With 2016 finally winding down, here’s a look back at some of our favorite and least favorite moments to grace our screens, both big and small. Here you’ll find the moments that made us cheer, the moments that wowed us, and a few of the moments that made us groan the loudest. 

Most Foot-Dragging Plotline: Jon Snow’s Resurrection, Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones stumbled constantly throughout the show’s fifth season last year, ultimately ending on a note of utterly hopelessness when Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) is murdered by a group of The Night’s Watch for letting Wildlings south of The Wall. It was a hopeless, mean-spirited ending that was expected to be resolved at the beginning of season six. And it was… eventually.

After dragging their feet throughout the first episode, which consisted mostly of drawn-out conversations around Jon’s corpse, they thought a reveal about Melisandre would be an adequate ending for the show’s sixth season premiere. It wasn’t — although they did eventually get around to his inevitable resurrection by the end of the second episode, taking a moment that was already anti-climactic and managing to water it down even more.

Most Hollow Resolution: Who Negan Killed, The Walking Dead

Speaking of hopeless, mean-spirited endings, The Walking Dead finally introduced Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) this spring during the show’s sixth season finale, and ended on a POV shot of the person he killed, leaving their identity a mystery. Months of endless speculation and limitless fan outrage passed until this October when the premiere showed us who met their fate that night… eventually.

But while we all sat around waiting to learn that it was Abraham (Michael Cudlitz), then Glenn (Stephen Yeun), the collective sentiment of fans reflected the shows persistently grim portrayals of humanity, and knowing who Negan killed wasn’t the kind of revelation that would ever resolve itself in a satisfactory way. In the end, even the show’s harshest critics seem to emulate a ‘what were we expecting’ perspective, and the show’s ratings have been steadily on the decline since then. (To be fair, they’re still very high as far as cable shows go.)

Best Reveal We All Saw Coming: The Man In Black, Westworld

HBO had a lot riding on the first season of Westworld, an ambitious, heady sci-fi yarn that riffs off Michael Crichton’s 1974 movie, and goes into deep meditations on themes such as free will, sin, and humanity. Fan theories ran rampant, and every single detail of the show was mulled over, prompting some of the most immersive online discussion in recent memory.

With no shortage of topics to speculate on showrunners Johnathan Nolan and Lisa Joy even managed to work in three distinct timelines, and waited until the season finale before revealing that well-meaning William (Jimmi Simpson) would, eventually, become the steel-eyed Man in Black (Ed Harris), hell-bent on finding a game within the Westworld theme park. This idea had been speculated upon since William’s introduction, and while it was made increasingly clear that this wasn’t simply a theory, it’s revelation didn’t lack any sense of payoff whatsoever.

Honorable Mention: When Bernard asks “what door” when he and Theresa sneak into Robert Ford’s secret cabin in the outskirts of the theme park. It not only answered long-standing questions about Bernard, not to mention who Arnold was, but it made a specific moment from the week prior make perfect sense in retrospect.

Most Unusual Punchline: The Invisible Car, Atlanta

Donald Glover’s serio-comic series Atlanta made almost every critic’s top 10 list for 2016, and for good reason. Aside from casting light on a largely ignored part of American culture, with Glover at the helm, it managed to be both unflinching and surreal at the same time. One of the best examples of this was the invisible car, which went an entire episode as subtle commentary/running gag, but proved to be the kind of hypnagogic subversion this show became known for.

Most Unnecessary TV Adaptation: Preacher

What started as an overstuffed, overly long, but vaguely interesting adaptation of the Garth Ennis graphic novel, it didn’t take long before Preacher revealed what it really was: an incoherent, mean-spirited, uninspired fan fiction. Worse yet, it turned out to be a prequel. No greater sin.

Best Character (TV): Lyanna Mormont, Game of Thrones

She might have only had a handful of scenes, but actress Belle Ramsey stole every single one of them as Lyanna Mormont, the Lord of House Mormont who reluctantly joins forces with Jon Snow in his attempt to take back Winterfell (and, by extension, the North). With her no-nonsense attitude and take-no-shit leadership, her charisma was so off the chart that all she had to do was sit on a horse and scowl to make it the best moment of the show’s much-improved sixth season.

Best Defiance Of Typecasting: Jim O’Heir, Middle Man

Throughout the seven season run of Parks and Recreation, Jim O’Heir played the pitiable government cog Jerry Gergich, and has managed to carry over that appeal to shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine in guest roles. In writer/director Ned Crowley’s Middle Man, O’Heir plays Lenny, a downtrodden man who, after the loss of his mother, hits the road to become a standup comic. After murdering a heckler manages to improve his material, Lenny takes the audience into the depths of his incredibly bleak psyche, and O’Heir got to really show off his chops as an actor.

Most Subverted Expectations: Raw

All anyone knew going into this movie was that it was about a vegetarian-gone-cannibal and two people passed out at the Toronto International Film Festival during a screening. It was enough to generate a significant amount of hype, and it was the number one thing on the audience’s mind when it played at Fantastic Fest back in late September.

Sure, there were definitely some less-than-comfortable moments, but at its core, it was an absolutely stirring portrayal of the tenderness of family bonds, and an absolutely profound coming-of-age story. Not to mention an ending that managed to be both chilling and heartwarming all at the same time.

Best Aesthetic: The Handmaiden

Park Chan-wook has made a career out of defying expectations, and his epic period piece The Handmaiden was no exception. Set in the 1930s and following an elaborate scheme to rob and delegitimize a wealthy heiress, the movie is told from multiple perspectives and a semi-circular narrative, Chan-wook’s visual style is perfectly complimented by the film’s sets, costumes, lighting and sound.

Most Human Moment: Miss Stevens

Following up her brilliant Civil War-era apocalyptic drama The Keeping Room, screenwriter Julia Hart went autobiographical with Miss Stevens, the story of a high school teacher who accompanies three of her students on a field trip out of town. Throughout the film Lily Rabe portrayed the title character with such endearing, clumsy humanity you couldn’t help but fall in love with her character, which made her emotional tipping point in the film’s third act that much more heartbreaking.

Best Nostalgia Factor: Rogue One

I brought up last year how The Force Awakens (particularly the first and third acts) heavily repeated beats laid out back in 1977′s A New Hope, which was met with a fair amount of criticism over being labeled as a warmed-over remake. Rogue One, the first Star Wars standalone film (soon to be an annual occurrence) was essentially a critical footnote in the saga’s timeline. With a tone that intentionally called back to iconic war films, thanks to some unused footage from the mid-70s, it still managed to retrofit itself seamlessly, especially when compared to those last 25 minutes of A New Hope, in all its mustachioed glory.

Most Heartbreaking Moment: Being Stuck In Your Well, Don’t Think Twice

A meditation on the surprise consequences of newfound fame, filtered through the lens of a New York improv comedy group, Don’t Think Twice’s writer/director/star Mike Birbiglia managed to craft one of the most charming and unapologetically authentic films of the year. A stellar ensemble cast play The Commune, a successful improv group based in New York, when one of them is hired as a cast member on Weekend Live (the in-movie equivalent to SNL), forcing everyone else to take a long, hard look at their future.

When Samantha (Gillian Jacobs) turns out to be the only member of The Commune to show up for their last performance before their theater is bulldozed, she has her revelation on stage in front of her audience, and makes her choice about the future with all eyes fixated on her. A note-perfect ode to why we make the choices that we do, in spite of circumstance.

Best Character (Film): Spider-Man, Captain America: Civil War

It’s been a long, hard road as a fan of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. After a promising first couple films in the early aughts starring Toby Maguire, Sam Raimi’s third installment in 2007 never really came together, despite a couple of great scenes (no, not the one with the emo dancing). Then came Andrew Garfield’s two turns under the mask, which started out feeling as an unnecessary re-tread of the original films, then quickly became just outright unnecessary.

Then, after years of negotiations, Marvel got to incorporate its flagship character back into their cinematic universe, while Sony still got to make money from them doing so. The specifics of the deal aside, when Tony Stark calls on “Underoos” to make his first appearance (in costume) at the pivotal scene outside the airport hangar in Civil War, actor Tom Holland seemed to perfectly embody everything that’s charming about the character. Now, with his upcoming debut in Spider-Man: Homecoming set to hit the ground running 2017, we can go into the new year fairly confident that we won’t have to sit through Uncle Ben’s murder for a third fucking time.

The post TV and Film Moments That Defined 2016 appeared first on Glide Magazine.

This year, many cried out into the ether as their favorite celebrity or idol was taken from us in what seemed like a clean sweep of the Hollywood sector. There’s an admitted lack of tact coming from those whose dissonance concerning pop culture comings and goings clashed with those of us who still considered Carol Brady (Florence Henderson) to be the foxy, yet wholesome TV mother our parents grew up with and in turn taught us to love. While 2016 is technically just a construct of time, there seemed to be a resounding mass exodus when it comes to those who helped shaped us into the little mongrels we are today, and that’s something to mourn, openly and heartily.

In the age of the everyday, hour, and really second of using the internet to connect us to those around us, it should come as no surprise that we suddenly feel completely immersed in the life of a complete stranger as though they are our best friend. And why shouldn’t we? Consider for a moment the loss of Carrie Fisher, fresh and still hurting as it is. A generation fell in love with her at 19 for portraying the unabashedly badass Princess Leia, and subsequently grew up along side with her as her film and writing career took off. Pop culture thrives because we crave the nostalgia of our past, of what made our parents, and their parents. And so, Star Wars was passed down generation to generation, where a whole new breed would learn to love the Princess and her work, the same way those before us had done.

New imaginings and incarnations of the past have us dwelling in the past, present, and future, simultaneously yearning for what we knew, while leaning on what we know, and trying to catch a peek at what’s to come. Hopping onto another galaxy, Star Trek is a perfect example of this. Unfortunately, 2016 took 27 year old Anton Yelchin. A surprisingly prolific actor for his age and catalog, Yelchin’s performance was on always on point, even if he stayed just slightly away from the leading role. His loss will lead to a huge hole in the Star Trek film franchise if it continues. And while writers could send him away to a new fleet, or kill him off screen for posterity’s sake, we would still know what could have been.

Starman and demigod David Bowie led the charge to the grave this year, followed closely behind by the always known yet never given enough credit Abe Vigoda (Godfather). David Bowie wasn’t supposed to die, he was the man. And yet the year continued, and Alan Rickman (Die Hard, Harry Potter) wandered off into the veil of shadows, leaving a wake of talent and sorrow. Doris Roberts of Everybody Loves Raymond and pretty much every mother/mother in law role to ever come across a producer’s table made her exit at 90. Alan Thicke (Growing Pains), snarky TV father to us all and real life father to twat Robin Thicke was suddenly gone before we knew we would miss him.

Pioneering trans actress Alexis Arquette (Wedding Singer) slipped through our fingers, while Jon Polito silently stowed away his talents once and for all.Gary Marshall (Happy Days) followed suit, and then suddenly it was Gene Wilder. We lost Willy fucking Wonka. Ron Lester (Varsity Blues) played so many static characters to the lead, it was hard not to find him in a teen based drama in the early 2000’s. Alan Young of Mister Ed almost became a centenarian, while Madeleine Lebeau reunited with her Casablanca costars.

Dabbling actor, sex god, and ethereal being Prince took his last bow. Actress and wrestling star Joan ‘Chyna’ Laurer departed without so much as a goodbye. Patty Duke (The Patty Duke Show) made a graceful exit, while Garry Shandling (The Larry Sanders Show) was taken from us in what seemed like mid conversation. Tough guy George Kennedy (Cool Hand Luke) slipped through along with athlete turned actor Tony Burton (Rocky). We had to say goodbye to the wonderfully funny George Gaynes (Police Academy), along with the voice of Donald Duck and Bugs Bunny Joe Alaskey. Then of course, there was our beloved Fisher who was quickly followed by her mother, Debbie Reynolds (Singin’ in the Rain) who undoubtedly died of a broken heart.

The sad truth is, this is the norm now. The people we worship and idolize are only people, and unfortunately part of what makes their talent so immense is the fact that it surpasses their own stay on this earth by eons. As we move into 2017, remember those we have lost, seek out their work. But also indulge yourself with a quick immersion into the work of those who are still here, still pushing out more to make the world a better place.

We will miss those we lost, but we will never, ever forget them.

The post A Remembrance of Those We Lost in 2016 appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Phish welcomed 2017 with another New Years at Madison Square Garden. Opening for the fourth consecutive night with an acapella, this time Little Feat’s “Don’t Bogart That Joint”, Phish delivered from all sides musically including help from the TAB horns for a brassy third set. Photos by Brennan Lagasse.

The post Phish Welcomes 2017 at Madison Square Garden With a Horn Of Plenty (PHOTOS) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

As 2016 made way to 2017, stages across the landscape paid tribute to the year of the fallen musician. Covers from Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen, George Michael were as common as a band original during many NYE performances, In many ways this New Years can be taken as both a celebration for the end and mourning for what it was. At least we had bands, bands and more bands filling out the calendar on this live music holiday as Govt Mule, Widespread Panic and others performed some of their most memorable shows ever during this night of “Auld Lang Syne.” Lets check out all the setlists and the highlights from the other night….

Govt Mule Honors 2016 Musician Deaths with Vast Covers – Bowie, Eagles, Prince, Cohen, Haggard, ELP, Sharon Jones & More.

Steve Kimock & Friends = Bay Area Splendid Improv (Always)

The Avett Brothers Proved Arena Worthy Again For  NYE and Covered Dylan, Pink Floyd & Bill Withers

Jackie Greene Visits Theaters (With Mother Hips) For NYE & Unique Grateful Dead Takes

Having Just Turned 70, Patti Smith Still Takes Midnight>New Years With Vivacious Energy

12/31/2016 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO
SET 1
San Jose, Song In My Head, MLT, Who Am I, Outside and Inside > Hot ‘Lanta > Deal

SET 2
Close Your Eyes, Looking Glass > Orange Blossom Special, Get Tight, Best Feeling > Walking On The Moon, Howard, You’ve Got The World, Just One Story

SET 3
Don’t It Make You Wanna Dance, Rivertrance, Sirens, Beautiful

ENCORE
The Mighty Quinn, Sitting On Top Of The World

And Finally Mariah Carey Suffered a Cruel Twist of Fate Lip Syncing….

The post New Years Eve Roundup & Setlists- Mule, Panic, CRB, Kimock, Vile,Primus, JRAD, Isbell, GBV & More appeared first on Glide Magazine.

John Wick Chapter 2 (February 10)

The original John Wick was one of the most fun movies of 2014. Keanu Reeves’ deadly assassin character walked the line between ultra-serious and delightfully absurd and, in the process, helped create a magnificently realized world steeped in hyper-violence. Whether or not they can recapture the magic is up in the air, but with Ian McShane and Laurence Fishburne involved, it’s hard not to get a little excited.

Get Out (February 24)

From writer/director Jordan Peele (of Key and Peele) comes a horror movie about the scariest villain of all: white people. Daniel Kaluuya plays a black man going to meet the parents of his white girlfriend in what seems to be a modern play on The Stepford Wives, where the role of the wives is, in this case, played by the black population of the town. Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener co-star as the would-be-in-laws, rounding out a solid cast. Peele has his cred firmly established in the world of comedy, but the leap to horror is all that large and this might just be the sleeper hit of the season.

T2 Trainspotting (March 10)

Ewan McGregor returns to the role that started it all, reuniting with director Danny Boyle and his original Trainspotting cast mates two decades after the original movie. T2 seems loosely based on novelist Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting sequel, Porno, though since the book took place a decade after the original, there seems to be room for additional changes and reinterpretations of the story. Of course, the cinematic landscape is entirely different in 2017 than it was in 1997, so it’ll be interesting to see if there’s anyway T2 can make the same kind of splash as its predecessor.

Ghost in the Shell (March 31)

Live actions adaptations of classic anime movies are hard to pull off, and this one definitely has its share of baggage going into it. The film caught mountains of flack a year before we saw anything about it due to the casting of Scarlett Johansson as The Major, a Japanese character. Still, from what we’ve seen so far, director Rupert Sanders went through massive pains to translate the anime/manga series into a live action setting, and the footage has looked, well, kind of stunning. If they pull this off, it could be start of something huge.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5)

Even as a longtime proponent of the MCU, in my heart of hearts I know that the franchise has gotten a bit stale and predictable. That said, the original Guardians shook up the formula in a major way back in 2014, easily becoming the cream of the Marvel crop. With director James Gunn returning to the helm of this intergalactic romp, this seems destined to be another massive hit for the Marvel brand and a welcome reinvigoration of the franchise.

Alien: Covenant (May 19)

Prometheus had its problems—no one is denying that—but beneath the surface were some interesting ideas that enriched the Alien universe. Perhaps by the time director Ridley Scott finishes his trilogy of prequels, we’ll be able to see that film in a new light. We’ll get our first glimpse when Alien: Covenant opens, but with the initial trailer we already see a film that’s more traditionally Alien than we’ve seen in decades. Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, and Guy Pearce all return in a movie that (hopefully) improves upon its predecessor while further deepening the Alien mythos.

Wonder Woman (June 2)

DC took some licks in 2016, with both Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad earning critical and audience scorn. With Justice League on the horizon (it’s being released on November 17) all eyes are focused on Wonder Woman as the new tone-setter for the franchise. DC and Warner Brothers desperately need this one to knock off approximately every sock if their shared universe is going to be a success. From the looks of things, it might do just that.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7)

Marvel’s second of three releases this year has quite a bit riding on it, the least of which is the cross-production collaboration between Marvel Studios and Sony, who owns the rights to the character for cinematic purposes. Spider-Man made his MCU debut last year in Captain America: Civil War, whetting the appetites of fans who’d longed for a return to form for nearly a decade. While Tom Holland shined in his brief appearance, holding down your own solo movie is another beast. Still, if this is successful, it could be the new blood that the MCU needs moving forward and, on top of that, there’s always the off chance that other studios will become more willing to work with Marvel with their own properties. Plus, you can’t go wrong with Michael Keaton.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (July 21)

Based on the massively influential French comic book of the 1960s, Valerian has been something of a passion project for director Luc Besson for years now. From the trailers, this looks to be another visual delight, not unlike Besson’s The Fifth Element, full of action, adventure, comedy, drama, and just about anything else you could want from a day at the movies.

Dunkirk (July 21)

Christopher Nolan brings his inimitable eye to World War II in this epic following the Battle of Dunkirk. This star-studded affair brings Nolan mainstays Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy together with the likes of Kenneth Branagh, James D’Arcy, and Harry Styles in what looks to be the most stunning depiction of WWII since Saving Private Ryan set the standard. This one seems almost a shoe in for awards season 2018.

The Dark Tower (July 28)

Stephen King’s most ambitious writing project gets the ambitious adaptation it deserves. King adaptations are notoriously hit or miss, but producer Ron Howard has been guiding this to life for years now. Bringing in Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey was a great move on his part, though there’s kind of a lot riding on this one. If this is successful, it’s possible that we’ll see an entire cross-media Dark Tower universe developed, with TV series, more movies, and who knows what else planned to flesh out the world created by King’s magnum opus. Fans are right to be skeptical, but the move from February to mid-summer should be a good clue that something special is in the works.

It (September 8)

Another risky Stephen King endeavor, It has already received online backlash for the look of Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise, which has a more Victorian look than people were expecting. Still, there’s no denying that the released images look creepy as all hell. There’s also no denying that the beloved original TV miniseries adaptation hasn’t aged well. With any luck, the movie will serve as a more faithful adaptation of the original novel, and some of the more brutal and terrifying moments that were cut out of the original TV series will finally make their way to screens.

Blade Runner 2049 (October 6)

At this point, director Denis Villeneuve has earned the right to do whatever the fuck he wants. Between Prisoners, Arrival, and to a lesser extent Sicario, Villeneuve has a proven ability to craft intelligent cinema that goes mostly unmatched in today’s world. Harrison Ford returns as Deckard, who’s gone into hiding since the last film, and his being joined by Ryan Gosling, a new blade runner for a new generation. No real word on what it’s about yet, or whether or not they finally plan on addressing the question of whether Deckard is a replicant, but the one trailer we’ve seen thus far has as pretty intrigued.

Star Wars Episode VIII (December 15)

With Rogue One in the rearview, it’s time again to move forward. The next installment of the Star Wars saga will, hopefully, answer some of the questions we’ve had since 2015’s The Force Awakens. At the very least, maybe we’ll get to see Luke Skywalker actually, you know, do something this time. It’ll be bittersweet, however, with the loss of Carrie Fisher just after Christmas. Will they give Princess Leia the ending she deserves? Will Rey begin her Jedi training? Will we finally meet Snoke? We can’t wait to find out.

The Greatest Showman (December 25)

A musical biopic of P.T. Barnum that’s been gestating in the heart and mind of Hugh Jackman for over a decade now. This promises to be a film full of spectacle and wonder worthy of Barnum himself. Co-starring Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, and Zendaya, The Greatest Showman already sounds like the perfect holiday treat for 2017.

The post 15 Films We Can’t Wait to See in 2017 appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Great American Taxi is excited to announce the much anticipated release of their new album Dr. Feel Good’s Traveling Medicine Show on February 3rd. The album features guest Duane Trucks (Hard Working Americans, Widespread Panic) on drums and is produced by Tim Carbone (Railroad Earth)

In the words of Todd Snider:

“I’ve heard the new Taxi record once and I already know I’m going to memorize it. There is a new scene happening right now that mixes jam and Americana. This band started it with songs where you’re diggin’ the words so much you’re hoping maybe they won’t interrupt them with a hippie jam, until they do…and then you’re like…see? This is why I love these guys…it’s medicinal Americana…I just coined that…you can have it.” — Todd Snider

Great American Taxi are a rock & roll classic, a timeless mixture of gutsy pop, calloused hand country, blue-eyed R&B, and bare-knuckle barroom chooglin’ with songs for the everyman and woman grinding out the working week and anxious to shuffle the day’s cares away. The inheritors of the good times-bad times mojo of Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Eagles, and Lowell George-era Little Feat, GAT are boogie rock champs with big beating hearts backed up by thousands of gigs and highway miles – real music for real people living each day as best they can, dreaming about Friday nights and scoring a few breaks in this wicked world.

After some evolutionary changes, the core lineup now centers around Chad Staehly (keyboards, vocals), Jim Lewin (guitar, vocals), Brian Adams (bass, vocals) and newest member Arthur Lee Land (guitar, banjo, vocals) with guest drummer Duane Trucks (Hard Working Americans, Widespread Panic) joining them on the group’s latest, strongest studio effort, Dr. Feelgood’s Traveling Medicine Show, which was produced by Railroad Earth’s Tim Carbone. Since the departure of founding member Vince Herman (Leftover Salmon), the band has refined and expanded their vision of what Gram Parsons called Cosmic American Music, a deeply felt, gently groovy kind of Americana that one can down a pitcher of suds to while contemplating life, the universe, and everything.

“If there is real intention and emotion behind the act of shaping sound, then real life is injected into the sounds, resulting in music and songs that can be embraced by the listener into a real experience that allows them to relate on an emotional level,” says Staehly.

“I love the improvisational conversation,” adds Lee Land. “Taxi’s interpretive approach makes each experience unique and the magic that occurs within the three-part alchemy of the music, the band, and the audience is a major turn on.”

“It’s a community thing and a form of creative expression,” says Lewin. “I like how music touches the past and winds a narrow path into the future. On a good night it can reveal hidden truths, psychic energy, and an occasional glimpse of spirit. And, I like the free beer.”

Dr. Feelgood’s Traveling Medicine Show roars out with a country roadhouse bounce, declaring, “We can run as fast as our heart beats.” Elsewhere there’s the bell bottom blues of “Sunshiny Days,” reflective shuffle “Home,” the classic AM radio jump of “Everybody,” the rawhide gypsy dance of the title tune, PBR raising anthem “Out On The Town,” and the shimmering sigh of closer “Mother Lode” – all part of a well-rounded journey that actually takes one somewhere.

With active solo and studio work, membership in other projects, and several lifetimes under their belts, the men of GAT approached their first set of non-road tested material – which features originals from Staehly, Lewin and Lee Land (who teams up with his wife Carol Lee for lyrics on all of his compositions) – with open minds and an eagerness to explore the full range of their collective talents.

“This band has done some miles. We have a museum’s worth of stories. But this lineup is especially strong, taking things to some really cool new levels,” observes Lewin. “The new members add a jolt of energy that really kicks the Taxi into gear. We’ve been having some pretty epic odysseys during the jam sections.”

Dr. Feelgood’s Traveling Medicine Show was recorded at Silo Sound Studios in Denver, CO in late 2014 and again in early 2015 with studio owner-engineer Todd Divel and Carbone producing.

“Tim has giant ears along with an amazing level of focus and attention that keeps the ship sailing in the studio without losing track of any of the details,” says Staehly. “Sometimes we had to rein him in a bit because he has so many ideas that it wasn’t possible to get to all of them, but luckily Todd allowed us to turn off the clock and go for as many of them as possible and really create some high art.”

The result is a feeling-filled, invigorating calling card for the latest chapter in Great American Taxi’s tale of American fortitude and active dreaming with many on-ramps for fellow travelers. Already veterans of the national club scene and festival circuit, the band has settled into switched-on maturity in style, ready to connect with fans, old and new, and give them a reason or three to smile and lift their heels.

“We have a crew of grizzled pirates that could steal a crown jewel from the head of a pig. I would trust these guys with my very life, if I still had one,” chuckles Lewin. “We team up to help each other musically climb from deep, dark valleys to high mountain peaks. Then, we kick each other off the cliffs. Keeps us on our toes.”

Dates in support of release:

2/1 – The Chapel – San Francisco, CA
2/2 – Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz w. The Grant Farm
2/3 – Crystal Bay Casino – Crystal Bay, NV (The Motet after show)
2/4 – Auburn Event Center – Auburn, CA
2/10 – Cavalier Theater & Lounge – La Crosse, WI (Ocooch Mountain Music presents Midwest Music Fest pre-party w. GAT and The Band of Heathens)
2/11 – Martyrs’ – Chicago, IL w. Band of Heathens
2/12 – The Castle Theatre – Bloomington, IL w. Band of Heathens

The post Great American Taxi Announce New Album, ‘Dr. Feel Good’s Traveling Medicine Show’ appeared first on Glide Magazine.

10 Highlights from Phish’s 2016 New Year’s Run at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York 

Another High Quality Run For 2016. As the snow settles after Phish’s 39th show at the world’s most famous arena, aka Madison Square Garden (MSG), fans are left with yet another multi night stand with musical gems strewn about every show that was offered. Yes, Dick’s was about as much as one can ask for in a three night run, and Vegas is arguably as good of a four show stand Phish has played in many years. But after almost two months of zero live shows for the band, show for show, MSG sent 2016 off in style. With rumors swirling of a big break after Mexico, to a baker’s dozen at MSG this summer, 2016 leaves the band in a great place as we enter 2017.

Acapella Openers. Four shows with four acapella arrangements to kick off each night. After all these years Phish still surprises show goers each and every outing. This theme was a welcome treat to frame the start of each show of the 2016 New Year’s run. Stylistically going acapella also highlights the range of the band as a whole. It’s one of those things that makes Phish so unique-the way they can go from broadway to psychedelic, blue grass to funk, and back to straight rock and roll so well. I think a lot of people-if they’ve even heard of Phish, still wonder how this band that gets next to no air time continues to be relevant in 2016, and how can they can sell out MSG for four nights in the matter of a few minutes with ease? It’s the music that matters, and quite frankly, there is no other band on the planet that does what Phish does and that’s why so many of us keep going back year after year, show after show. It’s unique, it’s an adventure, and you never know what you’re going to get.

“Wolfman’s Brother”, “Golden Age”-> “Simple” (12/28/16). There are three sections of music that really stand out from this run, and these 42+ minutes from night one are one of them. There was a break between “Wolfman’s” and “Golden Age”, but in the moment, and even upon a listen back, the tunes link up. “Wolfman’s” pushed beyond it’s normal structure, brought the venue to a funky dance groove theme, and started to go deep. The music was a fine way to kick the set off before “Golden Age”. After the memorable version recently played in Vegas this version didn’t quite “get there”, but guitarist Trey Anastasio explored some interesting space for a while before building to a hosesque point where a peak might have sent this jam into the stratosphere. Instead the flowing segue went into “Simple” in a way that was so fluid, it simply melted into one another creating a blissful selection of music that when listed to as one three-song progression is why many fans love this band as much as they do.

“Martian Monster” “Tweeprise” Mash (12/28/16). As much as I loved the “Roggae” and interesting song choices in set one, and the three songs I mentioned above from set two of this show, here’s less than ten minutes of music that was about as fun as anything I’ve experienced at a modern Phish show. The playback is worthy as well. So many elements of surprise, improvisation, and pure fun are found here, not to mention the energy of the building for this piece of music to take place deep in a set two on the first night of a four show run. I for one loved hearing “Martian Monster” get selected for placement here, but it was the slowed down tempo that really put this one in a special place right from the start. Honestly, I was hoping for a possible deep exploratory take on “Martian”, but the resulting jam was so unique, and then paired  with a “Tweezer Reprise” themed minute or so singing “Your Trip is Short” equaled an unexpected, unique moment of high fun that no one could’ve expected-even the band.

“Peaches en Regalia” (12/29/16).  There were plenty of so called bustouts this run. Some fans love them, others could care less. My take is when you’ve seen the same band play live for hundreds of shows over a span of decades, it’s nice to hear something new, especially when Phish has such a vast catalogue. In fact, if it was the same thing night in and night out, would it really be that fun? Absolutely not. Really, every night had at least one song that hadn’t played in long enough to make it a rare treat. My subjective song to highlight is “Peaches” (even if it was a little loose). Props to the crew that keeps trying for “Izzabella”-one of these days, but in my opinion catching a “Peaches” is a special treat that’s noteworthy, and it really set up a big energy swing for the resulting “Mikes Groove” that anchored a truly enjoyable first set.

“Harry Hood” (12/29/16). Night two had lots of highlights from a solid set one, to sprinkled strong points in the second frame such as the twenty minutes of “Twenty Years Later” with “Kung”, and the pairing of “Makisupa”. However, I recall a very salient moment at the end of “Hood” where I was listening deeply, and then the peak dropped. It was that good. After the show I had a text from a good friend who couldn’t make the run. He asked me if I felt like “this kid” during the “Hood”. His text had a short video of a young guy absolutely melting-in a good way, during the evenings “Hood”. Come to find out the webcasters must have kept filming this guy during the song and he’s become “Hood Peak Kid”. One the one hand, there’s the geekiness of Phish fans. On the other hand, I hope this kid gets lots of love because that is it. I’m not one to tell you what’s right or wrong, or what you should feel at a Phish show. But respectfully, we’ve all been there, like this kid, and if you haven’t gone there yet I sincerely hope it happens for you at some point soon. It’s when I’d argue Phish stops being a band you listen to here and there and becomes something much more.  That “Hood” was as gorgeous as one could ask for, bringing me back to early 90’s versions of the song when “Hood” peaked more regularly.

Set I 12/30/16. A date synonymous with some of the best Phish shows every played did not disappoint in 2016. In fact, as solid of a run as this was, this show is well above the rest in terms of being a top tier Phish show from start to finish. “Gumbo” and “Bathtub Gin” stood out in the first set, as did the set closing”YEM”. But after an hour and a half of well played Phish to open, it was set two that makes this one stand out.

Set II 12/30/16. The last 13 minutes of “Wading” and “Rocky Top” are fine based on their placement only because of what preceded them. “Tweezer” was fire. Always a welcome way to open a second set, this “Tweezer” bounced around, explored, and got gritty before yielding to a surprising, but audibly fluid move into “Sparks” even if it comes off a little scratchy upon a respin. I could listen to this 19+ minutes on repeat for hours, and suggest at minimally you have a listen for yourself to the high quality, high energy Phish found here. The “Ghost” up next dabbled in some funky rhythms and spacey grooves, but it was the “Light” that sent this one to the outer realms. The “Party Time” lyrics more so sang over the music of “Light” was sublime. Again, another section of music-about 23 minutes, that on its own is incredible. Put it together with the first set, and what proceeded it in the second set and there you have a complete show that is as good as anything we’ve heard in 2016, really in the modern era of Phish. Top-To-Bottom a full show with incredible improvisation, a huge range of musical styles on display, and precise Type I playing. You can’t ask for much more.

12/31/16 Set II. After what went down the night before, this set did not go deep. That said, the first 52+ minutes of this set is a dance party flow that fit the evening oh so well. “2001” to open, with a monster drop into a dark “Carini”. “Twist” covered some interesting ground before the “Piper”->  “Ass Handed”> “Piper” groove where bassist Mike Gordon joined keyboardist Page McConnell on keys, and Trey joined drummer Jon Fishman to pound on his Marimba Lumina. The unique jam dropped into a fire “Sand” that kept the MSG raging until “Slave” and “More” brought the set to a close. While certain moments pop out more than others in “Carini”, “Piper”, and “Sand” this is another chunk of music that I’d recommend listening to as one cohesive piece.

New Year’s Eve Gag, “Petrichor”>”Auld Lang Syne”> “Suzy Greenberg” (12/31/16). Phish on New Year’s Eve is a highlight no matter if it’s your first time seeing the band or your 200th show. As in years past, this year the band put a so called gag together that to the author reeked of channeling and honoring their late great hero, Prince. Although they didn’t cover “Purple Rain”, Phish offered fans something special as they were accompanied by the Trey Band horns featuring Natalie Cressman on trombone and vocals, Jennifer Hartswick on trumpet and vocals, James Casey on saxophone, Jeff Tanski on keys, and Andres Forero on percussion. Set to a rain theme with dancing umbrellas, as well as cat and dog balloons raining down on the crowd, the band played Trey’s odyssey “Petrichor” leading up until the New Year countdown with “Auld Lang Syne”, and then dropped a super hot, horncentric “Suzy Greenberg” to welcome 2017.  The “No Men” was fun as well, as was “555” and “First Tube”. I think many fans would’ve loved to see some more pushing in song selection and/or possibly some deeper improvisation with the added musical friends Phish had with them for this set, but ultimately it was an visually beautiful gag set alongside some uniquely played music, creating a very special way to welcome the New Year. Phish walked off the stage in style with only three shows on their schedule coming up in Mexico, and a host of questions as to what the following months will look like for the band. One thing’s for sure, if 2017 is anything like 2016 we’re all in for a treat! Happy New Year everyone!

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Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Foo Fighters and Maroon 5 are set to headline BottleRock Napa Valley 2017. The Roots, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Modest Mouse, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals,  Silversun Pickups, Band of Horses, Fitz & The Tantrums, Dirty Heads, Live, The Naked and Famous and The Devil Makes Three are among the other acts on the bill, which was announced today. Tickets go on sale tomorrow January 4th at 10AM PST.

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Coachella has announced its 2017 lineup and Radiohead, Beyoncé, and Kendrick Lamar are the headliners. Other highlights include the first U.S. performance by The Avalanches in 15 years; and composer Hans Zimmer, who will perform selections from his classic scores (The Dark Knight, The Lion King, Gladiator).

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Sleater-Kinney has announced their first ever live album Live in Paris out January 27th via Sub Pop. The album was recorded during their No Cities To Love their first tour following their 2007-2013 hiatus.

The band states via press release -

“the tour was about so much more than promoting the album. Every night felt like a question, after so much time away, as to what the band means to our audiences and to ourselves. The show in Paris was particularly special. La Cigale is such a beautiful venue; the whole night was a great celebration of music, across cultures, bringing people together.”

Live In Paris is available to preorder now at u.subpop.com/SKLiveInParis and liveinparis.kungfustore.com.

Check out the video for “Surface Envy” from the Paris performance and the full track listing below…

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Gravelly-voiced troubadour Ryan Bingham joined in on the festivities of Willie Nelson’s three-night sold-out New Year’s run at ACL Live in Austin. On Friday, December 30th Bingham welcomed local guitar slinger Jesse Dayton for an extra special performance. Photos by John Croxton.

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Tool will play New York City for the first time in a long 12 years when they headline this year’s Governors Ball music festival set to take place June 2nd -4th, 2017 in Randall’s Island Park in New York City. The other headliners include Phoenix and Chance The Rapper. Other artists on the bill include Beach House, Air, The Avalanches, Parquet Courts, Car Seat Headrest, Michael Kiwaunka, Lorde, the Wu-Tang Clan and a first time billing of “Mark Ronson vs. Kevin Parker”

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Jens Lekman has announced his new album, Life Will See You Now, due out February 17th via Secretly Canadian. This fourth album is a typical Lekman album in several ways: sly humor is key to its heartfelt nature; it inverts pop’s writing norm by making songs with sad concerns sound happy and songs with a happy subject sound sad; and it plays with notions of identity and the self.

But, as the title suggests, it also represents a significant move forward, as if across a threshold. I Know What Love Isn’t (2012) was informed by a painful relationship breakdown that pitched its author into something of a crisis and so necessarily put him at its center, using a muted sound palette.

But Life Will See You Now is the more expansive, upbeat sound of a revitalized Lekman, who is just one of many characters in his new stories about the magic and messiness of different kinds of relationships. It’s also the result of deliberate steps he took to create this fresh sound.

Lekman experiments with different kinds of rhythms – disco, calypso, samba and bossa nova all get a bespoke twirl in the spotlight – and so he called on producer Ewan Pearson (M83, The Chemical Brothers, Goldfrapp) to help realize his new songs.

Released today along with the album announcement, the obviously upbeat lead single “What’s That Perfume That You Wear?” (below) features steel pans sample from Ralph MacDonald’s “The Path” of 1978 – “one of my favorite records ever,” enthuses Lekman.

Lekman will embark on a headline tour of North America in February and March 2017 with a full band, including shows at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles and Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg in New York City. He will also tour the UK and Scandinavia in March and April 2017. All dates

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In the newest installment of Wannabe, artist Chris Prunckle reviews Run the Jewels 3, the latest album from groundbreaking hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, in his signature six-panel comic strip form. Click on the image for full resolution (best viewed on desktop):

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Spencer Berger has been classically trained for most of his life. The LA-based musician began performing at the age of nine as a member of The Metropolitan Opera’s Children’s Chorus, singing onstage with legends like Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. In recent years Berger has put his singing skills – as well as his love of the guitar – towards something decidedly different than the music he grew up around: pop. Given his background, it’s no wonder that Berger calls his pop project Auditorium.

Since 2011 Berger has released an LP (Be Brave) and an EP (Nights Worth Living), enrapturing listeners with his chill-inducing voice and lush instrumental arrangements. His penchant for crafting catchy melodies helps too, and his recordings feel intimate and deeply personal. On January 27th, Berger will release his new LP The First Music, which finds him venturing into even more personal and often darker territory than on previous albums. Handling all of the production and writing himself, The First Music draws from personal tragedy, family history, childhood memories, and current world events. While that may not sound like cheery pop music, there is joy to be had in the delicate beauty and precise construction of each of the album’s 15 songs.

Today we are excited to premiere one of the standout songs on Auditorium’s The First Music, ”It’s Only God, I Swear”, right here on Glide. Berger’s gorgeous vocals are on full display in an almost choir-like sound, which is fitting considering the song title. As a whole, the tune feels an uplifting and euphoric nugget of power pop. This is ultimately a song about finding hope in sadness, and that’s something we all need right now.  

Listen to the song and read our conversation with Auditorium’s Spencer Berger below:

You’ve been a classically trained musician since you were a child. What drew you into making an album of pop music?

I was trained to sing at The Metropolitan Opera between the ages of nine and twelve, but the first instrument I truly fell in love with was guitar, at sixteen. I wound up playing in rock bands through high school and college. Even though I was a music major in college, I’ve always been terrible at reading music, and play almost exclusively by ear these days. I’ve had this push and pull between the classically trained side of my brain and the improvisational side my entire life, and the result is Auditorium.

Does the album’s title The First Music carry significance in relation to you making pop music and also handling all of the production yourself?

I hadn’t thought of that! No, the title is taken from a lyric on the last song of the album.

The album was recorded over 200 consecutive nights in your Los Angeles apartment. Is there a specific reason for the number 200 or that it was only done at night?

I’ve always naturally been a night owl, and tend to think clearer after dark – though there were certain phases of production, such as when I was mixing, that I preferred to do during the day. The actual number of consecutive nights I worked on the album was 235, but I just say 200 because it’s a nice round number.

You performed all of the instruments and vocals. Can you talk about how your process for writing and recording the album worked?

My setup was pretty minimal – all the sounds on the album were created using one microphone, an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, a MIDI keyboard, and a bass my wife’s godfather built. I’d start recording only when I felt confident in the overall structure of each song, but I’d leave room to experiment within that structure. For instance, I purposely didn’t write any of the vocal harmonies prior to recording.

How many of the songs on the album were written from personal experiences?

All of them. But when I’m writing lyrics inspired by a personal experience, I don’t focus on whether the final product is directly autobiographical. I often find that fictionalizing events helps me get at the truth of an experience better than if I spelled things out exactly the way they happened to me in real life.

Can you talk about the inspiration for the song “It’s Only God, I Swear”?

I was once at a funeral for a close friend and witnessed a mourner grieving in a manner that somehow managed to simultaneously break my heart and give me hope. It was an emotion I’d never felt before, and haven’t felt since. While the details have been changed, I was thinking about my friend and that mourner while writing the song.

Auditorium releases The First Music on January 27th. For more music and info visit Auditorium on Facebook. 

Photo credit: Liza Boone

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Following their warmly received Halloween gift to fans in the form of “Dead Alive”(below), The Shins have announced the release of their fifth studio album, Heartworms. The album will be released on March 10th via Aural Apothecary/Columbia Records.

In contrast to 2012’s Port of Morrow, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 and was nominated for a Best Alternative Album GRAMMY, Heartworms ushers in a return to the handmade. Heartworms is, as always, entirely written by James Mercer. However, with the exception of “So Now What” (produced by Richard Swift), Heartworms is the first Shins album to be self-produced by Mercer since Oh, Inverted World in 2001.

Heartworms features Mercer’s most diverse lyrical palette to date: From fictional character sketches (“Fantasy Island,” “Rubber Ballz”), autobiographical accounts (“Mildenhall”), to first single “Name For You,” a resounding call for female empowerment inspired by Mercer’s three daughters.

Heartworms’ track listing is below. The album will be available March 10, 2017, however pre-order is available now here.

Track List

1.    Name For You
2.    Painting a Hole
3.    Cherry Hearts
4.    Fantasy Island
5.    Mildenhall
6.    Rubber Ballz
7.    Half a Million
8.    Dead Alive
9.    Heartworms
10. So Now What
11. The Fear

The record will be supported by a world tour, on which Mercer will be joined by Yuuki Matthews (bass), Jon Sortland (drums), Mark Watrous (guitar, keys, vocals), Casey Foubert (guitar) and Patti King (keys). For those fans who need their fill of The Shins live ASAP, have no fear: the band will be appearing on this weekend’s episode of “A Prairie Home Companion”, which will broadcast live from The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA.

See below for The Shins’ current tour schedule. Tickets on sale Friday, January 13th at 10am local time. And stay tuned for many more announcements including additional tour dates.

2017 Tour Dates

March 2 - Albuquerque, NM – El Rey Theatre
March 4 - Pomona, CA – Fox Theater
March 6 - San Diego,CA – Observatory North Park
March 7 - San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park
March 28 - Paris, FR – Le Trianon
March 29 - London, UK – Apollo Hammersmith
March 30 - Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
June 15 - Brooklyn, NY – Prospect Park Bandshell

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The Multi-Grammy Award winning troubadour Rodney Crowell is set to release Close Ties on March 31st via New West Records. The 10-song set is his first album in over three years and follows The Traveling Kind, his acclaimed collection of duets with longtime collaborator Emmylou Harris. Co-produced by Jordan Lehning and Kim Buie, the album features a duet with Sheryl Crow on the haunting “I’m Tied To Ya,” and “It Ain’t Over Yet,” a vocal collaboration with his ex-wife Rosanne Cash and John Paul White.  It is the first time Crowell and Cash have appeared on record together since their chart topping 1988 duet “It’s Such A Small World,” which was also Crowell’s first #1 hit. Crowell premiered the video for “It Ain’t Over Yet,” today which also features legendary harmonica player Mickey Raphael and can be seen below…

Fifty years after Crowell first started playing as a teen in Houston garage bands, he has moved into elder-statesman territory, and continues to extend the path carved out by the top-tier songwriters who preceded him.  His songs have been recorded by country legends (Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, George Strait), to current country chart toppers (Tim McGraw, Keith Urban) to blues icons (Etta James) to rock and roll legends (Van Morrison, Bob Seger).   He is a Grammy award winner, a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, recipient of the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting from the Americana Music Association, and the author of his autobiography, the stunning Chinaberry Sidewalks.

Rodney Crowell Close Ties Track Listing:

1. East Houston Blues
2. Reckless
3. Life Without Susanna
4. It Ain’t Over Yet (featuring Rosanne Cash & John Paul White)
5. I Don’t Care Anymore
6. I’m Tied To Ya (featuring Sheryl Crow)
7. Forgive Me Annabelle
8. Forty Miles From Nowhere
9. Storm Warning
10. Nashville 1972

Rodney Crowell On Tour (More Dates To Be Announced):
February 14 – New Braunfels, TX @ Brauntex Theater
February 15 – Tomball, TX @ Main Street Crossing
February 16 – Tomball, TX @ Main Street Crossing

February 19-26 – The Cayamo Cruise
March 14 – Aspen, CO @ Wheeler Opera House

March 15 – Ft. Collins, CO @ The Armory
March 16 –  Boulder, CO @ eTown
March 23 – Kansas City, MO @ Knuckleheads
March 24 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
March 25 – Chicago, IL @ City Winery
March 30 – New York, NY @ City Winery
March 31 – Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
April 1 – Washington, DC @ The Hamilton

April 7 – Austin, TX @ Paramount Theater (*Darrell K. Royal Homecoming Show)
May 7 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Lobero Theater
May 9 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour
May 10 – Berkeley, CA @ Freight & Salvage
May 13 – Olympia, WA @ Capitol Theater

September 16 – Bristol, TN @ Bristol Rhythm & Roots Festival

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The String Cheese Incident took care of business for three nights at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, CO on 12/29 though 12/31/16 on their annual New Years Run. Photos by Todd Radunksy

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