STS9 Announces New Album; Releases First Single "Get Loud" August 3, 2016 11:05

Photo by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

STS9 teased the details on it's latest album on Tuesday, providing the simple message of "soon we launch our newest message into space."  The veteran jamtronic five-piece revealed their new albums title, The Universe Inside, along with their first single, "Get Loud," which can be streamed via Spotify below.  The Universe Inside will be the follow up to the 2009 release Ad Explorata and is scheduled for release on September 2nd (according to an Amazon.com listing).  

STS9 is an instrumental band whose sound is based heavily on instrumental rock and electronic music, funk, jazz, drum and bass, psychedelia, and hip hop, originating in Georgia, USA. Self-described as "post-rock dance music," the band mixes standard live rock instrumentation with electronics, favoring group rhythm over individual solos.

STS9 has released 11 albums, two remixed albums (Artifact: Perspectives & the Peaceblaster: Make it Right Remixes), and multiple live DVDs (Live as Time Changes, Axe The Cables, and various live performances) on their own label 1320 Records.  STS9 has toured the US nationally and internationally, ranking among Pollstar Magazine’s list of top-grossing touring acts, with a heavy presence in the music festival circuit.

Listen to STS9's new single "Get Loud" via Spotify here:

The Universe Inside Tracklist

1. Supercluster
2. Out of This World
3. Get Loud
4. Light Years
5. Totem
6. World Go Round
7. Give & Take
8. Elsewhere
9. Sun Moon & Stars
10. New Dawn, New Day
11. Worry No More
12. Common Descent
13. The Universe Inside

Phish Announces 13-Show Fall Tour in October August 2, 2016 12:27

Press Release via Phish.com

Phish will hit the road in October for a 13-date Fall Tour beginning October 14th in North Charleston, SC and concluding with a four-night Halloween Run at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on October 28th, 29th, 30th, and 31st.

The tour includes two-night stands at North Charleston, SC’s North Charleston Coliseum (October 14th and 15th); Nashville, TN’s Ascend Amphitheater (October 18th and 19th); Alpharetta, GA’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park (October 21st and 22nd); and Grand Prairie, TX’s Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie (October 24th and 25th) and a performance in Jacksonville, FL, for their first time ever.

A limited number of tickets are available now via Phish Tickets at tickets.phish.com  through Sunday August 14th at 11:59pm ET. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning August 18th. For more info, visit phish.com.

Phish and CID Entertainment are also offering travel packages for the Halloween Run (which include hotel and tickets). Phish will be donating their proceeds of these travel packages to the WaterWheel Foundation. Travel Packages go on sale August 17th at 12noon PDT. Full details available at bit.ly/2at0XxJ

PHISH FALL TOUR 2016

10/14 North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, SC
10/15 North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, SC
10/16 Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, FL
10/18 Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville, TN
10/19 Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville, TN
10/21 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, Alpharetta, GA
10/22 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, Alpharetta, GA
10/24 Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, TX
10/25 Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, TX
10/28 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
10/29 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
10/30 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
10/31 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Watch Bill Walton Sit-In On "Drums" At Dead & Company's Tour Closer July 31, 2016 14:04

Saturday night's performance at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA would serve as the tour closer for Dead & Company's 24-show summer tour.  This summer has been a critical time for the latest Dead-themed super group, as they were able to build off of the foundation established during the fall of 2016 and expand to the next level.  With much early speculation as to whether guitarist John Mayer would be the proper fit, Dead & Company has undoubtedly won over Deadheads far and wide as this tour proved early and often.

Late in the Saturday's second set, it was time for one last psychedelic "Drums> "Space," and the band had a nice surprise up their sleeve.  Drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, better known as "The Rhythm Devils," welcomed bassist Oteil Burbridge back to the stage, as well as NBA legend and famed Deadhead Bill Walton.  Check out video footage from "Drums" below, as well as a complete setlist from Saturday night's tour closer.

Watch a segment from "Drums" with Bill Walton, Oteil Burbridge, Mickey Hart, & Bill Kreutzmann here:

 

Watch Page McConnell Of Phish Jam With Twiddle In Burlington July 31, 2016 13:17

Photo via JamBase

Vermont worlds collided on Saturday night in Burlington, as Twiddle welcomed Page McConnell of Phish to the stage early in their second set at Tumble Down.  After "tweener" piano set from Holly Bowling during intermission, Twiddle and Bowling worked their way through "Hatti's Jam" to open the second set.  The Burlington natives then shocked the Waterfront Park crowd by welcoming McConnell to the stage for an extended jam on "When It Rains, It Pours."  Aside from performing with Phish and The Meter Men, Saturday night's with Twiddle would be only the third band McConnell has performed with in the past five years (Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - 2012, Mike Gordon - 2014).

The second night at Twiddle's Tumble Down proved to be special, as the evening also included performance from Nahko and Medicine for the People and Cabinet.  Dopapod's Scotty Zwang even made an appearance, as he joined Twiddle late in the second set for "Lost in the Cold."  Additional performances this weekend came from power funk army Turkuaz and Kitchen Dwellers on Friday night.  Fortunately, footage from McConnell's sit-in has surfaced via youtube user TheKamherst and can be watched below.

Watch a segment from Twiddle and Page McConnell's jam on "When It Rains, It Pours" here:

Tumble Down continued the tradition started last year at the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival that included alternating weekend nights with moe. The weekend included various recreational activities, including a Charity Disc Golf Tournament supporting Twiddle's charity, The White Light Foundation, and late night sets around town with members of Twiddle.

Twiddle is a Vermont-based quartet formed in 2004 with members Mihali Savoulidis, Ryan Dempsey, Brook Jordan, and Zdenek Gubb. Their fresh multi-genre approach conjures up rock, jazz, bluegrass, and masterfully blends reggae and funk. The band recently played Red Rocks, sold out a 5 night run of Colorado shows, and played Bonnaroo. 

Live & Listen's 'Bands You Should Know': The Fritz July 29, 2016 13:48

Photo by Joshua Marc Levy and Asheville Art Family

Live & Listen is pleased to continue a brand new weekly feature known as Bands You Should Know.  This new concept will highlight a different band each Friday with an interview, general background information, current happenings, as well as videos and audio from each band.  After nearly two years of various interviews and artist spotlights, we feel that installing a consistent weekly feature is the perfect move as we progress forward.

For our fifth edition of Bands You Should Know, we sat down with Jamie Hendrickson (guitar) of The Fritz, a progressive, five-piece funk project that has been making major noise out of Asheville, North Carolina in recent years.  We were fortunate enough to catch The Fritz's recent String Cheese Incident Afterparty in Atlanta, and we haven't stopped listening since.  If you're looking for a fresh dose of soulful funk with elements of improvisation, look no further than The Fritz.  You'll end up with an impromptu dance party of epic proportions.  

Interview by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

The Fritz is going on five years strong now.  Tell me a little bit about this band's background and how everything ultimately came together in Asheville.

Jamie: We all actually met in Jacksonville, Florida.  Everyone was in school studying music.  We started playing together; maybe a local show every couple of months.  We were writing a lot of music.  Once everyone started graduating, we decided that this was something worth pursuing.  That's when we moved to Asheville, about five years ago.  From there, we started doing everything ourselves from the ground up.  We were booking our own gigs, buying a crappy old van, and just trying to be a touring band.  It's been a very long, gradual, slow process of getting there.  It's been a lot of hard work, but now, it's really going well.

Yeah it's definitely not an easy task, and it takes time to build anything great.  

So, many people tend to think of cities like New Orleans and Nashville for their music scene, but Asheville's music scene is certainly strong as well.  How much of an impact does such a strong, tight-knit music scene have on a young band like The Fritz?

Jamie: We moved to Asheville because it was a booming, central location on the east coast.  We knew that we wanted to be playing up and down the east coast.  We didn't want to get too far from the southeast, because we had already started building a following in Jacksonville, Tampa, and Atlanta.  Asheville is a beautiful place.  It offers a lot of things we love, like camping and hiking.  It's a very affordable place for a musician to live.  It also just has a great, bustling local music scene.  People go out and support live music.  The Tuesday Night Funk Jam has been an Asheville staple for 8-9 years around different venues.  That really helped us out when we first moved here.  We would go out and play often.  The guys from Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band hosted it and welcomed us with open arms. We were able to blend into the community pretty quickly.

Watch The Fritz perform "Calculate" with The Horns from Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band on 07.08.16 here:

It's really cool that a city the size of Asheville still manages to have such a nice variety of venues.  It seems like there are multiple spots for a band of any size to get out and play.

Jamie: Oh yeah, exactly.  Asheville is a music destination.  That's why a lot of great music comes here.  Even the really big bands, like Widespread Panic and String Cheese Incident.  Phish even came and played here several years ago.  Nine Inch Nails and other bands like that come and play the arena.  Then you have mid-sized venues like The Orange Peel, which still holds about 1000 people.  Smaller than that, you have the Asheville Music Hall, New Mountain, and The Mothlight, and tons of other venues.  There is so much music coming through all of the time.

I've had some really fun nights at The One Stop as well.

Jamie: Yeah, of course.  That was actually the first venue we played when we moved here.  They’ve done an awesome job to build the smaller bands into regional bands.

That makes sense.  I've seen some great music in the corner of that little bar.  I can only imagine how many great bands have come through there at one point or another.

So, I recently saw you guys for the first time at Aisle 5 in Atlanta, and that funky, soulful nature of this band really gets a room moving.  There seems to be a whole lot of room for creativity within each song.  What's your strategy towards improvisation?  I'm always interested to hear about this concept.

Jamie: Most of the time, we improvise within tight parameters.  Sometimes, there will be some slight improvisation over a section where it sounds like it isn't improvised at all.  We know exactly how long it's going to be and when it's going to go into the next section.  Most of the parameters are planned and rehearsed, but hopefully, we're trying to fool people into thinking that we're coming up with it on the spot.  Once per set, we like to have a part that is purely improvised.  We know where it's going to go, but we don't really know how it's going to get there.  Ideally, people wouldn't even be able to tell the difference.  It would be nice, at the end of the set, for people to really have no idea where we improvised.  

Watch The Fritz perform "Another Way" from The Shoe Sessions Vol. 1 here:

You guys got in the studio back in 2013 and recorded Bootstrap.  I'm sure that was a pivotal moment.  What was the recording process like?  Any plans to get back into the studio this year?

Jamie: We recorded that album a few years ago down in Florida at Crooked Tree Studios.  We had some great engineers help us with that.  It was a lot of fun, and it was just us taking our first batch of songs and putting them together.  We only play about three of those songs live now.  To really excited to say that we're recording our next album in January.  There is this great band, Turkuaz, and the singer/songwriter/guitarist of their band is producing it with us up in Syracuse, NY.

Wow.  So, that would be Dave Brandwein, right?

Jamie: Yeah, it's going to be really fun.  We’ve played a handful of shows with Turkuaz in the past year and have become great friends with them.  We just loved them. They're great people.  We had discussed it then, and once we started seriously thinking about a time frame, we gave Dave a call.  It ended up working out with everyone's schedule.  We've been writing a ton of new music, and we can’t wait to get it all down in the studio.

That's a great idea and a perfect fit.  I'll be looking forward to hearing this one.

Jamie: I don't know if you've heard the most recent Turkuaz album, Digitonium, but it's amazing,  It's really, really good.  He's really creative.  The plan is to have a single out next summer.

Very cool.  I've probably listened to Turkuaz more than any other band in the past year.  They are pretty amazing, and they put on one hell of a show.

Jamie: Oh yeah...they're great.  They are a huge band, and they are power funk.  They advertise power funk, and that's what you get.  It's ballsy, and it's great.

Photo by Nick Sonsini: Sonsini Media

Things really seem to be taking off over the past two years.  You guys have been touring more extensively and playing a lot of new cities.  What have been the band's favorite cities and venues thus far?  Any particular shows that have really stood out?

Jamie: I would say that Atlanta is getting to be a place we really look forward to.  We really just started playing there regularly.  Of course, we always love going to Spirit of Suwannee Music Park.  We're actually heading down to the Roosevelt Collier Summer Splashdown this weekend.  We'll be back there in October for Hulaween.  Collectively, that's probably our favorite place.  It’s just a one of a kind music venue.

I can relate.  Suwannee is definitely an amazing place.  There is a little magic in the air there.

Jamie: It's great.  We were down there this spring for AURA, which was a blast.

We're in the midst of a time where album sales are nearly extinct.  There's also more bands and more music than ever before.  What do you guys have to focus on moving forward to allow this band to flourish and take things to the next level?

Jamie: I would say number one...and this seems like a cliche thing to say...but it's just the music.  I think it all comes down to that.  You have to have a good product to put out there.  There are all sorts of important business things as well, but when it all comes down to it, it's all about the music.  We try to make it as good as it can possibly be.  People can tell if you're constantly pushing it, spending time doing it, and assessing over it.  People can tell that difference right away.  They might be able to translate what it is right away, but they know it's good.

That's a great point.  You can't let yourself get caught up in the business aspect.  You've got to stay true to yourself and the music.  Nothing can replace that tight-knit chemistry of a great band

Jamie: You can have the greatest music in the world, but if you don't have the right business strategy, it's not going to work.  So that's really important.  The things I love the most about the bands is just seeing them and thinking, "Wow!  That is undeniably amazing."  We just saw this band in Asheville last night called Mingo Fishtrap.  They're from Austin, Texas.  Oh my god, this band...they are so fantastic.  From the first song you hear, you're just like, "Wow!  I don't know what this is, but this is amazing.  I have to know about this."  Trying to have that WOW effect is our main focus.

Watch The Fritz perform "Sawbones" at 1904 Music Hall on 07.02.16 here:

Aside from what we've discussed, what's on the horizon for The Fritz the rest of this year?  What do you guys have on the calendar that you're really looking forward to?

Jamie: Well, the thing that I'm most excited about, as far as this summer goes, is the cool festivals that we're playing here over the next few weeks. We're doing a festival around Asheville called SoulShine with Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band and The Mantras.  That will be a late night set.  We also have Camp Barefoot, which we're excited about.  We should be super busy this fall all along the east coast, which will culminate at Hulaween.  That's going to be a blast.  Hopefully we’ll be able to get some hang time after we play our set.  We love that place so much.

That would be a difficult festival to leave as soon as the set is over.

Jamie: Usually, we will hang out for the night after our set. This is one that I would certainly like to stay for at least two nights.  The lineup is amazing.  The production staff does an excellent job.  I haven't actually been to Hulaween yet.  Since the band is usually playing elsewhere for Halloween, this will be our first time playing and going to the festival.  I've heard really great things, and I am pretty excited about it.  We were hoping it was going to work out, and fortunately it did.  We've been playing around Florida for a while now and have a lot of family friends down there!

Official Website: The Fritz

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Photo by Nick Sonsini: Sonsini Media

Watch Sturgill Simpson Perform "All Around You" On The Tonight Show July 28, 2016 08:13

Win Two Free Tickets To Friday's Medicine For The Soul Music Fest in Atlanta July 27, 2016 17:11

McLovins

McLovins is a soulful, funk-rock band that complements a youthful energy with seasoned musical talent. Inspired by an eclectic mix of influences like The Meters, The Band and The Flaming Lips, members Jason Ott, Jake Huffman, Justin Berger, and Atticus Kelly combine their songwriting skills with extended improvisations and instrumental ingenuity.

Taking a page from their jam band forefathers, McLovins always try to keep their audiences guessing at what’s to come. Their eclectic setlists and individual musical personas define the band’s live shows. Hailing from Hartford, Connecticut, McLovins have appeared at Gathering of The Vibes, Mountain Jam, The Peach Festival and the legendary Nateva Music Festival, as well as many acclaimed venues across the country. They have also performed with some of the most influential artists on the scene, including Buddy Guy, George Porter, Jr. and Oteil Burbridge.

Recently the band cut an album with Emmy, Grammy, and Tony award winning producer Bill Sherman in New York City’s East Village. The album was released this October and the band is currently on tour. The band continues to evolve, bringing their distinctive, jam-rock productions across the country. Every tour brings a unique energy.

Sumilan

Formed in the classic city of Athens, GA, and together for almost half a decade, Sumilan has evolved into a sound uniquely their own. Showcased in their studio work and illuminated in their live performance, Sumilan blends prog rock, psychedelic trance, ambiance, and improv, all coalesced with infectious pop minded vocals. Apparent in their newest studio album, En Transit, Sumilan delivers a polished and powerful sound rooted in technique and grown with experience.

With a live performance structured on embellished composition, yet played with rawness and attitude, their sound resonates beyond the venue. The symbiotic energy of the live show leaves the audience satisfied, yet thirsting for the next. With eyes into the future, the band is soul driven into an ever evolving sound that meets the challenge of today, while fostering continuity into the sound of tomorrow.

Voodoo Visionary

Voodoo Visionary hails from the dirty south musical mecca of Atlanta. Their improvisational funk dance music delicately balances a tight rhythm section featuring deep grooving bass and funky drum beats with diverse and dexterous keys and masterful guitar licks to create a sound the group calls psychofunk. Influenced by a wide array of artists such as Parliament Funkadelic, the Grateful Dead, Talking Heads, and Medeski Martin and Wood, Voodoo Visionary has a uniquely blended sound that’s guaranteed to put the 'oogie in yo boogie.

The band is made up of Dennis Dowd (keys), Jimmy Lynch (bass), Scott MacDonald (vocals), Mac Schmitz (drums), and Mike Wilson (guitar). Wilson, Schmitz and Lynch have been playing together for over 8 years, during which time they built a unique chemistry that allows for exceptional improvisation during live shows. MacDonald joined the group in July 2013 as the lead vocalist and Voodoo Visionary began writing new music and playing shows immediately. Dowd was added to the band in March 2014 providing a missing link that enhanced the band’s distinctive sound, and the group has since taken off around the Atlanta music scene.

Voodoo Visionary released their debut album, Spirit of the Groove in March 2015. Over the past two years, while playing across the southeast, the band has shared the stage with acts such as Col. Bruce Hampton, Zach Deputy, Earphunk, Roosevelt Collier, Jerry Joseph, and Futurebirds. The band performed at the RAW Artists Atlanta showcase in September 2014 at Terminal West, made a live radio and TV appearance on WUGA’s It’s Friday program, and in May 2015 made their major festival debut at Counterpoint Music Festival near Rome, GA.

Spirit of the Groove draws from the various musical influences found among the band members. Elements of funk, jazz, disco and rock n’ roll combine to create an inimitable sound. Tracks such as “All Week,” “Salt” and “Parasite” have compositional elements reminiscent of Frank Zappa and Return to Forever, while “Take the Wheel” evokes a style similar to Phish. The driving grooves of “The Heathen,” “Testify” and “Dancin’ Feet” make it nearly impossible to sit still while listening, and the “Kang Gang Anthem” hints at elements of Pink Floyd while paying homage to the festival scene the band holds so close to their hearts. Spirit of the Groove was recorded live in the studio to capture the raw energy and showcase the improvisational expertise that the band brings to their live show.

Those Cats

Those Cats are a high energy Soul & Funk powerhouse from Statesboro, GA and have been described as "A band whose fresh, funky and soulful sound provides its listeners with a never-ending well of tastefully grooving tracks, perfect for any occasion worthy of music." [Connect Statesboro]. Formed in 2010 by original members Zac Tilson, Scott Underwood, and Miles Wiggins; Those Cats has come a long way since their first EP ‘Less Stress, More Groove.’ Adding vocalist Cyril Durant in 2012, the group has evolved from a 4 piece band into a full fledge, seven person ensemble complete with a horn section and multiple vocalists. Each member draws from their own styles and musical knowledge to create a diverse live music experience filled with original tunes and a few timeless covers. The group has released several live recordings over the past three years and their first full length studio album is scheduled to drop in early 2014. Those Cats enjoy collaborating with friends and bands around the Southeast area while aiming to generate a live show that will lift the audience and keep them there!

Saturn Valley

Saturn Valley is an experimental rock project formed in 2013 that features members Nick Jones, Chris Freiberg, Christian McDaniel, Alex Eversbusch and Josiah Garrett. Hailing from the fertile, music hub of Athens, Ga., the group quickly developed a distinct, improvisatory style with jazz, funk, synth-pop and heavy prog influences. After recording their debut album, "On The Rings," (released November 2014) the song "Odysseus" was selected for the 2015 AthFest Compilation Album among music from other Athens favorites. The band has enjoyed radio airplay on WUOG 90.5 FM and 93.3 Athens Community Rock Station as well as performances in the famed Georgia Theatre. In August of 2015, the group released its first live album, “Alive in the Georgia Theatre,” and is currently working toward releasing its second studio effort, "Cartographer," in 2016. With heavy, space-grooves and synth-laden jams, a Valley show is always an unforgettable, cosmic experience.

 

Papadosio Reveals Plan For New EP + Phase One Fall Tour Dates July 27, 2016 16:44

Warren Haynes Will Play Jerry Garcia's 'Tiger' at Red Rocks in August July 26, 2016 17:06

Red Rocks Amphitheatre will host a Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration on Monday, August 1st, what would have been the late Grateful Dead guitarist’s 74th birthday. In celebration of the event, Warren Haynes will play Garcia’s iconic Doug Irwin guitar known as Tiger for the first time in public since the Dead’s final show in 1995.  Jerry Garcia Band keyboardist Melvin Seals will join Haynes at Red Rocks, along with Jeff Sipe (drums), Lincoln Schleifer (bass), and Jasmine Muhammad (vocals).

Garcia introduced Tiger at Oakland Auditorium on August 4th, 1979, and he continued playing the legendary guitar all the way through his final song ("Box of Rain") at Soldier Field on July 9th, 1995.  In 2002, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay purchased the guitar in an auction, and it was recently delivered to members of Dead & Company for their summer tour rehearsals. 

While appearing with Bob Weir on What Happens Live last month, Dead & Company guitarist John Mayer showed no interest in playing Tiger.  Mayer told host and fellow Deadhead Andy Cohen, “With all the love in the world … It’s not necessarily a contact I want to make … I don’t know that I want to make contact with that part of it, it’s a little touchy for me and it’s just so damn heavy that guitar!”

Tickets for the Red Rocks symphonic celebration are available via AXS.com.

Watch Warren Hayes play Garcia's 'Wolf' with The Boston Pops in Lenox, MA during June of 2013 here:

Celebrate Mick Jagger's 73rd Birthday With Five Classic Stones Jams July 26, 2016 14:02

In honor of Mick Jagger's 73rd birthday, we are taking a look back on five our favorite Rolling Stones jams from over the years.  Even at age 73rd, Jagger remains at the forefront of rock and roll's most dynamic performers, a status he has held since the band formed and became a key component of the "British invasion" vanguard of 1964 and 1965.  

Jagger is an English singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the lead singer and a co-founder of the Rolling Stones.  Jagger's career has spanned over 50 years, and he has been described as "one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of Rock & Roll". Jagger's distinctive voice and performance, along with Keith Richards' guitar style, have been the trademark of the Rolling Stones throughout the career of the band. Jagger gained press notoriety for his admitted drug use and romantic involvements, and was often portrayed as a countercultural figure.

In the late 1960s, Jagger began acting in films (starting with Performance and Ned Kelly), to mixed reception. In 1985, he released his first solo album, She's the Boss. In early 2009, Jagger joined the electric supergroup SuperHeavy. In 1989 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2004 into the UK Music Hall of Fame with the Rolling Stones. In 2003, he was knighted for his services to popular music.

While the Stones have a timeless catalog with an endless selection for this article, we've included five of our favorite Stones jams for your viewing pleasure.  See below for video footage from performances of "Paint It, Black," "Get Off Of My Cloud," "Sympathy for the Devil," "Loving Cup," and "Shine a Light."

Watch The Rolling Stones perform "Paint It, Black" in 1966 here:

Watch The Rolling Stones perform "Get Off Of My Cloud" in Sydney, Australia on February 17th, 1966 here:

Watch The Rolling Stones perform "Sympathy for the Devil" from Altamont Speedway in 1969 here:

Watch The Rolling Stones perform "Loving Cup" on June 24th, 1972 here:

 

The Disco Biscuits Are Heading To Atlanta For New Year's July 26, 2016 13:06

Photo by Taylor Pack: Live & Listen

It's that time of the year again, with numerous bands beginning to release their fall and winter tour dates, which of course include many Halloween and New Year's shows.  The latest announcement comes this morning from The Disco Biscuits, who have revealed their plans for New Year's in Atlanta.  The Biscuits will take over The Tabernacle from Thursday, December 29th - Saturday, December 31st.  Official pre-sale tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 27th at 12PM EST via the band's official website.  The Biscuits have been known to pull off some of the more unique, mind blowing New Year's sets amongst the jam scene, so be sure to keep an eye out for future details!

Watch The Disco Biscuits' full set from 12.31.15 at PlayStation Theater here:

Watch Gregg Allman & Luther Dickinson Sit-In with Tedeschi Trucks Band in Charlotte July 25, 2016 15:03

Tedeschi Trucks Band continued it's Wheels of Soul summer tour over the weekend, bringing their world class live performance to both Atlanta and Charlotte.  With both Los Lobos and North Mississippi Allstars currently on tour with TTB, the collaborations have come early and often this tour.  Saturday night in Alpharetta saw the likes of Col. Bruce Hampton and Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars) join TTB for a cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Spoonful," before Hampton exited and left Dickinson on stage for both "Leaving Trunk" and "Midnight in Harlem."

Shortly after, Widespread Panic (and Aquarium Rescue Unit) guitarist Jimmy Herring took to the stage and traded licks with Trucks on "I Want More." Dave Idalgo, Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), and Cody Dickinson (NMA) would then help TTB close out the set with "The Storm."  Luther (Dickinson) would appear once more in the encore for a cover of Joe Cocker's "With A Little Help From My Friends."

The epic sit-ins would continue on Sunday night at Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre.  Gregg Allman would unite with his Allman Brothers bandmate Derek Trucks (with a little help from Dickinson) for a powerful performance of the Allman Brothers Band classic, "One Way Out."  Thankfully, youtube user Josh Daniel was there to capture the magic.

Watch Tedeschi Trucks Band perform "One Way Out" with Gregg Allman & Luther Dickinson here:

Setlist: Tedeschi Trucks Band at Uptown Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC - 07.24.16

Set: It Ain't Easy, Don't Know What > The Letter, Something, Within You Without You > Just As Strange, One Way Out*, Color of the Blues, Keep On Growing#, That Did It, I Want More, Let Me Get By

Encore: Going Down To Mexico, Let's Go Get Stoned

* = w/ Gregg Allman and Luther Dickinson
# = w/ David Hidalgo

[Setlist via Tedeschi Trucks Band Fans Post]

Watch Phish Bust Out The Beatles' "Cry Baby Cry" In San Francisco July 23, 2016 16:56

Photo by Andrea Nusinov of AZN Media

Phish continues to make noise on the road this summer, with the west coast leg of the tour kicking off last weekend at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington.  Following two epic nights at The Gorge, the band headed to San Francisco for a three-night run at the famed Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.  Many are already calling this year's San Francisco run as one of the best of Phish 3.0, and it's obvious why.  

Each show had something totally different to offer, but night two certainly had the phans talking. Phish went super old school in the first set, with 12 of 14 songs being tour debuts.  We've already seen Phish bust out The Beatles' "Dear Prudence" and "I Am The Walrus" this summer, and they continued this theme by throwing in "Cry Baby Cry" during Tuesday night's first set.  This would be the fifth time for Phish to play the Beatles classic, and the first time since November, 21st of 1998 (Hampton Coliseum - Hampton, VA).  Thankfully, LazyLightning55a was there to capture for our viewing pleasure.

Phish debuted "Cry Baby Cry" on October 31st, 1994 at Glen Falls Civic Center when the band covered The Beatles' White Album as the "musical costume" of their Halloween show. 

Official Song Notes via Phish.net:

• The band apparently liked covering this one on Halloween 1994 as it showed up a few more times (11/22/94, 6/16/95, and 11/21/98). Although the 10/31/94 version (true to the White Album itself) also featured the “Brother can you take me back” refrain that precedes “Revolution 9,” subsequent versions did not.

Watch Phish cover The Beatles' "Cry Baby Cry" in San Francisco here:

Watch Phish open the show with "Demand" > "The Curtain With" here:

Set 1: Demand, The Curtain With, Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues > Fuck Your Face, Cry Baby Cry, Sing Monica > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, The Very Long Fuse > Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Walk Away > Sanity -> David Bowie

Set 2: No Men In No Man's Land > Mike's Song > Fee > Seven Below > Waiting All Night> Gotta Jibboo, Miss You, Weekapaug Groove, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg > Julius

Encore: Wading in the Velvet Sea > Character Zero

Teases:
· The Very Long Fuse quote in Sanity

Average Song Gap: 61.37

Performers: Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon

Notes: Demand was played for the first time since December 31, 2009 (258 shows). Alumni Blues and Letter to Jimmy Page were played for the first time since August 3, 2013 (114 shows). Cry Baby Cry was played for the first time since November 21, 1998 (496 shows). Sing Monica was dedicated to producer Bob Ezrin, who was in attendance. Walk Away was played for the first time since October 29, 2013 (100 shows).

Throwback: An Interview with Marco Benevento July 22, 2016 15:44

You’ve been deeply engrained in the live music scene for well over a decade now. At what age did you begin playing, and when did you realize that this could be a career path?

Marco:  I started playing when I was a kid. I started taking the classic piano lessons with my brother at school when I was seven or eight years old. Then I got into reading music. My dad got me a synthesizer and we had a piano in the house. I always played music. I was into sports too: soccer and tennis. I was also really into skateboarding. But I was always into music. I started learning to play some rock and roll as a teenager. Probably around age 15, I started playing in bands, playing sweet 16 parties. I feel like a lot of kids were doing it; playing battle of the bands, random parties in high school. We would practice, party, and experiment in peoples’ basements for hours. It was a classic way of growing up and learning great music.

When I decided to go to Berklee College of Music, I guess you could say that’s when I started to get serious about it. After college, I moved to New York and started playing gigs and teaching lessons. The New York hustle was quite a realization. It’s kind of a constant realization; that playing music my lifestyle. I still realize it now. You can’t really back out of it. You’re in love with it. You’re somewhat in need of it. It helps your creativity and your mind. I don’t know what my life would be like now if I wasn’t making music. You can’t just switch jobs at this point.

Who have been your biggest musical influences over the years? Is there anyone in particular who you’ve modeled your style of play after?

Marco:  There’s no one person in particular, but when I was at Berklee studying jazz heavily, I had a chance to study with Brad Mehldau, my favorite pianist at that point. He was still an up and coming modern jazz player. I would go and see him play at The Village Vanguard. He had only recorded 2 records in at that point, and now he has probably 20. I was really into his style of playing and his jazz approach. Lately my whole mindset has really evolved from jazz to what I’m doing now, which is more rock and roll with elements of jazz. I really love David Bowie, Neil Young, LCD Soundsystem, Wilco, My Morning Jacket. I like the more modern rock bands these days. I’ll always love the classic stuff – Little Richard, Paul McCartney. Mehldau was a real inspiration in the jazz world and a soloist, pushing the limits with technique.

I’m really in love with the song writing process, which goes more with the rock vibe that I am doing now. Fifteen years ago I was more of a student of jazz. You realize you’re not a student anymore but more of an artist. Someone who needs to create and sell tickets to shows. You want to represent what you really like and really shine on stage. I really enjoy people interacting and dancing at our shows, and there is a lot more of that now.

Benevento Russo Duo (2008)

The Benevento Russo Duo was officially born in 2001, but you and Joe (Russo) met years before. How did The Duo come to life and how much experience did you guys have playing together?

Marco:  We came to life as a necessity in New York City doing the hustle, playing as many gigs as we could. We played $50 gigs here and there. Sometimes we would get lucky and get $100. Joe had a friend that booked for The Knitting Factory. His friend offered him a residency spot, every Thursday night, and it paid $100. Instead of paying 4 guys and making $25 each, he just had me come down with my organ, and we would make $50 each. Back in January of 2002, in our mid 20’s, that was basically grocery money for the week, so I said “Hell yeah! Lets do this.” That’s really how it started. I brought my Hammond organ down two flights of stairs every Thursday. Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce) would occasionally come and sit in. Word got out. Tapers would start coming to record the shows. We did that residency for almost a full year. I think that same year we did a show at a venue called Tobacco Road in Manhattan and we made $1000 and each got $500. I remember thinking “Holy shit! We did this as a two-man band. This is amazing.” Then we really started traveling. We got out to California and started playing festivals like High Sierra.

One day we heard Mike Gordon (Phish) was looking for a drummer for his solo project. He was on the same record label as us at the time, Rope-A-Dope. The guy at Rope-A-Dope recommended Joe, because Joe is an amazing drummer. Next thing we know we are touring as a trio with Mike. Then Trey (Anastasio) called and wanted to tour as a quartet for a summer tour in 2006. We thought we had made it after that, and that all of our shows would be a sell out. Ultimately it wasn’t as next level as we thought. That was my first introduction into the real touring world. Being on a tour bus, travelling around the country. That’s when I realized how much work and dedication this thing really takes. There is never a dull moment. You occasionally go home and rest up, regain your sanity. You write new music along the way. The duo was really a first step for me to make a name for myself. Later on we did some acoustic records. I started recording some songs. Then Joe got an offer to play drums with Further. That’s kind of where we left it, and we haven’t actually played a Duo show in several years.

Let’s talk about the new album, Swift, which was released just last month. Where do you begin when writing new material? How did you decide to take a stab at lead vocals after all of these years?

Marco:   Well I introduced the vocals with my last album, Tiger Face, which came out in 2012. I had Kal (Kalmia Traver) from Rubblebucket sing some of the lyrics and melodies. At that time, I was imagining a girl singing those parts. I was blown away by Rubblebucket’s performances and really wanted to collaborate with her. That was the first time I had heard my own music with vocals, and I really liked it. I thought I would collaborate with Kal again with a lot of the tunes that ended up on Swift. I literally had the phone in my hand to call her, and I thought to myself “Why not try doing this yourself, so you can actually perform them live”. I basically just turned on the microphone and started trying some demos. We got a great reaction when we began playing them live.

People were really receptive to it. People who have come to the shows had seen that I had opened that door. It’s a nice element in our show. We have a lot of instrumental songs, but you can sense that the crowd really enjoys it and gets more involved; singing along. It was a very natural evolution of sound for me. After Tiger Face, it really made me want to try it again. I finally pulled it off, and I’m totally hooked. I’m really glad that I finally did it. I like entertaining the crowd and feeling that energy from them. It’s a whole new vibe for our band. We are playing bigger rooms and people are singing and dancing.

I remember hearing a great story behind the old Duo tune “Mephisto”. How do you go about naming so many songs that are strictly instrumental?

Marco:  Sometimes I just name them based on what the song reminds me of. I have a song called “Atari” on my first record. There is something about the sound that reminds me of early video games. Another song called “Bus Ride” was written on a tour bus. Sometimes you’re thinking about a person when you’re writing a song, and you name it after them. It’s really pretty fun and easy.

It’s been amazing to watch the progress of your career since the early Duo days. I was fortunate enough to see you with GRAB (Gordon, Russo Anastasio and Benevento) in 2006, as well as Garage A Tois (Stanton Moore, Skerik, Mike Dillon) in 2011. Tell me a little about your experience as a part of these two super groups.

Marco:  Playing with Trey and Mike was a blast. Trey was a total whirlwind of creativity. It was so great to be around such a successful songwriter and performer. Just seeing how creative he is on the road and studio. He’s never off. He’s like a little kid that just has endless creativity and thoughts on songs to play, songs to cover. It was really inspiring and I enjoyed seeing how creative and professional he was. He really has a childlike awareness about him, which opens the door to an endless amount of creativity.

Touring around with Garage a Trois; Mike D and Stanton are both incredible percussionists. Skerik is amazing as well. We had a blast on the road. It was more of a punk rock jazz vibe. It was very energetic, aggressive, and we were never holding back. Similar to The Duo, I was playing the bass lines on the organ.

Playing with these groups, everyone is an incredible musician. You can’t really stump them with an idea you have. I’d play a new song for Skerik, Mike D, and Stanton at sound check, and we would play it that night. Everyone is such a great player that you’re never worried about anyone missing a note, or it not sounding right. It’s just nice to see everyone in their element on the road. Mike D practiced tabla every morning in his room, so I would wake up to that. Stanton would whip out his brushes and play his drums in the van. Skerik would always turn me on to crazy punk rock from Seattle. It was just cool to see everyone’s personality during the day. Then at the gig you just get together and rock it out.

Speaking of super groups, the most recent has been Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Many have regarded JRAD as the best Grateful Dead music that has been played in years. How did this project start and how has the experience been?

Marco:   It essentially started when Further ended. I know Joe dedicated about three years of his life, maybe more, to learning all of the music of The Grateful Dead. It’s a lot of work. I feel like Joe really embraced it and really got to know the catalog. I think when Further was ending he was maybe thinking to himself that this could be a good opportunity to play all of this same music with his friends; guys who he has a lot of experience with over the years. It was exciting for him to play The Grateful Dead experience, but play with his New York friends. Being that he has so much knowledge on creating a Dead set list, and knowing what really sets off the Deadhead mindset. I saw The Dead twice and I liked them, but I like them a lot more now. I didn’t really know how to go about creating a Dead set list.

Now when we play a set and we’re done, of course people say that they really like the way we play it, but what I really like is that people are blown away by where certain songs are placed in each set. It’s amazing to see how well people knew The Dead’s tendencies. The way Joe scopes the sets really adds the draw. It’s rewarding seeing the people smile from ear to ear in the audience. I have about 100 dead tunes down now which have been great to learn. We’ll see where it goes.

 

We live in a very different world of music these days, with options like Spotify and Soundcloud. What are your thoughts on the revolution of digital music, and what advice would you give aspiring artists as they record new material?

Marco:  I would say that it is great to have it all accessible on your phone. You can listen to hours of music on Spotify on a long drive. It’s cool to be able to tap in to anything that’s out there instantly. But I’m also heavily addicted to collecting vinyl. I enjoy flipping the record and listening to Side B. I’ll be washing the dishes and listening to Side A, then cleaning the kitchen listening to Side B. I think that element of putting together a record and knowing the “set list” of your record is really important. I really like the way my new record, Swift, came out. It flows like a record because I listen to so much vinyl. It helps you understand how albums are supposed to flow. You can potentially miss out on the entire experience. You need to know your records, rather than just knowing every song here and there. It’s cool to get into that process of making a record. My advice would be to listen to records and make records.

There is such an abundance of great new music around you right now. What new artists/groups have you been listening to this year?

Marco:  I’ve been listening to a lot of Foxygen and Rubblebucket. Lately I’ve been really into Superhuman Happiness. I love listening to Wilco. I have always loved The Shins as well.

What’s in store for 2015? Will you focus on touring with your band or potentially working with other new projects?

Marco:  Being that the record came out a month ago, I have at least another year of touring with my own band. I am coming down South to Atlanta in a couple weeks to play Terminal West. In late February and early March of 2015, we are going out West. We will be playing New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Austin along the way to San Diego, and we will tour up to Seattle. I know what I’m doing until about June. We should know by January about the festivals, and we’ll see what happens.

Live & Listen's 'Bands You Should Know': Dead 27s July 22, 2016 13:28

Live & Listen is pleased to continue a brand new weekly feature known as Bands You Should Know.  This new concept will highlight a different band each Friday with an interview, general background information, current happenings, as well as videos and audio from each band.  After nearly two years of various interviews and artist spotlights, we feel that installing a consistent weekly feature is the perfect move as we progress forward.

For our fourth edition of Bands You Should Know, we sat down with Trey Francis (vocals) and Will Evans (guitar/synth/hamony vocals) of Dead 27s, an incredibly soulful five-piece out of Charleston, South Carolina.  Since their formation in 2012, Dead 27s have racked up a total of six Charleston Music Awards, including Rock Band of the Year, Song of the Year for "Don't Comfort Me," Album of the Year for "Chase Your Devils Down," Guitarist of the Year for Wallace Mullinax (3rd straight year), Drummer of the Year for Daniel Crider, and Bassist of the Year for Oliver Goldstein.  Dead 27s blends a contagiously warm, soulful vibe with honest Southern Rock roots, and we look forward to watching this band continue to flourish for years to come.

Dead 27s is Trey Francis (vocals), Wallace Mullinax (guitar, harmony vocals), Will Evans (guitar, synth, harmony vocals), Oliver Goldstein (bass), Daniel Crider (drums, harmony vocals)

Here we are in the summer of 2016, and Dead 27s is now in it's fourth official year of existence. How much experience did you guys have playing together before the band became official?  What led to the band's official formation?

Trey: The level of experience playing together kind of varies across the board.  Oliver (Goldstein) and Wallace (Mullinax) played together for years with different projects. Daniel (Crider) played with the two of them on a few things. Will and Wallace...y'all met at Carolina, right?

Will: Yeah thats right.  We met in college at the University of South Carolina. I actually met Oliver through Wallace back then as well.  They were friends, but I wasn't as close with him at the time.  

Trey: Will and I met probably a year or so before the band got put together.  We both grew up in Greenville (SC), and a mutual friend of ours actually passed away in an accident.  His brother asked if some of his friends who were musicians could play at his funeral and a little gathering afterwords.

That was actually the first time that Will and I ever played together, at our friend's funeral.  We got together and started doing a little acoustic duo around Greenville here and there.  He was playing with another band at the time that he was pretty busy with.  We did some acoustic gigs at bars here and there.  He ended up introducing me to the rest of the guys.  Another friend of ours, who is actually Wallace's cousin, puts on this show at the Pour House every year called the "Strap On Face Funk."  He wanted us to put something together for that.  They didn't have anyone lined up to sing, so Will brought me down and introduced me to those guys. The drummer, whose name was Cre, was living in Richmond (VA) at the time.  

We did a handful of gigs after that whenever someone called and asked.  We did those with different drummers until we called up Daniel for a wedding that we booked.  After that, we immediately decided that the chemistry was so good that we should make it a real thing.  We started playing a lot more, booking more shows, and named the band.  That's the genesis from my perspective I guess.

Will: Yeah, that's pretty much it.  It was very organic, you could say.  It just kind of happened, and we went with it.

I try to avoid this once, because it's such a stereotypical interview question, but the name of this band intrigues me.  Dead 27s is obviously a reference to so many musical legends who lost their life at age 27.  How did you guys end up landing on this decision for the band's name?

Will: That's absolutely what it is (laughs). The only other assumption people make is when we show up, "Aww man. Are y'all a Dead cover band?"   

Trey: We get asked if we're a Dead cover band.  We get asked if we're a band that only plays songs by those artists that died at 27. That's the only fallback from it, I guess.  I think Oliver and Wallace, a while ago, were going to play a show that was with some other people in Charleston.  It was a Dead 27s or 27 Club theme.  It was going to be at the Pour House, then it ended up not happening.  It was actually that same night that we played that wedding.  We were talking and decided that we should pursue it for a while.  

We started tossing around band names.  I think Oliver suggested it.  It was the only name that anyone threw out there that drew positive reaction from anyone else. We had played under some random names a few times.  I think Bunko Squad was one of them, which is terrible and I don't even know where it came from (laughs).

Will: Yeah...that was terrible, but we definitely did that (laughs).

So there was supposed to be a "Dead 27s" themed show.  It ended up falling through, and you guys just kinda rolled with that concept?

Will: Yeah.  That's how it came up.  Then we started thinking about it, and it really made sense. In some shape or form, all of those musicians have had a major impact on us.  I can't even remember them all.  There's the famous ones: Jim Morrison, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin.  In some shape or form, all of them have influenced us and had a major impact on the music industry in general.  It's all kind of interconnected.  It made sense for us and sounded pretty good, so we decided that it would work. 

I would definitely agree with that.  So, it's no secret that Charleston is a city like no other, and the music scene has really become something special over the years.  You guys are surrounded by some amazing talent, and you've managed to rack up quite a few accolades in the local scene.

Will: I think in general, it has helped the band a lot.  One thing you want to do when you're playing in a band, whether you're doing it for fun or pursuing it as a career...you obviously want people to enjoy it.  You want your music to impact people in a positive way.  The support from everyone in Charleston, in a way, made us be like, "Ok...something's going on here.  People dig it, and we did it.  Let's keep going with this."  So I guess it helped gel the band more and made us take things a little more seriously.  The reception and support we have gotten from Charleston in general has been amazing.  I think everyone in the band would agree. 

Trey: Definitely.  Early on, we got a lot of endorsements right off the bat from a lot of local musicians and local press.  Right away as soon as we started playing shows, there was a lot of really positive feedback and encouragement from the whole scene in general.  That really helped us out in giving us that initial push that bands need in order to have that recognition.  It's reassuring that what you're doing is the right thing and something that you need to pursue.  

When I listen to your music, I immediately identify with that warm, pleasant "southern soul" sound.  It's a really diverse concept; one which I feel has a really wide appeal.  I hear clear, honest southern rock roots with an energetic twist of modern soul.  Where do you guys look for inspiration when continuing to carve out this band's identity?

Will: As far an inspiration, it really comes from a lot of different places.  Like you said, there's that obvious classic rock, if you will, and that's the foundation.  We build off of that through different influences.  The first EP that we recorded, Chase Your Devils Down, had a lot of tunes.  They were pretty much all written by Wallace and Trey.  It was kind of the start of the band.  Since then, everyone else has really pulled in their own stuff.  

Everyone listens to a lot of different styles, and I think that reflects on our upcoming album.  I know Wallace listens to anything from rock to jazz to blues.  We all listen to a lot of Tedeschi Trucks, so there is a little bit of that going on.  I like a lot of electronic stuff, so there's some of that going on.  I know Trey's got some soul stuff.  Each band member brings a different vibe, and I think we all share a lot of common ground as well.  So, we kind of pull that all together and that's been the most recent process.  That's kind of the quick story of it coming together.

Trey: I think that one thing that has really helped us move towards solidifying a musical identity within the band is just being on the road.  Spending that time together has a band has been huge for us.  The more time we've spent around each other...I think a lot of those influences naturally bleed into one another.  Between being on stage, rehearsing in a hotel, or even each guy taking turns as the DJ on a long ass drive...just being around each other and immersing yourself in that lifestyle has really helped us.  Each member's style blends together really smoothly.  I think that on the upcoming record shows that the identity of the band has been much more solidified.  It will reveal itself much more to whoever listens to it.

That makes a lot sense.  All of that time on the road ends up almost serving as a "band retreat" if you will.  I know that opens to door to explore each other's musical tastes, and that ends up being the perfect recipe for new concepts and ideas.

While we're on the topic, you're preparing to put your first full length studio album Ghosts are Calling Out.  This is clearly a pivotal moment for you guys.  You were able to bring in Grammy-nominated producer and Galactic saxophonist Ben Ellman to the studio.  How did you guys get hooked up with Ben, and how big of an impact did this make on the final product?

Will: So our manager, Rusty Cole, had that connection through working with Ryan Montbleau.  We started putting some demos out there.  We recorded everything that ended up making the album and a whole lot more.  This was all done at a combination of everyone's houses. I've got a little Pro Tools rig, and we'd get together and get a few demos out. Then, we would do overdubs, harmonies, vocals...we pretty much recorded everything on our own at first.  We would then send them out and get some feedback.  

Our manager had some of the demos, and he reached out to Ben (Ellman).  That opened up the conversation, and Ben really liked what he heard.  We took it from there and got on the phone with him soon after.  After we talked, at least for me, he put me at ease.  I think he put all of the guys at ease.  He was just such a cool guy, and we could tell over the phone that he was the right guy to work with.  Just by the direction he was talking in and some of the stuff he was saying, we knew it would be a really cool project. 

We kept staying in touch and sending more demos. He wanted to do it. The next thing you know we're emailing demos, and he's sending feedback. We did as much preproduction through phone conversation and emails as possible.  By the time we got to New Orleans, it felt like we already knew him.  It was a great experience.

You've taken to PledgeMusic to allow your fans to get involved with the finishing touches.  We're in a different musical age, where album sales are almost nonexistent.  Let's talk about the crowdfunding process and how this has worked thus far for Dead 27s.

Trey:  I think this is the second crowdfunding project that we have attempted.  The first one was not anywhere close to the scope of this one.  We did it on on our own, through our website and social media.  It was to raise money for our van, and we barely got enough money to buy a solid touring vehicle (laughs).  So, we had a little bit of experience with it going in.  It's been really positive all around.  The guys from PledgeMusic have been really helpful and supportive.  Our management team has been great.  Our friends and family have been really supportive as well.  We've had people coming out of the woodwork to step up and give their hard earned money to a project that they believe in.  Seeing that type of response and feedback from a lot of people that we may or may not even be that close with has been really awesome. We have a little more over 24 hours left to reach our goal.  We're getting pretty close.  We have a little bit left to fill, but we have some verbal commitments that we will see here over the next day and a half.

Have you seen many people cashing in on all of the different packages/rewards that you guys offer with each level of participation? 

Trey: Yeah...we've done quite a few "Happy Birthday" videos on Facebook (laughs). To be honest, I think what has surprised us the most is the lack of taking advantage of some of these more unique packages. A lot of people would just get on there and buy a CD or vinyl package or maybe a t-shirt package, which is super easy for us to make good on.  Once everything is released, all we have to do is mail that shit out.  In terms of us having to go out our way to make good on some of these things, it really hasn't been a hassle or even a chore.  It's been pretty easy breezy so far. 

That's great.  The personal interaction that the crowdfunding creates really goes a long way.  The people that are participating obviously believe in you guys.  They wouldn't get involved and help the cause if they didn't.  Things like this will end up paying dividends down the road.  That gives someone that much more of a reason to throw on the Dead 27s t-shirt and spread the word.  It's crucial.

So, I know you guys are getting ready for a really exciting run over the next two weeks.  You're supporting Galactic at Brooklyn Bowl this weekend, and playing FloydFest next weekend alongside Gregg Allman, Warren Haynes, Bruce Hornsby, RRE, and so many more.  I'm assuming excitement is at all time high for the band right now.

Will: Hell yeah.  Everyone's pretty pumped.  On a side note, at least me, between playing the gigs and finishing up the album, I feel like we've been so fucking busy that I forget where we're even playing sometimes.  I have to look at the calendar (laughs).  

Trey: I forget what day it is sometimes (laughs).

Will: Just knowing that we are going to be in New York on Saturday with Galactic at this amazing venue, I don't think we could be more excited.  And of course FloydFest...we're really pumped.  Those are definitely going to be some highlights for us coming up.  I don't think it's going to feel real until I'm in the van driving. There are so many things throughout the day that keep your brain occupied, and you don't even think about it.  We're super excited about it though.

Trey:  I'm super excited just to be included on the same festival bill as Gregg Allman.  Just for me personally, the Allman Brothers are my all time favorite band.  I always wanted to maybe sometime play at the same festival as the Allman Brothers, but since they stopped touring, this is probably the next best thing for me.  

Will:  On top of just playing, I can't wait to just be there and go see these bands.  There are so many guys that we really respect and admire.  It's going to be a really cool weekend.

Trey:  I've also had a handful of interactions with Oliver Wood from The Wood Brothers.  He's given me a little advice here and there on songwriting and whatnot.  I know they're going to be there one of the days that we're there. We're all fans of The Wood Brothers, and we're super pumped to see them. The whole festival is going to be so much fun.  I've never been, but I've heard so many great things about it.  Can't wait to get up there.  

Will this be the furthest north that you guys have played?  

Will: Yeah...we've gotten up to the DC area...Bethesda, which is pretty much the other side.  This will be the furthest north we have played.  We haven't ever played New York.  Playing our first show up there with Galactic at Brooklyn Bowl is obviously exciting.  I don't know exactly how long of a drive it is, maybe 13 hours?  I don't know.  We've done some gigs that are that far away.  We were recently down in the Keys doing a little run.  I think it took about 16 hours to get home (laughs). We try to make all of the stops on those long drives, but sometimes we won't have a gig for several days, and we try to just high tail it on home.  

The journey to an exciting weekend or a big show always seems to be a lot more exciting than the journey home.  You don't necessarily have that "golden prize" waiting for you on the way home.

Trey: Yeah you pretty much nailed that, especially after three days in Key West.  The only golden prize you're thinking about on the way back is your own bed...and maybe a huge jug of Gatorade. 

Aside from the new album and the next two weekends, what can we expect from Dead 27s here in the second half of 2016?

Will: Touring is obviously going to be a priority.  We're going to get this album here sometime this fall. We've got some announcements coming up that we can't talk too much about, but there are definitely some positive things on the horizon.  I think the ultimate goal for everyone is to be able to continue making music that people relate to and enjoy.  We want to grow on our fan base, and that's our ultimate goal. We're going to be touring a lot and playing some music (laughs).  

Trey: We've done a pretty good job of seeing most of the east coast areas.  I think moving forward you will see us start to move west a little bit.  Hopefully, as our touring expands, so will our fan base.  Like Will said, we have a handful of things in the works that have to be finalized before we can really talk about it.  I wish we could divulge on more of that. 

No worries.  I certainly know how that works at this point.  We are announcing the details of our big annual show in a few weeks, so I can relate. Everything has to be in place.

Trey:  Definitely.  Oh yeah, on September 23rd, we're playing the Chucktown Ball with Umphrey's McGee, Moon Taxi, and Dangermuffin.  I think I speak for everyone in the band when I say that we could not be more excited for that show.  Those are bands that we absolutely love.  The next night we are playing in Charlotte at the Whitewater Center with Moon Taxi again.  Playing back to back dates with Moon Taxi and of course Chucktown Ball with Umphrey's is super exciting for us.

I'm really glad you mentioned that.  I can't believe I forgot to ask you about that show.  

Will:  Yes...I'm glad you mentioned that as well.  For me, Moon Taxi...I'll tell you what.  I started getting into those guys a couple of years ago.  I heard some of their stuff, and it was good.  Then I saw their live show, and honestly, my face was blown off.  I was in Austin, Texas at South by Southwest, and I saw them on this little back deck.  I was just like, "What did I just see?"  I had heard a lot of buzz about them, but I really didn't understand until then.  I went and saw them again a few nights later, and it did the same thing to me.  So from then on, I've gone to see them every chance I get.  We've all been longtime fans of Umphrey's as well, so that's going to be a really special show.  

That will be amazing.  It's been great to see Moon Taxi really blow up the past few years.  They are that one band that I started seeing at the bar in college that has really made it big.  They've worked their asses off, and it is really paying off for them. The results speak for themselves.

Trey: Absolutely man.  We are very fortunate to be a part of those shows.

On their debut EP, Dead 27s brilliantly infused rock-and-roll and classic soul with both raw energy and refined musicality. Now with their first full-length effort Ghosts Are Calling Out, the Charleston-based band expands their sound by pursuing their passion for loose and joyful experimentation. Working with a treasure trove of obscure and vintage lo-fi gear, Dead 27s have widened their sonic repertoire to offer up an album that’s boldly inventive but rooted in pure emotion.

The follow-up to 2014’s Chase Your Devils Down—an EP praised by the likes of No Depression, who remarked that “you can feel their music in your bones”—Ghosts Are Calling Out builds off its predecessor’s earthy sensibility and gritty spirit. But while Dead 27s maintain their soulful melodicism and knack for heavy grooves, the new album finds the band crafting gorgeously warped textures that take their music in a thrilling new direction. “Making this album, we wanted to push ourselves and bring much more attention to detail to the production—and at the same time have some fun with all these weird, distorted sounds and tones that we were coming up with,” notes Mullinax.

That creative abandon is palpable throughout Ghosts Are Calling Out, which was produced by Ben Ellman (a member of the funk/rock act Galactic) and mixed by Mikael “Count” Eldridge (a producer/engineer whose past work includes releases by Radiohead, the Rolling Stones, and a Grammy Award-winning effort from Mavis Staples). To record the album, Dead 27s headed to New Orleans and set up shop in The Living Room (a studio housed in a 1930s church by the Mississippi River). While in New Orleans, Dead 27s took advantage of their surroundings by pairing up with local musicians like Pretty Lights touring keyboardist Brian Coogan (who performed on several tracks on Ghosts Are Calling Out). The band also had a major breakthrough when Ellman sent them to the home of Ani DiFranco and her producer/husband Mike Napolitano to borrow a stockpile of gear that would play a major role in shaping the album’s sound. “All of a sudden we had all these new toys and a way bigger palette to paint with,” recalls Francis. Among those toys: a pocket amp, a miniature synthesizer, and an Omnichord (an electric harp-like device that generates what Evans calls “these very ’80s-Nintendo-sounding chords”).

Despite the playfulness of its production, Ghosts Are Calling Out attains an emotional depth first glimpsed on Chase Your Devils Down. “The title for the new record comes from a line in ‘Only One’: ‘Down on Desperation Lane/Ghosts are calling out my name,’” explains Mullinax, referring to the album’s closing track. “It’s about the ghosts of your past experiences, the things that haunt you throughout your life—not necessarily in a bad way, but in the sense that certain experiences just stay a part of you forever.”

In capturing experiences both bad and good, painful and euphoric, Ghosts Are Calling Out endlessly shifts moods and embodies a broad spectrum of feeling—a feat achieved with great help from Francis’s stunning vocal command. Kicking off with the one-two punch of “What a Waste” (a harmony-laced number featuring some fantastically skewed guitar work) and “Queen” (a feel-good track shot through with hip-shaking rhythms), the album then drifts into melancholy on songs like the beautifully bittersweet “Already Dead” and the deceptively breezy “Grey Skies.” “That song’s about someone who’s brokenhearted after the girl he loves leaves him,” explains Francis of the latter. “It’s about feeling like you can’t enjoy yourself at all anymore, and it’s meant to give you the feeling that you’re almost getting past that and moving on to something better.”

Elsewhere on Ghosts Are Calling Out, Dead 27s explore darker territory with “Scarecrow,” a song that threads its sinister guitar riff through lyrics about “watching someone get caught up with a very powerful and negative person,” according to Mullinax. With its sleepy melody, spacey tones, and smoldering guitar work, “Fantastic” slips into dreamy psychedelia but delivers a message that Mullinax describes as “wanting change instead of just accepting things that aren’t exactly right.” On the hymnlike “Emanuel,” the band quietly reflects on the 2015 shooting at their hometown’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. “I was away when that happened, and when I got back I went straight to the church,” says Mullinax. “When I got home that night, the song came together so easily, although now it’s very difficult to play.” And on “Only One,” Dead 27s shake off everyday frustrations and lay down an all-out anthem whose groove gives a nod to the then-recently-departed New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint.

The intense vitality that powers each track on Ghosts Are Calling Out has much to do with Dead 27s’ undeniable chemistry, a force they discovered the very first time they played together. Initially teaming up for a one-time gig at a local festival in spring 2012, Francis, Mullinax, Evans, and Goldstein quickly decided to collaborate on a new project, and soon brought Crider into the fold. Seeking a name for the event, the band began to brainstorm ideas and decided to pay homage to 27s club, a group of musicians known for leaving an indelible mark on American music. The name stuck more for the appreciation of pushing musical boundaries and leaving nothing on the table at live shows, than a direct mirroring of any of the 27s club members sound. In that moment, Dead 27s was born.

After releasing Chase Your Devils Down in spring 2014, Dead 27s earned the Charleston City Paper Music Awards’ Song of the Year prize two years in a row, ranked in the top 24 of VH1’s “Make a Band Famous” competition, and opened for such artists as Earphunk, Galactic, The Revivalists, Marcus King Band, and Tab Benoit. Fast gaining a reputation as an incendiary live act, the band devoted much of 2015 to touring as well as writing and pre-producing material for Ghosts Are Calling Out.

With each show serving as a breeding ground for creativity, Dead 27s mine much inspiration from their time on the road. Along with setting up makeshift recording stations in their hotel rooms, the band continually sources song ideas on the fly: the new album’s “Rainbow,” for instance, was sparked by a strange piece of graffiti carved into the wall of a bar bathroom in Chattanooga. Through that near-constant writing and performing, Dead 27s have vastly strengthened their creative connection and pushed the boundaries of their musicianship. “We’ve always worked in a way where everyone adds their own flavors to the songs, but this album was much more of a collaborative effort,” says Evans. “Each one of us more was a lot more heavily engaged in the whole process, and we ended up trying new stuff that we’re all really excited about and that goes way beyond just having some good new songs to put out.”

Members of Phish, Joe Russo, & More To Join Phil Lesh at Lockn' July 21, 2016 12:21

Just in case the lineup for Lockn' Festival wasn't enticing enough already, the festival's co-creator Peter Shapiro has revealed new details which have created quite the buzz.  Phil Lesh & Friends, the festival's most recent addition, has featured an endless amount of amazing talent over the years, and the Lockn' editions will be no different.  

Joining Lesh on Saturday, August 27th will be Page McConnell and Jon Fishman of Phish, Joe Russo, and the Infamous Stringdusters.  Phil & Friends is also slated to perform on Sunday, August 28th, when Lesh will perform with the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Gary Clark Jr. 

When asked about the status of Trey Anastasio, Shapiro had the following to say:

"While I did directly ask about it, I did not get a direct response. “A lot of special guests and intricacies are being finalized behind the scenes still,” Shapiro said. I creepily paused for too long to be comfortable hoping he would spill his guts, but the guy is a pro. We’ll just have to see what happens in a couple weeks in Arrington."

In regards to the correlation of last year's Fare Thee Well shows (which Shapiro organized) and this year's Lockn' lineup, Shapiro added: 

“The people who love the Dead. There were shows at every Chicago venue of bands playing Dead music, artists sold their grateful art outside the shows,…everyone kind of created new life out of it. It just is such a big community, full of great people. Bringing everyone together is what we’re gonna do again at LOCKN’. That, along with the integration of Trey, Phish, and the Dead world…it’s just never been done at a festival like this. That whole thing from last summer’s gonna happen again, a year later. Phish is headlining two nights, and are surrounded by tons of Dead music. In fact, this will be the first time since Fare Thee Well that members from Phish will play with members from the Dead, and we’re really excited about that too.”

One can only imagine where Anastasio and Phish bassist Mike Gordon will work their way into the mix.  Perhaps a cameo with Joe Russo's Almost Dead?  We'll have to wait till late August and find out for ourselves. 

Check out the daily schedule for Lockn' 2016 here:

Catskill Chill Adds Lettuce, Reed Mathis & Electric Beethoven, + Miles Davis Tribute July 20, 2016 15:41

Photo by Hype Media & Entertainment

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Catskill Chill Music Festival has added four funky additions to the 2016 lineup. Joining the bill are longtime #chillfam and funk masters, Lettuce. Several members of the band including Eric Bloom, Adam Deitch, Ryan Zoidis, Nigel Hall, Adam Smirnoff and Erick Coomes will also perform together with Borahm Lee in “Bitches Bloom: A Tribute to Miles Davis.” Catskill Chill will also present the East Coast debut of Reed Mathis & Electric Beethoven who describe themselves as ‘the world’s first CDM (classical dance music) band.’ The lineup includes heavy hitting musicians Reed Mathis (Billy & the Kids, Tea Leaf Green), Jay Lane (Primus, Ratdog), Todd Stoops (RAQ), Cochrane McMillan (Tea Leaf Green) and Clay Welch.  Rounding out the announcement is 10-piece soul/funk act Funky Dawgz Brass Band.

The seventh annual event will take place September 23rd – 25th, 2016 at New Minglewood, a private summer camp in Lakewood, PA. Weekend tickets and VIP packages that include an exclusive Viewing Area, Main Stage Chill Tent, VIP Lounge Cabin, VIP Bathrooms with Showers, exclusive use of indoor/outdoor VIP and Artist Swimming Pools and Jacuzzi, and intimate BBQ sets with private performances by Eric Krasno Band and Michelangelo’s Sunday Sauce featuring Nick Cassarino, Roosevelt Collier, Steve Molitz, Nate Edgar and Michelangelo Carubba, are on sale now.

The four performers announced today join the diverse lineup that includes Mike Gordon, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Greensky Bluegrass, Electron, Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass, Break Science Live Band, Dopapod, Goldfish, Perpetual Groove, Deep Banana Blackout, Rob Garza DJ Set, Turkuaz, Kung Fu, The Werks, Cabinet, Particle, Zach Deputy, Ryan Montbleau, Orgone, The Nth Power, The Main Squeeze, Pink Talking Fish, TAUK, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Space Jesus, Roosevelt Collier's NY Get Down, Tom Hamilton’s American Babies, The Heavy Pets Tribute to the ‘80s and many more.

Continuing their tradition of offering a unique twist with returning artists, the Chill also features a number of first-time collaborations and tribute sets. Dopapod and Turkuaz will join forces for Dopakuaz Does Yacht Rock, Pink Taking Fish and Kung Fu will take on the music of Prince and David Bowie, while Particle and The Werks come together as PartiWerks. The weekend will also feature a Chillfam Allstars Michael Jackson Tribute.

For the first time ever, Catskill Chill will host an onsite pre-party at New Minglewood the night before the festival, on Thursday, September 22nd featuring two sets of Twiddle, along with Jimkata, Aqueous and TRAKSTAR. Tickets are on sale now.

One of the defining characteristics of Catskill Chill is its unique setting. Hosted at New Minglewood, a private summer camp in Lakewood, PA, the venue has cabins for rent, paved pathways throughout, a beautiful lakefront, covered stage facilities, free parking, and free camping. Additional highlights of New Minglewood include indoor movie theaters, indoor and outdoor spaces for yoga, art, and wellness workshops, an easy-to-traverse campus, and “closer than ever” parking. While the “B Stage” and Club Chill will remain covered venues, this will mark the first year that the Chill will present an outdoor main stage for attendees to enjoy music in the open air, under the stars. The festival also offers a farmer’s market, craft and food vendors, a communal bonfire nightly, and an open mic.

Tickets:
GA weekend tickets, VIP tickets and VIP upgrades are currently available at www.CatskillChill.com.
Children under 12 are free, but must be accompanied by an adult.

Catskill Chill 2016 Lineup:
Mike Gordon
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic
Greensky Bluegrass
Lettuce*
Electron
Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass
Break Science Live Band
Dopapod
Goldfish
Perpetual Groove
Deep Banana Blackout
Rob Garza DJ Set
Turkuaz
Kung Fu
The Werks
Cabinet
Particle
Reed Mathis & Electric Beethoven*
Zach Deputy
Ryan Montbleau
The Nth Power
The Main Squeeze
Pink Talking Fish
Tauk
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
Space Jesus
Roosevelt Collier's NY Get Down
Tom Hamilton’s American Babies
The Heavy Pets Tribute to the ‘80s
Gibbz
Jen Durkin & The Business
G-Nome Project
Big Something
Scott Pemberton
Elise Testone's Zeppelin Tribute
The Magic Beans
Danny Mayer Trio
Beau Sasser's Escape Plan
The Indobox
Lespecial Primus Tribute
The Primate Fiasco
Funky Dawgz Brass Band*
Hayley Jane and The Primates
The Jauntee
West End Blend
Shwizz
Fikus
ShwiKus
Out of the Beardspace
Turbine plays RadioDead
Mister F
Strange Machines
Broccoli Samurai
Relative Souls
The Breakneck Boys
Formula 5
Youth Posse
Animal Reporters

Collaborations:
Dopakuaz Does Yacht Rock
Bitches Bloom: A Tribute to Miles Davis*
Pink Talking Fu: Prince Bowie
PartiWerks = Particle + The Werks
Chillfam Allstars Michael Jackson Tribute

Thursday Night Pre-Party:
Twiddle (2 sets)
Jimkata
Aqueous
TRAKSTAR
*Wave 3 artist

For more information visit:
www.CatskillChill.com
www.facebook.com/CatskillChill
Twitter + Instagram: @CatskillChill | #Chillfam

Temple of the Dog Announces First-Ever Tour for 25th Anniversary July 20, 2016 15:19

When thinking back on memories of 90's rock, it would be difficult not to bring Temple of the Dog into the conversation.  The 90's supergroup, best known for their hit "Hunger Strike," featured Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) and Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), as well as Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Mike McCready and Stone Gossard.  Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder was also featured on "Hunger Strike."  Earlier today, Temple of the Dog announced it's first ever "tour," in honor of the band's 25th anniversary. 

The supergroup originally came together after the passing Mother Love Bone frontman Andrew Wood, who was a close friend and roommate of Cornell.  Gossard, Ament, and McCready were also members of Mother Love Bone and simultaneously forming a new band which would be known as Pearl Jam just six months later.

Temple of the Dog has only performed live a handful of times, mostly when Cornell has appeared live with Pearl Jam.  They most recently performed at Pearl Jam's show at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall in 2015.

Watch Temple of the Dog's tour announcement video here:

Temple of the Dog Tour

November 4: Philadelphia, PA--Tower Theater
November 7: New York, NY--Madison Square Garden
November 11: San Francisco, CA--Bill Graham Civic Center
November 14: Los Angeles, CA--The Forum
November 20: Seattle, WA--Paramount Theatre

Watch Temple of the Dog's music video for "Hunger Strike" here:

Vulfpeck Releases Heartwarming Video For "Back Pocket" July 20, 2016 11:27

If you're in tune with the jam/festival scene, you have surely heard about the brilliant four-piece funk project known as Vulfpeck.  This group has been turning heads and making noise across the music scene since 2011 with their simple, minimal sound and incredibly unique style.  What you see is what you get with Vulfpeck, as each recording is done live with real instruments and very little mixing; making for a a very raw, natural outcome.  

Earlier this week, the band released it's latest music video for "Back Pocket," a single off of their 2015 release Thrill of the Arts.  The video features two young children jumping rope, dancing on a local playground, and simply embracing the beauty of their youth.  In the midst of a time where we can't seem to escape the perpetual violence that surrounds us, Vulfpeck continues to spread layers of positivity that this world so desperately needs.

Vulfpeck: Bio

Vulfpeck is an American funk group founded in 2011. The band aims for a sound that is minimal, raw, and approaches that of a live performance. The band has released four EPs and a silent album on Spotify titled Sleepify – royalties from which funded the band's admission-free tour in 2014. The band's full-length album, Thrill of the Arts, was released in 2015.

The band members attended University of Michigan's music school. They first came together as a rhythm section for a performance at the Duderstadt Center, a university facility that houses an arts library and other resources. After reading an interview with German producer Reinhold Mack, band founder Jack Stratton conceived of Vulfpeck as an imagined German version of the U.S. legendary session musicians of the 1960s such as Funk Brothers, Wrecking Crew, and Muscle Shoals. The idea was to channel that era of the live rhythm section.

The band's founding members are Jack Stratton on keyboards and drums, Theo Katzman on guitar and drums, Woody Goss on keyboards, and Joe Dart on bass. Other musicians occasionally contribute such as Antwaun Stanley, Joey Dosik, David T. Walker and Cory Wong.

Suwannee Hulaween Announces Phase 2 Lineup, Thursday Pre-Party, + More July 19, 2016 12:00

Keller Williams Reveals 2016 Fall Tour Dates July 19, 2016 11:28

Photo by Craig Baird: Live & Listen

Today, Keller Williams announces his 2016 Fall Tour dates. This Fall finds Keller focusing on both his Solo project and his latest band, KWahtro, featuring Gibb Droll, Danton Boller and Rodney Holmes. Zach Deputy will also be on the road with Keller as support for most of the Fall KWahtro dates. The 18-show Fall Tour starts in mid-October in the Southeast and includes stops in Montana, Colorado, California and wraps up with a weekend in Texas. KWahtro will get back together in early January 2017 for a three night run in the Pacific Northwest.

Between festival dates this summer, Williams has been busy in the studio. His newest EP, entitled Bluhm, was released on June 28th. Bluhm is a 5 track recording of songs written by musician Tim Bluhm (of The Mother Hips) that features Jackie Greene, Reed Mathis, Jason Crosby and the Keels. 100% of the net proceeds from Bluhm sales will go to assist with medical bills for the fellow-musician after his speed flying accident last year. Williams is also busy working on a KWahtro album, which will be his 21st official release, scheduled to drop in the late fall.

Summer is still in full force with many festival appearances and club shows to come. Be sure to check out what project Keller has coming your way and as always, stay tuned for more exciting Fall Tour dates to be announced!

Just Announced Fall 2016 Tour Dates:

10/13 Terra Fermata | Stuart, FL | Keller Williams Solo

10/14 Jessie’s Lounge | Winter Haven, FL | Keller Williams Solo

10/15 Magnolia Fest | St. Augustine, FL | Keller Williams Solo

10/20 Charleston Pour House | Charleston, SC | Keller Williams Solo

10/21 Charleston Pour House | Charleston, SC | KWahtro

10/22 The Georgia Theatre | Athens, GA | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

10/27 The Eagles Ballroom | Bozeman, MT | Keller Williams Solo

10/28 The Top Hat| Missoula, MT | Keller Williams Solo

10/29 The Fillmore Auditorium | Denver, CO | Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass ft. The Infamous Stringdusters

11/03 Saint Rocke | Hermosa Beach, CA | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/04 Belly Up | San Diego, CA | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/05 Marquee | Tempe, AZ | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/10 Music Farm | Columbia, SC | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/11 The Neighborhood Theatre | Charlotte, NC | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/12 The Orange Peel | Asheville, NC | KWahtro with special guest TBA

11/17 White Oak | Houston, TX | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/18 Granada Theater | Dallas, TX | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/19 Scoot Inn | Austin, TX | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

01/19/17 WoW Hall | Eugene, OR | Keller Williams KWahtro

01/20/17 Wonder Ballroom | Portland, OR | Keller Williams KWahtro

01/21/17 Nectar Lounge| Seattle, WA | Keller Williams KWahtro

Complete Tour Dates

7/21 Jerry Jam Music Festival | Bath, NY | Keller Williams Solo

7/22 Be Kind Gathering | Harrodsburg, KY | Keller Williams Solo

7/23 Live from the Underground | McMinnville, TN | Keller Williams Solo w/ special guest Zach Deputy

7/30-31 Floyd Fest | Floyd, VA | Keller Williams Solo, Keller & The Keels, More Than A Little

8/04 The Peace Center for the Performing Arts | Greenville, SC | Keller Williams Solo

8/05 Brooklyn Performing Arts Center | Wilmington, NC | Keller Williams Solo

8/06 Levon Helm Studios | Woodstock, NY | Keller Williams Solo

8/07 Jonathan Edwards Winery | North Stonington, CT | Keller Williams Solo 8/20 Camp Barefoot | Elkins, WV | Keller Williams Solo & Keller Loves Canon

8/27-28 LOCKN’ Festival | Arrington, VA | Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass & Keller Williams’ Grateful Gospel

9/02 Bell’s Brewery | Kalamazoo, WI | More Than A Little

9/02-04 Shoe Fest | Manteno, IL | More Than A Little

9/04 The Bootleg | St. Louis, MO | More Than A Little

9/08 Jackson Hole Center for the Arts | Jackson Hole, WY | Shut the Folk Up & Listen ft. Leo Kottke

9/09 The Mishawaka Amphitheatre | Bellvue, CO | Keller Williams Solo, Keller & his Compadres ft. Jeff Austin, Jay Starling, Bridget Law and Keith Moseley w/ special guest Trout Steak Revival

9/10 The Mishawaka Amphitheatre | Bellvue, CO | More Than A Little with special guest Andy Frasco

9/16 Cosmic Charlie’s | Lexington, KY | Keller Williams Solo

9/16-18 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion | Bristol, TN | Keller Williams Solo

9/22-24 Resonance Music & Arts Festival | Thornville, OH | Keller Williams and special guests

9/23-25 Catskill Chill | Lakewood, PA | Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass

10/13 Terra Fermata | Stuart, FL | Keller Williams Solo

10/14 Jessie’s Lounge | Winter Haven, FL | Keller Williams Solo

10/15 Magnolia Fest | St. Augustine, FL | Keller Williams Solo

10/20 Charleston Pour House | Charleston, SC | Keller Williams Solo

10/21 Charleston Pour House | Charleston, SC | KWahtro

10/22 The Georgia Theatre | Athens, GA | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

10/27 The Eagles Ballroom | Bozeman, MT | Keller Williams Solo

10/28 The Top Hat| Missoula, MT | Keller Williams Solo

10/29 The Fillmore Auditorium | Denver, CO | Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass ft. The Infamous Stringdusters

11/03 Saint Rocke | Hermosa Beach, CA | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/04 Belly Up | San Diego, CA | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/05 Marquee | Tempe, AZ | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/10 Music Farm | Columbia, SC | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/11 The Neighborhood Theatre | Charlotte, NC | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/12 The Orange Peel | Asheville, NC | KWahtro with special guest TBA

11/17 White Oak | Houston, TX | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

11/18 Granada Theater | Dallas, TX | KWahtro with special guest Zach Deputy

Live & Listen Presents: McLovins with Little Raine Band at Zydeco - Thursday 7/28 July 18, 2016 14:10

Photo by Craig Baird: Live & Listen

Live & Listen is pleased to announce that we are teaming up with our friends at Zydeco in Birmingham for another amazing night of music next week.  Join us on Thursday, July 28th for an evening with Connecticut-based four-piece McLovins along with local favorites Little Raine Band.  This will be the Birmingham debut of McLovins, so mark your calendars and purchase your tickets today, as this is a show you will not want to miss.  Doors are scheduled to open at 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 28th.  Little Raine Band will perform an opening set, with McLovins taking the stage shortly after.  Tickets are available now for $8 and can be purchased by clicking here. 

Both of these bands are scheduled to play The Blueberry Jam at Weeks Bay Plantation on Friday, October 14th - Saturday, October 15th.  Weeks Bay Plantation is a 90-acre organic blueberry farm located in Fairhope, Alabama.  This will be the second year for the event, which will also feature The Heavy Pets (performing a Beatles tribute), Zach Deputy, CBDB, Paw Paw's Medicine Cabinet, Infant Richard & The Delta Stones, and Lee Yankie & The Hellz Yeah.  Tickets to The Blueberry Jam can be purchased by clicking here.

Bob Weir & Rob Gronkowski Join Paul McCartney at Fenway Park July 18, 2016 09:14

Live & Listen's 'Bands You Should Know': BIG Something July 15, 2016 01:38

Photo by Jordan August Photography

 

Interview by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

BIG Something formed in North Carolina in 2009, and it didn't take long for things to really start clicking.  Tell me a little bit about how everything came together, and how things have progressed since.

Nick: Well, I grew up in Maryland but ended up going to a small school in North Carolina called Elon University.  That’s where I met a few of the guys in the band.  We played in another band called Anonymous, or The Anonymous Band, for a little while.  We got started as a college band and played every week at a local bar.  Slowly but surely, we met a few of the other guys, and that’s how BIG Something was formed.  Everybody came into the picture, and things kind of fell into place from there.  

Right on.  So it didn’t take too long for you guys to get into the studio and cut your first album.  You worked with Grammy-nominated producer John Custer on Stories From the Middle of Nowhere in 2010, right?

Nick:  Yea John kind of helped us create a new identity for the band.  That first album that we released was how we introduced the name of the band.  It kind of took off from there.  

It seems like the initial response from that album was strong, to say the least.  You guys won an Homegrown Music Network’s “Album of the Year” award.  The album spent several weeks at #1 on Jambands.com’s charts.

Nick: It was received a lot better than I was expecting.  Ever since then, every album that we have recorded has been with John (Custer).  We try and grow a little bit on each one and give them their own unique touch.  We actually have a new album that we’re releasing sometime this fall.  We haven’t really released too much information on it yet, but it was recorded with John, and we’re all really excited about it. It will be our fourth full length album.

Very cool.  It seems like whatever he is doing in the studio certainly works.  Makes perfect sense to continue working with him.

Nick:  Yeah man.  John is awesome.  He’s kind of like our seventh man, in a way.  He helps keep the band moving forward and really brings the best performance out of each of us.  It’s really great having him there in the studio.

So I was first introduced to you guys thanks to Sirius JamOn.  I distinctly remember the first time I heard "Megalodon" in the car in early 2015, and it's been one of my go-to songs ever since.  It grabs people’s attention from the first note.  It took me a while to realize that the song is about a shark, right?

Nick:  Right.  It usually takes people a couple of listens to figure out that it’s about floating in the ocean with a shark kind of circling around and waiting to attack.  It can be interpreted in a bunch of different ways.  We kind of left it open to interpretation on purpose.

I can see that.  That song is really powerful.  I guess maybe a better word would be explosive.  It’s one that you just can’t turn off once it starts, and I’ve yet to get tired of hearing it.  DJ Logic really adds a nice touch to it as well.  It had to be fun to bring him in for that one.  Had you guys worked with him before the recording?

Nick:  We had done some shows with him and he ended up sitting in on that song live with us one night at a Widespread Panic afterparty in Wilmington NC. And it was just so dope and such a perfect fit for the song. We knew we were about to record later that year and everyone was like 'lets get Logic to sit in on the track.' So we invited him to do it, but he wasn't available to come record in person so we actually had him send in his parts digitally. Really happy we got him on there and made it work cause I love the way it turned out. 

Watch BIG Something's official music video for "Megalodon" here:

I've noticed what seems to be a recurring outer space theme with you guys.  You have the live album Live From Uranus, the song "UFOs are real"…And it really seems to fall in line with the Big Something funk sound.  Would I be correct in assuming this is a special interest for you guys?

Nick: Absolutely.  I think we’re all kind of space geeks, and space in general is a big theme that happens with the band in a lot of different ways.  Even with the name of the band, BIG Something, it’s kind of a metaphor for outer space in and of itself.  The sound of the band definitely has a spacey influence that kind of plays into that imagery. There are a lot of lyrics that deal with outer space as well; UFOs and things like that.  

That’s a really cool concept.  Outer space is obviously an endless topic.  I’m sure that delving into that world through the songwriting process can take you to some really interesting places.  

Nick:  Yeah…it really all comes from the name BIG Something.  Looking at that bigger picture of the universe at large is a big part of it.  

So we already talked a little bit about the band’s debut album.  You’ve since released the live album (Live from Uranus), as well as BIG Something and Truth Syrum.   Now that you’ve finished recording the next release, how would you say that each experience has been different from the other?  Have you taken a different approach each go-round?

Nick: (laughs) Yes. The first two albums (Stories From the Middle of Nowhere and BIG Something) were recorded in a private home. The second one (Truth Syrum) was recorded in a storage unit. And the new album was actually recorded in a really legit, nice studio.  We spent a week at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, North Carolina.  A bunch of great artists have recorded there.  Making this album in a real studio was a really special experience.   I think you can definitely hear it in the final result.

So how did you guys end up recording in the storage unit?

Nick:  So, it’s kind of a makeshift recording studio.  It was actually a nice space and pretty decent studio, but it just happened to be inside of a storage unit (laughs).  Each album has definitely had their own feel and unique qualities.

Watch BIG Something perform "UFOs Are Real" at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater in Wilmington, NC here:

 

I know you said you guys aren’t revealing much about the new album, so I won’t ask much.  Is this going to be a lot of totally new material, or do you guys like to test them out in a live setting and let them develop before taking them into the studio?

Nick:  Absolutely.  A lot of the songs have been played out on the road, so it’s really road tested and still has a great live feel to it.  What usually ends up happening with us is we will write some new material, and then we’ll tour on it and let it develop and tighten.  Then we will record it.  None of these songs had ever been recorded, but they have all been played on the road many times. They have taken on a new life in the studio so it will be cool to see how people respond to that. 

That seems to be a pretty common practice.  Getting that initial crowd reaction, feeling the energy in the room, and seeing how that translates over must make a big impact on the decision as to what makes the final cut for the album. 

Nick:  Absolutely.  We try to be a good studio band and a good live band.  That’s not necessarily the same thing.  There is a balance to how you do stuff in the studio.  We’ve learned that over the course of doing each of these four albums.  It’s definitely going to have a slightly different feel to it.  It’s going to be a little heavier, a little darker.  I think it will be the most progressive sounding album we have released yet.  I’m excited about it.  We’re still figuring out when it will be released, but we’re looking at the fall. 

You've had a very busy year; touring with The Werks in the spring and landing several great festival spots. Just finished up a run out west, and it looked like this weekend's set at The Ride Festival was a big one.  What are a few of the highlights from 2016 thus far?

Nick: You know you pretty much just covered all of them.  That run with The Werks was really great.  We got to play a lot of awesome venues and new cities with them.  We had a great show out in Denver on that run.  We played Detroit for the first time.  It was a packed house, and that was awesome.  This past weekend in Telluride was really special.  I’d say that was probably in everyone’s top 5 experiences as a band.  The setting was so beautiful, and playing that little stage tucked into the mountains in front of one of the biggest crowds that we have ever played for was such a rush. 

We’ve got our own festival, The Big What?, coming up, and that’s always a big highlight for us. The experience of recording the album in Asheville was amazing too.  We got to all stay together in an artist house in Asheville. We cooked dinner every night and had a lot of fun with it. It’s the first time we’ve ever recorded like that, where we’ve had a little band retreat; shacking up and cutting off communication with the outside world and knocking it out over the span of 2 weeks instead of a little at a time over several months. Its a more clear snap shot of the band. We just focused on recording, and it was really, really cool.  

There’s a lot of great things happening.  Wanee was absolutely incredible. We played at 11AM, and I was on stage brushing my teeth literally 10 minutes before we started.  All of the sudden, out of nowhere, a couple thousand people came down to the stage.  It was packed.  I wasn’t really expecting it to be like that, but it was great. Jam Cruise is coming up, which is really exciting.  Peach Festival is another really big one we're honored to be a part of.  

That venue (Wanee) is absolutely amazing.  That amphitheater stage, surrounded by all of the Spanish moss trees, might be my favorite place to see a band.  I haven’t had the chance to get out to Red Rocks or The Gorge yet, but I absolutely love Suwannee.  I can’t imagine how great the energy is as a performer.

Nick:  There is a palpable energy there.  That’s for sure.  You kind of have to soak it up.  There isn’t much you can say to describe it, but it is a very special place.  It’s one of my favorite places to play music as well. 

If I’ve ever been anywhere that has felt like there is a little bit of magic in the air, it’s definitely Suwannee. You know?

Nick:  Oh yeah.  I would suggest trying to see a show out in Telluride.  It has that same type of vibe to it.  There’s just a spirit in the air. 

I definitely need to spend some time out there.  Let’s talk about The Big What?, which is coming up next weekend in North Carolina.  You've put together an amazing lineup this year with The Werks, Turkuaz, Zach Deputy, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, etc.  The festival is now in it's 5th year.  How did this event originally come together, and how critical has it been for the development of the band to have this big annual party?

Nick: It’s interesting. It’s been through a progression on it’s own in a lot of different ways.  When we first started doing it, we had already been doing our own little festival-like parties out on farms in North Carolina.  Through doing that, we started meeting more and more people within this community in North Carolina.  Everyone started coming together, and we decided we wanted to do a BIG Something-themed festival and bring all of these different communities together.  We wanted to do our own thing and make it unique.  

So we called it The Big What?, which is kind of a joke and a play on the band’s name itself.  People always ask us if we forgot our own band name.  “The Big Something?  The Big What?”  That’s where the name of the festival came from.  It’s been a really awesome way to help spread the word about the band. People come from far and wide. It has become such a positive weekend for us, and there is just a great community of people involved.  It’s all about southern hospitality, and everyone seems to take care of each other.  

Here lately, we’ve been trying to not let The Big What? take over our entire focus as a band.  We have our sights set on playing other parts of the country and not letting the festival define us. Obviously we still put our heart and soul into it. It’s a great piece of the puzzle, but we have a lot of other stuff that we want to try and get to as we continue our musical adventure.

Click Here: Purchase Tickets to The Big What?

Watch the official recap video from The Big What? (2015) here:

I’m sure it never hurts to have an event like this, where so many of your biggest fans get to come together for the weekend.  It’s cool that you get to include so many other bands who are in similar places as a band.  Like you said, it brings a really great group of people together, and it seems like it’s mutually beneficial for the fans and performers alike. I’d love to make it up there next weekend.

Nick: You should definitely come if you can, man.  If not, no worries, but it’s definitely a good time.  I think you would like it.  It’s kind of got a vibe like Suwannee, where there is just an energy in the air.  It’s a special thing for all of us. 

Where is it located in North Carolina?

Nick: It’s kind of near Chapel Hill and Durham.  It’s right between Greensboro and Raleigh on a 300-acre farm right off of Interstate 40.  It will be three nights, Thursday to Saturday, July 21st-23rd.

I’m a big fan of the Thursday to Saturday schedule.  There’s nothing worse than having to leave a festival on Sunday afternoon and miss an act you really wanted to see.  It happens though, as sometimes you have a long trek home and obligations on Monday.

Nick: It makes it a lot easier on our staff too.  People are pretty worn out by that point in time.  

I think everybody wins with that formula   So I know you’ve had the opportunity to share the stage with some amazing bands: Robert Randolph & The Family band, The B52s, Galactic just to name a few.  What do you consider some of the biggest moments this band has had on stage? 

Nick: All of those that you just mentioned were really special.  Playing in front of The B52’s in front of 8,000 people at an outdoor amphitheater was probably our first “big moment”.  That was crazy.  We ended up meeting a lot of people after that show.  That was actually on a day where we played three shows in one day.  We played a beer festival in Charlotte at like noon.  Then we drove to Raleigh and played at the amphitheater with the B52’s in front of 8,000 people. Then we went and played small, crazy hippie festival in the woods that night in front of like 500 people.  It was such a wide range of shows.  That was a fun day.

Opening for Galactic at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater was really awesome.  Same thing with Robert Randolph.  We’ve done a bunch of shows with other bands that we really love and look up to.  Dopapod…it’s always fun playing with those guys.  Pigeons Playing Ping Pong…we’ve done a bunch of great shows with them.  Our buddies - Spiritual Rez up in Boston.  We’ve had some great shows with Zach Deputy.  Our first time out to Colorado was such a special experience; just because of the way people embrace music out there. All of our first shows out there were just crazy.  We weren’t expecting it at all.  It was just like, “Wow!  Let’s keep coming back here. Its like the promised land."

Well before we wrap things up, I know you mentioned several big festivals coming up.  It looks like you guys have dates announced up to early October at this point.  Then you have the album release this fall.  What else can people expect from BIG Something here in the second half of 2016?  Will you guys be spending most of your time on the road?

Nick: Yes…we’re going to pick up touring in September, and from that point on, it’s going to be pretty heavy. We’re going to hit as many spots all over the country as we possibly can.  We’re trying to team up with a bunch of different bands over the course of the year, so there should be some really good shows in there that we haven’t announced yet.  We also do our own Halloween show at The Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh called The Big Something Costume Ball. That’s always really fun.  We always plan our set around some crazy theme, and it’s always a surprise.  Last year, it was two sets, and we did an angels set and a devils set.  The first set was all kind of heaven-inspired songs, and the second set was all related to hell and fire and all of that. 

We’re doing New Year’s Eve again at The Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh, which is always fun.  We’re playing Catskill Chill for the first time. That’s going to be great.  We’re really looking forward to playing  Marvin’s Mountain Top, where All Good used to be.  That’s for a new festival in September called Deep Roots River Revival.  Then of course there is JamCruise, which is a dream come true. We’re really excited about that.

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