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Northeast
Regional Report
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Edited by Tony Oliveira
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Hello music fans,
New England Show Calendar:
Well, I've been mulling over the idea of adding a REGIONAL band links section to which I think would go nicely with our calendar section, yes, I know its been on hiatus lately but it will be back! Anyhow, if you are in a band, publicist, mgr or even friend of a band that is both - from New England and has a website - then please feel free to send me the URL for their site. Please verify the URL if you could, no use listing broken links. I would really would like the focus of this to be on the many smaller bands that never even get out of New England and are mainly known to their local fans. These are the bands that would benefit most from this. I'm going to do my best to compile them all and then throw them together for the next months issue. I'd also like to ask that the band be true to the particular genre that this site caters to. Really, it's a pretty wide label - Jambands - and basically, if a band does some improvisation and the focus is on the live experience, then they would qualify for this. I look fwd to getting your submissions and hope this proves to be helpful to the bands and fans as well.
FREE REVIEW PRIZE: (Analog or CD-R) Well, since it seems this Y2K crap came and went without the impending doom many feared, I figured why not make my offer Y2K compliant, spread some good music, or at the very least make it FREE. I will think of it as a sacrificial offer to the millennium gods or quite possibly as a way to get more reviews. Either way, I'm happy..new, updated info below: Just a reminder, I will pick one review each month with the winner receiving a FREE show from my dat (analog tapes) or from my CD-R list. A show will likely be limited to 3 cds or tapes, and since I enjoy spinning analogs from my dats about as much as I enjoy hangovers, this will for all intent in purposes be a CD offer, though I may be willing to spin analogs from my cds. I won't necessarily pick the most well written review; in fact, the winner will be somewhat random! Reviewers, please check this section to see if you have won. This month's winner is Tiffany Heath. Congrats! and get in touch with me for details of the offer. Looking forward to more great reviews in the coming months. ~ NEWS FROM NOWHERE * NEWS FROM NOWHERE * NEWS FROM NOWHERE ~ FREE SHOW? Does the idea of possibly writing a review or flyering for free admission interest you? Help the scene, the bands and help yourself in the process, read on. Info courtesy of Aaron (of Grizzly Magic Entertainment): Wednesday is Jam Band Insanity at the Living Room in Providence RI. The nation's best jam, jazz, groove, funk bands you're gonna find anywhere. if you haven't been yet you missed fat mama and ulu get on stage together and give new meaning to the word jazz. you missed smokin grass come down off the stage for a post set unplugged jam. you also missed amazing sets from the big wu, the recipe, dexter grove, native, jive talkin robots, rane, alula, uncle sammy, another planet, miracle orchestra, arthur dent foundation, jack straw....and the music never stops... Upcoming shows:
3.8.00 Bush Boogie w. Chair 13 Grizzly Magic Entertainment is looking for people to flier around Rhode Island and also to write reviews of the shows for jambands.com, both for free admission. email grizzajj@aol.com for more details or go to http://grizzlymagic.virtualave.net For some reviews of prior shows, check out the REVIEW section below. ~ISO/LOOKING FOR: (Attention aspiring musicians) Guitar, Piano and Drum trio looking for Bass player. Preferably but not exclusively with lead or backup vocals, must be a solid, groove oriented player, playing in the pocket with ability to improvise, solo and jam! We are primarily a cover, bar band with some originals. Our style is rooted in The Jerry Garcia Band tradition, but we play everything from Paul Simon, Miles Davis, Motown and Pat Metheny, to reggae, latin, funk, acid jazz, & blues. We play with members of The Fringe, Heavy Metal Horns, The Band and Max Creek and are booked well into this year, We play what we like as long as it gets people dancing and groovin'. You must have solid day job or trust fund, or other method of survival (legal or otherwise), with excellent equipment and reliable transportation; we play and rehearse 4/5 nights a month. Our goal is to make at least $100 a night and have a great time doing it... If interested please call Tony Betancourt @ (617) 868-9561 OR ping me at tbetancourt@meditech.com or Tim Walsh at timlanna@ne.mediaone.net. SHOW REVIEWS: REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! GENERAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: I pretty much accept anything as far as reviews go, as long as they pertain to jambands. Really, this is a very broad category, and I give a lot of leeway on this too. Of course, I reserve the right to not use anything or to edit them as I see fit. You will get full credit for reviews and I generally take a hands-off approach to editing, meaning I don't want to change the feel of your review, after all, YOU were there, not me. Some important things to keep in mind. Deadline! Our deadline is the 5th of the month. This may change in the future, but for now, that is it. You can still send me your review if you miss the deadline; I "may" be able to get it in, if not; it will be used in the next issue. Please run "Spell-Check" before submitting your reviews. Also, if you are referring to song titles, please put them in "quotations". When e-mailing them in, it's best to just put them in the body of the e-mail or mail them as .txt. If you send something else there may be a chance that I won't be able to open it because of software incompatibilities. The best way to get a feel for what the reviews are like is by reading past ones. Remember you don't have to be a journalist or professional writer, you just had to be at the show. If you have any specific questions, you can always scroll on up to the top of this page and just send me an e-mail. I promise to be gentle. I guess that's it for now. Looking forward to getting some new reviews and reviewers in the coming months. -Tony p.s. I've added reviewer's e-mail addresses, so feel free to contact them if you like their reviews or even if you don't..feedback is always welcome.
REVIEW: Soulive - 2/21/00 - Iron Horse Music Hall - Northampton, MA On Thursday night, February 17th, Soulive made its way to the jam-packed Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton. Personally, I feel that the Iron Horse is one of the best venues in the Northeast to take in a concert, so I was especially excited for this show. The Iron Horse, with its shaky wood floors and L-shaped balcony make it a great place to see your favorite bands. So was the case this night, as I was seeing Soulive for the third time this year. The show began with opener Inner Orchestra, a six-piece jazz, funk ensemble that brought the crowd in from the streets with a stellar performance. This band is primarily made up of past and present Hampshire College students. Standing out on a number of solos was their guitarist who graduated last year from Hampshire. After the opening set, the dance floor seemed to become even more crowded with anticipation. Swells of people packed the house, making it very difficult to even move around. Soulive came to the stage at about 10:15, to the delight of the crowd of college students and jazz fans from around the area. The band has a very smooth sound, bringing together the funk of Maceo Parker with the improvisation of performers like Herbie Hancock. As I learned, Soulive has amassed a large following, attracting people from all across New England to their shows. They have recently been getting a huge draw from the Jamband sector, pulling in many fans that also enjoy Phish and Medeski, Martin & Wood. Soulive opened their first set with a Bugaboo Joe Jones cover, "Right On". This song showcased the outstanding abilities of Eric Krasno, on guitar. The manner by which this trio, made up of Krasno and brothers Alan (drums) and Neal Evans (organ), flows through a song is simply incredible. For example, the next song "So Live", off of their newest album titled Turn it Out, starts off with a funky beat and smooth guitar riffs and meanders into a long jam and than later returns to the same beat and guitar that it started with. This band is so talented; that I later found out that what I thought was complete improvisation was in actuality all planned out and orchestrated through many long hours of practice. The set ended with personal favorite "It's Your Thing", which has a catchy beat and groove that just asks for you to bob your head to the beat. The second set began with an exciting "Uncle Junior", showcasing the remarkably fast fingers on the guitar by Krasno. Next up was "Doin' Something", written by Krasno, which had a very James Brown-ish feel to it, with its funky drum beats and quick guitar. Also in this set was 'Steppin", who's beat stayed in my head for the remainder of the night. In late spring, Soulive is planning on releasing a new studio album, which is yet to have a name, but they did however say that it did feature a song with major influence, John Scofield. Unfortunately, this show might be the band's last at their beloved Iron Horse, because their next tour will include a stop at the bigger Pearl Street Night Club later this April.
REVIEW: Percy Hill Concert w/Rane opening - 2/27/00 - Umass Amherst On Friday night February the 25th, the band Percy Hill came to town, playing at the top of the Campus Center. This popular jam band put on a stunning 3 hour long show, which consisted of many of their original songs and two very well placed cover songs. The Hartford-based band, Rane opened up the show with a seven-song set. From the sampling that was given this night, I can say that Rane is a band that will be heard from in the future. They mix genres very well, and use a myriad of instruments that are not traditionally used in a groove, jam setting. This was very evident on their opening song, titled "Mirage". This song opened with a beautiful cello solo by bassist Dan Prindle. The rest of the band joined in, to craft a very Middle Eastern feeling, making me think about what might this band be all about. They answered my question with their next song "Transportation", which is a fast paced song showcasing the miraculous skills of guitarist Alan Veniscofsky. In my opinion, Alan is the backbone of this group, holding everything together with his amazing guitar riffs, putting the crowd in a grooving trance throughout the set. Rane will continue to make a name for itself as it spreads its music to more and more people. Look for their next album titled "Camelopardalis" due out in June. After a lengthy break, Percy Hill took the stage at about 10 o'clock. Percy Hill is four-piece ensemble from New Hampshire made up of Aaron Katz (drums), Nate Wilson (keyboards), Joe Farrell (Guitar), and John Leccese playing bass. They opened with a roaring song that grabbed the crowd's attention right from the beginning. Next came "Fallen", off of their latest album "Color in Bloom". This song has a very jazzy feel with a very funky bass line. Than came "Jasper", a bass-driven song with a nasty beat and tight jamming sequence. The band made its way back to the stage after their set break and opened up with a roaring jam, putting the spotlight on Nate with his awesome techno-like keyboard effects. Next up, to the surprise and excitement of the near capacity crowd, came a fantastic rendition of Bob Marley's classic "Exodus", with the crowd joining in on much of the vocals. One of the many highlights of the show occurred next with personal favorite "Slave (Self Promoted)". This song displays the sweet voice of drummer Aaron Katz who leads this groovy tune into another lengthy guitar led jam. The second set was closed with a slower paced "Been So Long" with Katz again leading the way with his skillful drums. The band left the stage and shortly returned after a sea of applause and cheers from the audience. After settling onto the stage, the bassist started playing and suddenly broke out into the classic bass line of Peter Gabriel's mega hit "Sledgehammer". The Gabriel-esque voice of Joe Farrell made this a superb song, finishing off this great show on a very high note.
REVIEW: moe. - February 24 & 25, 2000 - Somerville Theater - I woke up Thursday afternoon, got dressed, and walked across the Boston Commons toward my 4PM Philosophy class. The date was February 24. To most people, it was just another Thursday. To me, it was the day moe. played the first night of their two-night stand in Somerville, Massachusetts. Needless to say, I was fairly excited. In fact, I could not recall ever being that excited about moe. And this was to be my tenth moe. show, including the All Good performance and NYE in Poughkeepsie. Perhaps my excitement stemmed from my boredom at college. Not to say that I was actually bored at school-I was most certainly not-but at school no one knew who moe. was and no one cared. Apparently I was making up for the absence in moe. fans with my enthusiasm alone. So when my class ended, I hurried back to my dorms, counting down the minutes until the doors would open. On this particular evening, I convinced two friends to come with me. Normally, I would feel like a father introducing his son to baseball, hoping he would immediately recognize its brilliance and that he would soon fall in love with the sport. When I take friends to shows with me, I hope that they walk away feeling what I felt when I first witnessed that band play. But with moe., it was different. I remembered the first time I saw moe., and I recalled thinking that they jammed too much, and that I grew bored. It was not until months later that I recognized the aura surrounding the band. I expected this reaction from my friends, so I zoned their naiveté out of my mind. I was there to enjoy the show, and to hope that my friends enjoyed it as well. In this case, I would have been completely satisfied if my son were to simply pick up the baseball and give it a toss. Which is exactly what my two friends would do. Now, let me skip further introduction, and move straight on to the show. For those who have not been lucky enough to attend a concert in the Somerville Theater, let me just say that it is a wonderful venue. I realize that there is no bar and no smoking, and that this bothers many fans, but not me. Besides, there are plenty of bars in the area for pre-show gatherings, and people smoked in the club regardless. I was more concerned with the sound, lighting, standing room, and atmosphere of the theater, which were all excellent. The Somerville Theater has seating, which makes plenty of room for dancing believe it or not. Not once did I feel crowded in the theater, and I even got to sit down in real seats during the set break as opposed to a wet and dirty club floor (those of you who attended NYE know what I am referring to). Anyway, the Somerville was a great choice for moe. and I hope they play there again. Of course there was an opening band, which I kind of ignored due to my impatience. Nothing against John Brown's Body of course, but I was waiting for moe. So finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the band took stage. The first things I noticed were that Chuck had grown a beard, Rob was (for some reason beyond my comprehension) wearing a heavy fleece, and Al had apparently bought a few new guitars. Then, without any words, the band went right into playing their instrumental anthem "Meat." I was surprised. I did not expect Meat as an opener, but I was not complaining at all. The song lasted about 24 minutes, most of it strong and tight with no-BS jams. The next three songs were "Nebraska" (their poppy radio-friendly "hit"), "Blue Eyed Son" (a bluegrass song about Al's son), and "Happy Hour Hero" (one of Rob's solid tunes). Usually I would have been disappointed with these songs because I have seen them played to death, but I was just feeling good that night, and I accepted the songs with pleasure. The band was definitely on, so how could I argue? Besides, I remembered wanting to see these songs when I first got into moe., so I pushed those evil thoughts out of my head. Then they played "Timmy Tucker", which kept me on my toes and smiling. The song was very funked out, and the jam was played well. This segued into "Head", which was okay, but I am not a big fan of segueing into this song. Regardless, it got people excited, and one of my friends walked away with "Head" stuck in his. well, stuck in his head. That was the first set. It wasn't extraordinary, but this was a two-night stand and I had three sets ahead of me. I was happy. The second set opened with an AMAZING "Yodelittle->Dr.Graffenburg". Both songs have a reggae/ska feel to them, which kept the whole crowd dancing. Not only that, but there was a bass solo in the middle of Dr. G that left my jaw on the floor. I have never seen Rob play bass like that-ever. It reminded me of Vic Wooten or some other type of jazz/classical bassist. Words cannot describe that moment. Rob stole the entire crowd's heart that night, and I blame it on his talent as a musician. The band then played "Rise", a newer Al tune with a nice jam segment. I honestly think the vocals to this song should be beefed up a bit. I like the song, but it still feels like it needs some kind of push. The second set was then concluded with a solid "Spine of a Dog->Buster". I love "Buster". I don't mind if they play it every time I see them. This was also the first time I have witnessed Spine->Buster, believe it or not. I was not disappointed. They have obviously gotten this segue down. The chemistry between Chuck and Al here was nice. Then the show ended. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, no encore was played. Oh well. Solid show - nothing spectacular. It seemed as if the boys were playing it a bit safe that night, but who can complain when they play well? I already had expectations for the second night. I really wanted to see them play "The Faker" or "Captain America". They did not. Yet, somehow, this show surpassed my expectations and I wish my friends had chosen to attend the Friday night show instead of the Thursday. After waiting forever for the band to come out Friday night, they opened with distortion. Then out of nowhere came the first few notes to "Akimbo". I smiled. This was exactly how I wanted a moe. show to open: with energy and excitement. By the time they played the second song, "New York City", I was positive that I was about to witness a good show. At least in my opinion, anyway. The next song was "Waiting for the Punchline". I would always welcome this song with open arms because the jam section gets the crowd moving and keeps me interested. By this time, I was so into the music that I did not even notice the hundreds of other people in the theater. The song seemed to flow through my body, and the awareness of my surroundings reduced to only the band and myself. It seemed as if they were playing specifically to me. I was convinced that others around me felt the same, but at that time I was not concerned with the rest of the world; I was lost in moe.'s vibe. The set completed with "Opium->lylelovit" and a very strong and solid performance of "Moth". The "lylelovit" segue left me stunned. "Opium" is a very relaxed groove, whereas "lylelovit" is an upbeat blues based tune. I could not believe how well the transition sounded. I hope to hear this many more times. During setbreak I went outside to complete a CD trade I had set up with someone from the moe-l (the Internet mailing newsgroup where moe. fans trade, talk, and goof around). The trade went smoothly and I asked the guy what he thought about the show so far. He sounded a bit disappointed, which surprised me, but fazed I was not. The first set was full of songs I myself loved, so I could not find room for complaints. I told him I was impressed, and that I looked forward to the second set. Perhaps they would play "The Faker" or "Captain America". The second set opened with "Stranger than Fiction", the song that moe. attempted to release as a single, perhaps with ambitions of airplay on the radio. It was a typical performance, with nothing amazing yet nothing poor. The band then decided to talk for a while. Comically, they were on. I cannot recall laughing as much as I did at a concert before. Rob was attempting to run for President. Chuck was cracking jokes. Al was putting on a full cow costume that some fans had handed him. The suit included a hat and large utters which protruded from his mid-waist. I was surprised that he put it on, and unbelievably it stayed on for the remainder of the set. This goofy nonsense lasted about ten minutes. I was absolutely sure the band was going to do something crazy after such a long hiatus. Yet, they played "Hi + Lo". It's a good song, but I was confused. It's a very low-key song without much of an explosion. However, it was my first time seeing the song, and I am a HUGE Chuck fan, so I was actually a bit pleased. When the song ended, my anticipation grew. What would they play? Were they taking the safe route once again, or were they ready to surprise the crowd? Fortunately, they had a lot left in them, so they decided to play the Grateful Dead monster "Cryptical Envelopment->the Other One->Cryptical Envelopment". I had last seen them do this in Poughkeepsie for New Year's, and I personally thought this version was much stronger. I have heard opposite comments, however, so maybe it was just that I was in such a good mood. But the jam did not end with Cryptical. The song continued - with a nice segue - into one of moe.'s originals, "Recreational Chemistry". This was the first time I recognized the glory of a live Rec. Chem. I have seen it before, but never have I noticed its power. I was amazed. This was a great show. The entire jam lasted almost a full hour. When they finished playing, you could see how tired the band was. Rob was trying to shift the weight of his bass, and everyone else looked as if they had just run a mile. I thought the show was over right then and there, and I had been completely satisfied. But they did not leave the stage, so I figured they would play something short that packed a punch. Chuck began playing a beautiful solo that reminded me of something a huge rock star would do in front of a sold-out arena. I had no idea where this was going, until somehow the crafty guitarist made his way into "Four". It was not the best "Four" I have heard by far, but it was fun nonetheless, and the song began to segue into "Rebubula". The crowd went wild. Once again, the band was tired and the song had its weak points, but it was "Rebubula", so how bad could it sound? They ended with enthusiasm, and I thought to myself, "that has to be the end of the show. what time is it? They've played their hearts out." However, an encore was in store. Rob had promised one at the beginning of the show to make up for the previous night. They came out after the crowd had given all they could give, and played "Take the Money and Run". Good tune, done well. Then they started up "Farmer Ben", one of their older grooves sung by Jim the percussionist in the form of a rap song. Now, I love this song, but this version was falling apart. Chuck was obviously tired and he was not hitting the notes right. So somewhere in the middle, they went right into "Don't Fear the Reaper". This was solid. I could not believe how well moe. performed this song. Even after a long night, they managed to pull of an incredible performance. The show ended, the crowd screamed, and I grabbed my jacket. On the way out, however, I noticed that a few members of the band were at the front of the stage, talking with fans and giving out autographs. This was my eleventh show, but somehow these guys managed to impress and surprise me each time! I could not believe the dedication. So I turned around and made my way toward the stage. I try never to give up a chance to speak with Chuck. So I reached my destination and listened to other fans talk, while I waited for my chance to cut in. Once I did, I had a short conversation with the phenomenal guitarist. In reflection, I realize that I probably sounded more like a giddy fan (which I suppose I was) than a normal human being, but who cares? I even asked for an autograph, which was a bit out of character for me, but I was so excited that it did not matter. After that I was forced to take a cab back to the dorms, which set me back $18, but I was so happy that I did not mind. The two Somerville shows were not the best; they had their extreme ups and downs, but I had fun. And isn't that what really matters? Those two shows were two of the most exciting and fun shows of my life. I give credit where credit is due: moe. is an extraordinary band and I'll walk away from them with a smile any day.
REVIEW - 4:20 - Saturday, February 26, 2000 - Hartford Brewery Looking for something to do and some good music to listen to, I headed down to the Hartford Brewery this Saturday night where the Connecticut based jamband - 4:20 - was scheduled to play. Recently, The Brewery has been hosting various jambands, such as Mini-MaxCreek, The Pete Sheips Band w/Jaimoe, and The Liberty Bus - the popular CT Dead Tribute band that plays there regularly. So I went down to check out the scene and maybe see some familiar faces. Though I was impressed with the sound of 4:20's recent studio CD (which I scored a copy of!), I was skeptical about how they'd perform live. What a surprise! The show exceeded my highest expectations! After some technical adjustments held off the start time for a few minutes, the band kicked off the show by scorching into the title track from the new CD - an upbeat tune called "World Would Be Changed". That set the pace for what would be a rippin show. Though the 1st set consisted of a majority of original tunes, they also interspersed some tasty covers, including an energy arrangement of The Band's "The Shape I`m In", a very trippy "Dark Star" (first verse only), and really nice version of "The Wedge" (Phish). Though the covers were a cool reminder of other bands past and present, I was most impressed by their original material, which demonstrated a very wide stylistic range, including a very moving ballad sung by keyboardist Scott Guberman called "5 or 10". After a short break, the band honored a request to play the good old "China/Rider". That got us all going, and the band wasted no time getting back to their original material, which was in no way a let down from the china/rider cover. This set was even more jammy than the first, and was longer, sweatier, etc. It featured a long rendition of an older 4:20 tune "Freedom" which included an almost earth music type of jam with latin rhythmic undercurrents. After "coming out"of that jam, I was happy to get my feet solidly planting back on the ground with a rippin' version of the Dead's "West L.A. Fadeaway". Then 4:20 was back at it again, with another tune from the new CD (which I think is called just 4:20?) called "Trip To Nowhere", which features an almost Dead Space type jam that appears to have no specific rules. I say that because there were several different parts that just seemed to come about based on spontaneous noodling. Eventually, though not because we wanted it to end, the band steered the ship back to reality and jumped into a house rockin' version of "Do It In The Road" (Beatles). The 2nd set ultimately came to a close with a new all instrumental tune called "Chix & Bix", which is part bluegrass rave up and part hendrix driven acid funk. It nicely closed the set! The band then came on and closed the show with an original called "Fool's Folly", which kept everyone groovin' to the very end! Though it wasn`t what I would think of as a typical encore tune, it certainly was consistent with there mindset of wide open jamming on original ideas. The main characteristic that remains constant throughout the show is this band's dedication to adventurous jamming. These guys are certainly not against playing around with some cryptic atonal experiments, and they're jamming really conveys an intensely adventurous spirit. Apparently they've only been playing together for about 2 years, yet they jam with the kind of intensity you'd expect from a group that's been around a long time. Or maybe their intensity comes from the fact that they haven't been around too long? Anyway, it was a night well spent! Rock on 4:20! Setlist:
World Would be Changed Set time: 62min.
Set 2: 11:45
Encore: Set time: 117min.
REVIEW: Ol' Brown Shoe -2/26/00 - The Red Room, Salem MA People in the North Shore Massachusetts area should perk their ears up for some new homegrown music by the likes of Ol' Brown Shoe. From what I have learned they are a relatively new band which likes to cover many Grateful Dead and Phish tunes, among others, including a few originals. At the show on Saturday, which consisted of three sets, they belted out tunes such as Tough Mama, Deal, and Eyes of the World. What I especially liked was how the band really did original improvisations on their covers, whereas many cover bands try to mimic exactly who they are covering. The two guitarists traded licks on many tunes, and the crescendos involving the whole band were abundant. I hope that many more North Shore area Heads will come out and enjoy and dance to the sweet vibrations of O'L BROWN SHOE as they continue to entertain us all.
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