By: David Schultz

Right about the midway point of their first of three shows at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom, The Black Crowes became a full fledged jamband. With lead singer Chris Robinson pitching in on guitar, his brother Rich Robinson and Luther Dickinson ambled down “Shakedown Street” with a Grateful Dead influenced jam, moved full steam into a lengthy section based around “Bo Diddley” and toyed with some “Third Stone From The Sun” cascades before easing into “Thorn In My Pride.” In total, the Crowes’ fanciful flight lasted for nearly half an hour and their glorious execution of the various segueways tipped their hand that we weren’t dealing with any rookies here. Never ones to shy from extending a song to its limit, Monday night’s session crossed the line that separates bands who like to add a little relish to a song from those who take it wherever it may lead. It may have irked those who prefer a more song-oriented setlist but for those who found great joy in the extended odysseys of the Grateful Dead, this version of The Black Crowes was simply nirvana.

While the Crowes didn’t exactly repeat the feat the next night, they did demonstrate a serious bent towards pushing the boundaries of their songs. On Monday, “Thorn In My Pride” veered askew before triumphantly returning home and on Tuesday night, “My Morning Song” similarly digressed. Dickinson, the newest Crowe by way of the North Mississippi Allstars, sits at the center of the Crowes free-form resurgence, resuming the same easy interplay with Rich Robinson that they had while playing together in Circle Sound. Well past the feeling out process, Dickinson handled the majority of the guitar leads, adding his own take to Crowe standards like “Sister Luck” and “Twice As Hard.” Dickinson lights a feisty fire under the Robinson brothers and is pushing the Crowes to playing their most vital rock and roll in years.

Owing in part to the release of Warpaint, their first new studio album in seven years, the Crowes are reinvigorated. In line with Lions and Three Snakes And A Charm, Warpaint’s bongwater soaked rock and roll takes on new life when the Crowes play them live. For Tuesday night’s show, they emerged to Adam McDougall’s sustained “Rain Song” keyboard riff to “Movin’ On Down The Line” with Robinson softly crooning that “it’s alright sisters, it’s alright, brothers.” Rather than sounding like a throwaway intro to a song, it served as a benediction, welcoming the assembly to the rebirth of a band that’s stayed true to their beliefs and followed their own muse, even when it removed them from the mainstream. Over the first two nights, “Walk Believer Walk” moved with a mighty stomping beat as did “God’s Got It,” for which Steve Gorman came to the front of the stage with don a gigantic marching band bass drum. “Locust Street” and “Wounded Bird,” a song with which they seem particularly enamored, had that smoldering fervor that fueled the Crowes early work and “Goodbye Daughters Of The Revolution” and “Oh, Josephine” simply rocked.

Dancing like a hairier and more agile version of Mick Jagger, Chris Robinson exudes the aura of the old school rock and roll singers. While it didn’t show on the quick runs through older material like their cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard To Handle,” Robinson is hardly bored with the Crowes’ standards. On warhorses like “No Speak No Slave,” “Sometimes Salvation” and “Jealous Again,” Robinson commits himself and delivers with the same conviction as he did nearly two decades ago. Even after all this time, those songs still resonate with meaning and when he’s feeling the spirit, Robinson invokes the gospel like no other singer.

Chris Robinson’s memory notwithstanding, the Crowes historic run of shows at the Hammerstein in 2005 was memorable as most people never expected to see the Crowes reunite. After three years on the road playing for their ever-loyal fans, the Crowes returning to the Hammerstein for another memorable run as as one of the world’s most vital and essential rock and roll bands was equally unexpected.

Labels: Live Reviews, The Black Crowes

By: David Schultz

In November of 2006, Marco Benevento took to playing weekly shows on New York City’s Lower East Side, setting up residence at the now-defunct Tonic. Using the stage as his laboratory, Benevento geared each show towards playing unrehearsed sets of primarily improvised music. At the time of the Tonic residency, very few people were aware of the nightclub’s impending closure and Benevento’s Live At Tonic now serves as a testimonial for the venue’s final days in much the same way Robert Randolph & The Family Band’s Live At Wetlands acts as that venue’s aural shrine. If Benevento’s set of Tonic shows marked the death throes of one venue, his latest at New York City’s Sullivan Hall marks the birth – or rather rebirth – of another.

For the month of January, Benevento will be synonymous with Thursdays at the newly christened Sullivan Hall. Although the name has changed, Sullivan Hall still retains the same look and feel as The Lion’s Den, albeit with a renovated stage, freshly lacquered floors and a vastly improved sound system. The new name took effect with the New Year. Only two days after U-Melt played the first notes and Tea Leaf Green headlined the first show, Benevento began Sullivan Hall’s first residency, sharing the stage with trumpeter Steven Bernstein, drummer Bobby Previte and DJ Olive.

Whether it’s with Joe Russo as the Benevento/Russo Duo or on his own, what makes any show involving Benevento so much fun is his willingness to just get on stage and see what happens. Even more entertaining, he gets other musicians to accept the challenge with him. This past Thursday, Night #2 of the residency, Benevento’s announced guests were Russo and guitarist Brad Barr of The Slip but by the time the show finished, the trio had doubled with singer Sonya Kitchell, saxophonist John Ellis and Slip drummer Andrew Barr all lending a hand.

With a grand piano at his disposal, Benevento led Russo and Barr through a breezy hour long first set. The three moved gracefully through some jazzy and classical melodies while stopping every so often to dip their toes into some funk or classic rock. In addition to offering a complete version of The Duo’s “Sunny’s Song,” they touched on Traffic’s “Glad” as well as some Stevie Wonder licks. As fans of The Duo are well aware, Benevento and Russo are masterful at creating an ocean of sound with just a keyboard and drums. Shedding their familiar Duo roles, they explored other musical areas leaving acres of room open for Barr. The Slip guitarist, who played the set with a bouquet of flowers sticking out of the neck of his guitar, animatedly moved around the stage, helping Benevento out at one point by playfully fanning the cover of the piano. Unfortunately, just as they seemed to really get rolling, they shut it all down for a set break.

The lengthy intermission provided a mixed blessing. Those who felt the pressing need to get some rest before the following work day fled into the night, noticeably thinning the crowd. However, when Benevento, Russo and Barr returned with Ellis in tow and began to tear the house down, there was room to move about and groove along with the band. Sometime after 1:00 a.m., Benevento launched into the rolling melody of Jane’s Addiction’s “Summertime Blues,” staying there for quite a while as Kitchell and Brad Barr’s brother Andrew hit the stage. At this point, a garage-style jam session broke out. With Kitchell ad libbing and scatting along the way, they eased into a fantastic rendition of “Can’t Find My Home” and a rollicking version of “Lucille.”

With so many musicians winging it at the same time, the last fifteen minutes of the show were the sloppiest of the night. However, what was lost in tightness was gained back in the spontaneity and inspired communal lunacy of the effort. In quickly talking to Brad Barr after the show, the guitarist seemed a bit unsure how to describe the closing moments of the show. I thought it could be summed up in one word: fun.

Benevento has three more shows left as part of the Sullivan Hall residency: January 17th will feature Galactic drummer Stanton Moore and Slip bassist Marc Friedman and January 24th will have drummers Billy Martin and Calvin Weston and saxophonist Skerik. The last night, January 31st, will double as a CD release party for his latest solo album Invisible Baby. For the occasion, Benevento will be joined by the ridiculously talented Reed Mathis and Slip drummer Andrew Barr.

Labels: Live Reviews, Marco Benevento

By: David Schultz

With the world hanging on every bit of news as to Led Zeppelin’s future plans, which may or may not include a tour with The Cult and a headlining spot at Bonnaroo, New York’s attention recently focused on another English blues band from that era: Jethro Tull. The mania accompanying Led Zep’s return may have been missing but Tull’s return to the Big Apple gave reasonable cause for excitement. Even though Tull’s motivating force, flautist Ian Anderson, has played a couple solo shows in the interim, Tull’s return this past Sunday night for a sold-out show at the Hammerstein Ballroom marked the first true NYC Tull performance in more than 4 years. When compared to Anderson’s solo shows, the songs may remain relatively the same but unless you have guitarist Martin Barre, you don’t have Jethro Tull. Since forming in the late 60s, Tull has gone through many iterations and combinations but until recently the lineup had remained relatively stable. Although Doane Perry remains behind the drums, a seat he’s held for more than 20 years, the band is now completed with newcomers John O’Hara (keyboards) and David Goodier (bass).

After opening with an acoustic rendition of “Someday The Sun Won’t Shine For You,” Anderson led the band through a set that touched on electric blues (“Nothing Is Easy”), complex progressive rock suites (“My God” and “Budapest”) and baroque chamber pieces (the concert staple “Bouree”). No longer a band that desires to blow out your eardrums, Tull’s best moments occurred on quieter pieces that stressed Anderson’s brilliant skills as a classical flautist; his exquisite version of Benefit’s “Reasons For Waiting” being one of the major highlights of the evening. The Hammerstein show featured everything you’ve come to expect from a Jethro Tull show . . . and in some ways that proved disappointing. First though, a bit of background.

Along with wearing out a cassette of the “Top 15” of WNEW’s mid 80s countdown of the top 1027 rock and roll songs of all time (an initial effort that inadvertently omitted “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Free Bird” due to an alleged computer error), my real awakening to classic rock occurred when my uncle made me a tape of Jethro Tull’s Thick As A Brick. One listen to the 45 minute song spread out over two album sides and I was hooked. Tull’s concept album served as a gateway to popular Tull fare like Aqualung and Songs From The Wood as well as lesser-known but equally revelatory albums like A Passion Play and Minstrel In The Gallery. Once I got my first CD player, it was just a matter of time before my collection contained each and every Tull album, including the dreadfully synthesized Under Wraps (even though “Lap Of Luxury” totally rocked). Classic rock radio only scratches the surface of the depths of Tull’s exceptional body of work.

I count myself among Jethro Tull’s biggest fans and ardent supporters. As such, it pains me that they are no longer relevant. Over a thirty year stretch spanning 1968 through 1999, Tull recorded more than twenty albums of original material, amassing a back catalog that rivals their classic rock brethren in the Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers Band. Unfortunately, over the last five or six years, Tull has taken to the road with what seems to the same dozen songs to complement obligatory renditions of “Locomotive Breath,” “Aqualung” and “Thick As A Brick.” An exceedingly large majority of Tull’s fan base possess a near encyclopedic knowledge of Tull’s history and back catalog. In repeatedly trotting out the same set of warhorses like “My Sunday Feeling” and “Living In The Past,” beloved as they may be, Tull misses the opportunity to mine the treasure trove that is at their disposal and truly give their avid fans, which is pretty much who they are playing to, something memorable. Since they’ve ceased creating original music, Tull’s modus operandi involves sporadic appearances in various regions. In doing so, they don’t have to worry about wholesale changes to the set list as they aren’t coming close to saturating any specific territory. It’s frustrating that Tull has the ability, but apparently not the willingness, to take up a residency, radically shake up their set lists and provide concert experiences that can be rivaled by only a few.

When Phil Lesh, Bob Weir or the Allmans take the stage, they strive to reinvent material from all phases of their lengthy careers; to the ecstatic glee of their fans, they continuously resurrect songs otherwise delegated to the deep cuts station of satellite radio. At the Hammerstein, Tull showed a willingness and aptitude for deconstructing their old material. With a major assist from the Calliandra String Quartet, they turned in a gorgeous orchestral adaptation of “Songs From The Wood” and in the same manner as Anderson’s solo shows, offered a reinvention of “Aqualung” that only briefly replicated the version heard daily on classic rock radio. About ¼ of Tull’s Hammerstein show came from Anderson’s recent solo tour, in which he incorporated strings into many of Tull’s familiar arrangements. In addition to the revamped and jazzier “Aqualung,” Anderson also brought his prog-rocked version of Leonard Bernstein’s “America” and a baroque style arrangement of “King Henry’s Madrigal.” For anyone who wasn’t experiencing Tull for the first time, there wasn’t much new to see or hear. Not that seeing Ian Anderson and Martin Barre do what they do best isn’t entertaining, it’s just that they are clearly capable of more.

Tull’s timeless music bridges centuries as well as genres. In their prime, they were just as prone to play solid English blues as they were to drift off into a medieval melody or a chamber piece from the 1600s. In many ways, these eccentricities have made Tull a vastly under appreciated band. Even though they have been eligible for quite some time, they never seem to be under consideration for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that their initial forays into progressive rock paved the road for a diverse array of modern day prog-rock bands like The Decemberists, The Mars Volta and Umphrey’s McGee. With his tongue partially in cheek, Anderson will often crack wise about Tull’s lack of new material and people’s willingness to spend their money on their frequent reissues and relatively high-priced tickets. Like most humor though, there is a kernel of truth hidden within. In keeping things relatively static, Anderson and by extension Tull come across as happily complacent. They are missing an opportunity to recapture a legacy that is rightfully theirs and attract a whole new generation of fans to their music. It’s something their fans spend time trying to do for them; it would be nice if they showed the same interest.

Labels: Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull, Live Reviews

By: David Schultz
Photo Credit: "Joy and Misery"

From the time they released their first EP, Cold War Kids have found themselves warmly embraced by the ever-critical network of music blogs that are always on the hunt for the next big thing. You would be hard pressed to find a band that would willingly thumb their nose at the effusive praise the blogosphere can generate but while the benefits can be tremendous, lurking underneath is a knotty conundrum. In the new wired community, a band can, and often does, amass a fervent and outspoken fan base long before the mainstream catches on. What’s a band to do while waiting for the rest of the world to get on board? If they continue on with the same songs and stage show that originally got them noticed, they risk incurring the wrath of their current fans who will grumble about the band getting stale and, if they have short attention spans, abruptly move on. On the other hand, if they evolve too quickly, newer fans never get exposed to the experience that generated the buzz in the first place and are left wondering what the big fuss was ever about.

A cerebral and thoughtful band, the Cold War Kids have created the blueprint on how to traverse this relatively uncharted territory. About a year and a half ago, I was turned on to the CWK by a friend (who will love this acknowledgment of his role and likely never let me forget it now that it’s in print) and first saw them in the summer of 2006 when they opened a Tapes ‘n Tapes headlined indie-rock bill at the Bowery Ballroom. Cramming two hours worth of energy into a half hour set, bassist Matt Maust and guitarist Jonnie Russell prowled the stage like angry bulls and drummer Matt Aviero pounded everything within his reach all while lead singer Nathan Willett channeled Joe Cocker’s singing style. Since that initial exposure to Biola University’s most rockin’ if not most identifiable alumni, they’ve made New York City home to a dual coast winter residency, turned in a “destination” set at SXSW, returned to the Bowery Ballroom as a headliner for three sold-out shows over a long Easter weekend and made their Madison Square Garden debut opening for Muse. Each time I’ve seen them, I’ve been struck with how they’ve matured as a band and grown as performers without losing one iota of the earnest zeal that make their exciting live shows so fulfilling.

Having outgrown the Bowery Ballroom, the Cold War Kids moved into the roomier Webster Hall for a pair of shows this past weekend. The grander stage afforded them the ability to spread out and resulted in drummer Matt Aviero sitting perched upon a raised drum kit set back a bit from the action. In an effort to counteract the loss of intimacy unavoidable in larger rooms, the Kids played the majority of their show with muted lighting, preferring to let the music, not their personas, fill the space. With recorded chatter playing over the speakers, they walked onto the stage in complete darkness, easing into “Pregnant.” The lights slowly brightened as the languid and dreamy version of the song unfolded. For “Robbers,” they once again worked in the dark, using only three flashlights for illumination. In directing the high powered beams into the audience they created a spectral mood that perfectly captured the song’s uneasy noirish undercurrent. Poet Derrick Brown also lent a hand: his cadence and wordplay a natural and seamless extension of the Cold War Kids’ literate leanings.

Playing before a gigantic banner incorporating Matt Maust’s collage-style artwork, the Kids delivered patient and unhurried versions of “We Used To Vacation,” “Passing The Hat” and “Hospital Beds.” Their measured performance lacked the manic randomness that normally accompanies their shows. Noticeably, Maust and Russell seemed to reign themselves in. They didn’t lose any of their passion. However, they weren’t engaging in their customary headlong reckless romps across the stage. Rather than a sign of laziness, I think it demonstrates a growing maturity and a desire to focus on the music.

Speaking of music, as they always do, the Cold War Kids delivered. Keeping things fresh, they went well beyond Robbers & Cowards, their spectacular debut release and their ninety minute set breezed by all too quickly. They tipped their hat to their past by touching on “Don’t Let Your Love Grow Away From Me,” acknowledged the present with the soulful “Every Valley Is Not A Lake” and offered a glimpse of the future with a number of new songs that ranged from the U2 sounding “Dreams Old Men Dream” and “Look Out For Love” to the set-closing Velvet Underground tinged “Something Is Wrong With Me.” Willett, who can channel Randy Newman’s drawl, Sam Cooke’s soul and, in a less gruff manner, Tom Waits’ matter-of-fact whiskey-soaked piano troubadour, added Bono style crooning to his list of accomplishments.

The Cold War Kids are walking the tightrope between their old and new fans with the grace and skill of a Flying Wallenda, rapidly moving forward without forgetting what got them to this point. Whether it be Russell wailing away with a maraca on a solitary cymbal placed on a wooden table through “We Used To Vacation,” Maust sending the audience into a frenzy with the opening bass line of “Hang Me Out To Dry” or the now traditional emptying of the backstage area for a calamitous run through “Saint John,” the Cold War Kids are perpetuating their own mythology at the same rate at which they’re creating it.

Labels: Cold War Kids, Live Reviews

By: David Schultz

In their glory days, a multiple night run of Grateful Dead shows at Madison Square Garden used to change the landscape of New York City. Deadheads from all over would flock to the City in droves and throw a tie-dyed gloss over the entire area. The days of the Dead may be a thing of the past but the spirit lives on with Phil Lesh & Friends, who are currently in the middle of a ten night residency at Times Square’s Nokia Theater.

Hardly content to rest on his laurels as the Dead’s bassist, Lesh has become a classic rock Godfather of sorts, keeping the Dead’s sizable catalog vital by assembling first rate musicians to serve as his Friends. If fans come for a nostalgic trip with Uncle Phil through “Sugar Magnolia” and “Uncle John’s Band,” they are leaving with a new found awareness of the musicians guiding their way. In bringing Larry Campbell, Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz and John Molo together for this current tour, Lesh has put together a band that is the perfect mix of veteran musicianship and young blood.

The two week long residency has just passed its midway point. As Phil & Friends hit the homestretch of the New York run that will close out their seven week long U.S. tour, some short and possibly scattered thoughts and observations.

Larry Campbell has become a true caretaker of classic rock. In playing with Bob Dylan, Levon Helm as well as Lesh, the smooth-playing guitarist has been entrusted with a sizable share of treasured riffs and leads. He is also just as capable with the violin, pedal steel, mandolin and practically anything else with strings.

“Jackie Greene is just like a young Bob Dylan,” says Maggie Campbell with confidence. Larry’s mother knows her stuff; plus, she once accompanied Dylan to the Grammy Awards, so I’m going to give her opinion quite a bit of weight. Wearing a fedora style hat and playing with his guitar slightly askew, the 26-year-old consistently justified Mrs. Campbell’s belief in his unlimited potential. On Monday night, Greene simply made “Sugaree” his own, offering a staggeringly powerful first set closing version that left people awestruck at the young guitarist’s maturity.

The success of keeping Ryan Adams’ guest appearances a secret arose from the fact that hardly anyone knew he was coming until he arrived at the theater. Since jamming with Lesh on “Wharf Rat” at the 2005 Jammys, Lesh and Adams have formed a bit of mutual admiration society with Adams keeping “Wharf Rat” in his repertoire and Lesh often inserting an Adams song or two into his setlists. His inclusion provided some wonderfully improvised moments as well as a couple confused ones. To Adams’ credit, he ran through “Eyes Of The World” with Greene backstage only minutes before taking the stage and handling the song like he’d known it all his life.

On Friday night, Molitz was an iron man. After nearly four hours on stage at the Nokia, Molitz hustled a few blocks south to meet up with Particle for an after-hours gig at the Highline Ballroom. None the worse for wear, Molitz shifted gears and entered into full bore jamtronica mode and helped guide Josh Clark from Tea Leaf Green through his first full gig with Particle as they played well into the night. Originally believed to be a one-off gig, Particle announced that Clark would be joining them for the majority of their month long winter tour. Particle’s show also featured an appearance from Marty Ylitalo, New Monsoon’s former drummer. Fresh off his first appearance with the Blue Man Group, the newly bald drummer came onstage for a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Young Lust” and remained onstage sharing the drums with Darren Pujalet for the lengthy jam that ensued.

One thing that makes Phil & Friends shows so much fun is that Lesh doesn’t limit the set lists to Dead songs. Although Lesh cobbles his set lists primarily from the Grateful Dead catalog, he is quite expansive with them. Friday night included an electric version of “Midnight Rider,” an acoustic run through “Dead Flowers” and with Teresa Williams and Amy Helm providing the proper disembodied vocals, Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse.” On Monday, with Molitz and Greene providing a double keyboard assault, Campbell belted out a fantastic version of The Band’s “Chest Fever,” establishing that someone other than Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson actually knows the words to the song.

For a bunch of thoughts on the first half of the Phil & Friends residency, Phil Lesh’s name seems undermentioned (as is John Molo’s, who deserves more than the casual mention I’ve given him). It’s emblematic of the fact that Lesh has surrounded himself with musicians who are every bit equal to the task of keeping up with one of the forefathers of improvisational rock and roll. Even though his name is above the ampersand, Lesh exhibits not one shred of ego, graciously allowing his star to provide light for his Friends to shine.

Labels: Jackie Greene, Larry Campbell, Live Reviews, Particle, Phil Lesh, Ryan Adams

By: David Schultz

Thomas Edison, Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi (arguably) notwithstanding, New Jersey is a State that typically does better with things created elsewhere. The football teams that play there originated in New York and still bear the Empire State’s name and the New Jersey Devils won their three Stanley Cups after coming east from Colorado. Even though they formed in a State not known for any distinctive style of music, New Jersey’s Railroad Earth has so immersed themselves in Americana, bluegrass and folk style music, you wouldn’t be faulted for thinking they hailed from Kentucky or Tennessee. A pillar of the “newgrass” movement, Railroad Earth returned to The Fillmore at Irving Plaza this past Saturday night, combining with Old School Freight Train for an evening of country tinged, upscale folk rock.

Mainly due to efforts of John Skehan (mandolin), Johnny Grubb (standup bass), Andy Goessling (banjo, lap steel and more) and Corey Harmon (drums), it’s not immediately evident that everyone in Railroad Earth plays an acoustic instrument. However, their instrumental choices surely don’t hinder them while they touch upon timeless musical themes. For stretches of the show, all that was missing from making it the most happening barn dance in town was a liberal sprinkling of sawdust on the floor. Tim Carbone, the shaggiest violin player you may ever come across, skillfully pulled the crowd in many directions. When the spotlight shines on guitarist and lead vocalist Todd Sheaffer, Carbone provides a poignant, sometimes melancholic, counterpoint. At other times, he brings the crowd to its boiling point, giving a hoedown atmosphere to instrumental raves like “Old Dangerfield” and “Ragtime Annie Lee.”

On “Head,” a song Sheaffer brought with him from his prior band, From Good Homes, Railroad Earth blends their various influences and creates a mood that might be best described as psychedelic country. From Carbone’s locomotive opening fiddle riff through his duel with Skehan on mandolin, it’s the one song that perfectly captures the wide range of Railroad Earth’s possibilities. In bringing out Neal Casal of Ryan Adams’ Cardinals, they incorporated an electric guitar into their mix, offering a rowdy rendition of “Dandelion Wine” and a soulful reading of Neil Young’s “Powderfinger.”

It might be easy to pigeonhole Railroad Earth as a country band; it would also be highly misleading. They are as much a country band as the Grateful Dead, The Band or any other group that draws inspiration from homegrown Americana styles. Railroad Earth’s folk and bluegrass drenched music are part of a larger tradition, which has survived by being passed down to each successive generation. The Fillmore’s audience this past Saturday night contained a healthy dose of college age kids who reveled in musical styles that cynics would say they have no interest in. In other words, Railroad Earth are making sure that the circle remains unbroken.

Labels: Live Reviews, Railroad Earth

Labels: Drive By Truckers, Live Reviews

Labels: Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Live Reviews, Robert Randolph

Labels: Live Reviews, The National

Labels: Benzos, Live Reviews

Labels: Live Reviews, Michael Franti

Philadelphia, PA
October 3, 2007

by Jim McCoy.

The long-awaited and much-delayed concert reunion of David Lee Roth with the brothers Van Halen rolled into Philadelphia for two shows this week, the band now “three-quarters original and one-quarter inevitable,” as Roth stated in alluding to the addition of the teenage Wolfgang Van Halen on bass. Although long-time fans lamented the dismissal of Michael Anthony from the band after over 20 years playing everywhere from small clubs to sold-out stadiums with Eddie and Alex, much of the disappointment with the line-up change dissipated after the quartet took the stage on Wednesday night.

Eddie Van Halen looks like you would expect a man who has battled cancer and multiple addictions to look as he enters his fifties. No one can question, however, that Eddie still plays his guitar like he is three decades younger and the perma-grin is still there on his face at every turn. The infamous ‘brown sound’ guitar tone that made its debut on 1978’s Van Halen remains unchanged, but Van Halen’s uncanny virtuosity prevents him- and the entire band, for that matter- from sounding like an aging retread still mired in Eighties. His distortion is loud, clear and pure with the just the right touch from the MXR phaser that characterized his early sound. His fingers still fly all over the fretboard, he still plays inspired licks that twist and turn on unforeseen and unpredictable intervals, and he is still capable of bringing an entire arena to its feet with one devastating power chord and a few tugs on the whammy bar. He ripped through his solos and made it look effortless, from ‘I’m the One’ to ‘Mean Street’ to the keyboard-laden ‘I’ll Wait’ from 1984. His solo spot included the tapped-harmonic intro from ‘Women in Love,’ ‘Cathedral’ in its entirety and the classic ‘Eruption.’ He wasn’t straying too far from familiar territory there, but it was all played perfectly and eaten up by the crowd.

David Lee Roth isn’t jumping from drum risers and stacks of amplifiers any longer (say what you will about the short-lived Gary Cherone, but he put on a very energetic stage performance), but any questions as to whether his voice is still up to task were answered early. It is. He took the band through a set list that included all the classics, both well-known (‘Panama’ and ‘Pretty Woman’) and lesser known (‘So This is Love?’ and ‘Beautiful Girls’) interspersed with some gems that the true diehards could really appreciate, such as ‘Romeo Delight’ from Women and Children First and ‘Little Dreamer’ from the debut album. He is still a performer and entertainer, but is not in competition with the music and the other rock legends on the stage. He even took some time to tell a few funny (and nostalgic) stories from his pre-Van Halen days as a teenager in California while fingerpicking a bluesy 7th chord on his acoustic guitar before launching into ‘Ice Cream Man’ with the full band. Roth and Eddie also shared a few hugs on stage, with Roth seeming genuinely amazed while watching the guitar master at work on stage again after their two decade hiatus.

Wolfgang Van Halen looks as if he was just plucked from a group of kids smoking cigarettes outside the high school cafeteria and suddenly placed on stage in front of 20,000 screaming fans. He seems very much in awe of the whole experience, but he held the bass down competently and his backing vocals with his father were stellar and remained true to the sound of the Roth-era albums. In an age where an over-the-top stage show still isn’t enough for some fans, it was refreshing to see a smiling kid simply having a good time with his dad while pounding out the hits. It may only have been three-quarters of the original band on stage, but 75% of the vintage Van Halen still graded out as an ‘A’ on this early test from the 2007 tour.

Labels: Live Reviews, Van Halen

By: David Schultz

Even though it was only two months ago, it seems like ages since Okkervil River released their refreshingly articulate and heartfelt fourth album, The Stage Names So it goes with our accelerated culture, we rush to laud lavish praise upon an artist and just as quickly move on to the next talented group that catches our fancy. With Okkervil River, it feels like we’ve moved past them a little too quickly. A little less trivia-oriented than their last New York appearance (in opening for Lou Reed this past April, they became the first artist to perform on the HighLine Ballroom stage), the Austin-affiliated band returned to New York City this past Friday for a headlining stint at Webster Hall.

With singer and songwriter Will Sheff and keyboardist Jonathan Meiburg acting as anchors, Okkervil River’s lineup has evolved slowly. Over the past couple years they have solidified into their current six piece with Brian Cassidy (guitar), Patrick Pestorius (bass), Scott Beckett (trumpet/keys) and Travis Nelson (drums) rounding out the group. Although they wore their rough edges proudly at Webster Hall, they seemed like a band that’s just hitting their stride.

If a great deal of Sheff’s lyrics didn’t paint a portrait of an uncertain soul whose constantly disappointed in his search for meaningful interpersonal contact, the slight awkwardness Sheff exhibits on stage would seem a tad affected. To the contrary, Sheff puts himself out there, finding solace in the release of the song. Singing with an emotionally naked voice, Sheff gives you an idea of what Robert Smith would sound like had he stopped whining or even what Morrissey could have done if he just got over himself. In another era, Okkervil River might have been tempted to follow the path of The Cure or The Smiths and wallow in self-pitying moody anthems. In this one, Sheff confronts his uncertainties head on with a dry Ray Davies style analysis and Okkervil River bottles the resultant energy into slowly building tunes that ultimately burst free from their restraints.

The eighty minute set primarily revolved around its singer/songwriter. Sheff is wordy fellow and he packs a good deal of verbiage into his often alliterative lyrics. He also has a pretty sharp wit; their opening number, “Plus Ones,” makes reference to such inanities as the 51st way to leave your lover, the fourth time a lady and that elusive 100th luftballoon. A great number of the songs centered on Sheff’s vocals and distorted acoustic guitar with Beckett offering plaintive backing on his trumpet and Cassidy contributing nice contrasts on his guitar or mandolin.

The show’s climax featured fantastic runs through the best numbers from The Stage Names: the rambunctious “Unless It’s Kicks,” “Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe” and “John Allyn Smith Sails,” which segues into a wonderfully electrified interpretation of The Beach Boys “Sloop John B.” Their restrained encore, which included “A Stone” and “Westfall,” didn’t have the same energetic rush, though the diehards were thrilled.

Okkervil River will be playing a few more shows in the United States before heading overseas to embark on a lengthy European tour.

Labels: Live Reviews, Okkervil River

I first saw Queens of the Stone Age live about five years ago in college gym in Towson, Maryland. On that night, there was hardly and light show or any stage effects. With no fancy gimmicks, the band took the stage and simply rocked from start to finish - no cliched attempts at a rock "ballad", just fist pumping and high energy jams. Even though since that time Nick Oliveri, with his classic menacing hard rock looks has left the band, one thing still hasn't changed: QOTSA are still all about the rock.

With Josh Homme now clearly steering the good ship QOTSA, the band brought their "dance metal" to Philadelphia's Electric Factory this past Saturday night. This time they brought a few lights and had some gaudy chandelier style fixtures hanging above their heads to bring some Era Vulgeris flavor to the venue. While the lights were cool, they were just a little icing on the cake as once again, the band kicked ass right from start to the very end. Indeed, I'd have to say this show was even better than the first time I saw them, which is a pretty remarkable thing to say given how great they were back then.

An indication of how great a band is live is when they can skip their biggest "hit" and still keep fans in a frenzy the entire show and completely satisfied as they walked back to the parking lot buzzing about the sizzling performance they just witnessed. Despite leaving "No One Knows" off the set list, QOTSA rocked through favorites like "Millionaire", "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" (one of the best song titles of all time!), "Little Sister", "In The Fade," "Fun Machine" and "Sick, Sick, Sick." An extra treat was that both Dax Riggs and Howlin Rain (who could have been at Woodstock if they had metal bands) were worthy openers. If you haven't seen this band ever, or lately, get your self to a show. But, get some sleep the night before. You'll need all your energy to keep up as QOTSA puts the pedal to the metal right from the start and doesn't ease up on the throttle until the ride is over.

Labels: Live Reviews, QUOTSA

Labels: Genesis, Live Reviews

Labels: Live Reviews, The Secret Machines

Labels: Live Reviews, Rush

Earvolution, obviously, is a fan of great live music which is why we feature bands like Rose Hill Drive and many others from of the "festival circuit." Live music is alive and well, as is the festival scene. The experience of a festival, be it Bonnaroo or Mountain Jam, is not just the music but the personal interaction. So, I find it interesting that someone is putting together an "online music festival."

Rose Hill Drive is hosting the "event" that will feature several bands including Gosling, who played the Earvolution Happy Hour during the Industry of Music Showcase at Fado in Austin during this year's SXSW week. Yes, our event was "live" in the personal interactive sense. This one is a streaming webcast billing itself as "the first online mosh pit." Maybe it's just me, but an online mosh pit doesn't seem nearly as much fun as the real thing. But, I dig RHD so I'd likely tune in...except you have o download some new application to get it. I think I'll just wait to see them live (in person live, that is).

Labels: Live Reviews, Rose Hill Drive