Tag: review
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Lakker: ‘Containing a Thousand’ EP
Digital audio workstations meet the end of the world on Dublin duo Lakker’s new EP Containing A Thousand out on R&S March 11.
This EP takes the listener on a journey through a post-apocalyptic wasteland where music is made from the grinding of machines left to continue manufacturing hunks of metal without a human in sight. Dark, almost foreboding melodies swirl around hard, industrial beats, creating a sound that could only be described as coming from a cosmos with only the faint memory of human existence.
Although it is their first album released on esteemed electronic label, R&S, this techno duo is certainly not an amateur act. They have been creating electronica beats for a decade, even having the honor of being spun by Richard D James (Aphex Twin) in his live sets—a distinction coveted by much of the electronic music world.
Complex, but intense beats begin the journey through a robotic wasteland with “Counting a Thousand.” Techno vibes from a satellite far from Earth circulate the air, as machines grind and churn perpetually, having continued their course despite the absence of humanity. Perhaps, the human race has jetted off to inhabit a new planet, and left only the remnants of parties and discos floating noisily over the crackling radio waves on a used-up earth.
“Mausoleum” continues with more metal-crunching, mechanical beats. Lakker’s roots in punk, metal, and broken beats can be clearly heard, mingling with the distinctive techno sounds they have become known for. Sounds that evoke images of machines humming through long plastic tubes elicit ominous, almost eerie feelings.
The EP gets a bit more tribal with “K’antu.” This track is curious sounding, like exploring the home of a person you have never met from a culture you have yet to experience. A little bit brighter and more optimistic sounding than the preceding tracks, “K’antu” feels as if it would make the perfect background music for Alice, had she fallen down the rabbit hole in outer space.
“Thermohaline” hits the listener like a meteor, from the moment the song begins. Powerful beats boomerang as the melody builds intensity in the background. This track has the horsepower of a Ferrari, but takes quiet moments for the listener to catch their breath before pulling them back into the music—hard.
Containing a Thousand certainly distinguishes itself from all other electronic bands out there. It takes the intensity of Excision minus the screeching sounds and dub step scratches and fuses them with the spacey after-world beats of Mimosa, taken to a whole new level of brooding intensity. While the album is rather dark and ominous, techno fans will certainly be swept away to another land by this EP.
Roky Erickson with Black Angels at Terminal West
My two roommates and I went to see Roky Erickson. We were anxious to see what kind of people would be at a show featuring Roky Erickson (obviously The Black Angels headlined). We walked in behind a middle-aged double date. One of the women was wearing gold metallic go-go boots. Of course, The Black Angels are a psychedelic-rock band, so I was expecting oddities like this one. It was a sold out show.
We walked in in the middle of Roky Erickson’s performance, and I cried a little on the inside. I wanted to see him walk on, but I can imagine it: probably simply and without acknowledging there was a crowd of Black Angel fans before him. Roky Erickson got his start in 1966 after co-founding The 13th Floor Elevators. Later in 1974, “Two Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer)” debuted a more rock and roll side of Roky, as compared to his original psychedelic style. “Two Headed Dog” became a single, which he of course, featured at the show. I assumed he was the reason most of the older folks showed up. He wasn’t alone on stage, though. He was accompanied by three guitarists, a beautiful keyboardist and a drummer, all of which were young and healthy. Roky seemed out of place. He still has long hair, although more gray and he seemed to be looking at the guitarists at either side of him, looking for a nod of approval I was looking forward to seeing him by himself. I wanted to see him on a stool with a guitar singing, “I Love the Living You”. Roky is the epitome of raw, so much so that his acoustic songs become revelatory. He is the only artist that can bring tears to my eyes and yet sing so simply. Nonetheless, he was there, in the flesh, a legend. I was glad to know Roky existed outside of my head. He left as simply as I assume he came out.
Enough of my swooning over Roky Erickson. The crowd multiplied, along with random puffs of smoke overhead (“eh-hem”). There was still a varied age group. To be honest, I had never listened to Black Angels prior to this night. The stage was set with four stand-alone canvases and one large canvas backdrop. Projections splattered the stage with trippy colors and star images. The music played but no Black Angels. I could feel the excitement gathering, and the crowd grew louder, but still, no Black Angels. After two or three minutes of this titillation, they walked on. I was expecting a grand entrance, but I guess you don’t need that when you’re the Black Angels. The crowd went wild, as the cliché goes, and they began. The drummer, a shaggy haired girl that looked like she could stare anyone to death, played a heavy, slow beat. Then the vocalist broke in. This was literally a psychedelic experience – not just The Black Angels but the event as a whole. To my right was a young, sweet couple and to my left a guy that looked like Mick Jagger’s clone. I was still having post-Roky effects, and it was all too much. I wouldn’t have missed this show for the world. It was a once in a lifetime experience, and I shared it with two great people, and that is what makes a concert review-worthy.
Axxa/Abraxas: ‘Axxa/Abraxas’
Sometimes, you have to learn to be happy exactly where you are. And, thankfully, once in a blue moon, musical acts like Axxa/Abraxas emerge and remind me again why I’m so proud to be living in Athens, Georgia. The project of University of Georgia alum Ben Asbury is a unique blend of music and art that never ceases to inspire with its melting pot of 60s pop, 70s psych and post-punk. On March 4, all of this wonderment culminates in the release of Axxa / Abraxas’ self-titled debut album.
I suggest starting with the album’s first two singles (below), “I Almost Fell” and “On The Run”, especially if you’re a little weary of heavy psychedelia. Their sound is quite different from the rest of the album, yet still fits ideally between the other eight tracks. “I Almost Fell” is what would happen if A Flock of Seagulls was transported to the 70s, while “On The Run” dips deeper into straight rock n’ roll. This track is simultaneously reminiscent of the Doors and today’s surf punk bands – an odd but strangely satisfying combination.
The rest of the record proves to be much more expectedly 70s, a lot more lyrically inclined. “Ryan Michalak (Is Coming To Town)” opens the album in an instrumental haze of violin before jumping into a fuzzy-voiced tale about – what else – an old friend returning. Harder tracks like “So Far Away” make me feel like I’ve turned on an old Cream record, while more thoughtful tunes like “Painted Blue” tell me, “Close your eyes so your mind can see.” Groovy, no?
If at all possible, try to pick up a physical copy of the album – Asbury was in part picked up by the Captured Tracks label because of his demos’ stunning D.I.Y. silkscreen art. But don’t take too long eyeing this inevitably gorgeous cover art. You’ll want to get to listening to this psych masterpiece, stat.
Top 5 Looks: Spring 2014 Couture
Couture season is the best season, and the Spring 2014 shows – awash with tulle, feathers and glitter galore – didn’t disappoint. Set in seductive Paris, our favorite models marched down the catwalk in pieces that could only be described as “art”. So skip the museum and take a peek at some of our favorite works, in all their textural, painterly glory. You might just be inspired to pull out those old paints and put your brush to canvas.
Chanel
Holy punk. From the fringed hair right down to some very urban sneakers, this Chanel look is all about edge. What makes it a little more complex, though, is in the middle: attitude, meet glamour. Some very feminine feathers and sparkle keep this look from going too goth, and a silver girdle of sorts lets that womanly figure appear beneath tons of tulle.
Christian Dior
Sometimes, it’s all in the details. At first glance, this look may appear to be more akin to minimalist Calvin Klein, but we urge you to zoom in. The glossy, plasticized texture of the outfit aside, we adore the tiny window into another world seen on that crop top. And don’t even get us started on those shoes – it’s like loafers and gladiator sandals had a sexy, metallic baby.
Elie Saab
We yawned a little at first when flipping through pictures of the Elie Saab show – it seemed like they’d been doing the same translucent, sparkly gowns season after season. But we stopped short on this one, jaw on the floor. Seriously, did someone grab the Northern Lights and somehow attach them to a dreamy, flowing dress? And even better, we love that those gorgeous tones fade from a pitch-black top. Totally unexpected.
Zuhair Murad
Hippie chicks, unite! Zuhair Murad’s got your back with this angelic lace gown, complete with a leafy golden belt. It’s so simple, but endlessly chic and figure flattering. Best of all? This look could go from a beach cover-up to a lunch date to a red carpet. Apparently, ladies like Janis Joplin had the right idea.
Valentino
How could we not include this musical note gown on Vinyl’s list? We love that the rest of the look is sheer and understated, letting the notes take center stage. But in anticipation of being called “boring”, flawless lines of glitter lay beneath each measure. Sheer, sexy, and smart: Beethoven would approve.
REVIEW: Lockn – Day Four
The last day of a four day festival is always that day when you know you are completely exhausted and perhaps just totally burned out, but any fatigue is suppressed by the notion that there are great music and vibes to bask in for just one last day. Although “Sunday Funday” was about to commence at Lockn’, there was nothing fun about what was going on in the car camping fields. Despite the fourth beautiful morning and waking up to blue skies and the sun just touching above the mountain backdrop, a repugnant stench from the deplorable provided porta-johns, which had never been cleaned once over the entire weekend, wafted through the camping field. After twenty-four hours of pleas to staff and to Lockn’ via social media which started on the previous day, alleviation from this overlooked logistic for campers came around 5:00PM Sunday. My gratitude still goes out to the men who had to clean those those plastic stalls of something that can only be described as a defecation hell.
With images and stenches that I hope to never see or smell again behind me, Sunday did in fact prove to be one hell of a finale to what was truly an amazing and momentous weekend. The music started off with yet again another local Charlottesville bluegrass band, this time being the Hackensaw Boys. The set was a perfect start to the day and set the crowd up for the second act of the day, Col. Bruce Hampton & Friends w/ Oteil.
From the fabrications that Neil Young would in fact make an appearance at Lockn to the speculation surrounding why/how Trey Anastasio had been added to the lineup, Lockn’ was somewhat of a rumor mill and Col. Bruce’s set just added to the disillusioned hopes. Although a very plausible assumption considering Jeff Snipe, Oteil Burbridge, Jimmy Herring, and of course Col. Bruce Hampton were all present at Lockn that Sunday, it had been anticipated that a possible Aquarium Rescue Unit reunion would take place. As much as crowd members hoped for the reunion it did not occur, but that doesn’t mean Col. Bruce Hampton & Friends’ set was a flop, quite the opposite actually. In addition to Snipe and Burbridge joining the set later on, Eric Krasno, Soulive and Lettuce guitarist, also found himself on stage that afternoon.
Fresh off an album release, the Tedeschi Trucks Band band took to the stage next and delivered a set chock full of collaborations. Off of their new album they delivered “Made Up Mind,” “Do I Look Worried,” and “Part of Me.” Remarking that this was one of her favorite songs written by band guitarist Mike Mattison, Tedeschi sang a beautiful soulful “Midnight In Harlem.” Krasno accompanied TTB on a version of John Prine’s “Angels from Montgomery” that included a “Sugaree” tease. Just when you thought the set couldn’t get any better, Chris Robinson, Bob Weir, Jackie Greene, Burbridge, and Krasno all sat in on celebratory “Sing A Simple Song > I Want To Take You Higher.”
Robinson greeted the audience to the beautiful Sunday afternoon with “Seeing Things” followed by “My Morning Song > Stare It Cold > My Morning Song.” In addition to Black Crowes’ classics such as “Garden Gate,” Nonfiction,” and “Shine Along,” notable covers included Joe Cocker’s “Space Captain” and The Velvet Underground’s “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’” with Robinson’s brother Rich Robinson on lead vocals. The Tedeschi Trucks Band returned to the stage to collaborate on Ray Charles’ “Let’s Go Get Stoned” and they remained on stage for the last song of the set, Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Turn On Your Light,” which included an appearance from Bob Weir.
The sets full of guest performances and collaborations continued with Widespread Panic’s second set of Lockn. This sunset set kicked off with “Conrad The Caterpiller” and “Please” into an ode to Neil Young with a fiery “Mr. Soul” that highlighted what Herring does best with his guitar. The always favorite instrumental “Disco” got the crowd dancing up a dusty storm and a re-boost in energy came with Robert Johnson’s “Stop Breakin’ Down” and a cover from one of their favorite bands, as John Bell put it, “Can’t Get High.” Keyboardist John “JoJo” Herman had the opportunity to show off his expertise with J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High,” another staple and perfected Panic cover. Derek Trucks sat in on “Chilly Water,” Robert Johnson’s “Me and the Devil Blues,” and Jerry Joseph’s “North,” to close out the set. Between Herring and Trucks, this was an on-point collaboration that had festival attendees reminiscing hours and even days after this set had ended.
The last show of the weekend was performed by none other than crowd favorite Furthur. Opening the set was the Grateful Dead’s “Terrapin Station,” followed by “Samson And Delilah” with Susan Tedeschi on guitar and vocals. Herring sat in on classics “Brown-Eyed Women” and “Box of Rain.” Tedeschi returned again for a cover of Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” “Playing in the Band,” and “Standing on the Moon.” Furthur came full circle and closed out their set with “Terrapin Flyer > Terrapin Reprise;” in a sense, finishing what they had started. A melancholy spirit blanketed the crowd as the realization that all was coming to a close as Furthur returned to the stage one last time. Phil Lesh stood on stage, as he has done at the end of shows since his liver transplant in 1998, and delivered his organ donor rap. The encore was a beautiful “Brokedown Palace” that peacefully lullabied the crowd and proved to be an appropriate finish to a weekend that provided not only sweet songs, but rocked our souls.
REVIEW: Lockn Festival – Day Three
It was another beautiful day at Lockn’ and day three opened with a fusion of ‘80s and bluegrass. Yes you read that correctly. The Charlottesville band Love Canon, comprised of Jesse Harper (Guitarist/singer), Adam Larrabee (Banjo), Andy Thacker (Mandolin), and Darrell Muller (Bass/Backing Vocals), got this music going with covers like Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” ZZ Top’s “Legs,” and Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical.” Comical, yet genius. The afternoon turned funky and Black Keys-esq with The London Souls followed by The Punch Brothers taking us straight back to traditional bluegrass roots.
By the time the Black Crows took the stage the sun was starting it’s slow decent into the earth. Their impassioned set was filled with soul and good old rock and roll. Many classics and favorites were played including “Jealous Again” and a “She Talks to Angels” that got the entire audience singing a long. Admist beautiful segues and seamless transitions, The Crows slipped covers of the Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” and their own version of Otis Reddings’ “Hard to Handle” into Billy Joe Royal’s “Hush.” The Black Crows would take the stage the following day for their second set of the weekend.
Days after Neil Young’s cancellation, it seemed that Lockn’ made the right replacement choice with the Trey Anastasio Band. Although it has been speculated that Anastasio was never a replacement choice, that Lockn’ had previously planned to add him to the lineup anyway, either way his set was a highlight for festival attendees alike. You didn’t have to be a Phish fan to enjoy TAB that evening. The set opened with a lively “Cayman Review” and included some Phish staples “Ocelot” and “Sand.” This set was also an opportunity for Anastasio to play some of his solo songs like “Valentine.” The absolute high point of TAB’s set was the cover of Gorillaz’ “Clint Eastwood,” that got the entire audience singing and dancing. In addition to the songs, the horns, the band, and Anastasio himself, it cannot go unmentioned how songstress and trumpet player Jennifer Hartswick captivated the entire Lockn’ crowd with her incredible vocals, both on “Clint Eastwood” and Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog.” This was TAB’s only set of the weekend and the performance that was put on that evening left the Lockn’ audience wanting more.
As soon as TAB was done ramping up the crowd, Widespread Panic took the stage a few minutes later for their first of two highly anticipated sets of the weekend. For two hours not only did we get a full serving of classic Panic, but for the last thirty minutes of the set legendary American rocker and former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty took the stage with those Georgia boys. There was a “Henry Parsons Died” opener with “Pigeons” following. “Pilgrims” into “Ribs And Whiskey” got the whole crowd stomping up a dusty storm and elevated the excitement for what was yet to be delivered. After an appropriate “Ain’t Life Grand,” Fogerty joined Panic on stage and immediately delivered those time-honored CCR classics the crowd was just waiting to sing-a-long to. Those classics included “Born on the Bayou,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Suzy Q,” “Keep on Chooglin,” and of course “Fortunate Son.” After thanking “The Panics” for having him on stage Fogerty plugged and played his new song “Mystic Highway.”
The entire Widespread Panic set with John Fogerty: Henry Parsons Died, Pigeons, Travelin’ Light, Pilgrims >Ribs And Whiskey, Holden Oversoul, Dyin’ Man, Taildragger, Bust It Big > Surprise Valley > Drum Solo > Surprise Valley > Blue Indian, Ain’ Life Grand, Born On The Bayou (with John Fogerty), Bad Moon Rising (with John Fogerty), Mystic Highway (with John Fogerty), Suzy Q (with John Fogerty), Old Man Down The Road (with John Fogerty), Keep on Chooglin (with John Fogerty), Fortunate Son (with John Fogerty)
Taking the Lockn’ stage for the third time that weekend, Furthur played a complete set featuring the Grateful Dead album Workingman’s Dead. It seemed that the crowd that Saturday night was the largest it had been all weekend and there was an overall sense that the culmination of Lockn’ was about to be heard and seen. You couldn’t help but sing a long to “Uncle John’s Band” and “Dire Wolf.” Anastasio joined on stage for the last song of the album “Casey Jones,” and remained on stage for the remainder of the set. “Bertha,” “Scarlet Begonias,” and “Fire on the Mountain,” among other Grateful Dead staples, closed out the memorable festival day; a day that could never and will never be duplicated.
REVIEW: Lockn Festival – Day Two
Friday was a brand new day in the world of Lockn’ with all the hiccups of yesterday behind us.The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the beautiful oak tree in the middle of Oak Ridge Estate greeted us as we made our trek to the festival area. This second day of music started off with the local Charlottesville duo Founding Fathers, comprised of Andy Falco and Chris Pandolfi of the Infamous String Dusters. Following this bluegrass set, Pegi Young and The Survivors brought some country rock to that hot Virginia afternoon. With the cancellation of headliner Neil Young only a couple of weeks prior to the festival it was inevitable that Peggy’s performance at Lockn’ would fuel rumors of Neil Young actually showing up at the festival. Although she is married to the music legend, his wife of 31 years, her performance that afternoon was not overshadowed by the fanciful hopes of a special appearance that filled some festival goers that weekend.
Booty shaking, boogie funk. Need I say more? With temperatures rising in that wide open field, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Soul Rebels Brass Band turned up the heat a little more with the third set of day two at Lockn’. Both bands brought the party from New Orleans to Arrington, VA with covers like Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky and the Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams.”
Where others may not be fond of story telling by musicians between songs, I do appreciate anecdotes that convey personal and deeper meaning to the musical performance. In his set following those funky bands from NOLA, Jimmy Cliff not only brought his talent but his intimate stories to the stage. Highlights of the set included “Vietnam” where he substituted Vietnam for Afghanistan, the Cat Stevens cover “ Wild World,” and Johnny Nash’s cover “I Can See Clearly Now.”
Immediately following Jimmy Cliff, The String Cheese Incident began their first of two performances that evening as the sun set over Lockn’. “Outside and Inside” was the first song of the set with Billy Nershi on lead vocals and Kyle Hollingsworth rhythmically pounding the keys. In provoking the celtic spirit, they segued into the instrumental “Valley of the Jig” which set the tone nicely for their the rest of their bluegrass and electronic infused performance. “Joyful Sound” incorporated these electronic undertones as experimental improvisations broke from the cease of Keith Moseley’s vocals. Following this frenzied dance party and impassioned jams, Kyle served us a lighthearted and funky “Let’s Go Outside,” followed by a playful “This Must be the PLace (Naive Melody). SCI’s entire first set of the evening: Outside and Inside > Valley of the Jig, It Is What It Is, Yo Se, Joyful Sound > Let’s Go Outside, This Must be the Place (Naive Melody) > Restless Wind
Furthur took the stage for their first set of the week noodling around for a moment before dropping into a powerful and funky shakedown street. The crowd erupted as Phil Lesh’s opening notes rang out. An excellent choice of opener to set the tone for the weekend. Next up was The Wheel, a personal favorite of mine written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter followed by Cryptical Envelopment into a very dark Estimated Prophet. Music had been going for almost an hour nonstop by the time the band finished Cold, Rain and Snow. More great renditions of classics followed with Cassidy, Candyman and finishing the set with Jack Straw.
The String Cheese Incident’s last “incident” of the weekend included a collaboration with American country songwriter/singer/guitarist Zac Brown and his fellow band members of the Zac Brown Band. When the “Zac Brown Incident” was first announced a wave of dismissal amongst Cheese fans swept the the Internet forums about this performance. Even in the moments leading up to the start of the set uncertainty emanated from many loyal Cheese fans that surrounded me. In attempts to not make assumptions before experiencing this “incident” I went in with the mind set of expect nothing and be surprised. And sure enough I was pleasantly surprised. Of course I have seen better Cheese sets, but Brown’s talent as an artist cannot be dismissed.
The common perception of Brown as a sold-out pop country artist was shattered, for me anyway, as the set began with “Sometimes a River,” as Keith and Brown switched between lead vocals. Throughout a interlocking set of Cheese and Zac Brown Band songs, Brown’s stage presence conveyed a sense of desire to prove his worth as an artist to the ever loyal Cheese and jam-band fans. Brown took the reins on many lead vocals and his proficiency with his guitar was highlighted throughout the evening. Brown played guitar and shared lead vocals with Kyle on “Close Your Eyes.” Although sharing the spotlight, nothing could outshine Kyle’s finesse on the keys that added to the fiery jam within the song. A soulful “When I go Away” reminiscent of deep south gospel hymn was an unforgettable and beautiful tribute to the late Levon Helm. Bluegrass merged with rock on a cover of Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” which was followed by a feet-stomping and hand clapping “Born Free” accompanied with a lively fiddle. The cheesiness of the set was amplified with Zac Brown Band’s song “Jump Right In.” As Cheese fans we expect some level of “cheesiness” with some SCI songs, but this song may have taken that to a whole different level and it was my least favorite song of the set. A funky “Use Me” followed and included a surprise ending taken from Outkast’s “So Fresh, So Clean.” Brown took lead vocals one last time on the SCI classic and fan favorite, “Colorado Bluebird Sky,” but the culmination of the song came when Billy took back lead vocals and everyone on stage finished the set with an energy filled jam. The set encored with an island vibed “Could You Be Loved.”
Furthur’s second set started kicked up as “The Zac Brown Incident” were still saying their goodbyes from the neighboring stage. The set began with a nice jam led by Phil before dropping into “Dark Star.” This song has really enveloped the spacey and abstract sounds that The Grateful Dead were well known for. An unfinished “Dark Star” transitioned into a nice up beat version of “Eyes of the World” that featured some great work from John Kadlecik on guitar and vocals before leading into “St Stephen” and “Unbroken Chain.” This whole segment featured some some of my favorite jamming of the weekend before spacing back into “Dark Star.” Zac Brown returned to the stage once more and played his song “Free” which segued into what can only be described as a magical rendition of Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic.” Brown remained on stage for the classic “Tennessee Jed” and later returned for an encore of “Touch of Grey.”, Furthur finished their second set with the classic “Help on the Way>Slipknot!>Franklin’s Tower” trio; an excellent group of songs that often found themselves joined together.
With Contributions By: John C. Anderson
REVIEW: Lockn Festival – Day One
With the car in park and the engine turned off we got out of the car, grabbed some chairs, cracked open some beers and found some respite from the beating sun in the shade of a neighboring parked RV. Our collective group of friends was among many who had arrived at Oak Ridge Estate on that Virginia morning for the inaugural Lockn’ Festival. In these early hours, a sea of cars lined up in what was once a vast open field with the overall anticipation that entry into the festival and direction to campsites would take minimal time, perhaps only an hour or so. Assumptions proved wrong as that morning turned into afternoon and not a single car in the surrounding lines moved any closer to entry into the festival. As the hours passed, sunburns, frustrations, and aggravations grew as many were coming to terms with the fact that we were going to miss music we had come to see.
There is no denying that at the start of Lockn’ certain logistics had been over looked. It has been argued that as a first year festival it should have been presumed that there were going to be kinks in the production, but it was apparent after final arrival to our campsite and once inside the festival grounds that some efforts had been concentrated in nonessential areas. This Day One festival review and my other Lockn daily reviews that will follow will concentrate on the positive highlights and the incredible days and nights of music, but the unacceptable insufficiencies of planning in some aspects will not go unmentioned.
Over the four day festival there was no music overlap so that no attendee would miss performances they wished to see. Two main adjacent stages provided the “interlocking” sets and with these side by side stages, performances were able to start immediately one after the other. This set up which is rarely seen at many other big name festivals today allowed for artists to feed off of each other when starting their own sets. Thursday’s schedule started with Keller & The Keels followed by Warren Haynes Band, The String Cheese Incident, Gov’t Mule with Grace Potter, and closing out the day was a second set by The String Cheese Incident.
The hellish “gridlockn” caused many to miss the first set of the festival. Virginia’s own Keller Williams performed with husband and wife duo Larry and Jenny Keel, and opened with a bluegrass set and Keller on his acoustic guitar. As lines of cars still crept along the festival borders slowly making their way to campsites, the soulful Warren Haynes Band took the stage for their rock and bluesy festival set complete with horns and of course Haynes on his guitar. Accompanying him on stage was keyboardist Nigel Hall, saxophonist Ron Holloway, and vocalist Alecia Chakour. The soulful set comprised of songs off of Warren’s solo release “Man in Motion” and a number of covers including Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Spanish Castle Magic” and Steely Dan’s “Pretzel Logic”
String Cheese kicked off their set in high gear with “Desert Dawn” as many fans were still filing into the venue. A nice high energy song to get the party started. “Black and White” featured a nice jam that segued into “So Far from Home;” A new tune of Billy Nershi that has almost a country feel to it. Up next was “Mouna Bowa”, an instrumental song that really lets every member of the band shine. They found themselves in a nice exploratory jam out of “Mouna Bowa” that led to probably the biggest dance party of the set with “Colliding.” This song has really blossomed into a nice electronic jam since its debut appearance almost two years ago. “Song In my Head” followed, another new song from Nershi to be featured on their upcoming album. Keller Williams was then brought out to sing his own “Best Feeling” which was arguably one of their best versions of this song in years. A short and to the point Texas rounded out this set nicely.
Immediately following the first of two String Cheese sets, Warren took the stage again with Gov’t Mule. As expected we heard a set filled with southern rock and blues and a delivery of songs the emulated complete passion from Haynes that seemed to captivate every listener that night. From the reggae influenced “Step Lightly” to the rocking “Broke Down on the Brazos” to the soulful “Banks of the Deep End,” Gov’t Mule was quickly becoming a highlight of Lockn’. The real magic of this set manifested when the always beautiful songstress Grace Potter joined Mule and delivered memorable covers of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Gold Dust Woman,” Crosby, Stills, & Nash’s “Find the Cost of Freedom,” and Neil Young’s “Southern Man.” With her flowing bohemian garb and powerful mesmerizing vocals, Grace Potter was an essential element in one of the most culminating musical performances of the entire weekend.
“Rosie” opened up Cheese’s second set with a bang; a newer track from Kyle Hollingsworth. The bluegrass staple “Black Clouds” followed and featured the Michael Jackson hit “Shake your Body Down to the Ground” sandwiched in the middle which was definitely a nice treat. A short drum segment built up to “Can’t Wait Another Day”, another Kyle song written for his daughter. “Bollymunster” and “Sirens” followed with an excellent version of John Coltrane’s “Impressions” that found its way in a dubbed out rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” An excellent version of “Just One Story” brought this set to a close sealing the deal on an excellent first night of music.
With contributions by: John C. Anderson
REVIEW: Blue Jasmine – Intoxicated by the Anti-Heroine
Watching an elegantly primped, expensively dressed Cate Blanchett in Woody Allen’s newest film, Blue Jasmine feels less like a night of Cristal and tiny hors d’oeuvres and more like a bender of room temperature vodka and plastic orange Xanax bottles. Before you’re completely intoxicated, it’s a bitter mouthful to swallow.
Jasmine (Blanchett) is introduced to the film flying first class into the first circle of hell in the aftermath of her ex-husband, Hal (Alec Baldwin)’s financial fraud. Her schedule and wallet are both empty, tucked neatly in a gold Birkin bag, and held with a shaky manicured grip — rock bottom could not be less convenient for the former Park Avenue socialite. Broke and single with little hope of a job prospect, Jasmine is forced below her lowest standards and into the cramped San Francisco home of her adopted sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins). Before the government confiscated Jasmine’s money, Ginger was visiting her — staying in a nearby hotel, sight-seeing with Jasmine’s driver, embarrassingly shrieking over a gifted handbag like a kid whose just won a big fluffy teddy bear. But Jasmine never imagined she’d be in Ginger’s bargain-bought shoes — living with the single mother of two in a city only inspired by Europe. Her company is quietly unwelcomed, however, as Ginger’s possessive boyfriend and herself have yet to forget that Hal’s fraud left Ginger bagging groceries while Jasmine may or may not have looked the other way. Hour after hour, it’s time for Jasmine to pop yet another pill in hopes of escaping rather than spiraling further into the Matrix of a low-class, average lifestyle. Minute after minute, we wish we could too, as Jasmine dives deeper into the aching pit in our stomachs.
Given Woody Allen’s extensive filmography of pretentiously quirky rich women whose flaws are outweighed by their charm (i.e., the infamous Annie Hall), Jasmine —at the very outer shell of surface level— seems like an expected character for him. She’s a stunningly beautiful, well-cultured and well-traveled New Yorker who’s as talkative as Woody himself. Though much like Jasmine’s mask of high-end couture outfits, this is not her reality. After five minutes this is obvious — if anything, Jasmine may be a mockery of the typical Woody woman. She has her quirks, but they are despicable. She had wealth, but it was lost. With the perfectly satirical rich-bitch “Well, in Paris…” voice, Jasmine rambles on with pretentious superiority— but we know she’s a college dropout reliant on handsome men holding handsome money.
It’s easy to root for main characters, even when what they want is disagreeable otherwise. You want the 42-year-old Isaac Davis (Woody Allen) to peruse his 17-year-old love interest in Manhattan, and you want Jack (Jesse Eisenberg) to cheat on his long-time girlfriend with her best friend in To Rome With Love. In Blue Jasmine, you don’t want Jasmine to keep her job as a secretary, or charm a rich man eager to marry. In Blue Jasmine, the only time to empathize with Jasmine is when contemplating her mental state or unseen previous life decisions. Jasmine embodies awfulness simply by behavior, at which Blanchett masters with enough exquisite detail and skill to actually make us hate an attractive woman.
Jasmine’s actions, while shameful, are not entirely grotesque. Engulfed in the capitalistic cliché of the American dream, Jasmine merely wanted the life that Hollywood glorifies. Though Jasmine is not just a woman with wayward ideals whose lost everything — we would probably empathize with that character. Instead, it’s Jasmine’s attitude and essence that cause us to hope for an even worse downfall. It’s her voice; the way she carries herself; the way she shouts that all life as less worthy simply with a glance. We don’t hate Jasmine because she is a “bad character” — we hate Jasmine because Blanchett is a great actress.
The experience of Blue Jasmine is one of high stress, disgust, and simultaneous awe — leaving you feeling violated and insecure after the screen transitions to black and the lights turn on as if everything were fine. You will feel conflicted by your desires, but mindful of them in ways Woody Allen’s other films don’t allow. Blue Jasmine is the most self-aware, satirical film Woody Allen has made to date — a big uncomfortably deadpan joke about the American dream with Blanchett as the punch line. You may choke down most scenes, but what you’re left with is a dizzying aftertaste under the influence of both Woody Allen’s blackest comedy and most haunting drama.
Barrence Whitfield and the Savages: Thy Savage Soul
Discovered by the famous guitarist Peter Lynch at the Nugget record store in 1980’s Boston, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages have combined the essence of rock n’ roll with the soul of blues into their own unique albums that everyone can enjoy. Having had the privilege to listen to their newest album, Thy Savage Soul – debuting this summer on August 13th – let me just say…get ready to be transported back into rock n’ roll prime.
The fusion on rock n’ roll and blues elements are woven through out the entire album, creating a fun, energetic summer album. Each song in the album is unique and speaks volumes to anyone willing to go on a journey to the 1950’s. With both fast and slow tempo songs, there is a tune to fit everyone’s fancy.
The album opens with “ The Corner Man”, an upbeat song reminiscing of Ray Charles and Little Richard. However, it would not be a Barrence Whitfield song with out a twist. This song has the beat to make you want to get up and dance and let’s not forget the infamous vocals of Mr. Whitfield.
Although the album transports you to a different time, there is no way today’s listeners would not enjoy this album. In fact, with the combination of rock and blues elements, these songs can comfortably fit into anyone’s summer playlist. It goes with out saying but Barrence Whitfield and the Savages are back with force and get ready for the inner savage of the soul to be reawakened. Thy Savage Soul will be released August 13 through Bloodshot Records. Get it.