Live Music Reports

2008 Telluride Blues And Brews Festival - Day 3 - Sun, Sept 14th

Mel — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:56:00 +0000

The third day was certainly the charm as it was another great day weather wise and the Blind Boys of Alabama started the day off around 11 amongst the faithful still recovering from the excesses of the beer tasting on Saturday.

The Blind Boys Of Alabama

Jimmy Carter of The Blind Boys of Alabama

Next up was The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band and I was not sure what to expect but the festival program said something like ” Robert Johnson on crack”. After about 20 minutes, I was thinking a high octane version of George Clooney’s movie ” Where Art Thou”. Highly entertaining.

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

Two Louisiana bands again were sandwiched in the middle of the lineup, The Chris Thomas King Band and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, to bring a bit of life to the crowd.

The Chris Thomas King Band

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Roger Lewis of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band

The Derek Trucks Band made their appearance as the sun was setting and the temperature dropping. Susan Tedeschi came out toward the end to lend her own special sets of skills and to get the crowd warmed up for the closer of the festival.

The Derek Trucks Band

Etta James…. How could I come up with enough adjectives to describe the Queen of the Blues??? I haven’t seen her in a few years and was not sure what to expect since she has had medical problems recently.

Well. the Lady still has the spunk, sassiness and the voice of angels that I have come to know in the many times I have seen her. For a little over one hour, she captivated the crowd with her usual antics with the band and singing old standards such as “You Can Leave Your Hat On” and “Sugar On the Floor”.

Does it get any better than Etta James singing “At Last” in the backdrop of beautiful mountains of Telluride???

Not in my mind….

Etta James

At the end of the show, she walks offstage and sits on her scooter and I thought was headed to the back of the stage. Instead, she took a sharp right, cuts across the stage, almost takes out her two guitar players and then assumes the position below. Classic….

Etta James

2008 Telluride Blues And Brews Festival - Day 2 - Sat, Sept 13th

Mel — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:27:58 +0000

Another gorgeous day in Telluride and music was not half bad either. Crowd was at max (9,000 total) due to the beer tasting and I am sure Gov’t Mule closing out the day had something to do with it also.

The day started out with Trampled Under Foot, a family band that won the International Blues Competition earlier this year. Nick Schnebelen won the Albert King Award for most promising guitarist and sister Danielle has a commanding voice as well as skills on the bass. I highly recommend if they come through your area.

Trampled Under Foot

Next up were two Louisiana acts that got the crowd on their feet or at least dancing in place as their were standing in line for beer. I have seen Big Sam’s Funky Nation several times and they put on their usual high energy show. Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers continued with his own twist on zydeco that raised the electricity level even higher.

Big Sam's Funky Nation

Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers

Closing out the day were the John Butler Trio, G-Love and the Special Sauce and Gov’t Mule. First time I have seen JBT live and the guys from Australia certainly know how to bring it to the stage. G-Love continued with his hip hop blues and Mule was excellent as usual with Susan Tedeschi and Ron Holloway making appearances.

John Butler Trio

John Butler

G-Love

G-Love with John Butler

G-Love with "Big Sam"

Gov't Mule

2008 Telluride Blues And Brews Festival - Day 1 - Friday, Sept 12th

Mel — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 15:57:33 +0000

Could not ask for a more beautiful day to start things off and a complete reversal of the rain that fell from about 9 Thursday evening till 6AM. That $20 tarp thrown over the tent was a wise investment after all.

Rising early, it certainly seemed as though the mountains had also turned a bit more white overnight…

I will let the pics speak for themselves, but everybody put on a good show. Susan Tedeschi has a new album coming out soon and played a lot of new music and even though Joan Osborne had to follow Susan, she did a fantastic job. John Hiatt was…. typical John Hiatt.

Mama Cookin'

Back Door Slam

Canned Heat

Susan Tedeschi

Ron Hollaway

Joan Osborne

John Hiatt

Back in Telluride

Mel — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:38:59 +0000

I have landed back in one of my favorite parts of the country for the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival and spending a few days before the festivities relaxing and enjoying the scenery.

I have been somewhat out of the writing mood lately due to an aching back and the attitude that goes along with it, as well as working way too many hours at my real job. But the “Cubicle from Hell” will have to make it without me this week as I relax to the sounds of John Hiatt, Susan Tedeschi, Gov’t Mule and Etta James, as well as many others.

My posts this week will probably be more of a visual nature rather than dialogue, but I will try to give you the low down on what is going on.

2008 Outside Lands Music Festival Video Webcast

Mel — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:05:51 +0000

Just returning back from Costa Rica, I will be spending the weekend recovering by watching the Outside Lands Festival on AT&T Blueroom. Certainly makes the end of my vacation seem a bit better to digest..

Friday - Aug 22nd ( All Times EST)

08:30 PM - Black Mountain
09:10 PM - Steel Pulse

Saturday - Aug 23rd

04:00 PM - Abigail Washburn & Bela Fleck
04:45 PM - Goapele
05:20 PM - Dredg
05:50 PM - Galactic
06:50 PM - Devendra Banhart
07:10 PM - Steve Winwood
08:10 PM - M. Ward
08:50 PM - Ben Harper & Innocent Criminals
09:40 PM - Primus

Sunday - Aug 24th

04:00 PM - Jackie Greene
04:50 PM - ALO
05:25 PM - Toots & the Maytals
06:35 PM - Andrew Bird
07:10 PM - Sharon Jones & Dap Kings
08:00 PM - Broken Social Scene
08:55 PM - Rodrigo y Gabriela
09:55 PM - Cake
10:40 PM - Jack Johnson

2008 Gathering of the Vibes Streaming Video Webcast

Mel — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:05:14 +0000

For all those Deadheads who can’t make the trek to Bridgeport, CT for the Gathering of the Vibes, the good people at iClips.net have made your day with Kreutzmann and Lesh playing Saturday across your computer screen. For good measure, the Black Crowes, Umph, Taj Mahal and a couple of my hometown favorites in PBS and the Neville Brothers are part of the party. Damn, that is great tunes….

I made my way up from DFW last year for this fest and was a rockin’ time, but opted this year for comfort of my living room watching this and Lollapalooza over at ATT Blueroom from the laptop.

The schedule still has a few spots available in the lineup, so keep checking back as I update.

Thursday, July 31st (All times are EST)

8:00pm - Reid Genauer, Solo Acoustic (2002)
8:45pm - Deep Banana Blackout (2007)
10:15pm - moe. (2000)

Friday, Aug 1st

12:00pm - King for a Day
1:25pm - American Babies
2:50pm - Ryan Montbleau Band
4:15pm - Porter Batiste Stoltz
5:40pm - Assembly of Dust
7:10pm - TBA
9:00pm - Deep Banana Blackout
10:45pm - The Black Crowes

Saturday, Aug 2nd

11:00am - Alternate Routes
12:45pm - Strangefolk
2:30pm - New Riders of the Purple Sage
4:15pm - Bill Kreutzmann Trio
6:00pm - Dark Star Orchestra (Set 1)
7:30pm - Taj Mahal Trio
9:00pm - Phil Lesh & Friends

Sunday, Aug 3rd

11:00am - Organically Grown Gospel Choir
12:15pm - Jackie Greene
1:45pm - TBA
3:15pm - Donna Jean and the Tricksters
4:45pm - Umphrey’s McGee
6:30pm - The Neville Brothers

2008 Lollapalooza Streaming Video Webcast

Mel — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:49:51 +0000

This upcoming weekend, ATT Blueroom heads up to the “Windy City” for the onslaught of artists at Grant Park known as Lollapalooza. Not a bad lineup they are broadcasting and with weather supposed to hit the triple digits this week in DFW, I will be alternating between this and the webcast of Gathering of the Vibes over at iClips.net with a few frosty adult beverages.

August 1st ( all times are EST)

01:15 PM - Holy F*ck
02:15 PM - Rogue Wave
03:15 PM - Yeasayer
04:15 PM - The Kills
05:15 PM - Gogol Bordello
06:15 PM - Mates of State
07:15 PM - Bloc Party
08:15 PM - Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
09:00 PM - The Raconteurs

August 2nd

01:15 PM - Margot & the Nuclear So So’s
01:45 PM - The Ting Tings
02:30 PM - Dr. Dog
03:30 PM - The Gutter Twins
04:30 PM - The Go! Team
05:30 PM - Duffy
06:30 PM - Jamie Lidell
07:30 PM - DeVotchka
08:30 PM - Explosions in the Sky
09:30 PM - Broken Social Scene
10:30 PM - Wilco

August 3rd

01:15 PM - Kid Sister
02:15 PM - The Whigs
03:15 PM - Office
04:15 PM - Chromeo
05:15 PM - G Love & Special Sauce
06:15 PM - Blues Traveler
07:15 PM - John Butler Trio
08:15 PM - Flogging Molly
09:15 PM - Love and Rockets
10:15 PM - The National

2008 Mile High Music Festival Video Webcast

Mel — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:34:42 +0000

AT&T BlueRoom shows up in Denver this weekend for the 1st Annual Mile High Festival and have lined up the heavy hitters to be shown wherever the bandwidth allows them. I will be watching from the comfort of my couch here in Fort Worth, but hopefully 2009 will have me enjoying the mountain views.

Saturday, July 19th ( All times are EST )

04:00 PM - State Radio
05:00 PM - Jason Mraz
06:00 PM - Steve Winwood
07:30 PM - Citizen Cope
08:30 PM - Spoon
10:00 PM - Michael Franti & Spearhead
11:45 PM - O.A.R.

Sunday, July 20th

04:00 PM - One Republic
05:00 PM - Colbie Caillat
06:00 PM - Rodrigo & Gabriela
07:00 PM - Ingrid Michaelson
08:00 PM - John Mayer
09:30 PM - Black Crowes
10:45 PM - Dave Matthews Band

2008 All Good Music Festival Streaming Video Webcast

Mel — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:29:19 +0000

After feeling like death warmed over for more than a week, I awake to find the latest iClips.net destination will be the All Good Festival in the mountains of West Virginia. This sure perks me up for the weekend….

Even though there are a few holes still in the broadcasting schedule as of this writing, what they have so far gets a two thumbs up from me, especially Lettuce playing tonight. Sweet!!!

Friday, July 11 ( All times are EST)

4:40pm - The Avett Brothers
5:40pm - Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
6:00pm - Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
7:15pm - All Mighty Senators
7:45pm - JJ Grey and Mofro (Rothbury)
9:15pm - Lettuce
10:00pm - Phil Lesh & Friends
1:15am - Wood Brothers
2:00am - Gov’t Mule

Saturday, July 12

11:30am - TBA
12:30pm - Outformation
1:40pm - Hot Buttered Rum
2:40pm - TBA
3:00pm - Tea Leaf Green
4:00pm -Gov’t Mule
6:45pm - Telepath
7:15pm -Pnuma Trio
7:45pm - Keller Williams w. Moseley, Droll, & Sipe
9:15pm - TBA
10:00pm - Widespread Panic
1:15am - The Bridge
2:00am - Dark Star Orchestra

Sunday, July 13

12:00pm -Bonerama
1:15pm - JJ Grey & Mofro
2:30pm - deSol
3:00pm -RAQ
4:20pm - Danielia Cotton
5:00pm - Michael Franti & Spearhead

2008 Rothbury Music Festival Streaming Video Webcast on iClips.net

Mel — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:05:13 +0000

Even though details of what will be shown is still in the air, the iClips.net group will be spending the 4th of July weekend in Michigan for the Rothbury Music Festival. Sitting on my ass on a holiday weekend, a frosty adult beverage in hand and burning up bandwidth…. Sweet. I love those iClips guys…

In looking at the festival schedule, the possibilities are endless. I see that on Sunday that Trey Anastacio will be playing before Mike Gordon, so I am wondering whether we will see some sort of semi-Phish reunion.

I will be updating as soon as info is available.

Update: All times are Eastern Standard Time

Friday, July 4th

12:45pm - The Dynamics
1:45pm - Greensky Bluegrass
2:30pm - TBA
3:30pm - The Beautiful Girls
4:15pm - TBA
5:30pm - Tea Leaf Green
6:15pm - 311
7:45pm - Mickey Hart Band
8:45pm - Widespread Panic
10:30pm - Railroad Earth
11:00pm - Widespread Panic
12:00am - The Disco Biscuits

Saturday, July 5th

12:00pm - Kyle Hollingsworth
1:15pm - Yonder Mountain String Band
2:15pm - TBA
2:45pm - State Radio
3:45pm - Keller Williams
4:30pm - TBA
5:45pm - TBA
6:30pm - Michael Franti and Spearhead
8:00pm - Of Montreal
9:00pm - Dave Matthews Band
11:30pm - Primus

Sunday, July 6th

12:15pm - Railroad Earth
1:45pm - Dresden Dolls
2:45pm - Rodrigo Y Gabriela
4:00pm - Brett Dennen
4:30pm - Slightly Stoopid
5:30pm - JJ Grey & Mofro
6:15pm - Gov’t Mule
7:45pm - Primus
8:30pm - Phil Lesh & Friends
11:00pm - STS9