Well, it's been many months since Marco wowed us all at Tonic with his immense talent and infectious love of music. I've been lucky to have been basking in the sights and sounds of his residency since then, as I've been editing the footage from each of those delicious Wednesdays last November (and weren't we all glad the calendar graced us with FIVE Wednesdays that month...)
Below is a collection of some highlights from Marco's amazing residency. It features some of his rather talented friends, like Mike Gordon, Bobby Previte, Mike Dillon, Steven Bernstein... the list goes on and on. Yes, that's Brad Barr playing a drum with one of Marco's old Wurlitzer keys. Yes, that red-head dancing and playing the flute is none other than Sir Joe Russo. Even half of the Ween team, Claude Coleman and Dave Dreiwitz (pictured above), showed up one evening to back Marco, despite the fact that Coleman had never met Marco face to face before that evening. You certainly would never know it after listening to the two hours of music they created that night...
The fine folks at Ropeadope are going to release much of the material on a multi-disc set this summer, and as you'll see in the clip, the range of Marco's material is vast. Thelonious Monk ditties sit beside Pink Floyd tunes, and little-known songs from Leonard Cohen and Elliot Smith will send you back to your record collection to revisit them. Marco's jazz chops being what they are, prepare to be floored by the free-jazz improvisations that he created each night alongside the likes of seasoned veterans like Matt Chamberlain or Steven Bernstein.
Stay tuned for more material featuring Marco, as talks are in the works with Ropadope to create a web TV station devoted to all-things-Marco, curated by yours truly. Now that's what I call using time for fun...
2. He says he '"rocked out so hard at Webster Hall last night" that he needs a painkiller. And then he asks if TO is still in town.
3. He doesn't realize that TO was backstage at Phish's last arena show in Philadelphia... or maybe this is what he's alluding to when he talks about how the backstage scene got out of control... whoops. Sorry, everybody.
4. He gives well-deserved props to Marco Benevento and Joe Russo when he describes how 'Dragonfly' was born.
5. I guess I only liked 4 things about this. But maybe number five would have to be how he cradles his guitar like a teddy bear and seems to be nuzzling up to the microphone like he's eating cotton candy.
Me too. That's why I'm so glad that the brave souls at VBS.tv did my homework for me, and all I have to do is logon. (Okay, and spend two days a week at their Williamsburg office...)
You've seen 'Being John Malkovich' and 'Adaptation' already, so you are familiar with the brain that hatched the idea for Vice's web TV station. Spike Jonze suggested Vice start shooting all their articles, the magazine's founders concurred, and thus VBS.tv was born. Content will be streamed free of charge, 24 hours a day, and you can create a profile to save your fave shows. Introduce yourself to VBS.TV here:
Benevento/Russo Duo perform "9 x 9" at the Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA 12.30.06:
It will come as news to nobody that there were a plethora of options available for New Years festivities on the East Coast this year. While the most enticing options almost always involve travel of some kind, I was lucky enough to find musical pleasures close to the Big Apple. However, my game plan involved turning a blind eye to the shenanigans in Atlantic City, and whether I could actually resist ringing in the New Year with the red-headed felon was a decision that many (including myself) wondered whether I could stick to. But stick I did, and I was rewarded with the warmest NYE run in recent memory.
The 29th began with a yummy double-header at Mo Pitkins of two sets of Honky-Tonk Allstars, Larune and Basement Band. Kamara Thomas bravely opened the Larune set with a solo acoustic debut of another of her signature panoramic song-writing journeys, and the band then joined her for favorites like "My Kentucky" and "I Just Don't Get It", the latter of which Jeff Malinowsky hilariously (and correctly) dubbed "Best song ever!". He thereafter took the stage with his Basement Band-mates, and delivered some wonderful a capella and acoustic numbers, including a lovely "Wagon Wheel". From Mo Pitkins, we hightailed it to the Knit to catch Rana's set, performing as a trio in the Tap Bar, and whilst the front row featured some distracting glow-ring e-tivity, Scott Metzger once again demonstrated his solid chops on guitar.
The next morning I hit the highway and headed west to PA (and not south to AC) to catch The Benevento/Russo Duo in Lancaster, PA. With no foreseeable shows as a duet in 2007, I wanted to make sure to catch one last Duo show to cap off a huge year for Marco and Joe-- a year that saw them on stages in Europe, on stages with half of Phish, and everywhere in between. I can't think of two musicians who have toured as tirelessly as these two, and this sentiment was solidified when the fact was revealed backstage that this was the first time in recent memory that Joe had not opened for himself: he has pulled double-drumming duty on tours with GRAB, Chris Harford's Band of Changes, and had even stood in the night prior for Sam Champion while Ryan Thornton manned the kit at Rana's Knitting Factory gig.
Joe and Marco opened their set with a rare "Hateframe", and played an impressively tight and evocative show in the quirky and intimate Pennsylvania venue. A hands-down highlight was the cover-combination of Elliot Smith's "Waltz #2" into Radiohead's "Myxamatosis", a segue which appropriately showcases both ends of the Duo's sonic spectrum. Songs like "Love Song" and "9 x 9" (which you can view above) have grown much deeper and tighter since the release of "Best Reason To Buy The Sun", and if songs this young can be nostalgic, the anthems from their first album seem to recall a different era. Perhaps it is because the Duo's incessant touring and prodigious talent have meant that their entire repertoire has evolved immensely over the past few years. What is clear is that their presence as a duet will be missed in the musical tapestry of 2007.
New Years Eve brought me back to Brooklyn, not just because of the borough's musical offerings, but because waking up in your own bed is the most attractive way to start the year. I doubled-down on my Honky-Tonk intake by attending an incredible loft party in Green Point and happily counted down to 2007 with the rowdy sounds of Gordon Hartin singing "Navajo Rug'", with delighted Honky-Tonkers abounding. I then skipped over to NorthSix to catch the second set of The Slip.
All in all, they capped off a lovely three-night run of smiling friends playing music in intimate rooms: what New Years should be every year if we're doing it right. Happy 2007...
It is a rare thing indeed when someone tells you that a band is about to melt your face off... and they're right. I had heard studio work from My Morning Jacket, and I suppose I can recall a few recommendations to see them live, but I was nowhere near prepared for the tower of sound that engulfed me on Nov. 30th at the Roseland Ballroom in New York.
First things first, of course, which brings us to the delicious opening set by The Slip, a trio who earns more and more of my respect each time I hear them. (Which, fortunately for me, is rather often these days...) The songs that comprise their latest studio effort, Eisenhower, are all remarkably stage-worthy, continually evolving, and are profound enough to provoke both your grey matter and your dance moves.
The band took to the stage adorned with furry wildlife as headgear: Brad Barr (guitar & vocals) played Moose, Marc Friedman (bass) was the Fox, and Andrew Barr (drums) took on the Wolf. The story goes that the pelts were acquired somewhere in western Pennsylvania, and there were multiple plush accessories purchased (including one for My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James, who brought his Bear onstage for portions of his set).
While Slip fans are now accustomed to getting their fill of Eisenhower's 'hits' like Even Rats, and Children of December, songs like Paper Birds are developing into incredible live adventures, and Airplane/Primitive might just be my favorite rock song of the year. Do yourself two favors: buy the album, and see the band, and you'll be a much happier person. New York, are you listening? The Slip will be playing their New Years show at (soon-to-be-closed for-renovation and returning-in-spring as the Williamsburg Music Hall) NorthSix in Brooklyn. You have been advised...
You can stream the set that The Slip played the following day for WXPN at Philadelphia's Electric Factory here.
Which brings us back to My Morning Jacket, where my face was just about to melt. I'm really at a loss for words to describe their impact, but what I can tell you is that I was captivated every single moment of the show. Not just entertained, but that kind of "I don't even want to have a sip of beer because I might miss something" engagement. I think it's safe to say my jaw was on the floor for the majority of the set, and I kept wondering "Where have I been? Why hasn't anyone told me about this breathtaking sound before?" The energy was powerful not only in the epic rock tunes (and these boys from Kentucky seem to know a thing or two about epic rock), but also in the seemingly mellow tunes which touched on everything from reggae riffs (Phone Went West) to easy listening elements (Lowdown) to jazzy romantic ballads (They Ran).
The show inspired that kind of striking-oil-eureka euphoria that a whole well of future musical enjoyment had just been tapped. While I was admittedly less flattened by the next night's show in Philadelphia, I can safely add this band to my list of not-to-be-missed concert experiences, and if you're reading this, you can't say nobody told you. San Francisco, are you listening? A three-night New Years run at the Fillmore. Consider yourselves advised...
You can stream My Morning Jacket's 12.01 Philadelphia show here, and you can also add it to your iPod through the Setbreak.com podcasting system.
The trio of northerly Indie-Rockers known as Land of Talk blew into New York City like a Canadian cold front last week for the CMJ Music Marathon, and then proceeded to heat things up at venues all over the Lower East Side. Their sound simultaneously conjures archival rock like The Pretenders but yet feels as current as the sounds coming out of the Broken Social Scene camp.
The trio offered up a special never-before-attempted-or-rehearsed acoustic performance at White Rabbit on the afternoon of November 2nd, and although the set was as short as any other you may have caught at CMJ this year ("don't blink or you'll miss it" style), Land of Talk sounded as natural acoustic as they do on larger stages.
While the band expressed some uncertainty as to what the drum kit might consist of in this space, the absence of a bass drum was hardly noticeable because of the solid jazz-chops of drummer Bucky Wheaton. Elizabeth Powell's ethereal voice was particularly well-suited to the space, and besides his spot-on harmonies, you may notice in the clip below that multi-talented bass player Chris McCarron somehow manages to sneak in some ironic punchlines on the bass.
You can sample two of the trio's finest songs in their acoustic format here, Seafoam and Summer Special, both of which appear on their album Applause, Cheer, Boo, Hiss. Canadian fans will be treated to a small run of shows with The Dears later this month, and then in December comes a not-to-be-missed pair of shows opening for The Slip, whose long-awaited album Eisenhower is now out and getting unanimous praise. Pick up your copy of this watershed record here.
The Wordless Music Series is a concept developed by Ronen Givony, based on the notion that the sonic worlds of classical and contemporary instrumental music share much more than we would commonly attribute. The series aims to blur the distinction between the two genres by pairing modern rock musicians with classical players, showcasing their talents in solo pieces, as well as in small improvised groups. The inaugural concert was held in September at the Good-Faith Shepherd’s Church near Lincoln Center, and drew a large crowd for two reasons: the first is that Givony aims to keep music accessible to all by pinning ticket prices at less than twenty dollars, and the second reason is that the two rock musicians on this particular evening are current members of the hugely popular Chicago rock outfit, Wilco.
In introducing the series, Givony described how he came to the decision to put together such a series:
“I started working at Lincoln Center about a year and a half ago, and [at that point] I knew next to nothing about classical music. I was talking with one of my colleagues and I asked her, “What is this thing we call chamber music that we are working to perpetuate?” And she thought about it for a minute and she said, “Well, basically it is music played by small groups, in a small intimate room.” And so I said, “That’s funny, I went to the Mercury Lounge last night and saw a trio--a cello, violin, and viola--and there were fifty people there… Is that chamber music?” And she thought about it for a minute, and she said, “I’m not too sure about that.” And so I asked her “Why is that not chamber music?” She answered, “Maybe a shorthand definition of it is that when you are at a concert with your friends, it’s considered acceptable to lean over to your friend and say, “This is a pretty cool concert’, whereas at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, that’s considered less than acceptable”. And the first thing that popped into my head was, “Have you ever been to a Wilco concert in your life?”
So this series is meant to question what it means to have a small group of people in a room playing music…”
View highlights of each performer's solo sets here:
This evening’s show was heavy on sonic distortion, as it featured two eclectic guitar players in the form of Cline and Sharp. While they certainly explored creative sonic landscapes, both their solo pieces and their collaborative efforts were somewhat overwhelming. Their music perhaps should have been pared back to suit the intimate venue, allowing the sound to breathe and resonate more. Jenny Lin’s turn on the piano became a welcome tonic for the ears, and her adept fingers were astounding to witness. Lin plays with a delicate balance of fluidity and force, whether it be on traditional pieces or modern compositions, and she would be well worth catching in any future project.
The highlight of the evening, however, was Glenn Kotche’s percussion adventure tale, “Monkey Chant for Solo Drumkit Projections of (What) Might…” He began this work by retreating to the altar of the church, where sat perhaps 40 small boxes, and he flipped them open one at a time to reveal the delicate chirping of crickets. This created a rich, al fresco undertone for the percussive tale, which involved a princess, a pursuit, and monkeys in the jungle. Kotche is a riveting performer, as he is doing much more up there than simply banging the drums, which you will see in the clip below.
View Glenn Kotche's "Monkey Chant" in its entirety here:
Chris Harford brought his Band of Changes to Grand Central Station in midtown New York on Wednesday (09.27.06), warming up for the following evening's gig at CB's Gallery on the Lower East Side. Harford fronts a band made up of guitarist Scott Metzger, Ween's Dave Driewitz, and School of Rock product Eric Slick. They performed outdoors for an eclectic crowd of suits, tourists, and spinning children. You can view the highlights here:
The next day saw Metzger doing double duty on the lower east side, doing an opening set for Fishbone with the Rodney Speed Experience and then at midnight rejoining the Band of Changes next door.
The Rodney Speed Experience was a lighthearted set of covers aimed at paying tribute to the soon-to-be-closed CBGB's, with songs from The Clash to the Rolling Stones. Rodney, a current staffer at CB's (and former Wetlands employee) made for a delightful front-man, and was backed by some pretty serious downtown talent with Metzger on guitar and Joe Russo on drums. Highlights include a "Should I Stay or Should I Go", where Joe and Scott chimed in on the backups "Rodney, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney!" Metzger and Russo later traded gear for a stab at "Wild Thing", and while Russo didn't conjure up a guitar face to rival Metzger's, there were plenty of smiles onstage to bid farewell to the club.
You can catch Metzger and Russo on tour together in October, as Joe picks up drumming duties in the Band of Changes while they open for the Benevento/Russo Duo throughout the midwest and the south. With all four "Bustle In Your Hedgerow" members on that trip, be sure to stay for the entire show (consider yourselves warned...)
Trey Anastasio popped in to Irving Plaza last night (09.28.06) to join Los Lobos. He sat in on "Road for Gila Bend", "Mas y Mas", a lively "I Got Loaded", "Not Fade Away", and finally "Bertha". Trey has sat in with the band on previous occasions, and invited them to open for him in 2002 at Thomas & Mack in Las Vegas, NV.
Los Lobos is touring in support of their new album "The Town and the City".
Trey has announced a few more dates on his fall tour, including a run through California in early December, which recalls last year's tour wrap-up from the Warfield down to the Wiltern.
Don't believe everything you've read. But if you happened upon a recent copy of The New Yorker that suggested that Earl Greyhound just might be the second coming of Led Zeppelin, you probably wouldn't believe it until you witnessed the trio live. The hype this band is generating isn't unfounded: this is rock n' roll in its truest form.
The multi-talented duo of Kamara Thomas and Matt Whyte are certainly easy on the eyes up there, and now that they've joined forces with drummer Ricc Sheridan, the Earl Greyhound unit now finally seems complete and ready to dominate the rock scene here in New York.
It speaks volumes about the drawing power of a band to say that on a recent night at Tonic (09.06.06), it was well past 1 a.m. and the band had yet to begin, but the room grew more packed as the night slipped away and people eagerly awaited the buzzed-about band. Despite the fact that the monstrous sound that these three produce would perhaps be more suited to arena-rock stages than this intimate room on the Lower East Side, the crowd happily lapped up every loud note.
They began the set with two new tunes, including the stellar "The Ghost and The Witness" where Thomas trades up her bass for a Fender Rhodes. Both new songs show potential for the album which will follow up their critically-acclaimed current release, Soft Targets. There are indeed moments onstage which channel mighty Zepp, like the face-melting solo in "Monkey", but Earl Greyhound has crafted their own gritty sound, with searing guitar riffs from Whyte and a thunderous energy from Sheridan. That's not to say it's all hard-rock riffs, because the trio have their share of undeniably catchy tunes like "Like A Doggy" that will stick in your head for days.
A don't be deceived by the presence of a lady on the bass: while her vocals occasionally add a soothing touch (as they do to introduce "Yeah, I Love You"), Thomas' lungs will just as quickly launch an unfathomably fierce banshee wail that will knock your socks off. And she was recently featured in Bass Player magazine, to boot.
Gigs are piling up fast and furiously across the nation for the trio, and you won't want to miss their free show at The Hook in Brooklyn this weekend (09.16.06). They play as part of the "Freedom Festival", a day of free music in festival format conceived by Kamara Thomas which showcases many incarnations of her incredible talented musical posse. The day kicks off at 2 p.m. with the Honky Tonk Happy Hour, where you can witness the folkier side of Thomas (who in this lineup sings and plays guitar) and Whyte (who will man the keys). The talent will be overflowing at the Freedom Festival, and it is a chance to catch some rising rock n' roll stars for free... I think Page and Plant would approve.
i hold every person i meet like a treasurei defend the ones i love to whatever the end isthat's why i take it to you through the musiccause when the music's connectedit's like everyone's protected -the slip
Below is a collection of some highlights from Marco's amazing residency. It features some of his rather talented friends, like Mike Gordon, Bobby Previte, Mike Dillon, Steven Bernstein... the list goes on and on. Yes, that's Brad Barr playing a drum with one of Marco's old Wurlitzer keys. Yes, that red-head dancing and playing the flute is none other than Sir Joe Russo. Even half of the Ween team, Claude Coleman and Dave Dreiwitz (pictured above), showed up one evening to back Marco, despite the fact that Coleman had never met Marco face to face before that evening. You certainly would never know it after listening to the two hours of music they created that night...
The fine folks at Ropeadope are going to release much of the material on a multi-disc set this summer, and as you'll see in the clip, the range of Marco's material is vast. Thelonious Monk ditties sit beside Pink Floyd tunes, and little-known songs from Leonard Cohen and Elliot Smith will send you back to your record collection to revisit them. Marco's jazz chops being what they are, prepare to be floored by the free-jazz improvisations that he created each night alongside the likes of seasoned veterans like Matt Chamberlain or Steven Bernstein.
