jürgen fauth’s muckworld

OK, so Matisyahu covered the Flaming Lips, Rose Hill Drive and Leslie West raged Mountain’s Mississippi Queen, Sheryl Jones and Booker T did Born Under a Bad Sign (”and that’s fine”), that “smokeshow” Grace Potter got Warren Haynes to take her to the river, Big Head Todd and Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook joined Tea Leaf Green for Pulling Mussles, Chevy Chase is buddies with jamclown Keller Williams, Joan Osborne belted Come Together, Stanton Moore dueled Doug E Fresh, and Page McConnell had the balls to lead jazz heavyweights Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, James Carter, and Roy Hanes through two Phish songs.

Not too shabby, but that’s to be expected from the Jammys, Relix Magazine’s annual Theater at Madison Square Garden get-together that combines surprise collaborations with pleasant scene fluffing. Also, awards.

The only award that really mattered on Wednesday night, though, was Phish’s Lifetime Achievement Jammy (it’s fun to say!) because it was supposed to lure Trey, Mike, Jon, and Page out of rehab, seclusion, or wherever else they’ve been hiding since the 2004 breakup. The rumor mill had been churning hard, and it sort of worked: all four members showed up, sharing the stage for the first time since Coventry — but they didn’t play together.

Instead, Fishman made a joke, Page was sincere, Gordo wore purple pants, and Trey gave one of those heartfelt, halting speeches that have brought many a Phish show to a screeching stop — except this time he sounded more humble, and more final, than ever: “It was an honor to watch you all dance.”

Then they walked off, and it would have been terribly depressing if Trey hadn’t just finished playing with deliciously cheesy yet surprisingly tight Beatles cover band The Fab Faux. Phish or no Phish, sick or sober, Big Red can still — what’s the technical term? — melt faces. Here’s While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

More on the Jammys:

• Full setlist at Hidden Track
• Photos at reax
• Relix
• Runaway Dinosaur
• Burlington Free Press

I’ll take bubbly pop over self-righteous posturing any day, so we’ll lead this post off with the Pet Shop Boys’ brilliant cover of “Where the Streets Have No Name” (with a touch of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”)

With that out of the way, my review of U2 3D is now up at UGO: “You’ll thrill to the sight of a hundred thousand stoked fans! You’ll duck from under Bono’s flying sweat! You’ll read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — in 3D!”

• My review of U2 3D 

U2 3D. Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington, 2008. ***

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]