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Showing posts from February, 2017

Umphrey's McGee & Greensky Bluegrass 2.17.17

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ExploreAsheville.com Arena Asheville, NC Words by Taylor Hall Photos by J. Scott Shrader For the past few years, Umphrey's McGee has played in Asheville on or around Valentine’s Day, and it’s become a tradition. Last year, Umphrey's sealed the tradition's fate by teaming up with the Exploreasheville.com Arena to host the first annual Blue Ridge Rockway. This year the band expanded on their ideas and added a third night at the Orange Peel. They also invited rising rock stars Greensky Bluegrass to share a double headliner bill with them. Greensky opened the night with a song from their most recent effort titled "Windshield." This track sounds like The Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons got together to make a bluegrass love child. This band is as tight as they come, and they offer a high powered light show seldom seen on the bluegrass circuit. The band then dropped into a beautiful rendition of "Living Over," letting the subtle cries of the ma

Sam Bush 2.22.17 (Photos)

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Belly Up Aspen Aspen, CO Photos By Scott Seifert Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.sambush.com

Jeff Austin Band & Ben Larsen 2.16.17

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Mississippi Studios Portland, OR Words by Mitch Melheim Photos by Coleman Schwartz Media Every hippie’s favorite scatting mandolinist brought the newest configuration of his band to Portland, Oregon for an intimate show at the quaint Mississippi Studios. What has thus far been an ever-changing cast of musicians, I’ve gone into every Jeff Austin Band show that I’ve seen feeling a bit unsure of what to expect, but left all of them excited that the fiery and dark side of the old Yonder Mountain String Band still lives on. A pretty and pleasant solo set by Ben Larsen of Crow & the Canyon opened the night before the thunderstorm that is Jeff Austin took the stage. New banjo player Kyle Tuttle immediately won me over with some truly impressive playing in the opening song. After the departures of Danny Barnes and Ryan Cavanaugh, two of the best banjo players I’ve ever seen live, I was admittedly pessimistic about the chances of Austin finding a replacement that could hold a can

Umphrey's Mcgee 2.19.17 (Photos)

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The Orange Peel Asheville, NC Photos By J. Scott Shrader Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.umphreys.com

Lotus & Slow Magic 2.18.17 (Photos)

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The Fillmore Auditorium Denver, CO Photos By Doug Fondriest Photography View Doug's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.lotusvibes.com

Umphrey's Mcgee & Greensky Bluegrass 2.18.17 (Photos)

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ExploreAsheville.com Arena Asheville, NC Photos By J. Scott Shrader Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.umphreys.com www.greenskybluegrass.com

Praaang (Kimock, Janover, Hann, Travis) 2.17.17 (Photos)

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Cervantes Other Side Denver, CO Photos By Doug Fondriest Photography View Doug's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.kimock.com

ALBUM REVIEW: Garrett Sayers Trio 'Thinkbox'

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Words By J. Picard Years after its conception, Garrett Sayers Trio has grown in to its full potential with Thinkbox . An intellectual masterpiece through and through, the album features a massive sound from three premier players; Garrett Sayers, Patrick Lee and Jonny Jyemo! Combining aspects of Jazz, Fusion, Hip-Hop and organic Electronic Music, Thinkbox is a cornucopia of sounds layered thick like a musical onion, that when chopped up leaves the listener with an earful to digest. What begins as just another day in the universe, "Beat Car" opens up into beauty at every turn as the trio tactfully assembles an other-worldly canvas. "Diatribe," a track that used to be called "Diatribe Girls," conjures up imagery of a boisterous conversation. The track is highlighted by Patrick's melody and Jonny's tonal work on layers of percussion and may be my favorite off of the album. The title track, "Thinkbox," feels like a sort of transcendenc

Mike Doughty 2.8.17

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Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR Words & Photos By Mitch Melheim Former Soul Coughing front man, Mike Doughty, brought his new solo band to Portland, Oregon’s Doug Fir Lounge for a career-spanning set that satisfied fans of both Soul Coughing and his solo career. Once uninterested in playing songs from his old band, that changed after his 2013 release of Soul Coughing songs reimagined to fit his current style. The result has been a refreshing take on classic songs that merge perfectly with the direction his solo career has taken. That direction has been decidedly electronic, but maintained his quirky and minimalist approach. Doughty spends the majority of the show bouncing between his sampler pad and a microphone, ripe with his trademark melancholy demeanor and sarcasm. Occasionally he will bring out his guitar, but he spends much of the time orchestrating his six-piece band. Two guitarists, a drummer, a keyboardist, Doughty, and his long-time collaborator on the cello Andrew

MusicMarauders Spotify Playlist - Volume Seventeen (2.22.17)

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Joe Marcinek Band 2.17.17 (Photos)

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Be On Key Psychedelic Ripple Denver, CO Photos By Nancy Isaac Photography View Nancy's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.joemarcinekband.com

Kyle Hollingsworth Band & Evanoff 2.16.17 (Photos)

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The Scarlet Central City, CO Photos By Doug Fondriest Photography View Doug's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.kylehollingsworth.com www.evanoffmusic.com

Lotus & El Ten Eleven 2.11.17

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McDonald Theatre Eugene, OR Words By Mitch Melheim Photos By Coleman Schwartz Media After a nearly two year wait, Lotus finally brought their beloved post-rock electro-groove back to the Pacific Northwest. Beginning with an energetic dance party at Portland, Oregon’s Crystal Ballroom that kicked the weekend off with a bang, many of us chose to continue the journey southbound down I-5 towards the always wacky Eugene, Oregon. The 750-person McDonald Theatre is what I would consider the premier music venue in the Pacific Northwest. Owned by the Kesey family and at nearly 100-years old, the influence of the venue’s past can’t be ignored but what sets the McDonald apart from other historic theaters is the venue’s willingness to create and be a part of new memories. The luxury of being surrounded by helpful and smiling staff will improve anybody’s concert experience, especially once already satisfied with the venue’s crisp sound and never-ending sight lines, two things that were lac

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong 2.12.17 (Photos)

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Volcanic Theatre Pub Bend, OR Photos By Coleman Schwartz Media View Coleman's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.pigeonsplayingpingpong.com

Foundation of Funk & Juno What 2.11.17 (Photos)

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Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom Denver, CO Photos By Doug Fondriest Photography View Doug's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.junowhat.net

Head For The Hills 2.11.17 (Photos)

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Salvage Station Asheville, NC Photos By J. Scott Shrader Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.headforthehillsmusic.com

Foundation of Funk 2.10.17 (Photos)

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Ophelia's Denver, CO Photos By Doug Fondriest Photography View Doug's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.georgeporterjr.com www.zigaboo.com www.johnmedeski.com www.newmastersounds.com/about/eddie

Col. Bruce Hampton & Madrid Express 2.10.17 (Photos)

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Asheville Music Hall Asheville, NC Photos By J. Scott Shrader Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.bratoganibe.com

Lotus & El Ten Eleven 2.9.17 (Photos)

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The Independent San Francisco, CA Photos By Coleman Schwartz Media View Coleman's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.lotusvibes.com

Sierra Hull 2.9.17 (Photos)

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Swallow Hill Denver, CO Photos By Doug Fondriest Photography View Doug's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.sierrahull.com

Shook Twins 2.10.17 (Photos)

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Vail Ale House Vail, CO Photos By Scott Seifert Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.shooktwins.com

MusicMarauders Spotify Playlist - Volume Sixteen (2.15.17)

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Lotus & El Ten Eleven 2.7.17 (Photos)

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Cargo Reno, NV Photos By Coleman Schwartz Media View Coleman's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.lotusvibes.com

Yonder Mountain String Band 2.4.17 (Photos)

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The Orange Peel Asheville, NC Photos By J. Shrader Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.yondermountain.com

Billy Strings 2.4.17 (Photos)

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The Gold Room Colorado Springs, CO Photos By Scott Seifert Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.billystrings.com

PREVIEW: Aiken Bluegrass Festival 5.12 - 5.13.17

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Aiken Fairgrounds Aiken, SC Words & Photos By Bain Stewart Media Mixed emotions have been plentiful in 2017. Be it unrest, relief, or all/none of the above, your eyes have found their way here. You share the common interest of enjoying yourself amidst others doing the same. With that being said, it’s time to enjoy yourself. The Aiken Bluegrass Festival has released their stacked, long-awaited 2017 lineup. This years headliners include the powerhouse quintet, The Infamous Stringdusters, and a returning Fruition for a second year in a row. These artists are accompanied by a plethora of Aiken Bluegrass veterans and other bluegrass staples such as Larry & Jenny Keel, Allie Kral (of Yonder Mountain String Band), Vince Herman (of Leftover Salmon), Billy Strings, and so many more. This festival brings a plethora of performers, venders, and attendees from across the country. Music festivals always tend to give their attendees a surreal experience to escape the realities of the

Yonder Mountain String Band 2.3.17 (Photos)

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The Orange Peel Asheville, NC Photos By J. Scott Shrader Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.yondermountain.com

Atmosphere & Brother Ali 2.2.17 (Photos)

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The Orange Peel Asheville, NC Photos By J. Scott Shrader Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.rhymesayers.com/atmosphere www.brotherali.com

Eric Krasno & Marcus King Band 2.1.17 (Photos)

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New Mountain AVL Asheville, NC Photos By J. Scott Shrader Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.erickrasno.com www.marcuskingband.com

Brad Parsons & Sweet Lillies 1.31.17 (Photos)

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Nectar Lounge Seattle, WA Photos By Coleman Schwartz Media View Coleman's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.bparsonsmusic.com

Lotus 1.27 & 1.28.17 (Photos)

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The Orange Peel Asheville, NC Photos By J. Scott Shrader Photography View Scott's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.lotusvibes.com

MusicMarauders Spotify Playlist - Volume 15 (2.8.17)

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DSO Jam In The Sand 1.19 - 1.23.17

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Jewel Paradise Cove Runaway Bay, Jamaica Words By J. Picard Photos By Carly Picard & J. Picard *Note: In addition to musical content, a lot of non-musical content relating to the overall experience of the festival follows. "You went to Jamaica to see a Grateful Dead cover band?" is the question that keeps coming up and the answer is complicated. The story starts few years back with my good friends, Matt and Teri, traveling to Jamaica for Dark Star Orchestra's festival, Jam In The Sand. Every year they would come back raving about how crazy the people were and how much fun they had, often ending by saying something along the lines of "the only thing that would make it better would be having our best friends there with us." Fast forward to about six months ago and Matt and Teri were given the opportunity to generously offer to cover the cost of the festival for six of their select friends. It was an easy decision for us to make as Jamaican cultur