NYE Run 2011-2012: The Infamous Stringdusters & Phish

The Infamous Stringdusters, 12/28/11, Mexicali, Teaneck, NJ
&
The Phish, 12/29, 30, & 31/11, Madison Square Garden, NYC
aka, NYE Run 2011-2012: Recession Edition


Let's start this off honest-- I really didn't feel motivated to see Phish this NYE Run. Don't get me wrong, you know I love me some The Phish, but I had possibly reached my (physical and mental) Phish threshold for 2011. I had definitely already spent enough money on them in 2011, which is why an $80 (face + fees) ( x 1-4 nights) ticket was absolutely out of the question. Just-- NO. That is $80 I'd rather spend towards lift tickets (and Health Insurance) this season. So, on a lark, I went out of my way to not buy tickets for any Phish MSG shows. moe. were in Maine and the Ryan Montbleau Band were in Stowe. Both were amazing options, but I was leaning towards That French Kid, because A VT trip would include skiing, friends, skiing, free lodging, and, well-- VT. Did I mention the skiing?

With the recent addition of a puppy to the household, traveling for NYE was no longer an option. Friends were prodding me with their Phish extras, but I kept turning them down. Suuure, there are worse problems to have. Woe is me. My life is hell. I did asterisk everything with a *"but I might try and get a ticket for the 29th".

WEDNESDAY, 12/28/11

On the morning of the 28th, I challenged a couple of friends to find me a $40 ticket for the 29th-- cuz, you know, I might as well see one show, but I was still unwilling to pay full price for it, consarnit! And then I went to see the Infamous Stringdusters, at Mexicali, in Teaneck… for $20.

In fact, the early December purchase of said $20 Infamous Stringdusters ticket, had become a sort of Bold Personal Statement about my determination to at least not see all of the Phish shows this NYE Run. Jamgrassy and all fired up, The Infamous Stringdusters opened for Yonder Mountain String Band during the Great Pre-Halloween Blizzard of 2011, but due to massive travel issues, we missed their entire set. However, they did manage to come out for a few songs and help Yonder light the stage into a raging fucking fire, and that display of reckless endangerment was exactly why I was hellbent on seeing The Stringdusters headline a show. And at $20-- what a bargain! Even when, a few hours before showtime, I got a text from Mattypie offering me a free Phish ticket for that night. "No thanks! I'm going to see The Stringdusters!!"

First off, Mexicali was packed. The room was hot and the fog machines were blasting, as they do. Comedic Icon and Banjo Aficionado, Steve Martin, was in the audience. Yeah, Tony Trischka was there too, but maybe you didn't read that correctly-- S-T-E-V-E M-A-R-T-I-N. I was hoping beyond hope that he'd get onstage for a song, rumor amongst the crowd was that he would, but alas, he did not. Still--- Steve Martin in his hat and glasses, at a table, like a regular guy-- except that he's STEVE MARTIN. Fucking Genius.

And the Stringdusters--- awesome! They had just come off a 5 week vacation and looked refreshed and rabid to play. Highlights: SET I: Steam Powered Aeroplane, In God's Country-- yes, U2's In God's Country-- great song, unique cover choice (a theme weaved throughout the night), and really nicely done. Ain't No Way of Knowin', Can't Stop the Changes, and a shredding Black Rock.



During setbreak, I got a text from Weiss, who had found me a $40 ticket for Thursday. I cackled maniacally into the cold night sky. This must be the same type of adrenaline rush those Extreme Couponing fanatics experience.

Highlights SET II: Spinal Tap's legendary Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight. Awesome. A happy-go-lucky, kinda dreamy, cover of Police's Walking On the Moon. For the Encore, they unplugged and came down to the floor… The Bass player claimed the land right next to me, so of course, I didn't move. The rest of the band filled in, quickly pushed together by the crowd, and they busted out an Uncle Pen, that drew a delightful little singalong. I couldn't help but wonder if Phish were also playing it, and then not really care, because seeing the Stringdusters that night was clearly the Official Right Choice. Go me!

The Infamous Stringdusters are young, full of energy, and really psyched to be playing in that band. They sound great. You should totally see them. What a fun night!





The Infamous Stringdusters, 12/28/11, Mexicali, Teaneck, NJ

SET I: Fork In the Road, The Hitchhiker, Steam Powered Aeroplane, 17 Cents, In God's Country, Masquerade, Ain't No Way of Knowin, You Can't Stop the Changes, Place that I Call Home, Get it While You Can, Black Rock

SET II:Heavy Metal, Long, Lonesome Day, Gettin' Down the Road, Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight, Rosalie McFall, Walking on the Moon, Deep Elem Blues, Y2k, Night on the River, One More Bridge, My Destination, Moon Man

ENCORE: Uncle Pen#, Blue Night#, Midnight Moonlight#

# Unplugged in middle of floor

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Jack Riley! http://www.archive.org/details/IS2011-12-28.riley.busman

THURSDAY, 12/29/11

Phish! Moderate excitement! Féile for pregame w/ Weiss & Leeeza, a really yummy Bloody Mary (the Irish know how to do it right!), and a pile of deliciously bite-sized crispy fried chicken things. Yes! More Good Choices! Foreshadowing, perhaps?


We went in fairly early, wandered around and checked out the new digs. Along the style-lines of Yankee Stadium and New Shea, some high quality snacky-meal establishments are moving into MSG's 100 level. There are also a ton of bars (w/ wall outlets to plug in your phones if you have a charger on hand), which is nice for those of us who can't drink the Beer. We theorized that MSG itself might soon be a reasonable place to pregame for MSG shows in that particularly difficult neighborhood. Shock & Awe! Also, it's very very shiny. And you have to "wave" over the back of the toilets to get them to flush, so if you're like me, this provides the opportunity to do at least 1 totally necessary, awesome ninja-like karate kick over the top of the toilet, per show-- which if you're wondering, is a huge bonus.




I got a line on an extra for the following two nights at face value, but I wasn't ready to bite. 16 Year Old Me was like, "Dude. Phish." 33 Year Old Me was like, "Dude. Phish."

SET I: two words, starting with capital letters: Fuck Yeah. Yes, I've heard YEM too many times over the past 2.5 years and have complained at length about it, so there is really no need to mention it again here, but the rest of the set was positively SMOKING. The kind of Phish MSG shit that I want. Total Rock. A HUGE Sloth opener that set the tone. A cute Get On the Train. A fantastically bounceable Moma Dance. Wholehearted Funky Bitch. Maze got the room hyper. Roses Are Free kept it going in a twisted and blurred lens. Fun Halley's Comet -> a rampaging Antelope. Wow. THAT WAS ONLY THE FIRST SET??


16 Year Old Me was yelling at 33 Year Old Me, "What's wrong with you? Grab those damn tickets!" But I still couldn't commit! That first set was unbelievable-- there's no way it was gonna get better, so maybe I should just walk away while completely satisfied. But then, during setbreak, the World Renowned Mime (though he prefers "Body Poet"), Markcel Markseau, offered me a free extra for the 30th (at least I think he did--- I don't speak French Mime) and how could I argue with that? I couldn't. Also, never argue with a Mime.

SET II began quickly, while we were still in the hallway. We missed some of a great Crosseyed and Painless, but then scored a loud and lovely -> Simple. Once again, Guyute would vex Melissa and go on about 3-5 minutes too long. A super dirty and GIGANTIC Mike's Song -> Chalk Dust -> Hydrogen -> Weekapaug--- PHEW!!!!! Show of Life I'm kinda lukewarm on, but -> a romping Character Zero, singalong extravaganza. Encore's overflowing Loving Cup filled the room with good vibes.

Fucking awesome Phish show. So much energy. So much ROCK. It'd be silly not to want to see another show after that.


Phish, 12/29/11, MSG, NYC
SET I: The Sloth, You Enjoy Myself, Back on the Train, The Moma Dance, Funky Bitch, Maze, Roses Are Free, Halley's Comet > Run Like an Antelope

SET II: Crosseyed and Painless > Simple -> Lifeboy, Guyute, Mike's Song > Chalk Dust Torture -> I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Show of Life > Character Zero

ENCORE: Loving Cup

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Scott Bernstein! http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=551294

FRIDAY, 12/30/11

Fuck I was tired. Another night of this shit? Possibly two? Was I even motivated for the possibility of a NYE ticket? Not sure.

In keeping with the budget-minded theme of this NYE Run, I sat in my car for 15 minutes and waited for a legal street parking spot to begin. Pregame landed me at Harrington's, where-- meh. While we were there, a bus load of tourists with wheelie luggage disembarked, and many of them just walked right in. 'nuff said.

Markcel Markseau was hanging out Miming near the new plexi-glass sneeze guards in front of three Industrial Sized Meat Slicers at the future home of the MSG's Carnegie Deli stand and I just thought he had lost his iPhone. However, when translated through his Mime Pals, they explained that Düsseldorf's Favorite Body Poet was in possession of an extra for the following night, and rather than Miracle it to a random Wook whom they might have had to sit next to and could very well turn out to be a total douche, Sir Markseau was Ceremoniously and Generously offering it to me, a total douche he already knows. "Really?" I was psyched for an extra, I was super psyched for a complimentary extra, but I was almost as equally entertained by the fact that I'd be attending the show over some desperately obsessive Wook who had no idea what could have been. And that was kinda neat. I'm a terrible person.

SET I: It felt like Phish were making sure I had peed enough. "Are you sure, Lynn?" - Prince Caspian. It was just really hit or miss for my attention span. Nellie Kane, Divided Sky, and Quinn the Eskimo were fun. Everything else was just kinda there.

SET II highlights: 1) Going up to the Ghetto (300's) and finding the Long Island Wrecking Crew sitting directly next to some of my North Country Freaks friends! Also, an energized Axilla. A pretty sick Twist -> STOMPING Julius. The Squirming Coil was a sweet ender too. Encore was fine.

Mellower than I would have liked & paled in comparison to Thursday, but: great friends, great seats, and a Phish show. A reasonably good outcome, yah?




Phish, 12/30/11, MSG, NYC
SET I: Punch You In the Eye > Prince Caspian> Backwards Down the Number Line, Nellie Kane, Divided Sky, Sand, Vultures, Rift, Joy, Quinn the Eskimo

SET II Wilson > Axilla > Piper > Twist > Julius > Golgi Apparatus > Also Sprach Zarathustra, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, David Bowie, The Squirming Coil

ENCORE: Boogie On Reggae Woman, Good Times Bad Times

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Scott Bernstein! http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=551438

SATURDAY, 12/31/11

Kill me. The only choice was to wake up, keep eating ibuprofen, and re-tie my sneakers even more tightly around my swollen feets. Ugh.

NYE. 3 sets. Yay. I put on clothes that already needed to be washed. Lower East Side pregame was at Molly's Pub, alongside a Mime, with a delicious Bloody Mary & Chicken Pot Chicken Pot Chicken Pot Pie. Brilliant NYE pregame! Strategic food choices! Comfort! Energy! As we walked through the crowded shadow of the Garden, Markcel Markseau broke his silence for the first time, "Your ticket would have gone to one of these people." [NO PAUSE] "Fuck 'em!" - I said that.

The Floor Level of MSG is some swanky digs too now- a couple of nice Bars, mood lighting, shiny silver things as opposed to beige things with greenish-turquoise and fuschia accents. We were 23 Rows back, Fish Side. Security was menacing. We were excited about seeing Chris Kuroda's full light show up close. Markcel expressed this by Pirouetting and doing the Charleston.

SET I was fun. There was immediately more energy than the previous night. Highlights: Scent of a Mule, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Jibboo, Farmhouse. SET II: I'm a little fuzzy here, but Golden Age (TV On the Radio) was definitely pretty damn cool. Sneakin' Sally got the Garden rockin', but Ominous Seapods do it better. Don't get mad, it's true. And 46 Days is always fucking great.

Some fine work by Light Guru, Chris Kuroda




During the 2nd setbreak, we began to notice people in reflective yellow vests, carrying all sorts of mysterious equipment, spacing themselves around the Floor. Yes, the stunt was surely in motion, but what would it be??? We were also told that once the set started, Security were locking down the floor, and keeping the aisles clear for a portion of the show. Hmm.




SET III: Cavern got it going in a rockin' way, but then Trey's deafeningly loud Tea Kettle went off and he had to stop down for a second and take it off the hot plate and put it onto his Cabinet… The band started a cute and quirky little Steam, with bursts of sfx and fog popping in for the chorus. Suddenly, Trey's Cabinet & steaming Tea Kettle floated into the air… A Mike's Bass, a Page's Keytar, & a Fishman's Electrolux, soon followed. Then some crazy Judy Jetson chick tripped her balls off and raged the fuck out, doing The Elaine til she was free from gravity's pull, and summoned her Flying Wookie Pals to join her in an Old Skool Jetpack Group Freakout to ring in the New Year. -> Auld Lang Syne, fucking balloons everywhere -> Down With Disease. It was pretty cool. Everyone was smiling, especially the band. Still awesome to see them so consistently happy.








Here's some awesome footage of it, courtesy of HarpuaFSB.

SET III Continued: I love The Wedge. Alaska was awesome, dig it. First Tube was a great ender. They Encored with a pretty Slave To the Traffic Light, which is always appreciated in NYC.

Of the Phish shows, Thursday's show was by far my favorite, followed by NYE, then Friday coming in 3rd. I would have been irritated if I had paid full price for Friday. New Year's Eve was yet another fun Phish NYE, but I was glad when it was over so I could eat pizza and sleep. By Sunday morning, I was beyond ecstatic that I did not have to go see Phish again that night. Yes, I love 'em and there's nothing else quite like a Phish MSG NYE show, but, y'all know I would have also been really happy at either moe. or Ryan Montbleau Band.

IN CONCLUSION.
1) Going to the Infamous Stringdusters on 12/28/11 was the right fucking choice. IT WAS AWESOME. GET EXCITED & GO SEE THEM!
2) Thursday's show was the best of the Phish shows I saw this run. Stellar setlist, TONS of fantastic energy, and a thick NYC NYE Run Vibe.
3) My friends are awesome, and thanks to their Phish ticket-savvy & generosity, I saved $200. That is 1/3 of my monthly Health Insurance bill now that my rates have gone up, or, like, 3-5 lift tickets in VT when I can finally get my ass up there (and hopefully there will be snow by then). Thanks to Markcel Markseau x 2, & Weiss, for some Extreme Phish Couponing. It's much appreciated. I hope the Nanaimo Bars were delicious!
4) Wookies can fly now, watch the fuck out.

NYE Run 2011-2012, A Recession Kinda Feelin': The Infamous Stringdusters, 12/28/11, Mexicali, Teaneck, NJ & Phish, 12/29, 30, & 31/11, MSG, NYC: 8.8 HUZZAHS!!!! Points deducted for how painful it was to do a 2 hour PT session on 1/1/12. Happy New Year, Folks!


Phish, 12/31/11, MSG, NYC
SET I: AC/DC Bag > Wolfman's Brother, Scent of a Mule, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Lawn Boy, Gotta Jibboo, Farmhouse, Pebbles and Marbles, Ocelot, Fluffhead

SET II: Party Time, Light > Golden Age, Theme From the Bottom, Heavy Things, Ghost, Sneakin' Sally through the Alley, 46 Days, Suzy Greenberg

SET III: Cavern, Steam> Auld Lang Syne > Down with Disease, The Wedge, Alaska, Wading in the Velvet Sea, First Tube

ENCORE: Slave to the Traffic Light

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Z-Man! http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=551325

SLIDESHOW & HI-RES GALLERY!

Ominous Seapods, 12/17/11, Valentine's Albany, NY

Ominous Seapods, 12/17/11, Valentine's, Albany, NY


Here's the thing about bands doing "farewell" shows-- I don't buy it anymore. They always come back. Reunions are the new black. And it's not a bad thing, I'm just saying that when a band calls it quits, it may take 2 years (God Street Wine), it may take 10 (Pavement), but they typically return in some form, eventually. Shit, even Led Zeppelin did it (with Little Bonham) in 2007^. Not that you could get a ticket for it, but you did at least try.

Anyways, when Ominous Seapods announced that guitarist/vocalist Dana "Monty Roberts" Monteith would be moving to Australia, the band set up a "Farewell" show, so we could get our last kicks in for at least the foreseeable future. It was hard to get too sad, because as Ominous Seapods fans, if there's one thing we can all acknowledge, it's that the Ominous Seapods love money. And as long as money exists, so will the probability that Dana will do a Stateside visit at some point, and seize the opportunity to play with the Seapods once again. Especially after he becomes a huge Australian Country Music Star, gets his own Private Jet, and starts gallivanting around the globe with his trendy Australian-American family and attend luncheons in Dubai with the Beckhams, who will secretly try and convert him to Scientology, until Dana offends The Powerful Lord Xenu with a tender love ballad about Wombat Jerky that hits a little too close to home, which will all happen-- MARK MY WORDS.

With their Winter Carnival 2011 performances still fresh in my mind, and the various reunion shows we've seen them play over the past 10 years, this show almost seemed par for the course. Another family reunion to check off the list. In fact, it didn't seem like it was actually happening. Not the entire time I drove way too fast up the NYS Thruway and somehow didn't get pulled over. Not during the entire lovely dinner with Rich, Liz, & a carafe of salsa. And not for at least the first 25-30 minutes of the show, when it felt like all I was doing was hanging out with friends while music was happening in the background. Valentine's was packed and we were kind of stuck behind the first stack by the stairs where there is not much of a view or vibe and a chilly wind blows up from the street to nip you in the ankles, but we had each other, and that was all that mattered.

Oh yah, there's a show? In the meantime, Jet Smooth, Blackberry -> As I Stand Here Now, during which, I found a crisp $20 note (it was totally clean) in the women's bathroom, which is by far the best thing I've ever found in the bathroom at Valentine's. A pretty Matchmaker. Groovy Rocking Taste Sensation Overload, a song Dana wrote with his brother-in-law about a particular experience in Australia, which resulted in his (Dana's) passing out. Ahh, Dana, The Diplomat! Out of Myself featured Todd "the New TP" Pasternack on lead vocals, and it is lovely to hear him sing again. And speaking of lovely to hear sing again, the Dark Horse lurked out from behind the keys to serenade us on AC/DC's smash hit It's A Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock and Roll). THE DARK HORSE SINGS AGAIN. He also pulled out--- a totally fucking sweet Melodica solo. All Glory to the Dark Horse!





They went super old skool with If I Had a Smile, but the show really kicked into full gear and/or the band finally got warmed up, when they busted into Guide to Roadside Ecology. The room was moving, the energy was flowing, the boys hit their fucking groove. The Albany Magic appeared. It finally felt like an Ominous Seapods show. Guide -> Michael Murphy III, including chant-a-long at the end, fucking fantastic. Then a beautiful (it's always beautiful) Cary Suite to close out the set. Awesome.



Setbreak featured Nanaimo Bars and me planting down in front of Tom Pirozzi's (aka The Old TP, Teep, Whiskey Tom) spot. At least that's all I actually recall. Shameless cross-promotional side note: TP will be performing with Jon Bevo's Love Orchestra (God Street Wine in rubber pants) on 1/28 in Jersey.

Set II kicked off with Bong Hits & Porn to set the mood and so we could watch Dana go "wah wah wah" with his mouth at least one more time before he takes off. Da Bomb. And a most specialtastic Pull From Adirondack Blue, wherein taking the sticks from our darling wonderful Ted "Tigerbeat" Marotta, was none other than Vinnie Amico from moe., and popping onstage to the left of TP, was North Country Freak, Josh Himmelsbach (Justin Trawick Group, Ten Feet Tall), on Mandolin. Bach totally fucking smoked his Mandolin with a fantastic smile on his face the whole time. While Vinnie, cool as a cucumber, played the song OLDSKOOLFASTTEMPO and the Seapods had no choice but to act natural and keep the fuck up. Vinnie and Bach kept them young! FUCKING AWESOME.





Soon thereafter, Dana started a "Drew Price" chant -> Original Plattsburgh Mutant Drew Price got onstage -> Max licked Drew's Ominous Seapods tattoo (yes), for at least the 2nd time in history. Max is a gamblin' man.


Next was another wonderful treat, as Teep filled the room with patented Teep Love, in the form of Anything is Possible. Awww, Teep. A few of us toasted to our pal Johnny Fishwick, who was definitely there in spirit. The hypnotizing Buddahful Belly appeared and all at once, the room became enveloped in a familiar haze (this may have been Johnny Fishwick's doing from beeeeyonnnnnd!!). The Mutation continued when Dana's life got Cancelled. The boys played him off with Men at Work's Land Down Under. Here's some video-- audio courtesy of Undertaper Productions. The end is a bit messy, coincidentally, because I was attacked by an Australian, who bore the strength of a thousand Tasmanian Devils.


Good to be Alive, Josephine's Grand Motion -> a romptastic Room of Ruins, and a bittersweet but triumphant Leaving the Monopole to end Set II. For an Encore they covered the Angels' Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again, leading the audience to chant back the answer: No way!! Get Fucked!! Fuck Off!!!






They attempted to end it all there, but Promoter Greg Bell, offered to pay the band another $100 to play another song (Greg wanted to hear the Old TP classic, SHIP). All of a sudden, in a totally unprecedented turn of events, the audience started passing money up to Dana to keep playing. Usually it's to get him to show his ass (or not) or dip his balls in hot sauce (or not). The boys collected some cash, stowed it in their garters, and played on.

We got a positively smoking Money to Burn, featuring Todd Pasternack on fucking fire, Ass Ferrets in full effect, getting it all. out. Wow. And then Max Verna on his bread & butter, Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley. His version would make Phish stop playing it out of shame. Fuck yeah, Max. Hope I Shall Arrive was a sweet sendoff, and then, finally, Greg Bell got his Ship, and even sang backup vocals on the ever popular chorus, "Don't wanna swim in shit no more!" Somewhere in there, the clock struck 2:11AM and we had a toast.








Ahhh, another fun Seapods show in the books! See? Don't fret. Nothing to worry about. They always come back. You just have to hand them enough money.

It was awesome seeing the boys (all of them) together and enjoying themselves again. It was awesome seeing so many friends/family together again. I love Late Nights in Albany! More praise here! OMINOUS SEAPODS, 12/17/11, Valentine's, Albany, NY-- DANA'S MOVING DOWN UNDER FAREWELL: 9.3 HUZZAHS!!! Gotta leave room for improvement.

GOOD LUCK, MONTEITH FAMILY! Don't get any cats, I'm coming to visit and I'm allergic!


Set One: Jet Smooth Ride, Blackberry Brandy > As I Stand Here Now, Matchmaker, Taste Sensation Overload*, Out of Myself*, It’s A Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll)**, If I Had a Smile > Guide to Roadside Ecology > Michael Murphy III, Cary Suite

Set Two: Bong Hits and Porn*, Waiting 4 Da Bomb 2 Drop* > The Pull From Adirondack Blue***, Anything is Possible*, Buddahful Belly, Your Life Has Been Cancelled* > Land Down Under**** > Cancelled*, It’s Good to be Alive*, Josephine’s Grand Motion* > Room of Ruins*, Leaving The Monopole*

Encore: Am I Ever Going to See Your Face Again?%
Encore2: Money to Burn#, Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley, Hope I Shall Arrive Soon, Ship$

*with Todd Pasternack on guitar and vocals

**AC/DC cover, with Brian Mangini on lead vocals and melodica, with Todd Pasternack

***with Vinnie Amico (from moe.) on drums and Josh Himmelsbach on mandolin

****Men at Work cover

%The Angels cover

#with Pink Floyd jam

$ with Greg Bell on backing vocals

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW!! Thanks, Jason Townley/Undertaper Productions! http://www.archive.org/details/OS2011-12-17.OS2011-12-17

HI RES ALBUM & SLIDESHOW OF MUTATION!


^ How cool would it be if Tomo became the new drummer for Led Zeppelin and they did world tour? Awwwwesome.

My Morning Jacket w/ Band of Horses, 12/14/11, MSG, NYC

My Morning Jacket w/ Band of Horses, 12/14/11, MSG, NYC
For years, I've listened to friends rave about My Morning Jacket's intense live shows, but apart from American Dad's My Morning Straightjacket episode, I have barely been exposed to their music. The fault is squarely mine. I never properly motivated to see them, until now. And perhaps the timing was just right, cuz I finally felt ready-- I was actually psyched to go see My Morning Jacket.

Stan Smith trips balls.

A giant pregame gathering at Rogue included 1 questionable and 1 good cocktail-- disappointing, but they more than made up for it with the delicious chicken fingers layed upon a bed of french fries with 4 dippin' sauces (and of course, the Lady Gaga videos playing on the large screen). I've pregamed at Rogue before, but it would seem that during Happy Hour on a Wednesday at least, the Ring of Douche in that 'hood is wider than I had recalled. It was still easier to deal with than Stout.

Some of my friends are in musical-man-love with Band of Horses. Therefore, we headed in early to catch every second. I missed them at Bonnaroo 2009, because they played opposite Snoop Dogg & Erykah Badu. That particular scheduling conflict means that you are gonna catch Band of Horses some other time in the future, if they still exist. And they still do, so I did. See? Everything worked out! They had a kind of mellower Cowboy-ish Neil Youngy / Jane's Addiction Ballady / Wilco / Something Else (nutmeg?) in a blender. Ethereal anthemic layering brought their songs to each pitch. We debated whether certain songs were ultimately happy or sad, but always came to the conclusion that no matter which, they were all really pretty. The room was far from full, but the band played it well and the crowd absorbed it all in. I could see them doing really well at moe.down.

By the time the set was over, I had to piss like a Band of Horses. It was one of those 2-minute pees that warms you up, because you have been using all your reserve energy normally allocated to sustaining body heat towards holding it in for so long.

They are renovating Madison Square Garden. The hallways are foreign. There are many more full bars, which is awesome for those of us who can't drink beer. Now, instead of just being plastic water bottle cap Nazis, they pour all beverages into cups. Nothing like increasing your costs and creating excessive waste, is there? Way to think locally, act globally, and pass on the savings, MSG. So, if you were planning on throwing capless bottles of pee at your favorite artists/athletes, you're out of luck-- don't forget to bring a Ziplock. Another change: they've removed the walkway inside the arena between the 100's & 200's section. This will definitely make travel within shows more challenging.

The place had filled in and it was time for My Morning Jacket to begin to close out their tour. A few of us parked our asses in section 101 and the new chairs fucking swallowed us whole. These cushiony chairs are dangerous. Specs-wise, there's less leg room (I'm 5'4 and only had about 2 inches of knee-wiggle room when fully slouched), but there are cup holders now and what red-blooded American doesn't love a fucking cup holder or 20K? Only the Commies!

MMJ immediately created a strange, but really comfortable space in the room, while maintaining an absolutely electric energy level. They cruised around their huge catalog of songs, with stops in each genre. They got into some large, noisy, loud grooves and fucking shredded some twistedly sweet Southern Rock / Nashville / Honky Tonk sounds. There was even a little Morphine-y thing going on at points. Always building, and always able to be inhaled deeply. We said "WOW", a lot. The lighting and stage design were intensely beautiful compliments. It was pretty damn awesome.

Jim James is an effective howler. A friend explained this is because he is from Kentucky and they howl a lot there. He also reminded me that MMJ love recording in a grain silo-- something I'd read in Rolling Stone earlier this year, but had never quite understood until now. MSG had been magically transported to the inside of a grain silo outside of Louisville, Kentucky. And that would be the definition of "effective howling".

Also, not to sound like Stan Smith or anything, but Jim James is a motherfucking Showman. One doesn't typically see lead guitarists channeling James Brown and Liberace, except for maybe Prince, but-- he Prince. Fantastic Footwork + a Cape / Cloak to set the drama + all the Louder Than Life attributes of a Kickass Rock n' Roll Lead Man = That Guy.

Encore was fabulous and included a cameo by Brian Jackson, a Jazz Flute Ambassador of sorts. He sat in on an 80's cover called The Bottle, and I gotta be honest with you, it came a little out of nowhere, was very Starsky & Hutch/Shaft/Jethro Tull, and I had the giggles the entire way through. Mad respeck, though. They closed the show/tour with I'll Be Home For Christmas, which only worked because Jim James was wearing giant black cloak, hood up. Super dark.

The crowd was a pretty entertaining scene that kept digging itself a deeper hole throughout the night. I haven't seen so much bromance in a single arena since that Promise Keepers convention.

Shit yeah, My Morning Jacket was fucking awesome and I will totally see them again!! This was a kickass show that completely blew me away. I am glad I was finally able to accept My Morning Jacket into my life. It was time. I BELIEVE!!!! Band of Horses were super pretty and I'll definitely check them out again, though would prefer a smaller venue next time. The sound in the Garden was mixed well enough, but it was HELLA loud in there. Like, a wall of loud. Ugh, MSG-- why do you make my ears ring??? Whyyyyyy?!!?

My Morning Jacket & Band of Horses (+ being surrounded by awesome friends and all of the warming goodness that brings along with it), 12/14/11, MSG, NYC: 9.2 HUZZAHS!!!!

K, so, I put little-to-no-effort into taking pics at this show (aka, getting off my lazy ass), which is why I'll direct you to the absolutely awesome ones that Brooklyn Vegan has posted-- there are some great vids in there too. Thanks, Brooklyn Vegan!

SETLIST:
Victory Dance
Circuital
It Beats 4 U ->
First Light
I'm Amazed
Wonderful *
Steam Engine
Outta My System ->
Dancefloors +
Golden
Mageetah ->
Dondante #
Smokin' From Shootin
Run Thru (end) ->
Touch Me, I'm Going To Scream Pt. 2 ->
Off The Record ->
Gideon

ENCORE
Bermuda Highway @
Wordless Chorus
Day Is Coming
The Bottle #
Holding On To Black Metal -> +
One Big Holiday
I'll Be Home For Christmas %

* = w/Ben Bridwell from Band Of Horses on vocals
+ = w/Dearland horn section
# = w/Brian Jackson on flute and keys
% = w/all of Band of Horses standing around 1 vocal mic
@ = Jim James solo acoustic

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Jon Pasternak! http://www.archive.org/details/mmj2011-12-14.mg210.flac16


^ Christmas music drives me bonkers.

moe., Floodwood, & Ha Ha the Moose, 11/25 & 26/11, T5 & Sullivan Hall, NYC

moe., 11/25 & 26/11, Terminal 5, NYC
Floodwood, 11/26/11
& Ha Ha the Moose, 11/27/11, Sullivan Hall, NYC


Rob has a mustache.
Thanksgiving Run shows are a fantastic way to blow off the pent up steam of holiday stress, mostly because sitting at a table full of relatives for multiple hours can be incredibly difficult. However, this Thanksgiving, I spent the entire day in bed with an excruciating migraine. I'm not sure if it was less stressful than a Holiday Meal, but that depends on who is actually around the table, and how much one enjoys having the back of your skull bashed in with a baseball bat. It can vary from person to person. One thing is for sure: puking when you didn't earn it, is even more of a drag. Anyways, head-in-the-toilet, I wondered if potentially missing a moe. show at Terminal 5 due to physical incapacitation would make it an easier loss than say, if that moe. show were at the Hammerstein, or Roseland, or the Nokia Best Buy Theater.

The apprehension I have towards seeing any shows at Terminal 5 is equal to, if not greater than the stress I get at the prospect of loading-in a weekend full of camping equipment to Gelston Estate for moe.down. The venue is an obstacle. I fucking hate Terminal 5. The sound is awful, the sight-lines are worse, the drinks are horrendously overpriced (even for NYC), and it's a fucking death trap that needs better exits^.

Which is why I'm so happy to report that this Thanksgiving Run (possibly due to the fact that I scored sweet spots to watch both nights from), moe. bent Terminal 5 over and completely dominated it in an unforgiving and unrelenting power move that would make Jerry Sandusky blush.

FRIDAY, 11/25/11

Friday night started out with Happy Hour moe.jitos. By the time I was pried away from those, it continued with the last 10 minutes of Dumpstaphunk's set, which turned out to be plenty for me (Dumpstaphunk that is, not rum & sugar-- I could have easily been talked into more rum & sugar). Terminal 5 had the 3rd floor closed off, which was a shame, as one of the (only) best viewing locations in the venue is up there. We wound up on the floor, about 1/3 of the way back on chuck.side-- not a terrible alt. Shit, it's Terminal 5, I was ecstatic to see the stage at all. Not going deafer in one ear was a perk.

moe. started building the tension right out of the gate, with a lovely Skrunk -> Bullet -> a super dirty Downward Facing Dog -> a rainbowy socks NYC. Fresh off supporting Yonder Mountain String Band on their Fall Tour, Andy Falco from the Infamous Stringdusters joined the boys on a Telecaster for a kickin' Waiting for the Punchline. Ivan Neville from Dumpstaphunk appeared on keys for Can't You Hear Me Knockin', which was fun, but felt like an impending setbreak-- which it was. Fun set, felt a little short, might have had something to do with all that rum & sugar. I should have had more.



Speaking of rum & sugar, despite having my glasses on, something was up with Rob's face. From my spot, I couldn't tell if it was a moe.jito fueled hallucination or not, but in certain lights it looked like Rob was sporting a mustache! In other lights-- not so much, which is when I thought the rum & sugar was toying with my brain. But, no-- it's all true-- ROB HAS A MUSTACHE. Or at least he did- he's been growing one for the Movember Prostate Cancer Awareness & Fundraising Month (donate to Rob's mustache here). It's pretty awesome and perhaps it's morbid curiosity, but I hope he keeps it a while longer. Description-wise, I'm torn between choosing the direction of the vibe of the mustache-- there was either a Redneck Trucker or an FDNY thing going on, but it's still in it's very early stages and it would be interesting to see how it matures. MUSTACHE!


For SET II, we relocated to a little nook on al.side, and sacrificed the FOH sound for a sheltered speaker (earplugs zone), closer view, and less elbows. And a fucking FANTASTIC Set. Billy Goat > a suuuuuper evil and ridiculously dark Tubing the River Styx -> The Pit. I never get sick of the boys belting this out. The room bubbles with toil & trouble. YOU LOVE IT. Letter Home was the oldie time raggae-ish version, very sweet. A delightful Spine -> Buster -> Haze (w/ Rob on vocals, which I like, not that I didn't like Al on vocals, cuz I did, but it changes the whole tone of the song which was an interesting switch). Encore was another dose of evil: Akimbo. Earlier in the night someone had asked me why Chuck is Satan, mid-way through Akimbo, I tapped him on the shoulder, pointed at our beloved Dark Lord, and screamed, "THAT'S WHY!!!"



A kickass moe. show -> Sullivan Hall for late night Floodwood (Al & Vinnie's bluegrass project) action. Their Brooklyn show in October was during ALDS Game 5, which is why I couldn't make it. In hindsight, Floodwood would have been the less depressing choice, but it didn't happen-- so I was psyched for the chance to do some late night Floodwooding post-moe.. I didn't realize just how late of a night it would be. The show didn't start til after 2AM (blame has been pointed at the venue for making us stand on line for like a fucking hour before opening the doors). By that point, I was too damn tired to care about the show. Knowing Saturday night was gonna be another late night, I gave myself a 3AM cutoff and enjoyed the portion I was there to see. Floodwood are great, it was a fun show, a little mellow for the fighting-exhaustion phase I was in, but still enjoyable. Andy Falco also sat in with Floodwood. At 3:05AM, someone offered me Molly. No. Uh... Thank you? It was Sleepytimes.

Also, I burnt the roof of my mouth on Joe's Pizza. It's wasn't the first time and it certainly won't be the last. Sometimes, you just can't wait another minute.





FRIDAY SETLIST
I: Skrunk > Bullet > Downward Facing Dog > New York City, Waiting For The Punchline# > Can't You Hear Me Knocking#%
II: Billy Goat > Tubing The River Styx > The Pit, Letter Home, Spine Of A Dog > Buster > Haze
Encore: Akimbo

# w/ Andy Falco from the Infamous Stringdusters on Electric Guitar
% w/ Ivan Neville from Dumpstaphunk on Wurlitzer

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Scott Bernstein: http://www.archive.org/details/moe2011-11-25.tlm170.flac16

(When the Floodwood show goes up on the archive, the link to download it will be here)

SATURDAY, 11/26/11


The moe.jitos continued to flow on Friday. With no opener, moe. hit the stage an hour earlier, which would help pace us through what was surely going to be a loud, Freedom-Loving, Flag-Eating, all-nighter. Also, yes, the rum & sugar. El Herno tried to buy a new bumper sticker, but could not, as moe. were not allowed to sell stickers that night. Is this a venue-policy? What possibly could have happened? Ha!

After a 15 second Think Tank, we noticed that the 3rd floor was open and booked it upstairs-- just in time to secure one of the only GREAT spots in the venue-- 3rd floor, center rail! A great view, with great sound, at Terminal 5. BIZARRO! Shit. Yeah. There was no reason to wander around. And I mean for serious-- how fucking psyched were we? SO FUCKING PSYCHED. NIGHT 2.

Set I was great, Blue Eyed Son with Al on Mandolin was a sweet highlight. Big World -> Ricky Marten -> a HUGE Lazarus, which-- apparently they added a verse and are calling it "The Bones of Lazarus" now, but--- I mean, come on-- it's a duck, it's a dog, whatever, fuck you! MUSTACHE! GIANT DISCO BALL!



I was super pumped for Set II, annnd they started with Blue Jeans Pizza-- meh. Time to wander. This really only ended up proving once again, that when Terminal 5 is crowded, there are barely ANY good spots to see the show. I was back upstairs by the end of the voluminous and expanding Puebla (I like) -> to enjoy a fucking ridiculous, muscle-flexing, amphetamine ridden, Brent Black. The drum solos were brilliant and playful. Vinnie was out of control. Rob's bass solo was loud and bouncy. Good stuff. The middle of the set was great, but Rebubula hypnotized the room -> Where Does the Time Go? to tug at the heartstrings -> the triumphant ending to the love fest that is Rebubula. At one point, when the music and lights got low, the glowing blue LED beacon on Rob's pretty new bass, lit up the entire room. "The brightest things in the room at this moment, are Rob's balls."

They Encored with Together At Christmas, which was cute, but Christmas Season drives me fucking bonkers and I'm already sick of it, so... Thank the little baby Jesus for She Sends Me, cuz it brought the energy way back up and it was a stellar way to end the night! moe. fucking rocked Terminal 5. At least from where I was standing, they were able to eliminate the cold, industrial, emptiness of T5, and replace it with great vibes and that patented moe. love. Mad skillz.

We piled into the Quad Laser and shot down to Sullivan Hall to be abused by 3 men in capes and Mexican Wrestling Masks. Not the weekly League. It was time for Ha Ha the Moose. MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!!!!!


From start to finish, the crowd seemed a bit too drained and too exhausted to come up with any creative insults to hurl at the mysterious Trio. There were a lot of "FUCK YOU!" 's and "YOU SUCK!" 's. But nothing along the lines of "HEY GUANO, WHY DON'T YOU STRETCH OUT THAT MASK OVER A WATERMELON AND LET IT SIT IN THE SUN BEFORE A GIG?" or, "YO JEFF VON KICKASS, LOSE THE STILTS, WE ALL KNOW YOU'RE AN ALBINO PYGMY!" and of course, "HEY SLUDGE, NICE PANTS, ASSHOLE!" Just some suggestions for next time, kids.

Ha Ha the Moose worked through some of their greatest hits, including, but not limited to: The Magnum P.I. Theme song, the surf guitar til your face bleeds Thirsty Carbunkle, Mr. Her, Ha Ha the Moose (the most classic of all), Devil Toad (the most face melting of all), Donkey Show (the most romantic of all), Redneck Trilogy, The Magnum P.I. Theme song (again). Despite the crickets chirping away, to add insult to injury, Ha Ha the Moose Encored. Don't Fuck w/ Flo was loud, messy, pretty fucking great-- and of course, Simple Mind's smash hit off the Breakfast Club soundtrack, Don't You Forget About Me. Especially appropriate because earlier in the evening, D.Mighty was reciting Emilio Estevez's monologue about taping Larry Lester's ass cheeks together. It was meant to be!




This night, Ha Ha the Moose tested the patience of even the most devout Ha Ha the Moose fan, and for that, I applaud them. Or rather, "MOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!!!!!" I can't believe we've been putting up with this shit for over a decade. And giving them money!!! Dr. Guano's Moostache was a fantastic addition to the Ha Ha stage. I would totally inspect his moostache... in the name of freedom. MOOOOOOStache!

I can't promise it'll happen again, but I actually really enjoyed a 2 nighter at the worst venue in NYC. moe. rocked Terminal 5. The post-show shows were stellar. And fantastic music with great friends is a always a killer formula for success. It all added up to a sweet (rum & sugar?) adventure that left me pondering a moe. NYE, which won't actually happen cuz I'm not driving to Maine, but ponder-- sure. The temptation is there.

moe. (& Floodwood & Ha Ha the Moose), 11/25 & 11/26/11, Terminal 5 (& Sullivan Hall): 9 HUZZAHS!!! MUSTACHE!!!!!!

SATURDAY SETLIST
I: Paper Dragon > Wind It Up > Captain America, Blue Eyed Son, Big World > Ricky Marten > Lazarus
II: Blue Jeans Pizza > Puebla > Brent Black, Not Coming Down > Wormwood > Rebubula > Where Does the Time Go? > Rebubula
Encore: Together At Christmas, She Sends Me

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! THanks, Scott Bernstein! http://www.archive.org/details/moe2011-11-26.tlm170.flac16

DOWNLOAD Ha Ha the Moose! Thanks, T.J. Samulis! http://www.archive.org/details/hhtm2011-11-26.mk4.nbox

HI-RES ALBUM & SLIDESHOW!


^ I'm getting old.