Nickel Creek 3/22/2004: The Pageant St. Louis, MO
Nickel Creek held true to their bluegrass roots throughout their two hour performance at the Pageant, covering and conquering the likes of Nirvana, Carrie Newcomer, Beck and Gillian Welch, while also cruising through traditional folk and country instrumentals within their growing catalog of original material.
The Rashied Ali Quintet 3/22/2004: The Blue Monk – Portland, OR
Rashied Ali, who replaced Elvin Jones as John Coltrane
Tortoise 3/18/2004: Higher Ground – Winooski, VT
Playing a large amount of songs from their latest -It
eastmountain south 2/27/2004: Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
Eastmountainsouth created an atmosphere in the Great American
Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers 2/19/2004: Marquee Theatre, Tempe, AZ
The capacity crowd at the Marquee Theater was electric from the start, and Clyne
Galactic 2/07/2004: The Odeon, Cleveland, OH
From album to album and tour to tour, Galactic has developed and redeveloped both their actual music and all the aspects of their live show to constantly reshape the direction and scope of their efforts. From the addition of a guest vocalist or lyricist, to the showcasing of new styles performed by up-and-coming supporting acts, Galactic
Primus 2/13/2004: Constitution Hall – Washington D.C.
On the final stop on the the second leg of their Tour de Fromage reunion tour, Primus brought their high energy quirky rock to the nations capital. With political rants expressed in between songs while playing the entire Sailing The Seas of Cheese, album, Les Claypool used the first amendment to his advantage at Constitution Hall.
Matt Nathanson : Washington University, St. Louis, MO
As soon as Matt Nathanson walked onstage at Washington University
Chuck D 1/10/2004: John Carroll University, Cleveland, OH
For the past 14 years, Public Enemy
Robert Randolph and the Family Band 1/11/2004: Memorial Auditorium- Burlington, VT
Just 72 hours prior to Robert Randolph and the Family Band
Transit 0/31/2004: Monkey House – Winooski, VT
Transit’s sound is a crunchy testament to a time of simplicity, attaining the essence of improvisational originality, while capturing the moment’s true conscience – both the sunny and dark. It is this electric telepathy between the trio on stage that enables Transit to deliver this gritty passage of raw emotion that reflects in their cozy, coffeehouse stage settings.
moe. : Norva, Norfolk, VA 1.29.04
While moe. have retained their ability to spaz-out over reggae-tinged rock and roll riffs, they have also finally learned to chill out. Their live show used to drive steadily over a long, flat highway of Ritalin-child guitar solos and bland exploration over unchanging bass lines, but the boys from Buffalo seem to have finally learned the subtle distinction between jamming and improvising.
Eddie From Ohio 0/28/2004: Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
A war-worn Bosnian girl and a cowboy who throws like a girl. No, that’s not the beginning of a joke or the character set in a new misfit comedy, but an indicator of the brilliant variety of songs brought by a folk foursome-enigmatically from Virginia-called Eddie from Ohio.
My Morning Jacket 0/27/2004: Higher Ground – Winooski, Vermont
As My Morning Jacket took the stage and opened with the Latin sounding “Mahgeeta,” the band’s distinctive sound -led by James’ howl- made an immediate dent. As the five-piece carved into additional songs from It Still Moves, it became clear, that unlike the pre-mentioned LP, which takes numerous spins to “get,” the live electricity set by My Morning Jacket makes them a simpler catch in person.
Badfish 0/26/2004: Higher Ground – Winooski, VT
If you you never had the chance to check out 90’s ska-rock heroes Sublime, cover band Badfish is the next best thing. If you wanted to hear any Sublime song, Badfish played it convincingly well, as even a version of “Daterape” got the girls dancing on stage.
Phish – New Years Run: American Airlines Arena Miami, FL 12/28/03-12/31/03
Phish is on the musical rise. If they were in a rut before the hiatus they have certainly broken through now. Even the lighting, always so perfect and well done is coming into new levels of excitement, stretching out into uncharted territory during this most recent New Years run in Miami.
Vida Blue & The Spam Allstars 1/12/2004: Higher Ground – Winooski, VT
With origins stemming from a recent visit by Page McConnell to Miami, Vida Blue and the Spam Allstars quickly developed a working relationship, which in turn culminated with a new collaborative album, The Illustrated Band, and a subsequent short winter tour. The seven-strong Spam Allstars played lead to Vida Blues’ groovy foundation, making this two set shows quite the memory.