treme Brass Band is a traditional marching brass band from New Orleans’ Treme neighborhood. The group features a shifting lineup of local legends that has included such stalwarts as trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, sousaphonist Kirk Joseph and trombonist Corey Henry, and is anchored by bass drummer Lionel Batiste and bandleader Benny Jones. This is the sound of New Orleans and there’s a reason HBO has created the hit new show Treme about the ‘hood these cats call home.

3. Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes :: 11:20 AM :: Gentilly Stage

There’s not too many more joyful, good time rockin’ ways one could start their day on the Fairgrounds than with Johnny and his hard swinging bunch. With the feel of an old time rock ‘n’ soul revue (shrunk down to a few very talented cats), Sketch and the Dirty Notes play hard with a smiling dedication to YOUR enjoyment, whoever you might be.

Don’t Miss Culinary Delight: Cochon de Lait Po-Boy (milk fed pig)

Sunday, April 25

Big Chief Monk Boudreaux

1. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indians

4:35 PM :: Jazz & Heritage Stage

A living link to history, Monk Boudreaux is the Big Chief of the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indian tribe, and when they roll onstage at Jazz Fest you can count on deep NOLA funk, hypnotic chants and ass-shaking R&B. You just can’t get this shit anywhere but New Orleans.

2. Imagination Movers :: 1:25 PM :: Gentilly Stage

JamBase has keyboardist extraordinaire and NOLA know-it-all Robert Walter to thank for hipping us to this “child-centered rock band.” Describing themselves as the “Beastie Boys meets Mr. Rogers,” the Movers, according to Walter, put on some of the loudest, rowdiest gigs in New Orleans. A bold claim but a reliable source, and their studio work shows they’ve got chops and tunes to spare. Whether you’re “with child” or not, this set could be a Sunday highlight.

3. Grayson Capps :: 3:00 PM :: Lagniappe Stage

Capps is a Southern singer-songwriter gem with the straight shootin’ eye of Johnny Cash melded to the hobo philosophizing of Townes Van Zandt, hard time veracity of John Prine and the wicked humor of Loudon Wainwright III. Backed by his top-flight band The Stumpknockers, Capps is truly lethal. A longtime New Orleans chronicler, he’ll be dishing up some of the finest, smartest roots rock going down at the Fairgrounds this year.

Don’t Miss Culinary Delight: Crawfish Monica

Continue reading for JamBase’s 2nd Weekend Must-See Band…

Thursday, April 29

Eric Krasno

1. Dr. Klaw :: 3:00 PM :: Jazz & Heritage Stage

Just seeing the musicians that make up this once-in-a-blue-moon project is enough to get you drooling – Eric Krasno (guitar), Adam Deitch (drums), Nick Daniels (bass), Ian Neville (guitar), Nigel Hall (keys, vocals) and Calvin Turner (bass). Funk rock with sharp teeth is one likely assumption, though with players of this caliber we’d say all bets are off. Dr. Klaw will also perform a night show during Jazz Fest on Friday, April 23 at the Blue Nile.

2. Jazz Ladies Sing The Blues :: 1:45 PM :: WWOZ Jazz Tent

This celebration of the blues will feature a quartet of talented women drawn from the jazz and contemporary gospel spheres – Gina Brown, Angela H. Bell, Tereasa B. and Heather Rothstein. These gals will celebrate the blues singing individually, as background for each other and as a group in a program likely to be full of cool surprises.

3. Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove :: 12:10 PM :: Acura Stage

One of the greatest sousaphone players of all time, Kirk Joseph helped redefine what the instrument is capable of. During his tenure with the legendary Dirty Dozen Brass Band Joseph developed a unique style and with Backyard Groove he continues to break new ground with a crew of New Orleans’ finest musicians.

Don’t Miss Culinary Delight: Beignets with frozen Cafe Au Lai

Friday, April 30

Astral Project

1. Astral Project :: 1:30 PM :: WWOZ Jazz Tent

Founded by saxophonist Tony Dagradi in 1978, Astral Project is one of the most adventurous jazz ensembles to ever grace New Orleans. Joining Dagradi are drummer Johnny Vidacovich, bassist James Singleton and seven-string guitarist Steve Masakowski, making this one of the most talented quartets one is likely to find anywhere. This is jazz without a safety net, dangerous and fun the way it was meant to be. This band is never short of amazing.

2. Jose Feliciano :: 3:40 PM :: Gentilly Stage

The blind Puerto Rican guitar wizard has been an international chart-topper since the late 1960s, when his ear-catching originals and sophisticated, passionate covers of The Doors, The Beatles and others launched a career that’s still going strong today. His voice rings with emotion and his lightning fast fingers make guitar strings do things others can only dream about. It’s almost always worth sitting at the heel of a legend, so don’t miss your chance with this enduring great.

3. New Orleans Social Club :: 4:15 PM :: Blues Tent

For all the gifted groupings in NOLA, there’s few that could compete with the pedigree of the Social Club, which features two Meters alumni (Leo Nocentelli and George Porter Jr.), three Nevilles (Cyril, Ivan and Charles), keyboard marvel Henry Butler and Dumpstaphunk drummer Raymond Weber. This is going to be a smooth master class in all things New Orleans, musically speaking, with abundant charm and talent to spare.

Don’t Miss Culinary Delight: Fried Eggplant w/ Crawfish Sauce

Saturday, May 1

Brian Blade

1. Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band :: 2:00 PM :: WWOZ Jazz Tent

Known to many as the superlative inducing drummer behind such luminaries as Joni Mitchell, Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris and Bob Dylan, Blade is also a gifted, subtle composer who has carved out his own sound when his relentless studio schedule and duties behind the kit for the Wayne Shorter Quartet allow. Often languid and consciously paced, Blade’s compositions and empathetic band offer intense texture with real intelligence, which might be the ideal respite from the stomp ‘n’ blast of New Orleans groove music happening elsewhere on the Fairgrounds.

2. Allen Toussaint Jazzity Project :: 3:40 PM :: WWOZ Jazz Tent

Like the Marsalis and Batiste families, the Nevilles, George Porter Jr. and Dr. John, Allen Toussaint is an ambassador for New Orleans. On Friday at the main Acura Stage Toussaint will pull from his catalog of hits for the masses, but on Saturday he’ll sneak into the Jazz Tent with his Jazzity Project where he’ll perform songs off his 2009 Grammy-nominated album Bright Mississippi. Either setting is sure to be a good time – Toussaint really doesn’t disappoint – but something tells us the more intimate show full of obscure selections might unearth some real genius from this living legend.

3. Chris Thomas King :: 2:35 PM :: Blues Tent

King’s reach stretches across the entirety of the blues – from gravely 78 rpm era recordings by blind men and fallen preachers through the ’60s electric revival and into today’s more streamlined variety (and everything that falls in between these broad marks). His voice can make you shiver and his guitar playing can leave you slack-jawed, and he’s the sort of artist that’ll always keep you guessing at what he has up his sleeve.

Don’t Miss Culinary Delight: Fried Oyster Spinach Salad

Sunday, May 1

Trombone Shorty

1. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue :: 2:00 PM :: Gentilly Stage

It’s only a matter of time until Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is a household name. Born and raised in New Orleans’ Treme neighborhood, Andrews played his first Jazz Fest in 1990 at the ripe old age of four. Since then he’s toured the world with Lenny Kravitz and made a believer out of everyone from Bo Diddley to Bono. We highly recommend you start your Sunday in the Gospel Tent (because that’s where all Sundays should start at Jazz Fest) and then promptly make your way over to Trombone Shorty’s performance.

2. Van Morrison :: 3:35 PM :: Acura Stage

At a time when most artists of his era are resting on their laurels (or worse, six feet under), Van the Man has been in the midst of a golden years revival for better than a decade, where he’s revisited his original inspirations, re-teamed with old mates and marvelously rendered his finest studio album, Astral Weeks, in concert (JamBase review). Those only familiar with hits like “Moondance” and “Brown Eyed Girl” may be surprised at how much real nitty-gritty blues and gospel figure in his work, as well as how bloody hard Van can swing if he puts his mind to it. Not one for stage chatter or audience baiting, his live shows nonetheless are pretty much a guarantee of high quality music.

3. Richie Havens :: 5:50 PM :: Sheraton New Orleans Fais Do-Do Stage

Havens’ tireless creativity, sustained musical brilliance and enormous heart and soul arguably mark him as the Woodstock veteran whose gifts (and philosophical perspective) have changed the least over the ensuing decades. A brilliant, honest storyteller and dazzling musician, his performances continue to be life-affirming boons to anyone smart enough to be in his presence. Always a bit more clear-eyed than his hippie cohorts, Havens has somehow maintained the soul of the sixties, and his power and magnetism are almost enough to make today’s much more cynical audiences believe that we really shall one day overcome the injustices of this world.

Don’t Miss Culinary Delight: Boiled Crawfish

Continue reading for Late Night info, Restaurant Suggestions, Insider Tips, Photos and more…

Late Night

As always, there is no shortage of amazing late night entertainment during Jazz Fest. With so many options it’s near impossible to select one show over another, and that’s why you’ll want to look at our complete concert listings to find what tickles your fancy. As you’re perusing our virtual pages be sure to give some thought towards venues. If you’ve never been to the Rock ‘n’ Bowl or raged on the Riverboat Creole Queen you might want to make that happen. There’s also the newly reopened Mahalia Jackson Theatre, as well as always reliable haunts House of Blues, Howlin’ Wolf, DBA and Republic. And no trip to NOLA is complete without a stop at Tip’s. And if you can somehow sneak into the My Morning Jacket/Preservation Hall Jazz Band show at the tiny Preservation Hall on Saturday, April 24, more power to you!

The Jazzfest Grids are an incredibly useful tool to help you plan your nighttime parties. Use the links below for a complete breakdown of all the late night shows.

First Weekend :: Second Weekend :: Daze Between :: Extra Days

New Orleans Restaurant Suggestions

Higher End

1. Cochon :: 930 Tchoupitoulas St.
A local favorite and great value serving up the classics and more. They’re offering a private dining experience with a special Jazz Fest menu.

2. Dante’s Kitchen :: 736 Dante St.

The best ‘NOLA comfort food’ in the city. Get the shrimp n’ grits. Chef Emann is the boss!

3. Dick & Jenny’s :: 4501 Tchoupitoulas St.

Uptown near Tip’s, this casual fine dinning restaurant takes no reservations and is open on Mondays.

On A Budget

1. Domilise’s Po-Boys :: 5240 Annunciation St. (right off Tchoupitoulas)

The quintessential po-boy resource. It’s a local favorite for a reason.

2. Coop’s Place :: 1109 Decatur St.

If ya don’t know now ya know! This just might be the best fried chicken and seafood gumbo in town. Get the Taste Plate or the two piece dark with rabbit jambalaya.

3. Verti Marte :: 1201 Royal St.

A French Quarter staple, this joint is open 24/7 and serves real food at a reasonable price.

Insider Tips

When you’re leaving the Fairgrounds after a long day of dancing in the sun, don’t rush right into the cab line. Walk on over to Liuzza’s at 3636 Bienville Ave. Get yourself a bite to eat or a drink and dig the scene. There’s always bands playing in the area and there’s no better people watching than the sea of heads rolling out of the Fairgrounds.

Don’t deny the Lagniappe Stage. As well as Rotary Downs, Red Stick Ramblers, Grayson Capps, Klezmer Allstars and Bobby Long all playing there, it’s the ONLY place to get fresh Louisiana oysters! I know y’all come for the music, but you stay for the fresh, Louisiana caught seafood. Lache pas la patate!

If you’re looking for the sweetest local t-shirts, stay out of the tourist traps and be sure to check out Dirty Coast. Run by a bunch of great NOLA cats, the money goes right back to the people who make this city so amazing, and the shirt designs are just awesome. Get one for yourself and bring another home; they make great gifts!

Resources

Official New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival website: nojazzfest.com. This link includes “The Cubes” which break down every set of the weekend by artist, stage, day and time, the link also includes a list of all food at the festival, news, artist bios, ticket info and Jazz Fest history.

Jazzfest Grids website: jazzfestgrids.com. This link has a complete listing of all late night club shows for First Weekend, Second Weekend, Daze Between and Extra Daze.

JamBase Jazz Fest Show Listings: New Orleans 4/22-5/3. This link will show you all events scheduled in New Orleans from April 22 (the start of First Weekend) through May 3 (the end of Second Weekend).
JamBase 2009 Jazz Fest Coverage: Weekend 1, Weekend 2

JamBase 2008 Jazz Fest Coverage: Weekend 1, Weekend 2

JamBase 2007 Jazz Fest Coverage

JamBase 2006 Jazz Fest Coverage

Local site nola.com/jazzfest offers a plethora of news and Fest updates

var siteRoot=”http://www.jambase.com”;var newPhotoIndex=”0″;$(document).ready( function() { $(“#GalleryWidget”).load(siteRoot+”/Photos/Widget.aspx?galleryID=27″);}); New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 2009 Photo Gallery | New Orleans, LA The JamBase 2009 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Photo Gallery includes Kermit Ruffins, Dave Matthews, Dr. John, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, The Neville Brothers, Trombone Shorty, Erykah Badu, Spoon, Henry Butler, Drive-By Truckers, Dumpstaphunk, Emmylou Harris, Etta James, Donald Harrison Jr., Imagination Movers, Irma Thomas, Lil’ Brian /&/g The Travelers, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., Wynton Marsalis, Astral Project, Solomon Burke, Joe Cocker, Kirk Joseph, Eric Lindell, Mavis Staples, The Funky Meters, Rebirth Brass Band, Nicholas Payton, Rotary Downs and more… View Photos

Be sure to keep an eye on JamBase during Jazz Fest as we’ll be reporting live from New Orleans with daily updates…

JamBase | New Orleans

Go See Live Music!

Chess Records Biopic Robert Randolph, Keb’ Mo’

March 18th, 2010 | No Comments

OPENS APRIL 9 IN NEW YORK CITY

Who Do You Love is the new film about Leonard and Phil Chess, legendary founders of Chess Records. The film opens in theaters beginning April 9 in NYC and stars Robert Randolph (as Bo Diddley), Keb’ Mo’, Raheem DeVaughn, Ryan Shaw and Alessandro Nivola (as Leonard Chess). Who Do You Love features authentic musical performances (all of the music was recorded and performed by the artists themselves) and a score full of Chess hits including Muddy Waters’ “Stuff You Gotta Watch,” Etta James’ “At Last” and Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love.” The film presents an intimate look at the rise of the label and the strain it placed on Leonard Chess’ family.

Current Who Do You Love Opening Dates

April 9
Village East – New York, NY
Clearview 1st & 62nd – New York, NY
National Black Theater – Harlem (NYC), NY

April 16
Laemmle Sunset 5 – Los Angeles, CA
Laemmle Monica 4 – Santa Monica, CA
Laemmle Pasadena Playhouse – Pasadena, CA

April 30
Landmark Century Centre – Chicago, IL

Furthur & Friends | 03.12 | San Francisco

March 17th, 2010 | No Comments

Words by: Garrin Benfield | Images by: Dave Vann

Furthur & Friends :: 03.12.10 :: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium :: San Francisco, CA

Lesh & Robinson – Furthur :: 03.12 :: San Francisco

It’s safe to say I wouldn’t have been anywhere on March 12 other than with the guys ushering in the last Golden Age of the Grateful Dead. Furthur, the latest (and possibly greatest) reincarnation of The Boys, gathered for a tour-closing three set show at Bill Graham Civic to celebrate Phil Lesh’s 70th Birthday and to raise money for Haitian Earthquake relief. And though this was a benefit for the Unbroken Chain Foundation, the preeminent concern was throwing a party with and for one of the most important musicians in rock ‘n’ roll, and certainly one of the Bay Area’s most celebrated exports.

Ironically, Lesh has become more of a household name in the outside world since Jerry Garcia died, as various groups under the name “Phil Lesh and Friends” have relentlessly toured the country and become a staple at summer festivals. But Lesh’s contribution to popular (and weird!) music was felt early. Soon after he taught himself to play electric bass in The Warlocks, he quickly established a singular, linear approach to what was traditionally an instrument strictly reserved for a support role.

It would not be an exaggeration to include Lesh in a list that includes towering figures of the low-end like Charles Mingus, James Jamerson, and Jaco Pastorius, in terms of the indelible imprint he has left on the possibilities of his instrument. Phil’s approach and tone are unmistakable once you are familiar with them: a chunky, flat-picked attack that relentlessly propels, cloaked in an EQ wave that somehow allows for both the richest low end “bombs” conjurable and the treble necessary to cut through dense aggregations like the one we witnessed on this night.

Furthur & Friends :: 03.12 :: San Francisco

Like the other members of the Grateful Dead, Phil has a deserved reputation as possibly one of the coolest geeks in rock, a reputation aided by his interest in modern 20th century symphonic and experimental music, and involvement with such out-there projects as Seastones with composer Ned Lagin. But Phil always had deep groove and soul, and though some stories suggest the contrary, he was a great ally and supporter of Pigpen and has always gone out of his way to keep the R&B roots of the Dead alive. On this night alone, Phil chose to play three songs associated with Pig: the rare “Two Souls in Communion,” “Easy Wind” and “Hard to Handle,” a clear nod to the formative days of this band that began stretching out their limited repertoire at long, four-set shows in the mid-sixties and accidentally birthed a new genre of music.

As the Grateful Dead stretched its wings in the hugely inspired period that spilled over into the early-70s, however, it became clear that Jerry was Phil’s true musical brother. Together, on a nightly basis, they wove the single note improvisations that seared the band’s identity into our cultural consciousness. At my second Dead show in the mid-80s, I recall hearing a passing Head say, “When Phil’s on, the band’s on,” a phrase that intrigued me but I did not fully compute then. The rumbling, sometimes sub-sonic importance of Phil’s playing might be the last musical element to filter into a new listener’s head – especially at a questionably mixed stadium show – but once it’s in there, there is really no substitute (even Alfonso Johnson, who subbed for Phil in The Other Ones, comes to mind). Phil literally had to conceive and build the bass that could accomplish what he heard in his head, and for that he should also always be acknowledged as a progenitor of the modern, active pickup electric bass. And though never particularly celebrated for his singing (maybe an understatement), he still managed to compose one of the enduring classics of the country/folk rock period, the lilting, gorgeous “Box of Rain,” a song that elicits rich memories and emotions from people who were alive to hear it drifting from dorm room windows in 1970 and those who first encountered it on hissy third-generation bootleg cassettes.

Furthur & Friends :: 03.12 :: San Francisco

How fitting then that Phil chose to open his birthday show with a gentle acoustic set that included three of the towering pieces of the Hunter/Garcia catalog that he has long publicly admired: “Ripple,” “Brokedown Palace” and the stunning “Attics of My Life.” Bobby sang/whispered “Ripple” with genuine, time-worn sensitivity, Jackie Greene paid perfect respect to “Brokedown,” and all the vocalists, including Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes), “the girls” (Zoe Ellis and Sunshine Garcia Becker) and John Kadlecik seemed to breathe with “Attics” until the room had truly unified. Phil’s beautiful take on “Mountains of the Moon” was also a highlight – it seems years of attempts at getting this song right have finally paid off, with Phil not forcing the vocal but rather very calmly allowing it to happen. With the new arrangement of “Mountains,” Phil has accomplished quite a feat, as the slow psychedelic dirge feels ancient in its roots and quite contemporary in its delivery. The forethought that went into this acoustic set clearly portended very good things for the night and also immediately thrust us into a contemplative state usually reserved for late in a second set. It was almost as if we were experiencing the normal emotional arc of a show in reverse. Disorienting and wonderful.

The electric segment of the evening began with a stand-alone “Scarlet Begonias,” sung by Jackie and driven by drummer Joe Russo in his first appearance of the evening. During the jam, Kadlecik revealed that over the past few months with Furthur he has been allowed, possibly for the first time in his professional career, to truly search for his own voice on lead guitar. The results were refreshingly un-Garcia like, including some microtonal bends that I associate more with Indian classical music than psychedelic rock. Weir followed with a surprise “New Minglewood Blues,” from which he has extracted the normal blues turnaround that we are so used to hearing. It’s so unexpected that the band still seems to struggle with it a bit. It was akin to the strange effect of Weir adding extra bars between verses of a song that you are used to hearing straight. This muscular version proved itself worthy of this important second set slot, though, and the rest of this long set got raunchy, bluesy and occasionally sloppy, and included so many twists and turns as to be pretty disorienting at times. “Viola Lee Blues,” the signature Furthur jam vehicle so far, was broken up into three separate appearances. Chris Robinson screamed mightily during “Hard to Handle,” and the set came to a joyous, if severely mid-tempo conclusion with “Like A Rolling Stone” and “Sugaree.” I tend to like my Dead humble and fragile, but if you lean towards the dark, heavy blues that emerges with this many people onstage, this set was for you.

Furthur & Friends :: 03.12 :: San Francisco

At just after midnight, the band casually reassembled onstage and broke into a very groovy “Not Fade Away” jam, led by Phil and the drummers (John Molo was now onstage) and decorated by the guitarists. As three floats festooned with Mardi Gras-like decorations slowly made their way across the floor, the band jammed on, but did not sing “Not Fade Away.” Instead, where the vocals would have begun, everyone broke into “Happy Birthday” for Phil and hundreds of balloons dropped onto the floor. The band resumed the Bo Diddley jam for another four minutes or so then just sort of stopped. I’m really not sure what happened at this point, but Bobby said, “Well, we’re going to take another short break, but this one’s going to be truly short.” The packed hall was vocal in its confusion, as some momentum had definitely been established, but then just laughed it off and chalked it up to one more strange Dead moment.

“Playin’ In The Band” was a good way to launch into new territory, establish a whole new direction, and erase any confusion from the last segment. The jam out of “Playin’” was dense, with three lead guitarists in Weir, Greene and Kadlecik trying to accommodate one another, and doing so quite well. Weir, in particular, demonstrated such a welcome hospitality all night to his fellow players, not indulging in any of the confusing hand signals or last minute cues we’ve come to expect from him at some of these high profile shows. “St. Stephen” began a show ending sequence of classic tunes that culminated in an inspired, unexpected choice for the ballad slot, “Comes a Time,” sung with real heart by Chris Robinson. It felt a bit off-kilter to have Kadlecik play a tearful, flanged-out solo, but then not resume the lead vocal. It occurred to me at this point in the show how little he had sung at all, in fact. (“Lazy River Road,” which he handled with grace, seemed like eons ago, being the second song of the night.) The last true surprise of the show came next, a breakneck “Cream Puff War,” played with all its mid-60s impatience and bluster intact, and accompanied by two female go-go dancers on either side of the stage. I actually heard some grousing from some Heads about this clearly ironic, showbiz move. I thought it was perfectly good-natured, especially since the song lasted all of two minutes. That’s gotta be a record for brevity for these guys!

“Franklin’s Tower” literally jumped out of “Cream Puff War” and signaled the end of an inspired night. And though the band frequently tests audience stamina these days, the huge, show ending ovations these guys have been getting attest to the feeling that few are anxious to see them go anywhere. It’s as if we are taking this opportunity to really express how lucky we feel to have been a part of this music, and how surreal it is that it’s still rumbling forward, and right here in the center of San Francisco no less, the place of its inception. Phil seemed genuinely humbled before the encore, saying, “Thank you for making this, I would have to say, THE most special birthday of my life.” The response? Another thunderous round of applause. Thank you, Phil!

Phil’s 70th Birthday :: 03.12.10 :: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium :: San Francisco, CA

Set I Acoustic without Russo and with Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz & Chris Robinson:

Ripple, Lazy River Road, Fennario, Two Souls in Communion, Brokedown Palace, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, They Love Each Other, Mountains of the Moon, Attics of My Life

Set II without Lane and with Jackie Greene & Chris Robinson:

Scarlet Begonias, Minglewood Blues, Easy Wind > New Speedway Boogie, Viola Lee Blues > High Time > Caution Jam > Viola Lee Blues > Hard To Handle, Viola Lee Blues > Like A Rolling Stone > Sugaree

Set III without Lane and with Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz & John Molo:

Not Fade Away Jam* Float Parade, Happy Birthday Phil!*, Balloon Drop, Not Fade Away Jam >
Playing in the Band > Jam > St. Stephen > The Other One > Elevator > Unbroken Chain, Comes a Time > Cream Puff War* with dancers > Franklin’s Tower

Encore: Johnny B. Goode

Setlist courtesy of phillesh.net

Continue reading for more pics…

Furthur Tour Dates :: Furthur News :: Furthur Concert Reviews

JamBase | California

Go See Live Music!

The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms

November 5th, 2009 | No Comments

By: Ron Hart

Straight outta Haledon, NJ, The Feelies were the complete antithesis of cool back when they officially formed during the year punk broke (1976, kids). Named after a deep reference from Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and dressed like the kids who ran the math club in high school, this quartet of North Jersey suburbanites were the outsiders amongst the outsiders of the NYC underground during the late ’70s. They hated gigging in the city because driving through the tunnels gave them headaches, drank coffee the way Jimmy Page downed Jack Daniels before shows, and were known to shave onstage with electric razors plugged into their amplifiers.

But once co-frontmen Glenn Mercer and Bill Million switched on their guitars as the terse, tight rhythm section of bassist Keith Clayton and one-time Pere Ubu/Electric Eels drummer Anton Fier kicked in their boxcutter-sharp, jittery grooves, The Feelies were an unstoppable force. Their sound was pure minimalism, taking the repetitive patterns of such modern classical composers as Terry Riley and Steve Reich and compounding it with a Bo Diddley groove stripped down to the studs a la the Velvet Underground, creating a sonic style as unique as their image. Originally released in 1980 on the UK-based Stiff Records, the group’s debut, Crazy Rhythms, is only LP to feature to Mercer/Million/Clayton/Fier lineup and remains one of the all-time great albums from the New Wave era. Now, after years of being out of print after the album’s U.S. label, A&M Records, got sucked up by the Universal Records machine, Crazy Rhythms is available once again for a whole new generation to enjoy its quirky genius thanks to Individuals frontman Glenn Morrow’s Bar-None imprint out of Hoboken, NJ, home of The Feelies’ favorite haunt, Maxwell’s.

Remastered and repackaged in a very cool slimline digipak (this is key, as the album’s cover art featuring headshots of the original members of The Feelies against a sky blue backdrop is one of the main selling points – just ask Weezer, who paid homage via the cover of their 1994 debut), the CD and LP of Crazy Rhythms only features the original 9 tracks – which includes such favorites as “The Boy With The Perpetual Nervousness”, “Fa ce-La,” and their scorching cover of The Beatles’ White Album rocker “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey” – at the request of the band in order to maintain the integrity of the album’s initial issue. However, the CD does include a download card that features five bonus tracks, including the original Rough Trade 7-inch single version of “Fa ce-La,” demo versions of “The Boy With The Perpetual Nervousness” and “Moscow Nights,” and live renditions of the title track and a cover of the Modern Lovers’ “I Wanna Sleep In Your Arms” from a March 2009 show at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC.

Also released in tandem with Crazy Rhythms is its equally-indispensible 1986 follow-up, The Good Earth, produced by Peter Buck of R.E.M. and one of the true cornerstones of that jangly, college rock sound we all love so much.

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