Flaming Lips w/ Nels Cline – I Want You (She’s So Heavy)

Artist: Charlie Hunter
Album: Solo Eight-String Guitar
The Skinny: As the album states, this is a solo performance from virtuoso Charlie Hunter playing his signature Eight-String Guitar, where he acts as a bassist and guitar player simultaneously. A mind-blowing talent, if you have never seen him play live – add him to the top of your list.

Artist: Chris Cornell & Maynard James Keenan
The Skinny: This duo performance was recorded for the live album Axis of Justice: Concert Series Volume 1.

Here’s a video of a solo performance from Cornell in the back of a limo?

And just because it’s incredibly cool, here is a photo I took a couple weeks ago of Chris Cornell performing a solo acoustic rendition on a make-shift stage built on top of the pool of Symantec CEO John Thompson. Cornell and Bruce Hornsby were both performing at a private fundraiser for President Obama – an event I was fortunate enough to volunteer at and an experience I will never forget.

Artist: Curtis Stigers
Album: The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album
The Skinny: This uptempo cover comes from the soundtrack to the 1992 film The Bodyguard which is most well known for having Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You on it.

Artist: Elvis Costello
Album: Armed Forces (Dig) (Spkg)
The Skinny: As discussed in the intro, Costello’s version was originally released as a B-Side to a Nick Lowe single but was then also included on the US version of the Costello album Armed Forces. A classic cover if there ever was one.

Lots of good YouTube’s of Costello playing this one. Here’s a funny clip from Letterman of Elvis introducing himself:

Also, the single-day lineups for Outside Lands are now available.

Here’s a batch of fresh links straight out of the HT link generator…

• Umphrey’s LD Jeff Waful interviews Phish LD Chris Kuroda for Relix
• Producer Ross Hogarth has glowing things to say about Van Halen
• Glasto founder Michael Eavis has some dire predictions for fests
• Liam Gallagher “heartbroken” over brother Noel’s “lies” about split
• Free tickets for Virgin Mobile Freefest to be given out on Friday
• Pearl Jam announces a rare tour of South and Central America

In other news, Weezer and the Flaming Lips have announced that they will share “side-by-side” headlining sets during previously announced shows at the PNC Bank Arts Center (July 28) and Jones Beach (July 29). Both bands gear will be set up allowing them to “trade off songs back and forth for the entire length of the concert.” It’ll be very interesting to see how that plays out.

Video from Artscape 2009:

The Dresden Dolls are making back-to-back appearances in Cover Wars as they also contributed a cover of New Year’s Day for last week’s edition. War Pigs is a bit of a staple in the band’s live repertoire and also appears on their official 2005 DVD release The Dresden Dolls – Paradise Audio Source: 12-31-2010

Video from a performance at The Paradise in Boston:

As I mentioned in the intro, Faith No More released this cover on their third studio release on the 1989 release Real Thing. My older brother of course quickly informed me that this was indeed a cover of this band Black Sabbath.

The Flaming Lips recorded this cover for their 2007 iTunes Originals session.

Live video with a little help from Cat Power:

So, as I mentioned in the intro, 17-year-old DaveO saw Gov’t Mule destroy this tune. That concert was without a doubt a major influence during these formative musical years for me. I went out and immediately bought Mule’s Live…With A Little Help From Our Friends CD. Writing this piece and looking up the entry for War Pigs on MULEbase.com, I was surprised to see that the performance I saw in Boston was just the third time it had been played.

Video from 12-31-1998, the first known performance and the version included in the audio above:

String Cheese Incident played War Pigs at their Halloween show in 2003. While I am not including that performance, I am using a version by SCI keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth and his band from 12-12-2009.

Video from the same performance:

And finally we’ve got Umphrey’s McGee. While UM normally performs a truncated version of War Pigs (and it also often preceded by the song Black Sabbath), the band has at least once performed a full rendition – in Santa Cruz 2007 with a little help from Ugly Kid Joe on lead vocals. Source: 6-10-2007

Checking in on last week’s New Year’s Day Cover Wars, moe. has emerged victorious with their performance from 12-31-2007.

Set I: Fly By Night, The Erasing, Radio Swiss, Castle Walls > Chance Reaching, Hunter’s Moon, Light From Below, Stefon Erkel, When Doves Cry (Prince) > Who’s The Boss

Set II: Gangsta’s Paradise (Coolio), GCFNME > Faces, No Rest > Eyes Of The Giant (nh) > New Funk*, Mt. Elf > Kashmir (Zeppelin) > Mt. Elf

* with failed 2011 countdown lulz

Coldplay:

The Disco Biscuits
The Tower Theater, Upper Darby PA
Setlist Courtesy of Phantasy Tour

Set 1: Mirrors¹, Strobelights and Martinis¹ > Pimp Blue Rikkis¹ > Strobelights and Martinis¹ > Orch Theme¹ > Portal To An Empty Head^{1 2}

Set 2: Vassillios³ > Little Shimmy In A Conga Line^{3 4}, Nughuffer^{3 5} > Helicopters³ > Bernstein And Chasnoff^{3 6} > Helicopters³

Set 3: Mindless Dribble³ > Crickets^{3 7} > House Dog Party Favor³

Encore: Hope³

¹with Johnny Raab (BioDiesel) on drums
²with Chris Michetti (RAQ) on guitar
³with Sam Altman on drums
⁴ending only
⁵with countdown and “Biscuits are Coming Home” jam; unfinished
⁶inverted
⁷middle section only

The Dresden Dolls:

Flaming Lips:

Furthur
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Setlist Courtesy of otherones.net

I: Alligator, Big Bad Blues, Caution, Wharf Rat, Sittin on Top of the World, High on a Mountain, Cumberland Blues

II: Cassidy, The Mountain Song > I Know You Rider > The Other One > Let It Grow > Stella Blue > Viola Lee Blues > Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion

III: We Love You > Sugar Magnolia > The Wheel > Uncle John’s Band > Unbroken Chain > Lady with a Fan > Terrapin > At a Siding > Terrapin Flyer > Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower > Truckin

E: One More Saturday Night

Notes: Only ”We Love You”

Gogol Bordello
Terminal 5, New York, NY
Setlist courtesy of Brooklynvegan

Tribal Connection, Not a Crime, Wonderlust King, My Companjera, Last One Goes the Hope, Trans-Continental Hustle, Immigraniada, Break the Spell, Raise the Knowledge, When Universes Collide, American Wedding,(Unknown), Pala Tute, Start Wearing Purple, Break The Spell (Reprise), Sun is on my Side, Ghost Riders in the Sky (Johnny Cash cover), Mishto!, Sacred Darling, Alcohol

Gov’t Mule
The Beacon Theater, New York NY
Setlist courtesy of mule.net

Set 1: Mule with Kirk West Introduction, Painted Silver Light, Gameface, Blind Man In The Dark, Bad Little Doggie, No Need To Suffer, Beautifully Broken, Banks Of The Deep End, Trying Not To Fall,Time To Confess with Get Up, Stand Up Tease, Thorazine Shuffle

Set 2: Slackjaw Jezebel, Brand New Angel, Steppin’ Lightly, Broke Down On The Brazos, New Years Countdown, Achilles Last Stand *, Bridge Of Sighs *, Nantucket Sleighride * with Corky Laing,Bad Company *,
Yer Blues *

Set 3: Shakedown Street *, Sugaree with Jon Herington & Bill Evans, Sco-Mule with Jon Herington & Bill Evans, Oye Como Va Tease & Dance To The Music Lyrics, Afro-Blue with Bill Evans & Oz Noy, Norwegian Wood Tease

* First Time Played

Gregg Allman
Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
Setlist photo courtesy of BrooklynVegan

Guided By Voices:

Lotus:

moe.
House of Blues, Boston MA
Setlist courtesy of Phantasy Tour

Set 1: Akimbo, Paper Dragon, Faker > The Road, Water, Happy Hour Hero¹

Set 2: Puebla > Lazarus, Nebraska^{1 2}, Celebration^{1 3 4}, Wind it up > George

Encore: Down Boy, Rebubula

¹ With the Dirty Dozen Brass Band
² New Year Countdown and Auld Lyne Signe
³ w/ Marley Amico on sax, Eddie Derhak on trumpet, Ayla Schnier on keys, Ben Schnier on drums, Al. on trumpet, Vin. on vox, ET from DDBB on trumpet, other band members’ kids on vox, & Malone was baby New Years
⁴ First time played (Kool in the gang)

The Mother Hips
Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach CA
Setlist courtesy of archive.org

Can’t Sleep At All -> Stoned Up The Road -> Can’t Sleep At All, Whiskey On A Southbound, Honeydew, White Hills, Smoke, Been Lost Once, Two River Blues -> Magazine * -> Countdown/ Auld Lang Syne -> The Figure 11 -> Superwinner ^, Rich Little Girl, Precious Opal, Pet Foot, Third Floor Story, Potrero Road, Toughie, Time-Sick Son Of A Grizzly Bear, Pacific Dust

Encore: Turtle Bones, Hey Emilie

Perpetual Groove
Variety Playhouse, Atlanta GA
Setlist courtesy of pgroove.com

Set I: Up Again, Three Weeks, Playground> Live and Let Die, All In, Cabulo Monstrosity, You and Yours

Set II: Playground> Countdown/Auld Lang Syne, Bohemian Rhapsody*, Crockett and Tubbs, Cairo, The March of Gibbles Army, TSMM, TTFPJ>Playground

E1: All My Friends, Sweet Oblivious Antidote

notes: * First Time Played, w/ Kite to the Moon (Timi Conley-Guitar, Lead Vocals and Andrew Hanmer/Jay Rodgers-Vocals) ^ w/ Timi Conley from Kite to the Moon-Vocals/Guitar

Phish
Madison Square Garden, New York NY
Setlist Courtesy of phish.net

Set 1: Punch You In the Eye > AC/DC Bag > The Moma Dance > Scent of a Mule, Burn that Bridge[1], Weigh > Ocelot[2], Beauty of My Dreams, Gone, Rock and Roll

Set 2: Wilson > 46 Days, Sand, NICU[2] > Down with Disease > Ghost, You Enjoy Myself -> Manteca -> You Enjoy Myself[3]

Set 3: Meatstick[4], Auld Lang Syne[5], After Midnight, Backwards Down the Number Line > Piper > Free, Waste > Slave to the Traffic Light, Grind

Encore: First Tube[2]

[1] Phish debut.
[2] Auld Lang Syne tease.
[3] Manteca quotes in vocal jam.
[4] Portions pre-recorded; Lyrics sung in multiple languages.
[5] Sung with Meatstick singers.

Notes: This show featured the Phish debut of Burn That Bridge. Ocelot, NICU and First Tube contained Auld Lang Syne teases. Beauty of My Dreams was played for the first time since July 22, 2003 (133 shows). Manteca was played for the first time since October 30, 1998 (301 shows) and the ensuing YEM vocal jam contained Manteca quotes. Before midnight, several groups of multiethnic dancers appeared on stage and sang the Meatstick lyrics in their respective languages. The band joined the dancers and then stealthily disappeared from the stage, only to reappear at the other side of the arena in the giant hotdog from past NYE shows (’94 and ’99). As a result, portions of the Meatstick were pre-recorded. Appropriately, the post-show music was Captain Beefheart’s Tropical Hot Dog Night.

Primus:

The Radiators
Palombaro Club – Ardmore, PA
Setlist courtesy of archive.org

Set 1: Tuning/Kenny/ Audrey, Metric, Jump Back, Your Heart Ain’t In It, Falling Thru the Bottom Line, Good Things -> I Got Loaded -> Good Things, Norwegian Woods (tease) -> I Don’t Speak Love, Devils Dream, Oh La La, Smokin Hole, Like Dreamers Do

Set 2: Daytripper (tease) -> Sparkplug, Double Up In A Knot -> Love Is A Tangle -> Let The Good Times Roll, Stealing a Feeling, Little Sadie, Daddys Coming Home, I See Rosie, Countdown-> Auld Lang Syne, After Midnight

Set 3: Gloria, Suck The Head, Where Was You At ?, Deal, 19th Nervous Breakdown, Quinn The Eskimo (Mighty Quinn), Train Kept A Rollin, Kennys Call Em Back, Dead Flowers -> Gimme Some Lovin

Railroad Earth
Ogden Theater – Denver, CO
Setlist courtesy of setlist.com

Set 1: Bird in a House, Dance Around Molly – > Dandelion Wine, Just So You Know, Bread and Water, Stillwater Getaway, Said What You Mean, Roadhouse Blues

Set 2: Countdown to 2011, Bringin’ My Baby Back Home, Auld Lang Syne – > Ophelia (1), Auld Land Syne, Right in Tune, Water Fountain Quicksand, Warhead Boogie – > Spring-Heeled Jack, Happy Birthday (2), Judy Judy Judy (3), Mourning Flies, Storms, The Wheel, Fisherman’s Blues (4),

E1: Long Walk Home, Little Rabbit,
E2: Railroad Earth

Comment: (1) with Vince “Baby New Year 2011″ Herman on vocals and washboard and Jim Lewin on electric guitar; (2) to Mike Partridge, with “Sweet Home Alabama” tease; (3) First time played — written by Todd Sheaffer; (4) with Adam Galdlum on violin.

The Ryan Montbleau Band
Showcase Live, Foxboro MA
Setlist courtesy of archive.org

Grain of Sand, Honeymoon Eyes, Here et al, L.I.D.S > NYE Countdown > Your Time Is Gonna Come (1), Inspired By No One, Love Songs, Songbird, Heavy On The Vine, Slippery Road, 75 & Sunny, Maybe Today, Blue Sky (2), I Can’t Wait, Lonesome Serenade, City

Encore: Hey Jude (3) #

# with Jesse Dee
(1) Led Zeppelin
(2) Allman Brothers
(3) Beatles

Surprise Me Mr. Davis
Cafe Du Nord – San Francisco, CA
Setlist courtesy of bt.etree.org

Sissyfuss, Roses in Bottles, Sleepyhead, If You Knew, Snowed In, If I Stay (Beautiful Day) > NYE countdown > Auld Lang Syne > If I Stay, Mardi Gras Song, Everything Must Go, I Hate Love, Summer of My Fall, I’m No Good At All, Joelle, jam, Poor Boy > It’s Only Rock and Roll > (with Felecia Ford on vocals), Home Away From Home

E: Tombstone, As The Crow Flies, I Want To Get To Heaven (Before I Die)

Umphrey’s McGee:
The Riviera Theatre, Chicago IL
Setlist Courtesy of umphreys.com

Set One: Nothing Too Fancy > In the Kitchen, Rocker (part II), Nemo, Bright Lights^, Deeper* > Nothing Too Fancy

Set Two: Wellwishers^^, The Payback$ > Sex Machine$, #Andy’s Last Beer^^, All In Time, Ringo, Demolition Man**^^ > 1348^^

Set Three: Hajimemashite, Mixed Bizness%^^ > Auld Lang Syne^^, Partyin’ Peeps^^@, Miss Tinkle’s Overture@@, Higgins, Slacker&, Booth Love^^ > National Anthem%%^^

Encore: Sir Duke$$, Glory > 40′s Theme

Notes
^ with Jeff Coffin on saxophone
* first time played, original
^^ with horns
$ first time played, James Brown; Kris on vocals, Jake on drums, with horns and backup singers
# with Jam On It (Newcleus) rap by Jake
** first time played, The Police
% first time played, Beck
@ with Auld Lang Syne tease
@@ with Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ jam
& with Cody Dickinson on washboard, and Brendan on percussion
%% first time played, Radiohead
$$ first time played, Stevie Wonder; Kris on vocals, Jake on drums, with horns

Widespread Panic
Pepsi Arena, Denver CO
Setlist Courtesy of Everyday Companion Online

1: Ribs And Whiskey, Don’t Be Denied > Wondering, When You Coming Home, Driving Song > Who Do You Belong To?

2: Holden Oversoul, North > Blackout Blues*, Blight > Bust It Big > Pleas > Mr. Soul

3: Disco, Tall Boy, Sharon**, Tongue (Shuffle In A)**, Imitation Leather Shoes > Love Tractor, Postcard, Pilgrims > Tie Your Shoes > End Of The Show > Ain’t Life Grand

E: Blue Indian, Lawyers, Guns, And Money, Action Man

* with G. Love on harmonica
** with David Bromberg on guitar/vocals
[Only 'Tongue (Shuffle In A)'; G. Love & Special Sauce opened]

Yonder Mountain String Band
Pageant Theater, St. Louis MO
Setlist courtesy of Phantasy Tour

Set 1: Jesus On The Mainline > Polka On The Banjo > Jesus On The Mainline, New Deal Train, Deep Pockets, Althea, Gilpin Swing, Goodle Days > Up On The Hill Where They Do The Boogie > Dogs

Set 2: On the Run > Lord Only Knows (Part One) > The Bolton Stretch > On the Run > High Cross Junction > Sometimes I’ve Won, Jail Song > Casualty > What You’re Selling > Had To Leave My Boots Behind > Catch A Criminal > I’d Like Off > Looking Back Over My Shoulder > Mother’s Only Son > Finally Saw The Light > Mother’s Only Son > End of the Road > On the Run

Set 3: Peace Of Mind, Pockets, Ain’t No Way of Knowing, Brown Mountain Light, Keep on Going > New Horizons > Dreams > New Horizons > Keep on Going, Someday’s Reunion, Left Me in a Hole, Angel > Follow Me Down To The Riverside > Angel

Encore: Ooh La La, Another Day

If you can’t make it to Oklahoma, City for New Year’s Eve this year, than maybe you’ll be able to hit one of these recently announced tours…

• April Smith & The Great Picture Show hit the road this November
• Cornershop decided to postpone their US tour until next year
• Electro-rockers Crystal Castles head coast to coast
• Charlie Hunter heads out behind his new album Public Domain
• San Fran jam act Tea Leaf Green line up a 19-date winter tour
• Former blog buzz band Tapes N Tapes announce gigs for 2011

Finally, in an effort to expand their growing empire of hip destination-based curated micro-festivals, the folks behind All Tomorrow’s Parties have announced that they will be headed to the Far East for their first-ever event in Japan. The one-day festie dubbed I’ll Be Your Mirror – which was the B-Side to VU’s All Tomorrow’s Parties – will take place at Studio Coast in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, February 27 in 2011.

ATP organizers have also announced that Animal Collective will be curating their flagship event next spring that will take place from May 13-15 at the Butlins Holiday Centre in Minehead. Among the acts joining AC on the the initial line up are Gang Gang Dance, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, as well as The Meat Puppets performing Up On The Sun and The Frogs who will perform It’s Only Right & Natural.

Here’s a list of six other stories of interest we came across…

• Dave and Ray Davies of The Kinks are still feuding
• Beastie Boys reveal more details about their new LP
• moe. will return to Japan for a club tour in February
• Check out George Duke’s band rocking some  Zappa
• Pop star Nelly Furtado covers Rush’s Time Stand Still
• Seven production highlights from Waters’ The Wall

Finally, the Flaming Lips will visit Nickelodeon’s Yo Gabba Gabba! kids show on November 5th, when the Oklahoma rockers perform I Can Be a Frog, according to EW’s Music Mix blog. Check out the article for a sneak peek at this catchy tune which is about the power of imagination.

• List Time: 10 TV Theme Songs That Became Hits
• Belle & Sebastian want to open a taquiera in Glasgow
• Cover Alert: Surfer Blood tackle Pavement
• Al Pacino to play record producer Phil Spector in an HBO movie
• Download This: Andrew Bird’s 7 minute instrumental Hot Math
• Parenthood soundtrack features Wilco, Dylan, Avetts and more

Finally, earlier this year Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers released their first album together since 2002 with the highly enjoyable Mojo. For the band’s next release they will look to the past, as on November 9 they will reissue their breakthrough album Damn The Torpedoes as a double disc deluxe edition. Released in 1979, the record peaked at number two on the Billboard charts thanks to songs like Refugee, Here Comes My Girl and Don’t Do Me Like That. The repackaged version of the album has been digitally remastered and features a nine track bonus disc.