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Welcome To Rockville 2015

Welcome To Rockville ~ April 25-26, 2015 ~ Jacksonville, FL

Written by Jessica Morano

Photos by Joey Pye

Welcome to Rockville…or Welcome to Rainville?? April 25 and 26th some of the heaviest bands came to Jacksonville, Florida for the annual Welcome to Rockville festival. The party kicked off Friday night at the Landing downtown. Unlike previous years, this pre-party was free for anyone to attend instead of just those who purchased a ticket to the festival. The pre-party kicked off with performances by Scare Don’t Fear and Jacksonville locals World Gone. 36 Crazyfists got the crowd moshing with a huge pit forming just minutes after their set began. Swedish band Avatar brought special guests on stage. Performers from Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow joined them for their song “Smells Like a Freakshow”. Lead singer, Johannes Eckerstrom dressed up like a Circus ring leader and was definitely the most entertaining front man of the evening. When the freak show was over, Nonpoint performed classics “Bullet with a Name” and “What a Day:” The night closed out with rap/rock group Hollywood Undead. It was hard not to dance during their set. They brought 10 year old fan, Xavier, on stage to introduce the song “Comin’ In Hot” making the young boy’s night something to remember for years to come.

Saturday marked the official start of the festival. World Gone gave a strong performance despite having performed the night before. Bands Red Run Rising, Like A Storm and Stars in Stereo also put on stellar performances and prepared fans for a weekend of heavy metal. That was until Mother Nature stepped in. The festival had to be postponed twice due to severe thunderstorms and a tornado warning, a first in Rockville history. Fozzy, Scott Weiland and fan favorite Hollywood Undead were forced to cancel their sets while fans huddled under the nearby overpass. Once rain stopped fans got muddy in Periphery’s mosh pit, but then another storm halted the concert for a second time. Gates reopened just in time for Halestorm, Ministry and Suicidal Tendencies, but The Devil Wears Prada’s gear was completely destroyed by the rain leaving them unable to perform. Next up was Slayer who as one fan put it “Owned Rockville”. They performed songs such as “Postmortem”, “Hate Worldwide” and finished with “Angels of Death”. Then came Mr. Controversy himself, Marilyn Manson. This was his first time performing in Jacksonville since his arrest in 1994. He opened with the song “Deep Six” off his new album The Pale Emperor. He kept his set pretty tame compared to past performances. He told the crowd that he wrote the song “Beautiful People” while in Jacksonville and then dedicated it to the people of Duval. Manson’s encore was the hard hitting “Irresponsible Hate Anthem”. When the song was over, he dropped the mike and simply walked off stage. Classic Manson. Welcome to Rockville veteran headliners Korn wrapped up the first day. They played their entire self-titled album much to their fan’s delight. Even Mr. Manson was spotted side-stage watching the show.

By Sunday all the rain and bad weather was gone. Met Park started rocking early with bands The Sweet Escape, From Ashes to New and ’68. Japanese band Vamps were extremely energetic as was newcomers Starset. Heavy metal chicks the Butcher Babies returned to slay concert goers with songs “Goliath” and a perfect cover of ZZ Top’s “Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers”. Motionless In White also returned this year and delighted the crowd with their hits “Unstoppable” and “Devil’s Night”. Next up was Hatebreed, one of the heaviest bands of the afternoon. Breaking Benjamin also put on a solid performance. Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators were definitely the highlight of the afternoon. From start to finish the crowd was singing along to classic Guns N Roses songs like “You Could Be Mine” and “Paradise City”. Sunday night ended with strong sets by both Papa Roach and Godsmack. Headliners Slipknot amazed fans. They played hits such as “Psychosocial”, “Wait and Bleed” and closed out the night with “(sic)” and “Surfacing”. Fan Angie DePaolis said, “Slipknot delivered a powerful performance. One that was easily enjoyed by old and new fans alike”.

Even with the weather delays on Saturday, the 5th year of Rockville turned out to be a huge success. Sunday’s show was completely sold out leaving some fans out of luck when trying to buy tickets at the gate. New this year was the Risk Interactive Graffiti art installation. This gave concert goers the opportunity to leave their mark by adding to the huge graffiti wall on display. Also, band Metalachi performed at the Tequila World tent throughout the day. Margaritas flowed as they played covers of some classic rock songs with a little Latin flavor added. They were definitely a welcomed surprise, hope to see them at future Rockville festivals. Crazy Dave’s Music Experience returned again this year. Fans were able to play some of the guitars on display as well as participate in meet and greets with stars such as Chris Jericho of Fozzy and Corey Taylor of Slipknot. With the Welcome to Rockville festival getting bigger and heavier each year, the diverse crowds keep growing with it. The continued growth of this festival is a sure thing and its draw is sure to put Jacksonville back on the map for big name shows. This is a festival that should not be missed.

Sweetwater 420 Fest 2015

April 17-19, 2015 ~ Atlanta, GA

A Photo Gallery

Photos by Lucas Armstrong

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Sam Amidon – Blue Mountains

NEW VIDEO FOR SAM AMIDON’S ‘BLUE MOUNTAINS’ CREATED BY FILMMAKER ANDREA SISSON

Sam Amidon is currently on tour supporting Sharon Van Etten in Europe and the UK. Following the support dates, Amidon headlines his own string of European shows, culminating in a concert at London’s Islington Assembly Hall on May 10. Amidon makes several US festival appearances this summer including Solid Sound Festival, Eaux Claires and Pickathon. A complete list of tour dates is below and additional US dates will be announced soon.

Tour Dates

May 5                         Atlas Aarhus, DK
May 6                         Musik Loppen                          Copenhagen, DK
May 7                         Scandic Grand Central Stockholm, SE
May 8                         Buckleys Roots & Blues Joint Oslo, NO
May 10 Islington Assembly Hall London, UK
May 29 BAM Brooklyn, NY
May 30 BAM Brooklyn, NY
June 14 Center for Arts at the Armory Somerville, MA
June 27 Solid Sound Festival North Adams, MA
July 17-18 Eaux Claires Eau Claire, WI
July 31 Pickathon Happy Valley, OR
Sept 4-6 End of the Road Festival Dorset, UK

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT:

nonesuch.com, samamidon.com, facebook.com/samamidonmusic
or follow @samamidon on Twitter

Photo credit: Terry Magson

Kung Fu & Twiddle – Dirty Dozen Tour

Kung Fu & Twiddle – Dirty Dozen Tour ~ Terminal West @ King Plow ~ Atlanta, GA 4-16-15

Written by: Mike Gregory

Photography by: Lucas Armstrong

Kung Fu and Twiddle joined forces to bring the masses to their knees through the power of music on their Dirty Dozen tour. They cut a swath of destruction from Buffalo, NY to Atlanta, GA so intense it can only be matched by Mother Nature herself! Playing 13 shows in 16 days, it is safe to say this dirty dozen have been burning the candle at both ends—with a blow torch! Terminal West would be the final destination of the tour before the two bands part ways.

Funk You opened up the night about 9pm. They were a perfect band to set the mood for the night that would shortly unfold. The show steadily gained momentum as the crowd shuffled in. About 45 minutes into the set, Rob Somerville appeared with his saxophone peaking the crowd’s curiosity. The crowd was receptive to Funk You and rightfully so, but drooling over what was to come next.

It was difficult to keep track of who was on stage when as this was not your typical cookie-cutter show and the stage was fairly dark. Out of the darkness, Kung Fu and Twiddle drummers started laying the foundation until the bassists joined in as fans swarmed the stage. Band members took their places one by one, adding to the jam as they entered—keyboards, guitarists, and like icing on the cake, Rob joined in on sax. Tim and Mihali traded some smoking hot licks on the guitar. The bassists had a similar exchange; what started out sizzling ended up evolving into an upbeat spacey jam. It was crystal clear that both bands are completely comfortable with each other, raising questions about just how good this night would be!

Rob finally greeted the crowd and 10:50pm. The first set of the last night playing together would belong to Twiddle. First, they played a few gritty tunes, which turned into funk. Under purple and green lights, guitarist, Mihali Savoulidis and bassist, Zdenek Gubb exchanged pleasantries for the crowd until keyboardist, Ryan Dempsey joined in. The mellow jam turned into a balls-to-the-wall crazy-ass guitar solo; the crowd lapped it up like a dog at dinner time! Mihali sported a smile larger than life all night; it was clear, he is right where he belongs—on stage with a guitar in his hand! Funk You guitarist, Evan Miller, was invited up on stage for yet another heated exchange of guitar shredding, before taking us home to funky town again. This pattern of greatness was repeated over and over again. Twiddle’s energy is always up there, but there are moments of extreme happiness bursting forth like a volcano!

At approximately 11:50pm, Tim Palmieri from KF enters and jams with Twiddle for a song, then exits. Kung Fu synth-ninja, Todd Stoops, takes the crowd to Jamaica for a quick tour of the Caribbean. The stage was basically a revolving door most of the night. Tim came back up and he and Todd took the crowd to the promised land of deep-fast grooves. At midnight, the stage turned into a hornet’s nest of musicians as everyone came out to play! Musical chaos broke out until the moment guitars were vaulted into the air like lightning rods! Spacey jams followed as Twiddle exited the stage after a brilliant performance.

Kung Fu played the quirky little tune “Bopcorn”, of course spiced up with improv included. KF bassist Chris DeAngelis, surprised the crowd with a tune that sounded like it was straight out of the 70’s that beautifully showcased everyone in the band. The night became even funkier when Ryan Dempsey, dressed in a superhero onesie, joined Todd Stoops on the keys. Then Mihali came back, this time for another reggae-insired funk jam. Adrian Tramontano, was nearly out of sight most of the night sitting behind a cluster of musical instruments, but you could hear him loud and clear.

The night finished off with “Hollywood Kisses” and the most blazing rendition of “Samurai” to date! Tim and Mihali stole the stage shredding behind their backs and over their heads. Even though it was a weeknight, the crowd held strong until the show finished at nearly 2am! The show was an absolute scorcher! The bond that these two bands share is one that should be shared on stage again! Long live the Dirty Dozen Tour!

Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy at Soul Kitchen

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators ~ April 29, 2015 ~ Soul Kitchen Music Hall, Mobile, AL

Written by: Clayton Roberts

As I strolled up to the Soul Kitchen Music Hall to see the legendary Slash perform with his new band Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, I see a car with the license plate “AXL ROSE” and a huge “Appetite for Destruction” Guns N’ Roses logo, and I know this is no ordinary show. The place was packed and there was extra security around. I thought to myself this might be quite interesting. I knew that the band mates, Myles Kennedy, Bobby Schneck, Todd Kerns, and Brent Fitz, would make for a great time of old GN’R tunes as well as Velvet Revolver, as Myles was lead vocals with Slash for that arrangement. I felt sure that they would play some of the new tunes off the album World On Fire.

The stage was set up with so many amps it took up the entire platform; now I know that I am about to watch a serious rock show. As Slash comes out 4 double stacked custom Marshall amps fire up that made everyone say “Damn!”When “Night Train” came on as the second song, this crowd at the Soul Kitchen was revved up and ready to go. The energy feedback going back and forth is what every good rock show needs to flow through the evening. Other GN’R classics as “You Could Be Mine”, “Welcome To The Jungle”, and “Rocket Queen” (which featured a 10+ minute Slash solo) were top notch. Myles and Todd took turns hitting the Oh-so-familiar Axl Rose notes incredibly well. New Songs “Avalon”, “Wicked Stone”, “Bent To Fly”, “The Unholy”, & “World on Fire” were great to hear and see how Slash interacts with the new band. As he and the others moved back and forth the entire width of the stage, everyone got a good view of the legend and band mates.

As the show progressed and that moment came when Slash took center stage and hit the opening licks of “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, the Soul Kitchen erupted with a roof rattling roar. Surely a crowd pleaser, this version did not disappoint as fans rocked right along with the band. They ended the set with “Slither”, a Velvet Revolver tune, and the crowd chanted for more. As the encore came around, I am sure everyone was wanting this or that, but when the opening notes to “Paradise City” chimed through the Soul Kitchen once again the crowd was appeased and thus concluded another SUCCESSFUL night for Mobile, AL and the Soul Kitchen. We at Jams Plus Media want to thank the Soul Kitchen and all music Venues that continue to bring great music for all of us to enjoy!!

Wanee Festival 2015 ~ Live Oak, FL

Wanee Festival – Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park – Live Oak, FL – April 16-18^th, 2015

Written by: Rosemary A. W. Roberts

Although the Allman Brothers Band played their final concert October 28, 2014, the festival they created carries on and continues to flourish. The 11^th annual Wanee Festival took place April 16-18^th, and with many of the former bandmates bringing their solo projects and other bands to Live Oak, FL this year, Wanee retained some of that Allman Brothers vibe.

The festival kicked off Thursday April 16^th with acts lined up on the natural amphitheater stage, known at Wanee as the Mushroom Stage, including Juke, Jacob Jeffries Band, Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio, Royal Southern Brotherhood, and Raw Oyster Cult. We arrived in time to see Hot Tuna Electric, who are still ready and willing to rock after so many musical years. True veterans of the music scene, they had the crowd dancing among the moss-draped trees. Closing out the evening was an interestingly eclectic band called Pink Talking Fish who weave a three-threaded web covering Pink Floyd, The Talking Heads, and Phish. Quite a ride ensued as they opened with Pink Floyd’s “In The Flesh”, followed by Phish’s “Punch You In The Eye” and Talking Heads’ “Life During Wartime”. Each song was played with great attention to detail, whether the precision of Floyd’s “Time”, the improv potential realized in Phish’s “Story of the Ghost”, or the crowd impact of Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer”. A trifecta fan is certain to find pleasant surprises with Pink Talking Fish; to hear the silent note-hold in Phish’s “Divided Sky” become Pink Floyd’s “One of These Days”, and the spaced out vocals melting into Phish’s “Lengthwise” is a wild experience!

By Friday Wanee was in full swing, with Twiddle opening on the Mushroom Stage and Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio christening the main Peach Stage, followed by Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes bringing tunes like “Wiser Time” to the party. Allman Brothers’ rhythm man gave us Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, who played a great groovin’ set laced with ABB flavors like “Mountain Jam”. One of the most eagerly anticipated acts was The Word, and their jubilant performance caused the crowd to dance with joy. With John Medeski’s talents on organ, and Robert Randolph’s soulful pedal steel, you know you’re in for a treat. The band enlisted the additional pedal steel skills of Roosevelt Collier, as Robert Randolph was having surgery and wasn’t expected to play; but merely 3 days post-op, Robert insisted on playing, even with his right hand in a giant cast! And fans of North Mississippi Allstars were thrilled to see beloved bassist Chris Chew onstage with drummer Cody Dickinson and guitarist Luther Dickinson. The whole band sounded fantastic and looked like they were having a blast! Next up was the legendary Earth, Wind and Fire, and this band continues to delight audiences with their dance party vibe and electrifying performances. If you’ve never seen them live, put them on your list of bands to see.

Meanwhile on the Mushroom Stage, Tea Leaf Green delighted the mellow crowd, before the crazed complexity of Frank Zappa’s compositions filled the air. With Dweezil Zappa and his superb guitar skills at the helm, Zappa Plays Zappa is a gifted group of musicians who breathed life into Frank’s vast repertoire with songs like “Andy” and “Son of Suzy Creamcheese” kicking off their set. Highly practiced and polished, ZPZ doesn’t miss a note whether diving into the difficult “The Grand Wazoo”, prancing around with “Po-Jama People”, or riding into the dawn of “Montana”. Later that night, Leftover Salmon featuring Bill Payne kicked up their heels, and Gov’t Mule revved their engines to prime the crowd for the first of two nights from Widespread Panic. The WP set opened with a rowdy “Love Tractor” and featured plenty of fan faves like “Little Kin”, “Climb To Safety”, and “Diner”.

Saturday’s lineup boasted some more Allman Brothers alumni, with Butch Trucks & Very Special Friends early on the Mushroom Stage. With two of his Very Special Friends being ABB bassist Otiel Burbridge and percussionist Marc Quinones, it was no surprise to the grateful crowd that their set was heavy on Allman classics like “Hot ‘Lanta”, “Midnight Rider”, and “Whipping Post”. On the Peach Stage, The Revivalists enlivened the listeners in the field, and JJ Grey and Mofro’s soulful sounds surrounded happy concert-goers, whether they were dancing near the stage, or sitting at picnic tables enjoying a tasty assortment of foods from a wide variety of vendors. A super-hot set was put forth by the New Orleans amalgamation Dragon Smoke; great sound and a rockin’ groove was provided by guitarist Eric Lindell, bassist Robert Mercurio, the legendary Ivan Neville on keys, and the outrageous Stanton Moore banging the drums.

Hardcore fans of Steely Dan ignored the darkening skies, gathering at the Mushroom Stage for the Nth Power to perform a set of Steely Dan songs, followed by some of their own creations. As a heavy rain began to fall (the only major downpour seen by 2015’s Wanee Festival), The Nth Power gave tremendously on-point renditions of “Peg”, “Black Cow”, “Kid Charlemagne”, “The Caves of Altamira”, “Home At Last”, “Reelin’ In the Years”, “The Fez”, “Do It Again”, and “Aja”. The powerhouse band continued to impress, after drying off for a minute, playing feel-good uplifting melodies that made us forget our wet clothes and soggy shoes. Making our way back to the Peach Stage, the sun came back out to shine down on Gregg Allman and his band. Holding nothing back, they opened with “Statesboro Blues”, and then “I’m No Angel”, sounding fantastic. “Come and Go Blues” has always been a favorite of mine, and their take on “The Same Thing” was funky and fine. Dancing in the open field amongst the hula hoopers and bubble blowers to “Trouble No More” and “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More”, you could definitely appreciate why Wanee is such a wonderful festival. Yonder Mountain String Band played a rousing joy-filled bluegrass set, tossing in humorous anecdotes between songs, and stretching smiles across listeners’ faces. When nighttime rolled in, so did Widespread Panic, with a strong set that opened with “Makes Sense To Me”, and included great tunes like “Wondering”, “Can’t Get High”, and “Surprise Valley”. The center of the set was a real winner, with a wonderful “Barstools and Dreamers”, “All Time Low”, “Arleen”, “Pilgrims”, and “Airplane”. The triple encore “End of the Show”, “Big Wooly Mammoth”, and “Mr. Soul” put an exclamation point on the evening. A late night set from Galactic closed out Wanee Festival 2015.

Even in the absence of the Allman Brothers Band, Wanee remains a truly unique and enjoyable festival. It is a favorite springtime celebration for music lovers, a festival where the lineup is always strong, and the people are always friendly and kind. I am sure many folks are already planning a return trip for next April, to see what great things Wanee 2016 will bring our way!