Category Archives: Travel
Led Zep in Portland
So every once in a while you get a surprise and 8/22/15 at the Empire in Portland, Maine was one of them. Local Portland musicians put on their 2nd rendition of a Led Zeppelin cover band and blew the assembled away
Pretty much nailing every song they performed, the crowd danced and drank the night away to celebrate yet another turn of the calendar to Saturday night in the city. With summer in the northlands coming soon to it’s regrettable conclusion this was a chance to get down and dirty in 70’s fashion with portland’s finest before the leaves start to turn. Held together by the rhythm section of Jason Ingalls on drums and Jon Blake on bass, smiles spread from the stage to the floor as John Bonham and John Paul Jones were reincarnated for this brief moment in time. It was hard to belief that this was only the second time this outfit has performed together..and they also changed their line up in the interim… I can’t attest to the first line up, but I doubt that the guitarists of Masa Takahashi and John Nels Blanchette could be improved upon.
Rounding out the extensive supporting cast was David Pollack on keys and keyguitar, which might have gathered a chuckle or two….Oh and before I forget cause I’m drunk… there were some pleasantly great guest performances from the likes of Ryan Halliburton, Eric Bettencourt, John Nels Blanchette, Susanne Gerry, Conor Tubbs, Amanda Tubbs.
We also got Matt Day, Matt Kennedy, Matt Legarde and Emma Stanley on horns..which u all can see below if i can get my tech ass together……
(this is shitty iphone quality..imagine it live f@ckers)
that leaves one Ms. Jya Marie… channeling the Plant with wig, weirdly sexy goatee, and other various artificial apengi which may have made it’s way around the crowd. Yeah she’s a star, so get it while you can…there are future plans for her which apparently include janet jackson…check that craziness out..
…and jesus fucktard allmighty there better be a next time if these folks know what’s good for them and us! Rumor has it zepheads traveled as far as ny to check this shit out so there just might be a following……before i bid adieu i will do my rant…which i intended to stretch out into a diatribe, or even an harangue… but alas i’m not that capable. So fuck here it is:
no wait:
Support your local music scene fucksticks!!
There u go…blakeout
Ps. eat at 555 if u have the dough before u go
fare the weller
FTW
Fare the well drinks! at the hyatt
extra Philly pics
Phish in Philly!
Ahhh…..Philly…the city of Cheesesteak and Rocky…but also Franklin and the Bell that never fucking tolled. It broke before it’s first use yet is more visited than Philly’s art museum which holds Monet’s, Picasso’s, Van Gogh’s..and god knows what else cause I’m here for Phish, not for the art (although do go…it’s worth it..bring a date it will impress her guaranteed..if your single go as well…beautiful people abound!)
Made the 8 hour drive from Maine cause i thought why not..with my dead50 hangover and all I’ll even take a fix from even John Mayer if it means i might get even an eighth of the high I got in the windy city. A high I thought was long gone..only relived thru other jambands..some jazz..and youtube and archive shows which thank allah/yahweh/krishna or the tree on the corner which looks and acts like pappa smurf, will hopefully be available for the rest of our pathetic lives. Is there any other experience that can motivate a bunch of alcoholic, pothead, pill poppin, acid taking…single dads, single mom’s, 2 kid family’s, ceo’s, cnbc anchors, weird celebrities (Katy Perry, really? oh well I’ll take one for the team if need be…and yes…you actually read this far! good for me! that’s Lars Ulrich..think metallica… and me at Fare the well above in the pic), and fucking President’s to take notice? God we are a nation in need of a movement…perhaps that’s why Trump the floppy haired sexist racist idiot that he is can capture the imagination of so many…but fuck that..that’s not why I’m here….I’m here for that ginger man out of nectar’s in burlington.
As many have noted Phish is on fire ( insert obligatory.. feugo) this summer and the Philly shows were no exception. They started fashionably late both nights but put in extra solid performances. My last Phish show I think was Syracuse in the 90’s but surprisingly I knew most of the songs…although I must admit to not knowing a few…such as vultures
…which a dude who i shared a bench with claimed he was responsible for (he asked for it on a phish board and apparently trey mentioned it before playing…I’m doubtful but fuck we all have our fantasies and i wasn’t about to burst his). The music was unquestionably great..but I’ll let others who know more comment on the specifics. I will make this generalization though…Phish jams are super energetic..I danced my ass off…perhaps even more uplifting than your typical dead jam. But what they are missing is the emotional component..they try certainly…but it’s much harder to form that emotional bond with their songs that Jerry could pull off in his sleep. I’ve seen countless people cry at dead shows…I remember crying like a baby at the Madison Square Garden shows right after Brent died. I doubt anyone feels such emotions at a Phish show…but I’ll keep myself open to be wrong.
I did love the crowd…a saw families which warmed my heart, a dog dancing with her owner,
and countless glowing faces.
After the shows there was a warm parking lot scene..not as huge as your typical dead show but present with all it’s characters…beer sellers..drug sellers (saw a vile of liquid being exchanged so apparently that’s still a thing)..and lost souls trying to make it to the next show. In other words it felt enough like home that without a doubt I will be doing it again. See you there!!!!!!
PS! After show…little Pete’s diner is quite the scene..open 24/7 with all your typical diner fare..no booze but by now u had enough…no really…put it down mutherf@cker before u make the news