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
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 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 – Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park – Live Oak, FL – April 16-18th, 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 11th annual Wanee Festival took place April 16-18th, 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 16th 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!
Tycho ft. Higher Learning @ WorkplayTheater Birmingham, Al 4/5/15
This past Sunday electronic artist, Tycho, performed at the Workplay Theater in Birmingham, Al with opening act Higher Learning. Higher Learning is an electronic rock band based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Their universal synthesized sound got the crowd pumped up capturing us with a sound that reaches out to the far corners of the universe, as well as the far corners of the mind. Everyone was left impressed by this opening act and even more amped up for Tycho.
Tycho is a musical artist and producer from San Francisco, CA known as Scott Hansen and can also be found under the name ISO50 for his work in photography and graphic design. Scott Hansen (Tycho) on synthesizer and guitar was backed up by a three piece band with Zac Brown switching between bass and guitar, Rory O’Connor on drums and Joe Davancens on bass, keys and a second synthesizer. This is Tycho’s second tour with live instrumentals backing him up, this one promoting his latest album, Awake, released March 18, 2014 by independent record label Ghostly International.
Higher Learning
Tycho’s sound can be described as a nostalgic longing synthesized with a perfect mix of ambient noise to heighten all senses. Even though one can hear a longing for a time that has passed us all in his mixes there is a a sound of a progressive future that can be heard and felt. This combination of synthetic ambiance mixed with live instrumentals and futuristic sounds plays out a very organic groove that had the crowd moving and swaying throughout the entire show. Scott Hansen has perfectly mixed his photography and graphic works with his music. Behind the band was constant cinematography that incorporated some of Scott Hansen’s production work.
The show was a sensory experience that left everyone in a different dimension for some time after the show. You can find Tycho’s work on almost any music based website. For his photography and graphic design check out http://blog.iso50.com. Higher Learning has all of their music up for free on https://higher-learning.bandcamp.com. If either of these guys are playing in your city or one near you don’t miss out on the chance to see them.
review by Cassidy Taylor [Instagram: cassidytaylr]
photos by Alan Evans [Instagram: abarringtonevans]
Welcome to Rockville – April 25-26/2015 – Jacksonville, FL
Top Ten Reasons why you should attend this festival:
Two days of heavy metal music: With bands like Korn, Slayer, Slipknot and Ministry (just to name a few), performing on 2 stages, you can’t get more metal that that.
No other festival like it in all of Florida: No other festival comes close to having the amount of debauchery Welcome to Rockville does.
Crazy Dave’s Music Experience: Interactive tent with chances to win multiple prizes as well as band meet and greets.
Tons of food and drinks: Loads of different food trucks to choose from as well as beverages ranging from beer to hard liquor. Pick your poison.
It’s on the river: Metropolitan Park sits on the river so there is always a nice breeze. But if you do get too hot, there are also some cooling stations throughout the festival.
Ticket prices: The amount of music you get for the price of admission is really a steal. With GA starting at $64.50.
Kelly “Risk” Graval: New this year the Risk Interactive Graffiti art installation. A must see.
Marilyn Manson: First time playing in Jacksonville since his arrest in 1994. Who knows what he will do this time around.
Tequila World: Plenty of margaritas as well as a performance both days by the band Metalachi
People watching: All different types of people attend this festival. Sometimes the crowds are just as entertaining as the bands! Get your tickets at http://welcometorockvillefestival.com before it’s too late. You do not want to miss this.
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. 
