The Week in Music
August 16th, 2008
Dylan in Prospect Park, Wilco at McCarren Pool, Trey Anastasio’s triumphant return to full-on electric shredding with Classic TAB at All Points West and the Music Hall of Williamsburg — and that’s just the stuff I missed.
The shows I managed to catch weren’t too shabby either: Animal Collective driving a sun-blitzed afternoon crowd wild, Kings of Leon, a heavy Roots throwdown with Immigrant Song tease just across from Ellis Island, Radiohead’s stunning second night at APW, Bob Weir’s Masters of War, a blissful seaside evening with the Allman Brothers, and perhaps best of all, the U.S. premiere of Manuel Göttsching’s seminal electronic piece E2-E4, accompanied by the mesmerizing Joshua Light Show at Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors Wordless Music event. Rhys Chatham’s A Crimson Grail — a piece for 200 electric guitars — had to be canceled due to the rain, but Beata Viscera’s performance of the music of Pérotin was gorgeous.
A few clips of varying quality:
Animal Collective: Fireworks
The Roots: Next Movement
Trey Anastasio Band: Gotta Jibboo (part II)
Ratdog: Masters of War
Radiohead: 15 Step
Radiohead: Ideoteque
Radiohead: Reckoner
E2-E4 with the Joshua Lights
Warren Haynes & Friends, Irving Plaza
March 29th, 2007
I wouldn’t even consider shelling out $90 to see the Allman Brothers at the Beacon during their traditional spring run, but when Dan had an extra for Warren Haynes‘ off night benefit at Irving (for half that price) I said sure. Warren has a lot of friends, and you never know who might stop by. Who knows, it could turn into a repeat of that sweaty winter night two years ago when Warren, Medeski, Dave Schools and Skerik demolished the Bowery Ballroom (download).
Skerik and Medeski didn’t show up last night, but Warren brought plenty of friends eager to play righteous rock’n roll. The show–a solid four hours all in all–started with some acoustic Haynes, Edwin McCain and Kevin Kinney from Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ did a Seal song, and Gregg Allman came out with an acoustic guitar. Susan Tedeschi sat in for “I Shall Be Released,” and after a break, we were treated to the full Allman Brothers Band. Whoa! Too see what that band can do to a venue like Irving Plaza was pretty instructive. “Jessica” tore the place up, but prodigy Derek barely broke a sweat. And the night was far from over: after another break, it was the Derek Trucks Band with Susan Tedeschi (including a peculiar arrangement of “The Weight”), followed by a Govt. Mule set with Eric Krasno, Kofi Burbridge, Col. Bruce Hampton, and some other unidentified but gifted individuals. A funked-up “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” brought the show home somewhere near 3am. It’s already available for download at bt.etree.org.
For your enjoyment: last night’s “Jessica”:
[audio:Jessica2007-03-28t14.mp3]
