Talk about flying totally under the radar. Last year at this time the Noodling Community was abuzz with pre- and post-show chatter about the Warren Haynes Xmas Jam. And maybe it’s strictly the result of the lack of an exotic and limitless Serialpod debut, but this year’s event didn’t even register on most Google calendars, message boards or any of those newfangled “blogs.”
Did a subpar lineup keep the avalanche of buzz at bay? Was it Warren’s refusal to add any acts to the bill after the initial announcement? Or have people grown a bit weary of Haynes’ overexposure? No matter the reason, the 18th Annual Xmas Jam still managed to sell out 7,200 seats and provided the paying audience with hours of music. The Asheville Citizen-Times, not surprisingly, wrote a glowing recap of the event, the only media outlet to cover it apparently.
Branford Marsalis joins a strange balding dude and some homeless guy on stage on the 18th Annual Xmas Jam — credit: Paul Balicky (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Make sure to check out the Citizen-Times article, which contains a ton of multimedia from the show and the first ever Xmas Jam podcast. And read on below for the setlists from each band, many of which include Marsalis, middle-aged American Idol winner Taylor Hicks and Umphrey’s McGee geetarist Brendan Bayliss…
I’ve always been a big fan of incorporating mainstream popular culture into the not-so-mainstream culture, counter- or otherwise. In fact, I thought it was a grave misstep when every so-called
It’s synonymous with summer. And either you’ve got fond memories of a fucking awesome veggie burrito you bought in the lot or you’re making grand plans to see a show there when the popular rock band Phish inevitably returns.
Whichever camp you’re camping in, it seems like Live Nation’s about to pave paradise and put up a parking lot. Or a shopping mall. Or a Wal-Mart. Harsh buds.
First they sullied the glorious Deer Creek name when the venue became the Verizon Wireless Music Center, now it looks like the lights may go down forever. Hey, at least it’s for a good reason, reports the Indianapolis Star:
The area around the music center has become one of the Indianapolis area’s hottest sites for new commercial development and Live Nation wants to take advantage of rising property values in the area…
Sweet, it’s all in the name of profit-taking…that’s great news. Here I thought there was gonna be an explanation people would be pissed about. Nick Arterburn of CB Richard Ellis, the real estate company listing the property, apparently doesn’t believe in sugar-coating nor subtlety, so he clarifies the Live Nation position:
“We’re not against selling it to another entertainment group…as long as they are the entity that pays us the most money.”
And we all know that entertainment groups outside of Live Nation and its former parent Clear Channel have plenty of money with which to win a bidding war. So I’m guessing this spells the end of one of the most famous outdoor amphitheaters in the country. Deer Creek, we hardly knew ye…or we knew ye too well.
Read on for an impromptu edition of The B List and links to some of the best Dead and Phish shows in the rich history of the venue…
I sure wish it were next Monday; then I’d be off from work for Christmas. Since I’m not, though, here are a handful of links to keep you entertained: Diane
From the sound of the opening track "The Light" on The Album Leaf's new, album Into the Blue Again, it would be forgivable to expect a sort of reigned in Sigur Ros. But when track two rolls around, listeners are instead greeted with a dark electropop offering vaguely reminiscent of Pedro the Lion.
Brooklyn rockers Oxford Collapse are back with their third release – and first with their new record label Sub Pop – Remember the Night Parties.
Compiling a best of list is a daunting task as it’s difficult to even remember everything released in 2006. The Arctic Monkeys had an album this year? We’ve already forgotten about them. Longevity is the key to a good song or still liking a song after the hundredth listen. 2007 already looks bright with anticipated releases from the Shins, Bloc Party, and LCD Soundsystem in the first quarter alone. The following list encapsulates the songs that kept us rocking throughout another arduous year.
