As I sit outside of his brightly lit, music-memorabilia filled, corner office at the headquarters of Relix Magazine, a publication he’s partially saved from the brink of extinction, and just one of his ventures we will eventually chat about, Pete Shapiro is talking loudly on a conference call with someone from one of his many project managers to bonafide rock royalty. Shapiro is exuding a palpable energy that I can feel through the closed door. I find myself nervously checking my recorder and rehearsing questions over in my mind, despite having written for Relix and attended numerous parties and functions here, knowing that for a number of years THIS was the interview I’ve truly been dying to do.

From my days as a scraggly, long-haired teenager who used to frequent The Wetlands Preserve, the now-defunct hippie haven in TriBeCa, to becoming a frequent at his newest venues of Brooklyn Bowl and The Capitol Theatre, I also realize that Shapiro has essentially grown up, in the musical sense at least. The funny thing is though, I’ve watched him grow up, too.

Shapiro is not only the proud owner of Brooklyn Bowl and The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York; but as he will talk about, is also the publisher of Relix Magazine and runs numerous other ventures. One other such venture is The Hoodie Shop, a store on Manhattan’s Lower East Side that sells just that: hooded sweatshirts. But, as you will see, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In short, the man seems to have more arms than an octopus.

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The world “Perpetual” is defined as “never ending or changing” or “everlasting.” For Perpetual Groove and their catalog of music over the past decade plus, this is exactly the mantra that always prevailed in light of the challenge at hand…until now. They’ve experienced the highest of the proverbial highs, and in more cases than they probably care to admit, the grueling lows of lows. Even their favorite venue, The Georgia Theatre, where the band has played so many of their shows over the years represents the band and its lineup shift and other problems, having burned to the ground and eventually having been rebuilt bigger and better than ever. So, it is fitting that they will properly say goodbye on that very stage this Friday at their home base in Athens, Georgia.

[Photo by kfishphotography]

After original member Matt McDonald left the band and was replaced in mid-2008 by John Hruby, PGroove changed and continued to duke it out on the road, before McDonald eventually reclaimed his seat at the end of 2011. McDonald chatted with me then, and did so again this past week, about life, the end of PGroove and what is next for him and some of his current and future band mates. So, in typical bittersweet fashion, while one chapter ends, another begins with the trio of McDonald, Adam Perry and Albert Suttle in their new venture, Ghost Owl – who will in a way be ”opening” the show for themselves this Friday before PGroove bids a proper farewell. “I know some people who have been surprised by it. I guess that’s funny from my perspective because I couldn’t think of a better way to introduce what’s new than saying: ‘Hey, before we wrap this up proper, we hope to see a lot of you, and we hope you dig this too and give this a shot,’” exclaimed McDonald.

McDonald, to me, always represented the X factor in PGroove. He is a master of sorcery on the keys, making the notes and knobs bend like a cosmic swirling of sound, with sonic titty-twisters, arcs and crescendos that always complimented front man Brock Butler’s emotional vocals and guitar playing, while the backbone of the band laid squarely on the shoulders of cool-cat bassist Perry and the driving force of rock-solid Suttle on the drums. It’s sad to see them go, as I’ve been lucky enough to call the band friends, but is also something I can genuinely feel in McDonald’s voice as he talks about the next steps for him and his mates, including Ghost Owl. “I feel like we made what our intentions were very clear to each other, the four of us, that this was for the fans and we wanted to go out on a high note. And I feel like musically we’ve done that and feel like we are going to do that,” McDonald excitedly conveys. “But, every day, Ghost Owl has been something that takes up my time, and my mind, and my family’s mind, and everyone around the three of us and it’s been nothing short of amazing.”

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Happy New Year’s, everyone! I know it’s been a little bit since I’ve graced you with my Postcards From Page Side column, but wanted to start fresh here in ’13 with a recap of what was certainly the best year since their return for the almighty Phish. With more highlights than I can possibly cover here, I’ll attempt to give some focus on what I felt were some turning points, true magical moments and the final seven shows of the year – Colorado and MSG, all of which I attended – and all of which offered something special.

[Photo by Paul Citone]

Starting with a Summer Tour that kicked off indoors in Worcester and boasted one of the most memorable JAMMED sequences of the entire year: Ghost > Boogie On Reggae Woman > If I Could, and climaxed with a Runaway Golf Cart Marathon on New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden, their was certainly a laundry list of snippets being added frantically to iPods over the past seven months. The biggest difference between 2012 versus ’09, ’10, and ’11 was that you didn’t just walk into a show expecting to hear well played songs, but it was HOW they were going to play them. In short, and in my opinion, Phish re-learned how to consistently JAM again in 2012, with a no-holds barred, patient and sometimes ferocious, four-headed, balanced attack. If someone told me before the year started that my top versions list would include Undermind, I might have smacked you. But alas, it’s up there (August 31). And so it goes in the world of Phish.

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After all these years, it still boggles my mind how the world isn’t more aware of the guitar prowess of Mr. Steve Kimock. Once called “his favorite unknown guitarist”  by Jerry Garcia, Kimock’s bands of Zero and KVHW, along with varying lineups of his own Steve Kimock Band (SKB) have graced stages from the Bay Area to New York City’s jazz clubs to Japan over the past few decades. Having seen Kimock myself since about 1996 or so, I can honestly say he has a repertoire of songs that have impacted me in extremely emotional ways. The vast majority of Kimock’s songs are instrumental (at least in his solo band), which is all the more reason he lets his guitar do the talking for him. One song in particular, has resonated with me since the very first time I heard it: Tongue N’ Groove.

[Tongue N' Groove Sheet Music via Steve Kimock Discussion Group]

Tongue N’ Groove is a song that has always captured Kimock in a nutshell for me. Starting off slow and dreamlike, with a guitar tone that is unmistakably Kimock (something else he takes very, very seriously: tone and gear), it stretches its wings into the vast stratosphere before exploding into a rhythm-led funk/calypso type groove in the middle, eventually coming back to earth onto the landing pad of ethereal bliss and emotion that Kimock’s tunes can evoke.

Adding to the aura of what makes Kimock and his music – especially Tongue N’ Groove – so appealing to me and mesmerizes me every time I see him is his unassuming, closed eyes, often sit-down style of playing. With a rack of guitars for him to choose from at most times behind him, he is like a mad scientist of tone, pitch and perfection – and he is constantly tweaking with things until he gets it just exactly right. Tongue N’ Groove is exactly one of these songs that sees Kimock mess with volumes and tempos, all while steering the tune in a seemingly floating direction.

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Tonight, Athens-based HT faves Perpetual Groove return to Brooklyn Bowl for their first-ever two-night stand at the venue. Always known for their stellar live performances, especially in NYC, the band is particularly excited for this run since Sunday is guitarist Brock Butler’s Birthday.

Following up from an interview I did with keyboardist Matt McDonald in March before their last BK Bowl show, shortly after his return to the band that re-established the lineup that has defined PGroove for the better part of the past decade-plus,  I figured this would be a great opportunity to catch up and see what’s transpired in the world of PGroove of late. Here is our exchange from yesterday that McDonald was gracious enough to squeeze into his busy schedule…

Brian Bavosa: So, the last time we chatted, you were just getting back into the fold with PGroove full-time. How’s that been going throughout 2012?

Matt McDonald: We’ve been having a great time this year. Been writing lots of new songs, discussing more of a vision for the future than we have in the past.

BB: In our last discussion you also mentioned a change in the management style and doing more things “in-house”, by yourselves. Has that been for better or for worse?

MM: Definitely for the better. However, we have accomplished a lot of the goals we put forth for ourselves and are now patiently talking to folks about fulfilling that role with the right people this time. Patient being the operative word.

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To conclude what has been what I’ve previously called the “best Phish tour in a decade,” Phish threw down an absolutely historic three-night stand at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado over Labor Day Weekend. Their second consecutive Labor Day finale held at this venue, and my first trip out there, I can still not find a bad thing to say about this the venue, the vibe and most especially – the effort the band put forth to finish their 2012 with a gigantic exclamation point.

[All Photos by Andy Hill]

In my Leg Two Preview Column, I offered up a few challenges to the band. In Colorado, and throughout the leg, they delivered – big time.

“In addition to some fresh material, I’m also hoping that the band goes completely off the wall in a few aspects this second leg. Start with the crazy setlists and bustouts that they’ve brought forth this year and take it to the Nth degree. Realize that each show will be the only footprint (in most cases) that they will get to leave on a certain venue/city, and go all out. In other words, don’t play it safe – anywhere. There are 13 proper shows remaining until December. That’s not a lot for the final five months of the year. So go for IT. Build upon what you’ve created and take it DEEP! Explore, delve and be creative. Make a statement that the early summer wasn’t just lightning in a bottle for the 3.0 era.”

Last Friday’s first night of the Colorado run saw not only Phish take it to the next level in terms of setlist creativity, but go completely overboard. Playing a setlist that spelled out “F.U.C.K. Y.O.U.R. F.A.C.E,” before ending the show with the song proper and encoring with an allusion to “Dicks” in Grind >Meatstick, it was evident that the band was thinking creatively and obviously trying to one-up the infamous “S” show from one year earlier.

But, the show was not just about the gimmicky setlist. There were also some outstanding, and even all-time versions of a few tunes that were JAMMED to another realm, namely the Undermind, Chalkdust Torture, Carini and Runaway Jim. With the Jim clocking in at an even 20 minutes, Chalkdust at nearly 19 and Undermind reaching 15+, the band developed such impressive themes and ideas that stretched into out of bounds areas, much like the skiers of Colorado on the mountains. These songs took more twists and turns than a double diamond and simply have to be heard to be believed. And they all happened within the first show of a three-night run! It wasn’t even Saturday yet!

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This week, I decided to focus this installment of our Friday Mix Tape on the grand reopening of the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York – a venue that is near and dear to my heart as I grew up about 10 miles away from it. For this compilation I have picked some choice songs by a handful of the acts that will play the soon-to-be-reopened theater in the upcoming months.

The most iconic and legendary performer that The Cap has on its bill is Bob Dylan who is reopening the venue on September 4th. While Dylan has thousands of songs that could be played here, I opted for one of my personal favorites, Visions of Johanna. The Roots appear on the calendar several times in the first few months, so I fittingly included their smooth hip-hop stylings in You Got Me, featuring Erykah Badu.

The blues legend Buddy Guy teams up with Jonny Lang, so enjoy their version of Midnight Train. A live take from 1972 finds The J. Geils Band crushing Whammer Jammer, led by a hard-blowing harp. Things slow down a bit and we catch our breath during Babylon by singer-songwriter David Gray, and Ne Me Quitte Pas by the angelic Regina Spektor, before the infectious and catchy funk stylings of New Orleans’ own Galactic with What You Need.

Closing things out, I wouldn’t be doing my 1990′s, Westchester County, jamband-fan self justice if I didn’t end with the one-two punch of Blues Traveler and The Spin Doctors. (Who, coincidentally enough are playing together on October 13). The Hook has always been one of my favorite BT tunes, showcasing what made these guys so popular back in the day. And to “cap” this mix off, the pop-infused hit by The Spin Doctors: Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong…one of the very first songs I heard at The Cap.

Can’t wait to get back in there! Enjoy the weekend everyone, and go check out The Cap! It’s sure to add another chapter to their already historic legacy.

My Morning Jacket @ Williamsburg Park – August 19

Words: Brian Bavosa
Photos: Jeremy Gordon

This past Sunday night, My Morning Jacket delivered a two-and-a-half hour, energetic performance laced with their high-energy rockers, a dash of jamming and even a few rarities at Williamsburg Park in Brooklyn. The venue has replaced the old Williamsburg Waterfront, which had hosted concerts since The Pool at nearby McCarren Park was turned back into a pool. At this new venue, the stage is close to the East River, but tucked in between some warehouses, only allowing the fans in the way back of Williamsburg Park to sneak a peek at the iconic Manhattan skyline. While the change in orientation between the old Williamsburg Waterfront and this new Williamsburg Park was the most glaring difference, the new setup also allowed fans to roam around with relative ease and grab beer or wine without being stuck in a drinking section,which was an issue at the old venue. But the biggest difference I noticed was the sound, which on Sunday was clear and loud from just about anywhere I wandered throughout the evening.

[Photos by Jeremy Gordon]

The large venue in Brooklyn seemed at about 60% capacity or so, which contributed to the loose, Sunday evening vibe and was a far cry from the last time MMJ played in Brooklyn in 2002, only a few blocks away at the tiny, now-defunct club, North Six. The last handful of times I had seen MMJ (save the very intimate VH1 Storytellers experience) the Louisville rockers had played much of the same setlist at each show. However, Sunday’s gig was part of  their Spontaneous Curation series in which the band pepper each setlist with fan requests and resulted in a different flow and added a fresh element to the show that worked quite well.

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It’s been only five weeks since Phish capped off an outstanding first portion of their summer tour (which I called their “best in a decade“), but is it just me or does it seem like it’s been forever since SPAC? Tomorrow, the band will hit the stage again, to begin the second leg of their tour at Long Beach Arena in Southern California, and will likely play their final shows of 2012 until December. So, I figured it was the perfect time to take a look at what we can expect from Phish over the next two-and-a-half weeks, that hopefully allows them to build on the foundation they laid down earlier this summer. Of course, if this band has showed us anything over nearly 30 years, it’s that just when we think we have them figured out, they do something completely unexpected so bear that in mind.

[All Photos by Parker Harrington]

Although the second leg of this summer tour is a mere sprint, as opposed to a marathon, with only 13 shows in 19 days, contrasted to a much longer first leg, there are some extremely interesting points to be looked at. Most notably, the schedule does not bode well for the faint-of-heart traveler. With only two multi-night runs on this leg (San Francisco and Denver), Phish will hit California to kick things off before commencing a whirlwind cycle through the Midwest and Southeast for a week. That, along with the itinerary of the band playing six never-before-played venues this run (Long Beach Arena, Starlight Theatre,  Chaifetz Theatre and The Zoo), means the unexpected and anticipatory factors are very high on everyone’s radar. Toss in the fact that some of the shows are taking place in late August in some of the hottest locales in the country (Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma, to name a few), and these shows are poised to heat up – literally.

• Previously: A Look At Phish Summer Tour Leg Two Venues

But, as we’ve all seen throughout the band’s career, they tend to reward those diehards that brave the elements and make insane treks to follow them with some special surprises. (Um, Limestome, Maine, anybody?). This leg, with such a small snapshot, and basically concluding a banner year thus far, is sure to be no exception. So, now that the logistics have been addressed, let’s take a look at what we can expect musically from the boys.

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Today, on what would have been Jerry Garcia’s 70th birthday, it is impossible to fully capture the effect he has had on our scene, still to this day, and music in general. Seventeen years after his passing, one thing however is still very clear: his spirit is alive and well and in many cases, stronger than ever, especially through the plethora of Grateful Dead related projects, some of which are run by his former bandmates. In many ways, this time can be viewed as the Golden Age of post-Jerry music.

Garcia’s former running mates, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir have been touring for the past few years as Furthur. Drawing on other friends and musicians – both old and new – the lineup they have chosen is a perfect example of the mentality that fits the post-Jerry era, and allows things to stay fresh on stage, while remaining true to the Grateful Dead catalogue. For example, by enlisting drummer, and firecracker on the kit, Joe Russo, the former members of the Dead have a 30-something barreling down the track on the skins to inject some much needed enthusiasm into the familiar canon.

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This past weekend, at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), I can confidently say that Phish concluded their best tour (or at least, first leg of one), since at least 2003. Coming out of the gates with a top effort at Worcester’s Centrum a month earlier, the band did not let up – at all – throughout the next 18 shows. Combining some elements that make Phish, well…Phish, the fearsome foursome of Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman crafted a riveting frame of music that certainly has fans a buzz about the possibilities for the remainder of the year.

[All Photos by Joe Ringus From June 30 - Alpine]

Allow me to take a look at a few aspects that I feel truly set this tour apart from any other of the modern Phish era.

Bustouts

One of the easiest things to notice about Leg 1 of 2012′s Summer Tour was the number of “bustouts” that the band played. Generating buzz from a Rolling Stone article before the band hit the road, McConnell mentioned the band wanted to play “over 200 songs” this summer. Little did we know the depths of the repertoire the boys would dig into to accomplish this feat – and all during the first leg! From Shaggy Dog at Riverbend to the mega-bustout of Skin it Back (first since 1988) at Jones Beach on July 3, the impossible again seemed possible – which, is one of my favorite aspects of Phish. Expect the unexpected. This was something that the band was lacking in with their “safe” setlist choices since the return in ’09, save a few exceptions. But, with a steady slew of rarities gracing the setlists, the band was primed to do what they do best: knock your socks off.

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As we find ourselves in the midst of arguably the most-highly touted Phish tour since their return at Hampton in 2009, fans are often overloaded with info – before, during, and immediately after the shows. Between certain outlets, such as this one, and social media sites, such as Twitter & Facebook as well as the instant gratification of smart phones and official (and sometimes unsolicited) webcasts, fans are allowed to surf “couch tour” at home, while never having to fire up the VW Bus in the driveway.

[All Photos From Burgettstown by Michael Stein]

While these attempts serve to satisfy the insatiable hunger of the Phish masses, there all also some negative points that may in fact hinder the overall experience and take away from the long legacy and lore of certain shows. In short, fans are programmed to only think about the most recent shows, and develop a “what have you done for me lately” attitude that is a true double edged sword with rewards but also pitfalls and perils.

For anyone that knows me, or follows me on Twitter (@BrianBavosa), they know that 99% of my tweets are music, or more-than-likely, Phish related. I try and give my honest-to-goodness, 140 character opinion of a show, as it’s happening, in real time. While I feel this is in part my obligation as a journalist, fan and someone who’s seen the band almost 300 times, it sometimes can even hinder my own experience in a very, very, very small way. Yeah, I know. I can simply not do it, but my Phish FOMS gets to be at an all-time high during the in-show period, seeing what my friends at the venue, or across the country on their couch think of what they are seeing/hearing. On the other hand, it’s a sensory overload of sorts, much like Chris Kuroda’s light show, and in my opinion, the core essence of every rabid Phish fan to begin with. But, don’t let my in-shows tweets fool you. I still know why I’m there in the first place and don’t let Twitter dictate my show-going experience as a whole, but rather enhance it.

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Memorial Day Weekend boasts many traditions to mark the unofficial start of summer. In the world of HT faves Perpetual Groove, the holiday weekend saw the 13th installment of Amberland, the group’s annual festival. Holding court at Cherokee Farms in Lafayette, Georgia, not too far from the band’s home base of Athens, PGroove drew and expanded on one of my favorite festivals. Although I wasn’t able to make it this year, we wanted to share some of the sights and sounds of Amberland 2012.

[All Photos by David Shehi of Honest Tune]

The festival kicked off with a late night set on Friday that featured guests from many of the other bands on the bill and other friends including former keys player John Hruby.  Amberland’s PGroove and Friends’ “Super Jam” started out with Bobblehead Funk, and featured a nearly half-hour Drink Then Fill  This set, which always kicks off the festivities, is what Amberland represents in a nutshell. It’s loose and casual, with musicians sometimes switching off mid-jam, but it also represents the beginning of what is a relentless onslaught of music from all sensory angles. Covers included Paul Simon’s I Know What I Know, Foster The People’s Pumped Up Kicks and Funkadelic’s Can You Get To That.

With six “official” PGroove sets on Saturday and Sunday, there were highlights around every corner. Saturday’s sets featured a pair of creative “sandwiches” in Cabulo Monstrosity > God’s Gonna Cut You Down > Cabulo Monstrosity and Mr. Transistor > Only Always > Mr. Transistor. The band also debuted a pair of new tunes in My Favorite Color and Fend For Your Life. Yet the event wasn’t just PGroove. With performances from The Heavy Pets, Under the Porch, Moon Taxi and Consider The Source, this was definitely the biggest Amberland to date.

We’ve got more photos, a video and a few songs for your streaming pleasure…

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As long as there have been live concerts, there has been the hassle of obtaining tickets. For many fans that means dealing with big, bad Ticketmaster and their hefty fees. In an age where scalpers, often by use of bots, scoop up the primo seat locations, which drives the market price up through the stratosphere, artists have often thought creatively to try and circumvent the system. One prevalent story of this upcoming concert season has been about the String Cheese Incident and their “No-Fee” ticketing program, which in theory allows fans to obtain tickets to the Colorado jam titan’s shows at exactly the face value of the ticket, and cuts out ticketing vendors such as Ticketmaster in the process. While the theory may seem to work, and be an applaudable idea, there is always more than meets the eye.

A recent New York Times article detailed the unorthodox steps SCI was going through to try and cut service fees for their summer shows. This included drastic measures like having groups of fans that they organized buy tickets directly at venue box offices ($20,000 in cash at the Greek Theatre in L.A. for instance), and then having the band re-sell these tickets back to their fans, at exactly the face value – with no service fees. In fact, SCI actually lost a little money on this venture, as bassist Keith Moseley told American Public Media’s Marketplace. But, it’s the principle that he, and the rest of the band, stand behind.

While saving fans service fees seems like a great idea on the surface, and something fans can rally behind, the amount of work it took to make this happen was simply absurd. As one of the most on-point music insiders and bloggers, Bob Lefsetz replied, there is more to the story than what the casual fan may know, or the NYT’s article suggested.

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Yesterday, Rolling Stone associate editor Andy Greene sent out a tweet that resonated deeply with two fanbases. Greene tweeted that My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James told him that MMJ is “close to finalizing” a New Years Eve gig in Boston because “Phish booked MSG for, like, the next 4 years.” While rumors have swirled for the past few years that Phish locked up New Year’s Eve at the World’s Most Famous Arena under a multi-year contract, James’s quip gives much more credibility to that hearsay. The possibility that after last year’s lackluster New Year’s Run Phish would return to MSG left many fans questioning the “convenient” choice for the band at this stage in their career. I’m here to tell you last year’s run was a fluke – the Garden is still the best option for a Phish New Year’s Run.

Most Phish fans are rabid, in every sense of the word, myself included. This dedication is what makes us among the most dedicated, critical and sometimes harsh or jaded bunch of music fans. Sometimes, that dedication leads to shortsightedness as well. And while some of the fanbase is grumbling about a (possible) third, consecutive New Year’s Run at MSG, I would just like to remind everyone to adopt my motto from this past week and “have a cup of coffee and catch your breath,” as the Phish song Fee suggests. Sure, we can gripe about the “safe” or “non-risk-taking” stand of last year, but we must take a look at the entire body of work of Phish at MSG, before reserving a final judgement.

Before Phish returned to MSG in 2010, I wrote an article for PFPS, which I encourage everyone to read, as it gives highlights of each run of Phish shows at the Garden up until that point (and something I don’t need to rehash in depth again in this column). Let me just say this: do you think the band doesn’t realize that the disappointment expressed by most fans towards last year’s run was the consensus? Sure they do. Which is ALL the more reason to be excited about the possibility of them coming back to redeem themselves.

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