2010

Review: Phish @ Alpine Valley, Night Two

Scott Bernstein August 18, 2010 4 Comments

Phish @ Alpine Valley, August 15

Coming off a scorcher on Saturday night it was tough to predict exactly what Phish had in store for the second night of a two-show run at Alpine Valley in East Troy, WI. While Saturday’s two-set affair was more of an “anything goes” type of show, Sunday’s gig was more a classic, quintessential Phish show that relied heavily on the band’s best material.

There’s two ways to look at a Tweezer opener – a. it’s a waste since there’s usually little improv in an opener or b. what a statement to start off the show. I’ll go with B. on this occasion as the boys actually did jam it out a bit. Sure, they didn’t explore very much but the Tweezer opener was the first notice that Phish was on top of their game on this night, especially guitarist Trey Anastasio who hit a flurry of peaks with his frenetic riffing. AC/DC Bag kept the collective energy up and gave Red another chance to shine.

With only three plays over the past 11 years On Your Way Down was quite a treat during the first set. This Allen Toussaint tune may have been made popular by Little Feat, but Phish certainly does the tune justice with keyboardist Page McConnell’s powerful vocals and a shredfest by Anastasio at the end. The rest of set one was song based and the quartet nailed nearly everything they touched on this night. David Bowie closed the set with a bang as the Junta tune featured tension and release fireworks leading up to an extended peak.

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Intermezzo: Let’s Hangout Some More

Scott Bernstein August 18, 2010 No Comments

The organizers of the Hangout Beach Music and Arts Festival, which took place this past May in Gulf Shores, AL, thought the event was enough of a success that they

Video: Gemma Hayes – Oliver

Ryan Dembinsky August 18, 2010 No Comments

Back in 2008, around the time the lovable Gemma Hayes released The Hollow of Morning, I remember taking a stroll over to the Mercury Lounge on a weeknight by myself

The Specials – 30th Anniversary Tour

Bob Lange August 18, 2010 No Comments

Thirty years from the release of their 1979 self-titled debut, the Specials are still excited to play and exciting to watch. They’re all in their 50s (some of them in their late 50s) and yet nothing about them (or their three decade old songs) seems old. They’re so tight that it’s hard to imagine that this unit was apart nearly ten times as long as they were together. The crowd, young and old alike, responds appropriately with sing-alongs and non-stop dancing, just as it likely was back in 1979. The sound and video quality is flawless and far exceeds the expectations set by most live films. The highly professional production does all that can possibly be done to capture the essence of this live performance.

Gov’t Mule: Mulennium

Doug Collette August 18, 2010 No Comments

Mulennium is the first archival project ever released by Gov’t Mule, accurately timed for debut in the general time-frame of the loss of bassist Allen Woody a decade ago. Recorded at the cusp of the millennium on New Year’s Eve 1999-2000, this triple-disc package sounds (splendid) and looks like a blueprint for the band’s music throughout what is now a redoubtable sixteen year stint on the road and in the recording studio.

Iron Maiden: The Final Frontier

Bob Lange August 18, 2010 No Comments

After waning over the last couple of albums during Bruce Dickinson’s first stint, two ill-conceived releases with Blaze Bayley and a lackluster return for Dickinson on Brave New World, Iron Maiden stormed back to life with their last two albums and an outstanding tour documentary. Perhaps no other band in their third decade could raise such high hopes for a release, particularly after a four year layoff from the studio.

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