Hidden Track

Our resident guitar expert, Yair2k, hipped us to Paul Languedoc’s webpage, where the luthier has just released photos of the newest ‘doc. Languedoc started out making instruments before Phish’s Trey Anastasio convinced him to go on the road as the band’s sound engineer. Now that the band has been on hiatus for a few years, […]

On Monday we kicked off a new feature called Tour Diary with the first of four entries from the Umphrey’s McGee crew about their recently completed West Coast tour. Here’s UM Lighting Crew Chief Wade Wilby with a behind-the-scenes look at the San Diego and Los Angeles shows, and their day off in San Fran…:

02/12/08 House of Blues, San Diego, CA
Dub Trio opened
Set I: Get in the Van, Jimmy Stewart> Water, Higgins, Nemo> Sweetness> Jam^{1 2}, Nemo
Set II: 40’s Theme, Example 1³, Padgett’s Profile, Search 4, Morning Song, Ringo¹
Encore: Show Biz Kids^{1 4}, The Floor

1 – With Mike Keneally
2 – ‘Abacab’ jam
3 – Mike Mirro (Drums)
4 – First Time Played (Steely Dan)

Photo by Mike Sherry

The SD HOB is a bit tight to work in, but you sacrifice the space for the climate. The head lighting technician there is the funniest and most well versed HOB light guy, if not one of the best club guys in the country, so he is always a treat. He and (Umphrey’s LD Adam) Budney busted balls all day, while the boys awaited Mike Keneally from Frank Zappa fame to arrive. Jake, Joel and Kris recently recorded some great tracks with Mike on their trip to LA, and we got to listen to a few. Very scary. Very angular. Very Umphrey’s. I hope this stuff sees the light of day soon. It was decided by the group that Steely Dan’s stab at Hollywood Show Biz Kids would be the cover of the night. Read on for more from San Diego and LA…

The Disco Biscuits are returning to the stage for three shows at the Starland Ballroom starting tomorrow. If you weren’t able to purchase tickets, or you’re just scared to run into this guy, you can watch all three shows on iClips. The broadcasts begin each night at 9:30. Don’t forget your pacifier and dancing shoes.

The New York Mets will play the final baseball game at Shea Stadium this fall. Billy Joel, a quintessential New Yorker and baseball lover, will play the final musical notes at the stadium, which has been home to the Amazin’s since 1964, in July. From the Beatles historical concerts to Dwight Gooden’s fastball, Shea has provided some fantastic memories. Here’s a few remembered, mash-up style:

Scenes From an Italian Restaurant – Mike Piazza, who certainly provided his share of Amazin’ moments for the Mets, will probably best be remembered for his performance in the first baseball game played in New York in the post-9/11 era. On September 20, 2001, Piazza hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning that lifted the Mets over the Atlanta Braves 3-2 and brought the tiniest bit of joy to a still weeping New York City.

A Matter of Trust – The Mets lose the first two games of the 1986 World Series at Shea to the Red Sox setting off panic after a 108-win regular season and a dramatic NLCS win over Houston. Tim Teufel’s through-the-wickets error allows the lone run in Game One and Dwight Gooden is shelled for six runs on eight hits over five innings in a 9-3 Game Two loss. The Mets turn it around and win Games Three and Four in Boston.

Read on for eleven more Billy Joel songs that just drive Mr. Met absolutely crazy…

We’ve got a couple of more festivals to tell you about this week, and let’s begin with this year’s 10KLF event at Detroit Lakes in Minnesota. Phil Lesh and Friends, The Flaming Lips and P-Funk head up the initial lineup announcement, which also features Mickey Hart’s new band and Michael Franti. 10KLF offers four days […]

Yesterday we kicked off a new feature called Tour Diary with the first of four entries from the Umphrey’s McGee crew about their recently completed West Coast tour. Here’s UM Lighting Crew Chief Wade Wilby with a behind-the-scenes look at the Portland and Ventura shows, and their day off in Sacramento:

02/09/08 Roseland Theatre, Portland, OR
Dub Trio opened
Set I: Nothing Too Fancy> Roulette, Much Obliged> Eat> 2×2> Eat, Syncopated Strangers> Jimmy Stewart> Syncopated Strangers
Set II: Plunger, Kula, August> End of the Road> August, Wappy Sprayberry> Resolution> Nothing Too Fancy
Encore: London Calling¹, Wizard Burial Ground

1 First Time Played (The Clash)

All photos by Matt Ziegler

Portland is starting to become one of those cities in Umph lore that brings out the best in the band. Could be Brendan’s brother Pat’s overwhelmingly positive attitude (he lives in Portland), could be the Northwest air, who knows? One thing is for sure; the boys came and brought it once again, this time at The Roseland Theater. Nothing 2 Fancy got things fired up right from the get go, and from Much Obliged till the end of the first set things didn’t let up. The same can be said for set 2, with Kula igniting the packed and sweaty dance hall. Jake nailed the vocals on the night’s new cover of London Calling by The Clash. After the show we hung tough with the Portland Family, and were excited to travel to Sacramento for a day off. Read on for more from Portland, Ventura and a well-earned trip to The Beat…

Widespread Panic’s John Bell recently spoke with Glide’s Shane Handler about a variety of topics near and dear to the guitarist’s heart. Check out Tickling The Truth With JB to find out what the Cleveland native thought about the Super Bowl, his favorite part of recording studio albums and much much more… Photo by Ian […]

With 92% of the precincts reporting, Hidden Track can now project that Umphrey’s McGee will carry the first volume of Cover Wars with 64% of the vote. String Cheese Incident and Trey Anastasio finished officially tied each with 18% of the vote. Now let’s move on to the next battle.

This week features six artists competing for the best cover of Stevie Wonder’s Boogie On Reggae Woman. This song comes to us off the 1974 record Fulfillingness’ First Finale. Here’s a look at the contenders:

Addison Groove Project: As you may recall, this now retired (but is any band ever really retired?) funk-fusion outfit from Boston has previously been mentioned on Hidden Track, by me, and about this song. AGP got a mention in my Top Ten Big Red sit-ins.

Legion Of Mary: LoM was Jerry Garcia’s side-band from 1974 to 1975 and featured Garcia, Merl Saunders (Keyboards, Vocals), John Kahn (bass), Martin Fierro (Saxophone, Flute) and Ron Tutt (Drums). This track comes to you from a ’74 show in Berkeley, Merl takes vocal duties, but Garcia’s guitar work starting around the 6 minute mark is definitely worth hearing. Read on for more Boogie On…

As many of you prepare to head down to “Hippie Spring Break,” we thought we would check in again with Ethan Schwartz – one of Langerado’s founders and promoters – about the move from Sunrise to Big Cypress, late-night sets, and two bands that his mom has actually heard of plus so much more…

Some Dude: Sunrise had been home to the festival for the past three years, why did you guys decide to make the move to Big Cypress? Was the switch in sites in hopes of being able to secure it for the long term, like Superfly has done with Manchester?

Ethan Schwartz: We were limited to 15,000 attendees at Markham Park, and last year we reached that. We’d been in discussions with the Seminole Tribe for a few years, and last year they came out, loved what they saw, and invited us to our new home. We’ve got a lot of room to grow at the new site, but at our own pace.

SD: What will the new site offer that you weren’t able to in the past?

ES: It’s actually a lot easier for the attendees this year. Besides offering on-site camping for everyone, the late night shows will take place on site this year, so that will keep people from having to drive 30 minutes to downtown Ft. Lauderdale to see a late night show. Plus, there’s no chance the late night shows will sell out, so no one misses anything. It’s actually cheaper to attend Langerado this year, camp and do the late nights than it has been in the past. Read on for more of Some Dude’s interview with Ethan Schwartz about Langerado…

Despite what their moniker might lead you to believe, Canada’s No Kids new release, Come Into My House provides another slightly dopey, yet strangely lovable album of sing-a-long tunes. While the No Kids have their own unique sound, they conjure up a concoction that calls to mind a mixture of one part Napoleon Dynamite background music, one part Kimya Dawson, and one part 1987 Casio. In what seems to be an emerging trend that kicked into high gear with the success of the Juno soundtrack, No Kids continue on the path of quirky, catchy, youthful compositions.

I know what you are probably thinking, “Great, another fucking hipster Juno knockoff.” But that’s not the case here at all. This is more the case of some well-versed Canadian music school students stretching their legs, and making a solid album that is only a half hipster. The other half is a sort of self-deprecating, simplistic, goofiness that makes you realize that while this album is catchy, and at times kinda dumb, they are aware of it and cater to it. The result might not be the best album you will hear in 2008, but it’s a damn fun one that is worthy of a spin and will most certainly grow on you.

The best tune on the album is probably Bluster in the Air. A descriptive title indeed, this clunky song provides a good theme for a stroll on a windy day. The Beaches Are Closed rocks a little harder with a more charging beat and staccato chord progression that could probably be best classified as sex music for your white ass. Another favorite, Four Freshman Locked Out as the Sun Goes Down, feels like a fifties throwback to a Hawaiian vacation. And finally, I Love the Weekend provides a nice backdrop if you are interested in teaching a salsa course at the local retirement castle. Read on for a download from No Kids’ new album…