Jambands.com Review Here!
Tag Archives: Oteil Burbridge
2010 Top Ten Shows
It was an exceptional year for live music. I am lucky enough to live in a city where music is a part of the lifeline, like matzoh ball soup and a good reuben, as much as we love to hate our mayor, and collective groans when the MTA hikes their fares. Here is to 2010. May we all have a healthy, prosperous and musically exceptional new year!
photo by: Karen Dugan
10. Scofield, w/ Chick Corea, Eddie Gomez, Blue Note, May 2010
9. Jorma Kaukonen, Iridium, May 2010
7. Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble – birthday evening, August 2010
6. Gov’t Mule, PC Richards Theater, August 2010
photo by: Robyn Gould
5. Roger Waters, The Wall, MSG October 2010
4. The Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Band, Wanee April 2010
3. Jimmy Herring, Lenny White, Richie Goods Iridium, August 2010
2. Pat Metheny Orchestrion, May 2010
- photo by: Allison Murphy
1. Another One for Woody, November 2010
Runners Up (I couldn’t fit them all in the Top 10):
- Deep Banana Blackout, Late Night, Gathering of the Vibes 2010
- Phish, New Years Eve 2010, MSG
- Les Claypool, Vibes 2010
- New Mastersounds, Mountain Jam, June 2010
- Furthur, Radio City Music Hall, February 2010
- Xmas Jam: Warren Hayne’s Band and John Bell Acoustic, December 2010
Another One For Woody – Recap: 11.22.10, Roseland Ballroom
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 2 – Saturday, June 5
photo by: Ross McKillop
I woke up to the most glorious, beautiful day. The sun was shining, the sky was that perfect not-a-cloud-in-the-sky blue, the lush green off the mountains were vibrating. I was ready to shake on the mountain, and I was able to find iced-coffee to boot. Fabulous! I was in for 8 sets of music today. That ice coffee would help.
Weather: Beautiful. Sunny, warm, a bit sweaty. I kept saying all day, “I can’t believe the weather is so gorgeous.” Last year’s Mountain Jam was cold. I was in flip flops the last night, it was 37 degrees cold. This Saturday it was bikini weather.
The day started off with a bit of London Souls. These guys are incredible. They have a shredding, Led Zeppelin sorta, old school rock n’ roll thing going for them. They rocked out, and dancing has commenced. Again, if they’re in your area, be sure to catch them.
photo by: M Berke
Drive By Truckers: They were a nice warm up to Yonder Mtn. String Band. I’ve never seen them before, and that was my first impression, with their rockin’ guitar riffs. They were solid. I was wandering through the vendor area while they were on stage,
Lettuce is probably my first personal highlight of the day. Because of the schedule change with Dr. Dog, we were blessed with 2 sets of Lettuce on Sat. Lettuce’s core members are Eric Krasno, guitar, Neal Evans, keys; Adam Deitch, drums; Jesus Coomes, bass and The Shady Horns, Sam Kininger and Ryan Zoidis.
photo by: M Berke
Kofi Burbridge comes on and plays pretty much for the full set on his flute. Eric shreds his guitar, Adam Deitch going all Animal on the drums, and Jesus Coomes on the bass, yeah… these guys are really tight. Then there is Neal Evans. I don’t know what to say about this guy except he is amazing, I always become absolutely blown away. I remember thinking, “oh yeah…I know that nasty key playing sound. Oh yeah, silly me, how could I have forgotten.” Then, one by one, in this short 1 hour set, on the small stage on Hunter Mountain… well, it got kinda craaazy. Nigel Hall walks in and starts wailing soulfully into the microphone, like only Nigel does. Oteil Burbridge comes on stage with that beautiful bass of his. Derek Trucks comes on to shred a bit with Eric. Susan Tedeschi comes on stage to sing along with Nigel. By the end of it there were about a dozen people on the stage, raging out, people on the mountain were bouncin their heads to the same beat at the same time, we all got all sorts of funked up, and it got hot and steamy. The heat had nothing to do with the sunshine. The heat was radiating from the stage. Oh my my my.
photo by: Ross McKillop
To slow down the pace a half a beat (or more), Yonder Mountain String Band, joins the main stage for some bouncy bluegrass string ‘ole time plucking. I do love the Yonder, and if you like bluegrass at all, I’m sure you’ll like them too.
Dave Mason: No recollection at all. Unknown.
Photo by: Ross McKillop
Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Band: So excited to hear these guys. Between Derek’s shredding of the guitar and Susan’s incredible voice, the Brothers Burbridge and Brothers Trucks on the stage… yeah. No words. The talent in this band is palpable, it kind of oozes off the stage into the crowd. They have so much fun playing together you can feel it and the crowd’s energy bounces off the band. A wonderful cycle.
The band: Derek Trucks – Guitar, Susan Tedeschi – Guitar & Vocals, Oteil Burbridge – Bass Guitar, Kofi Burbridge – Keys & Flute, Tyler Greenwell – Drums, Duane Trucks- Drums & Percussion, Mike Mattison – Backing Vocals, Nigel Hall – Backing Vocals
photo by: Ross McKillop
Highlights: Love Has Something Else to Say (Susan belts it) into Midnight in Harlem (my newest favorite song, getting good rotation in my iPod lately…gosh I love that song) into Susan screamin her way through Love Was All in My Mind. I’ve never heard this song before, but the jist of it was this woman loved this guy, stood by all his crap then she finds him hangin w/ another chick. Susan belts this song like Etta James and Aretha put together. Incredible power. Mike Mattison and Nigel Hall on background vocals turn this into a hard core blues explosion. I laughed, I danced, I stood and just watched her. I need the lyrics to this song. Loved it. Good lord almighty. Check the video below.
Photo by: Ross McKillop
During Nobody’s Free, Derek literally destroys his guitar. 3 strings, gone. He keeps playing though, odd sounds bouncing around, the band keeps up with him… kinda. Finally Derek just goes off and hits those strings in “Trucks’ Time” and phewwww. Susan says, “I don’t know how he did that with 3 strings, or something…. destroy that guitar, honey.” She’s a great front woman for this band. Look Around was another highlight, Derek shredding, Susan wailing, Oteil getting really low with his bass, a great blues song. These guys are a great blues band, but then they go funky with Serve it Up. Insane keyboard playing by Kofi Burbridge, jammin out with the great beats from the drummers and his brother Oteil, then Derek goes off, whooo boy. Hot stuff.
At one point in I’d Rather be Blind, Crippled and Crazy, I believe the mountain went silent. I’ve been at DTB shows where the audience literally goes silent before, and it happened during this song. I love that stuff. Warren joins the stage and sings with Susan on Comin’ Home, the whole stage, the whole mountain… bounces. Into Drums. Yeah, Derek’s little brother Duane can play is an understatement. Tyler Greenwell is a force to be reckoned with as well They end the 90 minute set with Joe Cocker’s Space Captain. And I floated away…
Set Break: I had lost my posse during Derek and Susan, and I was on a mission afterwards to make sure I had a beer for Mule. As I settled into our homebase near the Karma Wash I see one of my buddies from Boston just standing there. Alone. I ended up hanging with him the rest of the set and enjoyed every moment of it. I also found my long lost cousin whom I only happen to see at shows. Fellow music lovers unite!
Mule: Did I gush about Mule in Day 1 enough? No. No, I did not. 3 hours of Mule. Mostly crazy cover set with incredible special guests sitting in. Derek Trucks, Eric Krazno, Matisyahu, Kofi Burbridge, Sam Kininger, Ryan Zoidis, Jackie Greene. Uh huh.
Woodstock, played near Woodstock. Yep, it felt right. Broke down on the Brazos ROCKED. That song gets better and better every time I hear it. Sad & Deep as You with Kofi. This rendition was not quite as drippingly sad as it was at Wanee, and yet was so
photo by: Ross McKillop
beautiful. Kofi’s flute makes it all that more tender, he makes the flute flutter… damn. Flute + Mule = Sweetness. Kind of Bird with Derek. They shredded guitars in pure Allman Brothers style. Fast, loud, yes please. Blind Man in the Dark, I love this song because of its slow rolling nature to crazy riff endings. The Mule was on fire.
photo by: Ross McKillop
The Joker what? really? Yeah, Steve Miller with a reggae beat. Warren began the sway, singing as he told us that we were going back to Jamaica. Matisyahu comes out and taunts the crowd with this one, schooling us for what was to come with his Day 3 set. I laughed my butt off as I shook my hips and tried to bounce on the mountain. 10 something pm on a sloped hill, 2 days into a festival, yes, this takes skill by this point. Zeppelin’s D’yer Maker – no need for words, just amazing. Rockin’ in the Free World, Neil Young cover. If you know anything about me, you know my love of Neil so, you could imagine my happiness. Hendrix’s Machine Gun rocked me away, total instrumental guitar insanity riffs holy hell.
photo by: Ross McKillop
These guys were relaxed, enjoying themselves, and the Mountain once again was bouncing and swaying then we went back to Rockin’. Um, wow, a 15 minute Rockin with Machine Gun thrown in there. Amazing. Warren says “ohhh, it’s about to go down.” And Eric Krasno comes out with the Lettuce Horns for the Stones’ The Spider and the Fly. Sam Kininger and Ryan Zoidis show us how they throw down those saxophones while Krasno decides to shred his guitar up there with Warren. “my, my, my, don’t ya tell lies…” yeahhhh…. beautiful.
photo by: Ross McKillop
Things get fuzzy by this point – Jackie Greene comes up and plays 2 songs and then for encore Mule throws out Pearl Jam’s Black. The posse had come back to the Karma Wash by this point and we all raged to the Pearl Mule Jam that was going down. Aerosmith’s Train Kept A Rollin’ kept us rollin’ on. Yeah. MULE. See ya next year, on the mountain.
Lettuce/DSO (late night set) I have to admit, Mule blew my face off my head so I have no set list. I have nothing except the Lettuce was crisp, and by the end of late night, about 2 hours later, the Lettuce was Shredded. God these guys were so damn hot, the place was packed, I was dancing, laughing, my buddies were all around me, the posse went up right to the front and I stayed back. I needed my space to groove. And then I went into music schizophrenia mode because I really wanted to see a bit of Dark Star Orchestra.
I ran up the mountain to hear Goin Down The Road Feelin Bad. Then I ran back for Lettuce, looked for my friends-couldn’t find them, closed my eyes and shook my ass to the rage that was Lettuce. Gosh, it was going DOWN in the Colonel’s Hall. I must have ran back up the hill to catch DSO again, because the notes say I was there for The Eleven>Shakedown Street>Tangled Up In Blue. I guess I couldn’t leave DSO while they were playing Dylan.
Evening into Morning: As I said, it gets very fuzzy around this time. I do know I ended back down at the Hall because I ended up with the posse, walking back to the campsite, and then hanging out in one of the VIP tents on the mountain until the sun came up. It was nice in that VIP tent, they had couches to relax on. And we were hanging with the Karma Wash Crew. It is nice to make sure your Karma is clean, and it is nice to have people to clean it for you. As the Tiny Rager and I walked back to the house it started to rain. Which was fine. We had beds, which were waiting for us all warm and dry. I slept like a baby for about 5 hours.
Ed note: I am grateful that Ross McKillop let me use his pictures, instead of my grainy whacked out photos. He reminded me to shout out to two great photographers who have incredible photos and prints, and capture the most amazing musical moments: Dino Perrucci and Allison Murphy. Check ‘em out, check their work, and pay respects. Thanks Ross!
Wanee Festival, Day 3 – Saturday, April 16
Ed note: If you haven’t read Day 1 or Day 2 before Day 3, you should start there.
Lost Vortex #3: You knew it was coming, right? Things happen in threes. Sunglasses. Gone. Sheesh.
Back to camp, hangin’ with the camp family with coffee in hand, we hear flute sounds coming from the Peach Stage. 10:30 am, it was time to boogie. I went down to see the goings on with my girl. Her brother was playing with the Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio this morning, and we wanted to get up there and see the music. The Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio was lovely morning music, nice and jazzy with shredding rock, a flute here and there, keys, killer. Yep, just beautiful. After the show, we were told that Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings were stranded in Iceland because of the volcanic ash, so they were gonna re-jigger the schedule around and there would be a jam session before Johnny Winter. I laughed out loud, I love Wanee impromptu jams, they are so sweet… heh, we are in for a treat later today.
Spirit of the Suwanee Magical Moment: I asked my friend to call my phone, one last time, maybe someone will pick up? She looked at me crazy but appeased me. The next thing I know she’s saying “Hello? Hello?” The person on the other side says, “Wow, I just turned the phone on this second and it rang.” Yes, that is what I’m saying…magical. He found it in another campsite, in the dirt, two days ago. Wow.
Went back to the campsite, chilled with my camp family and waited for Dr. John. The Peach Stage and the Mushroom Stage’s schedules had slipped because Sharon Jones couldn’t make it, and my timing was getting off. The dilemma: Dr. John vs. Robert Randolph vs. Dumpstaphunk. I decided to go see a bit of Dr. John, then go see Dumpsta, then go see Robert Randolph and the Word. I was feeling a bit schizophrenic, to be honest. I had total “I’m gonna miss a really great set” anxiety going on. I had camera, notebook and earplugs. I left the camp and started on my journey.
A Family Affair with Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk is on stage. Wow. Good lord they threw down. A Sly set, holy schmoley. It was a breezy hot afternoon, people were raging out, the sax and the trumpet were loud and strong. Ivan’s keys were screaming, bass low and groovy. Whooo, out of control funky, and now I can hear The Word with John Medeski, Robert Randolph and the North Mississippi Allstars from the other stage. So, I decide to run over to the Peach Stage after Everyday People to see Robert and the Word, but still can hear Dumpsta and want to get back there to that crazy rage. See, schizophrenic.
I did run back to the Dumpsta craziness. Danced hard, my legs now were beginning to ache, serious ache in my calves, but it didn’t matter, I can’t stand still. Legs and hips had a mind of their own, cuz this was going DOWN. One of my personal highlights of the festival. Phewwwwww.
I went back to my camp for hydration purposes, and could still hear The Word featuring John Medeski, Robert Randolph and North Mississippi Allstars playing from the other stage. They sounded so sweet, Funk + Southern Rock… Rage. Yes, it was raging.
So now, the next dilemma I had was The Black Keys vs. The Funky Meters. Yes, it was getting insane. So, I decide to get to the hammock and listen to the Funky Groove of the Funky Meters before the Wanee Family Funk Jam that was going on. And, wow, did it go on.
Wanee Family Funk Jam: If I thought Dumpsta and the Funky Meters brought it in….I was wrong. I mean, Dumpsta was way insane, way amazing, way fun, but this Funk Jam stuff. Hot. Way hot. Way deep. Damnnnn. Let’s see – Dumpstaphunk and The Funky Meters, Cody and Luther Dickinson, Oteil and Kofi Burbridge, JoJo Herman, Bobby Lee Rodgers, Matt Grondin. Yep, that’s what I’m talking about.
Wanee Festival, Day 2 – Friday, April 15 – Updated
Day 2 starts with a little 7 Walkers w/ Bill Kreutzmann and Papa Mali. It was sweet, but have to admit, it wasn’t the highlight.
No, that would come after with Oteil and Kofi Burbridge w/ The Lee Boys. Um, that was some incredible funky stuff going down on the Mushroom Stage. Way high energy, like stamp your feet in the sand, shake your head, oooh boy this was good stuff coming off the stage. They played an hour and it was incredible. I’ve never seen the Lee Boys, from South Florida, and good lord! they were steaming in that little forest called the Mushroom Stage. Oteil kept that bass grooving fast and low, Kofi’s keys screaming through the shredding guitars, -screaming pedal steel guitar played by Roosevelt and the pounding drums… Oteil scats, oh yeah. Fast, funky, fun.
Hear the craziness on Archive
Spirit of Suwanee Magical Moment: Run into another friend in the immense crowd of people shaking and dancing, and she led me, holding my hand to connect with another friend. Yes, I felt the Spirit.
Then no break for the weary as I heard Stephen Stills in the background as I wandered the venue with a buddy on a shopping trip. We bought sunglasses and these hemp rope sandals as Stephen played from the Peach Stage. Things now get a little crazy, with all the things to do, people to see. I was running back and forth from each stage. My friend went one way, I went another, and some how, miraculously, we kept bumping into each other in a crowd of 23,000 16,000. Seriously, how does that happen?? Spirit of the Suwanee Moments all around me.
So, to cool down from that bit of crazy, I went for a walk and heard North Mississippi Allstars while wondering around. They rocked, it was a bluesy kind of southern rock thing, but raged. Hard rock, shredding guitars, the sun was beaming down. So beautiful, danced so hard. Smile beginning to hurt my face. Listen here at Archive
JJ Grey and Mofro. 2 horns and they jam some funky stuff. My notes say: Raging guitar, voice like the Black Crowes, Raging, Shaking head, dancing, shaking ass, dancing. Um. Well… hah. That says it all, doesn’t it? Again, another band to put on the list to see again and again. Listen here at Archive.
Hot Tuna no recollection at all. Unknown.
Widespread Panic. At this point my friend and I split and I went to the Peach Stage to see Widespread. Damn, there was a lot of people there and I started to flit around the field. I was trying to scope out a place to dance, as well as find my Orlando camp family, but to no avail. But WSP raged! Continue reading
Allman Brothers Band, United Palace Theater, 3.15.10 – Updated
Pre-show: Honey, we’re not at the Beacon anymore. After 3 subways and 45 minutes of travel I got up to the United Palace Theater at 175th St. Found a ticket no problem, Row A, Orchestra. Karma, folks, is good. Checked out the theater, wow so beautiful. Carved walls and ceilings, sweet comfy seats. Killer!
Set 1: Hot’lanta, Can’t Lose What You Never Had, Trouble No More, Come & Go Blues, Rocking Horse > Little Martha Tease > Jam > Rocking Horse, Gamblers Roll, Only You Know & I Know, Kind of Bird, Statesboro Blues
Hot’lanta rocked, Trouble No More w/ Warren singing, Oteil’s bass deep and low, setting the pace and the vibrations through the theater. Derek and Oteil are bouncing back and forth between each other, Derek shreds. I mean, wow. I hear “clank clank clank” from a cowbell, hit at exactly the perfect moment and Gregg’s keys lift us higher. Warren makes that “wah, wah” sound on the mic, scatting in his own Warren way. (Ed note: Warren’s scatting is much different from Oteil’s scatting … and scatting is my new word of the week. Warren scats in a “wah wah” way, where Oteil scats like he’s plucking the bass. I guess that is the obvious difference.)
Set 2: Melissa, Good Clean Fun, Black Hearted Woman>Other One Jam, The Weight, Every Hungry Woman, Jessica > Will The Circle Be Unbroken > Oteil Solo > JaBuMa > Jessica Encore: You Don’t Love Me
Highlights: Gregg on guitar for Melissa, Black Hearted Woman > The Other One Jam, The Weight, Jessica, Oteil Solo and Oteil on Drums, Butch on Timpani – ok, the whole second set.
Gregg comes out with his acoustic for Melissa. So pretty. It’s Gregg’s song and he sings it perfectly. Then we go into a shredding Black Hearted Woman>Other One Jam. Oh my. Continue reading
Bowlive, Soulive with special guests, Marco Benevento, Kofi Burbridge, Oteil Burbridge, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, 3.12.10
Preshow: I was drenched. Standing outside, in the cold rain, on the tickets bought line. Yes, yet another line. After about 10 minutes on line I breezed in. The security guards and the ticket guy know my face by now. They told me “When you’re in, your in-don’t come out.” Killer.
The Bowl was packed. I mean packed. As I’ve said before, The Bowl has been buzzing with electricity while Bowlive has been going on, and tonight you felt it oozing out of the walls…it has stunk of funk for the past 5 nights.
Set 1: I finally made it past the bar area onto the floor. Six Figures were on stage when I walked in. They warmed up the crowd with those brass horns and raging guitar riffs. There was a bit of room up front so there I was, earplugs in tact.
Marco Benevento and Nigel Hall, on keys
Set 2: Soulive with Marco Benevento. Now, I have heard of Marco, but have never listened to a recording. I was excited to hear what the buzz was about him, I have never been steered wrong by friends in the know. Marco plays keyboard, with a mixer on it or something and he rocks. Really rocks. Between the drowning of the keys, with Neal Evans blasting once again with his constant deep beat, and brother Alan nailing those drums in syncopation. Kofi Burbridge was cutting through that with his twinkly flute, notes bouncing off the room and its occupants. Kraz was shredding, he is so good, so fast on that guitar, it’s a little mind blowing, I have to admit.
Marco was rocking, he was standing up, head shaking back and forth. We then sailed into a Led Zeppelin tune, now there are 3 sets of keys and my notes say, “Sounds like horns. But there are no horns.” Yeppers…. this is what I have been telling you all week long. Insane.
The London Souls
Set 3: The London Souls come on in all their shredding glory. This was old school headbanging rock and roll Led Zep style, with a lot of crazy riffs going on. (I need to find another word for “insane”, insert your adjective <here>.) Soulive then comes out and gives their props to the 3 crazy rockers. We got another taste of the Beatles, Marco comes back on stage and for the next while we Ring-Around-The- Eleanor Rigby>I Want You>Eleanor Rigby -Rosey. Whoo, boys, the heat just went up another 10 degrees. The next thing I know, there are 12 people on stage, with Nigel, the London Souls, Alan is playing conga, at least 5 horns and Neal, Marco and Nigel going insane (ah, there’s that word), on the keys. The crowd was rowdy, dancing, smiling, aware of what we were witnessing. Brooklyn Bowl, kinda like the Mothership, yet with a bowling alley, and we were floating up into new lands filled with music. Beautiful.
Alan Evans and Kofi Burbridge
More Pictures from the professionals: Dino Perrucci, and Soulive’s blog
I notice that everyone was about to leave the stage when Oteil Burbridge shows up again with his bass, and bam, we are deep back into that low bassy groove. Kofi and Oteil rage on while it gets crazy on stage before Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi followed suit. Oh. My. God. So, yeah, what to say about that? Continue reading
Bowlive, Finale Weekend, Brooklyn Bowl
Processing. I’m still processing what went down at Brooklyn Bowl.
Nigel Hall, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge, Eric Krasno (photo by: Karen Dugan)
Derek Trucks guitar; Allman Brothers Band, Susan Tedeschi, guitar and vocals, Oteil Burbridge, bass; Allman Brothers Band Kofi Burbridge, flute and keys; Derek Trucks Band; stopped by on Friday.
Lookie, Derek smiling! (photo by: Karen Dugan)
Warren Haynes, guitar; Allman Brothers Band, drops by on Saturday night.
The house falls apart. The walls of the Brooklyn Bowl were dripping in a bluesy kind of souly funk, and as Peter Shapiro, Brooklyn Bowl owner said, “These walls needed some soul.” Indeed, they now have been inducted.
Full update to come later today.
Check out the pictures… From Soulive’s site. Scroll down for pics.
Bowlive, w/ Kofi + Oteil Burbridge, Soulive, Talib Kweli, Brooklyn Bowl, 3.10.10
Ok, Derek did not show up. But, that doesn’t mean that show 7 of Bowlive didn’t rock out. I remember Alan saying at the beginning of the night, “It’s Wednesday. It’s only Wednesday.” Yeah, here we go.
Preshow: Place was buzzing but at this point it was quiet in the house. Probably only 150 people or so. There was room to walk, room to dance. It was nice. I was secretly hoping it would be this small all night. (yeah, right.)
Set 1: Nigel Hall singing, playing those keys, starting nice and slow. By 9:30, Alan on drums, Neal on keys and Kofi, flute were all on stage, playing nice and slow, soft, pretty jazzy riffs.
Set 2: Soulive, just Alan, Neal and Eric alone for a while. Solid bassy key jams come out of Neal’s left hand and they rock. Kofi joins again, and they sail into a nice jazzy groove. The addition of Kofi’s flute blasts us into another level, on this 7th night of Bowlive. The brass wind from the Shady Horns, and Kofi’s crystal clear notes cutting the groove, Neal’s bass keys pounding, Alan’s banging beat, Eric’s lightening riffs on the guitar. Down to the ground. Soul. Beautiful.
Set 3: Nigel comes back on stage, (I can’t remember if Oteil was up already) and the crew rocks out to Stevie Wonder’s, Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours into Movin’ on Up. At this point, I believed Mr. Trucks would walk on stage, but to no avail. Almost immediately, Oteil starts scatting while plucking his bass. You could tell he was having a blast playing with his brother and jamming with Neal. Neal blasts those bass keys, naw, blasts the whole keyboard crazy system he has like none other. Towards the end of the set, Oteil just stopped playing and eyed up Neal, smile wide, dancin on stage. He was eyeing up his brother Kofi as well, watching the two of them jam together was a great thing to see.
Encore: Talib Kweli. Yeah. Really. He and Nigel play together, and the house starts jumping. Earlier in the night I thought I had heard music reminiscient of a Pat Metheny type of groove, jazzy and bluesy and technically perfect. By the end of the night it was bass groove, hard beats, fast riffs, shredding and rapping. Wow. It was a holy smack it down into the ground eruption ensues. The bass reverberates, flute crisply cuts the air, and a jazzy, bluesy, kinda funk thing happens again at Brooklyn Bowl.
I guess that’s how Bowlive rolls in Brooklyn. More great insights from Soulive’s blog.
