June 2, 2011

Phish Tour is in full swing and that means two things:  the Phish From the Road Twitter feed (@Phish_FTR) is cranking out official updates and the YEMBlog (@YEMBlog) guest tweeters make it the feed to follow for live insight during the shows. The @Phish_FTR feed started out strong tweeting beyond the live setlist and venturing into behind-the-scenes tweets that included shots of the band backstage and on the tour bus. While we hope there are more tweets like those to come, @YEMBlog guest tweeter Justin Bolognino (@jbolognino) gave followers plenty of views from the fans’ perspective at the Saturday Bethel Woods show, via vibrant pictures and instant animated .gifs.

Here’s a look at what Phish was up to when not on stage in Bethel Woods

[CLICK HERE FOR TWITPIC]

READ ON for more tweeted visuals from Phish and Justin.

Hangout Festival @ Gulf Shores, AL – May 22

The third and final day of the 2^nd Hangout Festival in Gulf Shores, AL was perhaps the hottest of the festival. There was hot and then there was scorching hot where moving across the beach was a task. For the better half of three days I trucked around barefoot, burying my feet and squishing sand between my toes. However Sunday was so hot, walking barefoot in the sand felt similar to walking on a bed of hot coals.

[All photos by Allison Taich]

I left “home” early to take a dip in the ocean with plans to hit Hangout in time to celebrate my favorite one-man-band Keller Williams. Unfortunately Keller was billed at the same time as Old Crow Medicine Show, but I made the decision to stick with Keller. The Sunday sun was ruthless, making Keller the best wake and bake of Hangout. I am confident in saying that his set was responsible for the worst sun burn I endured all weekend.

Heat aside Keller buoyantly bounced around stage creating live loops linked to a free flow of words. His set took shape with interpretations of the Grateful Dead’s Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain, melted into his signature Freakshow, which Keller noted “bass by the Grateful Dead words by Ani DiFranco.” He then blazed through the ultimate “Crazy” medley, combining songs of past and present emulating a “crazy” theme, sampling everyone from Patsy Cline to Gnarls Barkley.

READ ON for more on the final day of Hangout…