Show Reviews

Sevendust/Lacuna Coil – Feature Interviews with John Connolly & Maus Biazzi: Hard Rock Live, Biloxi, MS, 2/14/13

t was the hammer of the gods. The thunder of demons. And for a crowd of hard rock loving, fist-raising fans in Biloxi, it was heaven. Sevendust, a metal-leaning, powerdrill of a band out of Atlanta, is the epitome of hard work finally paying off. Formed in the mid-90’s by guitar player John Connolly, bass player Vinnie Hornsby and drummer Morgan Rose – with vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joining soon after – they forged ahead even when things looked bleak. That fierce tenacity mixed with a massive sound and eye-opening lyrics is what finally elevated them above all the hundreds of other young bands struggling to get their music heard.

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The Punch Brothers: Calvin Theatre, Northampton MA 2/15/13

How often do you hear bluegrass, Bach, and Radiohead played at the same show? The answer is never unless of course you are talking about the Punch Brothers. In an almost two hour show at the Northampton’s Calvin Theatre, the five piece band dazzled with a musically adventurous mix in which they melded classical, jazz, folk, and rock into their progressive bluegrass sound.

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Turtle Island: SRB, Brooklyn, NY 2/14/13

Turtle Island has a punk rock spine with two electric guitarists, standard rock drummer and bassist who are the motor of the band.  The core rockers keep things upbeat as extra drummers, vocalists and flute players add a spiritual vibe that is palpable. Speaking minimal to no English and singing in a foreign language didn’t limit the band at all, as energy, honesty and power don’t need to be conveyed in words.      

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The Who: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA 1/30/13

From the pummeling bash-and-groove of “The Real Me” to the dramatic conclusion of “Love Reign O’er Me,”the performance was surreal, vibrant, and fantastic. Bright lights dazzled and big screen images complimented the musical storytelling. The hypnotic sound of crashing waves crept in and out between songs, connecting them all as one as Daltrey and Townshend took no chat breaks. Aside from some typical arena/big room echo that occasionally made the vocals hard to understand and muddled some of the music, it was a smooth production. At the end of the night, Townshend said he played “a few bum notes,” but if he did, they were hard to catch.

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Jim James: Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 2/19/13

The release of James’ solo album, Regions of Light and Sound of God, has afforded him the opportunity to bring his eclectic musical sound-scapes back to those smaller venues, giving him the freedom and intimacy to try new ideas and providing onlookers (which tonight included The Roots drummer Questlove and Mad Men/Community star Allison Brie beaming from the side of the stage) a close-up view of the action.

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Rufus Wainwright: 9:30 Club, Washington, DC 02/12/2013

One leaves a Rufus Wainwright concert torn between the terrible choice of giving in to their desire to listen to songs they just heard as album versions set against the stark reality that the version they heard live will almost certainly cause the audio version to pale in comparison– and this goes even for solo shows like the one at the 9:30 Club.

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Shawn Colvin: Yoshi’s, San Francisco, CA 01/25/2013

Shawn Colvin knows, respects and indulges the personal and professional history behind her music-making, celebrating her influences and collaborations with every show. She is a master of her craft, an unparalleled performer and soulful artist who continues to integrate and grow with her years; seeing her year after year is a joy that keeps on giving.

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The Lumineers: DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC 01/30/2013

No one knows how long the indie-folk moment The Lumineers are spearheading will stay aflame but with performances, and sold out shows like this audiences will likely be able to see a progression and hopefully a maturation from the jam-based folksy energy into something more.

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Umphrey’s McGee: Ziggy

The legendary Ziggy’s name now adorns a new, larger space on the outskirts of downtown, and fans flocked to see the first Umphrey’s show in the Camel City since April of 2003. It also happened to be the 10th anniversary of the band’s first show with drummer Kris Myers, so a celebratory vibe prevailed even during the band’s birthday hangover.

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