Matt Hagen's Shocktober Night 2: The Return of Brainscapes, Oct 10th, 2019

     Hello everyone. Hope the weather is nice where you are because it has been absolutely beautiful up here. The sun is out and so are the leaf peepers. But I am not here to pontificate about the fall foliage, I am here to talk about the abundance of music in Burlington. Today, its all about Night 2 of Matt Hagen’s Shocktober Music Series, The Return of Brainscapes, Oct 10^th, 2019.

     Brainscapes is another one of Matt’s musical projects. According to my research, it usually is Matt and the super talented Bob Wagner, both playing guitar. This time they were augmented by (I didn’t get there last names, sorry) Ari on keyboards and Dan on bass. It pretty much was all improv. They played straight through for about 55 minutes. No way to really keep a setlist. They didn’t even have any type of percussion going on until about 20 minutes in when Ari started dropping some dope beats.

      I hate to call it Pink Floydesque because anything spacey can be described as that. So let’s say it was propulsive, ambient, tripped out rock. Matt made use of his pedal board. Bob added some sublime ohh’s and ahh’s. Matt also played a theremin  for a little bit. Never seen one played live, so I can cross that off the list. They wore squids on their heads because why not.

     Another awesome night of music and one step closer to that sweet, tasty loaf of bread. Next week, Angels Bones and the Filthy Fist.

Dave Kemp

BA American Studies

PhD Rock and Roll

Matt Hagen's Shocktober Music Series Night 1: Matt's Murder Ballads Oct. 3, 2019

     Hello beautiful people. Super crisp up here today. It was 33 when I got up this morning. Great time at Dead Set ’77. Saw a bunch of friends and some amazing music. But I am not here to talk about iconic San Fran bands, I am here to talk about iconic Burlington musicians. Specifically, Mr. Matt Hagen. He is doing an October residency at the Light Club Lamp Shop. He’s calling it Shocktober Music Series. Every Thursday is a different musical event. If you attend all five nights, he will make you a loaf of bread to be delivered after the run. So not only does my soul get artist nourishment, I will be getting consumable caloric carbs from the artist. So without further ado, The Shocktober Music Series Night 1: Matt’s Murder Ballads, October 3, 2019.

Setlist:

Watch My Stool, Hightail Honeymoon, Spirit Man, Bone Pickin’, Woman in Black, Best Friends are the Coldest Ones, ?, Wallet of Sin, Larry the Canary, Marie Laveau

     All of the songs were Hagen originals except the last one. The words were by Shel Silverstein. They were all about murder, death, and mayhem. Matt played acoustic guitar and was accompanied by the super talented Brett Lanier on pedal steel. I know very little about the pedal steel other than it is super cool. He had a pedal board which he used to great effect.

      My favorite tunes were Wallet of Sin and Larry the Canary. Wallet was about selling out your artist soul (a different kind of death) to the entertainment /industrial complex. Larry was about a canary that turns the tables on the coal miners who used him to detect high levels of poisonous gas in the mines.

     I look forward to seeing the wide range of musical styles Matt has up his sleeve for the next four weeks. It’s every Thursday at 7pm and if you can make it out I highly recommend it. See you next week.

Dave Kemp

BA American Studies

PhD Rock and Roll