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Tractorbeam | Colorado | Pics

October 9th, 2010 | No Comments

Tractorbeam :: 09.18.10 :: Mishawaka Amphitheater :: Bellvue, CO

Often to get a good tractorbeam going one needs to reverse the deflector dish and rewire the plasma array, but another option is for The Disco Biscuits to get off the mic and into their instrumental guise Tractorbeam. This self-described “lyricless Bisco explosion” hit Colorado last month and Mr. Borrell was kind enough to take some pictures of the Beam and that other Bisco alter-ego Conspirator.

Setlist:
Spraypaint > On Time (1) > Tricycle > Bombs > Portal To An Empty Head (2) > Papercut > Caterpillar > Sweating Bullets > Feeling Twisted > Cyclone > Spraypaint
E: Neck Romancer

1 = reprise
2 = inverted

var siteRoot=”http://www.jambase.com”;var newPhotoIndex=”19″;$(document).ready( function() { $(“#GalleryWidget”).load(siteRoot+”/Photos/Widget.aspx?galleryID=138″);}); 9/18/10 – Tractorbeam & Conspirator @ Mishawaka Amphitheatre (Bellvue, CO) View Photos

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Sublime with Rome | 05.01 | NYC

May 28th, 2010 | No Comments

By: Jesse Borrell

Sublime with Rome :: 05.01.10 :: Roseland Ballroom :: New York, NY

Sublime with Rome :: 05.01 :: NY

Back in the late ’90s, the Sublime live show archives were open to the public, available for free download at the Skunk Records website. This was a time when file sharing was just on the rise, and restrictions to certain copyrights had yet to be reined in.

The availability of the Sublime live catalogue, featuring the band’s final shows leading up to singer Brad Nowell’s death in 1996, may have been an afterthought given the multi-platinum success of the self-titled Sublime album. Fast forward to 2010 and these public archives are now closed. Two-thirds of the original band is back, performing many songs live for the first time with a new lead singer named Rome Ramirez and touring as Sublime with Rome.

Approaching New York’s Roseland Ballroom on a clear Saturday evening, an eclectic mid-thirties crowd awaited entry. Sublime drummer Bud Gaugh‘s side-project Del Mar performed first, but the set ended just as many gained entry. Second on the bill, California’s Dirty Heads combined surf rock/reggae and multi-vocal harmonies, bringing to mind 311, throughout tracks like “Lay Me Down” and “Stand Tall.” The set peaked during a punk-inspired cover of The Rolling Stone’s “Paint It Black,” when lead singer Jared Watson jumped in the photo pit and embraced the crowd with arms held high.

Sublime took the stage as a quartet and 21-year-old Rome Ramirez basked in the lights before the sold-out crowd. During “5446″ > “The Youth Are Getting Restless,” Rome took a commanding lead, even imitating several of Nowell’s freestyle techniques during the segue.

The evening’s program featured a number of Sublime’s greatest songs, and the crowd seemed to be having a blast singing along to even the most obscure track. During “We’re Only Gonna Die From Our Own Arrogance,” tight interplay between Gaugh and bassist Eric Wilson channeled that mid ’90s flow. Both founding members still can hold down a fierce rhythm, all while maintaining their mellow demeanors. During the show’s most ruckus peaks (“Right Back” > “New Thrash”), the resulting sound through Roseland’s PA became muddled, leaving the quartet clashing and thrashing incoherently.

Overall, most versions were kept to a tight time frame, and most exploratory dubs were kept at a minimum. Brief solos by saxophonist Todd Foreman – known for his work with the original Sublime and the tribute outfit Badfish – opened the creative space slightly. Almost in unison during “Doin’ Time,” the creative re-make of the Gershwin classic, many in the crowd whipped out their camera phones to document the event, bringing to mind how times have changed since Sublime’s last go around.

While Rome’s voice and guitar work faltered on certain tracks, we must remind ourselves that Brad Nowell’s own onstage performances were known to stumble from time to time. What matters more is how Rome expressed true passion under the bright lights, obviously having the time of his life paying homage to those before him.

Sublime with Rome :: 05.01 :: NY

Sublime with Rome Setlist
Date Rape, Get Ready, April 26th 1992, 5446 > The Youth Are Getting Restless, Smoke Two Joints, We Are Only Going To Die From Our Own Arrogance, Jailhouse, Wrong Way, All I Need, Don’t Push > Garden Grove > Right Back > New Thrash, 40 Oz. To Freedom, Greatest Hits, Doin’ Time, Under My Voodoo, Badfish > Let’s Go Get Stoned

E: Johnny Butt, What I Got, Santeria

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U-Melt | 02.20 | New York

March 4th, 2010 | No Comments

Words by: Jarrod Dicker | Images by: Jesse Borrell

U-Melt :: 02.20.10 :: Bowery Ballroom :: New York, NY

U-Melt :: 02.20 :: New York

“There’s definitely a central theme to our new record,” U-Melt keyboardist Zac Lasher said before the group’s official album release show at New York’s Bowery Ballroom. “We set out to intentionally write a bunch of songs about the search for universal truth. There is a lot of existentialism going on in it, and it’s really philosophical. It’s about trying to cut through the bullshit and get to something honest and real about our existence.”

Universal truth proved more complicated to convey than originally envisioned. As U-Melt faithful already know, the tracks from the new album Perfect World (JamBase review) have regularly been performed on the live circuit for nearly two years. Their first album under a label (Harmonized Records), the group left no strings untied in terms of perfection, as they restructured the original tracking sessions via overdub one instrument at a time in search of excellence. A year and a half later, fans are offered a Perfect World, celebrated in U-Melt’s home base of New York City.

However, perfection comes at a cost. On December 9, 2009, lead guitarist and U-Melt co-founder Rob Salzer announced that he would be leaving the band to pursue other ventures. Releasing an album in the impending months and departing on a winter tour, U-Melt had to act fast to name a replacement.

Who they found was beyond a substitute. In newcomer Kevin Griffin the group found spiritual renewal, as U-Melt drummer George Miller explains: “He is a different guy with different influences, so he approaches everything completely differently. It’s a fresh take on the new stuff and it has rejuvenated us, putting new life into old tunes.”

Consider The Source :: 02.20 :: New York

With a rejuvenated band and a new album to commemorate, U-Melt arranged an evening no fan in attendance will soon forget.

The group selected fellow New Yorkers Consider the Source as their opener. This was U-Melt’s third attempt to team up with Consider the Source in recent months, and luckily on their biggest night, they were able to incorporate the trio. The opener’s scheduled start was at 9:00 p.m. sharp, and Bowery Ballroom was wall-to-wall packed by 8:30.

Consider the Source highlights three musicians who are spiritually and physically immersed in their playing. Guitarist Gabriel Marin surrounds himself with pedals and effects to administer a resonance inimitable by many peer players on the jam circuit. The bass work of John Ferrara evokes as much bodily emotion as it does musical passion, and drummer Justin Ahiyon serves as spokesperson for the group. Incorporating bells, synthesizers, sound boards and other effects, this group delivers something innovative in an electronic genre that sometimes seems repetitive in its modern shape.

Fans were beyond pleased as the hour-long performance covered all musical aspects people value in the group. Marin’s improvisation and in-depth guitar solos invited the crowd aboard a fantasy ride transcending them to musical nirvana. The audience stood in awe as Marin manipulated his double-neck guitar throughout the performance, exhausting every note that could possibly be unearthed. Before announcing the second to last track, “How Am I Not Myself,” Ahiyon shouted, “Now go ahead and drop some acid,” leaving many who were already in an instrumental trance to ponder, “Why not?”

Zac Lasher – U-Melt :: 02.20 :: New York

U-Melt took the stage with no direct intention (okay, maybe a little) of putting on one of the greatest shows they’ve ever performed. But, the result was just that – complete musical matrimony and a salutation to their fans, who’d been waiting impatiently for the new album’s arrival for some time.

Kicking off the first set with “Pura Vida,” U-Melt invited the crowd on the proverbial magic bus that traveled on a mystical journey through jovial, soothing and quick vocal patterns. As the drums took center stage in what would eventually become a blending fusion of all their instruments, the lyric “everyone’s connected” hit ever so softly, creating a virtual family of all gathered parties.

The following tracks welcomed the familiar electronic element of U-Melt. “Disclaimer” presented consistent drum rhythms stroked softly by intrusive keys and eventual group vocals. It was at this moment when the audience accepted Griffin as the official guitarist of the band. The chorus of “Disclaimer” allowed Griffin to display his heavier elements using distortion and speedy, strong playing that amplified the senses.

Having had to learn the entire U-Melt catalog in a month and a half (this was only his fifth live show with the group), Griffin is still on his way to getting entirely acclimated with the formula. However, I would be lying if I didn’t say that his presence has truly transcended the band onto a whole ‘nother level.

U-Melt :: 02.20 :: New York

The transition from “Disclaimer” to “Disillusion” shot me into the Pink Floyd zone. Through the utilization of keyboard effects, electronics and front-and-center guitar leads, “Disillusion” drew close to Dark Side of the Moon territory. Griffin’s concluding solo made even the soberest person in-house see trails.

Fan favorite “Eternal Groove” came next, revealing the salsa and Spanish influence in U-Melt; a true heavy hitter for all U-Melt faithful. The title track “Perfect World” gave the audience a moment to relax and offered a slower disposition. The “Question Matters” slingshot revisited the loudness of the guitar and drums as Griffin utilized a variety of ascending and descending guitar patterns throughout the track.

The first set closed similarly to how the second one opened. Covering Robert Palmer’s “I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On” to close set one, the band stepped back onstage for set two and opened with Peter Gabriel‘s “Sledgehammer,” covered for the first time to the audience’s acute pleasure.

“Green Paper Society” served as a perfect instrumental set-up to launch fan favorite “The Fantastical Flight of Captain Delicious.” As the title hints, this lengthy non-LP track takes you on a fantastical and spiritual journey incorporating a wide range of dissimilar, unique note progressions.

Another oldie, “415,” dragged me back to the story of U-Melt’s inception. One of their more “Phishy” tracks, one can witness firsthand the influence of Phish over the band since their formation at 2003′s “It” festival in Maine. Lasher’s free form, complex keyboard rhythms hint at Page McConnell, which sweetens the air and pleasures all auditory senses.

And if there was a genre that U-Melt hadn’t covered this night, the three songs that followed filled the gap: “Panacea” highlighted jazz, “Elysian Fields” offered an electronic hoedown, and “Clear Light” spit the blues.

It seemed only appropriate that the foursome would close their album release show with “Almost Perfect.” For a band that spent the last two years in a musical search for truth, honesty and excellence, “Almost Perfect” symbolized a sigh of relief from creative exhaustion. Perfection can never truly be found, as no one or no thing in this world is entirely perfect. For U-Melt and their fans on this celebratory night, “Almost” proved more than adequate, as the band played their final note and exited the stage with no regrets.

U-Melt :: 02.20.10 :: Bowery Ballroom :: New York, NY
Set I: Pura Vida, Disclaimer/Disillusion, Eternal Groove, Perfect World > Question Matters, I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On*
Set II: Sledgehammer^, Green Paper Society, The Fantastical Flight of Captain Delicious, 415, Panacea, Elysian Fields > Clear Light
E: Almost Perfect

*Robert Palmer cover
^1st time played – Peter Gabriel cover

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U-Melt
U-Melt
U-Melt
U-Melt
Consider The Source
Consider The Source
Consider The Source
Consider The Source
Consider The Source
Consider The Source
Consider The Source

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Disco Biscuits: Bisco Inferno 2010 Planet Anthem New Release Date

February 2nd, 2010 | No Comments

SECOND YEAR OF RED ROCKS HEADLINING EVENT

The Disco Biscuits | 12.31.09 | by Jesse Borrell

The Disco Biscuits will make their return to the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre on May 29, 2010 for Bisco Inferno. This is the second time in as many years that Red Rocks will host the “Bisco Inferno” main event. The band’s schedule will also feature two additional area dates – a May 27 performance at the Boulder Theater, followed by a May 28 engagement at Denver’s Ogden Theatre.

Tickets to The Disco Biscuits’ Boulder Theater and Ogden Theatre Bisco Inferno kickoff shows are only available as part of limited quantity 2-day or 3-day Bisco Inferno passes available through BiscoTix, beginning Wednesday, February 3 at Noon, MST. 3-day passes will be offered for $99.75, 2-day will be offered for $69.75, and single day Red Rocks tickets will be sold for $39.75. Single day tickets for the band’s May 29 show at Red Rocks will only be available through Ticketmaster beginning Saturday, February 20 at 10am MST.

The Disco Biscuits will once again host a collection of talented and renowned supporting acts at Bisco Inferno. The Glitch Mob, Booka Shade, The Crystal Method (DJ set), Pnuma Trio, and Aeroplane will ensure that the second annual party on the Rocks will once again be the musical event of the summer.

Also, The Disco Biscuits’ long-awaited new album, Planet Anthem, set for release today, February 2, will now arrive on March 16. Planet Anthem is the product of three fruitful years of labor, during which The Disco Biscuits absorbed everything from hip hop to pop to indie rock into their sound. The band collaborated for the first time with multiple producers, songwriters, and outside musicians.

CID Entertainment is offering Bisco Inferno VIP Travel packages, including: tickets for all shows, VIP section at Red Rocks, shuttle transportation, hotel accommodations, and much more. Please continue to check here for more details.

The Disco Biscuits | 12.31 | New York

January 6th, 2010 | No Comments

Word & Images by: Jesse Borrell

The Disco Biscuits :: 12.31.09 :: Nokia Theatre Times Square :: New York, NY

The Disco Biscuits :: 12.31 :: New York

Arriving for their second annual five-night run at NYC’s Nokia Theatre, The Disco Biscuits found themselves in the midst of personal growth. Following a prolific year of touring and with their new album Planet Anthem set to hit the first week of February, this run was an opportunity to celebrate the past and embrace the future.

The Biscuits preceded the NYE finale with their full arsenal: heavy grooves, solid guest additions, new material, and numerous late night side-project activities. In contrast to last year’s excursions to and from the venue, outside temperatures were a little more forgiving this time around. Add an almost effortless ticket line and a very strong second set from the night before, and spirits were high for all making their way down the escalators and deeper underground.

“What’s up everyone?!” declared bassist Marc Brownstein with his arms held high moments before jumping into “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” After a short-lived peak, the quartet nestled into an effortless pocket of trance-fusion. Thus began the first of three very well executed sets. “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” eventually meandered into the energetic “Caves of the East,” a track that has grown into a beast over the past year.

The Disco Biscuits :: 12.31 :: New York

Before switching to an alternate MIDI-keyboard bass, Brownstein engaged in a short fist-pumping dance meant to rile up drummer Allen Aucoin. Under layers of pink and white lights, the darkest theme of the evening gained speed and turned triumphantly into “Gangster.” An air of confidence was evident from this point on which led to a lighter mood that would continue throughout the evening.

After a simple four-count Aucoin build, the entire Theatre barreled into a futuristic “Above The Waves,” with keyboardist Aron Magner filling in the voids with a wash of synthetic tones. The subsequent “Shem-Rah Boo” was a clutch choice to end the set, adding a touch of variety to the setlist and completing a version from the first night of the Nokia run. Through well-timed sustain and emphasis within the stanzas, the concluding solo by guitarist Jon Gutwillig set a humble, grounded tone before exiting the stage.

For big acts that play huge rooms and utilize massive production, it’s no secret that the show is often only as good as the band’s crew. This fact certainly holds true for Bisco and it was heartwarming to hear the band give props where props are due. A decade ago, when the Biscuits played NYE 1999 at Philly’s TLA, Johnny R. Goode was just a fan. About a year later he filled a last-minute vacancy as lighting technician. “He’s been with us ever since, pretty much the whole decade,” Brownstein explained from the stage. “Nine years and 500 shows he has been lighting us up. He’s got 84 moving lights onstage here for this run. So give it up for Johnny and the rest of The Disco Biscuits crew; a lot of them have been with us for a whole entire decade here!”

The Disco Biscuits :: 12.31 :: New York

A standalone version of “Mirrors” began set two. This track exemplifies many of the qualities featured in the band’s newer material: idiosyncratic Bisco-pop with a necessary tinge of menace. The launch into “Astronaut” continued a lighter mood that quickly transformed into “I-Man,” with Brownstein even teasing the bass line to “Crickets” during the transition. A slight strain in Gutwillig’s voice during “I-Man” was the only evidence that this five-night run might be taking a toll on the performers’ bodies. But with 10 minutes to go until a new year the band stormed on, playing with a fervor that was neither flashy nor excessive; simply making and arranging sounds in a way no other band can.

The ensuing “Countdown Medley” guided all through a surprise tour of the Bisco catalogue, and instead of playing on like years past, all four members took a pause and a well-deserved drink break. Gutwillig sprayed champagne into the crowd, ultimately handing the remains of the bottle to a lucky fan in the front row. With “I-Man” > “Helicopters,” the Biscuits ended set two poised to deliver what most avid fans have come to expect on any given night.

The Disco Biscuits :: 12.31 :: New York

10 years ago The Disco Biscuits were on a comparable rise, with anticipation high for an imminent release of new material. The subsequent album, 2001′s They Missed The Perfume, was recorded in a different manner than the band had tried before. The result, a lengthy compilation of electronica strewn across six songs, caught some off guard who were expecting a release similar to that of 1998′s Uncivilized Area, recorded in an organic “live” studio set-up.

Fast forward to 2009, the greater Bisco community still isn’t shy when sharing opinions and demands about their favorite band. As newer material was introduced over the past year (download “Konkrete” and “You And I” for free), many tracks bound for their upcoming album Planet Anthem were greeted with mixed results. Although the live setting is always where these new tracks grow their legs, the studio tends to be a different creative outlet for the band. This perceived “change” in style was perhaps unconscious, just a continuation of an improvised lifestyle that keeps their world from becoming stagnant. History has shown that the majority of new songs do grow into musical monsters, often catching us by surprise within a creative setlist.

“I let the fans pretty much pick the songs for the run this year. I let you guys do it!” Brownstein explained, adding a new twist to the fan/artist relationship in the age of social networking. “We’re going to have an application in a couple of days that’s going to have a request feature on it so the fans can go in and request what they want to hear at certain shows. That’s going to come straight to me and I’m going to know exactly what you want. So fear not; I enjoy your help.”

The Disco Biscuits :: 12.31 :: New York

Set three opener “Down To The Bottom” reached far back into the band’s catalogue, and featured an obvious lingering “Ladies” tease – paying homage to their impromptu Tractorbeam set a few nights prior at the Highline Ballroom. The jam out of “Naeba” – inspired by a journey through Japan en route to the Fuji Rock Music Festival – could have taken a sinister route, but instead the feeling of triumph returned.

All four band members made eye contact with content smiles on their faces, as if they didn’t believe there was much more to prove. The serene Bisco pocket would suffice, inspiring the 16-minute travels of “Mr. Don.” After performing for nearly six hours, the evening came full circle with the concluding “Spacebirdmatingcall” > “Down To The Bottom” segment and a “Rockafella” encore, solidifying this New Year’s Eve as one of The Disco Biscuits’ best in recent memory.

12.31.09 :: Nokia Theatre Times Square :: New York, NY

Set I: M.E.M.P.H.I.S. > Caves Of The East > Gangster > Above The Waves > Shem-Rah Boo

Set II: Mirrors, Astronaut > I-Man > Strobelights And Martinis > Countdown Medley > On Time , 7-11 > I-Man > Helicopters

Set III: Down To The Bottom > Naeba > Humuhumunukunukuapua’a > Mr. Don > Spacebirdmatingcall > Down To The Bottom

E: Rockafella

Download this show now!

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Jimkata | 06.26.09 | NYC

July 13th, 2009 | No Comments

Words & Images by: Jesse Borrell

Jimkata :: 06.26.09 :: Rocks Off Boat Cruise :: New York, NY

Jimkata :: 06.26 :: Rocks Off Boat Cruise

After being pummeled by large chunks of hail just minutes earlier, I emerged from a subway station under clear skies approaching an evening voyage with an NYC Rocks Off Concert Cruise. Many familiar faces could be seen as a warm vibe full of friends and family emanated throughout the ship’s corridors. And at around quarter past eight, The Half Moon Cruise Ship set off down the East River.

Minutes into the voyage, Philadelphia’s MJ Project started performing tunes off their soon to be released EP, Stupid Dollars. With some increased humidity inside, it seemed that all non-musicians aboard were enjoying the breeze on the outside deck. While unfamiliar with their music, their brand of experimental rock seemed to provide a fun range of background noises to compliment our view as the sun began to set against the Manhattan skyline.

My own personal relationship with the next band, Jimkata, started a couple years back in the college music scene of Ithaca, New York. Like most bands that have stayed in the region, a true symbiotic relationship was formed with the small upstate town. Now passing beneath the Williamsburg Bridge, I was fortunate to sit down and shoot the breeze with Jimkata’s lead singer Evan Friedell.

“Ithaca is community at its finest. Its like our family, and we’ve had to earn their respect. We started off as a college band first and just like many before us [in Ithaca], college bands come and go,” Friedell explained. “At first we were bothered by being placed in that label – and there is something real in coming to that realization. Over the years we have progressed. People have started to see us at festivals like Ithaca’s Musefest, and the community really started to embrace our music.”

Jimkata :: 06.26 :: Rocks Off Boat Cruise

Jimkata started off this evening’s set with “Burn My Money,” which also happens to be the title of their upcoming full-length debut. “Hold on everybody!” Friedell advised as waves sent the boat slightly back and forth on its axis, almost in unison to the up-beat rhythms of the song. Whether listening to Jimkata pre-recorded on a road trip or live on a boat tour, there is an allure and overall accessibility to their thematic material. Starting off with “Burn My Money,” Jimkata proved how even a mostly positive track can delve into some darkness.

Telegraphed by drummer Packy Lunn‘s slowed tempos, Jimkata smoothly transitioned into “Drifter.” Somewhere near our halfway point to the Statue of Liberty, the upper deck dance floor got thick with energy. The catchy, anthemic guitar licks of Aaron Gorsch eventually drove the band into their first extended improv with the boat still bouncing against the ocean chop.

Over the past few years, even though Jimkata has embarked on some extensive touring throughout the Northeast – highlighted with a daytime performances at 2008′s Camp Bisco and Starscape music festivals – there still seems much to learn about navigating the music industry as a group of emerging artists.

“At Camp Bisco we played at noon in front of 700 people and ripped it, but after we did [this past '09] spring tour we kind of needed to regroup,” remarked Friedell. “We saw that some of the major festivals weren’t coming in as they did last year because we didn’t have the business side of things quite in order. We didn’t have another album ready, and we have to show progress in some way. That is where our current focus is.”

Jimkata :: 06.26 :: Rocks Off Boat Cruise

The bass heavy “Submarine” was the only track played this evening off Jimkata’s 2007 five-track, self-titled EP (read the review here), recorded at upstate New York’s Electric Wilburland Studios. The resulting record was big in scope and professionally executed. Even more apparent was the band’s ease in taking their live style and character into the structured recording process, crafting songs that expanded coherently beyond the confines of your average radio edits. Similar outcomes can only be expected for the upcoming Burn Your Money.

“This time around we are working with a familiar producer, who knows our sound a lot more this second time around,” admitted Friedell. “I think what will come across is that we have created a more mature sound [for the upcoming LP]. I think we have the potential to write fairly catchy tunes, and we hope to find a medium where the sounds we create and what I identify [with] lyrically will also identify with other people.”

The foray into “Old New Tune” appropriately raised the bar, the song being one of Jimkata’s more extensive jam vehicles with the boat nearing its final destination. The band thrashed back and forth in place, almost willing themselves to put it all on the line for this one. Eventually, faces full of tension gave way to big smiles at the song’s climax as fast paced electronica fused with traces of blues rock.

While short and sweet, we exited the boat feeling content on this evening under peaceful skies. Walking the busy New York streets once again with music on the mind, I was reminded how these sounds continue to fit perfectly alongside the contextual montages that make up our lives.

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