Earlier this week The Beatles’ acclaimed original studio album remasters, released on CD in 2009 and in 2010 for digital download, made their long-awaited stereo vinyl debut. Each of the band’s 14 albums were manufactured on 180 gram audiophile quality vinyl with replicated artwork. All of the albums are now available individually or together in a limited boxed edition that includes a 252-page hardbound book containing insight from radio producer Kevin Howlett and a wealth of Beatles’ photographs.

As part of our Everybody Wins When We Plug Something And In Return They Offer Us Free Shit To Give Away program, we’ve picked our favorite three Beatles albums to give away to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment below telling us about your favorite Beatles album and we’ll select one entry at random to win Revolver, Abbey Road and The Beatles (The White Album) on vinyl. All entries must be received by December 3rd at 11:59PM ET.

Here’s the fine print…

• To enter, leave a comment below telling us your favorite Beatles album
• Your comment(s) must be left by 11:59PM EST on December 3rd
• Anybody entering more than once will be disqualified, tarred and feathered
• The winner will receive Revolver, Abbey Road and The Beatles on vinyl
• HT staff members are not eligible to win

Check out a full list of The Beatles albums available now on vinyl…

The Stereo Albums

Available individually and collected in a boxed collection, accompanied by a beautiful 252-page hardbound book.

Please Please Me

“Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You” are presented in mono

(North American LP debut in stereo)

With The Beatles

(North American LP debut in stereo)

A Hard Day’s Night

(North American LP debut in stereo)

Beatles For Sale

(North American LP debut in stereo)

Help!

Features George Martin’s 1986 stereo remix

Rubber Soul

Features George Martin’s 1986 stereo remix

Revolver

Original album

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Packaging includes replica psychedelic inner sleeve, cardboard cutout sheet and additional insert

Magical Mystery Tour

Packaging includes 24-page colour book

The Beatles (double album)

Packaging includes double-sided photo montage/lyric sheet and 4 solo colour photos

Yellow Submarine

“Only A Northern Song” is presented in mono. Additional insert includes original American liner notes.

Abbey Road

Original album

Let It Be

Original album

Past Masters, Volumes One & Two (double album)

“Love Me Do” (original single version), “She Loves You,” “I’ll Get You,” and “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)” are presented in mono. Packaging, notes and photographic content is based on the 2009 CD release.

When Neil Young comes to New York City for a November 27th gig with Crazy Horse, he’ll make the most of his trip to the Big Apple by appearing on The Daily Show. Young will return to Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart-hosted program for the first time since 2006 on November 28th.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse are currently in the midst of The Alchemy Tour, their first excursion since 2003/2004. The tour visits The MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba this evening.

A job well done goes out to our friends at HeadCount who have just announced that last week’s HeadCount Participation Tour, which visited four cities with the likes of Dumpstaphunk, Anders Osborne and Keller Williams in tow, raised $12,000 for Sandy Relief. Not only did the concert series inspire voter turnout, but the shows put $12K in the coffers of City Harvest to help their effort to provide meals to New Yorkers most affected by Superstorm Sandy.

[Photo by Jeremy Gordon from NYC HeadCount Participation Party]

Dave Grohl has just been named the keynote speaker for SXSW Music 2013. The Foo Fighters front man has a tough act to live up to after Bruce Springsteen’s extremely engaging keynote speech at this year’s event. SXSW Music takes place Tuesday, March 12 – Sunday, March 17, 2013 in Austin, Texas.

Finally, Phish’s WaterWheel Foundation and the Mimi Fishman Foundation have joined forces to raise money for victims of Superstorm Sandy. Ticket/CD packages for every night of Phish’s upcoming New Year’s Run at Madison Square Garden are up for bid on the Mimi Fishman Foundation’s auction page. 100% of proceeds will go to victims of Sandy.

Our friend Roger Norville will be heading to Amsterdam tomorrow for the 25th annual Cannabis Cup. He’ll be filing reports each day next week about his experience. Before he leaves, Roger has shared some thoughts about his upcoming trip and what the Cannabis Cup is all about these days…

Ringed with canals and hundreds of stone bridges, endless bike paths and row after row of stunning gabled buildings; to get lost strolling through the labyrinth of cobbled streets that is Amsterdam is one of the great joys of Europe.

As you wander you’ll inevitably pass by some of the world’s greatest art collections and some of the world’s most conspicuous window displays, and though the city is undeniably famous for Van Gogh, Rembrandt and the centuries-old Red Light district Amsterdam is most notorious for its liberal attitude towards marijuana and hashish.

It’s what keeps me coming back.

And it’s what keeps the Cannabis Cup coming back. Now in its 25th year, the High Times-hosted annual search for the world’s top smokables begins November 18th and ends with a prestigious awards ceremony on November 22nd. As you read this thousands of judges are making their way to Amsterdam ready to hit as many coffee shops as they can and sift through the world’s best strains of marijuana to select winners in a myriad of categories.

And just how does one go about becoming a judge in the Cannabis Cup? That’s easy, just buy a ticket. A pass runs about $275 and includes daily admission to the expo where dozens of booths offer up tons of swag, lots of information and twelve-foot tall vaporizer bags filled with contending strains that get casually passed through the crowd. There are daily seminars featuring knowledgeable expert panelists and nightly concerts at Melkweg exclusively for pass holders, and several of the city’s coffee shops give out free samples and offer special Cup package deals for judges.

Best of all your pass allows you to vote for the world’s best hashish and marijuana, an award that is not taken lightly. To win a Cannabis Cup is to have your strain known around the world. It inevitably leads to global notoriety and increased sales, in short: a very big deal for entrants. For marijuana enthusiasts it’s an honor to cast such a heady ballot and hundreds line up to do so on the final day of judging.

Last year’s Cup was a resounding success, marred by a shocking raid of the expo by Amsterdam police. In the unprecedented move dozens of officers swooped into the building, judges were searched and released and the expo resumed as normal the next day. There was a smoking ban enforced at Melkweg for Thursday night’s awards ceremony and while spirits (and judges) remained high, the questionable future of the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam was the talk of the coffee shops on Friday morning.

Of course you can’t be in this business without being resilient and the organizers kept their cool and took it in stride. With a new exposition venue and an engaging lineup of panelists and musicians it looks like the 25th Anniversary Cannabis Cup may be their biggest event ever. There’s lots to talk about this year, from the two successful ballot initiatives in the US to the tightening of regulations in The Netherlands, and of course there are still plenty of coffee shops to get lost in and around. Concerts by the likes of Ghostface Killah and MF Doom will keep the Melkweg thumpin’ at night, and everything in between is beautiful Amsterdam.

Keep your eyes on this spot in the coming week as I file daily reports on the Cup from start to finish, with deviations in and around the city so I have stories to tell my mom.

On Thursday night at NYC’s Park Avenue Armory, the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation celebrated their 15th Annual Collaborating for A Cure Benefit Dinner. For musical entertainment, the charity hired Warren Haynes, Peter Frampton and Gregg Allman. What wound up happening was the Warren Haynes Band performed and brought up Frampton, Allman and Soulive / Lettuce guitarist Eric Krasno at various points throughout the evening.

YouTuber sgibson818 filmed much of the memorable festivities including Frampton leading the WHB through Do You Feel Like We Do? and Show Me The Way, Gregg Allman joining Warren’s band for Melissa and One Way Out (which also featured Eric Krasno) and the obligatory Soulshine. We’ve compiled a playlist of videos from Thursday evening. Despite the extremely obnoxious and ridiculously chatty audience, the performers crushed it. Take a look…

Warren Haynes Band w/ Peter Frampton, Gregg Allman and Eric Krasno – Rivers Gonna Rise, Real Lonely Night, Show Me The Way, Lines On My Face, Melissa, Soulshine, Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home, Four Day Creep, Do You Feel Like We Do?, These Days, Midnight Rider, Statesboro Blues, One Way Out

New Orleans funk/soulsters The Revivalists headlined Brooklyn Bowl last night where they welcomed New York City resident Warren Haynes out for a cover of Dr. Dre’s 2001 hit Forgot About Dre. The Revivalists have been covering the hip-hop tune since 2010. Earlier this fall Gov’t Mule teamed up with The Revivalists for a West Coast Tour that included a number of sit-ins.

Haynes added bluesy licks to the tune while The Revivalists handled Dre and Eminem’s raps. The Revivalists have shared a video of the performance on their YouTube channel. Take a look…

The Revivalists w/ Warren Haynes – Forgot About Dre

Bruce Springsteen and Levon Helm might have come from two completely different worlds, but they had a love and respect for each other that they voiced many times. Helm and The Band started covering The Boss’s Atlantic City in the ’90s and the resulting version is arguably the best Springsteen cover of all-time. When Levon passed away earlier this year, Bruce tackled The Weight and talked about his reverence for The Band drummer at an E Street Band show in Newark on May 2nd. However, there was only one time the two music legends actually performed together.

Levon Helm and his All Stars visited Springsteen’s “hometown” bar, The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, on August 22nd, 1987. The Boss was pretty much on hiatus from the road that year, so he often sat in when his musical friends would rock The Pony. As it was that night when Bruce emerged towards the end of the show. The crowd went nuts as Springsteen shared lead vocals on Up On Cripple Creek with Levon. Then, Bruce, Helm and the All Stars lit into a rollicking take on Little Richard’s Lucille. You could tell the two were getting off on the experience by the knowing glances they exchanged in a fan-shot video that thankfully emerged of the sit-in. Take a look at this meeting of the minds…

Bruce Springsteen w/ Levon Helm and the All-Stars – Up On Cripple Creek / Lucille

This weekend HT faves Grace Potter and the Nocturnals played their biggest headlining gigs in NYC yet at the 2,894 capacity Beacon Theatre. Grace and her band welcomed old friend Warren Haynes to the stage at the end of their main set last night, the second of two Beacon shows, to lend a hand on guitar and vocals a cover of Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones.

[All Photos by Chad Anderson]

Yesterday’s show also contained covers of Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden and Heart’s Crazy On You as well as an acoustic (just Potter and Scott Tournet) Falling Or Flying complete with Cortez The Killer teases. Here’s a video of Haynes sitting in on Gimme Shelter…

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals with Warren Haynes – Gimme Shelter

Our pal photographer Chad Anderson has shared a batch of stunning shots from both The Stepkids’ opening set and last night’s Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ performance…

Last weekend Umphrey’s McGee headlined the Bear Creek Music & Art Festival at the Spirit of Suwannee Park in Live Oak, Florida. On Friday the 9th, UM played two sets on the Big IV Amphitheatre stage and followed it up the next night with one long set at the same stage.

Videographer Jeremy Sewell and the Bear Creek Video Archive Team filmed much of the action and have shared an incredible three-cam/SBD-audio video of UM covering Pink Floyd’s In The Flesh > Another Brick In The Wall on Saturday night which in addition to showing off the sextet’s spot-on version displays the fierce lighting work of Jefferson Waful. Check THIS out…

Umphrey’s McGee – In The Flesh / Another Brick In The Wall

• Previously on HT: The B List – Top 10 Bear Creek Moments on Video

Yesterday we posted a batch of videos from a benefit dinner on Thursday night that featured music by the Warren Haynes Band with guests Gregg Allman, Peter Frampton and Eric Krasno. As we said in the post, “Despite the extremely obnoxious and ridiculously chatty audience, the performers crushed it” and we weren’t kidding on both sides. You can hear in these clips just how disrespectful the crowd was but also just how impressive the music was. Apparently we weren’t the only ones who noticed.

Iconic musician Peter Frampton posted a note on his Facebook page discussing the unfortunate crowd as well as his distaste for fan-shot YouTube videos in general…

I had a lot of fun jamming with Warren Haynes in NYC the other night. It was a benefit for Cancer which is the huge reason I did the show. When Warren calls and I’m there. He is a dear friend and I bow down to him as a player.

Unfortunately, even though it was a wonderful cause and a great band, the donors/audience had little or no interest in the music being performed. There were a few respectful music lovers standing at the front but most didn’t care who was playing. The great Greg Allman played a set with Warren after myself and had that same audience. I removed the videos from this page because I knew what the show would be like and I was right! This show was not open to the public.

I have just put a lot of time and my own money into making available a three hour show on DVD and BluRay as well as a 3 x CD set of other versions from the FCA35 tour. It is something I am very proud of. It will most likely never sell enough to cover the cost of making it. But that’s absolutely fine with me. I didn’t do it to make money. I put it out because I have been asked for years, “Where’s the film of Comes Alive?” There was just never any taken at the time.

I worked on this project purely as a labor of love. To finally make “THE” setlist available on video with as great quality as I could for both audio and video. I am proud of what we have finished and of everyone who worked on it with me. Most of all my incredible band who share a similar passion and care so much about how good the music will be every night.

When I see the quality of live performances on YouTube I cringe. It’s awful! It sounds awful and it looks awful! I understand that you have a video camera with you at all times. But you don’t always have to use it.

The show with Warren was a private jam and should have remained private.

Can’t wait to see you all out there on the road in 2013.

Happy Thanksgiving for my US friends.

Look, we appreciate where Frampton is coming from, but as music fans we can discern the wonderful once-in-a-lifetime music that was made on Thursday night from the shitty crowd that wouldn’t shut up. In fact, isn’t it better that those of us who truly appreciate watching Warren jam with Peter get to see it? At least SOMEONE enjoyed the magical performances. Let’s place that anger on the crowd of 1%ers who paid all that money, stood in the front row and didn’t shut the fuck up all night, not the guy who truly enjoyed the music and knew others would as well. Sadly, the videos from Thursday featuring Frampton have been made “private” so now no one can see them.

It’s 2012, if you perform in front of a large crowd, somebody’s going to videotape it. Sure, you’ve put out what looks to be an amazing DVD/Blu-Ray package but the reason we were interested in those videos from the benefit was because it featured Frampton jamming with the Warren Haynes Band. Now, how about these guys get together and play a public show so an audience of respectful fans can watch? Show us the way, Petey.

Legendary songsmith Bob Dylan delivered an energetic and enthusiastic performance on Friday night at Montreal’s Bell Centre to a near sell-out crowd. Displaying nothing short of a marketing coup, opening the show was guitar demi-god Mark Knopfler.

Though there is an obvious stylistic divergence between one of pop’s lyrical geniuses and one of rock’s most highly regarded fret-slingers, it was clear last night that these two titans share the same demographic breadth, and the thousands in attendance were treated to a relaxed evening of gem after gem.

Fronting a stellar seven-piece band full of jaw-dropping multi-instrumentalists, the aging Knopfler opened with What It Is and then Corned Beef City, a blues-driven mini-hit from his recent album. Following the first of countless guitar changes, Knopfler used an acoustic guitar to leads his compadres through the subdued bliss that is Privateering.

Not to be outdone, Knopfler’s bandmates did their fair share of instrument changes throughout the hour-long set. Bouzouki, aeolian pipes, fiddle, accordion, Celtic whistle; the instrumentation on the stage ran the gamut of the world’s greatest kitchen party.

While the audience showed their appreciation at every turn, it was hard for me to imagine from the second row how the show was traveling to the back of the house. While the playing and the arrangements were exquisite the energy was reserved at best. Even when Knopfler stepped up and wrapped his huge fingers around one of his signature tasty guitar solos the focus was on subtlety of tone over the manic beauty that some might have been hoping for a la Sultans Of Swing, a piece that was left out of last night’s set list.

Closing his set with the only foray into Dire Straits material, So Far Away was the obvious fan favorite. With the standing crowd swaying to every repeated chorus it’s clear Mark Knopfler has entered his easy-listening years, but his ability to weave absolute magic out of a pentatonic minor scale will keep the seats filled for a long while to come.

After a brief changeover that included a stagehand scattering several large mirrors around the stage, the lights went down to introduce the evening’s highly anticipated headliner. Bob Dylan took his place near center stage and led his crackerjack band through the promising opener I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight. With nary a guitar in sight, Dylan kept busy with a setup that included an electric keyboard, a doubleneck pedal steel and a 5ft. Yamaha grand piano.

Bob Dylan w/ Mark Knopfler – Tangled Up In Blue

For the second number Mark Knopfler joined the band on stage, his red Stratocaster adding the only splash of color to the scruffy, dark-suited stage. Knopfler stayed out for a trio of tunes, ending his stint with the croaking crooner with a wonderful Tangled Up In Blue, a song that brought bliss to the thousands behind me.

From the second row it was clear that Bob was having a good time, smiling and engaging his band mates with winks and laughter. Dylan once remarked, “I’m just a song and dance man,” and that much was clear whenever the iconic singer left his instruments behind and sang front-of-stage, his arms gesticulating, his hands almost nervously toying with the microphone, and his soft shoes in constant shy motion. His singing was surprisingly clear and even approached the sublime; it was easy to hang on every word of lyrical masterpieces like Desolation Row and Ballad Of A Thin Man.

Dylan even wrenched some downright beautiful solos from his harmonica, an area where his skill level often seems pedestrian at best. Closing the set with a double-shot of ubiquitous rock standards, Like A Rolling Stone and All Along The Watchtower, Dylan stood toe-to-toe with his fellow soloists, belting out some solid harp solos in between soaring guitar work by his band (which included the extremely badass Charlie Sexton) before ending the night with a brilliant reworking of his anthem Blowin’ In The Wind.

As one who has seen more than a dozen Bob Dylan shows over the last 25 years, this writer can report that last night’s Montreal show was perhaps the best I’ve seen. Despite a smattering of bad reviews that suggest the enigmatic celebrity may be heading back to his hit-and-miss performance style, the ticket price is a worthy bet just in case he’s ‘on’. The addition of the great Mark Knopfler makes this show a no-brainer, just be sure to expect a low-key, highly listenable affair.

Legendary Who guitarist Pete Townshend will visit David Letterman tonight to discuss the band’s currently underway Quadrophenia tour and his recently released memoir Who I Am, which appears on the prestigious New York Times best-seller list (#29 this week).

Monday, November 19 [All Times ET]

• Tony Bennett on Katie [syndicated - check listings]
• Rascal Flatts on Chelsea Lately [E! 11PM]
• Pete Townshend on David Letterman [CBS 11:35PM]
• Aimee Mann and James Mercer on Jimmy Kimmel [ABC 12:05AM]
• Zac Brown Band on Jimmy Fallon [NBC 12:35AM]

Tuesday, November 20

• Cowboy Junkies: Trinity Revisited [AXS 1:50PM]
• Foo Fighters: Live at Wembley [Palladia 3:30PM]
• Flo Rida on Conan (R) [TBS 11PM]
• Tegan and Sara on David Letterman [CBS 11:35PM]
• Pitbull on Jimmy Fallon [NBC 12:35AM]

Wednesday, November 21

• Blondie: Behind the Music Remastered [VH1 Classic 11AM]
• My Chemical Romance: The Black Parade is Dead [AXS 1:50PM]
• Coldplay: Live from Glastonbury [Palladia 2PM]
• Pink: Storytellers [Palladia 5PM]
• Willie Nelson on David Letterman [CBS 11:35PM]

Thursday, November 22

• Tenacious D on Conan (R) [TBS 11PM]
• Rick James: Behind the Music Remastered [VH1 Classic 11PM]
• PSY on Jay Leno [NBC 11:35PM]
• Lynyrd Skynyrd on Craig Ferguson [CBS 12:35AM]
• Alicia Keys on Jimmy Fallon [NBC 12:35AM]

Last week we brought you the news that Jim James would finally release his long-in-the-making solo debut Regions of Light and Sound of God on February 5 via ATO Records. The album, according to James, was inspired primarily by Lynd Ward’s 1929 graphic novel Gods’ Man, which “chronicles an artist’s struggles with temptation and corruption, along with finding true love.” While that doesn’t really give us much to go on in terms of what to expect, we were fortunate enough to have the My Morning Jacket front man offer up an advance taste of the record’s lead single – Know ‘Til Now.

The track, which blends jittery Radiohead-inspired beats with psychedelic soul sounds, is currently available as a free download, but also via this Andy Warhol screen test-inspired music video that features looping footage of a static wide-angled shot of James with his back turned to the camera…

Jim James – Know ‘Til Now

Boston Sports Blog columnist Eric Wilbur has long been known for throwing Phish references into his writing for Boston.com. Over the past few years we’ve had many Phish-related conversations with the insightful Wilbur and asked him if he’d be interested in contributing to Hidden Track. Today, on the 20th anniversary of his first Phish show, we are incredibly excited to share his remembrance of that magical evening – November 19th, 1992 at Ross Arena in Colchester, Vermont.

I don’t remember all the pre-game particulars from that evening, but I do recall that the festivities in Joyce Hall included listening to Black Sheep’s A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, and enjoying (I say that lightly) my first-ever bottle of Miller Genuine Draft. We had no idea how that evening would impact our lives going forward.

[Gordon Stone w/ Phish - 11/19/92 © Phish - Used With Permission]

We were freshmen, so we were, of course, still sniffing our ways around people, not even three months into relationships that were beginning to burgeon. In this case, I was in my hall-mate’s dorm room with a couple of others, listening to selections from his early-90’s rap collection. Let’s just say I heard radio stations play that omnipresent Call Me Maybe fewer times this past summer than I endured Ice Cube blaring from this particular room over the course of our first few months at St. Michael’s College.

“Then again, nor would I have ever imagined that 20 years ago how vital this band would remain. They drive my wife nuts, but she also understands and encourages the fandom with her support. The fact remains, to this day, Phish remains our very own reunion of choice for friends who have moved cross-country and overseas.”

It was our first concert in Winooski Park (Blues Traveler and George Clinton would also play the Ross Sports Center during our tenure there), off to see the band everybody told us over the summer that we needed to start to listen to, since we were headed to Vermont, you know. Vermont band. Rising stars. That cliché aside, it was a summer filled with Pearl Jam, The Black Crowes and Check Your Head, and Phish, to many of us, remained a novel interest, uncertain what to expect outside the Picture of Nectar CD that we were apparently required to purchase by law before crossing the state’s border.

Jimmy and Poster, Marco Esquandolas and Rutherford all remained strangers to me, about as relevant then as whatever pop culture scandal my wife continually can’t understand how I don’t know about today. And it wasn’t like that night provided some sort of existential moment of understanding.

But to say that Nov. 19, 1992 was my first Phish show is a badge of honor.

Twenty years is a relative amount of time, depending upon how much of a fraction of your life it may be, so we’re not going to get overly hysterical over the fact that today is the 20th anniversary of that landmark. But Holy $#@&….20 years!

You know the particulars from the evening, so there’s no need to re-hash them here, other than to encourage a spin of the old girl from Ross on her birthday. The Big Ball Jam. The Axilla debut. Gordon Stone on what remains my favorite version of Fast Enough for You. The raging Mike’s Groove. The manic Antelope. The Bold as Love bustout and Trey utilizing the megaphone during Fee, both matters which meant nothing to me at the time. The shrill sound of the St. Mike’s special event co-chairs warning the crowd that there was no smoking in the building as Fishman worked the drums in the background, eager to launch into Maze.

[Ross Sports Arena]

I may not have gone through a Phish baptism that night, but from the opening licks of that standout opener, I was indeed hooked.
And just like with any fan, my relationship with the band has been mixed. I took my own hiatus during 1997-98 (good timing, right?!?!) as I became tired of the scene growing into something completely different from what it had been. I, like thousands, swore “never again” after the disaster that was Coventry. And if I had to hear Light one more time, I was seriously, truly, really, not paying to see them anymore.

But just as the band has since returning in ’09, Light has matured into something to look forward to, a highlight that is welcome any night they play. The way the band meshed in the last show I saw them play – Night Three at Bill Graham – is leaps and bounds from the mixed bag we got at Fenway Park. I would have never thought that they would sound like they do now just three years ago.

Then again, nor would I have ever imagined that 20 years ago how vital this band would remain. They drive my wife nuts, but she also understands and encourages the fandom with her support. The fact remains, to this day, Phish remains our very own reunion of choice for friends who have moved cross-country and overseas. We’ve met in Illinois, Colorado, California, and various other outlets throughout the Northeast not as a nostalgia show, but to catch up at an age where spouses, kids, and jobs take precedence. This is our link, our excuse to catch up, no matter where it may be. If there’s anyone who can’t understand why Phish plays such a pivotal role in my life, that’s it right there.

Twenty years. Yikes.

The hall-mate and I, along with an assorted cast of characters from that November evening will be at Madison Square Garden next month, the first steps into our third decade of Phish. Likewise, Phish will enter their fourth along the way in 2013. We all remember – I assume – our first show, and my first remains among my favorites I’ve ever seen. Nov. 19, 1992. My Phish birthday.

As Trey teased throughout the night, “Those Were The Days.”

They were.

They are.

SETLIST…

Soundcheck: Weigh, Caravan, Shaggy Dog, Funky Bitch

Set 1: Maze^[1], Fee^[2] -> Foam, Glide > Split Open and Melt, Mound > Divided Sky^[3],Esther > Axilla^[4], The Horse > Silent in the Morning > Run Like an Antelope^[5]

Set 2: Mike’s Song^[6] > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove^[7], Bouncing Around the Room > It’s Ice > I Walk the Line^[8], Tweezer^[9] -> Big Black Furry Creature from Mars Jam^[10] -> Tweezer > Big Ball Jam^[11], Poor Heart^[12], Fast Enough for You^[13],Llama^[12], Hold Your Head Up > Lengthwise^[14] > Hold Your Head Up, Cavern^[15]

Encore: Bold As Love

[1] Buried Alive tease.
[2] Trey sang verses through megaphone.
[3] Those Were the Days tease.
[4] Debut.
[5] Those Were the Days teases; Lizards tease from Trey. All Fall Down signal.
[6] Under Pressure jam.
[7] Unfinished; Vocal jam ending; Those Were the Days and Price of Love teases.
[8] Phish debut.
[9] I Walk The Line tease.
[10] No BBFCFM lyrics. I Walk The Line lyrics and Ring of Fire lyrics and a brief tease.
[11] Debut; Trey explained the concept of the jam.
[12] Gordon Stone on pedal steel guitar.
[13] Debut; Gordon Stone on pedal steel guitar.
[14] Debut; performed reggae style and featured a vacuum solo from Fishman.
[15] Axilla teases from Trey in intro.

Notes: This show and its soundcheck were released by LivePhish.com in January 2010 to benefit the Haiti earthquake relief effort. Divided Sky, Antelope and Weekapaug featured teases of Those Were the Days, and Antelope also contained a Lizards tease from Trey and an All Fall Down signal. Trey sang the verses of Fee through a megaphone for the first time since 10/1/90 (268 shows). Phish originals Axilla, FEFY, and Lengthwise debuted at this show, which also featured the Phish debut of I Walk The Line. The start of the second set included an Owner of a Lonely Heart tease. Mike’s Song included an Under Pressure jam. Weekapaug was unfinished, included a vocal jam ending, and Price of Love teases. Tweezer contained an I Walk The Line tease. The BBFCFM jam did not contain the song’s usual lyrics – it instead featured lyrics from both I Walk The Line and Ring of Fire, as well as a brief Ring of Fire tease (from Page). Big Ball Jam also debuted, with Trey explaining the concept of the song, adding that it was written for Pete Schall. Poor Heart, FEFY and Llama featured Gordon Stone on pedal steel guitar. Trey introduced Fish as “Eyeball Man” before Lengthwise, which was performed in more of a reggae style than other versions and even featured a vacuum solo from Fishman. After Lengthwise, Page said Fish wrote the song, with Trey adding that they liked it so much that it appeared twice on the album and both Page and Trey saying “it’s that good.” The intro to Cavern contained Axilla teases from Trey. Bold As Love was played for the first time since April 18, 1990 (317 shows).

[via Phish.net]

In March, guitar god Eric Clapton will hit the road for a month-long, cross-country U.S. Tour that will culminate with the fourth edition of Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. Crossroads IV will take place at Madison Square Garden on April 12 – 13 with a bevy of axeslingers aboard including Jeff Beck, John Scofield, Sonny Landreth, Jonny Lang, Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, Robbie Robertson and BB King as well as performances from Los Lobos, the Allman Brothers Band and more.

The tour kicks off on March 14th in Phoenix and hits over a dozen American cities with Clapton backed by Doyle Bramhall II (guitar), Steve Jordan (drums), Chris Stainton (piano and keyboards), and Willie Weeks (bass), along with newcomers Paul Carrack (organ and keyboards) and Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar) as well as Michelle John and Sharon White on backing vocals.

The Crossroads Guitar Festival will take over MSG for the first time on April 12 – 13. “The Crossroads Festival is the realization of a dream for me, to gather a group of amazingly talented musicians to perform on one stage,” said Clapton in a press release. “The Crossroads performers are all musicians I admire and respect.” Besides the music, MSG will host the “Guitar Center Road to Crossroads Exhibition” which will feature some of the most historic guitars of all-time. Tickets for the fest go on sale Friday, November 30th at 12pm EST.

Here’s more details about the tour and the Crossroads Guitar Festival…

Eric Clapton announced today a major U.S. tour culminating in his fourth Crossroads Guitar Festival presented by Chase. The Festival, which has become legendary in its own right for hosting performances and impromptu collaborations from the world’s most legendary guitar players, will take place April 12-13 for the first time at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden. See full listing below of artists performing.

Clapton and his band will visit more than a dozen cities across the U.S. beginning March 14, 2013 (see itinerary below). The tour will end with the two-night Festival where Clapton will gather the past, present and future of guitar music onto one stage for an unparalleled musical event. All profits from the Festival will benefit The Crossroads Centre in Antigua, a treatment and education facility founded by Clapton for chemically dependent persons. The Festival is presented by Chase.

Since its inception, Clapton’s vision for the Crossroads Guitar Festival has been to create an event where his friends and contemporaries can have fun and perform together for the benefit of a good cause. This year’s Festival will feature two-nights of musical performances with once-in-a-lifetime guitar collaborations. Known as pioneers in their field, the roster of artists spans old and new. The audience can expect unrivaled entertainment, brilliant guitar work, surprise guests and impromptu jams that are the hallmark of these performers.

The first Crossroads Guitar Festival, in June 2004 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, was an unprecedented collection of guitar icons from blues, rock and contemporary music. The sold-out show was chronicled in a 2-disc DVD that has since gone on to become one of the world’s top-selling music DVD’s. The Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 and 2010 were the second and third such concerts by Clapton and were staged at Toyota Park in Chicago. Both Festival were filmed for DVDs and met similar acclaim and achieved multi-platinum status. This will be the Festival’s first-ever visit to New York and Madison Square Garden.

“The Crossroads Festival is the realization of a dream for me, to gather a group of amazingly talented musicians to perform on one stage,” said Clapton. “The Crossroads performers are all musicians I admire and respect.”

In addition to the concerts, the “Guitar Center Road to Crossroads Exhibition” will be featured on the Terrace level @ Madison Square Garden and will excite fans with an incredible guitar-centric celebration of past Crossroads Guitar Festivals. This exhibition will feature the “Legends Guitar Walk”, with some of the most valuable guitars in the history of Rock and Blues, including historic guitars from Guitar Center’s Legends Collection featuring Eric Clapton’s two most famous Fender Stratocasters®, BLACKIE® and ‘Brownie,’ Gibson ES-335 as well as Stevie Ray Vaughan’s ‘Lenny’ Fender Stratocaster®, plus selections from Guitar Center, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Experience Music Project. Additionally, Fender, Gibson, Ernie Ball and Martin will host interactive exhibits where guitar lovers can plug in and play new products and classic favorites, while all visitors will be able to peruse memorabilia and watch archival footage of once-in-a-lifetime performances from prior Crossroads festivals on video walls throughout the exhibition. The “Road to Crossroads Exhibition” will open at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 6:00 p.m. Saturday, and is free to all ticket holders.

Tickets for the Crossroads Guitar Festival Presented By Chase will be offered as an advance sale to Chase customers beginning Monday, November 26 at 12pm EST via www.ticketmaster.com through Thursday, November 29 at 10pm.
General Public On-Sale will begin Friday, November 30 at 12pm EST.

Tickets for the Clapton 2013 U.S. Tour will go on-sale beginning November 30, 2012. Please check local venue listings for more detailed information.

For more information go to www.ericclapton.com or www.crossroadsguitarfestival.com

CURRENT CROSSROADS FESTIVAL ARTIST LISTING

(Note: Two Different Nights of Music. Not All Artists Will Perform Both Nights)

Albert Lee
Allan Holdsworth

Allman Brothers Band

Andy Fairweather Low

BB King
Blake Mills

Booker T

Brad Paisley

Buddy Guy
Citizen Cope

Dave Biller

Doyle Bramhall II
Earl Klugh
Eric Clapton
Gary Clark Jr.
Jeff Beck
Jimmie Vaughan
John Mayer

John Scofield

Jonny Lang

Keb Mo

Keith Urban

Kurt Rosenwinkle

Los Lobos

Quinn Sullivan

Robbie Robertson

Robert Cray
Robert Randolph
Sonny Landreth
Taj Mahal

Vince Gill

ERIC CLAPTON 2013 TOUR and ITINERARY

Clapton has assembled an impressive band for the 2013 U.S. dates which will consist of long-time touring partners: Doyle Bramhall II (guitar), Steve Jordan (drums), Chris Stainton (piano and keyboards), and Willie Weeks (bass), along with newcomers Paul Carrack (organ and keyboards) and Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar). Michelle John and Sharon White will join the touring band again as backing vocalists. The tour will also feature special guests, The Wallflowers. Please check local listings for ticketing information.

Thursday, March 14 Phoenix, AZ U.S. Airways Center

Saturday, March 16 Houston, TX Toyota Center

Sunday, March 17 Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center

Tuesday, March 19 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center

Wednesday, March 20 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Arena

Friday, March 22 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena

Saturday, March 23 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena

Tuesday, March 26 Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena

Wednesday, March 27 Atlanta, GA Gwinnett Arena

Friday, March 29 Hollywood, FL Seminole Hard Rock Live

Saturday, March 30 Hollywood, FL Seminole Hard Rock Live

Tuesday, April 2 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena

Wednesday, April 3 Raleigh, NC PNC Arena

Friday, April 5 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena

Saturday, April 6 Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center

Friday, April 12 New York, NY Madison Square Garden

Saturday, April 13 New York, NY Madison Square Garden

It’s safe to say that we are currently living in the golden age of music discovery. Between streaming services, social media and the plethora of music websites, you can read at length, discuss via Tweets or instantly listen to any band that people are declaring the “next big thing.” While there are arguments on both sides of the fence on whether this helps or hinders a band in the long run, if they had been around forty years ago, it’s likely that Big Star would have gotten the proper attention they deserved. Formed in Memphis in 1971, by Chris Bell, Jody Stevens, Andy Hummel and Alex Chilton (At the age of 16 Chilton was the front man of The Box Tops, who had a #1 hit with The Letter), the band recorded three brilliant studio albums full of jangly power pop, that drew influences from the likes of The Beatles, The Kinks, Beach Boys and The Byrds.

Initially signed to the legendary Stax Records, their ambitiously tongue-in-cheek titled debut #1 Record, received positive press, but Big Star weren’t able to break through commercially, as their label was struggling to survive and unable to give it the proper support and national distribution. The saga of the ups and downs of band’s career, whose second act far eclipsed anything they did in the 1970′s, thanks in part to acts like R.E.M. name checking them repeatedly, and later with their song In The Streets being used as the theme for That 70′s Show, is the subject of the documentary Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me. Let’s check out the trailer from this official selection of the 2012 SXSW Film Festival…

As a companion to Eric Wilbur’s Twenty Years Later piece, this week’s Stormy Mondays column also pulls from Phish’s magical year of 1992…

From the twenty years ago file, this week we have a pair of great Colonel Forbin’s Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbirds. The first is from New Year’s Eve in Boston at Matthews Arena, a version with fantastic narration that draws the audience up into the atmosphere and down in the icy depths of the ocean. The second is from the Thanksgiving shows at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, which much more disturbingly has the audience travel into Fishman’s ear.

Those two nights are simply fantastic, two of the best of the era—surely they’re candidates for an archival release. I actually wore out my old Maxell XL II’s listening to those shows throughout my college years and had to hunt down my original first gen source to get new versions. Love ‘em. As always, enjoy!

• CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK’S MIX

New contributor Roger Norville shares his Cannabis Cup experience with us…

The red-eye to Amsterdam had me arriving at my hotel before 9AM on Sunday morning, I dropped off my bags and headed out for an early-morning walkabout.

The sun was shining as the city began to wake. Pockets of last night’s leftovers stumbled along the bricked alleys as the occasional bicycle whizzed by, locals flitted about their daily business and most of the windows in the Red Light District were still dark.

[Both Cartoons by William Jessup]

The trans-Atlantic flight had been crowded and over-quota on crying babies; I was in bad need of a coffee so I found a shop just opening for the day. It was just me and the proprietor. As quiet lounge beats lulled out of the speakers he drifted about wiping tables and cleaning ashtrays, I parked in the window booth and watched the world walk by.

Before long the door swung open and a couple sat down, then another and another. Soon there was a lineup at the counter as early customers pored over the hash and marijuana menu. These places get busy, and they get busy fast. Of course coffee is a mere afterthought in Amsterdam coffee shops, the clerk spent considerably more time weighing grams than he did filling cups.

Taking my leave I wandered back towards my hotel and was surprised to find the main street lined with families. I joined the throng and soon marching bands and floats emerged, it was the annual parade marking the arrival of Sinter Claus! Curiously, the major attraction is the Black Peters, and they are everywhere. Dressed in colorless jester costumes with every inch of skin painted black, these dark minstrels threw candy and toys to the children, many of whom carried inverted umbrellas to help them catch all the booty. From a North American stance it’s a jarring sight; children screaming for the attention of smiling fools in blackface, but the context made it clear that I was witness to a cultural divide and not a racial one.

As the red-robed star of the show arrived on horseback I ducked into my hotel, checked in and headed out. Time was moving on and I wanted to make it to the Cannabis Cup expo in time for the opening ceremony at 4:20.

The expo has changed locations this year and I got a blistering tour of the city trying to find it. Eventually picking up the trail of heads carrying swag bags I found my way to Amsterdam Roest, arriving at the bar/restaurant in a semi-industrial area that serves as the hub for Cannabis Cup festivities. As I turned the last corner I heard loud whooping in the near distance; I had just missed 4:20. I found the rest of my way by sense of smell.

Alongside the Roest bar is the expo itself, housed in a rugged roofed alley. This is the 25th running of the Cup and these guys have learned to run a tight ship. The check-in process was a breeze, and equipped with my judges pass lanyard I started the swag-collection at the High Times booth for my official t-shirt, program and schedule of events. My sore feet lamented the detailed map and shuttle bus info to get to the expo, but that’s info that will come in handy going forward.

The hazy hall was packed with proprietors and enthusiasts paying homage to the mighty herb. Booths fell into a few basic categories: seed sellers, clothing companies, glassware and new smoking products. Judges meandered about sucking on vapor bags and gathering gear and info. Stickers, papers, filters, lighters, one can walk out of here with a year’s supply of smoking aids.

I spent an hour cruising the booths and chatting. I always find the new products the most interesting, last year’s rubber ashtray (The Smashtray) for tamping out bowls was a favorite. A couple of interesting items at this year’s expo are the Medtainer, an innovative grinder/storage container, and the Puk, a clever six-barreled round pipe that retails for 20 euros.

Now armed with the very informative program I found the bus that shuttled patrons to and from the expo in no time. Most seats had a table fitted with drink holders and ashtrays and with the stereo blaring the party got rolling before the wheels did.

Arriving back at central station the rest of the evening was spent visiting numerous competing coffee shops where patrons kept busy sampling marijuana strains that were vying for this year’s Cannabis Cup. 420 Haze, Resinator, Casey Jones, White Fire OG, potent smokeables that ranged in flavor and potency, soon the real test was to find something that would cut through the numbness and make one high again.

Refueling with some life-saving middle-eastern fast food in the form of durum, a sharwarma-like lamb pita with crispy fries accompanied by nameless ethnic condiments, a few drinks were in order.

Years ago coffee shop were barred from selling liquor so many places split into paired entities; you can buy weed in one place and smoke it while enjoying a beer next door. These places became the focus of the night until fatigue finally overcame will. Staggering turned to lurching and at midnight I made my way back to the hotel for a minibar nightcap, having been up and at it for thirty-two hours.

First days in Amsterdam tend to be long and a bit vague. With a full week of Cannabis Cup ahead I expect much more of the same.

The short Phil Lesh and Friends tour of three NYC area venues wrapped up last night at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. For the fourth of four shows at the classic venue, Lesh welcomed old friends and Levon Helm Band members Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams to help out on covers of Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones) and The Weight (The Band) as well as Tennessee Jed.

For the Stones cover, Jackie Greene handled the lead vocals with aplomb while Joe Russo bashed away on his kit, Phil held down the bottom end and Adam McDougall riffed on electric piano. Our pal LazyLightning55 captured the impressive version of Brown Sugar for our enjoyment…

Phil Lesh and Friends – Brown Sugar

Music lovers that came of age before the dawn of the digital era, likely fondly recall the joy of listening to music on “mixtapes.” These tapes served two purposes quite beautifully. One was to have 90 minutes of the perfect music available for any occasion: driving, breaking up, lying on the beach, enjoying the holidays, studying late night or any other thing you could imagine. Another use was music discovery. New bands or new songs were often first heard on a mixtape perhaps made by a friend who camped next to a radio for hours on end waiting for that hot new track to play. Creating the perfect mixtape was no easy task but there were rich rewards when done thoughtfully: compelling track order, the right music, using all 90 minutes without cuts from A to B side or at the end of the tape and plenty of other intangibles. The joy, art and fun of the mixtape is not dead and has been resurrected by Everyone’s Mixtape.

Far from simply a nostalgia trip for cassette lovers, Everyone’s Mixtape is a fantastic site for doing the very things that the physical mixtapes used to do: Discovering music, listening to your favorite tunes and making the perfect mix. From the site: “Everyone’s Mixtape is not about adding songs and hitting shuffle. It’s about the time you looked at a cassette’s length as a challenge. About the time you stayed up most of the night making sure all the tracks flowed from song to song. It’s about the time your heart skipped a beat when the boy from science class handed you your first mixtape. It’s more than a playlist.”



How do I make my mixtapes? The site is simple, fun and intuitive to use. After registering with either Google or Facebook credentials, you are up and running in 10 seconds with nothing to download or configure since it is entirely web based. You can listen to shared tapes right away or start creating your own. After clicking “Make a Mix” which sits on top of your virtual stack of tapes, you need to click your length choice of 60, 90, 120 minutes or infinite and if you want to collaborate with others or not. Name your mix and start adding tracks with a search feature that culls YouTube, Soundcloud, or other Mixtapes that have already been created. Feel free to rearrange track order until your tape is perfect.

When you decide to listen to your masterpiece, the spartan design of the website is hypnotically beautiful with just the spinning tape and controls below it with the seemingly hand-written “J-card.” No ads. No flash. No spam. No distractions at all. Barring a touch of color on the currently playing track and a couple of other spots, the site is mostly black and white. These little details, like the animation when a tape is “pulled out” of the stack is one of the things that makes the site both charming and also a welcome relief from many sites that bombard the user with ads, messages and other stimuli.

[Stack of mixtapes on Everyone's Mixtape]

Now what? Keep making tapes! And when you’ve had enough of that, browse shared tapes. I really like this feature quite a bit. Sure I can find a ton of new music on MOG, Spotify, Pandora or a ton of other services. But there’s something more interesting to browsing tapes made by real people and not a computer algorithm. On the top of the page “Collection” is tapes you’ve made or added from other people and “Browse” is where you can choose to look at tapes that have been recently added, most played or most shared and further drilled down by week, month, or all-time.

What else can I do? When you’ve made a killer tape that you are proud of, hover over the social links next to the tape to easily share a link to your tape to Twitter, Facebook or just generate a link to email or text someone. It is one of the simplest ways to share a bunch of tracks with someone. Unlike other services like Spotify, your recipient doesn’t need to have anything installed or be a member- just the link will do! Also, if the track came from YouTube, you can click that icon and be brought to the video where it came from and watch there.

Keep In Mind:

• You must access Everyone’s Mixtape from a desktop browser. There is no mobile functionality right now but that is apparently on the way.
• When listening to Mixtapes from the “Browse” stack- you have no idea who submitted or created the tape or tracks. So you can’t “follow” other users.
• Like the days of Maxell XL II’s- the more effort you put into crafting the perfect tape- the more fun it will to share with others.

Bottom Line Everyone’s Mixtape is streamlined, simple, and social way of sharing, listening to, and discovering music. While the features right now are relatively limited, that too is part of the charm. Have fun and make some killer tapes!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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Hidden Track Technology Tuesday

email: parker@glidemagazine.com
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