We couldn’t let Thanksgiving pass around these parts without our annual fluffage of the greatest rock movie of all time The Last Waltz. Some 33 years ago 5,000 lucky fans were treated to a full turkey dinner, followed by a star-studded “farewell concert” from The Band. With each viewing I seem to come away with a new favorite performance from the flick and after last night’s it was Evangeline, that features the lovely Emmylou Harris…

The Band w. Emmylou Harris – Evangeline

In the interest of providing a soundtrack for the holiday weekend, and in case you missed one, we’re re-running the whole Stormy Mondays Acoustic Mix series, from Volume I up through last week’s installment. Hours and hours of gravely vocals and smoldering solos, Americana at its best. It’s just the right music for digesting some pumpkin pie, so as always enjoy!

SM Acoustic Vol. I
Dance, Dance, Dance – Neil Young
One More Day – The Wood Brothers
Blue Jeans Pizza – moe.
One > Take 5 – RyG
Stealin’ – Garcia Grisman
Living in the Country – Leo Kotke & Mike Gordon
Let the Morning In – The Slip

SM Acoustic Vol. II
Cassidy – GD
Predicting the Rain – The Slip
Intro > Almost Cut My Hair – David Crosby
Heart of Saturday Night – Tom Waits
Low Spark – JB and Friends

SM Acoustic Vol. II Bonus Mix
Blackbird – Bob Weir
Kind of Bird – Gov’t Mule
Motion Pictures – Neil Young
Castles in the Sand – Keller Williams

READ ON for three more Stormy Mondays – Acoustic Mixes…

For The Avett Brothers, 2009 could easily be considered their “break out” year – releasing their highly acclaimed major label debut I And Love And You and playing to larger and larger audiences. The band is already preparing for an even bigger 2010 as they will kick off the new decade with a pair of shows, before embarking on a lengthy 20-city, 21-date Midwest and West Coast theater run that starts in late February at the Memorial Auditorium in Athens, OH and runs into the first few days of May.

If you’re not into a night of bluegrass and punk infused roots rock, than maybe you’ll be interested in hitting one these recently announced tours…

• Pysch-rockers Akron/Family line up a 12-date Southern swing
• Antibalas and The Bridge both have New York City residencies
• Metal giants Slayer and Megadeath team up for a co-headlining run
• The Magnetic Fields put together a cross-country theater tour
• Hot Chip bring their electro-dance-rock to select cities
• Stoner comedy duo Cheech & Chong continue their tour

Finally, a veritable who’s who of the jam scene’s funk and groove-based acts will descend on the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa in Kerhonkson, NY for the first annual Rock The Resort Festival set to take place from December 4-6. The festie, which is about a 90-minute drive from Manhattan, will feature the likes of Lettuce, Dumpstaphunk, DJ Logic, Break Science, Rubblebucket Orchestra, Melvin Seals & JGB, Zach Deputy and many more.

Where do these guys get off? It’s not enough that they sold out five of their last eight shows of the tour, but now they start charging $100/head to fucking watch them rehearse? What a bullshit money-grab. But this sentence, that I promised to open with, couldn’t be farther from the truth. What Chicago-based sextet Umphrey’s McGee is accomplishing by throwing these events effectively demonstrates what separates the men from the boys in the world of improvisational music.

A little background. S2 is an hour-long session – this one was closer to 75 minutes – with 50 fans who buy tickets and the members of UM and their crew. There is a giant projection screen visible to both the band and those in the audience and the attendees are encouraged to use their cell phones to text in themed suggestions. The texts arrive on UM sound caresser Kevin Browning’s laptop and he decides what gets put up on the screen for the next section of music. There were four sections of improv – containing between 9-12 themes – with short Q&As between featuring questions from the audience hosted by Lighting Crew Chief Wade Wilby.

More background: we need to look at 2009 as a whole and look at how these events are the perfect culmination of what I equate to the poker term of “showing your hand.” UM has always taken a methodical and precise approach to their music and to a degree their improvisation. The concept of “Jimmy Stewart” was explained in its best detail to date right here on Hidden Track in August of 2008 with help from the band and the band’s street team coordinator Jon McLennand. And in case it was not apparent from the written form, S2 is a variation on “Stew” short for Stewart. They also call these events Stew Art. READ ON for more on S2…

While the first seven episodes of Saturday Night Live’s 35th season have been hit or miss, this past Saturday brought us one of the funnier moments from the iconic comedy series courtesy of Andy Samberg’s latest digital short. Samberg teamed up with the Kenan Thompson for Two Worlds Collide.

Saturday Night Live Digital Short – Two World Collide

After nine shows at the soon to be demolished Spectrum, Phish stepped up to the newer Wachovia Center tonight for the first of two shows. The band started off strong with a batch of classics and never took their collective feet off the gas. Even Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, one of the few new songs the band played, absolutely smoked. It was one “big gun” Phish song after another for most of the show peaking with a Harry Hood > The Mango Song > Mike’s Song > Simple > Slave to the Traffic Light > Weekapaug Groove segment that just wouldn’t quit.

Phish
November 24, 2009
Wachovia Center
Philadelphia, PA

Set 1: Chalk Dust Torture, Bathtub Gin, Cities > Camel Walk, The Curtain With, The Wedge, The Moma Dance, Reba, Golgi Apparatus, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan

Set 2: Possum > Down With Disease > 20 Years Later > Harry Hood, The Mango Song > Mike’s Song > Simple > Slave to the Traffic Light > Weekapaug Groove

Encore: A Day In The Life

Phish returns to the Wachovia Center on Wednesday night.

READ ON for a look at past Phish Philadelphia gigs…

Words and Images: Tim Hara

Last weekend, Phish made their triumphant return to Cincinnati for the first time in six years. They played the U.S. Arena, a 17,000 person venue located downtown right next to the stadiums where the Reds and the Bengals play. Although the place was packed both nights, fans could find cheap tickets – some even free – in the lot with ease. You could feel the excitement in the air as the crowd funneled through the doors and into the venue to begin what would turn out to be an incredible two-night stand in the Midwest.

Phish kicked off the first night with good, but standard versions of Chalk Dust and Moma Dance. The entire building shook as the audience roared during “the pause” in The Divided Sky. After a solid rendition of Alaska, things were slowed down for Fast Enough for You, which was played for only the second time this year. The high point in the set came for Gotta Jibboo > Fluffhead, two crowd-pleasers that closed out the first half. Overall a solid, fun set, but it was obvious that the band was just getting warmed up.

The real magic came in the second set with the Tweezer > Light > Back on the Train > Possum sequence. The quartet jammed patiently and absolutely nailed the transitions in this segment; especially the segue into Possum. After a blissful, standalone Slave to the Traffic Light, the funk dance party started up with a monster You Enjoy Myself that clocked in at over 20 minutes to close what was a perfectly executed set. Phish then treated the crowd to a three-song encore that started with Joy and Golgi Apparatus and concluded with a Tweezer Reprise that ensured the show ended on a high note.

READ ON for more of Tim’s thoughts and photos on Phish…

Between the viral video-friendly bits, Jonathan Cohen’s ingenious musical guest bookings, bringing The Roots on as the house band and Fallon’s relaxed interview style; NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon has been much better than I ever thought it would be. Speaking of viral videos, check out Fallon as Neil Young singing the Fresh Prince theme song…

Jimmy Fallon as Neil Young singing The Fresh Prince

[via @AceCowboy]

Words: Carla Danca
Images: Jeremy Gordon

As many friends were finalizing their plans for the Phish run this week, I headed over to Terminal 5 in NYC on Friday night to see the lovely Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. While Phish has become the polarizing force in the jamband scene this year, either as re-energizing the crazed fanbase or overwhelming a few bands at the bottom – and everyone’s wallet in between – GPN has moved in a different direction altogether.

While you see GPN at many of the summer festivals (including playing at Bonnaroo with Phish headlining) it would be hard to say that they are still part of the “jam” music scene any longer. Grace Potter has made the successful crossover from the festival/ hippie scene into main stream music and TV (with songs used on One Tree Hill and Grey’s Anatomy) and more importantly she did it without losing any of the talent that originally propelled her.

After an opening acts from Sean Bones and Brett Dennen, the stage went dark for a dramatic entrance by first the Nocturnals and then spotlight appearing, Grace came out last beating on her tambourine in a sexy green sequined dress. Staples like Mastermind and Apologies from This is Somewhere started the night off setting the tune for a high energy set by GPN. READ ON for more from Jeremy and Carla…

And that sound you hear isn’t a bowl of mashed potatoes splattered against the wall, or a brandy bottle breaking in the back alley, or even a dessert cart wheeled off the balcony. No, that’s the sound of the Great Beast Itself. Yep—the traditional Thanksgiving Turkey.

Don’t get your forks, spoons, and knives out, or your sporks, for that matter. This bird ain’t exactly edible. Hell, I’m not even sure if your loved ones should even see it, which explains why I had to clear the room when it was on full display. Yes, this week’s Hidden Flick is a real turkey of the cinematic breed, and I apologize in advance for its placement in the hallowed halls of our little film collection, but sometimes a clunker makes everything else that much better. Either that, or Cabin Boy is cheese classic-worthy.

Um, no. Turkey is as Turkey does, and this film contains nary a redeemable scene. However, that sort of critical thinking hasn’t stopped us before, right? As long as one can see the true spirit of filmmaking at work, scenes can sort of jump out in their own way, and produce a lasting memory. Well, let’s not get carried away. We are talking about Cabin Boy, and it does feature Letterman alumni Chris Elliott in his lone “star vehicle.”

READ ON for more on this week’s Hidden Flick…

Back on October 30, Widespread Panic covered three songs by The Band in a row for their encore at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, TX. The band has posted a professionally-shot video of last two songs of that trifecta encore, Ophelia and The Shape I’m In, on their official YouTube channel…

Widespread Panic – Ophelia & The Shape I’m In

As we mentioned on Friday, the members of Furthur played a warm-up gig at the tiny 19 Broadway nightclub in Fairfax, CA. The ensemble tackled an array of Dead classics, a cover of The Beatles’ Hey Jude and the second-ever performance of a new song by Phil Lesh – Welcome to the Dance.

Let’s take a quick look at some other stories of interest…

• U2 to headline Glastonbury, Muse to headline Coachella
• This year’s Bear Creek Music Festival was a success, musically
• Did you miss last night’s MMJ-themed episode of American Dad? Fret not – you can stream the entire episode through Hulu
• The Daily Swarm talks Phish, U2 & others with  Steve Lillywhite
• Dave Matthews channeled Ozzy Osbourne on Saturday Night Live
• The Strokes seem to be heading back into the studio in January

Finally, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band wrapped a two-year world tour last night in Buffalo. The group performed all of Greetings From Asbury Park as well as a few choice rarities, a batch of classics they play every show and a few inspired covers. While rumor has it the Buffalo show was the last E Street Band show ever, Springsteen ended the show by telling the crowd “We appreciate you coming out to see the E Street Band. So we’re gonna say goodbye, but just for a little while… a very little while.”

It had been about a year and a half since I first caught former Blips act White Denim opening for the one-time blog buzz band Tapes N Tapes at Irving Plaza. At the time, the Austin-based trio had barely an EP to their name and while a bit sloppy showed a lot of potential for a such a young act. Since then the band has gone on to release three full-length albums in that short span that showcase their brand of psychedelic-garage-prog-punk.

It was hard to believe that I was seeing the very same band when I caught their recent headlining set at the Music Hall Of Williamsburg. White Denim’s hour long set was a bombastic assault of shredding guitar work, propulsive drumming and bouncy bass lines that opened with a non-stop, 20-minute-plus segue of songs. The band dropped their third full-length – Fits – in late October, which is sure to end up on a number of Best Of lists. Check out the completely bizarre, post-apocalyptic video for I Start To Run…

Widespread Panic, who just completed a fantastic three-show run in Milwaukee, will play a rare acoustic performance at Goodnite Gracie in Royal Oak, MI tomorrow at 4PM as part of 93.9′s Free River Sessions. You must be over 21 to attend this free show which precedes Panic’s regularly-scheduled show at the Royal Oak Music Theatre later that night. We’ll have plenty to say about last weekend’s three-show run in the coming days.

• Photos: Dave Vann – WSP @ The Fox

Words: John Coleman
Images: Tammy Wetzel (from the Rochester UM show)

Northern Lights, in Clifton Park, is an awkward little rock club located in a roadside plaza, squeezed between a Dollar General store and some kind of church. I have to admit, it’s kind of hard to get excited for a show that’s next to a church on a cold Tuesday night. But I had just seen an historic Umphrey’s show at Higher Ground in Burlington four nights before, complete with a Mike Gordon sit-in, and was ready for more Umph. And they delivered.

[All photos by Tammy Wetzel]

I knew things would get loud, it’s always loud at Northern Lights, almost obnoxiously so. The way the bar is laid out, with a horseshoe bar in the center and stage crammed into one small corner, the crowd is packed like sardines into the irregularly shaped room. But it seems like some of Umphrey’s most creative playing is produced in close quarters clubs, where ease of communication takes their improv to another level.

The band eased into the first set with 2×2, but things quickly warmed up with the intro to Robot World. It’s not often a concert is physical, but you could feel Ryan Stasik’s bass and Jake Cinninger’s crunchy metal chops. The set cooled off a bit after a haunting #5. Safety in Numbers was well-represented with versions of Anchor Drops and Passing. Bright Lights fell short, but set one ended in a blaze, with Glory.

READ ON for more from Umphrey’s in Clifton Park…