Rival Sons -- Paradise,Boston MA May 11,2015

Rival Sons
Paradise, Boston MA
Monday, May 11, 2015

What a night.  I have to admit I am very new to this band but they just didn't fail.   Lead singer Jay Buchanan just has one of the, if not the, most powerful voice in rock. He just soars above it all. The playing was tight, clean and no frills. The band didn't bound around the stage all crazy, they just brought it from start to finish.  I had to grab a few of the cds at the merch stand because they are not the easiest to find around here for some reason.  The bummer was t-shirts sized XL and up were sold out (I need at LEAST an XL)

See them if you can.  You'll be impressed.


The full set list
Electric Man
Good Luck
Secret
You Want To
Pressure and Time
Manifest Destiny, Part 1
** break to set up for acoustic set **
Nava
Burn Down Los Angeles
The Man Who Wasn't There
White Noise
** break to set back up for electric **
Torture
Tell Me Something
Rich and the Poor
Where I've Been
Get What's Coming
Encore
Open My Eyes
Keep on Swinging

 

Grace Potter Announces Lineup for Fifth Annual Grand Point North Festival

Grace Potter has announced the lineup for the 2015 Grand Point North music festival, scheduled for September 12^th and 13^th at Burlington, Vermont’s Waterfront Park.

This year the festival will feature the legendary Flaming Lips, marking their first return to Burlington since 2006 and carrying on the tradition of Grace inviting friends she has met along the way since forming Grace Potter & the Nocturnals in 2003.  Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne and Grace first collaborated when she recruited him to record "My Mechanical Friend" with her on the Tim Burton-Disney film Frankenweenie..  Most recently, they worked together on The Flaming Lips' 2014 tribute to The Beatles classic album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on With a Little Help from My Fwends.

 

Also on the bill will be Shakey Graves and Greensky Bluegrass, both coming off sold out performances at Higher Ground in Vermont. 

 

Additional acts include Mike Gordon, Spirit Family Reunion, Amy Helm & The Handsome Strangers and Odessa. Keyboard wizard Marco Benevento, another longtime pal of Potter’s, will also make an appearance following the release of his critically acclaimed album, Swift which was recorded with renowned producer Richard Swift. Each night will close with a full set from Potter's new band, featuring both new and old faces.

 

Continuing its tradition of highlighting local talent, this year's lineup includes a strong representation of local and regional acts making their mark on the Burlington, Vermont music scene. Local bands featured this year include Madaila, Soule Monde, Heavy Plains, Maryse Smith w/ Michael Chorney, The Snaz, Barishi, and Mal Maiz.

 

For the third year in a row, Seven Days, Vermont’s award-winning alt-weekly, is running a crowd sourced online contest giving Vermont artists the chance to open this year’s Grand Point North festival. Musical act submissions start May 6^th with public voting beginning the following week on May 14th. Check www.sevendaysvt.com for more details.

The festival will close Sunday, September 13^th with a post-party performance featuring Matt Burr’s widely buzzed about Pink Floyd project, Dark Side of the Mountain at the Higher Ground Ballroom. 

 

Dates: Saturday, September 12^th and Sunday, September 13^th, 2015

Time: Saturday, Gates at 3pm. Sunday, Gates at 2pm (Box Office opens each day at 11am)
Location: Waterfront Park, Burlington, VT

Two-day festival tickets are currently $79 while supplies last. Single day tickets are $59.  Children 12 and under are free. Festival is rain or shine.

VIP tickets are also available for $159 and include early entry to the festival, VIP viewing area at the soundboard, a commemorative VIP laminate, festival poster signed by Grace Potter as well as access to a VIP tent featuring shade and seating, discounted beverages, and light food.

 

Tickets are available online at  www.highergroundmusic.com, by phone at 802-652-0777 or in person at the Higher Ground Box Office, 1214 Williston Rd., S. Burlington

 

Festival Official Site

Higher Ground (Venue)

Grace Potter Official Site

Facebook page

@grandpointnorth for twitter, #gpnfest

 

 

 

 

Caspian - The Met - Pawtucket RI May 8, 2015

Caspian
The Met Cafe,Pawtucket RI
Friday May 8, 2015
Support - Bloodphesant

So its been a bit since I've updated the blog but when I get to see one of the bands that I just adore it always stirs my creative juices and I had to put finger to keyboard.

When we last saw Caspian live they were doing their 10th Anniversary show at the Larcom Theater. It was an amazing night and  I wrote about it.   Anyhow, the band has been hard a work since.  They are set to release a blu ray of that very show in the coming weeks. (you can pre-order it  in a link below)  They also headed to the studio to record LP#4.  As of this typing its "done" and according to the band they hope to see it come to the masses at the end of September.

So,the band decided to do a one off show before heading to play a set at the Dunk! Festival (holy crap I wish I had tickets for this).

The band hit the stage shortly after 10 and its always a thrill to see them just walk on the stage. The lone bummer of the night was the lack of any sort of light show.  Awash in a blue light it was hard to see the guys and I think that kept many a cell phone camera away (hence the image from their wiki page up top). Opening with "The Raven" it was a full on assault. The crowd was that of adoring fans.  The last time we were together for a "seated"show so it was nice to get up and move with others.  The band then played their first of two new songs "Darkfield".  It was good, and I am curious to hear this one develop.

The always welcome, file under my all time favorite song from them, came in "Some Are White Light".  I never get tired of that song and honestly the band could have walked off stage and I would only have been mad for a instant.  They mellow it out some with "Concrescence"and I get now why they do this.  They need  breather as they then launched in to the "The Heart that Fed" a track from the bands last ep.  That then spiraled in to the always crowd pleasing "Gone in Bloom and Bough".  This 8+ minute romp takes you on a ride and the false ending still catches me off guard.  The band then played the last song off the main set a second new one called "Arc of Command". Now I'll admit I was texting the set list to a buddy that couldn't make it.  I wrote as it started "new one".  Then as the song absolutely blew my brains in I texted him again...and simply said "Whatever it was, its our new favorite".  It was awesome.

The band left the stage and returned with "Halls of Summer" in which Phil took a moment to thank us all again and sort of give a report on the band, the album, (sept) etc.  We then got the standard closer of "Sycamore" with the band engaging in the full circle drum circle at the end.  It never ever fails.

The Full Set:
The Raven
Darkfield
Some Are White Light
Concrescence
The Heart that Fed
Gone in Bloom and Bough
Arc of Command
encore
Halls of Summer
Sycamore

As the weekend progressed the band was hosting a listening party. Basically they have 30 ipods loaded with the new record and you can go to a park or what have you with the band and listen..soak it in and then talk about it.  There was a system mishap for me personally when the tickets for that went on sale and sadly I missed it.  A friend was able to go and posted pictures.  The band set up on the ocean, brought out a grill and hung out.  All fans needed to do was bring headphones.  A wonderful experience I am sure.  There are few more of these headed to Europe. Jump on this if you can..sounds awesome.

For everything Caspian visit their website
To preorder the Blu Ray  check out this link
To try to get in to a listening party in Europe: here (a few are sold out)

Also..a little birdy told me a US Tour is planned and Boston gig is towards the end of October...lets leave it at that!