By: David Schultz

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Rock Hall of Fame, The Hold Steady

By: David Schultz


Even though neither the 1969 festival nor its infamous children took place in the upstate New York township, Woodstock is still intimately associated with the best that classic rock has to offer. With the Rambles, Woodstock finally makes good on the implicit promise of the birthright that’s been thrust upon it. Everyone who has been to a Ramble describes the experience as special, magical, a beauteous wonder that exceeds all possible expectations. After going to my first Ramble this past Saturday night, I can honestly say that all of those people are right.

The logistics of attending a Ramble have been pretty well documented: the travel through the woods, the innocuous entrance to Helm’s property, the welcoming and gracious nature of the volunteer staff, the intimacy of the room and even the popcorn machine (which I regret not taking sampling). The show itself plays out like an old time rock and roll revue. Helm may be the main attraction but everyone gets their moment. Larry Campbell transforms Garth Hudson’s organ intro to “Chest Fever” into an amazing virtuosic guitar solo, Amy Helm wrings every bit of emotion out of Linda Ronstadt’s “Everybody Loves A Winner,” Teresa Williams empathically channels the hopelessness of the narrator of “Long Black Veil” and brings an inspired gospel fervor to “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning,” Brian Mitchell does his best Dr. John on “Such A Night,” Byron Isaacs offers up a poignant reading of his own “Calvary,” a song sung by Helm on The Dirt Farmer, Jim Weider steps back into his old shoes with the post-Robertson version of The Band and the horn section of Clark Gayton, Steve Bernstein and Erik Lawrence took a Mardi Gras stroll around the room while Howard Johnson rocked the tuba.


Due to the hefty ticket prices and the effort involved in making the trip to Levon’s Woodstock home, everyone inside the barn is there because they have the same love for the music as those on stage playing it. In the absence of a bar dispensing drinks, college kids getting loaded, chatty folks ignoring the show and hipsters trying to act cooler than the band, all that’s left is crowd full of fans who have a unified reverence for the music and respect for the performers. When Potter sang the a capella intro to “Nothing But The Water,” the room turned deathly quiet, totally engaged by the performance. The same deference was paid for Campbell, Williams and Helm’s take on the Grateful Dead’s “Attics Of My Life.”

In recent months, the Rambles have been without Helm’s distinctive voice. This Saturday, Helm chimed in on the background vocals of “Deep Elem Blues” and received a helping hand from Campbell on a romp through “Tennessee Jed,” saving enough strength to take a verse on the show-closing version of “The Weight.” The heart and soul of the band, even after all these years Helm still has some surprises to offer. While the horn section blasted away during one of the acoustic selections, Helm left his stool, set his mandolin down and dance a marvelously goofy jig.

I was fortunate enough to get to linger around the studio after it had been returned to its normal condition. Wandering around the room, it seemed astounding that GPN and Levon Helm’s 11 piece band had just played a show within its cozy confines that could have easily attracted a couple thousand people before only 300. For a music studio, the space is quite roomy; as a concert venue, it’s extraordinarily intimate. If you consider yourself a proper fan of The Band or American folk music, you are doing yourself a disservice by depriving yourself of this experience.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Larry Campbell, Levon Helm

By: David Schultz


Grace Potter & The Nocturnals: Not The T-Bone Burnett Album

U-Melt: Perfect World

Pavement Reunion

Peter Gabriel: Scratch My Back
With his last studio effort coming in 2002, Peter Gabriel’s most significant accomplishment over the past few years has been getting reverently namechecked by Vampire Weekend in “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.” Not typically known as an interpreter of other’s material, Gabriel will release Scratch My Back, an album exclusively of covers, on February 15. Gabriel’s latest will include his take on David Bowie’s “Heroes,” Paul Simon’s “The Boy In The Bubble,” Bon Iver’s “Flume,” Arcade Fire’s “My Body Is A Cage” as well as versions of songs from Elbow, Lou Reed, The Magnetic Fields, Randy Newman, Regina Spektor, Neil Young, Radiohead and The Talking Heads.

Blues & Lasers New Album

Pete Townshend At The Super Bowl

Backyard Tire Fire: Good To Be

The Kinks Reunion

Vampire Weekend: Contra

A Genesis Reunion With Peter Gabriel

Labels: Backyard Tire Fire, Genesis, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Pavement, Peter Gabriel, The Kinks, The Who, U-Melt, Vampire Weekend

By: David Schultz

What doesn’t kill you only serves to make you stronger. By the start the summer, having restocked themselves with bassist Catherine Popper and Blues & Lasers guitarist Benny Yurco, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals 2.0 hit the road. On a co-headlining tour with Brett Dennen, GPN returned to New York City just before Thanksgiving for a show at the warehouse on the West side known as Terminal 5.

Potter’s potential to be a breakout performer has always seemed an eyelash away from becoming a reality. Notwithstanding the music, which too often takes a back seat in these matters, Potter’s musical versatility – she can rock a Flying V as well as a Hammond B-3 – her winsome personality and her amazing voice make her one of those rare performers that come around once in a blue moon. Resisting attempts to break her away from her band or make her a more mainstream artist, Potter has remained fiercely loyal to her band and to her vision. As it turns out the new album won’t be the potentially divisive one overseen by Burnett and recorded before Yurco and Popper signed on. Rather, the new album, which will be released sometime in the spring of 2010, will be the fruits of their collaboration with Mark Batson. It not only features the current band but according to guitarist Scott Tournet, it “sounds more like GPN than ANY other album.”

At Terminal 5, Potter & The Nocturnals offered a sample taste of the new songs, which run the gamut of edgy, exposed-nerve rock and roll (“Oasis”) to softer ballads (“Things I Never Needed”). Even though the venue’s midnight curfew made the set feel slightly abbreviated, there was plenty of time for GPN’s brand of rootsy rock and roll. Nothing But The Water’s “Some Kind Of Ride” made for a spectacular opening number, a great showcase to quickly bring the uninitiated up to speed on what GPN can deliver. The band’s one kit drum circle, which used to arise during “Nothing But The Water,” now comes amidst “Sweet Hands” but other things remained constant. Drummer Matt Burr provides the fifties style beat that propels “Mastermind,” Tournet throws himself body and soul into his solos and the crowd remains mesmerized during Potter’s a capella to “Nothing But The Water.”

It’s only been six months since Popper and Yurco joined the Nocturnals and there’s no tentativeness or rough edges to their interactions. A bubbly stage presence, Popper’s personality complements Potter’s while she provides some powerful bass lines. No stranger to those who know him from Vermont’s ever-thriving live music scene or Tournet’s Blues & Lasers, Yurco expands GPN’s capabilities as a band. A worthy foil for Tournet, the two guitarists play off each other in much the same way as when playing together with Blues & Lasers. Yurco’s presence not only frees Potter from the necessity of playing guitar, allowing her to slink around more often playing tambourine, it nudges Tournet to up his game and they bring back a bit of the Crazy Horse sound the band used to revel in.

For the encore, Potter slickly belted out the Alice In Wonderland inspired images of the Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit.” Watching Fergie undeservedly prance around and parry vocals with Mick Jagger while U2 backed them at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concerts dredged up feelings of disgust and disdain that can only be unearthed when treasured classics are used by fledgling starlets as a contrived sign of status. Britney Spears raised the same feelings by misappropriating “Satisfaction” for her own nefarious schemes. No such horrorshow takes place when Potter & The Nocturnals adopt the classic rock era as their own, laying claim to a birthright to which they’re entitled. Potter’s voice drips with the bluesiness of Joplin, the majesty of Slick and the soul of Aretha. The comparisons are grand but once Potter lets loose, you realize they are justified.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals

By: David Schultz

The Prospect Park Bandshell has long been centerpiece of the historic park nestled within the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. Serving as the counterpart to Central Park’s Summerstage, the Celebrate Brooklyn series of shows provides an annual slate of free concerts that strives to appeal to the borough’s wide-ranging tastes. No strangers to giving something back to a community, this past Friday night, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals made their first 2009 appearance in New York City, forgoing the unseemly sale of tickets and allowing the BRIC to pass the hat for donations to the cause.

The combination of a spectacular night, a gorgeous frontwoman and a fantastic band induced an exceptionally large crowd to migrate to the bandshell with just as many people lounging on blankets in the lawn space as filling the ample seating space. In a slightly surreal moment, New York State Senator Chuck Schumer briefly addressed the crowd, proclaiming this a night to celebrate two phenomenal women: Sonia Sotomayor and Grace Potter. Having met both, I can verify that Schumer is right: they are both quite cool. However, I doubt Sotomayor has pipes like Potter nor do I think she could get a crowd going by just shimmying with a tambourine or rocking a Hammond B3. In all fairness, Potter may be weak on Federal jurisprudence, due process and the limits of power of the executive branch.

Since Potter & The Nocturnals last played in New York City, Bryan Dondero has parted ways with the band with Blues & Lasers guitarist Benny Yurco and bassist Catherine Popper signing on. In contrast to Dondero’s reserve, Popper brings a feisty spark to the band, nicely complementing the charismatic Potter. While likely not intentional as it occasionally drowned out Tournet’s guitar, the Park’s sound mix prominently featured her bass. As you could hear nearly every note, it did make clear that Popper brings something tangible into this already cohesive unit. Likewise, Yurco, who has spent ample time playing with guitarist Scott Tournet and drummer Matt Burr in Blues & Lasers, meshes in seamlessly with The Nocturnals and provides a worthy foil for Tournet.

Opening with the hard-charging builds of “Some Kind Of Ride,” the Prospect Park set featured strengthened versions of “Joey” and “2:22,” a new layer of muscle added onto the frames of the Nothing But The Water tales of tattered feelings. For the majority of the efficient 80 minute set, Potter & The Nocturnals kept the energy level high, Burr bashing out the heavy 50s-style, girl group drum beat of “Mastermind,” Potter rocking her Gibson Flying V through the punk riffs of “If I Was From Paris” and Tournet adding an intriguing take on the power-ballad guitar solo, livening up an otherwise slow though melodious version of “Apologies.”

With the 40th anniversary of Woodstock approaching, Potter helped foster comparisons to another amazing Grace, covering the Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit,” the acid rock warhorse’s urgent directive of “feed your head” giving Potter one final chance to stun the crowd with the power of her voice. The 10:30 curfew forced The Nocturnals to keep thing concise and to the point. With the exception of the now-traditional drum confab that took place during a set closing version of “Sweet Hands,” there wasn’t much time to stretch any of the songs out. Only on “Stop The Bus” and “Medicine,” a new song written with the same type of swaggering blues hyperbole as “Sugar,” did Tournet and Yurco have room to extend themselves. This was easily tempered by the fact that the subsequent Blues & Lasers show at the newly opened Brooklyn Bowl (see tomorrow’s Earful) provided an awesome opportunity to see the remarkable guitar tandem at work.

PRIOR TO POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS, Deer Tick offered up a marvelous set of Americana-drenched tunes, heavy with all the pathos that can be dredged up by lead singer John J. McCauley. Although they hail from Rhode Island, McCauley looks like he came from the Arkansas back country and moved into Big Pink. This was the second time I've seen Deer Tick -the first opening for Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - and they seem to transcend the freak-folk banner that typically flies above their head. McCauley also produced the night's most sentimental moment, having his girlfriend remove her shoe so he could propose with a toe ring.

Labels: Deer Tick, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Live Reviews

By: David Schultz

This Friday, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals will headline a show that also features Deer Tick and Jones Street Station at the Prospect Park Bandshell as part of BRIC's Celebrate Brooklyn series of free concerts. Those familiar with Potter & The Nocturnals are likely acquainted with Blues & Lasers, the Scott Tournet project that includes fellow Nocturnals Benny Yurco and Matt Burr, The Leaves drummer Steve Sharon and bassist John Ragone. After the GP&TN set at the Bandshell concludes, Blues & Lasers will keep the celebration going with a free after-hours show at the newly opened Brooklyn Bowl, a combination bowling alley/concert venue at 61 Wythe Avenue in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.

Blues & Lasers resurrects the 70s-era style of Delta-blues, double drum, guitar fueled rock and roll that supplied AOR radio with ample fodder. It's swampy, it's loud and it's awesome. This past February, I wrote a feature on them for jambands.com. Rather than rehash here, check out the article and get excited about a great double venue, double bill.

Labels: Blues and Lasers, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals

AOD fans coming off the Gathering of the Vibes show last weekend will likely have to wait to mid-September to see the band again when the kick off their fall tour. Beyond the new tour dates, Assembly of Dust also has a new record out as well.

Calling in some friends, Reid Genauer tapped Mike Gordon of Phish, Bela Fleck, Martin Sexton, Richie Havens, David Grisman, John Scofield and Earvolution friend Grace Potter who all lend their talents to Some Assembly Required. The band kicks off the fall in New York and after a mostly northeast run heads west:

Sep 18 2009 Revolution Hall Troy, New York
Sep 19 2009 Higher Ground South Burlington, Vermont
Sep 24 2009 Paradise Rock Club Boston, Massachusetts
Sep 26 2009 Calling Planet Earth Festival Charlestown, Rhode Island
Sep 29 2009 Port City Music Hall Portland, Maine
Sep 30 2009 The Bowery Ballroom New York, New York
Oct 1 2009 River Street Jazz Cafe Plains, Pennsylvania
Oct 2 2009 The Note West Chester, Pennsylvania
Oct 3 2009 Recher Theatre Towson, Maryland
Oct 16 2009 Bluebird Theater Denver, Colorado
Oct 17 2009 Boulder Theater Boulder, Colorado
Oct 18 2009 Community Concert Hall Durango, Colorado
Oct 21 2009 The Mint Los Angeles, California
Oct 22 2009 The Independent San Francisco, California
Oct 23 2009 The Red Fox Tavern Eureka, California
Oct 24 2009 Mississippi Studios Portland, Oregon
Oct 25 2009 Tractor Tavern Seattle, Washington

You can listen to more of the new songs over on the Assembly of Dust Myspace page. You can also download an mp3 for the track "Arc of the Sun" that features Mike Gordon of Phish right here.

Labels: Assembly Of Dust, Bela Fleck, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Mike Gordon, Mp3s, Phish, Tour Dates

As Grace Potter & The Nocturnals take to the road for their annual summer travels, their ranks have swelled by two. In the wake of Bryan Dondero's departure for a more sedentary lifestyle, Catherine Popper has stepped in the bassist role. Formerly of Ryan Adams' Cardinals, Popper will likely enjoy taking a step down on the diva scale in her new role with the eminently down to earth Potter. Guitarist Benny Yurco will also be joining up with the Nocturnals. Having seen Yurco play over the winter with Scott Tournet, Matt Burr and Blues & Lasers, he will definitely blend in well with the Nocturnals and give them the potential for a two pronged guitar attack that can hang with any band out there.

In addition to a revamped touring lineup, Potter & The Nocturnals are in the final stages of completing their third studio album. The yet-to-be-titled album had T Bone Burnett behind the board and Potter describes it as "a soul record at its core, like the Velvet Underground backing Aretha Franklin." Perhaps that means that when Aretha sang "What you want, baby, I got it," she had heroin.

Tonight, Potter & The Nocturnals will return to the studio but this time it will be in Memphis at the legendary Sun Studio to lay down more tracks for the Sun Studio Sessions. A little over a year ago when the project first started, Potter & The Nocturnals played the very first session. Last night, they also recorded a few brand new tracks that were left over from the work with T Bone.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals

The past year has been a busy one on the road for Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. In addition to headlining shows throughout the country, the lovable Vermont foursome shared stages with The Black Crowes and the Dave Matthews Band and closed out the Queen Of The Valley stage at this year's All Points West festival. All this touring hasn't left the band much time to get into the studio so they will be putting the fruits of their labor on display with their first live EP, Live From Skowhegan.

Culled from a June 27, 2008 concert at the Skowhegan Opera House in Skowhegan, Maine, the 6 song digital-only release will feature two previously unreleased songs "Can't See Through" and "Sugar." Those of you following the outstanding Sun Studio Sessions will already be familiar with "Sugar" as Grace & The Nocturnals laid down a blistering version of the track at the show's inaugural session.

Live From Skowhegan will be available for download on iTunes and other digital outlets this Tuesday, December 23.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, SunStudioSessions

Backyard Tire Fire is always on the road, but this fall they are extra busy with tour dates with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals as well as, the Clarks, Reverend Horton Heat and Rusted Root. BTF is out in support of The Places We Lived, which is their debut release for Hyena Records.

November 5 / Blueberry Hill / St. Louis, MO
(w/ Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)
November 6 / Redstone Room / Davenport, IA
(w/ Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)
November 7 / Crosstown Station / Kansas City, MO
(w/ Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)
November 13 / Newport Music Hall / Columbus, OH (w/ The Clarks)
November 14 / Club Cafe / Pittsburgh, PA
November 15 / Grog Shop / Cleveland, OH (w/ The Clarks)
December 3 / Mercy Lounge / Nashville, TN (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 4 / Vogue / Indianapolis, IN (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 5 / Southgate House / Newport, KY (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 6 / Majestic Theatre / Detroit, MI (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 7 / The Intersection / Grand Rapids, MI (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 10 / Otto's / Dekalb, IL (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 11 / People's / Des Moines, IA (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 12 / Cain's Ballroom / Tulsa, OK (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 13 / The Village / Little Rock, AR (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 27 / House of Blues / Chicago, IL (w/ Rusted Root)
December 28 / House of Blues / Chicago, IL (w/ Rusted Root)
December 29 / Eagles Ballroom / Milwaukee, WI (w/ Rusted Root)
December 30 / St. Andrews Hall / Detroit, MI (w/ Rusted Root)
December 31 / House of Blues / Cleveland, OH (w/ Rusted Root)



We've been following this band for over two years now, and it's great to see them progress so much and we're looking forward to watching them go further. They're a great bunch of guys who know how to rock and roll with the best of them, check them out when they come to a town near you!

Labels: Backyard Tire Fire, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Tour Dates

The All Points West Music & Arts Festival which will take place this upcoming weekend at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey has released the set times for the three day festival.

Headliners Radiohead and Jack Johnson get the prime slots on the main Blue Comet stage and Andrew Bird, Trey Anastasio, Kings of Leon and Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals get late afternoon featured positions across the grounds.

Earvolution favorites Pawnshop Roses will be opening the entire Festival on Friday afternoon and we recommend getting there early to catch their 1:00 set on the Bullet stage. It is also well worth your while to catch Grace Potter & The Nocturnals close out the Queen Of The Valley stage on Sunday evening with their 6:45 p.m. set. It also gives us a wonderful excuse to once again run our photo of Grace proudly showing off her Earvolution T-shirt.

The Festival, during which Radiohead will play Friday and Saturday night, begins on August 8th and will finish on August 10th with a Jack Johnson set.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Pawnshop Roses, Radiohead

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have been touring relentlessly since the release of their major label debut This Is Somewhere and will continue to do so this summer with major festival dates along with some shows with Dave Matthews before a stint opening for the Black Crowes.

One of the consistent additions to the spring and early summer set list has been a new song "Sugar." The band had been working on the song prior to stopping into Memphis for their Sun Studio Sessions taping but it wasn't quite finished. In the wee hours of the morning the band worked out a final arrangement and then laid down the track. You can check out the fantastic final result below:

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, SunStudioSessions

It's no secret that Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are one of Earvolution's favorite bands. So, it was a great personal thrill for the band to agree to appear as the first act to tape a performance for the Sun Studio Sessions, a project I've been working on for the past few months.

In case you don't know, Sun Studio is the legendary room where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Howlin' Wolf and many others recorded their very first hits. U2 fans will remember Bono and crew going there to record Angel of Harlem

As expected, the Nocturnals were fantastic. They played several tunes that are not on their normal set list and even finished a new song there and wrote a brand new one during the taping. All of that is on camera so you'll get to see some very cool exclusive footage from the band very soon.

The Sessions will begin airing regular "webisodes" on Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting next week, April 7th. But, you can check out a sample webisode here now.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Johnny Cash, SunStudioSessions

By: David Schultz

Near the end of Grace Potter & The Nocturnals opening set for Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule in Central Park, a small vocal group near the front of the stage began shouting “Paris! Paris! Paris!” Don’t fret; the engaging foursome from Vermont have not lost their minds and brought talentless hotel heiresses into their midst. Rather, they wanted to hear “If I Was From Paris,” a compact little rocker with a chorus that would make Maurice Chevalier green with envy. Before tearing into the number, the ever-cheerful Potter looked over at the chanting fans, telling the crowd, “We’ve got some diehards in the audience.” A couple years ago, demands for unreleased numbers might have been reserved for the serious fans. As it stands right now, the band’s faithful are being joined by legions of newbies anxious to smell what Potter, guitarist Scott Tournet, bassist Bryan Dondero and drummer Matt Burr are cooking.

Last May, I had the opportunity to interview Potter and the Nocturnals for jambands.com. What struck me the most about being around them is how, to a person, they seemed unaffected by the beehive of activity that surrounds them. When Potter talks about being a “little ol’ band from Vermont,” she’s not being disingenuous or affectatious. Despite appearances on Good Morning America, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and sit-ins with Steve Kimock and Joe Satriani, they are still the same people they were when they left the Green Mountain State to conquer the world.

Central Park’s notoriously strict 10:00 curfew can play havoc with the attendance for the opening acts. Sandwiched between an electrifying opening set from Earl Greyhound (who played before a criminally sparse crowd) and a smoldering headlining set from the Mule, Potter & The Nocturnals played to a nearly packed house; the fine weather and exceptional music combining to make a perfect early autumn evening. Knowing that Mule’s audience would want a bluesy, uptempo set, they expertly catered to the expectations. Opening with an organ-heavy extended version of “Mastermind” and plowing into “Treat Me Right,” they touched equally upon their sparkling debut, Nothing But The Water, their latest This Is Somewhere and weighty live staples like “Watching You.” Over the past few months, the middle portion of “Nothing But The Water” has evolved for improvisational soloing: a showcase for the band to stretch their musical chops. At Summerstage, they cut the solos short and congregated around Burr’s drum kit for an impromptu drum circle. Burr never strayed from the song’s beat while Tournet, Dondero and Potter, who lounged on her side by the bass drum, went tribal.

I have said this before but it bears repeating as it always remains a true statement: Scott Tournet gets better every time I see him. Even though he is an accomplished axeman in his own right, he still watches and observes other guitarists, always open to learning from fellow musicians. If you ever questioned the amount of respect Warren Haynes receives for his guitar work, the rapt attention Tournet and Earl Greyhound’s Matt Whyte paid to his playing should resolve any such doubts. Starting next month, Potter & The Nocturnals will set out on a month long stretch of shows with Gov’t Mule and Tournet is excited at the prospects of the extended exposure to Haynes. When asked about the prospects of sharing the stage with Haynes, Tournet’s hopeful expression said it all. I would wager that if he gets that opportunity, Tournet will not squander the opportunity and will open a lot of eyes with his skillful guitar work.

Nearing the end of Mule’s set, I told Potter that I would open up the column for her and give her free reign to discourse on whatever she wanted. A veritable quote machine, Potter gathered her thoughts with a bemused expression before telling Earvolution, “I would rather fuck the mule, than the horse.” I think I know what she meant, but it’s not chivalrous to give away a lady’s secrets.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Live Reviews

by Jeff Davidson

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have built a rabid following over the last few years by 1) mastering their instruments, 2) writing great songs and 3) delivering blistering live performances. No flukes, karaoke contests or gimmicks here - this band has earned their place in the spotlight through hard work and sheer talent. Now, with the release of their third record, This Is Somewhere, the band looks to take things up a notch and expand upon their already impressive body of work.

It is often difficult for early fans of a rising band to accept the growing awareness of what up to now was in some ways their little secret. But, on This is Somewhere, Grace and crew (Scott Tournet on guitar, Bryan Dondero on bass and Matthew Burr on drums) manage to strike the balance of holding on to those who have been with them for a few years while simultaneously opening their arms to new fans to join the party. Produced by Mike Daly (Whiskeytown), the record hints at the fire the Nocturnals deliver on stage while also highlighting the band's efforts to stretch themselves from a songwriting perspective.

"Ah Mary" starts off the record showcasing Potter's sensual coo, but quickly explodes into an energetic rocker that lets people know why this band has built such a vaunted reputation for killer live shows. "Stop the Bus" isn't new to fans who've been coming out to see the band in the past year or so and is another one of the great tracks on the record that serves as a nod to those who have been along for the ride for awhile.

Having conquered the live arena, "Apologies" is one of the songs where the Nocturnals look to build their repuations as studio musicians. The ballad is a carefully crafted song that may cause some pause among early adopters, but is radio gold and will no doubt bring new ears to the sweet sounds of Ms. Potter and friends. "Ain't No Time" and "Mr. Columbus" are also evidence that the Nocturnals are much more than just an amazing jam band (not that there's anything wrong with that!) and are further indications that they are growing musically in a direction that should be palatable to their core audience while writing songs within a more traditional structure.

"You May See Me", "Lose Some Time" and the raucous "Here's to the Meantime" explore various facets of life, love and relationships. But, given this is Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, do so with a soulful grit instead of the typical gloss that tempts and traps many artists who write about these well covered topics. "Mastermind" and "Falling or Flying" are my least favorite tracks on the disc. However, the disc is such a strong and complete record that this is like saying the whip cream is the least favorite part of my sundae as I devour the whole thing. Not that I'm saying these songs are fluff, it's just that on a record full of "9s" and "10s" a tune or two in the "7" or "8" range may get lost in the crowd.

"Big White Gate" closes out the disc revealing Potter's gospel roots that were so apparent on Nothing But the Water and like the title track of that record, will no doubt become a concert favorite. Like most greats, Potter will remind you of top singers from the past while staking her own claim as a unique voice both worthy of - and difficult to do justice by - those inevitable comparisons. While Grace is impressively proficient at guitar and works her Hammond B3 as good as anyone, her voice is the instrument that lifts this song, and much of the record, to special heights. However, a careful listen informs even an undiscerning ear that this is a team effort.

This Is Somewhere accomplishes what the band has set out to do by forging their individual gifts into a collective force that poises them to be one of the breakout acts of 2007. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals make somewhere a great place to be. Get here as fast as you can.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will make their network television debut tonight on Jay Leno. Earvolution and other blogs have been fans of the band for some time so we're quite pleased to see one of the big boys from the old school media catch on and give this great band the wider audience they deserve.

The band will be celebrating the release of their new record, This Is Somewhere, with the appearance. My guess is they will play Ah Mary, which has been getting radio play. But, the disc, which drops August 7th, has plenty of great songs to choose from so we'll have to tune in to see what the pride of Vermont picks for their hello to America.

Grace and crew will not stop with Leno. The band will also play Good Morning America on August 7th and Craig Ferguson on August 10th. The release of This is Somewhere should be the record that makes Grace Potter and the Nocturnals seemingly everywhere.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals

By: David Schultz

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals are slowly changing whatever rules are supposed to apply to the anarchic world of rock and roll. In Austin, they performed a true but "illegal" encore while the venue staff tried to shut down the stage, at last year's Jammy awards, the lovely lead singer celebrated the band's New Groove Of The Year award by stealing the spotlight from Steve Kimock and Joe Satriani on a smoldering cover of "Cortez The Killer" and last week, they enticed this Manhattan based writer to abandon his "no Brooklyn" policy to come see them perform in the County of Kings. After playing a free show at Grand Central Terminal for the second year in a row as part of the Green Apple Music & Arts Festival, Grace & The Nocturnals migrated to the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, New York for a midnight show within the earthy confines of Southpaw.



In every sense of the word, Grace Potter is evolving into a true rock star. While on the Southpaw stage, the audience hung on her every word and focused on her every movement. Even when she's working the room blue, cursing a bit like a longshoreman, all she has to do is flash her innocent winsome smile and she's once again everyone's All-American girl. Don't be misled though, beneath Potter's girl-next-door sweetness lies a lusty soul which found expression this night in the lyrics of "Treat Me Right" and "Watching You." Plus, there may be few sexier sights than Potter shaking a tambourine while Scott Tournet (guitar), Brian Dondero (bass) and Matt Burr (drums) lay down a tightly-mixed jam for her and the rest of the crowd to get their groove going. A mid show run through "Stop The Bus" provided a microcosm of the group's dynamic: Dondero worked the lower registers, walking through some intricate bass lines, Tournet played on the higher ranges and Burr plowed the beat through the middle.

With Potter starting the night at her keyboards, (she plays a mean Hammond organ as well), they opened with a cover of Neil Young's "Tonight's The Night," subtly enhancing the song with their own personality to make it more of an invitation to fun than a cautionary drug abuse tale. From there, the ninety minutes featured material from their upcoming album This Is Somewhere, which will be released August 7th. "Mr. Columbus" and "Ah Mary" (which has a nicely understated socio-political subtext) continue the rootsy vibe they explored on their debut album, Nothing But The Water, but "Apologies," a saccharine ballad more apropos for pop radio, falls flat, especially given what GP&TN are capable of delivering. Refusing to beat the warhorses that have become staples of their live sets, the band gives them new life, best exemplified by their smoking rendition of "Nothing But The Water." Potter's impressive a capella plea that opens the song remains untouched, but they've turned the Southern gospel-blues tinged section of the song into a framework for a bluesy jamming featuring nice soloing, including Burr nicely working a drum "duel" with the handclaps of the audience.

Potter's name may sit above the ampersand but this isn't solely her show. With each performance, Scott Tournet develops into a more intriguing guitarist, finding great success by exploring the limits of where their songs can go. When Potter comes out from behind the organ and picks up her guitar, she seems to delight in getting right in Tournet's face, pushing him on. There's a slight edginess to many of the songs and The Nocturnals brilliantly tease out the slight undercurrents of tension lying beneath. As the future seems to looking quite rosy for the Vermont foursome, let's hope they don't lose that edge.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Live Reviews

If you're in NYC this weekend, the Green Apple Festival is kicking off. Earvolution friends Licorice will be performing at The Knitting Factory, Tap Bar at 11PM as part of the Green Apple Music and Arts Festival, NYC with Mike Dillon's Go Go Jungle and The Bomb Squad.

And, if you're itching to get started earlier in the day you can get an afternoon treat at 4:30 from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals followed up by a just announced set from Ozomatli at 5:45. Both of these great acts are throwing down as part of the Earth Fair at Grand Central Terminal (on Vanderbilt Ave.).

Saturday afternoon should be just as great with sets by Zero, State Radio and Assembly of Dust. Details of these sets and the rest of the festival are available here.

Labels: Assembly Of Dust, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Green Apple Music and Arts Festival, Licorice

A highlight of my SXSW week was catching the late night set by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. In addition to previewing some great new material that'll be out on their new release this summer, they delivered, as Schultz said, a rare "true encore" with a killer acoustic, no microphone version of Mystery Train (you can even see me up front in the photo on the right from the show, I'm just to the right of the guy on the left side who is holding up the video camera). That alone was worth the trip to Austin!

Hot off the presses we've got our hands on a couple of tracks from the forthcoming record. One we must keep to ourselves for now, but we're happy to share "Ah Mary" with you today as a sign of sweet sounds to come from GPTN.



The band is also adding to their spring show list, by contributing to "Seven Days for the Earth" with a special benefit show on April 15th at the Big Picture Theatre in Grace's hometown of Waitsfield, Vermont. The Lowell Thompson Band from Burlington will be sharing the stage with GPTN. If you can't make that one, be sure to catch them soon, you won't be disappointed.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Mp3s

By: David Schultz

A March tradition that could rival St. Patrick's Day and the NCAA Tournament for alcohol fueled excitement, the South By Southwest festival once again attracted every facet of the music industry to downtown Austin, Texas. For those in the business, a portion of SXSW is just that: panel discussions and trade shows abound and this year featured keynote addresses by the likes of Pete Townshend and David Byrne. Technically an industry conference, the 5 day, 4 night festival is so much more than a boondoggle; it attracts press, fans and most importantly, musicians from all over the country.

Billing itself as the music industry's largest gathering, SXSW brings more than 1,300 artists to play at hundreds of official and unofficial parties and showcases. The SXSW sanctioned showcases take place at night, with each invited act getting at least one official chance to ply their craft. For every official appearance made over the week, each artist will give many more performances at the various parties and unofficially sponsored showcases which magnificently inundate SXSW. Wherever there was room, someone put on a show. For the 2007 SXSW, Earvolution joined the fray, sponsoring what will ideally be the first annual Earvolution.com showcase at Emo's (IV) Lounge on the corner of Sixth Street and Red River Street.

While fun and games for those in the audience, much work goes into getting singers and bands onto these stages. Managers fight hard to secure slots for their acts, signed or unsigned, on as many showcases as possible, there being a premium on being seen, being heard and generating as much as buzz as you can. For the musicians, the stakes can be large: potential managers, publicists and labels use the occasion to gauge interest in the band not only by the fans but also by their competitors. Killing at SXSW can create ripples that emanate loudly throughout the biz. The typical showcase set runs about 40-45 minutes, leaving little time for building up a rapport with the crowd. As a result, most acts get right down to business, putting everything they have into the limited time they're given. Making it at SXSW shows that you can play, but the larger question raised after SXSW is can you sell?

Given the large industry presence, it's easy to look at SXSW, (or "South By" as one badge wearer could be overheard instructing another), with a cynical eye. Quickly though, it becomes obvious that with so many quality musicians playing that week than physically possible to see and hear, to remain skeptical and suspicious just makes yourself your own worst enemy. Amongst the many things I learned at my first South By – besides picking up the lingo – comfortable shoes are a necessity, especially if you plan to take in full days of music. A game plan for the day, whether you follow it or not, also helps.

Tuesday, March 13

Our SXSW contingent consists of myself and Earvolution founder Jeff Davidson and we arrive on Tuesday evening. Our landlord for the duration, local filmmaker and Austin native Mike Mann, offers to take us into the downtown area to scout out Emo's and give us the lay of the land. The Emo's complex is staggering both in size and efficiency, with four separate stages, an open courtyard and live music emanating everywhere. In New York City, such a facility would be simply unfathomable: getting past the space restrictions, a Manhattan version would charge at least a $20 cover charge regardless of the bands on stage. At Emo's, when there is a cover, it goes straight to the band and many nights simply being old enough to enter gives you access to at least a dozen bands . . . and this is just one of a couple dozen venues that populate the Sixth Street downtown area. No wonder the Austin music scene thrives.

With our guide Mann pointing out such local tidbits like the bouncer being the lead singer of The Crackpipes. We also caught part of set by Ume, a trashy little power trio. Ume's heavy sound may be a bit standard but their guitarist, the remarkable Lauren Larson, is not your typical riot grrrl. Petite and ladylike, Larson simply shredded her guitar with a skill and proficiency you wouldn't expect from a lovely blonde, especially one sharing the stage with her husband on bass. After tearing through a dozen or so of dead-on punk rock guitar riffs with her long locks swinging wildly in front of her face, she daintily picked up her purse and walked demurely off the stage. In briefly speaking with her after her set, I prepared for a coarse Courtney Love like demeanor only to have my stereotype shattered by Larson's Southern-style hospitality.

Only hours in, I'm already hooked on the Austin music scene. We stay at Emo's a bit longer for the Good Times Crisis Band before heading over to another stage for Brothers & Sisters, a Sixties-style outfit fronted by a hefty Gregg Allman look-alike, who wore a muumuu (possibly a poncho) while leading the band through some traditional classic rock style compositions before a packed room.

We leave Emo's and amble around Sixth Street for a bit and it becomes clear why Austin is considered one of the preeminent cities for live music. Unlike Manhattan, where the music remains barricaded behind close doors, Austin's venues entice you by letting you hear what's going on inside. As a result, a walk down Sixth Street exposes you to the multitude of blues, country, metal and rock that keep the Austin machine well oiled. With an abundance of BBQ and beer and a cornucopia of music ahead, Austin will not only be the epicenter of the music world for the rest of the week, it will be sensory and auditory nirvana.

Wednesday, March 14

Wednesday afternoon marks Earvolution's introductory foray into SXSW at Emo's Lounge. Like everyone who descends on Austin for the festival, Earvolution had a slightly self-interested motivation for hosting a day of music: generating awareness and interest in Pawnshop Roses, an old-school, classic-rock inspired quartet from Philadelphia, PA cut from the mold of bands like the Black Crowes and Exile On Main Street era Rolling Stones. They also happen to be the first artist signed to Earvolution Records.

The couple hours leading up to Joshua James' just after noon-time opening set are a bit daunting. In a form of opening night jitters, we frankly worry that no one will show. Fears of an empty house are quickly allayed: throughout the day we are joined by Justin Ward of the Live Music Blog; local, music-loving Austinites (possibly Austinians), a good number of laminate-bearing industry types and someone who looks conspicuously like Rolling Stone's David Fricke. James and Wes Hutchinson give different variations of the singer-songwriter motif, showing how much can be done with just an acoustic guitar. After his set, Hutchinson accomplished the not inconsiderable task of meeting nearly everyone who came to hear his set, making new fans with his personality as well as his music.

Our friends from Brooklyn, The States, woke everyone up with an early afternoon set heavy on material from The Path Of Least Resistance, their upcoming album which is in the final re-mastering process. At the close of the set, a father approached Chris Snyder, the States’ lead singer and guitarist, with his two young children in tow. Explaining that his kids really loved The States' set, he asks for autographs while his son and daughter shyly loiter close by. Even though the scene is way too precious, I go off in search of some promo cards while a sweaty but always affable Snyder, clearly flattered by the praise, chats with the family. When I return, he signs autographs for the beaming children, making them fans of The States for life.

Pawnshop Roses deliver a set that pulled in a good number of interested people off the street and I notice an individual who looks conspicuously like the ageless David Fricke. While fellow Philadelphians Jealousy Curve entertained a growing crowd, I learn that the gentleman in the sunglasses is not Fricke covering our showcase for Rolling Stone but rather is here in support of the two Philadelphia bands. I learn later that the Fricke look-a-like is Roger Hale, father of Halestorm's Lzzy and Arejay Hale. A band I would seemingly see just about everywhere during my stay in Austin.

After Toledo's We Are The Fury cap off the inaugural Earvolution SXSW showcase with a tight set of glam-rock in the mode of the New York Dolls, Live Music Blog's Justin joins us in a celebratory Jameson toast and we hang with Pawnshop Roses' Kevin Bentley talking music and basking in the glow of the successful showcase. While we wax philosophic on all things musical (i.e. discussing who we've seen live lately), the BBQ buffet for the Sub Pop party taking place that evening gets going. Curious as to who will be on the Sub Pop showcase, we grab one of the time sheets and discover that Emo's has made a glorious mistake: they designate the night's entertainment as the "SXSW Earvolution Party." Oh yes, I do love this town.

Next I was off to one of the official SXSW "badge events." The badge itself is an interesting object. More than just an entry pass, the badge, bearing the wearer's photo and company information, gives you a sense of security; for all intents and purposes, the festival is your oyster. The laminate, which costs upwards of $500, turns out to be the de rigueur accoutrement for SXSW. For some reason, it is required that anyone in possession of a laminate prominently display it around their neck. Even if optional, I sense that no one would choose to hide their badge as "access" plays a not-so-insignificant role in this business. On the first night of the festival, the failure to laminate ourselves, or acquire its cheaper, lower-access equivalent, a $175 wristband more suitable for those with no interest in attending any of the panels, frustrates our attempt to see The Rapture at the Free Yrself showcase at La Zona Rosa.

Not tarrying outside La Zona Rosa any longer than necessary - there are too many other showcases not requiring a badge and other bands playing for free to fret over missing one - we ambled back down 4th Street pondering the importance of the badge. Initially, I debated whether I was envious of the privileged laminate-owning masses or whether I was committing a truly indie-level, rebellious act and by remaining "unlaminated" I was doing my part to fight the power. Rationalization can be quite fun. I will experience moments of laminate-envy over the next four nights, but they are relatively brief. As it turns out, with some shrewd foresight and a little cash (much less than the cost of a laminate and a little less than a wristband), you can pretty much see any act you wanted to catch.

Jeff and I decide to check out the Fado Irish Pub, where Pawnshop Roses will be playing tomorrow afternoon as part of the Industry of Music showcase. A traditional Irish pub, Fado has an outdoor stage area reminiscent of a backyard patio and I quickly recognize "not-David Fricke" amidst the crowd. As I brood over being followed around, albeit preemptively, we bump into Roses' lead singer Paul Keen, who explains the complex Lost-style connections between the various Philadelphia bands down in Texas this week. As one of the Philly bands turns out to be Halestorm, the presence of "not-David Fricke" at Fado now makes sense.

Fortunate enough to come all the way from New York to catch an uninspiring set from Brooklyn's Locksley, we decide to scout out the potential of getting into the Beauty Bar to catch Illinois as part of the Ace Fu showcase. Our motivation disappears after hearing the dual guitar assault of Paul Ritchie and Dave Rosen and the Robert Plant quality wail of Mark Melicia of New Jersey's Parlor Mob, who follow the same Seventies-style Sabbath-driven heavy metal vision as Wolfmother. After an hour of energetic Zeppelin-ized blues, Halestorm takes the stage with Lzzy Hale leading the hard-rock quartet on to the stage with an a capella burst of vocal theatrics comparable to Melicia's.

As the final act reflects a "very special guest," we make the mistake of sticking around in case something exciting happens. Even though there are rumors abounding of a Rage Against The Machine reunion somewhere in Austin this night, we are not delusional that we are in its presence. Before the "special guests" appear, we sit through an interminable set from the Gore Gore Girls, who seemingly played the same song for a half hour straight. The song titles changed and one had a harmonica break, but the three chord drone remained constant. After toughing out the set, hopes were dashed as we learned that "special" is a term that can be thrown around rather indiscriminately: the mystery artist is revealed as Amsterband. In wandering back down 4th Street, we become enthralled with the Spazmatics playing outdoors at the Cedar Street Courtyard. Dressed as...well...spazzes, the geeked-out band-o-nerds had a full house rocking with a Violent Femmes medley. With nearly every other band in Austin making an effort to stand out with their original music, the Spazmatics looked backwards with their ultimate New Wave 80's Show, showing off their style or rather, lack of it, by closing the night with a cover of Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer."

Thursday, March 15

With landlord Mike Mann leading the way, Thursday begins with a noble SXSW goal: finding free lunch. With the allure of "free BBQ, free beer and free metal," we head to the Soho Lounge on Sixth Street only to find out that it's a laminate-only event. Though sparsely filled, we are denied entry, but since we weren't married much to the "free metal" idea, we don’t put up a huge fight. As we regather to formulate a plan, I learn that there’s more to SXSW than simply official and unofficial parties, there are also invitation-only private parties. The laminates might have been the most common skeleton key but they by no means opened every door; the private parties ratchet up the exclusivity level. Most of the invitations for the private parties are a little bit bigger than index cards; like the laminates they are designed to be worn around like necklaces. Anyone with private invites proudly wore them in addition to their laminate like Mr. T baring his chains. I imagine that whoever got the most invite cards around their neck wins SXSW.

Calling a quick audible, we make it to the Fontana Distribution party at The Lava Lounge in time for some Iron Works barbecue and Ian Moore. Basking in the sun of the outdoor patio, we quaff some local brews while Canadian Ron Sexsmith ran through an extremely short set before turning the stage over to Kiefer Sutherland's favorite guitarist and co-star of I Trust You To Kill Me, Rocco Deluca. With his backing band The Burden, Deluca was one of the many artists running themselves ragged this week playing numerous showcases. Deluca' afternoon set came with no frills: accompanied by Ryan Carman perched upon the nifty drum box he used to provide the beat, Deluca played a dazzling set on his Dobro steel guitar allowing him to focus more on his Jeff Buckley like vocals.

Once Deluca finished his set, we made a quick scamper to the outskirts of Austin for Peter And The Wolf's set at The Peacock Lounge, one of the more contrived concert spaces in the Austin area. A cozy little space with a small outdoor deck and a comfortable collegiate style living room area, the venue was far from ideal for a SXSW showcase, much less one for the modestly sized band fronted by local musician Red Hunter. Using every bit of the available space, Hunter and a choir led by Dana Falconberry loped through a relaxing 20 minute set of lo-fi, atmospheric, Grizzly Bear styled folk better suited for a late evening than a sunny Texas afternoon.

On the way back downtown to catch Rachel Fuller's and Pete Townshend's Attic Jam at La Zona Rosa, I learn that the music scene's saturation of Austin life even permeates the transportation industry: our cab driver was extremely fluent in all forms of music and knew the city's clubs and their denizens quite well. Getting to La Zona Rosa at the same time as the Attic Jam was scheduled to begin, we encountered a short line to get in. The venue dropping the price of the show once Townshend played turns out to be a bit of a mixed blessing. While we wait unnecessarily in line, Townshend opens the show with an acoustic version of "Drowned." The cashier dutifully dropped the price while cheerfully making sure everyone knew that Townshend would be coming on and off for the next 2 1/2 hours. Further reason to keep calm: when Townshend is in the building for an Attic Jam, there is but one closing act.

Hosting a bill that caused her to blurt she was so excited "she could pee herself," Fuller welcomed Alexi Murdoch, Willy Mason, Martha Wainwright and Joe Purdy with lavish introductions. Each performer played a song before Townshend and Fuller would join them on stage. Without exception, each musician had a look on their face that expressed their amazement that they were not only on stage with the legendary guitarist but that Townshend was accompanying them on their material. Purdy opted for one of Townshend's songs and their acoustic duet of "Let My Love Open The Door" transformed the song from a cocky demand to a yearning plea. Ever the comic, Townshend kept the mood light, good-naturedly letting the various singer-songwriters shine while letting his star provide the glow. Due to running late, Townshend's closing set may have been cut short and although possibly historic, proved slightly disappointing. Accompanied by Fuller, Townshend sang "In The Ether," the weakest effort off of The Who's recent Endless Wire before picking up the guitar and closing the show with what he believed to be the first ever public performance of "I Can't Reach You" from The Who Sell Out. Given the wealth of material at his disposal, the performance of an obscure track from 40 years ago felt a tad anticlimactic.

The Attic Jam abutted nicely with an evening showcase anchored by the Cold War Kids. Even though they have reached a level of success that makes their appearance at SXSW seem gratuitous, Cold War Kids put on a simply astounding performance that blew away everyone in attendance. Having been eminently impressed with the California foursome on a couple other occasions, their forty-five minutes at SXSW left me speechless. The comfortably filled La Zona Rosa that existed during Elvis Perkins' stellar opening set slowly hit maximum capacity during the break. By the time the Kids took the stage and launched into "We Used To Vacation," there was hardly any room to breathe much less move in the 1,200 capacity hall as it felt like the entire festival crowd packed themselves into the spacious warehouse.

As opposed to many of the other sets throughout the week where experienced crowds showed appreciation but never real excitement, Cold War Kids brought out everyone’s inner music fan. When the opening bass line of "Hang Me Up To Dry" echoed throughout the cavernous room, the hall erupted. Going off the board a little bit, Elvis Perkins and his band returned to the stage and the two groups collaborated on a cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," during which Nathan Willets' emotionally fragile voice turned the soulful tune into a Cold War classic. With Perkins and friends providing the percussion and horn blasts that make up the auditory chaos underlying the chain-gang chant of "St. John," the set closed with one of those "Oh My God" moments that keep people attending shows night after night. The unrestrained, unapologetic and decidedly unindustry response was phenomenal . . . and quite cool. Equally as impressive: once the Cold War Kids left the stage, so did a great number of people. The Cold War Kids were clearly a destination event.

Returning to Fado, where Pawnshop Roses played an early afternoon set, I catch The Gay Blades, an East coast guitar and drums duo that is a pair of double Ds short of The White Stripes. The Blades tore through a fun set notable for Clark Westfield's rifling guitar, quick wit, an impulsive announcement to give away everything at the merch table to anyone in the industry using the honor system and an unintended contribution by Sam Bey, Parlor Mob's drummer, that scored big numbers on the unintentional comedy scale. Grabbing a cowbell, an overly inebriated Bey continuously staggered on stage without bothering to take off his bulky backpack to lend additional percussion while provoking wagers on whether he would fall off the stage or tumble into the drum kit. Bets were taken off the board when the tambourine he kicked off the stage hit the bouncer in the head resulting in his prompt escort from the premises.

Hoots & Hellmouth, a raucous acoustic string band overcame the difficulties inherent in following the previous calamities with an upbeat set that seemed torn from a mountainous backwoods. Opening with a romp through the Grateful Dead's "Samson And Delilah," the foursome led a genuine hootenanny. Substituting foot stomps and energy for a rhythm section, Hoots & Hellmouth generated one of the rare instances of actual dancing at an SXSW event. The mostly hirsute Philadelphia quartet finished their hillbilly run through Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" by walking amongst the people, stomping, clapping and exhorting everyone to join along like crazed hippie camp counselors.

The evening concluded at the Cedar Street Courtyard with Grace Potter & The Nocturnals warming the slight evening chill by previewing selections from their upcoming album This Is Something. The winsome Potter, fast on her way to becoming the sexiest, hippie goddess in rock, led the Nocturnals through a rootsy, soulful set punctuated by guitarist Scott Tournet's increasingly killer guitar solos, Brian Dondero's finely honed bass and Matt Burr's straightforward, powerful drums. Rather than try to put into words the extent that the Vermont natives conquered SXSW, let this tale suffice. In the 21 years that I have been attending concerts the one thing that I have always ached to see, but never have, is a true encore. Without fail, once the planned encore ends, every crowd immediately shuffles off like lemmings, leaving the very intoxicated and consciousness-expanded few to scream fruitlessly for more. When Potter and the Nocturnals finished their set, few left the Courtyard. Even though the curfew had passed, the band upstairs and the power turned off, the crowd howled for more. Potter came back to the stage, seemingly questioning whether they could heed the request for "one more song" only to be told no. Over the protests of the venue's staff, Tournet came running down the stairs with an acoustic guitar and he had Potter played a brief but rollicking "Mystery Train." With Potter spilling her whiskey while she bopped and sang next to Tournet, the two played what has to be every musician's dream – a true encore. In talking with Matt Burr after the show, he said that it's every band's desire to kill at SXSW. Well, Potter & The Nocturnals didn't kill at SXSW – they devastated it.

Friday – March 16

Running from show to show, it can become easy to lose the forest for the trees so Friday was spent making an effort to soak up the SXSW atmosphere. Starting the day by catching our friends The States making some new fans at Darwin's Pub on Sixth Street, we lingered to catch the Tyrone Vaughan Band. The son or nephew of Stevie Ray Vaughan, which also implicates Fabulous Thunderbird Jimmy Vaughan's genes, Tyrone showed the power of good breeding, leading his foursome through some nice Texas style blues-rock.

Possessing vague directions to Antone's, Jeff and I progressed to our only intended destination for the day, the EMI Publishing party featuring Robert Randolph & The Family Band. Given Randolph's stature and our perception of where he was playing, we imagined the "Hendrix of the pedal steel" to be playing an outdoor locale. Arriving at the cozy confines of Antone's, we were overjoyed to merge with the excited crowd bopping along to Randolph's funkified gospel and soul. Remaining firmly entrenched behind his pedal steel, the low stage allowed Randolph to play inches from the front of the crowd. The intimate surroundings also allowed the personable Randolph to play around a bit: during an instrumental version of Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something," he invited people from the audience to handle lead guitar and he made sure that a group of young kids right up front not only had a fun but also had a memorable afternoon. Due to the unexpected absence of Marcus Randolph, The Family Band welcomed Vinnie Amici of moe. who sat in with the band on short notice. As SXSW provides such a limited opportunity to present each band's skills, Amici's inclusion into the Family Band brought a bit of the communal, lets-see-what-happens spirit more commonly found at jamband festivals than SXSW. While the musicians are all enormously supportive of each other, once on the stage, the artists have to sink or swim on their own at SXSW.

Later that evening over at Stubbs Ampitheater, Tom Morello stole the show and 99% of the crowd in attendance never knew it occurred. Starting on Stubbs' interior basement stage within seconds of Badly Drawn Boy closing his set on the main stage with Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Morello, formerly of Audioslave and past and presently of Rage Against The Machine, played an impassioned half-hour acoustic set chilling in its political acuity and directness. Making reference to the appearance of Slash at his set at The Parish the night before, Morello immediately informed the intimate assemblage that this evening it would be just be him, The Nightwatchman, before tearing into his six song set. Like an even more pissed off Johnny Cash, Morello previewed songs from his upcoming album, One Man Revolution, and resurrected "Guerilla Radio” for those who won't be able to "scale the walls at Coachella." In song, Morello gave voice to the economically disadvantaged and politically disenfranchised with lyrics calling for the President to drown the next time a Southern levee breaks. Pity George Bush that his leadership has awakened the slumbering beast that is Rage Against The Machine. If Morello's performance at Stubbs is any indication of the fire fueling the upcoming reunion, Rage Against The Machine are about to become the most dangerous band on the planet.

Morello's performance was tucked between sets of a Friday showcase that featured Perry Farrell's Satellite Party, Andrew Bird, Pete & the Pirates, Badly Drawn Boy and his fellow British brethren The Good, The Bad & The Queen. Farrell's latest project, featuring former Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, pieced together a nicely varied set that flaunted the mocking tone that greeted the project's recent album. Farrell's voice and image have matured over the years but one thing hasn’t changed: he still imagines himself one sexy beast.

Gorgeously playing traditional violin as much as treating the delicate instrument like a guitar, the multi-talented Andrew Bird, whose band included another multi-instrumental talent, Martin Dosh, drew waves of appreciation for his quirky, ambient repertoire. Before diving into every 80s music fans wet dream of a finale, Badly Drawn Boy pulled a couple Ryan Adams diva stoppages and showed a feisty edge that you wouldn't imagine from his music.

The night's headliner, The Good, The Bad & The Queen came across as the most polished arena-friendly act but over the course of their hour on stage, nothing seemed to take hold. Damon Albarn's latest "supergroup" never seemed to do anything really super. Damon Albarn moved between the keyboards and center stage but never seemed to captivate the crowd. The efforts of Clash bassist Paul Simonon, Verve guitarist Simon Tong and drummer Tony Allen can't be faulted but given the firepower at their disposal, their performance came off mundane.

Saturday – March 17

I tiredly and ruefully make my way out of Austin on a midday flight back to New York City. As I relaxed before my flight with a cup of coffee and a breakfast taco (no McMuffins, 8 places selling breakfast tacos: go figure), the scope of the SXSW Festival hit me like Pete Townshend's guitar nailing an unsuspecting amp: even the airport had a showcase.

All total, I caught roughly 30 of the 1300 bands that played here over my 3 1/2 days in Austin ...and not once did I hear anyone cover "Crazy." There is hope for us all.

Labels: Cold War Kids, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Robert Randolph, SXSW, The States, Tom Morello

James Blunt's latest hit is a person. Blunt, with his beauty Petra Nemcova, ran over an autograph seeker in Hollywood the other night. The "fan" seemed to have some possible injuries to his leg and foot, no doubt making lawyers all over L.A. salivate at the prospect of suing a chart topper.

Portishead, who've seemed to be in the studio as nearly long as Axl Rose (ok, not that long) performed a live short set last night. Geoff Barrow was scheduled to DJ at a club, but surprised the crowds when he and his band mates jumped on stage for a couple of songs. A message on their Myspace page indicates some 2007 deadlines for the new music. Maybe they'll get their disc out before Chinese Democracy!

MP3 and Video offerings:
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals: Mystery Train (mp3) / (video)
Dr. Dog (new record in stores today!): Alaska
Field Music: Sit Tight (mp3) and In Context (video)
The Old Soul: River of Daughters (video)
Lost in the Trees: I've Always Loved the Fall and Tall Trees.

If you're in NYC tonight, swing by Pennang on the Upper West Side to see Kierstin Gray. I've been a fan since May 2005 and the rest of the world is starting to catch up.

Chris Cornell, recently departed from Audioslave, is set to release his new solo record on May 1st. The disc will include a cover of Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean." No word on whether Cornell will don a white glove when performing the song.

Labels: Chris Cornell, Dr. Dog, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, James Blunt, Kierstin Gray, Mp3s, Portishead

We here at Earvolution have decided that the Best Albums of 2006 idea has probably run its course. Let's be honest, you don't need us to tell you that Bob Dylan, The Raconteurs and Pearl Jam put out great albums; that The Hold Steady, Cold War Kids and Wolfmother had breakout years and Gnarls Barkley put out the Song of 2006.

What we can do for you is list, in no particular order, a handful of albums that though worthy, many not have received the attention they deserved.

U-Melt: The I's Mind

U-Melt spent 2006 establishing themselves as one of the hardest-working bands on the jamband touring scene. Shortening the solos, U-Melt successfully brought the fun and intensity of their live shows into the studio. Zac Lasher talked to Earvolution about the new album and more here.




Tea Leaf Green: Rock 'N' Roll Band

A companion to the identically titled DVD, Tea Leaf Green's live album gave long time fans a high-quality audio version of the San Francisco rockers' best songs and offered new listeners a perfect introduction to their sound. More on the DVD/CD releases here and our exclusive "embedded" weekend interview with TLG from the Dave Matthews Randalls Island Getaway is here.





Block: The Last Single Guy

The star-crossed love child of Beck and Lou Reed, the New York singer-songwriter poetically captures the fading beauty of the Big Apple, ruing the day that Avenue A turned into a "punk theme park." Read our full album review here.





Willy Porter: Available Light

Born of loss, Porter celebrates life on Available Light. Containing a nice dose of Porter's inimitable guitar, it's his songwriting, especially on the post September 11 elegy "One More September," that stands out. Check out our full album review here.




Carolina Chocolate Drops: Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind

The sounds of the Carolina foothills as channeled through a trio of twenty-somethings that know the era only through history books . . . and their mentor, legendary fiddler Joe Thompson.

More on the album here.




Grace Potter & The Nocturnals: Nothing But The Water

How can you not love a girl who demands her J.J. Cale records back from her ex? And, who looks better in an Earvolution t-shirt? Technically a 2005 release, this album got the remastering and rereleasing treatment for 2006. Anchored by a transcendent title track, Potter & The Nocturnals get bluesy, funky and little gospel on their debut disc. More on the band here.



Foundry Fields Recordings: prompts/miscues

Bleak musings on a post-apocalyptic future never sounded so enjoyable. Front man Billy Schuh's airy voice gives even the direst of visions an optimistic slant.

More on the album here.




Radio Birdman: Zeno Beach

Australia's version of The Ramones wakes from a lengthy slumber and comes up with one of the freshest albums of the year. The veteran rockers crisp, in-your-face songs prove that hard driving rock isn't solely the province of the young.

More on the album here.





Vernon Reid & Masque: Other True Self

Exploring jazz, funk and avant-garde, Reid brings the rock instrumental album out of the doldrums. With Leon Gruenbaum alongside, Masque interprets Depeche Mode and Radiohead and give life to Reid's excellent originals. Vernon Reid spoke to Earvolution about the album and much more here.

Labels: Block, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Foundry Field Recordings, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Masque, Radio Birdman, Tea Leaf Green, U-Melt, Vernon Reid, Willy Porter