On Wednesday the 7th, I went to see The Jammys. I would have provided a link, but now at jammys.com the site has been nearly completely removed with just a cryptic message. WTF? I don't know. What I do know is that the concert was generally fantastic. This was my third time attending (out of seven?), in part because I am lucky enough to know the big brain behind the event. Almost too many acts there to name them all and provide links. Of course seeing Trey with the Fab Faux for Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey and the end of While my Guitar Gently Weeps was a treat. Warren Haynes is a mega stud. I could go on too long. We got the four members of Phish together on stage for the first time since the debacle that was Coventry, but following that with a band of all stars covering their stuff was awkward. Then to the afterparty at B.B. King's (with a f*&king awful stop along the way) to see Galactic and friends, including the awfully cute Yuto Miyazawa. Here's a picture from when part of Jurassic 5 stopped by.

Always a treat to go to this thing. Even if it is in a city that was hit by a dramatic combination of natural force and longstanding  bureaucratic ineptitude. Markings on buildings noting the number of dead, if any, found inside. Gruesome. Kanye was right.

Arrived too late on Friday to make it to the festival. Friday night was the subdudes. Totally fun. A peak:



The next day was the festival, where I got a really, really bad sunburn. I saw Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars (fair), the beginning of The Dixie Cups & their Cayenne Pepper Band (blech), the end of Dirty Dozen (fun as always), the beginning of The Roots (awesome), a bit of Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea (wasn't feeling it), back to The Roots, then back to Bobby and Chick, this time enjoying it more. Then to my second Jimmy Buffett show. The first one had a crazy experience with some arts and crafts. Ask M. Anyway, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. It featured appearances by Allen Toussaint and Sonny Landreth and a cool cover of Southern Cross. Read the short entry for that song. JB, like ?uestluv (the spelling on a banner on stage), referenced the federal mismanagement of Katrina. What else can I tell you? Ludacris came out with the Roots. That's it.

Then that night to see King Britt (good), ?uestlove (decent but there are so many better), and then M.I.A. Best DJ of the night: mystery DJ between ?uestlove and M.I.A. What was that? A pre-mix? Of what? Pics follow. Got out of there pretty late. Quite the crazy crowd. Celeb spotting too, but I'm referring more to the crazies. I remember that. Vaguely.



Above, Royalty. Below, a question.



And finally, a projection above the crowd and madness. Exhausted on the way home, barely able to stay awake. Arrived at the boat around 4:15am, or thereabouts.



Pull up the people! Pull up the poor! Finished listening to Mark Ronson's most recent East Village Radio set, which was totally fun. He seems to think big things are afoot for Wale.

Paul Simon at BAM. Career retrospective. First The Roches, three sisters who were fun, especially when the piano player stood up to sing and freaked out a little bit dancing. That's how you're supposed to dance, I think. Who doesn't like the song Cecilia? I think next may have been Grizzly Bear, who impressed me so much that I'm no longer mad at them after the Conan fiasco. Really took the songs and transformed them with the perfect mix of reverence and freshness. Then Olu Dara. I would have paid the same amount to see him in the same venue, by himself. Slip Slidin' Away indeed. Only two songs (the first two artists got three), but I'll take it. Paul Simon came out somewhere in there. Then next I think was Josh Groban. Everyone knows who that is. Then, unannounced until that day - in a program insert - Amos Lee. Straigtforward, decent. Then Gillian Welch, paired as she is often in with David Rawlings. Fantastic. Then a few more with Paul, and we're done. About 2.5 hours. More! More!

I'm just back from Lit where I saw three bands. First was Yoni Gordon and the Goods. Decent. He did some audience prowling for a sing-a-long as a finale, which was charming. Generally OK. Then Vivian Girls from, where else, Brooklyn. I'm the only person left who actually lives in Manhattan; it's just populated by people that come in from elsewhere. I missed some of their set, unfortunately, but what I heard was very fun. Instrument switching, always a plus (if it's pulled off). High energy, smiling, fairly big crowd rocking out. So big it was hard to get a decent picture. I enjoyed their set the most, even though I went to hear the next band, Famous Amos, who sound pretty darn good at that link. But live, didn't quite get there. And what happened to all the people? Vivian Girls brought the posse, it seems.

Anyway, off to music heaven for a few days tomorrow. I'll be back to earth with a report.

Some pics.



Above Yoni et al. Below, Famous A with Vivian Girl watching.

It has been too long. Let's go back to Widespread Panic. Here are pictures taken over three days, somehow. I guess maybe we got out of there after midnight on the last day. You can tell where I sat the first night (the closer shot), the second night, and then look at the aftermath/lobby.









I've listened to a bunch of new music, but nothing has grabbed me. I've reminded myself how much I like LCD Soundsystem. I actually just got the "Fleet Foxes" EP, which is different and will be listened to again. Only five songs. I finally finished "Long Time Leaving" (gasp! I'm talking about a book!) by Roy Blount Jr. I mention this (not two periods, right?) because he casually mentions trip-hop, Hole, the movie "O Genio," (comma looks weird inside quotes) and so many other interesting musical things. Last night I accidentally left my phone at home. And of course I was with an absolutely perfect, unobstructed view of the stage from just a few feet away. Oh well. We got there for Spanish Prisoners, and could not, try as we might, enjoy them. So we took a break. Came back and they were on the floor, with banjo and mouth-powered keyboard, playing to a circle of fifteen or so people. It was kind of a cool use of the room, and a good way to interact with the crowd, but, still, it couldn't mask the music. Then was Via Audio, from New York they said. (Not Brooklyn? Not possible!) Horns on some songs, most people could sing, female keyboard/guitar/vocalist was smiling a lot, which is always important. Decent, but a supporting act. Then Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. A fun set. The gentleman who started on guitar and vocals and later went to bass looked like Pete Doherty's sober younger brother. Bass player went to drums, drummer to guitar and vocals. While a guitar player stayed with his instrument and didn't sing, and a keyboard/percussion player added some energy some of the time. Someone from Via Audio came out for a few songs, including some stellar cowbell playing. Tried Happy Ending, where three average DJs failed to ignite a crowd of eager pleasure seekers, and had fun despite the banal mix of remixed pop and hip-hop songs.

Normally I've got a decent system for knowing where I'm supposed to be in the future. That system had a minor malfunction, but it looks like fortunately no negative repercussions will result. And what was a reminded of? What will hopefully be some fine live music Friday!

Just listened to a 1974 recording of Lowell George with Linda Rondstadt. At WHFS in Bethesda, Maryland. It's only a few songs, but it worked for me. Stuff you might need to listen a little carefully to, to make sure you catch it all, but when you do, the reward for your full attention is a, shall we say, mist of water to the face? No, that would be insane.

Now I'm listening to an artist of that era, but an NYC show of his in 1997: Rick Danko. (Present, it should be noted, at one of the greatest moments in musical history, fortunately captured on video and audio.) I like the set -- it was at the Bottom Line -- but only like. Good but not great, when I hunger for great. But am forced to suffer through less than good too often, so happy with good. You know what I'm saying. What's next? An Irish artist, to set the mood. Rory Gallagher. Ooh. Quite good. I know very little of this man.

Both nights this weekend with the boys from from Athens. When was the last time I saw them? Certainly late 2004. Has it been that long? I've got to be missing some stuff here. Oh Everyday Companion, where would I be without you?

OK, so first of all, they didn't play in the year 2004. So already, my mind is shot. It was April '05. End of the school year, not calendar year. I remember not being able to fill out an eval, but it was a year long class. Anyway.

Chris Garneau:



He was good. Conor/E Smith child. He spoke in a whisper. Then Thao. She was really enjoyable. Talented songwriter, talented guitar player. She has a nice voice. And she wears cool boots and she stomps them, pretty forcefully. I liked her boot stomping black outfit and brown cowboy boots.



Awful lighting, I know. Awful camera in general. I might start taking a better camera to concerts. Can apple do something to make the camera better or what? And take some video? Hello? Innovate!

I can't get photos from my phone to my computer. Frustrating. In the mean time, enjoy this:

http://www.myspace.com/bareminimalists

Of Matthew Dear at Hiro. I've listened to some yawner stuff recently I won't bore you any more about than this sentence, on Nic and elsewhere. Waiting for something good to come along. Let's go musicians of the world! Work for my entertainment! To the pics from last week. Oh yeah, I was reminded today how I got to see The Kills in London, and how that was actually pretty awesome, and how their music is still good. Kate Moss knows what she's doing.



From the other side:



And on my way home. People in this city know where this is.

Hopefully I'll get some video up of her soon. I'm skipping NYE pics. Just not worth it.