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The Hardest Working Man on New Years Eve / In The Butter Room with Brad Serling of Nugs.net
With the end of the year upon us, we reached out to the hardest working man on New Years Eve, Brad Serling of Nugs.net. Brad will be in Atlanta for New Years with Widespread Panic for their annual NYE gig so LiveWidespreadPanic.com can serve up FLAC and MP3 downloads of their show 48 to 72 hours after Panic finishes their encore. In addition to Panic, nugs.net will also be offering New Years shows from Umphrey’s McGee, moe., The Radiators, Yonder Mountain String Band, Tea Leaf Green, and Hot Buttered Rum.
The New York Times described Nugs.net as “A Johnny Appleseed of online concert recordings.” In case you are not fan of the jambands, Nugs.net offers soundboard recordings of complete live performances for a whole host of artists from the Grateful Dead to Metallica. I had the opportunity to work with Brad back in ‘03 on Musictoday’s Digital Download platform.
Kevin and I thank Brad for his time and thorough response.
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2008 will be 15 years since you founded nugs.net. What’s the biggest thing that has changed in your experience with music downloading and music distribution since 1993?
Brad Serling: Ubiquitous broadband. My initial concept for nugs.net was a place to facilitate tape trading. In fact, the real genesis was a project I did with the guys who ran the Grateful Dead public FTP site at Berkeley. This was an unofficial Deadhead’s repository of all things Dead. I set up a folder there for tape traders to upload 30 second samples of their best Dead tapes as .AU files (the defacto audio format of the day). This was pre-MP3. The project never really took off, but it illustrates what a limiting factor bandwidth was back then. Now you can download a three hour concert in MP3 format in under five minutes. Pretty amazing leap!
What has been the best day and the worst day for Nugs.net?
Brad: The best day was New Year’s Eve 2002 at Madison Square Garden when the lights went down at Phish’s return from hiatus. I was set up next to one of my heroes, longtime Phish sound engineer Paul Languedoc, at the soundboard with my laptop, ready to capture that night’s show at 24 bit / 96KHz resolution, which Phish had never done before. I was so excited to see the band come back from hiatus, and frankly could not believe that they were allowing me to record the show and sell it the next day on LivePhish.com. The worst day was 24 hours later. I was frantically trying to get the New Year’s show up on LivePhish.com, bandwidth at the hotel was spotty, my wife somehow got a 24 hour flu, and I realized there was a major bug in my code which would prevent all those who pre-ordered the Phish New Year’s run from downloading it. Somehow we had to get on a plane to Hampton, VA for the next three shows and start the process all over again. We got to Hampton later that day and found a data center there who let me upload the shows on their high speed connections in exchange for tickets to that night’s show. By the next day the first two shows were up and I was able to patch the bug in the code after taking a beating from hard core fans in the forums and mailing lists. The deluge of emails and posts saying “I could’ve made a better LivePhish.com” was brutal to say the least. Talk about peer review. After all, I had been a taper since I was 14, and here I was living the tapers’ dream: officially engaged by the band to record and distribute their shows. High stakes for any starry eyed fan.
You are going to be in Atlanta for the Widespread Panic New Years Eve show, which will be available for download shortly after on LiveWidespreadPanic.com. Can you walk us through the entire process of producing a show for download?
Brad: The process really runs the gamut for each band. With Widespread Panic we do more production than most of our other artists. Panic’s front of house engineer Chris Rabold and system tech C.W. record the show in a variety of formats and hand off a 24bit / 48KHz stereo mix to me on DVD after the show. The mix is an on-the-fly blend of the house PA and stereo mics positioned at the soundboard.
After the show I’ll usually forgo the typical beer and chicken wings backstage and head back to the hotel and start working on the show. I’ll load the full show onto my laptop and first make sure the show is complete, with no cuts or dropouts (it happens). Then I will drop markers for each song, add fades at the start and end of each set, and start the mastering process to even out the levels in order to make better sounding MP3s. Once the show is edited and rendered down to 16bit / 44.1 KHz WAV files for each track, I encode to MP3 and FLAC, tag all the files with artwork and metadata for that show, create the MP3 30 second samples, generate MD5 checksums for each file, and begin the publishing process. Once it’s staged on our servers, I test the download from start to finish and then send it live to the public. Then I will schedule an email announcement to the Live WP list to let fans know the show is ready. The Live WP site then auto-features the latest show on the homepage and show catalog, and auto publishes to LiveDownloads.com and nugs.net to increase traffic and visibility. Our art department then creates the downloadable labels and creates a set for the physical CDs. I then burn off a set of CD masters to fedex to our mastering house to fulfill all the CD orders for that show. If I’m lucky I’m asleep before daylight.If I’m not at the show, the process takes several days as we’re waiting for the fedex of the DVD to come from the road. Bands who do their own editing and mastering can upload directly from the road, but for Panic we handle all the production and mastering so an upload of the raw files would take too long.
Is Panic going to dip into their archives anytime soon?
Brad: Absolutely. The band has already begun the selection process and we will be releasing shows on LiveWidespreadPanic.com as MP3 and FLAC downloads, as well on CD and CD+MP3 bundles where you can download the MP3 immediately and get the CD in the mail.
LivePhish.com had to be a significant event for Nugs.net. How did your relationship with Phish develop?
Brad: It’s funny, that’s probably the question I get asked most often. People assume I must have been buddies with the band or a friend of a friend, which is not the case at all. I was a fan just like everyone else, and even though I had been seeing Phish since 1990 I did not know anyone in the band or Phish organization. I was just a fan who did a really good job of releasing their music for free with their permission and without ripping them off. That’s what drew them to me. Actually, the Grateful Dead were the first to reach out to me. They called me up one day in 2000 and invited me up to their headquarters because they loved what I was doing with the nugs.net fan site. Three million free MP3 downloads a month of their music certainly got their attention. The fact that I was clearly doing it as a labor of love is what sealed the deal. The Dead hired me as a consultant and they had passed my name on to Dionysian, Phish’s management company. John Paluska, Phish’s manager, invited me to dinner before the “first last show ever” at Shoreline in 2000 and the rest, as they say, is history.
Can you give us a glimpse of what Phish might release in 2008 through LivePhish.com?
Brad: Currently Phish Archivist Kevin Shapiro is working on remasters of some of our most popular archive releases, like Nutter 97 and Durham 93. The remasters will come out on CD and new downloads and CD+MP3 bundles like our previous six releases. Aside from that, there are of course many shows in the queue. I keep pulling for Hampton 97, but it has yet to see the light of day. Kevin did play the epic Halley’s on our anniversary Phishcast yesterday, so thanks Kevin!
You launched the Nugs.net download service for The Philadelphia Orchestra earlier this year. What has been the level of interest in comparison to your rock n’ roll client base? Has it met/exceeded/fallen short of your expectations?
Brad: The Orchestra was a great opportunity and a great client, but certainly a grand experiment for us. I am from Philadelphia and my partner still lives there, so it was a natural connection. Incidentally, the Philadelphia Orchestra was the first orchestra to make an electronic recording of their music in the early 1900s, so it was a natural for them to be the first orchestra to directly distribute their performances to fans on their own web site.
In terms of quantifying success, Metallica it ain’t, to say the least. I have never done any market research on the classical music download market at large so I really have nothing to compare it to in order to gauge the success. My criteria for success is simple: is my client happy and are they reaching their fans and making them happy? By those metrics, the Orchestra is a huge success.
What are your top 3 recommendations in the nugs.net catalog?
Brad: Wow, that’s tough. I’ll stick with what my go-to shows I suppose—the ones I find myself listening to most often. (1) Hot Tuna from last year’s Merlefest. Just a spectacular recording and great acoustic performance. (2) Umphrey’s McGee New Year’s 04. I think I’m addicted to their cover of Sledgehammer, which is funny because I was never a huge fan of the Peter Gabriel’s original version. But the whole show is phenomenal and it’s another great sounding recording. (3) Grateful Dead at Family Dog from 1970. I’m a sucker for any 1970 Dead, and this is an awesome snapshot of the band in their prime with some nice filler thrown in from later in the year for good measure. And, of course, it sounds great too because it was mixed down from the multitrack tapes they literally found one day in the corner of the Vault.
When not seeing shows or working, you are __________?
Brad: Listening to shows ;-) Either that or playing guitar or attempting to play the mandolin.
What plans do you and Nugs.net have for 2008?
Brad: If I told you, I’d have to kill you.
How much horsepower does it take to serve up all of that audio? What’s the platform?
Brad: I’m platform agnostic, and I’ve learned the hard way not to put all my eggs in one basket.
What’s your ideal solution to copyright, fair use, and the controversies surrounding DRM?
Brad: How much time do you have? Honestly that’s beyond the scope of this discussion, so I would simply state that in any economy there are those who will always steal no matter what the price and those who will always pay given a fair price for the product or service they are interested. It’s called capitalism. The music business is no exception. Nugs.net is successful because we offer a reliable service of selling you last night’s show at a fair price. People rip us off all the time by illegally posting our artists’ intellectual property on file sharing sites, but those people would never pay for it anyway. Nevertheless, plenty of people want to support their favorite artist and know that by giving us their credit card they are putting money directly in their heroes’ pockets. That’s the intersection between art and commerce and we operate in that crosshair.
Is your business threatened by piracy? If so how and from where? If not, how do you manage to avoid it?
Brad: You’d be burying your head in the sand to say you can avoid piracy or that you have a way to prevent it. It’s not a study in ethics but rather factor of market forces.
Did you have an “aha” moment that gave birth to nugs or is it more like an idea you’ve nutured over time and whose time has come? Did you just look around the expanding taping sections, see hundreds of mic booms, and say “yeah, there’s a market here?”
Brad: I wish I could claim to be that smart. In reality, it was really more self-serving, yet selfless at the same time. When I hear something I like, my first thought is that I need to play this for my friends and turn them on to it. That’s the genesis of nugs.net. When I launched the nugs.net web site, it was a way for me to share my tape collection. I couldn’t keep up with all my friends’ requests for copies of my tapes so I built a web site to let them download copies themselves. I used to spend entire weekends in college copying tapes for people (this was before you could burn CDs). Once I entered the real world, I didn’t have that kind of time anymore so I needed a way to share my music more easily.
What is your favorite period or episode in history and why?
Brad: Right now. I can’t think of a more exciting time given all the technology at our fingertips. Politically and socially it may be the scariest time since the dawn of man, which might explain why we’re living in a tech-wonderland right now.
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Sam Wilson of Sons of Bill in the Butter Room
If you are a Charlottesville resident, you are more than likely familiar with the city’s favorite sons and musical exports of country rock, Sons of Bill. Whether they are selling out Satellite Ballroom here locally, or playing to packed houses in DC and NYC, where they recently have sold out shows at IOTA Club and Knitting Factory respectively, it’s obvious that people all over the east coast are responding to what these boys do. And with their recent signing with Red Light Management, I suspect that it won’t be long before they are playing to crowds across the country. Sam Wilson, guitarist extraordinaire for the Sons (also one of the three brothers in the band, and yes their father is named Bill) sat down with us and took the time away from gearing up for their season-opening performance this Friday, April 18th, at Fridays After Five, to answer a few questions.
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What’s been in the van CD player lately? Do all of the guys usually agree on listening, and if not what are some divergences? I know, for instance, that you are a closet metal fan, how would something like Slayer go over in the van? Any others surprise tastes in the band?
Sam Wilson: We usually hook up an iPod to the van speakers and each person take turns listening depending who’s driving. We also will listen to our own iPods as well if we feel like having our own time. We definitely have similar and different tastes on music. Some artists that we all love and agree on are: Whiskeytown, Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Alice in Chains, Gram Parsons, Wilco, Son Volt, G n’ R; basically the country/rock genre. Sometimes James will get whiny when Seth and I throw on hip-hop, world, indie or more experimental stuff as he is more of an American rock n’ roll guy. Although, James and I do share a love for metal and on late night drives I have been known to throw on Slayer, Megadeth, Dokken, Pantera, Alice in Chains, or Nirvana. Caputo and I share the love of Radiohead and “Kid A” has been played a lot in the van, as well as Ryan Adams. Caputo is also really into the “Thrill Jockey” record label. Abe is a big Pink Floyd fan as well. I guess we have our standbys that keep everyone happy and then the stuff that one of us will love and then proceed to get berated for listening to such rubbish.
What are some other local and/or regional bands that you all are fans of?
Sam: One regional band that we love is the Wrinkle Neck Mules. They are a great Americana band based out of Richmond. Unfortunately they are spread across the country now, but we have a show with them June 7th at Iota in northern Virginia. Another band we love are The Navigators. They are a great country/rock band I used to go see when I lived in New York CIty. Abe is a big fan of Jupiter One which a synth/pop band we have played with several times and is based out of NYC. We all love Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees and have all played/recorded with their phenomenal pedal-steel player, Charlie Bell.
What’s on tap for the rest of the year for the band? Are you working on a new record? Do you plan to expand your touring to include new areas?
Sam: SOB plan on recording our new record this summer. We hope to release it ourselves and then maybe sell it to a label. We have been working on about 14 new tunes and really hope to get a good producer for the record. James still writes most of the songs but there is more collaboration on this record. I will have 2-3 songs that I have written and will sing on this record. Seth also has a great song that James will sing and Abe will have a great tune that he will sing on the album.
I guess we have been an east coast touring band (besides our USO tour) but hope to get out to the west coast and hopefully keep expanding. But we also want to keep a solid home life as well.
Where, other than Charlottesville, is your favorite place to play? Sam: SOB does really well in DC, Richmond, and the Carolinas (Charlotte, Raleigh, Chapel Hill) and we have had the opportunity to open for some great bands like Reckless Kelly, Cracker, Cross Canadian Ragweed, and Robert Randolph and the Family Band.
You guys did a USO tour last year. Tell us a bit about that.
Sam: We traveled to Guam, Korea, Japan and Okinawa on our USO tour. We did 23 shows in 30 days so it was pretty much a whirlwind experience. The short number of days we got to sightsee was awesome but I wish we could have had more time to explore. Sometimes we would play for 25 people at a small Air Force base and then we would be at a festival with over a thousand people. The response we got was almost always positive, as the troops were very appreciative to have some live music and a taste of home. We also got managed to sell over 350 CDs.
In what ways has the band changed since you started out, musically or otherwise? In what ways has it stayed the same?
Sam: One way the band is changed is everyone is a lot more experienced and less green in the live and studio setting. James has become much more accustomed to really playing and singing solid shows as he has performed over 100 shows in the past year. Seth and Abe have also contributed in invaluable ways and have really stepped up to the plate. While Caputo and I have been professional musicians for many years we have also learned our role in this band and have learned so much more than I ever could have imagined about country music. I think the harmony singing between the brothers has gotten pretty razor sharp over the past 3 years as well.
You’ve also been working on a solo record. Tell us a little about that…
Sam: I have been working on a solo album with my band that I began in June of 2007. It features songs that I have written over the past 3 years. It spans the genres of rock, folk, country, and just ambient-type music. It is something I have been wanting to do for years and finally all the stars aligned and the right cast of characters came along to help this band come to fruition. The core of the band is myself, Brian Chenault on electric guitars and vocals, and Brian Caputo on drums and vocals. Without these two guys, I never could have done this project. Brian Chenault is probably the only guitar player in the world that I would trust to write electric guitar parts on my songs. He constantly amazes me with his creativity, knowledge, groove, sound and harmony singing. We also share a love of metal and over the top guitar playing! Brian Caputo and I have been playing music together for over 8 years and he is my favorite drummer in the world. He really understands my music and has been encouraging me to put this band together for quite some time now. There are several great bass players (Darrell Muller and Forrest Burtnette) and keys (Wells Hanley) that are included in the group as well and have helped make the band what it is. The record is due out in late May. We have about 6 shows under our belt and hope to keep playing as we already have almost enough tunes for another record.
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The Kings of Belmont in the Butter Room
This Friday in Charlottesville, Kings of Belmont will make their Fridays After Five debut.
Who are the Kings of Belmont?
Well, their bio states:
The well-established bonds of their friendship allowed The Kings of Belmont to meld together quickly as a band, and their diverse range allowed them the flexibility to explore and express just the right sound without being constrained within a specific genre or style. The Kings of Belmont will have you punching the sky with rockers like “Play For Free” and “Entertainment & Arts” and then have you two-steppin’ to “Talking To Myself”. “Keanu Reeves” and “Git r Done” will have you bobbing your head and laughing at the cynical lyrics mocking pop culture while “South Bound” will keep your feet moving through an extended improvisational jam. Whether its rock or country or hip-hop or jams, you will find it woven into the sound of The Kings of Belmont.
I caught the KOB for the first time last week at the Satellite Ballroom. They opened up for Tea Leaf Green, and it was the best show that I have seen this year (video below). We caught up with John Spagnolo, the drummer of Kings of Belmont, to prep you for their performance this Friday in Charlottesville.
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How did Kings of Belmont get it’s start and how are you dealing with the groups’ meteoric rise as one of Charlottesville’s best bands?
John Spagnolo: The group started with just Ross van Brocklin (guitar, vocals, keys) and Aaron Ahlbrandt (keys) and their friend Drum Machine hanging out in Ross’ basement serenading each other and trading off songwriting duties. They played a few gigs around town most notably at the late Atomic Burrito and started attracting some loyal fans. Yearning for the power of a full band, Ross and Aaron approached Max Collins (guitar, vocals) and me (drums) about joining/starting the ‘band’. The four of us had played together in our Ween tribute band, Peen, so it was a good fit right off the bat. We still break out some Ween songs, but it’s refreshing to be able to work on our own material. Our friend Dan Sheets filled in on bass in the beginning and when he moved on we recruited Chris Coleman, formerly of the The Grove.
As for the “meteoric rise”…you are too kind and I will be sure to quote you in our press kit.
Things have been stepping up lately for us, and it’s been great. We’ve been doing a monthly gig at r2…we’ve played there enough that we are really comfortable there, so those shows always end up being off the hook. Plus our fan base is great…they rock…hard. Makes for great live shows.
We’ve got Friday’s After Five this week and that will put us in front of a ton of new faces…they may start throwing those weird plastic long neck beer bottles at us….you know the ones that try to make you think you’re drinking out of a bottle instead of a plastic cup…can I just have an ice cold can of beer? Check back next week and I’ll let you know how it went.
We also have a gig in NYC coming up soon and later in the summer we’ll playing at Floydfest.
Breaking into new towns is humbling…it’s like starting all over again each night.
What are some of KOB’s main influences (musical and not so musical)?
John: Easy answer, Ween…they’ll rock your face off and then make you sob like a little bitch to a sappy love song. We dig ‘em. I think one of the things that work for us as a band and as friends is that we don’t take ourselves too serious. We never want to be one of those bands that cop a big attitude or try too hard to put on some bullshit act. Who we are on stage is who we are off stage. We laugh a lot…that’s reflected in some of our completely stupid songs…but they make us laugh so we keep playing them. Like “Keanu Reeves” or “Jerk Store” or “Git r Done”…all influenced by pop culture and our sense of humor.
I see you guys are starting to take the show on the road this summer with appearances in NYC, Roanoke, and Floydfest. Are there other out of town performances in the works this summer?
John: Hopefully, we’ve been talking to some places in Harrisonburg, Richmond and Lynchburg about getting in. Oh yeah, and Nags Head too…I look great with a sunburn. We’d like to beef out the schedule but not over saturate Cville.
Are you going to perform “Jerk Store” at Fridays given it’s “family friendly” environment?
John: We thought about trying to do a “clean” version, but then said “fuck it”. No Jerk Store this time. (Butter Room side note: You can check out “Jerk Store” here.)
With the emergence of the super group that is KOB, what does this mean for Peen?
John: Peen is definitely on the back burner for now…but don’t worry, not lost forever. Peen is great to pull out for those special occasions when you want to get down and dirty. There will be more Peen shows. As a matter of fact, the original founder of Peen, Mike Ketola just moved back to Cville after being in Seattle for a couple years. If that’s not a special occasion to get down and dirty then I don’t know what is!
What’s the groups’ favorite Keanu Reeves performance?
John:How could we narrow his awesomeness to just one performance? Skills like his can only be considered a blessing. But if you insist…I’d have to say the pairing of Keanu Reeves with Patrick Swayze in Point Break is one heck of a treat.
How much do you miss the Starr Hill cocktail lounge?
John: Aaahhh, the glory days. We loved playing downstairs at Starr Hill! We would talk with the folks at Starr Hill about going upstairs because we could fit more people….but we always decided that the vibe was right downstairs…so we stayed there. Plus we were close to the bar and could get our Jager shots quick.
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Trees on Fire in the Butter Room
Trees on Fire are set to play their second show in as many years at Charlottesville’s Fridays After Five tomorrow, 5/9/08. The Butter Room was lucky enough to catch up with Trees’ drummer, Paul Rosner, before the show for some question and answer time.
What’s the songwriting process like? Do lyrics come first and then music or the other way around? Is there a primary lyricist in the group?Paul Rosner: Generally, Rob or Blake will bring the skeleton of a song to the group first. The skeleton includes melody, lyrics, and a basic chord progression, though things can and do change once the band has gotten ahold of the song. At that point, we spend a lot of time working on the basic grooves/feel of the different parts, as well as figuring out what instruments to use. That often means Justin has to decide which of his many toys to pull out, but Rob has been playing less guitar in the group lately, so he also has decisions to make. Sometimes, those decisions come about after we’ve tried a few different arrangements, and other times, songs evolve after we’ve played them live a few times.
What’s been the most successful show you’ve had both in terms of turnout and performance? Were they the same show?Paul: In terms of turnout, the most successful shows we’ve had were 3/13/08 at Satellite Ballroom here in Cville and last April’s CD release party for The Green Room, which took place at Starr Hill. We had the room completely packed and sold out at the latter, and had a big, raucous crowd at the former that was singing along loudly, dancing like mad, and generally giving out amazingly strong energy. I would say this last show at Satellite was also one of our best, though we’re never completely happy with a performance. I guess that’s pretty normal.
You are all very skilled musicians and performers - do you take requests at shows?
Paul: We don’t really take requests, mostly because we spend a lot of time working on highly specified arrangements of our original songs, and obviously we’re anxious to play them for people. The songs keep evolving, growing, and getting stronger each time we perform, so I think they stay pretty fresh. In the past, however, we have taken a few requests of our own songs (and the occasional cover).
What’s your favorite cover that you play live?
Paul: I really enjoy playing “Walking on the Moon” by the Police and “If You Want Me to Stay” by Sly and the Family Stone. The Police have always been one of my all-time favorite bands (I got to see them at Bonnaroo last summer), and they are a big influence on Trees on Fire, particularly when we first formed. The Sly song has been a favorite of mine for a while, and it’s one of the few songs I sing lead on, so that’s fun for me.
How do you try to manage the balance between socially responsible/political lyrics without sounding preachy and potentially turning people off from the music?
Paul: That’s a great question and one that we wrestle with when considering what causes to support. There’s no denying that each of us are very concerned with social responsibility, but we want to show people the folly of our ways in an uplifting and non-judgemental way. We are very very lucky to have lyricists who seem to be able to find this balance naturally and don’t have to force it. “Take a Seat” is a good example of that balance. The lyrics observe: “we take a seat, take a seat in our cars. We drive around making everything ours, but as we get to the end of our road, we realize there’s something else than gold. Don’t wait around.” Clearly, there’s a problem presented in this verse, but the author includes himself as part of the problem and basically concludes that we should all begin looking for solutions right away. It also helps that this song is musically uplifting and hopeful, which fits well with the lyrics.
When is the new record coming out and what can Trees on Fire fans expect compared to last year’s “The Green Room”?Paul: We are hard at work recording the new album as we speak (tentatively titled “Organica”) and expect it to be done around the end of summer. The new songs tend toward a little darker sound with more dance beats and influence than The Green Room. We’re getting better at figuring out our sound as we go, and I think we have a collection of 12-15 songs that not only continue to show all aspects of our musicianship but also have a true Trees on Fire “sound.” Defining that sound is always difficult, but we’re creating what we like to think of our own sub-genre, Organica.
What/Who are Trees on Fire greatest influences?Paul: We have many, but some of the biggest are Bob Marley, Radiohead, Bach, The Roots, and Stevie Wonder, among others. These vocal artists all combine inspiration in music and words like prophets, and Bach is just genius personified. Other styles influence our sound as well, including jazz, ska, soul (new and old), klezmer, baroque, and hard rock.
I caught you guys at the Satellite Ballroom in March. What’s the story behind the belly dancers? Do they make regular appearances at your shows?Paul: The belly dancers are a semi-regular part of our performances, partly because we love the energy they bring to our music. Their dancing adds an exotic element to what we do, which we consider somewhat exotic by itself. It’s a pretty potent combination. At the Satellite show, Shaheen and Lindsay worked out involved routines for a couple songs, so we couldn’t resist getting them up on stage to add to the madness. We look at ourselves as kind of a living circus on stage, so it seems natural for belly dancers to be a part of it.
What is the best live performance you have ever seen in person?
Paul: That is a tough question. I am going to see Radiohead for the first time this Sunday - my birthday - so I may have to wait on a definite answer, but I will give you a couple of my highlights.
R.E.M. in 1984 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta along with the Minutemen; Fishbone in 1991 at Trax in Charlottesville (such ridiculously high energy); U2 in 1985 at the Omni in Atlanta (touring to support The Unforgettable Fire, which is my favorite U2 album); Herbie Hancock in 2002 at 9:30 Club in DC.
What do you think of the current music scene in Charlottesville? Who do you recommend catching live?
Paul: The music scene is Cville is hopping right now. Ten years ago, it seemed like there wasn’t much orignial music going on in town, but I am constantly amazed by the talent on display these days: Birdlips, Beetnix, Kings of Belmont, and Acoustic Groove Trio, just to name a few. You can even catch Beetnix playing with Trees on Fire at Satellite Ballroom on May 23. It’s sure to be one of the last ever shows at Satellite, so it will be a special night that’s full of surprises.
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Inside the Warehouse: The Dave Matthews Band fan association
The Butter Room is thrilled to interview Ann McDaniel, the Director of the Warehouse, the official Dave Matthews Band fan association that is celebrating it’s tenth year at the end of 08! With Dave Matthews Band’s summer tour kicking off today at Post Gazette Pavilion in Burgettstown, PA, we felt it apropos to interview the person who runs the best fan club around. Ann moved to Charlottesville for her position as Director of the Warehouse in the fall of 2001. Originally from Birmingham, AL and a graduate of the University of the South (Sewanee) with a BS in Natural Resources, she loves calling Charlottesville home and admits to feeling blessed to have a job she loves!
You’ve been the Director of the DMB Warehouse since 2001. How did the opportunity come about?
Ann McDaniel: It was very serendipitous; I had been working in Athens, GA as Executive Director of an environmental nonprofit and was looking to move and for a change. I sent my resume to Coran Capshaw through mutual friends and the fan club director position had just become available. It was perfect timing, I flew up for the interview and moved to Charlottesville a month later.
The Warehouse has a pretty sizeable membership. What has been the secret to its success?
Ann: We have a steady loyal base of fans in the Warehouse fan association. We offer Warehouse members a nice allotment of tickets prior to public on sales; we send them a live fan club only release of songs each year and provide great customer service plus opportunities for meet and greets and ticket upgrades. All for the reasonable annual fee of $35.
What is a “day in the life” of running the Warehouse?
Ann: My day varies based on projects and the time of year. I run the Bama charity auctions, post updates to all sites: DMB, Warehouse, Facebook, MySpace, write and coordinate email blasts, assist with ticketing projects, respond to Warehouse emails and phone calls. The list goes on but those are the top activities that keep me plenty busy.
What are the favorite parts of your job, and how does it feel to have a job that tens of thousands would love to have?
Ann: My favorite part of the job is working with such a great, dedicated team and for such an amazing band of philanthropic artists. We work hard for DMB and we accomplish a lot. When I go to a Dave Matthews Band show and look around at the tens of thousands of fans enjoying themselves, it is a very proud moment as thousands of those fans are Warehouse members! I do not really ever think about having a job that others covet; my job may seem glamorous to those on the outside but trust me, it’s a lot of work!
DMB performing at The Concert for Virginia Tech on 9/6/07; photo by Todd Wickersty
The summer tour kicks off this week. Is there anything new and/or different that fans can expect this year?
Ann: Well, sadly, Butch Taylor is leaving DMB and he will be missed. On the bright side, DMB has been working in the studio with longtime friend Tim Reynolds, who will be joining the band on tour this summer. We are all hoping for a taste of some new material from the studio.
Approximately how many DMB shows had you seen before becoming Director of the Warehouse, and how many have you seen since? What have been your favorites and why?
Ann: My first DMB shows were right out of college in the mid 90s, the Georgia Theatre in Athens, the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. I truly do not know how many I’ve been to - I probably need to sit down and figure the total for posterity’s sake (ha ha). My favorite moments have occurred at the shows at Red Rocks, the Roseland Ballroom, Central Park and with friends at VA Beach and Shoreline. This summer I am greatly looking forward to the Greek Theatre shows, the last one is my birthday (and LeRoi’s :)
What other music have you been listening to lately and would recommend to our readers?
Ann: I LOVE In Rainbows by Radiohead, it’s been in heavy rotation for some time now (saw Radiohead in northern VA recently and it was 2 hours of perfection in spite of the chilly temps and incessant rain). I have also been listening to Frank by Amy Winehouse, KT Tunstall, My Morning Jacket (looking forward to the June 10th ATO release: Evil Urges). I listen to Radio Paradise at work almost daily and love their playlists which have introduced me to lots of artists.
DMB performing at The Concert for Virginia Tech on 9/6/07; photo by Todd Wickersty
I understand you are heavily involved with Bama Works, DMB’s charitable program in the Charlottesville area. What are some of the activities and charities that Bama Works supports?
Ann: There are way too many to list so I invite readers to check http://www.davematthewsband.com/bama/charities/. The most recent is the Bama Green project which encompasses all of the environmental efforts undertaken by the band while on the road, in the studio or at home. In addition to working with the band, the Bama Green Project is also dedicated to educating DMB fans around the world about how to take simple & positive environmental actions. More info may be found at www.reverbrock.org/dmb.
Dave Matthews Band should be highly commended for their work through Bama Works. They started a Village Recovery Fund after the terrible tsunami in Sri Lanka, they began the Bama Works Youth Initiative to educate high school children about philanthropy through hands-on education and execution of charitable projects, they supported and issued a challenge grant for the Habitat for Humanity Musician’s Village in New Orleans as well as distributed monies raised at the Red Rocks show for Katrina Relief to various relief charities. I could go on and on…
When you are not working, you are …
Ann: Working in my flower and vegetable gardens, taking photographs, seeing live music, enjoying delicious food and wine with my beau and friends! I also do a lot of volunteer work. I am court appointed special advocate with Piedmont CASA and work with children that are involved in abuse, neglect or custody cases. I have been involved with the Junior League of Charlottesville since ‘01 and recently completed my Charlottesville Albemarle Tree Steward training. Next on my list is becoming a certified Master Naturalist. -
Help is Hope / In The Butter Room w/ Tom Rose
Late last week I spoke with Charlottesville resident Tom Rose of Help is Hope. Tom is one of the co-founders of Help is Hope, which has been the catalyst behind the China Earthquake Relief Concert Series in Charlottesville, Virginia. To date, Help is Hope has assembled 17 live music performances in August and September around Charlottesville and surrounding areas. Proceeds from the concerts and additional donations will help the Red Cross Society of China with providing food, supplies, medicine, education, and reconstruction for those impacted by the May 12th Sichuan earthquake. The goal of the effort is simply stated on the Help is Hope website, “We have one simple goal to help ease the suffering of the 4.8 million homeless and countless affected victims of the disaster to recover their lives.”
I am guilty of becoming numb to many tragic and atrocious events that have occurred after 9/11. The earthquake that hit the Sichuan province of China on May 12th was one of those events. I was aware of the death count, watched the media reports of the devastation, but it wasn’t until my conversation with Tom that I felt any deep emotions about the tragedy. Tom’s commitment and passion to this cause is inspiring. After a compact and intense planning period, the concert series kicked off on August 1st at the Free Speech Monument on the downtown mall. In addition to his full time job at the Curry School and promoting the series, Tom has been attending and closing if not all, almost all, of the shows. But as he put it, “It just takes a couple people to give up some of the stuff they are doing for awhile, and it’s no real sacrifice.” That other person is Jie Chao, a Ph.D. student at the Curry School, who is from Bejing. Shortly after the earthquake, Tom contacted Jie after receiving a “very powerful” email from her on a Curry School listserv. Jie had already been working with the Chinese Students and Scholars Society at UVA (CSSS) to provide relief to the Red Cross Society of China. As Tom puts it, Jie is “an amazing organizational leader”, which makes her perfectly complimentary to Tom for Help is Hope. In addition, the actions of th CSSS provided the sound financial channel that Tom was seeking to enable the China Earthquake Relief Concert Series.
The Concert Series just hit the halfway point last Friday. The next show is the Charlottesville Music Showcase Anniversary this afternoon and tonight at Rapture. As a musician, Tom was able to rely on his network in the local music community to book the shows. He anticipates 30 events when the series finishes with Devon Sproule on September 19th at Gravity Lounge.
The Concert Series has raised close to $3,000 to date, and Tom just hopes they raise “as much money possible”. There is no effort to persuade people to donate, and there shouldn’t be. 70,000 people died and 4.8 million are homeless. If the earthquake occurred here in Virginia, 62% of the state’s residents would be homeless. As Tom put it, “every single person you know would have been suffering loss”. That is extremely difficult to fathom, but it’s very easy to respond to. Give a donation on the Help is Hope web site or go attend one of the shows. Better yet, do both and if you can, do more.“What better thing to do then put food in bellies and get a little more warmth around somebody when they’re sleeping at night.” — Tom Rose
photos courtesy of Jessia Chao -
Andy Stepanian of Wrinkle Neck Mules in the Butter Room
This coming Saturday, the Wrinkle Neck Mules are co-headlining with Sons of Bill at Toads Place in Richmond, Virginia. You can buy your tickets here.
We were fortunate to have a conversation with Andy in the Butter Room this week. The Butter Room thanks Andy for his time and answers.
—-You guys are playing a gig at Toads Place this Saturday in Richmond, VA with Sons of Bill that was rescheduled because of Hurricane Ike. How are you and Houston recovering from the damage and devastation?Andy: It’s getting along ok at this point. There are trees down everywhere and tarps on rooftops, but things seem to be flowing along again. Galveston is another story. Its going to be years before things get back to normal down there.What can people do to help that are not located near Houston and Galveston?Andy: At this point, I guess money is the best thing if you have it to give. The Greater Houston Community Foundation has a fund that’s the focus for relief right now. http://www.ghcf.org. There is also information on that site about the Bush-Clinton Coastal Recovery Fund which has a broader impact on hurricane areas than just Texas.
On to music related questions …Does the future of the Wrinkle Neck Mules look a lot like the present, meaning that you guys will play a handful of shows here and there or do you anticipate an increase in touring in 2009?Andy: ’08 was really a rebuilding and regrouping year for the Mules. After 3 years of constant travel and focus on the band, we had to retreat a bit and get some perspective on the band and our individual lives. I would expect a bump up in the action in ’09. We’ll do a few longer tours, a new album and potential for a trip to Europe. The good news for us is that a reduced schedule allows Chase to get back involved on the touring side. His life prevented him from touring much over the last few years and we need him back in the starting rotation badly.I read that you guys have started working on a new album for a potential early summer 2009 release. What can fans expect?Andy: Oh yeah. Chase and I have demoed a lot of songs and we’re actually starting the full band recording up in Virginia this week. So far, the demos and have a very scaled down feel. So, they are leaning towards acoustic instruments, lots of singing and minimal production. I’m not sure whether the album will go that way, but, right now, I like to think it will.Can you give fans some inside info on what it’s like to record a Wrinkle Neck Mules album from concept to street date?
Andy: It’s the thing I think we do the best. The process has evolved over the years, but the basic format starts with Chase and me writing chord progressions and songs. We sometimes work together, but generally, we’re separate. We record demo versions of guitar and voice things for the rest of the band and get them to everyone else. That’s when things start to take flight and everyone starts to weigh in and bring ideas to the table. Mason, in particular, gets intimate with the songs and starts tearing them apart and rebuilding them. This is the cool part. I will step away from my seedling and come back to find it in full bloom.
As far as the actual recording goes, we’ve become pretty set in our way of doing things on our own. We just use a fancy computer and a pile of good microphones. We engineer on our own and take our time working things out. In the past, we’ve shipped all the finished tracks off to Chris Kress in Charlottesville and he edits and mixes everything. One day I guess we’ll get out there and use a producer again, but I don’t think that’s going to happen this time around.What is the best live show you’ve been to this year?Andy: It’s a toss up between The Wiggles Live at Toyota Center or Hannah Montana with Billy Ray Cyrus at the Houston Rodeo.Can fans expect a Wrinkle Neck Mules/Sons of Bill collaboration on stage Saturday?Andy: Yes. You might even expect multiple appearances by various members of each band. We say this every time we play but generally end up drinking too much and forgetting or realizing its far too late to pull things together. I sang Guitar Town with the Sons a few months back and I don’t think I know a single word to that song.A couple more questions …What do you miss most and least about Richmond?Andy: I miss architecture and hills and going to Chiocca’s and being able to see someone I know and love every time I leave the house. I don’t miss the lack of good Mexican food.Where can my 2 year old son get a stuffed Wrinkle Neck Mule?Andy: www.themulestore.com. They have more mule gear than you could ever imagine existed. I just went there and saw at least 5 things that could fit the bill.
—-Want to see the Wrinkle Neck Mules on Saturday? Now is your chance. The first person to comment on this article with “Give me some butter” will win a pair of tickets to Saturday night’s show at Toads Place! -
Sons of Bill in the Butter Room
The Sons of Bill are playing Toads Place in Richmond, Virginia this coming Saturday. You can buy your tickets here.
We were fortunate to have a conversation with all members of Sons of Bill in the Butter Room this week. The Butter Room thanks Sons of Bill and Red Light Management for their time to put this together. Check out our Q&A below and a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show!
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Photo courtesy of Red Light ManagementHow do you plan on spending Saturday before your gig with Wrinkle Neck Mules @ Toad’s Place in Richmond?James Wilson: I think Sam and I are going down early to play acoustic for some folks and do some promotion. My only pre-show rituals are jumping jacks and egg burritos. 
Sam Wilson: Relaxing, maybe watching college football or working on new demos in my studio. Baseball postseason if its on. 
Abe Wilson: We usually dont have a lot of time before our shows with all the loading in and sound-checking. If we have extra time well probably try to find a bar and watch some college football. 
Seth Green: Probably eating late breakfast and then driving to Richmond to soundcheck. I was conscripted to go bang on doors for Obama, but I don’t think I’ll have time to get any of that done. It’s also apple picking season, but the chances of me getting to an orchard and back before we’re supposed to leave are somewhere between “slim” and “me missing the bus to Richmond.” 
Brian Caputo: Didn’t have any set plans as of yet. Depends on what time we have to leave to go to Richmond. Maybe run a few errands. Watch Texas-Oklahoma football game. How would you describe Sons of Bill in one word?James: Poor Sam: Brothers Abe: Real. At least I’d like to think so. Seth: Songs Brian: Family What is in your mp3/CD player right now?James: The new James McMurtry Sam: -American Music Club “Everclear”
-Testament “First Strike, Still Deadly”
-Oasis “Standing on the shoulders of giants”
-The Band
-Townes Van Zandt
-Scriabin “solo piano works”
-Lamb of God “Ashes of the Wake”
-Emmylou Harris “quarter moon in a ten cent town”
-Metallica “Death Magnetic”
-D’angelo “VoodooAbe: I dont have an Ipod and my cd player is broken so lately Im forced to pick up the guitar if I want to hear a particular song. The last song I played was It Will Shine when it Shines by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Seth: The Coup, Lil’ Wayne, Iron & Wine, Otis Redding, The Pogues Brian: Chopin- Nocturnes
Bill Evans- Moonbeams
Brad Mehldau- Elegiac Cycle
Brand X- Xcommunication
Dave Douglas- Magic Triangle
Jim O’Rourke - Halfway to a Threeway
Loose Fur - Born Again in the USA
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Michael Andrews - Donnie Darko Score
James Newton Howard - The Sixth Sense Score
Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
Nirvana - Nevermind
Paul McCartney - Ram
Radiohead - Live MSG 2006
The Roots - Come Alive
Ryan Adams - Cold Roses/Heartbreaker
Sam Wilson - Green Gates
The Sea and Cake - One Bedroom
Squarepusher - Go Plastic
Stone Temple Pilots - Core
Tears for Fears - Big Chair
Terje Rypdal - Descendre
Tony Scherr - Come Around
Tortoise - A Lazarus Taxon
Townes Van Zandt - High, Low and in Between
Tribe Called Quest - Beats Rhymes & Life/Midnight Marauders
Van Halen - 1984
Wayne Krantz - Long to be Loose
Whiskeytown - Faithless Street/Strangers Almanac
Wilco - Summer TeethWhat was it like opening for Robert Earl Keen?James: Robert Earl Keen is one of my musical heroes, and it was absolutely amazing to get to share the stage with him last month. Its one of those little reality checks you get along the way– If you had told me 5 years ago, when I was milking goats in Waco TX, that I was gonna be on road opening up for REK, I would have said you were sprouting daisies. Its an amazing thing. Sam: It was a blast.. His audience is the perfect blend of folks wanting to get down but also really caring about the music you play. It really makes you want to deliver when the audience is hanging on every line or solo. Seldom does an audience really focus on the world you create on stage. His band also kicks ass. They were all great guys as well. Abe: Humbling. He’s one of our all-time favorites—one of those guys who can write a song that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. Seth: a) An honor b) a great opportunity to reach a lot of people who really liked our stuff c) he gets better catering than us, so that was nice. Brian: I enjoyed the experience. The music was good and the musicians were nice guys. Sometimes that is hard to come by. Looking forward to playing more shows with that band. What was your favorite tour stop this year so far, and why?James: I have to say the Windjammer in Isle of Palms SC. Its right on the beach, and the management and crowd are always great to us. Sam: Gosh, maybe the Lincoln theater in Charlotte, NC opening for Shooter Jennings. Its a great club, the crowd was awesome and we just played our hearts out. Abe: Probably the Windjammer in Charleston, SC opening for Shooter Jennings. The place was packed and the fans knew how to rock to our rock songs and how to shut up and listen to the slower stuff. That crowd was awesome. Seth: It wasn’t this year, but I miss when we used to play this little bar in the mountains of north Georgia called Bigg Daddy’s (there are two g’s because there are two Bigg Daddies). We never brought more than about 15 fans to any of those shows, but the bar staff loved us and we’d just rock out for them and then go party with them in these sweet cabins out in the boondocks. I think they probably lost about $1,000 on us every time we played there. Maybe that’s we stopped going back. Brian: To be honest it is hard for me to pick one stop. I feel that each stop has been an experience. All have been great opportunities. Hard to single out one specifically. If you were stranded on an island with no one else, but had an unlimited supply of one brand of beer and one brand of whiskey, what would it be?James: Guinness, Rebel Yell Sam: Jameson and Delirium Abe: Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA
George Dickel No. 12Seth: If I was stranded in a cave in the mountains somewhere I’d stock up on George Dickel (8 or 12 year, not the Cascade Hollow shit), but if I was on a desert island I’d have to drink tequila. Given my preference I’d go with Corazon. Patron is way over-rated. Same thing with beer. Sierra Nevada or Newcastle in the piedmont, but something lighter on the island. Being deserted with an unending supply of brass monkey might be the real ticket. Get some vitamin C to fight off the scurvy. Brian: Zazz and more Zazz If you were only allowed 3 albums on that island, what would they be?James: Hank Williams – The Ultimate collection/I Saw the Light Townes Van Zandt – Legend Steve Earle – Exit 0 Sam: Tough Question! for repeated listening:
1. Chopin “Nocturnes”
2. Metallica “Master of Puppets”
3. Bill Evans “Waltz for Debby”Abe: Steve Earle, Exit 0
Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon
John Prine (self-titled)Seth: Mos Def’s “Black on Both Sides” Paul Simon’s “Rhythm of the Saints” and Nirvana’s “From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah”. Of course, back the island thing: I’d get pretty sick of looking at the waves if I couldn’t sneak in “Catch a Fire” now and then. Brian: I think that this Island would be called HELL if I only had 3 albums. Hard to choose. Chopin Nocturnes James Newton Howard - The Sixth Sense score Brad Mehldau - Places How would you describe Wrinkle Neck Mules to your fans who will be seeing them for the first time on Saturday?James: An unstoppable juggernaut with rock n’ roll bones, a bluegrass heart, and country skin. Sam: Great songs, sung by great songwriters, played by great players. There is a fair share of joy, heartbreak, grit and tragedy all in a down home way. Abe: The Mules are phenomenal. I have a hard time describing them as they really have their own sound. Theyre somewhere between rock and bluegrass if that makes sense. If you dont have all three of their albums, go out and buy them. Seth: A rock band that loves bluegrass. Not to mention great, alarmingly subtle, songwriters. Brian: Rock, Bluegrass and Country. Great band, Great songs. What is the best and worst thing about your hometown of Charlottesville?James: The best - Its my hometown. You only get one of those.
The worst- The constant influx of northern virginians. Its definitely not the same town my dad grew up in.Sam: best- autumn in the country at my folks house
worst- the lack of anonymity in a small town. also the increasing self righteousness.Abe: For a town this size we get some of the best music in the world coming through playing venues like the Pavilion, The Paramount, and JPJ. Only problem is there are no 500 1000 seat venues in town for regional and mid-level bands. When Satellite Ballroom closed it really left a void. Hopefully the Jefferson Theatre will fill that void when it opens next year Seth: Best: how much music and great food and culture there is in such a nice friendly small town atmosphere. Worst: having a college degree from prestigious major university qualifies you to manage a bagel shop or perhaps work landscaping, not much else. (the job market is a bit saturated) Brian: Best - Good mix of city/country
Worst - running into people you don’t want to run into. heat and humidity. Sound ordinanceWhat one venue more than any other would you like SOB to play eventually?James: I’d love to play Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth Sam: One step at a time, but it would be great to do a headlining show at the 9:30 club in front of a sold out crowd. i saw megadeth in ‘97 there and it changed my life. Abe: Id say the Ryman in Nashville. From what I hear its the crown jewel of Music City as far as rock venues go. Seth: 9:30 Club in DC, as a headliner. I don’t think us opening a show there is very far off, but I dream of the day we could pack that place to the brim with our own show. I saw Gogol Bordello at a sold out show there and it was one the most intense experiences I’ve ever had in public.) Brian: Can’t single one out specifically. Obviously the bigger the better especially if it is packed.
—-Want to see the Sons of Bill on Saturday? Now is your chance. The first person to comment on this article with “Give me some butter” will win a pair of tickets to Saturday night’s show at Toads Place! -
Bartley McGowan, Tour Manager of Robert Randolph and the Family Band, in the Butter Room
If you have visited the Butter Room this week, you should know that Robert Randolph and the Family Band are playing the Charlottesville Pavilion this Halloween. You can buy your tickets here.
We were fortunate to have a conversation with Bartley McGowan, the tour manager for Robert Randolph and the Family Band, in the Butter Room this week. The Butter Room thanks Bartley for his time and answers.
—-What’s a day in the life of Bartley McGowan like?Bartley McGowan: First off, it’s usually long. I’m often the last to go to bed and the first to wake up. My day usually starts out by having our bus driver Steve call me about 15 minutes before we get to the venue. Crawl out of my bunk and get my bearings. Hop out when we get there and help get the bus parked where it will usually be for the day - try to get shore power (basically plugging the bus in so it can run the a/c, fridges, lights, tv, etc), if not we have a generator on that can run all that. Go in to the club and meet the local production folks that will be helping us out for the day.
My next job is to get Steve and any other band guys to the hotel. The driver has usually been driving all night, so it’s important to make sure he gets an early check in and gets a nice quiet room to rest during the day. Once I check in a few rooms, I am back at the venue checking with my production manager Sean to make sure things are going smooth on his end. He is the man for all things to do with the gear, the stage, and the killer sound the band has all night. My main duties are to get the band from show to show, get paid, and make sure everybody is as comfortable as possible and has what they need to enjoy their time away from home. While Sean is busy getting the stage and sound ready, I am making sure all our hospitality has arrived so the band has all the chips and dip and blue m&m’s they will need.
By around 5 or 6, the crew has gotten everything ready for soundcheck and I then round the band up from the bus, hotel, etc to bring them in for soundcheck. During this time I usually have a security meeting with the head of security to let them know what our photo, recording, video policies are and generally how the band likes things to go. After soundcheck, everyone is pretty much on their own to get dinner, hang out etc. My next duty then is to get the band on stage. I usually give Robert a list of all his old songs and some recent set lists about 30-45 minutes before they go on, so he can write a rough list of songs he might pull out that night. I then hand out the in ear monitors to all the guys and check with Sean to see when we are ready to go. When Sean and the band are ready, I walk them to the stage and they are good to go.
During the show, I usually stand by my guitar tech BJ to help with any unforseen emergencies, etc. I am the least technical member of the crew, but an extra hand is helpful if something goes wrong and I try to help in any way I can. During a quiet time in the set, I try to sneak off to the production office to settle up the show, so that’s one less thing I won’t have to do at the end of the night. After the show, I get the band back to the bus or their room and check to see if anyone needs anything - make sure we have some good food to eat after the show - and usually leave them to themselves. I then head to the merch area to settle up with the merch people, grab the merch and bring it out to the trailer.
Once Sean and the crew have loaded our trailer back up, I make sure Steve has gotten back ok. Doublecheck to make sure the band is all on the bus and it’s on our way to the next town and back to the bunk for a few hours of shut eye. The rocking of the road lulls me to sleep and it’s back up in the am the next day to do it all over again.
Photo courtesy of Red Light ManagementCan you give RRFB fans an idea of the preparation that goes into every show?Bartley: It really all depends on the type of show. If it’s a show where we are out with a Clapton or a Santana, then we are just an opener and we play from the exact same time each night. Tours like that run on clockwork and all the preparation was done weeks in advance. For tours like that, we usually have a tech day the day before the tour starts, where all the bands are there and we all show up with our gear and figure out how it’s going to work each night - where drums are going to be staged, how much time it’s gonna take for changeovers, etc. After a few shows, all the kinks are worked out, and it’s just routine after that.
The real preparation comes in before the tour where I have to arrange flights for 9 other people all living in different parts of the country, secure a bus and a driver we like for the tour, book hotels that are close to the venue, make tour books (which are basically schedules for what is going on every day of the tour), print out directions to all the venues and copies of all the contracts, etc. I am in constant contact with Sean to make sure we are always on the same page in terms of the plan and what we are going to do for days off, etc.
For example, in August and September we were basically in the middle of two tours at once. We were on the Music Builds tour with Third Day, Switchfoot, and Jars of Clay from Thursday through Sunday, but we were also doing our own shows sponsored by Bud Light where we were in a college town once a week. So we had to often times fly out right after the Sunday show to another town for our own show. Play our own show. Get the band home for a couple days rest and then meet up with the tour again. It was a little hectic.Are there any surprises in store for the Halloween gig at the Charlottesville Pavilion?Bartley: I don’t know yet. I did just book tickets for Calvin Cooke and Aubrey Ghent to fly in for the show. They are a couple of “sacred steel” players who came up in the House of God church where Robert learned to play. They have been playing the “sacred steel” longer than Robert has been alive, so it’ll be a real treat for the Cville crowd to have not one, but three steels jamming at once up there. Plus, it means your average RRFB fan will probably get to hear some tunes from the new album that the band has not really been playing with out Cooke and Ghent there. They did a lot of shows with us over the summer, but it’s always a great show when they pop up. Plus it’s Halloween, so who knows what else Robert has up his sleeve?What is one thing about Robert Randolph that most of his fans would be surprised to know?Bartley: I bet a lot of them don’t realize what a spiritual man he is. So many people associate his music with crazy sets at Bonnaroo or playing his own wild shows in packed clubs with girls dancing on the stage that they may not always hear just how positive a message his music has. He isn’t just about playing and getting the crowd going. He wants them to feel like they are part of something empowering when they come to a show - akin to the feeling one might get from church, but with more dancing and singing involved I guess.I also understand you run and own Wahooptie Taxi Service in Charlottesville, VA. What is the Wahooptie, and how do you juggle everything?Bartley: Wahooptie is a taxi and shuttle service that myself and my partner Joseph Mills started about a year ago. Both of us have worked in the music business for much of our adult lives (He is the Operations Manager at the Pavilion), so when we were both working a show at Starr Hill, we got to talking about an idea I had for a new kind of cab company and a few months later we got it all started with a 93 Lincoln limo I bought off a punk band that used it as their tour vehicle. We are just like any other cab company, but all our vehicles are painted wild colors and are more fun than your standard cab. They all feature bangin’ sound systems, tv screens, ipod capabilities etc. We do your average rides around town as well as private rentals for wine tours, weddings, bachelor/bachelorette parties, airport trips, football games - whatever you can think of.
It’s tough to juggle it all, but our busy times for both of us (the summer) is when the students are gone, so we have found a way to make it work so far. I try to drive more when I am home to make up for the time I was away and we have a few other drivers on hand to pick up the slack when we are busy with our day jobs. Check us out at www.wahooptie.com or give us a call at 434.249.TAXI
—-Want to see Robert Randolph & the Family Band on Friday? Now is your chance. Check out the details here. -
SHREDHED in the Butter Room
I met John Keefe about 5 years ago while we both worked at Musictoday. John is now the co-founder of SHREDHED. What is SHREDHED? I’ll let John explain in his own words, but I guarantee it will make a great last minute holiday gift.
What is SHREDHED?John Keefe: SHREDHED is an innovative new format for sheet music, which allows guitar students to learn to play a song from start to finish without ever having to take their hands off their instruments to flip the pages of their songbooks. It allows for students to learn together without having to huddle over just one music stand, and ultimately is 3 products in 1: a three-pocket folder, a giant dry-erase TAB poster, and a self supporting music stand.Where can one buy a SHREDHED for a holiday gift?John: SHREDHED is available at most “mom n’ pop” and “big-box” instrument retailers around country. However, for the easiest way to buy, feel free to purchase from the online retailer of your choice on our website: www.shredhed.com. They’re great stocking stuffers for anyone who plays (or would like to play) guitar!How did the concept of SHREDHED come about?John: Years ago my brother Peter and I lived in different parts of the country (me in Austin and he in Charlottesville). When we’d find time to get together, we’d often pick up our guitars and try to learn the same song for fun. However, we were often frustrated by songbooks, as we would always have to stand right next to one another to view the music on the same stand and at least one of us would have to continuously take their hands off their instrument to flip the pages back and forth in the songbook. It didn’t take long for us to realize there was a better way for us to learn together.
After we both decided on a band we both liked (The Black Crowes), we went out in search of the largest piece of paper we could find and transcribed “She Talks to Angels” on one giant piece of paper and then hung it on the wall. Immediately we were able to stand on opposite sides of the family room and were able to play the song from start to finish without having to stand on top of each other or take our hands off our instruments to flip pages. Instead, we could play the tune from start to finish and could spend more time adding our own personal touches to the song and pretending that we were the Robinson brothers. From there we decided it would be nice to be able to write directly on the product so we could section out the song by parts, so we laminated it to make it dry-erase. Finally, we wanted to be able to make it both functional and portable, so we figured a way that it could reconfigure into a triangular table tent (which eliminated the need for a cumbersome music stand) and also a way for it to fold-up flat to the size of any typical songbook (so we could pack it up and take it with us wherever we wanted to go). It was a great idea and one that we had planned to get out of our family room and onto the shelves of the big-box instrument retailers.
Years later I relocated to Charlottesville for graduate school and soon after completion shared the concept with my childhood friend Eric Braun, who was on the West Coast working in enterprise sales for PayPal. Eric had experience in launching start-ups, had a stong understanding of how to correctly structure a business, and most importantly was a good friend. After a few visits to Charlottesville, we decided in early 2006 to form InkTree, Inc. (named after tattoos we got together years back in San Francisco – mine a bad one…that now I can never get rid of).
Soon after we formed our partnership, Eric and I executed a licensing and distribution deal for SHREDHED with Alfred Publishing, the global leader in educational print music. SHREDHED launched this past summer in Nashville and is the recipient of the coveted “Best in Show” Award from NAMM, the most prestigious organization of retailers and manufacturers in the music industry.What are some of the artists with music on SHREDHED display?John: Artists include The Black Crowes, Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton, R.E.M., Radiohead, Green Day, The Eagles, Pantera, The Ramones, and more. We also have purely educational titles called THE CHORD BOARD and SCALES AND MODES.On a personal note, when will a Cleveland pro sports franchise ever win a championship again?John: Just like SHREDHED, it all comes down to timing, patience and the right people on team. With that being said the Cavs will go all the way this season, The Tribe next year, and The Browns will be in the Super Bowl in 2010. Gotta dream, right?
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Trevor Garrod of Tea Leaf Green in the Butter Room (part 1)
I caught up with Trevor Garrod of Tea Leaf Green yesterday as the band was traveling to their next tour stop, Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Here is part one of the interview. You can listen to it by clicking the play button above or read the transcript below.
The Butter Room thanks Trevor, the band and their management for the opportunity to have Trevor in the butter room.First of all, looking forward to catching you guys at the Gravity Lounge this Sunday in Charlottesville. (Editorial insert: Buy your tickets now!)You just finished up the Jam Cruise. How was that?Trevor Garrod: Jam Cruise was awesome. I count it as kind of a vacation. I just had to play two sets and the rest of the time I was free to do whatever I wanted. It was a lot of fun, a lot of good opportunities to hang with people I don’t always get a chance to hang out with. It’s all those characters from festivals in the like where you are always passing in the night, like two ships in the night if you will. We were all seated on this boat with no place to go for 4 to 5 days. It was a good time. It’s all about cementing friendships. Also got to see a lot of funk on that Jam Cruise.Any particular favorites?Trevor: My favorite thing that I saw on the boat, it’s kind of fleeting was Jackie Greene had an hour long set and he’s the character that’s been playing with Phil Lesh the last couple of years or so, doing all the singing, but he was playing all of his own stuff. That guy has got some shit going on. He also brought with him, Tim Bluhm who is the singer from the Mother Hips because they have a thing going on, the play some music. That was actually my favorite thing. I got down and got funky with the Dumpstaphunk at one point. But all around it was a pretty pleasing musical adventure.
Photo by Rich AndersonYea, I saw Jackie Greene with Phil & Friends last summer here in Charlottesville and I was extremely impressed.
I haven’t been on Jam Cruise, but I went on the first moe. cruise about 5 years ago now and I felt the fans gave the band proper space to enjoy their own time. I know the people I went with did not go up to any band members and we probably saw them every day either on the ship or off. Is that the same kind of vibe on Jam Cruise?Trevor: Yea. It’s definitely a more mature, successful group. You have to have some money to get on it. So, there’s a wookie count that’s pretty low as far as that’s concerned so everyone is pretty respectful. I didn’t really have a problem with anyone bothering me too much. If you have been in this business long enough you know you develop some good skills of deflecting people without seeming like an asshole. So, it’s like “oh man, I got to do this thing”. I’m always a big fan of “I really have to go pee”.Looking at your tour schedule, it appears you are making your way North. How are the crowds in the South considering you guys are from the west coast?Trevor: We’ve done pretty well. We haven’t been down to Florida too much, but places like Atlanta have been strong for us. Charlottesville, or Virginia in general, has been a strong market for us. Really when you get down to it, we’ve probably spent more time on the east coast than the west coast the last five years. There’s just more people to play for out here. It is a different thing. We have our thing going on in San Francisco where we play at the Fillmore two nights once every 3 or 4 months. So we do smaller places on the east coast, but it’ always has to do the time and the place. You know if you hit up a college town on winter break on a Monday night, you are probably not going to do as well as Atlanta on Saturday night.Do you have any favorite venues that you guys like to play?Trevor: Well there are places that I like to play more than others, that’s for sure. I’ve gotta say my favorite for hometown pride is the Fillmore. Park West in Chicago is really awesome, but they don’t let people back in after they leave so for a long time I could never figure why the second set was always so much thinner than the first and people would go out for a cigarette and they can’t get back in. Makes so much sense! I’m really looking forward to checking out the Gravity Lounge cause I hear that’s a really cool place. We’ve always played at Starr Hill, which is not really happening as it was in the past.Your schedule just seems insane, the amount of shows you do per year. Are you going to continue to do the same amount of shows in 2009 and are there any different or special places that you are thinking about playing this year?Trevor: Not specifically. We just continue to go on as we have in the past. We’re hoping to record more music and focus on the band’s music. After a year of being in a holding pattern and getting our people up to speed on everything, we are finally in a spot where we are ready to start focusing on the future of our music and that’s where all our minds are at, so we let the guys wearing the suits figure out where to put us. We figure they will put us somewhere. We just try to figure out what we are going to play when we get there.You guys seem to get a lot of play like satellite radio like Sirius. Do you feel that mediums like satellite radio have helped to build your following substantially over the years?
Photo by Sam FriedmanTrevor: I would never discount the amount that that’s help. I often say “God Bless the Sirius radio” because in this age the commercial radio … as long as we’ve been a band, it’s never really been a reality to even have a goal to get songs on the radio or even wanted to have happen. None of us even listened to the radio. No one even liked any of that. It’s still nice that there is still some broadcasting out there. There’s these niche markets where they can broadcast out and people can hear it and not have to listen to the radio. People come up to me all the time and say, “yea man, I heard you on Sirius radio, right on”. So, Yes. I guess the answer is yes. It has helped a lot.Do you guys play off a set list every night or is it fly by the seat of your pants as the set evolves?Trevor: We write the set list before the show. Back in the old days, we would try to do that by the seat of our pants. It would degenerate every now and then to an argument on stage, which is never good. You gotta look like a unified front. It’s nice to have some kind of plan. Between soundcheck and actual show, you have a few hours to kill. It’s a nice way to kill time to figure out what you are going to play.Do you often deviate from the set list when you are on stage?Trevor: Yea. I guess we use a baseball term, call an audible? Some kind of sporting term. I don’t do sports, but you know what I mean. We call an audible every now and then. Something that doesn’t look right on the set list when you get up there on the stage when it comes up, and you’re like “no”. Maybe you needed something for the next song, like a harmonica which you realized you’ve lost. You’re like, “No, let’s not do that one”. We have the freedom to do whatever we want up there, but usually we stay with the plan.
Top photo of Trevor by barnable
Part Two is here. Trevor provides us with some recommended listening, including a show of their own to download, and gives his opinion on the upcoming Dead and Phish tours. -
Trevor Garrod of Tea Leaf Green in the Butter Room (part 2)
I caught up with Trevor Garrod of Tea Leaf Green this week as the band was traveling to their next tour stop, Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Here is part two of the interview. Part one of the interview is here. You can either listen to it by clicking the play button above or read the transcript below.
The Butter Room thanks Trevor, the band and their management for the opportunity to have Trevor in the butter room.For the very few who have never heard you guys before, what would you recommend as the first show for them to download and listen to?Trevor: I’m always of the opinion that every show we play is better than the last. I’d be like “Check out the last show we played”. That’s what I would say. If you ask somebody else that was a big fan, they would probably tell you, “Oh man, you gotta check out this date so and so”, but I don’t keep track of that. I’m like, “The last show we did. That’s probably the best you are going to get.” Unless it was a bad show. You know tour closers where I would like people to look. That’s when the machine is oiled and as tight as it’s ever gonna be. I would say a few months ago we played in New York City at the end of a tour and I would say check that out for right now. I don’t remember the dates. People have arguments about that. They’ll be like, “Go check out 2003 November 22nd”. I’m like, “Are you guys fucking crazy?”. I would take all those recordings and bury them in a hole somewhere, but people like them. All I know is that I’m not in touch with what’s actually good about what we play from what I can tell.
Photo by Variety PlayhouseActually you bring up a good point. Regardless of the band when a tour is announced and fans such as myself are always wondering (if we are fortunate enough to have the choice to go to multiple shows on a tour) trying always to pick the moment in the tour where fans think the band will be that well-oiled machine. You just mentioned in your last answer at the end of the tour. I realize the size of tours vary from a couple weeks to several months, but do you generally feel that the end of the tour is when you are gelling the most or do you see the peak in the middle or does it just vary?Trevor: (Speaking about the end of a tour) We’re in peak condition. We’re totally tight. We’re kind of at a sense of where we want to be, but also at the same time the first show of the tour can be the lucid and most interesting. Songs tend to be longer at the beginning of the tour. At the end they will get shorter. In our minds we’ve cut out all the chicken fat, all the bullshit … all that bullshit jamming. Some cats really like that, and I like that too, but it’s hard to sustain that night after night. I’m always just trying to make things. I think we all feel better about the music when it’s really tight and kicks ass. We’re like karate chopping each other instead of tickling around trying to find where we are in the dark or something. And then in the middle, there is always those weird shows that we don’t expect anyone to show up to. Like a Tuesday night in some sleepy hollow when we will decide to play a bunch of random songs that we don’t ever do which might be a boring lame show for a big Friday night sort of crowd, but for those odd nights they could be really interesting and different, which I would like to have to just put in the tape deck and sit home and listen to. It doesn’t always translate that well for a rockin’ beer-drinking crowd.Might be good for a Sunday night in Charlottesville at the Gravity Lounge.Trevor: Yea, maybe. I don’t know. I think we are going to try to rock it for Charlottesville.Just wanted to get some listening recommendations. Are there any albums that you’ve really enjoyed recently that you would recommend to me and others to pick up and listen to?Trevor: Yea. Yea. This lovely lady named Jolie Holland just put out a record called Mexico City, which I’ve been really enjoying. We just listened to Sean Lennon’s record today. It’s pretty awesome. Randy Newman. I mean I love Randy Newman. I went and got his new record a couple months ago and it’s a kick. It’s like an old cranky man talkin’ shit, but I like that shit. Cranky old man talkin’ shit. We listened to the Shins today. We’ve meaning to listen to Nathan Moore. We’ll put that on. He’s a local Charlottesville guy, but we enjoy him. That’s for sure.What is one of the best shows you caught last year in between touring and everything else going on in your life?Trevor: I got to re-unscramble my memory now so I can think about what exactly I’ve gone to see. You know who I think is the most kick ass right now and they’ve been around for awhile, but really I’ve enjoyed going to their shows is the Mother Hips. I’ve been to a couple of their shows. I kind of look at them with a little bit of stars in my eyes. They kind of took a break for awhile and now they are back at it and they fucking kick ass. I am giving them my definite seal of approval if they ever come to your town.
Photo by 1yenI hate to put a label on any sort of band, but obviously the jam band label is associated with you guys. What are your thoughts on the grandfathers of jam bands, the Dead, going back on tour and then obviously Phish going back on tour in 2009? Do you think that is going to have any sort of effect, positive or negative on your touring this year?Trevor: I think it can only help. I think it could revitalize things, get people excited about the music. I don’t really believe their is set amount of music that people can listen to. The more they enjoy, the more they will get. Or else, maybe if they suck, then people will realize the real shit is going down with Tea Leaf Green and they will devote their energy to that. I’m curious to see how Phish will be received. They have so many haters, you know what I mean? Everyone’s going to be like, “Aw man, they fucking suck”. I don’t even know why they would do that to themselves, to put themselves up to that ridicule, but I’m sure they will be awesome. They’ve been hanging out long enough that I’m sure that they need to do it. The Dead, on the other hand, I don’t know how good that could be, but they’re the grandfathers of everything. I’ll check it out. I like what they all do apart from each other. I just saw the Mickey Hart band last summer and they played with Kimock all those people and it was fucking awesome. And Ratdog. Say what you will about Bob Weir whether he is still an occupant of this planet or not, but that band is pretty awesome. Phil Lesh & Friends, Jackie Greene. That’s an awesome band too. They’ve all kind of branched off and hired these awesome bands. I wonder if they will bring that back and travel around to bring the Dead to be a higher revitalized source, but when it comes down to it, I’m not a huge disciple of the Grateful Dead but if I would be, I would be definitely miss the following of Jerry like everybody else. That Jerry is not the same.I will say there could be an impact. I’m 37 years old and I caught the Dead in their decline about 20 times and I caught Phish a lot in the 90s. I feel like I a lot more educated when it comes to music now than 15-20 years ago when I all wanted to see was the Grateful Dead and Phish. With the economy the way it is and being a bit more educated on the music front, I would much rather spend my money on seeing you guys and save 80 dollars on other shows.Trevor: Yea. I mean we are a deal … This is our time in the sun, so to speak. To go see the Grateful Dead, and I don’t know to what degree this will be with Phish, but it still is going to be a nostalgia trip for a lot of people. We haven’t been around long enough for the nostalgia trip to set in. I can’t wait until it does cause maybe we will charge 100 bucks for a ticket. Nostalgia is where all the money is at.
Top photo of Trevor by Sam Friedman
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In The Butter Room: Tom Adams, Director of All My Plastic Melon Dreams
I had the opportunity to ask filmmaker Tom Adams some questions about his independent Phish documentary project, All My Plastic Melon Dreams. All My Plastic Melon Dreams is in the development stages, and is not an official Phish project. The documentary is a labor of love for Tom (just like our website) and he is in the middle of an online campaign to secure funds that will enable him to move the film forward sooner rather than later. If you would like to help Tom with his efforts, you can make a pledge here. Tom is the owner of Reelife Documentary Productions. The Butter Room thanks Tom for his time!
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For those people who are not familiar with your film, can you give us an overview of what it’s going to be all about?Tom: Here’s my unofficial-official tag line: “The story of Phish & their Phans- A generational coming-of-age rockumentary. Why we were there then & where we are now.”
A historical and often hysterical narrative journey back in time to the pivotal years (1989-1993) of this incredibly unique rock band & their devoted phans
…back to the days when “Moses Heaps” was still a novice on the Electrolux ..back when blue summer skies & a cold running brook accompanied your favorite song
…back when a cornfield was the venue of choice …back when every weekend meant a road trip to somewhere new …back when the cold hard floor was expected and a mattress was a pleasant surpriseWhile, certainly, this is a personal journey of sorts, the film will portray my generation’s youthful right of passage… without the hero-worship and blind adulation that plagues other rockumentaries. This journey is much more than just my reflection on the key performances that had a lasting impact on my life, it’s a celebration for all of the phans that have “grown-up” with Phish.
Where are you with the project currently?
Tom: Ah…so much to say, so little time. I am using the two video interviews I did with Phish (‘89-Northampton, MA & ‘90 Hampshire College, MA) as the meandering string that the film’s narrative follows. The string guides the audience back through their hazy memories and the years that have passed… (The string is the thing that ties the whole thing together). The film will trace the parallels of my generation’s “coming of age” and the spawning career of Phish. I’m a big fan of documentary director Ross McElwee (“Sherman’s March”, “Time Indefinite”), so I’m sure a lot of that has rubbed off on me. I am in the process of producing an official trailer that I will (come hell or high-water) be showing to Red Light Management & the members of Phish. The trailer will include highlights of the interviews with Phish, archival footage & outside contributions: fan interviews, concert footage, flash-backs, on location visits, artful recreations, etc). I have A LOT of work to do to make the film all come together. The majority of the support material needs to be gathered, digitized and then, editing can finally get into full swing. Basically…once full production starts, it’s going to be the only thing that I’ll be doing for the next two years or more (IF and ONLY if I get the funding I need:). But first off… my plan is to produce this trailer & show them that I’m a pro that means business and I’m not some bean-bag lovin horn dog phreak.I really want to stress how “unhollywood” I’m going to make this film. This is a true independent production, especially in the way that it is all coming together- in such a organic manner. The Phish online community is really banding together to help make this film happen. I can sense a strong willingness from a lot of people to contribute their time and energy just for the love of the band. So, I’m tapping into as many resources as I can while I am simultaneously “courting” Red Light Management to, at least, let me present this overall concept to the band and get their “blessing” or “support” or to allow for a collaboration of some sort. But they are all extremely committed to whatever is happening NOW and are much less interested in any outside contributions, especially if it is coming from someone, like me, who doesn’t have a major film production (or two) under his belt. “Why should they go with an unknown like me when they could get Scorcese??” While I can completely understand their point & hesitation…I ain’t gonna let it stop me from trying and trying and trying…until I make it happen. It’s what independent producers do!
How can Phish fans help with the project?
Tom: Phish Phans can help by pledging $ through the Kickstarter site I set up here. If I reach my goal of 15k (due on Sept.22!), I will be able to produce the trailer…if not, then, well, it’s going to take a lot longer. Them’s the facts. Unfortunately, as usual, it all comes down to cold hard cash. I’m doing this the hard way…attempting to pull off a lot here without the aid of co-workers (um, I’m-a-work-at- home-dad) or more traditional funding sources. I’m really trying to work the internets to their fullest potential…so, I’m hoping that doing interviews like this one will help spread the word far and wide…and I DO have phaith (ooh, that’s a bad one) in the Phans!How many Phish shows have you seen over the years?
Tom: Oh, I suppose I’ve seen about 20 or 25 shows- I like to think it’s quality vs. quantity. I never went on tour with them really or anything like that. My deal is that I spent my freshman year of college at Plattsburgh State & lived in Burlington, VT with my brother Dave during the summer of 1988. Of course, this is when Phish was playing Nectars a lot and they played at a bunch of outdoor shows like Hinesburg and Danforth’s Bash. So, obviously I have GREAT memories of seeing Phish and really, that is what has inspired me to stick with this film idea for so long. It was such a fun and powerful time; being-all-pumped-with-the-freedom-of-youth and watching this amazing new band that I knew had a real-something-special-goin-on…playing in the middle of a cornfield to 150 people. in 1989, I transferred to UMASS, Amherst and as a member of The Southwest Area’s Entertainment Cmte, I signed Phish to play at the Spring Concert. (kept the contract as a memento). I still fancy myself as a music promoter- actually, I just started running a new small summer music series in my home town of Wiilamsburg, MA. (so, see, another example how Phish weaves in and out of their Phan’s lives.Favorite Phish show?
Tom: 5/15/88, Hinesburg VT Farm Festival- HANDS DOWN! Most amazing spring day with a beautifully crisp blue sky and a brooke running right through the crowd & in front of the stage. I laid on my back in the brook and watched the show (allowing the ‘fungus’ do it’s magic, of course). My idea for one of the main themes of the documentary stems from my memory of this day. It involves a very long string (possibly from a kite) that led me into the woods, over a fence, and into a small mountain pasture filled with sheep. Quite a vision and long lasting memory for me. And part of the power of this film is that there will be interviews with many other people that share their similarly amazing vivid memories. Everybody’s got a favorite Phish story to tell. Some of your readers probably were at this show…Remember? Anyone?: The Dirtch Brothers loaned Fishman a snare drum after his broke in the middle of a tune. (The Dirch Bros. were the opening band that did a killer version of some ZZ Top & Stones- can’t you hear me knockin)
Have you seen Phish this year? If so, what did you think?
Tom: Yep, I saw them at Phenway. I thought they were great. There was a definite feeling of excitement, commitment & tightness that has been missing for, in my opinion, a very long time. I haven’t been a huge fan of their music for the last bunch of albums…for a variety of reasons, so it’s definitely great to hear their new music and experience a vitality and energy that is reminiscent of the music that I intend to celebrate by producing the coolest rockumentary ever produced:) www.AllMyPlasticMelonDreams.info.Thanks so much for your questions! Looking forward to making new connections and hearing from your readers!
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