Grousing The Aisles: Yet to Jump the Shark
This week Grousing The Aisles takes a look at performers at the top of their game. Sure, it must have been cool to see The Stones and The Who at any point this year, but can you imagine seeing these bands in 1973? As a reference point for this particular post, when you head to a show hoping not to see “any new shit,” the band you are seeing has completely passed its peak. Let’s do this…
Looking back now, Primus’ live show hit its peak in 1993 with the inclusion of the material from Pork Soda. There aren’t too many soundboards from ‘93 circulating these days, but recently this Bomb Factory show has begun to make the rounds. (There must be something about The Bomb Factory, because one of the best Phish concerts of all-time took place there six months earlier.) Primus opens with the high-energy Jerry Was a Racecar Driver and tears through Bob and My Name is Mud, continuing to hit many of the songs from Pork Soda over the length of the 80-minute set. Les Claypool’s bass sounds particularly good due to the sublime separation of instruments on this remastered recording.
Read on for more downloads from the recently deceased James Brown, Neil Young, Genesis, Leftover Salmon and God Johnson…
James Brown 10/24/62 SBD (FLAC)
Sadly, the Godfather of Soul passed away on Monday, and the music world will never be the same. James Brown was an incredible showman who thrived in the live setting, laying the groundwork for even the bands we know and love today. This show features Brown at his absolute best, thrilling the crowd at the legendary Apollo Theater in 1962. Good Gawd.
Genesis 10/15/86 SBD (STREAMING)
If you’ve read my piece on the announcement of next year’s Genesis tour, you know how I feel about the post-Peter Gabriel version of the band. Along with Paul McCartney’s solo career and the Christie Brinkley days of Billy Joel, the Invisible Touch days are my ultimate guilty pleasure.
Towards the end of the Invisible Touch tour, Genesis played five nights at the LA Forum. Wolfgang’s Concert Vault is currently streaming the third Forum concert for free. Check out the Abacab from this show for an example of how this touring band could jam with the best of them. Genesis did a good job of mixing up the pop and the prog, and hopefully that will be the case with the 2007 reunion shows as well. Be sure to check out this show before the likes of Led Zeppelin and Santana harsh our mellow by forcing the vault to shut down.
Leftover Salmon 3/3/95 SBD (STREAM, MP3, FLAC)
Leftover Salmon is one of the most unique groups to ever get the jamband label. The band has gone on indefinite hiatus over the past few years as members have either passed away or moved onto other bands. In the mid ’90s, however, Leftover Salmon had been considered the next big thing — check out this soundboard from a time when Salmon was primed to take over the world.
God Johnson 8/30/06 SBD (STREAM, MP3, FLAC)
Minneapolis isn’t quite the hotbed of jambands, but God Johnson may change that. The five-piece band is creating quite a buzz as they make the transition from regional band to national touring act. In August, the band played a benefit concert for the recently diagnosed nephew of the band’s drummer, who is suffering from the life threatening Zellweger’s disease. The band raised over $9,000, which helped send the child to Spain for treatment.
God Johnson is obviously comprised of good people, but that doesn’t get you a listing in Grousing The Aisles. The music from the benefit is impressive, including the funky and proggy original Squirms and a bunch of fun covers. Joel Cummins, Brendan Bayliss, and Jake Cinninger of Umphrey’s McGee join forces with God Johnson for a rousing rendition of Making Flippy Floppy. Check out the audio from the benefit, which is available in the format of your choice on the archive. I hope to hear more out of God Johnson in 2007.
I know I promised bands at their peak, but I felt obligated to mention one past-his-peak performer that turned back the clock to kick some ass. A few 52-track master SBD recordings of performances from 2003’s Bonnaroo festival have made their way into our grubby hands. Last week I featured Widespread Panic’s show, but this week we focus on the incredible set from Neil Young and Crazy Horse.
In 2003, Young was in the middle of a tour promoting his Greendale rock opera. The setlists didn’t vary from night to night, and the band spent a majority of these 2003 shows playing Greendale in its entirety. For the headlining gig at Bonnaroo, though, Young treated the large crowd to a greatest hits set devoid of the rock opera. Each familiar song was jammed out to its fullest providing a real crowd pleasing set. And that’s why he’s who he is, and you’re nothing.
