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Furthur adds 3rd night to Red Rocks
Due to the poular demand of the first 2 shows, Bob Weir and Phil Lesh have added a 3rd night to their late summer run at Red Rocks. The third show will now be the tour closer on September 26.
Presale tickets for the Sunday show will go on sale Friday with Ticketmaster on sale set for Saturday. Check furthur.net for more info.
Nateva Festival streaming live from Maine
IClips Couch Tour continues with live video and audio streaming from the Nateva Festival this weekend. So if you’re not at Red Rocks or Rancho Del Rio seeing some of the best live music the nation has to offer, then turn on your computer and kick back to the live sets of Furthur, moe., The Flaming Lips and more. Click here for the stream.
Today’s schedule is as follows (all times are listed on Colorado/Mountain time):
12:15 – Umphrey’s McGee
1:40 – Keller Williams
2:45 – Jakob Dylan & Three Legs
3:50 – Jackie Greene
5:00 – Passion Pit
6:30 – Ghostland Observatory
8:00 – moe.
Coincidently, the Grateful Dead played their last shows in Maine, just 3 miles down the road on 7/2 and 7/3 in 1988. These legendary shows were often described as the best vibe in the history of East Coast Dead Shows. Here are the setlists from setlist.com
07/02/88 – Oxford, ME
Set 1: Iko Iko > Jack Straw, West L.A. Fadeaway, Stuck Inside A Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, Row Jimmy, Blow Away, Victim Or The Crime, Foolish Heart
Set 2: Crazy Fingers > Playing In The Band > Uncle John’s Band > Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > The Wheel > Gimme Some Lovin’ > All Along The Watchtower > Morning Dew > Sugar Magnolia, E: Mighty Quinn
07/03/88 – Oxford, ME
Set 1: Hell In A Bucket > Sugaree, Walkin’ Blues, Tennessee Jed, Queen Jane Approximately, Bird Song
Set 2: Touch of Grey, Hey Pocky Way, Looks Like Rain, Estimated Prophet > Eyes Of The World > I Will Take You Home > Drums > Space > Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad > I Need A Miracle > Dear Mr. Fantasy > Hey Jude, E: Not Fade Away
YMSB playing festivals around the globe
Yonder Mountain String Band will be playing Jam in the Dam in March and Warren Haynes’ Mountain Jam. Other YMSB festival dates will be announced soon.
Jam in the Dam is a unique 3-day music Festival bringing US bands and fans to the fabulous Melkweg music hall in Amsterdam, Holland.
www.jaminthedam.com
Mountain Jam is a 3-day outdoor music festival that takes place the first weekend after Memorial Day (June 4 – 6 2010). It is held at Hunter Mountain in upstate New York.
www.mountainjam.com
YAMN ON!
By the time this magazine is getting into your hands, the band Yamn will be kicking back after a successful Northwest tour that took them to five states for eight shows in their trusty old schoolbus Lady. Yet they won’t be sitting back for too long as New Years Eve will find Yamn lighting up Summit County for the fourth year in a row. The band, whose roots grew in Breckenridge, has booked, promoted and managed all aspects of their Dec 31 show at the Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge. It is quite an accomplishment that they are the New Year’s Eve headliners again, considering that only four short years ago they were scanning passes at the same Breckenridge Resort. It just goes to show that this band has legs.
Yamn consists of Brian Hamilton (guitar, vocals), Adam Ebensberger (drums, vocals), David Duart (bass, vocals) and Ryan Ebarb (keys, guitar, vocals). Each of them writes songs for Yamn and it is their diverse musical tastes that are evident with each new track you listen to. From a heavy guitar-driven progressive rock tune to a transient key jam followed by a song with heavy folk influence, Yamn will keep you guessing and keep you dancing.
One thing that sets Yamn apart from other bands right now is their live show. Don’t get me wrong, they are great on tape! But when you see them in person something else just clicks. It has a lot to do with their former Breckenridge Resort manager, Paul Whitehouse. Back when Yamn first moved from Texas to Breck in 2007 ‘Pauly’ handpicked these guys to be on his crew for the winter. Throughout the season as the snow fell, the Yamn guys were tightening their sound and Pauly was listening. After a four night concert run in Breckenridge Yamn had enough money to move out of the mountains and rent a house in Denver. It was soon after that Pauly followed.
One night after an inspiring concert at Red Rocks Pauly came back to the band with a proposition: He was going to do their light show. His familiarity with their music and a newfound passion has helped Pauly jump right from a rookie to a full-fledged lighting designer and essentially the fifth member of Yamn. His ability to change up the colors right when the band is switching the tempo keeps you locked into what is going to happen next on stage. And so this group has begun to make an impact in Colorado.
The band has garnered some impressive headlining gigs at the Fox Theater in Boulder, the Aggie in Ft. Collins and the Bluebird in Denver. Furthermore you only have to look at their Facebook page to see that the excitement is not contained to the Rocky Mountains. Each night after their Northwest string of shows people have been telling them how much they rocked their towns from Utah to Idaho, Oregon and Washington to Montana. Yamn is out there and a rock force to be reckoned with.
Since moving to Denver in 2008 Yamn has gained the respect of their peers and concert-goers alike (as evidenced by a Thursday night gig at Cervantes in November that drew over 1,000 people). “We are all building a new Colorado family in the music scene”, Ryan Ebarb strikingly said.
And one can’t help but tell by the circuit of great acts he is referring to like Elephant Revival, Frogs Gone Fishin’ and Oakhurst. Yamn is creating a new music family in Colorado; one that will be rocking these mountains for years to come. And the memories they are collecting range from Bonnie Paine and Bridget Law from Elephant Revivial joining them in Missoula, MT, for a rendition of “I Love Your Mother” to sharing the bill with Boulder’s Zobomaze or the frequent Fox St Allstars shows. When asked what music they are listening to now it is a who’s who in the Colorado music scene and it is great to hear about a band that really appreciates and supports the music of their peers.
If you can’t make it out to a Yamn live show anytime soon there is no need to worry! The guys had two 3-week sessions this summer at a cabin in remote New Mexico that produced plenty of new material that they are ready to lay down. Still undecided on whether to take a conventional approach to an album, the band is considering releasing one song at a time to their fans free of charge. They realize that everyone is going to eventually have it for free anyway, so why not put the music into the hands of the people and let them know what they are all about. It’s quite a brave and entrepreneurial move for a band to make. Yet very indicative of one that really has a grasp on how they want to fit into the music industry.
Yamn is a band that is not afraid to take control of their destiny. In the past four years they have gone from scanning your ticket on Breckenridge Mountain to selling you a New Years Eve ticket to their show there. They have honed their musical chops, created a magical light show, gathered a multitude of fans across the state and they show no signs of stopping.
So from one school bus-based band of bandits to another…we are looking forward to seeing a lot more of you. Yamn ON!
Hit ‘em over the head with: Greensky Bluegrass
There are endless musical possibilities to ponder for your New Years plans. If bluegrass is high on the list, then think about some Greensky. No, I’m not talking about the use of psychedelics while listening to bluegrass music. I am talking about the band Greensky Bluegrass, the quintet that hails from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Where in the world is Kalamazoo you ask? Ok, so hold up your left hand with the palm facing away from you and point to the lower portion of your hand, pinky side. Right around there. If you aren’t from the Midwest or are unfamiliar with how Michiganites (or Wisconsinites for that matter) show where they are from, then none of that made any sense. In such case, just skip over that last part and continue along.
Bluegrass is a genre where musical chops are hailed and scrutinized more than almost any other. And if you are looking for a set of downright badass pickers, look no further than Greensky Bluegrass. The band was formed in 2000 with Dave Bruzza playing guitar, Mike Bondt on banjo and Paul Hoffman, who at the time was just picking up the mandolin. The band acquired upright bassist Mike Devol, originally a classically trained cellist, in 2003 and began touring regularly. Greensky released its first album “Less Than Supper” in 2004 thrusting them more fully onto the road. Performing and subsequently winning the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Contest in summer of 2006 turned Greensky into full time road warriors. Shortly after, their sophomore album “Tuesday Letter” came out, produced by Railroad Earth’s Tim Carbone. In November 2007 their first live CD “Live at Bells” was released, demonstrating that there was more to the band than colorful lyricism and great studio production. Recorded at Bells Brewery over a few shows, this album showed these boys could step out of their personal boundaries and Play! In January of 2008 the band completed its lineup by adding Anders Beck on Dobro and later released its 3rd studio album “Five Interstates” in August, again with the help of Mr. Carbone.
Since its inception, Greensky Bluegrass has toured nonstop promoting each album along the way, blazing a trail of bluegrass hotness and leaving a wake of devout fans as they go. Now coming to the end of 2010, GSBG has continued their hell for lather touring pace; released two more live albums, The All Access Volumes 1 and 2, and show no signs of slowing down.
If you find your self in front of Greensky Bluegrass on New Years Eve, or any other time for that matter, you will be inundated with a “Colorado” bluegrass sound. Greensky is a smash-mash of pickers that seem to feed off of each other during jams. I highly suggest – Track 7 on their All Access Vol. 1,”King of the Hill”. Turn the lights off or just close your eyes and listen to the repartee of Hoffman, Bondt, Bruzza, and Beck. They all seem to fight for the spotlight during songs and just end up shining brightly together. Cemented by Devol on his upright and vocally lead by guitarist Dave Bruzza its not surprising that, “People tend to assume that we are from Colorado all the time.”
In speaking with Anders Beck for this piece he alluded to just that point.
“It makes sense [people think we are from Colorado] because we fit into the same genre as Leftover Salmon and Yonder Mountain String Band as opposed to traditional bluegrass or Nashville bluegrass.”
Indeed, you will find a bunch of mountain type folk kickin’ up some dust and getting down at every Greensky show. Whether in Denver or in the high country Greensky always seems to have a good audience and diversity at each show.
“Our following in Colorado has been really great over the past couple years whether we play one place or the other. If we are up in the mountains then some of the city kids come up and if we are in Denver some of the mountain kids come down so it’s a nice mix of people. The mountain crowds tend to be smaller, but there is the Mountain Party Vibe that comes along with that crowd. It’s like everyone is in the band and we seem to fit into that vibe.”
Maybe it’s their penchant for funky breakdowns during long jams. Maybe it’s their predilection for a certain Talking Heads song that translates so well into the bluegrass vein. (You had me at David Byrne) There is just something there that sways your mid-section left and right while you are sitting.
Or bounces your knee. Or just wiggles your left big toe.
It really is involuntary – I swear it.
Speaking of David Byrne, Anders and I talked for awhile about the pros and cons of bands using covers during their show. Well, I suppose that I should say we talked about the pros of bands using covers during their shows. We are both adamant believers in the addition and use of other artists’ music as a sound board, no pun intended, and common ground for creating that connection between artist and viewer.
“We think there is a benefit to doing cover songs. Some places are like Denver where we sell out a 400 person venue and people want to hear our music. But when there is fifty people in a bar, in a place we have never been before we have to win them over and have the audience be able to relate to your music”, Anders said.
That is where a spark can be created and viewer becomes fan.
“Play something familiar to the crowd and have someone say ‘Hey I like this song.’ Find that common place to go to and they are much more willing to listen to your music. We lure them in with the Grateful Dead and then hit ‘em over the head with Greensky Bluegrass”
Being able to switch from Talking Heads to Pink Floyd to Grateful Dead to Prince also means having a larger selection of musical genre to draw from and integrate into their own unique style. This is what creates Greensky Bluegrass’ personal sound and texture. Creating that larger diversity in their repertoire has more than those singular benefits. Sometimes it opens doors and opportunities that would have been otherwise improbable. While in Michigan playing at Hoxeyville Music Festival; “Our hometown music festival”, notes Beck, the opportunity to pay homage that turned into a jam session of a lifetime. The Rhythm Devils were also headlining with Grateful Dead percussionists Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart. The GSBG boys felt bold and asked Kreutzmann if he wanted to come up on stage and play a tune with them.
“By the time we knew it, both drum kits were built up behind us onstage and both Bill and Mickey came out and played “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider” with us.”
While I have other plans already set in motion to celebrate the New Year I will tell you I am going to be looking for the live recording of these two shows immediately upon returning home.
“We are music lovers too. We want to make sure live music gets out there”, Anders states. It is this desire that is the base to Greensky’s open taping policy. It was also this thought process that sparked the release of Greensky’s All Access albums.
“We understand that our live shows are different than our studio albums and really try to embrace that. The theory with the All Access discs, beyond us picking a show we liked and giving it to you, is that we are handing out a high quality recording. There are some great recordings of us out there but there are some really bad ones as well. We want to give people the option for that really great sound.”
All Access Vol. 1 was released in February of this year. It was recorded at the Riviera Theater in Three Rivers, Michigan in November of last year. Just out this November is All Access Vol. 2 recorded in July of this year at the Mexicali Blues in Teaneck, New Jersey. And there is another one on the way. The AA Volumes are going to be a long term series.
There is an older quote from Paul Hoffman in which he says, “During a concert there is more exploration of the ideas and it’s a true expression of what the five of us can do with the energy from the crowd. As a musician you surprise yourself live because you try new things and people are there to participate. You can only look forward. In the studio it’s like making music where all your ideas are fair game. There are few things I find more fun than making records. Every song gets it’s true voice. There is a connotation that there is no improvement to studio work. But it just exists in a different way. There is a timeless beauty in making albums…commitment to the music that’s greater. Albums are like a good marriage and live shows are like a great fling.”
So you can get the best of both worlds from Greensky’s live and studio album: the stability and the fun. Be on the lookout for more of that stability, GSBG is in the planning stages for a new studio release to be recorded and released sometime in 2011.
Along with Hoxeyville, GSBG toured, toured and toured in 2010 playing all over the festival circuits and beyond. Nateva Festival, All Good, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival and Rockygrass were among the new stops on their almost 200 show year which will be culminating in Denver this year at Cervantes- The Other Side for a two show run on the 30th and the 31st. While traditionally GSBG has done their New Year Shows in Kalamazoo, they are excited to branch out this year and play in a state where they are so warmly welcomed. In addition, I should say as a bonus, GSBG will be supported by master songwriter/banjo player Danny Barnes.
“We are thrilled to have Danny playing with us in Denver.” Anders says.
He seems to be getting some extra attention with his new album “Pizza Box” and his joining Dave Matthews onstage a few times over the years showing everyone what GSBG has known all along. He is a uniquely gifted talent. Anders encourages everyone that will not be doing the countdown at Cervantes to stop over late night and join in on the Other Side fun.
Not to fear if you have to work or are already encumbered by your own New Year plans. Greensky Bluegrass will be back again, sooner rather than later. Beck says they will be back to Colorado sometime in the spring. If that is not soon enough to satiate your thirst for some heel swinging bluegrass tunes then throw your money down for 2011’s Jam Cruise! This will be Greensky’s inaugural year on the boat. I know that here in the mountains there is a hardcore contingent of folks who save all year to board the famed boat and set to sea with some of music’s best and brightest. While this year’s stops include Roatan, Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico, the main attraction is always the music on the boat. Along for the ride are artists Bob Weir, Galactic, The Greyboy Allstars, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk and many, many more. Asheville’s own Papadosio won the “Vote to the Boat” Contest securing them a spot playing on this year’s trip. While Greensky got on the easy way.
“They called and asked us to play”, said Anders.
It is every Greensky member’s first time on the boat and while I assured Anders that he will have a blast he tells me, “Everyone we know keeps telling us what an amazing time we are going to have. We are so excited”.
Excited for Jam Cruise? Well yeah!
Pay attention to Greensky Bluegrass, a hard driving, hard working, hard picking group of bluegrass players. They lure you in with something familiar and then pull the rug out from under you with something great. Join them to celebrate the New Year at Cervantes in Denver this year or join them when they return this spring. Either way they are worth spending an evening with and beyond.
Go out and get hit over the head with Greensky Bluegrass!
Sons of the Addicted
Confessions of a Fractal Freak
I love a surprise. In the Spring of ’09 I was visiting a friend in Ridgway and he suggested we go see a local band at the Switchback Tavern called Fractalia. It’s not hard to get me to go anywhere there is beer, so I said ‘Sure’. It turned into one of the funnest, funkiest, rockinest throwdowns I’ve ever seen. In my mind’s eye, I can still see this skinny kid with kind of nerdy glasses in a tie-dye shredding his sunburst Les Paul. I was immediately impressed by his guitar chops which unapologetically revolved around flurries of Satriani-style shred technique, in between which he would calmly reach up with a finger to push his glasses back up his nose. It didn’t take the band long to get the house warmed up, and I could see that something really special was happening in this small-town bar. By the second set guitar/vocalist Stosch Dembitsky had his shirt off, dripping sweat, and the packed house was out of their minds. Josh Waller was stalking around the stage playing his bass like a weapon, while the drummer Bailey Vince was in the corner with a soaked bar towel over his head working away like a man possessed. Still, I’m getting kind of old these days, and this seemed more like music for youngsters, though I admired the talent and the passion these guys were putting into it. Then they busted out a wicked cover of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy… Sold. I crossed a line that night and haven’t looked back. That was the night that I became a Fractal Freak.
As it turned out Fractalia had just changed their name to Sons of the Addicted to avoid some copyright issues, and that night was their farewell party for Ridgway and their local fans (known as Fractal Freaks). I also found out that they were soon moving to Denver to have a go at the big city. I was moving to Denver about the same time, and after I downloaded their album and was able to hear the true depth of their music, sound and songwriting, I vowed to keep an eye on these guys.
Their first album was released in 2008 and is titled Fractal World. It plays like a variety pack that showcases the boys talent in writing creative and diverse songs that are not short on their own surprises. You will definitely hear some shred guitar in here, but also some latin rhythms and more exotic scales as well as shades of Jane’s Addiction, Rush, Incubus, quirky vocals in the vein of Tenacious D, with a lot of it admittedly inspired by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. The album was recorded and produced in Paonia, CO by Dik Darnell on his Phantasma record label, so I called Dik to get his side of the story and to find out how he got involved with the Sons.
“My son saw them first. He worked for years for a record label after he got out of college and then went back and got his law degree and now works in entertainment and sports. He saw them play at a festival in Paonia. He said, ‘Dad you gotta hear these guys, the guitar player is really great and he’s kind of kooky.’ So I went and checked them out. I thought I saw so many elements… really unique writing style and very original. I caught shades of Zappa and… Stosch has uniqueness and distinctly his own sound. He’s really got his own thing… he’s the real deal. I’ve been in music for 52 years of my life and I’ve worked with a lot of major artists through the years and you know I consider myself to have really good ears when I hear something unique and The Sons of the Addicted are at the top of my list for that.”
When I ask Stosch what the mission statement is for Sons of the Addicted he looks me dead in the eye and replies, “To heal the sweet Universe, man.” Then adds, “We’re entertainers and we just want to play awesome shows.” I ask them to wrap their music up and but a bow on it for me and things get difficult. Finally they call Bailey the drummer into the room because ‘he has an awesome vocabulary’. Bailey and bassist Josh sum it up, “It’s different. It rocks. It’s right in your face, but it won’t hurt you. We strive to be original… The vision I’m shooting for is to establish our own genre, and that name I don’t know.”
You can get their first album at HYPERLINK “http://www.Sonsoftheaddicted.com” www.Sonsoftheaddicted.com or on itunes, or you can sample some of it at reverbnation.com. If you’re looking for a home run then you can start with I’ll Never Smoke Schwag Again which is a power ballad that I’m convinced should be the Colorado State Song and be sung before the Rockies games. If you are into reggae you can check out the title track Fractal World for some irie, almost militant sounding commentary on the chaotic world we live in. For their jazzier side check out the haunting and rhythmic Lucid or try Believe, which alternates between a churchy grunge and a sort of intense Steely Dan feel. If you are daring enough to be interested in their more metal side (drifting somewhere between Tool, Primus, or even Tenacious D), then I recommend you buy the whole album, you won’t be disappointed. The songs are a collaborative from the group that detail the angst of intelligent youngsters growing up on the rural western slope with little in the way of culture or art other than their own music. It’s a thoughtful and artful rebellion against the stifle of the status quo, with an eye toward the limitless possibilities of the future. Like a lot of new and unique sounds, some of it may be an acquired taste, but you will be the better for it. So dip a toe into their Fractal World, and if you like what you hear, dive on in for a swim.
(for booking info or to talk with Stosch about guitar lessons you can reach him @ 970-210-9841 They also asked to thank their families for their support and wanted me to mention that they were very polite.)
7908 Songwriter’s Festival
High Notes from the First Annual 7908 Aspen Songwriter’s Festival
Aspen, Friday, September 17: Abundant sunshine. Saturday, September 18: Lots of sunshine. Sunday, September 19: Bright sunshine, pleasant. It was so ridiculously beautiful in the Roaring Fork that weekend that the local papers ran out of adjectives to describe the flawless fall temperatures. And so, it is a true testament to the abundance of the 7908 The Aspen Songwriter’s Festival, that festival-goers left the perfect weather and plentiful fall colors outdoors to step into the darker, cooler confines of the Wheeler Opera House.
Happily, there was plentiful scenery and ever-changing colors across the Wheeler stage, as well. The Aspen Songwriter’s Festival, John Oates’ labor of love and dedication, kicked off Thursday afternoon with some excellent complimentary beer from Aspen Brewing Company, followed by festival opener, musical super-talent and comedic genius Mike Rayburn. The stage lights turned to green, as Wheeler Master of Ceremonies Gram Slaton introduced the musician: “he’s the original tight pair of pants, ready to rip!” Rayburn is a one-man heckler, who’s sold out Carnegie Hall and venues across the nation with a mix of music, mockery and tremendous talent. “I make fun of songs that other people have written”, said the artist, before launching into uncanny impersonations of his fellow musicians: Dan Fogelberg does AC/DC, Johnny Cash does Justin Timberlake, general boy-band bashing and, in a brave and exceptional entertainment moment, with pants rolled up and channeling Angus Young, Rayburn does AC/DC doing Dan Fogelberg.
Throughout the festival, the artists touched on the craft of songwriting and the inspiration behind their songs. “Music is always asking us questions”, said Rayburn; “now why is that?” The New Voices Songwriters Circle featured a round robin of songs about just about anything, from some of today’s rising, and hovering, singer-songwriter talents. Nathan McEuen played a song about being out working and wanting to be back home, with the one who makes you feel whole; Reed Waddle, with a terrific sound – a little Amos Lee, a little Brett Dennen – sang about visiting Colorado from the Florida Panhandle and marveling at the “Velveteen Skies”; Mason Reed sang about driving 37,000 miles in a 12 month period, with a smile. ‘I’ve been driving a lot this year,” said the artist from Tucson, Arizona. Jill Andrews sang about relationships and the people who break them up, and the new people who come into the mix to start new relationships: “That’s what my songs are about…they’re about globs of people”, she declared, to a room full of laughter.
Master songwriter Jeff Barry, who penned many a pop song, like Tell Laura I Love Her and River Deep, Moutain High, wrote his first little diddy at 8 years old. “Fortunately, my mom wrote it down,” he told the audience, with a laugh. Barry elaborated on the efficacy of a certain kind of lyric, in his Saturday afternoon songwriting workshop. “People need to relate to it. If it moves you, it’s gonna move someone else. We’re writing to the common brain and the common emotion and you need to make ‘em feel something, by the end. If you leave ‘em like you found ‘em, you blew it!”
Mountain man and roving troubadour Sam Bush joined many of the performers onstage, as did John Oates, a role model and inspiration for many of the weekend’s featured performers. North Carolina’s Tift Merritt charmed audiences with her affinity for the Wheeler’s piano, while her haunting melodies stilled the audience. She has something for the searching soul, with sad, stark lyics and moving, authentic observations on life, love and everything in-between – stuff we can all relate to and so, respond to.
The lights changed to blue and Allen Toussaint brought his sweet southern twang before the piano. The songwriting genius delighted the audience by interpreting some of his better-known songs, made famous by other artists over the years. Piano wizard Jed “11 Fingers” Lieber and soulful songwriter Jimmy Wayne were two festival highlights. The tale of Wayne’s childhood read like a B-side country song: broken home in mobile home, brother and sister against the big bad world, homeless and living on the streets, as a teenager. He took control of his life and steered it towards a new, music-filled future and now, Jimmy Wayne is taking Nashville by storm. His hit, “Where You’re Going”, moved the audience to tears, showcasing some of the finest in relatable songwriting.
As the weekend rolled on, so did the word on the street. Fans and dedicated music lovers steadily trickled in, trading brilliant sunshine for shining moments and sparkling chandeliers. A hot scrumptious Sunday Brunch in the lobby was a lovely way to kick off Festival Sunday, followed by the outrageously talented antics of Garfunkel and Oates – a tall blond, a short brunette – putting Sex and the City-style observations to music and lyrics, and a standing ovation from the duly impressed audience. The stage then turned to purple, as Jimmy Wayne joined John Oates for a tremendous mix of soulful new lyrics and modern interpretations of pop classics. Jed Lieber, Sam Bush, Wayne and Oates then called it a festival, with an all-star rendition of Man-Eater, 2010 style: plus chandelier, minus disco ball; roller skates optional.
PRETTY LIGHTS – Article and New EP
Pretty Lights
“Spilling over every side and taking up your precious time”
Written by: Jenna Stecker
He isn’t just another college dropout. 5 years ago Pretty Lights was just Derek Vincent Smith, another student at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Fast forward to today and Smith is half of the musical powerhouse Pretty Lights, tearing up the electronic music circuit and lighting fire under his loyal fans and creating new flame converts by the day. His fusion of Electronica, Down-tempo and Hip Hop alongside his wide berth of samplings from current Rap, classic Funk and old school Soul creates head nodding flow along with danceable beats. The addition of a percussionist during his live shows creates intrigue among electronic music cynics and draws a wider variety of people to him.
Film student by day and musical producer by night, Derek Vincent Smith was producing tracks for student house parties back in the day in Boulder and Ft. Collins. After meeting Corey Eberhard, they fused Smith’s Electronic, Hip Hop style with Eberhard’s live percussion back up during shows, giving their audiences a special element to relate to. With the feeling that there was something different happening, Smith dropped out of CU to focus on music. In 2008 Under the moniker Pretty Lights, Smith and Eberhard toured the country hitting such festivals like Bonaroo, Rothbury, and Minnesota’s 10,000 Lakes Festival.
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Pretty Lights style of music combines deep synth bass lines with body moving grooves and samples from every era of music. That is because he will listen to just about any style or genre of music. When there are music fans that say they like Rock and Country but hate Rap, Smith points out some great classic Rap tunes and some really bad Rock ones. If someone says they love Techno but cant stand Jazz, Smith draws a parallel between the two and shows them a Jazz hook they never even knew they loved. “I am one of those people who can really listen to any genre as long as the sound is good.” he says. Is there any type of music he doesn’t like listening to? “Bad music.” he states simply. But he doesn’t get more specific than that. “There can be something bad in any style of music.” His style reflects that ability to find something good in just about everything and it is why he can bring together such a wide variety of listeners. Whats on his play list at present? “ I am really on this Soul kick. Like 60’s Soul. Chicago, Memphis, and Detroit all have these amazing Soul scenes that were right between the classic oldies of the 50’s and 60’s and the Funk of the 70’s. I’ve been making mixed CD’s of old 45’s that I can rock in my car.” Although he may be grooving to Sam Cooke or Wilson Pickett while driving through Lodo, “I feel like an archeologist digging through the past finding all this music that I didn’t even know existed and it is really inspiring to find all the emotions and feeling and power of the music that I’m rocking.” It is his colleges and friends that help keep him fresh. “I also like to stay up to date with new producers. There are a bunch of producers in my crew that are eventually going to be releasing on the Pretty Lights music label. There are just a few of my homies in my crew and we really just like to motivate and inspire each other.”
Very much in the vein of Sound Tribe Sector 9 and EOTO, the addition of live play musical instruments with electronic shows is not something that is totally unique. As a standard duo, however, it is much more uncommon than not. Adding this organic element to his music has helped Pretty Lights win favor with many people who would have normally turned away from a strictly produced music show. This is where Pretty Lights really shines, if you will excuse the pun. Look forward to Smith expanding that role in the future also. In an August interview with ClubPlanet.com Smtih said, “People in the past have tried to merge my style of production with a live-band, but I don’t feel it has ever been done to the level it could be. I want to bring my music and show to the level that nobody thought possible.”
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Pulling out onto the scene with Taking up Your Precious Time in 2006, Pretty Lights introduced himself with a smooth and energetic album. Following up in 2008 with Filling up the City Skies, a two disc compilation, Smith took a step forward developing his sound and style. While Disc 1 followed his debut album in the same head nodding, groove manner, there was a juxtaposition in Disc 2. Pretty Lights changed his game and delivered more driven dance style songs. Samplings from 50 Cent and other rap artists gave many of his songs a beat driven club feel while still maintaining a mystical quality with his choice of samples and style of editing. By this time, Smith and Eberhard were hard driving tour warriors. When Passing By Behind Your Eyes came out in October of 2009, Pretty Lights was well known and desired within the festival circuit and opening up new eyes to their music because of their relentless touring schedule.
After finally being able to rest and take some time to allow the creative process to fester, Making Up a Changing Mind was released in March of 2010, marking it the first in a trilogy of EP’s to be released this year. Spilling Over Every Side(my personal favorite) followed in July and an as of yet unnamed EP will be dropped before 2011. On the website along with most releases there is an explanation for each album. An explanation of his mood and inspiration while the record was being created, the feel of the album as a whole and sometimes just an explanation of certain tracks themselves. “I make the records and try to express where I’m at as best I can. Then I look back and try to wrap my head around a more general sort of assessment of what was going on in that record. And that is how I try to describe it when I write the text files that accompany the EP.” Smith explains.
The thing that is uncommon about all of these albums is the fact that they are all available for free download at HYPERLINK “http://www.prettylightsmusic.com/”www.prettylightsmusic.com. Smith seems to realize, with other modern artists like Radiohead and Big Gigantic, that free music is a powerful distribution model. Having this free download approach is something Smith has always wanted to do and would like to continue, if possible. “It’s been my model from the beginning; me giving my music free to my fans and then them supporting me via the live show – It’s working for right now. I tell people that I am going to continue to do it for as long as it is a good thing for me. I may not give my music away for free forever but for right now it seems like it is a smart move and it makes people think about the industry differently I suppose.”
It is also a powerful tool for molding and shaping the modern music industry itself. “I just want to continue to make music that is dope and getting better all the time. It seems like this model has turned into more of an attempt to transform the music industry as a whole. I mean the whole micro chasm of where I could potentially want the music industry to go.” It definitely sets him apart musically and artistically in an industry suffering from lagging sales due to technological advancements like file sharing and illegal downloading. In all of that, Pretty Lights thrives. In fact all Pretty Lights music recently surpassed one million downloads on the website. To say thank you he gave back to his fans, rewarding the one millionth downloader with a VIP trip experience to see a Pretty Lights show in Las Vegas on November 27th at the House of Blues which is, coincidentally, Smith’s Birthday Bash.
This summer Smith replaced his live show partner Cory Eberhard with New York drummer Adam Deitch. While Smith declined to talk about the separation specifically saying, “I don’t want it to be the focus of interviews and articles because it is something that I’m trying to move forward from.” He did state that he was ready to step up his game on all levels, “Moving forward with Adam Deitch was necessary.” A very good decision indeed, as Deitch has been a drumming favorite of mine for years.
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Adam Deitch is the product of a drumming family(both his parents were funk drummers) and was in the seat drumming by age two. By age eight he was sitting in with his parents funk band playing many different styles of music. He became interested in hip-hop at an early age, inspired by Public Enemy and Eric B and Rakim. His proficiency in hip hop and funk drumming has made him a hot commodity. By far one of the most versitile drummers/producers in the music scene right now, Deitch’s drumsticks are in a mixing pot of many, many different projects such as Average White Band, Lettuce, Fyre Dept., Chapter 2, John Scofield Band, and the Adam Deitch Project. He is a proficient producer also with credits alongside Soulive, Jurassic 5, Talib Kweli, 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake as well as an active member of the popular live/sampling movement with Borahm Lee in Break Science. Not to mention laying along side one of the funkiest families in music (Royal Family Records). It’s not so much of a stretch you could consider him the Warren Haynes of drumming. He’s everywhere you look (even if you didn’t know he was there). Deitch’s background of funk and hip hop seems to meld seamlessly with Smith’s visions “It just worked out. Adam and I have known each other [awhile] and we’ve wanted to work together and we are on the same wavelength in a lot of different levels. Its been awesome and I honestly couldn’t be happier in the situation.” says Smith. Along with with Deitch’s history in production it will be interesting to see what he can bring to the table for future Pretty Lights albums.
With Deitch in pocket and the final section of his trilogy set for release, 2010 has been quite the year. This summer alone he has performed at Cochella, Summer Camp, Bella Music Festival, Starscape Music Festival, Camp Bisco, and Wunderlust. With the UK tour dates in between, let’s not forget the place he played that is close to all our hearts, Red Rocks Amphitheater. Pretty Lights held his first headlining show at Red Rocks this August eventually selling the 9,450 person house out. I asked Smith what his favorite show was for this summer. “Obviously I am going to say Red Rocks because I have dreamt about playing that venue since I bought a bass guitar in 8th grade. It was such a massive project and happened so fast that I had to try to just keep up.” It must have been quite the production considering that their first tour was not that much more than a year before before.
“We were playing 200 person bars in the south . We’ve all had to adapt and learn how to pull off a show like that was a massive undertaking. And you know some things went wrong and didn’t go exactly how we wanted it but it turned out being awesome.” A close second on the list of highlights this summer? “Besides Red Rocks I did a show in New York City(Deitch’s hometown) at the beginning of the summer. I hadn’t been back there for awhile and we were trying to play a really big room and I was a little nervous about it. However it ended up selling out pretty fast and we played a cool show to about 4,000 people. Its cool to go to New York, the music capital of the world, as far as hip hop and other stuff that I do, so it felt really good to be back.”
After all of these endeavors, It’s no wonder he is looking forward to some time off. Not that he isn’t working just because he isn’t performing. “Well its the beginning to my time off so I’m jumping into working on my new EP, thinking about production coming on my next tour, just a bunch of really cool stuff going on without the pressure of an immediate obligation in the near future.” Don’t expect that to last long because by the time this will be at press, Smith with already be off on a 6 week headlining tour this fall starting September 24th at Lake Powell’s festival, Powellapalooza, and wrapping up close to home in early December with two dates in Telluride and one in Aspen at the Belly Up and his New Year’s shows in Chicago where he is performing two nights at the Congress Theater
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So at present Smith is chilling at his apartment in Lodo getting his ducks in a row for the upcoming craziness and playing “sweet X box games”. He is also building a brand new studio in Denver in order to create his next album. “At the end of 2009 I set a side a chunk of time that I wanted completely off which is going to be January through March next year. That is going to be so I can really sit down and make a new record in a [different] way than I have in the past. I am building this studio from the base up.” He hopes to have the studio open by the beginning of 2011. “[I am] trying to maintain this style that I have developed but approach it differently. Instead of spending weeks in record shops trying to find obscure timbres and sounds and collage them. I want to build a studio with all pre 1970 equipment and instruments to recreate all those timbres and tones of the technology 50 years ago so that I can create something completely free of vinyl samples but maintain the same esthetic and style. So I am building that right now with the idea to make that record in it.”
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There is so much going on with this Colorado producer, be sure to keep an eye out for the continued rise of this meteoric star. Another hectic tour. Producing and releasing new artists on his label. New albums flowing all the time. Like the names off of his albums which flow like poetry themselves, Pretty Lights is Spilling Over Every Side, Filling Up the City Skies trying to create new music for his fans. For those of you who might allow his music to go Passing Behind Your Eyes, take a second and listen. You may find something you didn’t expect. Pretty Lights may help in Making Up a Changing Mind and you’ll realize he’s not just Taking Up Your Precious Time.
Glowing In The Darkest Night, the third installment of Pretty Light’s trilogy of 2010’s EPs, is now available at PrettyLightsMusic.com
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Jazz Aspen Snowmass Photo Spread
As seen in the pages of Mousike…
Jazz Aspen Snowmass
Photos by Zach Mahone
Cultivation: The Seeds of Colorado Music
Within each issue of Mousike, you will find profiles on four Colorado based bands that are contributing their original styles to a live music scene that many consider to be the best in the world. Generally, each band included in Cultivation have been around for less than five years but we here at Mousike believe that they have the talent to achieve great success in Colorado and beyond for many years to come.
Peace Officer
Fort Collins
By Jenna Stecker
Sugar. The Brain. Senoj Nerol. Wiled Wombat. RaSense. Shaneye. AK. This may sound like a roll call for a Star Wars fan club, however these are names of the members of Front Range Hip Hop act Peace Officer. Correction… they are more than just a hip hop act. Bringing to mind reggae legend Jimmy Cliff’s song by the same name, Peace Officer incorporates reggae and so much more into their musical fold. “Our music is hip hop, but like all hip hop we add many different genres,” says AK. “We call what we do dub hop. It’s hip hop tempo, rhyming and consciousness, with the ridiculously fat grooves that dub can bring.”
Peace Officer also brings in an electronica influence with sample playback during their sets. This sampling, in combination with a live drum, bass and guitar set creates their multilayered and unique sound. Emcees that play to the crowd and know how to get spectators revved up makes Peace Officer’s live show one not to miss.
Most of the members have known each other for years with the creation of the group seeming to center mainly around several bandmates working at a Fort Collins bagel shop. Since forming with the current lineup in 2007, all members have been working to hone their sound and rock the crowd. In January 2009, Peace Officer released their first full length LP, “Insurgency”, an album that has been backed by a live show that has garnered a cult following in Colorado. The folow-up album “Contraband”, dropped to a packed house on Halloween 2009, just nine months later. This album features all members of the seven-piece outfit expanding their skills and solidifying their style to create a musical experience that is beyond labels.
Peace Officer’s new challenge is getting their sound out of Colorado and to the masses. “We want to get on the road and tour.” AK tells Mousike. “We’re working up to that… Within the year we hope to go out for extended periods of time.” To support Peace Officer’s desire to travel, find out where they will be next and to get a free download of Contraband, go to peaceofficermusic.com.
Rojos Calientes
Summit County
By Jenna Stecker
“Gypsy Grass?” I thought when I first heard of Summit County’s Rojos Calientes. I was very intrigued and wondered how Latin influenced Bluegrass would sound. As it turns out, it sounds pretty good. Sitting through a recent Calientes show, I found that they fuse a solid bluegrass foundation and then build a Jam and Latin infused house on top of it. While core members of Rojos Calientes have been playing together for years now, they have only recently rounded out their line up.
Raul Quintanilla is from Peru, but his 4 years in Bozeman Montana is where he became familiar with new genres of music such as Country, Bluegrass and Jam music. While originally a bassist, Quintanilla seems to have flowed seamlessly into being Rojos Calientes front man and lead guitarist, as well as the band’s primary songwriter. Mike Huberman who plays Mandolin, Banjo, and Washboard says, “Raul and I are the principle songwriters. We tend to split the work with me on the musical arrangement end of things and Raul writing most lyrics.” Huberman laughs as he notes the language difference. “Funny thing is, the majority of us are not entirely sure what some of the songs are about! We think most of them are about love and love lost.” Mike and Raul played together as a duo for short time before meeting Ryan Blizzard and his Upright Bass at the South Park Music Festival. In October 2008 a month before going into the studio to record their first album, they met Angie Janzen who plays the Viola and lends some femininity to the band with her vocals. In the Spring of 2010 Rojos Calientes added its 5th member, John Bunting “JB” an established Denver percussionist.
It seems Rojos Calientes has finally found the last piece to the puzzle. As Huberman says “Being an acoustic band with no drum kit and for a while with no percussion was tough. Playing bars and clubs where people expect to dance can be a challenge, to overcome this we really utilize ways to maximize the percussive qualities of our acoustic instruments.” Watching the small but enthusiastic crowd dance when I saw them play live, that seems be a challenge that they have overcome. The most enjoyable portion of the show was the fusion of Trampled By Turtles “Codeine” into Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” then back to “Codeine”. Both of these songs played well with the distinct Calientes’ sound. A close second was their version of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” into “Shady Grove” and back to Floyd again. Crooning that they are “Just a shady brick in the wall” Rojos Calientes is a fun fusion act that deserves a little attention from you.
D.V.S* – Derek VanScoten
Boulder
By Whitney LeFevre
With descriptions like “Omni-tempo Soulgaze,” and “Six-String Whomp,” your imagination churns thinking about what kind of music D.V.S* (Derek VanScoten) creates. A self-proclaimed creator of “tasty beatz,” multi-instrumentalist D.V.S* has called Boulder home for over a decade, yet has only recently started producing his work.
Derek released a full-length album titled “Before I Sing” in October 2009, which has been followed closely by two EP’s, two singles, and an original mixtape. His recordings pull from various elements of dance music, including hip-hop, electro-funk, dubstep, drum ‘n’ bass and house. “Before I Sing” plays parent to songs like “Being Near You,” “Different From the Rest,” and “Sweetest Hangover,” which reflect an eclectic combination of vintage, soulful lyricism, blues rock guitar textures and trip-hop beats. Derek has adhered to new musical influences in his more recent work through bands like Flying Lotus, Four Tet, Rusko, Booka Shade and others. With “Through the Looking Glass EP”, songs like “Rüberjunk” and “The Day Speeds On…” carry a glitchy, dub-oriented sound mixed with light, beautiful guitar melodies. His most recent release, “How it Ends ~ The Remix EP”, draws inspiration from bands like Passion Pit, Devotchka, Bjork, Major Lazer, and Bassnectar in a fiery yet melancholic collection of remixes. While Derek’s albums lay praise to him as a truly talented artist, they are merely a glimpse of the real magic D.V.S* conjures during a live performance. His musicianship alone can quickly pack a dance floor and keep it moving well into the early morning hours. “My primary instruments are a variety of electric and acoustic guitars, as well as laptops and controllers for making beats. I also play bass, mandolin, tenor banjo and a little bit of keys,” says Derek While some fans have described Derek as the love child shared between Girl Talk and Ratatat, others have called him a one-man Lotus or Electro Keller Williams. Either way, you can expect a wide range of music to be played during his set: “I’m always changing it up to keep it fresh, but definitely [expect] dirty beats and lots of guitar. [It’s] a perfect blend of crunchy beats and live musicianship.” Sadly, Derek has packed up and headed to Brooklyn, NY; however, he will always hold Colorado close: “I’ll be back [in Colorado] for gigs, friends, and whatnot, but it’s time for D.V.S* to move to bright lights and big city.”
You can download all albums and tracks at www.dvsmusic.net and follow D.V.S* on Facebook at facebook.com/dvsmusic.
Boulder Acoustic Society
Boulder
By Whitney LeFevre
If you start with a heaping bowl of American roots and add a dash of indie rock, drop in some classical music training and gritty harmonization, sprinkle with punk undertones, and cover it with a pseudo avant-garde and Brechtian cabaret candy coating, you have undoubtedly created the delicious concoction known as the Boulder Acoustic Society.
Spanning extensive musical backgrounds, educations and degrees, the four members of Boulder Acoustic Society, or BAS as they are warmly known among friends and fans, have done much more than make a musical statement. Seven years after their original formation, BAS has toured throughout the United States, has played over 150 shows a year, and is ready to release their sixth album “Champion of Disaster” in October.
The current members, consisting of Aaron Keim (banjo, guitar, ukulele, vocals), Scott McCormick (accordion, piano, vocals), Neil McCormick (bass), and Scott Aller (drums, vocals), have essentially known each other since 2006. “The band has been around since 2003,” says Keim. “Since then, [the band] has become more folky, more rockin’ and has a darker vibe.” Influenced by artists like The Clash, Woody Guthrie, The Pixies, Doc Watson, The Pogues, Memphis Jug Band and a vast collection of others, it makes sense how BAS pulls from so many genres to create the acoustically fresh, foot-stomping assertiveness their albums offer. From Americana grass roots with ragtime, country and jazz hints (So Many Stars In The Sky and The 8th Color) to ominous implementations of gospel and vocal harmonies (Now), to raspy traditional meets folk-punk rock with a gypsy twist (Punchline), BAS isn’t new to turning experiment into melodious masterpiece. Speaking of masterpieces, “Champion of Disaster” has BAS centering on Appalachian root instrumentation with rock backbeats. They create a traditional sound with an aggressive yet communal feel by pairing a swooning banjo, guitar, and heavy accordion with their signature grainy harmonization and vocality. The new album is actually more an act in refinement than an experiment: “Our recorded music is very diverse. Champion is an attempt to strip it down and focus on one sound,” says Keim.
BAS is currently on their Coal, Cotton and Dust tour throughout the United States. If you head to one of their shows, don’t let their initial jug band/ bluegrass swagger and laidback demureness fool you; their live shows pack a sensationally direct punch to the eardrums. In addition to deep lyrics, creative arrangements, captivating personalities, and fun, expect to hear rock music played on folk instruments and folk music played on rock instruments. Follow BAS online at boulderacousticsociety.net.
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