Gov’t Mule – Mark C. Smith Concert Hall at Von Braun Center–Huntsville, AL– 2/11/2014

Written by: Adam Gilliam

Edited by: Rosemary A.W. Roberts

With the second phase of Winter Storm Pax quickly approaching the southern town of Huntsville, AL the certainty of Gov’t Mule’s concert at the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall of the Von Braun Center was up in the air. The storm had already dumped snow on a typically snow free city the previous night; yet the weather would not win out. The band, known for its relentless fervor for touring, did not cancel the show and provided a great night of southern jam rock for the fans.

Starting as a side project of Allman Bros. band members, guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody in 1994, Gov’t Mule has become a staple on the festival and concert circuit for two decades. Even after Woody’s untimely passing in 2000 the band has remained a constant in the jam rock scene. This could be attributed to Warren Haynes’s amazing work on the guitar and unmatched vocal ability. These were instantly on display when the band opened with “Slackjaw Jezebel” off their 2004 album Deja Voodoo. The upbeat tune got the crowd ready for an excellent night ahead. Shortly after the band slowed things a bit and let Warren, as fans like to say, show off just how sultry his voice and guitar can be in “Worried Down With the Blues”. The sometimes less than energetic crowd finally all came to their feet when keyboardist Danny Louis began to rock out to the song made famous by Rufus & Chaka Khan, “Tell Me Something Good”. The clav intro to that song is impossible to hear without having a smile on my face. Hayne’s incredible songwriting was displayed next when the band tore into “Soulshine” which is probably his most famous original and one of my personal favorites as well. The set ended with nicely with two more originals “Banks of the Deep End” & “Thorazine Shuffle”.

With the threat of snow still looming Warren let the crowd know the setbreak would be brief in hopes the roads would be passable afterwards. The deep, driving guitar riff of “Streamline Woman” cut through the air to kick off set number two. Another song written by Stevie Wonder was briefly touched on when “Higher Ground” came in for a little over a minute segued with Howling Wolf’s “How Many More Years”. Gov’t Mule is excellent at paying homage to the greats of music history. The show slowed down again nicely when “Far Away” allowed Warren to shine some more. The next portion of the show was a highlight of the night. Steppenwolf’s “Don’t Step on the Grass Sam” was unveiled with giant flash cards for the audience to help sing along with the band and I could not help but ponder the name Gov’t Mule while chanting about Uncle Sam. The band managed to squeeze in a shortened version of the Mountain classic “Mississippi Queen” before finishing up “Don’t Step on the Grass Sam”. Matt Abts took the show over next and displayed incredible talent with a six minute “drums” . The set ended with an amped up “Whole Lotta Love” sandwiched inside the original “Mule”. This Led Zeppelin theme would continue as “Since I’ve Been Loving You” was the only encore of the night. Warren’s beautiful guitarmanship was left engraved on the audience with this cover. I for one am glad the snow and ice held off just long enough to allow North Alabama to enjoy a much needed escape into rock ‘n roll with Gov’t Mule.

Yonder Mountain String Band—The Tabernacle—Atlanta, GA—01/25/2014

On an unusually cold Saturday night in Atlanta, GA, Yonder Mountain String Band (YMSB) brought plenty of heat to warm up their fans inside The Tabernacle. Yonder Mountain String Band makes use of traditional bluegrass instruments, but they blend many different types of genres, mixing bluegrass, rock, jam and folk to create their own dynamic sound. The amalgamation of styles draws an eclectic crowd, a mix of young and old; I saw hippies, farmers, and suits, all immensely enjoying the music. The audience was in high spirits, and the people were devoted fans of the band, as I noticed that everyone knew every move the band was making.

The evening was spent allowing Adam Aijala, Dave Johnston, and Ben Kaufmann to lead the listeners through a vibrant sonic adventure, even in the absence of Jeff Austin, who is taking some time off with his family. YMSB was joined onstage by The Travelin’ McCourys often throughout the night, and it was apparent all these guys wanted to do was have a party, and make sure the crowd had a good time. Trading licks back and forth, they rocked the night away. Mandolin embellishments were provided by Ronnie McCoury, son of Del McCoury. He fit in perfectly and while the band sounded a little different than the traditional experience, they blended nicely.

Several jam duels and solo sessions were thrown back and forth in the traditional pickin’ manner. Their sound filled the air with harmonic string perfection and a toe tapping rhythm that kept the fans rockin’ and dancing all night long. These guys are on fire right now and will bring their ‘A’ game every time, so I would make sure you catch Yonder Mountain String Band on their Winter 2014 tour.

Photos and Review by: Lucas J Armstrong #lukebox17 ~ FULL PHOTO GALLERY HERE

Edited by: Rosemary A.W. Roberts

The Machine—Saenger Theatre—Mobile, AL—01/18/2014

Written and Edited by: Rosemary A.W. Roberts

Photos by: Clayton Roberts

As a lifelong fan of Pink Floyd, I often fondly recall the one time I got to see them in concert, at the Superdome in New Orleans in 1994. I was seventeen, but even at that young age I was enthralled by the magnitude of their sound, how it seemed to reach inside me and grab hold. But other than a singular performance by Pink Floyd at the Live 8 concert in 2005, and Roger Waters’ touring The Wall, seeing Pink Floyd is no longer possible. However, for those still craving a live stage performance of their incredible music, there is an alternative: welcome to The Machine, a band that has been performing the music of Pink Floyd for 25 years.

Brought to Mobile’s historic Saenger Theatre by HUKA Entertainment near the end of their southeastern USA tour, The Machine arrived onstage amidst smoky shadows, with a large round projection screen at center stage. A pulsing heartbeat, a distant scream, and we found ourselves in “Breathe”, and I had chills. The screen imagery was exactly as you’d expect to see at a Floyd show, and the multicolored lights were perfectly synched with the music. As “Time” followed, I was impressed with how Tahrah Cohen attacked the drums with precision, and also noted that guitaristRyan Ball played the solo note-for-note, on a red Fender that sounded much like David Gilmour’s guitar. Next came the gorgeous ballad “Coming Back To Life”, and it became obvious how similar bass player Adam Minkoff’s voice is to Gilmour’s. “Another Brick In the Wall, Part 2” was intense, with driving bass hits, audience assistance for the chorus, and a record-accurate guitar solo. But The Machine then brought us more, as the band slid into a jam, with all four musicians working together to show that they are in their own right a band. In a way, it’s the best of both worlds, as they deliver the beloved album-precise songs, and then diverge on their own path afterward. Keyboardist Scott Chasolen wove some graceful ambience into the intro to “Learning to Fly”, and next they played the lovely and obscure “Fat Old Sun” from Atom Heart Mother. “Welcome To The Machine” was well done, and Scott Chasolen provided expertly placed synthesizer effects. The first set ended with an excellent version of “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” that included a great outro jam.

After a brief intermission, The Machine returned for a second set, beginning with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”, giving a sensation like being in the midst of a delicious dream. “Money” was… well, right on the money, down to the timing of the cash register’s clinking. The band did a great job highlighting all the facets of Pink Floyd’s career, including an otherworldly “Echoes”, a bass-funky “Young Lust”, a wistful “Wish You Were Here”, and the rocking instrumental “One of These Days”. The set closing “Comfortably Numb” included a surprise treat, when 92ZEW’s Gene Murrell joined the band onstage to add rhythm guitar to the mix; as for the sublime lead guitar solo, Ryan Ball absolutely nailed it, making for a righteous end of the show. The crowd showed much appreciation with a standing ovation, and The Machine returned to encore with “Run Like Hell”. It turned out to be quite a show, and you can check out their upcoming tour dates here: http://www.themachinelive.com/tour/ .

Mobile and The Saenger Theatre are fortunate to have HUKA Entertainment on their team, bringing great musical acts to our fine city. 2014 will find HUKA Entertainment presenting some amazing concerts at The Saenger, including:

*Gov’t Mule – 2/15

*Buddy Guy and Johnny Lang – 2/19

*Southern Soul Assembly (with Marc Broussard, Luther Dickinson, JJ Grey, and Anders Osborne) – 4/1

*Umphrey’s McGee – 4/3

If you’re in Mobile during those times, be sure to head downtown to the gorgeous Saenger Theatre to see what a great job HUKA Entertainment is doing, bringing musicians sure to stir your spirit!