2009

It’s been a crazy few weeks since pop megastar Michael Jackson passed away and we’ve seen everything from people randomly starting dance parties in the middle of the street to U2 paying homage to the Man in the Mirror to people leaving gifts in front of Neverland Ranch. These are all just small examples on just how much Michael’s music touched the world.

We’ve also witnessed a complete 180° on the way the press has treated Michael after his death. Let’s face it – it’s been easy to laugh or make assumptions about someone that’s different than us, particularly Michael Jackson. We’ve seen him go from a healthy, young superstar to the pale, shattered ghost he became in his last years on earth. Regardless of what you think of his life, his choices or his actions – I would like to tell you a story of how Michael Jackson once saved my life.

It occurred in the late 1980’s, my parents had just divorced and I lived with my mother most of the time. Every day after school I would go to my across-the-street neighbor’s house where both my best friend and baby sitter lived. I would stay there all afternoon and into the early evening until my mom got off work. At first, it was great. I had access to a go-cart, Atari, mechanically inclined Legos and a club house that my best friend and I would use to play in all the time. I mean, what more could a kid ask for? It was a great place to play after school.

READ ON to find out how Michael Jackson saved Jen’s life…

Words: Carla Danca
Images: Jeremy Gordon

It has been over 6 years since moe. played the water-logged field at Waterloo Village in Stanhope, NJ. With that venue now all but closed to concerts, bands had to find some new places to play outdoors in Dirty Jerz. Luckily, Create a Vibe has again stepped up, establishing a great new spot at beautiful Vasa Park in Budd Lake, NJ. For the second year in a row, day long events are being held in this Northern NJ park, a quick ride from the City, but far enough to leave all the congestion behind.

Fresh off of their 2nd annual July 4th weekend stint at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, moe. had fun with their Sunday setlist. Jimmy Cliff’s The Harder They Come – which they haven’t played in over 2 years – was resurrected when Ryan Montbleau and Yahuba Garcia of the Ryan Montbleau Band sat in during the first set, followed by Wicked Awesome. The second set jammed with some great segues, and finished strong with Al rocking his tele-mando/double neck guitar for a Rebubula that really got the crowd dancing!

It was great to enjoy a sunny day out in the park with so many moe.rons and their kids, as this was definitely a family-friendly event. moe. was even kind enough to encore with two requests from creative kid-fans in the audience, though Rob declared it would never happen again “even if you’re my kid.” They repeated BJP and Spine from the previous two shows, what other band does that for even their littlest fans?

07/05/09 Vasa Park, Mt. Olive, NJ
Set I: Crab Eyes, All Roads Lead to Home, The Harder They Come1 2, Wicked Awesome> Wormwood> Okayalright, The Road> Tubing The River Styx> The Pit
Set II: Moth> Jazz Wank> Yodelittle> Moth, Rebubula> Cathedral> Rebubula
Encore: Blue Jeans Pizza, Spine Of A Dog, Wind it up
1 Last time played 01/13/07 (199 shows)
2 w/ Ryan Montbleau (vocals) & Yahuba Garcia (percussion)

[via PT moe.]

READ ON for more of Jeremy’s photos from moe. at Vasa Park…

As longtime readers of this blog may know my sister really helped foster my love of music. Of course she was way into alternative and wasn’t exactly pleased that I

The second incarnation of the Rothbury Festival seems to have gone off without a hitch this past weekend in Michigan. Mike Greenhaus details the highlights from each night over at

Over the past few years, HT favorites Umphrey’s McGee have padded their summer schedule with co-bills featuring the likes of the Disco Biscuits and STS9. This year, the prog-jammers are

Camera Obscura’s show at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on June 21 should have been phenomenal: a series of tight, precise readings drawing largely from the band’s last two – and strongest – albums.

But sometimes, great songs just aren’t enough. There’s something to be said about what stage presence can mean to a show. Someone needs to tell Camera Obscura. The sextet’s lack of energy during the 65-minute set kept their performance from reaching anything more than a pleasant collection of tunes.

Simply put, it felt like you were at home listening to a record, until you remembered you were in a rock club. Some people certainly enjoyed it, and the band didn’t disappoint, playing the crucial tracks from its four-album output. But there was just something missing — an unmistakable quality that separates a great performance from an adequate one.

READ ON for more of Rudi’s take on Camera Obscura’s recent concert…

Chromeo – Bonafide Lovin’ (Live at Rothbury)

It’s a good week for great music on the late night talk shows when you have David Letterman welcoming Connor Oberst’s newest project (Monday) and Levon Helm (Thursday). Death Cab