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Big
Sky Regional Report
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Edited by David Shulman
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Greetings from St. Louis Happy New Year to everyone! What a great night (New Years Eve) for jambands! Many fine concerts (events) featuring jambands were held... Phish, Widespread, String Cheese, Galactic, .moe, Disco Biscuits, etc. Whether you attended one of them, or just hung out at home, I hope it was an eventful evening for you. It looks to be an exciting winter for shows. Normally a slow time of year, many bands are hitting the road this February including Jazz Mandolin (some shows with Jon Fishman), .moe, Galactic, and others. I have included some of the January shows (January looks to be a bit slower) in the Big Sky region below. I hope you can make a few. In addition, I know some of you are familiar with the work I do with The Mimi Fishman Foundation. The New Years Eve show auction that recently ended raised over $1,500 and provided the winners some fine memories of New Years Eve concerts (Phish, WSP, SCI, among others). A big thanks to all the bands that donated packages and especially the winners of the auction...some of which donated some sizable dollars to win their prizes. Speaking of winners, one of our winners of a Phish ticket package last summer with approximately a $700 donation to The American Glaucoma Society has started a fine on-line hand made clothing service. Please take the time to read her message below, join her mailing list and check out her site. Have a great January!
Hey Now Everyone! This is Amy, Marnie, and Stacy from Fairy Magick. This is an open invitation for anyone interested in lot -- style, handmade with love, quality clothing, hair apparel, and hemp items, to join a mailing list. This list will give you monthly updates of our prices and our special money -- saving sales. We would love you to browse our website. We are very excited about our new items and want to share them with you. Feel free to email us at FairyMagick@angelfire.com with any ideas, comments or suggestions of items you might not see up on the website. We can make anything, custom made just for you. We can often be found with our items, in person at many west -- coast festivals and Phish shows around the country ( we love to tour). The easiest way to find out Fairy Magick news is to join our mailing list. Email us at FairyMagick@angelfire.com. Peace, love and light Amy,
Marnie and Stacy of Fairy Magick
JANUARY
19
- Jupiter Coyote, Juanita's, Little Rock, AR.
Nebraska
Report - December/ January2000
by
Paul "Pro" Pearson, Ph.D.
December
was a fun month in the Omaha/Lincoln area, if not packed with shows.
Strange
Pleasures-Saddle Creek 12/2-JRZ System opened with a powerful set.
Their new song "Acid Rain" is more jam than anything I've heard
them do to date. It will be a killer staple in their repertoire.
Erik from Strange Pleasures joined JRZ for some Tommy Bolin tribute
on Billy Cobham's "Red Baron" and Tommy's classic "Teaser." Troy
Johnson (bass-JRZ) then returned the favor by subbing for the food-poisoned
Steven Petty. This kept Strange Pleasures closer to the vest than
usual, but made for some outstanding type I jams, with Johnson laying
back grinning. Local artist Beth McBride also joined on harmony
vocals on "I Know You Rider"- an excellent addition.
Strange
Pleasures-Saddle Creek 12/3-A short- notice show, this one featured
some less-played original material, namely "Facts" and "Do You Relate?"
and a spotlight on Miss April Domet who joined for second set's
"La Grange" and "Love Me Like a Man." Interesting note, on the "Average
White Jam", Greg Beebe switched to bass, Steven Petty to guitar
and Robby Huxhold got up on skins.
Strange
Pleasures-Saddle Creek 12/9-Former SP drummer Greg McWhorter rejoined
for the evening in place of Steve Fisher. Highlight of the evening
was "The Other One."
Sun
Cured Red-Saddle Creek 12/16 and 12/17 with S.O.U.P. (aka Grateful
Dudes)-Sun Cured Red, a young band from Stillwater, OK, made the
trek northwards. To their surprise, instead of opening for Strange
Pleasures, they inherited the entire evening due to an illness.
I was unable to attend this show, but I ran sound for them the next
evening and was duly impressed. This is a band that works well together
on stage. They may or may not be "incredible" individual musicians,
but they listen well and they maximize their strengths by minimizing
each other's weaknesses. That's important and effective. Each member
adds something to the collective until the whole is more than the
sum of the parts. Too many musicians, especially young ones, can't
realize this concept. Sun Cured Red is one of the quietest bands
(stage volume-wise) I've had the pleasure of working with (and fun
guys to boot). But don't mistake 'quiet' for a lack of power. They
chose their moments to build and flex the power of 6 people working
as a team. I expect good things from them in the future. I can always
tell that a crowd likes a band by how many people come up and ask
their name. There were a lot that evening. Check out www.suncuredred.com.
The Dudes were on, as usual, that night, a fact that wasn't lost
on Sun Cured Red. Check 'em out down in Oklahoma-you'll like 'em.
Strange
Pleasures-12/23/99, Saddle Creek Omaha- Same band, different stuff!
A week of practice produced a Christmas treat this evening. First
set list was pretty normal, with the debut of Petty's new blues
"Come On With Me." Second set, however, started with a first ever
cover of Cities, followed by a smoking debut of "Step Inside the
Van", a funk rocket. A lull in the action produced two 'raps' by
Erik followed by the debut of another cover, Phish's "Bathtub Gin."
Scott Moore teased Christmas tunes on the piano all night, and Miss
April Domet joined for some special Christmas blues. An excellent
show with a wonderful vibe attended by a lot of friends.
Strange
Pleasures-12/30/99, Saddle Creek, Omaha- A second week of solid
practice was again obvious. The aforementioned debuts were again
on, and the debut of another cover-2001 (aka Also Sprach Zarathustra)
which merged into Bathtub Gin. Solid. Special props to Mike Pfeffer
of Denver CO for coming out.
Strange
Pleasures-New Year's Eve 1999/2000-We pulled a double shift on NYE,
playing at Knickerbocker's in Lincoln and running sound for the
S.O.U.P. at another venue. We were rewarded with an enthusiastic
party crowd of about 150 at Knick's. I was especially pleased to
meet several people who from Harlan County and Franklin, NE who
came to celebrate the new year with us from about 3 hours away.
The boys belted out an entertaining show, playing with the crowd
all night. A new record for the worst crowd botch, as the WIL-SON
chant in Wilson was about a beat early, which made the boys huddle
up on stage to try and count it off correctly. Good enthusiasm-bad
timing. SP started into a powerful version of 2001 at 11:45, slipped
effortlessly into Bathtub Gin, and back into 2001 for the countdown.
After the requisite drinks and kisses, keyboardist Scott Moore played
'Auld Lang Syne.' In the bedlam, Beebe and Moore teased into Styx'
"Come Sail Away." As everyone started singing along, they just kept
going. The jamming was tight and funky all night, and the crowd
was very appreciative, up to the last notes of 2001 to end the show.
Thanks to Kyle B. for running the lights and the recorder and to
Joe Bock for another great job on house sound. Big man Shad was
prowling the stage in his tux, keeping everything loose. Knickerbocker's
proprietors are pleased with the way jambands have been drawing
and have expressed interest in working with us to help book more
touring jambands in Lincoln. The Big Wu are already scheduled to
return in March...Thanks for your support of the scene! We need
all the help we can to make this area (and all areas) a friendly,
receptive community for touring artists-especially jambands.
Strange
Pleasures dates for Jan/Feb. 2000.
Strange
Pleasures is currently preparing new material and taking a few Thursdays
off in Omaha. Here are the confirmed dates. As always, check Jambase.com
or http://www.strangepleasures.com
for updated schedules.
Thursday
January 20 Saddle Creek Bar, Omaha NE 9-1, 21+,$6, penny pitchers
Thursday
February 3 Saddle Creek Bar, Omaha NE 9-1, 21+,$6, penny pitchers
with special guests: Paddy O'Furniture (Omaha) http://www.whosyourpaddy.com.
Monday
February 14 Valentine's Day at the Zoo Bar, Lincoln NE 9:00-1:00,
$?, Tentatively with Stir Fried (NJ) or Stir Fried in Norfolk, NE
Thursday
February 20 Saddle Creek Bar, Omaha NE 9-1, 21+,$6, penny pitchers
with special guests: JRZ System (Omaha) http://www.jrzsystem.com
Take
care.
Pro
For
more information on Strange Pleasures, see www.strangepleasures.com.
For Nebraska tourdates, check www.jambase.com.
Happy WU-Year!
by
Wil Simon New Year's 2000 has come and gone, but the memories are here to last. For those not afraid to venture out into the night amidst all the Y2K scares, there were a host of possibilities. Some made the trek to Big Cypress; others chose the Warfield, while still others made their way to Portland. I decided to make the long journey to Minneapolis, Minnesota to see The BIG WU. The BIG WU hosted an elaborate gala event at The Quest, in downtown Minneapolis. Along with the bands Big Tasty and Bobby Llama, the more than 1700 people that sold out the venue were not to be disappointed. The Quest is a large venue with a long and wide-open area, book-ended on both sides with bars running the length of the room. A large second floor and balcony encircles and overlooks the entire floor below. The backdrop of all black walls, ceiling and floor were decorated with large painted planets and constellations that were lit up and suspended from the ceiling at various heights. An outer-space dreamy atmosphere set the tone for things to come. The evenings' musical entertainment was kicked off by Big Tasty. They threw down some tasty jams and warmed up all those cold bodies with an infectious groove. Bobby Llama was up next. Llama had a tight set with various members stepping to the forefront from time to time, including a powerful horn section. The BIG WU came on stage about 11:30 p.m. to the delight of those in attendance. 'Minnesota Moon' was the opening number and so appropriate, as it was the same song cut short by law enforcement officials during the WU's New Years' celebration last year; they were picking up where they had left off. When guitarist Jason Fladager sang the lyric, "Is everybody here?" The roar that erupted throughout was answer enough indeed. Sharing in 'Two Person Chair' was another crowd pleaser, followed by a subdued 'Boxing Day'. The energy really began to roll when Chris Castino on guitar kicked into 'Texas Fireball' which segued into 'Ride Mighty Glory' which in turn gave way to the midnight countdown and 'Auld Lang Syne'. The storm of confetti and balloons showering down from above highlighted the return of 'Ride Mighty Glory' as the lines, "Take a load of your mind, ride mighty glory, listen to my story, ride mighty high…" gave all a little solace with the pending Y2K doom. What was to happen next was a wonder to behold. Smoke rolled over the balconies and clouded the scene in a shroud of mystery. Lights of all kinds and from all angles pierced the chaos to reveal that something had changed. Appearing on stage were a throng of assorted space-aliens. Joining the WU onstage were members of Bobby Llama, all dressed in flowing robes and alien masks. An out-of-this-world 'Alien Jam' gave way to something even more alien: Michael Jackson's 'Thriller', which segued into 'Billie Jean'. The combined musicians then blew away the whole room as one by one, artists stepped to the forefront contributing to the whole. A cavalcade of covers followed including 'Simmer Down', 'Sir Duke', 'Reelin' in the Years', 'Kodachrome', 'Whiskey River', 'Blue', 'Late in the Evening', 'Jungle Boogie', and finally 'Spinning Wheel'. Short break and back to the music. The WU returned to the stage and Andy Miller on bass, dressed in an orange frock right out of Dr. Suess, threw down some fat chords that intro'ed 'Dancing with Lula'. A very sweet 'Southern Energy', with all it's harmonies brought everyone a little closer. 'Gimme a Raise' was followed by the ultra up-tempo 'House of WU'. Afterwards, Terry VanDerwalker on drums who sings the tune commented, "That's one that'll make your ass sweat…" A dreamy 'Red Sky' that faded in and out again with several long jams and lasted over twenty minutes highlighted the talents of Al Oikari on the keyboard. 'Allgood' closed out the night with the ever-appropriate closing chorus; "You have no choice-but to rejoice!" And we did. The crowd milled around and eventually back out into the cool night air looking for the mass destruction and decay of society, only to be gypped. We, as well as everyone else everywhere had all made it through the evening without a snag-except I think we had a little more fun. If
you haven't yet seen The BIG WU, get on it! They're constantly touring
across the country and gathering a merry band of followers. Look
for shows near you at www.thebigwu.com, or with jambands.com. The
New Year is upon us, the dawn of a new age-It's going to be BIG!
STEBS
Cedar Falls, Iowa schedule for January Jan 13th Hello Dave with
Brother Jed
Fri
14th Measure with The McKenzies
Sat
15th THE SCHWAG $5
wed
19th Guest Bartender Night
Thurs
20th Stickup Nickel with Heroic Dose $5
Fri
21st MANGO JAM!!! with Fool's Journey $5
Sat
22nd Thurs
27th Deadletter with Bohemian Soul Tribe
Fri
28th Orquesta de Jazz y Salsa Alto Maiz $5
sat
29th
The
Q Bar
211
IOWA AVENUE, IOWA CITY, IA 52240 (319)337-9107
JANUARY
2000 BAND SCHEDULE
DATE
BAND COVER CHARGE
14(fri)
from Chicago, IL HELLO DAVE - (roots rock)
from
Detroit, MI special guests: ROOSTER
15(sat)
from Iowa City, IA EL NINO - (fresh groove) T
20(fri)
from Bay Shore, NY BLOO - (folk/funk/jazz)
from
Iowa City, IA special guests: PORCH BUILDER
21(fri)
from Madison, WI NATTY-NATION - (reggae)
22(sat)
from Chicago, IL HARMONY RILEY - (modern rock)
from
Davenport, IA special guests: LIZ AND THE BELLYSWIRLS
26(fri)
from Boston, MA JOHN BROWN'S BODY - (reggae)
27(fri)
from St. Louis, MO STIR - (modern rock)
from
Iowa City, IA special guests: ROADSIDE VANDALS
28(fri)
from Iowa City, IA FORNIX - (rock)
from
Springfield, MO special guests: TBA
29(sat)
) from Iowa City, IA BAMBU - (world beat/reggae/jazz)
FEBRUARY
2000 BAND SCHEDULE
05(sat)
from Iowa City, IA Celebrate Bob Marleys B-Day
ROOTS,
DEM AND BRANCHES - (reggae)
T=
Tentative
For
more information about entertainment, contact RiverCities Productions,
attn: MIKE SZWAYA @ (309)793-0085/ 794-6461 fax
The
UNION Bar 121 E. COLLEGE, IOWA CITY, IA 52240 (319)339-7713
SPRING
2000 BAND SCHEDULE
DATE
BAND
JANUARY
19
(wed) HYPNOTIST - *BACK BAR*
20
(thur) MIKE AND JOE - *BACK BAR* (acoustic rock/ cover rock)
26
(wed) PAUL WRIGHT - *FRONT BAR* (acoustic rock)
FEBRUARY
07
(mon) "AN EVENING WITH THE JAZZ MANDOLIN PROJECT" - *BACK BAR* A
FEATURING:
JAMIE MASEFIELD, CHRIS DAHLGREN, JON FISHMAN
09
(wed) THE BIG WU - *BACK BAR*
SPECIAL
GUESTS: FOXTROT ZULU
11
(fri) GALACTIC - *BACK BAR* EARLY SHOW!
23
(wed) CARY PIERCE - *BACK BAR*
SPECIAL
GUESTS: TBA
T=
Tentative
For
more information about entertainment, contact RiverCities Productions,
attn: MIKE SZWAYA @(309)793-0085/794-6461 fax
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