The Werks Call On STS9, Lettuce, Dopapod + Many More For The Werk Out 2016 February 4, 2016 10:55

The 2016 festival lineups continue to roll out, with the latest coming from The Werks and their annual festival, The Werk Out Music & Arts Festival.  This festival should serve as a blueprint for other bands and promoters on how how to successfully establish and build on an annual tradition.  This year's lineup as as impressive as ever, with The Werks (three nights), STS9 (two sets), Lettuce (late night), Dopapod (two nights), Twiddle (two nights), The Motet (late night), Zoogma, Turkuaz, The Mantas, Broccoli Samurai, and many more!

The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival 2016 serves as host to thousands of people; held at Legend Valley Concert Venue & Campground in Thornville, OH on August 4th-6th, 2016. The event marks the seventh year of the festival.

Photo by Josh Timmermans :: Noble Visions

The festival brings awareness to musical styles that are the backbone of the vibrant music scene in the Midwest. It serves as showcase in a shared playground between artist and participant and draws people from all across the United States. The festival is the product of the band, The Werks, and Trickle Productions.

The shared experience in an outdoor setting attracts a multitude of artisans, vendors, performance artists, and festival-goers who all participate in a celebration that inspires love of life.  Stay tuned to The Werk Out's official website and Facebook page for all of the latest updates on this year's festival!

Watch members of The Werks, Dopapod, & Papadosio cover Dark Side of the Moon at Werk Out 2014 here:

GRiZ to Perform with Lettuce for First Time Ever at Fool's Paradise February 4, 2016 10:39

For the first time ever, renowned electronic pioneer GRiZ and funk powerhouse Lettuce will join forces at the inaugural Fool’s Paradise in St. Augustine, FL. The exciting full band collaboration will take place during GRiZ‘s Friday evening set on 4/1. Lettuce will help GRiZ close out the headlining set on the first night of the two-day event.

The destination event on April 1st & 2nd will also featuring performances from Vulfpeck, Chris Robinson’s Soul Revue (ft. George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Eric Krasno, Nikki Glaspie, Neal Casal & the Shady Horns), Goldfish, The Nth Power, Break Science, and more.

Presented by Lettuce, Purple Hat Productions, and Live for Live Music, Fool’s Paradise is a funk-fueled destination beach event right in the heart of one of America's most historic cities: St. Augustine, FL. For two full days, there will be genre-bending music, artist-led excursions, musical workshops, yoga and activities just steps from the ocean. 

Camping options and VIP hotel packages are available, and tickets are on sale now. For more information, tickets, and hotel & camping packages visit: www.FoolsParadiseFL.com.

-
Fool’s Paradise Lineup:
Lettuce x2
GRiZ
Vulfpeck
Chris Robinson’s Soul Revue ft. George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Nikki Glaspie, Eric Krasno, Neal Casal & The Shady Horns
Goldfish
The Nth Power

Late Nights:
Break Science
Vulfpeck
Fools for Funk Supergroup (Lineup TBA)
Goldfish

Online Resources:
www.FoolsParadiseFL.com
www.facebook.com/FoolsParadiseFL
Twitter + Instagram: @FoolsParadiseFL

Catskill Chill Announces New Venue + Dates For 2016 February 3, 2016 12:36

Photo by Nick Sonsini (Sonsini Media) - Dopapod at Catskill Chill 2014

After spending it’s first six years at a summer camp in Hancock, NY, Catskill Chill Music Festival has announced the new location and dates for the 2016 event. Organizers have reported that the 7th annual Catskill Chill will be held at a remote private summer camp in Lakewood, PA. Paying homage to their original site, the new venue has been dubbed “New Minglewood”. Dates for this year’s Catskill Chill will be September 23rd – 25th, 2016. Although the event is moving to across the state line to Pennsylvania, the new venue is only 15 miles from the original Camp Minglewood.

The Chillfam (as attendees of the Chill affectionately refer to themselves) can expect many of the same amenities that they have grown accustomed to...and more. Returning features include cabins for rent, paved pathways throughout the camp, 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.

“New Minglewood felt like home the second we set foot on the campus”, says Chill founder Dave Marzollo. “Ultimately, we appreciate what the Chillfam has grown to love and we want to continue to provide exactly that – an intimate experience which delivers big name acts up close and personal in a private environment where our ‘all love, all the time’ culture flourishes. We can’t wait to share it with the world.”

Catskill Chill features international and regionally touring artists, daily yoga, wellness workshops, live art, a farmer’s market, craft and food vendors, a communal bonfire, and an open mic. Past performers include The Metermen with Page McConnell, Umphrey’s McGee, moe., Yonder Mountain String Band, Lotus, The New Deal, Keller Williams, Lettuce, Electron, Galactic and many more.

A limited number of Blind Faith tickets will go on sale starting on Thursday, February 4th, 2016 at 1pm EST for $150.

Catskill Chill: Official Website

Catskill Chill: Facebook

The Peach Festival Will Feature Trey Anastasio, The Gregg Allman Incident, Umphrey's + Much More February 3, 2016 12:12

It's that time of the year again, with festival lineups dropping left and right, and many bands revealing their summer tour dates.  The Peach Festival is a music festival started by The Allman Brothers Band and Live Nation Entertainment that has been held annually since 2012 at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain and Montage Mountain Ski Resort in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Consistently boasting one of the most complete, thorough lineups in the festival scene, the 2016 linep (which dropped this morning) is without a doubt one of the best we have seen.  

The bill features the likes of Trey Anastasio Band, Gregg Allman, String Cheese Incident, The Gregg Allman Incident (Gregg Allman + SCI), The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Umphrey's McGee, moe. (two sets), and many more!  Stay tuned to The Peach Festivals's official website and Facebook page for all of the latest updates. 

Watch the official aftermovie from Peach Fest 2015 here:

Drummer Todd Nance Returning To Widespread Panic February 2, 2016 10:10

Widespread Panic kicks off it's annual destination event, Panic En La Playa, in Riviera Maya, Mexico tonight, and this year's event looks be an extra special occasion.  Over the past 15 months, Hard Working Americans' drummer Duane Trucks has been filling in for Todd Nance, who revealed he would be taking time off for personal reasons just days before the 2014 Fall Tour began.  Out of respect for Nance, very little has been discussed over the course of his absence, creating much uncertainty as to when the band's original drummer would return to the stage.  

Those who arrived to Riviera Maya on Monday had a chance to see Nance reunited on stage with his bandmates for the first time since his hiatus.  The band touched on "Surprise Valley" > "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" > "You Should Be Glad" during soundcheck, with Nance behind the drum kit.  Todd last performed with his bandmates at Phases of the Moon Festival in September of 2014, making his official return to the stage tonight in Riviera Maya that much more special.  Make sure to stay tuned to PanicStream.com for all live updates and streaming options over the course of the week en la playa.

Watch Widespread Panic perform "Life During Wartime" at Panic En La Playa (2013) here:

String Cheese Incident Returning To Red Rocks For Three Nights (July 15th - 17th) February 1, 2016 16:27

The String Cheese incident will return to Red Rocks Amphitheatre in July for a three night stand at the famed venue in Morrison, Colorado. Joining in on the fun will be instrumental fusion rockers TAUK on July 15th, jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington on July 16th, and bluegrass legends Hot Rize on July 17th.  Pre-sale tickets will be available via SCI Ticketing on Wednesday, February 3rd at 11am MT. The general on-sale will be Friday, February 5th at 10am MT.

Watch String Cheese Incident at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2013 here:

Umphrey's McGee Hits Madison With All Improv Set Feat. Joshua Redman + Much More (Video + Photos) February 1, 2016 10:10

Umphrey's McGee continued their winter tour with special guests TAUK this weekend, with some very special plans for their two-night run at the Orpheum Theatre in Madison, WI.  All four sets in Madison saw guest appearances from Joshua Redman, a saxophonist known for frequent collaboration with the band.  Friday night's second set featured over an hour of all improv music, with several vocal "Jimmy Stewart" jams from Brendan Bayliss.  Many of these improv vocal jams in the past have eventually developed into new songs.  Redman remained on stage for the entire improv set.  Friday night's encore, "Dont You (Forget About Me)," featured a special tribute to Jerry Cummins, the father of keyboardist Joel Cummins, who recently passed away. 

Saturday night's show gave Bayliss and Jake Cinninger (guitar/vocals) a chance to go acoustic on the newer tune "Gone For Good," as well as "Uncle Wally" and "That's The Way."  Redman then returned to the stage for "Intentions Clear," "Made To Measure," and "Great American."  Redman joined the band for two more songs ("The Triple Wide", "Speak Up") to begin a rocking second set which eventually concluded with the classic "Plunger."  A "Hangover" encore was all that the Madison crowd needed to head home with a permanent smile.

Watch "From The Hip," an excerpt from Umphrey's McGee's improv set w/ Joshua Redman here:

Watch "Don't You Forget About Me," a tribute to the late Jerry Cummins, here:

Umphrey's McGee :: Photos by Phierce Photo of FX Media Solutions

TAUK :: Photos by Phierce Photo of FX Media Solutions

Setlist:

Umphrey's McGee - Orpheum Theatre

Madison, WI - 01.28.16

Set 1: Drink My Drank > Conduit, Attachments, Got Your Milk (Right Here) > Syncopated Strangers > Den > Syncopated Strangers, No Diablo, The Crooked One^[1] > Soul Food I^[1] > Similar Skin^[1]

Set 2: Improvisation^[2]

Encore: Hindsight, Don't You (Forget About Me)

[1] with Joshua Redman on saxophone [2] with Joshua Redman on saxophone; "Jimmy Stewart" with vocals

Notes: the second set was completely improvised Don't You (Forget About Me) was dedicated to Jerry Cummins

Support: TAUK

Setlist:

Umphrey's McGee - Orpheum Theatre

Madison, WI - 01.28.16

Set 1: Le Blitz > Spires > Example 1, Gone for Good^[1], Uncle Wally^[1] > That's the Way^[1], Intentions Clear^[2] > Made to Measure^[2], Great American^[2], The Floor

Set 2: The Triple Wide^[2], Speak Up^[2], Comma Later -> Make It Right, August, Señor Mouse, Plunger^[3]

Encore: Hangover

[1] with Brendan and Jake on acoustics [2] wirh Joshua Redman on saxophone [3] with Entrance of the Gladiators (Julius Fučík) teases

Support: TAUK

moe. Returns To The Tabernacle + Jams With Ivan Neville Of Dumpstaphunk January 30, 2016 15:47

Words by Taylor Pack :: Photos by Jordan Kirkland

With night one at Terminal West in the books and two more to go, the guys from upstate New York set their sights on The Tabernacle as their 25th anniversary continued to roll along in Atlanta, Georgia. The band wasted no time diving into classic moe. material and opened with “Stranger Than Fiction”, the opening track on their 1996 release, Tin Cans and Car Tires, and followed it with “All Roads Lead to Home”. Next was “Downward Facing Dog”, the chorus of which featured a couple thousand moe.rons enthusiastically chiming in “and in the end… I’m going down swinging!” Jim Loughlin (percussion) led us bravely through the appropriately titled “Chromatic Nightmare” before welcoming Dumstaphunk’s Ivan Neville on stage for the only cover of the night, The Rolling Stones' “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking.”

Neville remained on stage as the band broke into “Puebla”, yet another track from the 2012 release What Happened to the La Las. Neville and the band rounded out the first set with “Recreational Chemistry”. I used the last few minutes of this tune to get a jump on the set break frenzy and head down to the merch table. For anyone going to Saturday’s final show, moe. is currently offering all CD’s studio and live, for $5/each. You can thank me later.

Watch moe. jam on "Recreational Chemistry" with Ivan Neville here:

The second set of the night will be a topic of conversation amongst moe.rons and jam band enthusiast for all the right reasons.  Awesome song selection, mind bending jams, and peak performances by the musicians themselves will keep these nugs circulating in CD players for years to come. “Bullet” was played first but in my mind it meant only one thing: next moe. would be singing one of my favorite tales about a moe.ron named Kyle getting plowed into by a car as he attempts to go see his favorite band. “Kyle’s Song” did not disappoint in the least.

With the band singing “crushed in green velour” and Vinnie Amico (drums) tapping away on his symbol, I looked around and could tell by all the smiling faces I was not alone in loving this little ditty. It would only get better from here and once the opening notes of “Kids” hit there was no more hiding it, this was a full blown “heater.” Chuck Garvey (guitar/vocals) and Al Schnier (guitar/vocals) took turns melting faces throughout the extended jam and the band as a whole appropriately showed the fans what 25 years of playing together sounds like by mesmerizing the audience with impeccable precision and fluidity. Moe. eventually transitioned "Kids" effortlessly to "George" and after that the audio feast, continued with a raucous "Haze" > "Rebubula" that will be hard to top.

The second set ends there, but the crowd needs and receives more. “Letter Home” is first and although they typically only play the song a handful of times a year, the song seems to find itself on setlists when they play Atlanta, and tonight is no exception. Maybe it is a nod to the lyrics ("Atlanta at 3am, New York city tonight"), or maybe Al just gets a kick out of changing the lyrics to “one more trip down Peachtree, wondering where it is” and hearing the crowd delight in his reference to Peachtree Street, which runs through the heart of Atlanta. The band ends with “The Ghost of Ralph’s Mom” and thanks the fans again for a great night.

moe. will play one final show at The Tabernacle on Saturday night (01/30) with special guests Earphunk.  Limited tickets will be available at the venue.

moe. Tees Up Another Classic Atlanta Run With Sold-Out Terminal West Show January 29, 2016 13:15

Words & Photos by Live & Listen

Buffalo-born jam band, moe., made their highly anticipated return to Atlanta on Thursday night, treating many of their most loyal fans to a rare, intimate experience.  While moe. isn't playing America's largest arenas, seeing the seasoned jam vets play a sold-out show to a cozy 600 people makes for a very special occasion.  Especially when you consider the band's history in Hotlanta: a total of 45 shows dating back to 1995 (Chameleon Club - 09.01.95), Smith's Olde Bar (three shows), Variety Playhouse (seven shows), Masquerade Music Park (four shows), The Tabernacle (fourteen shows), and even The Fox Theatre (four shows).  Thursday night would mark the band's first appearance at Terminal West.  With two nights ahead at The Tabernacle, moe. kicked off yet another multi-night Atlanta run in epic style.

Extra tickets were a rare sight outside of Terminal West, which has quickly become one of the premier intimate venues in America.  The band came out swinging with "Blue Jeans Pizza," the opening track from the 2006 release The Conch, an album which captures a perfect blend of the band's studio and live sound.  After what seemed to be a lengthy tease on "She," BJP landed perfectly into "Rise," one of Al Schnier's (guitar/vocals) classics off of Dither (2001).  The band then welcomed local lap steel guitarist AJ Ghent to the stage, giving the local a chance to lay down some fiery "sacred steel" on "Tambourine" and "Deep This Time."  Next up was "Mar-DeMa," a heavy-hitting instrumental which was written for the band's Electric Lemoe.nade Acid Tests back in 2010.  "Brittle End" was perfectly placed, giving the crowd a chance to settle down and catch it's breath.  A seemless transition into "Seat Of My Pants," one of the bands oldest vintage jams, brought the first set to a close.  

It seems cliche to say that the band picked up right where they left off, but it's true.  "Zed Naught Z" is a powerful, explosive tune from the opening notes, and it was executed with perfection.  Percussionist Jim Loughlin pounded away on the vibraphone like no other, throwing the room full of moe.ron's right back into the madness.  moe. takes the improv as deep as any band you'll find, making their classic sing-a-longs that much more of a treat. "Down Boy," one of Rob Derhak's (bass/vocals) ballads written after the death of his dog, had the crowd shouting religiously, bringing back some nostalgic memories from 2007, the year The Conch was released.  The closing chant of "Now you were gone!" carried on for several minutes, pumping a contagious energy across the venue.  "Down Boy" carried right into "McBain," another monster instrumental moe. jam.  I wish I could recall every twist and turn from this one, but there were too many to count.  One particular moment lit a fire into the building, as Chuck Garvey (guitar/vocals) teased the Talking Heads' classic, "Crosseyed & Painless."  

After what had to have been a 20-minute "McBain," Schnier led the way and dove deep into the band's 20+ year catalog with "Threw It All Away."  The progressions of this song truly capture the essence of moe., with quirky upbeat verses that lead into a funky, reggae-ish chorus.  Next up was "Yodelittle," making for the second consecutive tune off of Fatboy (1994).  After thinking "McBain" would have been the jam of the night, "Yodelittle" quickly stole the title.  The lead-in was lengthy and spacey per usual, building up to Schnier's familiar lines, "Yodelittle lady who, yodelittle lady that I love."  Rob took this one into another realm, dropping "Derhak bombs" that reverberated across the room.  This was moe. in it's finest form; taking so many of their most loyal fans on a journey and making them wonder, "Is this still Yodelitte?"  

It seemed fitting for Schnier to continue to lead the way and bring the set to a close, which is exactly what happened. "Wicked Awesome," a tune which gives thanks to many of rock-n-roll's finest (Pink Floyd, The Who, Steely Dan, The Band, and Stevie Ray Vaughn...just to name a few), wrapped up a second set which was nothing short of stellar.  After a brief exit, the "five guys named moe." returned for one final song, cooking up another taste from Wormwood (2003).  "Crab Eyes" nearly blows the roof off every time, and Thursday night was no exception.  Loughlin was back at it on the vibraphone, and the moe.rons had one more moment to sing along ("Boom Boom Boom, Bang Bang Bang").  

moe.'s affinity to the city of Atlanta is no secret, and the band's first-ever performance at Terminal West lived up to the high expectations.  With two nights ahead at The Tabernacle, which the band considers "one of the greatest venues in America," one would be crazy not to venture out and join in on the moe. madness.

Watch the outro jam from "Crab Eyes" at Terminal West here:

Friday - 01.29.16 - moe. w/ special guests Dumpstaphunk

Tickets Available: Click Here

Saturday - 01.30.16 - moe. w/ special guests Earphunk

Tickets Available: Click Here

Twiddle Announces Headlining Spring Tour Dates January 27, 2016 15:51

Vermont four-piece, Twiddle, has announced headlining Spring Tour dates in the Southeast U.S. and Midwest beginning at the end of March. The band recently celebrated the release of their acclaimed album, PLUMP, with several sold out shows in Brooklyn, Boston and Burlington, as well as playing two sets on Jam Cruise.
 
Fans can also catch Twiddle in the Northeast as part of their Winter Tour, kicking off February 18th in Rhode Island, and in Colorado this June for their “Fox to the Rocks Colorado Tweekend.”

Head over to Twiddle's Official Website to listen to PLUMP 

AURA Music & Arts Festival Releases Daily Schedule + Festival Details January 27, 2016 10:36

Watch Phish's 19-Minute "Down With Disease" From Riviera Maya (HD) January 25, 2016 18:28

Photo by Taylor Wallace of aLive Coverage

On the final night of Phish's three-night destination weekend in Riviera Maya, Mexico, the usual anticipation and predictions circulated amongst Barcelo Maya Beach as to what the band had in store for the big finale.  "Mexican Cousin" seemed like a no brainer, with many wishes for the long awaited "The Curtain With," coming true right off the bat.  And any set that includes the somewhat rare "Saw It Again" makes for a memorable night.

"Down With Disease" is certainly no stranger to the leadoff spot in the second set.  The classic original from the band's 1994 release, Hoist, has served as one of the band's go-to jam vehicles since it's 1993 New Year's Eve debut.  This night was no exception.  Page McConnell even included some vocal overdubs from "Shipwreck," one of the band's Chilling, Thrilling Vegas tunes, around the 10-minute mark.  Fortunately, the band has released HD video footage from the 19-minute DWD, which can be watched in full below.

Watch Phish's "Down With Disease" in Riviera Maya (01.17.16) here:

Phish :: Complete Setlist via Phish.net :: 01.17.16

Set 1: Mexican Cousin, The Curtain With, Sample in a Jar, Yarmouth Road, The Landlady, Army of One, Kill Devil Falls > Bathtub Gin, Funky Bitch > The Moma Dance^[1] > Saw It Again

Set 2: Down with Disease^[1] > Roggae > Crosseyed and Painless > Farmhouse > Mike's Song > Bug > Weekapaug Groove, Slave to the Traffic Light

Encore: The Ocean^[2]

[1] Unfinished.
[2] Phish debut.

More Dates For Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration Featuring Warren Haynes January 25, 2016 15:58

In the summers of 2013 and 2014, guitarist Warren Haynes led a series of Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebrations across the country in which he’d team with a local symphony and other musicians to perform the music of the Grateful Dead and other Garcia-penned songs. Last week, it was been revealed Haynes will once again lead Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebrations this summer.

Haynes has once again called on local symphony orchestras for each date.  The first show will take place at Atlanta's Chastain Park Amphitheatre with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.  On August 1, aka Jerry Garcia’s birthday, the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado will host Haynes and the Colorado Symphony for a Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration.  Complete details on each of the five dates are listed below.

Click here for all ticketing info.

Watch Umphrey's McGee Honor David Bowie With "Space Oddity" > "Fame" Encore January 22, 2016 12:05

On Thursday night, Umphrey's McGee kicked off the first of three night's at New York City's Beacon Theatre.  UM is back on the road with New York-based four-piece, TAUK, who will provide support on the majority of the upcoming tour.  The weekend run at the Beacon Theatre has become a highly anticipated annual tradition for Umphrey's, with 2016 being the first year to to play three, rather than two nights.  

Early in the second set, the band payed tribute to the late Glenn Frey, founding member of The Eagles who passed away last week.  A special twist on "Booth Love" featured an extended jam and lyrics from The Eagles song "You Belong To The City."  After finishing out another heavy-hitting rock show, UM delivered an encore which few will forget.  Jake Cinninger took lead vocals on David Bowie's "Space Oddity," a tune which Umphrey's had never performed live.  It wasn't long before a seemless transition led into "Fame," another Bowie favorite which brought the night to a close.

Watch Umphrey's McGee perform "Space Oddity" > "Fame" here:

Video by MKDevo

Setlist: Umphrey's McGee at The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY - 1/21/16:

Set 1: Goonville > Plunger > 40's Theme, In The Black, Roulette > Kimble, Attachments, Rocker Part 2

Set 2: All In Time, Booth Love[1], Bridgeless > Remind Me, Tribute to the Spinal Shaft[2] > Bridgeless

Encore: Space Oddity[3] > Fame

[1] with You Belong to the City (Glenn Frey) jam and quotes
[2] with Xxplosive (Dr. Dre) teases
[3] debut, David Bowie

Throwback: String Cheese Incident + Friends Jam On "Quinn The Eskimo" At Christmas Jam (2012) January 21, 2016 15:39

Photo by David Oppenheimer

Today, we look back on one of our fondest musical memories, the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam in 2012.  The annual charity event, hosted by Warren Haynes, has been held in Asheville, North Carolina every year since 1988.  The first show was dubbed, "The Christmas Jam: Musician's X-Mas Reunion" and was held at 45 Cherry, a local club in Asheville, on December 22 1988. Some of the artists at the first Christmas Jam were Warren Haynes, Crystal Zoo, The Stripp Band and the McBad Brothers Band.

This event has continued to grow every year and is now dubbed "Warren Haynes Presents: The Christmas Jam". The show sells out in a matter of hours every year. Because of the fantastic growth, it is currently held at the U.S. Cellular Center (formerly known as the Asheville Civic Center), and continues to feature artists and friends Haynes has played with over the years. In 2008 and 2013, the event has featured two nights of music, in celebration of the 20th and 20th anniversaries.

This particular year was the 24th Annual Christmas Jam, boasting a lineup featuring The Blind Boys of Alabama, Sheryl Crow, The Avett Brothers, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, the String Cheese Incident, and the Warren Haynes Band.  Special guests for the evening included Anders Osborne, Nigel Hall, Karl Denson, Mike Barnes, Count M'butu, and Kevin Kinney.  

After a smoking hot set of Cheese, where many of us heard songs like "Rosie" and "Song In My Head" for the first time, the band returned to the stage with Haynes (guitar), Nigel Hall (keyboards), Karl Denson (sexophone), Count M'butu (percussion), and Mike Barnes (guitar) for a family-style superjam on the Bob Dylan classic, "Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)."  This one never gets old, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Watch String Cheese Incident & Friends perform "Quinn The Eskimo" here:

An Interview With Railroad Earth: Andrew Altman, Carey Harmon, John Skehan & Tim Carbone January 20, 2016 15:02

Any time we are able to catch up with one of the many nationally touring artists we follow, it's a very special occasion.  This past Sunday night, we were fortunate enough to sit down with Andrew Altman (upright and electric bass), Carey Harmon (drums, percussion, vocals), John Skehan (mandolin, bouzouki, piano, vocals), and Tim Carbone (violins, electric guitar, vocals) of Railroad Earth, before they took the stage at Iron City in Birmingham, AL.

Interview and Photos by Jordan Kirkland :: Live & Listen 

Railroad Earth's sound is so diverse and unique, ranging from rock, folk, jazz, and bluegrass. I know when I hear your music, I hear inspirations from so many different artists.   Which of your biggest musical inspirations do you hear in your music? 

John:   Well, not to sound  over pandering or lovey dovey to my fellow band mates, but I think what I hear is the influence of Timmy (Carbone), Andrew, Carey, Todd, and everybody.  We come together, and everybody does what their instincts tell them to do. It's a pretty open forum to say, "I like  that.  I  don't like that."  I don't know  that there  is any external artists that  have a  tremendous influence, other than what each everyone of us have been molded and shaped by.  And then it's the six of us hashing things out, either amicably, or sometimes at  loggerheads.  But it just ends up, where it ends up, right? 

Andrew:   Yeah, it's true.  Part of the reason that I think the band sounds as diverse as it does, or unique, as you mentioned, is because we all have such wide ranging  influences, separately among us.  By the time it comes to creating a thing together, those  influences have become so watered down that it becomes the band's sound.  That's how it gets filtered through everybody else.  

Tim:   I would  agree with that.  Each one of us on our particular instrument could probably point to different to people who have influenced them.  But as a whole, we are some total of the collective consciousness of the band, I guess.  

The band has just begun a lengthy Winter Tour, spanning from coast to coast. While the band claims New Jersey as its home base, much of your music has a southern, bluegrass feel, with many references to Colorado and life out west as well. Where do you feel the most at home, musically? 

Andrew:   Hmm...The United States? (laughs).  We're very fortunate because the kind of music we play...this comes up sometimes when the whole genre topic comes up, or someone wants to use the word "jamband."  None of the band tried to cater to a certain audience, but that's the audience who showed up and embraced the band.  So it  doesn't really matter where we go.  There is a certain subset of music lovers that are looking for what bands like ours provided.  And friends of ours that we have out on the road, whether it's Greensky, Cheese, or Yonder. Other bands that we kind of run in a similar circuit with.  Wherever we go, people show up and seem to be looking for that.  It's not like we go to one area and feel more appreciated than anywhere else.  

Tim:   In fact, with these first four shows, we have seen multiple people who are  actually on tour with us.  And they come from multiple places.  That happens quite frequently.  Not as much in the summertime,  because that is festival season.  Large groups of people coming from various regions will converge on the festival lot.  So it is kind of the same thing.  There are places that we are stronger, in terms of a draw.   

Andrew:   Yeah, we draw more  people in Colorado, but that  doesn't mean we feel more at home there.  Another great example is Lawrence, Kansas, we have the rowdiest crowds  every time we play.  The most insane crowds...in Lawrence, Kansas.  You  know what I mean? 

Tim:   They  crowd surf in Lawrence, Kansas. 

Carey:   I would say the exact same thing for Birmingham.  Over the years, the  Workplay shows were  always really over the top.  Every time we would play there, I would just be like "Holy crap.  Where did they all come from?"    

Several bands have told me that there is nothing like coming down south.  Does it seem like there is a different, rowdy energy down here? 

Andrew:   The people are outgoing, for sure.  I don't notice it as much,  because I was  born in the south.  I was born in Atlanta and grew up in North Florida.  So it just feels  like normal to me.  People will come right up to you and say, "Hey! That was great!"   You get a little bit of that in other places, but it seems  like there are more people of that nature down here.   

Tim:   I think it's because you guys like your corn in a jar.  (laughs)    

Railroad Earth has been going strong for 15 years now.  You've successfully progressed from the bar scene to many of America's most prestigious venues.  When looking forward, where do you aspire to be as a band  10 years from now? 

Carey:  Just to still be making people happy, while we're making  ourselves happy.  As long as we're still really enthusiastic about it, I think that would be where we want to be, for me.  It's not necessarily an audience or venue, or anything like that.  I don't think that matters nearly as much.  But yeah, that's what it would be to me...us still feeling really good  about what we're doing, and I think that will translate  regardless.  That's the important part. 

Andrew:   Yeah, being inspired is key, you know?  There are always people that come to support us, and that always helps. But you get up there, and you could play Red Rocks every night of the year, but if you're not excited about it...that's what has been driving this band for so long.  When you get out on  stage, even those songs that you've played a million times, you're still going to get to that point in the show where its like, "What's going to happen now?"  For me, that's the inspiring part.  Also, when we get in the studio, like we did on the last  record, there were moments where it was like, "Is this new thing we're trying going to work?"  We need to revisit that pretty soon too.   

John:   Yeah, I think what everyone has said so far is key.  As long as we're interested and inspired by what we're doing, then hopefully people continue to reciprocate  that interest.  Whatever the next creative project is, I hope that it's necked the same way next month, next year, or  ten years from now.  Every time we do pull ourselves together in particular on a studio project, we do something pretty different than the last time we've done so, and usually in a different format.  The record before the last one that we did was very much a production  piece; a producer kind of selected the songs and chose how they were going to be executed.

 With the  most recent record, we went into the studio and threw spaghetti at the walls for weeks until we kind of  billed it down to a batch of songs that seemed to fit together and tried some experimental stuff that we had never tried before as well.  So long as we keep taking those steps and trying new things, trying different things and yielding something  challenging and different for us each time, that's the key, and that's what will make us happy.  And hopefully people will still want to listen to it.   

How is the writing process balanced throughout the band?  Are most songs more of collaboration, or are individual members bringing different tunes to the table?  Take me behind the scenes of an RRE writing process. 

Tim:   Typically,  Todd (Sheaffer) is our principle songwriter, and he'll bring in songs that are in the various stages of completion, and everyone adds their little part to it, then we work on the arrangement.  That seems to have worked really well in the past. With the last record, like John was saying, we got in the studio and just threw spaghetti at the wall until we made lasagna.  So, I don't know what it will be with the next record.  Our process seems to be evolving a bit.  We've done some rehearsals where we just get together and throw out ideas, so that's kind of a cool way to work too.  So there are a couple of different processes.  Normally, someone will bring in a song, and we'll all flesh it out with our own parts, and we throw it back and forth to each other until we come to an agreement as to what the song is going to sound like.  

John:   I'd say on just about every record, with the exception of the self-titled one, which was really at the hands of a producer, Todd will often come in with a number of songs that are mostly fully finished and realized with well-shaped arrangements around them.  They're usually things that he has worked out that kind of go together, often have a pretty strong context in whatever has happened in the life of the band in one way or another in the recent years.  We also kind of have one foot on either side of the line.  Todd will bring in these very fully realized pieces.   

We will also then be working  on something...it  could be something  that Carey and Andrew are laying down as a groove or warm-up in the morning. I'm thinking of the song "Morning Flies," and how that song came about, where Todd will just hear something in it and being to write as it happens.  So I'd say with each record, there has been at least one, if not a couple of examples of things that evolved out of the jamming/rehearsing process  that also stood up side by side with the songs that Todd more or less fully realized.  Then each of us will have a bit of one thing and a bit of another thing, and we'll put it together.  It might end up as an instrumental piece, or it might also end up with lyrics.   

A song that Tim and I wrote called "Crossing The Gap" started out as a fiddle tune riff.  He said "I've got an idea for that, and it matches this idea that I have here."  So a little bit of a spontaneous  germination of something that just happens out of the air, messing around.  I think "Hard Livin" was basically a kind of spoken word riff on "keep the change" at the beginning of Obama's campaign.  Then we were groovin' on that idea and that riff, and Todd came back and had the idea for the song as it is now, completely different.  Then there are things that just deliberately get molded and worked together that stand next to, as I said before, these finished ideas that Todd comes in with.  So you always have kind of a mix. 

Tim:   There always seems to be at least one instrumental on each album, which John is largely responsible for. 

What usually comes first: the music or the lyrics? 

Andrew:   It depends.  I mean, everyone writes differently.  Todd is the main writer, and I think he does a little bit of both.  I can't speak for him 100%, but seeing the way songs have come in...he's said to me as much, you know?  He starts playing and sees what happens.  There are other times where, like John said, we've had a jam and Todd will come back later and say, "Oh, I liked that thing you were playing."  In my case too, I've contributed a song or two to the band.  There were some lyrics that I had, and every groove that I tried to come up with it for it just  didn't work, and they just sat there.  Then we have an instrumental thing, and someone realizes those lyrics are what it needed. 

Tim:   With Todd's process, sometimes he'll have an idea for a melody, chord changes, and then he'll just sing "gobbledygook" until he,  the way he has described it, until the song reveals itself to him in a way.  He doesn't call it songwriting.  He calls it "singwriting."   

Andrew:   That's usually how it works for me too.  You're kind of playing a chord progression, and you have a vibe you're going for.  You'll just start singing some crap, but one line will just catch.  So that's one way of thinking about it.   

Tim:    Like the song that John was mentioning, "Crossing The Gap."  I had the idea for the song and I had probably two thirds of the words.  I had been singing it to myself as I was driving across the gap.  I live on the other side of the  Delaware Water Gap.  I would travel that way all the time.  For a couple of years, I had the melody in my head, and I had the words.  I'd sing it to myself all of the time.  I didn't even  bother recording it.  Two or three times a week I would sing it to myself as I was driving across.  That's never  happened to me before. 

John:   With Todd's process, the singwriting thing, I've sat and listened to rehearsal tapes.  He's not just singing "la la la" or anything.  There are  consonants and vowels that fit and have a cadence, and every now and then a word or two.  I've sat there listening over and over again thinking, "Well what is he saying?  It's not quite there, but there's something."  Then you hear it start to evolve, or becomes something completely different.  I've sat and studied and tried to find clues as to what might be coming.  What is the idea and where is the song headed?  It's kind of remarkable, and it's fun to watch.   

Recording and touring with Warren Haynes last year must have been a special experience.  What do you feel that you guys took away from this experience, both individually and as a band?  Did you learn anything about Warren that you didn't know before? 

Tim:   Well, we  didn't really know him all that well, so I don't know if we learned anything that we didn't know before,  because we didn't really know him to begin with.  I had a really good time.  It was a good experience.  It was interesting because normally you will go into a studio, and you’ll have an idea of what you're doing.  You might have a demo or you've heard the song before, but not in that situation.  

Andrew:   He had them, but he didn't reveal any of them to us. (laughs) 

John:   The first question I asked was, "Are we going to get some demos?"   So it was hard to be prepared, and he deliberately wanted us to learn a song, sitting in a room just like this, go through it and get the chord changes.  Maybe talk about the  arrangement if he was unsure about certain things.  Then we go out and do three takes, and see if we got it.  If not, maybe another take or two, and then, on to the next song, and we start over.  So it was really fun, but almost dizzying in that way.  To the point where you've got a bunch of rough mixes back to listen to...a song would start and I would have no recollection of recording it or learning it.  We knocked out 25 or 26 songs... 

Tim:   Yeah, 26 songs.  So essentially there is another record's worth of stuff lying around sometime.  And some of the songs were interesting.  He decided to hold back and record them around some time closer to  midnight, like "here are the nighttime songs that we are going to work on." 

Andrew:   For us, as a band, for us to get in the studio, in the absence of our own project at the time, it was just good to get in and do the creative thing again.  Bringing in our different instruments and being able set up different kits.  For all of us, just trying to get out different stuff.  

Carey:   It's just such a different gear, and I  don't necessarily spend as much time as some of these guys do on other projects in the studio, so it was great to just go in somewhere,  get around somebody's songs and go to it in a different framework.  Honestly, it was great to work on different music than what we come up with too.  There was a little less  responsibility.  There was a great deal of freedom in creating your part and everything, which was great.  I thought Warren was pretty chill about all of that.  But you were still coming in and working on someone  else's music, which we don't do all that often.   

A lot of these were songs that he had been  kicking around for a long time, but none that we knew.  I give credit to him for his vibe and at the same time how together he was about presenting what he wanted without having to tell you what he wanted.  The way that he put the song out, it was clear enough that...fortunately I think we hit off well enough that it was  like "Oh, ok I know what goes with that."  And it  seemed like most of the time, we hit it.  We all kind of felt the same thing about takes. 

Tim:   Oh yeah.  The only overdubs I did were on songs that didn't make it onto the record.  That was only  because John and I came up with the string arrangements that I recorded with  two, three, five, or six violins. 

Carey:   Yeah, it was a lot more songs. 

Tim:   Yeah, the only overdubs I did were on true string arrangements, but they didn't use them on Ashes & Dust.  Everything else came straight from the takes.   

John:   I think  that the general m.o. of the whole thing was if we got to the point of doing too many  takes, we would realize that we were playing this better before we really knew it. 

Carey:   Very often it was the first take.  Many times it worked that way. 

Tim:   It was cool.  I enjoyed the process, and I enjoyed his company while we were doing it. 

Carey:   Such a great storyteller.  He has a lot of stories, but he keeps your attention when he's telling them to you. 

Over the years, you guys have performed "Terrapin Station" many times.  I've always felt a similarity between the Terrapin Suite and the song "All That's Dead May Live Again."  Was there a notion of that song being the band's masterpiece as it was written?  Was the song in any way inspired by the Dead? 

Andrew:   Well to me, lyrically,  they're  very different.  Once I again, I can only speak so far for Todd.  Topically, they are very different.  One is expressing a sentiment, while the other is telling a story, you know, "Lady With A Fan" and all of that. 

Tim:   "Terrapin Station" is about a bus station for turtles, or something like that, right? 

John:   Train station. 

Andrew:  But on that notion though, I'm taking the context of Terrapin being a suite, like an extended 20 minutes.  And we have this thing that we did that was kind of like that.  That didn’t inspire it.  Phish  also has these long, extended pieces.  There are a  million prog rock bands,  like Rush, I mean 2112, that's a whole album like that.  You know what I mean?  There's a bunch of bands in a bunch of genres that do that.  So it's not saying, "Ok, let's go do this."  If anything, for us, I think its more inspired by not the band, but the audience.   

We have the kind of audience that gives us that type of freedom musically, to try thing and to push ourselves.  So, a lot of times in our shows, we were doing these sorts of things anyway.  We'll make up a transition to go between two songs, and this was just  kind of a studio version of that.  Half of those instrumental things...a couple of them were just made up on the spot, and a couple of them were little things that John had that we were able to flush out a little bit.  So we just took kind of what we do live anyway and flush it out a bit. 

John:   Some of the notion had come because we had been, off and on, not every night, but at times  experimenting with more transitions between preexisting songs and changing it up.  How do you get from this one to this one, and what does that allow us to do  in-between?  What is that new territory?  We continued to try that, so some of the thought was, can we take that idea of stringing several pieces of music together, but write it, structure it, compose it, and does it all fit?  Is it satisfying as a piece?  So let's try and think in terms of a larger form. 

Andrew:   So in that sense, the only connection is has to Terrapin is that they both exist, and they're both played for  fan bases that will indulge you. (laughs) 

The calendar for 2016 is filling up fast, as usual.  With this tour running through mid-march, will there be much of a break before Spring/Summer dates.  What does the band have planned aside from touring? Will you focus on side projects, or potentially work on a new album?  

Andrew:   We're still  waiting to see.  There are some of us who will always be involved with side projects.  Tim especially does some stuff with producing and playing with other people.  Me personally too, I just enjoy  creating music.  I always prefer it to be with this band, but that  doesn't always work with everyone's schedule.  Usually we take April and most of May to give ourselves that time to have a break.  The music stays  fresh, so when we come back, we never want it to feel like we're showing up for work.  You want to feel excited for the summer, because  you've spent time for your family, you know?  We all have families now. 

Tim:    I have a couple of things going, but I always have a couple of things going.  I have my side project, Contribution, that I have with Keith Moseley (String Cheese Incident) and the drummer is now  Duane Trucks (Hard Working Americans/Widespread Panic).  Once we have some time in mid-march, I'm going to finish tracking and mixing what will become our next record.  I'm writing and recording another record with another songwriter.  It's a completely different type of music.  It's more like folk-alt-rock-weirdness.  Which is kind of cool, because you get to do something completely different.  But I like to do that kind of stuff. 

Andrew:    It's time for the band to do some new things.  That's why we started in November with rehearsals and recording them.  Like John was saying, just making things up, recording them, and putting them somewhere where we can all listen to them.  Maybe some lyrics will come to them, or they'll be instruments.  Maybe they will be a bridge to something else.  And maybe April will be that time.  I guess that conversation has to happen pretty soon, but April might just be that time. 

Tim:    I think we came up with some pretty interesting ideas that are there for the finishing, so to speak.  You know, it's a process when we're trying to move on to the next level, whatever that is. 

I'm sure everyone in the band has there various hobbies and interests aside from music.  In the rare occasion that you're not preoccupied with music, how do you most enjoy spending your free time?  

John:    Ripping apart different parts of my weird, old house, and trying to figure out how to rebuild them.  Renovate, restore, and rebuild them.  Just various, half-assed, weird home improvement projects.  

Andrew:   For me, just anything active really.  Running, riding my skateboard, snowboarding, riding my bike.  Anything like that. 

Tim:   I like to fly fish.  Anytime I can do that, and the weather is nice, I do it.  Sometimes I even go in the winter.  

New Orleans Jazz Fest Announces Heavy Hitting Lineup For 2016 January 19, 2016 16:03

The 2016 New Orleans Jazz Fest lineup is headlined by Stevie Wonder, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young and the Promise of the Real, Snoop Dogg, and Paul Simon. Steely Dan, Beck, Van Morrison, Nick Jonas, and Trombone Shorty, plus dozens of other Louisiana artists, join the top-level talent on the festival schedule.

“When we think about raising the bar -- and I think about it constantly, every waking moment -- that’s getting to a pretty good bar,” Quint Davis, the festival’s longtime producer/director, said Tuesday. ”Now we’ve gotten to the point where we have the biggest and best person we can get on every stage, every day. We have the structure that allows for it, we have the wherewithal to afford it, and people want to do it.”

Other notable acts include Ms. Lauryn Hill, Janelle Monáe, Snoop Dogg, Dr. John & the Nite Trippers, Gary Clark Jr., Mavis Staples, Bonnie Raitt, Herbie Hancock & Wayne Shorter, J. Cole, Gov’t Mule, Bozz Scaggs, Michael McDonald, The Isley Brothers, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Grace Potter, Johnny Lang, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Aaron Neville, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Rhiannon Giddens, The Lone Bellow, and Buffy Sainte-Marie, among others.

The full day-by-day breakdown and ticketing information can be found via the festival’s website.  Advance, single-day tickets are $60 plus service charges, through Feb. 2. Advance tickets will be $65 from Feb. 3 through April 21. Tickets at the gate are $75. Get detailed ticketing info from the Jazz Fest website.

 Watch the Official Jazz Fest 2016 Talent Announcement Video here:

Montgomery's DBA To Host 3rd Annual Mardi Gras Block Party On January 30th January 19, 2016 14:30

DBA Montgomery is excited to once again bring authentic New Orleans music with a “crowd favorite” second line to Downtown Montgomery for the 3rd Annual Mardi Gras Block Party and Cajun Cook Off on Saturday, January 30 from noon – 6 p.m. The block party will take place in the 100 block of Commerce Street in the Downtown Entertainment District and will be free to the public.

The entertainment is being sponsored by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Other event sponsors include Wind Creek Montgomery, Wind Creek Wetumpka, City of Montgomery, Bama Budweiser, Saza Serious Italian, Dreamland Bar-b-que, Railyard Brewing Co., Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa, and Wintzell's.  Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact Clay McInnis at 334-850-1101 or claymcinnis@me.com for more information.

Headlining the event from 2-5 p.m. is New Orleans talent the Free Agents Brass Band.  Known for their motto “We Made It Through That Water,” the group is made up of musicians who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina who have come together to not only perform, but to preserve the authenticity of New Orleans Brass Band music. They are featured on the 2008 Sundance award-winning, Oscar nominated documentary, “Trouble the Water” among other honors. Their music is live and intense with showmanship second to none! Any crowd will thoroughly enjoy the Free Agents and leave musically satisfied and longing for more of that classic New Orleans Second Line.

This year, DBA is adding a Cajun Cook Off and tent decorating tailgate experience to the event. Djcasequarter will get the crowd warmed up before Free Agents Brass Band take the stage. Revelers can enjoy a Cajun cook off with food tastings provided by local restaurants from noon until 2 p.m. Attendees can also bring their friends and decorate their own themed tent. Tasting tickets are $10 each. Tailgating space is $200. Tasting tickets and tailgate sites are limited.

To purchase tickets, click here. A portion of the proceeds will go to Valiant Cross Academy. Attendees are encouraged to visit downtown restaurants and businesses for food and beverage purchases. No outside alcohol is allowed at the event.

Please contact Clay McInnis at 334-850-1101 or claymcinnis@me.com for more information.

About the Free Agents Brass Band 

Founded by bass drummer, Ellis Joseph, the Free Agents Brass Band brought together musicians who had been displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and no longer had regular performing jobs with the bands they’d worked with before the storm. “I consider myself a free agent, so that’s where the name came from,” says Joseph. An experienced bass drummer and graduate of St. Augustine High School, Joseph has traveled extensively with various New Orleans Brass Bands.

Check out the Free Agent Brass Band on Facebook!

Tasting Tickets are avialable for purchase at $10 per ticket. To purchase tickets, click here.

Montgomery’s Downtown Business Association (DBA) works to promote and encourage the creation and expansion of businesses and professional organizations in the downtown Montgomery area. DBA was organized and incorporated in 2010. DBA has a steadily expanding membership of downtown businesses and professional organizations. The Downtown Business Association of Montgomery, Alabama is an independent, non-profit organization established under the laws of the State of Alabama. Their mission is “To promote the growth and vitality of the downtown Montgomery business community.” For more info on DBA Montgomery visit www.dbamontgomery.org.

About Valiant Cross Academy

Valiant Cross Academy is an all-male private school based on Christian principles with an intentional culture of structure and discipline. The school is located in the heart of downtown Montgomery, Alabama on Dexter Avenue. www.valiantecross.org

How You Can Help Trey Hemphill: Phish Fan Injured In Mexico January 18, 2016 20:19

This past weekend, American jam/rock band Phish travelled to Mexico for a weekend of music on the beaches of Riviera Maya.  Thousands of the band's most loyal fans made the trip, hoping for a weekend full of amazing music, beautiful weather, and memories to last a lifetime.  Unfortunately, we learned of some crushing news early Saturday morning.  Our friend Trey Hemphill (Atlanta, GA) was involved in a terrible accident on Friday night.  He has since been medically evacuated back to the United States and has undergone two surgeries for a spinal chord injury.  We have included the latest update from Trey's family below.

It is times like these when we must step up to the plate and support those in need.  Trey's friends have set up a GoFundMe account to raise money to help cover his various medical costs as he begins down the road to recovery.  We have included the group description from the GoFundMe page below.  Any amount is greatly appreciated and will go directly to Trey's medical costs.

We are all thinking about you Trey, and we look forward to many great times ahead of us.

Click Here to learn more about the Trey Hemphill Medical Fund

"As many of you know, Trey was in a terrible accident out of the country. Much of the medical costs, including the Medi-vac back to the US, are having to be paid out of pocket by his family. These cost have already reached over $20,000 and continue to accumulate. We want to do our best as friends, family and community to try and help the family with these expenses. We want Trey to get better as fast as he can without having to worry about these costs. Any amount you can donate is greatly appreciated and will go directly to Trey's medical costs. We would like to thank you in advance for any contributations."

Update from Trey's family:

"The Hemphill's are so very thankful for all the donations for Trey. Trey had two surgeries yesterday and is still in ICU. He is in good spirits and staying positive. The next week should tell us more about his condition and what the next steps will be to ensure Trey's recovery. We have realized with all this in mind that we need to raise our goal. When we first set up this account we wanted to help with the cost of getting Trey back to the U.S. . Now we are not sure how long the recovery will take or the amount of the medical expenses. Frank and Pamela will most likely have to be away from home for an undetermined amount of time and away from their jobs. We would like to do all we can to help them all. Trey has a long road ahead of him so please continue to keep them in your prayers. Thanks so much for all of your Support!"

The Original Meters To Reunite At New Orleans' Orpheum Theater January 15, 2016 09:44

Phish Announces Webcasts For Riviera Maya January 14, 2016 13:57

Thousands of fans have anxiously awaited the news on whether or not Phish would offer a webcast option for this weekend's shows in Riviera Maya, Mexico.  Just when most of us had given up hope, the band officially confirmed the video streams on Thursday afternoon.  The full HD stream will automatically adjust to your available bandwidth if you have problems with the higher quality 1080p streams.  If you're unable to make the trip down south this weekend, this seems like a more than fair consolation prize. As always, head over to LivePhish.com for all of the official details.

Click Here: Riviera Maya Webcast Options via LivePhish.com

NOTES

• Watch Phish live from Riviera Maya in Full HD 1080p.
• The Full HD stream will automatically adjust to your available bandwidth if you have problems with the higher-quality 1080p stream.
• Save 10% by ordering the 3 Day Pass and watch all three nights live or On Demand.
• Select the HD Webcast tab above to purchase the HD webcasts.
• PLEASE NOTE: HD Webcast requires at least 10Mbps wired internet connection. Test your internet connection speed at http://www.speedtest.net
• You may watch the HD streams on iOS devices only if you are on a fast enough WiFi connection.
• Watch the webcasts on your PC or Mac or iOS devices. Android devices and gaming consoles are not officially supported. Please see the LivePhish FAQ for more information.
• You will be able to stream each night's show for 24 hours following each webcast
• Get MP3s of each show with the Webcast+MP3 Bundles
• Order an Event T-Shirt with Webcast+T-Shirt Bundles

Throwback: A History Lesson With Jerry Garcia January 14, 2016 12:19

Today we look back on an in-depth interview with Grateful Dead guitarist/vocalist, Jerry Garcia.  This unedited interview with Garcia comes from the mini-series "The History of Rock and Roll."   Garcia shares memories from the earliest days of The Dead, including The Acid Tests, Ken Kesey, Neal Cassady, songwriting with Robert Hunter & David Grisman, and many entertaining stories from the Haight-Ashbury days.  Dick Latvala provides a brief tour of the Grateful Dead Vault as a special bonus at the end of the interview.

Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the Grateful Dead, which came to prominence during the counterculture era in the 1960s.  Though he disavowed the role, Garcia was viewed by many as the leader or "spokesman" of the group.  He was well known by many for his distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" cover story.  Garcia battled diabetes and struggled with addiction through the 80's and 90's, and ultimately died of a heart attack on August 9th, 1995 at age 53.

"The History of Rock and Roll" is a definitive 10-part documentary covers rock 'n' roll history from its humble beginnings in the '50s to Lollapalooza in the '90s. Fans can experience their favorite rock 'n' roll moments all over again through hundreds of exclusive interviews, classic footage, and unforgettable in-concert performances from rock 'n' roll's biggest stars. A must-own for any rock 'n' roll fan.

Watch the unedited, 53-minute interview with Jerry Garcia here:

Widespread Panic Releases Spring Tour Dates January 12, 2016 16:40

A Collection of Bowie Covers: Umphrey's McGee, Widespread Panic, Phish, STS9, moe., & Keller Williams January 11, 2016 09:47