Nearly three months after Perpetual Groove announced they would be parting ways for a dreaded “indefinite hiatus,” we’ve made it to the day of the “final show.” Not only will Perpetual Groove offer their farewell performance tonight at the Georgia Theatre, but Ghost Owl will make their debut this evening as well. Last night, PGroove offered up two acoustic sets at the Green Room in Athens.

For the quartet’s acoustic finale, they mixed originals from throughout their career with covers from Funkadelic (Can You Get To That) and Modest Mouse (Float On). Fittingly, It Starts Where It Ends served as the lone encore. Watch a brief clip of Perpetual Groove covering Float On…

Here’s the setlist from last night’s show…

READ ON

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.”

READ ON

Two upcoming concerts from HT faves will be broadcast live as both Perpetual Groove and Vampire Weekend have announced webcasts. Steve Buscemi of Boardwalk Empire fame will direct a stream of the Vampire Weekend performance set for NYC’s Roseland on April 28th, while TourGigs will present a stream of Perpetual Groove’s “final show” this Friday, April 5th.

The Buscemi-directed Vampire Weekend webcast will kick off the fourth season of American Express’s Unstaged series according to Rolling Stone. Bassist Chris Baio told the mag that the show will feature “about half the tracks” from the soon-to-be-released Modern Vampires of the City LPs. You can stream the show on April 28th via the American Express Unstaged site.

Meanwhile, Perpetual Groove has teamed up with TourGigs to bring fans a live stream of their “final show” this Friday. The gig takes place at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia and will be streamed in HD using over 14 cameras. This is expected to be a Pay-Per-View webcast, so stay tuned for details on how to purchase not only the stream but the DVD and Blu-Ray releases that TourGigs references. The webcast will start at 9PM ET with a performance by Ghost Owl, a new band made up of Adam Perry, Matt McDonald and Albert Suttle of Perpetual Groove.

With Perpetual Groove fans from across the country descending on Athens, Georgia for what may be the band’s final show, the group has decided to add another performance just before the finale. On April 4th PGroove will deliver an acoustic performance in the intimate environs of The Green Room in Athens, the night before they bring the era to a close at The Georgia Theatre.

The show will start early with doors set to open at 5 and the two sets taking place between 6 and 9. Tickets go on sale at 11AM this morning via the Georgia Theatre website.

Back in 2010 Perpetual Groove crushed the competition on their way towards winning our Cover Wars March Madness tournament with their sublime version of This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody). The Talking Heads cover has been a staple of PGroove’s live sets for over a decade, so it’s no surprise they performed Naive Melody at what could very well be the band’s last festival set.

Perpetual Groove’s last festival appearance before beginning an “indefinite hiatus” took place earlier this month at the AURA Music Festival in Live Oak, Florida. We’ve shared plenty of amazing fan-shot vids from AURA, but recently a number of professionally-shot “official” clips have made their way to the festival’s YouTube channel. One of these vids features PGroove’s cover of This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) from their festival finale. Take a look…

Perpetual Groove will begin a dreaded “indefinite hiatus” after their “final show” on April 5th at Athens’ Georgia Theatre. At the “final show,” a band called Ghost Owl, which features all of the members of PGroove besides front man Brock Butler (Matt McDonald, Albert Suttle and Adam Perry), will make their live debut as openers. Ghost Owl plans to tour heavily later this year and it has just been announced that the trio will open for world-jam act Toubab Krewe at a handful of shows this May.

So far, it has been revealed that Ghost Owl will open for Toubab Krewe on May 8th at The Blockley in Philadelphia, on May 10th at Brooklyn Bowl in New York City and on May 11th at Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge, Mass. Last month Ghost Owl shared a taste of the tracks they are working on…

We expect more Ghost Owl shows to be announced soon.

HT faves Perpetual Groove’s farewell tour visited George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Saturday night. DGold was on hand to film the entire show and has uploaded his footage to YouTube. During the show, PGroove offered a mix of classic material such as Robot Waltz and Three Weeks with newer originals including Man With All The Answers. There’s also the group’s typically bombastic cover of Peter Gabriel’s Digging In The Dirt.

Listening and watching the quartet deliver what may turn out to be one of their last performances is a bittersweet experience. There’s more than just flashes of brilliance, PGroove turned in two fantastic sets. It’s sad that in less than two months Brock Butler will part ways with a band that has been a part of his life for well over a decade. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like every song Brock sings has lyrics which fit the current situation like a glove. There’s even a tender moment in which Butler praises his band mates and speaks of the love and brotherhood that he knows will endure.

With that, take a look at PGroove’s Fayetteville Farewell…

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAuc0Py5sxAJtx6HHjQkyOb2l2YWvs1AE

Set One: Life > [Beginning Part 1] A Day the Way, 53 More Things to do in Zero Gravity, Long Past Settled In, Lemurs, Diggin in the [End Part 1]//[Beginning Part 2] Dirt, Three Weeks [End Part 2]

Set Two: [Beginning Part 3] Cairo, Robot Waltz, Man with all the Answers, Walkin in Place [End Part 3]

Encore:  [Beginning Part 4] Teakwood Betz > The Universe & Everything [End Part 4]

HT faves Perpetual Groove, who recently announced they will begin a dreaded “indefinite hiatus” in April, have just cancelled the next two weeks worth of shows. Earlier today the band cancelled their show in Auburn because “a viral infection has taken down one of the members of PGroove.” Now, they’ve moved to axe all shows up until January 30th.

Here’s the announcement from PGroove’s Facebook page…

We are truly disappointed to report that shows scheduled for the next two weeks just can’t go on. All shows have been canceled until 1/30/13 at this time. Health comes first as you all know. All previous purchased tickets can and will be refunded through the appropriate ticket outlets. Thank you for your understanding.

Yikes, not a good start to “the end.” We hope whatever the case may be, the member of the band gets himself well soon. Perpetual Groove is scheduled to play The Rev Room in Little Rock on the 31st.

In what must’ve been a heart-breaking decision and a longtime coming, the members of the Perpetual Groove organization have just announced that starting on April 6th they will be taking an indefinite hiatus. The band has posted a message explaining the decision on a blog post entitled Thank You. Three of the four members of the band – Albert Suttle, Matt McDonald and Adam Perry – will continue to tour as a new project under the moniker “Ghost Owl,” while front man Brock Butler has posted an apology on the band’s website for letting it get to this point.

Here’s the announcement of the indefinite hiatus…

The band members of Perpetual Groove as well as our whole leadership and technical team is announcing today, that we are calling a hiatus, effective April 6, 2013.  While we’re taking steps to make sure that the music and community of PGroove lives on and is still readily available to fans, the band will stop touring and recording.  While we haven’t ruled out a reunion in the future, it’s not in the forecast at this time.

Today, it’s stunning to look back on the last 10 years and 4 albums, the thousands of shows, thousands of fans, and dozens of collaborations with other artists that is, collectively, Perpetual Groove.  We are honored to have fans who love the music and who love one another, and proud to call so many of you both friends and fans.

We have to admit, not everything has gone to plan on this journey.  We have seen highs and lows, just like the rest of the country in the past few years.   And now we turn to a new chapter.  While it’s difficult to do, we support Brock Butler in his work to create a healthier, happier life and career for himself. That work needs to take place in a new and different context and we wish him luck.

For our part, Adam, Albert, & Matt will continue making music together.  We are in a “prototyping” stage of a new sound and a new stage presence which will tour under the name Ghost Owl.  We’re releasing a very rough cut – a snippet – for fans to hear today.  Check back soon for a couple full tracks.

Thank you all again for everything,
Adam, Albert, Brock, and Matt

And here’s Butler’s apology…

READ ON

HT faves Perpetual Groove have their mojo back as we reach the end of the group’s first full year with original keyboardist Matt McDonald back in the fold. McDonald, guitarist Brock Butler, bassist Adam Perry and drummer Albert Suttle will finish 2012 with a three-night New Year’s Run and are looking towards 2013 with the announcement of their “Ice Princess #9 Winter Strain 2.013” tour.

The quartet will hit some of their favorite venues in the southeast between January 17th and February 23rd. They will also add special acoustic shows in which PGroove will offer stripped down versions of their material. For a taste of what you can expect at these unplugged performances, the group has shared a gorgeous take on one of the best songs in their catalog – Only Always. When someone tells you jambands can’t write songs, play this for them and tell them to save it. Take a look…

Perpetual Groove – Only Always

Here’s a full list of Perpetual Groove tour dates…

READ ON

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.

READ ON

HT faves Perpetual Groove have just announced details of the “Fend For Your Life” Fall Tour as well as their Halloween and New Year’s Eve plans. After a hand full of gigs in August, PGroove will hit the road hard in September starting with an appearance as DSO’s Dark Star Jubilee festival. Along the way the band will play a series of two-night stands in Charleston, Boston and New York City.

For PGroove’s annual Halloween celebration, they will visit The Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge, Louisana. This year’s theme will be “Heroes and Villains.” On December 31, the quartet will return to Center Stage in Atlanta for their second NYE gig at the venue in a row.

Here’s the full list of Perpetual Groove tour dates…

8/3 Crossroads Live Huntsville, AL
8/4 Asheville Music Hall Asheville NC
8/16 The Lincoln Theatre Raleigh, NC
8/25 Southern Brewers Fest Chattanooga, TN
8/31 The Handlebar Greenville, SC
9/2 Dark Star Jubilee Legend Valley, OH
9/6 The National Richmond, VA
9/7 Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, NC
9/13 GATA’S Statesboro, NC
9/14 The Pour House Charleston, SC
9/15 The Pour House Charleston, SC
9/19 Church Boston, MA
9/20 Church Boston, MA
9/21 Brooklyn Bowl New York, NY
9/22 Brooklyn Bowl New York, NY
9/25 Higher Ground Burlington, VT
9/26 Stage One Fairfield, CT
9/27 The Hamilton Washington, DC
9/28 The Blockley Philadelphia, PA
9/29 8×10 Baltimore, MD
10/6 Ziggy’s Winston-Salem, NC
10/25 Jupiter Theatre Tuscaloosa, AL
10/26 Workplay Theatre Birmingham, AL
10/27 Majestic Fayetteville, AR
10/31 The Varsity Theatre Baton Rouge, LA
11/3 Ciderhouse Knoxville, TN
11/8-11/12 Bear Creek Live Oak, FL
11/15 The Georgia Theatre Athens, GA
11/16 The Blind Tiger Greensboro, NC
11/17 The Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC
11/29 Jannus Live St. Petersburg, FL
11/30 The Culture Room Ft. Lauderdale, FL
12/1 The Freebird Jacksonville, FL
12/6 Three20South Breckenridge, CO
12/7 The Fox Theatre Boulder, CO
12/8 The Bluebird Theatre Denver, CO
12/31 Center Stage Atlanta, GA

We’ve got good news and bad news for Perpetual Groove fans. In the bad news department the group’s guitarist, Brock Butler, crushed his left hand while in the process of moving residences. While the band reports that Brock’s orthopedist feels he’ll be able to play again “sooner than later” PGroove has canceled previously scheduled shows for tonight in Nashville, tomorrow in Huntsville, Ala. and Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.

[Photo by David Shehi / Honest Tune]

In the good news department Perpetual Groove will return to NYC’s Brooklyn Bowl, a venue they consider one of their favorites, on September 21 and 22. The Georgia-based band’s last few shows at the Bowl have sold out, so you’ll want to grab your tickets when they go on sale if you plan on attending. No word yet on when those ducats go on sale.

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…

READ ON

This past Saturday night marked the return to New York of longtime Perpetual Groove keyboardist Matt McDonald for the first time since 2008, when he departed the band, until coming back into the fold during the band’s New Year’s run. The quartet did not disappoint. McDonald and his band mates played a two set affair with song selections culled from the band’s oldest and newest compositions, and featured the most poignant of encores. PGroove kicked off the performance with a recent entry into the band’s repertoire, Holy Ship, which showcased bassist Adam Perry on rare backing vocals, and was a great way to ease into a the show. By the end of the evening, attendees at the sold out performance, held at Brooklyn Bowl, were treated to a retina-blinding and ear, heart and soul-piercing relentless explosion from the Georgia-based band.

[All Photos by Mitch Manzella]

As the first set rolled on with a deliriously dark cover of the Butthole Surfers’ Pepper, my first true feeling that the PGroove of old was back was during the middle of Stealy Man. Led by his signature sonic swirls and knob tweaks and twirls, McDonald and guitarist Brock Butler guided the band through several verses of TV on the Radio’s DLZ. A powerful reminder that the band was an impulsive, improvisational group at heart, I couldn’t help but pump my fist and bang my head, quickly forgetting that it had been almost four years since I had seen McDonald with his band mates at Amberland in 2008, the band’s annual Memorial Day festival, which marked Matt’s last shows with PGroove until late 2011.

“I guess this is a time we can be very clear about this. We chose not to renew a contract. We didn’t fire anyone. On our end there was no ill will. We just didn’t see why we were giving [our management] so much fucking money.” – Matt McDonald

But, as McDonald would tell me the following night in an exclusive, in-depth interview on my couch, the second set was the best one he’s played since his return, and possibly one of his “top five ever.” Yes, it was that good. The closing stanza featured some of the biggest songs in the PGroove arsenal including the Mr. Transistor opener, the catchy TTFPJ and another fine addition to the group’s catalog, Man with All the Answers. The set spilled well over the boiling point in no time at all and came to a raucous end with the tune that always represented McDonald’s time in the band – Robot Waltz. Perpetual Groove closed out the show with their signature hand/rock gestures thrown in the air at the song’s conclusion, and was mimicked by nearly everyone of the 837 paid patrons in attendance at the sold-out show.

READ ON