2007

January and February are typically off months for live music. Gig news flies fast and furious, but there isn’t much in the way of actual music. March, on the other hand, has been filled to the brim with great tunes like motherfuckin’ Maxwell House.

This week’s edition of Grousing The Aisles looks at four stellar shows from the month of March, three of which took place this past weekend.

JJ Grey and MOFRO 03/23/07 DAUD (FLAC, MP3, STREAM):

At Langerado Ace and I finally had a chance to talk to J.J. Grey about his decision to change the name of the band to J.J. Grey and Mofro. After seeing their set at Langerado and listening to this show from Denver’s Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom, it’s pretty clear how personal these songs are to Grey.

Songs like How Junior Got His Head Put Out, War, and Country Ghetto crackle with emotion that reaches deep within the listener. I feel bad now that I thought he just changed the name of the band to get more notoriety. Um, oops.

But seriously if you haven’t checked out J.J. Grey and Mofro in concert since they put out Country Ghetto, run to the closest show and check out their performance. The addition of a horn section makes all the difference in the world for this band.

Read on for the rest of this week’s Grousing The Aisles…

I’ve seen Tea Leaf Green a few times before, and I’ve always left confused about how people have fallen in love with this band. Sure they know how to rock, but what makes them different than any other jamband? And how come my partner on this here blog won’t shut the fuck up about how they’re the best band on the road?

This past weekend, I finally got what all the fuss is about. I entered the venue with vague thoughts of leaving at setbreak, as I was feeling a tad weary entering the show. But from the opening notes of Taught To Be Proud through the third encore of AC/DC’s Have A Drink On Me, the members of Tea Leaf Green had the sold-out audience at Irving Plaza wrapped around their collective fingers. Hell, I would have stayed for a third set.

One of the first distinctions I noticed between the Irving gig and some previous TLG shows was the emergence of a powerhouse light show. TLG’s new LD, Alan Sezack, was not only completely in command of the outrageous psychedelic-tinged lights, he also was grooving hard to every note the band was playing. Impressive stuff.

I spoke with drummer Scotty Rager about the shift in the quality of the lights. “I felt a huge difference the first time Alan operated the lights,” he said. “He knows our music so well.” Rager also noted the ancillary benefits of the rockin’ light show: “The audience can trip out to the lights while we jam.” Look for more from Scotty coming soon in the Hidden Track Baseball Preview.

Read on for more from the show and some fantastic photos of the evening from The Coach, one of HT’s best friends, Adam Kaufman…

Tuesday brought 70-degree weather and sunshine to the New York City area, and I think I’m coming to the conclusion that I hate winter. Spring, on the other hand; that’s

You like lists? Here’s a some sick news from the Beastie Boys: 1. we have a new record coming out 2. it’s gonna be sick 3. we’re playing a bunch

Phil Lesh will return to the stage for two shows in what looks to be a good sign that he has put his recent health problems behind him. The former

Mike Gordon is missing. Ever since his buddy Trey informed us of Gordo’s supposed one-year hiatus from playing during his interview at the Y, Cactus has been noticebaly incommunicado. Yet

As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden. —Chance the Gardner The first time I saw the movie Being