... I walk into the Abilene Bar, a two story house located in Downtown Rochester. The enviroment is quaint yet boasts a classy/casual/relaxed/at home kind of vibe. I find a table off to the side, within' plain view of a setup reminisant of a basement band. The drum kit, tucked off into the corner, was decorated with yellow prayer flags. Immediately to the left; was a rug, with a pillow, effects pedals and a mini synthesizer. To the left of that; the bass set-up with additional effect pedals and amps. I introduce myself to the three gentleman who, at the time were setting up/checking the sound. The Soundcheck abruptly comes to an end as the three wander off in their own direction. One of the gentleman, the sitar player introduces himself to me as Naryan, and follows up with several questions about my being there. After expressing my enjoyment of the band, my one and only time seeing them, my opinions of their music and building a fan base; Naryan seemed very comfortable and receptive. In the background, his brother; Aneal (bass) was shooting pool, while the oldest of the three brothers; Ravi, sits down to join our conversation.
The conversation switches between; touring, building a fanbase, the struggle to book gigs (and get paid for them), taping and distributing music and their new cd, soon to be released. There is a certain excitement and sense of pride that was easily detected when discussing the new cd. Naryan speaks very candidly about how they were pleased with their first recording. Quickly followed up with how much better the current session is going. "We're recording at the Goo Goo Dolls studio." (In Buffalo, NY) "The sound is so much better... and the engineers are really knowledgable." stated Naryan humbley yet confident. Ravi chiming in every once in a while with a overlooked detail. The topic then switches gears to who they listen to musically. Naryan immediately pays homage to Phish, with a huge smile on his face, as most Phish Phans do when describing the band. "I love Phish... I wish I was going to Phish Phest..." Later eluding to being jelous of his friends who will be in attendance.
Another round of beers brings discussion of beer itself. Naryan expresses his enjoyment of drinking good beer, and I quickly agree. He offers a taste of his IPA to his brother, then offereing me a taste. We all agree on it's delightful flavor. Soon after, the merch is set out on the table around which we've been having our discussion. Aneal comes over and joins, as we discuss Medeski, Martin & Wood, The Westcott theatre, and Ravi's desire to play a gig with Soulive. Within' minutes some of their fans start to show up. A cat by the name of Nick turned out to tape the show and another gentleman (who's name escapes me) is obviously a big fan; laying out a few requests and looking as excited as Naryan did when describing Phish.
Family Function & Sitar Jams takes the stage, Naryan exclaiming to me that they feel chill and are going to take it easy tonight. The Three brothers from Buffalo with the sole intent to bring the jams; begin with a very spacey progression reminding me a lot of MMW. They ease into a jam, drop the beats, and the baseline insues. Almost immediately Naryan is reaching down and utilizing the effects of his sythesiser, while Aneal and Ravi create a funk/dance kind of groove. The first set was extremely high energy with a lot of effects and expiramentation.
The second set involved more straight forward sitar, with a darker twist. Additionally a mic was plugged in so we were able to get a few details about some of the songs and a plethera of feedback. The jams were extensive, some lasting what I would estimate at Ten Minutes Plus. The drums were heavy yet calculated. The bass was funky yet spacey, and the sitar playing; innovative and destructive.
"Family Funktion is a band who's groove is only surpassed by their innovation. They have a way of taking you to outerspace and leaving you on the moon with a discoball."
Black Rock City, NV Words & Photos by Andrew Wyatt The first time I was born again, I was no more than a 12-year-old tadpole of a kid wriggling his way through chilly baptismal waters of my father’s tiny, rural Southern Baptist church. The first time I was born into the narrow confines of evangelical religion. The second time I was born again, I was a gangly young man born into the big, wide, roiling sea of the infinite universe. And it all happened on a pirate ship and a wacky dance club at Burning Man. In 2002, I was a self-doubting preacher unsure whether to continue a fledgling career calling, when a voluptuous mountain guide neighbor asked if I would join her on a week-long experience at Burning Man. “After the week is over, and you still want to preach. Then great. If not, then you’re welcome!” she piped up. Hesitantly I agreed. “Burning Man,” wrote journalist Daniel Pinchbeck in his book, Breaking Open the Head , “is more decadent than Andy Warhol’s Factory, more glamoro
Hill Auditorium University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Words & Photos by J. Picard In the early 1970s the music world shifted with the coming of a transformative collaboration between John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain. The result was a relatively short-lived but incredibly impactful project that grew from the chance encounter. Shakti, from its inception, was destined to change not only the sound of Indian music and jazz, but the possibilities of musical collaboration as a whole. Nearly fifty years later, the impact of this project that began in 1974 and concluded in 1978, is immeasurable and spans generations of listeners. 2023 marked the return of Shakti, the release of a new album ( In This Moment ) and an extensive tour that wrapped around the globe from Europe to the United States. From the announcement of the American tour dates, it was decided that we would be making the long journey from Denver, CO to Ann Arbor, MI for a show at Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan
Bank of NH Pavilion Gilford, NH Words & Photos by Arlene Brown What happens when you have 9,000 people attending the biggest group therapy session of our lives? You get almost every single person at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in tears for an experience none of us will never forget. Disturbed’s “Take Back Your Life” tour swept through Gilford, NH with so much raw and honest emotion led by the breathtaking David Draiman, vowing to each and every person there that our lives matter and that our lives are important. Mental health affects everyone; either ourselves or someone we know who is living with depression, anxiety, and/or other debilitating issues. “We are not alone.” Disturbed’s night started with their normal “Hey You,” “Stupify,” and the pyro backed “Ten Thousand Fists” in which everyone was pumping their fists (not phones) in the air. Every single person was singing every single word to every single song. The whole night. It’s been a LONG time since I’ve seen a crowd
Deschutes County Fairgrounds Redmond, OR Words by Ryleigh Hutson & Alexander Fornes We are counting down the days to the first-ever, Cascade Equinox Festival taking place September 22-24th. As we close out the summer months and welcome in the fall, we come to the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond, OR & explore a diverse and eclectic blend of music including Jam, Electronic, Funk, Bluegrass, and Soul acts. With so many artists and genres to explore, it may be overwhelming to plan which are a must-see, and which sets you’ll spontaneously stumble upon. This could be one of the greatest line-ups Central Oregon has yet to see. The following are 5 artists not to miss at Cascade Equinox! 1. Pretty Lights Electronic music pioneer Derek Smith (Pretty Lights) is following a five year hiatus and Cascade Equinox is boasting its headliner as his only Pacific Northwest performance on his Soundship Spacesystem Tour . Pretty Lights took the hiatus at the top of his game after his 10th ye
very nice.
ReplyDeleteCheck them out Roger!
ReplyDelete-J-man