Tag Archives: Danny Louis

Another One For Woody – Recap: 11.22.10, Roseland Ballroom

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This show could easily have been the best show of the year.

After almost a week, I believe I have processed this show enough to write my own notes.  I have floated all week from this gig, and many of my friends have also experienced the same.  Chad Berndtson has written two great write-ups for Glide Magazine, and Jambands also has reviewed the show.  I will try not to replicate, but put my own skewed view on it.

For a Southern Rock lover, this whole show was bliss.  From Warren’s first line, “Thanks for being part of this special night, we really appreciate it.” to the ending song by the Allman’s (Wish You Were Here), the place stood on their feet for six hours and we all lifted off the ground a few feet.  The ticket was pricey ($117 from Ticketmaster), but it was worth it.  Here are my own personal highlights, and why…

The line up consisted of:

7:45 pm  Set 1: Warren Haynes Acoustic (Warren Haynes, Edwin McCain & Kevin Kinney):

Edwin McCain on vocals during the second song, The Lucky One, literally made tears form in my eyes, the lyrics tugged at my heartstrings… seriously.  I knew we were in for a show, we were no more than 10 minutes in and here I was… moved to tears and goosebumps already. They end with I Shall Be Released which was àpropos since Edwin McCain sounded (to my ears) very Dylan-esque.  What a beautiful acoustic way to slide into this night’s magical soundtrack.

photo by: Dino Perrucci

8:15/8:30 pm Set 2: The North Mississippi Allstars (Luther Dickinson (guitar, vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, keyboards, electric washboard) with special guests: Gordie Johnson)

They came out like a bat outta hell, raging on those guitars.  They sounded crisp and clear, and they looked like they were having a blast.  These guys are so fun, they have that beautiful twang of the guitar that makes me melt.  Slowing down for a second after the first 3 or 4 songs with Glory Glory, then bringing up Gordie Johnson for Po Black Maddie, this set really set the tone.  Shake up the audience a bit with nice lookin’ men up there with their twangy, slidy, southern guitars.  Mmhmm… The Roseland was lifting higher to the stratosphere…

photo by Allison Murphy

9ish  Set 3:  Gov’t Mule (Warren Haynes (guitar), Matt Abts (drums), Jorgen Carlsson (bass), Danny Louis (keys, trumpet) with special guests: Gordie Johnson, Jim Loughlin, Vinnie Amico, Chuck Garvey, Hook Herrera, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Artemis Pyle, Rich Robinson, Robert Kearns, Audley Freed, Savannah Woody

If you know me at all, you know I’m a Mulehead.  So, obviously, I was in heaven the minute these guys took the stage.  But a few songs standout to me, and the only way I know this is because I’ve put these selects on repeat on my iPod since the show ended.

Gov’t Mule Highlights:  Simple Man, Soulshine, Dear Prudence, 32/20 Blues

Um, 32/20 was incredible, harmonica by Hook Herrera, Luther Dickinson on guitar, Cody Dickinson on some sort of washboard instrument around his neck. The music was coming at you in 100 mph speeds… 

Dear Prudence was killer with moe. guitarist Chuck Garvey joining in on the fun.

But for me, the one that blew me away…. Simple Man with Skynyrd’s Artemis Pyle and Robert Kearns … holy hell, my head exploded, heaven…seriously…no words.  Look below for the video.  Good lord.

Then Soulshine with Woody’s beautiful daughter singing with Warren.  Savannah Woody’s voice is sweet and angelic, she seemed a little shy up there, but all the musicians around her on stage were propping her up, you could feel the love on the stage, from the audience and back again.  She stood up there, and Artemis ran up to her with a tambourine.  This song with Savannah – again it was a goosebump moment…. Breathtaking.

 

photo by: Dino Perrucci

11:45ish – Allman Brothers Band (Gregg Allman (vocals, keys), Warren Haynes (guitar), Derek Trucks (guitar), Oteil Burbridge (bass), Butch Trucks (drums), Jai “Jaimoe” Johanson (drums, percussion), Marc Quiñones (drums, percussion, background vocals) with special guests: Hook Herrera, Berry Oakley Jr., Rich Robinson, Audley Freed, Danny Louis, Chuck Garvey, Vinnie Amico, James Van de Bogard, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Gordie Johnson, Matt Abts

After a loooong set break, setting up for the last set, we got started probably sometime around the midnight hour with ABB in all their guitar glory.

Allman Brothers Highlights:  Black Hearted Woman/Other One Jam, Southbound, Whipping Post

My personal “woohoo” ABB moments: (1):  Jorgen Carlsson making eye contact with me at the bar, after he checked out my chest/Dose symbol t-shirt.  (2): Being so close to the stage that I made eye contact with Derek Trucks.  I am sure he was making eyes at me (hah!)

My feet were killing by this point.  Standing since 7pm by midnight my dogs were barking.  However, you endure amazing things while under the influence of incredible music.

Black Hearted Woman/Other One Jam was incredibly fast, loud, shredding glorious guitar banter.  Oteil dancing, turning his back to the audience, the whole stage jamming hard, fast, greatness.  Almost 13 minutes of tasty licks.  Yeah the boys are in town, and making a raucous about it.

Southbound was a guitar lovers feast, while Warren and Derek play tit for tat with each other.  Two mindblowing guitarists, trying to up each other with their licks.  Hook Herrera on harmonica brings this baby up another 10 notches.  Good frikkin lord, hot stuff, so hot.

At 1:30, I was willing to sacrifice what I would miss, unbelievably, as I made my way towards the door.  Right then, Whipping Post came on, and I couldn’t leave.  Derek Trucks wailed on that guitar, and it was the perfect way to end a perfect evening.  Close to 2am, floating out of the Roseland, I was grateful to be there and experience, speechless for days, and riding high on the whispers of southern guitars raging in my head.



Mountain Jam VI, Day 1 – Friday, June 4

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Pre-festie: Going to a festival without a car is like going fishing without a fishing pole.  It’s weird, a bit offputting and I had a lot of bags to schlep.  After a subway trip out to the last stop in the Bronx, my girl and I were picked up by our buddies and we were off.  Goin’ to the Country was playing in my head, very apropos since Hunter Mountain is very close to Woodstock, NY, and I always associate Country Joe with Woodstock.  I spent time up in “Upstate NY” as a child – so, this was like going home, very familiar terrority…with the tribe.  Wow, I love Mountain Jam.

Showtime:  Dr. Dog canceled at the last moment so there was a shifting in schedule.  Toots and the Maytals were playing Friday, and a second set of Lettuce was to follow on Saturday.  Not so bad, except I missed Toots.  And Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. A real bummer.  However, after all was said and done, I made it to The Avett Brothers, Gov’t Mule and Les Claypool/The New Mastersounds madness.

Mule: Oh I love me some Mule.  Love Warren, his talent, the shredding, the band, Jorgen Carlsson on bass makes Mule even that hotter.  With Matt Abts on drums and Danny Louis on keys…. well, the whole band just rocks.  I realized that the reasons that people may not like Gov’t Mule (“It’s very heavy.”  “too hard”) are exactly the reasons I love Gov’t Mule.  To me, you can never be too heavy, too hard – fast guitars, wailing keys, a heavy beat bringing the noise tumbling down through your body and your brains?  Yeah.  That’s Mule, and that’s why I love them.  Outfrikkinrageous.

First Set: Raging.  Dead on raging.  I stomped my feet on the mountain, I shook my head side to side, eyes closed, shook my behind so hard and kept my balance on the slope of the mountain.  Yes.  I felt it in my bones.  We had arrived.  Mule was on stage.  The weather was gorgeous.  Bliss.  They ended first set with Thorazine Shuffle.  Whooo damn, it was just first set!  My friends laughed at me and said, “yeah, that’s right girl, this is all you – Mulehead.”  Yeah, well… some things are true.

Second Set: They started with Pink Floyd, the same two songs they played at Wanee (One of these days and Fearless).  Wanee memories crossed into Mountain Jam reality and I laughed out loud.  They broke out some Hendrix w/ The Wind Cries Mary (loving it!) and then Les Claypool joins in on the fun and the banter between Les and Warren go a bit like this: “We’ve been practicing this song for a while… “so don’t F it up Warren.”

As if Warren would do such a thing!!  Next up, Abts goes crazy during the drum solo and brings out timpani sticks and just beats the drums like there’s no tomorrow.  We slide into Wishing Well into Raven Black Night, and I heard a flute up there.  I look up and it is Kofi Burbridge blowin’ on that flute, it sounds like dancing.  Twirling dancers.  Then we fly into a Fleetwood Mac tune Gold Dust Woman with Grace Potter wailing like only Amazing Grace can.  Phew boy, Night 1 has begun!

Set 1: Intro, Stay With Me, New World Blues, World Gone Wild, Time To Confess, The Shape I’m In, Monkey Hill >, Monday Mourning Meltdown, Where Did You Sleep Last Night, Thorazine Shuffle

Set 2: One Of These Days >, Fearless, The Wind Cries Mary, Greasy Granny’s Gopher Gravy (Part 1 & 2) > (w/ Les Claypool), Drums, Wishing Well, Raven Black Night > (w/ Kofi Burbridge), Gold Dust Woman (w/ Grace Potter) Encores: Inside Outside Woman Blues, Any Open Window >, Steppin’ Lightly

Late Night Show:  The New Mastersounds.  Stop right here.  Go to this page and find a show near you.  They are a London based band, heavy funk, heavy soul oh good lord.  Kofi Burbridge showed up again and played a couple of songs, the room rocked.  You could feel it.  These guys rocked me.  Rocked my friends.  Rocked the house.  They could be my new favorite band.  Go see Live Music!!

I experienced the first of my schizophrenic music behavior on Day 1 – running between the Colonel’s Hall with Mastersounds, and running up the mountain for Les Claypool. I had left a very very steamy set going on in the Hall and knew I was going to see Les at Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday when I get back, but still wanted to get some Les in.  I was trying to figure out what to do, so I finally just stopped and stood on the mountain for a second.  I took it in, felt the Mountain energy, looked up at the stage and listened to the deep bass plucking from Mr. Claypool.  Ahhh.   Then I bolted down back to The Mastersounds.  I heard I wasn’t the only one with schizophrenic music behavior that evening.

Stay tuned for Mountain Jam- Day 2.