Back in the early ’00s, the Cold War Kids benefited in a big way from the new power of music blogs to help break bands that weren’t being played on your local radio station. While in retrospect the press was both a blessing and a curse, it did help the soul-punk act get instant audiences when they headed out on tour.  The Long Beach-based band will release their fourth studio album, Dear Miss Lonely Hearts, on April 2 via Downtown Records, and have given fans an advance taste of what’s to come via the lead single Miracle Mile. The band has also announced that they will head out on a lengthy world tour, that kicks off with a gig at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown, Calif. on Feb. 15, and wraps at the end of May with a pair of shows in Southern California’s Los Angeles and Solana Beach.

If you’re not into a night with the former blog buzz band, then maybe you’ll be interested in hitting one of these recently announced tours…

• The Residents: Wonder of Weird 40th Anniversary Tour (1/29 – 2/28)
• Billy Bragg: North American Tour (3/23 – 5/1)
• Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell/Richard Thompson: Co-Headlining Tour (3/13 – 4/4)
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: North American Tour (4/22 – 6/1)
• Medeski, Martin & Wood: West Coast Tour (4/18 – 4/26)
• Crosby, Stills & Nash: World Tour (5/5 – 7/5)
• Caitlin Rose: Spring U.S. Tour (3/11 – 4/9)
• Spiritualized: West Coast Tour (4/4 – 4/12)

From February 15th to 17th the AURA Music Festival will bring a vast array of jam, funk, rock and jamtronica acts to The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida over President’s Day Weekend. The lineup includes a number of HT faves including Perpetual Groove, The Heavy Pets, Kung Fu, The Lee Boys, Newtown Crosby, Brock Butler, The McLovins, Consider The Source and the return of RAQ.

This festival is put on by passionate music fans for passionate music fans and will include multiple sets from a number of acts such as Papadosio, Conspirator, PGroove, The Heavy Pets and Consider The Source. One of the many special performances set to take place at AURA this year will be a Tribute To Stevie Wonder put together by the uber-talented Nigel Hall. Joining Hall as “Artists-At-Large” for AURA ’13 are Roosevelt Collier of The Lee Boys, Lettuce guitarist Adam “Schmeans” Smirnoff, keyboardist Jimmy Dunstan, sax player John Provenzano and RAQ/Kung Fu keyboardist Todd Stoops.

As part of our Everybody Wins When We Plug Something And In Return They Offer Us Free Shit To Give Away program, we’ve got a pair of general admission passes for AURA to give to one lucky reader. To enter our contest, simply leave a comment below telling us which AURA Music Festival set you’d be most excited to see. The contest entry period closes on Wednesday, January 31st at 11:59PM ET. After that, we’ll tally all the entries and pick one winner at random.

Here’s the fine print…

• To enter the contest, leave a comment below telling us which Aura Music Festival act you’d be most excited to see
• Your comment(s) must be left by 11:59 PM EST on January 31st
• Anybody entering more than once will be disqualified, tarred and feathered
• One winner, picked at random using random.org, will win a pair of general admission passes to attend the 2013 Aura Music Festival
• HT staff members are not eligible to win

For more information on this year’s AURA Music Festival, head over to the event’s website.

Monoprice has stunned me again. I was thrilled when someone suggested their 8320 earbuds. The sound was crisp, the bass was deep and the value was extraordinary at $7. Of course, you can’t go wrong with their cables, adapters and small parts either. I recently ordered a bunch of things I needed and spent $80. Out of curiosity, I added up the totals for the exact same items if I had ordered them from BestBuy: $220!  Anyways, despite my past successes, my expectation for their 8323 Hi-Fi Over the Ear Pro Headphones was relatively low. How good can $20 headphones sound?

Fantastic! And not just fantastic for the price. Fantastic period. The best thing about the 8323 Headphones is not simply the great sound but the overall package. Decent build quality, portability, great looks and extreme comfort add to the appeal of these headphones. Read on to learn a little bit more about these amazing, full-size, over the ear headphones and to find out how you can win your own pair from Hidden Track!

Monoprice 8323 Over the Ear Pro Headphone 

Build & Comfort Pretty amazing what you get for about $20. These headphones feel really well made both in your hands and while wearing them. Nobody is going to mistake them as premium or luxury items, but they could certainly pass for an item costing well over 5x their price. Build quality is sturdy and they have attractive looks though relatively pedestrian. A well cushioned head band and generous ear cushions give outstanding comfort. The earcups are a snap to get a perfect fit for any size head with easy swiveling from side-to-side or up-and-down.

Many full-size headphones are tough to travel with but the design of these allow for compact storage and travel which is a big bonus. The cables to the headphones are detachable which is also a nice design touch. So many headphones in this budget range have permanently attached cables making it impossible to replace if the cable is damaged. They come with a 4′ cable as well as an 11′ cable that can be plugged into any 3.5mm jack on smartphones, MP3 players, or pretty much any other audio device. Conveniently, an adapter plug is included if you want to listen to the larger jack found on home stereo systems.

Sound Wow! These things really pack a decent punch with great tones, clarity, detail, and pretty ample range. Bass is very good and if anything, perhaps just a touch too much for my liking. Fortunately, both the mids and the highs are well balanced and all work together quite nicely.  Overall, they are very easy listening and quite enjoyable. I listened to Robert Glasper’s jazz-piano album Double Booked and loved the intricate detail I was able to hear with both the piano and the bass. The drums, and later in the album, electric bass, also sounded simply perfect.

I have a handful of headphones in the $50-$125 price range including sets from Sennheiser, Sure and Sony. In every case, I found the Monoprice Headphones superior to or just as good as the others. The only knock on them is that they can get warm. Like most closed headphones, especially budget ones, they don’t breath all that well so your ears can get warm after extended listening. Given the decent sound quality and the comfort, it is probably something you will be doing quite a bit.

Monoprice 8323 Headphones

Bottom Line Given the price tag, Monoprice’s 30 day return policy and the quick shipping (you’ll have them in a couple of days), what is there really to lose? They sound great directly from your mobile phone, portable player, or any other audio device. Volume is excellent as they are very easy to drive. Pairing them with a portable DAC or headphone AMP will yield even better results and you’ll have a hard time believing the price.

Hidden Track has a pair for a lucky reader. Simply leave a comment below that you’d like to win a pair & we’ll pick a random comment and post the winner next week. Good luck!

Monoprice 8323 Headphones $23

________________________________

Hidden Track Technology Tuesday

email: parker@glidemagazine.com
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Product, app, or web service you are passionate about? Feel free to get in touch with me.

Earlier today Jim James participated in an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit and reeled off dozens of answers to fans’ questions. You can read the whole thing here, but we’ve distilled the session down to 11 of the My Morning Jacket front man’s responses for this week’s B List.

1. Jim and a band he’s putting together will play at Bonnaroo

yes i will be at THE ROO with the new band i am putting together to perform the solo record. they are old pals i have known a long time. its going to be a fun new adventure with some old pals!

2. Jim and MMJ were a “little scared” about how their appearance on American Dad would turn out

mike barker from the show approached us with some really funny and crazy ideas. we were flattered and honored and also a little scared- cuz you are kind of helpless in a situation like that not knowing how it will turn out- but in the end they were really kind and did a really amazing job and we were beyond stoked and flattered!

3. Love is the secret ingredient in Peanut Butter Pudding Surprise (see Highly Suspicious)

ok. this is super important… so pay attention, because the ingredients are: 1.peanut 2.butter 3.pudding 4.love

4. JJ’s beard has a name and it’s…

CAPTAIN GOODIES.

5. Monsters of Folk is still alive…

ha ha ha. yes MOF we are alive and well and hiding out in a valley on the southernmost point tip of mexico. we have worked on 5 new songs and also are developing a screenplay to be turned into a full length major motion picture. currently we are looking for a studio to take on the picture and also the album- if any of you are heads of major motion picture studios lets talk.

6. He’s developed a two-point plan to restore the U.S. auto industry to its former glory…

1.just build new versions of all the old beautiful cars. the classics. the did it right the first time, no need to improve on perfection. only make them hybrid and better on the environment in as many ways as possible and also add modern elements like GPS or stereo, etc but from the outside make them look EXACTLY like a classic model- like 75 coupe de ville for instance. 2.install the song “golden” inside of every stereo system.

7. What’s Goin’ On is among Jim’s five “Desert Island Discs”

1.whats goin on- marvin gaye 2. like a ship without a sail- pastor t.l. barrett 3.gil scott heron- pieces of a man 4.the ink spots greatest hits 5.where dreams come true- eddie dunstedter

8. He looks to Smurfette as a fashion icon…

i like to think of clothes almost like a uniform because i feel it is more memorable that constantly wearing different clothes all the time. i remember seeing an episode of the smurfs where smurfette opened her closet and all that was in there were like 20 different copies of the same white dress she always wore hanging on hangers. i just thought that was hilarious for some reason and have adopted that sense of fashion to my own sense of self when it comes to clothing my earthly body.

9. James reveals where he gets his capes from…

at joe’s cape and poncho hut, located on I-95 just off the new jersey turnpike.

Or is it…

at big al’s cape and poncho hut, on I-95 just off the new jersey turnpike.

10. Of all the One Big Holiday’s MMJ has played, a recent one stands out…

this new years eve version was incredible in boston. watching all the balloons fall…the happy people dancing…our crew wrestling a 30 ft tall champagne bottle making sure it didnt crush anyone…popping balloons with my guitar as i played. beautiful.

11. My Morning Jacket will enter the studio soon…

yes we plan on working this summer and fall to get another one cookin

Umphrey’s McGee @ Brooklyn Bowl, January 20th

Words: Scott Bernstein
Images: Jeremy Smith

If there’s ever an example of hard work paying off, look no further than the career of Umphrey’s McGee who celebrated their 15th anniversary at Brooklyn Bowl on Sunday night. Far from an overnight sensation, UM has played over 1,800 shows and 730 different songs since forming on the campus of Notre Dame in early 1998. The sextet built a huge and loyal fanbase organically and never skipped a step along the way. As an example, take their history of NYC performances over the years – they started at the Wetlands Preserve in 1999 and stopped at every step along the way (Wetlands > Lion’s Den > Knitting Factory > Bowery Ballroom > Irving Plaza > Best Buy > SummerStage > Beacon) leading to Friday’s sell out of the band’s first-ever show at the iconic Beacon Theatre. The Brooklyn Bowl show gave Umphrey’s and their fans a chance to celebrate a milestone that 99.9% of bands never reach, 15 years together without killing each other.

[All Photos by Jeremy Smith]

Umphrey’s Brooklyn Bowl performance was announced just a few days before the show took place and sold out quicker than any show in the venue’s three-and-a-half year history. Ever the fan-friendly act, Umphrey’s made sure anyone who wanted to experience the show, as it happened, had that opportunity by offering a Pay-Per-View webcast via UMLive.net and a live simulcast on Sirius/XM’s Jam On channel. Early in the show UM guitarist Brendan Bayliss mentioned those at home when he explained that his infant son Roman was taking in his first Umphrey’s show through the live stream. Bayliss asked the crowd to say hello to Roman and most in the capacity crowd gladly obliged.

When it comes to the setlist, how does a band celebrate their 15th anniversary? Do you spend the majority of the show reliving the past and focusing on material you played at that first show or do you look towards the future? For Umphrey’s McGee the answer seemed to include a little from Column A and a little from Column B. The Chicago-based act’s first set contained three songs that had been debuted in the past two years as well as classic material and even a tune that predates the band. During the first set, those on hand were offered a taste of the many sounds Umphrey’s has experimented with – both in terms of jamming and songwriting – since their humble beginnings such as a jazzy interlude in Anchor Drops, a disco-meets-prog Comma Later excursion, UM’s version of DnB in the Blue Echo jam and a dance party friendly Bright Lights, Big City set closer that unexpectedly (both for the band and the fans) included a cover of Michael Jackson’s Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.

The first set was an appetizer of sorts for a second set that would turn out to be the main course. By opening with the proggy opus Bridgeless and working their way into a fast-paced, more hard-nosed version of the gorgeous instrumental End of the Road found on 2006′s Safety In Numbers, Umphrey’s continued to highlight the stark contrast found between songs in their huge repertoire of originals. One of the heaviest songs Umphrey’s has ever written, Wizard Burial Ground, a metal-laden multi-part instrumental, was performed with impressive precision and led many in the crowd to bang their heads along with the music. It’s hard to believe the same band that created a song as heavy as Wizard Burial Ground is also responsible for a tune as pretty and catchy as August. This Brendan Bayliss-penned original was one of the first originals UM debuted back in 1998 and as usual featured a soaring, major-key jam that helped work the crowd into a frenzy.

When August was finally finished, 13 glorious minutes after it started, keyboardist Joel Cummins took to the mic and told the crowd the band would perform the first song they ever played way back on January 21st, 1998 at their debut gig. From there they started the long lost original Bob which was last performed on September 19th, 2003. About 20 seconds into the Bob bust out, the sextet suddenly stopped playing and the lights went out. After a few seconds of darkness, Bayliss explained that back at their debut performance the power went out during the first song they played which they took as a sign from the “lord above that we should never play that song again.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Umphrey’s McGee – Bob

Any disappointment at the Bob “fake out” was quickly forgotten when Umphrey’s kicked into their somewhat rare cover of Toto’s #1 hit from 1983 – Africa. Many in the crowd exploded with excitement as a singalong ensued. While there were a handful of fans who would’ve loved to have seen a full Bob, Africa appealed to the audience as a whole and only added to the celebratory vibe that was so prevalent on this night. The cover was a bit of a palate cleanser before two lengthy 15+ minute song suites that stand as the highlights of the show for this writer.

When The Triple Wide made its debut in early 2002 it was unlike anything Umphrey’s had written up until that point. It marked the entrance of more dance-friendly material that would become a major part of the group’s sound moving forward. The Triple Wide also serves as a showcase for continually evolving light work of Umphrey’s LD Jefferson Waful who continues to make a case as being the best in the business. A fun romp through the electro-tinged Triple Wide jam led to a drum duet between drummer Kris Myers and percussionist Andy Farag. In a scene where bands take drum solos all the time,  ”drums” isn’t a frequently occurrence at Umphrey’s shows…thankfully. Surprisingly, out of the drum solo, the sextet worked their way into a debut performance of Tiny Cities Made of Ashes by Modest Mouse which was sung over a dance-jam before they finished The Triple Wide.

Umphrey’s finished the set with a song sandwich that combined two of the oldest originals in the band’s songbook: All In Time and Dear Lord. Perhaps the quintessential UM song, Bayliss put his heart and soul into every note he played and every word he sang during All In Time. Dear Lord – a beautiful instrumental that holds as special place in the band’s heart as it was performed by bassist Ryan Stasik, Cummins, Bayliss and original drummer Mike Mirro at a recital that predates the band by two months – was worked perfectly into the middle of All In Time as was a relentlessly peaking jam that served as a bridge to the end of AIT. Now, you’re not supposed to use “all” when describing something an audience does unless literally every person in the crowd does the action you’re describing, but when I say “all” of the crowd had their hands in the air in appreciation of the band towards the end of the show I mean it. This was friendly crowd that ate up every minute of the marathon performance.

When the sextet returned to the stage for their encore, Brooklyn Bowl owner Pete Shapiro was waiting for them with a birthday cake in hand to honor the occasion. UM then busted out their cover of Groove Holmes off the Beastie Boys’ Check Your Head LP for the first time since November 2nd, 2006 (708 shows). Groove Holmes was yet another nod to the early days as it was a staple of the band’s repertoire in 1998. The quick instrumental led into the end of Bridgeless which was expected to bring the show to a close. However, Umphrey’s returned for a second encore with the fitting choice of Reelin’ In The Years by Steely Dan.

In just the six years we’ve been around, we’ve seen many bands come and go. Fifteen years in, Umphrey’s is at the top of their game and shows no signs of slowing down. The fanbase appears to be growing and they continue to move up spots on festival lineups and when it comes to the size of the venues the group plays. Umphrey’s appears to have learned the lessons that have done in many of their peers and are one of the more drama-free bands around. Will they last another 15 years or more? Only time will tell, Cummins isn’t getting any younger, but they are set up to reap the rewards of their hard work.

Longtime Cubs fan Eddie Vedder will get the thrill of a lifetime on July 19th when Pearl Jam finally makes their Wrigley Field debut in Chicago. The once rumored show is now officially on the books with tickets set to go on sale February 9th at 10AM local time at Tickets.com.

[Photo via @Cubs]

Vedder, who was born in the Chicago suburb of Evanston and spent his elementary school days in the area before his family moved to San Diego, even recorded a song called All The Way as a tribute to his beloved Cubbies. Pearl Jam has a long history of gigs in Chicago which we detailed for Venue Segues in October ’11. Pearl Jam also announced a July 16th gig in London, Ontario today.

Both dates feature no opening acts. Pearl Jam will announce a U.S. Fall Tour in the coming months.

Legendary performer Prince has recently launched a new website at http://20pr1nc3.com that he’s loading up with fresh content slowly but surely. There are nine spaces on the site that almost seems like an Advent Calendar of sorts and so far three of the boxes have been filled.

One of the boxes features links to the new album by The Purple One’s latest protege, Andy Allo. Another box contains a trailer for what appears to be an official release of Prince’s performance at the 2009 Montreux Jazz Festival, while the third is a lyric video for his new single Screwdriver. Screwdriver has a rock edge we haven’t heard from Prince in quite some time and shows he’s still capable of producing and recording killer tracks. Check it out…

In our Most Anticipated Albums for 2013 list this month, we mentioned the upcoming release The Ash & Clay from The Milk Carton Kids. You probably noticed over the years that I like to exaggerate about music when I’m excited, but I’ll say with a pretty high degree of conviction that this one should be the big break out of 2013 to the magnitude of the Lumineers last year or Mumford & Sons the year before. It’s in the same vein as those bands, but the emphasis here is more about vocal harmonies and it’s remarkably relaxing. I played it for my one year old son yesterday, and he literally fell asleep within one song. Earlier this week, IFC debuted the California duo’s first video for Snake Eyes, which highlights one of the quietest tunes on the album. I highly recommend checking this out…

This Saturday afternoon a special concert dubbed “Long May You Run” will take place at The Hamilton in Washington, D.C. The concert is a benefit for “runner and pedestrian safety” that is set to feature live performances by Ana Egge, Anne McCue, Mary Battiata & Little Pink, Eric Brace, Doughboys, The Candles ( members of Norah Jones’ band), and Derek Evry. The Candles have just announced a special guest that will be of interest to our readers – drummer Jon Fishman of Phish.

The announcement came by way of The Candles’ twitter account…

Jon Fishman of Phish playing w/The Candles, Sat 1/26 at The Hamilton in DC at Long May You Run benefit! #phish #thecandlesmusic #jonfishman

about 8 hours ago via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@thecandlesmusic

the candles

Tickets, which run from $25 – $125, include a tax-deductible contribution to the Road Runners Club of America, the concert, and lunch. There will also be a cash bar when doors open at 11:30AM.

The decision-making process is difficult enough without having to factor in death. When one jump-starts fate in a way that is unnatural and lacking any organic flow, chance becomes almost an innocent bystander in this game called life.

Which is all the usual fancy way to preface our look at this edition of cinematic treasure—lost, found, rediscovered, or otherwise. With a shadow-y narrator whose calling card is the act of whistling while discussing the puzzle and characters of a mystery, or, in some cases, an odd but telling twist of fate, one saw what would surely become an almost dry run of the Twilight Zone program, featured on television over a decade later, in William Castle’s 1944 film, The Whistler.

Originally a radio program, which ran from 1942 to 1955, Castle directed the first film spin-off with Richard Dix as the main non-whistling character. Dix, a formidable presence, became a continuing actor in all but one of the Whistler films throughout its eight-series run. The Whistler, himself, is seen in the shadow of scenes, while his haunting whistle often appears as a fatalistic touchstone, serving as the chorus to his slim verses of dialogue, which reflect on the story.

But we are concerned with the first film in the series, which deals with a man who is grieving due to the fact that his wife has apparently died during World War II, and he cannot endure life without her. So, in a rather rash and irrational moment, Dix’s character, Earl Conrad, pays a man to murder him “by Friday” to terminate his torture on this planet. Easy enough, eh?

Well, as anyone who ever read or watched any paranormal or religious books or programs, one doesn’t escape the problems of life when crossing over to the proverbial other side by choosing to terminate early. Not that the lead character, played with melancholic earnestness and honesty by Dix, with an air of confused energy, finds that just getting someone to kill him is so simple. Not at all. That is the thrill of The Whistler—making art out of a tragic premise.

In the end, the tone of the film reflects a moral and reasoned feeling that one can never escape one’s destiny, regardless of our collective sense of free will, or individual planning, or our choices. If one is meant to die, one will inevitably die; if life is preordained, is meant to happen in some miraculous way, then life will—as they say—find a way.

And The Whistler found a way out of the shadows, and out of the hidden treasures of film history’s past to be discovered yet again in our little column that could, and as long as there are little bits of intriguing celluloid still out there, then who am I to be so final about anything?

Indeed, the core of it all.

- Randy Ray

• The Whistler: IMDB
• Previously on Hidden Flick: Manhattan Melodrama

Just about a week ago the lineup for the 2013 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival came out and one of the many names listed was that of The Meter Men with Phish keyboardist Page McConnell. Original Meters members George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste and Leo Nocentelli first teamed up with McConnell for a brief run of shows last fall and will reprise their collaboration at Jazz Fest. Not only will the quartet play at the Fairgrounds, they’ll also play a late night show in The Crescent City.

The Meter Men with Page McConnell will perform at Republic New Orleans on May 4th starting at approximately 10PM local time. Tickets will go on sale this Saturday, at noon via TicketWeb.

Over the past few months our friends at Bonnaroo365 have been posting clips of their Hay Bale Sessions in which they had Bonnaroo 2012 performers play a few songs in a quiet setting. We’ve already pointed you towards Delta Spirit’s and Umphrey’s McGee’s Hay Bale Sessions and today you NEED to check out HT fave Michael Kiwanuka in action.

Bonnaroo365 has posted three songs from Kiwanuka’s Hay Bale Sessions – I’m Getting Ready, Tell Me A Tale and Rest – and they are all soul stirring. Check ‘em out…

Umphrey’s McGee @ Beacon Theatre, January 18th

Photos: Jeremy Gordon

This past Friday night Umphrey’s McGee sold out the historic Beacon Theatre on Manhattan’s Upper West Side as part of the band’s 15th Anniversary Tour.

[All Photos by Jeremy Gordon]

Among the highlights were Bill Evans, who’s no stranger to the Beacon from his multiple sit ins with the Allmans, guesting on Example 1, an outstanding Ocean Billy in the first set and UM’s third-ever performance of their Life During Exodus mashup which combines parts of Bob Marley’s Exodus, Life During Wartime by Talking Heads and Zappa’s City of Tiny Lites. HT photo editor Jeremy Gordon was on hand at the pitless venue and has shared a selection of his shots from Umphrey’s Beacon debut.

Here’s the setlist…

Set 1: Leave Me Las Vegas > 40′s Theme, Conduit, Roulette, Nothing Too Fancy^[1] > Ocean Billy, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, Plunger

Set 2: Puppet String^[2] -> The Linear > Professor Wormbog, Wappy Sprayberry^[3] > Example 1^[4], Life During Exodus^[5]

Encore: Booth Love -> Puppet String

[1] with Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love (Van Halen) teases; unfinished
[2] with Der Bluten Kat jam
[3] with Exodus (Bob Marley) teases and Theresa jam
[4] with Bill Evans on saxophone
[5] with Jake on keys

[via All Things Umphrey's]

• Previously on HT: Dream Focused – Umphrey’s Celebrates 15 Years

Check out more of Jeremy Gordon’s photos from UM at the Beacon…

Particle @ The Aggie Theatre & Quixote’s True Blue – Jan. 17 & 18

Words and Images: Mike Sherry

“It feels like you guys really get it!” gushed Steve Molitz to the crowd, still lingering near 2am at The Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins last Thursday night. His band Particle had just completed a near two-hour set of ’80s Flashback material, and the northern Colorado fans had shown up, many dressed up, pumped to enjoy the choice classics.

[All Photos by Mike Sherry]

Thanks to crisp vocoder effects and synthesizer patches, old gems like Funkytown and Electric Avenue sparkled like new and got the dance floor moving early, following a hearty opening set by New Orleans band Earphunk. Longtime Particle ’80s staple Axel F was noticeably absent from the setlist, however. “We thought, why not shelve it this time & do something different,” bassist Eric Gould told me later. “Plus, Herbie Hancock’s Rockit has that feel.”

A fan pulled me aside during the show, mentioned he’d been seeing the band for years, and said even through all the cover material the jams really expanded and felt like Particle. By the end of the night they indeed had incorporated some of their own material into the finales of Safety Dance (a classic that one doesn’t usually expect much out of, except a fun singalong) and Eye of the Tiger.

While some songs like Final Countdown, Material Girl and Paradise City did fine as instrumentals, it was fun to watch Steve Molitz have too much fun flowing old school numbers like Bust a Move. Guitarist Ben Combe handily sang numbers in the higher range like You Can Call Me Al and Once in a Lifetime, delivering signature riffs and soaring solos all the while. The Paul Simon tune’s bass breakdown proved once again why they say “Gouldy’s Gold!” about bassist Eric Gould.

The following night in Denver promised a completely different experience – Particle tunes! While a few ’80s cover reprises got thrown in the mix, Particle brought an equally freaky dance party to the floor of (the new) Quixote’s True Blue thanks to high-vibe versions of standbys like Triple Threat and Launchpad.

While technically a cover, The Battle Without Honor or Humanity (aka ‘Kill Bill Theme’), has long been owned by this band, and the smiles around the packed, swirling audience confirmed it. Likewise Pink Floyd’s Have a Cigar as an instrumental groove seemed as natural a Particle tune as the Golden Gator it flowed out from, especially when dropped back into on a dime at double-speed after a frenetic jam. Ben’s guitar solo was just straight fire.

And that Golden Gator is worth another mention, firstly to acknowledge saxophonist Pete Wall’s amazing guest spot, and secondly for its tasty bridge to psychedelia. While the tune’s jam kicked off with some great flourishes from Molitz, it didn’t develop into traditional pass-the-hat soloing. Instead, a very ethereal groove led to much sonic layering – Pete skillfully contributing and also nudging the rudder, building patiently to a cohesive tonal proposition – “dig this!” (I did.) And then with a well placed snare call-in by Darren Pujalet the frantic finale of Golden Gator crushed the chaos into anthemic rock beats.

Always a strong closer, Ed & Molly finished the second set, leaving the energy high and the dancing crowd yelling for more. Pete Wall returned for the encore, spicing up the old favorite Electric Avenue as the room echoed with people singing along. As the song peaked, Molitz waved off drummer D-ron’s finale & hit the vocoder one more time, vamping “Take it higher! And higher!” with Wall joining on the mic, until the band punched in one more funky turn.

Setlists courtesy of Particle’s Facebook page:

Particle: 80s Flashback
January 17, 2013
The Aggie Theatre
Fort Collins, CO

Setlist:

Sledgehammer
Funkytown
Let’s Go Crazy
Electric Avenue
Once In A Lifetime
Pump Up The Volume>
Rockit>
Material Girl>
Pump Up The Jam
The Final Countdown>
Money For Nothing
Safety Dance>
Launchpad Outro
It Takes Two>
Wild Thing>
Me So Horny>
It’s Tricky>
Bust A Move
Don’t You Forget About Me
You Can Call Me Al
Sweet Dreams

Encore:

Paradise City
Eye Of The Tiger>
Sun Mar 11 Outro

Particle
January 18, 2013
Quixote’s True Blue
Denver, CO

Set 1:
Launchpad
The Battle Without Honor Or Humanity
Die Rote Kapelle
The Golden Gator*>
Vocoder/Beatbox Jam*>
The Golden Gator*
Have A Cigar

Set 2:
Triple Threat*
You Can Call Me Al*
other Desert Cities>
Ed + Molly

E: Electric Avenue*

*w/ Pete Wall on Sax

This Saturday a special fundraiser will take place at Matrix Conference and Banquet Center in Danbury, Conn. that will end with a performance featuring legendary singer/songwriter Paul Simon, Yankees great Bernie Williams and salsa star Frankie Negron. Williams will host the event, his annual “Speak Out Against Hunger” fundraiser, which will benefit HILLSIDE FOOD OUTREACH, a 501c3 nonprofit that provides food for those in need throughout Fairfield, Putnam and Westchester Counties.

The event will also see a small reunion of 1996 World Champion New York Yankees as Williams will be joined by David Cone, Tim Raines and Cecil Fielder. Here’s more info via Bernie’s website…

The event will start at 6PM with a cocktail reception that includes an opportunity for a private picture taking session with Bernie and David Cone. There will be a gourmet dinner, silent and live auction, and an up close and personal Q & A interview session with Williams, Cone, Raines and Fielder moderated by WFAN Yankee Beat Reporter Sweeny Murti. This will be followed by musical performances by Paul Simon, Frankie Negron and Bernie Williams. For tickets please visit Hillside Food Outreach website at www.hillsidefoodoutreach.org. or www.bernie51.com TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR. For more information please call the Hillside Food Outreach office at 203-702- 4882.

In other Paul Simon news, the Queens native announced an Australian Tour.

The music of Phish was performed at Madison Square Garden last night, but it wasn’t the Vermont quartet who delivered it. MSG organist Chad Dinzes, who plays the Page role in Phish tribute act Strange Design, debuted his version of It’s Ice during the Rangers game.

Dinzes has shared a clip of the performance…

Chad Dinzes – It’s Ice

Strange Design will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Rift, the album on which It’s Ice first appeared, on February 2nd at Brooklyn Bowl in New York City.

The first West Coast Rambles of 2013 kick off tonight at Phil Lesh’s Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, Calif. For this series of three shows that runs through Saturday, HT faves God Street Wine will open and then members of GSW will team with Lesh, John Kadlecik and Jeff Chimenti for additional sets.

For those of us that can’t make it to Terrapin, the venue will webcast all three shows, as well as Sunday’s “Hoedown,” for $7 a pop. Head over to Terrapin’s Webcast Store to make your purchase.

We’ve run a number of stories over the years about Mickey “Dean Ween” Melchiondo’s love of fishing and second career as a charter boat captain. Today, comes word that Deaner will be teaming up with Les Claypool of Primus soon to shoot a reality show that will “fuse sportfishing with music and comedy.”

For the new show, which will be produced by South Park masterminds Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Deaner and Claypool will bring celebrity guests out on the water for fishing trips. In addition to starring in the program, Melchiondo will also provide the soundtrack.

Deaner explains the concept of the show a little further…

“The show is personality-driven,” says Melchiondo, 42, a Trenton native. “The idea is to get the show on after Anthony Bourdain or ‘Tosh.O.’ It’s a fishing show that you do not have to be into fishing to enjoy.”

Other than mentioning it will be a “cable” show, there’s no word yet on what station Parker and Stone are targeting for the show to air on. That will probably be determined after the pilot is created and offers to broadcast the program are received. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on any more news about this exciting development.

Here’s a look at Deaner and Les fishing off the coast of Northern California…

Earlier today the trailer for a new movie called Inside Llewyn Davis came out. This film was created by the Coen Brothers and tells the tale of a fictional folk singer from the Greenwich Village scene which stars Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman. According to Rolling Stone, the film is loosely based on the life of Dave Van Ronk. No release date has been set yet.

Here’s the trailer featuring a Bob Dylan soundtrack…

In other news, here’s a batch of fresh links hot out of the HT oven…

• List Time: 10 Essential Albums for Starting a Jazz Collection
• Paul Dano to play a young Brian Wilson in the upcoming biopic Love and Mercy
• Cover Alert: Anthrax tackles Rush
• Vampire Weekend to release their third studio album on May 7
• Download This: Chuck Berry – The Fillmore – 1967-03-19
• The out-of-left field pairing of Elvis Costello and The Roots have recorded an album

Finally, as we previously reported, on April 18 the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame will hold its 28th induction ceremony at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, where they will honor their 2013 class of Rush, Public Enemy, Heart, Donna Summer, Albert King, Quincy Jones, Lou Adler and Randy Newman. Yesterday the Rock Hall revealed the first round of presenters and performers that will honor this year’s inductees, which included Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters inducting prog-rockers Rush, John Mayer and Gary Clark Jr. teaming up to honor blues-legend Albert King and Don Henley (The Eagles) who will induct singer-songwriter Randy Newman. The ceremonies will be aired on HBO on Saturday, May 18 at 9 PM EST.

After lots of speculation that another festival would replace Camp Bisco this summer, the Disco Biscuits and event promoter MCP Presents have announced that Camp Bisco will indeed return to Indian Lookout Country Club outside of Albany, New York in 2013.

Camp Bisco 113, or whatever number they’re at now, will take place on July 11th – 13th with the Disco Biscuits set to play all three nights. Look for the lineup in a few months. Early-bird tickets go on sale next Saturday, February 2nd, at 10 ET.