New Tune Tuesday (1/20/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
Dreamt – Perpetrators (Wessanders Remix)
It’s often said the only guarantees in life are death and taxes. I’d like to petition the powers that be to add a third clause to that cliché: “Wessanders putting out quality music.” The Boston native is back again with another massive rework, convalescing several styles into a smorgasbord of delicious, deep bass music. He builds the track slow and steady, utilizing the original track’s instrumentation and vocals to compliment his augmentations rather than as a way to get from point A to point B. Once he’s eased you in, the wave breaks and the drop cascades around you, subtle in sonics yet sweeping in scope. There are a myriad of minor things going on beneath the main thrust of the track that tell me Wessanders is a hell of a producer – something I already knew, but don’t mind being reminded of – and if you’re like me your cursor will be hovered over the repeat button long before the final notes pulsate into the ether.
Above & Beyond – We Are All We Need
They’re not reinventing the wheel, but damn are they good at manufacturing them; Jono, Tony and Paavo (together, Above & Beyond) have finally delivered the long-awaited follow-up to 2011’s genre-defining Group Therapy. While We Are All We Need doesn’t hit home quite in the same way – and let’s be honest, how could it? – it’s still a solid collection of vocal trance and progressive tracks. WAAWN features familiar contributors on some of its best songs; “Sticky Fingers” is a dark, electro-tinged number with vocals from Alex Vargas, and it’s hard to pick my favorite vocal contribution from longtime collaborator Zoe Johnston, although the title track is an especially emotional one. Most importantly, there’s surprisingly little filler for a 16 track steady-beat album, and one playthrough has me itching for my second. While A&B didn’t go out on any crazy, experimental limbs on this album, they succeeded in adding another high-quality piece of work to their already impressive catalog.
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AltFreq Weekly Planner (1/18-1/21)
–Written by Kevin Madert
It’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the events going on in the area, so we’re here to let you know what’s happening in live music over the next few days. Watch out on Thursdays for the “Weekend Planner” where we’ll cover the most important 72 hours of the week.
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News: Grateful Dead “Core Four” Announce 50th Anniversary Celebration Details
–Written by Kevin Madert
Fifty years ago, a group of teenagers from California started a band called The Warlocks. After playing only a smattering of shows (including their very first one at a pizza parlor) they changed their name to the Grateful Dead, and…well, you know the rest. Now, after months of swirling rumors, the details of the group’s half-century anniversary celebration have finally solidified. The “Core Four” (guitarist/vocalist Bob Weir, bassist/vocalist Phil Lesh, and percussionists Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart) will play together one last time for three nights over July 4th weekend at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Appropriately enough, this is the last venue the original lineup played before the death of longtime vocalist/guitarist Jerry Garcia.
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News: Dark Star Jubilee Releases Lineup For Fourth Annual Festival
–Written by Kevin Madert
Those in the loop already knew Dark Star Jubilee will bring a few thousand revelers to the dead center of Ohio for a weekend of continuing the Grateful Dead experience. As of today, we now know who we’ll be gathering to see. The fourth annual Jubilee – put on by All Good Presents and the Jubilee’s curators, Dark Star Orchestra – is slated for Memorial Day Weekend (May 22-24), and will feature as always three nights of extended headlining sets from DSO. In addition, attendees will enjoy performances from Railroad Earth, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, The Jeff Austin Band, and Keller & The Keels, among many others.
The festival’s unique setup at Legend Valley – a gently sloping natural amphitheater with quality acoustics and sightlines – allows for a highly intimate atmosphere. With camping included, no overlapping sets, and an array of vending and extracurricular options (from experience, I highly recommend one of the early-morning yoga sessions) DSJ is looking to be the steal of the summer. You can purchase early bird tickets here and keep up on all the latest information on the festival’s official site. See you at the Jubilee!
Dark Star Jubilee Initial 2015 Lineup
3 Nights of Dark Star Orchestra
Los Lobos
Railroad Earth
Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Peter Rowan
Keller & The Keels
Steep Canyon Rangers
Melvin Seals & JGB
Jeff Austin Band
The Weight
Kung Fu
The Nth Power
Moonalice
Mattson/Barraco & Friends
Owsley County
The Ark Band
Matt Reynolds
(more to be announced)
AltFreq Weekend Planner (1/15-1/17)
–Written by Kevin Madert
It’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the events going on in the area, so we’re here to let you know what’s happening in live music over the next few days. Watch out on Sundays for our “Weekly Planner,” where we’ll cover the remaining four days of the week.
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News: Counterpoint Releases Diverse 2015 Lineup
–Written by Kevin Madert
Summer festival lineup announcement season (SFLAS?) is in full swing, and today MCP Presents-run Counterpoint jumped into the conversation with a big ol’ splash. The festival – now in its third year and slated to take place May 22-24 in Kingston Downs, Georgia – has always managed to strike a decent balance between a DJ-driven lineup and a band-based one. This year, they may have concocted the perfect storm.
The lineup is populated from top to bottom by live acts like Widespread Panic, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, and Papadosio, with DJs big (Zedd, Dillon Francis) and slightly less big (Cherub, Gorgon City) filling out the bill. As if to highlight the festival’s marriage of the two, there are a smattering of live electronic acts like the trip-hoppy Emancipator Ensemble and South African swing-house duo Goldfish. Bonus points: the “Summer Vibes Stage,” – Tipper and Ott alone are enough to get me on board and headed to the South come Memorial Day. Check out the full lineup below, and head to the Counterpoint website for tickets and all other pertinent information.
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