Around 5:30PM Music Today started sending out notices of regret and confirmation to those who entered the lottery for tickets to Phish’s comeback gigs in Hampton, Virginia on March 6,
Atlanta’s Matt and Kelly Andrews, of Musical Stew Daily fame, eat, drink and breathe live music. Please welcome them to the Hidden Track posse to represent the ATL with reviews and news from the Big Peach.
In Atlanta’s Little 5 Points, the heart and soul of live music is located squarely at The Variety Playhouse. Showcasing an eclectic mix of musical talent nightly, The Variety has hosted an impressive roster of talents through the years. Phish, Widespread Panic, Lee “Scratch” Perry and others have graced the stage of The Variety in the past. On Saturday the 11th, they hosted yet another favorite of mine, Jacksonville, Florida’s JJ Grey & Mofro.
Sweet tea, blackberry cobbler, ox-tail soup, hominy grits, mosquitoes, fried catfish and hush puppies are all synonymous with Jacksonville’s culinary life and culture, the birthplace and home of Mofro. Molasses sweet and thick, Otis Redding inspired “front porch soul.” The music is gritty and tough while remaining sweet and inspired. Music with a cause, to preserve the land and life that JJ Grey so obviously holds sacred. An urgent message delivered with a steady groove and southern manners. The simplicity of yesteryear is sadly fading before his eyes as he implores us to see Florida through those same eyes– likening it to “watching someone you love die slow.”
READ ON for more of Matt and Kelly’s JJ Grey and Mofro review…
U-Melt ran away with last week’s edition when we looked at eight covers of The Boy In The Bubble. U-Melt proves that clever setlist construction goes a long way, as the performance that was selected was in the middle of MMW’s Bubblehouse (Boy in the Bubblehouse?). Congrats to U-Melt on their first CW trophy, well it’s an imaginary trophy, put it on the mantle.
Moving on to this week, we will be taking a look at a tune Robbie Robertson wrote for The Band that was originally released on the their 1975 release Nothern Lights – Southern Cross.
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READ ON for the tale of the tape on this week’s competitors…
Yesterday, we kicked off Grateful Dead week with a clip from 1972, so today we’ll go with a rare highlight from the Vince Welnick-era: one of four GD performances of
Back in the mid ’90s, Irving Plaza became Widespread Panic’s home away from home in New York City. Since those heady days, the band’s lineup has changed multiple times and
Change Rocks – Bryce Jordan Center – Penn State Univ. – State College, PA Allman Brothers Band (via RatDog.Org): Revival Statesboro Who’s Been Talking Midnight Rider One Way Out And
While we were quite bummed (and annoyed) that Neil Young’s Archives project got delayed again, it’s nice to know we’re gonna have a new vault release to tide us over.
We’re big fans of the Phish-Coventry blog, so it’s with great excitement that we welcome The Joker aboard to review shows in the Denver-area. First up for The Joker was Lotus at the Ogden Theater…
Often times in my life I go to see music for an escape…Friday night in Denver was no exception. Coming off the worst week in Stock Market history I came into Lotus with a body and head full of worry and negativity…as the song goes some dance to remember, I like to dance to forget.
[All Photos by Jeremy Gordon]
The Ogden was not sold out, but there was quite a scene getting in. It was one of the first cold nights of the season in Denver and standing out on Colfax in a complete clusterfuck seemed like the wrong start for me – I had hassles all week and did not need another hassle getting in. We had been outside for about 15 minutes when an underage blonde girl stumbled into us- she had big black X’s on her hand and had been kicked out. Some drunk/spun kids are endearing, but this girl was a complete mess. My friends and I tried to assist her in her quest for re-entry. As a vet of many music experiences with drugs and alcohol sometimes you just have to stand in the corner and come down…but the security and police were watching her so we parted ways at the entrance. Where were her friends? No where. (Wags Finger at Readers) Kids, you have to stick together- seeing music with friends and partying is fun but you have to look out for each other.
Upon entering and taking my first sip of beer I began to calm down. The Ogden was comfortably crowded with plenty of energy and room to move. We secured a place front and center in the balcony. I was surrounded by more music lovers than scenesters, more younger dancers than jaded vets and it felt good. The flat-billed hats and crystals were left at home and the focus was on the music. Lotus opened the show with Juggernaut, an in your face dance party song with the focus on their lights. I could not see the band until mid way through the first set, only outlines of them in front of large blue squares.
READ ON for more of The Joker’s Lotus review…
Since we are just hours away from Bobby, Phil, Mickey and Billy reuniting on stage for the first time since 2004 (along with Warren and Jeff) at the Bryce Jordan
Since the major festival season ended a few weeks ago, we haven’t heard much from the good folks at iClips…until now. Our favorite webcasters head to the Crescent City on
