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Mid-Atlantic Regional Report

Message From The Editor: Anthony Coloneri - ester8@mindspring.com

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who is contributing to this region, and other regions while I'm at it. I really do appreciate all of the hard work these writers are doing. I find it inspiring to be a part of such a creative and informative resource where everyone works for absolutely no financial gain. Apparently the joy of seeing shows and writing reviews is too much fun to pass up. I love it!!

An Encounter With Phish!
Book Signing-Tower Records, NYC
By Arturo Torres

As I approached the counter, where I was graced by four musicians (along with Tom Marshall and possibly Carini), my creative ideas for good questions that had been floating through my mind were swept away by the emotion that was creeping in and taking control. I realized that I (along with the hundreds of people who came out) had created in my mind an idealistic almost super-human persona for those four guys. As I approached them, I didn't know what to expect.

So there I was, standing eye to eye with Trey! I don't think you fully realize the magnitude of this moment until it's all over. So here it is once again...EYE to EYE with TREY! Let that sink in a bit. It was only a few seconds of his time that was being devoted to me, but a great feeling it was. A bit selfish, yes, but extremely satisfying. After all, I race around this country (and many of you-the world) to be graced with the sounds he strums from his guitar. We make him out to be this incredible being, not necessarily human, but as you see him up close outside of his typical setting, with no instrument in hand, you realize he's a normal dude who is having the time of his life doing what he loves best. There's nothing g-d like about him, although you could certainly argue his presence is felt. Also, he is definitely a bit more BURNT SIENA than he appears onstage. Go Trey!

On to Fishman. Typical Fishman, standing around drinking a Corona in the middle of Tower Records. I've never me him before but I feel like I know him. He didn't say much, but he didn't need to. He seemed to understand what the moment meant for the phans as they passed through with their books, cameras, and new album. As one observant phan noted, "Bob Weaver has some LARGE wrists."

Next up, Cactus Gordon! The Cactus was very enthralled by the female in front of me. She was a bit more "smooth" in her approach towards the band. Apparently she's a medical student who was trying to convince Phish about bringing a medical team on tour, in case of serious illness or injury. The band welcomed the idea and maintained brief conversation. Mike and Fishman seemed excited about having a cute, 25 year old blond/soon to be doctor on tour. Wouldn't you? Needless to say, I was toast as far as striking some kind of intriguing conversation with the Cactus. A simple hello, great to meet ya is all that was said!

On to the Chairman of the Boards! It's ironic; up to this moment I felt he was the guy who I knew the least. Think about it....Fishman speaks for himself. We all know he's the prankster of the bunch. You develop a sense of character for Trey and Mike, because you do! But Page, I could never pin down Page. So meeting Page was most exciting for me. By far the "warmest" of the bunch. Page and I shook hands and exchanged some phriendly words. You could tell he was really having a good time. It was so nice to converse with a guy you spend countless hours talking about, following, and creating memories that last a lifetime. I said my farewell with a "see ya in Vegas!" And as I shuffled past the crowd, I realized the best part: To walk away, knowing that I do have something in common with these guys. So do you all of you, for that matter. When I'm fifty and looking back on the best of times, I will be reflecting on moments I spent with Phish and friends, as they will too. That my phriends, is PRICELESS!

After all, it's not an experience if they can't bring someone along!

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Dude, I wish Phish Would Show Up!!
By Andrew Slutzky

It's a chaotic time of year for me right now. I am trying to balance the juggling act that is my life. Between my midterm exams at school and getting organized for Phall Tour, things can get a bit hectic. So when I heard about the Dude of Life coming to the Wetlands Preserve in NYC, I decided I could put down the books for a few hours to check him out. Now, I normally would not go out on a Tuesday night to see someone like the Dude (sorry Dude), but this had potential to be no ordinary night. You see, Phish had been at Sessions in NYC just a couple of hours earlier, and I was quite sure that one of them would journey on down Hudson Street to jam for a bit.

As my friend Allison and I hopped in a cab to the Wetlands, we were anticipating a phun night. I had been to the Wetlands before. It's a really chill place to hear some good music and they have a nice bar (although $4 for a Rolling Rock is kinda steep). When I went inside at 8:30 or so, it was not as crowded as I thought it would be. However, it was nice to see phans around, especially since I don't get to meet that many at NYU.

As SOTG played on the speakers above, there was a crowd gathered around the VW bus counter. They had a big kettle where people could go fishing with magnetic fishing poles. The prizes were Birds of a Feather singles and some bags with T-shirts in them. They were rumored to be Dude T-shirts. I actually won a single, which made it worth my trip, considering it was only $5 to enter the club. Alas, I gave it to a friend because I managed to get myself a copy of SOTG at a music store on St. Marks Place last week, though I don't know how they had it in stock. It was the real deal too.

I didn't feel as though the crowd really cared about hearing the new album, but everyone was grooving to the live tapes they played after SOTG and between Dude's sets. As the Dude finally came on stage at around 10pm, all I could think about was which one of the guys would show up, even though Gadiel's page had forewarned us, saying that they most likely will not show up.

I must say that the only songs which I knew that Dude performed were Phish tunes. He covered Suzie Greenberg, Sanity, Fluffhead and Run Like an Antelope, which was his closer. "This is the one guy Phish wouldn't sue for using their lyrics," said a guy who I had met earlier that evening. Maybe he wasn't aware that Dude had actually written those lyrics.

I wasn't really fond of anything else though. It seemed like Dude and his band were holding back a little, sometimes not picking up jams where a good one could really develop. They did jam, but I always felt that just when they were really cranking out some good stuff they would die down and not inject as much energy. Maybe it was the fact that I had seen String Cheese Incident a week earlier and I was expecting someone else to match their same level of energy and enthusiasm. Each band member though is very good at their respective instruments, and I was fond of the drummer's skills as he cranked out a knock em' dead drum solo for a bit.

But the Dude seems to be what Phish used to be. You know, those kind of wacky lyrics about any random subject under the sun like how his car got toed, how Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. I did like one line though which went "When you can run like and antelope out of control/You can run like Jerry Rice in the Super Bowl." The Dude is just a weird guy, but I guess that's obvious because he dresses like a Willy Wonka wannabe.

Once people realized that no one from Phish would show up, they started to exit the Wetlands. I guess everyone had the same idea, hoping they would be treated to a phishy jam. All in all, the Dude was entertaining, which is what I paid for. Considering it was a mere five dollars, I had fun. I'd see him again to hear some more Phish covers, but not anything else. See ya Dude!!

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Dylan Continues to Reinvent Dylan
By Chuck Schneider

Bob Dylan performed at the Cole Field House, at the University of Maryland on Thursday, November 5. I have to preface this review with two disclaimers. One, I am not too familiar with Bob Dylan's new material. Two, I decided to attend this concert as a last minute, fairly inexpensive way to pass a Thursday evening. I had no expectations and certainly was not in my usual concert "mood." That said, Bob Dylan and his band completely blew me away.

Dylan seems to have reinvented himself as a rock n' roller. He has surrounded himself with musicians who can play, but who don't play FOR him. His guitar comes through loud and clear, and he even handles many of the solos himself. Dylan plays a Stratocaster and his supporting cast includes an electric guitar, drums, slide guitar and electric bass. They also have a setup where the slide guitar switches to mandolin and everyone else goes acoustic.

After Joni Mitchell performed a dreadful opening act (I appreciate her accomplishments and talent, but this current incarnation was painful), Dylan opened up with a rousing "Gotta Serve Somebody" which whipped the crowd into frenzy. Unfortunately, many of us who felt the urge to stand up and dance (yes, dance to Bob Dylan) were stifled by many of the older audience members who apparently hadn't bargained for an all out rock n' roll show. After being tapped on the shoulder and rudely told that we "can sit down now," we settled into our seats. However, it was hard to sit down because they didn't let up, working through "I'll Remember You," "Stuck Inside A Mobile With The Memphis Blues," "Make Me Feel My Love," and "Can't Wait" with the same fervor that they opened with. And they weren't simply going through the motions, either. They jammed out every song, with Bob taking at least one solo. His voice sounded good too, well projected with every reasonable attempt (he is Bob Dylan) to enunciate. Moreover, the old guy was spunky. His moves were an amusing cross between Chuck Berry and Bob Weir. After five songs, the entire crowd has a perma-grin that wasn't about to wear off anytime soon.

After "Can't Wait", the stage went dark and the band switched to their acoustic set up. Now, I figured, we'd get the old droning Bob Dylan. This wasn't the case tonight. They played a beautiful rendition of "Stone Walls and Steel Bars." A warm and impassioned "Mr.. Tambourine Man" brought cheers from everyone who wanted to hear some classics, and it didn't disappoint. What followed was a truly inspired version of "Tangled Up In Blue," which they jammed out, acoustic, for ten minutes. Dylan took guitar solo after solo, and, refusing to let the song die, broke out a harmonica and ripped into a solo for a few bars. They played one more acoustic tune, and then switched back to the electric setup. The audience at this point was just caught in the groove, when they ripped into "Highway 61 Revisited." This brought down the house (literally) as the security let everyone onto the floor. We stayed in our seats and watched as a mass of people bobbed up and down in front of us with the legendary Bob Dylan holding court at center stage. The energy resembled that of a Phish crowd worked into a frenzy by "Harry Hood." The song ended, Dylan accepted a bouquet from someone in the front row, and we prepared ourselves for a quick encore (at this point, the rude couple behind us went home).

The band came back on stage and performed "Love Sick." It was fun, and like everything else, it was rockin'. They followed that up with "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat," and the stage lights went down. The immediate consensus, "what a great show!" Then the stage lights came back on, and we were treated to an acoustic "Blowin' In The Wind." At this point it really hit me that I was watching a legend. A truly brilliant man who was still in his prime (or in his prime once again). It also hit me that he wouldn't have rather been anywhere else on earth more than he wanted to be on that stage playing for us. I was proved right, because the acoustic gave way to the electric, and they strutted out "Till I Fell In Love With You." After this they went acoustic again, and closed with a beautiful and very appropriate "Forever Young."

All told, they played for two hours with essentially no break. They rocked as mightily as a band can, yet played with the charisma that's unique to Bob Dylan.

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Strangefolk Grooves Bowery Ballroom
By Andrew Slutzky

This seems to be happening quite frequently to me this fall. I find out about a band, do a little research on the band via the Internet (Gadiel's page and JamBands.Com), find out that they are playing at some local venue in New York City, go see the band and then get blown away by the quality of music. Last night was no exception to this common theme. My friends and I went to the Bowery Ballroom to see a Percy Hill/Strangefolk show. Percy Hill opened for Strangefolk, but unfortunately we arrived rather late, even missing Strangefolk's first 2-3 minutes. The funny thing is that we live 15 minutes by foot from this place, but we opted to go by cab instead, whom in turn let us out at the wrong place. Then we had to take another cab to the right place. We should've walked, but here is where I should mention the fact that we were not exactly sober.

Although I did expect to hear great music, you never really know what to expect the first time you see/hear a band live. I am one of those guys who likes to be way up front at a show. So I had a bit of difficulty overcoming the enormous crowd at this place. Needless to say, I couldn't get to the front until their second set.

In return for my fifteen dollars, Strangefolk performed jam after jam for an equally unbelievable 3 plus hours. I couldn't get over the bassist simply because he looked like a high-schooler. Appearances are misleading, though, as he played a helluva lot better than your average high school teenager. His fat, juicy bass lines provided a nice "base" for the quartet. And for every beat the drummer threw at them, the other three were equally up to the task. The lead guitarist can do things with an acoustic guitar that I have rarely seen or heard before. With every note that floats off his strings, I feel like reaching up to grab them. The lead vocalist complements the sound nicely. An incredible voice that is part folky Martin Sexton and part Tracy Chapman.

The great thing about this bunch is their diverse repertoire. While most of their songs were fantastic jams, they also managed to perform slow, melodic tunes equally well. These slower songs were perfectly placed in between jams that left the crowd exhausted. They have an admirable ability to cool down the crowd at the right moments and then bring them back up refreshed and ready to jam.

At the end of the night I felt lucky to see such a talented band in such a small venue because I do not believe they'll be able to do that much longer. I also had Jell-O legs from the constant dancing. These are some pretty cool Folks!!!

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Warm Waters is Making Quite a Splash
By Micah P. Mellander

There is hope. Not all of today's youth are inspired by Hanson or watch MTV. Consider this if you may; fifteen, sixteen and seventeen year olds listening to Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Phish, Jimi Hendrix, and being inspired by them to make music. Well it's true, in Endicott, NY that is. Warm Waters, residing just outside of Binghamton, is taking a mature approach to music, performing what they like to call "soothing psychedelic" sounds.

Warm Waters consists of Lou Pelino on guitar, Josh Mellander on bass and Luke Bernthon on drums. The trio started playing together after a series of jam sessions at a friend's house. The band premiered at the Carpe' Diem Cafe in Binghamton, NY to a full house in the late spring of '98. Since then they have played at the Summer Band Jam in Endicott, NY and the Binghamton Met's Stadium. They have also become a favorite with the Broome County Teens Center, which holds monthly events to help get kids off the street. Warm Waters has played at four of these events. Recently, they hosted their own Halloween concert, "The Harvest Ball," in Endicott, NY with Pictures For Sex, another young Endicott band.

So, you're curious about their sound? Well, take all of their influences and mix them together. You get the rocking blues of Led Zeppelin, the spacey sound of Pink Floyd, the spontaneous Zappa-like antics with the long Phish inspired jams. All these sounds mixed together make for an original sound that you can't help but get into. You'll probably even do a double take when you see how young they are.

The band is working hard to get their name out and play some larger shows. They're currently working on getting some of their material out on tape or CD. They have a web site up and running at http://listen.to/warmwaters.com and a small but growing mailing list. If you would like more information about Warm Waters, you can contact them at warmwaters@yahoo.com.

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Agent Porridge 11/7/98 Stage Door Lehigh University
By Amanda Henry

Lehigh's own Stage Door was home to a concert Saturday, November 7. Agent Porridge, a Fredonia, NY based band played a two-set, two and a half hour long show for a crowd that was dancing, singing, and enjoying all the good vibes the band put out.

Agent Porridge formed in 1995, a result of band members jamming together on SUNY's Fredonia campus. Today Porridge's lineup includes Alex Weinstein (guitar/vocals), Brian Bisky (keyboards/vocals), Mike Goebel (bass), and Brett Rothenhaus (drums/vocals). The band also employs a horn section, which was not present at their concert here (Lehigh).

Porridge started the show with "Shower Mate," an upbeat funky jam that got many on their feet. "Denture," a song that the band obviously enjoyed playing, showcased the band's cohesive style, and a love of the improvisational. The remainder of the first set contained many guitar and keyboard solos, open-ended jams, and a song that was, according to Weinstein, "For the parents." Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," focused on Bisky's and Rothenhaus' vocal abilities.

After a short break, the band took to the stage again, for their second set. They opened with "Sallie Mae," a tune that contained some reggae rhythms and dual harmonic singing. Later they played their self-titled, "pop tune," "Off the Clock," and followed it up with "Broadway Joe," apparently named after a club by the same name in Buffalo, NY. A surprise in the second set was "November Rain," by Guns and Roses, which Weinstein credited by saying that, "Every part about you today is part of this song." Porridge graced the stage for an encore, the funky and inspirational "Long Pig."

Reactions to the show were positive. Scott Stover, '00 had this to say about Porridge, "I thought it was very good. I had never heard of them before, but I really liked their style, especially the guitarist, and the harmony of the dual singing. This was definitely better than not coming out." Asked if he enjoyed the concert, Mark Lewkowitz, '01 simply replied with a smile on his face, "Yes." That's enough for the members of Agent Porridge, who were pleased with the crowd turnout. "It's an amazing feeling to get, when you see people dancing and smiling," said Rothenhaus in a statement echoed by his bandmates. "We like Lehigh a lot."

Porridge's cover songs may range from pop to 80's hard rock, but their musical influences are based mostly around jazz, funk, and jam-band oriented rock performers. When asked what their personal "music heroes," were, Goebel replied, "Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers Band, Aquarium Rescue Unit), and Miles Davis, definitely Miles Davis." Bisky spoke of, "John Medeski, Billy Joel, and Martin and Wood." Rothenhaus noted Phish, and "anything jazz-oriented or improvisational," as his influences, and Weinstein mentioned Medeski, Martin, and Wood, and John Scofield. In a 1997 interview, Agent Porridge describes their sound as a mixture of, "jazz, funk, and improv. Our influences come from different sources and different things," says Goebel. "We try and do everything," says Bisky. Weinstein adds, "our goal is so everyone can try and appreciate everyone's influences."

While all band members share song-writing duties, the "main emphasis," according to Weinstein, "lies mostly with Bisky and Rothenhaus." Their first cd, The Territory Shall be the Universe was released by Watchtower Records in 1997 to favorable reviews from such publications as Relix magazine. In a review from August '98, Relix said, " The band's origonal material represents a blend of American music styles that are thrown into a '90's jazz-funk blender. What emerges is some vibrant and dance friendly music that has ball and integrity, and is loaded with improvisations," and said of the cd itself, that it was, "Sparkling and diverse."

Agent Porridge has their own website, and maintains a mailing list of over 1,000 fans. They allow taping at their shows, and are planning to distribute their album regionally. All the band members are seniors in college, and once graduated, says Weinstein, "We will play as many shows as we can." Upcoming shows include a Saturday, November 21 show at Broadway Joe's in Buffalo, NY, and a date at the Wetlands on December 28.

For those who have not seen Porridge in action yet, Bisky says to expect, "people having a lot of fun in the crowd, and on stage. We shake it down, and come back with more jamming, a lot of crisp tight songs, and a good time."

The set list for the show was:
Set I: Shower Mate, Crossfire, Roast Beef, Vines, Denture, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Armington
Set II: Sallie Mae, Empty Pages, Off the Clock, Broadway Joe, Unwind, November Rain E: Long Pig

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TOUR DATES:

Electric Blue and the Kozmik Truth

Saturday, 11/21
The Monopole
Plattsburgh, NY
21+ 10 p.m.

Thursday, 12/3
The Nines
Ithaca, NY
18+ 9 p.m.

Friday, 12/4
Rhinecliffe Hotel
Rhinecliff, NY 18+ 11 p.m.

Tuesday, 12/8
Broadway Joe's
Buffalo, NY
21+ 11 p.m.

Thursday, 12/10
Old City Hall
Oswego, NY
21+ 10 p.m.

Friday, 12/11
Waterhole #3
Saranac Lake, NY
18+ 10 p.m.

Saturday, 12/12
The Monopole
Pattsburgh, NY
21+ 10 p.m.


Three Quarter Squeege

11/25; Whitlow's
Arlington, VA