Today we look back to September 6, 2005…

Gone Daddy Gone: Family Cross-Pollination at moe.down

moe. hosted its sixth consecutive moe.down gathering in Turin, NY this weekend, offering six-sets spread throughout the Holiday weekend. Keller Williams helped moe. kick-off its festivities by performing his patented Stairway To Heaven and All along the Watchtower segue with the festival host during their Friday set. A day later, Al Schnier played dad onstage inviting his son Ben to play piano during Shanna Robe. Not one to be upstaged by her brother, soon after Ayla Schnier ran onstage to offer a piano solo of her own. Later in the day, Japanese exports Big Frog engaged in a full-band switch with moe. during Happy Hour Hero, while members of Dread Clampett performed on 32 Things. A fitting close to Jerry Month, moe. also debuted a cover of the Grateful Deads Terrapin Station during its Sunday performance.

Over the years, moe. has helped introduce the jam-faithful to a number of credible song-based bands during its Labor Day festivities. Following in the footsteps of Cracker and The Flaming Lips, this year moe. invited The Violent Femmes to perform alongside a breadth of jam-oriented bands including Tea Leaf Green, RAQ, Addison Groove Project and Medeski, Martin and Wood. Bassist Rob Derhak personally introduced the cult-icons by joining the Violent Femmes onstage for Gone Daddy Gone. The Addison Groove Project horn section of Dave Adams and Ben Groppe also enhanced the group during its performance.

Nodding to the weekends family vibe, Medeski, Martin and Wood bonded with some well known musical siblings themselves. Luther Dickinson played guitar for much of MMWs set including versions of 3rd Stone from the Sun and Uninvisible, while brother Cody traded off with Billy Martin. Switching into the political realm, Bearsong Gary was also elected as this weekends moe.down mayor.

Dr. John Performs First Post-Hurricane Show at Hookahville

Dr. John performed his first live show since his hometown of New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina at this weekends Hookahville festivities. In addition to a set loaded with his own New Orleans sounds, Dr. John nodded to the Hookah Fans for Food fund drive which raised over $3,000 for the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.
Festival hosts ekoostik hookah, who recently announced a post- New Years road break, also performed four-sets at Pataskala, OHs Frontier Ranch during the multi-day gathering. Saturday DJ Logic joined the Ohio-based bands for a number of songs including ‘Sugar Jam,’ Sister Sugar, We Want the Funk, Red Light Boogie and Chicago. Later Vince Herman, who is enjoying a road break himself from Leftover Salmon, joined in on Fixing to Die and John Henry. During the groups encore, original hookah drummer Steve Frye also reunited with his bandmates for a version of Old John Henry.

Covers characterized the groups performance Sunday set. During its encore hookah unveiled a number of classic-covers including Derek & The Dominoes Let It Rain, Van Morrisons These Dreams of You, Average White Bands Picking Up the Pieces, the Grateful Deads Blow Away and Little Walters Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights) Throughout the day members of Dave Katzs side project Katz-N-Jammers joined the group onstage including saxophonist Fred Gablick, vocalist Judy Russell and drummer Shane Frye (Frye is also a former member of JamOff winners The Shantee). Paul Brown, who leads the Columbus, OH band Paul Browns Science Gravy Orchestra also performed on Through Hiker. ekoostik hookah will perform next at Acme, PAs Church of Universal Love and Music Saturday.

Umphrey’s McGee is Wrapped Around Zappa

Umphrey’s McGee celebrated Labor Day close to home with a pair of shows at Chicagos Navy Pier. Sunday night the Midwestern jam-titans also invited former Frank Zappa guitarist Ray White, as well as bassist Greg Rzab, onstage for two of his former employers compositions: City of Tiny Light and Willie the Pimp. White and Rzab also recently collaborated with Umphreys McGee keyboardist Joel Cummins and former Umphreys McGee drummer Mike Mirro at Chicagos The Store.

Speaking of past Umphrey’s McGee collaborators, Friday night guitarist Jake Cinninger received a visit from his former Ali Baba’s Tahini cohorts at Indianas Mishawaka Brewing Company. During a jam which nodded to Ali Baba’s Tahinis Pork Chop Pie’ bassist Kahlil Smylie replaced Ryan Stasik and percussionist Steve Krojniewski joined their former bandmate onstage. Before joining Umphreys McGee in September of 2000, Cinninger was best known as Ali Baba’s Tahinis guitar player.

Umphrey’s McGee, who are gearing up for the release of its second DVD, Wrapped Around Chicago – New Year’s at the Riviera Theatre, will perform tomorrow at Detroit, MIs Majestic Theatre.

Particle Flies with the Other Brothers

Over the weekend, the Flying Other Brothers, featuring Pete Sears, Barry Sless and Saturday Night Lives GE Smith, opened a run of Northwest Particle shows .

Several nights during the run, Particle also invited out members of the seminal jam-act for a few encore appearances. In Bend, OR on September 1, Sears joined Particle on keyboards for ‘The Golden Gator. On September 3 in Ashland, OR, Sless joined the band for Pink Floyd’s ‘Any Colour You Like, while Sears and Smith then hopped onboard for ‘Another Brick in the Wall II.’ Particle finished their Northwest run yesterday at Seattles Bumbershoot festival. The group will perform tonight at Boulder, COs The Fox Theatre, with Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes supplying support duties.