As countless music fans prepare for this year's Mountain Music Festival at ACE River Resort in Oak Hill (WV) on June 2-4 (2022), we're sitting down with a number of this year's performers to get a better feel for what fans can expect this year. This festival was established in 2014 and has proceeded to solidify itself as one of the most anticipated jam-focused events of the year. As the festival has continued to evolve and grow over the years, there's been one clear constant. That's the powerhouse known as Big Something.
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They're back for an eighth consecutive year, and this time, they're headlining Saturday night. I was lucky enough to discover this band nearly ten years ago (Thanks again, Sirius JamOn), and it's been an incredibly fun ride watching them grow. Festival season is already in full swing for these guys, and they've only scratched the surface.
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Earlier this week, I had a chance to sit down with Jesse Hensley (guitar) and Casey Cranford (EWI/saxophone) in preparation for MMF. They've been back to the grind, touring across the country, and simply loving that they're allowed to perform on a regular basis. You won't find a more genuine, hard-working group of guys, and they've most definitely earned every bit of their continued success.
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Hope both of you guys are doing well today. I thought we'd get started by touching on how this year is going for the band. You've been hitting the road hard, as usual. Festival season has officially begun. Let's walk through some of the highlights thus far.
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Jesse: Yeah man. It's been a blast just getting back out there and seeing everyone at shows. People want music again. Well, we've all been wanting it, but we're all actually seeing it come back now. Getting back to live performances with live audiences has felt amazing!
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Festival season has been crazy good. 420 Fest was killer. A lot of cool stuff coming up too. Beaufort Music Festival coming up this weekend. Summer Camp and Revival Fest are around the corner. But yeah, I think everyone has been really anxious to get back out and get going again. Super pumped about it.
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Right on. How's 2022 been treating you, Casey?
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Casey: I think the highlight has just been getting back out on the road. We recently played Austin, TX with Papadosio and some other really cool bands. We've been down to The Spirit of Suwannee a few times, which is always great. Working on our new music has been really cool too.
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I'm glad you mentioned that. Somehow, it's been a few years since the last album release. I know that the band has debuted several new originals over the past year. "Bob and Weave" has become a real favorite of mine. Can you tell me a little bit more about where you guys are with new material?
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Casey: I think we have debuted two new ones, "Chemistry" and "Algorithm." I'd say we have maybe 8 or 10 more.
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Jesse: Yeah, 8 or 10 more. I think we're still kind of hashing out parts as we go. It's been really cool. We've had a lot of production practices getting ready for festival season. That's been super helpful to get together, write, and actually play on a stage. We've set up in a few venues, gone through our entire rig, made sure the cables are good, and everyone is happy with their in-ear mixes.
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In the process, we've been knocking away at some of these new songs we've been working on. It's been super helpful for that. We're pumped to get back in the studio and get cracking on some of this stuff. I think there are some plans for recording sessions later in the year.
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Casey: Yeah, hopefully we will have some progress. It's hard to say when, at this point. We're really looking forward to that though.
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Oh, I'm sure. I know there is a lot that can happen between now and next month, much less now and the end of the summer. Having that new material in pipeline has to be a nice feeling. Testing the audience's reaction as these songs are debuted live will be plenty of fun.
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Jesse: Yeah absolutely. It's always nice to have some new things in our pockets and ready to throw out at the crowd.
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In just a few weeks, we've got Mountain Music Fest coming up. Very familiar territory for Big Something. It seems like y'all have become such a staple of the festival. You've even played the resort as a one-off show outside of the festival weekend. How has this relationship been? What has the Mountain Music Fest experience been like?
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Jesse: West Virginia has almost become a second home for us. Several years back, we played in so many different towns and venues across the state working our way up through the festival circuit. It's been awesome to get to meet and hang out with all of those people. We've built some great relationships there.
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It's always a staple, man. Mountain Music Fest is such a blast every year. There's always a bunch of crazy things happening on site (Laughs). The lineup and the bands are always killer but they also have tons of daytime activities to enjoy like whitewater rafting, mountain biking, swimming at the waterpark, ziplining or just taking a beautiful hike. It really packs the biggest punch, in terms of the time you spend at the festival, and things you can experience while you're there.
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I remember the year I finally got to see The Wood Brothers for the first time. I'd been listening to them for years. There is always that band who really speaks to you every year. It's just been awesome to have that experience every year and keep coming back. It's been really fulfilling.
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Casey: I just feel honored that they keep having us back. I believe they have had us every year. They're a great team over there. The venue is beautiful. So many things to do outside of the music, like rafting and swimming. I think there may be a rope course too. It's always been a super welcoming experience. The crowd is always super hyped for us, which we really appreciate. We're just happy to be returning. I haven't had a chance to see Galactic in a while.
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Jesse: Yeah, I'm pretty pumped about Galactic too!
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Very excited about Galactic. Somehow, I've only managed to see Galactic a few times, and they've all been during the day. I know they are known for being one of the best late night bands around.
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Jesse: Oh yeah. It's gonna be a party.
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Casey: They are from New Orleans....
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Watch Big Something perform "Bob & Weave" at Mountain Music Fest [2022]
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Looking at the lineup for Friday, you have Galactic at 10PM. Then there is the TAUK Paper Scissors following at midnight.
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Jesse: I'm really pumped about that too. A lot of cool stuff is likely to happen during that set.
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Absolutely. That's a ridiculous group of players.
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Casey: Yeah man. Karl Denson is one of them.
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Jesse: Is this the one that Antwaun Stanley is a part of?
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That's correct. They've also got Jen Hartswick, James Casey, Jason Hann, Clyde Lawrence... So many exciting names. I'm super excited to see how that whole situation unfolds.
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Jesse: That is for sure.
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I'm sure it's even extra exciting being the final headlining act this year. I believe there is a late-night set on another stage, but Big Something is essentially closing out the whole festival. You've got Doom Flamingo and Cory Wong leading up to your set. What a night that will be.
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Jesse: Absolutely man. We're totally pumped.
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Well fellas, aside from everything we've covered thus far, what else is happening in the world of Big Something. Anything in particular that we should touch on before we wrap this thing up?
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Jesse: You got anything, Casey? (laughs)
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Casey: Well, we've got Summer Camp coming up. We've got Rooster Walk coming up, which is up closer to Mountain Music Festival. In addition, we're also moving our own festival, The Big What?, to Pop's Farm in Martinsville, VA.
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Shit, I nearly forgot to even ask about The Big What?. What are the dates again?
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Jesse: It's going down on August 4th-6th. Just a few months away.
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Casey: That's right. It will be a fun three nights of music.
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Jesse: And Pop's Farm is in the southern part of Virginia. It's a beautiful place, man. The setup and the infrastructure are just top touch. Pretty pumped about having all of that at our disposal this year. I also wanted to mention that The Ride Festival is coming up in July. We're always stoked to get back out to Telluride. That's one of our favorites, for sure.
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That's right. And that's another one that y'all seem to be playing every year, right?
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Jesse: Yeah, man. It's been awesome to be able to make that trip just about every year now.
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I can imagine. The view from that stage looks about as beautiful as anything you could imagine.
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Jesse: It's pretty breathtaking, for sure.
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That's right. Well, just one more thing before we wrap this up. Jumping back to The Big What? for a minute. Over the years, whether it's The Big What?, The Werk Out, DomeFest, or even Summer Camp & Hulaween, that concept of a band initiating and curating its own festival seems to be invaluable. How important would you say that this festival has been for Big Something?
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Jesse: I think it has been huge. In past years, It's really just felt like a BIG family reunion with bands that we get to play shows with throughout the year. We might play all over the country with a group, but sometimes we never get the opportunity to bring them back to our neck of the woods. It's really nice to be able to share that music and those personalities with our homies at home.
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To me, that's the most fun part of it all. Getting to turn people on to new artists and seeing their reactions to the music that has inspired you. That's definitely one of my favorite things about the festival.
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Casey: Yeah man. That's it right there. Jesse nailed it.
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I'd love to find a way to make the trek up there this year. I'm always super jealous when I see the footage and setlists rolling out that weekend.
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Jesse: Come on with it dude!
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Casey: We've gotta get you up there man.
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I'm gonna do everything that I can. That would be a highlight of the year. No doubt about that.
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Jesse: Well, we'd sure love to have ya.
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Absolutely man. Well, once again, thanks for your time today guys. Always a pleasure getting to catch up with y'all. Can't wait to kick it here in a few weeks in West Viriginia.
Sam Holt Band closed out a special three night run on Saturday night. They band stepped on stage as the sun was beautifully setting at Avondale Brewing Company in Birmingham, Alabama. A perfect background for a celebration of the lives of founding members of Widespread Panic: guitarist Michael Houser, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2002 and drummer Todd Nance who passed away suddenly in 2020.
Sam Holt, who was Houser's guitar tech, paid tribute to his mentor and friend on Houser’s rig, sharing the quintessential Houser-style lingering leads with the crowd. Holt was joined onstage by Adam Grace (keys), Ross Parker (bass guitar), and Jeremy Ward (drums).
The first set started with a tribute to Houser with his song, “Can't Change The World Past." Two Widespread Panic instrumentals “A of D” and “E on a G” followed, before flowing seamlessly into “Sandbox”, a Houser tune not played by Widespread Panic since the guitarist's death. A lingering transition into a “Diner” jam leaves the crowd yearning to hear the rest, but Holt slips into “Counting Train Cars” before coming back to the Outformation catalog for “90”. A jubilant “Walkin'” is next with a jam into “Gunner,” which ultimately led into a heartfelt “Gimme.” This tune included the haunting lyrics “give me a hand here, Michael.” The set ends with “Ain't Life Grand,” a song Houser wrote reminding us to celebrate the mundane of everyday life, and it sure felt good.
After a quick, light rain, the second set begins with the reminder “where there is love there is hope” with a pristine “This Part of Town.” Houser’s song named and written for his son, “Waker” is next. You couldn't ask for a more beautiful tribute of Houser’s own. Holt then pays his respects to Bloodkin with a cover of “Mercy Train to Bogart,” before diving into a “Hatfield” jam. Holt digs deep for the seldom played “Burned Faceless,” followed by two instrumentals, “Happy” and “L.A.” Keyboardist Adam Grace jams into “You Should be Glad” with beautiful harmonies by drummer Jeremy Ward. “This is for all of you,” Holt announces before leading the way into “Airplane.” A crowd rousing favorite, “Porch Song” would then close out the second set.
Holt points to the back of his Home Team shirt which says “In Todd We Trust” for an encore tribute to Nance. These are the first Remembering Mikey shows since Nance’s death, and Sam Holt Band decided to close the show in his memory with a pair of Nance’s own songs: “Cynic Clinic” and “You’ll Be Fine.” Holt & Co. played this show with love, and the result was a heartfelt celebration of Houser and Nance that the Birmingham faithful was so clearly honored to experience.
Setlist: Sam Holt Band - Remembering Mikey & Todd: Saturday, May 14th [2022]
Set 1: Can’t Change the Past, A of D > E on a G > Sandbox>Diner Jam > Counting Train Cars, 90, Walkin' > Gunner, Gimmie, Ain’t Life Grand
Set 2: This Part of Town > Waker > Mercy Train to Bogart > Hatfield Jam, Burned Faceless, Happy > LA, You Should be Glad, Airplane > Porch Song
Encore: Cynic Clinic, You’ll Be Fine
Watch Sam Holt Band performing "Porch Song" at Avondale Brewing Company here:
As countless music fans prepare for this year's Mountain Music Festival at ACE River Resort in Oak Hill (WV) on June 2-4 (2022), we're sitting down with a number of this year's performers to get a better feel for what fans can expect this year. This festival was established in 2014 and has proceeded to solidify itself as one of the most anticipated jam-focused events of the year. While there are numerous reasons why we're excited about this year's festivities, the "super jam" known as TAUK Paper Scissors is certainly at the top of the list.
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Mountain Music Festival announced that the four-piece rock/fusion act known as TAUK would be calling on a star studded cast for this one-of-a-kind set just a few months ago. Special guests will include Jennifer Hartswick and James Casey (Trey Anastasio Band), Antwaun Stanley (Vulfpeck), Jason Hann (The String Cheese Incident), Clyde Lawrence (Lawrence), Jordan Cohen (Lawrence), and Kanika Moore (Doom Flamingo).
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Earlier this week, we caught up with TAUK's Matt Jalbert (guitar) in an effort to learn more about the band's latest happenings, as well as some additional insight on TAUK Paper Scissors. Check out the full interview below and make sure to head over to Mountain Music Festival's official website for all of the latest details.
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Great to speak with you for a few today, Matt. I know it's been an exciting year for TAUK thus far. You've been to Iceland with Umphrey's McGee. Played shows with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong & lespecial. TAUKing McGee at 420 Fest. How's everything played out thus far?
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Matt: Yeah man. All of those bands are friends of ours. We've known the Pigeons guys for a while. We played DomeFest back in the day. Hit if off with them immediately. Playing their festival was a huge help for us to get down to that part of the country. We're always appreciative of them for that. Opened up some doors for us.It's been great to get back out and play some shows. We're doing a bunch of sit-ins. Playing a bunch of songs together, which is always super fun. So yeah, those shows were really great and high energy.
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The set with Umphrey's in Atlanta was really cool, because we just went to Iceland with them. That was postponed from early 2020, when the pandemic was really starting. Needless to say, everyone was bummed when that got cancelled, but we still made it happen. We just did those shows a little while ago. We did a TAUKing McGee set in Iceland. We did a late-night set and a TAUKing McGee set while we were there.
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It was so much fun. It felt like a huge celebration amongst everyone who was there. So when the lineup at 420 Fest was shifting around, Umphrey's hit us up last minute to see if we wanted to do it again down there. Anytime we get to play with those guys is great. We're actually doing it again at Summer Camp.
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And yeah, we're fresh off a few nights with lespecial. We played two nights in Buffalo with them. We did our first shows together in Philly earlier this year, and we've loved what they've been doing for a while. Been trying to link up with those guys to do some shows together. We finally made that happen. Buffalo was amazing. The crowd was great. lespecial killed it. Good times all around. Just getting back out and playing music with our friends. It's been a lot of fun.
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Photo by Dave Vann
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That's so great to hear. I know how tough it's been on so many different levels over the past two years. It's great to see so much musical action happening thus far in 2022. It was brutal seeing things shut back down at the end of last year. I guess that was the Omicron variant?
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Matt: Yep, that was Omicron. We had to cancel our New Year's run in Charleston.
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That's right. Well, I love hearing that things are going so well. I'm sure it's been a challenge to keep the momentum going throughout at the last two years. I know we aren't out of the woods yet, but it seems like thus far, we're moving in the right direction.
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Matt: Yeah man. We're taking it as it comes. Everyone is still in that same ballpark. There are more shows happening. You'll still see some cancellations as someone tests postivie for COVID. I think everyone is on the same page at this point. If something has to be cancelled, it's a bummer. Luckily, it seems like it's happening less and less. It's really out of our control. Everyone's just trying to do what they can.
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Absolutely. I know that festival season is fast approaching. I guess it already started for TAUK at 420 Fest. Mountain Music Festival is right around the corner. I'm sure you're fired up about the TAUK Paper Scissors yet. You've assembled an incredible lineup with Antwaun Stanley, Clyde Lawrence, Jennifer Hartswick, and James Casey, to name a few. Without spoiling any surprises, what can you share about this upcoming performance?
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Matt:Yeah, absolutely. When we played Mountain Music Fest last year, that was our first show back from COVID. We were stoked to play, and you could just feel it in the air. The energy was just insane. Needless to say, our set was wild. So much fun. After that, the festival reached out to see if we could come back this year. They asked if we wanted to try something different. We were all for it and thought it was a fun idea.
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The idea was to not just to "TAUK & Friends" or "TAUK Superstars." Come up with something a little more unique. We started working on a list of names, playing with the band name, and TAUK Paper Scissors seemed to be the one that stuck. We're still working out how this is gonna operate, in terms of the "rock, paper, scissors" concept. We have some cool ideas though.
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In terms of the band, we started working on a list of people. Some we had played with previously, and others that we've been watching and really admire. We started putting out feelers to see who would be into it. You can see now what the band looks like, and we're stoked. Like you said: Antwuan, Clyde, Kanika, the horn players, Jason Hann from String Cheese. We're so stoked. The only issue we're running into is fitting all of the songs into the setlist. We're thinking about all of these cool opportunities with a band like this. We have a list going, and we're narrowing it down. It's going to be such a cool experience.
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Watch TAUK's official music video for "Make Your Move" here:
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I'm sure it is. When you look at that list of players, you have several from bands already on the lineup. You also have some heavy hitters coming over just to be a part of this performance. This is the staple "super jam" for this festival, if you will. I know there's already a lot of excitement surrounding it all.
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So, Chaos Companion is the latest studio release, right?
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Matt:Correct.
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Before we wrap this up, is there any other exciting news happening within TAUK that your fans should know about?
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Matt:We definitely have some exciting festival appearances coming up. Summer Camp & Peach Fest are two big ones. Festival season is definitely underway. In terms of new material, we wrote a ton during the pandemic. Not to give too much away, but people should definitely keep an eye out for a new release. Maybe even something that people won't be expecting. We have a lot to be excited about.
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That's fantastic news. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your time today, Matt. Thanks for chatting for a few, and I look forward to catching the TAUK Paper Scissors set in person next month.
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Matt: Thank so much, Jordan. Look forward to seeing you there as well!
Like all true Southern gentlemen, Widespread Panic takes the time to pay homage to the great influences in their lives. During May 6-8 (Mother’s Day weekend) in Wilmington, NC, Panic created a foot-tapping, heart-warming, gut-wrenching tribute to some of their greatest influences: the literal mothers in our lives, the rough-and-ready character of the “Panic Mama”, and the musical influences in their careers. Most especially highlighted was their friend, mentor, and songwriting influence: the late, great Danny Hutchens. Sunday brought the emotional one-year anniversary of Danny’s passing. I was friends with Danny, and not only did I get to interview him, but we also collaborated on an article about his own late mother and the inspiration she provided for his song “American Country Ghosts” during her struggles with dementia. I consider Danny’s words that he so poignantly shared in that article as much a work of art as the song he composed. I share the same reverence for the musical influences that Widespread Panic works to continually expose us to and remind us of. I truly enjoy weekends like this past one, when I get a refresher of the playlists and pop culture that created their sound.
Panic launched an all-original set one on Friday with “Jack”, which hasn’t opened a show since 9/18/91! Song two, “Goodpeople”, kicked off the “mom” theme of the weekend with “The ones your mama warned you about”. Stay tuned for more of those references. The band then ebbed and flowed through “Pilgrims >”, “You Got Yours”, and “Pickin’ Up the Pieces >” like the Cape Fear River running behind their backs. In honor of Willie Mays’ birthday that day, the band obviously had to cover “One-Arm Steve” (“Well, say hey, Willie Mays, what's in your suitcase full of wonders?”) The return of the mom is seen in “Steven’s Cat >” during “Mama tried to protect my soul yes, she did bit by bit save me from sorrow”. “Bear’s Gone Fishin’ >” then rolled out with its supposedly scandalous song origin in New Orleans, reminding us of the band’s raucous roots, despite their sweet love of their mothers. Speaking of, “Love Tractor” prompts us that “Mom said that I'm alright…” and ended set one. Thanks, Mom.
Set two led with two Bloodkin songs: “Henry Parsons Died >”, into “Sleepy Monkey>”. Remember this lyric - “It' could be a déjà vu, Cognition coming true” for a couple songs, mmm-kay? “Diner >” cites the quintessential idea of a Panic Mama – “She's beautiful - natural.” We peacefully settle into “Cease Fire >” and then are taken into “Jamais Vu >”, which is the opposite of déjà vu. See what they did there? “Bass And Drums >” satisfied a primal urge to just converse with the rhythm, as always. “Tie Your Shoes >” carries the ageless lesson to “Love your girl, you’ve got to love your girl”. Take note, y’all. Perhaps one of the sweetest images of mothers is represented in “Papa’s Home >” with the line “Mom's holding sister in the chair, sharing stories and forgetting time.” The band’s friend and sometime lyricist, Jerry Joseph, is highlighted in “Climb to Safety” to end set two.
The encore kicks off with the seemingly shelved “Flicker >”, which hasn’t been played since 8/31/18. The hauntingly beautiful “This Part of Town >” took us into “Travelin’ Light” by the formidable J.J. Cale, whose influence on the rock world cannot be overestimated.
Watch footage of "Diner" via whereshaynes on YouTube:
Saturday’s set one led with the always poetic “Surprise Valley >” and the geographically appropriate “Mother talkin' the waters; Spirit moves in all things...” Easily one of my favorite musical influences, and perhaps yours, too, is David Byrne. When the band went into Byrne’s “City of Dreams >” before diving back into “Surprise Valley >”, I was as pleased as ever. “Rock” and “Heroes” then took us into “Airplane >” and the trademark oath of love, “Got me a pilot, she's going my way; If she's got wings, if she's got wings.” As they so often do, Panic went from “Airplane >” into “Take-Off Jam >” (teehee). Coming back ‘round to their great influences, we heard “Rebirtha >”, which once debuted as an instrumental in ’93 with "Apologies to George Porter" (of the Rebirth Brass Band). It is our great fortune that Widespread, and JoJo Hermann especially, have such a love of New Orleans music that shows in their work and that we get to boogie to. There was an interesting “Not Fade Away” tease after “Rebirtha” for the 76th birthday of Grateful Dead member, Bill Kreutzmann. Our musical influences then swing over the Atlantic to everyone’s favorite Irish rabble-rouser, Van Morrison, and “Send Your Mind”. Some technical or vocal issues popped up during “Blackout Blues” but the band ended set one strong, nevertheless.
We crashed into set two of the night like a wave, starting with the Vic Chesnutt pair of “Protein Drink >” and “Sewing Machine”. Even Vic is makin’ Mama references – “Mama makes a dress on the sewing machine…” As is required by a coastal setting like Live Oak Bank Pavilion, they covered “Vacation >” and then “Disco >” and then a freakin’ cross-country roadtrip of a “Drivin’ Song >”. The tune bookended “Ain’t No Use >” (last played 8/31/19 and originated by New Orleans’ The Meters), “Saint Ex >”, J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High >” (with “Sewing Machine” reprise), “Zambi Jam >”, back into “Ride Me High >”, and then back to “Drivin’ Song >”. Whew. It makes me tired just typing that set out because it spun us around and shook us up, for sure. “Space Wrangler” ended set two as sweetly as ever. Skål, as my Norwegian family would say (that’s “skol”, to y’all).
The encore began with “Sometimes >”, by Ed Crawford of fIREHOSE. This band is of the Camper van Beethoven scene and that in itself just warms my heart, much less the line: “But now April's turning to May.” The closer of “Action Man” brought up an interesting mom reference – “Willie said ‘he was the mostest horse’; Mahubah, Fair Play, desert mama's boy.” I just learned in researching this article that Fair Play was Man o’ War’s mother (dam) and Mahubah was his father (sire). The more you know…
Sunday can be summed up in one word: cold. But we loyal Spreadheads filed into the venue wearing everything from Patagonia to hotel robes to warm up. JB’s greeting of “We can play, we can dance, we can snuggle up" added a lightheartedness to the weather as the sun started to set and the band began to play. “Little Kin” brought the ever-loveable “He's got his mamma's eyes, He's got his daddy's younger hands” in honor of Mother’s Day that day. “Ain’t Life Grand” went into “Greta >” and the always-amazing chorus “Mother Nature's come to arms, She's in a fighting mood. Greta's got a gun, This ain't no flowerchild.” This aptly depicts not only the band’s friend, Greta, but also once again brings up that Panic Mama ideal – a tough hippie that you don’t mess with, despite her sweet exterior. “Radio Child” bounced along into “Aunt Avis >” by the beloved wordsmith, Vic Chesnutt, who is again recalling his mom – “Help me mama, for I have grinned; Save me daddy from where I'm goin'.” Perhaps to remind us not to gripe about the cold so much, we were then served “You Should Be Glad”. “Hatfield >” was a timely choice with the story of how "’Charles always kept in touch’, swears his mother; ‘Always had the touch’". We were then treated to the wise words of New Orleans’ Allen Toussaint’s “On Your Way Down >” (last played 12/31/11). In what JB has jokingly referred to as "A tender little love song” the band busted out Bobby Rush’s “Bowlegged Woman” in the kind of love anthem that Panic couples could most easily identify with. We all love our mamas, but Bridgerton characters we ain’t.
Watch footage of "Greta" via Loma Deren on YouTube:
Set two of Sunday kept everyone warmed up with an "I Trusted You" tease, which has only been played twice before. Riffing on this “song” of Andy Kaufman’s is one of the reasons why this band is so loveable. They aren’t afraid to make a joke or even be the punchline of their own joke. See the Halloween ’19 performance of this song by Schools and the Kaufman video, if you’re unfamiliar with the skit. The set then officially started with David Bromberg’s “Sharon >”. “Bust It Big” brought back the Panic Mama / Panic Daddy down & dirty love vibe with “She's my little salt lickin', agave guzzlin', worm eatin', lime suckin' girl, I love her so.” Next, we cannonballed into “PAYMH/That Thang >” and Robert Johnson’s “Stop Breakin’ Down”. It should go without saying that Robert Johnson is an influence on anyone and everyone who ever played the blues or rock. He, too, was a sucker for a pretty lil’ mama: “Every time I'm walkin', Down the streets. Some pretty mama start breakin', Down with me.” “Sundown Betty” then took us into another couple of New Orleans references in “Gradle >” (“A blind New Orleans painter man, Doesn't get many straight lines”) and “Fishwater >” (“Drink more fishwater there, Than any whale's mama ever seen. " JB has said this is a tune about “just excess and the nature of New Orleans".) For only the second time ever, the band went into “Dear Prudence” by Paul McCartney and John Lennon and ended the set with “Porch Song”.
To aptly wrap-up the Mother’s Day weekend dedicated to their lost friend, Danny Hutchens, the encore started with Bloodkin’s “Trashy” and a line that summed up Danny, the band, and many of us so well – “Wild eyed love and getting high and trucks and cars and my guitars; That’s my recipe for life so far.” In what could not be a more perfect closer, the band played George Clinton’s “Red Hot Mama”. Did you know that George Clinton is from good old Kannapolis, NC? Thanks for bringing it all back to the Old North State, fellas.
At the end of the weekend, I was left with a feeling of overwhelming gratitude. I’m grateful that I still am lucky enough to have my mom around, that I’m the mom of two amazing little girls, that I have an extended Panic family who always surprise and delight me on tour, that I have had the chance to see this band for the past 27 years who has introduced me to music and experiences I never would’ve had otherwise, and mostly I’m grateful to have met amazing people like Danny Hutchens. I’m so very grateful to have heard his music, read his words, laughed at his jokes, played with his beloved pets, and just generally know the man. Thank you, Danny, for the mother of all songbooks and the colorful stories that you’ve left behind. You are greatly missed but your legacy lives on in your own children and your musical contribution to the world.
Thanks to Steven Ziegler, Bennett Schwartz, Curtis George, PanicStream, and Brown Cat for their tapings, resources, and support.
Delray Beach, FL – Today, Jam Cruise announces its highly anticipated artist lineup and complete event details for the 19th edition of the beloved music cruise. This concert vacation at sea brings an eclectic community of first-time performers, Jam Cruise veterans, super-groups and master guests onboard an intimate cruise across the Caribbean. The complete lineup is included below.
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This year Jam Cruise will feature six nights of fun with an itinerary including stops in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and two days at private island Ocean Cay in the Bahamas. Jam Cruise returns to Miami on February 12th after a full sailing of music, activities, exploration, beachside fun, and more.
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The 2023 event returns to the MSC Divina, a luxurious cruise ship that maintains intimacy and innovation. Fans can expect an array of onboard programs specially curated for the Jam Cruise community. Unique offerings such as Masters Camp at Sea classes led by renowned musicians and other artist-hosted activities break down the barrier between artist and fan. Cruiser favorites Brews at Sea and Chefs at Sea will return, showcasing a variety of breweries and guest chefs from around the country. Wellness at Sea provides an opportunity for cruisers to engage in daily yoga, zen workshops, and mindfulness classes led by like-minded practitioners while on vacation.
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Jam Cruisers can explore eight unique stages as organizers transform the cruise ship into the ultimate music venue. Featuring the top acts in the live music scene performing on the Pool Deck Main Stage, the stunning 1500-seat Pantheon Theater, cherished late-night Black and White Jam Room, collaborative Jazz Lounge, and crystal Atrium, with more to explore - this expansive yet intimate setting feels like home. In addition to nearly round the clock music, comfortable staterooms (including those in the ultra-luxe Yacht Club) and multiple dining options, the MSC Divina offers a variety of attractions and amenities for fans to enjoy. Jam Cruisers can take advantage of a full service spa, fitness center, impressive casino, pools, hot tubs, and gorgeous spots throughout the ship to take in the beautiful surroundings at every turn.
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Masters Camp at Sea passes are available as an add-on for fans who wish to participate in an immersive learning program while onboard. Cruisers can pursue their own musical mastery through discussions, jam sessions, and hands-on workshops with legendary musicians over the six nights. The complete Masters Camp at Sea lineup below is impressive in and of itself.
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Charitable organization Positive Legacy remains an integral part of Jam Cruise, integrating music & service into the experience. Positive Legacy initiatives work to positively impact the environment, offset the carbon footprint of traveling, and support the local communities who welcome Jam Cruise to their shores. With an annual Day of Service while in port and onboard activities, Positive Legacy is able to raise funds to further their charity efforts in the surrounding areas.
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Those who reserved a spot during the pre-book period will be able to select a cabin starting May 9, 2022. Any remaining cabins will go on sale to the public at 11am ET on May 12, 2022.
Oteil & Friends ft. Steve Kimock, Eric Krasno, Jason Crosby, Jennifer Hartswick, Johnny Kimock
The Word ft. John Medeski, Robert Randolph, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Rayfield “RayRay” Holloman
Galactic ft. Anjelika ‘Jelly’ Joseph
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
Lettuce
Cymande
George Porter Jr. & Dumpstaphunk perform The Meters*
Andy Frasco & The U.N.
Neal Francis
Trouble No More ft. Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, Daniel Donato, Dylan Niederauer, Jack Ryan, Nikki Glaspie, Lamar Williams Jr., Peter Levin, Roosevelt Collier
The Bamboos
Fruition
The Lil Smokies
Mihali
phoffman
The New Deal
SunSquabi
Doom Flamingo
George Porter Jr. & Runnin' Pardners*
Dumpstaphunk*
Polyrhythmics
Honey Island Swamp Band
Karina Rykman
lespecial
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio
Neighbor
Butcher Brown
Little Stranger*
Punkadelick*
Stranger Is Doomed*
Dogs In A Pile
Pixie & The Partygrass Boys
Dave Watts Super Jam*
Everyone Orchestra*
The Sweet Lillies*
DJ Brownie
DJ Airwolf
Yesmann
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Special Guests:
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The Horn Section
Dan Lebowitz
Mike Dillon
Skerik
Judith Hill
Sammi Garett
Tyree Woods
Masters Camp at Sea:
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Isaiah Sharkey
Nikki Glaspie
Reed Mathis
Peter Levin
Vaylor Trucks
John Medeski
George Porter Jr.
Adam Deitch
Robert Randolph
Roosevelt Collier
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(All Artists will play two shows, except those denoted with * will play one show.)
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About Jam Cruise:
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Jam Cruise has been delivering an unparalleled music experience for nearly two decades. Featuring the top acts in the live music scene, Jam Cruise revolutionized the fan experience by blending the community, spontaneity and good times of live music with the convenience, luxury and adventure of cruise travel. Jam Cruise is full of moments that music fans simply cannot get anywhere else. This intimate experience is what has fans continually coming back onboard since Jam Cruise’s inception in 2004.
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Jam Cruise 18 is brought to you by Cloud 9 Adventures, the industry leader in concert vacations on cruise ships and at all-inclusive resorts. Cloud 9 Adventures also produces Jam Cruise, Strings & Sol, Holidaze, Holy Ship! Wrecked, Panic en la Playa (feat. Widespread Panic), My Morning Jacket’s One Big Holiday, The Avett Brothers At The Beach, Zac Brown Band’s Castaway with Southern Ground, and Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend. .
Cloud 9 Adventures - Changing the Live Music Experience, Changing the Way Fans Vacation.
Tuscaloosa-born jam rockers CBDB made major news this week, as they revealed the initial lineup for their inaugural Deebs Days Festival at Birmingham's Avondale Brewing Company on August 19th-20th (2022). The band is teaming up with our friends at Big Friendly Productions to bring you music, food, art, and friends as the summer festival season comes to a close. While Avondale Brewery has hosted countless major concerts since opening in 2010, this will be the first event to feature two stages on the property.
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CBDB becomes the latest group to curate its own festival lineup, which is a strategy that has proven to be quite successful amongst their peers. Fellow jam bands such as The String Cheese Incident (Hulaween), Umphrey's McGee & moe. (Summer Camp), Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (DomeFest), The Werks (The Werk Out), and Big Something (The Big What?) have seen great success establishing and building their own festivals over the years. With the dissipation of Birmingham's SlossFest a few years back, there is certainly a void in the city's summer music calendar, which Deebs Days looks to fill.
Tickets for the festival are on sale now, and you can find more details by clicking here. A total of 250 Early Bird Weekend Passes are available for $50. Make sure to stay tuned to Live & Listen socials, as we will be providing extensive preview coverage, exclusive promotional offers, interviews with this year's performers, and maybe even a few ticket + merchandise giveaways.
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Earlier this week, we caught up with CBDB frontman Cy Simonton and Big Friendly Productions co-founder Alex Cape, who shared the following thoughts on the launch of this new and exciting venture for both parties:
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“Some of our favorite memories as a band have been made in Birmingham at Avondale, and we couldn’t think of a more fitting place to throw our inaugural Deebs Days Festival. We have rounded up a killer lineup of bands, artists, and vendors, and we can’t wait to share in all of the fun with all of you!“
- Cy Simonton (guitar/vocals) of CBDB
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“Big Friendly is really excited to team up with CBDB to produce this festival. It will be a one of a kind music and art experience in the backyard of Avondale. We have been dreaming this thing up for a long time. Don’t miss it!”
- Alex Cape of Big Friendly Productions
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For those looking for more in-depth look at the Deebs Days lineup, you can find a video clip of each band on the lineup below.
Nashville, TN -- When Wildeyes was born, life was simple. Emily and Daniel Kohavi were living a few doors down from guitarist Max Hoffman, where they would gather in one of their Madison, Tennessee backyards to create an initial catalog that would land them on NPR’s Tiny Desk On The Road and FireFly Music Festival before they had even stepped foot in a recording studio.
The first time they put pen to paper, Beauty & Sadness blossomed, with the debut album peaking at #9 on the Billboard HeatSeekers chart. The phone rang non-stop with agencies promising to turn the trio into industry darlings, and it seemed like something small had the chance to make it big.
But as life wants to do, things got complicated. Emily’s reputation as the touring community’s ultimate hired gun earned her touring spots with Hozier, Phoebe Bridgers, Kacey Musgraves and more, until she was gone so often it almost seemed like the band was set to burn out before they really caught fire. Two years after the release of their chart-topping debut, Wildeyes felt the pressure to create another album— one that diverged from the folk-filled box the industry seemed to want to jam them into, and one that would expand their lineup to a full band with a deeper, psychedelia-infused Americana sound.
With Emily’s multi-instrumentalist prowess in high demand, Wildeyes understood how precious their time with their leading lady was. The band booked a two day session at the legendary Sound Emporium, working with Grammy award-winning producer Ed Spears and bringing in bassist Calvin Knowles (Katie Pruitt, Muddy Magnolias) and Terence Clarke (Robert Cray Band, Keith Urban) on drums. Originally intended to be a session for demos, the core members laid the groundwork for their second album. Knowles and Clarke immediately picked up the framework, building some of the biggest riffs the project would become shaped around. Wildeyes tracked seven original songs from what would become Shut Up And Dance in one take— a tried and true specialty from the band that thrives on live performances in remote places.
“The core performances (bass, drums, guitars, lead vocal) were all just that,” says Daniel Kohavi. “Performances in a room with no click track. This matches the way the first record was made, and is a big part of the ethos of the band. Capturing a moment, a performance, with all of its imperfections is what we have built Wildeyes on. For us, it’s all about the performance and the real musical interaction that happens within a collective of musicians."
Even with the bulk of the work done, bringing an album to fruition is complicated. Add in a front woman who spends the majority of her year globe trotting on other artist’s world tours, and the process is downright painful. Add in a global pandemic, and it is sheer torture.
“We’d spent two years on a recording hiatus between [Emily’s] tours with Hozier and Phoebe [Bridgers], and then covid added all of this extra uncertainty,” says Daniel. “The band wasn’t playing any shows, sitting on an unfinished record with no future release dates in sight.
They say idle hands are the devil’s playthings, and that is especially true for career musicians. With an abundance of free time, Wildeyes was forced to sit with an unfinished album, nitpicking every aspect to what felt like the point of no return. The Sound Emporium session had brought them one step forward, and the pandemic took them two giant leaps back.
In an effort to see through the fog, Wildeyes reached out to Hozier musical director Alex Ryan, stepping back into the studio with Spears in mid 2021. In that time, Wildeyes was able to record two brand new additions, “Angels” and “Let’s Talk,” and add thematic string elements that breathed new life into already existing tracks.
“Alex brought a new energy and excitement to some songs that we had been in the studio with for far too long,” says Kohavi. “[The album] gets her name from the title track. Shut Up And Dance is a sentiment that has been building up in the band’s ethos, and seemingly in the world it inhabits.”
The album finds the Kohavi’s and Hoffman writing about personal matters— their frustrations with a lack of touring (and therefore purpose), loneliness felt within a relationship, questions on self-identity as both a band and as individuals— as well as musings on the modern world outside. The songs are laced with layered strings, entwined electric guitars, and warped feedback, driven forward by ethereal hooks that lend a touch of nineties nostalgia. Gluing everything together is the band’s collective pent up energy, a palpable reminder that for Wildeyes, the time for talking about it whatever it is has come to a close. It’s time to Shut Up and Dance before the music shuts off and there's no one left on the dance floor.
Shut Up And Dance tracklisting:
Shut Up And Dance
Who’s Gonna Love You
Lone Wolf
Heartbeat
Everchanging
Let’s Talk
Open Your Eyes
American Made
Angels
More on Wildeyes:
Wildeyes began in the heart of Madison, Tennessee, where neighbors and founding members Emily and Daniel Kohavi and Max Hoffman bonded over an undeniable love for the stage. Continuously receiving praise for their music, the band has peaked at #9 on the Billboard HeatSeekers chart, received placements in Rolling Stone, and been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk On The Road. Wildeyes front woman Emily Kohavi is also recognized by established artists in the industry for her talents, grabbing the attention of Hozier, Phoebe Bridgers, and Kacey Musgraves and earning touring positions on their world tours.
Prior to the release of Wildeyes’s debut album Beauty & Sadness in 2018, the band spent two years touring together, earning coveted plays at Firefly Music Festival before even stepping foot in a recording studio. The band enjoys capturing live performances of their songs in some of the country’s remote places, including the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree Park, and the flats of New Mexico. The struggle of getting the gear, instruments, and video equipment to the location, along with the possibility of sudden weather or temperature changes fits the bands ethos of fighting for genuine performances and capturing real moments.
Somehow it's been three full years since Little Raine Band released their second, full-length studio album, Dreamwalker. The Birmingham-based, improv-driven quartet has built a longstanding, loyal fanbase since their days at Auburn University, and thankfully, we don't have to wait much longer for another album full of brand new material. LRB will release Beyond The Cave on Friday, April 15th, and there are several upcoming opportunities to celebrate with the band.
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The first of three album release shows is scheduled for Thursday, April 8th at The 5 Spot in Nashville. LRB fans will most likely recognize a few familiar faces during the opening act, as supergroup Potato Gun Canyon features members of CBDB, Mama's Love, and more. Little Raine Band returns to Saturn for a hometown throw down in Birmingham on Friday, April 15th. This one will be especially sweet, as their "Day After Christmas" show fell victim to a COVID cancellation just a few months ago. The album release run will conclude on Saturday, April 16th at The One Stop in Asheville (NC).
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Earlier this week, we caught up with Davis Little (guitar/vocals) to learn more about the upcoming release, the surrounding shows, and the the band's plans for 2022. Check out the full conversation below, and make sure to follow Little Raine Band on Facebook and Instagram for all of the latest updates within the band.
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Head over to the Live & Listen Instagram for a chance to win tickets to the Birmingham show + a special merchandise package from the band!
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Little Raine Band will release its third full length, studio album Beyond The Cave onFriday, April 15th. This follows up the Dreamwalker album, which was released back in 2019. Give me the inside scoop on these tracks, the recording process, and everything in between.
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Davis: We started this album right at the beginning of the pandemic. We knew we weren't going to be playing shows for a minute, and we decided to put our nose to the grindstone for this project. A lot of these songs are new and haven't been played live much at all. There is a few that have been played live, but they're all new songs.
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It's almost a concept album but not quite fully. We're calling it Beyond The Cave, which alludes to Plato's allegory of the cave. A lot of the songs are in that vein. It's not necessarily a story, but I think it's up to the listener as to what it means to them. It's basically our quarantine project.
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What a great use of that downtime. It makes sense that this material wouldn't have much live history if they were written in the midst of all of a time where live shows have been fairly scarce.
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Davis: Right. Like a lot of other people, when the pandemic really began, we were just like, "Oh shit. What do we do now?" Our booking agent ultimately switched professions due to understandable financial pressure. Our manager was getting super busy with other projects, as well. We just decided it was the right time to focus on a new album. That made the most sense, and honestly, I'm really happy that's what we did.
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This would be the first studio release since Charles Gray became LRB's new drummer, right?
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Davis: We actually started the record with (Justin) Sledge. He's on two or three on the tracks, and Charles is on the rest. It's almost a mashup of both of both of those guys. Charles had been playing with us already. He was our go to fill in for Sledge. He knew a lot of the material, and we'd been building our chemistry with him for a while. It really feels natural with Charles. Nothing caught us off guard, but yeah, this is Charles' studio debut with us. That's really exciting.
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Right on. So, you, Isaiah (Smith), and Daniel (Raine) have all been together since the beginning of this band. How would you say that the songwriting process balances out amongst y'all? How has it evolved over these ten or so years that y'all have been doing this?
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Davis: Honestly, much of the songwriting is the same as it's always been. There are a few different ways that it seems to happen with the band. There are songs that will be purely collaborative, and then there are those that any one of us brings to the table, and we'll bring it all together as a band. It's typically a collaborative process. I think that this album, more than any other since we were all isolated, leans more towards starting with one of us. In the end, we always bring them together to put the final touches on.
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I really do feel that this our most mature writing to date. I rarely listen to our stuff, but when I listen back to our first album, it's funny because we weren't even old enough to drink at the time. With this material, we're all essentially going on 30 years old. It's nice. I guess the boys are growing up (laughs). It's definitely our most mature songwriting thus far though.
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That's always great to hear. Where was the album recorded? Anyone specific that you worked with in the studio?
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Davis: We recorded this at Boutwell Studios in Homewood (Birmingham), which was new to us. Brad Lyons produced and engineered it. Brad really helped us out a lot, so big shout out to him. Boutwell had some specific things that we wanted. They had an amazing drum room, for example. Brad is just a great producer, and we were really excited to work with him.
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That's great. Is there any particular direction that y'all are going with the release? Are you focusing on a specific track that you're pushing as a single?
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Davis: I think on our previous albums, it has been more clear which one was the single. We were all talking, and it's been kind of hard to pinpoint one single song for us. We decided to release it all at once and just let the people decide how they feel about them. I'm sure the ones that I like the most are different even amongst the band.
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I like that approach. One of the strongest signs of a truly great album is when you can just push play and let it ride from start to finish. No skips to get to that next song that you tend to gratitate towards.
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Davis: That's what we're hoping for. We did kind of make it with listening to it as an album in mind. It's definitely more conceptual on that front than any previous releases. When finalizing the track listing, we were thinking a lot about vinyl. How is this going to sound if we sat down at the record player? What's that journey going to be like?
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Totally. Before we wrap up, y'all have the first of three album release shows at The 5 Spot in Nashville on Thursday, April 7th. You'll follow that with a hometown show at Saturn in Birmingham on Friday, April 15thand finish off with The One Spot in Asheville on Saturday, April 16th. I know Saturn will be extra special, as it's also a makeup for the cancelled show back in December. Tell me a little more about this run.
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Davis: We're extremely excited to be playing more live shows and touring on this record. We're planning to tour on it for the rest of the year, and we're super excited. Like you said, we had to cancel the last Saturn show due to COVID-related issues. Tragic City is opening up that show. I'm sure there will be several sit-ins there. We always love getting back to both Asheville and Nashville, too.
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Y'all have a relatively new Nashville supergroup opening the Nashville show, right?
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Davis: That's right. They're called Potato Gun Canyon. It's Cy Simonton from CBDB, Tom Galloway from Mama's Love, and Dan Davis on banjo. They'll be doing an acoustic thing, which should be a lot of fun. I believe they start at 9PM, and we'll follow after that. I'm excited to see their set.
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Love to hear it. I know this is an exciting time with plenty of anticipation for these shows and the album release. Always a pleasure chatting, Davis. Best of luck with everything moving forward.
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Davis: Thank you, Jordan. We really appreciate you doing this!
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Watch Little Raine Band perform "Other Side" live here:
It's a fairly rare occasion when you see a brand new festival stop everyone in their tracks with their debut lineup announcement. In a world where there seems to be new festivals popping up left and right, it's easy for some of them to get lost in the mix. Sacred Rose Festival certainly caught the entire music world's attention last week, as the debut festival dropped one of the heaviest hitting lineups in recent memory.
Sacred Rose will take place at SeatGeek Stadium Campus in Bridgeview, Illinois on August 26th-28th (2022). The first year festival will feature the likes of Phil Lesh & Friends, Khruangbin, The War on Drugs, Black Pumas, Umphrey's McGee, Joe Russo's Almost Dead, Goose, STS9, Greensky Bluegrass, The Disco Biscuits, Kamasi Washington, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Punch Brothers, Dawes, Animal Collective, HiatusKaiyote, The Wood Brothers, City And Colour, Yves Tumor, Lettuce, Moon Taxi, Cory Wong, Lotus, The Infamous Stringdusters feat. Molly Tuttle, and so many more. Check the official festival graphic below for a look at the full lineup.
Sacred Rose’s name pays homage to the festival founder Michael Berg’s Grandfather, a professional and pianist, and the music and the Grateful Dead. The festival will welcome Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh, as well as beloved Grateful Dead cover band leader Joe Russo to the newly renovated stadiums, seven new astroturf fields and interactive art installations.
Sacred Rose will host three genre-specific stages, each with a defined daily lineup organized, so each stage feels like its own nonstop concert. The nascent event wants festival-goers or “#RoseBuds” to have the option to truly choose their experience from psych-rock and jamband to Americana.
Make sure to stay tuned for further details on this exciting first-year festival. You can click here for further details on tickets and weekend passes. For all of the latest updates on Sacred Rose, make sure to follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram.
The name Las Vegas was given to the city in 1829 by Rafael Rivera and literally means “The Meadows”. The artesian wells and grasses found in the area gave much needed relief to weary travelers. Almost 200 years later, the same still holds true for Widespread Panic tour veterans. We gathered for a much- needed weekend full of sentiments of world peace and several new and notable songs. Keep reading and be sure to click on Jeff Fernandez’s photos and the songs’ titles to hear that specific song from this weekend. Song files are found on Relisten and are powered by PanicStream. Thanks, Curtis!
The buy-in for capturing all of Friday’s show was actually getting there on time. The band did not kick off at their usual twenty minutes after the hour but went promptly into “Let’s Get Down to Business”, “Good People”, and then “Worry”. “This Part of Town” then offered the first taste of their seemingly intentional message of love and hope with "Where there is love, there is hope". After “Little Kin” came an “Airplane” that I heard many people call “the prettiest one I’ve heard”. Like a gambler running hot, they cruised into “Take-Off Jam”, “Impossible”, and “Machine”. The first set ended with “Barstools and Dreamers” and its idea that "All the world's dreams have died."
In what could easily be another Vegas theme song (were it not about Savannah), Panic kicked off the second set with “Up All Night” and “Blackout Blues”. The following “Party at Your Mama’s House” debuted 5/7/97, the same day as the “Take-Off Jam” featured in the first set. JoJo’s classic “Tall Boy” sums up southern stereotypes such as our obsession with religion: "We're gonna summon the Holy Ghost from the battlefield". This is basically the song equivalent of Danny McBride’s "Righteous Gemstones" series, which is his ode to Southern spirituality and the current favorite tv show for many of us.
We were then absolutely blown back by only the 4th ever performance of the instrumental “Halloween Face,” which is a new favorite of mine. After “Second Skin”, Leon Russell’s “Stranger in a Strange Land” appeared for the 2nd time ever. Panic then doubled down on another familiar Russell song in “A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall”. The song was written by Bob Dylan, of course, and he was quoted as saying that he wrote "A Hard Rain" in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis (though he actually began writing the song a few months before the crisis).
In a time of tension that’s very relatable now, Dylan said "Every line in it is actually the start of a whole new song. But when I wrote it, I thought I wouldn't have enough time alive to write all those songs so I put all I could into this one." The more things change, the more they stay the same. We went back into “Stranger in a Strange Land” and were reminded “Well, I don't exactly know, what’s going on in the world today. Don't know what there is to say, About the way the people are treating each other, not like brothers.”
The rare nugget “Four Cornered Room” is not only elusive to many fans, but War is quoted as saying that “through that song, what we’re really trying to say, you can be successful, as long as you do unto each other as you’re supposed to do, be a good neighbor. Get out and do the best you can. Work with each other. Work as a team. That’s what we need in America. We don’t need all these different factions: I’m a Democrat, I’m a Republican, I’m Independent...” There’s some food for thought for you. After that heater, we ended the second set and cooled off with “Chilly Water”, though the water bottles were too expensive for much liquid to be tossed around.
The fellas went for broke in the encore of “Blue Indian” and “Lawyers, Guns, & Money”. We all absolutely roared as they sang Warren Zevon’s line of “How was I to know, she was with the Russians too?” Take that, Putin. (Just kidding. Don’t come for me, please.
The boys more than “covered the spread” (see what I did there?) with Saturday’s first set which was led by “Greta”, “Bowlegged Woman”, and “Bear's Gone Fishin'”. In “Better Off”, we’re inspired with the timely idea of “Gonna get together gonna write us a book; Call it, 'Stop Running the World'.” They hedged their bets with “Shut Up and Drive” and “Radio Child” before going into a touring theme with “Travelin' Light” and “Travelin' Man” (last played over 2 years ago on 10/25/19). The first set closed with “The Waker”, a bet that was formerly “off the line” out of respect for Michael Houser and his namesake son.
The Saturday encore consisted of “Visiting Day” into Jerry Garcia’s “Cream Puff War” (he loved to point out that he actually wrote this one himself). Stop and take a minute to consider this lyric in the current political situation: "Well, can't you see your killing each other’s soul? Your both out in the streets and you ain’t got no place to go. Your constant battles are getting to be a bore. So go somewhere else and continue your cream puff war."
On Sunday night, Panic parlayed their bets into one face-melting, house-burning throwdown. The first set began with “One Arm Steve”, “Walk On”, “Rebirtha”, and “Postcard” (first played 10/6/1986 – the same day as “Machine” heard on Friday night). Alan Price of The Animals wrote the next song, “Sell Sell”, and it is one of my favorites not only for its message but because it will always remind me of beloved tour veteran Erika “Sell Sell” Selman Patrick. If I had to put the over/under for the next song’s number of times played, it would statistically be high, but for only the 9th time ever, we were offered a version of Bloodkin’s “Trashy”. Cheers to our late, beloved Danny Hutchens.
Following “You Got Yours”, Panic went into the first ever solo “Dark Bar”. This is usually played every 2-3 times they play “Goodpeople”, in the middle of the song. However, it was not played at all from 2/1/12 til 6/29/19. Hmm. I would love to hear why. This particular version of the song sang “Had a dream in Vegas, got up and boogied outta bed. Dancin’ with the aliens, just like we were little kids.” I feel ya, JoJo. There were some aliens in our section dancing with us, too. A pretty out-of-this-world “Love Tractor” brought the set to a close.
Sunday’s second set anted up with openers of “Old Neighborhood” and “Jack” (first played 8/4/1988, the same as Friday’s “Impossible”). During “Diner”, we were tickled to get a "Her Dance Needs No Body" JB rap. This was surely a nod to the Dolly Parton stickers I brought to town with that line. Heh. After “Pilgrims” and “You Should Be Glad”, the crowd howled along with JB to Howlin’ Wolf’s “Smokestack Lightning”. Next up were some Panic staples: “Contentment Blues”, Jorma Kaukonen’s “Genesis”, and a “Fishwater” > “Drums and Bass” > “Fishwater” sammy.
Though it sometimes seems we take the encore set for granted, Sunday night reminded of us how to close a show like damn rockstars. The timely “Hope in a Hopeless World” from Roebuck 'Pops' Staples (father of Mavis Staples) echoed today’s sentiment of "Searchin' for love in these hateful times". But the closer absolutely blew our minds. For the first time ever, Panic broke out The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence” and the crowd went nuts. John Lennon and George Harrison wrote this in an attempt to lure Prudence Farrow (sister of Mia Farrow) out of her obsessive, days’ long seclusion in her tent during their shared studies with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India. Interestingly enough, the song follows and crossfades in from “Back in the USSR” on the “White Album”. In light of other lyrical references this weekend, I doubt that was a mistake.
So, how do you sum up such an amazing weekend? I asked some tour “high rollers” and “card sharps” about their thoughts on the Vegas run. Jacob Christiansen said “After hearing the second set on Sunday, they sound like they’re at the top of their game. They sound as good as I have ever heard them.” (Spoiler alert: he’s heard them A LOT.) Chloe Hickman was the first to point out the peace, love, and rainbow- colored-lighting theme of the weekend to me, FYI. Michael Estep spoke for many of us when he said,“The whole feeling/underlying message of songs like ‘YSBG’, ‘Contentment Blues’, ‘Genesis’, etc. is the reminder of why I bother waking up. The boys remind me of that every time I see them, but last night they were really driving it home for all of us. They really give me the ‘Hope in a Hopeless World’ I needed to continue striving forward.” And one of the newer tour figures, Maddi Hodgson, stated so very eloquently “Jimmy be doing a lot.”
Whether you spent the weekend in complete debauchery (some of you may have even gone to The Champagne Room with a 90’s TV icon, though I’m not naming any names), obsessive gambling (note: bet on your birthdate on roulette), or dining on Vegas’ best food (Salt Bae is now my homie, y’all), this weekend provided musical inspiration to make this run a win, across the board. We’ll keep betting the limit and going for bust, on tour and in the world at large, as long as the band keeps doing the same. See y’all on the next run.
All opinions are the author’s as well as any errors. Huge thanks to Ellie at Brown Cat, All Eyes Media, Jeff Fernandez, and Curtis George of PanicStream. See more of Jeff’s amazing photos below (without song hyperlinks).
Big Friendly Productions is back at Birmingham's Avondale Brewing Company on Saturday, and the lineup for this show is absolutely killer. Two of the hottest acts in the jam/festival scene, Kendall Street Company & Underground Springhouse, have teamed up for a big run of shows this spring. If that wasn't enough, Atlanta's Bird Dog Jubilee will be opening up this show. These three bands will join forces for what's sure to an epic Saturday night in Birmingham.
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The gates at Avondale Brewery will open at 4:00 PM CST. Bird Dog Jubilee will kick things off in strong fashion at 5:00 PM CST, with full sets from Underground Springhouse and Kendall Street Company to follow. Big Friendly always does a killer job crafting these lineups, and Saturday will be no exception. We strongly encourage those who plan to attend to go ahead and grab your tickets in advance. You can click here to do that via Avondale's Ticketing Page.
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In preparation for Saturday night, we caught up with Kendall Street Company frontman Louis Smith and Underground Springhouse frontman Charlie Haas to catch up on all of the latest happenings within these bands. See below for a quick Q&A with both bands, and make sure to head over to our Instagram page for a chance to win tickets to this show!
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Interview with Louis Smith of Kendall Street Company
Great to speak with you today, Louis. I figured we could start off with a little background on the band. Tell me a little bit about how Kendall Street Company got started.
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Louis: Yeah man. We all met at University of Virginia in Charlottesville. We started playing around town: Greek life events and the local bars. We kept at it, and when we graduated, we decided to keep going at it. We've been doing this full time for several years now. We started by traveling up to DC and doing the regional tours. Eventually, we were playing in New York City, Charlotte, and other markets like that. That's pretty much the story. Just keeping at it. That's what you have to do.
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Absolutely man. Build your regional market and expand from there. I know that the past two years had plenty of COVID-related challenges. How would you say KSC was able to keep the momentum going through these challenges?
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Louis: It was really tough for us. We're definitely a "live" band. Not being able to play live was really a big thing to be taken from us. First, we were totally isolated from each other. Then, we got to a point where we felt safe getting together.We did a live stream series called "Containment Entertainment," and we focused on gettingThe Stories We Write For Ourselves out there,as well asThe Year The Earth Stood Still project.We just dug away in the studio doing a lot of writing and recording. It was a really stressful time, not really having an income. Not being able to fund these records, but we figured it out.
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Those band meetings and business were tough. Some people really wanting to play shows, and others not feeling comfortable at the time. You know...it was definitely stressful on the band and the business. As soon as the vaccines came out, we had this fraternity date in Texas that had been postponed a few times. We finally got to go play that show in April of 2021. We've been trying to get back out there, as safely as we can, since then.
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I'm sure that was a great feeling to get back on stage. Never hurts when it's that type of private gig that you know is going to be a super rowdy occasion.
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Louis: It was amazing. We booked the gig and blasted down to Texas. I think we had a few other shows booked along the way, but you couldn't really make a well routed run at that point. We just wanted to go play the show. They had already paid a deposit, and we were ready to make it happen.
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Right on. Well, I'm glad you mentionedThe Year The Earth Stood Still. I noticed that this wasn't the band's first double album / multi part album. How has this particular concept worked for KSC?
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Louis: It's worked pretty well. The first time we did it was by design. We had about 17 songs, and we figured we could divide those into two releases, which both had their own vibe to them. WithThe Year The Earth Stood Still, the whole preface behind that record is that we went into the studio with nothing written. We wrote and recorded the double album in six days in the studio. We did some overdubs and things like that afterword.
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Everything, pretty much, was captured and written over those six days. I believe this was back in July of 2021. We hadn't been playing live, and we felt there was a lot to create. So, it wasn't not intended to be a double album, but it also wasn't intended to be a double album. It was kind of ambiguous as to what the project would be until we got out of the studio and evaluated the material.
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So, you guys went in the studio with nothing, and ultimately wrote and recorded close to 20 songs?
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Louis: We did. I think it ended up being 16 or 17 total songs.
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That's one hell of a brainstorming session!
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Louis: It really was. We really didn't know what we were going to get. Maybe we'd get a full record. Maybe we wouldn't. We recorded at White Star Studio, where we recordedSpace For Days several years ago. It's in Louisa, Virginia. It's out in the country, with places to sleep and stay for a bit. So that's what we did. That isolated atmosphere really helped get the creative juices flowing.
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I'd imagine so, man. That sounds like a really ideal situation for what you guys were hoping to accomplish.
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Louis: It really was. They had some goats out there. We released a video for "Say Hey" which featured some of the goats (laughs).
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I'll check that out. I noticed you released a studio cover of The Beatles' "Rocky Raccoon" back in January. Was this a cover that's been in the live rotation for a while?
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Louis: Yeah, pretty much. We had a few days off in Nashville, and we figured we'd try to get in the studio and record something. We've been doing that cover for many years. It seemed like the right one to record, and it's actually a first take. We knew what we were doing, which helped us knock it out pretty quick. We had two days in the studio, and we also recorded a couple of songs for an upcoming project called "The Untitled California Project." We're trying to coordinate that with a West Coast run later in the year.
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Sounds like you guys are really keeping the studio momentum rolling this year.
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Louis: Yeah, it's nice because we have a lot of great songwriters in the band. We don't really tether ourselves to a certain sound, so with anything that someone is inspired to write, we can generally find a place for it.The Untitled California Project, in particular...it's pretty silly. It's almost a bit of a joke, in a way, but we're putting the effort in to make it sound great. Hopefully people will get the joke. It's kind of similar toThe Nautical Aquatical, which is the nautical themed album. We have some other themed releases that we're working on as well.
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I'll be looking forward to that. I know you're gearing up for a big run of shows, which includes Saturday, March 19that Avondale Brewing Company in Birmingham. This is one of many with Underground Springhouse. Atlanta's Bird Dog Jubilee is also on this show. Tell me a little bit about the band's history in Birmingham and the Southeast in general.
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Louis: We have played in Birmingham a few times. It's always been a great time. I know we've played WorkPlay in the past. We've also done Tuscaloosa several times. I believe we have another private gig in Tuscaloosa in April. We love playing in the South. The energy is great. The traffic is bearable, with the exception of Atlanta. You can cruise around the southeast a lot easier than the northeast. I'm really stoked to be heading down there this time of year. Our old keyboard player, Andrew King, lives in Birmingham.
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You guys will love playing Avondale Brewery. It's such a well-run venue. The staff is amazing. There should be a really nice turnout for a Saturday show in March. I know plenty of people are really excited about this particular show.
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Louis: Woo-hoo! That's great to hear man. We are excited about it.
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Well before we wrap this up, what else is coming up for KSC that the band and your fans can look forward to?
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Louis: We're hitting the Southeast markets over the next few weeks. Next month, we're heading up to the Northeast. We'll be back in New York City. We have our first show in Portland, Maine. It's our first show ever in Maine. I'm a big fan of Maine. We're hoping to play as many festivals as we can this summer. Hitting up the West Coast in the fall. We're planning to make our way back out to Colorado as well. There should be an announcement for an official live release coming up soon. We will be announcing a new studio album pretty soon. We're still deciding on a final name for it. As I mentioned, we also haveThe Untitled California Project as well. Lots of studio releases and live releases. Lots of shows too.
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That's incredible man. New releases are equally exciting for the band and your fans. I'm sure you'll have the KSC fanbase fully engaged, while also reaching plenty of new fans this year.
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Louis: That's right. I also wanted to mention that we have Repsy and Relix Magazine presenting this March & April tour, which is really exciting. We have a full page in Relix Magazine, which people can pick up at our merch table. That was really cool to be featured in Relix.
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That's incredible. I'm sure it will be a successful tour. Really enjoyed chatting with you today. We're all looking forward to seeing y'all on Saturday, March 19th in Birmingham.
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Louis: Absolutely. Thank you, Jordan!
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Interview with Charlie Haas of Underground Springhouse
We've finally progressed into a year in which the COVID climate seems to be headed in the right direction. Tell me about how the course of 2021 treated Underground Springhouse in general. How did you guys manage to stay the course?
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Charlie: It was certainly a big bump in the road for us, considering our busy touring schedule. Like all bands, we’ve had plenty of shows cancelled over the past two years, but we still managed to be pretty productive as a group. Writing new music and playing whatever shows we were able to at the time. We definitely improved a lot through that period of time, and it ended up being a nice break to regroup. But now we’re back at it and ready to hit the road again full speed.
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With the calendar seeming to have more promise and consistency in 2022, what is the band most excited about this year?
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Charlie: We’re super amped for our upcoming tour with Kendall Street Company. We’re hitting most of the Southeast, and they should be some of our most exciting shows yet. We’ve also got new music coming very soon, so we’re really excited to release some new tunes.
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It's been nearly a year since the release of your self-titled album Underground Springhouse. This was the band's first studio release sinceTom Fooleryin 2019. What was this recording process like, and how was it unique from those of the past?
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Charlie: Our first few singles and EP,Tom Foolery, were recorded in a home studio in a friend’s basement. The studio had decent equipment, but it was also pretty bare bones. After our first EP, we recorded our next singles and debut album at 1093 in Athens, which is a great and affordable studio space. That was really fun to be in a real studio and have access to a lot more gadgets and gizmos.
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On Saturday, March 19th, you guys return to Birmingham's Avondale Brewery for a big Saturday night show with Kendall Street Company. What type of history does the band have in Birmingham? How is this run of shows with KSC shaping up?
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Charlie: It seems we’ve played every city in Alabama except for Birmingham. This will be our first show there, and I can’t imagine a better way to do it than at such a great venue with such a great lineup of bands. This run with Kendall Street is shaping up quite nicely, and it sounds like both bands are gearing up for a hell of a time. We’re super excited.
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Let's say you were speaking with someone who is planning to attend their first Underground Springhouse show in Birmingham on March 19th. What should they expect from the moment you take stage until the encore concludes?
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Charlie: I’d tell them to expect some groovy original tunes, one or two surprise covers, and some saucy improvisation making for a funky tropical rock show.
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When you look at this year as a whole, how would you summarize the band's overall vision and goals for the course of 2022?
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Charlie: Our goal is to keep making the best music we can, both in the studio and on stage. We’re aiming to keep the train rolling and play as many shows in as many places as we can.
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Right on man. Well, thanks for taking the time to speak with me. Looking forward to this show. Best of luck with the entire tour.
Our friends at Big Friendly Productions have another exciting week ahead for Birmingham music fans, as Nashville-based Americana outfit The Wild Feathers returns for another performance at Avondale Brewing Company on Thursday, March 10th. Fresh off the completion of the Big Friendly Takeover, the local production company brings their show back to the main stage on Thursday night.
Just as you would expect with any nationally touring act, the past year was full of plenty of ups and downs for The Wild Feathers. While a number of COVID-related reasons presented multiple setbacks throughout the year, the band spent much time on the road with acts such as The Allman Betts Band and Blackberry Smoke, including a performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in late October.
In preparation for Thursday night, we caught up The Wild Feathers' Joel King (bass guitar) to get all of the latest info about the past year, as well as what lies ahead in 2022. Check out the full conversation below, and head over to Avondale's ticketing page to secure your tickets in advance!
We've finally progressed into a year in which the COVID climate seems to be headed in the right direction. Tell me about how the course of 2021 treated The Wild Feathers in general. How did you guys manage to stay the course?
Joel: We just try to do anything and everything possible to stay busy and sane. Going out with Blackberry Smoke and The Allman Betts Band was a lot of fun. There were a few set backs, positive tests, and delays, but overall, it was a blast. Then we put put out Alvarado and did a headlining run. It was such a relief to be back in a regular club playing as long as we wanted for our most die-hard fans. The crowds are not fully back to 100%, but it’s only getting better as people are getting braver.
With the calendar seeming to have more promise and consistency in 2022, what is the band most excited about this year?
Joel: We're most excited about enjoying what we have. We’re always looking ahead too much and trying to milk every situation. I just want to relish in a good old fashion rock and roll show. There’s a pretty good variety of club, theater, and festival dates that will keep us on our toes. One of our favorite places to play, The Mercy Lounge, is closing, and we will be playing a very special show in April to say farewell. I’m also really excited about playing Pappy and Harrietts near Joshua Tree. We have been patrons there many times but have never played a full set.
It's been nearly six months since the release of your most recent album Alvarado. This was a rather quick turnaround from your 2020 release Medium Rarities. What was this recording process like, and how was it unique from those of the past?
Joel: Alvarado is our most unique record to date. We have always went to a cabin to work out songs for a new record, but this was different. Usually, we would get a voice memo, then go track a demo at my studio, and then go into the studio with a producer. We decided to streamline the process and scraped together all the sweetest recording gear we could find. On this session, we were going for a vibe and performance. There’s nothing like playing a song for the first time. Not hammering it down to where you don’t even like it anymore. Most the time, you’re not set up to record while jamming, so that’s the point. Capturing it. It really does sound like a band just having fun making music.
Later this week, you guys return to Birmingham's Avondale Brewery for what is sure to be an exciting show. What is it about the energy in the deep South that makes shows like this so special?
Joel: Birmingham has always been one of our favorite spots to play anywhere. We love the city, the people and the food. To me, it’s always had a little bit of a Nashville vibe. Most people in Birmingham have a little better taste in music, art, food and history than some of the surrounding scenes. It’s a special place.
Let's say you were speaking with someone who is planning to attend their first Wild Feathers show in Birmingham this week. What should they expect from the moment you take stage until the encore concludes?
Joel: If you are coming to see us for the first time ever, I am jealous of you (laughs).I love when people don’t expect who is singing or what’s coming next. We trade off lead vocals then into harmonies, then into guitar solos, then into outer space. Everyone in the band has a distinct personality and talent that keeps everyone in the audience and on stage guessing. As far as an overall vision or goal for the year, just one word: Enjoy!
Stream The Wild Feathers' latest album Alvarado here:
After a three month hiatus from the road, Arizona-based jam band Spafford is gearing up for what looks to be their strongest year to date. We all know the toll that the ongoing pandemic has taken on the music industry. This band is certainly no exception. Spafford was one of many who were forced to shut down their New Year's plans due to heightened COVID concerns in December.
We've now landed in much more encouraging times, and the band is looking ahed to next week's run through the great state of Colorado with much enthusiasm. This will be followed by a major national tour across the East Coast and Southeast, which ultimately culminates with a performance at SweetWater 420 Festival in Atlanta in late April.
If that wasn't enough, fans can also rejoice in the release of a brand new live Spafford compilation titled Hindsight, which is set for release on all major streaming platforms on Friday, March 4th. Hindsight will feature a collection of live material recorded over the course of 2020.
We recently sat down with all four members of the band (Brian Moss: Guitar/Vocals, Andrew "Red" Johnson: Keyboards/Vocals, Nick Tkachyk: Drums, & Jordan Fairless: Bass/Vocals) to discuss how they have managed to overcome the challenges of a global pandemic, a beautifully positive outlook on 2022, and much more. See below for our full conversation with the band, and make sure to follow Spafford on Facebook and Instagram for all of the latest info.
It's a pleasure to speak with you today, guys. I know it's an exciting time for Spafford, as you're preparing for your first tour in quite a few months. Let's start off by touching on the past year for the band, and how you guys have kept things fresh amongst so many challenges.
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Brian: Absolutely. For me, ever since trying to get back on the road, life has just been full of really high highs and really low lows. The opportunity to go out on our recent fall tour was met with a lot of challenges, just navigating around COVID. That ultimately continued at the end of the year, as we had to cancel our New Year's run due to the heightened COVID concerns.
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It's been a while since we've even played a live show, and we're very fortunate and grateful to be able to jump back out for this Colorado run, which starts next week. After that, we'll be getting ready for the Sunny Dispositions Tour, which has a bunch of dates along the East Coast and Southeast.
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We're really grateful for the opportunity to keep this thing alive, get back on the road, and do what we do best. In the meantime, it's been an opportunity for all of us to take care of our personal lives. Be there for our families at home. The lack of touring has provided those opportunities, which we've met with open arms.
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I can definitely say that I am ready to get back on the road. I'm ready to play live music again. It's my greatest passion and my greatest outlook on life. It's my relief and my therapy to go out and play music. I just can't wait for the opportunity to get out there and do it again.
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I can only imagine. When exactly was y'all's last show?
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Jordan: It was back in November of last year. We were supposed to have New Year's, and things got pretty crazy in the greater New York area. We kind of held off on other potential opportunities just because of the overall conditions out there. We were aware of the effect that COVID was having, even with all of the restrictions in place. It's easy to think about it from the performer's perspective, but then you also have to think about the venue staff, bartenders, merchandise handlers, and the cleaning staff.
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There is a really interesting analysis on the overall drop rate of tickets sold versus people in attendance. You start to see how that trickles down into every aspect of the show. You could sell out a show, but only have half of those people show up. That's half of the people buying merchandise and drinks, too.
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You look at the overall impact that it was having on so many people, and we had to make some tough decisions. It had a big effect on a lot more than just the four guys on stage. It's a big machine that feeds it all. With that being said, we couldn't be more excited to get back out there. It feels like the right time to try and do it again. We've been home since November, and we are ready to play again.
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Wow. I knew that you guys had to cancel the New Year's shows, but I didn't realize that it had been that long. I'm sure y'all are amped about next week in Colorado. So back in December, y'all released the Jam in the Van EP. Tell me about that experience and the four tracks that ultimately made the cut.
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Nick: Yeah man, that was a super fun gig for us. That was in Los Angeles. That setup is just so cool. You're playing inside of a camper/trailer outfit that's decked out with band stickers and merchandise all over the inside. That was a pretty big deal for us to do Jam in the Van. We were super stoked about that. Personally, I've seen so many cool performances in that van from bands that I love over the years. That was so much fun to finally get in there and play in that vibe.
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We played four songs. I believe we played "Be Strange," which is from our album The Gaff Tapes. We played one new song, which was written by Brian, called "Pursuit Of Madness." That's one that we've played live a few times, but it was in a totally different genre. We called it "Pursuit of Trance," previously. That version had more of a techno/trance feel to it. We also played one of Jordan's new tunes called "Giants In The Light," which is a new rock and roller that we've been playing lately. Then we did one that Red wrote called "Comfortable," which features lyrics written by our good friend Chuck Johnson. That one is also from The Gaff Tapes.
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That sounds like a blast. So, this was Spafford's first time doing Jam in the Van?
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Nick: It sure was. Spafford's debut at Jam in the Van.
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Very cool. I feel like that series is somewhat of a 'rite of passage' in the world of musicians. That had to be a fulfilling experience.
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Nick: Yeah, it was super rad. I believe we played at Belly Up in Solano Beach later that night. Jam in the Van was actually in Costa Mesa? South of Los Angelas. It was on the way to Solano Beach. We played the Teragram Ballroom in downtown LA, then we did Jam in the Van, and then Solano Beach. The Belly Up is another historical venue that has been doing super rad shows for years and years. It was a really nice run through Southern California. That's for sure.
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Sounds like it. So, you guys released For Amusement Only in 2018 and The Gaff Tapes in 2019. Since then, there have been several live releases. Most recently, you've released the Jam in the Van EP. What type of impact has the recent downtime had on writing new material and the ability to continue collaborating with one another?
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Red: Yeah, all of us individually are always writing and coming up with new material. I will say that with all of the time on my hands, it gave me the opportunity to finally sit back and sift through some of the stuff that I've been working on for a long time. We were very fortunate to be in the same town for a while. We kept our bubble very tight, and we were able to get together to work on new material and old material. Revamping old stuff, while coming up with new stuff as well. We were very fortunate to be able to do that.
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Love hearing that. Now that things seem to be trending in the right direction, with less cancellations and more shows on the calendar, how is the calendar shaping up for the band?
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Brian: Well, on Friday, March 4th, we're releasing a brand new live compilation called Hindsight. This will be a compilation of a bunch of music we played over the course of 2020. Some of the tracks on the album were played in front of virtually no one. They were pulled from our New Year's show, which ended up being an indoor live stream show, instead of an outdoor show with a live audience. We were kind of making lemonade, you know?
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It was a two-night stint, and the music that came from that was some of my favorite music that the band has played in a long time. I think you could really hear and feel the emotions and effects of what was going on with COVID at the time. The band gets on stage and finally had the ability to release all of that frustration, anger, and rage (laughs) that was going on at the time. The music really reflects all of that. Several of the tracks were pulled from that, and some were pulled from the shows we played in early 2020, before we were pulled off the road for essentially 18 months.
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So, that album is coming out on Friday, March 4th. It'll be available on all of your major music outlets. We're finally getting back out there. We have a festival play here in Phoenix this weekend, which is going to be awesome. That will be the kick off to our new touring year. We have a run of five shows in Colorado, which will be great. We'll come back home for a bit, and then we hit this more major tour, which kicks off in April.
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Once we're done with that tour, we have a bunch of festivals lined up for the summer. There are always big things on the horizon. Plenty of secrets that we can't talk about just yet. We're always cooking up some things. I think the fall is going to be really huge for us. All of this leading into the 2023 should be a really promising time for us. All I see is a nice increase in flow and engagement between us and our fans. Hopefully the COVID stuff can be behind us and not be hindering our success moving forward.
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I sure hope things continue in that direction. From what I recall, Spafford was amongst the bands leading the way with socially distanced, innovative shows during the initial COVID shutdown. Is that correct?
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Brian: Yeah, we did take the time to do all of that. Out here in Arizona, it gets really hot once May comes around. That kind of eliminated us from being able to do too many of those shows; putting the band, our crew, and our fans through that type of heat. Like Red said earlier, we tried our best to stay inside, keep our bubble really tight, and work on all of our music as a whole.
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We did a lot of writing and recording, and I think that all of that is still what we are preparing to release for the rest of this year. So, keep your eyes and ears peeled for more announcements and releases from the Spafford camp. It's going to be a really exciting rest of the year.
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That's so great to hear. Well, in regards to these Southeast shows coming up, I know there is plenty of excitement brewing. I'll never forget when y'all made it down south for the first time. Your Atlanta shows were selling out in a matter of minutes. You played SweetWater 420 Fest, then turned around and played to sold out Variety Playhouse later that night. How has it felt for you guys being so well received down here since day one?
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Red: I'll tell you this. We love the south. Some of those shows in Atlanta are amongst my favorite that we have ever played. Some of the Birmingham shows, specifically at Saturn, that is such a sick venue. I love that place. I remember one show at Saturn where we walked out on stage, and somehow the soundboard and PA just crashed. We were just stuck out on stage. We couldn't really do anything about it, so we just sat down and started chatting with the crowd.
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We love it down there. I think this will be the first time that we've played both Huntsville and Tuscaloosa. The vibe in the south is high, and we absolutely love it. Plus, it's just beautiful down there. Well, at least at this time of the year. I know it gets pretty sticky down there in the summer.
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That's the truth. The summers can be rough. I know there is a whole lot of excitement about y'all coming back down here though. I know that there will be no shortage of excitement this go round.
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Brian: You mentioned SweetWater 420 Fest. I still hold that memory as one of the largest crowds we've ever played in front of in our entire career. The opportunity to be able go back is really exciting. What's most exciting is that this tour we're leading into in April caps off at SweetWater 420 Fest. It kind of feels like the road to 420 Fest and getting back to that place that is such a special memory for us. It's just a really great feeling to know that's coming up after enduring this whole COVID thing for so long.
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I bet that is a great feeling. 420 Fest should be a really special one this year. That's such a major weekend for so many music fans across the southeast. Not that they have ever slacked with the lineup, but my goodness, I'm not sure I've seen a better bill than what they've put together this year.
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Red: Yeah, we couldn't be more excited to be a part of that festival again this year.
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Well guys, it has been a true pleasure speaking with y'all today. All of us here in the southeast are certainly ready for a healthy dose of Spafford next month. Stay safe on the road, and we'll see you real soon.
Mountain Music Festival Announces 2022 Festival Lineup – Includes Three Nights of Music on the Mountaintop with Galactic, Cory Wong, TAUK PAPER SCISSORS!, Ripe, Big Something & more at ACE Adventure Resort June 2nd- 4th.
Mountain Music Festival (June 2, 3 and 4, 2022), hosted by ACE Adventure Resort in Oak Hill, WV, has announced their 2022 Artist Lineup featuring Galactic, Cory Wong, TAUK PAPER SCISSORS!, Ripe, Big Something and more. Over 30 bands will play on three stages including Doom Flamingo, Spafford, The Motet, Moon Hooch, The Nth Power, Litz, and more. This destination music festival in the New River Gorge National Park allows participants to vacation at an adventure resort in West Virginia while being immersed in the atmosphere of a music festival.
Making their second Mountain Music Festival appearance is New Orleans funk powerhouse Galactic. History doesn’t stand still. It impacts, influences, and inspires the ebb and flow of the future by informing the present. Galactic draw on 25 years together in order to progress with each performance and subsequent record. After 10 albums, over 2,000 gigs, and tens of millions of streams, the proud New Orleans, LA quintet have kept the torch burning through five U.S. presidential regimes, the turn-of-the- century, Hurricane Katrina, a Global Pandemic, and a much-anticipated recovery. They’re the rare collective who can support Juvenile on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, contribute music to a blockbuster soundtrack such as Now You See Me, and light up the stages of Coachella, Bonnaroo, and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (a staggering 22 times).
Check out last year's MMF official recap video here:
Cory Wong fashions himself “a hype man,” first and foremost. Living up to this classification, he slings a Stratocaster and hurls “dad jokes” from the stage with the same panache, poise, and power. He lent his talents to television programs such as The Voice at the dawn of his career. After an impromptu meeting at the weekly jam hosted by Prince’s rhythm section he crossed paths with Vulfpeck who welcomed him as a frequent collaborator and member of the band. Solidifying a fruitful partnership, the group named their most popular instrumental track “Cory Wong,” in tribute. Lighting up the stage in the band everywhere from Red Rocks Amphitheatre to Madison Square Garden, he remains a cornerstone of Vulfpeck’s storied gigs.
TAUK PAPER SCISSORS! is bringing something truly special to Mountain Music Festival this June. This super group features Karl Denson, Kanika Moore plus more special guests to be announced. Karl Denson is the frontman for his band Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and also plays sax in The Rolling Stones. Kanika Moore is the powerhouse vocalist behind Doom Flamingo and is ready to wow the Mountain Music Festival crowd with her influence on this all-star cast of musicians. More talented musicians will be added to this group as we get closer to the event.
Multiple ticket options are available including 2-Day, 3-Day & 4-Day Passes. Festival tickets include mountaintop camping and live music. VIP Passes are also available which include prime camping, parking pass, waterpark access and VIP lounge access. Passes can be purchased by clicking here.Festival coordinators warn not to wait and get your pass as the event has sold out in both 2021 and 2019.
ABOUT MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Destination Music Festival where you can take part in exciting outdoor adventures while being immersed in the atmosphere of a full on music festival. Mountain Music Festival has evolved into one of the most anticipated weekends of the summer in West Virginia. The stage sits atop Wonderland Mountain right in the middle of ACE Adventure Resort (https://aceraft.com/), a 1,500-acre outdoor adventure property in the heart of the New River Gorge National Park. Festival attendees when not enjoying the music are always close to the gorge’s best outdoor activities ranging from the East Coast’s best white water rafting, to rock climbing, world-class mountain biking, waterpark adventure and hiking. Guests are well fed at a choice of dining venues and enjoy nights spent in tents or comfortable cabins at ACE. Because of the simple ethos behind the festival, participants are surrounded by a community of like-minded outdoor adventures who don’t mind a little moonshine with their music, or the other way around.
2022 is the festivals eighth year and event organizers have seen attendance grow over the years from 500 people in 2014 to over 3,000 last summer. Things have been kicked up a notch over the last few years offering more music and added fun. Tickets: $119- $800 depending on single day attendance or full weekend camping option selected. VIP packages and resort add ons including adventures such as whitewater rafting and zip lining are available.
The 2022 Mountain Music Festival artist lineup features the following bands on 3 stages: TAUK PAPER SCISSORS!, Galactic, Cory Wong, Ripe, Big Something, Doom Flamingo, Spafford, The Motet, Moon Hooch, The Nth Power, Litz, Joslyn & The Sweet Compression, The Kind Thieves, Bennett Walker Wales, Yam Yam, Josh Teed, Ranford Almond Band, Logan Halstead, Matt Mullins & The Bringdowns, Short & Company, The Settlement, Dinosaur Burps, Buddhagraph Spaceship, The Mighty Good Times, The Talismen, Corduroy Brown, Annie Neeley Band, Darrin Hacquard, The Freeway Jubilee, Pluto Gang & Strizy.
Share this article directly from the Live & Listen Facebook page and tag a friend + the band in the comments for a chance to win a pair of tickets to any show on Big Friendly Takeover.
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I think all music lovers in the Birmingham area would agree that Big Friendly Productions has been a beacon of light over the past two years. The event and production company, which officially launched in 2014, has been providing sound, lighting, and even staging for many of the city's biggest and best events for nearly eight years now. When the initial surge of COVID-19 shut down the entire music industry, Big Friendly was hit as hard as any. Their entire calendar was put on hold, as the future of concert production was very much in question.
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Co-owners Alex Cape and Seth Hanna immediately went to the drawing board and created an online concert series known as Hunker in the Bunker. This series of live streams was held in the warehouse of local music equipment/instrument store Toms Sound. While this wouldn't guarantee anywhere near the revenue that they were preparing for in 2020, it allowed their company, staff, and a collection of regional acts to perform in a safe environment for their fans. Those who tuned in had the option to contribute to the cause via Venmo, PayPal, or CashApp, and it literally kept live music alive in Birmingham for the time being.
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As socially distanced, pod-style shows began to surface at Avondale Brewing Company, Big Friendly was there to provide their elite level of production. While COVID continues to cause cancellations across the country, we have thankfully reached a point where bands are touring and those that work the hardest behind the scenes can make a living. We should all take a moment to thank the event and production staff that work so tirelessly to allow us these incredible concert experiences.
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Big Friendly's latest venture comes in the form of a real, in-person concert series known as Big Friendly Takeover at Avondale Brewery's upstairs event space. They will be providing staging, sound, and lighting for several of this region's most promising acts, and we couldn't be more grateful for their team. While COVID unfortunately shut down the first scheduled show with Rob Aldridge & The Proponents last Friday, BFP and Avondale are ready for an incredible concert series, which officially kicks off with Nerf The World and Little Raine Band on Friday, February 11th.
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The Takeover continues with The Mummy Cats and Audiophile on Saturday, February 12th, Rob Aldridge & The Proponents and Flying Buffaloes on Friday, February 18th, Daniel Donato and Taylor Hunnicutt on Saturday, February 19th, and Winston Ramble on Friday, February 25th. We had a chance to speak with Founder/Co-Owner Alex Cape earlier this week, who shared his vision and overall thoughts on the concert series:
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"We always get excited to work at Avondale Brewery. These are all artists that we enjoy working with and know will put on great shows. From a production standpoint we hope to turn the event space upstairs into an intimate and special space to come see a show.
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We also have some really exciting projects and shows in the works for the rest of the year. We are very grateful to do what we do. We hope people come out and have fun," said Cape.
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In addition to BFP's Takeover, the production company has also announced plans for two exciting outdoor shows on Avondale's main stage. The Wild Feathers make their return to Birmingham with special guest Myron Elkins on Thursday, March 10th. Virginia-based jam band Kendall Street Company will take the Avondale stage, with support from Atlanta'a Underground Springhouse, on Saturday, March 19th.
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Tickets for all upcoming Big Friendly shows at Avondale Brewing Company can be purchased by clicking here. We encourage all who plan to attend to purchase their tickets in advance, as this an intimate, indoor venue which could easily sell out on any given night. Make sure to follow Big Friendly Productions on Facebook and Instagramfor all of the latest updates on this series and future events. See below for a video from each band that BFP is bringing to Avondale below.
We're giving away a pair of tickets to any upcoming Funk You show, one free vinyl copy the band's self titled album, one official 'Moving Forward' t-shirt, and a sticker package to one lucky winner. To enter the contest, share this article directly from theLive & Listen Facebook page, and tag a friend in the comments section of the post. We will announce the winner in the coming days!
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Back in 2013, I was living in Columbia, South Carolina, and I drove down to Augusta to catch Moon Taxi's Halloween show. They were the one band that I'd seen successfully climb from the ranks of Bourbon Street Bar in Auburn to the nationally touring circuit. Upon arriving at Sky City, I learned that a local band called Funk You was opening. This was my first time hearing of them, but if their name was any indication, it was about to be a damn good opening set.
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I quickly realized that I was watching one of my new favorite bands. I don't remember too many specifics, but I do recall frontman Gavin Hamilton singing his heart out, while dressed as a storm trooper. While Moon Taxi played a killer show, I walked away that night talking about Funk You. Since that night, I've caught their live show on countless occasions, and it's always an absolutely raging dance party. The band has since expanded with a full horn section, and they've become a staple on the national jam/festival circuit.
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Earlier this week, I had a chance to sit down with Geoff Wood (trumpet/guitar) and Will Foster (keyboards) to catch up on all of the latest happenings. Fresh off a New Year's Eve show in Asheville with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Keller Williams to close out 2021, Funk You is gearing up for another huge year, and I'm as excited as anyone to see what comes next. Check out the full conversation below, and make sure the follow the band on Facebook and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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Great to speak with both of you guys today. I know that Funk You just wrapped up a successful year, which ended with a big New Year's Eve show with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong & Keller Williams. Tell me about that experience.
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Geoff: New Year's was great, man. It's always interesting when you go on at 7:00 PM, but we had a great crowd there already. The benefit is you're not playing 'til 1:00 AM, so we were able to get off stage and enjoy the evening as a band. Asheville is a place we have played so many times. We have a whole lot of homies there that always show up. Other homies came in from out of town too. It was a fantastic night.
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I feel like the chain of command in Asheville is starting out at The One Stop, gradually moving up to Asheville Music Hall, and if the ticket sales are there, moving on to The Orange Peel, Salvage Station, and larger outdoor brewery stages. I'm sure playing the Civic Center on New Year's Eve was a full circle moment.
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Will: Definitely. We got started at The One Stop. Then, we started opening for bands at the Music Hall. From there, we then had bands opening for us at the Music Hall. We went over to Salvage Station for several events, and it's continued to grow.
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Another thing I'll add about New Year's is that this is the first New Year's, that I can remember in years, that we weren't on stage playing at midnight. We were together, not on stage, listening to other people play music. That was different...
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Geoff: But not necessarily bad!
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Will: Not at all. Just a different experience. It was a really good lineup. I thought that Pigeons and their team did a great job organizing and managing the event. That was right during the time that Omicron was spreading everywhere, and so many bands were having to cancel their New Year's Eve performances. The Pigeons team came up with a plan to try and do it as safely and responsible and possible. I know a lot of hard work went to keep that event in place and in accordance with city guidelines. Everything was fantastic.
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You're right about that. It seemed like every day someone new was canceling a New Year's show due to COVID related reasons. And yes, Pigeons' management, and just the band in general, always seem to do things right. I'm glad that show was able to play out. Didn't Keller Williams end up sitting in with y'all?
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Will: Keller sat in with us on "West LA Fadeaway," which was a lot of fun. I'm not sure about Keller's set, but several of our guys ended up sitting in during Pigeons' set as well. I believe Keller did as well.
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Geoff: There were several guests on stage when the clock struck midnight, from what I recall.
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Speaking of Pigeons, I saw that Funk You was listed on the recent lineup announcement for their annual DomeFest weekend. It's on the earlier side of festival season, which is great way to start the summer. Have you guys played that festival before?
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Geoff: Yes we have. I haven't been in the band since day one, but I know we've played at least once. That must have been in 2019. That summer before COVID shut everything down. Then we did HomeFest, which was a pretty cool live streaming concept they put together when DomeFest couldn't happen in 2020. We're excited to get back to Legend Valley in Ohio. It's a beautiful place to play, and they put together another killer lineup this year.
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That's a great one to be a part of once again. I know you guys can attest to how important these festival plays are. They're a big piece to the puzzle and so crucial for building your audience through new exposure.
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Geoff: That was one of the many super disappointing effects of COVID. We were slated to play a bunch of really great festivals that summer. We had some prime time slots as well, between Summer Camp, SweetWater 420 Fest, Electric Forest, and several other big opportunities. That was especially painful about COVID striking when it did. We were poised to be in front of a lot of new faces.
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Will: Thankfully, it worked out the best that it could once bands started playing again. We were fortunate to maintain just about all of those cancelled festival plays, with the exception of 420 Fest and Electric Forest. Like Geoff alluded to earlier, we had some great opportunities that were casualties of COVID. But we picked up some new ones as well.
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Right on. So the band is gearing up for another big run of shows. That starts this weekend in Florida. Tell me how the calendar is shaping up for you guys.
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Geoff: I think we're all really excited to get back to Florida. We were there right before COVID hit, and this will be our first time back. I keep bringing up COVID, but that was the last run we did before things shut down. We love playing The Funky Biscuit, and we're really stoked to do three nights at The Green Parrot in Key West. It's always a fantastic weekend.
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This will be our fourth time down there. We've made friends and almost feel like a little part of the community when we're in town. Also, we get to play a whole lot. In addition to three nights, we have three sets on Friday and Saturday. As a trumpet player, it's exhausting by the end. From a musical perspective as a band, we get to stretch so much. It's great from a jamming and creativity standpoint.
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Will: As a keys player, it doesn't really affect me at all playing three sets a day (laughs). So the last time we were in Florida was technically Hulaween last October.
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Geoff: Oh yeah. That's right!
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Will: Going back to what Geoff said, the unique thing is that they call it a residency there. It becomes like a family-type environment. It's so hard for bands to get down that far into Florida. That's why they do the three-night, three sets a day thing down there. You can just drive down to Key West for a one off. Even if you finished in Miami, there aren't many other stops along the way. Miami isn't necessarily a hopping music scene. Once you pass Boca Raton, that's kinda it until Key West.
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Geoff:I think this is the most cities in Florida we've ever hit on a single run. Jacksonville, Boca, Tampa, Orlando, Jupiter, Key West, and Fort Walton Beach. Then we head over to Texas. I'm realizing now that basically all of these shows are places we hit just before COVID, and we haven't returned since.
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Will:The last run we did before COVID was that Florida run, and right before that Florida run, we were in Texas and a few other places with Perpetual Groove. This is kind of a mirror image of the pre-COVID months. Hopefully that's not a sign of another fuckin' two years off (laughs).
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Don't blame you guys for being excited about this particular tour, and I'm sure those who know and love your music in these particular cities are equally as stoked.
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Geoff:Yeah, absolutely. We're stoked to get back to Houston, too. We're playing at Last Concert Cafe. That's our usual spot there, and it's such a cool outdoor venue. You can get away with that during this time of the year in Texas.
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That's great. It looks like that run of shows wraps up with Oxford, Jackson, and New Orleans. Where do you guys play in New Orleans these days? There are obviously so many venues there.
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Geoff: We're at D.B.A. It's a venue on Frenchman Street. I think it's our first time there, but not our first time playing on Frenchman. That's another city we love to play. It's also the first weekend of Mardi Gras, which is a big plus. That's gonna be exciting.
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There isn't really a bad time to visit and play New Orleans, but Mardi Gras is certainly a wild time down there.
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Will: It's always a great time just to be visiting. Even visiting as a musician and not playing, because of the history down there. We always enjoy getting down there.
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Well you guys aren't too far past the release of the new album, Moving Forward, back in September. Aside from all of the upcoming tour dates and festival plays, what do you guys have in the works?
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Will: We're always writing. It's just a matter of us finding the time to get in the studio, between touring and our personal lives. We tend to play 75% of the songs (that will ultimately become a new record) live before we actually record them. I can tell you that we're well on our way, song writing wise, for another full length album.
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Geoff: We are planning on taking some time to get back in the studio after this run. The plans are in motion for releasing another album. It's tough to say when that will happen, but it's definitely in the works.
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Will: Correct me if I'm wrong, Geoff, but I know we've been going through our archive of recorded shows. There will be some special, archival releases at some point in the future as well. That's about all we can say.
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Geoff: Correct. Stay tuned for an announcement on that. And lastly, getting back to Moving Forward, we are finally taking pre-orders for some really dope vinyl copies of the album. I believe we're doing custom colors only, rather than black vinyl. If anyone feels like getting some good looking, and good sounding vinyl, we hope you'll consider grabbing one. (Click here to pre-order your copy today.)
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Will: We will also have some really dope tour posters available at all of our upcoming shows. People can take a look at those on our Facebook page if they're interested in grabbing one.
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All great things to hear. Couldn't be happier to see Funk You's continued success. I know you guys aren't even close to finished. Best of luck with the upcoming tour. Be safe out on the road. It was a pleasure catching up with you boys today.
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Will: Absolutely. Thank you Jordan!
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Geoff: Thank you! We hope you at a show in the near future!
Little Feat’s current lineup released a new version of the legendary band’s classic song, “Fat Man In The Bathtub.” The single was recorded in celebration of the 45th Anniversary of their landmark 1978 live album, Waiting For Columbus.
Written by late Little Feat co-founder Lowell George, “Fat Man In The Bathtub” first appeared on the band’s 1973 album, Dixie Chicken, and again on Waiting For Columbus. The new version features longtime members, keyboardist Bill Payne, guitarist Fred Tackett, bassist Kenny Gradney and percussionist Sam Clayton, along with recent additions, guitarist Scott Sharrard and drummer Tony Leone.
In addition to the current lineup, the new recording features guest vocalists Amy Helm and Catherine Russell as well as The Midnight Ramble Horns consisting of trumpeter Stephen Bernstein and saxophonists Jay Collins and Erik Lawrence. The track, which premiered via Relix, was recorded remotely and completed by engineer Charles A. Martinez.
Check out the official 45th Anniversary Tour graphic below, and make sure to head to the band's official Facebook page for more details.
With Payne on lead vocals, the updated “Fat Man In The Bathtub” can be streamed below:
The time has finally come, and Atlanta-born four-piece King Baby has reunited for a brief run through the southeast over the next week. Many music fans in the Southeast will remember the formation of this band roughly seven years ago. The lineup features Matt Slocum (Railroad Earth, Jimmy Herring, Aquarium Rescue Unit) on keys, Kevin Scott (Jimmy Herring, FORQ, Wednesday Night Titans) on bass, Rick Lollar (Jimmy Herring, Jamison Ross) on guitar and vocals, and Mark Raudabaugh (Donna The Buffalo, Sierra Hull) on drums. We recently caught up with Kevin to learn more about this project and their upcoming run of shows. Check out the full conversation below, and head over to the band's official Facebook page for more information!
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Let's start with the basics. Who is King Baby? How and when did you guys get the band started?
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Kevin: King Baby technically started in 2014. Basically, Rick (Lollar) booked a gig with me and Mark (Raudabaugh) at Smith's Olde Bar in Atlanta. We were basically playing all of Rick's original music from his latest album at the time. Soon after that, we started playing as a trio at Elliot Street Pub in Atlanta, and King Baby was born. We started booking Matt (Slocum) as the fourth member whenever he was available, but Matt was also touring with Aquarium Rescue Unit, Jimmy Herring, Magpie Salute, and who knows what else at the time.
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We had this chemistry that was undeniable as a four piece. It was just a different vibe once we brought in keys. Matt made everything that much more cohesive. We started gigged more as a four-piece, and then Matt calls us and asks if we wanted to play the first-ever Jazz & Blues Festival in Dhaka, Bangladesh. We actually headlined on Saturday night, and we really consider that to be the first official King Baby show.
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You guys released your first full-length album, The BigGaloot, back in March of 2017. Tell me about this material and how it all came together.
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Kevin: After the Bangladesh gig, Matt linked us up with Abstract Logix, which is one of the top instrumental/fusion labels in the world. Everyone agreed that this band had some serious potential, and we needed to get an album recorded as soon as possible. We booked studio time at Diamond Street Studios in Atlanta. We all brought in different ideas. For example, Matt had a tune called "Matt's Funk" that had never been recorded. That ultimately became "Dhaka Strut" on the record. Everyone basically brought in sketches, and we spent that time in studio filling those in and creating an album's worth of material.
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I know y'all are excited to finally get some dates back on the calendar. This run of shows includes stops in New Orleans, Mobile, Birmingham, and Roswell. How long has it been since King Baby's last run?
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Kevin: I think it's been since 2017 or 2018. We did about a nine-day run up to the northeast with Oz Noy opening. Back in 2016, we played Candler Park Music Festival alongside Chris Robinson Brotherhood. It's definitely been too long, and we're very excited about getting the band back together this week.
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Watch King Baby's music video for "King Junior" here:
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You guys are obviously involved in a a bunch of different projects. Has there been much talk about trying to do more dates in 2022?
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Kevin: Absolutely. We're hoping to record our next album as well. We've got to find the right time to make it all happen. Matt's currently touring with Railroad Earth. I'm staying busy with FORQ and my latest project: Wednesday Night Titans. Mark is out on the road with an amazing artist named Sierra Hull. Rick has been staying busy with Jamison Ross, who is an incredible Grammy-nominated drummer from Snarky Puppy.
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For those catching their first King Baby show(s) on this run, what would you say that they can expect? How would you best describe what this band brings to the stage?
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Kevin: I think the King Baby sound is an accumulation of rock-based funk. Everything coming out of Atlanta is an extension of the legacy of Col. Bruce Hampton, as far as we're concerned. That's definitely true for King Baby. Bruce taught us to always have one foot in tradition, but also to destroy tradition and do your own thing. I feel like that definitely applies with every bit of music you hear from this band. All of our originals are vehicles for improvisation, so anything can happen. We've got a mixed bag of covers that we make our own. Rick's vocal prowess certainly adds a nice soulful punch, as well.
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For those familiar with the King Baby catalog, can we expect any new originals or covers mixed in to the upcoming set lists?
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Kevin: Absolutely. We're going to have roughly 40 songs in the bag. There's a whole new list of covers that we plan to incorporate. Those who have seen King Baby before will have plenty of surprises in store.
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What's the overall outlook for the future of King Baby moving forward?
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Kevin: We're going to do a multi-track live recording of our show at From The Earth Brewing in Roswell on Monday, December 6th. That will ultimately make its way onto all of your major streaming platforms. Hopefully a vinyl release, as well. The plan is to also get back in the studio this spring to record a brand new album. We're hoping to do more touring and definitely some festival appearances next year as well.
This year's Hulaween, nestled in the woods in northern Florida at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, was another one for the books.After a year hiatus due to the pandemic, Hulaween came back with a mighty roar.With headliners like The String Cheese Incident, Skrillex, Khruangbin, My Morning Jacket, Zed's Dead, and Umphrey’s McGee, there was no doubt this year would be special.After four days engrossed in the music and scene, I am here to tell you that my experience there was beyond magical.
Patrons from far and wide were ready to kick things off Thursday, October 28th.Many festival goers arrived the previous day so they would be properly set up for the four days of nonstop music, arts, and quality time with the Hula community. Four out of five stages were active on Day 1. Musical artists such as Kyle Hollingworth Band, Greensky Bluegrass, and Umphrey’s McGee helped warm up the Ampitheatre Stage.While the Deadbeats took over the Hallows Stage and had it moving and grooving all day long.Break Science, Sunsquabi, and Lotus brought their jamtronica style to the Spirit Lake Stage.The Campground Stage, which sat right on the edge of the luminated lake, pumped out soothing sounds to those close enough admiring the numerous art installations in the vicinity.
Spirit Lake pulsated with vibrant colors, good vibes, and constant beats bouncing through the trees wrapped in spanish moss.The lake, illuminating with holographic designs, proved to be another epic backdrop for all the hustle and bustle taking place on the festival grounds.There is always something new to experience around Spirit Lake. If you were feeling lucky, you could stop by the casino and wager some of your possessions. You could also walk by the complimentary bar and hear some random inspiring words from a stranger who wants nothing more than to make you smile.
Go sit on the see saw, while bursts of fire shoots out of the mouth of a metal sculpted rooster. Wonder through the mural maze, where you could get lost staring at amazing artwork; showcased the talent of the numerous artists on site. Or go see impromptu sets by djs at the mobile Fire Stage incendia. One collaboration by Chris Lake, Skrillex, and Bonobo was by far one of the biggest surprises of the weekend.
On day two, I hope everyone had their dancing shoes tied tight, because Daily Bread started off the Amphitheatre Stage with a set full of melodic funky soulful sounds.Throughout the day, fans were treated with performances from Dumpstaphunk, The Floozies, The String Cheese Incident, and The Magic City Hippies, to name a few.Taking us into the evening was Tank and The Bangas on the Hallows Stage, Manic Focus Live Band at the Ampitheatre.
On the walk up to Spirit Lake, you could find Eric Krasno & The Assembly serenading the audience with their unique sound. Lettuce helped close out the amphitheater with a special appearance from founding member, Krasno, for most of their set. Chris Lake brought the house at the Hallows and, Skrillex absolutely crushed it on the Meadows Stage.With the Hallows stage directly adjacent to the Meadows Stage (main stage), the crowd was gathered together unlike any other Hulaween.It was a beautiful site to see thousands of music goers gathered once again to dance the night away.
Saturday was a beautiful fall day in Live Oak, Florida.Bubbles and smiles bounced around the woods while there was a radiant glow percolating thru the trees.With music starting at 2:00 PM and not ending until 4:00 AM, Hulaween provided such a diverse selection of musical options.MZG had the crowd getting down during their day set.While Masego and Cautious Clay, on their different stages, brought the day into night.The String Cheese Incident performed three sets of music; ending their day with a stellar cover set dedicated to dancing.
Starting off with David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance’ set the tone for this special set.With other hits like “I’m Your Boogie Man” (KC and The Sunshine Band), “Dancing in the Streets,” and closing with Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer,” the vibe was set from top to bottom. Not to mention, the giant T-Rex and magical Dragon that paraded around the Meadows crowd covered in confetti.My Morning Jacket and Claude VonStroke also closed things out Saturday night for their fans.And for those who were still looking for more, Jon Stickley Trio put on an out of this world, late night set.
The last day of the festival was nothing short of spectacular as well.Maggie Rose belted out her beautiful voice to get things popping on Day 4. This was followed up by some bluegrass from Sierra Hull, and one more set from String Cheese on the Meadows Stage.One of the big highlights for me on Sunday was the Turkuaz / Remain in Light set. Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew of Talkings Heads sat in with Turkuaz for the entire set and played top hits like “Psycho Killer," “Life During Wartime,” and "Once in a Lifetime."
Upon leaving the festival, I would find out that was Turkuaz’s last show as a whole, which made it that much more special. Jungle brought their unique sound over the pond and blessed the audience with a magical set full of upbeat pop.Khruangbin finished things off on the main stage on Sunday evening with their unique blend of psychedelic rock. And in classic Suwannee fashion, Roosevelt Collier Band had the honor of closing out the festival on the Spirit Lake Stage.
Looking back on this amazing experience certainly brings up a range of emotions. In a way, it feels like the weekend was actually a full week. Then again, it also feels like it passed us by in the blink of an eye. I think we can all agree that these experiences, such as Hulaween, can't be taken for granted. We've all seen what the world looks and feels like without music festivals, concerts, and live music in general. Having the ability to not only attend, but cover this year’s Hulaween celebration, was truly an honor. Festival organizers, as well as the amazing hosts of The String Cheese Incident, found a way to continue to raise the bar once again. The countdown has officially begun for the 2022 festival season!
We promised that JingleBall would return for a second year in 2021, and it brings me great joy to confirm this news today. You may recall the debut of this event in December of 2019, when an all-star cast came together to recreate the epic Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. Many will likely wonder how one could try and top that performance, and we're confident that today's announcement will leave no doubts.
On Thursday, December 23rd (2021), members of Trey Anastasio Band, Jimmy Herring & The 5 of 7, Dr. John, Railroad Earth, The Marcus King Band, Perpetual Groove, Ghost Note, Honey Island Swamp Band, The Talismen, and more will join forces at The Tipping Point in Montgomery. This incredible lineup will pay tribute to The Band with a full performance of their legendary concert film The Last Waltz. This will undoubtedly be Live & Listen's biggest production to date, and most certainly an event that Montgomery will remember for year's to come.
This year's lineup includes: Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), Kevin Scott (Jimmy Herring & The 5 of 7), Matt Slocum (Railroad Earth), Darren Stanley (Perpetual Groove), Rick Lollar (Jimmy Herring & The 5 of 7), Dave Yoke (Dr. John), Christopher Spies (The Marcus King Band), Daniel Wytanis (Ghost Note), Mark Raudabaugh (Donna The Buffalo), Rhett Huffman (American Aquarium), Lee Yankie (Honey Island Swamp Band), Aaron Wilkinson (Honey Island Swamp Band), Billy Gant (The Murder Hornets), Jason Collier (Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics), Jordan Shalhoup (Yacht Rock Revue), and all four members of The Talismen.
None of this would be possible without our title sponsor: Central Alabama Psychology, our venue: The Tipping Point, and our esteemed musical director: Kevin Scott. A very limited number of early bird tickets are available now and can be purchased for $20 each by clicking here. Ticket prices will increase on Wednesday, November 3rd. We strongly encourage those who plan to attend to purchase their tickets in advance. Stay tuned for further updates on JingleBall 2021!
Suwannee Hulaween has unveiled set times for this year’s sold-out festival, taking place Thursday, October 28 until Sunday, October 31 at Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. Festival attendees can view the set times on Hulaween’s social media accounts and the festival app, available on the App Store and Google Play. All set times are subject to change. . Bringing over 100 of the most diverse live and electronic acts to Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, the sold-out Hulaween 2021 marks a triumphant return for the festival. Since its inception in 2013, the Halloween-themed festival has evolved into one of the country’s leading cross-genre festivals. . For the eighth edition of the festival, Hulaween welcomes host band The String Cheese Incident for three nights of unrivaled bluegrass-focused jamming along with headliners Skrillex, My Morning Jacket, Leon Bridges, Khruangbin, Zeds Dead(Deadbeats Takeover), Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, and Greensky Bluegrass. Hulaween offers attendees five different stages for dancing: The Meadow Stage, The Hallows Stage, Amphitheater Stage, Spirit Lake Stage, and Campground Stage. . Hulaween 2021 will bring highly sought-after acts to The Meadow Stage, where headliners The String Cheese Incidentand Skrillex will close out Friday evening following live performances from Dumpstaphunk and Raquel Rodriguez throughout the day. On Saturday, The Meadow Stage presents live performances from Magnolia Boulevard followed by headliners The String Cheese Incident and My Morning Jacket. On the final day at The Meadow Stage, Hulaween attendees will dance the night away on Halloween with live performances from Sierra Hulland headliners The String Cheese Incidentand Khruangbin.
Check out The String Cheese Incident performing "Turn On Your Lovelight" from Hulaween 2017 here:
Starting the weekend off strong, The newly-positioned Hallows Stage opens on Thursday, October 28 for DJ sets from LSDREAM, Deathpact, GGMagree, Wreckno, and headliners ZedsDead for their Deadbeats takeover. On Friday, The Hallows Stage presents jam bands TankandTheBangas, Russell Batiste & Friends, and West End Blend before evening DJ sets from Bonobo and ChrisLake. The Hallows Stage party continues on Saturday with live performances from DurandJones & The Indications, Cautious Clay, Bedouine, Someday Honey, and headliner Leon Bridges. For the final day of Hulaween, The Hallows Stage will be home to special performances from Jungle, Turkuaz/ Remain In Light, and Maggie Rose. . The spirit of SuwanneeHulaween burns bright on The Amphitheater Stage, opening Thursday for live performances from Kyle Hollingsworth Bandand headliners Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and Greensky Bluegrass. On Friday, attendees can catch a mix of DJ sets and live performances from Lettuce, Manic Focus, The Floozies, and Daily Bread while Saturday’s lineup features a hip-hop edge with performers Cordae, Earthgang, Masego, The Original Nth Power, and LittleStranger. For Halloween night, Hulaween transforms The Amphitheater Stage into a hub for dreamy music with performers Lane 8, Surf Mesa, EVAN GIIA, and Lamorn. . For those who march to the beat of their own drum, unique sounds and styles are in store at the Spirit Lake Stage, featuring Thursday performances from Lotus, SunSquabi, BreakScience, LeSpecial, and S.P.O.R.E. On Friday, Spirit Lake features a stacked lineup of genre-bending acts: Grass Is Dead, Neal Francis, Krasno & The Assembly, Magic CIty Hippies, Celisse, and Tand will bring their unique sounds to the stage. Attendees can dance their entire Saturday away at Spirit Lake with DJ sets from Claude VonStroke, Mark Farina, LP Giobbi, Nala, BIICLA, MZG, and BootyBoob2bVladTheInhaler followed by a late-night live performance from the Jon Stickley Trio. To close out the weekend, Hulaween invites Mersiv, Mize, VEILb2bNotLö, and LevitationJones to Spirit Lake followed by a final performance from RooseveltCollier. . Funk and blues are the heart and soul of the Campground Stage, where acts Joe Marcinek Band, Anthill Cinema, Honey Hounds, Stick Martinand Jon Ditty, OxfordNoland, and Grandpa Da Gambler will perform the first day of Hulaween. Friday at the Campground Stage offers more extraordinary live performances from Kamani, Flipturn, GreenhouseLounge, The Fritz, The Reality, and Shine and The Shakers while Saturday brings Funk You, Rohan Solo, Honey Island Swamp Band, Nerf The World, Revival, and Astro to the stage. For the celebratory final day of Hulaween, the endlessly exciting Dr. Bacon, Tire Fire, JGBCB, LesibuGrand, GrandpaDa Gambler, and GoldenEra will close out the Campground Stage for the weekend.
The four-piece, jam/rock band known as The Talismen has deep roots in Montgomery, Alabama. All four band members spent their teenage years here, before graduating high school and moving on to their respective universities. Many will remember the band as teenagers performing various events around the Capitol City, but that was many years ago and much has changed.
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While primarily being split between Auburn and Birmingham, The Talismen have managed to continue growing and building on their original catalog, all while continuing to tour across the Southeast. They released their debut album, Jar Full of Something, in March of 2019. The album has since chalked up over 500,000 streams on Spotify. Following the release, the band teamed up with renowned bassist Kevin Scott (Jimmy Herring, Col. Bruce Hampton), who recorded and produced their second studio release, Extra Vehicular Activity. While the COVID-19 pandemic certainly presented its challenges, it didn't stop The Talismen from releasing Live From The Bunker, which gives listeners an in depth look at their constantly evolving improvisational skill.
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Watch The Talismen perform "Puddle Jumpin" at Atlanta's Aisle 5 here:
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You may have had the chance to catch these guys playing alongsideBig SomethingatThe Tipping Pointback in July, or maybe even headliningCommon Ground Shakedown at Union Station Train Shed later in the summer. Regardless, their upcoming Halloween show at Montgomery's Capri Theatre on Saturday, October 30thwill be a unique and special occasion. This will be the band's first performance at the Capri, which has hosted acts such asThe Derek Trucks Band, Oteil & The Peacemakers, Col. Bruce Hampton, Big Something, George Porter Jr., and many more over the years.This show will feature two full sets from the band, and from what we've been told, there will be plenty of surprises throughout the night. In the spirit of Halloween, the band strongly encourages those attending to arrive in costume.
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this show will serve as the Capri's first true concert in 20 months. A very limited number of tickets are available for this show, and they can be purchased today by clicking here. Prior to the show, Moe's Original BBQ will be hosting a pre-party featuring live music from 4:00 PM -7:00 PM. Doors will open at the Capri at 7:00 PM, and The Talismen will kick things off at 7:30 PM. We had a chance to speak to the band earlier this week, and you can check out what they had to say below.
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“It has been great being back on the road with the guys. We’ve already covered so much ground and met so many amazing folks. Playing our first Halloween Show at the Capri Theater has been a dream of ours for a while. It’s great to see it finally come to fruition. Feeling super grateful!” - Jack Bennett (lead guitar)
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I guess I would say all my excitement about this tour is stemming from the fact that we are really gelling right now on stage. For us, that starts in the practice room. We play our best when we are writing new music and pushing our own personal boundaries in the basement, and we have gotten some really quality time together doing both of those things recently.- Jack Anderson (bass guitar/vocals) . “These past couple of months have allowed us to get back into the swing of things and we're feeling more prepared than ever. This show is gonna be something special and I highly encourage everyone to come get down with us!” - George Norrell (drums)
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“The past year has definitely had it’s challenges. Being able to get back out on the road and play our music in a live setting has been truly rewarding. We’ve always hoped to have a chance to play the Capri, and this Halloween show is going to be a very special night for us.” - Jack Wagstaff (keyboards/vocals)
(Nashville, TN) September 28th, 2021 – CBDB is back on the road this fall with some exciting, high-energy shows planned! Dates include 2 nights in Georgia with funk outfit, Voodoo Visionary, a jam-packed Halloween show in Nashville at the historic Exit/In, and a New Year’s Eve tradition continued in Huntsville. They have enlisted some of their favorites to get the party started on the road such as bass player Blake Gallant’s side project, Motion and Matter, waterbed rock & rollers, Captain Midnight Band, super talented close friend, Andy Lyle Hall, and all the way from Italy, Giacomo Turra.
CBDB is a progressive rock, jam-band from Alabama and their music is spreading from the southeast across the nation like wildfire. Defining a newfound, southern blend of joyous and progressive rock n roll, they channel a sonic mix of soulful vocals and virtuosic musicianship with smart, tasteful songwriting. On stage, each member of CBDB fluidly plays between complex composition and loose exploratory improvisation creating an incredible and unique live experience.
CBDB has played major festivals including Hulaween, Peach Fest, Okeechobee, Sweetwater 420, Summer Camp, Electric Forest, Sloss Fest, Aura, Backwoods, Euphoria, and The Werk Out. They’ve also shared the stage with the likes of Umphrey’s McGee, Papadosio, Galactic, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Perpetual Groove, The Wailers, Blues Traveler, Spafford, and many more.
Fresh off the release of a new single & live album, “Back in Limbo” (recorded in isolation during the 2020 quarantine) & “Live Deebs: Vol. 1″, CBDB is set to take the country by storm. Soaring monthly listeners and followers have further propelled their growth & continue to bring the band widespread attention, interest, and new fans daily. Dive into CBDB’s eclectic catalogue of tunes today and catch them live on tour near you soon!
CBDB is Cy Simonton, Kris Gottlieb, Glenn Dillard, Blake Gallant & Chris Potocik. For tickets & more information, please visit cbdbmusic.com. COVID-19 guidelines & procedures available on the venues’ websites.
DATES
10/1: Atlanta, GA – Terminal West w/ Voodoo Visionary
10/2: Charleston, SC – Charleston Pour House w/ Captain Midnight Band
10/15: Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre w/ Voodoo Visionary
10/29: Raleigh, NC – Pour House Music Hall w/ Andy Lyle Hall
10/31: Nashville, TN – Exit/In w/ Blake Gallant’s Motion and Matter + special guests
11/4: Oxford, MS – Proud Larry’s
11/6: Jackson, MS – Martin’s Downtown w/ Giacomo Turra
To say it's been a busy year for multi-instrumentalist Benton Crane would be quite the understatement. The previously Alabama-based musician spent much time balancing time between his multi-year project, Ice Station Zebra, and a new venture as keyboardist for Birmingham's Manic Vision. All the while, Crane was finding time to continue working on his debut solo album, Welcome to Paradise, which is officially available on all major streaming outlets today. He has recently relocated from Birmingham to Boulder, where he will continue his musical journey in one of America's richest musical hotbeds.
We recently had a chance to catch up with Crane to learn all about the new release, which has proven to be much different than any of his previous work. You can find his official bio and the full conversation below, as well as links to stream the album in its entirety via Spotify. Make sure to check out Crane's newly completed, official website (BentonCraneMusic.com) to keep up with all of the latest happenings.
Official Bio: Benton Crane
The mind behind the madness is what provides beauty to art, and Benton Crane has an ambitious head on his shoulders. The twenty-six-year-old Birmingham native grew up on classic rock and rollers like The Beatles and Bob Dylan, listening to music that added vulnerability and creativity to the genre like never before. It is in these pockets where Benton’s psychedelic take on keyboard-driven pop/rock music finds its feet. His lyrics strive to provoke thought, feeling, and introspection in a world that can seem to lack such humanistic values. Benton hopes the listener finds something meaningful in his upcoming debut album, “Welcome to Paradise”.
I know it must be quite gratifying to release your debut solo album,Welcome to Paradise. How long has this project been in the works?
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Benton: I started working on this project in December of 2020. I came down with COVID during the holidays and had to be isolated for two weeks. Fortunately, my symptoms stayed relatively mild. At the time, I hadn’t defined much vision for the project. I mainly just wanted to experiment with recording and arranging some songs that I’d been working on. Soon after starting a few songs, I decided to turn the project into a concept album that tells a story.
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Throughout this pandemic, I lost a bit of faith in humanity and making this album was rather cathartic. Issues such as the climate crisis, as well as racial and gender inequality, had been deeply weighing on my mind.Welcome to Paradisetells the story of a society that is way off the mark…neglecting their home planet (I call Paradise I), and are fueled by greed and hate. Environmental crisis along with societal decay leads them to a catastrophic decline. They decide to evacuate Paradise I into space.
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Their new home, Paradise II is a beautiful place, until they arrive. They soon discover that it’s only a matter of time until Paradise II is a barren wasteland…and the cycle continues. My goal was to tell a story, while still leaving enough up to the imagination for the listener. This is the story that these songs tell me. It may mean something different to you.
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You've been a part of several bands in your past, most notably, Ice Station Zebra and Manic Vision. While your time with Manic Vision was limited, you were a founding member of ISZ. How did the writing process for this album compare to that of your past projects?
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Benton: It was a lot less collaborative and a bit more experimental than my previous projects. Some of the sections to these songs weren’t written until I hit “record” and followed my ear. Sometimes it would take weeks to figure out exactly what I wanted or how a part was "supposed" to go. In Ice Station Zebra or Manic Vision, we would go into the studio knowing what songs we were recording and more or less how we wanted to play them. We usually couldn’t afford to do much experimenting in the studio, so things were pretty set in stone going in.
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The songs were also typically road tested a bit before recording them. ForWelcome to Paradise, it was pretty much the opposite. I had the time and freedom to write and rewrite these songs until I was happy. “These Chains” was written during the summer of 2020 and it just seemed to be a good fit for the album. A few other songs went through several re-writes until I was satisfied.
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When and where was this material recorded? How was this experience unique from past studio sessions?
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Benton: I recorded the entire album in my home studio. Doing it myself, I had a lot more time for experimentation than in the past because I wasn’t paying anyone for the studio session. I had the freedom to hit record and try something new, and not have to worry about running up the bill or going over budget. Being able to take risks with these songs really made a difference in terms of developing a new style for myself. It was all very freeing, which is probably why it took me nine months to produce an eight track album.
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Stream Welcome to Paradise in its entirety here:
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I'm guessing that there was a fair amount of collaboration involved in this project. What other musicians contributed to the album?
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Benton: The writing and recording for this album by nature was not very collaborative. I took my ever-changing vision and just ran with it, recording everything myself. I wanted to see what I could come up with while being as self-sufficient as possible. My partner, AnnaAlford, sings some beautiful backing vocals on the songs “Paradise I” and “Everything We Touch.”
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I did have some other great folks help me out in the post-production phase. My friend and Manic Vision bassist Hayes Laporte worked with me on mixing and mastering these songs. Artist Katelyn Simmons made some amazing artwork for each track to help add a visual element to the story (I will be sharing these one at a time after the album is out). You can see her work in the artwork for the two single releases for this album "Everything We Touch" and "A New Dawn." Josh Clark, guitarist for Tea Leaf Green, made the incredible album cover art. It was so beautiful seeing these pieces come to life after months and months of working on the album. I self produced the entire album, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot as an artist throughout this process.
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Of course, after working on the same eight songs for nine months, I needed some fresh ears on the tracks. Before I released "Everything We Touch" as a single, I met with Marco Benevento to get some feedback and suggestions for producing the track. He was super helpful and gave me some great tips that I was able to use on the rest of the album. My friends and former ISZ bandmates Ethan Maas and Jack Fagan were helpful in checking my work and providing some feedback as well.
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This release happens to coincide with your recent move to Colorado. Do you see yourself assembling a backing band to try and play these songs live in the future?.
Benton: That is definitely something I’d like to do at some point. It would be a new approach to performing from the rock/jam bands I usually gig with. It may be a little while before that comes together. In the past, I’ve written songs by thinking about how to perform them live, with standard live instrumentation, but this time I didn’t want to consider the live performance, because I felt it would limit the expression of the songs.
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Some of the arrangements were influenced by The Beatles' work towards the late 60's. The instrumentation gets crazy with tubas and french horns and violins and weird sounding pipe organs, and lots and lots of synths. Many of these arrangements and production techniques can be tough to reproduce live, but it would be a lot of fun transforming them into a live performance one day.
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What can your fans / friends / family expect with your solo career moving forward? Do you see any new projects in Colorado on the horizon?
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Benton: I’m definitely in the market looking to join another band in Colorado. I’m going to take my time finding a good fit and not rush into a new group. As far as my solo work goes, I’m going to keep on releasing music. AfterWelcome to Paradise, I plan to start releasing singles every 1-2 months, and I’m going to do an acoustic video series on my YouTube channel where I play my upright piano or acoustic guitar. .
I have written so many songs in so many different styles over the years, so I’m excited to have this platform for them and to share them with people. I’ll be collaborating with other musicians as well. I’ve recently finished my website,bentoncranemusic.com,so check that out. Also, there is an Ice Station Zebra EP that has been in the works for a while. Even though I have moved on, we are still finishing it up. Hopefully, it will be released by the end of the year, I'm really excited about that.
