Summer Is Heating Up,The United Folk Festival Arrives in Westerly
The Roots Report: An Interview with Phil Ehart of Kansas
I spoke with Phil Ehart, drummer and manager of the band Kansas about the band and their upcoming show on July 27th at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket.
Phil Ehart: Hi, this is Phil… John Fuzek: Hi, this is John from Motif Magazine, how are you? Phil: I’m well, John, thank you, how are you? JF: Thanks for agreeing to do an interview PE: Sure, thanks for having me! JF: So, where are in you? In Kansas? (snicker) PE: No, the band is based in Atlanta, we haven’t been based in Kansas for over 30 years now, we’re still Kansas boys but we just live somewhere else JF: I read about your beginnings with a band called White Clover. Can you tell me about it? PE: That was a band that I started. It was sort of a late 60’s kind of a club band, cover band, that is where I spent most of my teen years-playing with White Clover JF: Was there any progressive rock there? PE: No, not really, it was just a local band JF: I read about that and Kansas 1 and Kansas 2 PE: Yeah, that can give you a headache reading that stuff! It’s all over the place JF: Yes, all the personnel changes! I see that you have Ronnie Platt as the lead vocalist of your band now, he was a former member of Shooting Star, and I always thought that they had a similar sound to Kansas. How did you hook up with him? PE: It was through seeing him perform live and also seeing his performances of Kansas songs on YouTube, it was a combination of things that led us to him, we met with him and talked with him and he seemed like the right kind of guy and it’s worked out, he’s been with us for three years now, so it’s gone very well! JF: Did he record with you on the Prelude Implicit CD? PE: yes JF: Is he a contributing writer as well? PE: He is a lyric writer, yes, he was very much involved in writing the songs JF: Does he play keys as well? PE: yes, singer, keyboardist and very involved in the writing of the songs JF: I listened to Prelude Implicit and it sounds like you have recaptured the old Kansas sound PE: We appreciate that, we worked very hard to do that, it’s not an easy thing to do but it kind of came to us naturally, go figure (laughs), it does lean towards the early Kansas days and the sound that with have with the violin and all JF: Yes, the great harmonies, the violin, guitar and organ mix is really what drives it and gives it the prog rock feel I gave it a listen and like it a lot, “The Voyage of Eight Eighteen”, “Camouflage” and “Summer” were some of my favs from it PE: Well, thank you! JF: I was thrilled that you got the sound, I was an early Kansas fan, i love “Song for America”, it’s an amazing song, you music was very opus-like PE: A lot of music there, yes JF: My fav of everything that you have done is “Miracles Out Of Nowhere”, it’s an amazing song PE: Thank you, we enjoy playing it every night! JF: Cool, i was going to ask if you still performed it! PE: Oh yes, we have played it since the day that we wrote it, let me put it this way, we have done it since the day that we RECORDED it! (laughs) It’s a great song to play, people really like it, so yes JF: One of memories of listening to that was back in the days of stereos and the big headphones I would lay in bed and listen to that song and I would close my eyes and there would be all this “trippy” sound going on in the headphones that you couldn’t hear when you just listened to it with loudspeakers, these little sounds would float around like bugs and buzz between the phones and it was pretty amazing PE: YES! That was a lot of fun! JF: That must be a lot of work to produce, that work was genius PE: Yes, it was difficult to work up the song, and learn it and perform it well for the recording, so, yeah, it’s always challenging, to this day it is still challenging JF: I can imagine! So, have you ever heard of a band called Umphree’s McGee? PE: Sure! JF: A few years back they put out a CD called Mantis, they had sent me a copy for review, it reminded me so much of early Kansas PE: Really! JF: Just that CD though, I went to see them live and when they performed those songs there was a very Kansas sound to it but when they strayed from those it was more jam band sounding PE: They’re a very talented band, they’re a good band JF: I am a fan of prog rock, especially the early days of prog rock. How do you feel about the vocalist change? I know that you have had a few over the years. Why did Steve Walsh retire? PE: Well, it was time I guess. He was struggling with his voice, like a lot of singers do as they get into their 60’s, they can’t do what they want to do vocally and it just got to the time where it was time for him to retire, it was very friendly, very agreeable, the time had come, he’s not the first one to retire from the band, so it’s the kind of thing that happens, we wished each other the best and moved on JF: How long were you without a singer before you hooked up with Ronnie? PE: Probably a few months, it took a while, luckily we didn’t have to go through a lot of stuff, just a minute, don’t go away… (sounds heard-BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!) OK, I’m back! JF: What was that??? PE: (laughs) This is the first time in an interview that I have ever had to kill a wasp! (laughs) I’ve been sitting here watching it, watching it and finally it landed so I nailed his ass! JF: (laughing) PE: BIG WASP! They just need to stay outside! That probably sounded like gun shots didn’t it? JF: YES! I didn’t know what the hell was going on! PE: (laughs) just a second I’m going to shoot this wasp! (laughs) I just hit him with a magazine so it’s ok (laughs), all is cool! JF: (laughs) So what is the creative process for writing for Progressive Rock? It is more music driven than lyric driven. PE: You are correct JF: How do you get that kind of music going on? PE: Usually with Kansas there’s one guy who’s writing a particular song, for many, many years it was Kerry (Livgren) was our main songwriter, but Steve also wrote songs, too, but Kerry was, through a certain part of our career, the main songwriter, and then after a while Steve (Walsh) was the main songwriter and now, starting with the Prelude Implicit, Zak Rizvi is the main songwriter, so it’s the kind of thing where Zak works with Ronnie on lyrics and works with the rest of the guys in the band on middle sections, titles, arrangements and stuff like that but Zak is pretty much the guy who comes in with the biggest chunks of the songs, but then, like with any songwriter, the band has always been involved in the arrangement of the songs and finishing up the songs for their final rendition that you hear, the vocalist always has a lot to do with forming the melodies, the songwriter will have an idea for a melody and the singer takes it to the next stage and stuff like that so all the guys are involved in their own parts, Zak will have certain rhythmic ideas, he leaves the drum parts up to me, everybody is involved overall beginning to end JF: i read that you once filled in for Neil Peart from Rush once, is that true? PE: Ah, no, (laughs) I did a charity event one time with Alex (Lifeson) and Geddy (Lee), it was a charity thing, I played one song, they did a couple of Kansas things, I played one Rush song, no, it was a strictly off the cuff kind of a charity jam thing, i did not fill in for Neil, but that is nice of someone to somehow imagine that! JF: I am sure it would be tough just like trying to have someone fill in for you, someone just can’t drop in and fill in, your stuff is so complicated and so is Rush’s PE: They are good guys and an incredible band, that was back in the 80’s as I remember, it was just a one off at a charity and Alex has a jam thing there and I jumped up and played on the song, it was not anything that was remotely serious, everybody was just having fun and Alex played on “Wayward Son”, it was a fun, fun, jam type thing JF: It didn’t sound like it was an easy switch, that is why I was curious. I read that while Kerry was in the band that you started heading towards Christian Rock, is this true? PE: No the band was never a Christian Rock band, ever, Kerry’s lyrics on certain songs would definitely lean that way but the band never consciously sat down and said “OK, let’s become a Christian Rock band”, some of his songs were definitely Christian based and Christian themed, there’s no denying that, and some of his best songs were of that writing period, but the band it self was never a Christian Rock band, has never been one JF: I read that one of your old singers, John Elefante, was going to come back but he had a “calling” and decided not to come back PE: yes, you know Kansas is a little country unto itself, we have different kind of races, religions, political affiliations (laughs), we have our own little world, but there is no ONE particular world or political point or religious viewpoint that is the ruling ideology of the band, Kansas is a good cross section of this country, there are all sorts of different thoughts and ideas swirling around in this band, so it’s easy for people to get confused JF: Do you all get along well despite all the differences? PE: No, we hate each other! (laughs) JF: (laughs) PE: I’m kidding, (laughs) they are all good guys and to this day whether the original band or any of the members that we’ve had, everybody is still good friends! and we don’t take ourselves too seriously and we stay in touch and see each other occasionally JF: This is something that I can identify with you on, you are the band manager as well as the drummer, I am the manager, booking agent and musician in my band, it’s a lot of work, on a scale of a band like Kansas how do you manage it? PE: It is something that I wasn’t PLANNING to do, I have been doing almost 30 years now, back then our record label and our manager and our booking agent all decided in the course of a few months, to move on, and I looked at Steve and Rich (Williams) and said “Hey, I’ll manage the band on a day to day basis until we find someone else”, and that was 30 years ago, it was just the kind of thing that I had always been involved with that anyway with our manager so it was kind of a natural transition, i was never really the band leader, the original band didn’t really have a leader to speak of but I was involved with a lot of the decision making and stuff so I thought that I could do this until we get a real manager, that was the intent, so that’s what happened, so, it’s just a part of my day, so when I get up every day there is some stuff to do for Kansas, I work with our booking agent as well as our business managers, and our production managers and people on the road, and you know, it’s a band, and I know how it works, and how to stay in touch with record labels, making the records and getting them recorded, yeah, i just happened to be a part of it, so moving into that even though, on a scale, on a large scale is still very doable, plus I love doing it! (laughs), I just really like managing the band, I don’t look at it as a job or a chore, I just want to make sure that it’s done correctly, so instead of paying people a lot of money to do something that I can do, I’ll just do it, so I do, and we go from there JF: I can totally relate! So, how was it to work with Don Kirshner? (Don Kirshner was first to sign the band in 1973) PE: He was a great guy, rest his soul, a really good man, and really believed in the band when no one else did, without him we would not be speaking, he really believed in us, put the money into us, never gave up, and when “Wayward Son” hit he was vindicated, for life, you know, he was a good, good guy, very talented man also, JF: You folks had success before Leftoverture though, you had those three albums and I used to hear them on FM radio PE: yeah, it was regional success, we still hadn’t broken across the nation, you know, we had pockets of success that those FM radio stations got us, but when “Wayward Son” hit it was around the world. It was a big, big change. JF: That brought you to mainstream but I used to hear “Song for America” on FM radio all the time PE: yeah, FM was great JF: that’s when they would actually play good music on the radio and you could play a ten minute song on the radio and it would be amazing PE: yeah, it was, it was very cool JF: You and Rich Williams have been in the band pretty much from the start, correct? PE: He and I have performed on every record that we have ever done, in the early 90’s we were on the road, on the road, on the road and I decided to get married so I took an eight or nine month sabbatical to get my marriage off on the right foot and not try to be married outside of a tour bus and then I came back to the band, so I just a bunch of not so good concerts! And instead I got my marriage off to a good start and 23 years later we’re still married, so it was the right move, and yeah Rich has always been there, too. There was a hiatus with the band from about ’81-’83 where we actually just came off the road for about three years, and we came back with Steve Morse, Steve Walsh, and Billy Greer so we started back up, so there was about a three year hold there, we just said, “we’ll see everybody later and that was that” JF: I watched some videos of the band performing with an orchestra, what kind of experience was that for you? PE: It went from having 5-6 people on stage to all of a sudden having 55 or 56 people, the responsibility and the sheer size of the music changes dramatically and you have to be very conscious, you have a bunch of people behind you following you and playing with you, so it’s a lot of pressure, lot of pressure on the drummer because usually the conductor is following me so if I screw up or drop a beat or something that could be catastrophic, it’s a lot of added pressure but as far as the pay off musically it’s really cool, it was really a cool experience, I’m glad that we did it and got recordings of it, videos of it, it was really a unique experience for sure JF: You are a very intense player, i was watching you on the videos and I was getting just tired watching you, there is just so much going on PE: I get tired watching me! You have to pay attention, there is a lot going on, that’s one thing about Kansas music, you just have to pay attention, it’s a couple of hours, 90 minutes to a couple of hours every night, it’s intense, there’s a lot of notes there, there’s a lot of changes and a lot of things you can’t just sit back have fun on every song, there’s a lot of stuff going on mentally, to, you have to pay attention JF: Do you folks read music? Do you play from sheet music and write actual notation or are you a “play by ear” band? PE: We’re all “play by ear” JF: That’s amazing PE: A lot of us are self taught, there are a couple of instruments like the violin and stuff but (David) Ragsdale obviously can read music that is how you learn that instrument but I am self taught, Richard is self taught, Billy is self taught, most of us in the band are self taught and do not read music, we wish we did but it never happened JF: Tell me a little about the show that you will be playing at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket on July 27th, what can we expect from the show? PE: It’s a pretty intense Kansas show, it’s 90 minutes of intense music from the hits to deeper cuts, up tempo rock songs, it’s very energetic and very entertaining and we have a real blast with this set because it’s rocking stuff and it’s Kansas, and all the hits are in there, it’s exciting for us, fans seem to really like it, too JF: Do you still play “Song for America”? PE: We do not go that deep, we are not playing it on this particular run, giving it a bit of a break, we’ve been playing it for about forty-some years, some of the music we are actually having to put on the shelf for a little bit because we’ve played it so much, sometimes it just needs to be set down for a while and revitalized, so that song is sitting out this year, there will be songs from Leftoverture and Point of Know Return and two songs off the new album, Prelude Implicit, we’re playing stuff off of about ten albums, so if you’ve got favorites we’ll get to them I’m sure, it’s a really good set JF: Sounds like a really good show! Well, thanks for your time, I enjoyed talking with you! It was very interesting and I appreciate it. PE: Great, OK, man, well you did a great interview! A very good one so thank you! JF: Thank you, I look forward to the show! PE: OK, man thanks! See you, bye!
Book Review: Rick Massimo’s I Got a Song The Newport Folk Festival is arguably one of the most important American music festivals ever. Founder George Wein, with the help and guidance of many notable figures, including legends Pete Seeger and Alan Lomax, created more than just a festival full of money- spending crowds watching a gathering of musicians. They created a movement, a community, a forever legacy. Though everything has changed since its inaugural year in 1959, the initial vision of the Newport Folk Festival still shines through. In his book I Got a Song, Former Providence Journal writer Rick Massimo gives an in-depth history of the event.
Massimo puts his journalism background to good use, crafting a well-researched book. His 24 pages of notes and two-and-a-half-page bibliography show just how much time and passion Massimo put into I Got a Song. After meeting with Wein for a day back in 2009 to write an article about the 50th anniversary for The Providence Journal, Massimo realized that this topic deserved more than a few articles. About eight years later, this comprehensive book was released.
While the artists, the behind-the-scenes moments and the music are a main focus, Massimo brings many other aspects of the festival to light. He interviews concertgoers to get an observer’s take on the festival and what it meant to them. The times and their impact on the music being played (going from 1959-2015) are underlined in every chapter.
The biggest underlying theme is challenge of defining folk music. It is directly discussed in several chapters and subtly raised in others. Most contributors give their opinions, with some discussing it at length. Defining folk music was a big topic of discussion among the festival’s organizers throughout the years, as it had a direct impact on the artists invited to perform, whether it be someone they found while searching through unknown America or the wildly popular The Decemberists. Folk music is never truly defined, which is exactly how it should be, but it’s fun reading so many takes on it.
Dylan going electric in 1965 ultimately affected every Newport Folk Festival that followed. A lot of words are dedicated to this moment, which may be one of the most important moments in American musical history. While mentioned in many other parts of the book, Massimo dedicates an entire chapter (“A Limited Amount of Time”) to the 15 minutes that changed everything. It is the best chapter in the book, as Massimo tells the story using “taped evidence, the recollections of participants and audience members, both in the moment and decades later.” These few sentence snippets, sprinkled with lyrics from the three electric songs Dylan played that night, told the story with many contradictions, depending on who was telling the story. Exactly what happened that night is never truly identified, which makes the legend even greater.
I Got a Song is a great read about an historically and culturally important event that has helped shape music and (to a much lesser extent) the country. The research is thorough and it’s written like an in- depth newspaper article. More importantly, it had me listening to the artists who have played the festival throughout the years. This book will be particularly interesting to anyone attending the Newport Folk Festival because it will give the experience a much deeper meaning.
Is This Jazz? Newport Jazz Festival ’17: Where To Start
On Friday, August 5, the world’s best jazz artists will once again make their yearly pilgrimage to Fort Adams for another exciting Newport Jazz Festival. Over the past few years, the festival has been stepping up the line-ups and has done an amazing job of balancing the old guard with the young lions, simultaneously showing how this music has gotten to where it is and where it’s headed next. The diversity of groups and sounds is no less prevalent this year, with what has to be one of the more stacked bills in recent history. While we may not be able to hit on every “must see” act in this feature, here is a glimpse into who to watch out for and the sets you’ll probably be running to.
For the past few years, Snarky Puppy has been a relentless force in the international jazz scene. Formed in 2003 by composer/bassist Micheal League, this powerhouse ensemble has performed thousands of shows across six continents, and has collaborated with Lalah Hathaway, Laura Mvula, Salif Keïta, David Crosby, N’Dambi, Becca Stevens and Jacob Collier. Their intricately arranged and flawlessly executed charts are as stunning as the whirlwind improvisations traded off throughout the group.
I can’t say this enough: Cécile McLorin Salvant is the best jazz vocalist working today and absolutely one of the all-time heavies. Her melodic phrasing and command of the depths of her voice are truly unmatched. Beyond her once-in-a-generation talent, her band is loaded with chops, giving this ensemble an edge in crafting unique interpretations of old favorites and outstanding originals and letting Salvant’s voice stretch and dance above the music swirling around her.
Before her unfortunate passing this year, the incomparable pianist Geri Allen was set to perform as part of a dynamic trio, alongside Esperanza Spalding and Terri Lyne Carrington. To honor her legacy and musical gifts, Spalding and Carrington will present “Flying Towards The Sound: for Geri, with Love,” featuring pianists Vijay Iyer, Jason Moran and Christian Sands. Gerrie Allen stands tall in the hearts of the jazz faithful, especially pianists who modeled their playing after hers, so this set is sure to be a passionate tribute to one of music’s most revered.
Leslie Odom Jr. made his mark as Aaron Burr in the Broadway sensation Hamilton; however, his talent far exceeds that which could be held to a single stage. He comes to the fort for his Jazz Fest debut on the heels of his first self-titled release in which he dives into standards and classic tunes from around the American songbook, paying homage to a great body of work that precedes him while adding his own special twist.
Called “perhaps the most important jazz composer of his generation” by The New York Times, Henry Threadgill is a master multi-instrumentalist and one of the most forward thinking minds in jazz. As an early member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), Threadgill helped pioneer an all new understanding of improvisation and composition that has remained as influential and relevant today as it ever was. Each piece takes his ensemble, Zooid, through epic journeys with unique arches, quirky angles and a whole world’s worth of sound and exploration.
There is so much happening over the three days of the festival, so for more information, artist bios and links to music, head to newportjazzfest.org. Have fun at the Newport Jazz Festival, travel safely on your journey and be sure to let me know about your experience and your favorite sets. See you there!
Happening Around Town:
The John Allmark Jazz Orchestra; first Monday monthly @ The Met (Pawtucket)
Is This Jazz?; first Friday, bimonthly @ AS220 (PVD) isthisjazz.tumblr.com
Allary At Arias; Sundays @ Arias Lounge (PVD)
Groove Merchants; Mondays @ Fifth Element (Newport)
Jazz Jam; Tuesdays @ Ten Rocks (Pawtucket)
Groove E Tuesday; Tuesdays @ Murphy’s Law (Pawtucket)
Parlour Jazz Jam; third Sunday each month @ The Parlour (PVD)
Jeff Platz Quartet’s Modern Sound Series; last Sunday each month @ Tea In Sahara (PVD)
To add your listing please email [email protected].
Ben Shaw is a local composer and performer. Find him at ahueofshaw.tumblr.com or on Twitter @ahueofshaw.
Alt-Nation: Newport Folk and Arc Iris
Newport Folk Fest
July is the best month to live in Rhode Island for so many reasons — the annual Newport Folk Fest is just one more big one. The festival once again sold out before people knew who was on the bill. My picks to click for Friday are Seratones, Shovels & Rope and Big Thief. There is some white-dude-in- sandals fluff on Friday with the likes of Fleet Foxes and The Head and The Heart, but nobody will ever describe Seratones as fluff. Seratones can veer from garage thrash to soulful alternative that isn’t far from bands like Banditos and Alabama Shakes. The husband and wife duo of Shovels & Ropes mix country and rock, but what makes them so compelling is the characters who come to life through their songwriting. Big Thief’s tunes are notable for having a haunting ethereal vibe reminiscent of Mazzy Star. It will be interesting to see how that projects under the Newport sun.
Saturday, my three picks to make your heels click are Angel Olsen, Billy Bragg and Joe Henry and Jalen N’Gonda. I’m stoked to see Angel Olsen, an indie singer/songwriter who just has these insanely catchy tunes. She must be pretty well-known because my dad asked me to get her album. Speaking of well-known, Billy Bragg is certainly well-known in folk punk circles. I haven’t heard his project with Joe Henry, but just seeing Bragg is catchy enough for me. Jalen N’Gonda is an upcoming soul singer.
Sunday picks to click are John Prine, Sunday Groove with Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Michael Kiwanuka. John Prine is a bona fide folk legend and one of the greatest songwriters in history, so there isn’t really too much more to say about him. Preservation Hall Band is always money for bringing the spirit of New Orleans with them. Michael Kiwanuka is a soul singer who should help make Sunday shake at the festival. In addition, on Sunday there is a Chuck Berry tribute and indie rockers Dr. Dog rounding out a stacked bill. As always for the lucky few who can get tickets, Deer Tick will be doing their Folk Fest after-parties at the Newport Blues Café all weekend.
Newport Folk Fest will return to Fort Adams State Park in Newport from July 28 to July 30.
Arc Iris Re-imagines Joni Mitchell’s Blue
After last year’s adventurous sophomore album, Moon Saloon, Arc Iris are going on a summer tour where they’ll be covering Joni Mitchell’s seminal Blue album. A few years ago, Arc Iris did the same thing to Bowie’s Hunky Dory and what really struck me was how they made it their own. Blue is more of a sparsely arranged folk record than Hunky Dory, so I’m curious to see what Arc Iris does with it. I spoke with Arc Iris’s front-woman/multi-instrumentalist Jocie Adams to find out more about the process of re-imagining Blue, and that interview is below.
In addition to the music, this night will also be the gallery opening for Jess Rosner’s “Ulysses Glove Project.” For the exhibit, Rosner has transcribed James Joyce’s “Ulysses” on yellow rubber gloves that will be hanging from the ceiling. For those who haven’t checked out POP yet, in addition to the gallery/performance space, it is a relatively new antique/collectibles store in the Smith Hill section of Providence.
Marc Clarkin (Motif): What is your favorite part of the set when it comes to bringing Joni Mitchell’s Blue to life and why?
Jocie Adams (Arc Iris): My favorite part about performing this record has been bringing excitement not only to the people who have a deep-seated connection to Joni Mitchell’s music, but also to people who have never heard her music before. We didn’t realize that we would have the opportunity to bring awareness to her songwriting when we began arranging Blue. It is such an honor to have had and to continue to have the opportunity to bring joy to people and awareness to Joni Mitchell.
MC: How challenging was transforming arrangements to fit the sound of Arc Iris? JA: To arrange this record we went through the same process as we would go through for our own songs. Our music has, thus far, always started with the song, so the transformation process was already very familiar and comfortable.
MC: Did you learn anything about Blue in re-creating it that you never noticed from listening to it all these years?
JA: I guess I never realized how journal-esque Joni Mitchell’s writing is. Although on a surface-level I knew it was, I never really thought of her writing in that way until diving into this full album with great intensity.
MC: Is there anything you look for when choosing an album to cover?
JA: Perfection! Every song on the album has to speak to us and be great! This is outstandingly rare, believe it or not. It’s fun to make lists of perfect albums. Of course, it’s only in your own opinion. Music is not really “right” or “wrong.”
MC: What is next after this run of shows doing Blue?
JA: We are gearing up for our third album. We recorded it over at the Columbus Theatre with Andrew Nault. I really couldn’t expound enough on how wonderful our experience was. Brian Webb, the songwriter in Geraldine, was the studio technician for the session, and it was a joy seeing him come through the studio while we were working out our recording process. Brian’s band, Geraldine, is excellent and we are very excited to have them on the bill with us for this special event.
Arc Iris re-imagines Joni Mitchell’s Blue at POP, 219 W Park St, Providence on July 21. The show also coincides with a gallery opening for Jess Rosner’s exhibit “Ulysses Glove Project,” which will be displayed in POP’s performance /gallery room. Geraldine will open the show.
Quick Hits:
Ruth Ruth
Ruth Ruth reunited last year after several years away from the game, and they’re coming to the Columbus for a pop-punk party. This is a strong bill buttressed by the presence of local indie rockers Tall Teenagers and garage rockers Eric and The Nothing.
Ruth Ruth, Tall Teenagers, and Eric and The Nothing rock the Columbus Theatre on July 22.
Supersuckers/ The Upper Crust
This is a stacked bill with the self proclaimed greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world in the Supersuckers and the AC/DC via 18th century French aristocrats of The Upper Crust. I was disappointed with the Supersuckers the last few times I’ve caught them. They have a lot of great rock songs, but seemed determined to play mediocre country songs and complain about people talking to them at their merch table. Still this show is way too fierce not to list and local openers Skinny Millionaires are no slouches.
Supersuckers, The Upper Crust, and Skinny Millionaires rock the Café at the Parlor in Newport on July 26. Email music news to [email protected]
Event Wrap-Up: Ten Tight Years
When I arrived at Fete on July 8 for “Ten Tight Years,” Tight Crew’s tenth anniversary party, I wasn’t sure what to do first. Entry for the event took place to the side of the venue’s main entrance, where an outdoor block party was happening — complete with a bounce house, ball pit cage (you read that right!) and gyroscope ride (not for the faint of heart or those prone to motion sickness; this simulated zero gravity and flipped partygoers up, down and around). And oh yeah, fuck fidget spinners — they had fire spinners!!
Sensory overload aside, I can’t say that I expected any less from Tight Crew, the Rhode Island-based EDM event production company and beloved creative group of people.
Walking into Fete from the block party, attendees were greeted by a whirring array of retro arcade and console games provided by Shelter Arcade Bar and Robert S. Dunn, followed by the main room of music, deco and vendors, which featured banners, designs and photos slideshows from the past 10 years of Tight Crew events (and man, oh man, were there lots!). In total, there were three rooms of lights and sounds (provided by Supreme Sounds and Lighting and Alien TV) at this rager.
As someone who’s been going to these guys’ events since 2007, it was great to see many of the same smiling faces that have supported the Crew since the beginning — including DJ Venom on the main stage, who absolutely slayed lives and snatched souls (figuratively speaking!) — supporting the Crew once more. This helped to ensure that the 5pm – 2am party’s unique brand of energy, aka, the “Tight Crew family vibe,” was absolutely on-point.
One of the coolest things about “Ten Tight Years” was how above-and-beyond it was, even for Tight Crew. In addition to all the other attractions and features of the event that I’ve mentioned so far, which have happened at previous events of theirs, there were some new additions, like a BBQ food truck and performance by local breakdancers.
Congratulations are certainly in order to Tight Crew and everyone who’s been a fan/partygoer of theirs. I can’t wait to see what they come up with in the next 10 years!
Video by Jon Bettinger The Roots Report: The Way-Back Machine
Okee dokee folks … I am seeing a trend in my music listening habits. In the past I would generally opt to push “play” on newer music, but now I am hitting “rewind” and listening more to music from my past. To be honest, I have not really been super excited about newer music lately. Occasionally I will catch something I like, but it is getting to be a rarity. Maybe it’s because it has been done before and I like the original way better? Maybe it’s because a lot of it has no soul or actual melody? Maybe it’s because older music is more authentic? Maybe the older music just resonates with me better. Or, maybe, just maybe, I am getting old. I am seriously beginning to suspect the latter. I don’t think I am alone though. Many members of the AARP likely share my feelings. Read on…
Back in the ’70s, music was great (see, I told you so) and FM radio, actually radio in general, played really good music. You could hear a whole side of an album if the DJ decided they wanted to play it. That is how I heard most of the music that I loved for the first time. There were songs on the radio that would go far past the 3 minute and 30 second time standard. Most of the progressive rock songs were long and complicated and I LOVED that. I was a fan of Yes, King Crimson, EARLY Genesis, Pink Floyd, ELP and Kansas. Most folks who know Kansas may not think of them as a prog rock band. They are just familiar with the hits like “Carry On Wayward Son,” “Point of Know Return” and “Dust in the Wind.” Kansas was on my radar long before those songs. I heard brilliant tunes like “Can I Tell You?,” “Icarus” and “Song for America” on FM radio. When the breakthrough album Leftoverture was released, “Carry On Wayward Son” catapulted them to mainstream success. Leftoverture is a masterpiece in my opinion, and “Carry On Wayward Son” wasn’t even their best work on that recording. I felt that “Miracles Out Of Nowhere,” “Cheyenne Anthem” and “Magnum Opus” surpassed “Wayward Son,” but because of classic rock radio, folks associate that song with Kansas and forget about their prog rock roots (see, I snuck the word “roots” in). The concerts by Kansas that I went to in the ’70s (see, I am old) were some of my favorites. Over the years the personnel of the band has changed and they have somewhat faded from the limelight, but they are still out there performing great music. Last year they released their first new album in 16 years. The Prelude Implicit does a good job of capturing the earlier sound of the band. Check out songs like: “Visibility Zero,” “Rhythm in the Spirit” and “The Voyage of Eight Eighteen.” I had a chance to speak with drummer, band manager and original member Phil Ehart a few weeks ago. Read my full interview at motifri.com/philehart.
Kansas will bring their 2017 tour to the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket on July 27. I checked out videos of recent live performances and they hold up to the original line-up. If you were a fan back then or a new fan of prog rock, you should definitely check out this show! For more, “Opus Insert” over to StadiumTheatre.com
“You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant.” Evidently you can get some pretty good choices at the Stadium Theatre as well. Arlo Guthrie is playing the Stadium on July 29! This is where the real folk is happening! Famous for hits such as “Darkest Hour,” “The City of New Orleans,” “Coming into Los Angeles” and “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” Arlo Guthrie has truly had a storied career. Over the last five decades Guthrie has toured North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, winning a wide following. In addition to his accomplishments as a musician, Arlo is a natural-born storyteller, whose tales figure prominently in his performances. For more, ride your “motorsickle,” not a pickle, to StadiumTheatre.com
Back in the late ’70s (yes, I am back there AGAIN!), Elvis Costello made his first area appearance at the old Leroy Concert Theater in Pawtucket (it is now a Walgreens) and I was there. On the bill that night were Mink Deville and Dave Edmunds (though I think it was Nick Lowe), as well. Costello had just released This Year’s Model, but “Red Shoes” was still his big song. A year or two later Elvis played at Rhode Island College and I wasn’t able to get tickets. So in typical fashion of the day I tried to find a way to sneak in. It was POURING that night and I was soaked. I was by the back door of the gym, near the tour bus, when the door opened and 1,2,3, Costello, Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds popped out. My soggy teen self begged them to let me in. No luck. I stood outside in the rain and watched most of the show through the glass doors. At the encore I was able to get in and caught all three of them playing “Pump It Up.” What I saw was great, but I wound up with pneumonia. Years passed and Costello put out more and more material going through style changes along the way. I even saw him during his long- haired days when he performed at Great Woods (yes, Great Woods!). More years passed and he played at the Newport Folk Festival. It was an odd choice, but it worked. I remember sitting on the stage next to his wife Diana Krall as he played. Costello is returning to the area with his band The Imposters and has a show at Providence Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, July 25. The “Imperial Bedroom & Other Chambers” Tour will be highlighting songs from the 1983 album. For more, “Lipstick Vogue” to PPACRI.org.
Relive sonic history at a multi-sensory book and listening event on Thursday, July 27, at Books on the Square in PVD! The What Cheer DJs will spin records of Newport Folk Festival artists past and present at this author event for former Providence Journal music critic, Rick Massimo’s new book, I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival (see review on page XX). This first-ever book exclusively devoted to the history of the festival documents an American musical institution that began more than a half- century ago and continues to influence our understanding of folk music today. For more, go electric to BookSq.com
Combining the sounds of acoustic emo/pop-punk and folk, Jenn Lombari of the band Lucky United is playing and hosting a show with locals and a legend. On August 1, Jeff Caudill of the ’90s California- based emo punk band Gameface is coming to the News Cafe in Pawtucket on his solo acoustic tour, promoting his new album, Reset The Sun. Caudill has been performing solo and often times acoustic for more than a decade, bringing his trademark style of smart, relatable lyrics with a passionate delivery to fans of his band and new fans just discovering his songwriting. Joining Jenn and Jeff are Jodie Treloar and Jared Knapik. For more, go “Backwards” to NewsCafeRI.com
That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com
Bridging the Gap with BridgeFest
Whether you align with the folk camp or the jazz camp, any music fan can agree that Newport is the place to be at the end of July, with Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival creating a rich, cultural atmosphere. Many make the pilgrimage to this sacred holy land of music, though the week off between the two festivals may make some feel left as high and dry as Thom Yorke of Radiohead.
Luckily, the Newport Festivals Foundation is bringing back the week-long block party that is BridgeFest. Set to take over Newport from Monday, July 31 to Thursday, August 3, BridgeFest will celebrate local art and cuisine. And, of course, music.
In 2016, the Newport Festivals Foundation took over the ownership of BridgeFest from the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County in hopes of establishing the four-day extravaganza as its own full- fledged entity.
In an interview with Motif last year, Jill Davidson, festival director of the Newport Festivals Foundation, said, “The Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival have contributed to Newport’s narrative as an ultimate summer destination throughout the years, and BridgeFest aims to do the same by keeping the festival spirit and excitement going strong during the week between the festivals.”
Returning this year is BridgeFest’s signature Busking @ Bowen’s, which features local music on the Bowen’s Wharf nightly. RI steel drummers Panoramic View will kick off the festivities on the Wharf on Monday night, with appearances throughout the week from jazz duo Impromp2, folk rockers Bubble Visor and rising guitarist Thatcher Harrison.
Can’t get enough music? Wednesday is your slice of heaven with four different venues hosting a hodgepodge of live performances. Aside from Bubble Visor at the Wharf, Judy Hestnes is hosting a musical afternoon at the Aquidneck Grower’s Market while Jo’s American Bistro is hosting an exquisite evening of jazz with Joanne Rodino, John Monllos and more jazz musicians. The best part? All three shows are free.
Looking for more of a festival vibe? BridgeFest is hosting a festival within itself on Thursday called the Live Local Music & Arts Festival at the Great Friends Meeting House. Headlined by Camden Murphy, this festival will showcase local artists, music and food trucks. Be on the lookout for some Motif Food Truck Award winners while you groove to the music.
If music isn’t your thing, The Artful Lodger Inn is hosting a mother of all garden parties on Tuesday with provided refreshments. Attendees are invited to bring their favorite boozy drinks. Wake up Wednesday and head over to the Newport Art Museum for a gallery show of jazz photos featuring a discussion with none other than the executive director (and hero) of the Newport Festivals Foundation, Jay Sweet.
And don’t forget the Newport Jazz extra, “A Bridge Together.” Starting at 6:30pm at Fort Adams State Park, this cultural activity will feature a celebration of music and dance from the American jazz movement to Indian carnatic music, as well as the beats of Africa. The two-part event will feature 17- year old twins, Riya and Sara Kapoor, as they explore the evolution of music and dance from the earliest incarnations of rhythm to the swinging jazz pieces of today.
Whether you’re staying in town for the week, or simply looking to liven up your weekday, BridgeFest has you covered.
To view the full BridgeFest schedule, visit newportbridgefest.com. Album of the Week: Broken Social Scene’s Hug of Thunder
Hug of Thunder by Broken Social Scene
There’s a sense of reinvigoration these days with the Toronto indie rock collective Broken Social Scene. Kevin Drew and the crew have their first album in seven years out with Hug of Thunder released Jul 7 via Drew’s label Arts & Crafts Productions. It’s a triumphant return to form with each track capturing a vibe of electric unity. Rhythms and noise cover each track with a level of intensity that has never been seen before from the collective’s music. The new album is an immediate album of the year candidate from an act that has come back in a big way.
Brendan Canning, Charles Spearin, Justin Peroff and Andrew Whiteman rejoined Drew for the making of the record for the core writing of the songs. The end result was 18 musicians in total being a part of Hug of Thunder, including indie pop heroine Leslie Feist lending her vocal talents. It’s insane that so many musical abilities come together for each track on the album. There’s an orchestral aesthetic that’s apparent as well. This is what makes Broken Social Scene such an unusual band and it’s refreshing that they’re back.
Now if a person never heard of this act from Toronto before, how would you describe it to them? At the root of the band it’s a musician’s collective. With the wide range of members, it could also qualify as an orchestra depending on your flexibility of definition. There are multiple perspectives trying to see Broken Social Scene as what they are; it’s an excellent example of artistic versatility. Let’s explore that and more via the top tracks on my Album of the Week:
“Halfway Home” has a folky tone while moving at a steady pace; there are also numerous progressions and dimensions added to keep things interesting. Bringing the noise is “Vanity Pail Kids” along with a post-punk essence. Feist makes her presence felt on “Gonna Get Better,” and smooth notes on piano also serve as the backbone for a hypnotic song.
New Englanders have three chances to check out Broken Social Scene when they come through on tour in the fall. They’ll be playing at State Theatre in Portland, Maine, on Thursday, Oct 5; College Street Music Hall in New Haven on Friday, Oct 6; and House of Blues in Boston on Saturday, Oct 7. It’s highly suggested that you go for an unforgettable live music experience. Whether you’re at one of the shows or at all of them, grab a copy of the new album. It’s forceful music that’s honest and true.
Stream Hug of Thunder via Spotify: play.spotify.com/album/3XfF7C3kpI1yo0np3HrtiC
Broken Social Scene’s web site: brokensocialscene.ca
Interview: Eduardo Arenas of Chicano Batman
Chicano Batman (Photo: Josué Rivas)
For a band, if you’re going to have a weirdly interesting name, then you better be good. With their unique and soulful sound, Los Angeles’ Chicano Batman are one of the top up-and-coming acts of 2017. They incorporate an influx of cultures and styles to create their own identity. In an age where art can easily be duplicated, this quartet strives to be different. They’ll be showing people why at the Green River Festival taking place at Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, MA, Jul 14-16; they’re scheduled to play Sunday, Jul 16, at 3:40pm.
Before the upcoming extravaganza, I had a chat with bass guitarist Eduardo Arenas about artistic inspiration, those cool vintage suits, recording with vintage equipment and what the band’s plans are for the rest of 2017.
Rob Duguay (Motif): Chicano Batman has this Latin-infused soul sound that’s rhythmic and infectious. What inspired you guys to capture this particular style when the band was starting out?
Eduardo Arenas: One of the reasons we got together was Bardo [Martinez] and I had a relationship in terms of the music coming from Brazil. Stuff by João Gilberto and a lot of bossa nova, music that took things from other genres and made it their own. It kind of revolutionized that whole æsthetic to a whole new generation. We wanted to do the same with our æsthetic vision of music we like and the direction that we wanted to take it into. There was a lot of freshness that came out of that with a lot of fresh ideas along with rebelling and being different.
RD: That particular influence is noticeable through the band’s originality. Now where can one get one of those vintage suits that you guys wear? Do you get them from a friend in Los Angeles or do you hit up thrift stores to see if they have any?
EA: Going through thrift stores can be good, but you probably can find one – but you can’t find two, and good luck finding four that match. There’s a place in L.A. called Big Fella’s that we went to and they’ve got some great apparel there that’s pretty cheap. They’re pretty cool people so we like to go to them and they support us so we have a good relationship.
RD: Nice.
EA: They’re right in downtown L.A.
RD: Very cool. I’ve always wondered about that since I discovered you guys, I thought “Man, look at these frickin’ suits!” The band’s latest album Freedom Is Free was released this past March, and you got to work with a lot of old-school analog equipment with producer Leon Michels. Do you feel that the recording process was any different than before due to what you were using in the studio?
EA: For one thing, the quality of sound is really subjective. Maybe Shania Twain and Celine Dion will have the $100,000 budget to get top quality digital equipment to help forge the path to win a Grammy. Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, though, it was pretty much what you had to work with and it’s great to know that over in the East Coast, Leon Michels and a bunch of others have taken to that æsthetic. Basically when we go into the studio, there are a couple things you already know. Number 1, the machine is going to do its own thing on top of what you put down on it. There’s going to be fizz, there’s going to be warping and other things are going to happen that’s amazing. Number 2, play your ass off and play well because we’re doing all live takes in one shot.
There’s something about the energy being captured in the room at that moment that’s going to be captured on tape. That, in itself, is special – and it’s amazing to be a part of that process. With all that going on, why would you want to multi-track? To do the drums and then the bass and then the guitar. You don’t cook like that either, you put everything together to see what happens. So why do anything different with music? That’s what we try to do and with all the great gear that they had, there’s no point in having dope gear if you don’t have the talent, the initiative and the will to make the best thing you could possibly do with your music.
RD: What would you say was the oldest piece of equipment that Leon had? Was it all from the ‘50s and ‘60s or was there stuff that was even older?
EA: They had the original Sars pedal, the original wah-wah pedal. They had a Silvertone guitar from the ‘50s, basses from the ‘60s. They had Hammond and Altec compressors and preamps from the ‘50s that they used in Motown. I’m talking about stuff that Jimi Hendrix was using when he recorded. There was stuff that we didn’t know worked or not but they looked cool as if they were a museum piece. They had all this stuff. RD: It must have been a wild experience to be surrounded by so many classic types of gear. To use stuff that Jimi Hendrix used must have been pretty rad. After the Green River Festival, what does the rest of the year have in store for Chicano Batman?
EA: We’re right in the middle of our tour for the summer. We’re doing a bunch of other festivals along with playing the Central Park Summerstage. We have three sold out shows back-to-back-to-back at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles [Sep 21-23] which is a pretty big deal for us. After all this, we do a big tour in the fall so we have everything laid out. We’re going to be shooting a music video pretty soon, too, so be on the lookout for that when it comes out.
Buy tickets to the Green River Festival here: greenriverfestival.com/tickets
Green River Festival web site: greenriverfestival.com
Chicano Batman web site: chicanobatman.com
Album of the Week: Haim’s Something to Tell You
Something to Tell You by Haim
When the sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim put out their 2013 debut album Days Are Gone, it took the indie rock world by storm. The melding of late ‘80s pop reminiscent of Wilson Phillips-like and Fleetwood Mac-esque ‘70s melodic rock created a stellar sound. It had people captivated from the first listen and Haim quickly rose to stardom. Their sophomore release Something to Tell You came out on July 7 via Polydor Records, and it was well worth the wait. It lives up to the anticipation, with Haim putting out an album that’s progressing into new artistic territory. Haim makes an effort to modernize their music with the new album, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There’s more of an electronic presence being felt while the instrumentation serves as a base for each track. Danielle’s voice shines with soul and a forceful vibrato. Something to Tell You is a fearless album that confronts heartbreak and personal struggle with unbridled honesty.
To avoid a sophomore slump, sometimes a band can rely on raw talent and nothing else. That’s exactly what Haim did with their latest album, and it’s evident. The harmonies are stunning and the structure is chock full of rhythm. In an age where pop music is extremely concentrated and formulaic, this trio from Los Angeles provides something different. Let’s examine this and more in my top tracks off of the Album of the Week:
“Found It in Silence” has an orchestral vibe that surrounds the song; it’s a heartbreaker of a track that talks about depending on someone else for your own happiness. There’s a bit of funk within “Little of Your Love,” and the chorus is catchy while the song itself captures a groove, riding it from start to finish. With a vintage new wave touch, “You Never Knew” is an excellent example of the band’s trademark harmonies.
After playing close to home at Alt Summer Camp at Queen Mary Events Park in Long Beach, CA, on Aug 19, Haim will be embarking on a West Coast tour starting at the Bumbershoot Music Festival in Seattle, playing on Sep 3, the final day of the three-day event. Hopefully they venture through the New England area before 2017 comes to a close. When they roll on through to your friendly neighborhood music venue, grab a copy of Something to Tell You – it goes straight for the soul and it never leaves.
Stream Haim’s Something to Tell You via Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/5m9rXTBF7mHFGQlFsiEHrY
Haim’s web site: haimtheband.com