With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Spafford - Live from The Marquee Backyard Night 1 of 2
The jam band Spafford is getting down for the next two nights live from the Marquee Backyard. Grab your tix now.
To get in the mood, here is a live tune from the band:
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: The Mountain Goats - The Jordan Lake Sessions
With their new album coming soon The Mountain Goats are streaming the The Jordan Lake Sessions tonight. Grab Tix Here.
In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's artists, Paul Weinfeld performing a cover of "Visions of Johanna"
Thoughts on Original: From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune: One of the clear high points in Dylan's poetic songwriting, "Visions of Johanna" is a complete stunner, especially the first time you encounter it. Now (on a personal note) if that first encounter just happens to be a hot sweaty night, in the heart of the urban village which Dylan roamed about 30 years before and you happened to be doing the same god damn thing, then so be it. Even if your personal take is different it is hard to wrap your brain around the lyrics and the more you listen the more the mystery deepens. It is elusive, bright, cunning, dismissive, iconic, ironic and tossed off all at once. It is mega and it is nothing...and I can't be more vague than that. Musically he couldn't get it right until he went down to Nashville and it says something that he stuck with this song (unlike say..."She's Your Lover Now") and got a version that is magical musically as well, just listen to that bass line throughout from Joe South...a crowning success all around.
The closest I ever got to the sound I hear in my mind was on individual bands in the Blonde on Blonde album. It's that thin, that wild mercury sound. It's metallic and bright gold, with whatever that conjures up.
Cover:
Thoughts on Cover Artist: RtBE is new to Paul Weinfeld, having never heard him before this cover version. He has played in a bunch of bands, but says Dylan has always been his inspiration.
Thoughts on Cover: A fairly straight ahead acoustic cover version of the song that dips a bit into overly dramatic singing at times. Not much to it, just voice, guitar and amazing lyrics.
We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Yonder Mountain String Band!
This full show is from 2011 as YMSB works their bluegrass magic at DelFest. Not Pro Shot, but the sound and visuals are great from one camera. Full set list below. Enjoy:
Side Show Blues (Todd Snider cover) Sometimes I've Won Pockets Ripcord Blues The First Whippoorwill (Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys cover) The Prisoner's Song (Vernon Dalhart cover) What the Night Brings (Jeff Austin song) Ain't No Way of Knowing Rain Still Falls Criminal Shake Me Up You're No Good (Dee Dee Warwick cover) One More On the Run (>) Death Trip (> ‘On the Run’ reprise) Encore: Southern Flavor
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Yumi Zouma "Live at Hackney Studios"
At 3pm and at 11pm the band will be delivering a live show via bandcamp. Here is the band's statement:
We're still stuck in different countries, but we wanted to play a show. So we've used the panels from the Palms video to record an extremely socially-distant 17-song set via New Zealand, New York, and London. It'll go live on April 15th at yumizouma.bandcamp.com See you soon!
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Best of "The Music Of" 2004-2020 @ City Winery
This unique live stream is of artists covering other artists at City Winery over the years. for example, Patti Smith performs Bob Dylan, Glen Hansard performs R.E.M., Keb' Mo' performs Bill Withers & more!
100% of proceeds benefit music education organizations, grab tickets here.
To get in the mood here is Son Little covering Bruce Springsteen, which he will be doing for this benefit.
Recorded just a month before the Covid-19 virus locked down the country Live In L.A. by the Lucky Chops is a testament to the band's pure joy of making music for their fans and just how much we have lost during the pandemic.
The New York City based brass band captured their February 7th 2020 show at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, playing to a very excited crowd who the outfit interact with often. The band, Josh Holcomb: Trombone Daro Behroozi: Tenor Saxophone/Bass Clarinet Joshua Gawel: Trumpet Adrian Condis: Baritone Saxophone Dr. Reginald Chapman Jr: Contrabass Bugle Patrick Simard: Drums, get the most out of their performance with their bright originals, cover insertions and amicable energy.
Smooth opener "Without You (4 Tonite)" sets the early tone but it is the blaring trumpet from Gawel, the pumping horns and drums during "Traveler" delivers an early highlight finding the band clicking. Other fantastic brass work colors the disco funk of "Memories", the vibrant "Familiar Places" and the great ska like groove from "Coco" which may just be the best of the bunch.
What is really the biggest stand out however is the bands interaction with the crowd. A year into a live music shutdown it feels utterly foreign for Lucky Chops to urge the fans to introduce themselves to each other and slap hands during "Best Things"; after so much social distancing this urging feels dangerous, which is odd.
The band also leads the crowd in deep exhaling and singing from everyone in the theater as an attempt to bond with fans during "Hoodoos at Sunrise" but in these times, the only fear is that no one was spreading disease during these last days of normalcy. Of course it is silly to see these interactions in these terms, but it just proves how much the last year has changed with how we perceive everything, even live albums.
The players do a delightful job delivering the dance party during both "A/B Jam" and "Danza 2020" complete with "I'll Fly Away" and "Eye of the Tiger" teases respectively, while the excellent "Full Heart Fancy" pumps out the jams before the fantastic closing cover combo of "Funkytown/I Feel Good" brings down the house with the best interplay on the record.
Live In L.A. from the Lucky Chops reminds us all how interactive live music can be and unfortunately, how far removed we currently are from those carefree times.
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Little Kids Rock
There is a benefit today for Little Kids Rock with members of Metallica, Public Enemy and many many more.
Every spring the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival puts on the best concert gathering in America. Last year, like everything else, it was canceled. However WWOZ came through with "Festing In Place" last spring and it was RtBE's favorite remote experience of 2020 as the radio station dug deep and delivered amazing sets from festivals past.
This year, Jazzfest hopes to return in October (fingers crossed) but WWOZ is still going to do Festing In Place to give everyone their spring Jazzfest fix starting April 22nd. The cubes were just announced and there are some great performances coming up:
Can't wait to tune in and have those TBA's filled in closer to the listening event. Last year the joyous music and communal spirit seeped through the speakers and while the world was shuttered WWOZ delivered a ray a sunshine from the south of the country to the whole world. It was a note of positivity that RtBE and countless others needed at that moment, this with hope on the horizon it will certainly scratch the festival itch.
To get pumped for the two weekend event here is The Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars from Jazzfest in 2014.
In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Kingdom Jasmine playing "She Belongs To Me"
Thoughts on Original: The first song in this series was a different cover of this track, here is what I wrote about it then and still feel the same way: This is a gem of a song, a twisted tale that entwines beauty and deceit, darkness and sparkling Egyptian Red Rings. One of Dylan's best in it's mystery, elusiveness and bitter biting undertones; really pure Dylan and one of his all time classics. Loved it when I first heard it, still love it today. Cover:
Thoughts on Cover Artist: This is the first time RtBE is hearing Kingdom Jasmine who is a singer songwriter.
Thoughts on Cover:
A fairly straight ahead cover with some extra dexterous guitar flourishes through out. A pleasant way to start a spring week.
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Abolition Apostles Benefit
This is a virtual concert benefit to support the creation of a hospitality house for friends, family, lawyers and advocates visiting people at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: The Wheel from Lark Hall in Albany, NY
Every Friday Lark Hall in Albany is providing a free stream to viewers:
We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Devo!
Today we highlight Devo from 1980. Pro shot, Pro Sound, but VHS transfer.
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: BRIC Jazzfest
BRIC House in Brooklyn is presenting a Jazz Festival over the next three nights:
During the pandemic multi-instrumentalist Jay Gonzalez would host stripped down live shows where he took requests with the song choices arriving from a list of under-appreciated 70's pop tunes. Tracks by Shuggie Otis, Carole King and The Neon Philharmonic could all be requested and those choices help point to where Gonzalez was going with his newest solo album Back to the Hive.
That mid 70's radio friendly pop appeal is all over Back to the Hive as the sweet sounds color Gonzalez's second proper solo album. Gorgeous piano work and vocal ooh's form the brief instrumental opener "Sunspot" setting the bright shiny tone as fun romps like "Deep Sea Diver" also hit that light natural floating vibe.
Gonzalez passion for that classic Beatles sound of clear catchy pop love is most evident on a pair of tracks. "Trampoline" is a pumping number that brings a calliope circus feeling into soothing relationship lyrics before drifting into a psychedelic swoon. "(I Wanna) Hold You" is the stand out on a solid record as it brings in a great guitar solo after lyrics which catch up on all aspects of the title phrase; at just over two minutes it reminds of the great Buddy Holly in the way it twists the simple pop formula into a higher art form.
The acoustic heartbreak/love song triumph "You Make It Hard (To Be Unhappy)" and the sweet friendship ode "Need You Round" are both dynamite. The languid "Never Felt Bad (About Feeling Good)" with its organ work, bubbling bass and fuzzy guitar is the lyrical heart of the album as smiles vibrate from these hook laden tracks.
The record wraps up with a few more brief instrumentals and a Gonzalez tribute to Robin Gibb "Crying Through The Wall" which goes bigger, with less success than than the tight pop tracks leading up it. That said, Back to the Hive is a peach of a solo record from the Drive-By Truckers member as Gonzalez proves you can still create alluring pop rock tracks in the tried and true fashion.
Cassandra Jenkins An Overview on Phenomenal Nature **** out of *****
The second full length release from the Brooklyn based singer/songwriter Cassandra Jenkins, An Overview on Phenomenal Nature mixes breathy vocals, fuzzy riffs and violin strings straddling the line between stripped down directness and overindulgence with taste.
Produced by Josh Kaufman who also plays a multitude of instruments on the record, the album recalls Kaufman's work with Craig Finn's solo releases. The restrained experimentation lends to the feeling that anything is possible from smooth sax to ambient electro to found sounds to layers of violas to droning synths; things easily shift from literal measure to measure.
Jenkins vocals are hushed and directly placed for maximum effect around the varying soundscapes. Opener "Michelangelo" is the most upbeat with folk rock structure but Jenkins is more at home with nebulous, fluid offerings. "New Bikini" is a soft meditation on curing/killing the problems while "Hard Drive" is a spoken word swelling of emotions that runs from sculpture lectures to driving lessons around New York City.
The soft strumming and flutes float along the yearning "Crosshairs", a dynamite tune with poetic wordplay and engaging instrumentation while "Hailey" breezily buzzes and plucks heartstrings. "Ambiguous Norway" dissolves with a solo laughing around loss as closer "The Ramble" wraps things up with a sonic collage featuring bird chirps, rising woodwinds and a sense of a cocoon opening. Overall the combination of Jenkins poetic soft singing and Kaufman multi layered kitchen sink instrumentation pairs perfectly; while more a tone record than a must hear, the album works well.
An Overview on Phenomenal Nature catches on a thread of reemergence, perfectly timed for the (hopeful) end of lock down, and 2021 springtime. While Jenkins never addresses the fracturing of society directly, that fragile feeling is everywhere. An Overview on Phenomenal Nature is a personal journey that allows others in with various warm sounds and honest lyrics.
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Support the artist, buy the album, stream on bandcamp or below and peep some video:
