Hey everyone, hope you had a good Christmas. No post this week but did want to say something about the passing of an old and dear friend, Jerry Leppo. He passed away unexpectedly on the night of Dec. 24th. He was a Hanover Borough Council member and brought some much need youth to the city’s governance (along with our new mayor). He truly cared about the future of Hanover and was actively doing something about it. He also went out of his way to help myself with a problem within the borough.
I met Jerry back in the early 90’s. He was part of a group of people who were Heads living in this sleepy little town close to the Mason Dixon line. Not too many cool people, but the ones who were here started the seeds of the community that flourishes here in our neck of the woods today. The only music scene was Sunday evenings at the old Mark Stevens (which became Lupita’s and the Wasabi Steakhouse) Well before Kclinger’s existed or the Winner’s Circle evolved, these people made their own scene.
I had lost touch with him in the mid 90’s. But when I did run into him again at the Chili Cookoff in the early Aughts, it was like we’d seen each other just last week. Big early supporter of Obama and always went out of his way to help me. Ran into him and a bunch of other old Hanover Heads ( Disclaimer: Was going to call them older Heads but they’re all my age) at the Furthur shows at the Mann Music Center this past summer. Great show and a great time. Last time I saw him was at the 2010 Chili Cookoff. He was an old soul who left us much too soon. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Long may you run my friend
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Phish Fall Tour 1995: The Most Important Tour Ever.
All right people, let us do a little bit of time travel and let’s journey back to the early 90’s. The jamband scene was still in its infancy. Blues Traveler opened for Widespread Panic down South and switched places when Panic came to the MidAtlantic. Phish would open some shows outside their comfort zones and welcome the other bands to open for them in New England. None of the bands could hope to fill an ampitheatre by themselves. They joined forces in 1992 and 1993 and toured together has the H.O.R.D.E. festival. The only band that could fill any venue, any size for multiple nights was the good ole Grateful Dead.
The Dead were IT on the scene. Their shows were first on the priority list of most folks. But as the 90’s continued on, Phish slowly started moving up the ranks. By ’93, they were playing the smaller outdoor ampitheatres (the Mann Music Center, Wolf Trap) on the East Coast and in theatres in the rest of the country. As 1995 rolled around, the Dead will still playing stadiums but Phish was doing multiple nights at the Mann and even did a 2 day pseudo festival in Vermont on the side of a ski slope. I even skipped a Dead show at RFK to see Phish at the Mann on June 24th and then jetted down to DC for the show on the 25th.
After the Dead’s and Phish’s summer tours ended, a lot of people’s worlds were rocked by the passing of Jerry Garcia. With the future of the Grateful Dead in doubt, many people looked to see what band would replace them at the top of the touring band Mt. Olympus. Well it just so happened that Phish already had a 3-month, 53 show Fall Tour already booked. With all eyes in the music community on them, Phish strutted onto the biggest stage of their career and rose to the occasion.
A true test of endurance, they would have only a week off the whole tour, the week after the Halloween show. The tour went across the whole country, starting in California, and ending three month later in Lake Placid, NY. It had a chess tournament where the band and audience alternated making moves. The final score, 1-1. As the tour continued, the shows got stronger and reached a peak as they finally returned to their old stomping grounds in the Northeast and MidAtlantic states. I was fortunate enough to have caught four shows on this tour.
First up was 11/22 at the Cap Centre in Landover, MD. It was the Friday before Thanksgiving and on the biggest day of the year for bars, the smartest people on the East Coast were in a hockey arena whose search policy upon entering would make a current employee of the TSA blush. The highlight of the show was the aborted Rift second set opener, blamed on Fishman, that lead into the second ever version of any Phish song containing what would become known as Cowfunk jamming. This time the vehicle was Free. A day off to eat turkey with our family and then Friday after Thanksgiving saw the boys throwing it down in Pittsburgh at the Civic Arena. An Oh Ka Pa Ceremony>AC/DC Bag opener got things rocking. A solid show overall that would keep my new found lust for all things Phish in check until I saw them in Hershey, PA AKA The Land of Chocolate on Dec. 1st.
This show was absolutely mind-blowing. A lot of my friends from Penn State came down, as did everyone and anyone from the Hanover area. I met so many people from the local area. First time I began to think that maybe there was a scene in Hanover beyond my five or six friends that always went to shows. I had 5th row center seats and the whole night was just magical. Trey doing Narration during Famous Mockingbird; one of the last times he ever referred to the Rhombus and a huge clue as to where to find it. The girl in front of Nad being given a giant Hershey cookie from Mike. All the Christmas lights up and glowing, just an incredible festive mind blowing time.
The boys were kind enough to give me two weeks off until the Spectrum show in Philly on Dec. 15th. Trey claims he saw his first concert (Jethro Tull) here and he is a huge lifelong fan of the Flyers. So to be playing music on that stage must have been a personal highlight for him. We got Fishman doing his Elvis schitck and a Tweezer Reprise to open the second set and to end the show. Throw in a Mike Tyson joke (he was fighting here the next night) and you have a raging show in the City of Brotherly Love. Two more shows on the Fall Tour and a 4 night run to close out 1995, including their first of many NYE shows at Madison Square Garden capped off what might have been their most important year ever. Rolling Stone magazine called this NYE performance one of the best concerts of the 90’s.
Hemingway said the true measure of a man is his grace under pressure. With a scene of fans and fellow musicians looking on, Phish made the transformation from a regional band to America’s biggest cult band. While there would be higher points in their career, (the Clifford Ball in 1996, Big Cypruss NYE 1999, the 3.0 comeback in Hampton, March 2009) few tour could match up to the magnitude or importance of the Fall of 1995.
The Dead were IT on the scene. Their shows were first on the priority list of most folks. But as the 90’s continued on, Phish slowly started moving up the ranks. By ’93, they were playing the smaller outdoor ampitheatres (the Mann Music Center, Wolf Trap) on the East Coast and in theatres in the rest of the country. As 1995 rolled around, the Dead will still playing stadiums but Phish was doing multiple nights at the Mann and even did a 2 day pseudo festival in Vermont on the side of a ski slope. I even skipped a Dead show at RFK to see Phish at the Mann on June 24th and then jetted down to DC for the show on the 25th.
After the Dead’s and Phish’s summer tours ended, a lot of people’s worlds were rocked by the passing of Jerry Garcia. With the future of the Grateful Dead in doubt, many people looked to see what band would replace them at the top of the touring band Mt. Olympus. Well it just so happened that Phish already had a 3-month, 53 show Fall Tour already booked. With all eyes in the music community on them, Phish strutted onto the biggest stage of their career and rose to the occasion.
A true test of endurance, they would have only a week off the whole tour, the week after the Halloween show. The tour went across the whole country, starting in California, and ending three month later in Lake Placid, NY. It had a chess tournament where the band and audience alternated making moves. The final score, 1-1. As the tour continued, the shows got stronger and reached a peak as they finally returned to their old stomping grounds in the Northeast and MidAtlantic states. I was fortunate enough to have caught four shows on this tour.
First up was 11/22 at the Cap Centre in Landover, MD. It was the Friday before Thanksgiving and on the biggest day of the year for bars, the smartest people on the East Coast were in a hockey arena whose search policy upon entering would make a current employee of the TSA blush. The highlight of the show was the aborted Rift second set opener, blamed on Fishman, that lead into the second ever version of any Phish song containing what would become known as Cowfunk jamming. This time the vehicle was Free. A day off to eat turkey with our family and then Friday after Thanksgiving saw the boys throwing it down in Pittsburgh at the Civic Arena. An Oh Ka Pa Ceremony>AC/DC Bag opener got things rocking. A solid show overall that would keep my new found lust for all things Phish in check until I saw them in Hershey, PA AKA The Land of Chocolate on Dec. 1st.
This show was absolutely mind-blowing. A lot of my friends from Penn State came down, as did everyone and anyone from the Hanover area. I met so many people from the local area. First time I began to think that maybe there was a scene in Hanover beyond my five or six friends that always went to shows. I had 5th row center seats and the whole night was just magical. Trey doing Narration during Famous Mockingbird; one of the last times he ever referred to the Rhombus and a huge clue as to where to find it. The girl in front of Nad being given a giant Hershey cookie from Mike. All the Christmas lights up and glowing, just an incredible festive mind blowing time.
The boys were kind enough to give me two weeks off until the Spectrum show in Philly on Dec. 15th. Trey claims he saw his first concert (Jethro Tull) here and he is a huge lifelong fan of the Flyers. So to be playing music on that stage must have been a personal highlight for him. We got Fishman doing his Elvis schitck and a Tweezer Reprise to open the second set and to end the show. Throw in a Mike Tyson joke (he was fighting here the next night) and you have a raging show in the City of Brotherly Love. Two more shows on the Fall Tour and a 4 night run to close out 1995, including their first of many NYE shows at Madison Square Garden capped off what might have been their most important year ever. Rolling Stone magazine called this NYE performance one of the best concerts of the 90’s.
Hemingway said the true measure of a man is his grace under pressure. With a scene of fans and fellow musicians looking on, Phish made the transformation from a regional band to America’s biggest cult band. While there would be higher points in their career, (the Clifford Ball in 1996, Big Cypruss NYE 1999, the 3.0 comeback in Hampton, March 2009) few tour could match up to the magnitude or importance of the Fall of 1995.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Phish NYE runs of the past
As some of you may be aware, Phish’s New Year’s Eve (NYE) run is fast approaching. Believe it or not, I’ve never seen Phish on NYE (That’s changing this year barring destruction of Manhattan by a meteor). However, I have seen many shows on their NYE runs. The following is a brief synopsis of what I have seen.
The first NYE run show I saw was on 12/28/94, at the Civic Center in Philadelphia. Located right downtown, this old building also hosted the basketball games for many of the smaller colleges in town, like Drexal, La Salle and Philadelphia University.
Set 1: Mound > Simple, Julius, Bathtub Gin, Bouncing Around the Room, Axilla (Part II), Reba, Dog Faced Boy, It's Ice > Run Like an Antelope
Set 2: Suzy Greenberg, NICU, Mike's Song -> The Mango Song -> Weekapaug Groove, Contact, Llama, Hold Your Head Up > Love You > Hold Your Head Up, The Squirming Coil
Encore: Bold As Love
This was another show where Nad (as seen in my Halloween 1994 adventures) did a balloon and another face plant. Another one of my friends, attending his first Phish show, decided to eat his tab of acid in the car on the way to the show. To say he was uncomfortable while we sat in traffic on the Schuylkill highway is an understatement. The highlight of the show for myself was the Weekapaugh Groove. Trey threw in some Aud Lang Syne teases and the most demented Little Drummer Boy jam ever played. He goes into a minor key and you think the Grinch himself is going to rise out of a crack in the Earth’s crusts to steal all of our gifts.
Next up was the amazing 2 night run on 12/28 and 12/29/96 at the Spectrum in Philly. I know many of the Devolver crew was at these shows, including the guys who got a ride home from Mike Lerman. One member of the Devolver crew was tripping balls and had to sit in the front seat and hold a conversation with Zach’s dad the whole drive home.
Set 1: Runaway Jim, NICU, Wolfman's Brother, It's Ice, Billy Breathes, Ginseng Sullivan, Split Open and Melt, The Mango Song, Frankenstein
Set 2: Makisupa Policeman -> Maze, Bouncing Around the Room, Digital Delay Loop Jam -> The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > Mike's Song -> Strange Design > Weekapaug Groove, The Star Spangled Banner
Encore: Johnny B. Goode
The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday was the highlight of the first night for myself. An amazing dance groove to a traditional 2000+ year old Jewish prayer that just rocks. A quick research of the Internet revels that it has 50+ verses. Glad Phish went with only 2.
The next night raged even harder.
12/29/96
Set 1: Poor Heart, Caravan, Cavern, Taste, Guelah Papyrus, Train Song, Rift, Free, The Squirming Coil, La Grange
Set 2: David Bowie, A Day in the Life, Bathtub Gin, The Lizards, You Enjoy Myself -> Rotation Jam -> Sixteen Candles -> You Enjoy Myself, Harpua -> Champagne Supernova -> Harpua
Encore: Rocky Top
The Harpua Champagne Supernova Harpua sandwich was fantastic. Tom Marshall came out to make the sound of Hell, which was Oasis (Disclaimer: I love Oasis’ first three albums. This song is on one of them). We ended up parked next to the guys from Splintered Sunlight (Philadelphia’s premiere GD cover band). It was cool to see our peers at a show. Again, the only difference between the bands and the fans, some of them are on stage.
Last but certainly not least is 12/28/97 from the old Cap Centre down in Landover MD, right outside of DC.
Set 1: Julius, Cities > The Curtain > Sample in a Jar, The Old Home Place > Runaway Jim, Farmhouse, Funky Bitch, Split Open and Melt, Bouncing Around the Room, Character Zero
Set 2: Axilla > Simple, Ghost > Drowned > Scent of a Mule , Halley's Comet > Slave to the Traffic Light, Rocky Top > Cavern
Encore: Bold As Love
I remember the bass being incredibly loud. This was also the first show I ever downloaded over the Internet. I had a dial up line back then, so I think it took a whole year. Got my first Drowned (Disclaimer: Huge Quadrophenia fan)
I guess one could consider the Hampton 2003 run part of a NYE run, but that was so muckhfun and so crazy that it deserves an entry of its own. I’d like to wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season (yes, I said holidays. I’d give a shoutout to the FSM but don’t want to get caught up in the War On Christmas) Hope you have fun for NYE and I’ll have a dispatch on the insanity that went down as I see my first NYE show and my first NYC show (I know, I never saw a show in NYC. I’m such a slacker)
Dave Kemp
BA in American Studies
PhD in Rock and Roll
The first NYE run show I saw was on 12/28/94, at the Civic Center in Philadelphia. Located right downtown, this old building also hosted the basketball games for many of the smaller colleges in town, like Drexal, La Salle and Philadelphia University.
Set 1: Mound > Simple, Julius, Bathtub Gin, Bouncing Around the Room, Axilla (Part II), Reba, Dog Faced Boy, It's Ice > Run Like an Antelope
Set 2: Suzy Greenberg, NICU, Mike's Song -> The Mango Song -> Weekapaug Groove, Contact, Llama, Hold Your Head Up > Love You > Hold Your Head Up, The Squirming Coil
Encore: Bold As Love
This was another show where Nad (as seen in my Halloween 1994 adventures) did a balloon and another face plant. Another one of my friends, attending his first Phish show, decided to eat his tab of acid in the car on the way to the show. To say he was uncomfortable while we sat in traffic on the Schuylkill highway is an understatement. The highlight of the show for myself was the Weekapaugh Groove. Trey threw in some Aud Lang Syne teases and the most demented Little Drummer Boy jam ever played. He goes into a minor key and you think the Grinch himself is going to rise out of a crack in the Earth’s crusts to steal all of our gifts.
Next up was the amazing 2 night run on 12/28 and 12/29/96 at the Spectrum in Philly. I know many of the Devolver crew was at these shows, including the guys who got a ride home from Mike Lerman. One member of the Devolver crew was tripping balls and had to sit in the front seat and hold a conversation with Zach’s dad the whole drive home.
Set 1: Runaway Jim, NICU, Wolfman's Brother, It's Ice, Billy Breathes, Ginseng Sullivan, Split Open and Melt, The Mango Song, Frankenstein
Set 2: Makisupa Policeman -> Maze, Bouncing Around the Room, Digital Delay Loop Jam -> The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > Mike's Song -> Strange Design > Weekapaug Groove, The Star Spangled Banner
Encore: Johnny B. Goode
The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday was the highlight of the first night for myself. An amazing dance groove to a traditional 2000+ year old Jewish prayer that just rocks. A quick research of the Internet revels that it has 50+ verses. Glad Phish went with only 2.
The next night raged even harder.
12/29/96
Set 1: Poor Heart, Caravan, Cavern, Taste, Guelah Papyrus, Train Song, Rift, Free, The Squirming Coil, La Grange
Set 2: David Bowie, A Day in the Life, Bathtub Gin, The Lizards, You Enjoy Myself -> Rotation Jam -> Sixteen Candles -> You Enjoy Myself, Harpua -> Champagne Supernova -> Harpua
Encore: Rocky Top
The Harpua Champagne Supernova Harpua sandwich was fantastic. Tom Marshall came out to make the sound of Hell, which was Oasis (Disclaimer: I love Oasis’ first three albums. This song is on one of them). We ended up parked next to the guys from Splintered Sunlight (Philadelphia’s premiere GD cover band). It was cool to see our peers at a show. Again, the only difference between the bands and the fans, some of them are on stage.
Last but certainly not least is 12/28/97 from the old Cap Centre down in Landover MD, right outside of DC.
Set 1: Julius, Cities > The Curtain > Sample in a Jar, The Old Home Place > Runaway Jim, Farmhouse, Funky Bitch, Split Open and Melt, Bouncing Around the Room, Character Zero
Set 2: Axilla > Simple, Ghost > Drowned > Scent of a Mule , Halley's Comet > Slave to the Traffic Light, Rocky Top > Cavern
Encore: Bold As Love
I remember the bass being incredibly loud. This was also the first show I ever downloaded over the Internet. I had a dial up line back then, so I think it took a whole year. Got my first Drowned (Disclaimer: Huge Quadrophenia fan)
I guess one could consider the Hampton 2003 run part of a NYE run, but that was so muckhfun and so crazy that it deserves an entry of its own. I’d like to wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season (yes, I said holidays. I’d give a shoutout to the FSM but don’t want to get caught up in the War On Christmas) Hope you have fun for NYE and I’ll have a dispatch on the insanity that went down as I see my first NYE show and my first NYC show (I know, I never saw a show in NYC. I’m such a slacker)
Dave Kemp
BA in American Studies
PhD in Rock and Roll
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Thanksgiving 2010
Well, one more Thanksgiving in the books. I wasn’t able to write this immediately after the shows because I came down with my traditional post Thanksgiving cold brought on by Contact with my niece and nephews/ seeing friends/ change in outdoor temperature. I have since recovered and now am ready to drop some wisdom on ya like Stephen Hawking tripping balls.
Black Friday had Devolver at Kclinger’s is one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Sometimes the sound is less than perfect but this time it was really good. The boys restrained the volume a little and didn’t try to play over each other. I haven’t written down a setlist in years but this time I did my best. A new cover, I Got Mine, by Akron’s own Black Keys was a welcome surprise. Then Devolver blew my fucking mind by playing One Big Holiday by My Morning Jacket. I’ve seen MMJ 3 times and when I saw them this past spring, it reaffirmed my belief in the redemptive power of rock and roll. I actually had been thinking how cool it would be for Phish or Devolver to cover a MMJ tune and then Andy begins the guitar intro to it. I feel rather proud of myself by restraining my initial reaction to them playing it. (My true reaction involved howling, smashing chairs, and a pagan sacrifice, but I digress.)
Other highlights include an amazing Cross-eyed and Painless and Paranoid Android.
The second set started off with 2001 and lead into an EPIC Funk II. After the song was over, they easily could have called it a night. It’s been awhile since they had a moment like that but they nailed it. After catching our breath, they went on to do I want You (She’s So Heavy), Edge, and Turnaround. There was more but I can’t remember or write them down. An energetic encore of Psycho Killer > Edge Reprise to end an amazing night. If that as the last Devolver show, what a way to go out.
Saturday brought Boxcar Social to the Coliseum. While not the best venue, Boxcar does their best to change the vibe. When you see them upstairs, it’s a mind-blowing spectacle of lights and jams. You go down to get a drink and some of the ambiance is lost.
They put on a tight show that highlighted their ability to stretch out the jams. I even got a NRPS “Dirty Business” for my birthday. I missed the shout out to myself because 1) I was downstairs 2) and I was having a discussion about if a Manhattan tasted right. I consider myself an expert on that old school cocktail because my Dad drank them and I know when the vermouth isn’t blended in correctly. After making it until almost the end of the show (very impressive given I was up at 6 am after Devolver the night before), we then went back to Andy/Corey O’s crib to watch the funniest movie of all time, Conan the Destroyer (only funny when the dude formerly known as Grace Jones appeared on screen). I was laughing so hard I was crying.
It was great seeing everyone and let me be the first to wish you a Merry Festivus.
Black Friday had Devolver at Kclinger’s is one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Sometimes the sound is less than perfect but this time it was really good. The boys restrained the volume a little and didn’t try to play over each other. I haven’t written down a setlist in years but this time I did my best. A new cover, I Got Mine, by Akron’s own Black Keys was a welcome surprise. Then Devolver blew my fucking mind by playing One Big Holiday by My Morning Jacket. I’ve seen MMJ 3 times and when I saw them this past spring, it reaffirmed my belief in the redemptive power of rock and roll. I actually had been thinking how cool it would be for Phish or Devolver to cover a MMJ tune and then Andy begins the guitar intro to it. I feel rather proud of myself by restraining my initial reaction to them playing it. (My true reaction involved howling, smashing chairs, and a pagan sacrifice, but I digress.)
Other highlights include an amazing Cross-eyed and Painless and Paranoid Android.
The second set started off with 2001 and lead into an EPIC Funk II. After the song was over, they easily could have called it a night. It’s been awhile since they had a moment like that but they nailed it. After catching our breath, they went on to do I want You (She’s So Heavy), Edge, and Turnaround. There was more but I can’t remember or write them down. An energetic encore of Psycho Killer > Edge Reprise to end an amazing night. If that as the last Devolver show, what a way to go out.
Saturday brought Boxcar Social to the Coliseum. While not the best venue, Boxcar does their best to change the vibe. When you see them upstairs, it’s a mind-blowing spectacle of lights and jams. You go down to get a drink and some of the ambiance is lost.
They put on a tight show that highlighted their ability to stretch out the jams. I even got a NRPS “Dirty Business” for my birthday. I missed the shout out to myself because 1) I was downstairs 2) and I was having a discussion about if a Manhattan tasted right. I consider myself an expert on that old school cocktail because my Dad drank them and I know when the vermouth isn’t blended in correctly. After making it until almost the end of the show (very impressive given I was up at 6 am after Devolver the night before), we then went back to Andy/Corey O’s crib to watch the funniest movie of all time, Conan the Destroyer (only funny when the dude formerly known as Grace Jones appeared on screen). I was laughing so hard I was crying.
It was great seeing everyone and let me be the first to wish you a Merry Festivus.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Best Thanksgiving Prayer Ever
Below is a reprint of The Thanksgiving Prayer by William Burroughs. Burroughs was hugely influential member of the Beats. Without him, no counterculture and everything that followed in its wake. I can’t do him justice so check out Wikipedia via Kempepedia
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/William_S._Burroughs
I want wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and hopefully see you Black Friday Night at Kclinger’s for Devolver, starting at 10. Then Sat. night, Boxcar Social is throwing it down at The Coliseum, also starting at 10. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
William S. Burroughs
"The Thanksgiving Prayer"
Thanks for the wild turkey and the passenger pigeons, destined to be shit out through wholesome American guts.
Thanks for a continent to despoil and poison.
Thanks for Indians to provide a modicum of challenge and danger.
Thanks for vast herds of bison to kill and skin leaving the carcasses to rot.
Thanks for bounties on wolves and coyotes.
Thanks for the American dream,
To vulgarize and to falsify until the bare lies shine through.
Thanks for the KKK.
For nigger-killin' lawmen, feelin' their notches.
For decent church-goin' women, with their mean, pinched, bitter, evil faces.
Thanks for "Kill a Queer for Christ" stickers.
Thanks for laboratory AIDS.
Thanks for Prohibition and the war against drugs.
Thanks for a country where nobody's allowed to mind their own business.
Thanks for a nation of finks.
Yes, thanks for all the memories-- all right let's see your arms!
You always were a headache and you always were a bore.
Thanks for the last and greatest betrayal of the last and greatest of human dreams.
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/William_S._Burroughs
I want wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and hopefully see you Black Friday Night at Kclinger’s for Devolver, starting at 10. Then Sat. night, Boxcar Social is throwing it down at The Coliseum, also starting at 10. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
William S. Burroughs
"The Thanksgiving Prayer"
Thanks for the wild turkey and the passenger pigeons, destined to be shit out through wholesome American guts.
Thanks for a continent to despoil and poison.
Thanks for Indians to provide a modicum of challenge and danger.
Thanks for vast herds of bison to kill and skin leaving the carcasses to rot.
Thanks for bounties on wolves and coyotes.
Thanks for the American dream,
To vulgarize and to falsify until the bare lies shine through.
Thanks for the KKK.
For nigger-killin' lawmen, feelin' their notches.
For decent church-goin' women, with their mean, pinched, bitter, evil faces.
Thanks for "Kill a Queer for Christ" stickers.
Thanks for laboratory AIDS.
Thanks for Prohibition and the war against drugs.
Thanks for a country where nobody's allowed to mind their own business.
Thanks for a nation of finks.
Yes, thanks for all the memories-- all right let's see your arms!
You always were a headache and you always were a bore.
Thanks for the last and greatest betrayal of the last and greatest of human dreams.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Thanksgiving Shows
Here is a reprint of an email post I sent out in November 2007 for a Devolver show, with a few edits. Enjoy!!
Well, of course it's family and friends getting together. But don't worry. I haven't taken an acid trip with Dr. Phil (fat bald dude not Lesh). No the most important part of the Thanksgiving weekend is the music. Let me travel back to the golden years of the 90's, specifically 1991 and 1992. Phish was still playing theatres around the country and had not become the arena rock monster so strong it will make you grind up Oxys and snort them off the ass of a hooker. (No that's not a leftover from my Vegas trip). Their main fanbase was college age kids and someone had a great idea of scheduling a run of shows over the Thanksgiving weekend at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester NY. It was a small vaudeville era theatre that the Dead made their home away from the Fillmore East. And what monster shows they put on there. The SkullFuck album was recorded there and the famed ESP experiment/show was conducted there as well. So the place definitely had some magic about it.
The Phish shows from '91 and '92 were among the first Phish shows I ever got on tape. All old school shit, Harpua, secret languages, vacuum solos, etc. The shows remain legendary but have yet to be released officially. But then, the tours didn't quite work out for the boys to be playing around Thanksgiving. In ‘94, they almost got it right but played the boring Upper Midwest. In '95, they got it right. Wed. before Thanksgiving they played at the Cap Centre in DC. Saw the Dead there 6 times so it was really cool seeing Phish there. Then off to Pittsburgh for Black Friday. First time seeing the boys in the Steel City. Of course, the Late Fall Tour of 95 went down in history and these shows were a big part of it.
In '96 they spent Thanksgiving on the West Coast but in '97 showed alot of love to people on the East Coast who supported them through their early years. Weekend before Thanksgiving, two nights in Hampton, VA. Now this venue and scene need no introduction and what a way to start off the holiday week. Then, the weekend after Thanksgiving, and more importantly, on my birthday, Phish does a three night stand in Worsester MA. It's an old dying industrial town a half-hour outside of Boston. Tiny little hockey arena (holds 8000) with a laid back vibe. Fall tour, New England, almost a hometown show...DOES it get any better than this?
The shows were sick. Wide variety of songs including the legendary 50 minute Runaway Jim. Fast forward to '98. Same thing, Hampton weekend before, Worsester weekend after. Now this is the good life. The live album Hampton Comes Alive came from the '98 run. Good times, good venues, good friends. In '99, they didn't tour in November (we would get the legendary last shows before Big Cyprus in Dec. in Hampton) but my other favorite band Widespread Panic played the Sat after Thanksgiving at Hampton. Dirty Dozen Brass Band opened up and then joined them for a few tunes. I went down with two couples that were in the middle of breaking up and it was crazy to say the least. Oh the lengths I will go to for total musical bliss.
Which leads us to the present. Since 2000, Thanksgiving weekend has always been about Devolver. Classic shows in 2000 and especially 2001(van break downs, Kyle's illness, and my mind blowing, Earth shattering, life affirming birthday show. Dan channeling The Big Chief, Acid Test madness, all in Hanover. Had to have been there to witness it to be believed.) Since then it has been an old reliable schedule. Labor Day weekend, Thanksgiving weekend, and Christmas weekend with a few extras. So come out this Black Friday, November 26 to Kclinger’s. Show starts at 10. Thank you for indulging the sober Hunter S. Thompson in me
The D
Well, of course it's family and friends getting together. But don't worry. I haven't taken an acid trip with Dr. Phil (fat bald dude not Lesh). No the most important part of the Thanksgiving weekend is the music. Let me travel back to the golden years of the 90's, specifically 1991 and 1992. Phish was still playing theatres around the country and had not become the arena rock monster so strong it will make you grind up Oxys and snort them off the ass of a hooker. (No that's not a leftover from my Vegas trip). Their main fanbase was college age kids and someone had a great idea of scheduling a run of shows over the Thanksgiving weekend at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester NY. It was a small vaudeville era theatre that the Dead made their home away from the Fillmore East. And what monster shows they put on there. The SkullFuck album was recorded there and the famed ESP experiment/show was conducted there as well. So the place definitely had some magic about it.
The Phish shows from '91 and '92 were among the first Phish shows I ever got on tape. All old school shit, Harpua, secret languages, vacuum solos, etc. The shows remain legendary but have yet to be released officially. But then, the tours didn't quite work out for the boys to be playing around Thanksgiving. In ‘94, they almost got it right but played the boring Upper Midwest. In '95, they got it right. Wed. before Thanksgiving they played at the Cap Centre in DC. Saw the Dead there 6 times so it was really cool seeing Phish there. Then off to Pittsburgh for Black Friday. First time seeing the boys in the Steel City. Of course, the Late Fall Tour of 95 went down in history and these shows were a big part of it.
In '96 they spent Thanksgiving on the West Coast but in '97 showed alot of love to people on the East Coast who supported them through their early years. Weekend before Thanksgiving, two nights in Hampton, VA. Now this venue and scene need no introduction and what a way to start off the holiday week. Then, the weekend after Thanksgiving, and more importantly, on my birthday, Phish does a three night stand in Worsester MA. It's an old dying industrial town a half-hour outside of Boston. Tiny little hockey arena (holds 8000) with a laid back vibe. Fall tour, New England, almost a hometown show...DOES it get any better than this?
The shows were sick. Wide variety of songs including the legendary 50 minute Runaway Jim. Fast forward to '98. Same thing, Hampton weekend before, Worsester weekend after. Now this is the good life. The live album Hampton Comes Alive came from the '98 run. Good times, good venues, good friends. In '99, they didn't tour in November (we would get the legendary last shows before Big Cyprus in Dec. in Hampton) but my other favorite band Widespread Panic played the Sat after Thanksgiving at Hampton. Dirty Dozen Brass Band opened up and then joined them for a few tunes. I went down with two couples that were in the middle of breaking up and it was crazy to say the least. Oh the lengths I will go to for total musical bliss.
Which leads us to the present. Since 2000, Thanksgiving weekend has always been about Devolver. Classic shows in 2000 and especially 2001(van break downs, Kyle's illness, and my mind blowing, Earth shattering, life affirming birthday show. Dan channeling The Big Chief, Acid Test madness, all in Hanover. Had to have been there to witness it to be believed.) Since then it has been an old reliable schedule. Labor Day weekend, Thanksgiving weekend, and Christmas weekend with a few extras. So come out this Black Friday, November 26 to Kclinger’s. Show starts at 10. Thank you for indulging the sober Hunter S. Thompson in me
The D
Sunday, November 7, 2010
SCI Hullaween 2010
As some of you may be well aware, I really like Halloween. After putting on the WHB/Devolver show last year, I wanted to go to a show this Halloween. So way back in April I bought tixs to see String Cheese Incident’s Hullaween weekend spectacular at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA. Since I bought those tixs, a lot of other super cool stuff (Phish in AC, BoxCar Social at Kclinger’s, the Rally to Restore Sanity at the Mall) have been announced. But when it finally rolled around, I was so glad and super pumped I got to see it Caveat: I only tried to get 10/31 tixs for Phish and got shut out. If some magical unicorn had delivered me tixs for all three nights, then I would have had a dilemma.
Sorry in advance if this review is a little light on the songs of SCI. I’ve only seen them three times live (“96 or ’97 at Brandywine Farms, 2002 at Bonnaroo, and 2005 at All Good). I have a bunch of shows from throughout their history but I can’t be an expert on the Dead, Phish, Devolver, WSP, the Stones, the Beatles, Dylan, and Cheese……..something’s got to give.
Hampton is the best East Coast indoor venue because once you arrive, you don’t have to drive anywhere. There are 10 hotels, multiple restaurants, beer and liquor stores, a Target (what’s up with all the aggressive red throughout the store. Felt like I wanted to kick someone’s ass after shopping there). There’s even a car dealership. Wonder how many spunions accidentally bought a new vehicle while on tour? So we roll into the Courtyard right at 3 and get all of our shopping done with plenty of time for preshow partying.
When I checked in, they had me sign a paper that stated if I smoke cigs or anything else in the room, it would be a 250 fine tacked onto my bill. Holy shit, they're serious. All smoking had to be done outside, so everyone proceeded to do all their smoking of tobacco and anything else outside. Probably what it’s like to live in Cali right now. Luckily, the weather was perfect if not a little cool so it was a cool way to have forced socialization and meet our neighbors.
Shakedown was more like an alley than a street as most people stayed in the hotels and walked to the show. Hooked Productions, the people that made my amazing hoodie with Old and In the Way on it were there and a few food vendors. That was about it. Total lack of nitrous, which was very refreshing. The tixs said the show started at 7 but the Disco Biscuits (opening act for the first night only) started at 7. When if ever has a band started early?????? Made it in to hear Shimmy in a Conga Line (one of the few songs that I knew by them). Amazing light show and more Untz Untz Untz than you can imagine.
The Cheese sets the first night were really good. Again, not familiar with their whole catalog but got my dosage of bluegrass with Rolling In my Sweet Baby’s Arms. They can jam the fuck out of anything, whether it’s bluegrass, newgrass, or their own version of crazy glaxican dance music.
Jonny Mon rolled into town around 2 AM and we all crashed to get rested for the next day. Before we passed out. Matt did warn us that he snores really loud. Understatement of the year. He was so loud and I was rudely awakened by it at 5 AM. I yelled, hit him with a pillow, nothing. Already had earplugs in but tried to sleep on the floor. Bingo. Evidently, the chainsaw buzzing stays on a horizontal plane level with the generator of said noise.
We made a brief trip up the road to check out Colonial Williamsburg (first time I’ve ever done anything even remotely touristy while on tour and this is my 20th year of being on Tour.) Got back, took a nap and waited for Meg to roll into town. While there, Jonny Mon called his cousin, SCI lead singer Billy Nershi (how cool is THAT?!?!?!?!?) We roll into the venue and wait for the madness to start. My friend Bill Thompson (of Halloween 1994 fame) and someone I will dub Vdub were there. Bill joined us up top and the first set raged. Vdub joined us later. He was clad in a green body suit which left nothing to the imagination and was very drunk already. Later, the zipper in the front of his outfit got ripped and there was a giant pale patch of skin to highlight the day glo green lol.
The costumes were really good. Matt and Sarah went as the Mad Hatter and Alice. Jonny Mon and myself went as superfly guys (‘cause we are). Saw a Troy Palomaulo and got much love for my Steelers hat. Didn’t see any other fans flying their team colors. Pussies.
Highlight of the first set was Breathe by Pink Floyd. At one point, Billy was talking to the crowd and had a bunch of glowsticks thrown at him. Way to be classy Hampton. The second set consisted of covers having to do with space and travel. They opened with End of the World as We Know It (love me some late 80’s early 90’s REM) into Fly Like and Eagle. Kellar Williams and some chick named Liza (not Minelli) came out and Keller did his best impersonations of George Clinton on It’s Just Me and the Boys by p-Funk. Why P-Funk? Because we where in the Motheship and P-Funk is the Mothership Connection. The highlight of the second set was Deelite’s Groove is in the Heart. They had 20 disco balls hanging from the center of the Coliseum and turned all the spotlights on them and unleashed a ton of confetti, leading to a visual and stimulation overload.
During this segment, they had two towers rise up on either side and they had two barely clothed women on them who proceeded to shake what their mama’s gave them. The one was doing full blown stripper moves. Never really expected to see that at a Cheese show. Kid Rock, AC/DC yeah. My totally unscientific polling afterward reveled woman weren’t too keen on it. Another full set after that. Both nights the music went from 7 PM until 1 AM. Now that is getting your money’s worth.
Got up the next morning without an extra 250 bucks on my bill and headed back to Hanover to listen to the stream of Phish’s Halloween show (Waiting for Columbus, a good album but I’m glad I didn’t pay 300 bucks to scalper scum for a tix). Finished my Halloween weekend by starting the neverending job of doing the leaves at my mom’s house. What better way to celebrate Fall?
Sorry in advance if this review is a little light on the songs of SCI. I’ve only seen them three times live (“96 or ’97 at Brandywine Farms, 2002 at Bonnaroo, and 2005 at All Good). I have a bunch of shows from throughout their history but I can’t be an expert on the Dead, Phish, Devolver, WSP, the Stones, the Beatles, Dylan, and Cheese……..something’s got to give.
Hampton is the best East Coast indoor venue because once you arrive, you don’t have to drive anywhere. There are 10 hotels, multiple restaurants, beer and liquor stores, a Target (what’s up with all the aggressive red throughout the store. Felt like I wanted to kick someone’s ass after shopping there). There’s even a car dealership. Wonder how many spunions accidentally bought a new vehicle while on tour? So we roll into the Courtyard right at 3 and get all of our shopping done with plenty of time for preshow partying.
When I checked in, they had me sign a paper that stated if I smoke cigs or anything else in the room, it would be a 250 fine tacked onto my bill. Holy shit, they're serious. All smoking had to be done outside, so everyone proceeded to do all their smoking of tobacco and anything else outside. Probably what it’s like to live in Cali right now. Luckily, the weather was perfect if not a little cool so it was a cool way to have forced socialization and meet our neighbors.
Shakedown was more like an alley than a street as most people stayed in the hotels and walked to the show. Hooked Productions, the people that made my amazing hoodie with Old and In the Way on it were there and a few food vendors. That was about it. Total lack of nitrous, which was very refreshing. The tixs said the show started at 7 but the Disco Biscuits (opening act for the first night only) started at 7. When if ever has a band started early?????? Made it in to hear Shimmy in a Conga Line (one of the few songs that I knew by them). Amazing light show and more Untz Untz Untz than you can imagine.
The Cheese sets the first night were really good. Again, not familiar with their whole catalog but got my dosage of bluegrass with Rolling In my Sweet Baby’s Arms. They can jam the fuck out of anything, whether it’s bluegrass, newgrass, or their own version of crazy glaxican dance music.
Jonny Mon rolled into town around 2 AM and we all crashed to get rested for the next day. Before we passed out. Matt did warn us that he snores really loud. Understatement of the year. He was so loud and I was rudely awakened by it at 5 AM. I yelled, hit him with a pillow, nothing. Already had earplugs in but tried to sleep on the floor. Bingo. Evidently, the chainsaw buzzing stays on a horizontal plane level with the generator of said noise.
We made a brief trip up the road to check out Colonial Williamsburg (first time I’ve ever done anything even remotely touristy while on tour and this is my 20th year of being on Tour.) Got back, took a nap and waited for Meg to roll into town. While there, Jonny Mon called his cousin, SCI lead singer Billy Nershi (how cool is THAT?!?!?!?!?) We roll into the venue and wait for the madness to start. My friend Bill Thompson (of Halloween 1994 fame) and someone I will dub Vdub were there. Bill joined us up top and the first set raged. Vdub joined us later. He was clad in a green body suit which left nothing to the imagination and was very drunk already. Later, the zipper in the front of his outfit got ripped and there was a giant pale patch of skin to highlight the day glo green lol.
The costumes were really good. Matt and Sarah went as the Mad Hatter and Alice. Jonny Mon and myself went as superfly guys (‘cause we are). Saw a Troy Palomaulo and got much love for my Steelers hat. Didn’t see any other fans flying their team colors. Pussies.
Highlight of the first set was Breathe by Pink Floyd. At one point, Billy was talking to the crowd and had a bunch of glowsticks thrown at him. Way to be classy Hampton. The second set consisted of covers having to do with space and travel. They opened with End of the World as We Know It (love me some late 80’s early 90’s REM) into Fly Like and Eagle. Kellar Williams and some chick named Liza (not Minelli) came out and Keller did his best impersonations of George Clinton on It’s Just Me and the Boys by p-Funk. Why P-Funk? Because we where in the Motheship and P-Funk is the Mothership Connection. The highlight of the second set was Deelite’s Groove is in the Heart. They had 20 disco balls hanging from the center of the Coliseum and turned all the spotlights on them and unleashed a ton of confetti, leading to a visual and stimulation overload.
During this segment, they had two towers rise up on either side and they had two barely clothed women on them who proceeded to shake what their mama’s gave them. The one was doing full blown stripper moves. Never really expected to see that at a Cheese show. Kid Rock, AC/DC yeah. My totally unscientific polling afterward reveled woman weren’t too keen on it. Another full set after that. Both nights the music went from 7 PM until 1 AM. Now that is getting your money’s worth.
Got up the next morning without an extra 250 bucks on my bill and headed back to Hanover to listen to the stream of Phish’s Halloween show (Waiting for Columbus, a good album but I’m glad I didn’t pay 300 bucks to scalper scum for a tix). Finished my Halloween weekend by starting the neverending job of doing the leaves at my mom’s house. What better way to celebrate Fall?
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Phish Halloween 1994
One of my favorite times of the year is Fall. The heat and unbearable humidity of the summer fade to cool crisp nights requiring hoodies, jeans, and socks. College and pro football are well underway and the leaves are turning glorious colors of brown, yellow, and orange. But my favorite thing about Fall is Halloween. Starting with childhood trick or treating, evolving into teenage Mischief Night, until shows and music take center stage, it’s always been about All Hallow’s Eve for me. . While many bands put on Halloween shows, few do it with the flair and creativity that Phish does. That’s why I’m proud to present the first full telling of my adventures for my all time, number one show ever: Phish’s Halloween show in Glenn Falls NY, in 1994.
While the Dead always threw down on NYE, Halloween was like a neglected stepchild. In 1985, they opened a show with a Scary Space and brought back Werewolves but didn’t do an epic Halloween show again until 1991. It was 6 days after Bill Graham’s tragic death and featured Ken Kesey coming on the stage to say a few words while the boys opened a door in the space time continum and went back to an Acid Test in 1966.
(Listen to it here, it is truly crazy how insane their playing is. Kesey comes out in the Dark Star before drumz)
http://www.archive.org/details/gd91-10-31.set2.matrix.loy.30699.sbeok.flacf
While Phish had played Halloween shows in the 80’s and ‘90 and ‘91, they hadn’t done a Halloween show for 2 years when they announced they would be donning a musical costume for the 1994 show. They asked fans to vote for an album they should play. The boys emphasized that it could be from any genre (from Sun Ra to Slayer to West Side Story). How do I remember such a detail? I still have the Doniac Schvice. You expected something less?? Child please.
I was attending Penn State at the time. The Dead were still my boys but I was really impressed with the first show I saw on 4/8 at Penn State by Phish and saw them at the Mann Music Center over the summer. When the Fall tour was announced, nothing was really close or doable but my good friend Kristian Boyer said that Halloween would be a worthwhile adventure. Being that Glenn Falls was less than 6 hours from State College, this was definitely doable. My good friend Nad (Nad is not his real name but he is a father now and has other responsibilities so I want to protect him. If you’re smarter than a 5th grader, you’ll be able to figure out who it is by the end of this.)
Nad got on the phone but had no luck through TicketBastard (yup, they sucked ass even back then). He then had the brilliant idea to call the box office of the venue and he got us three tixs. Kristian couldn’t go so another friend Bill Thompson took it. I’m using his full name because he didn’t do anything that would preclude him from becoming President. The night before Nad did an amazing pumpkin carving of Fishman’s face for the coolest jack o’ lantern EVER. Unfortunately, this was back in the analog days and we all didn’t have cell phones or digital cameras and no photos exist of this spectacular creation.
We piled into Nad’s Ford Festiva (for years this car tooled around Hanover with an amazing Jerry levitating a guitar out of a top hat window decal). Bill brought along a bunch of tapes of Phish but Nad only had a radio. So we listened to the song Thriller over and over for most of the journey as every radio station we could find was playing it. Bill had heard a rumor of either Joe’s Garage or the White Album as the musical costume but I gave little thought as to what they might play.
As some of you know, I grew up outside of Scranton in NE PA. Just driving thru the region brought up warm fuzzy memories of Halloween pasts when all that mattered was how much candy you scored. Whose windows were you going to soap? Who had the best Yoda voice impression? All we saw on the ride up were 7-11’s and Tae Kwon Do schools…Upstate New York is a tough place.. We stopped at a rest stop but the men’s room was closed so Nad used the Women’s room. While in there, a woman walked in to use it as well. Awkward.
We got to the hotel (which had 2 coffee pots for a room that slept 4 people). Bill filled us in on the whole Gamehenge saga and Harpua but I just filed that info away. What were the odds Phish was going to go into any of that?
We get to the lot and Nad sets his pumpkin on a four foot high metal box in the lot. When we walk by later, two Heads are standing on each side of it like demented palace guards. I was dressed as Father Giudo Sardouche from SNL and Nad was dressed as Elvis. Nad and myself ate a “treat” to get the night started. In 1994, it seemed at every show Nad would do a balloon and pass out flat on his face. Tonight would be no different. While doing a balloon in a Burger King drive thru lane next to the arena, he passed out and woke up to his hands covered in blood. Of course they really weren’t, but what a way to start the night.
A year earlier, Nad sent a photo of himself dressed as Elvis to put on the credit card. He used that card to pay for the tixs. He showed the credit card to get the tixs dressed as Elvis. The clerk almost shit her pants. On the way in, I ran into the Blues Brothers and it was an SNL reunion, without all the coke.
Our seats were two rows away from the glass if a hockey game had been going on. This guy was walking around on the floor strutting along. He was taking huge strides and pumping his arms and suspenders out. He had on really loud rainbow colored pants and a beautifully carved mask that covered his whole head. Nad pointed him out and said that it was Trey. I said yeah right and proceeded to take in all the other freaks that were wondering around us. The lights finally go down and the band hits the stage. My mind gets blown for the first of many times. That guy walking around was TREY!!! Holy shit!! How did Nad see that??? Trey rips his mask off during Frankenstein opener and the place goes apeshit. 5 songs in, they do Harpua with a narration and War Pigs by Sabbath. By now I’m out of my gourd. This is the craziest show I’ve ever seen. I hear the boys teasing other songs within their own songs and think that’s the secret to Phish. They end the first set telling us to get ready for an amazing and long night. I couldn’t even imagine what was next.
Throughout the set break, they’re playing haunted house noises and screams over the PA. Close to midnight, the lights go down and Speak to Me begins over the PA. Holy shit, they’re going to do Dark Side. But then a voice comes over and starts talking about the excitement these boys have brought to NYC over the last two days. Due to my immense pop culture knowledge, I recognize the voice as belonging to Ed Sullivan. Pink Floyd wasn’t on Ed Sullivan??? But THE BEATLES were Oh my God they’re going to do the Beatles. As the screams of the teenage girls enthralled by Beatlemania mix with the screams from the Glenn Falls crowd enthralled with Phish, the boys barrel into Back in the USSR. They’re doing the White Album. I knew this album inside and out. I did a report on Charles Manson and him using the White Album as justification for his killings in high school. My brain exploded and for the next hour and half, I was transported to another dimension where I witnessed the Beatles perform. Not John, Paul, George, and Ringo but the thing that the Beatles represented in all its glory as funneled through the four lads from Vermont.
There’s really no point in me trying to write about what I was experiencing so just think of your favorite musical moment and multiply by one thousand. During Glass Onion, they changed a lyric to work in Guyute and for the line “ The walrus was Paul”, they shown a spotlight on Paul Langudoc and he had 2 drumsticks like walrus teeth, causing Trey to crack up. One other thing I never expected, during Revolution #9, Fishman got naked. WTF!??!?!?!?!?!?!? After that, Page comes to the mike and says they’ll be back for another set. Phew. Need to collect myself.
The third set was no slouch either. Opening with a raging Bowie, CK5 had the lights making it look like we were inside a giant jack o’ lantern. During the Slave, he made the arena bathe in the glow of traffic lights. During Sleeping Monkey, the one keyboard part is nicked from Let It Be. So naturally, I thought they were going to do that album for the encore. It ended with a costume contest and Page thanked us for coming out at 3:20 in the AM. No union overtime at this venue.
Back at the hotel, I finally passed out around 6 AM. Bill forced himself to drink the biggest bottle of Bass I’ve ever seen to get himself to calm down after that mind blowing experience. Back at Penn State, it was a harsh jolt back to reality. No one in dreads, Heads far and few in between. I can clearly remember throwing in a ’78 Dead show with Bertha> Good Lovin’, and it not doing anything for me. It took about two weeks for the show to fade away from my brain and was able to get off to the Dead once again.
So there you have it. I know this was long but what better way to get into the spirit of the season for what this weekend holds
10/31/94 (Mon) Glens Falls Civic Center - Glens Falls, NY
Set 1: Frankenstein, Sparkle, Simple, Divided Sky, Harpua , Julius, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Reba, Golgi Apparatus
Set 2: Speak to Me , Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence, Glass Onion, Ob-La-Di Ob > La-Da, Wild Honey Pie, Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Happiness is a Warm Gun, Martha My Dear, I'm So Tired, Blackbird, Piggies, Rocky Raccoon, Don't Pass Me By, Why Don't We Do it in the Road, I Will, Julia, Birthday Jam , Yer Blues, Mother Nature's Son, Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey, Sexy Sadie, Helter Skelter, Long Long Long, Revolution 1, Honey Pie, Savoy Truffle, Cry Baby Cry, Revolution 9 , Good Night
Set 3: David Bowie, Bouncing Around the Room, Slave to the Traffic Light, Rift, Sleeping Monkey, Poor Heart, Run Like an Antelope, E: Amazing Grace, Costume Contest , The Squirming Coil
Dave Kemp
BA in American Studies
PhD in Rock and Roll
While the Dead always threw down on NYE, Halloween was like a neglected stepchild. In 1985, they opened a show with a Scary Space and brought back Werewolves but didn’t do an epic Halloween show again until 1991. It was 6 days after Bill Graham’s tragic death and featured Ken Kesey coming on the stage to say a few words while the boys opened a door in the space time continum and went back to an Acid Test in 1966.
(Listen to it here, it is truly crazy how insane their playing is. Kesey comes out in the Dark Star before drumz)
http://www.archive.org/details/gd91-10-31.set2.matrix.loy.30699.sbeok.flacf
While Phish had played Halloween shows in the 80’s and ‘90 and ‘91, they hadn’t done a Halloween show for 2 years when they announced they would be donning a musical costume for the 1994 show. They asked fans to vote for an album they should play. The boys emphasized that it could be from any genre (from Sun Ra to Slayer to West Side Story). How do I remember such a detail? I still have the Doniac Schvice. You expected something less?? Child please.
I was attending Penn State at the time. The Dead were still my boys but I was really impressed with the first show I saw on 4/8 at Penn State by Phish and saw them at the Mann Music Center over the summer. When the Fall tour was announced, nothing was really close or doable but my good friend Kristian Boyer said that Halloween would be a worthwhile adventure. Being that Glenn Falls was less than 6 hours from State College, this was definitely doable. My good friend Nad (Nad is not his real name but he is a father now and has other responsibilities so I want to protect him. If you’re smarter than a 5th grader, you’ll be able to figure out who it is by the end of this.)
Nad got on the phone but had no luck through TicketBastard (yup, they sucked ass even back then). He then had the brilliant idea to call the box office of the venue and he got us three tixs. Kristian couldn’t go so another friend Bill Thompson took it. I’m using his full name because he didn’t do anything that would preclude him from becoming President. The night before Nad did an amazing pumpkin carving of Fishman’s face for the coolest jack o’ lantern EVER. Unfortunately, this was back in the analog days and we all didn’t have cell phones or digital cameras and no photos exist of this spectacular creation.
We piled into Nad’s Ford Festiva (for years this car tooled around Hanover with an amazing Jerry levitating a guitar out of a top hat window decal). Bill brought along a bunch of tapes of Phish but Nad only had a radio. So we listened to the song Thriller over and over for most of the journey as every radio station we could find was playing it. Bill had heard a rumor of either Joe’s Garage or the White Album as the musical costume but I gave little thought as to what they might play.
As some of you know, I grew up outside of Scranton in NE PA. Just driving thru the region brought up warm fuzzy memories of Halloween pasts when all that mattered was how much candy you scored. Whose windows were you going to soap? Who had the best Yoda voice impression? All we saw on the ride up were 7-11’s and Tae Kwon Do schools…Upstate New York is a tough place.. We stopped at a rest stop but the men’s room was closed so Nad used the Women’s room. While in there, a woman walked in to use it as well. Awkward.
We got to the hotel (which had 2 coffee pots for a room that slept 4 people). Bill filled us in on the whole Gamehenge saga and Harpua but I just filed that info away. What were the odds Phish was going to go into any of that?
We get to the lot and Nad sets his pumpkin on a four foot high metal box in the lot. When we walk by later, two Heads are standing on each side of it like demented palace guards. I was dressed as Father Giudo Sardouche from SNL and Nad was dressed as Elvis. Nad and myself ate a “treat” to get the night started. In 1994, it seemed at every show Nad would do a balloon and pass out flat on his face. Tonight would be no different. While doing a balloon in a Burger King drive thru lane next to the arena, he passed out and woke up to his hands covered in blood. Of course they really weren’t, but what a way to start the night.
A year earlier, Nad sent a photo of himself dressed as Elvis to put on the credit card. He used that card to pay for the tixs. He showed the credit card to get the tixs dressed as Elvis. The clerk almost shit her pants. On the way in, I ran into the Blues Brothers and it was an SNL reunion, without all the coke.
Throughout the set break, they’re playing haunted house noises and screams over the PA. Close to midnight, the lights go down and Speak to Me begins over the PA. Holy shit, they’re going to do Dark Side. But then a voice comes over and starts talking about the excitement these boys have brought to NYC over the last two days. Due to my immense pop culture knowledge, I recognize the voice as belonging to Ed Sullivan. Pink Floyd wasn’t on Ed Sullivan??? But THE BEATLES were Oh my God they’re going to do the Beatles. As the screams of the teenage girls enthralled by Beatlemania mix with the screams from the Glenn Falls crowd enthralled with Phish, the boys barrel into Back in the USSR. They’re doing the White Album. I knew this album inside and out. I did a report on Charles Manson and him using the White Album as justification for his killings in high school. My brain exploded and for the next hour and half, I was transported to another dimension where I witnessed the Beatles perform. Not John, Paul, George, and Ringo but the thing that the Beatles represented in all its glory as funneled through the four lads from Vermont.
Soundcheck: The Old Home Place, Poor Heart, Dog Log > Funky Bitch, Jam
SET 1: Frankenstein, Sparkle > Simple > Divided Sky , Harpua -> The Vibration of Life -> Harpua[1], Julius > The Horse >Silent in the Morning > Reba , Golgi Apparatus
SET 2: Back in the U.S.S.R.[2] > Dear Prudence[2], Glass Onion[3] > Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da[2], Wild Honey Pie[2], The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill[2], While My Guitar Gently Weeps[2], Happiness Is a Warm Gun[2], Martha My Dear[2], I'm So Tired[2],Blackbird[2], Piggies, Rocky Raccoon[2] > Don't Pass Me By[2], Why Don't We Do It in the Road?[2], I Will[2], Julia[2],Birthday[4], Yer Blues[2], Mother Nature's Son[2], Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey[2], Sexy Sadie[2], Helter Skelter[5], Long Long Long[2], Revolution 1[2], Honey Pie[6], Savoy Truffle[2], Cry Baby Cry[7] -> Revolution 9[8]
The third set was no slouch either. Opening with a raging Bowie, CK5 had the lights making it look like we were inside a giant jack o’ lantern. During the Slave, he made the arena bathe in the glow of traffic lights. During Sleeping Monkey, the one keyboard part is nicked from Let It Be. So naturally, I thought they were going to do that album for the encore. It ended with a costume contest and Page thanked us for coming out at 3:20 in the AM. No union overtime at this venue.
Back at the hotel, I finally passed out around 6 AM. Bill forced himself to drink the biggest bottle of Bass I’ve ever seen to get himself to calm down after that mind blowing experience. Back at Penn State, it was a harsh jolt back to reality. No one in dreads, Heads far and few in between. I can clearly remember throwing in a ’78 Dead show with Bertha> Good Lovin’, and it not doing anything for me. It took about two weeks for the show to fade away from my brain and was able to get off to the Dead once again.
So there you have it. I know this was long but what better way to get into the spirit of the season for what this weekend holds
10/31/94 (Mon) Glens Falls Civic Center - Glens Falls, NY
Set 1: Frankenstein, Sparkle, Simple, Divided Sky, Harpua , Julius, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Reba, Golgi Apparatus
Set 2: Speak to Me , Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence, Glass Onion, Ob-La-Di Ob > La-Da, Wild Honey Pie, Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Happiness is a Warm Gun, Martha My Dear, I'm So Tired, Blackbird, Piggies, Rocky Raccoon, Don't Pass Me By, Why Don't We Do it in the Road, I Will, Julia, Birthday Jam , Yer Blues, Mother Nature's Son, Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey, Sexy Sadie, Helter Skelter, Long Long Long, Revolution 1, Honey Pie, Savoy Truffle, Cry Baby Cry, Revolution 9 , Good Night
Set 3: David Bowie, Bouncing Around the Room, Slave to the Traffic Light, Rift, Sleeping Monkey, Poor Heart, Run Like an Antelope, E: Amazing Grace, Costume Contest , The Squirming Coil
Dave Kemp
BA in American Studies
PhD in Rock and Roll
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Electric Bugaloo
Reprinting an e-mail from summer of 2007. Working on a truly epic post next week. To quote Flava Flav, "Don't believe the Hype"
Wow what an awesome time yesterday. The turnout was very weak. But alot of the Family came out and I would like to personally thank you for coming out. The bands were really good. I missed Flat Top due to a great pre show party. Six cents was good but I was really impressed with Tim Rynolds. (sp)? Did a Neil Young medley and a Zeppelin medley lus alot of original stuff. Quagmire was good (They are much better after midnight) but I was ready to get of the Bahgdadesque sun. It was blazing out there even with the Quick Shade. Besides, the biggest pre show party for a Devolver show had to end sometime.
For those of us that survived the day (and remembered to mix in some water with the beer), Devovler was the icing on the cake. 4 new songs but as always the sound was an issue. After the first half of the first set, it got better. A return of Josh Dewald on the mike for a new Zappa tune. Andy doing his best Neil Young ('70, not '72 because we all know how much cooler the '70 Young is to the '72 Young, but only by a little). The bar and the patio were packed with mostly people I've never seen before, except for a pirate, who I met when I saw Quagmire after midnight. Oh yeah and Superman almost got his ass kicked. What more could you want at a show.
A great time but I wish more people would have come out to support it. This could be the start of a really cool music fest in Hanover of all places. Again,want to give mad props to everyone that made it out. Remember, the turnout at the first chili cook off was pretty weak too. And the title of this email, not only was it the theme of the day, but it's also the only Devolver Song I ever named (debut, 3/17/2001 ATO frat house University Park, PA)
Dave Kemp BA American Studies, PhD Rock and Roll
Wow what an awesome time yesterday. The turnout was very weak. But alot of the Family came out and I would like to personally thank you for coming out. The bands were really good. I missed Flat Top due to a great pre show party. Six cents was good but I was really impressed with Tim Rynolds. (sp)? Did a Neil Young medley and a Zeppelin medley lus alot of original stuff. Quagmire was good (They are much better after midnight) but I was ready to get of the Bahgdadesque sun. It was blazing out there even with the Quick Shade. Besides, the biggest pre show party for a Devolver show had to end sometime.
For those of us that survived the day (and remembered to mix in some water with the beer), Devovler was the icing on the cake. 4 new songs but as always the sound was an issue. After the first half of the first set, it got better. A return of Josh Dewald on the mike for a new Zappa tune. Andy doing his best Neil Young ('70, not '72 because we all know how much cooler the '70 Young is to the '72 Young, but only by a little). The bar and the patio were packed with mostly people I've never seen before, except for a pirate, who I met when I saw Quagmire after midnight. Oh yeah and Superman almost got his ass kicked. What more could you want at a show.
A great time but I wish more people would have come out to support it. This could be the start of a really cool music fest in Hanover of all places. Again,want to give mad props to everyone that made it out. Remember, the turnout at the first chili cook off was pretty weak too. And the title of this email, not only was it the theme of the day, but it's also the only Devolver Song I ever named (debut, 3/17/2001 ATO frat house University Park, PA)
Dave Kemp BA American Studies, PhD Rock and Roll
Monday, October 11, 2010
Loathing and Fear in Las Vegas
I've been sick all weekend so no energy to write something new. The Shemp Institute For Funk is pleased to announce the first entry in the series Classic Shemp, chronicling my adventures in Las Vegas.
Finally, finally, finally, I make it to Las Vegas. I had tickets in hand for Phish's Halloween '98 show in Vegas but because of a close encounter of the worst kind on my way up to Lemonwheel in August of '98, I had no idea what my financial or legal status would be by the time October rolled around so I sold the tickets and put the neon jewel in another wise empty desert on the back burner. Fast forward to 2007. My new addiction is poker and I am not too bad if I say so myself. I won a tourney in June that paid a cool 750 bucks. I wanted to treat myself but wasn't sure with what. Then in July, Vegoose ( a music fest held the last two years in Vegas and put on by the same people who produced Bonnaroo) announced that Rage Against the Machine would be headlining with more bands to follow. For the first two years, the lineup for Vegoose had been very heavy on the jambands and very good nonjamband bands. So I thought, Vegas it is. I booked my ticket and then the rest of the lineup was announced. Too say I was disappointed was an understatement. Three jam bands and a bunch of hip hop, indie bands and crap. So scratch that plan. Whatever would I find in Vegas to occupy my time?
So, I now have a real, nonmusic vacation lined up for the first time since before I was legal voting age. (Yeah I know I'm sick). I was leaving on Thursday the 25 and returning on Monday the 29. At this point my biggest stress was how many condoms to pack. Monday the 21, I get out to my car to go to work at 4:45 AM and the interior fan that would blow heat into my car doesn't work. Hmmm, probably just a fuse. On Wed. it's raining and I go to turn on my windshild wipers and they don't work. Uh oh. Forcast for my drive down to BWI on Thursday, on and off again showers. Thursday morning I change the fuse and nothing. I buy Rain X Water Repellent (I'm their new spokesman), apply very excessively, and hit the road. It was misting and lightly raining, but as I go faster, the more the rain beads up and rolls off the windshield. So I get to the airport with time to spare and get out to Vegas early, no delays, no lines at security check points, and my luggage.
I stayed at the Circus Circus, or the place old gamblers go to die. It's at the end of the Strip and hasn't been redone since it was built in the 60's. The James Bond film "Diamonds are Forever" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" were filmed there. They appeal to the family customer base and I've never seen so many kids around so much vice. The sports book, unlike every other casino, still used a whiteboard to put up their odds. So old school, so lame.
Miah went out the week before and told me there seemed to be alot of dumb people playing at the Flamingo, so that's where I headed first. Started out my day there and then went to the Rio, home of the World Series of Poker. Ended the day at the Mirage and was up 100. Not too shabby. Ran into the only Head I saw all weekend. He was trying to figure out where Moe was playing late night and I was looking for my fav herbal supplement. Alas, neither one of us could help the other.
Sat was another story. Start my day out at Harrah's. The vibe in that poker room was like the one at the cafeteria at Aushawitz. Leave and then go back the the Flamingo. I was there a half an hour and get quad 8's. They pay out a bonus for high hands and that got me 118 bucks plus the pot. Take a break, eat lunch and hit the Rio. Lasted ten minutes in that tourney. Back to the Flamingo and hit quad Kings. Another 90 bucks. I'm like butter 'cause I'm on a roll. Then hit the Mirage to play and watch the PSU Ohio St game. The Mirage kicks ass. Right in the heart of the Strip, the have the Beatle's Love production and the Beatle's Revolution Lounge (which while very cool looking, John Lennon wouldn't want anything to do with it). Played alot of Beatle's music. Bet 20 on PSU to cover and they proceeded to get their asses kicked. However, I proceeded to kick ass in Limit. Left there up 300. One dude thought I was Paul Rudd and the guy next to him bore a passing resemlence to Joe Torre.
Very glad Sunday was my last day 'cause my luck had run out. Was down about 200 when it was all said and done but did win 80 on a two team parley on the Steelers and Patriots. Some old, old man sat down at the table and immediately won a 90 dollar pot. Hope he didn't spend it on green bananas. Fly out 6:15 AM and and am eating Jerry & Sal's pizza at 6:15 PM.
A few observations:
I didn't see any hookers on the street or at the bars. But it was Halloween, so who could tell the difference?
Alot of people are complaining that Hispanics are coming over the border and taking jobs from Americans. One job they've totally taken over is the guy handing out flyers for hookers. It was all Hispanics, all the time
Alot of shows out there are just impersonators. They had a Neil Diamond and a Tom Jones impersonator. Um aren't these guys still alive? One show, called The Cage, had guys in drag impersonating female singers, like Liza Minelli, Barbara Strisend, Wynonna Judd, and Michael Jackson!?!?!? I know he's white now, but isn't he still a dude?
The D
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The First 20 Shows 4/29/71 Fillmore East
Kempepedia is proud to announce the launch of a new series, “The First 20” I’ll be reviewing and generally gushing about the first 20 shows I got on tape way back in 1989. How can I remember what shows I got? Come on, we’re talking about shows here people.
First up is one of my favorite shows of all time, 4/29/71 at the Fillmore East, New York City, NY.
04-29-71 Fillmore East, New York, N.Y. (Thu)
1: Truckin, Bertha, Hurts Me Too, Cumberland> Me & My Uncle, Bird Song, Playin, Loser, Dark Hollow, Hard To Handle, Ripple, Bobby McGee, Casey Jones
2: Morning Dew, Minglewood, Sugar Magnolia, Black Peter, BIODTL, Second That Emotion, Alligator> Drums> Jam> GDTRFB> Cold Rain, China Cat> I Know You Rider, Greatest> Johnny B. Goode
E1: Uncle John
E2: Midnight Hour> We Bid You Goodnight
"Me & My Uncle" appears on "Skull Fuck" - final "Alligator" - final "Second That Emotion" - last Fillmore East show - also: NRPS - Orchestra $4.50
The Fillmore East was a venue (formally a movie theatre) that one Bill Graham opened in New York as a sister venue to his Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. The Fillmore Auditorium is a different venue than the Fillmore West. That was the Carousel Ballroom, a rather poorly run venue owned by the bands of the San Francisco scene. Bill took it over and rechristened it the Fillmore West. But all of that is for another post.
The Fillmore East was really just an East Coast venue where all the bands from out West could feel comfortable in playing to the much more rowdy and vocal crowds of the East Coast. It only held 2700 people and opened in 1968. The Dead made it their NYC home and played there 39 times and some of their best shows (2/11/70, 2/13/70, 2/14/70, 5/15/70) occurred in its hallowed halls. This show was their final show there. Bill was closing it because bands had gotten too big and making too many demands. He even threatened to quit concert promotion all together but wisely decided not to. But enough of that, let’s get on with the show.
It opens with a slightly sluggish Truckin. First set highlights include the Cumberland>Me and My Uncle (a twofer that would continue up to 1995), a rare electric Dark Hollow and a rocking Hard To Handle with a solo by Garcia that builds and builds until it peaks like a fireball in the night sky. While good, the first set is just an appetizer for a life changing second set.
Life changing you say? It changed mine. The second set has all the charging improv that are what make the Dead the Dead. With no Dick’s Picks, Nugs.net, or other sources for the cream of the crop, this was my first eye opening experience with IT, when the music takes you to another place and upon return your mind, body, and soul are enlightened.
An epic Morning Dew opens the set followed by the most rocking Minglewood EVER. Things continue to build to a head with I Second That Emotion, with another incredible Garcia guitar solo. Then the boys really throw it down. PigPen goes front and center for Alligator>Drumz (featuring just Billy as Mickey had left the band in Feb of 1971)>Jam. Words alone can not begin to describe the interplay between Phil and Jerry during this jam. It continues to build and build until they find themselves in a superfast St Stephen Jam. The tension built finally releases into one of the boy’s best transitions into Cold Rain and Snow.
Bill Graham comes out before Midnight Hour to say a few words about the Dead and ends up berating the audience for always wanting more and more from the artists. Only in New York. As Billy lays down the drum intro for Midnight Hour, you can hear someone exclaim “Yeah Pig!” I’m gonna assume he did a cartwheel to get to the mic to throw down THE definitive version of Midnight Hour. A delicate Bid You Goodnight ends a night for the ages.
You can stream an audience recording of the show here.
http://www.archive.org/details/gd71-04-29.weinberg.warner.26568.sbeok.flacf
It will also be available to download a soundboard copy of the show sometime this week from here (They’re doing the 1971 Project, which is when they post every show from that year. )
http://www.shnflac.net/torrents.php
And finally, on the official release “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Grateful Dead” discs 3 and 4 cover the majority of this night.
First up is one of my favorite shows of all time, 4/29/71 at the Fillmore East, New York City, NY.
04-29-71 Fillmore East, New York, N.Y. (Thu)
1: Truckin, Bertha, Hurts Me Too, Cumberland> Me & My Uncle, Bird Song, Playin, Loser, Dark Hollow, Hard To Handle, Ripple, Bobby McGee, Casey Jones
2: Morning Dew, Minglewood, Sugar Magnolia, Black Peter, BIODTL, Second That Emotion, Alligator> Drums> Jam> GDTRFB> Cold Rain, China Cat> I Know You Rider, Greatest> Johnny B. Goode
E1: Uncle John
E2: Midnight Hour> We Bid You Goodnight
"Me & My Uncle" appears on "Skull Fuck" - final "Alligator" - final "Second That Emotion" - last Fillmore East show - also: NRPS - Orchestra $4.50
The Fillmore East was a venue (formally a movie theatre) that one Bill Graham opened in New York as a sister venue to his Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. The Fillmore Auditorium is a different venue than the Fillmore West. That was the Carousel Ballroom, a rather poorly run venue owned by the bands of the San Francisco scene. Bill took it over and rechristened it the Fillmore West. But all of that is for another post.
The Fillmore East was really just an East Coast venue where all the bands from out West could feel comfortable in playing to the much more rowdy and vocal crowds of the East Coast. It only held 2700 people and opened in 1968. The Dead made it their NYC home and played there 39 times and some of their best shows (2/11/70, 2/13/70, 2/14/70, 5/15/70) occurred in its hallowed halls. This show was their final show there. Bill was closing it because bands had gotten too big and making too many demands. He even threatened to quit concert promotion all together but wisely decided not to. But enough of that, let’s get on with the show.
It opens with a slightly sluggish Truckin. First set highlights include the Cumberland>Me and My Uncle (a twofer that would continue up to 1995), a rare electric Dark Hollow and a rocking Hard To Handle with a solo by Garcia that builds and builds until it peaks like a fireball in the night sky. While good, the first set is just an appetizer for a life changing second set.
Life changing you say? It changed mine. The second set has all the charging improv that are what make the Dead the Dead. With no Dick’s Picks, Nugs.net, or other sources for the cream of the crop, this was my first eye opening experience with IT, when the music takes you to another place and upon return your mind, body, and soul are enlightened.
An epic Morning Dew opens the set followed by the most rocking Minglewood EVER. Things continue to build to a head with I Second That Emotion, with another incredible Garcia guitar solo. Then the boys really throw it down. PigPen goes front and center for Alligator>Drumz (featuring just Billy as Mickey had left the band in Feb of 1971)>Jam. Words alone can not begin to describe the interplay between Phil and Jerry during this jam. It continues to build and build until they find themselves in a superfast St Stephen Jam. The tension built finally releases into one of the boy’s best transitions into Cold Rain and Snow.
Bill Graham comes out before Midnight Hour to say a few words about the Dead and ends up berating the audience for always wanting more and more from the artists. Only in New York. As Billy lays down the drum intro for Midnight Hour, you can hear someone exclaim “Yeah Pig!” I’m gonna assume he did a cartwheel to get to the mic to throw down THE definitive version of Midnight Hour. A delicate Bid You Goodnight ends a night for the ages.
You can stream an audience recording of the show here.
http://www.archive.org/details/gd71-04-29.weinberg.warner.26568.sbeok.flacf
It will also be available to download a soundboard copy of the show sometime this week from here (They’re doing the 1971 Project, which is when they post every show from that year. )
http://www.shnflac.net/torrents.php
And finally, on the official release “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Grateful Dead” discs 3 and 4 cover the majority of this night.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Boxcar Social 8/27/10 Triantafyllo Festival, Spring Grove, PA
It seems like there are a lot of bluegrass bands on the scene now. You have the elder statesmen of the newgrass genre, Yonder and Railroad Earth. Some of the young’uns include Cabinet and the Coal Town Rounders. But one band that that been able to combine rock based jamming with bluegrass’s twang is Hanover’s own Boxcar Social. I witnessed them conjuring up some serious magic on Aug. 27 at the Triantafyllo Festival in Spring Grove.
Frank Vecera rips it up on electric guitar with a style all his own with a nod to heavier, darker influences. One Brian Davis lays down a solid bottom on the fretless bass. Dave Wonderlin throws down a percussive groove while Col. Josh Sanders shows a delicate touch on the trap set. With a voice made for that high and lonesome sound, Paul Kraft brings the bluegrass on mandolin.
They opened the show with an original composition, Spaceman, highlighting the vocal interplay between Paul and Brian. This was followed by a rocking cover of Folsom Prison Blues. The reggae tinged ten minute 43 led into a monster jam, highlighting their ability to stretch things out. Another early peak is All Of These Dreams, another original. Midway through the song, they go into just the chorus of Fire on the Mountain. This leads to a soaring section of inspired improv.
Later in the set, the fan saluting Taper’s Section leads into a smoking Drumz and a truly tripped out Space with Brian scatting all over the chorus for “Bright Sunshine Day” A cover of Phish’s First Tube leads into a raging jam that has more than a nod to Hanover’s other legendary jamband Devolver. (Yes, I can work in a Devolver reference anywhere but listen to the show; it’s there.)
They wrap up the show with their stand out monument to everything that is encompassed by Boxcar Social, the Pockets Sandwich. It consists of Pockets (Paul Kraft original)>Steam Powered Aeroplane>Gin and Juice>Steam Powered>Pockets. Their ability to go from trad bluegrass to an anthem of early 90’s G-Funk back into bluegrass is what makes Boxcar who they are. The tension that they weave during Gin and Juice is truly a sight to behold. The reprise of Pockets even has a hiphopesque breakdown in it.
Playing to their largest audience yet, Boxcar showed their ability to rise to the occasion and put on a peak performance.
Frank Vecera rips it up on electric guitar with a style all his own with a nod to heavier, darker influences. One Brian Davis lays down a solid bottom on the fretless bass. Dave Wonderlin throws down a percussive groove while Col. Josh Sanders shows a delicate touch on the trap set. With a voice made for that high and lonesome sound, Paul Kraft brings the bluegrass on mandolin.
They opened the show with an original composition, Spaceman, highlighting the vocal interplay between Paul and Brian. This was followed by a rocking cover of Folsom Prison Blues. The reggae tinged ten minute 43 led into a monster jam, highlighting their ability to stretch things out. Another early peak is All Of These Dreams, another original. Midway through the song, they go into just the chorus of Fire on the Mountain. This leads to a soaring section of inspired improv.
Later in the set, the fan saluting Taper’s Section leads into a smoking Drumz and a truly tripped out Space with Brian scatting all over the chorus for “Bright Sunshine Day” A cover of Phish’s First Tube leads into a raging jam that has more than a nod to Hanover’s other legendary jamband Devolver. (Yes, I can work in a Devolver reference anywhere but listen to the show; it’s there.)
They wrap up the show with their stand out monument to everything that is encompassed by Boxcar Social, the Pockets Sandwich. It consists of Pockets (Paul Kraft original)>Steam Powered Aeroplane>Gin and Juice>Steam Powered>Pockets. Their ability to go from trad bluegrass to an anthem of early 90’s G-Funk back into bluegrass is what makes Boxcar who they are. The tension that they weave during Gin and Juice is truly a sight to behold. The reprise of Pockets even has a hiphopesque breakdown in it.
Playing to their largest audience yet, Boxcar showed their ability to rise to the occasion and put on a peak performance.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Bliss in Burlington
Well, greeting friends, it’s good to be back writing long (but not too long) posts of my adventures as a Head living in post millennial America. Do to popular demand, I’m starting a blog and its called Kempepedia; a name brought to us by the sharp mind of one Tara Assi. Your best bet is to set up an RSS feed or sign up for email alerts, as I will make posts as my muse moves me, and she doesn’t do too much on days I work 12 hour shift. Gonna try to do it weekly and see where it goes from there. I will also be posting write-ups from the Vault in a series I’d like to call Classic Shemp. This blog is dedicated to the next generation, including but not limited to my nephews Owen and Patrick, my niece Mallory and Adrian and Tara’s currently percolating twin daughters. Maybe they can read this and see why Uncle Dave is so crazy. So let’s get on with the show.
I spent the last weekend of summer up in the fertile lands of Vermont, home of Ben and Jerry’s and Phish. Left on Thursday and treated it like a day of work. Got up at 4:20 and was on the road at 5:05 in the AM. Missed all the rush hour traffic of York and Harrisburg and was on my way. Took the interstate highways until right after I passed Glenn Falls, NY, sight of my epic Halloween show in 1994. From then until Burlington, it was all rural roads, farms, and a racetrack called the Devil’s Bowl.
When you roll up onto Burlington, it gradually forms and all of a sudden, you’re in the downtown. Randomly parked two blocks from Josh’s parents condo and two blocks from where Switzer was just getting off of work (Was up in VT for Josh and Switzer’s wedding celebration).
Thursday night was cold and it rained incredibly heavy and intense. They got almost an inch of rain. The rest of the weekend was picture perfect. Jeremy and Laura rolled up in the afternoon and we hit the Vermont Brew Pub for dinner and jocularity. We all crashed around 1 and around 4 a super loud chirping and a female voice awaken me. Go back to sleep and startled awake again. And again. And again. And the intervals are getting shorter and shorter. So finally I get up and go out into the hallway. I’m looking for an intercom, cell phone, something. While I’m out there, it goes off again. It’s the smoke detector going off due to a dying battery. I stand on a chair, in my boxers, and being a little shorter than average, can barely reach the detector.
About a month and a half ago, Switzer’s and Josh’s abode caught on fire and that’s why they were living in the condo. So the last thing I wanted to do was set off the smoke detector or break it. But I could not find the battery and then it went OFF!!! Well, Wilson was barking, Switzer was having flashbacks, and everyone was awake. Josh, using his engineering degree, disabled it and we were able to get back asleep.
Friday Switzer and myself drove to New Hampshire so she could pick up here new puppy, a redbone coonhound named Franny. The woman that raised her had a crazy Noah’s Ark farm thing going on. Ducks chickens, peacocks, quail, and pheasants running wild on her property. Inside the house, a child doorway blocker separated the kitchen from the dining room. The females were on the dining room side while 7 male puppies were on the kitchen side, with urine stained and soaked newspapers all over the floor. While Switzer TCB’d, I stood a corner, checking out the web on my new and improved phone and watched a fly walk up a wall like he belonged there.
After a stop at a rest stop, (all their rest stops in NH have liquor stores at them best there is no sales tax in NH and I guess New England really likes to drink.) we hit the road. Franny is all hyper and crying and chewing on Switzer’s dreads. We put on Phish and she chills out and goes to sleep. Yup, they got the right dog.
Friday night we go to a restaurant call the FarmHouse. It’s built in an old McDonald’s that closed down in downtown due to lack of business (How awesome is that). Amazing food, more cheese that you can imagine, and all locally supplied from Vermont. The cheddar was fantastic and I’m not a big cheese guy. Then we headed to Necter’s for a Dead cover band. For the few that don’t know, Necter’s is where Phish got started (along with the late lamented club The Front), so seeing a Dead cover band there is pretty amazing. Those wacky college kids drink Pabst Blue Ribbon like its going out of style and it was a blast and a half. Camped in the backyard at Taraleigh and Dan’s (Shameless plug: Check out her magazine Healthy Hippie on FB. Be a fan, You know you want to). It was cold (lower 40’s), but my beard keeps my whole body warm and comfortable.
The next day was the wedding celebration which included a kickball game and a really good 3 piece band called Crane, formerly known as Bloody Knuckles. That was followed by a fantastic cookout firepit celebration of their wedded bliss. I went to bed around midnight and took it easy because I had a full day Sunday. What did I do on Sunday?????? Just drove 9 hours to see Widespread Panic play an hour from my house.
Hit very little traffic until 83 and got home in time to watch the Steelers win and the Ravens lose. (Does it get any better than that?) Then Paul and myself headed down to Baltimore to see Widespread Panic. It was also Frank Zappa day in Baltimore. He was born there and Sunday was the 25th anniversary of him testifying before Congress about the importance of Free speech and the danger of the PMRC (Look it up on Wikiepedia) The statue was funded by fans in Lithuania. Zappa plays Zappa played for free. I missed that but how cool is that?????? I got a tix for less than face and then helped Paul save 5 bucks on a t shirt. Don’t be surprised, the lot is my natural habitat. Panic tore it up like they always do. I got my Disco, Let’s Get Down to Business, and Ron Halloway sat in for a song,
An amazing weekend and a great way to kick off my blog. Thank you Vermont for the inspiration and Tara Assi for the name…..FURTHUR!!!!!!!!!!!!
I spent the last weekend of summer up in the fertile lands of Vermont, home of Ben and Jerry’s and Phish. Left on Thursday and treated it like a day of work. Got up at 4:20 and was on the road at 5:05 in the AM. Missed all the rush hour traffic of York and Harrisburg and was on my way. Took the interstate highways until right after I passed Glenn Falls, NY, sight of my epic Halloween show in 1994. From then until Burlington, it was all rural roads, farms, and a racetrack called the Devil’s Bowl.
When you roll up onto Burlington, it gradually forms and all of a sudden, you’re in the downtown. Randomly parked two blocks from Josh’s parents condo and two blocks from where Switzer was just getting off of work (Was up in VT for Josh and Switzer’s wedding celebration).
Thursday night was cold and it rained incredibly heavy and intense. They got almost an inch of rain. The rest of the weekend was picture perfect. Jeremy and Laura rolled up in the afternoon and we hit the Vermont Brew Pub for dinner and jocularity. We all crashed around 1 and around 4 a super loud chirping and a female voice awaken me. Go back to sleep and startled awake again. And again. And again. And the intervals are getting shorter and shorter. So finally I get up and go out into the hallway. I’m looking for an intercom, cell phone, something. While I’m out there, it goes off again. It’s the smoke detector going off due to a dying battery. I stand on a chair, in my boxers, and being a little shorter than average, can barely reach the detector.
About a month and a half ago, Switzer’s and Josh’s abode caught on fire and that’s why they were living in the condo. So the last thing I wanted to do was set off the smoke detector or break it. But I could not find the battery and then it went OFF!!! Well, Wilson was barking, Switzer was having flashbacks, and everyone was awake. Josh, using his engineering degree, disabled it and we were able to get back asleep.
Friday Switzer and myself drove to New Hampshire so she could pick up here new puppy, a redbone coonhound named Franny. The woman that raised her had a crazy Noah’s Ark farm thing going on. Ducks chickens, peacocks, quail, and pheasants running wild on her property. Inside the house, a child doorway blocker separated the kitchen from the dining room. The females were on the dining room side while 7 male puppies were on the kitchen side, with urine stained and soaked newspapers all over the floor. While Switzer TCB’d, I stood a corner, checking out the web on my new and improved phone and watched a fly walk up a wall like he belonged there.
After a stop at a rest stop, (all their rest stops in NH have liquor stores at them best there is no sales tax in NH and I guess New England really likes to drink.) we hit the road. Franny is all hyper and crying and chewing on Switzer’s dreads. We put on Phish and she chills out and goes to sleep. Yup, they got the right dog.
Friday night we go to a restaurant call the FarmHouse. It’s built in an old McDonald’s that closed down in downtown due to lack of business (How awesome is that). Amazing food, more cheese that you can imagine, and all locally supplied from Vermont. The cheddar was fantastic and I’m not a big cheese guy. Then we headed to Necter’s for a Dead cover band. For the few that don’t know, Necter’s is where Phish got started (along with the late lamented club The Front), so seeing a Dead cover band there is pretty amazing. Those wacky college kids drink Pabst Blue Ribbon like its going out of style and it was a blast and a half. Camped in the backyard at Taraleigh and Dan’s (Shameless plug: Check out her magazine Healthy Hippie on FB. Be a fan, You know you want to). It was cold (lower 40’s), but my beard keeps my whole body warm and comfortable.
The next day was the wedding celebration which included a kickball game and a really good 3 piece band called Crane, formerly known as Bloody Knuckles. That was followed by a fantastic cookout firepit celebration of their wedded bliss. I went to bed around midnight and took it easy because I had a full day Sunday. What did I do on Sunday?????? Just drove 9 hours to see Widespread Panic play an hour from my house.
Hit very little traffic until 83 and got home in time to watch the Steelers win and the Ravens lose. (Does it get any better than that?) Then Paul and myself headed down to Baltimore to see Widespread Panic. It was also Frank Zappa day in Baltimore. He was born there and Sunday was the 25th anniversary of him testifying before Congress about the importance of Free speech and the danger of the PMRC (Look it up on Wikiepedia) The statue was funded by fans in Lithuania. Zappa plays Zappa played for free. I missed that but how cool is that?????? I got a tix for less than face and then helped Paul save 5 bucks on a t shirt. Don’t be surprised, the lot is my natural habitat. Panic tore it up like they always do. I got my Disco, Let’s Get Down to Business, and Ron Halloway sat in for a song,
An amazing weekend and a great way to kick off my blog. Thank you Vermont for the inspiration and Tara Assi for the name…..FURTHUR!!!!!!!!!!!!
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