Above and Beyond...Space!!

Ok, not really, but Above & Beyond WERE associated with the reveal of the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo (Richard Branson's venture into commercial flights to space.)

When Virgin Galactic were looking for some atmospheric music to herald the launch of their ground-breaking 'SpaceShipTwo', they turned to Above & Beyond. At an event hosted by Richard Branson in the Mojave Desert, the track chosen to accompany the official unveiling of SpaceShipTwo was Above & Beyond's club anthem 'Buzz', which was inspired by the Apollo 11 moon-landing.

After the unveiling of the world's first space tourism spacecraft, Above & Beyond performed an exclusive DJ set in front of an audience of 800 dignitaries, celebrities and soon-to-be astronauts, plus the assembled global media.

Check out this video of their track "Buzz:"

Umphrey's NYE and More Tour Dates

Umphrey's McGee - 5.23.2009 - SummerCamp

Here are the details for Umphrey's McGee's NYE run in the Chi (Compliments of Madison House Pub.):

Tuesday, December 29th @ 8:00 PM (Doors @ 7:00 PM)

The Vic Theatre

3145 North Sheffield Avenue, Chicago

Tickets: Available as a 3-Night NYE Pass for $125.00

For more information please contact (773) 472-0449 or visit

http://www.jamusa.com/Venues/Vic/Concerts.aspx

Wednesday, December 30th @ 8:00 PM

Aragon Ballroom


With Z-Trip


1106 West Lawrence, Chicago


Tickets: $29.75, 3-Night Pass $125.00 / Ages 18+ Welcome


For more information please contact 773-561-9500 or visit www.aragon.com

Thursday, December 31st @ 7:30 PM

Aragon Ballroom

With Prefuse 73

73
1106 West Lawrence, Chicago


Tickets: $65, 3-Night Pass $125.00 / Ages 18+ Welcome


For more information please contact 773-561-9500 or visit www.aragon.com

In what has become a Chicago tradition, Umphrey's McGee returns to the Vic Theatre December 29th for an intimate start to their New Years Run, and then the band moves to the legendary Aragon Ballroom for year-end performances, December 30th and 31st.

For the 2009 end-of-year run Umphrey's McGee have invited two very speial guests: Z-Trip on December 30th and Prefuse 73 on New Year's Eve. Umphrey's has also put together a special horn section for their New Year's Eve performance - featuring Dave Matthews Band saxophonist Jeff Coffin.

Umphrey’s McGee has never played by the rules. Now, with the unvieling of their all- new Stew Art Series (aka, “S2”) – an interactive fan experience where audience members “conduct” the band’s live improvisations - Umphrey’s McGee continue to offer their fiercely loyal fanbase the most innovative musical experiences available. Look for S2 pre-events happening in select markets throughout 2010.

Hosted as individual events before that evening’s already schedule show, Umphrey’s Stew Art Series is a crowd-sourced improvisation experiment, in which all the music performed by the group on stage will be entirely directed by S2 audience members. Check out this S2 video from the inaugural S2 event in Milwaukee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYJn64XRGXU. See current S2 tour stops below.

The complete list of confirmed Umphrey's appearances is as follows:

December 29 Vic Theatre Chicago IL
December 30-31 Aragon Ballroom Chicago IL
January 14 Orpheum Theatre Flagstaff AZ
January 15 House of Blues San Diego CA
January 16 Warfield Theatre San Francisco CA
January 17 Knitting Factory Reno NV
January 19 Knitting Factory Boise ID
January 20 The Depot Salt Lake City UT
January 22 Belly Up Aspen CO
January 23 Fillmore Auditorium Denver CO
February 2 Slowdown Omaha NE
February 3 Liberty Hall Lawrence KS
February 4 The Pageant St. Louis MO
February 5 War Memorial Auditorium Nashville TN
February 6 The Tabernacle Atlanta GA
February 9 WorkPlay Soundstage Birmingham AL
February 11 The Orange Peel Asheville NC
February 12 The Music Farm Charleston SC
February 13 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte NC
February 14 Rams Head Live Baltimore MD
March 21-23 Jam in the 'Dam, The Melkweg Amsterdam
May 28-30 Summercamp Chillicothe IL

For S2, sold-out crowds of 50 fans submit their ideas by texting descriptive words, phrases, and pop culture references (pretty much whatever came to mind), to the Umphrey's Mozes mobile interface. The suggestions are then filtered by the band’s long time Sound Caresser Kevin Browning and projected on a screen for the band to digest and turn into the next phase of the jam. The band’s music varies stylistically with suggestions ranging from “an afternoon bus ride in Jamaica” to “drinking pina coladas…in a hurricane”. As one elated fan commented after a show, “S2 was the coolest thing I have ever been a part of. It’s always been a dream of mine to meet the band, and the opportunity to participate in leading the Jam for the band was a dream come true as well.”

This is not the first time that Umphrey’s McGee has taken new approaches to delivering their music to the fans. Before their latest studio recording, Mantis, was released in January of this year, the group made the album available for pre-order in an interesting way. Fans were offered more free bonus content the more Mantis pre-orders were received; as the fans “unlocked” levels of content by getting more of their friends to pre-order the album. The idea was to give the fans incentive to help spread the word about the album, and to offer a totally unique music experience.

But it’s always been about experiencing Umphrey’s McGee on the concert stage, and the group recently announced a string of fall dates, including some final festival stops of 2009 - Jazz Aspen Snowmass Festival, moe.Down, and Telluride Blues and Brews, plus a special Halloween performance in Yosemite, California. And to get yourself in the right frame of mind for the upcoming tour, you can check out the recently-released live DVD, Umphrey’s McGee - Live. Recorded during their 2007 performance for PBS’s Soundstage, Umphrey’s McGee – Live is offers an incredible 13-song set on DVD, including six favorites not shown during the PBS broadcast, which premiered last February.

Phall Phish Wrap-Up

Phish 12.3.2009- MSG - A.Hill Photography

It's great to be back. I was a bit under the weather this past week (caused me to miss BoomBox...ooch, ouch, damnit!) and have horribly missed communication with the masses. A wrap up of a fabulous Phish Fall Tour 2009 is totally overdue. The tour received quite critically acclaimed reviews from fans and fellow journalists alike. Set lists remained strong throughout and the few multiple night runs spared us from a "weak" night. I attended both nights in Cincy and had an amazing time. Each night had it's own highlights, was filled with mini-highlights in between and there were points where I felt the night would last forever. Hopefully, "I saw you with a ticket stub in your hand," somewhere, because this was most definately a tour of note.
This fall's tour had those moments of splendidness that we felt in years like 1994 and 1997. A feeling of re-birth that many felt may never occur again. Check out set-lists from each show below and also enjoy the pics sent in from A.Hill Photography and Tim Hara.

Phish 11.20.2009 - US Bank Arena, Cincy, OH - Tim Hara Photography

Setlists compiments of PhantasyTour.com

12/05/09 John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA

Set I: AC/DC Bag, Chalkdust Torture, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, The Divided Sky, Ya Mar, Sneaking Sally Through the Alley, Old Home Place, Cavern, Funky Bitch, David Bowie, The Wedge, Bold as Love
Set II: Tweezer> Light> Piper, Free, Sweet Virginia, Harry Hood, Suzy Greenberg, Golgi Apparatus, Run Like An Antelope
Encore: Loving Cup, Tweezer Reprise

12/04/09 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Set I: Heavy Things, Possum, Wilson, Kill Devil Falls, Glide, 46 Days, Bouncing Around the Room, Reba, Dinner and a Movie, Guyute, Maze, First Tube
Set II: Scents and Subtle Sounds, Rock and Roll, Seven Below, Twist, Mike's Song> I am Hydrogen> Weekapaug Groove, The Horse> Silent in the Morning, You Enjoy Myself
Encore: Shine A Light

12/03/09 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Set I: Punch You in the Eye, Backwards Down The Number Line, Axilla> Taste, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Stash, Lawn Boy, Time Turns Elastic, Back On The Train, Julius
Set II: Down With Disease> Piper, Fluffhead, Cities, Free, Halley's Comet, Also Sprach Zarathustra, David Bowie
Encore: Character Zero

12/02/09 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Set I: AC/DC Bag, Chalkdust Torture, Wolfman's Brother, NICU> Ocelot, Brian and Robert, Poor Heart, Sample in a Jar, Peaches en Regalia1, The Divided Sky, Cavern
Set II: Golgi Apparatus2, Light> Slave to the Traffic Light, Tweezer, Joy, Sparkle, Harry Hood, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Suzy Greenberg, Run Like An Antelope
Encore: A Day in the Life, Tweezer Reprise
1 not played since 9.24.99
2 First time opening second set since 10.22.95; opens first set 11.8% of the time its played

11/29/09 Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME
Set I: Possum1, Down With Disease, Nellie Kane2, Weigh, When the Circus Comes to Town, Kill Devil Falls, Water in the Sky, Stash, Meat, Undermind, Mike's Song> I am Hydrogen> Weekapaug Groove
Set II: The Moma Dance, Rock and Roll> Light> Crimes of the Mind> Pebbles and Marbles> Also Sprach Zarathustra> Golgi Apparatus> Cavern> Run Like An Antelope
Encore: Freebird3, Carini> Waste
1 first time opening show since 9.9.00

2 first time played since 7.1.00
3 first time played since 6.22.00

11/28/09 Pepsi Arena, Albany, NY

Set I: Party Time, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, Uncle Pen, Sanity, Foam, Walk Away, NICU, Alaska, Split Open and Melt, Joy, Vultures, Backwards Down The Number Line
Set II: Seven Below> Ghost, Cool it Down> Gotta Jibboo, Let Me Lie, Wolfman's Brother, Julius
Encore: You Enjoy Myself

11/27/09 Pepsi Arena, Albany, NY

Set I: AC/DC Bag, Maze, Driver, My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own, Gumbo, Bouncing Around the Room, It's Ice, Two Versions of Me, Timber (Jerry the Mule), Limb By Limb, Cavern, Light
Set II: My Friend My Friend1, Golden Age, On Your Way Down, Fluffhead, Piper> Tomorrow's Song, Prince Caspian, Harry Hood, Suzy Greenberg, The Squirming Coil, I Been Around
Encore: Fire
1 first time opening second set since 4.13.93

11/25/09 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA

Set I: Kill Devil Falls, 46 Days, Sugar Shack, Halley's Comet, The Divided Sky, Sleep Again, Ocelot, Train Song, Wilson, Run Like An Antelope
Set II: Birds of a Feather, Farmhouse, Tweezer, You Enjoy Myself, Esther, Time Turns Elastic, Tweezer Reprise
Encore: Oh! Sweet Nuthin'

11/24/09 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA

Set I: Chalkdust Torture, Bathtub Gin, Cities> Camel Walk1, The Curtain With, The Wedge, The Moma Dance, Reba, Golgi Apparatus, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan
Set II: Possum> Down With Disease> Twenty Years Later> Harry Hood, The Mango Song> Mike's Song> Simple> Slave to the Traffic Light> Weekapaug Groove
Encore: A Day in the Life
1 Last Played 6/18/2004 (50 Shows)

11/22/09 Onondaga War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, NY

Set I: David Bowie, Julius, Sparkle, Kill Devil Falls, Lawn Boy, Heavy Things, Funky Bitch, Sample in a Jar, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Let Me Lie, Beauty of a Broken Heart, Stash
Set II: Drowned> Twist> Piper> Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Tube, Theme from the Bottom, Maze, The Horse> Silent in the Morning, Character Zero, First Tube
Encore: Good Times Bad Times

11/21/09 US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH

Set I: Wilson, NICU, Wolfman's Brother, Ocelot, Torn and Frayed, Strange Design, Ginseng Sullivan, Albuquerque, Split Open and Melt, Dirt, Limb By Limb, Run Like An Antelope
Set II: Rock and Roll> Ghost> If I Could> Backwards Down The Number Line, Prince Caspian, Suzy Greenberg, Also Sprach Zarathustra, The Squirming Coil
Encore: Sleeping Monkey, Axilla

11/20/09 US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH

Set I: Chalkdust Torture, The Moma Dance, The Divided Sky, Alaska, Water in the Sky, Fast Enough For You, Time Turns Elastic, Gotta Jibboo, Fluffhead
Set II: Punch You in the Eye, Tweezer> Light> Back On The Train> Possum, Slave to the Traffic Light, You Enjoy Myself
Encore: Joy, Golgi Apparatus, Tweezer Reprise

11/18/09 Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI

Set I: AC/DC Bag, Foam, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, Bouncing Around the Room, Sample in a Jar, Kill Devil Falls, It's Ice, Horn, Mist, Poor Heart, 46 Days, David Bowie
Set II: Runaway Jim, Down With Disease> Free, Waste, Taste, Bug, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Mike's Song> I am Hydrogen> Weekapaug Groove, Cavern
Encore: Character Zero

BoomBox Saturday in the Chi

BoomBox has made quite a name for themselves over the past few years. They are a two piece band comprised of Zion Godchaux (son of Grateful Dead bandmembers Donna Jean and Keith) and Russ Randolph. Their sound is unique and bursting at the seams for a dance party track by track. Both members play a role in production, but Russ hooks up the drum beats and lays down some DJ mixes and Zion kills it on guitar and vocals.
Their sound truly goes hand-in-hand with what you would expect from the offspring of Dead band member. It is progressive and filled with electronica influences, but has that spaced out feel that has certainly surrounded Zion for his entire life. Russ's tight drum beats behind Zions interesting vocals equal a good time. They also do Dead covers.
Enough said! Check them out this Saturday at The Bottom Lounge in the Chi. Show time is set for 8:00 pm and is 18+.




Also check out this amazing matrix recording from their performance at Winston's in San Diego, CA on 10.10.2009. Enjoy...

BoomBox 10.10.2009

Grateful Dead - 6.9.1991 - Buckeye Lake Ohio Listening Party

Grateful Dead, Buckeye Lake Ohio - 6.9.1991

Picasso Moon, Sugaree, Minglewood Blues, Ramble On Rose, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Rubin & Cherise, Let It Grow Samson & Delilah, Crazy Fingers-> Playin' In The Band-> He's Gone-> Jam-> Drums-> Jam-> The Other One-> Wharf Rat-> Around & Around, E: Knockin' On Heaven's Door

My close friend and brother-in-law Chris hooked me up with a link to this show. It plays a significant role in my life because I spent over 3 years of my life with my family in Cleveland, OH. I always thought that Ohio was a Weird place, but when I listen to shows like this, I know it was!

Here is what Chris; the local DeadHead connoisseur had to say:

Check out this stellar SBD from summer tour 1991. Hornsby fans beware cause you may cream your jeans on this one. The second set is tight as it gets. A must have for fans of 1991.

More Lotus Shots - The Vic 11.27.2009 - Brad Johnson Photography

Lotus - The Vic Theater - Chicago, IL 11.27.2009 - Brad Johnson Photography

Lotus is pretty sick. The show last weekend in Chicago has gotten pretty good reviews. I was not there, so I have no review! Aaron Engler and Tim Hara hooked up a few nice rounds of pics each with their own flair; now here is another point of view from Brad Johnson. Brad took a ton of shots and will also be sharing some video that he and his boys from RECshare.org took at the show. You are probably as excited as I am if you saw any of the videos that I posted from them over the past few weeks. iClips who? These guys are doing real big things and I am totaly stoked to bring their work to you. Enjoy the shots. Nice work Brad!!!!

Dec. 8 STS9's Ad Explorata, Ends and Beginnings

STS9's New Album Cover - Ad Explorata

December 8th is a special day for STS9 as they are expected to release their new studio album, Ad Explorata. I have listened to the album and it is tight. I will, of course, let you be the judge though. Many of the songs have been played live and have been warmly welcomed by fans. My personal favorite is "Atlas." That is awesome for STS9 and their fans, but too bad for the haters!

This date is both terrific and horrific at the same time. It is terrific because the Doors lead singer Jim (James Douglas) Morrison was born on this date in 1943. He lead a cutting edge, renegade band of sorts for a few years in the late 60's until his mysterious death on 7.3.1971. He had so much more life to live and more music and poetry to create.

Even more played down though is the fact that December 8 is also the date of John Lennon's senseless murder. A complelely amazing human being for much more than just his music, John Lennon was shot to death in front of his NYC apartment building on December 8, 1983. He was a musician, a father, a husband, a member of the Beatles, a political activist and a dynamic personality. What would Lennon have thought of the Bush II dynasty and the war in Iraq? More importantly, what would he have thought of the US electing our first African American President? I would love to know. Please just remember that we all need to "Give Peace a Chance."



Now that I have leaped from my soap box of humanity, politics and reminiscing, here is a press release from STS9 with regards to their new album, Ad Explorata. There is a lot more than just an album behind Ad Explorata. The concept and theme were well thought out by the group. Tour dates also follow:

Dubbed "one of the country's most intriguing, innovative outfits around" by XLR8R Magazine, STS9 announces the release of their brand new studio effort, Ad Explorata (December 8, 2009 /1320 Records).

Ad Explorata – the band’s third release of 2009 (following their iTunes LIVE Exclusive NYE.ATL.08 / May 2009 and Peaceblaster : The New Orleans Make It Right Remixes / June 2009) and tenth in their full discography - finds STS9 once again exploring new musical terrain never before heard.

As the band explains, “Ad Explorata was inspired by the idea that there is always more to be discovered, manifested by the belief that you can always push towards the unknown and unexplored, and created by the will and desire for constant artistic evolution, expression and change.”

Visit http://sts9.com/?p=2011  to read the full “Genesis of Ad Explorata”.
Ad Explorata Track List:

01. Phoneme
02. Heavy
03. Looking Back On Earth
04. Oil & Water
05. Crypto City
06. EHM
07. ATLAS
08. Ad Explorata
09. Re:Stereo
10. Central
11. Lion
12. Echoes

“Phoneme” and “ATLAS” were both released as singles earlier this fall; both charted at iTunes Electronic charts. The third single from Ad Explorata, “Oil and Water” was released today, December 1.
Live performance is the domain for which STS9 is well known for mastering. Consistently ranking in star’s Top 50 Pulse Chart for American touring acts, touring continues through 2009 and into the New Year. The current list of STS9 tour dates is as follows:

December 29 June Swaner Gates Concert Hall Denver CO
December 30 Wells Fargo Theatre Denver CO
December 31 Wells Fargo Theatre Denver CO
January 2 Revolution Live Ft. Lauderdale FL
January 3-8 Jam Cruise
February 11 House of Blues San Diego CA
February 12 Wiltern Theatre Los Angeles CA
February 13 Fox Theatre Oakland CA
February 14 Grand Sierra Ballroom Reno NV
February 18-19 Crystal Ballroom Portland OR
February 20-21 Showbox (Market) Seattle WA
February 22 Wilma Theatre Missoula MT
February 25 The Depot Salt Lake City UT
February 26 House of Blues Las Vegas NV
February 27 Marquee Theater Tempe AZ
February 28 Rialto Theatre Tucson AZ
March 3 George's Majestic Fayetteville AR
March 4 The Lyric Theatre Oxford MS
March 5 Cains Ballroom Tulsa OK
March 6 House of Blues Dallas TX
March 7 House of Blues New Orleans LA
March 10 The Music Farm Charleston SC
March 11 Amos' Southend Charlotte NC
March 12 The Norva Norfolk VA
March 13-14 9:30 Club Washington DC
March 17 Mr. Small's Theatre Pittsburgh PA
March 18 Madison Theatre Covington KY
March 19-20 The Pageant St. Louis MO

Giving back to the communities they visit has always been a priority for STS9. For over a decade the band has rallied their community of fans around important causes, and to date has donated nearly $250,000.00 to a variety of causes including Rock Against Cancer, Make It Right Foundation, Yellow Ribbon Fund, Conscious Alliance, Global Education Fund, New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, Mariposa’s Art, Headcount, Samaritan House, and others. For 2009, 100% of STS9’s charity work benefits the Make It Right Foundation, including the release of Peaceblaster: The New Orleans Make It Right Remixes in June of this year. The album - of which 100% of the profits go to benefit Make It Right - features 30 artists including Pretty Lights, The Glitch Mob, Count Bass D, Richard Devine, Eskmo, Alex B., Ronald Jenkees and many others remixing original material from STS9’s 2008 release Peaceblaster. The release is available at www.1320records.com and at iTunes. Along with the sale of this release, and per ticket fees to shows that happened since the beginning of 2009 the band is happy to report they are nearing the $100,000 mark by the end of 2009 after less than a year of intention on this project.