2005

Toward the end of winter 1998, Phish began preparing to record “Story Of The Ghost”, their first studio album since 1996’s “Billy Breathes”. The band gathered alone for pre-production recording and practice sessions in a rented farmhouse in rural Moscow, Vermont. Using a four-wheel drive vehicle to navigate the driveway during mud season, they practiced and recorded the beginnings of many new songs like Shrine, Roggae, Shafty (Olivia’s Pool, funkified), Frankie Says, What’s The Use, Fikus, Birds of a Feather, Meat, the Meatstick and My Left Toe.

Soon after this first of two “Ghost Meat” sessions, the band decided to play some live shows in the northeast. So-called Island Tour was quickly scheduled and the result was standout shows at once extraordinarily risky, playful and emotive. With little time to warm up, the band hit the stage running with two shows at Nassau Coliseum immediately followed by two at Providence Civic Center. The four nights-in-a-row were a whirlwind of energy with each set building on the last to a funky crescendo that left the band headed back to work on Story Of The Ghost with an electric swagger.
The band has released all four nights of the famed run that hit both islands- Long Island and Rhode Island. Each 3 CD set is available in mp3 and FLAC livephish.com

John Mayer will hit the road this fall with his new trio, featuring bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan. The trek will play clubs and theatres beginning Sept. 6-7 at the Fillmore in San Francisco, and will wrap Oct. 12 in Philadelphia with the last of three dates opening for the Rolling Stones.

The group will play a mix of covers, past Mayer hits reworked for a trio setting and new material. “The challenge is choosing which tunes to play,” Mayer recently told Billboard. “All I have is six strings, all Pino has is four and Steve his drum set.”

Joss Stone and Ray LaMontagne are confirmed to open select shows, with additional support to be announced.

Here are the John Mayer Trio’s tour dates:

Sept. 6-7: San Francisco (Fillmore)
Sept. 10: Las Vegas (House of Blues)
Sept. 11: San Diego (House of Blues)
Sept. 13: Anaheim, Calif. (House of Blues)
Sept. 14-15: Los Angeles (House of Blues)
Sept. 17: Denver (Fillmore)
Sept. 19: Kansas City, Mo. (Uptown)
Sept. 21-22: Chicago (House of Blues)
Sept. 23: Minneapolis (Quest)
Sept. 24: Milwaukee (Eagles Ballroom)
Sept. 26: Nashville (Ryman Auditorium)
Sept. 27: New Orleans (House of Blues)
Sept. 28: Atlanta (Tabernacle)
Sept. 30: Orlando, Fla. (House of Blues)
Oct. 1: Myrtle Beach, S.C. (House of Blues)
Oct. 3: Washington, D.C. (MCI Center; w/ Rolling Stones)
Oct. 4: Cleveland (House of Blues)
Oct. 6: New York (Beacon Theatre)
Oct. 10: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center; w/ Rolling Stones)
Oct. 11: Boston (Avalon)
Oct. 12: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center; w/ Rolling Stones)

Source billboard.com.

Legendary rap act Public Enemy has joined the extensive lineup for Hellfest 2K5, a three-day New Jersey festival that will boast 188 acts, most of which fall in the category of heavy rock music. Described as “a barricade-free, circle pit induced festival,” the Aug. 19-21 event at Trenton, N.J.’s Sovereign Bank Arena will feature five stages of music as well as a flea market, tattoo convention and skate park.

With original members Chuck D, Flavor Flav and Professor Griff, the Public Enemy performance is being billed among Hellfest’s reunion acts, which also include hardcore groups Youth Of Today, Bold, 108 and Good Clean Fun, upstart punk group Outspoken and metal act Killing Time.

Leading up to the festival, organizers are announcing participating acts in weekly bursts, with Chimaira, Hatebreed, From Autumn To Ashes, the Misfits, Sick Of It All, Anti Flag, Bouncing Souls and Cryptopsy among the 120 so far revealed. The full list of confirmed acts can be found on the event’s Web site.

A limited allotment of three-day tickets are available for $99.99 through the site. The venue’s box office will sell remaining general admission passes for $12

Source billboard.com.

According to a story on pitchforkmedia.com, multi-billion dollar shoemaker, Nike has stolen the legendary artwork of hardcore pioneers, Minor Threat. Destined for a campaign called Major Threat, the style and iconic imagery was used for the advertising and done so without the permission of Washington, D.C. based indie Dischord. The label owns the copyright on both the recording and artwork. When asked by Pitchfork, the label had this to say with regards to permission:

No, they stole it and we’re not happy about it. Nike is a giant corporation which is attempting to manipulate the alternative skate culture to create an even wider demand for their already ubiquitous brand. Nike represents just about the antithesis of what Dischord stands for and it makes me sick to my stomach to think they are using this explicit imagery to fool kids into thinking that the general ethos of this label, and Minor Threat in particular, can somehow be linked to Nike’s mission. It’s disgusting.
Dischord is currently evaluating its options, and you can click Read More to compare the artwork for yourself.

Source punknews.org.

Starbucks has nabbed the exclusive first rights to sell “Bob Dylan: Live at the Gaslight 1962,” an album of newly restored live recordings culled from Dylan’s performances at the New York cafe.

The 10-song CD hits more than 4,400 Starbucks’ locations in North America on Aug. 30, and will also be available through its Web site. The exclusivity window lasts 18 months.

Bootleg versions of the shows have circulated among fans for years, but the Aug. 30 release marks the first time a sanctioned release has occurred. Among the tracks are the earliest surviving live recording of “Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” and “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright.”

Source: Billboard

For the first time in their 10-year history, Ozomatli is bringing the intensity, energy, and enthusiasm of their live show to a specially-priced CD and DVD companion package. The 10-track Live at the Fillmore CD, recorded at the historic San Francisco venue in late 2004, features incendiary live performances of such hits as