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Las Tortugas V | Review | Pics

Words by: Dennis Cook | Images by: Chad Smith

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

Las Tortugas V by Chad Smith

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

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

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

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

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

Las Tortugas V by Chad Smith

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

AndÂ…

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

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

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

Continue reading for Thursday highlights…

Thursday Highlights

See the full gallery for Thursday here

Theme: Gypsy Circus

Lebo by Chad Smith

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

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

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

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

Allie Kral by Chad Smith

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

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

Ones To Watch

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

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

Continue reading for Friday highlights…

Friday Highlights

See the full gallery for Friday here

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

ALO & Friends by Chad Smith

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

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

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

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

Pimps of Joytime by Chad Smith

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

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

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

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

Continue reading for Saturday highlights…

Saturday Highlights

See the full gallery for Saturday here

Theme: Monsters vs. Aliens

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

Bill Kreutzmann by Chad Smith

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

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

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

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

Nicki Bluhm by Chad Smith

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

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

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

Ones To Watch

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

Continue reading for Sunday highlights…

Sunday Highlights

See the full gallery for Sunday here

Theme: The Masquerade Ball – Halloween

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

The Mother Hips by Chad Smith

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

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

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

Yonder Mountain String Band by Chad Smith

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ones To Watch

Kate Gaffney

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

Newfangled Wasteland

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

The Hydrodynamics

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

Epilogue

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

Continue reading for Thursday/Friday pictures…

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Continue reading for Saturday pictures…

var siteRoot=”http://www.jambase.com”;var newPhotoIndex=”25″;$(document).ready( function() { $(“#GalleryWidget”).load(siteRoot+”/Photos/Widget.aspx?galleryID=167″);}); 10/30/10 – Las Tortugas Dance of the Dead (Evergreen Lodge) (Groveland, CA) View Photos

Continue reading for Sunday pictures…

var siteRoot=”http://www.jambase.com”;var newPhotoIndex=”60″;$(document).ready( function() { $(“#GalleryWidget”).load(siteRoot+”/Photos/Widget.aspx?galleryID=168″);}); 10/31/10 – Las Tortugas Dance of the Dead (Evergreen Lodge) (Groveland, CA) View Photos

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7 Walkers To Play Post-Phish SF Shows

7 WALKERS’ NEW STUDIO ALBUM TO BE RELEASED LATER THIS YEAR


7 Walkers

Famed drummer and Grateful Dead co-founder Bill Kreutzmann, voodoo guitar master Papa Mali, legendary New Orleans
bass man George Porter Jr.
(The Meters, Funky Meters), and multi-instrumentalist Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson, Fastball) come together as 7 Walkers for two special shows at
San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall.

On Friday, August 6 and Saturday, August 7, after Phish perform at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley, the party will continue in high fashion as fans
from across The Bay descend upon the historic Great American for two nights of psychedelic swamp grooves,
reworked Grateful Dead sing-alongs, and funked-up New Orleans standards.

August 6 is being billed as a “Masquerade Party in Celebration of Jerry Garcia.” As Deadheads prepare for the 15th
Anniversary of Garcia’s passing on August 9, commonly referred to as “Jerry Day,” fans are encouraged to come
dressed as their favorite Grateful Dead lyric. There will be a silent auction hosted by the Rex Musical Caravan and
Moonalice will open the show.

August 7 will be a “Tribal Communion for Gulf Coast Awareness” with partial proceeds being donated to relief
efforts in the Gulf Coast. Featuring an opening set by local act Tracorum as well as New Orleans hero
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux with Papa Mali, the night will also find the famed Indian Chief sitting in with 7 Walkers for
a show that’s sure to raise the spirits.

7 Walkers recently spent time in Austin, Texas recording their debut album due later this year. The highly-
anticipated effort will feature a batch of brand-new Robert Hunter (Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan lyricist) originals that were co-written with
the band, as well as a number of Grateful Dead favorites, Papa Mali nuggets, and New Orleans burners.

Live audio recordings of 7 Walkers can be heard at the newly re-launched www.billkreutzmann.com.

Friday, August 6

7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Papa Mali, George Porter Jr. & Matt Hubbard
Moonalice opens
Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell Street San Francisco, CA

For Tickets and more information, please contact 415-885-0750 or visit www.gamhtickets.com

Saturday, August 7

7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Papa Mali, George Porter Jr. & Matt Hubbard

Tracorum followed by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux with Papa Mali opens
Great American Music Hall
859 O’Farrell Street San Francisco, CA
For Tickets and more information, please contact 415-885-0750 or visit www.gamhtickets.com

7 Walkers
Tour Dates

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7 Walkers News
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7 Walkers Concert Reviews


Wavy Gravy’s All Star Jam | 6.13.10 | SF

YOU’VE GOT GRAVY IN YOUR EYES!

Photos by Susan J. Weiand

On Sunday, June 13th, various All-Star musicians converged on stage at The Great American
Music Hall to benefit the Seva Foundation. The
cast of characters included Steve Kimock, Mark Karan, Billy
Kreutzmann
, Melvin Seals, Papa Mali, Lebo, Dave Brogan,
Bo Carper, Reed Mathis, Matt Hubbard, special guest Bobby
Vega
and Wavy Gravy himself.

The evening started off with a set by Lebo, Carper and Brogan performing “Spike Driver’s
Blues”, “Pallet on your Floor” and Old Crowe Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel” joined by Karan & Seals. The band played
on for a Dave Brogan tune “Infinite Eye” before Vega joined in for a soulful offering of Allen Toussaint’s classic “On
Your Way Down”.

Steve Kimock then took the stage with Vega, Seals & Brogan for an epic version of
the Zero fan favorites “Cole’s Law” > “Tangled Hangers”. The first set then closed with a
ripping rendition of Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” featuring Karan, Lebo, Brogan, Kimock,
Seals & Vega.

Set two featured 7 Walkers: Papa Mali, Billy Kreutzman, Steve Kimock, Reed Mathis and Matt
Hubbard along with a variety of the aforementioned musicians joining in a setlist that
included “Jam” >
“Sugaree”, “He’s Gone”, “Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues”, “Bertha”, “Jump Back”, “Mr. Charlie”
and “Lovelight” amongst others.

Photographer Sue Weiand was on hand to document the experience for your visual enjoyment.

JamBase | Bay Area


Thank to various helpers for piecing together the setlist. Pardon any omissions or
errors.

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6/13/10 – Wavy Gravy Seva Jam @ Great American Music Hall (San Francisco,
CA)
View Photos

Seva Foundation was founded in 1978 by a group of people who helped eradicate
small pox,
and inspired by that achievement, joined together to alleviate other suffering caused by
poverty and disease. Seva’s public health programs in India, Nepal, Tibet, Cambodia
Bangladesh and Tanzania work to eliminate curable blindness. Over two million people have
received sight-restoring surgeries. In Mexico and Guatemala Seva assists indigenous
communities with training and resources to attain literacy and economic self-sufficiency.
In the United States, where diabetes claims Native American lives at four times the
national average, Seva offers diabetes prevention and small grants programs, created and
directed by Native Americans.

Wavy Gravy, activist clown, former Ben & Jerry’s flavor, hippie-icon, flower-
geezer, is a
founding board member of the Seva Foundation. He is the creative director of Camp
Winnarainbow, a circus and performing arts camp in Northern California.


7 Walkers | 04.09.10 | GAMH | San Francisco

Images by: Susan J. Weiand

7 Walkers

04.09.10 :: Great American Music Hall :: San Francisco CA

Legendary Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann and guitarist/vocalist Papa Mali‘s new band 7 Walkers has embarked on its first tour ever. Though Reed Mathis appears on the album due later this year, due to touring commitments with his other band Tea Leaf Green, New Orleans’ George Porter Jr. joined the band on bass for this run of shows. 7 Walkers is rounded out by multi-instrumentalist Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson and Friends).

In addition to a batch of brand new Robert Hunter songs (Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan lyricist) and originals the band penned together, the 7 Walkers’ set at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall featured some choice covers, deep NOLA grooves and several chestnuts from the Grateful Dead songbook.

Setlist

Set I: Jam > The Deal > Death Don’t Have No Mercy, Bottle Up and Go, Evangeline > The Seven Walkers, Turn On Your Lovelight > George and Billy > Turn On Your Lovelight > Hey Pocky Way > Iko – Iko > Shoe Fly

Set II: Bertha > Warf Rat, Junco Partner > New Orleans Crawl, I know you Rider, Sue from Bogalusa, The Other One Jam > George and Billy > Sugaree > Not Fade Away

Setlist courtesy of archive.org

var siteRoot=”http://www.jambase.com”;var newPhotoIndex=”0″;$(document).ready( function() { $(“#GalleryWidget”).load(siteRoot+”/Photos/Widget.aspx?galleryID=17″);}); 7 Walkers | Great American Music Hall | San Francisco, CA 7 Walkers, the new band put together by drummer Bill Kreutzmann and guitarist/vocalist Papa Mali, perform their first set of shows ever and bring New Orleans bass legend George Porter Jr. along for the party… View Photos

7 Walkers Tour Dates :: 7 Walkers News :: 7 Walkers Concert Reviews

JamBase | San Francisco

Go See Live Music!


7 Walkers Tour: Papa Mali, Bill Kreutzmann, George Porter Jr.

NEW PROJECT FEATURING FRESH ROBERT HUNTER LYRICS
HITS THE ROAD

Bill Kreutzmann by Chad Smith

Legendary drummer and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, Bill Kreutzmann, together with funky bluesman and voodoo electronic pioneer Papa Mali, officially unveil 7 Walkers‘ spring plans. 7 Walkers, which also features bass virtuoso Reed Mathis (Tea Leaf Green, JFJO) and multi-instrumentalist Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson and Friends), will stop at select markets and festivals through out the country, all in anticipation of a new album release. The complete list of currently confirmed tour dates is included below.

7 Walkers recently spent time at an Austin, Texas studio, recording an album to be released later this year. In addition to a brand-new batch of Robert Hunter (Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan lyricist) originals that were co-written with the band, the new album offers up favorites from the Grateful Dead repertoire, Papa Mali originals, and some New Orleans and Southern songbook interpretations. Overall, the result is a fiery and funky collection of tunes that quite brilliantly capture the unique collaboration between these two very different musical shamans.

Bill Kreutzmann (who played every show in the Grateful Dead’s illustrious 30 year career as well as The Dead incarnations since) first met funky Papa Mali at a festival in 2008. Bill recalls in a recent interview, “We first met at the Oregon Country Fair last year. He was the headliner on the main stage, and I sat there and watched him and went, ‘This guy’s for real man, I like this guy.’ Then we met, after that he came over to my trailer that I was staying in and you couldn’t separate us, we talked for hours. It was just one of those natural things, you know? You can’t plan it; You can’t make it happen. And then we started playing together.”

Live audio recordings of the 7 Walkers can be heard at the newly re-launched www.billkreutzmann.com.

Meanwhile, at nugs.net, fans can now download live BK3 recordings from their 2009 Colorado shows. Another potent Kreutzmann musical project, BK3 first toured in 2008 and featured a rotating lineup including such players as guitarist Scott Murawski (Max Creek) and bassists James “Hutch” Hutchinson (Bonnie Raitt), Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers) and Mike Gordon (Phish).

Kreutzmann is also working to support the efforts of University of California at Santa Cruz, who has committed to helping to archive all things Grateful Dead. As Kreutzmann explains, “I am incredibly happy that the kind archivists at UC Santa Cruz understand the social value of [the Grateful Dead's] priceless archive, and its hallowed meaning to our most beloved ‘Dead Heads.’ Without the care it is now going to receive, these treasures would be lost.”

7 Walkers Spring/Summer Tour Dates

(Please note: Guest bass player George Porter Jr. will perform these dates with 7 Walkers)

Tuesday, April 6 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Big Room Chico CA
Wednesday, April 7 Red Fox Eureka CA
Thursday, April 8 Crystal Bay Club Crown Room Crystal Bay NV
Friday, April 9 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA
Saturday, April 10 Moe’s Alley Santa Cruz CA
Friday, April 16 Spirit of Suwanee Music Park Live Oak FL
Saturday, April 17 The Salt Lick Driftwood TX
Friday, April 30 Mahalia Jackson Theatre New Orleans, LA
Thursday, June 3 Wakarusa Festival Ozark AR
Friday, June 11 Sonoma County Fairgrounds Santa Rosa CA

7 Walkers Tour Dates :: 7 Walkers News :: 7 Walkers Concert Reviews