By almost any metric, 2009 was a bumper crop for great new music. With bands increasingly bypassing the record industry entirely and releasing albums, singles, live sets, and more themselves via download, there was almost too much fascinating, worthwhile music on offer this year. Still, better an embarrassment of riches than a thin harvest, eh? While the mainstream continued its seemingly inexorable tide towards machine-like homogenization – notwithstanding a Lady Gaga or Lil’ Wayne adding somewhat unorthodox wrinkles – musicians got down to making a lot of very personal, very beautifully constructed, downright fabulous music. And while the general belief that most artists will earn the bulk of their monies in concert from here on out is probably true, that doesn’t diminish the rise in quality we’re hearing in recent studio work.

Advances and price cuts in software and hardware are bringing expensive studio technology into bedrooms, garages and tiny private studios in ways totally impossible to imagine only a few years ago. Nothing will ever replace the warm hum of analog tape for some folks, but the tools and, perhaps more importantly, the means of distribution are becoming increasingly democratized. Brian Wilson’s “teenage symphonies to God” are being composed and sent into the world outside the parameters and red tape of an increasingly confused industry. And these same artists are hitting the road to present their unique, non-commercial wares (as “commercial” is defined by modern tastemakers like MTV, Rolling Stone, et al.) to anyone who will listen, building fan bases through social networking, word of mouth and an engaged blogosphere anxious to discover honest, unfamiliar music. There’s a healthy sense of creative boil that happily recalls rock ‘n’ roll’s initial 1950s boom, where hit singles were forged in record shop recording booths and local sensations found national and even international acclaim on the wings of a single release.

It’s too early to say where music making is going in the near future, but it’s clear that there’s a massive shakeup underway. Musicians need to figure out how to make this new freedom pay, and audiences that genuinely care about the people making the music they love will need to stop stealing it and pony up enough to ensure the continued bloom of this musical renaissance. Now is the time to support local talent and independent neighborhood venues, and drop a few coins into your fave band’s PayPal account. As the massively successful tours of still-vital giants like Bruce Springsteen, U2 and AC/DC, or the smaller scale rises of original new voices like Fleet Foxes, The Low Anthem and Of Montreal, indicate, people are listening now more than ever, ready for music that will enlighten and delight them.

-Dennis Cook

Patterson Hood – Drive-By Truckers

Albums

Patterson Hood

1. Bloodkin – Baby They Told Us We Would Rise Again
On the surface, no frills, meat and potatoes rock (and damn proud of it) but a closer listen reveals the finest songwriting all year as this 24-year-old band sings the horrifying tale of their trip back from the abyss and sees it through to a joyous life-affirming conclusion. It’s like that Leaving Las Vegas movie with a happy ending – unbelievable if weren’t true. Such well-treaded territory would suck if not for the magnificence of its execution. “Wild Rhododendrons” is the finest songwriting I’ve seen all year, and “The Viper” and “Heavy With Child” are just as good. Meanwhile “Easter Eggs” is the best song of man love I’ve ever heard (including “Bobby Jean” and “Angie”).

2. Bob Dylan – Together Through Life
3. Iron And Wine – Around The Well
4. PJ Harvey and John Parish – A Woman A Man Walked By
5. Girls – Album
6. M. Ward – Hold Time
7. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
8. The Dexateens – Singlewide
9. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
10. The Low Anthem – Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
I just recently caught up with 9 and 10 and they could well move up in coming months. I’m sure there’s several albums lurking out there that I will love just as much that I haven’t found yet. I’m always looking and listening so I’m sure the list will change up until next year’s.

-Best Reissue(s): The Jesus Lizard Reissues
-Favorite Song: “Wild Rhododendrons” (Bloodkin)
-Favorite Tracks: “Black Hearted Love” (PJ Harvey and John Parish) / “Belated Promise Ring” (Iron and Wine)
-Favorite Live Performance: Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings / Iron and Wine at No Depression Festival in Seattle this summer
-Movies I’ve Loved: Fantastic Mr. Fox, Up, A Serious Man, Where The Wild Things Are, Let The Right One In, Inglourious Basterds

Dave Schools – Widespread Panic, Stockholm Syndrome

Dave Schools

Albums

1. Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid

2. Super Furry Animals – Dark Days/Light Years

3. Polvo – In Prism

4. Numero Group (Reissue by Various Artists) – Light: On The South Side (2 LP + Book)

Shows

1. Jeff Beck – 04/23/09 – Fox Theater Oakland, CA

2. All Tomorrow’s Parties Nightmare Before Christmas – 12/04-12/06 – Butlins Holiday Centre Minehead, GB

-Curated by My Bloody Valentine. Standout sets include: Sun Ra Arkestra, Sonic Youth, Witch, My Bloody Valentine

3. Dinosaur Jr. – 11/05/09 – House of Blues West Hollywood, CA

Honorable Mention:

Dead Confederate & Meat Puppets – 09/20/09 – Hopmonk Tavern Sebastopol, CA

David Murphy – Sound Tribe Sector 9

David Murphy

Albums
1. Empire of the Sun – Walking on a Dream
2. Big Gigantic – Wake Up
2. STS9 – Peaceblaster : Make it Right Remixes

Shows
1. Ghostland Observatory | Ogden Theatre | Denver, CO
2. Grizzly Bear | Emo’s | Austin City Limits Festival | Austin, TX
3. Depeche Mode | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO

Kyle Hollingsworth – SCI

Kyle Hollingsworth

Albums
1. Fiery Furnaces – Take Me Around Again
2. Gregory Alan Isakov – This Empty Northern Hemisphere

I enjoyed the This Is It compilation, but honestly, I have been overwhelmed by kid’s CDs like Ralph’s World and the kid’s Putumayo sessions.

Shows
1. David Byrne | Performing Arts Center | Denver, CO
2. Flight of the Conchords | Red Rocks | Morrison, CO
3. Rothbury weekend

Petter Ericson Stakee – Alberta Cross

Albums

Petter Ericson Stakee

1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
2. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

3. Dinosaur Jr. – Farm

4. Bat For Lashes – Two Suns
5. The Beatles – White Album (remastered) – I know this is cheating, but the job they did on all the remasters is stunningly beautiful and breathes new air especially through this classic.

Shows

1. Neil Young at Hyde Park, London

2. Blur at Hyde Park, London

3. Bonnaroo – especially Wilco’s set… truly inspiring.

Jon Gutwillig – The Disco Biscuits

Albums

Jon Gutwillig

Anything Joker put out in 2009. He’s making really awesome dubstep. He had a lot of remixes in 2009, as well as official releases, so I guess he gets all of my top spots for the year.

Shows
I played 100 concerts. Starkey at Camp Bisco (the namesake festival we founded and curate) was really cool. When Phish did the dedication at Hampton to Fishman’s dad and Marc (Brownstein, Disco Biscuits bassist) was sitting next to him that was pretty funny. Charlie P & M80 Dubstation (my dubstep project) jamming samples together in ATL was sickness! Benga on the world beat tip in Philly was ragin’.

Aron Magner – The Disco Biscuits

People To Watch In 2010

Electronic music has mostly in the past been about the party or setting the mood. As technology has improved there are many artists redefining the changing landscape of electronic genres.

There’s a new movement of young artists with equal parts musician, DJ, sound sculpture and producer that are re-shaping electronic music and how it is performed. I was blown away last week when I saw Alex B whack down the house for an official Disco Biscuits after party. This young lion has masterful control of his software that enable all of his original and banging tracks constant manipulation for live, almost improvised, computer performance.

Aron Magner

Also out of Colorado is the young Derek Smith (aka Pretty Lights). Derek took the changing climate of the music industry and used it to his direct advantage. In an new era where music fans feel more entitled to receive their music without paying for it, Derek said, ‘That’s cool, then here it is,” and released Filling Up The City Skies for free on his website, instantly catapulting his career to a new level and gaining multitudes of fans around the country almost overnight. The music speaks for itself. Deep electronic grooves with attention grabbing glitch and ear candy all with a type of soul not normally conveyed in dance music.

Eliot Lipp frequently runs in this same circle and performs with Alex B in the project Lipp Service. His 2009 release, Peace Love Weed 3D, almost feels retro-electro yet still pushed the boundaries of computer manipulation. His use of analog synth melodies lends a warm and engaging quality to his tunes. His songs evolve and have a story to tell from beginning to end.

Daedelus is more of an experimental musician frequently on bills with the artists above. He is unique as his main “instrument” is a rather insidious device know as a Monome. He is one of the pioneers of the Monome, which is nothing more than a matrix grid of unlabeled small buttons. They are all exclusively user programmable through very esoteric software enabling the end user to manipulate the parts of the tracks in a very unique way. He is the Clara Rockmore of this almost cryptic device.

And then there is Simon Posford, a revered producer and artist and pioneer in the electronic music world. He is also a very highly respected mentor of mine that I finally got to work with for the five tracks that he produced on our forthcoming album, Planet Anthem. Simon has a special ability to take an organic sound, be it a vocal or an acoustic guitar, and tweak it in such a loving way that it maintains the original feel that emanated from a human yet somehow still evolves into digital code. A delicate balance of real and surreal all masterfully placed over global beats with soundscapes that percolate your ears as if they were brain candy, all while providing for an incredible melodic and harmonic song structure. Check out one his projects, Shpongle‘s Tales of the Inexpressible and you’ll see what I mean.

Marco Benevento – Duo, Garage A Trois

Marco Benevento

Albums
1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
2. Sparklehorse and Danger Mouse – Dark Night of the Soul
3. Wilco – Wilco The Album
4. Nathan Moore – Folk Singer
5. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic

Shows
1. Medeski, Martin & Wood | December 2009 | Lupo’s | Providence, RI (Dec)
Billy, Billy, Billy – what an amazing drum solo

2. Marco Benevento Trio | June 2009 | Carnegie Hall | New York, NY
3. The Slip | August 2009 | Bowery Ballroom | New York, NY

Derek Vincent Smith – Pretty Lights

Derek Vincent Smith/PL

Albums
1. Jay Z – Blueprint 3
2. Gramatik – Street Bangers (Vol. 2)
3. Passion Pit – Manners
4. Blockhead – The Music Scene
5. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Shows
1. Justice | Ogden Theatre
2. Bonobo | Ogden Theatre
3. Phoenix | Bonnaroo

Bradford Cox – Deerhunter

Deerhunter

Albums

1. Privacy – Songs

2. Kurt Vile – Childish Prodigy

3. Animal Collective – Fall be Kind EP

4. St. Vincent – Actor

5. The Breeders – Fate to Fatal EP

Shows

1. The Breeders at ATP Minehead

2. St. Vincent in Atlanta

3. Animal Collective at ATP NY

Reed Mathis – Tea Leaf Green, Papa Mali

Albums
1. JFJO – Winterwood
My last record with Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is also my favorite. Brian, Raymer and I did basic tracks in March 2008, and I finished the mixes in January 2009. It was put up as a free download on www.JFJO.com, but I’m still hoping to press physical copies with awesome artwork and stuff. We’ll see. A gorgeous album, 15 years in the making!

2. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
I definitely gave this one repeated listens. Amazing production. I like the song “Foreground.”

Mathis by Miller

3. Dorian Small – Newlyweds
Possibly my favorite musician out there.

4. Surprise Me Mr. Davis – ?????
Not sure if they even titled or released this, but it’s streaming on their website, and it’s absolutely crushing! Nathan Moore with the Slip – it truly just does not get any better. Thank the lord for Mr. Davis.

5. Medeski Martin & Wood – Radiolarian III
These guys played everything there was to be played, all before the year 2000, and they’ve been through the looking-glass ever since. The Radiolarian Series is their freakiest and most human stuff in a long time, much to my liking. They continue to sum up what I love about improvising.

Shows
1. Phish | 08.02.09 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO
My first Phish show, and my first Red Rocks show – quite an eye-opener. Watched the second set from side-stage, looking out at the sea of delighted humans. Kept thinking, “Hmmm…. not a bad band!”

2. Ornette Coleman | 11.08.09 | San Francisco Opera House | S.F., CA
My first Ornette show, one of my all-time heroes. Went with a very old friend. Ornette’s band was him, plus drums, and TWO basses. Yes, please!

3. Medeski Martin & Wood | 12.04.09 | Lupo’s | Providence, RI
My 20th MMW show. Watched from side-stage, then from the rigging up above the stage. I love getting music lessons! What benevolent musicians they are. Freaking cosmic virtuosos.

Olly Peacock – Gomez

Gomez

Albums
1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
2. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast
3. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below
4. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
5. Slaraffenland – We’re On Your Side

Shows
1. Andrew Bird | Radio City Hall | New York, NY
2. Frightened Rabbit | Whitehaven, U.K.
3. Fink | Belfast, Northern Ireland

Jake Cinninger

Jake Cinninger – Umphrey’s McGee

Albums
1. Mastodon – Crack the Skye
2. Slayer – World Painted Blood
3. Job for a Cowboy – Ruination
4. Robben Ford – Soul on Ten

Shows
1. Ugly Suit | St Louis, MO
2. Buddy Guy | Telluride, CO
3. Lamont Cranston Band | Minneapolis, MN

Ryan Stasik by Vann

Ryan Stasik – Umphrey’s McGee

Shows
1. Hall and Oates | Irving Plaza | New York, NY
2. Made in Iron | Burlington, VT
3. Marsha Stasik | Stand-up Comedy | Kalamazoo, MI

Brendan Bayliss – Umphrey’s McGee

Brendan Bayliss

Albums
1. Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
2. Modest Mouse – No One’s First and You’re Next
3. The Beatles – Remastered catalog

Shows
1. Snoop Dogg | Lollapalooza
2. Paul McCartney | Shea Stadium
3. Lisa Lampanelli | Chicago, IL

Joel Cummins – Umphrey’s McGee

Cummins by Gordon

Albums
1. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
2. Passion Pit – Manners
3. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
4. Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
5. Pretty Lights – Passing by Behind Your Eyes

Shows
1. Taj Mahal and Bonnie Raitt | Ravinia | Chicago, IL
2. Andrew Bird | Schubas | Chicago, IL
3. Passion Pit | Treasure Island Festival | San Francisco, CA

Andy Farag – Umphrey’s McGee

Farag by Gordon

Albums
1. Jay Z – The Blueprint 3
2. J Dilla – Just Stay Paid
3. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
4. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Shows
1. Tool | Lollapalooza
2. Foreign Exchange | Chicago, IL

Keller Williams

Albums
1. Danny Barnes – Pizza Box
2. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
3. Zach Deputy – Sunshine
4. Power up the Planet

Keller Williams

A compilation of cool music with the proceeds going to providing solar power for folks with nothing. Great cause and the mix of songs is bitchin’.
5. The Pimps of Joytime – Funk Fixes and Remixes

Shows
1.Umphrey’s McGee | Summer Camp – Felix Pastorius and Les Claypool sit-ins. Massive fire works customized to the music.
2. Girl Talk | Rothbury – Late night show mentality
3. String Cheese Incident | Rothbury – Epic production.

Art Neville – Funky Meters, The Neville Brothers

Art Neville by Smith

Albums
1. BlakRoc – BlakRoc
2. Dr. John – City That Care Forgot
3. Cyril Neville – Brand New Blues
4. Mos Def – The Ecstatic
5. Paramore – Brand New Eyes

Shows
1. Dumpstaphunk | Tipitina’s | Jazzfest | New Orleans, LA
2. The Neville Brothers | Mawazine Jazzfest | Rabat, Morocco
3. Funky METERS | Fuji Rock Festival

Jason Isbell – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Jason Isbell

Albums
1. The Beatles – Remasters (Duh!)
2. Them Crooked Vultures – self-titled
3. Justin Townes Earle – Midnight at the Movies
4. The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing
5. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

Shows
1. Wilco | Sloss Furnace | Birmingham, AL

2. Earl Greyhound | Turf Club | St. Paul, MN (with us)
3. The Mother Hips | The Doug Fir | Portland, OR (with us)

Jerry Joseph – Jackmormons, Stockholm Syndrome

Jerry Joseph

Albums

1. Richmond Fontaine – We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River

2. Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3

3. The Swell Season – Strict Joy (my wife made me put this… but she’s right)

4. The Mother Hips – Pacific Dust

5. The Revelations Featuring Tre Williams – The Bleeding Edge

6. Keith Jarret – The Koln Concert

Shows

As for shows, I live in NYC and never see anything… except:
1. The choir at St. Josephs on 125th

2. Thievery Corporation in Denver

Andrew Barr – The Slip, Surprise Me Mr. Davis, Land Of Talk

Andrew Barr

Albums

1. Low Anthem – Oh My God, Charlie Darwin

2. Tuneyards – Bird-Brains

3. Lightning Bolt – Earthly Delights

4. Nathan Moore – Folksinger

5. Mos Def – The Ecstatic

Favorite shows I played:

1. Carnegie Hall w/ The Marco Benevento Trio

2. FME music festival in Abitibi Quebec with Brad Barr

3. Montreal Music Festival in Ghent Belgium with Land Of Talk

George Porter Jr. – The Funky Meters

George Porter Jr.

Albums
1. John Scofield – Piety Street
2. Water Seed – Early for The Future
3. Diane Birch – Bible Belt
4. Alec Ounsworth – Mo Beauty
5. Jack Brass Band – self-titled

Shows Played
1. The Meter Men | New Orleans Jazz Fest
2. The Funky Meters | Tokyo

3. Runnin’ Pardners | 08.08.09 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre
4. Porter Batiste Stoltz | 10.30.09 | Tipitina’s French Quarter | New Orleans, LA (the band’s last gig as a band)

Joe Russo – Duo, Furthur, Gene Ween Band, Bustle in Your Hedgerow

Joe Russo

Albums (in no order)

1. Cass McCombs – Catacombs

2. Patton Oswalt – My Weakness Is Strong

3. Matt Trowbridge – Radio Soap Star Opera

4. Bob Dylan Christmas In The Heart

5. Sean Bones – Rings

Shows I Saw

1. Monte Good and The Honky-Tonk Heroes | 3/24/09 | Robert’s Western World | Nashville, TN

2. Dr. Dog | 6/27/09 | Prospect Park Band Shell | Brooklyn, NY

3. KISS | 10/10/09 | Madison Square Garden | New York, NY

Shows I Played

1. The Gene Ween Band | 3/22/09 | The Earl | Atlanta, GA

2. Benevento-Russo Duo (Acoustic) | 8/17/09 | Highline Ballroom | New York, NY

3. Furthur | 12/12/09 | Asbury Park Convention Hall | Asbury Park, NJ

Stanton Moore – Galactic, Garage A Trois, Dragon Smoke

Stanton Moore

I’ve been so busy this year I haven’t really gotten a chance to peep out anything outside of what I’ve been involved with. Here are my top picks for albums I appeared on in 2009.

1. Stanton Moore – Take It To The Streets (digital download)
2. Street Sweeper Social Club – self-titled
3. Diane Birch – Bible Belt
4. Alec Ounsworth – Mo Beauty
5. Garage A Trois – Power Patriot

Top Picks For Shows I Played in 2009
1. Galactic | The Fillmore | San Francisco, CA (with special guest Zigaboo Modeliste, drummer for The Meters)

2. Anders Osborne | Jazz Fest | New Orleans, LA
Introduced new band with myself, Robert Walter and Anders. We rehearsed all week at my house before the gig and are now finishing up a record with that new lineup.

3. Garage A Trois | DBA | New Orleans, LA
Power Patriot record release and Skerik’s birthday.

Skerik – Garage A Trois, Dead Kenny Gs

Albums

Skerik

1. Sunn O))) – Monoliths and Dimensions
2. Future of the Left – (most of) Travels with myself and another
3. Lightning Bolt – Earthly Delights
4. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Honorable Mention: McTuff – Volume 1, Dead Kenny Gs – Bewildered Herd, Garage A Trois – Power Patriot

Shows
1. Wayne Shorter Quartet | Zellerbach Hall | Berkeley, CA
Incredible, life making, spiritual event

2. Sunn O))) | Neumo’s | Seattle, WA
Attila incantations: unparalleled.

3. Sunn O))) Duo | Vienna and Prague
Simply the heaviest thing on earth.

Mike Dillon – Go-Go Jungle, Les Claypool, Garage A Trois

Albums

Mike Dillon

1. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
2. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
3. Aceyalone – The Lonely Ones
4. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
5. Mulatu Astatke and the Heliocentrics – Inspiration Information 3

Shows
1. Wayne Shorter Quartet | October 2009 | Zellerbach Hall | Berkeley, CA
2. The Secret Chiefs 3 | They killed everyone the Oddity Faire Tour
3. Aloke Dutta (solo tabla) | July 2009 | Blue Nile | New Orleans, LA

My Best Shows

1. Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle | May 2009 | Dragons Den (late night) – Jazz Fest | New Orleans
2. Garage a Trois | December 2009 | The Independent | San Francisco, CA
3. Dead Kenny Gs | Jazz Fest ’09 | Megalmaniacs Ball | New Orleans, LA
4. Illuminasti Trio with Brian Coogan | Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro | New Orleans, LA

Eric McFadden

Eric McFadden Trio

Albums

1. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures

2. The Dead Weather – Horehound

3. Spinnerette – Baptized by Fire

4. Vic Chesnutt – At the Cut

5. Sam Baker – Cotton
6. Tom Waits – Glitter and Doom

7. PJ Harvey and John Parish – A Woman A Man Walked By

Shows

1. Paul McCartney, Mastodon, Leonard Cohen, The Cure, X, Public Enemy – Coachella – April 2009

I was really impressed and amazed at all of these performances. Rarely have I seen so many sets of such high caliber at one festival… and this wasn’t even the extent of it. I should really just list this as “Coachella 2009.”

2. The Melvins – Grand Regency – San Francisco

3. Nels Cline Singers – Cafe DuNord, San Francisco, CA – September 3, 2009

4. Them Crooked Vultures – Fox Theater – Oakland, CA – November 2009

How can you go wrong with this lineup? Well, I guess they could if they tried… but they didn’t. Rock is alive.

5. Gov’t Mule – Apollo Theater – Barcelona, Spain – November 15, 2009

Best Mule show I’ve seen in a while, possibly ever. I even got to join them for a couple numbers.

6. The Pogues – Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA

Zack Smith – Rotary Downs

Albums

Zack Smith

1. Scrambler Sequill – Secret Passageways

2. Mastodon – Crack the Skye

3. Caddywhompus – EP

4. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic

5. Big Rock Candy Mountain – Hey Kid

Shows

1. Rotary Downs | Halloween – October 31 | DBA, New Orleans, LA

Cmon, it was the best show of the year… glow in the dark, smoke machines n shit…cmon!

2. BROOKLYNOLA – Generationals, w/ the BKLNOLA All Stars | May 8 | Public Assembly, Brooklyn, NY

Simon Lott, Mike Gamble, Marc Friedman, Tony Barba, Bryce Wymer, Mitch Paone

3. Not So Super Super Hero Party 7 | February 21 | Hi Ho Lounge, New Orleans, LA
Featuring Brian Coogan/Simon Lott/Mike Gamble/Anthony Cuccia/Justin Peak

Cody Dickinson – North Mississippi Allstars, Hill Country Revue

Cody Dickinson

Albums

1. Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You

2. Lucero – 1372 Overton Park

3. The Dead Weather – Horehound

4. Snow Patrol – A Hundred Million Suns

5. MGMT – Congratulations

6. Paramore – Brand New Eyes

Shows

1. Dave Matthews Band (w/ Hill Country Revue) for 2 nights July 31 and August 1 at the Verizon Wireless Center in Noblesville, IN

2. Snoop Dogg at Bonnaroo

3. Hill Country Revue with 8 Ball & MJG on Halloween night at the Hi Tone in Memphis, TN

Todd Snider

Todd Snider

Albums (no particular order)

1. Robert Earl Keen – Rose Hotel

2. Phish – Joy

3. Robyn Hitchcock – Good Night Oslo

4. Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ – Great American Bubble Factory

5. Tim Carrol – All Kinds of Pain

Shows (no particular order)
1. Les Claypool | All Good Festival
2. Robert Earl Keen | Bonnaroo Music Festival
3. Great American Taxi | Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Ethan Miller – Howlin Rain

Ethan Miller

Albums
1. Omar Souleyman – Highway to Hassake

2. White Denim – Fits

3. Master Musicians of Bukkake – Totem One

4. Extra Golden – Thank you very Quickly

5. Pissed Jeans – King of Jeans

Steve Molitz – Particle, Phil Lesh & Friends, Playing for Change

Steve Molitz

Albums (no particular order)
1. Greg Giraldo – Midlife Vices
2. Paul F. Tompkins – Freak Wharf
3. Patton Oswalt – My Weakness Is Strong
4. Doug Stanhope – From Across The Street
5. Flight Of The Conchords – I Told You I Was Freaky

Shows
1. Jamie Cullum | 07.17.09 | Juan Les Pin | Antibes, France
2. Playing For Change with Special Guests Ziggy Marley & Toots Hibbert | 11.13.09 | Nokia Live | Los Angeles, CA
3. David Byrne | 06.12.09 | Bonnaroo Music Festival | Manchester, TN

Steve Gorman – The Black Crowes

Gorman by Weiand

Shows
1. The Zombies | Azkena Festival | Spain
2. Bleu | 3rd and Lindley | Nashville, TN
3. AC/DC | Sommet Center | Nashville, TN

Scott McMicken – Dr. Dog

This year feels like any year ever! Such beauty.

Albums
1. Floating Action – self-titled
2. Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid

McMicken by Grayson

3. Elvis Perkins In Dearland – self-titled
4. M. Ward – Hold Time
5. Pepi Ginsberg – East Is East
6. Alec Ounsworth – Mo’ Beauty

Shows
The Zombies | Azkena Festival | Spain

Man, as I start thinkin’ about it, I realize that the quality of any given show I see has so much to do with my willingness to experience the beauty of that particular moment. I’ve seen great shows I missed and I’ve missed great shows I’ve seen. My nephew jammed the toy room to tears!

Peter Moren – Peter Bjorn and John

Albums

Peter Bjorn and John

1. El Perro Del Mar – Love Is Not Pop
2. Papercuts – You Can Have What You Want
3. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
4. Existensminimum – OK Boys
5. Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – self-titled
6. Girls – Album
7. Brothers Of End – The End
8. Anna Järvinen – Man Var Bland Molnen
9. Where The Action Is – LA Nuggets
10. Cass McCombs – Catacombs

Shows
1. Dinosaur Jr. | SXSW
2. Neil Young | Stockholm
3. El Perro Del Mar opening for us every night this fall tour

Harley Prechtel-Cortez – Red Cortez

Albums

Harley Prechtel-Cortez by Law

1. The Antler’s – Hospice

2. Various Artists – Legends of Benin

3. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

4. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

5. Leonard Cohen – Live at the Isle of Wight 1970

Shows

1. BLK JKS at SXSW – March 18 – The Paradise – Austin, TX

On par with South by Southwest chaos we lugged all our equipment from one block to another to make a show in haste and when we got there the BLK JKS were playing before us and it was absolutely captivating. It stopped us in our tracks and made us forget where we were – which is hard to do in those few fragmented days in March in Austin, TX.

2. Opening for Morrissey at Carnegie Hall in Pittsburg, PA – Saint Patrick’s Day 2009
The first Carnegie Hall ever built I believe and when we peeked inside it was like playing an old Opera Vaudeville place that was just majestic. Made us feel like we were teleported into another time. During soundcheck you see Morrissey on side stage watching us sing our songs of change and revolt, out of key and dissonant. Saint Patrick’s Day opening for Morrissey in that building was quite surreal.

3. Tallest Man on Earth – April 1 – Pabst Theater – Milwaukee, WI

I went through a rough time this year, a lot of personal and family sadness that eventually released the inner hibernating beast whilst simultaneously tricking the spirit inside the confines of my detuned heart. We did a lot of tour hopping in the spring all around the country – once we started traveling with Kristian (TMOE) I felt it serendipitous that I could watch him every night and vicariously live in each song. When he performs it is one of the most genuine things I’ve seen. I needed that right then and there.

Brian Venable – Lucero

Albums

Lucero

1. Skeletonwitch – Breathe The Fire
2. Baroness – Blue Album
3. Kylesa – Static Tensions
4. Black Tusk/ASG split CD
5. Coliseum – “True Quiet/Last Wave” 7-inch

Shows
1. Southern Discomfort Tour with Black Tusk, Kylesa and Skeletonwitch
2. Bison when they toured with Tombes and Kylesa
3. Backstage at Mastodon in Detroit!

Larry Herweg – Pelican

Albums

Pelican

1. Isis – Wavering Radiant
2. The Life and Times – Tragic Boogie
3. Satyricon – The Age of Nero
4. Converge – Axe to Fall
5. Jawbox – For Your Own Special Sweetheart reissue

Shows
1. Nine Inch Nails | Henry Fonda | Los Angeles, CA
2. Jesus Lizard | Metro | Chicago, IL
3. Sunny Day Real Estate | House of Blues | Anaheim, CA

Metric

Albums

Metric

1. Fever Ray – self-titled
2. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
3. Bear in Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth
4. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
5. Girls – Album

Shows
1. Them Crooked Vultures | Reading
2. Dirty Projectors | Brooklyn Pool Party
3. MGMT | Rock en Seine | Paris

Jeff Miller – New Monsoon, The Contribution

Albums

Jeff Miller

1. The Mother Hips – Pacific Dust
2. Levon Helm – Electric Dirt
3. Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
4. Radiohead – In Rainbows
5. Railroad Earth – Amen Corner

Shows
1. Railroad Earth | The Fillmore | San Francisco, CA
2. The Mother Hips | 19 Broadway | Fairfax, CA
3. Mark Karan | Sausalito, CA

Zac Lasher – U-Melt

For me, 2009 was not so much about new music as it was about hearing some legends at a new peak of their career, with that in mind I submit to you my picks.

Albums
1. The Beatles – Abbey Road (remastered)

U-Melt

2. The Beatles – Revolver (remastered)
3. The Beatles – Rubber Soul (remastered)
4. The Beatles – White Album (remastered)
5. The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (remastered)

It’s hard to compete with the best. The remasters sound absolutely amazing, and I for one was very happy to have a little bit of Beatlemania in my life in 2009.

Shows
1. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band | 09.30.09 | Giants Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ

For night one of his five-night run to close the old stadium, Bruce opened with a brand new, never before played song appropriately titled “Wrecking Ball.” Over the course of the 3+ hour show they went through the Born To Run album in its entirety, which was one of the best things I’ve ever seen on a stage.

2. David Byrne | 06.08.09 | Prospect Park | Brooklyn, NY

David has a unique brand of genius, and when he teams up with Brian Eno, the results are unbeatable. The show focused on the many musical collaborations the two men have had over the years, and featured a lot of great old school Talking Heads songs. With the entire band (and three dancers) dressed all in white, Mr. Byrne’s artistic mind shone through in a wonderful way.

3. Steve Winwood | 01.16.09 | United Palace Theater | New York, NY

Every time I see Steve play he blows my mind. The amount of soul that he exudes when he sings, not to mention the fact that he doesn’t need a bass player as he is one of the greatest organists around. This night in January had Steve in top form.

Ben Kweller

Ben Kweller

Albums
1. Conor Oberst – Outer South
2. Mason Jennings – Blood Of Man
3. Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
4. Mastodon – Crack The Skye
5. Pearl Jam – Ten (remixed)
6. Them Crooked Vultures – self-titled

Continue reading for more Best of 2009 Artist List…

Dan Lebowitz – ALO

Albums (in no particular order)

Dan Lebowitz

1. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

One day I was really craving some new music so asked one of my friends for an artist to type into Pandora. He said Phoenix. I loved the track that came up. Instead of listening to the Pandora station, I bought their new album and have been listening to it since. Fresh music found.

2. Bruce Springsteen – Working on a Dream

As Barack Obama said… “I may be the President, but this guy’s the Boss.” Sometimes the production can be thick, but these songs are genuine. The last song on the album entitled “The Wrestler” is one of my favorite songs of his whole career.

3. Brandi Carlile – Give Up the Ghost

One of my favorite new artists and in my opinion, one of the best female singers around today. Great songs, great tones, and a great band.

4. The Mother Hips – Pacific Dust

I’m thankful for every album these guys have released and this new album is no exception. These guys never cease to amaze me.

5. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

I caught the last couple of songs of their set at the Outside Lands Festival in SF. The next day I got their CD and it’s great. I like to listen to it when I’m building things.

Shows (in no particular order)

1. Brandi Carlile – 10/21/09 – Fillmore, San Francisco

Brandi is a gifted artist and in a live setting you really notice it. They started the show with an a capella song and they sounded like angels. I was hooked from the first notes.

2. These United States – 7/5/09 – High Sierra Music Festival

I was on my way to meet a friend, and as I was walking by the Vaudeville tent I was drawn in by some great music. I loved it and ended up staying until the end of the set. I love surprises like this. Great energy.

3 ALO – 2/15/09 – The Mystic Theater, Petaluma, CA

To me, this show represents ALO at its finest. We were well warmed up and everything just seemed to flow in an effortless way. A great blend of songs and improvisations. After the show I remember thinking to myself… “This is why I play music!”

Steve Adams – ALO, Big Light

Albums
1. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast

Steve Adams

2. Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
3. The Mother Hips – Pacific Dust
4. Hiss Golden Messenger – Country Hai East Cotton
5. Chris Velan – Solidago

Shows Watched
1. Phish | 03.06.08 – 03.08.09 | Hampton Coliseum | Hampton, VA
2. Dr. Dog | 10.05.09 | Brookdale Lodge | Boulder Creek, CA
3. The Black Crowes | 12.06.09 | The Fillmore | San Francisco, CA

Shows Played
1. ALO | 02.15.09 | Mystic Theater | Petaluma, CA
2. Big Light, Skinny Singers | 02.28.09 | Gramble On Big Sur | Big Sur, CA
3. Dun Four, Newfangled Wasteland, Nicki Bluhm | 10.30.09-11.01.09 | Las Tortugas IV | Groveland, CA

Fred Torphy – Big Light

Fred Torphy

Albums

1. The Mother Hips – Pacific Dust

2. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

3. The Beatles – Remasters

4. Dead Weather – Horehound

5. Nathan Moore – Folk Singer

Shows

1. The Mother Hips | 10.31.09 | Las Tortugas

2. The Mars Volta | 08.29.09 | Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival

3. Phish Hampton Reunion Shows

Jeremy Korpas – Big Light

Albums
1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
The best music in the country is still coming out of Brooklyn.

2. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
This album proves that if a song has a strong melody you can do whatever you want underneath it.

3. Portugal The Man – Censored Colors
One of the best engineered and mixed albums I’ve heard in years.

Jeremy Korpas

4. The Antlers – Hospice
It’s a concept album about a man watching his lover die of cancer in the hospital. It’s heart wrenching to say the least.

5. U2 – No Line On The Horizon
I would expect no less from the biggest bad in the world.

Shows Attended
1. All six of the Dr. Dog shows that I’ve seen this year. From The Fillmore to the side of the stage at High Sierra, all the way out in Santa Cruz mountains, every show turned me into a clapper, a singer, a dancer, a fist-pumper, and all those things I wouldn’t normally do at a rock show.

2. The Mars Volta | Outside Lands Music Festival | San Francisco, CA
It was an all out musical assault. Cedric’s stage moves alone were enough to make the list. They proved they have the biggest dicks in the business

3. The Mother Hips | Las Tortugas IV | Groveland, CA
They just killed it that night! Plus they let me sing “Del Mar Station” onstage with them. First time I had stage fright in 10 years.

Shows Played
1. Big Light’s Late Night Camp Harry Set | High Sierra Music Festival
“I moved to California looking for something. I found it at Camp Harry.” Swordfish

2. Green Tag Sale | Phanphest Music Festival
We played a late night indoors set that was just off the hook. 120 degrees and a packed house is exactly what the TRON calls for. But on Sunday we played the tiny solar tent at 4 p.m. and played our best show to date!

3. Paperback Radio | The Saint | Asbury Park, NJ
It felt great to play my favorite songs with my favorite band again!

Bradley Bifulco – Big Light

Bifulco by Smith

Albums
1. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion
2. Mastodon – Crack The Skye
3. Dead Weather – Horehound
4. The Mother Hips – Pacific Dust
5. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Shows
1. The Mars Volta | Outside Lands
2. The Mother Hips | Halloween | Las Tortugas IV
3. The Second Annual Golden Gate Gramble | San Francisco, CA

Brian Haas – Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey

Brian Haas

Albums
1. Riceboy Sleeps – Jonsi and Alex
2. Baaba Maal – Television
3. Bela Fleck – Throw Down Your Heart
4. Vieux Farka Toure – Fondo
5. Sufjan Stevens – The BQE

Shows
1. Rashied Ali | Zinc Bar | New York, NY
2. Panda Resistance | Soundpony | Tulsa, OK
3. Of Montreal | Williamsburg Theater | Brooklyn, NY

Josh Raymer – Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey

Josh Raymer

Albums
1. The Doldrums – Mirth & Songs
2. Dead Sea Choir – Thin One The Red One
3. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
4. Bullion – Pet Sounds in the Key of Dee
5. Panda Resistance – self-titled

Shows
1. NYC Winter Jazz Fest
2. Nola Jazz Fest/Skerik’s saucefest!
3. Tractor Tavern with Bill Frisell

Chris Combs – Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey

Chris Combs

Albums
1. Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue
2. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
3. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
4. The Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
5. MF Doom – Born Into This

Shows
1. Of Montreal | Williamsburg Music Hall | Brooklyn, NY
2. Private party in New Orleans during Jazz Fest where JFJO played with Kirk Joseph, Zigaboo Modeliste, John Speice and several other NOLA badasses.
3. Moodswing Orchestra and JFJO at Le Poisson Rouge, and then late night with Steven Bernstein sitting in with Bonerama at Sullivan Hall, New York, NY

Matt Hayes – Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey

Matt Hayes

Albums
1. Sufjan Stevens – The BQE
2. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
3. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
4. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast
5. The Flaming Lips – Christmas On Mars soundtrack

Shows
1. Punch Brothers | Fayetteville Performing Arts Center | Fayetteville, AR
2. Of Montreal | Music Hall of Williamsburg | Brooklyn, NY
3. Wilco/Tortoise | UIC Pavilion | Chicago, IL

Russell Pollard – Everest

Pollard by Krolick

Albums (no particular order)
1. Built To Spill – There Is No Enemy
2. Kurt Vile – Constant Hitmaker
3. Wooden Shjips – Dos
4. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
5. Wu-Tang Clan – Chamber Music

Shows (no particular order)

1. Black Dub | 10.15.09 | Troubadour | Los Angeles, CA
2. Monsters Of Folk | 10.18.09 | Greek Theatre | Los Angeles, CA
3. Neil Young w/ Everest | 04.21.09 | Kelowna, BC (had to do it)

Cris Jacobs – The Bridge

The Bridge

Albums
1. Steve Earle – Townes
2. Bill Frisell – Disfarmer
3. Levon Helm – Electric Dirt
4. Smooth Kentucky – A Few More Miles
5. Danny Barnes – Pizza Box

Shows
1. Kelly Joe Phelps | Nightcat | Easton, MD
2. Anders Osborne | Rams Head Live | Baltimore, MD
3. The Dead | The Spectrum | Philadelphia, PA

Dave Simonett – Trampled By Turtles

Trampled By Turtles

Albums
1. Charlie Parr – Roustabout
2. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
3. The Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank – Traveling Show
4. Now, Now Every Children – Cars
5. Pert Near Sandstone – On a Spree

Shows
1. Homegrown Music Festival | Duluth, MN
2. Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion | Bristol, TN
3. 10,000 Lakes Festival

Pete Shand – The New Mastersounds

Pete Shand by Martinez

Albums
1. Thievery Corporation – Radio Retaliation
2. Matisyahu – Light
3. Breakestra – Dusk til Dawn
4. Sly and Robbie – Movin On
5. Karl Denson – Brother’s Keeper

Shows
1.Thievery Corp
2.Pretty Lights
3.Sly and Robbie
4.Pnuma Trio

Joe Tatton – The New Mastersounds

The New Mastersounds

Albums
1. Pharoah Sanders – You’ve Got To Have Freedom
2. Thievery Corporation – Radio Retaliation
3. A Beautiful Mind original soundtrack

Shows Played
1. All Good Festival
2. Osaka Monaurail with Marva Whitney
3. Bear Creek Music Festival

Paul Donoghue – Glasvegas

Glasvegas

Albums
1. Florence and the Machine – Lungs
2. Kasabian – West Pauper Lunatic Asylum
3. Muse – The Resistance
4. U2 – No Line On The Horizon
5. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic

Shows
1. Supporting U2 at Croke Park, Dublin in July
2. Kasabian | The SECC | Glasgow, Scotland
3. Florence and the Machine | Brixton Academy | London

Chairlift

Chairlift

Albums
1. Telepathe – Dance Mother
2. Violens – 2009 Winter Mixtape
3. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
4. Dirty French – Dirty French Psychedelics (Compilation)
5. Amazing Baby – Rewild
6. Black Moth Super Rainbow – Eating Us
7. Depreciation Guild – Dream About Me
8. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
9. Fever Ray – Fever Ray
10. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Telepath

Telepath

Albums (no particular order)
1. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
2. Jay-Z – Blueprint 3
3. Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon
4. Muse – The Resistance
5. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night

Shows (no particular order)
1. U2
2. Muse (opening for U2)
3. Nas and Damian Marley | Camp Bisco

Zach Deputy

Zach Deputy

Albums
1. Michael Jackson – Off The Wall
2. Ryan Montbleau Band – Stages Vol. 2
3. Bela Fleck – Throw Down Your Heart
4. The Motet – Dig Deep
5. The Derek Trucks Band – Already Free

Shows
1. Wormtown | Greenfield, MA
2. Bear Creek Festival | Live Oak, FL
3. Bonnaroo | Manchester, TN

Matthew Whipple – Cymbals Eat Guitars

Read More » Reeperbahn Festival | 09.24-09.26 | Germany October 17th, 2009 | No Comments Words by: Kayceman Reeperbahn Festival :: 09.24 – 09.26 :: Hamburg, Germany Spielbudenplatz :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Zimmermann When the big German dude wrapped his bear arms around me, his beer trickling down my back, I knew I had made the right decision. Hamburg had just defeated Munich in the biggest soccer match of the year and all 60,000 of the faithful were freaking out. The game was right in the middle of the Reeperbahn Festival, the reason I was in Hamburg, and not only was I missing music while bouncing up and down at the pristine HSH Nordbank Arena but the two nights previous were long and glorious full of indie rock (Swedish, German, Irish and American), distorted pop, psychedelic punk, dirty soul, deep blues, a string section, a couple DJs, one really bad English band, a whole lot of pilsner, and well, I was beat. I almost didn’t go to the match. But when my guide, on loan from the city of Hamburg and one hell of a great local to hang with who had also been out drinking and rocking all weekend, gave me that look – you know, the one your boys give you when they aren’t particularly impressed – I knew I had to man up and go. And then it hit me! This is what the Reeperbahn Fest is all about. Sure, it’s centered around the music but you’re in one of the coolest cities in Europe and you have to go with the flow – of which there are many currents. Hamburg vs. Munich by Kayceman Like drinking till morning with new pals at the bar and a taking a boat trip through the canals that line the city, going to the soccer match was definitely the right choice. Firing off high-fives with locals covered in team jerseys, hats and scarves, the soccer game was a quintessential German moment and proved every bit as crucial to my Reeperbahn experience as the smoking Dinosaur Jr. set, Beatles tour, and discovery of new favorite band, Friska Viljor. 160 bands from 20 countries on 20 stages brought more than 18,000 music fans from around the world to Hamburg. Reeperbahn Festival, now in its fourth year, is named after and located in the heart of Hamburg’s nightlife hot spot, the Reeperbahn. Actually the name of the street that runs through the area, the Reeperbahn contains one of the most famous red-light districts in the world and prostitution is still legal, loud, and proud. Hamburg is a port city built around beautiful waterways and charming architecture. Years ago it would take cargo boats days to unload and re-load, so sailors would flood the nearby Reeperbahn, which lays just steps from the docks. Seeking women and booze they found plenty of both and this is the seed from which the Reeperbahn has blossomed. Reeperbahn by Kummer Nowadays it takes boats a few hours to deal with cargo, and because of this you will no longer find any sailors up on the Reeperbahn. You will, however, still find a plethora of bars and women selling their wares, as well as windows offering a mind-blowing array of possibilities, including, but in no way limited to: “Real Texas BBQ,” ancient cell phones, paraphernalia of all sorts, karaoke, some really nice guitars, guns and swords, sausage, shawarma, giant dildos, designer handbags, real live women (don’t make eye contact unless you’re ready), trendy t-shirts, and naked wrestling. The Reeperbahn has pulled off a rather incredible transformation. Retaining the right remnants of her seedy past and still very much a red-light district, the Reeperbahn is now one of the most happening streets in Europe. There are brothels, trannies, drug dealers and street girls, but they don’t run the place anymore. Right next to the blocked off Herbertstraße, the restricted street (men 18+ only) with half naked chicks for sale in the windows, is one of the city’s most popular restaurants, several four and five star hotels, and down the block is the city’s biggest police station. There are high-brow socialite bars, fancy eateries, really good falafel stands, street musicians, painters, frat boys (they were probably here when it was only hookers, too), dance clubs, rock rooms, sex shops, art galleries, strip shows, museums, and an endless parade of people from all walks of life looking for everything life has to offer. And because everyone is there it never feels dirty (well, never gross) or out-of-bounds, just exciting and definitely different. It’s because of this intoxicating mix that the Reeperbahn is so totally unique. Somehow all of these elements mix and while it feels a bit like Bourbon Street (what with the public drinking, debauchery, noise and neon), there’s a striking sense of freedom set to an electric pulse that borders on addictive. Modeled after Austin’s South by Southwest, the Reeperbahn Festival utilizes about 15 clubs and bars in the area and two large outdoor stages in the center square know as the Spielbudenplatz. Patrons receive wristbands, which only cost 55 euros (roughly 82 dollars) for a three-day pass, which also includes public transportation (sweet bonus), and like SXSW the wristband gets you into any of the participating clubs (assuming they weren’t at capacity, which was rare). Unlike SXSW, where every nook and cranny of Austin is taken over by the festival, only a fraction of the storefronts at Reeperbahn are part of the event. This allows fans to still fully experience Hamburg, not just the fest. You’re not standing in a nameless field or packed in with thousands of industry folks drowning out whatever culture might exist. Walk out from a festival set and you’re rubbing shoulders with families eating dinner, locals out drinking, the upper crust crowd hitting the theater, streetwalkers looking for a “date,” and lots of tourists staring at the lights. It’s a sensory overload smorgasbord, and if you’re looking for something you can probably find it along the Reeperbahn. Deichkind :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Evers The festival permeates the area with daily panels, a Flatstock exhibit, and central campus lounge, but it’s not about schmoozing and boozing. It’s the complete package with music all night and days full of whatever suits your fancy. With boat trips, the newly opened Beatlemania museum (the city is going to great lengths to accurately document the Beatles’ foundational, speed-fueled days in Hamburg), various hip shopping districts, flea markets, coffee joints, gastronomic delights, historic bars with historic beers, beautiful public parks and heaps more, there’s plenty to see and do. It would be easy to get swept up in Hamburg, maybe take a short trip to Munich or Berlin, or perhaps a five hour train ride to Amsterdam, or even head out to Prague or Italy, but that would have to come before or after Reeperbahn Festival, because for music fans, at the end of September there’s nowhere else you wanna be. The Reeperbahn Festival’s motto is “New International Music,” and for the fourth year in a row they held true to form. From Thursday through Saturday music ran from around 8:00 p.m. till 1:30 a.m. And with late night parties and bars that never close, there was always something going down. Staring at the schedule, even the most seasoned music fan would be hard pressed to recognize half the acts other than notable headliners like Dino Jr., Jazzanova, Jose Gonzalez, Iceland’s Emiliana Torrini, and Editors. The lineup leaned heavily on European bands as it always has and, one assumes, always will. Following another season of U.S. festivals boasting strikingly similar lineups, this was incredibly refreshing. What follows are a few highlights from the rowdy nights at Reeperbahn. Continue reading for highlights from Reeperbahn Festival… THURSDAY, 09.24.09 King Khan & The Shrines :: 8:30-9:45 p.m. :: D-Club King Khan & The Shrines :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Malzkorn Based in Berlin (by way of Canada), the eight-piece soul revival, psychedelic garage rock freakers are led by eccentric singer King Khan. Equal parts James Brown and George Clinton with a splash of Sun Ra, Khan uses his stellar band to move from sexy Motown to dirty, grinding punk. While not the most energetic set by the infamous frontman, he did return for the encore with a gold cape and feather crown to sing about being inside a vagina. Considering the propositions one found just feet from the venue, it seemed like the right way to welcome us to Reeperbahn. Girls :: 9:50-10:30 p.m. :: Molotow One of the sweatiest, most humid venues I’ve ever set foot in, Molotow is a real rock & roll bar. Low ceiling, cheep beer, loud amps and people raging, it took a while for San Francisco’s hippie-rock, indie-popsters Girls to get underway. Having just left the interesting Irish quartet Grand Pocket Orchestra and having forgone J. Tillman (of Fleet Foxes fame), the slow start and sweating-just-by-breathing atmosphere had me second guessing my choice. Then came the distortion. Building off the foundation laid by California folk rock legends like The Byrds and the surf pop of Brian Wilson, Girls shoot their heroes full of heavy of drugs for a dizzying spell of filthy rhythms and melodic swells. By the end of their set they were melting paint (though that could have been the humidity) with a giant, slow building wave of psych-punk guitars and wailing harmonica. Dinosaur Jr. :: 12:00-1:00 a.m. :: D-Club Dinosaur Jr. :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Malzkorn While tempted to check out Au Revoir Simone or maybe The New Mastersounds, the legendary Dinosaur Jr. did not disappoint. Having seen Mascis, Barlow and Murph a few times since they reunited, this was by far the most impressive showing and wound up being easily one of the best sets of the weekend. Loud but not painful (as past experiences have been), the slight tweak in volume really allowed fans to appreciate the subtle melodic shifts taking form under the sheets of rumbling bass and larger-than-life walls of guitar. Mascis is a guitar god, and as he manhandled his whammy bar, laid on his pedals, stretched his strings and put his STACKS of Marshall amps through the test, there was no denying his place amongst the pantheon of great guitar slinger. Perhaps most impressive of all was the way the three-piece held it all together. Often dangling from a thread, as it did on standout “Feel The Pain,” it often appeared that the whole thing would crumble under the distortion, but then a familiar melody would poke its head out and bring the crowd back under their spell. FRIDAY, 09.25.09 Times New Viking :: 9:30-10:15 p.m. :: Kaiserkeller Dedicating songs to Henry Rollins and Lux Interior, lo-fi indie-punk trio Times New Viking wear their influences on their sleeve, but use it as a patch of inspiration rather than conformity. Hailing from Columbus, OH and signed to Matador Records, the buzz has been gaining speed and with singer/keyboardist Beth Murphy making the boys go gaga, the future is bright for these young hellions. Local Bar with Our Host Johannes Fliegende Bauten :: Reeperbahn 2009 It was a scene outside of Deichkind, one of the hottest local acts described by a fan as “the German MGMT on crack” (their MySpace claims “Ghettotech/Freestyle/Hip Hip”). We tried to get in but it was a shit-show, tons of kids painted in Day-Glo, 30 or 40 cops, and a line around the block. It was the one set all weekend we weren’t able to walk right into. Instead of trying to pull strings, our host Johannes led us down an alley and back in time as we entered a local bar packed wall-to-wall with smiling old German faces drinking giant steins while soft porn played on old TVs in the background (no shit). Interesting note: this bar holds boxing matches in the day, and the walls are adorned with pics of local legends. There wasn’t a single Reeperbahn bracelet in the joint and one wonders if these folks even knew there was a music festival going on outside. We sat with some German football (that’s soccer to you) moms and laughed as we tried to communicate. It was awesome. Seasick Steve :: 12:15-1:00 a.m. :: Imperial Theater A couple hundred serious Seasick Steve fans sat comfortably in velvet chairs while the grizzly blues veteran tore through deeply sincere stories that felt like confessions. In his late sixties, Steve is the real deal; he looks the part and one gets the impression he’s lived every word he sings. Backed by an aging drummer of similar disposition, Steve used homemade guitars like the Three-String Trance Wonder, one-string Diddley Bow, a cigar box guitar, and a wooden stomp box he called the Mississippi Drum Machine to bring his tales to life. He plays with a sense of rhythm and soul that’s hard to deny, and underneath the rough exterior are soft eyes, a warm heart, and a man who’s grateful for the late in life recognition he’s receiving. SATURDAY, 09.26.09 Die! Die! Die! :: 9:10-9:50 p.m. :: Molotow Editors :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Malzkorn “Great fucking city, we’re coming back,” quipped Die! Die! Die!’s frontman Andrew Wilson. It’s a long way from their New Zealand home, but based upon the crowd’s crazed response this indie-punk three-piece will be welcomed back with open arms. The heavy rhythms and catchy guitar lines were the hook, but Wilson’s keen sense of melody was the sinker. This is no one trick pony. Color me impressed. Friska Viljor :: 10:15-11:30 p.m. :: D-Club Best find of the weekend without question, Swedish indie-pop sensation Friska Viljor might just be the find of the year. Hip-swaying rhythms, infectious melodies, and beautifully crafted sing-along choruses (sung in English) are sewn together with mandolin, ukulele, accordion, and more traditional rock instruments to give the entire thing a rootsy, warm vibe. On record there are more horns and at times a twist of DeVotchKa, but they jump genres with ease and it’s really about the relationship between Joakim Sveningsson (lead vocals, mandolin) and Daniel Johansson (guitar, vocals). They’ve been friends for over 15 years and turned broken hearts into some of the sweetest songs of Reeperbahn. Editors :: 12:00-1:00 a.m. :: D-Club With two platinum selling albums and a bunch of top 10 singles, Editors are clearly one of the biggest indie rock bands in the world, not just their U.K. home. For their festival closing slot at the best rock club in town, most of the 2,000-plus fans knew every word, even the songs that were just coming out on the band’s third full-length, In This Light And On This Evening (released October 12 on Sony). Sounding very British (duh) and working the darker, moodier side of the spectrum with heavy synthesizers and catchy, raw guitars riffs, there’s a grandness to their vision, maybe one that could approach U2‘s scope should they ever get the ego and funding. At this point it doesn’t really matter that they’re still suckling from the Joy Division teat, Editors do it better than their contemporaries and Tom Smith (lead vocals, guitar, piano) is a captivating frontman who knows how to slay a crowd. It can be a bit predictable, but they clearly believe in the cause and they bring the noise onstage. Reep The Rewards Reeperbahn Festival is not Glastonbury, Roskilde, or even SXSW (yet), and for a penny pinching American on a harsh Euro conversion the lineup probably won’t pull you over the Atlantic. But, for those adventurous souls who crave travel and the excitement of the great unknown as a mixer with their music, Reeperbahn Festival should be a stop on their journey. Head to Hamburg for the fest and ship off to Munich the following weekend for Oktoberfest (it’s usually the weekend after Reeperbahn). Grab a rail pass and do some country hopping. Get ripped in Amsterdam, find love in Paris, and dig the beaches in Spain. If you’re lucky enough to be able to afford any of this, who wants to spend all their time at a festival anyway? Make Reeperbahn part of your European experience and you might just find a new favorite band and maybe a new favorite city. Continue reading for more pics of Reeperbahn 2009… Deichkind :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Jay Evers Deichkind :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Jay Evers Le Fly :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Nina G Zimmermann Große Freiheit :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Matias Boem Flatstock :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Stefan Malzkorn Jose Gonzalez :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Stefan Malzkorn J. Tillman :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Stefan Malzkorn The New Mastersounds :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Stefan Malzkorn Hamburg 2009 by Kayceman Janelle Monáe :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Jay Evers Jazzanova :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Stefan Malzkorn Friska Viljor :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Kayceman Kap Bambino :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Stefan Malzkorn Reeperbahn 2009 by Kayceman Slightly Stoopid :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Stefan Malzkorn Au Revoir Simone :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Nina G Zimmermann Lenka :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Stefan Malzkorn Marteria & The Band Of Brothers :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Stefan Malzkorn Montage :: Reeperbahn 2009 Prinzenbar :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Kayceman William Elliott Whitmore :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Annabelle Bockwoldt Publikum :: Reeperbahn by Matias Boem Underground/Outside Hip-Hop Party :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Kayceman Seasick Steve :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Nina G Zimmermann Ticket Booth :: Reeperbahn 2009 by Nina G Zimmermann Hamburg 2009 by Kayceman JamBase | Germany Go See Live Music! Read More » The Apples In Stereo: #1 Hits Explosion October 2nd, 2009 | No Comments By: Dennis Cook In an alternate universe the title to this bang-up anthology would be resoundingly true. Radio would be a much better place if The Apples In Stereo helped define popular tastes, but, like Michael Nesmith’s similarly cheeky And The Hits Just Keep On Comin’, this is a jab at the paucity of mainstream fare. However, if you dig terrifically enjoyable pop-rock with oodles of energy, clever touches and sugary singing then #1 Hits Explosion (released August 31 on Yep Roc) is lousy with gold ‘n’ platinum worthy tunes. From the jump-out-at-you bounce of “Energy” to the Squeeze meets Chic vibe of “The Bird That You Can’t See” to the baldly Beatles-y “Strawberryfire” to the irresistible bop of “The Rainbow” and the Carole King hum of “Same Old Drag,” there’s simply nothing here that doesn’t groove a good bit. If you’ve lost your shimmy this will help you find it toot-sweet. The Apples have absorbed many of the best lessons from Badfinger, Brian Wilson, The dBs and The Box Tops, and only the Velvet Crush (and pal Matthew Sweet) really give them a run for their money in terms of honoring classic popsmiths without genuflecting so deeply that one loses their identity. Laid end to end, these 16 tracks culled from their 17-year-and-counting career make a good case that if you’ve slept on The Apples In Stereo thus far you’ve been missing out. JamBase | Nowhere, Man Go See Live Music! Read More » Music occupies an important place in our life September 27th, 2009 | No Comments Music occupies an important place in our life. We can’t live without it. Actually people have different musical tastes depending on their age, education and even mood. Some people like classical music, others prefer rock, pop or jazz, but nobody is indifferent to it. Popular Music refers to the kind of music that appeals to [...] Read More » The Aliens (Ex-Beta Band): New LP & 50 Page Book July 16th, 2009 | No Comments The Aliens (Featuring Ex-Beta Band Members) To Release Special Edition 50 Page Book Along with New LP This Fall The Aliens Ladies and gentlemen, The Aliens have landed. Armed with a bottomless bag of psychedelically inclined rock and acid dipped electronics, The Aliens bring a freedom of spirit that sets them out from the current crop of guitar slingers. Inspired by Sergio Leone and Serge Gainsbourg, Brian Eno and Brian Wilson, Larry David and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, their songs reference the past whilst belonging resolutely to the future. The Aliens are creating a special limited-edition 50-page hard cover book, all color, and pop-up book which will also house the still un-named record. The book will include drawings, poems, film stills, photographs and interviews all done in the standard Alien manor. The book will be available for pre-order in September. Formed in 2005 these Aliens have history – between them they have been behind some of the most enthralling British music of the last decade. John Maclean and Robin Jones where members of the Beta Band. Gordon Anderson was a founding Beta Band member who went on to record two albums under the Lone Pigeon moniker. In March 2007 they released their first album Astronomy For Dogs to a hearty round of applause from the critics scoring 4 and 5 stars across the board. It’s a rich and vibrant carpet ride that crosses almost every musical genre one can imagine. Woven from the threads of Gordon’s genuine heartfelt songs and created on a loom of laser-light fibre-optics. In September 2008 they made a welcome return with the release of Luna on their own label Petrock Records. They managed to deliver an album that manages to outshine their widely acclaimed debut. The Aliens are always a thrilling proposition live, expect the unexpected…. it’s an unmissable, fist-in-mouth experience that showcases the band’s infectious energy and their frontman’s magnetism. Read More » Page 1 of 11 Latest Video 'Fight For Your Right Revisited': Beastie Boys' Film Trailer (VIDEO) Recent Posts Singapore proposes mandatory central clearing of OTC derivatives Maqsood powers Nucaf-Tellicherry to Mobil title Taliban talks spur Pakistan detente Turkmen president wins 97 pct of vote in election Maiden title for UAE Falcons women Sudan, S Sudan sign returnees deal: agency Myanmar by-elections vital for EU sanctions move Peru captures wounded Shining Path rebel leader London police launch security hotline Fukushima scare blamed on faulty thermometer Copyright © 2012 ICT magazine - News portal Powered by WordPress | designed by ThemeTiger.com