Phish bassist Mike Gordon returned to the road for the second half of his Weekend Warrior Tour last night, where Cactus led his five-piece through two segue-filled sets at The Met in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Gordon and his band spent the majority of the opening stanza weaving in and out of Traveled Too Far and Sugar Shack, while the majority of the second set was a Susskind Hotel sandwich.

[File Photo by Joe Ringus]

For the encore, Gordon unveiled his solo band’s version of Clone – a song Cactus originally recorded with Leo Kottke and the title track of the pair’s 2002 release. Covers played on this night were J.J. Cale’s Ain’t Love Funny, the group’s fast-paced version of Cities by Talking Heads, No One Receiving by Brian Eno and a take on The Beatles’ She Said, She Said that featured quotes of Swingtown.

Mike Gordon – Clone

Here’s the setlist from last night’s show…

Set 1: Traveled Too Far > Sugar Shack > Traveled Too Far > Sugar Shack > The Field > Ain’t Love Funny > Kryermaten > Traveled Too Far > Sugar Shack, I Miss My Mind > The Void > La La La >Traveled Too Far

Set 2: Cities, Susskind Hotel > Cruel World, The Void > She Said She Said^[1] > Sugar Shack > She Said She Said > Sugar Shack > The Walls of Time, No One Receiving > Susskind Hotel, Hap-Nappy^[2]

Encore: Clone

[1] “Swingtown” quotes.
[2] “Heartbreaker” tease.

Notes: This setlist is unconfirmed. “She Said” contained “Swingtown” quotes. “Hap-Nappy” contained a “Heartbreaker” tease.

[via Phish.net]

Mike and his band head to Northampton, Mass. tonight for a show at the Calvin.

Warren Haynes’ annual Christmas Jam got off to a rousing start last night at the Pre-Jam, which was held at Asheville’s Orange Peel. The evening featured short sets from many of the acts scheduled to perform at the Civic Center tonight. Phil Lesh’s latest Phil and Friends outfit closed out the show marking the first P&F performance since 2008.

[Photo of Bela Set from @TourTweet]

Haynes kicked off the Pre-Jam with a few, choice solo acoustic tunes (River’s Gonna Rise, A Friend to You) before welcoming up his Gov’t Mule band mate Matt Abts and Planet of the Abts. Another of Warren’s Mule cohorts, Danny Louis, added trombone to a few songs at the end of PoA’s set. Xmas Jam regular Kevn Kinney graced the stage next with his “friends” and played Here Come The Regulars and A Good Country Mile. Next up was Jackie Greene and Friends, a band put together especially for the occasion which featured Joe Russo on drums and ended with a scorching take on Don’t Let Me Down featuring Warren Haynes on guitar. Following Greene was a jazz-laden set by Bela Fleck, Jeff Sipe, Casey Driessan, Taylor Lee and Bill Evans. Then, Los Lobos delivered a seven-song set that included a sit-in from Haynes on Killing Floor as a tribute to the late Hubert Sumlin. Warren also guested on 300 Pounds of Joy and Mas Y Mas.

Gov’t Mule has been on hiatus for the majority of 2011 while the Warren Haynes Band took most of Haynes’ attention this year. The Mule didn’t seem rusty last night as the group tore through a Trane > Eternity’s Breath > Goin’ Out West opening sequence. Bela Fleck came out to add banjo to Come Into My Kitchen and then Bill Evans guested on sax for Devil Likes It Slow. Mule’s finale gave a taste of the forthcoming Phil & Friends set as the quartet was joined by Phil Lesh on bass, Jeff Chimenti on keys and David Hidalgo on guitar for a cover of Dear Mr. Fantasy by Traffic.

Phil and Friends closed out the Pre-Jam with three well-jammed tunes. Haynes, Lesh, Chimenti, Russo and Greene started off their set with a Jackie-sung New Speedway Boogie. A psychedelic jam led into All Along The Watchtower, sung by Warren before Franklin’s Tower put an exclamation point on the evening. All of the acts who performed at the Pre-Jam will take the stage tonight at the Asheville Civic Center, along with a number of special guests, to raise money for Habitat For Humanity.

• Stream Last Night’s Sets: Los Lobos, Phil & Friends, Gov’t Mule

Bassist Mike Gordon and his solo band returned to Northampton, Massachusetts tonight, the town where the quintet played their first gig on June 30, 2008. This evening’s show took place at the Calvin Theatre, just down the block from the scene of  the group’s debut performance – the Iron Horse Music Hall. Cactus paid tribute to bassist Rick Danko, who passed away twelve years ago today, in a roundabout way by covering the Holland/Dozier/Holland-penned Baby Don’t You Do It, a staple of The Band’s live repertoire that was first recorded by Marvin Gaye.

[Photo by @thinlizzy17]

In the middle of the first set, Mike’s band unveiled a pair of debuts in Barika, which shares a name with the Vermont-based band that percussionist Craig Myers fronts, and the aforementioned Baby Don’t You Do It. In an interview which will be published on HT early this week, Myers explains that in West Africa the Arabic word “barika” (pronounced body-kah) means “praise-giving, thanksgiving and giving respect.” Myers, who penned the song Barika, named his seven-piece band Barika as those three qualities are part of the group’s vision. As he does in the band Barika, Myers employed the African harp known as the Kamel N’goni on the song Barika. The opening stanza also featured the group’s take on the Phish classic Meat and their second version of Sideways, a tune Gordon described to our Brian Bavosa

as “a simple, haunting little ditty about the world on its side” in a recent interview. A cover of Little Feat’s Sailin’ Shoes came towards the end of the set between two gems from 2003′s Inside In – Beltless Buckler and Soulfood Man.

Set 1: Dig Further Down, Sideways, Willow Tree, Meat, Andelman’s Yard, Barika*, Don’t Do It*, Beltless Buckler^ > Sailin’ Shoes, Soulfood Man**

Set 2: Couch Lady, Jones > Down To The Nightclub > Can’t Stand Still, Be Good and You’ll Be Lonely > Sound, What Things Seem, Black Tambourine**, Another Door

Encore: Things That Make You Go Hmmm

* – First Time Played
** – w/ Chameleon (Herbie Hancock) Tease
^ – w/ Speak Softly Love (Love Theme From The Godfather) Tease

[via @bizarchive]

Couch Lady kicked off set two continuing the love for Inside In. The spotlight shined on guitarist Scott Murawski for the five-piece’s take on Jones by Max Creek and on keyboardist Tom Cleary for his own Be Good and You’ll Be Lonely later in the set. Can’t Stand Still and What Things Seem, two of the best songs from Gordon’s most recent album, Moss, also saw action in the second set as did a cover of Beck’s Black Tambourine. According to Scott Marks, when Gordon returned for the encore he asked the audience if they would prefer to hear “a jazzy tune or something uptempo.” As Marks noted, apparently uptempo won out since C&C Music Factory’s Things That Make You Go Hmmm filled the encore slot. The group’s last show of the year takes place tomorrow night at The Egg in Albany.

• Previously on HT: Mike Gordon @ The Met – Setlist and Recap, Catching Up With Mike Gordon

The 23rd annual Christmas Jam took place last night at the Asheville Civic Center in Asheville, North Carolina. Host Warren Haynes kicked off the marathon evening of music with an acoustic performance of And It Stoned Me about seven hours before Gov’t Mule wrapped things up with a cover of The Doors’ When The Music’s Over. Along the way attendees saw a cover-heavy set from Kevn Kinney & The Christmas Family Band, a jazz-laden performance by Jeff Sipe and Bela Fleck’s band, the host sit in with Los Lobos on Bertha, Jimmy Herring guest with Phil and Friends and a show-closing set from Gov’t Mule that featured cameos from Jimmy Herring, Phil Lesh and Bill Evans.

Phil and Friends – Shakedown Street

Phil Lesh and the five-piece he put together for the event got the most stage time last night. The group tore through a set that included Grateful Dead classics and a cover of The Beatles’ She Said, She Said. Towards the end of Phil and Friends’ performance, Jimmy Herring, the guitarist from Lesh’s famed “Q” ensemble, came out to play lead on The Other One and Sugaree. Herring also was a guest of Gov’t Mule later in the night when he joined the quartet on Dear Prudence. The Mule set also featured a version of Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys featuring Lesh and sax star Bill Evans.

Here’s a look at everything that was played last night…

Warren Haynes
And It Stoned Me

Kevin Kinney & The Christmas Family Band
Never Gonna Change
Ain’t Waiting on Tomorrow
Breathe >
Rocket Man >
I’ve Got A Feeling

Bela Fleck/Jeff Sipe (with Jimmy Herring, Bill Evans, Taylor Lee & Casey Driessen)
Solo Improv >
Jed Clampett
Monkey See
Spanish Point
Scapegoat Blues
Soulgrass

Los Lobos
Neighborhood
Don’t Worry Baby
Revolution
Venganza de Los Pelados
Chuco’s Cumbia
I Walk Alone
Not Fade Away > Bertha with Warren Haynes

Phil Lesh & Friends (Warren Haynes, Jackie Greene, Jeff Chimenti & Joe Russo)
Shakedown Street >
Deal >
Viola Lee Blues >
Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) >
Viola Lee Blues >
China Cat Sunflower >
I Know You Rider
Dark Star >
She Said, She Said >
Dark Star >
Wharf Rat >
The Other One > with Jimmy Herring
Sugaree with Jimmy Herring

Encore
Angel Band

Gov’t Mule
Railroad Boy
Beautifully Broken
Thorazine Shuffle
Banks Of The Deep End
Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys with Bill Evans & Phil Lesh
Dear Prudence with Jimmy Herring
Inside Outside Woman Blues
When The Music’s Over

[via Mule.net]

• Torrents: Gov’t Mule, Phil & Friends,

Almost 14 years to the day after the December 13, 1997 version of Mike’s Song where the members of Phish yelled about bringing in “The Dude” at the nearby Knickerbocker Arena, Steve “Dude of Life” Pollak took the stage with Mike Gordon’s other band last night for a Suzy Greenberg encore that brought the Phish bassist’s solo tour to a close at The Egg in Albany.

[Photo by Jeremy Gordon from March]

The quintet also offered plenty of covers throughout the two sets, attempting another Don’t Do It, a cover of Little Feat’s Skin It Back, their second take on Gillian Welch’s The Way It Goes and the first Won’t Get Fooled Again of the weekend. Sugar Shack was also performed last night, though unlike Friday’s version this one was a standalone version.

Here’s the setlist…

Set 1: Horizon Line, Only A Dream, I’m Deranged, The Way It Goes, Just a Rose, Voices, River Niger,Don’t Do It > Horizon Line

Set 2: Funky Bitch, Sugar Shack, Hand in My Pocket, Dig Further Down, Crumblin’ Bones, Skin It Back, Hap-Nappy, Won’t Get Fooled Again

Encore: Suzy Greenberg^[1]

[1] Mike Gordon debut, with Steve Pollak on vocals.

Notes: ”Suzy Greenberg” was a Mike Gordon debut and featured Steve Pollak (The Dude of Life) on vocals.

[via Phish.net and Mike-Gordon.com]

Next up for Gordon is four Phish shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City to end the year. He’ll take his solo band abroad in March for Jam In The Dam 2012.

One of our first video posts of the year featured the indie-pop act Tennis, who were on the verge of putting out their much buzzed about debut album Cape Dory, a collection of lo-fi, hazy, girl-group influenced tunes that were inspired by the husband and wife act’s eight-month voyage sailing around the North Atlantic coast. On February 14 the Denver-based act will release their sophomore effort, Young & Old, which was produced by The Black Keys’ drummer Patrick Carney. In anticipation of the release, last week the duo released the 7″ single Origins, with the A-Side produced by Carney and the self-produced B-Side – Deep In The Woods.

Last week the band released this very cinematic music video for for the flip-side track which was inspired by Shirley Jackson’s 1962 novel We Have Always Lived In Castles. Let’s check it out…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tennis – Deep In The Woods

Speaking of The Black Keys, the garage-blues-rock act, has added a second headlining show at Madison Square Garden on March 22, after selling out their first one in less than a half hour. Tickets for their second show will go on sale this Friday (12/16) at 9 AM.

Lenny Kravitz makes two late-night appearances this week with visits to Leno on Tuesday and Kimmel on Thursday. Frankly, I am much more interested in hearing what Lenny has to say about his role as Katniss Everdeen’s stylist Cinna in the upcoming Hunger Games flick than I am in his music. Just sayin. Other late night highlights this week include Death Cab for Cutie on Kimmel on Tuesday and My Morning Jacket on Letterman and Ryan Adams on Chelsea Lately on Thursday.

[Cinna (Lenny Kravitz, left), Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson, center) and Josh Hutcherson (right) in THE HUNGER GAMES by Murray Close]

Monday, December 12 [All Times EST]

• Coldplay: Live from Glastonbury [Palladia 10PM]
• Noel Gallagher on Conan [TBS 11PM]
• Foster the People on Jay Leno [NBC 11:35PM]
• U2: Rattle & Hum [Palladia Midnight]
• The Kooks on Jimmy Kimmel [ABC 12:05AM]

Tuesday, December 13

• Ben Harper: Live at Molson Amphitheater [HDNet 1:35PM]
• Wild Flag on David Letterman [CBS 11:35PM]
• Lenny Kravitz on Jay Leno [NBC 11:35PM]
• Death Cab for Cutie on Jimmy Kimmel [ABC 12:05AM]
• Cold War Kids on Carson Daly (R) [NBC 1:35AM]

Wednesday, December 14

• The Cure: 4Play in Charlotte [HDNet 1PM]
• Common on Jay Leno [NBC 11:35PM]
• Young Jeezy on Jimmy Kimmel [ABC 12:05AM]
• Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage [VH1 Classic 12:30AM]
• Beastie Boys: Fight for Your Right Revisited [Palladia 12:30AM]

Thursday, December 15

• My Morning Jacket on David Letterman [CBS 11:35PM]
• Robin Thicke on Jay Leno [NBC 11:35PM]
• Lenny Kravitz on Jimmy Kimmel [ABC 12:05AM]
• Dawes on Conan [TBS 11PM]
• Ryan Adams on Chelsea Lately [E! 11PM]

Starting today, Wilco will bring the latest leg of their world tour in support of The Whole Love home to Chicago for five shows at five different venues across the city. This isn’t the first time Wilco has had a residency in the Windy City. Back in 2008, the band set up shop at the The Riviera Theatre and performed every song from each of their studio albums over five incredible nights. Let’s take a look at the venues on Wilco’s “Incredibly Shrinking Tour” of Chicago.

Civic Opera House

[Photo by Ardis Krainik]

Monday, December 12, 2011

Support: Nick Lowe
Capacity: 3,563
Previous Wilco Shows: None

The residency will begin with Wilco’s first ever show at the stunning Civic Opera House. The venue, which opened on November 4, 1929 features and art deco interior and is the permanent home to the Lyric Opera of Chicago. While it is highly unlikely, it would be awesome if Jim Cornelison would sing the national anthem before Wilco hit the stage.

The Riviera Theatre

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Support: Eleventh Dream Day
Capacity: 2,500
Previous Wilco Shows: 5/22/97, 5/23/97, 5/7/99, 11/24/99, 12/31/99, 11/22/00, 11/23/01, 11/24/01, 5/2/02, 8/2/02, 8/3/02, 12/7/07, 2/15/08, 2/16/08, 2/18/08, 2/19/08, 2/20/08

Wilco has played the Riviera Theatre more than any venue in Chicago. The venue, which is located in the Uptown neighborhood is down the street from the Aragon Ballroom and the Uptown Theatre. Wilco ushered in the millennium and more famously held their 2008 Winter Residency here.

The Vic Theatre

[Photo via Jam Productions]

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Support: Jon Langford and Skull Orchard
Capacity: 1,400
Previous Wilco Shows: 6/16/95, 11/27/96, 6/12/04, 5/4/05, 5/5/05, 5/6/05, 5/7/05

After a night off, Wilco will head two miles south for the next show on their tour of Chicago venues. The Vic Theatre was opened in 1912 and was originally named the Victoria Theatre. Their 2005 run at the Vic was recorded for Kicking Television: Live in Chicago, which was released on November 15, 2005. Jeff Tweedy has also played several solo shows here.

The Metro

[Crowd Shot at Metro by OK Go]

Friday, December 16, 2011

Support: The Paulina Hollers
Capacity: 1,150
Previous Wilco Shows: None

This venerable club opened its doors in 1982 and has welcomed some of the world’s biggest bands to its stage. Check out some of the artists who have played metro: Ministry, The Replacements, Slayer, Jesus and Mary Chain, Black Flag, Sonic Youth, The Ramones, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Flaming Lips, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, The Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Dinosaur (before Jr.)- I think you get the picture. Ironically enough, this is Wilco’s first show at this iconic venue.

Lincoln Hall

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Support: Fred Armisen
Capacity: 507
Previous Wilco Shows: None

The most sought after ticket for the entire run of Chicago shows is for the very intimate Lincoln Hall show. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know why. Wilco hasn’t played a show this small in Chicago since they played Martyr’s and The Hideout back in 2002. This show is a benefit for Inspiration Corporation, which helps homeless individuals & families regain stability and rebuild their lives.

I am very excited to be catching all of these show and will be posting setlists and recaps of each show. It’s going to be one crazy week, but I can’t wait to see Wilco in my backyard. You can follow me on Twitter @Subtle_Sounds.

Running from 1976 to 1981, the original five-season, 120-episode run of The Muppet Show, as well as the 1979 feature-length film The Muppet Movie, left an indelible mark on the majority of the HT Staff with its mix of love-able characters, kitschy smart humor (much of it which went over our heads at the time) and celebrity guests appearances. So we couldn’t have been more elated to learn that the franchise, which seemed to mostly disappear from the world of pop culture in recent years, was going to get the reboot treatment thanks to Jason Segel. The actor, has been very vocal about his love for The Muppets, even included a nod to the iconic theme song in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (which also featured his own muppet-esque vampire musical). Segel, along with his pal writer-director Nicholas Stoller, originally pitched the execs at Disney with their idea all the way back in 2008, and the rest as they say is history.

Fast forward some four years later and Segel and Stoller’s vision finally made to the big screen with the release of The Muppets, the first Disney-produced Muppets film in 15 years. Since I’m sure a healthy portion of our audience have already seen the film I won’t waste your time talking about the plot or all the awesome guest cameos. What is worth mentioning though is the fact that Bret McKenzie, who is best known as one half of the comedy folk-duo The Flight Of The Conchords, was responsible for writing the majority of the original songs for the movie’s soundtrack, and was clearly the right choice for the task, injecting the same playful and smart sense of humor into his contributions. Let’s check out this video for the movie’s centerpiece musical number, Man Or Muppet…

George Porter Jr. and Runnin’ Pardners @ Hiro Ballroom, December 3

Photos: Robert Chapman

George Porter Jr. returned to New York City on December 3 with his five-piece Runnin’ Pardners ensemble for a set that mixed material from throughout the bassist’s illustrious career.

[All Photos by Robert Chapman]

Photographer Robert Chapman was on hand at the Hiro Ballroom on the 3rd and turned in an exceptional set of snaps.

Here’s the full gallery of Rob’s George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners photos…

For those attending Jam Cruise 10 this is a very exciting time. We’ve got less than one month until the MSC Poesia departs Fort Lauderdale filled to the brim with talented musicians. Over the years a community has developed of not only those who continue to pick Jam Cruise as their musical adventure each January but also the musicians who embrace the cruise’s “anything goes” ethos and win invites year after year.

When I headed off for my first Jam Cruise in 2010, I didn’t know what to expect. My mind was blown within a few hours of departure, yet it took me a few days to get my feet under me. I would’ve loved tips from Jam Cruise vets to help guide me on my way. With that in mind, for this week’s B List we’ve asked a long-time cruiser, a Jam Cruise staffer and several musicians who have done the trip before for advice that they would give to first-time cruisers.

Keller Williams (Keller and the Keels: Pool Deck – January 10 @ 1:45PM | Theater – January 11 @ 11:15PM

• Pace yourself. It’s not a sprint but a marathon
• In the unfortunate event of high seas, don’t drink too much in the theater shows. The indoor motion mixed with alcohol can be bad.
• Don’t play tennis in crocs.
• Don’t forget to sleep.
• Learn to love pizza and hot dogs.
• Be liberal with sunblock and shade.
• Don’t take your kids.

Anders Beck (Jam Cruise 10 Special Guest)

The advice that I was given before I departed for my first Jam Cruise was that “it is a marathon, not a sprint.” I ignored this advice and treated it like a “sprinting marathon” and had one of the best weeks of my life. Here’s a few tips to make sure that you feel the same way…

• Once you get the layout of the boat figured out, it’s not that big. You can get from one show to another pretty quickly, even just to check it out and pick which one you like better.
• Make sure to see at least one sunrise. When was the last time you saw the sun rise over Cuba or Haiti from the middle of the ocean? Hmmmm? It’s freakin’ beautiful and the light is amazing (plus, there’s a good chance i’ll be there to serenade you on dobro). Jam Cruise is built for “playing through”…
• After sunrise go get breakfast and pretend you just woke up.
• Sleep when you’re tired. For a little while at least. Sure you might miss something, but there will be something equally cool happening when you awake!
• Make sure to go explore the islands that we stop at. Sure, it’s all about the music on Jam Cruise, but exploring Haiti and Jamaica is about the coolest set breaks you could ask for.
• Don’t be late getting to the port or back to the boat. Seriously!
• Finally, take time to make new friends. The boat is filled with some of the coolest people on the planet, as far as I can tell, and it’s certainly worth getting to know everybody around you. Sounds obvious… and maybe it is, but it’s certainly worth mentioning, I think.

Annabel Lukins (Cruise Director – “Julie McCoy”)

Click here to view the embedded video.

• Pace Yourself. Jam Cruise is a marathon, not a sprint. You might want to race straight from the start but you’ll burn out fast. Stay up late but not that late. Sleep! Drink water and eat every meal. You’ll be much more prepared to rock out each night.
• Knock on your neighbors’ cabin door and make friends with them. The relationships made on Jam Cruise last a lifetime. Our community has become so tight that it’s simply one big family spending a special holiday together every year. But the friendships build over the year because we just miss each other so much. So make a new buddy next door or down the hall or dancing next to them…
• Spend a lot of time in the Jam Room. The Jam Room, created because musicians approached us years ago asking for a place they could jam with their friends in different bands that they never get to play with, is one of the most unique experiences not only on board, but in jamband history. Never before and never again seen moments happen late night, artists who have never shared the stage before let loose and feed off each other to create complete and utter magic…

PAGE TWO = Mike Dillon,  Jefferson Waful, Skerik, Kyle Hollingsworth & Steve Allen

For more tips be sure to read the FAQ and ask the users of the Jam Cruise Forum.

The first two Wilco shows on the group’s “Incredible Shrinking Tour” of Chicago carried two completely different vibes. On Monday, you had opening night jitters and a very soulful rendition of The Weight featuring Mavis Staples and Nick Lowe to close the show. Tuesday night saw the band playing very loosely and jamming out several numbers with the 15 minute Spiders (Kidsmoke) as the crown jewel of the evening. What vibe would Thursday’s show take on?

[Photo by @ndebardlebon]

With Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in attendance, Wilco reached deep into their extensive catalog and treated the sold out crowd at the Vic to a fun filled show. A great example of the band digging deep was the early set Hotel Arizona. It was played for only the second time since 2009. The songs energy built up slowly like a locomotive gaining speed all the while Nels Cline franticly covered all 21 frets on his battered Fender Jazzmaster at break neck speed.

“We haven’t taken time to introduce ourselves. We wrote a song about it,” noted Tweedy before Wilco (The Song). Instead of Tweedy introducing his bandmates towards the end of the song, a synthesized voice introduced the entire band one by one. Hesitating Beauty and Summer Teeth were very pleasant late set surprises before Nothing’severgonnastandinmyway(again) and Dawned on Me closed the set.

Wilco has done a nice job of switching up the encores and last night was no different. What would a Wilco show be without some dad rock? In between monster drum fills and a touch of cowbell from Glenn Kotche, keyboardists Mikael Jorgensen and Pat Sansone exchanged riffs during Hate It Here. Kicking Television brought out the punk rock in Wilco, while also nodding to the venue where their only live album, Kicking Televison, was recorded.

[Photo by @ndebardlebon]

The Mermaid Avenue cut Hoodoo Voodoo was really fun. First off, Wilco crew member Josh, (who look like Borat) ran around the stage shirtless banging on a cowbell. Throw in an intense guitar duel between Nels Cline and Pat Sansone and that makes for one hell of an encore.

Wilco dug deep Thursday night, but with two more shows to go, let’s see how deep they can go.

Wilco
Thursday, December 15, 2011
The Vic Theatre
Chicago, IL

Set: One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend) > Hell Is Chrome > Art of Almost, I Might, Muzzle of Bees, Hotel Arizona, Radio Cure, Born Alone, At Least That’s What You Said, Rising Red Lung, Say You Miss Me, Wilco (The Song), Capitol City, Hesitating Beauty, Summer Teeth, Standing O, A Magazine Called Sunset, Nothing’severgonnastandinmyway(again), Dawned on Me

Encore: Whole Love, Hate It Here, You Never Know, Theologians, Casino Queen, Kicking Television

Encore 2: Hoodoo Voodoo > Outtasite (Outta Mind), The Lonely 1

• Wilco’s “Incredible Shrinking Tour”: Opera House, The Riv, WGN,

While we try our best to rack our brains to come up with insightful ways to describe a band’s sound, sometimes it’s best left to said act, so I figured I’d do just that with the Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The Portland-based trio, who were an extremely late in the year discovery for me, released their highly recommendable self-titled debut via Fat Possum back in June, which they describe as “alien beatnik pop music that echoed 60s psychedelia and krautrock minimalism with just a hint of gentle weirdness, with a sound that recalls Captain Beefheart, Sly Stone and RZA jamming on some kids tv theme too dark to ever be broadcast.” We couldn’t have said any better ourselves, actually we probably wouldn’t have even come close.

Last week the band released the video for Bicycle, let’s check it out…

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Bicycle

In a recent Hidden Track article, I wrote about my uber love for Bark Hot Dogs. At the time, I promised I would write an entire piece dedicated to Bark in the near future. When our favorite locavore hot dot eatery announced they were hosting a $40 per person Five-Course Tasting Dinner Featuring Nueske’s Smoked Meats and Sixpoint Craft Ales, I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to follow through on my promise.

After arriving promptly at the scheduled seating time, we were able to get seats near the kitchen, as it’s always fun to see what’s going on behind the scenes. Our primo seats allowed us to socialize with our friends from Sixpoint and Bark, and we spent most of the evening speaking with the Nueske’s rep–praising their succulent Applewood Smoked Bacon like groupies. Everyone was in great spirits. We were also blessed with the presence of Vera Tong, pastry chef from Buddakan, whose dessert ended up being one of our favorite menu selections.

After we received our first beer of the night, Signal Smoked India Pale Ale, our first course was the Applewood Smoked Duck Croquettes with Pickled Hot Peppers.

Chris & I equally enjoyed the beer, as neither of us had consumed a smoked IPA previously. This was a great way to get our palettes ready for a smoked meats dinner.

Croquettes can be hit or miss, depending on the filling and coating. The smoked duck filling was extremely flavorful, but the heat from the hot pickled pepper dipping sauce brought out the real flavor in the first course. The coating had a nice crunch to it as well. Unfortunately, the condiment cup was too small to dip the croquettes into, so I poured the sauce over them instead–a minor flaw which didn’t overshadow the food one bit.

Our second course was the Bacon-Cheddar Dog with Smokey Bacon, Grafton Cheddar Sauce and Pickled Red Onions–paired with a Bark Red Ale.

I was admittedly a little sad that we only received half a dog per person, as their hot dogs are incredibly tasty. The Grafton cheddar sauce had a sharpness which paired very well with the bacon–this was no ordinary cheese sauce! Chris isn’t a fan of red onions at all, but he enjoyed this dish so much he claimed he didn’t even notice the onions. The Bark Red Ale was a nice compliment as well.

After two delicious starters, everyone was salivating in anticipation of the first entree. I knew that the Smoked and Braised Pork Shoulder with Crispy Egg, Whole Corn Grits, Dried Sweet Corn and Grafton Cheddar was going to be the star of the night.

Oh.my.goodness. This bowl had layers and layers of flavors, which can only be bulleted:

• Smoked and Braised Pork Shoulder – the flavors were similar to baked beans. Sweet and smoky all at once.
• Crispy Egg – every plate of food for the rest of time should have a deep fried, crispy egg on top of it. The coating on the egg was similar to the duck croquettes, which added a fun crunch.
• White Corn Grits with Grafton Cheddar – I always prefer white corn over yellow corn, and the grits were perfectly creamy. Once again, Grafton kicked it up a notch.
• Dried Sweet Corn – so good! Crunchy goodness within the grits.

The beer pairing turned out to be Mad Scientist #6, which was similar to a Strong Ale. I didn’t consume much of this–it wasn’t my favorite.

Our last savory course was Choucroute Garni, a dish which originated in the Alsace region of France. Bark’s version contained Hawthorne Valley Sauerkaut Braised with Apples, Bacon, Bratwurst and Weisswurst with Young Potatoes and Grainy Mustard.

This plate wasn’t very appealing to the eye, but the zing of the individual ingredients made me forget the lackluster presentation. The grainy mustard was the star of the show. I dipped some of the Nueske’s bratwurst, which tastes just like kielbasa, in about half of the mustard–my sinuses were en fuego! This was a great surprise, as I love the punch of a good mustard. I’m not a huge sauerkraut fan, but the apples and bacon helped to temper what is usually much too sour for me. The Weisswurst and potato probably would have wowed me a little more if I hadn’t killed my palette with the mustard, but it didn’t matter, as that mustard ruled the roost.

On another sour note, Sixpoint Crisp has an odd vinegar-esque flavor to it. I have no idea what they infuse that beer with, but it certainly paired well with sauerkraut.

After 4 variations on the smoked meat theme, it was time for Vera Tong’s dessert! My gut instinct told me her Almond Brioche Bread Pudding with Smoked Bacon Maple Sauce and Vanilla Rum Ice Cream would be the dark horse of the tasting menu. I love it when I’m right.

This bread pudding was absolutely divine. The smoked bacon maple syrup soaked right in, so each bite was more moist than the last–the syrup was very sweet too. Creamy, but not too sugary, the ice cream was a wonderful compliment to the syrup. The stroopwafel was great for dipping in the ice cream–this was one of those “kid in a candy store” dining moments where time just freezes–no pun intended. I’m not generally a stout fan, but I enjoyed the pairing of Diesel Stout here.

I’m sure it’s not hard to deduce that we were very smitten with this meal. They really hit this tasting menu out of the park, and continue to amaze me with their tireless dedication to using only the highest quality ingredients. Chris and I will go back time and time again for these dinners. Thank you, Bark, for being you.

Earlier this year Beach Boys fans rejoiced, when a “complete” version of the band’s lost masterpiece SMiLE was finally officially released. Now comes some even bigger news as the surviving members of the iconic and influential surf-pop act, who have repeatedly feuded over the years, announced that they will reunite in 2012 to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks (who played on the Beach Boys’ first four albums), convened in a recording studio earlier this year to re-record their 1968 classic Do It Again to give things a test run, will celebrate this major milestone with a new studio album, their first together since 1995′s Stars And Stripes, Vol. 1, commemorative catalog releases, as well as a 50-date world tour, that will kick off with an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on April 27.

The band, who were supposed to make this announcement at the Grammy nominations special (which was also to feature a reunited Van Halen), will make their official reemergence together with an appearance at the award show’s telecast on February 12th, with Jardine telling Rolling Stone, “There will be a surprise at the Grammys. We’ll do something really exciting. There’s a lot of interest in it, which is nice. It’s going to be a very big operation.” The guitarist also stated that the band will present diverse setlists for their upcoming tour, “The fans are going to want to hear the hits. But there should also be lesser-known ones that are so important.”

Back in June Furthur gathered at guitarist Bob Weir’s TRI Studios to perform for a live Pay-Per-View webcast that fans could purchase for under $20. The group worked through classic Grateful Dead material as well as a few originals. TRI Studios will rebroadcast Furthur’s set as part of a “The Night Before The Night Before Christmas” event on December 23. Best part? It’s free.

One Set: Playin’ In The Band > Crazy Fingers > Jack Straw, Brown-Eyed Women, Big Bad Blues, The Wheel > Unbroken Chain> The Other One> Uncle Johns Band > Lady With A Fan > Terrapin Station > Terrapin Transit > At a Siding > Terrapin Flyer > Terrapin Refrain, Black Peter, Mountain Song > I Know You Rider

[via Furthur.net]

Two artists that came to mainstream prominence in 2011 get another turn in the national spotlight this weekend when 27-year-old guitarist Gary Clark Jr. guests on The Late Show with David Letterman this evening on CBS and Grammy-winning bassist Esperanza Spalding appears on PBS’s Austin City Limits.

Friday, December 16 [All Times ET]

• Gary Clark Jr. on David Letterman [CBS 11:35PM]
• Chris Cornell on Jay Leno [NBC 11:35PM]
• Vince Gill on Jimmy Kimmel Live [ABC Midnight]
• Atmosphere on Carson Daly [NBC 1:35AM]

Saturday, December 17

• Esperanza Spalding on Austin City Limits [PBS]
• Adele – Unplugged [Palladia 5PM]
• Movie: Madonna – Truth or Dare [Palladia 5:30PM]
• Michael Buble on Saturday Night Live [NBC 11:30PM]

Sunday, December 18

• Documentary – The Rise and Fall of Brit Pop [ShoNext 1PM]
• A Night With The Old ’97s [HDNet 4PM]
• Robert Randolph Band – Live From Texas [HDNet 5PM]

Chris Robinson Brotherhood @ Great American Music Hall – December 14

Words: DaveO
Images: Lee Fenyves

You just knew that when Chris Robinson Brotherhood announced a mid-December four-night run at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall, these shows would produce something special. Pure speculation led to vague promises on Wednesday when the Twitter account for the venue let everyone to expect special guests for the final two nights.

[All Photos by Lee Fenyves]

Wednesday night’s show, and I’m sure all CRB shows, featured a first set where the guitar-work more closely resembled that of the Grateful Dead than The Black Crowes. Then, the craziness started with Phil Lesh grabbing bass duties for the entire second set and encore which featured five tunes from the Grateful Dead repertoire in addition to a cover of Catfish John which, while recorded by the Grateful Dead during the Terrapin Station recordings, was never played live or released until the Deluxe Edition in 2004.

[Videos of They Love Each Other, Sugaree, The Dolphins and Blue Suede Shoes by SGordo]

Filling out the set and encore was Bob Dylan’s Crash On The Levee, New Earth Mud’s Sunday Sound, Fred Neill’s The Dolphins and Carl Perkins’ Blue Suede Shoes. It had been a while since I had seen Phil play music live and it is always an absolute treat to witness his unique style of creative melodic playing – he truly is a one of a kind Rock & Roll bassist.

Reportedly, the sit-ins continued on Thursday with Bob Weir contributing guitar and vocals for the close of the second set which featured takes on Seventh Son, Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues, Bright Lights, Big City, New Speedway Boogie and Minglewood Blues. Chris Robinson Brotherhood plays New Year’s Eve in Hermosa Beach, Calif.

Here’s the rest of Lee’s fantastic shots…

As I sit here in the early hours of my midtown NYC office, I can’t help but look at the window and stare at Madison Square Garden’s marquee and wait for Phish to get here. On top of that, add in the perils and meetings and deadlines that work demands as the holidays draw near, and the one word that comes to mind is: PRESSURE.

So, out of my normal “Hey, this is a cool Friday mix” mentality, here are some songs that either induce panic attacks, and seemingly put the Weight of the World on your shoulders. Don’t worry they won’t all scare you to death, as some songs simply refer to the world pressure. Kicking off with one of mine and HT’s favorites, God Street Wine and their appropriate track, Feel the Pressure, we get off to a start that tricks you into thinking this mix won’t go deeper. Toots & The Maytals’ Pressure Drop is another fitting tune, and the last breath of fresh air you will get before we go completely into the terror and darkness.

A pair of Phish tunes that are concert staples, Maze and David Bowie, are thrown in, as their breakneck appregios have done more than scare a few concert goers over the years. In fact, the line that inspired this mix was “You’ve lost it! You’ll never get out of this Maze!” – which we all know work can sometimes feel like in the concrete jungle. Ending with The End by The Doors, we leave this mix open-ended until my next jaunt, with yet another gloomy cloud hovering…

So, as the Holidays approach, asllow me to play the part of the Grinch here, and attempt to let you know that the world is cruel, hard place, and it is a jungle out there. Don’t get scared now! Mwuahahauahauahauahahhh!!! (In my best Count Dracula impression)…

Now wipe the sweat off your brow and breathe deep…don’t let the PRESSURE get to you! Happy Holidays!

Last night’s Wilco show at Metro felt more like a family reunion than a rock and roll show. Flanked by family and friends Wilco made their debut at the legendary club a show to remember. The band dove deep and found gold in the set opening sequence of  Sunken Treasure > Wishful Thinking > Art of Almost.

One of the highlights of the night came in the form of Ashes of American Flags. The Yankee Hotel Foxtrot cut featured a soaring guitar solo from Nels Cline that ended with one of his signature guitar freakouts. After the song ended Tweedy glanced over at Cline, shook his head and smiled. Yeah, it was that good!

I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a sign at a Wilco show, but tonight, a fan brought a “Either Way” sign and the band obliged by playing the song. Before Capitol City, Tweedy noted “This is probably the most hated song on our new record, but that’s why we are going to play it.” You could tell that Tweedy enjoyed the intimate setting of the venue. Throughout the night, Tweedy chatted it up with people towards the front of the stage and surveyed the crowd.

The back end of the set was loaded with pedal to the metal rock and roll. ELT, Standing O, and a head banging version of Kingpin, set the table for a raging A Shot in the Arm to close the main set.  Before Whole Love, the audience, led by Jeff Tweedy sang happy birthday to his son, Spencer who turned 16 on Friday. Tweedy went on to tell a quick story on how Spencer played drums for Wilco when he was 13 at Madison Square Garden.

Tweedy announced that the band had all pitched in an bought the opening chord from A Hard Days Night for Spencer. I’m not sure if this was an inside joke, but it did make for a good laugh. After a few attempts, they got it right and the chord rang into Heavy Metal Drummer. Wilco summoned the blues with their show closing Dreamer in My Dreams. The feel good closer was led by Mikael Jorgensen and Pat Sansone pulling of their best Jerry Lee Lewis impersonations with some fancy keyboard work.

Wilco will conclude their “Incredible Shrinking Tour” of Chicago on Sunday at Lincoln Hall.

Wilco
Friday, December 16, 2011
Metro
Chicago, IL

Set: Sunken Treasure > Wishful Thinking > Art of Almost, I Might, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart > One Wing, Company in My Back, Ashes of American Flags, Shouldn’t Be Ashamed, Either Way, Born Alone, Capitol City, War on War, How to Fight Loneliness, Too Far Apart, Red-Eyed and Blue > I Got You (At the End of the Century), Dawned on Me, I’m Always in Love, Hummingbird

Encore 1: Whole Love$, Heavy Metal Drummer, Box Full of Letters, ELT, Standing O, Kingpin, A Shot in the Arm.

Encore 2: Dreamer in My Dreams

Notes: $ – Before Whole Love, the crowd, led by Jeff Tweedy sang happy birthday to his son, Spencer.