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Midwest
Regional Report
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Edited by Todd Justus &
Tim Ward
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As we enter another season, things keep looking up in the Midwest. Phish may be gone, but SCI is coming through with dates in good venues, and of course we have Hookahween to look forward to at the Newport in addition to the all of the local talent we enjoy. Speaking of which, where are the reviews, folks? I know good bands are coming to your town, so stop being selfish and let us hear about them. We've been getting word in this neck of the woods about a slew of good and/or new bands to keep an eye on. Oxford, OH, based Halias just finished a big weekend festival we hope to have a review for next month. And in the vein of their brothers-in-arms Umphrey's, look out for Funk Harmony Park out of South Bend. Chicago's Zambow has a new cd in the works that we're interested in hearing, and Blues is Blood is breaking out of Minnesota and coming to a town near you soon. In this issue, you'll see three hookah-related reviews, two by the much respected Rev Kev who always keeps 'em coming. Thanks for the hard work, Kev. We're also including a September review of The Other Ones at Blossom that we missed last time from Sigfrid Rydquist. Well done, Sig. You'll also see the return of Notable Dates after a month-long hiatus, so get out there and get in on the action. We'll see you at the show. Todd and Tim (midwest@jambands.com)
In Case You Missed It The Other Ones by Sigfrid Rydquist (srydquist@hotmail.com) Some say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and for once, they may be right. I first saw the Dead when I was a mere fourteen years old, but was unable to comprehend just what was happening. The simple fact is; these guys do it the best. Some may disagree, but the Dead originated the term "jam band" and was the first to be involved in a "musical community." This travelling commune is still the only real one in existence, Phish is great, but Deadheads can't be beat. I was lucky enough to once again witness this community reinstated with the Further tour. I have not seen excitement for a show like this ever that I can remember. When Weir, Hornsby, and the boys stepped onto the stage and began to tune their instruments in true Dead fashion, the cheers from the crowd became a deafening roar. As they began to fall into rhythm, the crowd just got louder, until Weir signaled the band and they dropped right into "Sunshine Daydream." An absolute crescendo of emotion after about two minutes. This song featured Steve Kimock on the lap guitar. After Bobby had belted out one of his signature tunes, it was Hornsby's turn. "Sugaree" with Hornsby singing and playing piano was incredible. He does a wonderful job on all the vocals, but this one sounded especially sweet. Weir then took over, first singing "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," then foraging into "Playin In the Band." GMLSG was different than what might have expected, as any bluesman would think if he heard Bobby sing the blues. Not bad, just different. That's why we love Weir anyway, isn't it? The Playin in the Band was epic, reminiscent of the Dead's golden days. Included within was Scarlet/Fire. "Fire on the Mountain" was owned by Hart, who added his own personal touch to the vocals. Personally, I could have done without, but I can see from where he is coming from. From there the band left stage to give Hart and Kreutzmann time to get reacquainted. Then Hart moved to the xylophone, and Hornsby returned to lay down some funk on the organ. Soon the whole band was back, and the space odyssey kicked back into "Playin." The two guitar players then showed what they were made of in the classic combo "China/Rider." The transition between the two songs was tight, as were the harmonies in "I Know You Rider." Then the band then donned their acoustics, including Alfonso Johnson on the stand up bass, and Hornsby strapped on an accordion for "Terrapin Station." He once again sounded great, and the accordion was an excellent touch. They followed this with "Uncle John's Band." A great way to close out the show. For the encore they let Weir take over with "Good Lovin," a song the Dead kept in their repertoire throughout all the years of their existence. Bobby did not disappoint, giving the song his all for a rousing end to an excellent night. I must admit that I missed having Lesh on stage, but Johnson did a fine job filling those shoes. "God damn, I declare, have you seen the light?"
FallFest - Featuring ekoostik hookah, Vassar Clements, The
Shantee, Peach Melba, Mathew Abelson and Station Anticipation ran high for this year's return of last October's smashing success, FallFest Music Festival. The good people at Smokerise Ranch and Concert Concepts improved on 1999's incarnation (no easy task) by increasing vending, adding a killer line up, and keeping the good vibes coming. After a thoroughly enjoyable night of music on Friday, fans were treated to an impressive opening set by Columbus, Ohio's Station. This blues-groove four piece has been playing together for almost a year, and showed that their sound is starting to mesh while weaving through a five-song set that showed snippets of reggae in Fever Within and piano driven solos during Melanie. Guitarist Daniel Weber, bassist Wes Witt and Bill Karzenberger on the keys all shared time on vocals while drummer Brendan O'Hanley kept time on the drums. Definitely worth checking out next time they're in your neighborhood. A short equipment change gave way to Mathew Abelson, who is quickly making a name for himself as a master of the hammered dulcimer. If you've never seen one played, a hammered dulcimer reminds you of a harp laid on its side and played with mallets. When done properly, as Abelson does, it produces a sweet melodic sound that compliments bluegrass and classical pieces equally. After a number of solo tunes, Abelson was joined by hookah bassist Cliff Starbuck and shortly thereafter by Vassar Clements and hookah guitar god Steve Sweney for a mesmerizing yet mellow set that seemed all too fitting for the surroundings. Highlights included a raucous Lonesome Fiddler Blues. Local Athens heroes Peach Melba followed the appreciated set with a couple of original tunes before also being joined by Vassar for two bluegrass standards before Vassar stuck around to play on a Peach Melba number. Melba seems to keep improving with each show, and played a set as solid as any played on Saturday. Another Columbus group, The Shantee, followed Peach Melba and played a dusk set to a swelling crowd obviously familiar with their material. The Shantee continues to build a loyal central Ohio fanbase, and their FallFest sets proved why. Continued performances like Saturday's will only further strengthen their strong rep. Vocalist Mike Perkins is blessed with an engaging stage presence, and the band showed diversity by mixing funk, soul and blues roots with the power of radio giants like Live and Pearl Jam. Normally, four opening performances would be enough to wear down even the most ardent fans of live music, but the organizers at FallFest did things right - they saved the best for last. ekoostik hookah took the stage to a full concert area one man short - drummer Eric Lanese was late arriving to the venue - but a gracious Shane Frye sat in on drums for an opening Utopia that was strong despite Lanese's absence. FallFest was also the second "coming out" party for hookah percussionist Johnny Polansky, who only days earlier had been formally announced as a full-time member of the band. Congratulations, Johnny, and welcome. With Lanese settling in behind his kit, the band launched into Ed McGee's Lax before inviting Vassar Clements on stage for an encore performance of his fine work throughout the course of the weekend. Enough good things can't be said about Clements, who not only showed his considerable skills on the fiddle but his genuineness as a person. Vassar made himself available to fans during the entire weekend, and was embraced by the family as a whole. Starbuck's Rollin' in my Sweet Baby's Arms came out first, with everyone on stage wearing grins befitting the quality of the music. Keepin' Time followed, and quickly became without question the highlight of the festival with Sweney and Clements trading licks that seemed to delightfully go on forever. If for no other reason than this Keepin' Time, get a tape of this show! Festival organizer and birthday girl Julie Rearick came out for a number with Vassar as well with Janis Joplin's Me and Bobby McGee in a tribute to those who enjoyed her performance with the band last year. Both Julie and Vassar left to wild applause, and it was clear that Clements had indeed won over the FallFest crowd. With hookah-proper restored on stage, the band led into a newer Dave Katz tune, Change, which includes a middle section with an Arabesque feel reminiscent of Phish's traditional Hebrew classic Avenu Malkenu. The band pulled things back a bit with McGee's Pass the Cider, Pass the Rum, a song that just seems made to be played in Athens County on a chilly Saturday night. Backwoods Rose (minus the recently played drum intro) and Been Down That Road followed before Red Light Boogie set the crowd off for a short setbreak that was a needed breather for the audience's dancing masses. It's doubtful that anyone predicted the second set opener, a seldom-played cover of The Who's We're Not Gonna Take It that segued easily into Float (with a Starbuck ditty sandwiched in the middle). The deep amblings of Octofrye followed before Sharon Katz took the stage to sing backup for Dancin' in the Moonlight, a recent cover from Fall Hookahville. Alexander 2 came next, keeping the vibe subdued but intense. Katz then strapped on his acoustic guitar for a tender Anthony's Song before strumming out the opening notes to Loner. And as it's been known to do, Loner gave way to Rocketman before blending into the down-home Grass. A brief pause gave way to Hookahville before Loner rose from the melody to close the set. As if that wasn't enough, they threw the knockout punch by completing The Who couplet they started the set with in Go to the Mirror Boy (verse 6) complete with McGee doing his best Roger Daltry at the front of the stage. Usually, after two days of music and two monster sets in the cold night air, one would expect a short but spirited encore. The boys showed their appreciation, however, by surprising the crowd with a Viper that seemed to wind and twist endlessly with a trippy Glimpse caught in the middle. It was truly an exclamation point for two days fabulous days of music. Fans that enjoyed FallFest in 1999 got their wish - the festival returned in 2000 stronger than anyone could have imagined. Smokerise Ranch is developing into a southern Ohio venue to be reckoned with, and FallFest is fast establishing a pedigree that will undoubtedly secure its place on show-goers schedules for falls to come.
ekoostik hookah by the reverend Kevin Robbins, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Thinking that we had all the time in the world, my wife Annie and I took the drive to Milwaukee slowly, enjoying the scenery and a good book on tape as we drove. We pulled into town, got our hotel, and found a nice brewpub at which to eat. After having a really nice meal and some outstanding beer, we wound our way through downtown Milwaukee toward the "historic" Shank Hall. Named after the venue of "This is Spinal Tap" fame, the resemblance is in name alone. Having never been to a performance there, I was expecting a somewhat larger venue. No, I didn't think it would be the fictitious Shank Hall from the movie, but I did think that it would be more along the lines of an old theater. In fact, what we found was a small to medium sized club. Somewhat startling, in a good way at first, was the fact that there were already around 100 people gathered for the show. This was to be Hookah's first appearance in Milwaukee, and folks were already turning up at 8. As I began to set up, I saw any number of folks from other shows around the Illinois area. I always love that part of a show. With so many bands and fan communities, it's always such a blessing to get to a show and catch up with folks. As I reveled in the moment, Chris Chop walks up and asks me how long until my gear is setup. When I answered him, he said "Good. They're coming on in about that time." Looking down, it's barely 8:35, going on?!?!?! Little did I realize that the show was scheduled to start at 8PM. With about 150 folks in the room, Ed McGee walked on stage at 8:35 with an acoustic guitar. Apparently, the early start time had taken more folks than me by surprise. After a somewhat awkward introduction, Ed launches into a nice version of Feathered Sky. As Feathered Sky closed, someone shouts "SWENEY!" Sure enough, the rest of the band was taking the stage. Having seen both Dave and Ed earlier, I suppose that some band members were not in the venue earlier. With the rest of the band on stage, Hookah launched into a nice Slipjig. While it wasn't one of those epic Slipjig's that remind you of how tight and easily exploratory this band can be, it gave the band a ready vehicle to congeal into after the chaos of the early evening. What came next was a wonderfully familiar tune with a new touch. I am not sure when it came into being, but Good Time (Merry Go Round) was given a new instrumental introduction that adds some new possibilities to a tune that is becoming a staple. With the renewed vigor, the next few songs slid by well. It wasn't earth-shattering, but the playing on Daffodils In Detroit, Coming Back to Me, Another Good Man Gone, and The Risk was solid and turning what had threatened to be an uneasy evening into a delight. The attitude on stage was right and things were flowing well for everyone by this point in the evening. Cliff strolled up to the mic and began what has got to be one of my favorite tunes anywhere. Van Morrison's Caravan is just that good. Cliff nailed the cover adding a distinct Starbuck sound to it. This was the highlight of my first set. Dave stepped up and took the acoustic guitar in hand for a nice segued Music->Grass. The crowd had warmed considerably to the band over the course of the first set. It seemed really like a metaphor for the show. At first, many folks were hanging back, but as time wore on, everyone began to move forward, groove, dance, etc. Musically, the show had gotten more forward and familiar, less awkward in a short time. Indeed, the boys were putting the energy into this show needed to make it a VERY nice first show within the Milwaukee market. The venue sound was not bad, though the tapes show it to sound much better than I thought while I was there. The mix was right,but there's something about mid-sized clubs that has that effect. If the show started early, it was clear that it was going to end early as well. The set break took no time whatsoever and the band was back. Alexander II started the set with a bang. Not allowing a whole lot of time to pass between tunes, Sister Sugar took off and led the now dancing crowd into a nice frenzied pace. Stage interplay started back up between the players and it was clear that they boys were trying to make a solid impression on Milwaukee. Having just gone through two of the longer songs in the Hookah repertoire, I figured that it was time to slow it down a bit, but I was wrong. Ed made some mention of it being good to be in the "historic" Shank Hall. With that announcement, Gimme Some Money HIT! Everyone was up. The band was wearing smiles all around. I was trying to place where I knew the song from. Talked to Bill, then he reminded me of the Spinal Tap movie. BAM! It made sense. There are moments in shows, where you know things have made a turn. This was just such a moment. The tune moved fast, then segued perfectly into Backwoods Rose. With all that energy and forward motion, technical difficulties struck. Steve broke a string and was having some difficulty with his rig. Slowing the show down, Dave and Ed moved forward on acoustics and played a very nice Amber. While such a move could have taken the air completely out of the show, it provided only a momentary rest for the dancers. Loner came on quickly and shook the crowd. I should have known this tune was coming. Dave with an acoustic guitar strapped on. Late in the second set. First time in a new town. It was still a surprise, and a good one. I had figured that Loner would close the set, but I was glad to see that the band responded to a group of fans who kept yelling "Bone!" Bone took the crowd to a nice crescendo and ended the set very nicely. Again, wasting no time, the band hurriedly returned and pulled out an older cover that I was completely not expecting for an encore. Hush took off where Bone had ended, at least energy wise. The dancing reached almost a feverish pitch, the crowd was responding, and then it brought a finality to what had been a good night of Hookah. Upon looking at my watch, I found that it was barely 11:30. Apparently, there was a curfew issue which forced the Shank to close that early. That being said, it was a nice change of pace. The show went very well. While it started awkwardly, it ended powerfully. It was a solid performance in a new town. Who knows, maybe I shouldn't put historic in quotes, as I can see a lot of possibilities at the historic Shank Hall as time moves on. 10-05-00 Shank Hall, Milwaukee, WI Set One: Ed Solo: Feathered Sky, Slipjig Through the Poppy Fields, Good Time (Merry-Go-Round), Daffodils In Detroit, Coming Back to Me, Another Good Man Gone, The Risk, Caravan, Music->Grass Set Two: Alexander II, Sister Sugar, Gimme Some Money*->Backwoods Rose, Amber, Loner, Bone Encore: Hush
ekoostik hookah with Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey by the Reverend Kevin Robbins, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) October 6th was like taking one or two steps back in time for me. Two and a half years ago, I went to Chicago to see my first House of Blues performance ever. I had never been into the stage area and gazed at the absolutely gorgeous work that makes the Chicago HoB a thing of beauty on the interior. That night, February 5, 1998, my wife and I had gone to a little restaurant on Clark called the Mambo Grill to eat with another group of fans and members of Ekoostik Hookah. It was a night I won't soon forget. The Chicago skyline. The sumptuous meal. The good company. An outstanding performance. Everything. This night, Annie and I returned to the House of Blues, not for the first time, but one of many times. Having taken our time to drive down from Milwaukee, we once again dined at the Mambo Grill. This time, however, we picked a little more quaint, romantic table and had a much needed quiet dinner together. Strolling along through that section of Chicago called Marina City, we took in the sights and smells of an autumn evening in the Windy City. Arriving at the House of Blues, we took time to again take in the atmosphere of this absolutely wonderful venue. As we did so, we ran into an old acquaintance from our days in Tulsa, Brian Haas of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. While I was in seminary at Phillips Theological Seminary, the folks who would become JFJO were at the University of Tulsa. In that Phillips held classes on UT's campus, I got acquainted with the happenings around the University. Jacob Fred was a major happening in the Tulsa music scene at that time. I remember going to the 1995 Greenwood Jazz Festival and seeing them on the largest of the second stages. They were incredible. Over time in Tulsa, I saw them several times at various locations from festivals to clubs to opening for Medeski, Martin, and Wood. They were an incredible septet that combined Return to Forever style fusion with hip-hop and 90's acid jazz. I knew before the show that Jacob Fred was opening for Hookah. I was jazzed, no pun intended, by that fact. I don't know that I expected to have a nostalgic flashback to bright college days and the excitement of seeing a band I hadn't seen in 4 years. I don't know what had struck me, but I was giddy for the evening. Surprisingly, even more so than when the evening had begun with the meal and the other reminisces of the night. After speaking with Brian briefly, I knew that I would be hearing very different music than I had at previous JFJO shows. That's only to be expected, after all it's been four years. That didn't prepare me for the shift back to the here and now. As the curtains opened on Jacob Fred, there were but three pieces on stage. The septet was gone! I called myself keeping up! I thought I knew about this band, but low and behold I had not kept up and I did not know about them. The sound was still highly reminiscent of a meld of 70's fusion with 90's acid jazz sensibilities. Gone were the hip-hop inflections. There was a free spirit that flowed between the trio and they were clearly in tune with one another and the chemistry of playing together for years showed. Over the course of that hour long set, I was bemused by the fact that even with the very different lineup, the complete lack of horns, the revised sound, how much I was enjoying this jaunt into, could it be "free", jazz. However folks might want to pigeon-hole the music, it was a phenomenal opening set. Perhaps not what some Hookah fans might have liked, but it was clear to me that Jacob Fred are continuing to grow musically and in the music business. That, in my opinion, is for the betterment of the jazz and jam band worlds. Watch out for these guys! Refreshingly different, yet startlingly familiar for fans of early 70's acts like Bitches Brew/Fillmore era Miles Davis, Return to Forever, and early Weather Report. After the opener, I found myself wondering how the rest of the evening would go. Quite a crowd had gathered for tonight's Hookah show. I knew from the night before that the guys were going to be playing in good to top form tonight. Then again, I have yet to see an Ekoostik Hookah show at the House of Blues that wasn't in some way over the top. Why should this night be any different? I was not disappointed. The set opened with a rousing Utopia. Everyone seemed to be on. Smiles abounded onstage and the chemistry was all working right. With little pause whatever, Moonstone emerged. As a new tune, it has grown and evolved since I first saw it a month ago. There is something nice about the way this song mines the rich tradition of progressive rock. There's a real King Crimson feel to this number and it works. Upbeat, kind of heavy, Moonstone rolled nicely to a close, keeping the crowd's rapt attention. Again, wasting no time, Change quickly rolled out and lightened the mood, but kept the pace of the set up. The band was clearly playing with purpose and having a good time. Having brought the set to an early fevered pitch, the set list calmed down with a nice rendition of Pass the Cider, Pass the Rum. Almost as quickly as the pace had slowed, the drums that signaled the start of Chicago began. Eric and Johnny are working together in extraordinary ways. Further, Johnny's percussion kit seems to be much better mic'd or mixed as I could hear most, if not all, of the subtle details and overlays he plays. Chicago swerved into Hookahville and back into Chicago to cheers. New to the Chicago was Ed's use of the talk box in the fuzzy middle jam. Very nice addition, adding to the thickness of that jam. Next up, The Risk is developing it's niche in Hookah sets. Upbeat, yet light, it is a song capable of keeping the dancers moving, but backing the pace of a set down, without losing the power of the set or the interest of even the non-fans in the crowd. Rising from The Risk, Good Time (Merry-Go-Round) emerged with it's new intro again. This really does have a way of growing on you. Sweney takes the lead on this and the whole band causes it to shine. While I was hearing the Good Time, I thought that a segue into Sanford and Son would be an awesome way to close the set. Though it didn't come in a segue, Sanford and Son, or Streetbeater, rounded out the set in a powerful way. After 73 minutes of a well-timed set, it was time for a break. Like the night before, the set break didn't seem to last long at all. Not nearly long enough to review what had just happened. That being said, the crowd seemed to know that there wouldn't be much of a break as everyone returned quickly and reclaimed their space. This was good, as there were probably close to 1,000 people attending this show. The dance floor was easily packed, giving me pause regarding my mics and recording gear. Upon returning to the stage, the second set opened with a remarkable The Masquerade->My Own Way. The mood shifted, but it's as if the show never took a break. These two songs individually are heavy power songs. The darkness of The Masquerade segued into the determination and defiance of My Own Way, though, was quite a one-two punch to open a set. By the end of set one, the stage interplay between band members had begun. Set Two brought it out even more. Godspeed lightened the mood, but kept the pace of the set at the blistering level the opener had started. Ohio Grown, while powerful lyrically, has a way of bringing the pace down and giving the audience a much needed rest, while maintaining their interest and their energy. Keepin' Time shot the energy level WAY back up, though. The playfulness of the band became obvious again, as Dave walked back and took over the congas during the middle section where he ordinarily beats out time on his guitar. Not to be upstaged, Johnny P. steps out front picks up the guitar and drums heartily upon it. Again, this set was flowing so extremely well. Treehouse brought that flow to an end. Not the song itself, as it fit beautifully, but the technical difficulties which struck during it. Steve was clearly agitated as he faded from the mix. Something was amiss with his stage amp. Rather than having the energy robbed, the drummers kicked into an incredible session of Drums. Very impressive as Eric showed his chops and Johnny played a variety of percussion ranging from blocks to congas to timbale. Also providing entertainment, Cliff and Ed found some toys to play with off stage and began using a wheeled equipment box lid to entertain themselves and us as well. Upon getting Steve's amp back up and running, the Treehouse brought to an end and the flow and energy back almost without missing a beat. Hookah has a number of tunes that are dark, but none quite so dark, or thick, as Octofrye. There is something about this tune that rocks. Again, Ed mixed in some talk-box effects that added something new and interesting to what is among my favorite rarities. Lax came next lightening the mood extremely and picking up the pace. Cliff's number came for a very fun Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms. Checking my time, I realized that the set had been going for nearly an hour and twenty minutes. Rollin was an unlikely closer so I was curious as to what would close the set. Ecstasy came around making for a nice completion to the two sets. Others may not agree, but Utopia and Ecstasy are two songs that sound alike, but are different. When played this way, they act like a set of bookends. So far, so good, but what will be the encore. It's too late for anything too long. Slowly, the band re-emerged. Taking but a few moments, Steve's guitar signaled And When I Die. Very nice upbeat, yet somewhat dark and powerful show closing encore. Very nice indeed. So many things alike from that night two and a half years ago. So many things to bring back the memories of a band from years ago. Yet, so many new horizons and new sounds, as well. Indeed, it was like a step into the past that walked through to the future. There's nothing quite like the HoB.
Notable dates 10/15 10/16 10/17 10/18 10/19 10/20 10/21 10/22 10/23 10/24 10/25 10/26 10/27 10/28 10/29 10/31 11/1 11/2 11/3 11/4 11/8 11/9 11/10 11/11 11/14 |
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