Latest Posts Page

UTOPIA FEST VII – SEPT 4-6, 2015

The seventh annual festival, UTOPiAfest VII will be taking place over Labor Day Weekend (September 4-6) in Utopia, TX

With an outlook on music and event production that is so unique in today’s world where big-brand sponsorships rule all, UTOPiAfest’s importance expands far beyond one weekend of (insane amounts of) fun. With no overlapping artist sets, BYOB allowed, free camping available, as well as activities/musical acts for people of all ages and tastes to enjoy, UTOPiAfest manages to provide impressive, diverse line-ups year after year, while remaining a festival that’s mission continues to prioritize the importance of community and the shared musical experience over all else.

This year’s line-up boasts artists including Explosions in the Sky, tUnE-yArDs, Leftover Salmon, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, of Montreal, Rjd2, Wild Child, Man Man. WhoMadeWho, Valerie June, The Suffers, Monophonics, The Sheepdogs, Holiday Mountain and so many more. Full line-up: http://www.utopiafest.com/lineup-2015/

Previous line-ups include artists such as: Cold War Kids, Father John Misty, Lucius, Dawes, Blitzen Trapper, Galactic,Dr. Dog, Kishi Bashi, GZA, Warpaint, Robert Ellis, Aaron Freeman (of Ween), !!!, Ben Kweller, White Denim, Wheeler Brothers and Art Vs. Science.

BUY TICKETS HERE!!!

Solid Sound Music Festival Day Two Recap

Solid Sound Music Festival June 27, 2015 at Mass MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts day two highlights featuring: Luluc, Bill Frisell with Sam Amidon, Shabazz Palaces, Parquet Courts, Richard Thompson Trio, Mac DeMarco, and Wilco.

More photos can be found here: Solid Sound Music Festival 2015

Photos by: Tony & Brittany Vasquez of Vasquez Photography

Saturday June 27, 2015 Luluc at Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Drum workshop with Glenn Kotche Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Drum workshop with Glenn Kotche Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA. Photo taken by Brittany Vasquez.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Drum workshop with Glenn Kotche Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA. Photo taken by Brittany Vasquez.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Bill Frisell with Sam Amidon at Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Friday June 26, 2015 The Great Flood: Music by Bill Frisell Soild Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA. Photo taken by Brittany Vasquez.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA. Photo taken by Brittany Vasquez.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Jessica Pratt at Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Shabazz Palaces at Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Parquet Courts at Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Richard Thompson Trio at Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Richard Thompson Trio with special guest at Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Mac DeMarco at Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA. Photo taken by Brittany Vasquez.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Wilco at Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Saturday June 27, 2015 Solid Sound Music Festival at Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA.

Grateful Dead “Wave that Flag” 7/4/2015

Well, the Grateful Dead put on One More HOT Saturday Night, at their July 4th extravaganza. Red-white-and-blue, stars and stripes, hats and flowers were plentiful amongst the tie-dyes as the grateful crowd prepared to celebrate Independence Day in one of the most liberating ways: dancing with the Grateful Dead. The band opened with a bang on “Shakedown Street”, and continued the successful approach from Friday, with some vocals being more evenly distributed (Trey Anastasio sang Jerry Garcia’s role in “Standing On the Moon” and “Foolish Heart”, Bruce Hornsby took lead on “West L.A. Fadeaway”, and they shared singing for “Deal”), while Phil Lesh on “Friend of the Devil” and “Bird Song” and Bob Weir on “Stella Blue” all worked out quite nicely.

The musicians all seem to be gaining familiarity with each other, as “Tennessee Jed” was highly collaborative and found Anastasio drawing Weir into a guitar melding session, and Hornsby’s piano and Jeff Chimenti’s keys played an overall more prominent role through the night. Anastasio found moments to bring a distinctively “Phish-y” flavor (perhaps most noteably in “The Golden Road”) in addition to the Garcia-inspired style he’s comfortably embracing. “Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance” was a highlight, with Weir on-point and the band building a great intensity. Meanwhile, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann laid out a brilliantly rhythmic “Drums” that felt as good as 20 years ago, driving and primal.

Of course, the crowd went wild during the set closing “One More Saturday Night”, and though we expected the “U.S. Blues” encore, seeing video of the Empire State Building far away in New York being illuminated in sync with the song was an amazing treat! The fireworks display that followed was phenomenal, with patriotic music playing on the speakers, and gorgeous bursts of color and light filling the sky. It was definitely a 4th of July to remember, and what better band could celebrate the Freedom we’re so blessed to enjoy than America’s quintessential rock band, the Grateful Dead.

Written by: Rosemary A.W. Roberts

Photos by: Clayton Roberts

Setlist

Set One: Shakedown Street, Liberty, Standing On The Moon, Me & My Uncle, Tennessee Jed, Cumberland Blues, Little Red Rooster, Friend Of The Devil, Deal

Set Two: Bird Song, The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion), Lost Sailor > Saint Of Circumstance, West L.A. Fadeaway, Foolish Heart, Drums > Space > Stella Blue > One More Saturday Night

Encore: U.S. Blues, (Fireworks Display)

PHOTO GALLERY

Grateful Dead – Fare Thee Well Chicago 7/3/2015

Grateful Dead – Fare Thee Well Chicago, Soldier Field

It was a beautiful day in Chicago, and everything in the general area of Soldier Field was prepared for the beginning of the final concerts celebrating the Grateful Dead. From street signage, music in hotels, the “Everything Is Dead” decorations at the Field Museum, to the stadium outright, it was clear Chicago was welcoming The Grateful Dead.

The show was fantastic, and it was apparent the band had read some of the open letters commenting on what the fans would do different after the Santa Clara shows. They seemed to listen to fan advice, as singing duties were shared more (Trey Anastasio sang lead on “Bertha”, “Scarlet Begonias”, and “Help On The Way”), instruments were heard better (Bruce Hornsby sounded particularly excellent during “Crazy Fingers” and “Franklin’s Tower”), and the original band members were able to truly shine doing their hallmark songs (Phil Lesh’s opening “Box of Rain” was beautiful, Bob Weir was phenomenal with the unexpected “Passenger”). To hear 80K fans all singing “Ripple” together at the same time is one for the memory books. Next up Fourth of July, tonight!!

Setlist

Set One: Box Of Rain, Jack Straw, Bertha > Passenger, The Wheel > Crazy Fingers > The Music Never Stopped

Set Two: Mason’s Children > Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain > Drums > Space > New Potato Caboose > Playing In The Band > Let It Grow > Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower

Encore: Ripple

Solid Sound Music Festival Day One Recap

Solid Sound Music Festival June 26, 2015 at Mass MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts day one highlights featuring: Speedy Ortiz, Real Estate, The Great Flood: A Film by Bill Morrison with music by Bill Frisell.

More photos can be found here: Solid Sound Music Festival Day One

Photos by: Tony & Brittany Vasquez of Vasquez Photography