It’s been a while since I brought this back, but here’s what’s been in heavy rotation this past week.
1. Tom Waits - Real Gone
The man just keeps getting better with age. Real Gone finds Waits delivering some of his most political lyrics to date, and experimenting with turntables and voice-looping for the first time. Highlights include “Sins Of My Father,” “Make It Rain,” and “Day After Tomorrow.”
2. Furthur - 3/27/11 Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
This show is easily one of Furthur’s best of the tour. I’m drawn to the song selection as well as guest sit-ins from Elvis Costello, Larry Campbell, Theresa Williams, and Diana Krall. Elvis just delivers so well on some of these Dead tunes. Highlights include “Tennessee Jed,” “Ship Of Fools > It Must Have Been The Roses > Ship Of Fools,” and “Ripple.”
3. R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
R.E.M. unleashed their best album in years with their latest effort. The band is at their strongest both musically and lyrically, and the end result is a clear, cohesive record that sounds like vintage R.E.M. Highlights include “Uberlin,” “Oh My Heart,” and “It Happened Today.”
4. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
I’m a sucker for Grace Potter. You could call it a guilty pleasure, but I say she’s right on point. While I usually gravitate towards her earlier, more folky work, I have respect for artists that try something new. This is definitely a pop album, but a damn good one if you ask me. Highlights include “Paris,” “Oasis,” and “Medicine.”
Anonymous asked: Hey Adam - I'm a 194 UD grad - started in '79 and quickly became part of the Newark Deadhead tribes. Wilbur St. was the epicenter... Began going to shows..Moved with my wife to Seattle in 1986.. ANYWAY - Here is my "ask you anything": It's known that SBD tracks of the "Real Gin" from 1995-12-29 exist in compilations. I want to know if the entire SHOW may have slipped past Kevin'sfingers and made it out here. What's your view?
Larry P.
Hi Larry, to the best of my knowledge, no SBD copy of that show circulates. Trust me, I’ve been looking. The “Real Gin” is all we have right now.
Phish quietly announced today the release of last year’s famed Utica set in a deluxe 2-DVD/CD set. This marks the second release from 2010, and the second consecutive release of a recent show rather than digging into the archives.
Phish’s stop in Utica marked their smallest venue on their 2010 fall tour. The hype that preceded the show was enormous, and fans expected all the stops to be pulled out in Phish’s first visit to the War Memorial. The band caught the eye of a fan’s “Guyutica” sign, and the tone of the evening was set. Weaving in and out of Guyute teases throughout the first set, and following up with a smoking set two, the band delivered arguable the best show of the year (if not 3.0).
The complete show will be available in a 2-DVD/CD combo, with a release date of May 17. Setlist below:
Wednesday October 20, 2010 Utica Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY
Set I: My Soul, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, Vultures, Wolfman’s Brother* > Cities**, Guyute, David Bowie***, Wilson**** > McGrupp And The Watchful Hosemasters**** > Saw It Again**** > Run Like An Antelope****
Set II: Drowned > Sand > Theme From The Bottom, Axila I > Birds Of A Feather, Tela > Split Open And Melt > Have Mercy > Piper > Split Open And Melt > Slave To The Traffic Light
E: Good Times Bad Times
*with vocal jam and “Streets Of Cairo” tease
**with lyric change to “Genesee Factory”
***with Guyute teases throughout the intro, as well as several sections of Wilson jamming with Guyute lyrics throughout the song
****with Guyute teases - Wilson lyrics changed to “I must inquire Guyute;” Trey teased Guyute instead of saying “Marco Esquandolas” in Antelope
Oh the anticipation of waiting for Phish to finally announce what we’ve all known to be true for the last few days. Today, Phish officially announced SuperBall IX, a three-day festival to take place over July 4th Weekend at Watkins Glen International.
SuperBall IX continues a tradition started fifteen years ago with the famed Clifford Ball, whereby Phish holds their own festival in a remote location, bringing everyone together in a collected unity. Tickets go on-sale Monday, April 4th, at noon EST. More info can be found on the official SuperBall IX website.
Parden my language, but I fucking can not wait. It’s on.
Phish “Super Ball IX” A Three-Day Festival from Phish on Vimeo.
It’s been a while since a new archive release (was it the Haiti relief of 2010?), but the band quietly announced the release of 7/31/99 with a release date of April 15. Just like the Haiti relief, this release will see 100% of the proceeds to go relief in Japan, specifically Peace Winds America.
The set will include the entire two sets performed that day (as part of the Fuji Rock Festival), as well as the 7/29/99 “What’s The Use?” soundcheck as an added bonus. Fans of the jams will be delighted to listen to set two, featuring an extended “2001 > Bowie” sequence to kick off the set. For the “Caspian” haters, this is the “fuckerpants” version hailed as the exception to the norm. Trey just owns the solo and takes the song into a new and incredible dimension. The encore features friend of the band, Nawang Khechog lending his talent on a unique jam (also featuring Fish on vac) and “Brian And Robert.”
Set I: My Friend My Friend > Golgi Apparatus, Back On The Train, Limb By Limb, Free > Roggae > Sparkle > Character Zero
Set II: 2001 > David Bowie, Wading In The Velvet Sea > Prince Caspian, Fluffhead > The Squirming Coil
E: Nawang Khechog Human Rights Speech, Jam* > Brian And Robert*, Simple
Filler: What’s The Use? (soundcheck from 7/29/99)
*with Nawang Khechog on flute
Saturday March 5, 2011 The Fox Theater, Oakland, CA
Set I: NICU, Backwards Down The Number Line, Limb By Limb, Down With Disease, Theme From The Bottom, The Wedge, Strange Design, Bathtub Gin, Let Me Lie*, Heavy Things**, Liquid TIme**, Hey Ya**, Push On Til The Day***
Set II: Gotta Jibboo, Cayman Review, Alaska, Valentine, Plasma, Magilla, Sweet And Dandy, Sand, Clint Eastwood, Sultans Of Swing, Ocelot, Show Of Life > First Tube
E: Black Dog
*with Jen Hartswick and Natalie Cressman
**with TAB
***with TAB electric
Friday March 4, 2011 The Music Box, Los Angeles, CA
Set I: Chalk Dust Torture, Bathtub Gin, Prince Caspian, Theme From The Bottom, Joy, Cavern, Backwards Down The Number Line, Wilson, Heavy Things*, Liquid Time*, Gotta Jibboo**, Push On Til The Day**
Set II: Cayman Review, Burlap Sack And Pumps, Ocelot, Valentine, Devil Went Down To Georgia, Money Love And Change, It Makes No Difference, Acting The Devil, Night Speaks To A Woman, Clint Eastwood, Shine, Sand
E: Dragonfly***, First Tube
*with TAB
**with TAB electric
***By request “because you guys have been yelling for it all night.”
Wednesday March 2, 2011 Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO
Set I: Sample In A Jar, Mountains In The Mist, The Horse > Silent In The Morning, My Friend My Friend, Runaway Jim, Carini, Wilson, Shine A Light, Wading In The Velvet Sea*, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan**, Hey Ya***, Push On Til The Day****
Set II: Cayman Review, I Done Done It, Valentine, Money Love And Change, Drifting, Small Axe, Burn That Bridge, Mozambique, Simple Twist Up Dave, Windora Bug, Goodbye Head, Sand
E: The Birdwatcher, Black Dog
* with Jen Hartswick and Natalie Cressman
** with *with Jen Hartswick, Natalie Cressman, and Russell Remmington
*** with all of TAB
****with all of TAB electric
Tuesday March 1, 2011 Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO
Set I: Farmhouse, Wolfman’s Brother, When The Circus Comes, Timber, Theme From The Bottom, Tube, Gumbo, The Wedge, Joy, Backwards Down The Number Line, Strange Design, Lawn Boy*, Let Me Lie**, Heavy Things***, Liquid Time***, Gotta Jibboo****
Set II: Night Speaks To A Woman, Acting The Devil, Ooh Child, Ocelot, Burlap Sack And Pumps, Clint Eastwood, Last Tube, Alaska, Devil Went Down To Georgia, Plasma, Tuesday, First Tube
E: Words To Wanda, Magilla, Sultans Of Swing
* with Tony Markellis and Russell Remington
** with Tony Markellis, Jen Hartswick, and Natalie Cressman
*** with all of TAB
**** with all of TAB electric
Sunday February 27, 2011 Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
Set I: Backwards Down The Number Line, Theme From The Bottom, Farmhouse, Gumbo, Kill Devil Falls, Halley’s Comet, Dirt, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, The Wedge, Let Me Lie*, Water In The Sky*, Wading In The Velvet Sea*, Heavy Things**, Liquid Tim**, Hey Ya**, Push On Til The Day***
Set II: Gotta Jibboo, Ocelot, Valentine, My Problem Right There, Cayman Review, Burlap Sack And Pumps, Clint Eastwood, Money Love And Change, Small Axe, Devil Went Down To Georgia, Night Speaks To A Woman, Ether Sunday, First Tube
E: Sultans Of Swing
*with Jen Hartswick and Natalie Cressman
**with all of TAB
***with all of TAB electric
image courtesy of Jesse Lirola.