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Mid-Atlantic Regional Report
Edited by Anthony Coloneri - ester8@mindspring.com

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Summer Session
Riverside Amphitheatre, Pittsburgh, Pa.

by Jeremy Welsh

Let me say, first of all, that I had a very good time at the Summer Sessions show. It was the fifth stop on the tour, and the bands already seemed to be in a bit of a groove, playing at all times of the day, sitting in with musicians from other bands.

I got off work at a reasonable time, and accompanied by my brother, sister, and a friend of her's, we left for the river-side Amphitheater. On arriving, we were able to get the band order for the evening; not bad, in my mind. Galactic, opened, followed by moe. Gov't Mule was third and the night was to be closed by String Cheese Incident. In between sets, Gibb Droll, Kevin Kinney, and Keller Williams were to play as the stage was turned over.

Galactic:
My Little Humidor
Open Up the Door
Who Took the Happiness - in comes Ben Ellman, on saxophone
Something's Wrong With This Picture - in comes the Houseman on vocals
You Lift Me
Ready, Willing, and Able

Galactic took the stage around 6:30 pm, to a small crowd. For the first part of the evening, the crowd felt a little small due to the large open area in front of the stage that was cleared for all us dancers, but that filled as the sun went down. Having enjoyed Galactic the first time I saw last spring, I was excited to hear them again, and I was certainly not disappointed. I did not recognize many of the songs, as only "Something's Wrong With This Picture" is on their latest album, but they were all very funky, tight, and dance-able. (I got a little help on the set-list from the guitar player, who was signing autographs at the T-shirt table).

Stanton Moore is rather amazing on the drums, and Rich Vogel is very capable on the keyboards, carrying the groove for most of the set. The band was joined by Ben Ellman on saxophone for "Who Took the Happiness," and the Houseman joined the band on "Something's Wrong With This Picture." Both stayed on stage for the rest of the set. You Lift Me was nice and a bit slower than the others.

I guess my only complaint is that the guitar wasn't loud enough in the mix, or they didn't let him take enough leads. And while the music changes a bit when the Houseman sings, Theryl provides an interesting twist (and presence) to Galactic's set.

Gibb Droll was next, playing three songs to the left of the stage as the hands got ready for moe. They announced Gibb as a Pittsburgh native, but no one seemed to pay any more attention. He was good, as a little filler, and was joined by Billy Nershi from SCI on his last song. Great picking on that one.

moe.
Spine of a Dog->
Buster (20-25 min)
Bring You Down
Nebraska - Al on a new mandolin
Recreational Chemistry - with Warren Hayes

I saw moe. this past spring so I had already become some-what adjusted to the extra percussionist. I think he has fit into the mix a bit better, adding some nice layers of rhythm; although, his guitar really wasn't heard on "Nebraska." The opening choice of "Spine of a Dog" was a good one, getting the crowd into it early as we all sang along with "Fusball Table" intro. Throughout the set, I strained to hear different parts of the band - Chuck's playing seemed low on "Spine of a Dog," while the vocals were low on "Bring You Down." But that didn't take away from the set, at least for me.

"Spine of a Dog" moved along very nicely, as the band played a pretty amazing segue into "Buster" - a very good "Buster" at that, lasting upwards of 25 minutes. I was expecting a break from the band, but they launched right into "Bring You Down." Even though I am not a terribly huge fan of this song, it was enjoyable, especially the Fire on the Mtn. jam, as pointed out to me by my good friend Marc. The break came next, as I was able to call the "Nebraska" when Chuck got his voice box situated. Vice versa from the last song, the "Nebraska" never did it for me even though I am a fan of the song. Al was on a new mandolin, but he rarely played it and when he did, it was not loud enough. Everything was rectified with the next song, though, when Warren Hayes joined them for "Recreational Chemistry." This is a very fun song, and it was awe-inspiring with the duel between Al and Warren.

It was heard, mumbled, when Warren came on stage that he was going to blow them out of the water, but I have to say that Al really held his own, trading lick for lick with the presence that was on the other side of the stage. The song just grew and grew and ended in a great rush of music. I was hoping there would be one more song to close, but that was not to be. Oh well. All in all, moe. played a very fun set, jamming just about everything, but it didn't seem as aimless as some of their jams can become. Maybe because of the time crunch. As mentioned, the segue between Spine and Buster was done very well, as well as the jam in "Bring You Down."

Kevin Kinney followed. He was good, I guess, with vocals reminding me a lot of Bob Dylan, with social lyrics to boot.

Gov't Mule:
Thorazine Shuffle
Mule->
I've Been Workin->
Who Do You Love jam
Pass the Peas
Blind Man in the Dark->
Burden
Kind of Bird (ABB tune), or 3rd Stone From the Sun (a discrepancy in what was played) - with Kang and two from Galactic

I was probably the least excited for Gov't Mule. While they sounded good and rocked hard, their music isn't what I listen to on a regular basis. I recognized the first two songs from having seen Gov't Mule on the HORDE tour a few years ago, but Mule never seemed to take off. A complaint of mine is with the bass; all that seems to be played is walking bass-lines, either up the scale, or down the scale, as Warren does his thing over-top. Not much variety, until the last song, which I knew right away was the Allmans. Kang from SCI was out on this one, playing a small electric guitar. The sax player and keyboardist from Galactic came out as well. This song was actually dance-able, and Kang really wailed on his little guitar. Nice way to close an other-wise uneventful set.

Right after Gov't Mule ended, we all started to make our way up to the front - both for Keller Williams as well as to jockey for position for String Cheese. Keller played a few songs, doing what he does best; scatting and playing trumpet with his lips. He is always entertaining.

String Cheese Incident:
Shine
Black Furry Possum->
jam
Out on the road
Climb (->jam)
Hey Pocky Way - with Warren, sax and keys, Houseman and Stanton from Galactic

String Cheese came out last, and I think were a great choice as closer for this evening's show. They are always happy, up-beat, and play music that makes your butt move. All great ingredients to end a fun concert. They opened with "Smile," which seemed to be a bit heavier than some of their other songs. It Really got everybody moving, with Kang playing the electric that he played with Gov't Mule (that song seemed to be a warm-up for him, and his playing was on that night). Billy asked if we were ready for some blue-grass as they launched into "Black Furry Possum." This was a great tune, that morphed into a very nice jam. I Couldn't help but notice the nice bass playing by Keith Mosely, on a beautiful wooden fret-less at that! The jam was rather impressive, with each member taking a turn to shine. "Out on the Road" followed, and continued the vibe left by the Possum jam. I wasn't too familiar with this one, so I wrote in my notes that the beginning sounded a bit like Chalkdust Torture. Kang took a turn at lead vocals with the next song, "Climb." While I am not a big fan of the chorus to this song, the playing was pretty amazing. If this song was an instrumental, I would be hoping for it every show. After the jam that ended "Climb," guests started to appear on stage. Warren came out on the left-hand side, Rich Vogel joined Kyle Hollingsworth on keys, Ben Ellman came out with his tenor, and the Houseman (Theryl deClouet) slowly sauntered out. At first, I couldn't place the song by the music only, but as soon as the Houseman started singing, I could hear "Hey Pocky Way" and I jumped up and down and yelled along! Wow, what a great surprise. A very cool choice for all of the guests. It was a bit muddy at times, but was a lot of fun. Halfway through, Kang started singing and Stanton came out to join Michael Travis on drums. I kept waiting for some guys from moe. to come out, but I guess they were content to watch, listen, and smile like the rest of us. It was a great way to close the show, and w smile on my face.

(Side Note: I was a bit taken a-back when the kid next to me asked me what this song was - can it be that the fans are too young to have some Dead tapes with Hey Pocky Way on them?! Although I never saw them perform it live, I have plenty of tapes with it on - the Funky Meters, or the Neville Brothers?)

So in summary, I was very happy with the Summer Sessions show last Wednesday here in Pittsburgh. As I said before, the bands sounded nice and tight and comfortable playing in all time-slots with different guests. I enjoyed it so much that I briefly played with the idea of heading to Cleveland for the next day's show. How was that Marc? I am very curious to see how things change when you add Phil and Kimock into the mix. Should be pretty amazing. Thanks for reading, and as always, comments are welcome.

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Summer Session
August 26, 1999 - Pier Six Pavilion, Baltimore, MD

By Brian Ferdman

Okay, so it's Thursday, August 26th and a beautiful afternoon in the Baltimore Inner Harbor. I meet up with my friend Kim and my taper buddy Sean at the Capitol City Brewhouse in the Inner Harbor. I have an excellent meal and drink a few tasty alcohol-laden beers. (If you ever go to Arlington, D.C., or Baltimore, I highly recommend this place; incredible food and great beer. Any place that names their pale ale after Amber Waves from "Boogie Nights" is okay by me!)

Kim and I walk down to the show. (Sean had left early to setup taping equipment.) The venue is the Pier Six Pavilion, which is a large Tent on a hill with a small grassy lawn area behind. The whole thing is raked and sits on, you guessed it, Pier Six. It holds 4,500. When Kim and I arrive, we discover that there are very few heads that made it for the "early" 6:30 pm starting time. There was no lockdown/body-cavity-search on the way in, so I figured that it would be cool to smoke, but not cool enough that you could burn out in the open. We had a dilemma, and we decided to survey the situation from the lawn. There was one guard on the lawn, but it was still too open. Then we realized that you could walk over the edge of the hill and down to the pier on the water. We went down there and realized that many other heads had the same idea.

Gov't. Mule started playing when we were down there. I was glad that they came on first because I wasn't a fan of this band. I had seen them before, and I found them to be a loud metal band. This was not the case on Thursday. We hazily traversed the hill, only to be attacked by the thundering bass of Allen Woody. Gov't. Mule was on fire! They were playing some evil, dark, twisted, southern blues. I don't know what they opened with, but they jammed it into an intense version of Steppenwolf's "Don't Step On The Grass Sam," an ironic song considering that I was freshly baked.

They kept jamming, with Warren Haynes soloing ferociously and Allen Woody pulling scary sounds out of his bass. Us twenty or so folks on the lawn were grooving hard when the sky got dark, and during the climax of a jam, light rain started to fall. Gov't. Mule kept up with their evil music, sounding like a twisted version of Cream; it was as though you could hear Robert Johnson being stabbed in the ass with a notorious pitchfork. The lightening was shooting everywhere, and when I realized that we were surrounded by metal poles, cranes, and water, I became a tad concerned. We kept roughing it until the rain blasted down on us. We then escaped to the safety of the tent. A few brave/crazy individuals kept grooving in the rain, but they didn't last too long, as it started to get scary.

First the tapers, who had to setup on the lawn because of "fire codes," started moving their gear under the tent. The band paused to wait for them, which was pretty cool. Then they brought out Galactic's organ player, Rich Vogel for their final jam. I don't know what it was, but at one point the sound rose 15 decibels. It was deafeningly loud. Around the same time, I noticed that we were in the middle of a major storm. The wind was blowing so hard that you were getting wet, even in the center of the tent. There was an inch of water running down from the top of the hill, and everyone was standing in a river.

After Gov't. Mule ended, Kevin Kinney came on for a mediocre short set. Then there was a long pause. Apparently, the soundboard was setup in an area of the tent that was embedded in a pit without any drains, and the entire pit flooded the soundboard. Realizing what had just happened, Stanton Moore, the drummer for Galactic, came out and started jamming on the kit. He was joined by several people on various auxiliary percussion, including String Cheese's drummer and Al Schnier from moe. This was a great jam, and the audience appreciated it. Next came Ben Ellman jamming on the sax. We really couldn't hear him, but he looked like he was jamming hard. Next, String Cheese's drummer picked up the floor tom of the kit. Stanton kept playing while the guy walked away to the edge of the stage. The next thing I knew, all of the guys were still jamming while parading through the audience! They came right by me and went back up to the stage to continue jamming.

By this time they must have known the sound was back because Galactic came out and jumped in the jam. Eventually, the percussionists left and Galactic ripped through some hot jams. I liked Galactic a lot, but I think that the setlist was a little slow after the high-intensity opener. The Houseman was a lot of fun, and I noticed that these two female security guards were really digging him. They immediately joined in the groove and realized that they were pretty stupid to make fun of us dancing fools. I think I may have even seen one of them burn a little too, but I'm not sure. Ah, the power of a nice jam!

Well Gibb Droll came out for the changeover, and he was hot. His picking was great, highlighted by a killer duet with Bill Nershi from the String Cheese Incident. His last song actually shut the crowd up (a rarity for a solo acoustic act during a changeover in front of a big crowd) and they were on their feet and in the groove.

Then moe. took the stage. Frankly, I could have cared less about moe. being there. I have been bored by some of their most recent shows, and I don't care for their heavy metal tendencies. However, today was a different day. moe. played one non-stop set (they may have actually stopped for one second) that was INTENSE. They hit killer grooves and their jamming was tight. Perhaps the 55-minute set-limit caused their jams to be more focused? I don't believe I've ever heard their bass player jam like that! The metal side was completely non-existent, and the whole set was accentuated by some guy on congas and auxiliary percussion. Their vocals were still lacking, but they played my favorite set of the night. I earned a new-found respect for moe., and I'll be seeing them again.

Next came one of my favorites, Keller Williams. If you haven't ever seen this guy, you have to check him out. He's an amazing 10-string acoustic player who can make various sounds with his mouth as he plays, his favorite being the flugelhorn. He's an excellent picker too, and the crowd really dug him a lot, especially his song "Running On Fumes."

Finally, The String Cheese Incident closed the evening's festivities. They had a great jam/spacey/bluegrass/funk/reggae sound, highlighted by their really talented mandolin & acoustic guitar players. I really want to see these guys again, and in all honesty, I think I would have enjoyed them more if I wasn't so tired. The hour drive home really sucked, but I did stay awake long enough to make it home safely.

Overall, Summer Sessions had a great, easy-going, old-school vibe to it. The usual bad vibes (drug/alcohol over-indulgence, littering, and disrespectful people who want to see what's popular) that have been cropping-up at Phish shows were missing. Everybody who was there was there for one reason: the jams, and the musicians delivered. There was a great aura of improvisation in the air, as evidenced by the impromptu drum parade. The evening was very hassle-free, loose, and laid-back, and I'll bet it was a lot like a '60s show in San Francisco.

If they tour next summer, you had better catch it.

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What A Freakout - Summer Session
August 28, 1999 - Stanhope, NJ

By Jon Vandermey

It was one of those days; every one of my friends, it seems, were feeling some sort of end-of-summer blues. Tensions were high as I awaited the arrival of two separate groups of friends from two different areas of the state. Countdown to the convergence of people, cars, dogs?, and bad feelings in my house. I was running every which way but the right way, apparently.

Cars and folks eventually pulled away and headed out of suburbia and into the lush greens of northern New Jersey. Now, you can knock the Garden State with it's big-haired girls, muscle-bound lunkhead asses, and other indigenous wonders, but it really is a beautiful state. As you head further north and west, the crowded neighborhoods give way to rolling hills and lots of woods. Things seem to get simpler and clearer. As I sat in the backseat of a friend's car heading west on Route 80, it could have almost seemed that the last few hours were a bad dream. After all, there I was with friends, tunes, a greatly anticipated show, and even some spare cash!

We rolled into the parking lot of the Waterloo Village concert area about a half hour after they had opened it. Already, there were many heads sprawled around vans and buses, with barbecues and coolers stocked, ready for the night ahead. It was a pleasantly cool, clear night, and the overall vibe of the parking lot had us all in immediately high spirits.

We walked the two lots, and were surprised to find quite a few motor homes and older folks around. I think that we were sharing the lot with a senior motor home club. It seemed that everyone was very respectful of each other, and everyone co-existed peacefully. As we later found out, we were also sharing the concert area with a wedding!

Some of us walked around and scored some good, cheap food in the lot. Night fell, and we headed into the concert area. The stage was set up at the bottom of a slight rise, with a circus-sized tent covering it. There were so many people under that tent, that I didn't even bother to go in far enough to see all the seats available. The seats and area in front of the stage were packed, but there were some seats on the sides that offered a good view of the bands.

Unfortunately, we did not catch the entire moe. set. What I did experience was an outpouring of the soul, set to an ever changing backdrop of some fine improvisational music. I let myself get carried away on jazzy breaks and Latin flavored rhythms. Up to this point, believe it or not, I had never seen moe. live. LOUD, STRANGE SOUND. I felt that the energy and musical joy that they produced blew away anything that I had heard to date. I honestly can not recall who was up next. It was either String Cheese Incident or Gov't Mule. I was there to see String Cheese, for the most part, so forgive me if my memory is a little weak! I spent SCI's set over to the right side seats of the tent, marveling at the wide array of sounds that these cats can coerce out of acoustic instruments. Michael Kang, mandolin, is an amazing player, as are they all. LOUD STRANGE SOUND. I think that some folks expect SCI to sound alot like their neighbors, Leftover Salmon. While some of the inflections and roots may be there, I think SCI take all things national and take them international! While Leftover covers a lot of ground on the traditional front, SCI has taken those same roots and added flavors off jazz, funk, Latin, and world music. These guys are incredible!

I have to admit that I was getting kinda phriendly out on a blanket on the lawn while Gov't Mule did their thing. LOUD STRANGE CRACKLING SOUND. I did like alot of the grooves that I heard; and I have alot of respect for the musical background that those guys are coming from. We headed back up to the tent for Galactic. They came out and dropped a healthy dose of some down home southern funk on us too! Unfortunately, I guess they were suffering from some sound problems as everything sounded really unmixed and boxy. Does that make any sense? Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule came out and sat in with the Galactic crew for quite a while. LOUD STRANGE CRACKLING SOUND FROM P.A.SYSTEM. I was also somewhat disappointed that Houseman was only on stage for a short time. By the way, I bought a String Cheese cd and didn't open it until the following day. It was soaked with water - right through and around the shrink wrap. I emailed SCI's management to tell them what had happened, and they sent me a new one! So I'm passing the damaged one (it still sounds fine) to my guitarist, Ted. He's the one who couldn't catch a ride with the rest of us. He was bitter about the show, but I got him a free cd and all is well! I guess that a night of faulty sound systems, some inter-personal tension, funny vegetables, great music, and good people is just part of this trip we're on together.

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Rusted Root August 3, 1999 Starlake Amphitheatre

By Jeremy Welsh

I wanted to share my review as well as my thoughts and feelings on what may have been Rusted Root's last show in their hometown. It may turn out to be a bit wordy, so thanks to anyone who sticks with it.

I really wasn't planning on attending the Rusted Root and Jewel concert at Starlake Tuesday, but I happened across some free tickets (and free parking), so I said what the hell. It had been about a year and a month since I had seen Root, at the Furthur Festival, and with the rumors that have surfaced, I wanted to go support Root for maybe one last time.

Little back-ground: this past show was my fifteenth. I started seeing Rusted Root back in 1993 when they used to play the Graffiti Showcase here in Pittsburgh to 800 dancing sweating under-21-year-olds. I have over one hundred hours of Root on tape, and have seen some pretty amazing shows. While my interest in the band has fallen off a bit these past few years, they still hold a special place in my heart. So that is why I was rather sad walking into Starlake - the pavilion was less than half full, and the lawn was slowly starting to get spattered with blankets. And as the band walked out on to the stage, there was no clapping what-so-ever - it gave me a chill.

It was completely different from when Rusted Root played after Toad the Wet Sprocket in '95, to one of the largest crowds ever at Starlake.

The band slowly came out on stage, and I noticed the lack of hair on Mike and John - as I said, it had been a while. They opened with a nice "Voodoo." Kind of different, for me, that Mike wasn't playing an electric. Made for an interesting sound. And while they tried to get moving, it just wasn't picking up like, say, the 12/31/94 "Voodoo." "Rain" came next, and got a few more of the crowd on their feet. It was just really odd, to be seeing Root on stage here in Pittsburgh to such a small crowd, in the day-light. The rock-a-billy sounds of "Rain" at least got some people moving.

"Cat Turned Blue" followed, with John picking up an electric. This was the first Rusted Root song I ever heard, on WYEP, and it took me to a cool place. It was the Cruel Sun version, so we got to hear the Watchtower tease. This caused a little stir in the crowd.

And although the next two songs were very well done, it put a little damper on what energy there was in these Jewel fans. "Moon" followed, preceded by a little story from Liz, explaining where the song came from. You were starting to get the feeling that the band was going to take the time to talk and thank and soak it in. The "Moon" was nice, with some added vocals by Mike that I had never heard before.

"Cruel Sun" followed, as I gave a quick yell with the opening notes. This probably is my favorite Rusted Root song, and this version certainly did not disappoint. It approached ten minutes in length, with some nice interplay in the jammy part at the end. I just love the landscape this slow and deliberate song creates, as it gradually builds with everyone contributing.

Some more banter followed, as they talked about how great it was to be in their hometown, and giving thanks for all the support over the years. They said this next song was for "Us", and I knew right away they were going to play "Send Me On My Way." With the opening notes, following two slower songs, they finally reached something in the crowd. By this time, the hill was filling up nicely, and the pavilion was starting to look less sparse. Lots of people got up on their feet to sing and dance along, and the band responded with a nice version, jamming the end a little. Finally, there was some life at Starlake.

And it became one of the Root shows I so fondly remember as chills ran down my spine - Mike asked us to sing along as the opening notes of "Back to the Earth" were played. While the singing wasn't as loud as I would have liked (by the crowd), I didn't seem to mind as I stood, hands in the form of my circle over my head, singing and smiling.

The moving and shaking of "Back to the Earth" flowed into Drumz. This was a very good Drum Trip, as it built up in many different "sections" - as each one ended, another member of the band would pick up a different beat. At one point, Jim DiSpirito, I believe, even started playing a garbage can. Half-way through, Liz put down her drum to come and give accompanying vocals. Beautiful, as her voice floated above the rhythms of the percussion. The drumz continued to build, and I started to debate whether they were going to play "Martyr" or "Ecstasy." I was leaning towards "Martyr", as it is a more positive and up-beat song (to me).

Well, Mike came back out on to the stage, playing the rapid opening notes to "Ecstasy." This got a large roar from the crowd. As I took the time to look around, I saw almost the whole crowd on their feet, with a crowd of spinners and dancers on the walkway between the pavilion and lawn. A great site. And the band fed off the dancing and singing, as they poured all of their energy into this song; again, John was on an electric to add a bit of an edge. And they wouldn't let it end, as Mike went into a reprise; the whole band contributed to the end, following Patrick's lead on the bass, making a wave of noise and beats to close the song.

And their set, as they were done, given only an hour to play to their home-town crowd. I guess you can say I was just a bit dis-appointed with that (at the 95 show with Toad the Wet Sprocket that I mentioned before, Toad agreed to open the show so Root could play to their crowd. I guess it wasn't going to happen).

So, my closing thoughts; I am very happy I went to see Root again for my fifteenth show. It also was my mother's first show, after listening to us talk about them and blast them on the radio for the past six years. I am really glad she got to see Root. The band certainly acted and talked as though this was "it". They kept thanking us, Mike thanked Rusted Root, Jim Donovan thanked his family and friends; they did not play one new song (Moon and Voodoo are old), playing old favorites (I would have lost it if they played Tree or Artificial Winter) . . . I just have a hard time thinking that they are going to play their last show in Pittsburgh opening for Jewel, to probably less than 12,000 people.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for at least one more show. They still made me dance and smile, and gave me chills - things you could always count on Rusted Root to give you. I am not going to speculate on their reasons and motives, or the way they are going about it - people were doing that when Jen left the band - that is their business. I just want to thank them for the times of happiness that they have given me over the past six years. Like in '95, I got my Grateful Dead Three Rivers ticket to see that some small band from Pittsburgh was going to open . . . Take care, and keep spreading the music. Comments are welcome (welsh@udapgh.com ).

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Drinking Up the Good Vibes - Camp Creek

By Randi Schwartz

There are no words to describe the feeling I had as I drove away from the best weekend of my life. Camp Creek '99 was possibly the biggest, best, most energized Camp Creek ever! The scene was kind, the staff was excellent, and all the bands that played were nothing less than amazing!

Post-ticket sales were rumored to have doubled this summer so I was expecting quite a crowd, but not the jam-packed grounds that I rode into at 3 a.m. Saturday morning. Extra fields were opened and mowed down to make room for more vehicles, more tents, and more smiling faces. This really was the biggest Camp Creek ever. The bikers that met me at the gate, welcoming me to Indian Lookout Country Club, were in good spirits and set the mood nicely. I found my friends and my tent quickly, hoping to catch some sleep to prepare me for the next two days. Much to my dismay, my need for sleep caused me to miss an impromptu jam by some band members that went on in the campground sometime in the middle of the night.

The weekend was launched by a hot-air balloon early Saturday morning. For those who got to see it, it was an awesome sight. Soon after, the excitement filled the air and you could feel energy rising with the sun that, at 8 a.m., was already chasing people out of their tents. It was hot. The hot-air balloon wasn't the only event of the morning. There was a wedding that took place under a big yellow and white circus tent. I couldn't think of a better place to get married myself. The grounds are beautiful at the Country Club which is located just twenty miles north of Albany.

The music started early and went on all afternoon. The crowd really started to head towards the stage when Sassagrass stepped up and let loose the sweetest bluegrass sounds. It was hard not to shake every bone in your body while these guys were playing. I was amazed that such an old sound was being created by such a young band but delighted that the talent was being displayed so eloquently.

The treat of the weekend came up next. A set shared by both Sassagrass and Max Creek, I nearly cried it was so beautiful. The set started with Sassagrass playing "Little Maggie" with Scott Murawski joining them on acoustic guitar. The rest of the members of Max Creek slowly joined in on the following tunes, which included "Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35," "Salty Dog Blues," and "99 Years." That was some of the sweetest music I have heard in along time. The final tune played in collaboration by the bands was "Bluegrass Breakdown" with Scott playing banjo. I really dug the sound convergence of Creek and Sassagrass and especially reveled in the bliss of the upright bass.

The "Max-agrass" set as it came to be known was a nice segue into Creek's acoustic set. Billy Constable played banjo for this set, keeping that bluegrass feeling intact. "Sadie" was lively and kept everyone up on their feet, still tapping their toes and clapping their hands. "Dark Water" mellowed the crowd out and set the tone for the next tune which I learned was titled "To the Sea." Scott played and sang this song with such immense passion. It was both powerful and moving right to the end when Scott announced "that was written by a good friend that I have never met." Mysterious, yes. But it only added to the beauty of the song. The song, which was debuted that evening, left most of the crowd entranced. "Big Boat" shook us up and brought us right back, gearing us up for the next set.

A short break and Max Creek went electric! This was a powerful set opening with the most appropriate "Something is Forming" and going right into "Calling Elvis." "Blood Red Roses" followed and went right into a most original version of Alanis Morrisette's "Hand In My Pocket." I had heard that Creek had done this about a week ahead of time but I hadn't seen it. I was impressed. They took this song, that was fairly mainstream, shook it up and made it their own. Scott performed it without flaw, giving the words a raw edge and a new meaning. The crowd ate it up. Creek definitely proved their artistry with this one. They wrapped this set up with a booty shaking "Late In the Evening" that told us the evening was just starting!

The second set was simply magical. They pulled some old ones out of their hats. The most memorable of the tricks was Rob Fried's rendition of "Drift Away." His voice just came out of nowhere and hypnotized the crowd. I was surprised. I didn't even know that Rob could sing, but after hearing that tune I think he should dabble in the mystical a little more and sing every once in awhile. "Double Dare" was a treat and so was Frank Messina's poetry. I know I danced a lot during this set as did everyone around me. It is hard to remember specifics when your mind is totally blown at. way by the music. "July You're a Woman" definitely stands out as a highlight. "Sweet and sexy," this tune should be played more.

All in all, a wonderful set that set me sailing for the night. "St. Stephen" was like pulling the rabbit out of the hat for me. The magic seeped into "Pissed Off" and I didn't want it to end. But I knew more was on the way tomorrow. I managed to get up to the barn to see the Ominous Seapods. The Bikers were doing a great job at crowd control and once you got into the barn it was quite spacious and enjoyable. The Seapods have a great "spacey" sound that is controlled and not too "out there." They jammed really nicely together, they were tight. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent listening and grooving to them. They complimented the scene that night nicely, mellow and kind. I did see the sun rise that morning, a gradual pink sky turned blue, completing that magical, mystical feeling.

Sunday was windy! I awoke to my neighbors staking down everything insight. But the breeze proved to be a nice break from the brutal heat that we withstood the day before. Sassagrass got us moving early on Sunday from the barn at the top of the hill. Once again, sweet sounds soared my way. They were followed by a grooving set from Juggling Suns. I truly liked the sound of this band. They were fun and had it together. We caught a great deal of the Deep Banana Blackout set. If you like to dance and you haven't seen this band yet, you are missing a great time! This band has got a great funk sound. The lead singer is energetic and powerful and the musicians are incredibly talented. The crowd was really moving! It was a wonderful array of music all afternoon.

Creek came on for one rippin set with many special guests. Fuzzy from Deep Banana played a few tunes as did Brett Connors from Flipper Dave. Billy Constable rejoined Creek with his banjo and Barry Seelen from Midnight Sun sat in for the set. Scott Allshouse debuted "The Bug." It was a great cover. The crowd loved it and I think he really had fun with it, guessing from the huge grin on his face. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, and Creek was playing, could you ask for a better afternoon? It could only be beat by a killer encore and we got it. Fred Moore performed the lead vocals for "Hot Rod Lincoln." It was fantastic! It really left everyone smiling! And then the traditional end of Camp Creek, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" was played to the chorus of hundreds of voices singing. It was beautiful, as it is every year. Max Creek has been through a lot this year but this Camp Creek proves how solid of a group they truly are. The crowd was bigger than ever, the energy was more powerful than ever, the music was more passionate than ever! Until next year! 360 days and counting.

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Zorn/Medeski/Ribot/Wollensen
August 19 and 20, 1999 - The Knitting Factory, NYC

By AJ Abrams

The musicians in this downtown NYC jazz super group were in awe of each t other every second they were on stage. And when four fearless, magical musicians are in awe of each other then surely the audience must be blown away by their virtuosity as well.

And of course that is exactly what happened at the Knitting Factory. The sold out audience felt privileged to be inside this show and left the short one hour sets foaming at the mouth to hear more. The Knitting Factory's web site accurately called John Zorn (saxophone), John Medeski (keyboards), Marc Ribot (guitar) and Kenny Wollesen (drums) "the Mt. Rushmore of Downtown Eclecticism." The musicians were a unified improvisational team off in their own wacky, weird and wonderful world. They didn't really have a need for the audience.

However, the loud, boisterous crowd encouraged the musical mayhem anyway. But these musicians didn't need the encouragement. They barely looked out into the crowd. Instead they concentrated on their own music. They played what they wanted to play, on their own terms and at their own pace. It was obvious that these guys loved to watch and listen to each other play. When one musician soloed, the others seemed reluctant to join in because they enjoyed listening to each other so much. They high fived each other after special moments. And they constantly exchanged gigantic grins and egged each other on to take each solo and jam just as far as it could go.

The music at these shows was 100% improvisational. But several jams had the characteristic that the finest improvisation has; it sounded composed. Sure there were moments of improv insanity and mayhem. But there were also several moments when the group built up solid grooves that sounded like the blueprints of epic jazz tunes for the new millennium. These masterful musicians blended blues, funk and bebop together to create their own brand of Y2K jazz.

When these men get together there is a sense that anything can happen. And as they search and search for the perfect jam they always come away successful a few times a night. Out of the ashes of their group improv arises captivating and mesmerizing music composed on the spot for immediate gratification. During certain jams they sounded like a straightforward blues/funk power trio. On these jams Ribot alternated between lead and rhythm guitar, while Medeski played lead organ with one hand and bass organ with the other. His bass playing hand locked up with Wollesen's drums to create a powerful rhythm section. There was one moment in the show when Zorn and Ribot left the stage. Medeski and Wollensen were the only two people on stage, but they sounded like a full band. They locked into each other stronger than any other duo I've heard.

Zorn was the natural leader of the group and his moods seemed to dictate the sounds of the different jams. On certain jams he sat out entirely. It was during those moments in Zorn's absence that the rest of them men ripped it up like the baddest blues/funk power trio in NYC. When Zorn rejoined his bandmates on stage, one of two styles emerged. When Zorn played pleasant and pretty saxophone then the group became an adventurous and futuristic be bop jazz band. And it was during those be bop moments that the music was most impressive. But Zorn also let loose some dark and eerie sounds. His saxophone squeals became the basis for experimental chaos and improvisational wanking, downtown NYC style. During these moments all the musicians furiously attacked their instruments. They each wailed away individually, not even bothering to look at one another or play off each other. Of course, all four of these musicians are major contributors to the avant garde downtown jazz scene. Downtown jazz players often like to play their instruments unconventionally to get strange and unexpected sounds.

At one point Wollesen held a drumstick straight up horizontally on top of a drumhead. One end of the stick was touching the drumhead and the other end pointed straight up in the air. As he moved he moved his hands around the stick it created a high pitched humming sound. He also wet his fingers and slid them across the head of his drum, which created a squealing sound. At another point he leaned back and put his feet up on the drums, but I can't remember what the hell that odd behavior sounded like.

Zorn contributed his usual share of weird sounds. He can make his saxophone squeal in ways you have never heard in your life. He also created some strange kissing sounds through his horn. And, yes, he created these sounds by actually kissing his sax over and over. The sight and sound of Zorn making out with his sax had the audience cracking up. Another time he sounded like Darth Vader as he breathed slowly and deeply into his amplified saxophone. Another evil sound Zorn let loose was with his own voice. Two or three times he grabbed the microphone and screamed into it like a Japanese kamikaze pilot going in for the kill. The frightening yelps were dark enough to scare anybody.

While the strange improv insanity of this sort was funny and entertaining, it was not enlightening. The finest moments of these shows was when the four musicians joined together to create new and interesting grooves and jams. It was awe inspiring to watch them jam together as a unit mapping out a new jazz sound as they played. When they played as a unit they played with emotion. When they went for all out improv they played with adrenaline. But perfect music is a mixture of the two. And when they mixed adrenaline with emotion the result was incredible music.

It was during the second night that themes and melodies began to emerge from the band. It was also when they began to explore several different styles of music. They began each set sounding like a rock and roll garage band. The music gradually simmered into a rolling boil of intensity. On another jam the band had a meditative, exotic, eastern sound. The core of this sound came from Ribot. He used a bow on his guitar that created a sitar like sound.

Medeski gave another jam a bit of a southern gospel flavor with some heavenly organ sounds. And of course there was a classic, slinky smooth bebop jam. But these diverse, melodic, cohesive jams were sometimes lost amongst the noisy, loose, free improvisation. Each set ended with a raucous wall of blaring improvisation. This type of improv certainly rocked the house with raw energy. But it tended to overshadow the musical depth and emotion of the musical themes they explored as a group.

The musicians could not let go of their downtown roots. However, when they left fragmented downtown eclecticism for solid uptown jazz chops, majestic moments occurred. But in order to find those magic moments, the musicians had to follow the long and windy improvisational path. And as the audience traveled the path with the band, incredible music could be found at the end of the path. If these four titans decided to go into the studio and record the music at the end of the path, it would be the finest jazz album in years.

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The Governors September 2, 1999 - The Elbow Room, NYC

by Archie Blake

As the evening began, many believed that Hurricane Dennis was to be the only immediate threat looming on the east coast this Labor Day weekend. Little did I know, a storm of greater proportions was about to hit the inside of this club. A torrential downpour of infectious melodies punctuated by a whirlwind of funky-rock grooves, The Governors are drenching the NYC live scene with their aggressive new brand of jam/funky rock.

This evening I had the pleasure of witnessing this NYC based foursome explode with a tight and powerful set for their loyal local following which has according to singer/keyboardist Vito Barbiera has been steadily building for the past 5 months. In a disaffected pop/rock world becoming ever more dumbed-down-down for the masses with overly simplified hooks and lyrics that fail to provoke thought of any kind, it's refreshing to see that a group spreading intelligent lyrics and memorable melodies still exists. The Governors are quickly becoming the Elbow Room's unofficial house band (400+ capacity room) with a glut of dates in the past three months. I understand this band's ability to bring fans old and new back for more.

Keyboardist/Lead Vocalist, Vito Barbiera, kicked the evening off with a short but sweet cocktail rendition of Mr. Roger's neighborhood. He later told me he thought nobody had been paying attention, but it was obvious to those present that this was the attention grabbing opener I've seen too many acts go after with a pointed lack of subtlety. The actual set opener was an upbeat original entitled "Lot to Learn." This tune brings you back to the early days of Traffic but with a more contemporary, more hard hitting polish. With a rock solid groove and piano solo midway through the tune, the song's climactic exit is reached with a blazing guitar solo, ala old school, yet all the while keeping it fresh compliments of guitarist Oscar Bautista. Ben Folds Five and Dave Matthews Band look out: these boys can jam.

The next few tunes continued to lure the crowd closer to the stage. Bassist, Tim Kealey and Drummer Rob Cantwell seemed to constantly pull and tug at each other in a rhythmically hypnotic style reminiscent of The Police (circa Zenyatta Mondatta) and Stevie Wonder. Kealey also provided the perfect harmonic compliment to Barbiera's powerful yet sensitive vocals, especially on the bluesy "It's Plain". In this tune, the band cleverly manages to bring it down with a funky laid back rock/reggae feel for the guitar solo before kicking it into the final chorus which rocks without apology. To their credit, the evening was full of these and other interesting dynamic subtleties.

Playing mostly an original set, the band did manage to sneak in a cover of Elvis Costello's "What's so Funny", for their encore which was vigorously executed and approved by a thunderous response. By the end of the evening, the audience seemed exhausted. The pure joy I'd experienced that night has made me more than curious about their upcoming EP,"Monday on the Other Side" due out this fall.

I say don't believe the top forty hype. The future and real guts of the music industry is temporarily hiding. Where? Perhaps looming in a dark and smokey club somewhere in Downtown New York. Let's face it, these damn drum machines, hip-hop beats and bubble gum-pop sounds are enough to make you lose your lunch. Just hang on and keep your ears open friends- Thankfully, I think we'll be hearing more about The Governors and bands like them in the upcoming months. Check them out at www.thegovernors.net.

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Roger Waters
August 20, 1999 - Baltimore Arena

by Rob Turner

The live music Gods were smiling down on me, as a front row seat was released for Roger Water's Baltimore show minutes before I arrived at the box office. Little did I know how enraptured I would be when Waters took the stage and sang the living shit out of the show-opening "In The Flesh." Backed with an amazing band, which included long time Clapton sideman Andy Fairweather-Low, Waters was on top of his game all night. He proceeded to run through the delicate "The Thin Ice," the familiar "Another Brick On The Wall (Part One)" and the controversial, "The Happiest Days Of Our Lives." The latter has often been declared a reckless attack on educational systems in general. Waters never intended it to be taken that way though, as he once told the BBC, "...it's not meant to be a blanket condemnation of teacher's everywhere, but the *bad* ones can really do people in." After delivering the second part of "Another Brick On The Wall," and addressing the over-protective with, "Mother," Waters surely had some thinking he would deliver a full version of "The Wall."

It was not to be, but after two gems from "The Final Cut," (Pink Floyd's last album, considered by some to be Waters' first solo release) "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert," and "Southampton Dock," only the pathetic were complaining. Waters is such an engaging performer, and he delivered every brilliant song of this set with stunning conviction. I was literally in a trance as he massaged every word of "Pigs On The Wing." I had high expectations for this show and midway through the first set he had already more than exceeded them. The guitarist to his left was young and brash, and looked like he could be in Bush, but he was a spectacular player. The peak of this set was due mostly to the guitarist on Waters' right. His playing on "Dogs" was absolutely mesmerizing. I couldn't believe that they attempted this song, and threw it down with a vengeance. Waters' band mates have never attempted anything from the Animals album on their two tours since his departure, let alone this epic. It completely overshadowed the "Wish You Were Here" material that closed the set. Waters guided the band through note perfect versions of "Welcome To The Machine," and "Wish You Were Here," both almost too much like their studio versions, but each brought obscure memories of my youth to mind. Even after the set closing "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," which far surpassed any I've ever seen the Waters-less Floyd perform, all I could think about during the break was the "Dogs."

The second set opened with a string of "Dark Side Of The Moon" material which included "Breathe," "Time," "Money," and even an elegant "Great Gig In The Sky." Surprisingly, this was the least inspiring portion of the show, excepting "Gig." Even though there was some staggering guitarwork, and a member of the band delivered the Gilmour vocals incredibly well, I had the sense that Waters was playing this material because he felt he had to. His conviction returned as he delved into his solo material, which turned out to be the most amazing part of the evening. Quite frankly, this ranks up with the most intense experience of my concert going history. He seemed on a mission to make eye contact with everyone in the front ten rows as he sang the profound, "5:06 AM: (Every Stranger's Eyes)" from "Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking." He followed that with a powerful version of the "Radio KAOS" nugget, "The Powers That Be." He then leveled the room with four songs from his finest work to date, "Amused To Death." "What God Wants," represented the only "radio" song from his solo work that he performed this night. He then did a full version (Parts one and two) of the contemplative "Perfect Sense." Then he lowered the boom as the scathing indictment of the self-involved modern day humans "It's A Miracle" set the table for mystical bliss. His version of the title track which followed grew from a whisper to an Earth-shattering climax. I had severe revelations during this song, which speaks to how we are numbed by the media and entertainment onslaught that we take for granted. By the end of the song, as Waters stood at the front of the stage and sang "the species...has amused itself...to death," with the crowd roaring in approval, it was the first time since Jerry Garcia's death that I was taken back to those wonderful moments at the end of "Morning Dew" when my brain and body were overwhelmed by the wisdom and artistry before me. "Amused To Death" was so intense that "Brain Damage" and "Eclipse" were actually a relief, while they still extended on this humbling theme.

David Gilmour fans will be glad to know that it took all three guitarists input to replicate his guitar work on "Comfortably Numb," which was an appropriate conclusion. As I floated to my car. I was certainly numb, and my brain raced as I sped to Richmond to crash at a friend's home.