Year in Review: Encore
Mike Greenhaus
2007-03-01
One of my favorite tasks each winter is compiling our annual Year in Review for Jambands.com. This year we offered four “sets,” which featured reflections from a mix of musicians, journalists, and other jam-industry gurus. We had a few responses left over at the end of January and decided to roll them into one final installment---an encore if you will. And, if you’re already feeling nostalgic about 2006, be sure to reminisce with sets 1,2,3, and 4. Al Schnier (moe.) What will you remember most about 2006? I have a daughter who is diagnosed with autism. We went through several years of very intense therapy and a lot of work, which basically upended our lives at home, and we were very unsure about where things would lead and end up. In the spring of 2006, we sat down with my daughter’s kindergarten teacher—she was in kindergarten in a public school and being mainstreamed, at this point. We sat down with the teacher and the special education director at the school and had a meeting with them. They told us that she was doing so well and her test scores were so high that they couldn’t justify keeping her in this special ed program, anymore. She was officially declassified as a special ed child and for all intents and purposes just a typical student. That is the thing that I will remember the most about this year. These last few years have been a storybook progression how the whole thing happened and could really be a made for TV movie. She’s just a typical first grader, now. Her teacher uses her as a role model for the rest of the classroom and she’s helping the other kids with their work—it’s just amazing. Who will be the band to see in 2007? Radiohead. I’m really curious to see what they’re going to do next. They’re the band that piques my interest the most in terms of what they’re going to do next; they have the potential to turnover the modern recording industry. What was your favorite show in 2006? moe. playing at the Starland Ballroom in New Jersey in mid-October. The second night on a Saturday night—these were the tendonitis shows [Schnier was diagnosed with severe tendonitis in the fall and recovered by December to return to playing guitar]. I wasn’t playing much at all. I was playing some keyboards, singing and playing a whole lot of tambourine. During “Rebubula,” Rob Salzer from U-Melt was playing my guitar part. He sat in with us for a few songs and “Rebubula” was the final song of the night. I jumped off the stage at this point and I was watching from the side of the stage. I decided that that wasn’t good enough and went out into the audience and I got right down on the rail with all of our fans. I watched moe. play with Rob playing my guitar parts. I have to say that he did an amazing job; he did a better job than I do. He was playing through my stuff so he nailed my tone and he really did his homework. He just played great and was having so much fun. The cool thing for me was that I got to go to a moe. concert. I got to watch moe. play. Through the whole tendonitis thing and even as more and more, I see people shying away from the whole jamband thing—even the jambands and jamband publications are trying to distance themselves from jambands; jamband festivals are, too—and all of that going on with my tendonitis, you start questioning what it is you’re doing and the direction you’re going. I got to spend this moment with our fans [at the Starland] who were having such a great time. You get some of that energy from the stage but you don’t get that much energy from the stage that I got when I was there. It was just insane what a great time they were having. It almost broke my heart how much fun everybody was having (laughs), including Rob Salzer. That part of it was so great but the other part of it was that I realized what a great band they are—they’re a really, really good band and it had nothing to do with me. It was just so phenomenal to watch them play and to have them dig into a song like “Rebubula,” have them nail it and to be there with the fans to celebrate that moment—it was hands down my best concert experience of 2006. What album pops up most often in your iTunes? Death Cab for Cutie, Plans. While we were making The Conch—moe.’s latest studio album—I made a conscious decision not to listen to any new music that was coming out. From May 2005 to September 2006, I didn’t listen to a single new album that came out. That was one that was on the back burner for a while and I finally got a chance to listen to it and Plans was one of those albums that I listened to three times in a row and fell in love with it immediately. That is a relatively young band that just kills me with their songwriting, production and recordings. I love everything about the band. It’s one of those bands that can bring pop music just to the point of being too pop-y and then they rein it in—they’re just this side of cool with pop music for me. (laughter) here you go! Butch Trucks (Allman Brothers Band) What will you remember most about 2006? I will remember the Beacon Run the most. Who will be the band to see in 2007?
I know this may sound lame, but either go see one of the great jazz groups touring or go see The Allman Brothers Band. What was your favorite show in 2006?
I think the third show from the beacon Run (the one with Roy Haynes) was my favorite.
What album pops up most often on your iTunes? I don't have an iPod and don't intend to get one. When I'm in my car I listen to college lectures on literature and philosophy among other subjects. There’s really not a lot of music out there that inspires me anymore. I'd rather be spending my time learning something. Nate Prenger (Wakarusa)
What will you remember most about 2006?
The 10 days I spent island hopping in Hawaii and the week I spent skiing fresh powder in Crested Butte, CO. Which band is the band to see in 2007? Split Lip Rayfield. These guys reunited in late 2006 and, I'm told, they're planning to play as many dates as possible in 2007. What was your favorite show in 2006? This is a tough one. It's a toss up for me between Hurra Torpedo's "appliance thrashing set" at Wakarusa or Ben Harper's set during a raging thunderstorm at Kansas City's Starlight Amphitheater. Both were very memorable performances. What album pops up most often on your iTunes? Widespread Panic - Live in the Classic City. Pete Shapiro (Wetlands, Green Apple Music & Arts Festival, The Jammys) What will you remember most about 2006?
Having my first child, Roxy, on April 24th, the day after the Green Apple Music Festival concluded. Who will be the band to see in 2007? I am interested to see if Umphrey’s McGee will continue their momentum and will continue to grow musically and fan-base wise. I hope they will. What was your favorite show in 2006? Tie: Oysterhead at Bonnaroo and Roger Waters at MSG What album pops up most often in your iTunes? I am currently using an XM Satellite Radio portable player. It is like an iPod, but with satellite radio. I move around from station to station and like the ability to switch from genre to genre in an instant, and I like hearing songs/bands that are unexpected rather than the ones I pick. With my iPod I ended up listening to the same stuff over and over. Kaki King What will you remember most about 2006? It was the year I discovered gourmet olives and hard, salty cheese. Who will be the band to see in 2007? Kill the Lights What was your favorite show in 2006? Sleepytime Gorilla Museum What album pops up most often in your iTunes? Steve Nicks--The Other Side of the Mirror Jonnie Russel (Cold War Kids) What will you remember most about 2006? Probably just getting to travel so much. I mean beginning relatively successful at music is exciting, but to be paid to travel is the most exciting thing for all of us. We all love traveling and never had a whole lot of money to do it. I think we are getting a good view of the world. I think it is a big right of passage when you realize this is a job now. Who will be the band to see in 2007? The Delta Spirit this rock-band with a lot of indie-elements we are touring with this spring. I think they are next big thing. What was your favorite show in 2006? We did a short run with Dr. Dog and Elvis Perkins. We are big fans of both of those bands. We kind of all played on each others songs and filled in on some tunes. Late in the tour, everyone came onstage with us and played on the song “St. John.” We had 12 of us banging on instruments and singing part of the song a cappella. What album pops up most often in your iTunes? I really liked Elvis Perkins’ Ash Wednesday and Dr. Dog’s Takers and Leavers EP and I really loved Tom Waits’ Orphans. But, Neko Case’s Fox Confessor Brings the Flood album is kind of my “non-friend pick.” [laughs] Toby Leaman (Dr. Dog) What will you remember most about 2006? We got a new van! Who will be the band to see in 2007? We toured with Cold War Kids---I love those guys. By the end of that tour it was like we were one gigantic band. We had so much fun! What was your favorite show in 2006? I saw Tom Waits in Cleveland and we met Dan fom the Black Keys who we eventually toured with. It made that tour so much less awkward [laughs]. What album pops up most often in your iTunes?
Joanna Newsom’s YS. You can appreciate that album on so many levels.
Jamie Shields (The New Deal)
What will you remember most about 2006? Waking up on a daily basis at the time I used to go to bed (with the family and all) Who will be the band to see in 2007? [New Deal bassist] Dan Kurtz’s band Dragonette What was your favorite show in 2006? Well, being a father of a toddler I don’t get out to many shows but, thinking back, I saw a David Bowie Ziggy Stardust film from 1973. So, my favorite performance from ’06 took place in ’73! What album pops up most often in your iTunes?
Neko Case-Fox Confessor Brings the Flood.
Mike Greenhaus stores his typos at www.greenhauseffect.com
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