Live Music Blog

All Good Music Festival 2008 | Review, Take II

2008-07-17T18:37:43Z

All photos by Mike aka swanny0586

We're featuring another guest post from the latest Live Music Blog recruit, Mike S., who also spent this past weekend up Masontown, WV at the All Good Music Festival. Mike not only offered up some of his thoughts and highlights from the weekend, but he also snapped some seriously solid photos of the weekend's activities. Check it...

"Wild and Wonderful and All Good"

Masontown, WV hosted the 12th annual All Good Festival this past weekend. As I'm originally from Pittsburgh, All Good has always been a close gem tucked in the mountains. But now, I have to travel up Rt. 33 from Charlottesville, one of the most scenic drives I have experienced on the east coast (as you can see from the photo above).

This weekend marked my third time on Marvin's Mountaintop, and the third time I have been completely blown away. The lineup was especially exciting for me because, being a guitarist, it featured all of my favorites: Derek Trucks, John Scofield, Jimmy Herring, and Warren Haynes. And man, did they deliver. Here's a quick recap of some of my favorite sets from All Good. If you dig the photos, be sure to check out the complete set from the weekend…

I arrived Thursday night about 15 minutes into Perpetual Groove's set. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. Although I have fallen out of the loop a little bit with this group over the past year, I have followed them strongly for about five years now. So I was very interested to see how they would perform with new keyboardist, John Hruby. I definitely noticed where they still need time to work out some kinks, as former keyboardist Matt McDonald left some big shoes to fill. But overall, they put on a great set, and laid down a fat "Teakwood Betz." This is the first PGroove song I heard off of the must-have Sweet Oblivious Anecdote, which instantly had me hooked to their sound. Without a doubt, there is some great potential with the addition of Hruby. I would stick to these guys.

The late night set, named the Join -- Shields and Shearer of the New Deal and the Benevento/Russo Duo--was a little disappointing. A few people I talked to said they really enjoyed it, but for some reason it never picked up for me. I love these two duos on their own and I'm not sure if I was just too tired to get into it. But for some reason having two drums and two keyboardists just produced a clustered sound. They were obviously improvising, but I felt like their communication wasn't all that great and some of the tunes were a bit monotonous in terms of the dance beats.

My Friday started off with RAQ, who locked into some good jams. Guitarist Chris Michetti shredded like a machete, often using finger-tapping and a pitch-bender effect that expanded some of the interesting prog-rock digressions of their set.

I was not too familiar with the Avett Brothers before, but I was impressed with their wide-ranging sound. It marked the first official bluegrass-infused foot stompin' of the weekend (though it was not to be the best). To my surprise, they had a large following and most of the crowd in attendance sang along to their lyrics. I did recognize one song, "Shame." Their stage presence was lively and animated, and they were very fun to shoot.

One of the biggest surprises to come out of this weekend was the raw power of Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. I was not even going to shoot this group because I was getting hungry, but once I saw them step on stage, I knew I had to check them out. This big damn band is only comprised of three members, Reverend Peyton on Resonator Guitar, his wife "Washboard" Breezy on, you guessed it, washboard, and his brother Jayme on drums. Together they put on one heck of a down n' dirty afternoon set. At one point they got the whole crowd soaring and singing to a rhythmically crazed rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In." It was the loudest and most forceful delta blues I have ever hear. They definitely won the foot stompin' award for Friday. Just check out some more of the shots, man were they mean. Take a look at Reverend Peyton and tell me if you think he can high-kick a crash symbol. He sure can!

I have seen Medeski, Martin, and Wood numerous times. But I often get disappointed because although I love their albums--and I love when bands get crazy live--sometimes MMW just gets way too out there to the point where it becomes unbearable for me. However, after I heard their album Out Louder with John Scofield, I knew he would be able to corral this madness into a more coherent live sound, and I have been patiently waiting for over a year now. They played most of Out Louder, including my favorites "Hanuman" and "Little Walter Rides Again." They also surprisingly pulled off their somber and beautiful "Julia" cover.

Lettuce's performance was by far the funkiest of the weekend. I have respected Eric Krasno (of Soulive) for a long time now, but the additional members of Lettuce, especially drummer Adam Deitch (of the John Scofield Band), bring that neck-jerkin' hard funk to a whole new level. Talk about party time!

My favorite performance of the weekend was without a doubt Phil Lesh & Friends. I have seen Phil a few times before and I always come away with the feeling that I only go because I love the Grateful Dead and have to pay my respect. But it is obvious Phil & Friends have gotten serious about their music as of late. The members that have been added since my last show made for one unforgettable experience. Nowhere else can you hear bass like that, especially coming from that beast of an instrument that Phil now sports, with its eccentric gothic curves and LED-lit fret board.

The first set was pretty normal Phil, but still better than what I have heard before. The second set, on the other hand, was a whole different story. Jackie Greene tore up the evening with his remarkable voice, picking, and overall energy. And never in my life did I think I would hear Phil get down on a trance tune, but he did, and he absolutely killed it. After a stacked second set run of Viola Lee Blues>New Potato Caboose>Revolution, Phil did the unexpected, transferring into Particle's "Elevator." The drumbeat turned techno, the bass and guitar turned demented, and Particle's Steve Molitz blew everyone's lid off with some of the most punctual synth buildups I have ever heard. The set ended with a soothing "Brokedown Palace" with Jackie Greene vocally capturing a piece of that pure emotion that Jerry Garcia first laid down on American Beauty. My favorite part of this set was being able to watch Phil from a close distance as he smiled the whole time, clearly having as much of a blast as everyone in the crowd.

The night ended perfectly with Gov't Mule. Warren Haynes is truly one of the most passionate performers out there. The highlights for me were Wild Horses>Creep (Radiohead), and returning to my tent to be lulled to sleep with his staple "Soulshine."

Saturday afternoon was hot and humid, but worth the pain. Tea Leaf Green pulled off an amazing set that included some of my favorite TLG tunes, as well as a raunchy "Five to One" Doors cover. Josh Clark seemed to summon Morrison's spirit and sound through his vocals. Tea Leaf has never disappointed me. They have a truly unique and pure sound, and who can deny Trevor Garrod's incredible vocal ability? I have trouble comparing him to any other singer.

Mike Gordon played a decent set that included songs off of his new album Green Sparrow. What made his set for me, though, was his inclusion of a super funky "Meat", as well as a great "She Said, She Said" Beatles cover (Whit and I clearly see eye to eye on this one).

Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi started off with a groovin' "Don't Do It", and performed a well-rounded set, elevated by Trucks' signature tone, and Susan Tedeschi's soulful voice.

Once again Jimmy Herring's guitar wizardry had my jaw in the dropped position for most of Widespread Panic's set. His finger-work just boggles my mind every time. I was really tired from a full day in the sun, but I held out on the hill for a great two sets of Panic. Highlights included guest appearances by Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi on "Angel on High" and just Trucks on "Ribs and Whiskey." As it began to rain, I needed to keep my camera dry. By the time I got back to my tent, the rain was substantial enough that I couldn't help but pass out hard.

I wasn't upset about missing Dark Star late night because I have seen them a bunch in the past, but I hear that I missed Mike Gordon come out with the Bridge--whoops. The Bridge is one of my top bands right now; they are on fire. They played earlier in the day, so I thought I would be okay missing them late night. But with Gordo, damn! I had a long drive ahead of me so I wasn't able to stick around for any music on Sunday. I would have liked to have seen Railroad Earth, but it looked as if it was going to thunderstorm all day so I felt it was best to get on the road.

Thank you All Good for another amazing weekend of music in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. It was Wild, it was Wonderful, and it was certainly All Good.

Pitchfork 2008 | Festival Preview, Two Three-Day Passes Contest

2008-07-16T22:13:57Z

Oh to be young, a music fan and live in Chicago; for the next three weeks there are more bands, festivals and concerts coming through this city than I know what to do with. Some will be missed but I'm sure Mitch and I will get in our fair share over the next month or so and hopefully we won't be burned out like Justin was after SXSW.

The Pitchfork Music Festival is kicking off the malay this weekend and should be a great two and a half days of music. There seems to be a festival almost every weekend until the end of the summer that we'll be covering and to make things more fluid and familiar, LMB will keep all the previews looking somewhat the same as Whitperson's All Good Preview.

Personally, I am pumped about Pitchfork because there are a number of bands I have yet to see and some that I can't wait to see again. LMB is here to make a few suggestions and maybe someone's weekend. Its a big event that's nearly sold out but if you follow the jump you may be able to win yourself some three day passes.

With a special thanks to Boost Mobile and The Fader we are offering a pair of sold out three-day passes to the Pitchfork Music Festival 2008. All you have to do for us is post a little comment. Tell LMB your biggest festival "misadventure" from any festival you've been to and the best story will win the passes.

Make sure you put a working email down and we'll alert you tomorrow evening if you are the winner. We'll take submissions until tomorrow at 3pm. If its really embarrassing, post a comment saying that and I'll get back to you personally; you can then share in a confessional style. And now back to the music.

File Under: Americana

Fleet Foxes Saturday 3pm
Rarely does a band get as much positive press as the Fleet Foxes have; I hope that their live show lives up to all the press. From what I've listened to, their lo-fi folk sound is really difficult not to be drawn to. The Fleet Foxes have sold out their last three shows and are one of the bands to see this weekend. Just listen to this amazing show from the Black Cat in DC that NPR has running on its site.

M Ward Sunday 6pm
M Ward has really dug out a place for himself in the folk tradition. From his heralded shows with Jim James to the new project with Zooey Deschanel, She & Him, he is all over the musical map and personally I like his solo stuff more than anything else. His live show should be well attended and I'm pretty excited to see "Him" once again.

Bon Iver Sunday 7:30pm
Another group that has been loved by all in recent months and word has it they killed at SXSW so I'm especially excited to see these guys. The best part about Bon Iver's sound is the soul influence in their music are really strong. A good folksy band with a strong blues/soul roots is hard to deny and the excitement to see these guys is definitely building.

The Hold Steady Saturday 7pm
Truthfully I have had few bands grow on me like The Hold Steady. The fact that I was a huge Soul Coughing fan back in middle school and Craig Finn's voice oddly reminds me of M. Doughty could be a contributing factor but really I can't put a finger on it. Always known for an inspired, rocking show The Hold Steady are definitely one of my picks for set of the weekend.

File Under: Dance Party

Cut Copy Sunday 8:25pm
Was lucky to catch Cut Copy's sold out show back in early May and it was a heater. Though it will be a long weekend I will be getting down to the new wave sounds of these Aussies on Sunday. There isn't a lot of instrumentation in their live show but if you produce music that makes standing still impossible, I don't care what you play.

!!! (Chk Chk Chk) Saturday 6pm
I love how !!! is playing Camp Bisco the day before they play at Pitchfork. That's like going on a date with Jerry Garcia the day before you go on a date with Lou Reed. Just goes to show you that their music's got mass appeal! I promise to shout out, "How was Camp Bisco!?", during a lull.

Dizzee Rascal Saturday 4pm
The grime king's latest, Math & English, is an awesome mix of booty bass and very current electronica. The live show is supposed to be a scene: part rock show, part rave. Dizzee Rascal should be one of the most original and interesting shows of the weekend.

File Under: Impossibly Hip

Vampire Weekend Saturday 5pm
I've been listening to Vampire Weekend's live KEXP show for sometime now and really think their sound transitions well to the live setting. I missed these guys when they last stopped through Chicago and am pumped to see them at Pitchfork. Our friend Drew posted a great review of a show down in FLA about a month back. Check it out if you have any reservations.

HEALTH Sunday 2:20pm
Oozing LA style is how I would describe the band HEALTH. The noise rock group delved into the dance arena this year with their own HEALTH//DISCO take on songs already banged out in the previous LP. I saw the noise rock version in February and was pleasantly intrigued. I'm thinking this will be a set that keeps me interested in the group or leads me away from them altogether.

Ghostface Killah & Raekwon Sunday 6pm
What can I say about two of my favorite members of the Wu Tang Clan; resilient, smooth (for the Chef)/relentless (for Ghost) and legendary that's what. This show is gonna be so hot and there's is no doubt in my mind that both these giants will want to leave Union Park knowing they blew everyone away.

File Under: Utter Brilliance

All Tomorrow's Parties/Don't Look Back Friday Night
6:00 p.m. Mission of Burma performing Vs.
7:15 p.m. Sebadoh performing Bubble and Scrape
8:30 p.m. Public Enemy performing It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

Dirty Projectors Sunday 1:30pm
I've been blown away by this band ever since I caught them "accidentally" when I went to see No Kids. Dave Longstreth will be remembered for a long time as a genius of his art. They're live show was something special and I'm not sure I fully realized it when I caught them last. This may be the show I am most excited to see.

Animal Collective Saturday 9pm
Mind bending and revolutionary in the studio, Animal Collective is equally great on stage. The first show I saw in Chicago last September it was a perfect mirror for moving to a new place. Their show is exciting, unfamiliar and impossible not to enjoy. As the Saturday headliner, they could be the show of the weekend.

Here's to a great weekend of summertime live music in the city...

Pitchfork Music Festival Schedule and Stages

A = Aluminum Stage;
B = Balance Stage;
C = Connector Stage
View site map here.

Friday, July 18 (in conjunction with All Tomorrow's Parties/Don't Look Back):
6:00 p.m. Mission of Burma performing Vs. (C)
7:15 p.m. Sebadoh performing Bubble and Scrape (C)
8:30 p.m. Public Enemy performing It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (A)

Saturday, July 19:
12:30 p.m. Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar (B)
1:00 p.m. Titus Andronicus (C)
1:25 p.m. A Hawk and a Hacksaw (B)
1:30 p.m. Jay Reatard (A)
2:00 p.m. Caribou (C)
2:20 p.m. Icy Demons (B)
3:00 p.m. Fleet Foxes (A)
3:15 p.m. Fuck Buttons (B)
4:00 p.m. Dizzee Rascal (C)
4:15 p.m. The Ruby Suns (B)
5:00 p.m. Vampire Weekend (A)
5:20 p.m. Elf Power (B)
6:00 p.m. !!! (C)
6:25 p.m. Extra Golden (B)
7:00 p.m. The Hold Steady (A)
7:30 p.m. Atlas Sound (B)
8:00 p.m. Jarvis Cocker (C)
8:25 p.m. No Age (B)
9:00 p.m. Animal Collective (A)

Sunday, July 20:
12:30 p.m. Mahjongg (B)
1:00 p.m. Times New Viking (C)
1:25 p.m. High Places (B)
1:30 p.m. Dirty Projectors (A)
2:00 p.m. Boris (C)
2:20 p.m. HEALTH (B)
3:00 p.m. The Apples in Stereo (A)
3:15 p.m. King Khan & the Shrines (B)
4:00 p.m. Les Savy Fav (C)
5:00 p.m. The Dodos (A)
5:20 p.m. Occidental Brothers Dance Band International (B)
6:00 p.m. M. Ward (C)
6:25 p.m. Ghostface Killah & Raekwon (B)
7:00 p.m. Spiritualized (A)
7:30 p.m. Bon Iver (B)
8:00 p.m. Dinosaur Jr. (C)
8:25 p.m. Cut Copy (B)
9:00 p.m. Spoon (A)

STS9 and Umphrey's McGee | Start in Madison, End in Atlanta

2008-07-16T01:19:38Z

Last Thursday night one of the best tours of the summer kicked off in Madison, WI at Willow Park. The dual bill with Umphrey's McGee and STS9 will be roaring through eastern two-thirds of the U.S. for a little over three weeks. So far the tour has been in Madison, St. Louis, Omaha and Cincinnatti; tonight the tour will stop in VA. STS9 threw the after-party is Madison as will they in Chicago and NYC. UM will do the late night duties in Philly and Raleigh. Unfortunately some cities aren't getting the full treatment but I'm sure they'll be fully satisfied by the end of the night regardless.

Saturday's stop in Chicago should prove to be a highlight so far with it being UM's hometown and the fact that STS9 has a history of dropping the heat on the windy city. STS9 released its new LP last week and peaceblaster has definitely found its way into my regular listening cycle. Both bands already have three of four shows from the tour up on their respective live music purchasing websites. You can find STS9's here and UM's here. I find this to be a great innovation by these bands to promote their own live music, which keeps these two touring as often as they do. Follow the jump for the rest of the dates and setlists from recent shows.

Umphrey's McGee/STS9 Remaining Dates

07.16.08 - Innsbrook Pavilion - Glen Allen, VA
07.17.08 - Lifestyle Communities Pavilion - Columbus, OH
07.18.08 - White River Lawn - Indianapolis, IN
07.19.08 - Charter One Pavilion - Chicago, IL
07.19.08 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL - STS9 AFTER PARTY!
07.24.08 - Roseland Ballroom - New York, NY
07.24.08 - Blender at Gramercy - New York, NY - STS9 AFTER PARTY!
07.25.08 - Festival Pier at Penn's Landing - Philadelphia, PA
07.25.08 - Fillmore at TLA - Philadelphia, PA - UMPHREY'S AFTER PARTY!
07.26.08 - Bank of America Pavilion - Boston, MA
07.27.08 - Pier 6 Concert Pavilion - Baltimore, MD
07.30.08 - House of Blues - Myrtle Beach, SC
07.31.08 - Koka Booth Amphitheatre - Cary, NC
07.31.08 - Lincoln Theatre - Raleigh, NC - UMPHREY'S AFTER-PARTY!
08.01.08 - Masquerade Music Park - Atlanta, GA - INDOORS AFTER PARTY!
08.02.08 - Masquerade Music Park - Atlanta, GA - INDOORS AFTER PARTY!

STS9 CLOSES THE SHOW IN: St. Louis, Council Bluffs, Glen Allen, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Myrtle Beach, Cary NC, and BOTH nights in Atlanta!

STS9 Setlists

07.10.08
Madison, WI
Day Set: Be Nice, Rent, Metamame, Circus, F-Word, Shock Doctrine, Oh Little Brain, Moonsocket

Late Night: Kamuy, Bigs, Beyond Right Now, Hi-Key, Empires, GLOgli, Ramone and Emiglio, Instantly, EHM Encore: GROW!

07.11.08
St. Louis, MO
SET I: Hidden Hand, Hidden Fist, The Rabble, Mischief of a Sleepwalker, Peaceblaster 68 > Peaceblaster 08, Move My Peeps, New Soma, Aimlessly, 118, ISB

07.12.08
Council Bluffs, IA
Set I: One A Day, Arigato, BIGS, Lo Swaga, Peaceblaster, Baraka, Somesing, Beyond Right Now, Oh Little Brain, Open E

07.15.08
Cincinati, OH
SET I: Aimlessly, Blu Mood, Be Nice, Empires, New Soma, Oh Little Brain, F. Word, From Now On, Rent, Peoples

Umphrey's McGee Setlists

07.12.08
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Set I: Nothing Too Fancy > Breathe, Rocker (part II) > "Jimmy Stewart" > Mail Package, Uncle Wally > Nothing Too Fancy, Morning Song, White Man's Moccasins, Nemo, The Floor

07.11.08
St. Louis, Missouri
Set I: #5 > Believe the Lie, Professor Wormbog > "Jimmy Stewart" > Intentions Clear > Mulche's Odyssey, Push the Pig

07.10.08
Madison, Wisconsin
Set I: Wappy Sprayberry > Der Bluten Kat > Alex's House > Der Bluten Kat, Higgins, Bridgeless

We here at LMB hopes everyone has an amazing time at any and all of the shows on this tour. See you in Chicago!

All Good 2008 | Some Photos and Highlights

2008-07-15T15:59:00Z

The All Good Music Festival came and went in a flash of beautiful West Virginia mountain sun and jammy improvisational madness. Overall, the event was less the well-oiled machine than some of its larger festival rivals. But what it lacked in organization and "we think of everything" cohesion, it made up in simple, laid-back fun in a beautiful West Virginian mountain setting. That, and a solid lineup of mainly jam-oriented rock'n'roll. If you wanted a mid-size festival with some of the stalwarts of the jam scene and not all that much else, then this was your festival.

Here's a brief glimpse of some photos that captured the weekend's good times and a few highlights I couldn't help but throw in for good measure. Luckily, I had some serious help in the photo department from our newest LMB recruit, Mike S. Mike dropped his first LMB review just a few weeks ago, but it didn't take him long to jump into the festival coverage with reckless abandon. Look out for a bit more from him shortly. For now...

What Sco's face seems to show in pain, came through as full-force jazzy funk. Though it was less foot-stompin' than I'd hoped, this MSMW set did not disappoint.

Maybe there weren't a ton of extra port-o-lets, but they did remember the weird alien dudes. Always good times.

Lettuce--with Soulive's Eric Krasno at the helm--brought out that foot-stompin I was alluding to earlier.

Just classic Phil. All except for a little twist in the form of a Particle tune (courtesy of keyboardist Steve Molitz). Hearing Phil & Friends sound more like the Disco Biscuits was downright odd. But it was a pretty sick (and dark) groove.

Warren played an epic late-night set that pushed the limits of "late-night" (5AM anyone). Radiohead covers and rock'n'roll all night long. I wish I could say I stayed out there for the entire thing. Let's just say I was still listening as I drifted off to sleep.

Tea Leaf Green rocks it per the usual.

Stylish as always (love the green pants), Mike Gordon busted out those signature weird Mike tunes, plenty of bass-heavy funk, and that killer version of the Beatles' "She Said She Said." Honestly, this was the closest to live Phish I have heard in years. Perhaps it had something to do with Scott Murawski's Languedoc guitar. Whatever it was, it was almost IT.

Telepath. These guys are on to something.

Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi stewin' up some soul.

Derek's percussionist. This guy is just awesome.

Keller--with full band in tow--busts out the jams.

Bassnectar brought out the crazy dancers and the glowstick madness....like a good opening DJ act should do.

I can definitely get down to Widespread's music and I love what Jimmy Herring has brought to their sound. But I still can't fully dive into Widespread's sets like some of my friends. Maybe I need more grits in my diet. Either that or whiskey.

It was pretty impressive to see Dark Star Orchestra get the coveted Saturday, late-night set. They played to their strengths and right into the All Good crowd's hearts...or something.

Mr. Coconut tells it like it is. Yep, we did have fun.

More All Good Photos
Mike's All Good Photos | Whitperson's All Good Photos

Wolf Parade, Listening Party @ House of Blues, Chicago 07/08/08

2008-07-15T15:00:00Z

Having a wide and eclectic taste in music sometimes pulls you all over the map in terms of who and what is seen live. Personally I can go long stretches without catching a good rock show and after seeing two great ones in a week I've been wondering why I ever do. I caught The Black Angels in DC and just one week later was lucky enough to attend the Wolf Parade show in Chicago -- tough life.

Wolf Parade stopped by the House of Blues last Tuesday night and ripped the place up with a mixed setlist of songs from both Apologies to Queen Mary and the new LP, At Mount Zoomer. The all-ages crowd was rowdy, complete with crowd surfing, moshing and even some peeing -- a little on that later. The Montreal based Wolf Parade has moved away some from the yawning jangle that dominates Apologies into a fuller sound with more accompanied piano and guitar. The crowd was equally pleased with songs from either album and the band played all nine new songs throughout the night. Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug's voices, similar yet both so unique, dominated the show instigating numerous sing-alongs from the packed house.

The show started and ended early -- it was over by 9:15 -- and what I once saw as a detriment to an overall experience is now a definite plus. The early start took nothing away from the intensity of either the band or the crowd and I was home by 10pm. That's what I like to call the old man bonus. Another Canadian group, Listening Party, opened for Wolf Parade and were an intriguing start.

The duo (shown above) played guitar and a makeshift drum set, complete with trash can, to create a folksy sound with touches of afro-pop. Their sound was interesting and the set was well received, with one audience member asking aloud the name of the band. It must have been awesome for them to play to an attentive crowd in a semi-full House of Blues and they definitely took advantage of the situation.

Wolf Parade strolled on stage a little before 7:45pm and began the show with what I think was "Fine Young Cannibals" -- hopefully a nod to the early 90's group. The song had a really nice groove and eased the crowd into the night. The song is a good example of the growth that the band has gone through since the last LP. A sound that's more approachable but without losing any of their edge.

The crowd remained on the floor for the first three or four songs and it wasn't until "Shine a Light" that the youngsters started to get a bit rowdy. The song was played immaculately and the benefits of having two great singers shown during this tune. Spencer Krug's "oo-oo-oo-ahh-ahh" throughout the song is such an amazing foil for Boeckner's lyrics and in the live setting it really comes through. Whether a nod to the Stone's or not Wolf Parade reminded me of the bravado that Jagger and the rest made famous while playing the song.

The new songs that stood out in my mind during the show were "Soldier's Grin" and "The Grey Estates". The former was a great mix of their old and new going from the driving sound that I am familiar with to a really pop-heavy bridge. "The Soldier's Grin" took the best parts of the most popular indie band this year -- you figure it out -- but without any of the teen-pop that makes the unnamed so cloying. The keys draw me to the comparison and that's about it.

The rowdiest it got all night by far was during "This Hearts on Fire" complete with multiple crowd surfers and a guy who peed on the floor. No joke, a man tried to pee in a can in the middle of the crowd; the shame of riding the el home with wet trousers must have been unbearable -- unless you have no conscience and can pee on a dozen people. The song that began the pee party was awesome; Wolf Parade drew the song out for a few minutes which sent the energy through the roof.

Wolf Parade ran out of the new tracks one song into the encore and played over a half dozen older tunes making this a long indie rock show, applause on that. The five song encore was great and the band really plays all of their material well, even the song they claimed to have never played live. I'm sure Sub Pop is overjoyed to have this band in their ranks and I was equally pumped to have had the chance to catch their live show.

Check out the rest of the photo set from the night here.

Tea Leaf Green @ Great American Music Hall, San Francisco 6/28-6/29/08

2008-07-14T11:30:00Z

A few weeks back, I caught Tea Leaf Green for a two-night run right here in their home turf in San Francisco. They played the Great American Music Hall, a venue that I had never been to yet. The shows were both pretty raging from front to back and I managed to snap a couple of really good photos for an iPhone camera. Check 'em out after the jump and download both nights from the Archive below:

Tea Leaf Green Live at Great American Music Hall (June 28, 2008) [Archive.org]
Tea Leaf Green Live at Great American Music Hall (June 29, 2008) [Archive.org]

Check out "Stormcloud" from the first night; this was pretty much my highlight of the weekend.

Tea Leaf Green - "Stormcloud" (live, 6/28/08) [mp3]

View my whole set here.

The Black Angels @ The Rock and Roll Hotel, Washington, DC 7/02/08

2008-07-14T11:00:00Z

With strobe lights blaring and the drone physically pushing the crowd away from the stage, The Black Angels owned the room at the Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, DC two Tuesdays ago. Invoking the meandering psychosis that seems present in the last half of Apocalypse Now, The Black Angels' music takes on something bigger than itself and almost makes losing your mind seem like a good idea for times throughout a show.

I had never been to the Rock and Roll Hotel prior to this night and, man, was this show a good introduction. A great little room that was packed to the gills for the Austin quintet, the Rock and Roll Hotel is definitely the torchbearer for smaller venues in DC. A good friend and I unfortunately arrived at the venue two songs into the show but could immediately feel the energy coursing through the walls of the place. We opened the swinging double doors of the club and were hit with a wall of sound; distortion, drones, and drums -- three D's that would dominate the night.

The Black Angels really put on a great psychedelic rock show, mind bending visuals and all. Personally I am more fond of their first album, Passover, but there were definitely a few songs from Directions to See a Ghost that stood out. On top of that, I finally realized who Alex Maas' vocals remind me of, something that has been bothering me for over a year.

The best part about The Black Angels sound is that the music is powerful hard rock without having to use the speed that metal and other such genres rely. In the live setting it creates a more sincere melancholic mood that I think loses its conveyance through the rapid repetition of power chords. The band combines hypnotic drums with this slowed style and it just draws you in and doesn't let go until the band feels they should.

The show got going for me when The Black Angels roared into "Black Grease", the song that originally got me into this band. This track riled the crowd and Maas' chorus of "kill, kill, kill, kill" sent chills down my spine. His voice is definitely the backbone of the group's sound and he channels the darkest parts of Jim Morrison and Grace Slick's vocals. He had a Jim James a la I'm Not There thing going on with a big floppy brimmed hat; the look, which darkened his face, only added to the evasiveness in his voice.

The Black Angels are unabashedly rooted in the music of The Velvet Underground and The 13th Floor Elevators but with a more modern sound that wasn't evident back in '68. "First Vietnam War", which stood out as highlight, shows this with heavy pitch bending wahs towards the end of the chorus, something that isn't as present in their predecessors music. All the while the lyrics draw allegories from the Vietnam War to today.

The band played a somewhat short set, part our fault -- we were late -- part theirs. What was played was great hard rock and looking back the music was almost better kept short. The strongest song of the night was from the new album; "Doves" has one of the best song structures and builds really, really well. It allows the band to explore space without wandering.

The highlight for me was an extended sequence that can only be described as "Kung"-like. The drone was so loud thinking was impossible and a strobe light only fueled the trance. Thankfully it took place during the encore because I forgot to bring earplugs and I think my ears were bleeding after they finished. If you like heavier music then take a chance on The Black Angels if they ever stop through your town; I promise you won't be disappointed.

Weekly Roundup | It's All Good

2008-07-14T04:45:52Z

Whitperson was texting me yesterday from All Good and he seemed like he was having an absolute blast. Hopefully we'll get some updates from him once he gets some rest. As for my weekend, I caught a fantastic show last night at Cafe Du Nord and forgot to blog about it before I went: Surprise Me Mr. Davis with Big Light opening. It was solid, and it sold-out without really having too much buzz surrounding it. Great sets by both bands sent me off very happily into the night.

Read on in case you missed any of the posts from this week and stay tuned for more good stuff this week.

Wilco | 2008 Tour Dates
I know we touched on them briefly back on this Heady Links post (and this one), but Wilco is going out on tour and bringing along some solid openers along the way. I thought I'd drop the dates here in...
Making Babies at Music Festivals
Given that we've had a bit of downtime over the past day or so, which sucks quite royally, I thought I'd drop a link that may help lighten the mood a bit. And honestly, this may very well be the...
Ratatat | Full Summer Dates, LP3 Released
About a month ago, we filled everyone in on the short list of Ratatat dates and I was totally bummed because there was no Chicago date. But now on the same day they've released their third full length album,...
All Good 2008 | Festival Preview
The All Good Music festival kicks off this Thursday up at Marvin's Mountaintop in Masontown, WV. If all works out well, we'll have some decent coverage of the festival this year, including an update from yours truly. As a...
All Good Festival Webcast on iClips
If you're unable to come to the All Good Festival this year, it looks like iClips.net has you covered. They've just announced that they'll be webcasting this year's event: iClips Network and All Good Music Festival are proud to...
TV on the Radio | Fall 2008 Tour Dates
TV on the Radio just announced their fall tour dates leading up to their stop at Treasure Island Music Festival, where I'll be catching them for the second-time (in yet another festival slot -- never the preferred venue for...
The Secret Machines | 2008 Tour Dates
We've got some more tour dates from The Secret Machines as they work to return triumphantly with a new guitarist, a new album, and no more major label support. Having recently freed themselves from major label obligations and now working...
moe.down 2008 Lineup Announced
A few days back, moe. announced the first round lineup for their annual moe.down festival in upstate NY; this year's fest is set for Aug. 29-31 in the same spot where they always have it. moe.down 9 Lineup moe. The...
Manic-Groove Loss Syndrome
Disco Biscuits Intervention [YouTube] It looks like Kyle Gass was having a problem with his groove at Rothbury this year, and the boys in the Disco Biscuits came to the rescue with a seemingly impromptu groove session on the...
Broken Social Scene | 2008 Tour Dates
Broken Social Scene is going out on tour following their Lollapalooza 2008 appearance, including a stop at Outside Lands. I'm psyched because the current incarnation of the band has Andrew Whiteman back after his time with Apostle of Hustle, a...
Phish Friday | "The Phish, from Vermont"
Stub via superphly.com Today's Phish Friday was an obvious choice for me considering we're publishing this on July 11. Eight years ago today, Phish played the second night of a three-night run at Deer Creek in Noblesville, IN, easily...
Camp Bisco VII | Schedule Announced
Although providing a jam "intervention" for Kyle Gass of Tenacious D is a big deal, throwing your own festival is much bigger. The Disco Biscuits' own Camp Bisco VII kicks off next weekend in Mariaville, NY. We've known about...

Camp Bisco VII | Schedule Announced

2008-07-11T20:56:01Z

Although providing a jam "intervention" for Kyle Gass of Tenacious D is a big deal, throwing your own festival is much bigger.

The Disco Biscuits' own Camp Bisco VII kicks off next weekend in Mariaville, NY. We've known about their full lineup for a while now, but they've just announced the full weekend schedule [PDF]. Should be plenty of grooves there if you think you've lost yours and need an intervention.

Phish Friday | "The Phish, from Vermont"

2008-07-11T19:30:00Z

Stub via superphly.com

Today's Phish Friday was an obvious choice for me considering we're publishing this on July 11. Eight years ago today, Phish played the second night of a three-night run at Deer Creek in Noblesville, IN, easily one of the best amphitheaters in the country. Sadly I was not at this show, something that I don't really like to relive in memory because it followed a truly heartbreaking instance of lost mail order tickets at the band's Apline Valley date scheduled a few days earlier. You know, one of the shows that the band picked for the first batch of Live Phish releases (Live Phish 05), meaning the band thought that this was a show that ripped hard. Oh to have been there. Sigh.

From Alpine, the band headed down to Indianapolis via Chicago to spend three nights hanging out in a set of cornfields-turned-heady-campgrounds, the traditional Deer Creek economy during the summer concert season. The first night was probably great and all -- I never listened to a recording from it -- but the second night was the heat. Clearly there was something in the veggie burritos that night, because the band played an all-out romp of a second set by weaving in the Zeppelin classic, "Moby Dick," on at least five separate occasions during the night, including the encore. Plus, the band seemed to jam out to a modified version of "Chalkdust Torture" during the first set which the band closed with. I'm not sure you'll hear a more adrenaline-fueled Trey than in the show closer.

"The Phish," indeed.

Broken Social Scene | 2008 Tour Dates

2008-07-11T00:57:32Z

Broken Social Scene is going out on tour following their Lollapalooza 2008 appearance, including a stop at Outside Lands. I'm psyched because the current incarnation of the band has Andrew Whiteman back after his time with Apostle of Hustle, a band I quite enjoyed. I hope he keeps that project going in the background.

Broken Social Scene Something For All Of Us Tour 2008

August
1 Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
2 Chicago, IL @ The Metro
21 Salt Lake City, UT @ Twilight Concert Series
22 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
23 Los Angeles, CA @ Sunset Junction
24 San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands
27 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil @ Canecao
28 Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Citibank Hall
31 Buenos Aires, Argentina @ La Trastienda Club

[via IGN]

I have a feeling we'll see more dates announced soon.

Manic-Groove Loss Syndrome

2008-07-11T00:43:12Z

Disco Biscuits Intervention [YouTube]

It looks like Kyle Gass was having a problem with his groove at Rothbury this year, and the boys in the Disco Biscuits came to the rescue with a seemingly impromptu groove session on the back of their bus. If being a jamband rockstar and dicking around backstage is wrong, I really don't want these guys to be right.

moe.down 2008 Lineup Announced

2008-07-11T00:20:00Z

A few days back, moe. announced the first round lineup for their annual moe.down festival in upstate NY; this year's fest is set for Aug. 29-31 in the same spot where they always have it.

moe.down 9 Lineup

moe.
The Levon Helm Band
Yonder Mountain String Band
Sparrow Quartet featuring Abigail Washburn and Bela Fleck
The Presidents of the United States of America
Fishbone
Benevento-Russo Duo
Cornmeal
American Babies
U-Melt
The Macpodz
The Bridge
Lynch
The PMG
Swampadelica
The Brew

(more artists to be announced)

They've certainly gone eclectic again on this one, much like I think the Summer Camp 2008 lineup looked like. moe. is such a staple in the scene that we tend to just overlook them and their performances, but they really are a force to be reckoned with if you're in the right mood. Or if you're really keen on dancing your way through a 30-minute version of "Faker." Read on for the full announcement.

MOE. TO HOST THE NINTH ANNUAL MOE.DOWN AUGUST 29 - 31

MOE. FINALIZES LINE-UP INCLUDING THE LEVON HELM BAND, YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND, THE SPARROW QUARTET, PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BENEVENTO-RUSSO DUO AND MORE

(Turin, NY) -- The Ninth Annual moe.down will be held August 29, 30 and 31 at the Snow Ridge Ski area in Turin, NY. moe.down has become known as
Upstate NY's most musically diverse festival. moe. will perform a total of six sets throughout the weekend. A limited number of tickets are available at $105 until they are sold out or until August 5th. Please visit http://www.moe.org/moedown for up-to-the-minute information and to purchase tickets.

moe. has finalized this year's line-up: moe., The Levon Helm Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, Sparrow Quartet featuring Abigail Washburn and Bela Fleck,The Presidents of the United States of America, Fishbone, Benevento-Russo Duo, Cornmeal, American Babies, U-Melt, The Macpodz, The Bridge, Lynch, The PMG, Swampadelica, and The Brew.

Over the past nine years, more than one hundred bands have performed at moe.down, including Flaming Lips, Perry Farrell's Satellite Party, The Roots, They Might Be Giants, Meat Puppets, Medeski Martin & Wood, Ani DiFranco, Matisyahu, Blues Traveler, Leo Kottke, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Nellie McKay, Cracker Van Beethoven, David Grisman, and Les Claypool.

The moe.down festival promises three days of music, camping and fun at the Snow Ridge Ski Area in Turin, NY. The site is about an hour northeast of Syracuse, at the edge of the beautiful Adirondack Mountains. Ski lifts will be open, so bring your mountain bikes!

About moe.

Formed in Buffalo, New York in 1991, moe. is one of the finest groups in the jamband movement today. Their tours have taken them from Woodstock '99 to New York's Central Park, as well as to Japan and Europe. moe. has toured with legendary acts such as The Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, Robert Plant, and most recently, The Who. The band is also critically acclaimed for its songwriting and studio work; the group's 2001 studio album, DITHER, was awarded four stars by Rolling Stone. 2003's WORMWOOD received four stars by Blender Magazine. THE CONCH received rave reviews including Rolling Stone, Paste, Blender and many more. moe. is currently on tour supporting its latest studio effort, STICKS & STONES, again a highly admired album. In addition to moe.down, moe. also hosts Summer Camp each Memorial Day Weekend in Chillicothe, IL.

moe. is also becoming recognized for its charitable work: the band hosted a Tsunami Benefit concert at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on February 10, 2005 and raised $150,000 for Tsunami survivors. The concert earned moe. its second Live Performance of the Year Jammy Award. moe. also raised over $100,000 for various charities, including the Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina survivors and for the music department at Bradley Elementary in Utica, NY, to help keep music in children's lives.

NOTE TO EDITORS: moe.'s name is properly spelled in all lowercase characters and ending with a period: "moe."

I left that last part in just for fun.

The Secret Machines | 2008 Tour Dates

2008-07-10T17:57:40Z

We've got some more tour dates from The Secret Machines as they work to return triumphantly with a new guitarist, a new album, and no more major label support.

Having recently freed themselves from major label obligations and now working in collaboration with World's Fair Label Group, Secret Machines, a staple in contemporary psychedelic rock, have announced plans to self-release a full-length in the fall of 2008. World's Fair will administer complete day-to-day label services for the release, which is the band's third album.

Read on for the dates. I wonder if they'll be any good on this tour. Anyone seen them yet?

The Secret Machines 2008 Tour Dates

July 10 - Quebec City, QC @ Plaines d'Abraham
July 11 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre*
July 12 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
July 15 - Canandaigua, NY @ CMAC Performing Arts Center*
July 19 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Café
July 22 - Missoula, MT @ The Badlander
July 25 - Pemberton, BC @ Pemberton Music Fest
July 27 - West Hollywood, CA @ Viper Room
July 28 - Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre^
July 29 - El Paso, TX @ Club 101^
July 30 - Alburquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre^
Aug 01 - Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues^
Aug 03 - San Antonio TX @ White Rabbit^
Aug 05 - Jacksonville, FL @ Plush^
Aug 06 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution^
Aug 07 - St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing^
Aug 08 - Orlando, FL @ House Of Blues^
Aug 10 - Jersey City, NJ @ All Points West Festival - Liberty State Park

*With Stone Temple Pilots
^With Coheed and Cambria and Russian Circles

TV on the Radio | Fall 2008 Tour Dates

2008-07-10T01:53:14Z

TV on the Radio just announced their fall tour dates leading up to their stop at Treasure Island Music Festival, where I'll be catching them for the second-time (in yet another festival slot -- never the preferred venue for a band like this). Andrew dug the show he saw when they played with Thievery Corporation, so hopefully they continue to bring the heat through their fall tour. Read on for the dates.

TV on the Radio 2008 Fall Tour Dates

September 2008
5 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre
6 - Seattle, WA - Showbox
7 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom
9 - Calgary, Alberta - MacEwan Ballroom
10 - Edmonton, Alberta - Starlite Room
12 - Boise, ID - Big Easy
13 - Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue
14 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
19 - San Diego, CA - Street Scene
20 - San Francisco, CA - Treasure Island Music Festival

[via LiveDaily]