Trey Anastasio
Roseland Ballroom, NYC
2/23/01
By Dan Alford

I was one of a few hundred people who were lucky enough to see two shows on Trey's 10-become-11 date solo tour. As with any multi-night situation, the benefits of perspective are immeasurable. One of the fantastic things that Phish, and Trey in particular, has offered the rest of the aquarium over the years has been a glimpse at the planning stages of the future. From the Phish Book, which was incredibly insightful at the time it was published (although it's still a good read), to One Man's Trash, which is often dismissed but is in fact a sketchbook of the layered ambient jams that appeared in 99 and took shape in 00, to the relatively recent release of Trampled by Lambs, which exposes many modern Phish favorites in their rawest incarnations, fans have been given an unprecedented amount of access to the creative forces behind the music. And so it is with Trey's solo tours. In 99 Trey, Tony and Russ forged many of the "new tunes" that perforated Phish's own sets in the following 2 years. The trio also took the concepts roughly imagined on One Man's Trash and molded them into deeply grooved jams that pushed the edges of what was accomplished in 98. In 01, then, catching 2 nights of the trio (with the addition of Dave Grippo, Jennifer Hartswick, and Andy Moroz on horns) was a particularly fortuitous windfall since Phish has been on hiatus for a third of year and Trey has undoubtedly been churning out oodles of new tunes.

In general, I heard some interesting things in terms of potential foreshadowing (after all, we can't really know until the future's past). First, there was a strong rock 'n roll feeling to much of what was played. To be more precise, there was a 70's R and B vibe to most of the sets. If you were unable to catch one of the shows, consider the covers as an indicator. Fun and funky stuff. That raises the second observation: the music was upbeat, happy even. Missing were the darkened recesses that litter ambient jams- replaced with energetic, bright passages. One of the first articles I ever read in jambands.com was a conversation between Dean Budnick and Steve Silberman in which it was said that Phish wouldn't write a song with lyrics like "Set the gearshift to the high gear of your soul!" nowadays; they have a bit more perspective, maybe a bit more cynicism. But here we get the showcase anthem Push on Till the Day, featuring those words sung in conjunction with "It's a brand new day." If that doesn't signify a change then perhaps slick, instrumental soul grooves like Burlap Sack and Pumps and Nothing But an E-Thing will do the trick. They coincide with the growing popularity of neo-acid jazz acts like Galactic and KDTU, but feature the unmistakable tweaks and shifts of Anastasio compositions, not too mention the added bonus of Grippo's influence on the horn arrangements. The songs are interesting, catchy and utterly danceable. Finally, what I saw was a guitarist who was happy to be up on stage again, sharin' the groove with his extended family in intimate settings. During moments of banter he was casual but gracious. He thanked everyone, and repeatedly referred "this whole thing" with a sense of pride and appreciation. At Roseland Page joined in the fun and at the Tower Trey spoke openly about Phish while introducing Strange Design. The hiatus may be long, but have no fear; Phish is not far from Trey's thoughts. And until that first tour is announced, some more Trey shows would make a nice diversion.

Set I: Mozambique, The Way I Feel, Push on Till the Day > Tube Top Wobble, It Makes No Difference, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Gotta Jibboo, At the Barbecue, At the Gazebo, Get Back on the Train
Set II: Night and Day, Mellow Mood, Sand, Only Want to be With You, Ooh Child, Happiness in My Pants, First Tube*
E: Noodle Dance Rave*, We'll Go Round in Circles*
w/ Page McConnell

Roseland. The last Time I was here: 3-14-92. The band: Phish. A nice return then. Bigger than I remember. Crowded, but that screwy fence arrangement allows us to stake out a spot next to Paul and Chris. The band takes the stage about 8:30- later than the previous 2 nights. Everyone is anxious.

Mozambique opens. It's nice to have something familiar to start- lets me synchronize with the vibe. The horns are immediately hot- clearly a Grippo arrangement. Sounds that would fit right in with July of 91. Nice soloing pervades the tune with Trey hanging back till it's his turn.

The Way I feel shifts gears to slower, wet-denim funk- deeply hued and heavy. It's more developed than on One Man's Trash. The horns and guitar swell up and reside, surges of sound. Matter-of-factly: That's the way I feel. Push on Till the Day is the first totally new joint. Bright and fast, it has a lyrical barrage a la Tube. On fist listen it's a party song, but on further listens (3 times in 2 days is not enough) it's loaded with references to Tallboy (okay that's a bit of a stretch), a little bit of Mary and riding the Worm. Trey pulls out a nice melodic solo early on. By the end of the groove jam he's tearin' it up all over the place. This has serious set closer potential. It drops into the mellow Reggae instrumental Tube Top Wobble. That one is punctuated with sharp snaps-short.

Trey'd been saying he wanted to cover It Makes No Difference. An early concert going highlight: The Band at BPAC in Western Mass (Merl as a guest) belting it out. It was one of my favorite tunes but I figured it was a long shot- after all, I've never heard it on a Classic Rock station. When they did played it, it was a huge release of teenage angst. Trey hits the vocals just right, Grippo on a solo.

Bringing back the energy, Burlap Sack and Pumps. Serious groovin' here with heavy bass lines and descending horn riffs. Tony digs very deep after the third "Burlap sack and pumps."

Jiboo gets a big cheer, but really we're in the middle of a great set so it's probably unwarranted. It's not like folks are standing still waiting for a Phish tune. The jam dips into a broad field- it's open, a place to set up walls. As many Jiboos do, it takes small steps to start a long run to the city. Eventually Trey perks up with some real fine playing-crisply creased. A variety of jamlets bubble up and before you know it we're cooking on an industrial sized grill. At some point it can slide into Cities but it jam just won't quit. The groove hardens while surface races with intense guitar and wild, bleating horns. Whew!

The acoustic interlude is a necessary cool down. At the Gazebo sounds like a Christmas Carol. Then Trey alone for a very hot GBOTT to close. Grin: this is good stuff.

Night and Day opens Set II. It's a nifty little rock n roll ditty- a fifties feel. Trey seems to be getting off on it and he's playing well. By the end, it's actually pretty hot- like hearing your first Odessa.

A great foil, Mellow Mood settles in and is in turn contrasted with Sand. The horns nail it. Having never heard Farmhouse, I find this an exciting addition. I look over my shoulder and see Kuroda getting' down. A heavy purple haze leaks out of the lights. Trey sets up many, many loops all at once and jumps to the keys. Tony and Russ press down and crush the groove. The horns ring in at intervals with brief arrangements. They link up with Chris and forge a towering cityscape. It decays quickly, shambling into a fantastic Blade Runner scene. Swells boil up and unearth metal chords from Trey. They develop into a raucous jam that climaxes with 2 rounds of horns that echo Burlap Sack and Pumps. At this point it's completely free from the hook and flopping like mad. Then it plows back into Sand, full steam. The loops swirl again and the band drifts to a close. Wow!

For a cool down, Sunday Morning. Nice drumming and intense guitar quiets the vibe. Rainy Day Women gets the hokey crowd pleaser award but again, the horns work well. Ooh Child starts out nicely but a gorgeous new jam ends it. Tony's bass is awesome and the vibe spreads away and away. New life.

The move to acoustic is well timed. It's a neat movin' tune. Trey introduces Tony and Russ, talking about how they both dig deeper when the jams get frenzied. Tony is "the grooviest." Trey says how much he loves everyone and how he'll do his best to keep "this whole thing" going. And then he says he's gonna bring out another close friend to help out on the last tune.

"We're gonna bring out Page."

The ballroom explodes. Every person on her toes, every hand raised to the ceiling, every voice crashing into it- the room becomes smaller. First Tube. Page plays the little keyboard, bouncing off Trey. There's no slow down; there's too much energy. Can't digest it.

Page returns for the encore. Noodle Dance Rave showcases him- it is played with no other purpose. He works it with near constant playing- many slippery puddles stacked on each other. When the weight becomes too much, they slide out the sides. It's what the Page fans need- a big shot of organ. Circles returns to the 70s soul groove, appropriately bringing closure to the show. It stamps itself on my brain and sends me out with a smile.

Trey Anastasio
Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, Pa.
2/24/01
By Dan Alford

I: Battle Axe, Nothing But An E Thing, Makes No Difference, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Acting the Devil, At the Gazebo, Unknown, Tops Off, Mozambique, Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours
II: Push on Till the Day > Tube Top Wobble, Windora Bug, Gotta Jibboo, Mellow Mood, Sunday Morning, Sand
E: Waves#, Driver#, Strange Design#, Drifting
# Trey solo acoustic

First time at the Tower. Nice venue with good sound. It's a college crowd, though I gathered from conversations that the schools were on break and folks were stickin' around just for the show. NYC's crowd was by and large young professionals and I must say that the younger kids were able to vamp up the energy in a more spirited fashion. They also knew to shut up during the quiet stuff. They were more invested in the music.

Before the show, it was just icing on the last night's cake. After the show, it was a whole other confection.

Open with Battle Axe. You can't miss with Marley and college students. A nice instrumental, comfortable. Trey dedicates Nothing But an E Thing to his dad. A fine piece of slick groove, it moves forward with a sense of open air above. Russ locks up on a steady rhythm. Wonderful song with great potential. Another dose of It Makes No Difference hits just right. Trey gives a quiet solo and Grippo wails.

With Burlap sack and Pumps the crowds anticipation takes shape. The jive plows over the attending mass and Tony drops a 10-ton bomb after the first chorus. A long trombone from Andy bridges the river to the second verse, Trey on keys for a bit in the interim. Grippo takes off, chasing brief melodies and pulls it back. Everyone is flying high.

Acting the Devil skanks it up, Jennifer hitting a nice solo, Trey too. You can tell that he's bigger ska fan than he admits. At the Gazebo still sounds like a Christmas Carol but it also has a tinge of tragedy- the full title should be "Something Terrible Happened at the Gazebo." The follow up number is very pretty with nice horns and crisp playing from Trey. Russ uses a shaker and wood blocks- well textured.

Tony opens the window to Tops Off. It is a heavy blues tune, smooth guitar licks flashing all over. The joint smokes before taking us back through Tony's window. Building on the progress, Mozambique begins. A rhythm cruiser moving at full speed, this pushes the set over the edge. Tony digs deep and Russ sweeps about to take this rager all the way. The first Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours wears out everyone before the break. Jennifer's vocals are fantastic; she's clearly having a blast. Trey sparks a fire, a towering inferno.

Second set kicks off with an outrageous Push on Till the Day. The third time I've heard it and I'm still excited; haven't had this feeling since I first saw Farmhouse on Letterman. Trey's playing with classic tone. Slips into Tube Top Wobble- a ton of fun. Really enjoying this.

Windora Bug is welcomed warmly. Tony bops along happily and it seems appropriate as the sing, "We've got the rules down now." The new songs are starting to form real identities and the old machinery is starting to hum. The voices overlap perfectly and give way to a super long, super mellow vortex with Trey on keys. For a little audience related entertainment: a guy in the row in front of me vomits. The row clears out quickly and within a couple of minutes First Aid appears. Meanwhile the kid is sitting down, holding his head. A friend tries to help him but the kid pushes him away. At this point a bunch of cops show up. The kid starts to freak out and yell and one cop turns to me and laughs, "Oh, he's got to go." They grab him and lead him out. It was actually a pretty amusing episode and nice to see good-natured members of the thin blue line. As the music pulls itself back together Tony unleashes a wave of stunning earthquakes.

The Jibboo is immediately more focused than the night before. Multiloops flare but don't slow the vibrations. Trey and the horns light up the sound, the results are immensely pleasing. Trey hits one long note, bending it over bar after bar. The song almost touches down but darts off on a wild tangent. Settling into an uphill climb, the tune reinvigorates itself with a reckless joy ride. The horns impress with their versatility, making hairpin turns into a series of sharp notes punctuating the one. The final jamlet has a heavy-handed attitude but the sound is oh so clean. The finished product is somewhere near 30 minutes- a nice compliment to the Camden version from last summer.

Mellow Mood cools it down and Sunday Morning is a good time. Trey sings, "Grippo's gonna do it to you," before a truthful solo; Jennifer and Tony are showcased similarly. To close, a nice rendition of Sand. It begins with a spacey air but rhythmic flourishes solidify into a grand jam. Blazing guitar and blaring horns create a swirling chaos and each in turn slices through the morass.

The encore shines as brightly as the rest of the show. Trey runs through a very pretty Waves then talks with the audience. He is very casual and very gracious. He does Driver and it's awesome- I am swept up by the silly little ditty. He goes on about how the next tune is very personal and he's going to perform as it was written, on an acoustic guitar. It's beautiful, powerful- Trey's voice wavers as he sings. It's an amazing moment. The full band returns for a subtle Drifting and we stroll out of the venue with stupid grins. Which night was better? I can't make that judgement, or rather won't. Both nights had their highlights, both were magical and hopefully we'll see more in the coming months.

Juggling Suns
3/07/01
Crossroads, Garwood, N.J.
By Kevin Ford

Juggling Suns continued their residency at the Crossroads with a show full of unusual song choices and structural surprises. A laid back "Bertha" opened the proceedings, with Gus Vigo playing some amazing organ runs * deep, swirling notes reminiscent of Melvin Seals' take on "Shining Star". The triple-decker sandwich of "Fortune Teller">"The Coast">"Festival" that followed delighted the audience, leading several to abandon their chairs and dance with ecstasy. The Suns then offered a rare take on the Rolling Stones' "Mother's Little Helper", this one with a "Me & My Uncle"-ish beat to it. Bassist Bruce Wigdor's vocals possessed less urgency than Mick Jagger's original take, and Vigo's rollicking piano reminded one more of a southwestern saloon than a London pharmacy. But it was an interesting interpretation that added to the sense of surprise that permeated the whole show.

They followed this up with an exquisite "Wading In The Velvet Sea", with Vigo and Wigdor displaying some terrific harmonies on the Phish staple. The set ended with an enjoyable take on the ragtime original "She Don't Mind", followed by the one-two punch of "Don't Let Go">"Walkin' Blues". "Don't Let Go" was a showcase for guitarist Mark Diomede's improvisational acumen, as the normally 3 minute Roy Hamilton pop ballad morphed into a cacophony of searing strings and soulful keyboards. This transitioned nicely into a "Walkin' Blues" that was begging for a slide guitar, but still benefited nicely from a clearly in-voice Gus Vigo.

Between sets, several audience members brought out their drums for a good old-fashioned drum circle in the middle of the Crossroads' floor. Bassist Bruce Wigdor then strapped on his acoustic Takamine and offered up a nice medley of classic rock ballads, including The Beatles' "Lovely Rita" and Simon & Garfunkels "America". And in what was probably the most creative transition of the night, "Terrapin Station" went into Pink Floyd's "Brain Damage", which went into Gerry Rafferty's "Stuck In The Middle With You". Wigdor's chops on the guitar were impressive, but what really shone through was the subtle power of his vocals, which were freed from the overbearing absorption of a set of amplifiers at full tilt.

Set two started off slowly with what seemed, at first, to be a slower than normal "Spin Song". This dance floor favorite seemed to have some trouble getting out of the gate, but after a few minutes of working out the kinks, the band clicked in. During the exploratory bridge, Wigdor and drummer Ivan Funk laid down a funky reggae beat reminiscent of Men at Work's "Land Down Under". When Vigo began pounding out a similar theme from his organ, it seemed that they might even go into it. But Diomede kept things instrumental, using the tropical back beat as an opportunity to display his fast, furious, and jaw-dropping chops. After a three-minute symphonic workout, the band went back into the main theme and brought it to a rousing close, eliciting heartfelt adoration from the crowd. Standard versions of the Beatles' "Get Back" and the original "Shootin' Tequila" followed. The fiery "Get Up, Stand Up", however, was anything but standard. For a few minutes, revolution was in the air courtesy of a thunderous Wigdor bass and raging guitar solos from Diomede. Wigdor helmed his original composition "When Everyone Knows", toying with the theme from "Festival" in the middle. Then the band began to noodle mysteriously for about three or four minutes before the familiar strains of "Franklin's Tower" emerged, starting out slowly, then rising to an infectious crescendo. Not wanting to give the crowd on the floor a break, the Suns brought back their much-loved cover of Madonna's "La Isla Bonita", Diomede's blistering arpeggios sending the folks on the floor whirling into blissful oblivion. A quick version of "Roadhouse Blues" left the crowd wanting more, so the Suns graciously bestowed upon them a mind-numbing version of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb". Gus Vigo's synthesized strings eerily mirrored those found on "The Wall", lending an orchestral air to the normally rustic Route 28 roadhouse.

And once again, Diomede ignored the temptation to copy David Gilmour, instead wowing the crowd with his own unique solo at the end of the song. Those hoping for a showcase of the band's original songs may have left disappointed, but true fans of raw rock-n-roll energy and expert musicianship had to appreciate the command of the material that Juggling Suns displayed on this March night.

Mix Me Up Some of That Manic Mule
By Ray Martin

Have you ever had the pleasure of receiving a good mix tape? Ever had a friend lay a scattered batch of tunes down on a cassette and hand it over to you like a prize? If not, then pray that you have the good fortune to obtain such a gift sometime.

However, if you can answer that query in the affirmative, then you know what it feels like to pop that momma in your deck and take a musical road-trip worthy of a Jack Kerouac novel; you know all about the existential mileage that you can get out of a patchwork quilt of songs thrown together in a sweet and steamy musical stew.

By the same token, Philadelphia's Manic Mule seems to work its live shows like a few guys intent on laying down the best mix tape they possibly can for a good friend. After you've swallowed a live performance by these guys, you get the sense that Sony specifically designed the "shuffle" button on your stereo with them in mind. Under any number of circumstances this kind of approach could miss its mark and look like schizophrenic dilly-dallying. Not so with the Mule. On the contrary, you get the feeling that not only do these guys give a care about the ingredients they add to a live performance, but that they also have a long standing love affair with the bends and grooves required to make that mix work in front of an audience.

The band is comprised of four members. On drums, Daniel Bower displays the charisma and dogged determination that helps a band fulfill its intentions of building a strong house in tornado country. He provides a solid foundation with a workhorse drive that serves to boast the melodies swimming around inside the band's diverse arrangements. Filling out those grounded rhythms, Jason Ganis contributes his skills on bass guitar with a Zen like care and affection towards the varied moments in a given song. His musical know-how proves extensive yet he never uses it as an excuse for flashy or contrived excess. On piano, Mike Borowski continually proves that he can fly fast and furious with the best of them. He plays like a man with a mission on his hands and he tickles his keys like a guy who loves where the action takes him.

Front man Michael Philbrick rounds out the foursome, slugging his guitar at you with an amiable spirit and crafting his vocals around an obvious adoration for big and beautiful melodies. His warmth onstage never fails to convey the band's hope that you'll feel welcome while you watch. As if all of this wasn't enough, each of these guys cares about singing well. Not just your standard old background vocals and shouts, mind you. On any given song you may get a welcome blast of shared vocals and four part harmonies that only serves to show how much these guys care about chiseling out crafted and well-toned songs for their fans.

Manic Mule draws equally from these individual talents to weave that anatomically correct mix of songs that proves necessary to a quality live show. In an evening's performance they will dabble in any varied blend of styles, everything from gritty rock, to reggae, Latin rhythms, or 70's groove. And, to their added credit, they can secure each of their sets with a wide-ranging list of cover tunes (Pink Floyd anyone? The Meters? Paul Simon? If those don't work for you there's always my personal favorite, Lionel Ritchie's "All Night Long").

On a given night you'll see any one of their emergent following twirling around the floor, grabbing a friend, here and there raising a hand. You get the feeling that some of these fans just got a great letter from a good friend, someone they haven't heard from in a while that included a bonus: a mix tape. They're that excited. They're saying, "Damn baby. My buddy really knows a thing or two. About rising to the occasion. About cooking up a storm. About music."

Manic Mule will show you that they're all about the music. Give a listen.

"A Manic Piano Mule"
By Jon Nimerfroh

Just a few hours before his gig with Philadelphia local band Manic Mule, piano player Michael Borowski begins to load his keyboard and gear into his Jeep Cherokee. As many head home from work and out of the city, Borowski is headed to work. On this night the band is performing at the Trocadero Theater in South Philly.

"Around the beginning of high school, I realized how much music meant to me and i really could connect with people through the piano. I really can't, or don't want to, do anything else".

From high school, he went on to graduate with a Bachelor Degree in Music Composition from Temple University. Throughout his years, he has won countless awards in piano and compositions.

His daily routine usually consists of waking up fairly early and practicing for a bit, and doing some writing. From there, it's off to teach piano to young kids. After lessons, he usually goes to band practice or a band meeting. "My schedule is pretty much the norm. My day mostly focuses around some form of music". Some of his influences are Bruce Hornsby and George Winton. His first CD, "Colors" is his original piano pieces that reflects diverse influences from Claude Debussy to Greg Allman. "My ear is like a sponge, it soaks up everything it hears".

Manic Mule, the band Borowski has been performing with, has been traveling around the country for the last five years. It seems like the band and him all have the same common goal, which is to reach as many people as possible with their music, and to pay the bills. Their dream is to write and perform music, but still raise a family. Borowski also performs many solo shows. This is where he says he really connects with his audience. "Its a lot more personal when it's just me and a piano on stage".

As Manic Mule begin their spring tour they await the many city's to perform in. They travel for performance and to get the touring experience. It will also broaden their playing area, which adds more names to the bands mailing list. This is what helps a band grow. "The main reason for playing every night is that we love to play".