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Michael Franti & Spearhead w/ Bobby Long @ Terminal 5, October 28

Say what you will about Terminal 5 and all of its quirks and issues, but there does come that rare time that the multi-level industrial venue affords fans an extraordinary experience that you can’t get anywhere else. This past Thursday night, with the unique pairing of Bobby Long and Michael Franti & Spearhead, anyone who spent their Franti set up on an upper level looking down on the stage saw what I saw: a bird’s eye view of Michael Franti’s gigantic bare feet.

[All photos by Rob Chapman]

At 6’6”, Michael always looms like a giant over the crowd from the stage, and even more so when he takes a seat on the stool for an acoustic ballad, but holy shit, those feet from above look like naval bases out to sea.

A fitting allegory perhaps, as with the release of his latest hit factory studio release, the Sound of Sunshine, Franti & Spearhead officially make the jump to larger than life. If All Rebel Rockers broke the seal to mainstream success, the Sound of Sunshine turned on the spigot. Many longtime fans take this as a negative, and cite the newer material of hope over strife as a sellout or even a losing of religion, but for fans who just want to go out, dance, and listen to some good festive music, Franti’s live still show offers plenty to enjoy. READ ON for more about last Thursday’s show…

God Street Wine guitarists Lo Faber and Aaron Maxwell are set to perform at Mexicali Live! in Teaneck, NJ on Friday night. The pair throughly rocked Sullivan Hall a few weeks

By now, anyone who follows sports on the interwebs probably already caught a glimpse of this excellent Randy Moss tribute by DJ Steve Porter, the mastermind DJ behind the Allen

The String Cheese Incident celebrated Halloween by throwing a two-day Hulaween event at Hampton Coliseum this past Friday and Saturday nights. Photographer Derek Martinez was on hand to capture all of the action – including a few snaps of the Disco Biscuits’ opening set from Friday – and has filed some amazing images…

Friday’s Setlists:

tDB –

Set: Hope, Astronaut > Spacebirdmatingcall1 > Astronaut, Little Shimmy In A Conga Line1 > Basis For A Day
1 – unfinished

[via PT Bisco]

SCI –

Set 1: Best Feeling > Texas > Daryl, Walls of Time, Yo Se, Got What He Wanted > Black Clouds, Miss Brown’s Teahouse > L’il Liza Jane > Miss Brown’s Teahouse

Set 2: Song In My Head, Just One Story, Joyful Sound > EOTO > > Rollin’ In My Sweet Baby’s Arms, Way That It Goes, Sirens, It Is What It Is > On the Road….
Encore: Jellyfish > Jump [via Friends of Cheese]

READ ON for more of Derek’s photos from Hulaween…

Dr. Dog @ Vic Theater, October 21, 2010

Philadelphia’s finest, Dr. Dog, treated Chicago fans to a colorful array of psychedelic pop at the Vic Theater back on October 21st. The six-piece band performed two hours of continuous high-energy rock filled with original compositions spanning their extensive catalogue. A bulk of the repertoire was selections off of 2008’s Fate and 2010’s Shame, Shame. The band also introduced two new songs to the mix, both of which embraced Dr. Dog’s signature 1960’s rock-revival sound.

In all honesty Dr. Dog are a must-see live band. They bring a similar raw emotion and friendly energy embedded in their recordings to the stage amplified times ten. Remaining true to their recorded sound, lead lyricists Toby Leaman (bass) and Scott McMicken (lead guitar) rotated vocals on each piece, putting forth a variety of perceptive themes.

Leaman’s soulful, existential approach crossed with McMicken’s introspective observations laid upon a bed of bright arrangements and playful hooks. Leaman, McMicken, Frank McElroy (rhythm guitar, harmonies), Zach Miller (keyboards), Eric Slick (drums) and an unknown friend on percussion polished off the sound with electrifying lo-fi bends and feel good vocal harmonies.

READ ON for more thoughts and photos from Allison…

The Grateful Dead organization are celebrating November by offering a new free download each day of the month straight out of the vault. Head over to Dead.net for a high-quality

Last night, the San Francisco Giants finished the job on the Texas Rangers and won their first World Series since 1954. Congratulations to all the Giants fans out there on