Hidden Track Staff, Author at Glide Magazine

Review: Phish @ The Gorge

Hidden Track Staff August 8, 2011 No Comments

Words and Photos: Jason Gershuny

Phish kicked off the second leg of their 2011 summer tour at the picturesque Gorge Amphitheatre, which served as the backdrop to two terrific shows, each with their own share of highlights. This was Phish’s 6th trip to the Gorge in the last 14 years, and I for one have to say that there are few other places that I would rather see this band.

For those who have never been, imagine camping in a sprawling high desert landscape with a visible horizon for miles around. Thousands of travelers from all over the country create their own colorful worlds with whatever materials they happened to bring with them. Friends congregate to create sprawling tapestry villages to get out of the heat. During the day, the sun is merciless and shade is at a premium. But the incredible payoff lies in the beauty of the amphitheater itself.

As you finally find your way out of your makeshift shade structure to head to see the music, you get your ticket scanned and you are faced with a relatively steep hillside that blocks your view. In cresting the pinnacle of that hill, the world opens up before your eyes to an expansive view that covers miles and miles of the wandering deep blue Columbia River carving elegantly through the rock of the Gorge. All this is before your eyes with the stage in the foreground of your view.

Previously on HT: The Skinny – Night One, The Skinny – Night Two

READ ON for more of Jason’s thoughts and photos from The Gorge…

The B List: Eight Reasons to Get Excited for Leg Two of Phish Summer Tour

Hidden Track Staff August 4, 2011 5 Comments

We’ve made it to Second Leg Eve as HT faves Phish will take the stage at the majestic Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA tomorrow night to kick off the second segment of their summer tour. For this week’s B List, our staff has compiled eight reasons Phish fans are excited for the leg to start.

1. The Venues

[via Hollywood Bowl FB Page]

This leg is a dream tour as far as venues are concerned starting off with the beautiful Gorge Amphitheater and continuing on for the band’s first shows at the Hollywood Bowl, Lake Tahoe’s Outdoor Arena and the historic Golden Gate Park for two sets at Outside Lands. The run finishes up with a three-night stand at the intimate UIC Pavilion, which will give fans a taste of the energy only indoor shows can bring, and then three shows in Colorado over Labor Day Weekend.

READ ON for seven more reasons we’re excited for Phish tour to start…

Steel Cut Oats #8: Alaskan Summer Solstice

Hidden Track Staff August 1, 2011 4 Comments

Over the past few years, we’ve shared compilations of classic Grateful Dead shows put together by longtime HT reader Joe Kolbenschlag called Steel Cut Oats. Today, on what would’ve been Jerry Garcia’s 69th birthday, we’re excited to share Joe’s latest Steel Cut Oats compilation which pulls from the band’s only performances in Alaska…

June 20th and 21st, 1980, West High Auditorium, Anchorage, Alaska

Grateful Dead, 1980. Ask a fan what their first thought would be and you’d probably get a combination of the words ‘Warfield’, ‘Radio City’ or ‘acoustic sets’. Although that is an adequate initial response, it doesn’t cover for what is an under-appreciated year. Many other shows should be highlighted beyond the fall’s cherished Warfield Theater/Radio City Music Hall acoustic/electric workouts. A few favorites of mine include the shows from May 10th (seek out Jim Wise’s audience recording), September 6th (again, do the same thing) and any show from the mini-run of late November. Official releases range from the beloved Reckoning and Dead Set albums highlighting the above Warfield/Radio City run, to the 2002 surprise multi-track release of Go To Nassau featuring two more hot shows from May.

Steel Cut Oats #8 celebrates the bulk of the final two shows of a three-night stand from Anchorage, Alaska – June 20th and 21st, 1980 – at the West High Auditorium. By all accounts, the sold-out venue seated about 2,000 folks each night, and aside from being their only performances ever from the 49th State, they occurred during the Summer Solstice. From that Northern location as fans left each evening, the sun had set, but the night sky never appeared entirely dark, and only a few short hours later, the sun would reappear again – a perfectly strange Grateful Dead setting for an excellent run of shows.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD STEEL CUT OATS #8

READ ON for more about Steel Cut Oats #8…

Picture Show: Camp Bisco Ten

Hidden Track Staff July 21, 2011 1 Comment

The biggest Camp Bisco yet took place at the Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville, NY on July 7 – 9. For the tenth installment of the fest, organizers supplemented headlining sets by the Disco Biscuits with an electronica-heavy lineup that also dipped its toes in the rap, rock and indie worlds.

[All photos by Sebastien Barre]

While unfortunately a series of “technical difficulties” prevented us from giving this fest the full coverage it deserved, we do have a killer photo set from Saturday’s action provided by Sebastien Barre that paints a picture of how things went down at the ILCC featuring the likes of the event’s host – the Disco Biscuits, rapper Wiz Khalifa, DJs MartyParty, Jillionaire and Bassnectar as well as Death From Above 1979, Lettuce, Yeasayer and Neon Indian.

READ ON for a full gallery of Sebastien’s photos from Camp Bisco Ten…

Picture Show: Disco Biscuits and More @ EMU Music Festival

Hidden Track Staff July 11, 2011 No Comments

EMU Music Festival @ Snowmass – July 2

Words: Alexander Wolff
Images: Matthew Speck

There is definitely something special about a low-key festival being held in the middle of a ski mountain. Snowmass Village is a charming little town, and did not appear to be ready for the Bisco Circus provided by fans of the day’s headlining act – the Disco Biscuits. With support acts Perpetual Groove, RJD2 and others, it was sure to be a good time for all.

[All photos by Matthew Speck]

Looking out behind the stage, the peaks and valleys of the Rockies seemed to be just out of reach of the ski lifts. A truly majestic location for a festival, the vista only added to the excitement and anticipation for the Biscuits. They took the stage for their first set while the sun was still up and several stragglers were still wandering over from the adjacent hotel.

The band opened up with a very standard version of the classic original Morph Dusseldorf, followed by a standalone version of Rockafella that didn’t really go anywhere. However, from the moment they burst into Triumph, it was on. Triumph, along with several other tunes, was played for the first time this year, and it certainly made for some exciting exploration. The jam out of it saw a killer drop into Munchkin Invasion, which quickly led to a Caribbean-sounding island jam that was allowed to breathe and develop quite comfortably for several minutes before they built up the ending peak of And The Ladies Were The Rest of the Night. While the quartet certainly could have done more with this tune, it was well executed and was followed by the ending of Munchkin Invasion, which was a real treat having not shown up this year either.

READ ON for more about the Biscuits @ EMU…

Picture Show: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals @ Ives Concert Park

Hidden Track Staff July 8, 2011 No Comments

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals @ Ives Concert Park, June 27

Late last month road warriors Grace Potter and the Nocturnals pulled into scenic Ives Concert Park in Danbury, CT for a ninety-minute set as part of a co-bill with Michael Franti & Spearhead. Photographer Rob Chapman was on hand and turned in a spectacular set of pics featuring the HT faves…

[All photos by Rob Chapman]

READ ON for the rest of Rob’s Grace Potter and the Nocturnals snaps…

Review: Umphrey’s McGee – Red Rocks and Blue II / Boulder Theater

Hidden Track Staff July 6, 2011 3 Comments

Umphrey’s McGee @ Red Rocks (July 3) and Boulder Theater (July 4)

Words: Emily Alderman
Photos: Matthew Speck

While Many bands are blessed with the opportunity to perform at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, very few can fill the vast space with sound and compete with the natural beauty around them. On Sunday night, Umphrey’s McGee easily accomplished this challenge with Jefferson Waful manning the light rig as they returned to the gorgeous venue for the second year of Red Rocks and Blue.

[All photos by Matthew Speck]

Opening the first set with a melodic Jazz Odyssey that filled the amphitheater with sounds that tingled auditory senses and lights that sent chills up your spine, the thousands of fans in attendance got a taste of what they were in for. Umphrey’s started off set one with some classic “jammy” tunes, playing songs such as Bridgeless and Professor Wormbog early in the show, but as the evening progressed they showcased some of their new prog-heavy originals – Puppet Strings, No Comment and Deeper. Even though these newer songs definitely have a different feel to them they still continue to showcase the outstanding musical abilities of the members of Umphrey’s McGee, from the soulful belting vocals of Brendan Bayliss to the rock-god shredding of Jake Cinninger, each member had an opportunity to flaunt their talent in mini solo jams sprinkled throughout the set.

Just as everyone began to become restless from what seemed to be a never-ending set break, Umphrey’s returned for set two with one of their newest songs, Nipple Trix. A composition featuring a slow build up, Nipple Trix almost seemed to be a cue from the band to stand up and stretch out those rock fists to get ready for what they had prepared for us…and oh boy did they have a treat for our rock fists. With special guests Curtis Fowlkes and Jennifer Hill from Easy Star All-Stars on horns, Umphrey’s kept the second set moving with their cover of the Peter Gabriel classic Sledgehammer. As the horns echoed throughout the amphitheatre, the crowd shouted the well-known lyrics and pumped their rock fists.

READ ON for more on Umphrey’s Colorado run…

Phish Super Ball IX: Photos – Day Three

Hidden Track Staff July 5, 2011 No Comments

Photographer Andy Hill was on site at Watkins Glen race track to cover Phish’s Super Ball IX. Here’s a look at his shots from Day Three…

[All photos by Andy Hill]

READ ON for a full gallery of Andy’s fantastic photos…

Phish Super Ball IX: Photos – Day Two

Hidden Track Staff July 3, 2011 No Comments

Photographer Andy Hill was on site at Watkins Glen race track to cover the second day of Phish’s Super Ball IX. Here’s a look at what he came up with…