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South
Regional Report
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Edited by Mike Jones and
Chip Schramm
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Widespread
Panic, One Jackson Place by Chip Schramm Nothing is quite like Spring in Mississippi. I'm gonna skip my usual eulogy about the magnolia blossoms exploding like hot buttered popcorn and the warm delta air mixing with the sweat and patchouli on barefoot Mississippi-hippie girls who dance in the warm sunshine. No, no, Widespread Panic's return to the state that time forgot was and is all about the music. It is about homecoming for the disproportionate number of Panic fans from that state, not to mention Jojo Hermann, erstwhile keyboard banger for the band in question. As most Panic fans remember well, the last two shows in Mississippi had two entirely different vibes. A visit to Starkville in April of '99 was a total disaster, from the completely unprepared security, to the gate being broken down, to whiskey bottles being thrown on stage (empty ones mind you,) to some moron throwing an egg at Danny the soundman. In contrast, the only other time the band played One Jackson Place, a large fenced in square in the middle of downtown Jackson, a few thousand fans bore witness to the most incredible one set show of the entire summer in 1998. That show started slowly, but included a 28 minute drum session with Galactic, Guster, and Kudzu Kings all thrown into the mix. It included a triple-encore and the return of Ophelia for the first time that year. So, needless to say, fans headed down to Mississippi on this Saturday were hoping for a repeat of the last show in Jackson, and the anticipation level was high. The crowd was impressive. Since the venue wasn't really a venue, but rather a piece of the downtown area fenced off from the rest, the multitudes of fans waiting in line at the entrance spilled out into the street causing traffic problems before the gates even opened. The Panic Fans For Food Drive was also located right by the gate and seemed to be doing very well, as their barrels were filled to capacity. Dawn Fennimore had organized this drive in support of Operation Shoestring, a local non-profit that feeds the hungry. With most hotels in close vicinity, Spreadheads were scurrying here and there, running around in one collective blur. You could even hear the soundcheck from the Crown Plaza with the windows open. The Funky Meters opened this show, but just like the show they opened last fall in Chicago, they played all the songs they share in common with Widespread in their short set and were not heard from again. I can't help but wonder if that was the reason they didn't come back on stage to sit in, or if the modesty of the Widespread band members wouldn't allow it. In any case, Panic's set began as the sun was sinking low in the sky, opening with an inspired Porch Song. While far from a unique choice, they would stretch this Porch waaaay out, jamming for much longer than they tend to do on the very first song of a show. The previous night in St. Louis clearly had them warmed up and ready to go. The Tallboy that followed seemed like an obligatory crowd-pleaser, appropriate in the hot Mississippi sun, if nowhere else. They didn't jam on that for more than a second before Todd Nance swapped his sticks for brushed and started into the slow shuffling rhythm of Blue Indian. It was slow and pretty, in typical fashion. With so many traveling fans headed back to the area for this weekend, it seemed like an appropriate call. The Stop-Go that followed had me a little nervous at first, as I remembered how loud the bass was during the Meters' set. Luckily the levels had been adjusted better for Panic's set and Dave Schools drove the band down a shady dirt road without shattering any windows. The odd acoustics of the downtown venue made for some sketchy reverberations to the sides of the stage, but the sound flowing directly back to the soundboard was great. Schools and Jojo Hermann would play off one another as the song built to a climax, making a smooth transition to another Hermann song, Dyin' Man. This version was short and simple, lasting less than five minutes. Jojo wasn't tired of playing just yet though, so he laid out the introduction to the new Mike Houser song This Part of Town. Although the very first version played back in Hampton over Thanksgiving weekend was pretty darn good, it is obvious that the band and Houser in particular have become more comfortable with it since. Houser's vocals are loud and proud and he adds a little more to his guitar solos each time he plays them. The closing sequence of the first set was unique in that they combined Papa's Home with Papa Legba sandwiched in the middle. The Papa's>Papa>Papa's looks funny on a setlist and made for an interesting twist to end the set. Overall the first set started strong but had a few sloppy moments in the middle before landing on its feet again at the end. I wasn't too concerned during setbreak, as I thought back to the last time Panic played Jackson and the post-drums and encore fiesta that ensued after a slow start. I grabbed a drink at the Jaegermeister tent and moved a little closer to the soundboard for the second set. The second set started with Makes Sense To Me, not one of my favorites by a long shot, but still powerful enough to get my feet moving and spine shaking in short order. In retrospect, it would serve as a nice setup for the knockout sequence that followed, starting with Give. An instant fan favorite since its debut in Huntsville three weeks previous, this version featured Houser stretching things out just a little, then dropping down into a mean and nasty Guilded Splinters. The percussion intro with Sunny Ortiz on timbales was reminiscent of the Halloween version with Wild Magnolias on drums. John Bell growled the vocals in his own inimitable tone while Nance and Ortiz combined to keep the rhythm quick and elusive, in stark contrast to some versions in the recent past. Schools even got in on the voodoo, wailing background vocals like a tortured soul. As this point, the mixture of new songs and old standards was really well balanced. The Driving sandwich that came next was right on time. It's hard to argue with a Driving Song split by Diner, and since diners and sandwiches tend to go together, this combo worked like a charm. The chord crunching that began a few songs previous would continue as Houser squashed the middle passage of the jam, with JB giving all on his Washburn as well. In fact, all the sandwich need to top it off was a little miracle whip and ZING, there was Breathing Slow, the rare instrumental that ends Driving Song on the "Space Wrangler" album. At this point, I overheard one of my friends hiss something about "Old School," and the heat was on. If there was any doubt about the old-school themes at play on this evening, it was settled when they came out of drums with Coconut. I've been blessed to see more than my share of this sporadically played gem, but I could never get tired of it. This version was very spirited and upbeat. JB was reeling off the lyrics so fast that the rest of the band could barely keep up. He radiated the energy of the crowd as the band fed off of their enthusiasm. As far as good time party songs go, you really can't argue with a good Coconut. There was a long pause between the end of that song and the next. I actually found myself in a short yet bizarre conversation with somebody next to me. We swapped comments about the contrasting old and new school sounds of the band, and I said something about "coming full circle." At that exact moment, they broke into the opening riff of Postcard and brought me to my knees. For a fairly standard original, I had been chasing Postcard for more than a year without hearing it. Lots of people on the Internet had talked it up in the newsgroups that week and the band gave their fans what they wanted. The irony of the lyrics "still I try to make you happy, still I try to make you see" should have silenced all critics. This town was nuts. It seemed like my kind of place. As a college student in Memphis I spent whole weeks out of my life driving back and forth from the gulf coast, enduring the long drive through Mississippi from Hernando to Hattiesburg and beyond. Postcard may not be the most profound song in the world, but it echoes the sentiments of those that believe in the power of Widespread Panic. One Arm Steve to close the set matched up with the Nobody's Loss portion of the encore pretty well. I saw the real Steve from the song wandering around earlier that day, so it was no doubt in tribute to him. As Jojo put the finishing touches on the second set, it seemed like each band member had contributed equally on this evening. A few folks whined about the Climb to Safety end to the encore, but you don't get an exotic cover to end every show and that's just the way it is. Overall, the show was solid with the highlights coming throughout the second set. The new material and new versions of old songs seemed to mesh together quite well. Though the road has been rocky at times, there is no doubt that Widespread Panic plays some of their most inspired music in Mississippi. Whenever they return, they will always have a home.
Dr.
Dan Matrazzo: Dan on the Moon by Ryan Mohs and Chip Schramm Dr. Dan: "Dan on the Moon" is the latest studio effort of Dan Matrazzo. He has kept company with many astounding musicians throughout his career, including a stint with Col. Bruce Hampton in the mid-90's. To put this CD into a single musical genre would be impossible and insulting due to its mix of styles and the ride it provides for the listener. "Dan on the Moon" is mostly instrumental with the exception of Rollin', Timeless, and Move On, which utilize the vocal talents of Matrazzo, Sam Sims, and Mica Roberts. Two Tracks on the CD, Uncle Hank and Snap, incorporate LP samples that give the impression of DJ involvement. Two Great Guest Spots from Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule, and two tracks that feature Matrazzo solo on keys round out the CD's complexity. Overall, "Dan on the Moon" has the New Orleans jazz and funk fusion sound that listeners have come to expect from that region, even though he is from Atlanta. There is also a sliver of R&B and an almost techno sound that one would expect from a musician immersed in the Atlanta scene. Dr. Dan's "Dan on the Moon," is a must have addition for those who already have CDs from bands such as Medeski, Martin, and Wood and Galactic in their collection I had the good fortune of getting to meet and hear Dr. Dan play for the first time on my birthday, April 19th, over at the Taphouse here in Memphis. It was an otherwise quiet night in town, so the mood was very casual and friendly. Being my birthday and all, I don't recall each and every note played, but I did enjoy the lesson I received in keyboard skill and flair. I played piano for over 12 years as a youth, so I really admire someone with the versatility and positive attitude of Dan Matrazzo. He dedicated a birthday song to me while a few of my friends hazed me up at the bar, and he let me roam around the stage exploring his equipment after the show was over. The intricate woodcarvings on one of his keyboards stick out in my memory well. For his part, Dr. Dan jumped back and forth between keyboards, trying to combine as many different sounds as possible into his music. The lineup touring with Dr. Dan is different from the players on his album. As a graduate of the Berklee School of Music and former bandmate of Steve Vai and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, just to name a few, Dan has a keen eye for talent. The trio of young and hungry musicians backing Matrazzo, has promising music careers in their present and future. Melvin Baldwin on the drums had hand speed like I hadn't seen in quite a while. With his wife-beater and gold chains, he seemed quite the urban road warrior. Dave Yoke, formerly of Second Hand Jive, showed lots of improvisational skill and matched Dr. Dan stroke for stroke. Mark Bynum is a bassist I was already familiar with, mostly from his work in Blueground Undergrass. He played with Dr. Dan and Col. Bruce in the Fiji Mariners before that as well. I was surprised to see how much versatility he brought to the table with this lineup. He seemed much more comfortable playing funk and jazz than he did playing bluegrass. I definitely agree with Ryan that the jazz and funk elements come out strong in this music. To me the electronic keyboard or organ can be the most powerful instrument in a funk jam, and Dr. Dan wore it out. That smile never left his face the entire time. There were only a few of us there, mostly to celebrate my birthday, but that didn't affect the musicians' approach to the music. They played lots of songs from the album, but also worked in some interesting covers such as the theme from 2001, Exodus, and the Meter's Sissy Strut. I had a blast the whole time and would encourage anyone to check Dr. Dan and his band out when they come to your town. Even if it isn't your birthday!
Beale St. Music Festival May 5-7, 2000 by Mike Jones Wow, what a weekend! I'm sure Chip will have some reviews to back me up on this one. Friday night was a little rainy. It had poured earlier in the day so the grass soon turned to mud (think Woodstock '94). Unfortunately there were those that ruined the party by throwing mud and slinging it up everywhere. This short night me and my friends happened to catch performances by Run DMC, Joan Jett, and others. We spent a good long while down on Beale St. that night, listening to the bands playing along the street and they were rocking out the blues for anyone within earshot! Saturday, the sun came out and helped dry the place up a little bit but the ground was still fairly sloppy and smelled like a barn. We happened to catch the end of Stroke 9 before we got to see a band from Mississippi called Three Doors Down. Ok, their studio tracks sound alright but I just wasn't impressed with the live performance. It was like listening to the same song over and over for and hour or so. Saturday night we saw King Konga play and they played their hearts out. I think they played for almost 3 hours if I'm not mistaken. They are some of the nicest guys that I know and the just played a killer set. I can't wait for their new album to come out sometime this summer/fall. Sunday was a scorcher, sunny and warm. Saw the likes of Cowboy Mouth, Edwin McCain, R.L. Burnside, Collective Soul, and a few others. During the encore of Cowboy Mouth's set, drummer/lead singer Fred LeBlanc came down into the crowd and laid down face first in the mud about 5 feet away from me and for a second, I thought he was going to start throwing it or run up and start hugging us. Thankfully, he just got back up on stage and climbed the PA. Edwin had one of the best sets of the whole festival. I've seen him countless times but this performance looked like the old days of just havin' fun and talking to the crowd between songs. Something I haven't seen Edwin do in a long time, just go out and have fun. I think Chip has Widespread covered so I'll leave that to him. I'm still not quite recovered from the weekend and I'm resting up for more music this weekend and possibly the next two as well. So I'll have plenty more for you all next month!
Music
in the Mud by Chip Schramm The Beale St. Music Festival celebrated its 23rd birthday this year and had a lineup that featured jambands prominently throughout the lineup. Memphis is, of course, the home of the blues and cradle of rock-and-roll, so it is a local custom to hold a rockin' festival down by the bands of the Mississippi River each Spring. Blues and Soul were featured prominently throughout the weekend, as legends like John Lee Hooker and Ike Turner attested to. That is not to say that the festival lacked diversity. "Mainstream"acts like Sevendust and Collective Soul got their share of the limelight to counter-balance the weight of crowd magnets like the Allman Brothers and Little Richard. There was plenty of new blood infused in the festival as the most talented couple in blues music, Derek Trucks his girlfriend Susan Tedeschi both played their first Memphis in May. the North Mississippi All-Stars aren't new to Memphis by any means, but each year a few more music fans catch on to their "world-boogie." And just as they had done in New Orleans at this time last year, Widespread Panic earned the first two set show in festival history and ended their tour in front of a passionate, if somewhat dirty crowd. The oddest thing about the music festival this year is that it didn't rain more than a few drops the entire weekend, but the rain from the previous week had loosened the grass so much that by the end of Friday night, Tom Lee Park was a mud pit. Medeski, Martin, and Wood represented the jazzier side to the 2000 lineup. They got their standard one set on Friday evening and definitely made an impression on the crowd. Friday night is usually the night that folks just wander the grounds, letting their ear tell them which stage to gravitate towards. The 3 man groove outfit had quite a few older fans checking their programs to see exactly who they were. MMW played a lot of their spacier, mellow songs and that seemed to fit the mood of the very first night of the festival. They attract a bigger crowd each time they visit Memphis and there's no doubt they gained some converts on this evening. Good Times and a Good Cause at Legend's While the headline acts of the actual festival draw most of the attention, the music and festive spirit does not end at the park's east border on Riverside Drive. Music and mayhem were all over Beale St. before, during, and after each day's offerings down at the river. Legend's, a club once named for a musical legend in Willie Mitchell, played host to the most promising young bands that weekend. Local up-and-comers CYC and Memphis Jones Revolution played packed gigs on both nights, complimented by funk outfit Juice from New Orleans Sunday evening. The Memphis groove-jazz posse, Yamagata, was also joined by the trumpet of famed Memphian, "El Buho." The club at Legend's had been expanded to include more room on the deck outside for musicians as well as fans. The dance floor was packed both inside and out all weekend long. There was also a Music Fans For Food drive at the club on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. It was modeled after the Panic Fans For Food drives that had been so successful in New Orleans, Atlanta, Athens, Mobile, Myrtle Beach and Jackson. The food drive was sponsored in part by Jambands.com as well as Legend's and the Memphis Food Bank. The drive was organized at last minute due to the general frenzy that besets the city the week leading up to Memphis in May, but it was still a success. The Food Bank provided some flyers educating people on the problem of hunger in Memphis, and plenty of people stopped by the booth to say hi and find out what we were doing, even if they didn't have anything to donate. In the end, the Widespread Panic fans carried the day, bringing canned goods in large grocery bags on Sunday afternoon. The organization of that kind of food drive is not as easy as it may sound, and in Memphis, getting the word out was crucial. We missed the print deadline to get our own ad in the official guides and magazines, but local radio stations, Rock 103 and 92.9, both gave us some good coverage. With the help of a few volunteers, we put flyers up from mid-town to Germantown and worked the word of mouth. The food drive didn't do as well poundage-wise as the ones in some of the other cities, but that is partially due to the fact that Ratdog started very early on Saturday, and lots of Panic fans didn't make it to Memphis because they played their last show on a Sunday night. Overall it was a great experience for all involved. We gave away lots of T-shirts, stickers, hats, and even a few CDs to those that donated canned goods. This gave some up-and-coming bands the opportunity to donate some of their CDs and spread some of their good music. The Memphis Jones Revolution and Calobo both donated CDs and hats, while the music community at large wholeheartedly supported the drive. Yamagata and their fans also gave it up for the Food Bank. Whenever fans of good music get the chance to get together and support a worthwhile cause, everyone is a winner. Headline Acts Hold The Jamband Torch High Bar-B-Que and Bourbon aside, the two main attractions this weekend were the headlining acts, the Allman Brothers on Saturday and Widespread Panic on Sunday. It was really a shame that the two bands couldn't play together, as that would have surely been a historical event. At any rate, the Brothers rolled into town, fresh from gigs at music festivals in Nashville and New Orleans. Their tour was about a week old, so they were just about hitting their stride by the time they took the stage on Saturday night. They had been allotted enough time for two sets, but the questionable weather and tight schedule seemed to dictate that they play one long set instead. With roots deep in the Okefenokee Swamp of Florida and Georgia, the Allmans are heavily influenced by deep southern blues. This was not their first appearance at Memphis in May, but it was their first run through town with Derek Trucks, the new instrumental leader of the band. Derek himself played his first Memphis gig in over 5 years just a few weeks back at the Taphouse. With his own band still intact, he has not left the road in quite a while. The blues theme of the evening was readily apparent as the band opened the show with Trouble No More and proceeded into Don't Keep Me Wondering. Both of those have been staples of the band's repertoire since the early 70's and have origins in the blues music of the mid-south area. It didn't take too long for them to pick things up a notch and break out a jam. The brief instrumental Franklin's Tower tease led, as always, right into Blue Sky. Modern-day jamband fans might take issue with a band that plays one song every single night on tour, but Blue Sky is worth it every time. On this night, the guitar jam between Dickey Betts and Derek Trucks climaxed not once, but twice. As soon as it seemed like the song was coming to a close, they took one more run through it, leaving the wet and muddy crowd feeling very gratified. The conditions at Tom Lee Park on Saturday night were really nasty. There was no escaping the mud, slime, and water. It was everywhere. I was so covered with mud when I came in that night, all I could do was laugh at myself as I looked in the mirror. The band then played a few songs they had debuted during their run at the Beacon Theater in New York during March. They also brought Susan Tedeschi out to sing vocals on one of them. Rave On and Feel So Bad followed Blue Sky. Tedeschi also played the set right before the Allmans, and probably will for a while, since she's now dating Derek Trucks. Of course, the fact that she can flat out sing and play the blues never hurts. She has played gigs on Beale St. before, usually at smaller clubs, so this was like the coming out party for the budding Grammy Award nominee. She even brought Derek out to play on a song during her set, so it's nice to know that the two make beautiful music together, both literally and figuratively. The show would roll on from there, as Dickey and Greg would produce some soulful renditions of the classic songs that originally made the Allman Brothers famous. Jessica, the ubiquitous theme song of the band, would give way to another blues tune, You Don't Love Me. They also sang a clever version of Ramblin' Man, substituting Memphis for Nashville in the line "On my way to New Orleans this mornin'." Greg also couldn't pass up the opportunity to grab his acoustic guitar and step to the front to sing a soulful version of "sweet" Melissa. Indeed, this show had a little bit of everything, as the trio of percussionists broke down into a quick drum solo before giving Oteil Burbridge room for a bass solo of his own. The No One To Run With encore might have been predictable, but by that point of the show, the band had laid their cards down. They showed the Memphis crowd versatility from each and every player, and those that stayed the duration of the show want home muddy, but thoroughly satisfied. The mood was a little different for the Widespread Panic show on Sunday night. Unlike the Allmans who were just getting started with their tour, Widespread was playing the last night of their spring run. Since the show was on a Sunday night, most of the folks left at the festival were either locals, or those who followed the band for the entire tour. The sun beat down upon Tom Lee Park all day that day, so the mud had dried out a good bit, leaving the ground with the consistency of tough, wet clay. The last time the band played Memphis In May, they only got one set and it was all thrown together at the last minute. Now, after a killer 3 show run in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and glowing reports coming out of Nashville from the night previous, anticipation was high. The boys wasted no time getting down to business, opening with a quick and limber Disco, before a very natural sounding segue into Surprise Valley. The instrumental allowed them to get the sound levels right since they didn't get much of a sound check beforehand. Junior was a good choice for the next song, as Junior Kimbrough's influence can be felt far and wide in the music circles of the mid-south. That was surely Jojo Hermann's call, even though he doesn't sing the vocals himself. The jam at the end was tight and dramatic, as it usually is. The sun was sinking low in the sky at this point, so it seemed almost ironic that Mike Houser would sing the lyrics to his family theme song Waker. In this case it seemed to be bringing us the evening sun as opposed to the morning, but no matter. The next part of the set would serve as the highlight of the entire show. Sunny Ortiz broke things down on his timbales in a methodical salsa style. It seemed for a minute like he was surely going to introduce Papa Legba, but that's probably the tease he was going for. Instead, he built up steam, gradually and surely, until they whole band had joined in with him to play Fishwater. This fish was a freshwater fish, darting here and there before sinking down into a new Jojo song called Visiting Day. Most fans in the crowd hadn't heard it before. Truthfully, despite the usual speed that information about new songs spreads, almost nobody knew Jojo had a new song at all! This was only the third time they played it. It was slow and very blue, seeming to be about visitation day in prison. I seem to remember a line about "eating those beans that make us smile" or words to that effect, and I know there was a reference to the state of Tennessee thrown in somewhere. From there it was back into Fishwater, as Ortiz wore it out on the timbales again before the song ended. The band had to play one straight blues number in honor of their visit to Memphis, and Me and the Devil was next. They would close the second set with Love Tractor, giving the crowd one more chance to boogie before they took a break. The break didn't last too terribly long, and the band came back out and opened the second set with a seemingly predictable All Time Low. Now that they play it more like the arrangement on the album, it's hardly a fitting song to open a second set with. Well, at least they should had grabbed a gospel choir somewhere, after all, they were in Memphis! Next the band seemed to be keying off the local fans in the crowd as they picked the War song Low Rider to continue the set. Houser does do a good job with the melody line in that one, and it got everybody swaying back and forth once again. They would run through a few standard originals like Wrangler, Henry Parsons, and Impossible before breaking down into drums. The Parsons was somewhat interesting in that they threw a One Kind Favor in the middle of it, playing once again on the blues side of their repertoire. The drums was special because John Bell played a little on Nance's kit and Cody Dickinson from the North Mississippi All-Stars jumped up to jam a little, too. That may have been his first official performance with the band, but it certainly won't be his last. Blue Indian and Ain't Life Grand seemed, again, like pretty standard songs to end the set with. They were played well and with emotion, but it was obvious that the band wanted to stick close to home with their last few songs of the tour. Speaking of home, they encored with Papa's Home and Travelin' Light to close the tour. Both seemed appropriate, mostly because the roadshow was now over for another season. While the show on this evening wasn't the best of the tour, they did set a record for the first two-setter at the festival and finished up their Spring tour in fine fashion. From start to finish, the 6 men in the band never failed to impress even the most demanding fans in their camp. All in all, they debuted seven brand new original songs, played one show with their drum tech in place of Todd Nance, and traveled from Mobile to New York City to Chicago to Statesboro, hitting plenty of stops in between. I'm sure they must have felt relieved to just have survived the whole ordeal. They won't get too much rest, though. In less than two months, they travel to Colorado to start it all over again. Of course for the music fans in Memphis, the party doesn't ever really end. After Panic was done, but before the final acts in the blues tent had been retired, the barefoot masses paraded back down to Beale Street, crowding the clubs and sidewalks, trying ever so hard to stay one step ahead of the blues. Even on a Sunday night in the heart of the Bible belt, the liquor flowed, the faces remained pasted with those not-quite-natural looking grins, and the music played on. There was great music being made in Memphis long before most of those flower children were born, and there will be more great music made in Memphis long after we are all dead and buried. That's the definition of life in the cradle of rock and roll.
Jambands Jazzfest Overview by Rob Turner
I've been hearing it for eight years or so now. "Turner, I can't believe you've never been to Jazz Fest. You *have* to go down and check it out sometime. It is a music freak's Mecca!" Well, thanks to Jeff Waful and Superfly Presents, I finally made it this year. Due to financial and time constraints, I was only able to attend one day of the actual JazzFest 2000 (I also would have loved to have caught the Allman Bros./Robert Cray show, but it was also out of my budget at forty bucks per ducat). However, the onslaught of music that I caught in the ten days I spent in the city certainly kept me occupied. Particularly impressive was the way Superfly, supervised their shows, as they demonstrated a respect for their customers, and a consistently efficient method of handling the entry traffic at their high demand shows. Every time we were at one of their shows, they proved to be organized and professional with their ticket sellers and will call employees. They also displayed at their three shows at the Saenger Theater that they are ready to take the company to the next level and start doing more large-scale shows. I have to admit that I am ashamed to have been in New Orleans for over a week and not been able to see the Neville Brothers or Galactic once. I have wanted to see the Nevilles in their hometown for over 15 years, but tickets for their House of Blues shows were impossible. I was too worn out and broke to go to the last day of Jazz Fest, when the Nevilles performed (saved my last energy and nickles for late night stuff). I had planned to see Galactic and MMW on the Cajun Queen on my final day also, but again, tickets were hard to come by. I spoke with some that had been on the boat for this show, and from their glowing reports, I think this might have been the highlight of my week had I been able to attend. It is a tribute to this great city that even with the staggering amount of musical events going on, many of them sell out. What follows are my ten most memorable events of the lively ten days in the Big Easy. An asterisk indicates the shows that were put on bySuperfly Presents, and some of the times listed are approximations: 1) Project Logic at Tipitina's Uptown (3:30-7:15am Mon. 5/8/00): This was my final event of the trip, and it turned out to be the crowning jewel. The 90+ minute first set was outstanding. DJ Logic is the most brilliant turntable ace I have seen to date (although I must note that I am far from knowledgeable in this section of the music world) and he has put together an striking band. His saxophone player particularly tickled my synapses. He is a brilliant presence who listens to closely to his bandmates, making the most of virtually every musical contribution that he offers. Fuzz from Deep Banana Blackout sat in for the set, mostly offering gentle colors in the background. When he did step up, we were treated to a different side of his playing than he displays with DBB. The second set ripped my brain open, as John Medeski, Jon Fishman, and Warren Haynes all guested. Some expected a colossal train wreck, but a gem for the ages resulted. Logic and Medeski's mind melding ability remains in tact to this day, and Jon Fishman was solid throughout. I positioned myself directly in front of Warren (one of my favorite musicians on the planet) just before he was given a chance to step up, and a sort of techno blues hybrid developed before it spiraled into a exhilarating stretch of music that was candy for the dancers. Toward the end of the set, Fuzz rejoined the stage, and he and Warren (who performed together in this very city last fall) blended effortlessly. It was enormously engaging to watch all of these musicians interact and blend their styles, and I am thankful to my friend Scott who lent me a DAT when I was out of money. Because of him I now have a tape of this singular event. I am not ashamed to say that I already have listened to this recording while dancing wildly in my living room, much to the dismay of my two cats. Congratulations to Liquid Sky Entertainment for an outstanding debut event. 2) Nicholas Payton Quintet at Jazz Fest "BET on Jazz/WWOZ Jazz tent" (4:15-5:15pm Sun. 4/30/00): This gentleman is a brilliant trumpeter. He can remind of Louis Armstrong when he's playing lively or Wynton Marsalis when he's playing gently. Don't let me give you the idea that this guy doesn't have his own personality. His penchant for unusual staccato blasts makes for a lively listen. He never wastes a note yet he also isn't afraid to dig down at just the right moment and let loose with a torrential blast of notes. His quintet is amazingly tight, and it features a saxophonist who surely could front his own band. They effortlessly change timings, tempos, and styles without sounding indulgent or scattered. It was a captivating set from one of the best jazz groups in the country today. Their set opening "Nick at Night" and their take on the classic "Night Train" were both absolutely stellar. 3) The Motet at the Funky Butt (11:30pm-3am Tues-Weds 5/2-3/00) One of the only good things about a recent somewhat less than satisfying work experience that I had is that I was able to find Rob Sarno. Rob has brought some smokin' bands to my attention, most notably a Colorado band called The Motet. These guys have an outstanding CD out called "Breathe," and they did not disappoint with their live show. Thanks to Sarno, I went out of my way to catch them on this trip. Anyone familiar with the Boston music scene will remember Dave Watts, the former drummer of the successful funky band Shock-Ra. The Motet is the result of many jam sessions in Watts' new home of Boulder, Colorado. Every member of their touring six piece is a top notch musician. The guitarist particularly impressed me with his subtle work beneath his bandmates, and his genre bending lead work. The keyboard player commanded with every solo, garnering himself a couple of lovely dancers who refused to leave his side of the stage for the entire two plus hour set. The band exhibited their diversity by touching on many world music rhythms, particularly African and Cuban. They also impressed by singing in four different languages. The opening band was told to join in at any time, and various members did so at different points of the show, before they all came out an got the entire room dancing with wild passion for an Earth-shattering conclusion to the long evening. 4) Los Hombres Calientes at Jazz Fest "Fox 8/Sprint PCS Stage" (2:50-3:55pm Sun. 4/30/00) This band features the youngest of the second generation Marsalis family, drummer Jason Marsalis, percussionist from Herbie Hancock's Headhunters (as well as many other esteemed jazz units) Bill Summers, and young lion of the trumpet Irvin Mayfield (who sat in with Ratdog for two recent Louisiana performances). Their aggressive use of syncopation and improvisation, their elegant and unique compositional approach, as well as their creative use of portions of jazz standards all contributed to the stimulating experience. This is not your Daddy's Latin Jazz band. One piece started with a Summers solo, which led into a Marsalis solo, then the band popped in briefly before the song erupted into percussive mayhem. It was a percussion piece with a brief band break, rather than the usual reverse. Lovers of rhythm and jazz must check these guys out. *5) Oysterhead (Anastasio, Claypool, and Copeland) at the Saenger Theater (11:30pm-1:30am 5/4-5/00) There were wildly mixed opinions on this show. Some were apparently expecting a tighter show for some reason, even though this was widely promoted as a jam session hosted by Les Claypool of Primus. Others exuberantly proclaimed it the show of a lifetime. While I certainly wouldn't go that far, I do think it was an enthralling evening that I probably will never forget. I saw The Police many times when I was a lad, and Stewart's drumming was a huge part of the appeal of their live show. Watching a brilliant drummer like Stewart Copeland do his best to adjust his style while still delivering his familiar muscular drum approach was a real treat. Sure there were some awkward moments where it seemed like jams were getting stepped on, but that is part of the beauty of a hybrid unit such as this. Copeland and Claypool goaded Trey into new spaces with their brawny interplay, and it's always nice to have a window into different sides of Anastasio's playing. Les Claypool sparked the show a few times with his trademark bass slapping while marching in circles on the stage. Later in the set, Trey even joined in the revelry of one of these Primus-like moments, and the two of them storming around the stage while Copeland brutalized his drums was the stuff of legend. We were also treated to some all-to-rare fingerpicking from Trey during a quick ditty about 40 minutes into the set. Claypool also saluted the Phish fans by incorporating an adjusted reference to Reba ("bag it, tag it, sell it to the butcher in the mar-ket") during the only Primus cover, a twisted version of Jerry Was A Race Car Driver, which closed the set. The encores featured a killer interpretation of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song, and a ragged-but-right take on The Kinks All Day and All of the Night (I discovered the joys of air guitar to this song in my youthful days). These were sandwiched around a mesmerizing version of The Israelites, which Trey sang beautifully. I was surprised he remembered all of the words, as many hardcore reggae fans don't even know the words of this song... it's the Louie Louie of the Jah world. My friend Mike Ciaffone tells me that this song was originally written by Desmond Dekker for his band The Aces. After Desmond had a huge hit with this song, he became so associated with it that he named a later band Desmond Dekker and The Israelites. The song has been widely covered in the reggae world in the years since. *6) Bela Fleck And The Flecktones at the Saenger Theater (9:30-11:30pm 5/5/00) This band continues to amaze with every performance. I wonder if there is a band anywhere as consistently tight, creative, and energetic as these guys. They offered a window into their forthcoming CD by treating us to a few great songs slated to be included on the disc. Scratch and Sniff was particularly enjoyable, and I think it had been a couple of years since I had caught the quirky number, Sex In A Pan. Bela seems to be more comfortable using that brown guitjo thing, as he broke it out a couple of times during the set to conjure a mystical aura. Jeff Coffin continues to amaze, and he has become more dexterous about his dual horn playing, as early in the set he deftly switched back and forth between tenor and alto saxophone in rapid-fire fashion. His hand eye coordination is almost athletic. This combined with his seemingly limitless musical ability makes for an impressive package of a performer. Victor Wooten, who sat a couple of rows in front of me for much of the Oysterhead show, acknowledged Claypool as one of his musical heroes. Well, I'm not afraid to say that Victor Wooten is one of my musical heroes. In my twenty years of chasing music like a lost puppy, there are few musicians that consistently amaze and challenge their audiences like Victor Wooten. He makes extremely difficult maneuvers on the bass look frighteningly easy, and can deliver complex music with supple warmth. Futureman also sparkled, especially when he stirred up the crowd with a dizzying array of rhythms that he conjured by simultaneously playing a straight drum kit with his right hand and his SynthAxe drumitar with his left. *7) Garage A Trois at the Saenger Theater (9:30-11pm 5/4/00) Who is this guy Skerik, and where did he come from? Well, I can tell you he's a brilliant saxophone player, and I'm told he hails from Seattle. He drove this set of funked-out jazz which also featured the ever-popular Stanton Moore on drums and Charlie Hunter on guitar. Hunter was more low key than I had ever seen him before, but he offered some interesting work in the low registers, to the extent where he was almost a bassist for the unit. Moore seemed to have a third hand with the incredible polyrhythms that he and the guest percussionist (sorry, I didn't get his name) engaged in. The set turned out to be a lively pre-Oysterhead appetizer, and Skerik even referenced "cheesesteak" from Phish's New Year's show. This is sure to be the word of the year for phans of Phish 2000, by the way. *8) Karl Denson's Tiny Universe at Howlin' Wolf (4-8am 5/6/00) I actually didn't make it to the end of the show. The band electrified the room for a long first set, and when they took a break I was astonished that it was 5:45am, so the second set was not likely to commence before 6am. Dancing with great people in the back of the upstairs portion of the club during the first set was a tremendous time. My memories of this particular evening of revelry are hazy, but Karl, his guitarist, and his trumpeter just blew my mind. I caught them in Atlanta a few days later with a clearer head and found their set even more satisfying. This band should appeal equally to lovers of jazz and funk. *9) Medeski, Martin and Wood at the Saenger Theater (11:30pm-2am 5/6-7/00) Henry Butler sat in with these guys and improvised admirably. MMW issued an electric set even though their current tour has been predominantly acoustic. What can you say about MMW? They offer music that is joyfully challenging and danceable simultaneously. They move between textures and tempos with ease, and they explore seductively ethereal regions. They also listen to each other with undying intent, cueing changes with the subtlest of glances. It was particularly beneficial to be with Jeff Waful on this night, as he gave me exact descriptions of some of the unusual time signatures, and subtle time changes that I would not have appreciated as deeply without the Wafuler. *10) String Cheese Incident on the Cajun Queen (10pm-2am Weds-Thus 5/3-4/00) and at The Saenger (11pm-3am Fri-Sat 5/5-6/00) Sailing around the Mediterranean on the Cajun Queen with String Cheese Incident was an unbelievable experience. They came out with some muscle, tearing through the first few songs of their set as New Orleans disappeared from view. The actual room the band played in was very intimate considering the popularity of this band. I took in the end of their first set from this area as the band took Get Out Of My Life into a jam that reached very sweet spaces before it became a bit scattered. A strong version of Black Clouds emerged from the confusion to end the set. I was a little surprised at the amount of chatter in this room during some of the band's intimate moments, so I spent most of the rest of the time on the top deck. It was quite special to hear a great mix of the band cranked out of huge speakers on this deck while looking over the water and feeling the lake air. Before SCI's set and during intermission the Little Rascals Brass Band fueled the evening with spirited Dixieland music under the skies on the top deck. The most lively dancing I saw on this evening was actually to this Brass Band's second set. Also, my favorite part of SCI's show was when they generously brought the LRBB onto their stage in the second set and blew a hole of energy out the side of the boat. Speaking of SCI's generosity, they allowed Bela Fleck and The Flecktones a full two-hour opening set at the Saenger Theater. SCI opened their Saenger show with a brilliant version of Tim O'Brien's Land's End (my favorite SCI cover) and later in the set The Flecktones returned to the stage. SCI and The Flecktones offered what was probably my favorite single song of the week, a lengthy tantalizing version of Weather Report's Birdland. Victor Wooten was unbelievable, and Jeff Coffin ripped and extended solo as well. Bela Fleck stepped up at one point, and he turned to Michael Kang mid-solo for some heavenly interplay. Kyle Hollingsworth shined on the keys for SCI all night, at times leading the band into some refreshingly edgy improvisation. Karl Denson sat in for a portion of Roll Over during the jam-filled second set. The encore began with a somewhat lukewarm take on Bob Marley's Bend Down Low (I may have been tainted by having seen The Wailers themselves perform this a few days prior) which gave way to a rousing version of Texas which Waful had been pining for all week. The Friday SCI/Flecktones shows ran a couple hours later than the other two at the Saenger. Between these two shows, and the second set of their first night at Atlanta's Variety Playhouse last fall, this band is gradually growing on me. Honorable Mentions: I caught the tail end of Charles Neville Jazz Ensemble's set. Their funky changes and the captivating leads of their hot pianist made for a fine listen. Kenny Neal tore through his set at Jazz Fest's blues stage. His harp performance on Howlin' At The Moon, and his guitar work later in the set were very strong. He also offered a growl of vocal inflection later in the set, surely in tribute to the late, great Howlin' Wolf. However, his generosity derailed the set, as he started bringing up various members of his family as guests, a nice gesture that just might be more appropriate during a longer set at a club show. The Wailers delivered a great set, even though their male lead vocalist was a bit hoarse. The wonderful Marcia Griffiths (one of the "I-Threes," Bob Marley's signature vocal team) offered her golden throat for lead vocal on three songs early in the set. I was particularly delighted by the way they plopped Kaya into the middle of Bend Down Low, and their memorable version of Heathen. Corey Harris delivered a soulful set opening for MMW at the Saenger. He started solo before taking it to honky tonk regions with local legend Henry Butler. Corey is sort of a cross between Ben Harper and Keb Mo', and he surely has a bright future in store. Gov't Mule's set at Tipitina's at The Ruins was truncated due to it's late start, and it was not up to some of the blistering live shows I've seen them perform recently. However they offered rarely performed chestnuts like Rockin' Horse and Mr. Big. They also played a pairing of Radiohead songs, Lucky (a first for many in attendance) into the radio staple Creep. The highlight of the show was Warren's heart-wrenching lead vocal on their encore of Tony Joe White's Out Of The Rain. The Mule was opening for The Funky Meters who also performed a set that did not make full use of their allotted time. They did perform outstanding versions of People Say, Hey Pocky Way, and the Allman Brothers' Midnight Rider. Also, one of the lasting memories of the week was the look of awe on Deep Banana Blackout's keyboard player's face as he watched Merle Saunders sit in for a high energy Boogie On Reggae Woman. DBB rode the energy of this guest spot through the next hour or so of their performance. The band will definitely suffer when they lose their vivacious frontwoman Jen Durkin at the end of the summer, her limitless energy drives this band. Although her Queen Latifah-esque need to say the name of her band repeatedly during their performances will surely not be missed. Other notables: 90.7 FM - An outstanding radio station in a city that is otherwise surprisingly weak on the radio dial. The birds of Chalmette - My blue Sable was terrorized by these critters who remain lovable even if they are equipped with extremely prolific excretory systems. It is now a blue and white vehicle. New Orleans Police - There were many reports of random searches of some of people presenting themselves in anything remotely resembling hippydom. This behavior is a reprehensible misuse of authority, and it displays a complete lack of respect for (or an ignorance of) our nation's Constitution. I am someone who has a deep respect for police officers, as they put their lives on the line daily to maintain order in our society. However, when bull headed cops become too intoxicated with their power and take liberties such as this, they insult their fellow officers who have an understanding of and respect for our nation's search and seizure laws. They also serve to distance the force from the citizenry that pays their salaries. Last fall at Phish's performance at Lakefront arena, members of this same police force hassled a kid who was collecting change to help bail a friend out of jail who had been arrested after another questionable search and seizure. It is curious why this city would spit in the face of a community of people who pack such a large economic punch. I had the opportunity to drive around many parts of this city, and I think the police have many much more grave situations to which they could commit their resources instead of toward hassling non-violent people who may or may not be committing what are essentially victimless crimes. Stories I have heard about the New Orleans police (and things I have witnessed first hand) represent the only negatives of my last three trips there, and the only reasons I would hesitate to return.
JazzFest 2000 by llemm@altavista.net Larry Lemm Wed-- Thurs-- Fri-- Sat-- Sun-- If you had a plan, there was plenty to see at JazzFest 2000, perhaps even too much to see. The minute I got into town I had to make a decision to see Stanton Moore, Charlie Hunter and Skerik... or see String Cheese on the Cajun Queen Riverboat. Since I knew I'd see SCI again, and I'd hit the riverboat on Sunday, I went with the Garage a Trois show at the Maple Leaf. The Maple Leaf is a great New Orleans Bar that has a lot of atmosphere, if not a lot of ventilation. The sold-out crowd was ready for some jazzy, funky licks and the Garage a Trois immediately surprised all by coming out as a quartet instead of a trio. The fourth member was a percussionist, who if memory serves correct, (and if you partied like I did, you wouldn't trust your memory either) was the percussionist from Skerik's Seattle gig, Critters Buggin'. The Garage a Trois played almost all of the tunes off of the Stanton Moore album "All Kooked Out" who's recording sessions sparked the creation of this transitory jazz group. There were times when Stanton, Charlie Hunter, and Skerik would turn on the effects, getting more of a modern sound, while other times they would stay within the predefined sounds and structures of what is accepted as modern jazz. Personally though, my favorite moments where when the effects went into outer space, and nobody, not even the musicians on the stage, seemed to have control of what was coming out of their instruments. There was talk of a third set, but the Maple Leaf was cleared to make way for a late night set by NewBirth Brass, and I called it a day to make way for a busy Thursday. Liquid Soul is an up and coming jazz-funk-soul group from Chicago that had a gig on the mainstage of the JazzFest itself. Any funk/soul group that has a horn section and a turntablist is going to garner some interest in my book, and I've listened their albums for years, but JazzFest 2000 also gave me my first opportunity to check out Liquid Soul in person. Their set was early in the day, but that didn't stop the beats from flowing. Liquid Soul's horn section seemed to be the heart of their sound, especially the trombone. Their DJ added a lot of tasteful scratching, but their frontman seemed more into pumping up the crowd than singing a song. That bad habit is always a minus in my book, if your music moves the crowd, you shouldn't have to waste time to "pump" them up. After Liquid Soul, we caught New Orleans legend Eddie Bo on the "Old School" stage. Before we got to see Eddie though, his band treated the crowd to an over-the-top version of Pee Wee Ellis' "The Chicken". This pumped up the crowd without having anyone say anything into the microphone. Hopefully Liquid Soul was hustling over to catch that phase of the show. After the funky instrumental from the band, Eddie Bo came out and started wailing at the keyboard. His music was unmistakably New Orleans, and it was a great treat to catch this legend while he was playing. After the Eddie Bo gig, we caught the bus towards our hotel, and had to catch a transfer that was right next to the Sanger Theater. Since Oysterhead was the talk of the town, we took a few moments to check out the scene in the late afternoon. There was a small contingent of tour kids milling about the theater looking for that ticket that was at least near face value, but while talking to them, I noticed that Trey, Les and Stuart were in the process of soundchecking. Pressing my ears against to doors of the theater, I was able to enjoy a nice music appetizer for the madness that was about to ensue. I couldn't place it at the time, but the band was rehearsing the Oysterhead Suite that would open their show. Made for a nice trolley ride home to get ready for the show. Back at the Sanger after dinner and a shower, the scene was electric. Hustlers, players and shutout kids mingled in front of the theater. The shutout kids all looking for a ticket that was less than the exorbitant amounts the hustlers wanted. The players were meeting friends and getting ready for the show. Settling into the Sanger (which is one of the nicest theaters I've been into. >From my West-coast-centric point of view, it was sort of like The Warfield crossed with the Great American Music Hall...a 2,500 seat theater that was super nice inside...great statues, plush curtains, great sound...and a chill staff. My only beef with the venue was that they didn't sell bottles of water, and instead sold the crowd $2 pints of water. It made me wonder who was going to suffer in a lawsuit if someone overheated and dehydrated. Note to venues: You make enough money selling beer and liquor at shows, if you're not going to allow people to bring in water, you better not try and make out like a bandit selling it, you can make plenty of money selling bottles of water for a dollar). Anyways, the Garage a Trois opened the sold-out pair of superjams. The set sounded better to me than the Maple Leaf set the night before, but I was able to actually hear the music, without having to fight the crowded and hot room that GAT had played the night before. Once again Stanton, Skerik and Charlie Hunter (and the mystery percussionist) went into the "All Kooked Out" turf. This is not to say that they only stayed on the course the album provided though, the Garage a Trois was out there improvising, switching between funky grooves and spacey transitions. Both Stanton and Skerik are reknown for their use of loop effects, and personally the Garage a Trois shined brightest when they abandoned musical structure and ventured into the land of loops. After Garage A Trois left the stage, the anticipation for Oysterhead grew. Many people had questions on the format and style of what was going to go down, but when Les Claypool, Trey Anastasio and Stuart Copeland hit the stage in all-white lab coats, to a rocking Primus-grooved suite about Oysterhead all questions were answered. This wasn't some hippie band, this was a power trio out to blow out circuits in the head's of the unprepared. If you've seen Primus before, you know what type of assault Les lays down on the bass. That boy is crazy, no doubt in my mind, but who ever said that crazy is a bad thing. After the opening suite about Oysterhead, the band moved into territory that was more familiar to Primus and Phish fans, covering Primus' "Jerry was a Racecar Driver" and reprising Les' "Wildweed Rap" that first appeared in the Helping Phriendly Book after the big Les/Phish encore at the Alladin Hotel in Las Vegas. Perhaps the biggest surprise was that there wasn't a Phish or Police original completely covered, although Les had a blast butchering the repetitive mantra of Phish's "Reba". It was during the first encore that Oysterhead brought the Led Zeppelin covers that everyone was expecting. Immigrant Song was the highlight of the show for me, Les and Trey were swapping insane licks. Believe the hype, if someone tries to tell you that the Oysterhead show sucked, they either have no idea what rock and roll is, or they are bitter people who got shut out. After Oysterhead continued through the Kink's "All Day and All of the Night" and a second encore of "House of the Rising Sun", the show let out, and the kids went running to the House of Blues for the late night Galactic show.
Oysterhead:
Saenger Theater by Clay Maddox 1: Oysterhead, He's An Inspiration, Instrumental 1, Rubbernecking Lines, He Used To Be The Owner Of The World, Instrumental 2, ???, Sinking Down, Ain't No Cure For Suicide, Jerry Was a Racecar Driver* E: Immigrant Song, The Israelites**, All Day and All Of the Night E2: House of the Rising Sun * with Reba lyrics ** with "Andy and Sting" lines Poor Stewart Copeland. The man came out of his life composing movie scores for what could have been a landmark musical event, and he ended up as a musical mediator between two of the most powerful musicians of the day. The idea of bonding for better music all but blew up on stage. The night opened with a fantastic set from Garage a Trois, playing a combination of songs from 8 string guitar virtuoso Charlie Hunter's solo albums, Galactic drummer Stanton Moore's solo album, and some Garage a Trois originals. The teamwork of Charlie and Stanton created rising jazz funk grooves for saxophonist Skerik to wail on top of, while guest percussionist Mike Dillon offset Stanton Moore's driving rhythms. The excitement in the beautiful Saenger Theater was pushed to a roaring frenzy as Garage a Trois left the stage leaving the fans scurrying about the Oysterhead potential. Les, Stewart and Trey all came out in white scientists jackets. After a couple of slam funk originals that were clearly composed by the hard edged Claypool of Primus that sang lyrics about Oysterhead, "Oysterhead till the day I die!" the mood became humorous with a little stir in the crowd of "what is this?" Les approached the mic and introduced himself as the engineer of the project and kind of mocked the fact that Phish fans had soaked up all of the tickets as well as paying outrageous prices online. He introduced Stewart Copeland to the crowd and then called out to Trey Anastasio, "Where do you come from?" Trey's reply came in form of a guitar cry that led into about three more songs that seemed to be written by Trey. As with the first two songs, when the musicians started going as fast as these guys can, and with as much texture as the songs had; one small mistake can derail the whole train, but, musically speaking, when it was moving, it was moving like no other music. One of the songs was called "He used to be the owner of the World," and Trey dedicated it to Jon Fishman who quickly ran on and back off the stage. This seemed to piss Les off a little and during the next song, while Trey was soloing, Les grabbed the mic to state that he saw Victor Wooten in the crowd. Trey was not playing the best that I've seen him play, but then again neither were Les and Stewart, and the frustration with Trey's style began to show in Les' hard driving bouncy bass. Les wanted Trey to chase him chop for chop, and Trey wanted Les to develop some melody. At this point, the jury was definitely mixed on the music, and the vibe was still humorous. It was fun to see Les bouncing and hopping all over the stage challenging Trey to match his speed. Les made a few more pokes at the crowd asking "Who's the guy that paid $2000 for this concert?." After the man in question was confirmed, Les snidely stated, "I hope you're having fun." And in a jab at the Phish community and idolatry of Trey, he then offered to "sell you Trey's underwear for $50 bucks after the show." The crowd was laughing and the moment was funny, but as the night grew on, Trey clearly grew frustrated with Les' comments and desire for attention. It seemed like Les was jealous; he repeatedly mocked the crowd by calling Trey "Wise One." It began to go wrong on a gradual decline; Trey was clearly becoming disturbed by Les' constant raps in the mic, as well as the bouncing and hopping gimmick used to draw attention to his bass. Les began to play a sequence of Primus songs with the intent of drawing Trey into the choppy raps that Les does, but Trey would not respond and just played guitar. For a while the consensus was that Trey was being outplayed and was not stepping up to the challenge; Les seemed to be getting to Trey and was affecting his playing ability. Trey is used to playing in the warm confides of Mike and Page, not the bouncing rage of Les Claypool. Eventually, in apparent disgust with Trey's inability to play his style, Les began to mock Phish directly by whining and rapping the words to "Reba" while eyeing Trey. Trey played for about 30 more seconds and unplugged his cord while storming off stage to Les' side where Les had already left and Stewart was separating the two. They were not fighting, but a heated argument was clearly taking place and the vibe in the room was that of doubt. A few weary minutes passed with no extensive "roar" from the crowd when Trey reappeared storming to his guitar rig. He was clearly pissed. Stewart walked to the drum riser with a look of desperation on his face and Les grabbed the mic to exclaim, "Now we're going to get it on! Do you believe in Satan?" Les, too, was pissed. At this point the Oysterhead was dead, and the professionalism of the musicians was on the line. The show must go on. The three-headed beast of rage came out in some seriously rocking covers of "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin in which Trey imitated Les by running around the stage and screaming in his face, some of it in rage, some in mockery. The next song was "No Cure for Suicide" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which also was phenomenal. The vibe in the room was growing very dark. Take all of the positive energy created by the Phish community that comes with a love for music, as an entity, and turn it negative. That's what was happening. The crowd didn't know whether to cheer or run in fear. "Do you believe in Satan?...No cure for suicide!" These messages were not common to a Phish crowd, and this crowd was a Phish crowd, whether Les believed it or not. Les stepped to the mic again to say, "It's been a real pleasure playing for you tonight," and before he could finish what was clearly going to be a statement of sarcasm about the Phish community, Trey busted out the chords to "Girl I want to be with You" by the Kinks. It was a direct message about his desire to be with the Phish people and not where he was. Trey never said a rude word to or about Les, but he let the music speak for him. Trey had redeemed himself with his wit. Les left the stage in anger as the song finished and Stewart threw his sticks away in frustration. Trey stormed offstage again, and again the crowd had no idea what was happening. There was no rousing applause and no boos either; just mass concern and confusion. It was like everyone had just witnessed a train wreck and no one knew who was all right. Another minute passed and Stewart came back out to the front of the crowd shaking hands in an attempt to keep the crowd energy positive and interested. Les and Trey walked out slowly and played "House of the Rising Sun". I've never seen Trey look like he hated playing guitar, but that was as close as it's going to get. There was one final song, possibly written on the spot, and sung by Trey with the lyrical punch being "I don't want to end up like Andy and Sting", the first wide open jab back at Les, but again through the music. As the show ended, Stewart walked to the front of the stage and tried to bring the three together for an arm in arm bow, but Les walked away from the hug. Trey and Stewart bowed, tried to grab Les again; he again gave them the "cold shoulder" and Trey and Stewart shrugged their shoulders and walked off in arms leaving Les all alone in front of a house full of pissed off music fans. The final look on Les' face looked like he had just figured out who Keyser Sose was. It was too late. My first reactions were true anger. Les had successfully pissed Trey off, but that's not how musicians work together, and Trey had pissed Les off by not staying with his lead. Both men's anger came out in the music and affected their playing, and therefore, our listening. I wanted to kick Les Claypool's ass. I thought about selling the $25 T-shirt I had bought for $20 just to get the cursed thing off my hands, but as a few days have passed, I can't help but remember those few amazing moments when all three men were smiling and experimenting, and really going after something. It was an amazing event to witness because all three musicians showed what makes them who they are as well as proving how human they really are. It was sad to watch a potentially beautiful event fold under pressure of ego conflict. Poor Stewart Copeland; isn't that what destroyed the Police? The one true positive that I got out of Oysterhead is the satisfaction in knowing that it takes unity to make consistently quality music, not the best chops in the world, and I'm certain that Trey called his old friends from Phish and expressed his love for them as well as his excitement about playing with them in June. Lakefront arena, members of this same police force hassled a kid who was collecting change to help bail a friend out of jail who had been arrested after another questionable search and seizure. It is curious why this city would spit in the face of a community of people who pack such a large economic punch. I had the opportunity to drive around many parts of this city, and I think the police have many much more grave situations to which they could commit their resources instead of toward hassling non-violent people who may or may not be committing what are essentially victimless crimes. Stories I have heard about the New Orleans police (and things I have witnessed first hand) represent the only negatives of my last three trips there, and the only reasons I would hesitate to return.
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