An explosive new tell-all book about Hollywood Golden Couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie accuses the superstar actress of having an affair with rock legend Mick Jagger while he was married to his now ex-wife, model Jerry Hall, Life & Style said Wednesday.
According to the expose, researched and written over the course of six [...]
Carly Simon has launched a competition seeking the first official video to accompany her chart-topping 1972 song, “You’re So Vain.” For nearly 40 years, the pop singer/songwriter has remained tight-lipped about one of music’s biggest mysteries: Who is the narcissistic subject of the tune?
Simon has never publicly revealed the identity of her inspiration — [...]
Lady Gaga has confessed that she was so addicted to cocaine and LSD that she felt she would die of it.
The ‘Poker Face’ hitmaker said that she did “bags and bags” of cocaine, getting inspired by rock stars.
“I thought I was gonna die. I wanted to BE the artists I loved, like Mick Jagger and [...]
In the new book Lady Gaga: Just Dance: The Biography by Helia Phoenix, the pop sensation reveals that she was saved from a dangerous addiction to cocaine by the spirit of her late paternal aunt, Joanne.
The pop tart, 23, began experimenting with cocaine and LSD after she dropped out of New York University’s prestigious Tisch [...]
Marianne Faithfull has announced that she’’s going to apologise to her former friend Kate Moss for calling her a vampire.
Popular as Rolling Stones star Mick Jagger’s ex, Faithfull, 63, branded the skinny supermodel a “vampire” and accused her of stealing her style, even down to her choice of men.
“Now I see pictures [...]
Mick Jagger is reportedly warning fellow Rolling Stone star Ronnie Wood to ditch the bottle or face being dropped from the band’s forthcoming tour.
The guitarist was said to have left former wife Jo and kids Leah and Tyrone worried with his two bottles of vodka a day habit.
“Ronnie’’s on a path to self-destruction. His daily [...]
JamBase’s Most Important Shows Of The Decade
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Everything changed over the last decade. Never mind the political, social and economic upheaval, musically everything changed. Ten years ago we didn’t own iPods or Smart Phones; we rocked a Discman and in some cases an old yellow Walkman. We didn’t download tracks or stream shows; we bought albums and traded live Maxell tapes. Then technology set us free and the record industry collapsed. After peaking in 2000, CD sales have plummeted by more than 50-percent, dropping further into oblivion every year. Meanwhile, digital sales continue to rise and free music (both pirated and authorized) is everywhere, flooding hard drives like never before. Surely this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.
The old model is dead. It’s a new game and the rules are still being defined. One thing, however, is for sure, the music industry needed a colossal change and it’s getting it. The days of boy bands selling 2 million units in a week are gone. And for that, you can thank the digital download. Online music is on the way to making radio irrelevant and no one seems sure if MTV even plays music anymore. It’s not that people listen to or want less music. The way we get it has simply evolved. We no longer need anyone to spoon-feed us lowest common denominator crap. Now we’ve got a billion ways to get turned on to the latest thing, and with advancements in how music is made there’s more to choose from than at any other time in history.
But one thing didn’t change in the past ten years. We still go see live music. As album sales fell through the floor, live music revenue has grown by 150-percent. Here at JamBase, we’ve always known the live experience is where it’s at, and now that all bands (not just the ones this site was founded upon) are forced to survive on touring dollars, the rest of the music world is catching on. That’s one change we’re happy to embrace.
At the beginning of the decade, JamBase was just starting to really take form. Surviving the dot-com bubble burst, we were a small team working out of an even smaller house in Mill Valley, California. Soon we sprouted legs, and as our vision and team evolved, we moved into a real office South of Market in downtown San Francisco, where we’ve been since 2003. Now JamBase has the most complete tour date information anywhere in the world, providing concert listings for AOL, Billboard, Spin, Rhapsody and many more, and our content has evolved into a leading source for live music editorial. Part of our mission has always been to use technology to help you get to the show and we know today’s music fan is often on the move, that’s why we created our lauded iPhone App that puts all our concert info straight into your pocket.
Even a cursory look at the articles on this website over the past decade indicates great change. From the way we look to what we cover, change has perhaps been the only constant at JamBase. Clearly, we report on more than just jam bands now (we like to think we cover the live music scene as a whole, with no genre being off limits), but if we go back to our roots and look at the band that started it all for JamBase (which grew out of Andy Gadiel’s Phish Page), we’re reminded that change is an essential part of life. It’s often hard, but almost always exciting, and if you aren’t changing and evolving, you’re probably dying.
In the past decade Phish quit (2000), came back (2002), quit again (2004), and finally got it right and resurfaced with purpose in 2009. For the most part, this was a messy decade for Trey, Mike, Page and Fish. With personal struggles taking center stage and the music falling off, when the band finished their final set at Coventry in 2004, in many ways, things couldn’t have been worse. The muddy fields were a metaphor for the state of the band and the sloppy performances an indication of just how bad it had gotten. But they overcame their challenges, and that’s certainly part of why we love them. Who amongst us hasn’t made poor decisions and paid the price? And if there’s one thing Americans love it’s a comeback story. During the ’90s this band dominated. The pressures of fame brought stress unlike anything they’d experienced, and in the 2000s they fell hard. But as we close the book on this decade, Phish is back on top in a major way. No band’s comeback has made a bigger impact on our world this decade than Phish, and we couldn’t be happier to have chronicled every step of their triumphant return.
But there’s more to Phish than just sick jams and transcendent rock shows. The ups and downs experienced by the band in many ways mirrored America’s path this decade. Coming out of the ’90s, everything appeared peachy. Mainstream music desperately needed help, but economically and politically, America was mostly doing great. September 11, 2001 thrust change upon us in ways we may never fully understand. Our collective psyche shattered, we’ve been at war ever since. Our economy has collapsed, and we’re facing a rising environmental crisis. Like Phish, America had a rough decade, but hopefully we can grab the strands of hope we’re starting to see and rise to the occasion like our favorite bands seem to do.
While it’s not likely that Phish’s trajectory had any tangible affect on our nation, it definitely affected the music scene. Phish’s hiatus (especially the first one) opened the door for a plethora of talent to flourish. With no one band filling the void, a wide array of acts like The String Cheese Incident, Umphrey’s McGee, STS9, The Disco Biscuits, Keller Williams, and many others were able to rapidly gain new fans and separate themselves from the pack as the premier new crop of jam bands.
 Michael Jackson |
The changing scene and lack of a clear improvisational concert king also allowed a host of bands hovering on the borders of jam to emerge more prominently in the live music space. With the help of festivals like Bonnaroo, websites like JamBase and open-minded fans like you, artists such as My Morning Jacket, Jack White, Drive-By Truckers, The Hold Steady, Arcade Fire, and The Mars Volta all experienced incredible breakthroughs.
But, that didn’t mean the pillars of the jam scene crumbled in the 2000s. The granddaddy of ‘em all, The Grateful Dead found ways to reform, reinvent and move on after Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995. moe. proved to be one of the most consistent acts of the decade, Gov’t Mule survived the death of Allen Woody, and Widespread Panic managed to find new life with Jimmy Herring after Michael Houser passed away in 2002.
Though we lost some legends, including Johnny Cash, James Brown, George Harrison, Vic Chesnutt and Michael Jackson, we did get a bunch of reunions and even a few rebirths this past decade. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Cream, The Police, Van Halen, The Pixies, Dinosaur Jr., Polvo, Meat Puppets, Smashing Pumpkins, Gang of Four, Rage Against the Machine, Leonard Cohen and The Stooges all returned to the stage, and all were in consideration (some more than others) for this feature.
In fact, there were pages upon pages of possibilities pored over while creating this list. Trying to determine 10 shows that stood out in a decade packed with powerful performances proved daunting, and we’re sure we left off something critical, which is why we’d love to see you set the record straight by sharing your own list in the Comments Section. But this is our list. After serious internal debate, discussions with artists and industry insiders, and careful consideration of your comments and emails, these are JamBase’s Most Important Shows of The Decade, presented to you in chronological order. It all starts with a special night in Florida that many fans spent the next decade reminiscing about or wishing they’d attended. (Kayceman)
Continue reading for The List…
Phish | 01/01/00
Big Cypress | Seminole Indian Reservation | Everglades, FL
 Photo of Phish at Big Cypress by Danny Clinch |
The decade began with Phish performing for over seven straight hours from midnight until sunrise in the middle of the Florida Everglades. The band arrived on stage riding their trademark giant Hot Dog as it paraded through the audience to a recording of their song “Meatstick.” As they took to their instruments and finished the tune, the final moments of the ’90s came to a close and an audience over 85,000 strong was led in a Millennium Countdown before the band launched into their anthemic “Down With Disease.” About an hour later, “Heavy Things” (cheesecake!) would be telecast live on ABC Nightly News‘ special New Year’s Eve coverage from around the world to over 100 million people.
Significant for its timing, location and endurance, the show featured some of the most powerful and definitive versions of the band’s staple songs including “You Enjoy Myself,” “Slave to the Traffic Light,” “Reba,” “Sand,” and “David Bowie.” They also showcased several beloved covers including The Velvet Underground’s “Rock and Roll,” Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed and Painless,” The Who’s “Drowned,” and Ween’s “Roses Are Free.” The set was so powerful for the band that after leaving the stage at sunrise they opted not to return for an encore, instead leaving it to Mother Nature and a recording of The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun” to send the audience on their way. This ultimate “long gig” left those in attendance satiated, awe struck, and thankful that the world (Y2K) did not come to and end. (Andy Gadiel)
Setlist (courtesy of Phish.net)
Meatstick > Auld Lang Syne, Down with Disease > Llama, Bathtub Gin, Heavy Things, Twist > Prince Caspian > Rock and Roll, You Enjoy Myself, Crosseyed and Painless, The Inlaw Josie Wales, Sand > Quadrophonic Toppling, Slave to the Traffic Light, Albuquerque, Reba, Axilla, Uncle Pen, David Bowie, My Soul, Drowned > After Midnight Reprise, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Bittersweet Motel, Piper > Free, Lawn Boy, Hold Your Head Up > Love You > Hold Your Head Up, Roses Are Free, Bug, Also Sprach Zarathustra > Wading in the Velvet Sea, Meatstick
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Phil & Friends | 12/31/00
Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium | Oakland, CA
 Photo of Gordon, Herring, Lesh & Haynes on NYE 2000 in Oakland by Dave Vann |
In no small way, this night was the relaunch of The Grateful Dead NYE tradition. Despite the fact that RatDog had been playing December 31st since 1998, after numerous lineups, Phil Lesh & Friends settled into a stunning aggregate in 2000 that happily reminded many diehards why this music endures. The Dead tribe had set their calendars for decades around where the band would land on key dates like NYE, Mardi Gras, etc. and the buzz leading up to this evening had the same run-away-to-the-circus, butterflies-in-the-tummy vibe that The Grateful Dead always engendered. “The Quintet,” as they came to be known, of Lesh (bass, vocals), Warren Haynes (guitar, vocals), Jimmy Herring (guitar), Rob Barraco (keys, vocals) and John Molo (drums) attacked this music like it was alive – rangy and unruly like days of old – and that in turn put the electrodes to this beloved catalog. For perhaps the first time since Jerry Garcia passed, it felt like there was a real tomorrow for this music. The heightened atmosphere was further elevated by the recent passing of Allen Woody, putting the future of Gov’t Mule in question and leaving Haynes and Matt Abts to open the night as an acoustic duo. Toss in several guest turns by Mike Gordon, which poignantly reminded one that Phish was not holding their annual NYE festivities, and you had a gathering that directly and indirectly grappled with death and rebirth in stirring ways. (Dennis Cook)
Continue reading for the next Most Important Show of the Decade…
The Concert for New York City | 10/21/01
Madison Square Garden | New York, NY
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With the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11 still stingingly fresh in our collective memory, Paul McCartney gathered together The Who, Bon Jovi, Macy Gray, John Mellencamp, Backstreet Boys and more, plus film and political luminaries like Adam Sandler, Billy Crystal, Tom Daschle and Harrison Ford for a benefit concert that was a defiant affirmation of the United States’ ability to endure almost anything and thrive. Where most events of this sort truck in near-somber sincerity, The Concert for New York City welcomed in laughter and entertainment, both of which were in short supply for the many NYC firefighters and policemen and their families in attendance. Though studded with stellar turns like Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy doing “Hoochie Coochie Man” and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards getting gospel on “Salt of the Earth,” the pinnacle of the night might be Billy Joel‘s one-two punch of “Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)” and “New York State of Mind,” where MSG exploded as he punched lines like, “They turned our power down and drove us underground, but we went right on with the show,” with an emotion impossible to duplicate. An incredible example of where the worst in human beings can sometimes be a catalyst for the very best in us. (Dennis Cook)
Continue reading for the next Most Important Show of the Decade…
Widespread Panic | 04/28/02
Oak Mountain Amphitheatre | Pelham, AL
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| Photos of Widespread Panic at Oak Mountain on 04/28/02 by Jackie Jasper | |
As far as anyone knew, this was it. By all accounts, Sunday, April 28, 2002 at Pelham, Alabama’s Oak Mountain Amphitheatre appeared to be Widespread Panic lead guitarist and co-founder Michael Houser‘s last concert. It was the final night of a brief eight-show spring tour that felt like, and in many ways was, the “Goodbye Houser Tour.” Although not an official word had been uttered, most fans knew that Houser had contracted pancreatic cancer, and one could tell just by looking at him up close onstage that his time was drawing near. Although he would bravely perform seven more shows as he began the spring tour two months later, at this point, Sunday at Oak Mountain looked like the final one.
The venue, set in the heart of Panic Country, was packed with 10,000 serious fans and there was a tension and energy hanging in the humid Alabama air unlike anything I have personally ever experienced. The band rose to the occasion; from song selection (there wasn’t a dry eye during the “Trouble” encore) to execution to the Jerry Joseph guest appearance, it was nearly flawless and one of the best shows of the band’s legendary career. But it was more than just that. It was the way the weather coincided with the music, making it feel like bandleader John Bell had created rain during “Cortez The Killer.” It was the undeniable sense of community. It was the bittersweet, sad-yet-grateful feeling for the opportunity to say goodbye properly and rage it one more time. It was the weight of it all. Standing at Oak Mountain, bitter tears and warm rain washing over one’s face, wrapped in arms from friends both old and new, truly believing this was the final Houser jam, it felt like we were part of history on that day. (Kayceman)
Stream this show for free at Panicstream.com
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Bonnaroo Music Festival | 06/21/02 – 06/23/02
Manchester, TN
 Photo of Phil Lesh and Friends with Bob Weir at Bonnaroo 2002 by Dave Vann |
Selling out 70,000 tickets in advance to an untried mega-festival in the Tennessee hills with roots in the jam scene would have been accomplishment enough, but the inaugural Bonnaroo had ripples far beyond great sales. In no small way, Bonnaroo put this subculture on the larger cultural map, joining Coachella and Lollapalooza as one of few festivals covered by MTV and other mainstream outlets. However, from the start Bonnaroo has embraced tradition and heritage artists AND cutting edge talent in a way no other super-sized fest had, putting the likes of Blind Boys of Alabama and the Del McCoury Band right next to Ween and Les Claypool. In going big from the get-go, Bonnaroo established itself overnight as a destination for music lovers worldwide. Using the abundant energy and vast subterranean network of live music loving jam fans, the organizers launched something part intrinsically “jam” that was also something much, much larger in scope and vision. While subsequent years have found the likes of Tool, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers headlining, for some ‘Roo vets there’s perhaps no more enduring, moving set than Widespread Panic performing one of their final shows with Michael Houser this first year, a pulsating, powerhouse display that included “Testify” with Dottie Peoples, where Dave Schools says he looked out over the crowd and they were “levitating.” In an age where small ideas and limited expectations prevail Bonnaroo actively reaches for grandeur and all those involved are encouraged to stretch beyond their normal limitations and ways of seeing. (Dennis Cook)
2002 Bonnaroo Artist Lineup: Widespread Panic
* Trey Anastasio
* Ben Harper
* The String Cheese Incident
* Phil Lesh and Friends (w/Bob Weir)
* Bela Fleck & Edgar Meyer
* Galactic with Trombone Shorty and Corey Henry
* Gov’t Mule
* Jack Johnson
* Norah Jones
* Jurassic 5
* Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
* Les Claypool
* moe.
* Ween
* Keller Williams (WMD’s)
* Acoustic Syndicate
* The Big Wu
* Blind Boys of Alabama
* Blackalicious
* John Butler Trio
* Campbell Brothers
* Colonel Claypool’s Bucket of Bernie Brains
* Cut Chemist
* The Del McCoury band
* Dirty Dozen Brass Band
* The Disco Biscuits
* Gabe Dixon Band
* Donna The Buffalo
* Dottie Peoples
* Drums & Tuba
* Gran Torino
* Col. Bruce Hampton & The Code Talkers
* Corey Harris
* Lil’ Rascals Brass Band
* Llama
* DJ Logic
* Mofro
* North Mississippi Allstars
* Old Crow Medicine Show
* Particle
* RANA
* Soulive
* Amon Tobin
* Umphrey’s McGee
* Jim White
* Vinroc
* Z-Trip
* Mark Eddie
* Mike Birbiglia
* Vic Henley
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Gov’t Mule – The Deepest End | 05/03/03
Saenger Theatre | New Orleans, LA
 Photo of Haynes, Abts, Newsted and Louis at Gov’t Mule’s “The Deepest End Concert” on 05/03/03 in New Orleans by Michael Weintrob |
If one ever needed proof that Gov’t Mule was a band adored by their fellow musicians, then “The Deepest End Concert” in New Orleans should provide all the evidence one needs. The culmination of three years of recording and mourning the loss of founding bassist Allen Woody, this five-and-a-half-hour marathon performance found this contemporary classic rock unit joined by some of the finest bassists in the world – Jason Newsted (Metallica, Ozzy, Voivod), George Porter Jr. (The Meters), Dave Schools (Widespread Panic), Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck), Rob Wasserman, Paul Jackson Jr., Mike Gordon (Phish), Roger Glover (Deep Purple), Jack Casady (Hot Tune, Jefferson Airplane), Conrad Lazano (Los Lobos), Les Claypool (Primus), and then Mule regular Greg Rzab. If that weren’t enough, the night also had guest turns from Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Karl Denson and more. A largely unrehearsed affair, the show was rich in what Mule leader Warren Haynes calls “spontaneous composition.” The range of material was off the chain, including Sabbath covers with Jason Newsted, Purple’s “Maybe I’m A Leo” with Glover, and a blinding version of Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” with studio whiz Paul Jackson Jr. whipping the low end every which way. The art of focused, meaty improvisation has rarely had a finer showing than this gig, which also served to highlight what a ridiculously diverse bunch Gov’t Mule is – a big tent capable of holding just about anything if these cats (and their collaborators) put their backbone into it. (Dennis Cook)
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New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
04/28/06-04/30/06 & 05/05/06-05/07/06
Fair Grounds Race Course | New Orleans, LA
 Photo of Bruce Springsteen at Jazz Fest 2006 in New Orleans by Michael Weintrob |
Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. One of the worst natural disasters to ever hit the United States, around 2,000 people died with several hundred more declared “missing.” When the levees broke on August 29, 2005 water covered 80-percent of the Crescent City. With the pathetic, disorganized response from our government and the days of bedlam that followed, it appeared that America’s most unique, most culturally significant city (giving birth to jazz is often considered this country’s crowning artistic achievement, not to mention the food!) might be gone forever, submerged under six feet of water never to return. And that’s why eight months later when the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival celebrated its 37th year it was much more than just another Jazz Fest.
No one was sure if the organizers would even be able to make the event happen, and there were serious questions about if anyone would come. What transpired was an emotional celebration that marked a critical point in our nation’s history. It was a symbol of hope and a statement of purpose from the city, the musicians and the fans. 4,000 artists performed on ten stages over the two-weekend event, with headliners including Bruce Springsteen, Dr. John, Dave Matthews, Lionel Richie, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint. It was a stake in the ground that said, “We won’t let New Orleans die.” The massive surge of tourist dollars clearly helped, but what New Orleans needed even more was the knowledge that we cared, that despite our government’s lack of commitment, the American people valued New Orleans and we would help bring her residents home. And while there is still so much more that needs to be done, we learned that no flood could drown New Orleans. Music is the blood of the city (and those who flock there), and Jazz Fest 2006 jumpstarted her heart and began the long, slow, still ongoing recovery of New Orleans. All you needed to do was step foot on the Fairgrounds that spring to know it was happening. The smell of crawfish Monica wafting in the air and the sound of The Boss singing, “We Shall Overcome” to hordes of weeping, dancing masses was enough to make us believe again. (Kayceman)
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Daft Punk | 04/29/06
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival | Indio, CA
 Photo of Daft Punk at Coachella 2006 by Casey Flanigan |
Daft Punk built a pyramid of lights and broke down walls. Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo were hardly the first act to blur genre lines, but what they did at Coachella in 2006, their first U.S. appearance since 1997, shattered the boundaries of electronica. Transformed into robots and perched inside a 40-foot shape-shifting LED covered pyramid, the French duo manipulated the crowd’s movements (serious dance party) and emotions (laughter and tears were both common) with brilliant super anthems like “Around The World,” “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” and “One More Time.” It was pop music, but smart, funny and designed to make you think as well as move. It brought elements from the dance world into stadium rock and the over-the-top production felt like a Broadway play from the distant future. And the fact that two guys not playing any traditional instruments could be this completely captivating was revolutionary. When that pyramid touched down in Indio, all of a sudden music made by machines was for everyone. Rockers pumped their fists, hip hop enthusiasts bounced, teenage girls screamed, doubters instantly became believers and everyone was blown away by the most elaborate, intricate and arguably greatest light show ever put together. It was a life-affirming experience that brought every person to the table, and no one has come close to duplicating it since. (Kayceman)
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Radiohead | 06/17/06
Bonnaroo Music Festival | Manchester, TN
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| Photo of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke on 06/17/06 at Bonnaroo by Dave Vann | |
Few bands are more un-hippy than Radiohead, so their Saturday night headlining slot at Bonnaroo ’06 signaled a sharp turn towards modernity for the festival. It was hardly the first time these Glastonbury vets had played for mud flecked, long haired masses, but there’s something resolutely non-jammy about Radiohead and attendees were pretty evenly split between those thrilled to have arguably the greatest rock band in the world serenade them and those who genuinely thought they were a duck out of water at the ‘Roo. However, once they started playing their hyper-alive sound and permeating depth swiftly gathered up the packed crowd. A young, dreadlocked, peasant skirt wearing String Cheese fan told us before the show that she’d never heard a note by Radiohead but was curious based on their rep. A few songs in, having been splendidly tousled by “There There,” “2+2=5″ and a pre-In Rainbows “15 Step,” she bellowed from the back of the huge field, “I like your music!” It was a succinct, heartfelt exclamation and serves to illustrate how intensely moving Radiohead’s music can be. And the band appeared to be just as smitten with the Bonnaroo audience, with frontman Thom Yorke giving as good as he got in a glow stick war and shimmying like a jellyfish that’d just been hit with a car battery. The first encore was almost a second set with eight songs, including a blistering early “Bodysnatchers,” and the second encore delivered us to the celestial plateau of “Everything In Its Right Place.”
Afterwards, Yorke told BBC Radio, “We did this festival called Bonnaroo. We did 2.5 hours. And there’s 80,000 people, admittedly they’ve been smoking the sticky green all day – probably wouldn’t go anywhere anyway. It was just amazing. We played loads of new stuff. We did whole sections of quiet piano songs and it sounds like the most grotesque, self-indulgent nonsense, but it probably is my favourite gig for years and years and years.” (Dennis Cook)
Download Option #1 and Download Option #2
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My Morning Jacket | 12/31/06
The Fillmore | San Francisco, CA
 Photo of My Morning Jacket on 12/31/06 at The Fillmore by Dave Vann |
There have been many epic My Morning Jacket shows over the past decade – their “coming-of-age” afternoon set in the rain of Bonnaroo 2004; their marathon late night set there four years later; the hometown party in Louisville at Waterfront Park in August 2008; and the huge NYE gig a few months later at Madison Square Garden. Any of these concerts could have made our list, but it was MMJ’s New Year’s Eve 2006 run at The Fillmore that takes the cake. The band was experiencing huge growth, both musically and in terms of ticket sales and would soon be dubbed “America’s best live band” by Rolling Stone, LA Weekly and many JamBase writers to name a few. This show put them on one of the most famous stages in the world on the biggest night of them all and they killed it.
The three-night extravaganza culminated in a sprawling NYE celebration that included an ambitious theatrical element inspired by the old video game The Oregon Trail. The mood was built upon a “Donner Party meets Little House On The Prairie” theme with the band dressed as settlers and native Americans, and the spirits came to life with a number of well executed skits that eventually found bassist Two-Tone Tommy coming back from the dead and killing his bandmates in retribution for eating him earlier in the show (food was scarce on the trail). And that was just the backdrop for a night of extremely well played classic Jacket tracks mixed with rare nuggets and a slew of covers including AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long,” Wham’s “Careless Whisper” and Prince’s “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man.” The show was an instant classic. But like most of the bands that really stick with us, a Jacket concert is more than just a rock show. It’s big, heady stuff and has the ability to open us up and help us feel and connect. It’s an experience, and on NYE 2006 My Morning Jacket seized the moment and created something special. What The Fillmore run announced was a world class band with ambitions beyond just performing their songs well. (Kayceman)
JamBase | Happy New Year
Go See Live Music!
Words by: B. Getz | Images by: Allison Murphy & Rob Chapman
Bear Creek Festival :: 11.13.09 – 11.15.09 :: Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park :: Live Oak, FL
 Bear Creek 2009 by Chapman |
The Spirit of The Suwannee Music Park is a celebrated venue amongst Southern festivalgoers‚ and what transpired at the Bear Creek Music Festival 2009 was the funkiest assemblage of artists and audience I can remember in some time – a sonic gumbo of epic proportions. The festival channels the spirit of New Orleans’ Jazz and Heritage Festival mixed with the High Sierra Music Fest, both of which influenced Bear Creek curators Paul Levine and Lyle Williams to develop this fertile scene for all things funk, swamp boogie, jazz‚ and rock. The distinctly Southern Gothic hinterland, complete with boggy lakes and miles of towering pine and oak trees swathed in a fuzzy moss, provides a certifiably invigorating atmosphere. With magical surroundings filled with crazy costumed freaks and dirty, bass-laden rhythms, the place was really happening.
If Levine’s vision set an agenda for Bear Creek at its inception three years ago, then the senseless 2008 murder of native Tallahassee funkateer Rachel Morningstar Hoffman gave the gathering its sense of purpose and its Ner Tamid (Eternal Light). Rachel’s fuzzy, purple top hat is omnipresent on the festival site, and in its collective heart. This great Floridian bash serves as a commemoration of her special life. These disparate energies, juxtaposed, have birthed a jamboree cut from righteous cloth.
 Toubab Krewe :: BC09 by Chapman |
Levine’s motivated staff assembled another phenomenal collection of musicians for 2009. The festival has always been a carnival of funk, but this year Bear Creek upped the ante. The lineup was littered with a who’s who of the NOLA/NYC/Bay Area funk scenes, with an assortment of live electronic artists, roots music favorites, and whoever else seemed to fit on the bill.
The Bear Creek Music Festival 2009 began Thursday night, with a small lineup scheduled to play indoors as campers got settled and the festival underway.
The Pnuma PA set was delivered by bassist/production virtuoso Alex B and Pnuma Trio drummer Lane Shaw, and was a very strong start. Manipulating sounds and beats behind an array of synths, laptops, gadgets, and wielding a bass guitar, Alex B worked the crowd over with a mixture of glitchy tech-step, psilocybin G-funk, and stutter-step beat-science. The duo traversed terrains sensual and sadistic. The highlight for this writer was a crippling remix of the Clipse/Pharrell anthem “Mr. Me Too.
South Florida jammers The Heavy Pets have been a band on steep ascent, and Bear Creek showcased how far the quintet has come in a short couple of years. Thursday’s set at the Music Hall was bursting with force. Guitarists/vocalists Jeff Lloyd and Mike Genius left strong impressions, early and often, and Jim Wuest‘s velvety keyboard flourishes complemented the axe-work. A lengthy, intricate “So Thank You Music” opened new eyes and ears to THP, the reggae-tinged opus bouncing off the hall’s walls, Lloyd’s bug-eyed vocal plump and convincing. The intense, open-ended jam out of “Sleep” knocked a few people over, as in literally off their feet.
A prodigious world-beat collective of players hailing from Asheville, NC, Toubab Krewe blessed early birds with a tremendous performance to close the Music Hall Thursday night. With their huge, swirling psychedelia and intercontinental instrumentation, the rapidly growing crowd was whipped into a whirling dervish during highlight “The Tacomba.”
Friday, 11.13
 Bonerama :: BC09 by Murphy |
Celebrating their Billboard #1 Roots Album, Bonerama dropped a boisterous set at the big stage, mid-afternoon on Friday. Opening with “21st Century Schizoid Man,” then bringing out Fred Wesley on “Shake Your Regulator,” the lively ensemble even debuted a new tune, “Funky Brown Shorts.” The Meters medley was definitely a favorite, and they closed with a Pigpen-styled “Lovelite” with Skerik and Mike Dillon in full effect. This set was obviously led by the stellar brass section, but was also filled with heavy B3 organ. The funky drums were courtesy of Eric Bolivar, who is also touring with another Bear Creek secret, Pimps of Joytime.
This is where the Royal Family throwdown began. Though this crew would assemble variably throughout the weekend, Chapter 2 announced that the Northeast was most definitely in the building. Led by Eric Krasno, joined by Adam Deitch, Nigel Hall, and bassist Louis Cato, Chapter 2 mixed Meters-style funk, Cosmic Slop black rock, and thick jazz grooves for over an hour.
“Be Alright” saw Kraz get really loose, more demonstrative onstage than I ever remember him being. After a few tunes, the core four was joined by Fred Wesley, Kofi Burbridge, Skerik, and The Shady Horns. Throughout their late afternoon set, Chapter 2 delivered monster versions of classics. A thoroughly reworked “Manic Depression” (which appears on Kraz’s new solo CD) absolutely CRUSHED, and displayed even further colors from Kraz, Hall and Deitch. The Beatles’ “Get Back” sounded like late ’60s Blue Note rare groove on roids. Nigel Hall’s absurd Moog/synth game was on full display throughout Chapter 2′s hour of chaos. The set ended with a choice surprise Tears for Fears cover, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” which teased Kanye’s “All Falls Down” throughout.
 Skerik :: BC09 by Murphy |
Skerik and Mike Dillon, both artists-at-large for the weekend, dropped a duo set mid-afternoon Friday. The Frog Brigade freaks mixed drum n’ bass, D.C.-go-go, jazz, punk, and metal. Skerik augmented Dillon’s maniacal rhythms with dubbed out horn chants that recalled Lee Perry’s Arkology. This set was a precursor of things to come.
Other artists-at-large for the weekend included The Shady Horns (Ryan Zoidis and Sam Kininger), and Kofi Burbridge (flute, keys, percussion, and whatever else he saw laying around the stage). These players could be found sitting in with various performers throughout the weekend, making for a NOLA-esque vibe all weekend.
Dubconscious‘ Friday set in the circus tent was unfortunately marred by sound issues and tensions within the band, however, they still impressed many in attendance. Word traveled throughout the festival that their Sunday set would be their final show.
Toubab Krewe picked up where they left off Thursday, wowing everyone with melodies derived from various cultural traditions. Toubab introduced many to their diverse instrumentation, which incorporated kora (a 21-string harp-lute), kamelengoni (a 12-string harp-lute), and soku (a Malian horsehair fiddle), all juxtaposed against two electric guitars, electric bass guitar, trap drum set, and African percussion. This made for two thoroughly enjoyable sets from a band on the rise.
Telepath arrived in Live Oak by way of Philadelphia via Asheville, and though the trio were dressed for a night out in Tel Aviv, their music was ideal for Bear Creek. Initially skeptical, the big block rocking beats and coalition of electronica and arena rock sold this writer early on their late afternoon set. Triggering samples of Arabic vocal chants, tranquil flute loops, and Afrobeat horn stabs, Telepath’s execution and confidence was on point. Curt Heiny‘s rotund bass lines strutted alongside Michael Christie‘s alluring synth loops, all unleashed over Mike B‘s electro-tribal undercurrent. Telepath left the stage to a roar from the Purple Hat Tent massive.
 Trombone Shorty :: BC09 by Murphy |
Greenville, SC trio The Malah, three time Bear Creek alum, delivered their spacey mid-tempo electronica to rabid ravers twice this weekend. A psychedelic crystallization of youth and technology, this trio expanded on last year’s campsite sonic horizons, channeling the likes of Massive Attack and Orbital while developing their own sound to fantastic response. Both sets this year garnered rave reviews.
New Orleans lady killer Trombone Shorty brought his razor-sharp band Orleans Avenue to the Uncle Charlie Stage, delivering a high energy gig heavy on brass with a vast bottom end. Shorty and Co. mixed today’s pop music trends with classic R&B themes, all the while keeping things NOLA to the core. Shorty fancies himself a sex symbol, overtly playing to the ladies, and this day was no different. He played various instruments besides trombone and bounced around the stage with vigor. Aggressive funk begat sultry crooning all steeped in the sound of a Second Line running down the street. Troy Andrews piloted his jubilant troupe with a brashness that was infections.
In the circus tent, Philadelphia’s Lotus bestowed a mind blowing set of organic drum & bass, live breakbeat, and dark, distorted jamming. Often the bass took a backseat to the music’s melodic enterprises. Jazz poked its head in a few places, particularly when Lotus slowed the tempos. There was a distinct jamming element throughout their set, and it felt as if the band at times was trying to service different audiences simultaneously, which occasionally bogged things down. Mike Greenfield (formerly of The Ally), more than ably filled in on drums, rolling away with reckless abandon, bringing that Philly jump-up. Jesse and Luke Miller on bass and guitar, respectively, unleashed torrid assaults. The Millers built tension/release in an economic fashion. Luke also employed emotive guitar solos, flaunting disparate styles like flamenco and shred-metal. Percussionist Chuck Morris navigated this tightrope at a feverish pace. The collective Lotus sound was extremely dynamic, utilizing complex layering, underneath accessible melodies. Highlights included “Suitcases and Sandwiches” (with the studio intro) and the closing “Hammerstrike” and “Spiritualize” with distinct Fleetwood Mac teases.
 Robert Walter :: BC09 by Murphy |
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe‘s first appearance at BC09 was Friday night at the Big IV Stage, and the entire set included guest percussionist Mike Dillon, who toured with KDTU for over two years. The band ran through a strong set, mixing older rarities like “Make it a Cosmopolitan” with newer material from the recently released Brother’s Keeper. Denson welcomed Greyboy Allstars bandmate Robert Walter on organ for a scorching “The Answer,” and local guitar prodigy Matt Grondin came up for the Afrobeat inspired “Freedom.” A rearrangement of classic KDTU track “Fallin’” was unveiled to mixed results. One of the more robust new tunes was the reggae-tinged “Mighty Rebel,” with its lover’s rock tempo and Dean Fraser style horns. KDTU teased a taste of the funkiness to come with a stock cover of the immortal Jackson 5 track “Dancing Machine.”
One of the more low-profile performances of the weekend was the Friday night set from 3rd Stone, a Gainesville-area reggae/funk/rock group. The young phenoms, joined by Fred Wesley and keyboardist Bernie Worrell, delivered a choice cover of Worrell-era Talking Heads tune “Crosseyed and Painless.”
The producer/live drummer electro duo Break Science, with Adam Deitch on drums and Borahm Lee on laptop and keys, produced a performance designed as a live hip hop mix tape. Deitch and Lee plays the roles of producer, programmer, and composer, unveiling sonic layers that run circles around many of the other electronic artists that permeate the scene. Break Science effortlessly navigated neck-snapping boom-bap, glitch, broken-beat, dub, drum & bass and hip hop. Deitch seized the moment and, with Lee in tow, put on a colossal display of sonic eruption. Lee mixed and matched samples and synths wedded to Deitch’s wicked breaks. No doubt the highlight of this set, “Cycletron/Harmonic” was a dark, sinister break that featured the late, great Notorious B.I.G. rhyming over superb production from Lee and filthy Deitch.
 Lettuce :: BC09 by Chapman |
Speaking of Deitch, one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend was Friday’s Lettuce late set. Needless to say, my memory is a little fuzzy on this one, and my chicken scratch notes weren’t much help. Dropping standout tracks from last year’s impressive Rage, Lettuce may have been down a couple members (Adam Smirnoff is on tour with Lady Gaga, Sam Kininger missed his flight and arrived Saturday, and E.D. Coomes was M.I.A.) but the Beantown/NYC clan more than made up for it with sit-ins from percussionists Chuck Prada and Mike Dillon, as well as a star-powered turn from superstar Nigel Hall. This man channels the spirit of James Brown like no other performer I have ever witnessed. His jolt of energy and stage presence transforms the band and the room; he is announced with grandeur and takes the stage draped head to toe in all white. When leading the crowd through a Curtis Mayfield medley, the man was a picture of glory. Several more Godfather-of-Soul grooveathons ensued, with Deitch doing his best Big Man Clyde as keyboardist Neal Evans pummeled with vicious left-handed organ-bass, rocking pedals and drawbars like a madman. Louis Cato filled in capably on rhythm guitar, and The Shady Horns stepped up with big ol’ JB’s horn breaks. The shit was ON! Think a couple thousand freaks wylin’ out at BC09′s first late night show, everybody onstage with big chips on their shoulders and the chops to match, and consider the Deitch factor. It was basically 75-plus minutes of four-to-the-floor funk n’ brass that exploded through the circus tent roof and into the heavens.
As the campers descended into the Suwannee woods, parties sprung up all over the campsites. Jacksonville Beach’s dubstep scientists Greenhouse Lounge erected a stage and huge tent deep in the forest and raved to throngs of revelers till nearly 7 a.m. The Heavy Pets’ bassist Justin Carney sat in for almost two hours of continual breakbeat insanity. GHL bassist Dave McSweeney and his Greenhouse cohorts would also play a music hall set later in the weekend.
Continue reading for Saturday’s coverage of Bear Creek…
Saturday, 11.14
 Bear Creek 2009 by Chapman |
Fashionable folk-rocker Ryan Montbleau got things started Saturday with a breezy set of acoustic driven rock, blue-eyed soul, and bluesy Americana. Poetic and personal, Montbleau delivered sets twice over the weekend, with Saturday’s highlighted by originals “Grain of Sand,” “75 and Sunny,” and an arrangement of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows.”
KDTU drummer John Staten unveiled his solo project On The One early Saturday to those who were up and about. The performance featured tracks from their debut record, Love Addiction.
Zach Deputy seemed to be playing somewhere at all times. A regional mainstay, Deputy performed at the Campsite Stage as well as during changeovers in the Purple Hat Tent. Deputy is a huge part of the Bear Creek experience, and his trademark ‘hoot’ loop could be heard reverberating throughout the woods all weekend. Deputy’s falsetto, looped-up tropical flavors, and sharp acoustic guitar patterns earned him even more fans at BC09.
Austin, Texas veteran Papa Mali is always a favorite in the swampy confines of the Suwannee. On this afternoon Mali would be backed by a crack-band of Galactic‘s Stanton Moore and Robert Mercurio, as well as Fred Wesley, Bernie Worrell, and The Shady Horns. Exploiting these riches, Mali let loose with his countrified, backwoods-blues and a little Cajun-fried Texas tango for the funk n’ jammers sprawled across the lawn.
 Papa Mali & Moore :: BC09 by Chapman |
Jacksonville Beach buzz band Saltwater Grass delivered their sun-baked Southern redneck boogie to faithful local devotees and first timers alike. A blend of early Panic and Stevie Ray Vaughn spiced with surfer slack attitude, the boys applied a jazzy sensibility to their Southern rock in the Music Hall.
The Heavy Pets returned to the stage on Saturday with a blistering set of aggressive jam-rock and progressive material that clearly shows how far the band has grown from its humble beginnings. Highlights included the infectious opener “Help Me Help You,” “Kavorka,” and “Holy Holy.” The future looks bright for these Broward County young’ins.
Robert Walter‘s acrobatic handiwork propelled the 20th Congress through diverse original material culled from various 20th Congress and solo/trio efforts. The reemergence of former RW20 percussionist Chuck Prada beefed up their sound and added a healthy dynamic to the West Coast boogaloo. But the player who complemented Walter most was his longtime foil Cheme Gastelum, whose bright saxophonics and cool-is-back vibe were a welcome departure from the intensity found in other sets. RW20 was a perfect afternoon jam.
Steve Kimock Crazy Engine was another refreshing breather from the uncompromising funk and electronica. Kimock’s set was perfect for a heavenly autumn afternoon. Ably augmented by Jerry Garcia Band organist Melvin Seals and son John Morgan Kimock, Kimock unveiled an arsenal of guitars with such harmonious tones that Crazy Engine delved into 75 minutes of transcendental bliss. Highlights of the midday set included “A New Africa,” an animated “That’s What Love Will Make You Do,” “Three Days More,” and set closer “Crazy Engine,” the latter featuring pedal steel guitarist Roosevelt Collier of The Lee Boys.
 Steve Kimock Crazy Engine :: BC09 by Chapman |
It was barely approaching dusk when Garage a Trois set about blowing the roof off the Purple Hat Tent, the site of many incredible performances. Now thoroughly comfortable with his role, keyboardist extraordinaire Marco Benevento took the lead early and often. Benevento was operating primarily on Hammond B3 organ, with Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and a laptop amongst his arsenal of weaponry. Drummer Stanton Moore glued things together; the lone cool, calm, and collected band member. Skerik dug deep into his demonic persona, unleashing a myriad of frenetic solos, colors, and echoes, while Mike Dillon went for broke with punked-up percussion and staggering vibraphone runs. The GAT set was comprised primarily of songs from their newest CD, Power Patriot, as well as a couple selections from Marco’s solo offerings. New track “Fat Redneck Gangster” could not have been more apropos for an inland Northern Florida audience, and was a riotous display of spastic limbs. Garage a Trois is boldly getting back to the cacophony of their early Tipitina’s Uptown days. Moore then bottled up this rambunctious energy and toted it over to the Uncle Charlie Stage for the first of two Galactic sets.
After the Kimock set Roosevelt Collier could be found sitting in with Galactic, along with Mike Dillon on percussion and Robert Walter on organ. The Galactic boys reached back to yesteryear with older favorites “Crazyhorse Mongoose,” “Garbage Truck,” and “Baker’s Dozen.” More recent numbers like “Boe Money” displayed the crew’s recent development. Corey Henry, (trombonist of Rebirth Brass Band) has been touring with Galactic for over a year; on this day Henry stole the show. He led Second Line chants, comically introduced band members, and covered Rakim’s “Paid in Full” verbatim. Henry could be found climbing speakers and stage-diving throughout both of Galactic’s sets, as well as battling sax player Ben Ellman every other song. Galactic answered the bell at Bear Creek, squashing any talk about the ‘Galactic Prophylactic’ falling off in any way.
 Corey Henry – Galactic :: BC09 by Murphy |
About this time, things got really hairy in terms what to see versus what to miss. At their first set of the fest, Dumpstaphunk began with “Living in a World Gone Mad” and “Meantime,” and got Dirty South down from the jump. During their set, there were seemingly endless sit-ins, most notably Derek Trucks, Kofi Burbridge, The Shady Horns, and Skerik. Nigel Hall got his Mick Jagger on, fittingly, with a primo cover of The Rolling Stones’ Some Girls classic “Miss You,” perhaps the funkiest song the Stones ever dropped.
At this juncture, your humble narrator made what can only be described as an executive decision: I left the Big IV Stage amidst the aforementioned parade of champions. Despite how hot the jam was getting, it was a bit similar to the epic collaborations of Bear Creek ’08.
As he left the stage after their PA set Thursday night, Pnuma Trio‘s Alex B gregariously promised lots of entirely new music for Saturday’s Purple Hat Tent set. The proclamation was full of unadulterated enthusiasm, a decision made of sound mind.
“We haven’t really played as Pnuma Trio in Florida for quite awhile,” Alex B explained, “and recently [with] so much new music, both from me personally, and us as a group, I am really trying to decide what material is right for the band and our newer directions, and what I will use for my project, Lipp Service, or whatever. Even though Bear Creek is primarily a funk festival, I/we felt that the massive/crowd/audience is so cultured and open-minded [that] it was a perfect opportunity to deliver a full taste of what Pnuma has in store for 2010.”
The now Boulder-based trio kicked things off with a volcanic “More Samples,” and the Pnuma massive was deeply ensconced from jump-street, like one large tribal ritual. Soon “Variations” gave way to “Spain,” which in turn led to a brand-new Alex B conception. The band let loose emphatically behind his new creations, and seamlessly oozed into “When I’m Leaving,” yet another slice of fresh fruit from the Botwin/Hazelgrove tree. “Off-Balance,” from their latest release, Character, manifested a rumbling roller, with Shaw roaming a jungle landscape with joyful recklessness and Alex B’s bass lines, triggers, and synthesized juno-rolls rumbling beneath as Ben Hazelgrove‘s textures wove an electric afghan of sonic color.
 Derek Trucks w/ Lettuce :: BC09 by Murphy |
With a nod to their roots, Pnuma reached back for the seminal “Bufkins Tank,” a number that showcased their formerly jazzy, experimental origins. Mostly, Pnuma Trio’s set was brimming over with sampler-processed vocals, deep dub bass lines, oscillating elements of broken beat and blip-hop; in short, a synchronicity of ethereal soundscapes that achieved particular resonance. Far and away, the single most impressive electronic music performance of the weekend.
Lettuce also delivered a bombastic Saturday evening set at the Big IV Stage, this time calling out an army of guests to sit-in and wow an already impressed Bear Creek massive. Unlike their Friday show, Dumpsta’s Ian Neville joined Lettuce on guitar for the entire set, but unfortunately bassist E.D. “Jesus” Coomes was conspicuously absent again. Neal Evans handled bass duties on organ with his vicious left hand. Opening with the colossal trifecta of Rage-era tracks “Salute,” “Last Suppit,” and “Sam Huff’s Flying Ragin’ Machine,” Lettuce came out the gate swingin’ like late ’80s Mike Tyson. Adam Deitch’s drumming during this particular opening stretch was, to put it plainly, absolutely disgusting. The kid is just inhuman at times; he made the sea of heads bob like emergency brakes. A touching Dilla tribute, “Mr. Yancey,” featured great horn layering, fat-ass synth-bass and organ from Evans, and a critical beatdown from Deitch on the kit.
To close the performance, Lettuce welcomed friends Kofi Burbridge and Derek Trucks onstage to reprise last year’s epic collaboration, with the now-swollen band playing “Make My Way Back Home,” which was highlighted by a steamy axe-duel between Kraz and Trucks. At one point, I counted twelve players onstage, including those mentioned already plus John Staten and Rashawn Ross; apparently nobody wanted to miss out on the rage! Nearly everyone knew what was on deck when Nigel Hall was ushered onstage to scores of screams, hoots, and hollers. Again freshly dipped in white on white, Hall proceeded to croon the Curtis Mayfield tandem “We’re a Winner” > “Move on Up,” with Trucks’ slide wailing soulfully away, his sweet tones mellifluous and joyful.
 B. Barr – The Slip :: BC09 by Chapman |
Though I had anticipated becoming reacquainted with The Slip, their set time was difficult to catch due to the host of other performers who were simultaneously onstage elsewhere. This Jazz Fest-esque conundrum unfortunately cost me nearly all of The Slip’s performance on Saturday. Mixing songs from their two most recent studio efforts, Eisenhower (2006) and Angels Come on Time (2002), The Slip’s reemergence was long overdue, but unfortunately the slotting made it difficult to reconnect with the avant-indie trio.
The New Mastersounds final U.S. dates of 2009 landed the Brits in Live Oak for two shows, and they continued to impress Americans with their clean, pure, and faithful rare-grooves. From the opening number, “Coming Up Roses,” the band was firing on all cylinders with their vintage Blue Note sound. With a style that would make Rudy Van Gelder proud, the Mastersounds broke it down to basics with a simplistic approach to improvisational music seldom chosen today. Guitarist Eddie Roberts displayed a Grant Green-esque virtuoso as he and B3 bully Joe Tatton torched the Uncle Charlie Stage. Trombonist Fred Wesley hopped up for a tune, and later Skerik displayed his jazz roots and joined in on the fun with sparkling sax solos. The road-weathered lads brought it all back home with the walloping caboose of “One Note Brown, Parts I and II.” Festivalgoers could be overheard all weekend singing the praises of these prodigal U.K. sons.
Initially billed as a Saturday night mystery set, Soulive took the tent stage just after 11 p.m. Drummer Alan Evans had flown in from New York just before showtime. The Brothers Evans and Kraz donned their trademark dark suits, with the guitarist ditching his trademark Kangol for a fedora, and assumed their positions. A throbbing “Steppin” opened the festivities. Immediately, Neal Evans’ left hand commandeered the ship. Seemingly awoken from their lengthy slumber, the trio tore through classics “Uncle Junior” and “So Live,” vintage Soulive tracks recalling their Velour period. To say the band had not sounded this inspired, loose, and downright nasty in six or seven years would not be an exaggeration.
 Soulive :: BC09 by Chapman |
The Shady Horns soon got involved – Sam and Zwad toured with the 2002 Soulive Revue – and the big horn leads atop an enthralling “El Ron” shifted things into another gear entirely. The Evans brothers stomped and strutted along, as Kraz ripped sweet hollow-body leads. A neck-snapper break propelled the gluttonous outro jam that saw Kininger, Zoidis, and Kofi Burbridge get busy as the grandiose climax closed “El Ron” with authority. The superstar Mr. Nigel Hall was again introduced to much fanfare. He took the stage with swagger and owned that shit immediately. Soon, Hall had the entire tent eating out of the palm of his hand with his incredibly soulful voice and powerful stage presence. A screaming “Too Much,” the Hall/Soulive collabo, dripped ’68 JB’s. When the horns came in on the one with razor sharp precision the funk was simply too much to stand! What followed was a NOLA-meets-go-go cover of the ageless MAZE classic “Joy & Pain” (yep, the EZ-Rock/Rob Base sample), which pushed many over the edge. For a moment there I was transported to the Congo Square Stage with Frankie Beverly & Co. sweating in the Crescent City heat.
Hall then cozied up to the mic stand like the Godfather himself, half-open stance, one knee quivering along with the hi-hat. With a gangsta lean, trademark James Brown gesticulations, spastic squeals, Hall’s Godfatherisms had military precision. This was the Dark Star Orchestra of a James Brown experience. “Licking Stick” > “There Was A Time” > “Goodfoot” > “I Feel Alright” was an eight-plus minute relentless throwdown. Hall was even calling out the hits, the stops, and signals with little more than a shrug or a twitch. It’s safe to say that after Reggie Watts and later Toussaint, Soulive has finally found a frontman.
 The Duo :: BC09 by Chapman |
Nigel Hall, the Shady Horns, Kofi, and Dubconscious trombonist John Lloyd relinquished the stage back to the trio for a triple encore. And what an encore it would be. First it was more Beatles with a rearranged “Eleanor Rigby” done jazzy drum and bass, breakbeat style with clean, emotional licks from Kraz. That banger segued directly into another timeless Fab Four cover, a crunchy, distortion-laden, Band of Gypsys styled “She’s So Heavy (I Want You),” which saw the same aggressiveness Kraz brought to “Manic Depression” a day earlier. The set could have ended right there, but the trio graciously invited Karl Denson onstage for a tenor sax workout, another harbinger for the funk still to come. At this moment I caught a glimpse of fest curator Paul Levine in full Bill Graham mode, side stage, viewing the carnival he had so masterfully created with an enormous grin.
Though their Saturday night time slot left a bit to be desired, the Benevento/Russo Duo made the most of their appearance at Bear Creek. The North Jersey bred wrecking crew laid down extensive, mind-bending arrangements of tracks from their vast catalog. Cacophonous compositions like the seminal “Becky” saw drummer Joe Russo get busy on his wooden percussion boxes near his trap set. Marco Benevento was a mad scientist, spinning between a Hammond B4 plug-in, Fender Rhodes, and a laptop containing samples of many toys he has accumulated through the past few years. When “The Three Question Marks” segued perfectly into “Impact,” The Duo shattered any sense of categorization that one may be tempted to apply to their art.
Next, the long awaited return of the late night funk champ and his posse was upon us. After some nagging sound issues (one of few complaints for the entire weekend; it seemed sound issues dogged every third band in the tent), KDTU took the late night stage and ran thru a stout boogaloo that served as de facto soundcheck and allowed the crowd to prepare for the forthcoming onslaught. Suddenly, the lights went out and familiar synth chords unveiled “Thriller.” The vast, crowded, and dank circus tent grew dark and the costume-clad freaks got dirty. “Thriller’s” lengthy outro-jam was a raucous hoedown, as Chris Stillwell, Staten, Brian Jordan, and keyboardist David Veith laid down the Quincy Jones base while Denson and Chris Littlefield got their King of Pop on, video dance moves and all. The Tiny Universe didn’t come up for air, diving headfirst into a gigantic version of Band of Gypsys’ “Power of Soul,” a longtime set staple that kept the energy level at a fevered pitch. Brian Jordan was wailing away on a green Gibson SG, while Staten channeled his inner Buddy Miles, the hard-hitting skins steering the vessel.
 Karl D :: BC09 by Murphy |
And the haymakers just kept on flying from the stage, first with more Michael Jackson with a spunky, harmonious “Pretty Young Thing (PYT),” which segued flawlessly into the flute-driven title track of Denson’s 2002 Blue Note solo album, Dance Lesson #2. An exercise in dexterity, this number shifted the KDTU paradigm back towards jazz; only to have Denson direct the troops back to finish “PYT.” A succulent “Cool Is Back” brought back the plump West Coast boogaloo at its finest, with Veith’s bubbling B3 washing Stillwell’s nimble bass lines. Denson, Littlefield, and Jordan passed the jam around the horn during this unadulterated acid jazz showing.
At this juncture, Karl D dropped the bomb. “Groove On” has long been the anchor of this band, a Jazz Fest anthem harking back to halcyon late night shows deep in the Quarter. Subtle accents and communal focus has always been a hallmark of the Tiny Universe, and Staten added a certain flair with electro handclaps during the verses, while Littlefield chimed in falsetto vocal harmonies on each bridge (“even giants…)”. Brian Jordan’s funky chicken scratch guitar strutted along, paced perfect for skanking. At this moment, as the magical brass head atop the “Groove On” outro-jam soared skyward, the Purple Hat Tent detonated. I mean it exploded! For the very first time since Karl Denson reformed his squadron nearly a year ago, the heavyweight champs of the late night funk finally reached the nasty disposition that had first crowned them kings many Jazz Fest moons ago. The lucky Bear Creek ’09 faithful were again treated to something special – the reawakening of a giant.
“Rumpwinder,” Denson’s saucy update of the Lee Morgan chestnut “The Sidewinder,” was rotund rare-groove that served as shelter from the atomic bomb that preceded it. The Dance Lesson #2 track was a playful romp that showcased fine trumpet work from Littlefield, clean hollow-body axe-manship from Jordan, and superb flute from Denson.
KDTU briefly left the stage at quarter till 4 a.m., but swiftly returned to deliver a two song encore. “Shake it Out,” also played on Friday, was a slice of adult-contemporary R&B. Disappointing, but short. But we all know that Denson would “neva go out like that, out like a sucka” (EPMD), and he did no such thing at BC09. For a grand finale, KDTU unleashed a colossal rendition of the title track to their new record, Brother’s Keeper. “Part I” called to mind Earth, Wind & Fire with stirring vocal harmonies on the chorus wedded to brilliant brass leads for a intoxicating mix. “Brother’s Keeper Part II” was chock-full of pimp-slappin’ swagger, KDTU’s rugged funk calisthenics on torrid display. Jordan’s dirty minor chords and Staten’s tent-quaking thump directed the chunky groove, and Karl D blessed us with one final majestic throw down. Have mercy!
As he left the stage and headed for the tour van, I grabbed Chris Littlefield and asked him what he thought about the festival and their performance.
“This shit is off the hook yo! Off. The. Hook,” said Littlefield.
Continue reading for Sunday’s coverage of Bear Creek…
Sunday, 11.15
 Dubconscious :: BC09 by Chapman |
Avis Berry’s Soul Revue was a great Sunday sermon, with gospel tinged blues and soul. Berry is a magnanimous singer, and she was joined by The Shady Horns, Skerik, Burbridge, and Scott Campbell. The highlight was a sharp cover of the Stevie Wonder/Rufus gem “Tell Me Something Good.”
Dubconscious took the stage to a thunderous ovation Sunday afternoon, and bandleader Adrian Zelski announced that this would be the band’s final performance. An original ingredient to the Bear Creek stew, this news was met with tears from many in the audience and backstage. A powerful version of their strongest original, “Serious Times,” and a vintage Gladiator’s tune were the vehicles Solomon Wright, James Keane, John Lloyd and Zelski rode off into the sunset with. At Bear Creek, and all over the Southeast, Dubconscious will be missed. Namaste.
Like Zach Deputy the day before, Nathan Moore warmed up the circus tent stage between artists all afternoon. Mixing folk tunes and acoustic prowess with measured poetics, Moore made many new fans during his weekend at the ‘Wanee. Moore also performed a set with The Slip as the collaborative Surprise Me Mr. Davis, where all four members dressed in black tie garb and delivered potent, emotive indie-folk to those who needed a breather from the funk assault.
 Surprise Me Mr. Davis :: BC09 by Murphy |
Galactic took to the Big IV Stage on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. In between New Orleans Saints chants, Ellman and Henry worked Drew Brees (Saints QB) cheers into and between songs. Stanton Moore was fiery behind the kit, standing on his stool and creating his patented syncopated bop beneath the rumblings of bassist Rob Mercurio and guitarist Tim Raines. The band welcomed Dubconscious trombonist John Lloyd to the stage, and he promptly engaged in a bone-battle with Corey Henry. Later, Raines and Moore could be found slaying Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” while keyboardist Rich Vogel channeled the lyrical Robert Plant melodies. The NOLA stalwarts then brought out JJ Grey of Mofro for a spirited rendition of “Sympathy for the Devil.” The band closed things out for their weekend with a little help from NOLA royalty Ivan Neville on set closer “Hercules.”
Dr. Claw was the penultimate scheduled performance for Bear Creek 2009, and like last year’s appearance, was certainly a highlight of the weekend. The all star collective is an amalgam of NOLA and NYC, including bassist Nick Daniels and Ian Neville of Dumpstaphunk, Adam Deitch, Nigel Hall and Eric Krasno of Lettuce, as well as Kofi Burbridge in for Big Sam. This collaboration usually occurs at Jazz Fest or in NYC, but Paul Levine makes it happen each year right here at Bear Creek. Needless to say, the performance was littered with guests, and had several moments of grandeur, not the least of which was a Daniels led march thru Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” so wicked it would have made Flea blush. The Dr. Claw set ended with possibly the finest song performed over the entire weekend. Joined by The Shady Horns, Skerik, John Lloyd, and a few others, Dr. Claw uncorked a colossal take on the Head Hunters’ opus “Hang Up Your Hang Ups.” No superlative that I could possibly apply would do justice to this malevolent creation. Filthy, sordid drums from Deitch laid an undercurrent for Nigel to get his Herbie on proper, with Nick Daniels nailing the Paul Jackson bass mechanics with vigor. A cadre of turgid, grandiose horns rose to levels previously unattained this weekend. To the eyes and ears of your humble narrator, this very song was the zenith of Bear Creek 2009.
 Dumpstaphunk :: BC09 by Murphy |
Dumpstaphunk actually had to take the stage after Dr. Claw and close the festival. If there was anybody up for the challenge, it is the Neville family and their cohorts. Ivan, Ian, and the rest of D-Phunk did their best to move things along, and “Turn This Thing Around” was quite enjoyable. JJ Grey emerged for the Sly Stone chestnut “Thank You (Fa Lettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)” and the scene turned into a family affair. Apparently applying the credo, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” D-Phunk invited the remaining members of the Royal Family onstage for one more incestuous romp through James Brown classics, this time finding Nigel belting out a powerful “Soul Power” and a hedonistic “Superbad.” Superstardom is on the horizon for Mr. Nigel Hall.
As the Festival wound down, Mr. Levine had one last treat in store for those of us who had stuck around until late Sunday night: The annual staff and artists party at the Treehouse, a veritable residence built into the side of a bunch of oak trees, with a stage and large fenced in yard. After Tallahassee Southern rockers Stillwood played a set, Levine arranged for a conglomerate of hangers-on to take the stage for a final jam. Again, Eric Krasno, Adam Deitch, and Nigel Hall took command, grooving out the final stretch alongside the likes of John Lloyd, The Slip’s Brad Barr, and a host of others.
While the Sweetwater kegs, good vibes, and tears of joy flowed, I took some time to reflect on both the magic and the madness. The dark Florida night turned icy cold, the wind whipped as campfires crackled and slowly burned to soot, but the Spirit of the Suwannee, Bear Creek, and the inimitable “Purple Hatter” was never as heart-warming as on this autumn Sunday night.
I give the final word to Paul Levine, the man behind what makes this fest so incredibly special.
“The reason Bear Creek works and flows so well is because of our dedicated and experienced staff. This team, which has been together now for a number of years, loves each other and the music scene as a whole, and understands how to work together for a common goal,” said Levine. “The Bear Creek family takes pride in doing an exceptional job. No one wants to let each other, the artists, the fans, or the community down. This type of dedication, love, and teamwork translates into a very warm and creative environment.”
JamBase | Florida
Go See Live Music!
Words by: Jake Krolick | Images by: Jake Krolick & Allison Murphy
Gov’t Mule :: 10.31.09 :: Tower Theater :: Philadelphia, PA
 Gov’t Mule :: 10.31 :: Philadelphia by Krolick |
Chaos from the previous evening had yet to be stuffed back into the hole that it crawled out from. You could gauge the craziness of this year’s Halloween in several ways. One way was hop into the back seat of a cab early the next morning and find it filled with the putrid stink of an evening of over-indulgence and what appeared to be the remains of some spooky rice dish regurgitated in the vilest of manners. The cabby apologized in a heavy Indian accent saying, “Crazy night in the city man.” It’s the kind of evening you would imagine Mick Jagger and Keith Richards shared more than once in their heydays. I’m sure that the band members from Gov’t Mule had also danced with that kind of devil before, but you don’t hear about Danny Louis snorting his dad’s ashes cut with a line of coke. Sure, Warren Haynes is a stud on the guitar, but the ladies aren’t exactly tossing their panties at him like they did with Jagger. However, what Gov’t Mule lacked in quintessential Rolling Stones rock star unruliness they compensated for in their musicianship. It just made sense that Gov’t Mule covered the Rolling Stones when you listen to how deeply both bands are rooted in American blues and R&B. No, it was not quite the death defying genre leap heard at previous Halloweens, but their performance was well executed and Matt Abts take on “Shattered” was more fun than a barrel of monkeys!
 Greene :: 10.31 by Murphy |
The setlist onstage gave away the trick before the treat. Someone had created it and then changed their minds. Instead of waiting to cover the Rolling Stones during the second set at the Tower Theater, they jumped right in and played the second set first. We were treated to 12 first time played Rolling Stones covers spanning from the classic 1971 album Sticky Fingers to 1978′s Some Girls, and all that was around and in between. Lending Gov’t Mule a hand was guitarist/vocalist Jackie Greene and saxophonist Steve Elson. The set they unveiled proved that all of the musicians onstage were capable of handling multiple duties.
Haynes and Greene tackled the intricate Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood manner of weaving rhythm and lead guitar, while both clearly expressed their own stylistic flourishes. Greene took Keith Richards’ playing style and smoothed out the edges, while Haynes’ slide work was more a cross between Brian Jones and Ronnie Wood. Mule’s frontman was no Mick Jagger, and opener “Under My Thumb” lacked the song’s classic kick as the show took flight. Boundless pompous rock attitude and stage swagger did not suddenly emerge from the relatively subdued Haynes, whose first set was strongly played but found him staying out of the limelight while he let two of his bandmates strut their stuff. The haphazard beginnings fell away by the fourth song when Danny Louis traded spots with Greene for “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’.” Louis played a raw, gutsy guitar that was cranked full blast as he shimmied back and forth between Haynes and bassist Jorgen Carlsson. His Richards-like leg bends, power chords, and plethora of rock & roll faces were just the catalyst needed to get the Tower shaking.
Greene was good for a backing vocal on “Angie,” as Haynes wrapped his patient tones around the chorus in his unique way of singing every word like each of us were a lone audience member and he was talking directly to us. Greene earned his keep on a majestic version of “Ventilator Blues” as he traded guitar licks with Haynes before switching gears to work the harmonica. The action shifted quickly as Louis traded trumpet blows with Greene’s harp and Elson’s sax. Louis’ hands never left the keys as they did a dirty dance that really knocked our boots around. By all accounts, it’s doubtful The Rolling Stones themselves sounded this good when they played the Tower in 2002.
 Abts & Greene :: 10.31 by Murphy |
By the middle of the first set all bets were off as Matt Abts ran out from behind his kit to play the role of Jagger on “Shattered.” Carlsson rotated into Abts’ spot on drums while Louis slapped the bass. Abts’ imitation of Mick Jagger was so fucking awesome that if you just caught one song all evening it should have been “Shattered.” Just seeing Abts do Jagger’s chicken strut back and forth across the stage in his tight white pants and black kneepads was priceless. Sure, his singing wasn’t perfect, but when he yanked a banana out of his crotch and sang, “Look at me, I’m in tatters,” we lost our shit. It was comedic and rocking all at the same time, and it showcased some seldom seen musical abilities within Abts, Carlsson, and Louis.
Gov’t Mule had teased “Play With Fire” the night before and they set aside their reggae take to keep the set steeped in the Stones’ classic rock sound. Greene’s added harmonies and Louis’ bravado on keys matched the hard-hitting bass pokes that Carlsson was tossing out. The Carlsson-era Mule has all the crudeness and excitement of the Allen Woody days without sounding like a step in reverse. The balcony was swaying and bouncing hard as Haynes steered us into “Paint it Black.” Drinks sitting on the edge of the balcony were actually sloshing in their cups. Haynes finished The Rolling Stones anthem with a simple shout to the audience, “This is what we call Mule-o-ween.” If only Abts had stepped back out for “Bitch” then that old outspoken lady of a song would have spread her legs wide and our costumed crowd would have charged right in. No matter, the second Haynes and Louis got their hands on “Brown Sugar” all was good as they faked an ending and gave us another round of house light flashes, arm waves, and sing-a-long (“I say yeah, yeah, yeah, WOOO!) to finish the set.
The cheers started to dissipate as we wandered through a sea of red and white Phillies garb. Those who chose to put the game aside and live in the moment of the concert were the lucky ones. Gov’t Mule’s new album, By A Thread (released October 26 on Evil Teen Records), was fresh on the record shelves as Haynes and crew dug through six tracks, including an extremely inspired “Monday Mourning Meltdown.” This new bit of Gov’t Mule peculiarity featured everything from Louis’ jazzy key work to Haynes’ thickly textured, head-throbbing guitar. He extended a peaking jam in around the fifth minute of the song that made me wonder where his wild, howling Gibson guitar had been earlier in the evening. His left hand bent the strings as his right played out some acrobatic fly swats that set the jam on fire. It was the first real face-scrunch I had seen from his lion-like mug all night.
 Warren Haynes :: 10.31 :: Philadelphia by Krolick |
The extended intro to “Blind Man in the Dark” had a bit of a Dr. John “Walk on Guilded Splinters” echo, complete with Louis’ eerie, Thriller-like sound effects. This was the longest, most experimental jam of the evening, and even though its predecessors would be more talked about, it featured some of the best playing buried within its well-constructed walls. Abts switched the grip on his drumsticks and started a snazzy little shuffle on his cymbals as Louis and Elson worked out a stellar bit of bebop that ached to be a new fangled Peanuts theme song. The backset trio ripped the center of the song clear out and jazzed up the jam proper.
“Going Out West” could have been spotted from miles away with its familiar, flamboyant sounding low end intro. Haynes’ Peter Gunn tease was just more candy in the bag as he pummeled costumed fans with the Spy Hunter theme song. The crowd that had been perched out in the hallways watching the game now raced back in for the colossal encore as a cover of T. Rex‘s classic “Bang A Gong” launched us back into raucous Halloween fun. It wasn’t a Rolling Stones cover, but the Chuck Berry inspired ditty fit well inside that realm of inspiration that drove The Rolling Stones. The transition back into “Going Out West” rumbled as Gov’t Mule sent us out with a huge finale to another memorable Mule-o-ween filled with love and hope and sex and dreams.
Gov’t Mule :: 10.31.09 :: Tower Theater :: Philadelphia, PA
Set I: (full set with Jackie Greene) Under My Thumb*, Monkey Man*, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo*$, Can’t You Hear Me, Knockin’*$, Angie*, Ventilator Blues*$, Shattered*$ (with Matt on lead vocal, Danny on bass & Jorgen on drums), Wild Horses, Slave*$, Gimme Shelter*$, Play With Fire, Paint It Black*, Bitch*$, Brown Sugar*$
Set II: Steppin’ Lightly, Broke Down On The Brazos, Railroad Boy > Monday Mourning Meltdown > Forevermore, Frozen Fear > Brighter Days > Blind Man In The Dark$
Encore: (Encore with Jackie Greene) Goin’ Out West$ (with Peter Gunn tease) > Bang A Gong (Get It On)$ > Goin’ Out West$
* 1st Time Played
$ with Steve Elson
Continue reading for more images of Mule on Halloween…
Images by: Jake Krolick
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JamBase | Philly
Go See Live Music!
Words by: Alex Nief | Images by: JC McIlwaine
Sam Roberts Band :: 09.24.09 :: Blender Theatre at Gramercy :: New York, NY
 Sam Roberts Band :: 09.24.09 :: NYC |
If one were to scour the landscape of popular music today, they would be hard pressed to find a better representation of the rapidly evolving industry than the Sam Roberts Band. Roberts emerged on the Canadian scene in dramatic fashion in 2002 after the re-release of The Inhuman Condition. The second track, “Brother Down” shot to #1 on the Canadian radio charts, a wet-dream of sorts for an aspiring artist. Roberts had unsuccessfully shopped the EP to many labels, but armed with a top single and strong album sales, he soon found himself on the other end of the courtship.
Roberts ultimately signed with Universal Canada and in 2003 released We Were Born In a Flame. His major-label debut earned him Juno Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys) for Artist of the Year, Rock Album of the Year and Album of the Year. While in Canada, the band headlined to sell-out crowds, just a few hours south of Montreal, they played to half-empty rooms and primarily served as a supporting act. At the conclusion of the Chemical City tour in August of 2007, the band went back into the studio to begin work on their fourth album. On May 20, 2008 they released Love At The End Of The World, which debuted in the #1 spot on the Canadian album charts, notably, outselling Madonna’s Hard Candy, released only a few weeks prior (see JamBase’s review of Love… here). A week later, the band introduced the album to a sell-out audience in Montreal and has been touring since. Well into their seventeenth month on the road in support of Love At The End Of The World, the Sam Roberts Band played The Blender Theatre at Gramercy in New York City.
The band took the stage and wasted no time with keyboardist Eric Fares jumping right into the opening, bluesy piano chords of “Detroit ’67,” the band’s most recent single, which pays homage to the eponymous city and its sordid past. The audience was split between Roberts devotees, who crowded the stage and danced uninhibitedly, and about 35 people who sat awkwardly in the rear seating area, all appearing to be on bad first dates. As the band seamlessly segued into the fifth track on the new album, “Fixed to Ruin,” a lively, no-nonsense rock song, the floor pulsed with energy.
 Sam Roberts :: 09.24.09 :: NYC |
The house mix, while spotty on vocals, was exceptionally well balanced instrumentally. James Hall (bass) and Josh Trager (drums) provided thunderous rhythm to Roberts’ and Dave Nugent‘s perfectly synced, crashing guitars. If there was any room for air to pass through the speakers it was filled by Fares’ dynamic keyboard stylings, which ranged from straight blues piano to ambient synth.
A few songs into the set the band revisited an older song from their catalog, “Where Have All the Good People Gone?,” before returning to the new album with “Up Sister” and the downtempo, despairingly reflective “Sundance.”
If there was a set break, then this was it, for all of about 25 seconds as Roberts switched out his Telecaster for an acoustic Gibson. Then it was back to business with “Bridge To Nowhere.” After another brief guitar switch, the band launched into a blazing performance of the title track from Love At The End Of The World, rolling the same energy right over into the anthemic “The Resistance.” The combination of the two hard-driving songs led to a climax that brought the entire house to its feet (notably those in the balcony who were half-asleep for the first two-thirds of the show).
Roberts ditched his guitar entirely for “Brother Down,” which when performed live features Roberts moving around the stage, singing and shaking his shit like a slightly less animated Mick Jagger. The band closed out their set with “Them Kids,” a riotous recognition of and response to the fact that the younger generations seem to be missing a grasp on what rock & roll is really all about: Dancing.
As the band thanked the audience and headed backstage, the crowd grew increasingly louder. As a barometer of the quality of the performance only six people, all from the seated area, headed for the doors.
 Sam Roberts Band :: 09.24.09 :: NYC |
After a brief absence, the band returned to the stage to roaring applause. Eric Fares and James Hall led the band into a neo-psychedelic, Doors-esque cover of the 1970s English band Hawkwind‘s “Hurry on Sundown.” They followed with “Hard Road,” a post-punk, commonsense critique/celebration of life’s imperfections.
As the refrain from “Hard Road” drifted towards its conclusion, many of the Roberts faithful were anxiously anticipating what has become a signature close to many of the band’s concerts, “Mind Flood.” Since its inception into the Roberts Band repertoire, no show has felt complete without an extended version of this epic song. With its many time changes, crescendos and blazing solos, “Mind Flood” symbolizes the various rock styles that Roberts and his band have come to master. On this night they pulled it off with such energy and sincerity that it felt like another show altogether. At one point Dave Nugent was on his knees in an apparent attempt to break every string on his Telecaster as the lights strobed overhead and shrouded him in dark blue shadows.
It is unclear to this writer whether the Sam Roberts Band is trying to break into an existing market or attempting to revive a genre on life-support. The band represents the evolution of rock music in its entirety; they do not epitomize any single rock genre, they exemplify them all (well, most of them anyway). There are strong elements of blues, psychedelia and early punk coupled with a strong foothold in the “singer-songwriter” tradition – that is, to say, each song can be traced back to a man and his guitar. As for reasons why and how they have come to represent six decades of rock & roll while maintaining their creative integrity and organic sound, Sam Roberts may have said it best: “We signed a record deal with a lot more clout in the creative department and since that day we’ve dug in our heels and fought tooth and nail to never give up the upper hand. And that’s allowed us to keep making records the way we want to keep making them. We’ve been incredibly stubborn and hard-headed, not relinquishing that little bit of control that we managed to get.”
As for future efforts, Roberts spoke of having already begun to lay the groundwork for a new album, which will likely be released sometime next spring. To audiences, the Sam Roberts Band seems to play every show like it were their last, while in reality they are simply that good. The band seems poised to continue traveling down the hard road, dancing every step of the way.
Continue reading for more images of Sam Roberts Band in NYC…
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JamBase | Rockin’
Go See Live Music!
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