Umphrey's McGee Tears Up the LC Indoors

Back for their first time headlining Columbus in nearly a year, Chicago-based Umphrey’s McGee brought out die-hards and new fans last weekend and showed them what they’ve been missing for the last year. On Friday February 4th UM packed the LC Indoors for over two and a half hours of shredding guitars, funky synth and incredible improv.

Keyboard player Joel Cummins eased the anxious crowd into “Jazz Odyssey” which the band jammed out of, really picking it up during “Search 4”. The party started when they busted out “Partyin’ Peeps”. Joel and guitarists Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss sounded great on vocals and the Cinninger/Bayliss guitar duel that shortly followed was on fire.

Umphrey’s had to have something up their sleeves after the intensity of “Partyin’ Peeps”, but when they pulled out fan favorite “Nothing Too Fancy” the crowd didn’t know what they were in for. Umphrey’s carried the jam from “Nothing Too Fancy” into a 16-minute “Uncle Wally”, into “2x2”, into “Jimmy Stewart” and then back into “2x2”.

After being bombarded with glow sticks, Bayliss requested “If you’re going to throw shit at us throw your bras or your weed.” Bras and joints hit the stage and the band went into the last song of set one.

“Interstate Love Song” was a little weak (how could they follow the last 45 minutes?), but the real treat, as far as UM covers go, was coming in the second set. The song choice kept with the 90’s theme of the Lexington show the night before, where they played Nirvana’s “In Bloom” as well as Snoop and Dre’s “Nothin’ But a G Thang”.


The band came back strong after the set break with “Wappy Sprayberry”, which lasted nearly 18 minutes before they quickly switched into “Spires”. The packed pit swayed to the rhythm of a dub style “Push The Pig” into “Believe The Lie” which lasted nearly 15 minutes, peaking hard about eleven minutes in.

The band really started cranked the heat with their cover of “Girlfriend Is Better” by The Talking Heads. They flowed right into “Ocean Billy” and then rode an intense jam to segue back to “Nothing Too Fancy” from first set. Joel was on point on the synthesizer and the crowd’s energy at the end of the show was tangible.

Umphrey’s came back onstage after a few minutes of chants of “Umphrey’s!” and “We want the funk!” The band had 2 more songs in store, starting the encore with crowd sing-along favorite “Hangover” then dropping down and going into “Ocean Billy”.

The sound could have been better in the LC, and new soundboard engineer Chris Mitchell proved a great replacement for former soundboard Kevin Browning (who now works in UM headquarters). Their lights, run by Jeff Waful, were intense and to the music; UM undoubtedly puts on one of the best light shows in the jam scene. From the set list and the band, to the sound and lights guys, everything came together for an incredible night. Friday night’s show by far topped the last time they played at the LC (Outdoors) opening for Widespread Panic to a sparse crowd. After this show, they don’t need to worry about playing to another crowd of 200 people. UM tore the night up and Columbus fans will surely be coming back for more.
SETLIST
Set One: Jazz Odyssey>Search 4, Partyin’ Peeps, Nothing Too Fancy>Uncle Wally>2x2>”Jimmy Stewart”>2x2, Interstate Love Song

Set Two: Wappy Sprayberry>Spires, Push the Pig>Believe the Lie, Girlfriend is Better>Ocean Billy>Nothing too Fancy

Encore: Hangover>Ocean Billy

Opening Act: Orchard Lounge

Dark Star Orchestra Is Dead On at The Newport

To call Dark Star Orchestra a cover band almost seems rude after seeing them bring down the house at The Newport Music Hall last Friday night. Their talent, accuracy, and authenticity are unmatched not just when it comes to playing the Grateful Dead but as a tribute band. The show they chose to bring to life was from October 27, 1990 at The Zenith in Paris, France.

When the show started The Newport was shaking with the sound of Hell in a Bucket, and fortunately it could be heard outside by the dozens of people still waiting in line to get in. They transitioned into Sugaree so stylistically true to the way the Grateful Dead would’ve, it was the first confirmation for the crowd that DSO doesn’t mess around.

The Newport was packed with a mix of all ages; there were fans who were barely alive when Jerry died and there were heads who had followed the Dead for years. The band’s ability to bring such a varied crowd together into a groove just goes to show the timelessness of the Grateful Dead, and why DSO continues to find success “raising the Dead”.

Dark Star grooved through the first set, ending with Bird Song into The Promise Land. After an intermission, they came back for more, playing a jam heavy second set. Improvisation is one of the defining features of the Grateful Dead, who pioneered the jam scene making it what it is today. Though covering a jam band leaves a lot open to interpretation, Dark Star doesn’t disappoint. It’s in the improvised transitions and jams that DSO revives the spirit of the Grateful Dead.

Another aspect of the show that didn’t disappoint was new lead guitarist Jeff Mattson. Lead guitarist and founding member John Kadlecik left DSO in 2010 to join Further (Bob Weir and Phil Lesh’s new band, can you blame him?). That left some big shoes to fill, but Mattson is an impressive and experienced addition. The show also included both drummers, Dino English and Rob Koritz, who played together with ease, and rocked out “Drums>Space”. The band showcased their own styles during Space, combining modern electronic elements with the Grateful Dead’s more acoustic sound.

The band ended the show with “Not Fade Away,” walking off stage with the crowd clapping and singing, “love is love and not fade away...” until they returned for an encore. They rounded out the evening with One More Saturday Night, and then were joined on stage by singer Lisa Mackey for a cover of Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London”.

Set One: Hell In A Bucket>Sugaree; New Minglewood Bloes; Jack-A-Roe; Black Throated Wind; Ramble on Rose; When I Paint My Masterpiece; Bird Song>The Promise Land

Set Two: China Cat Sunflower> I Know You Rider; Saint of Cirsumstance>Crazy Fingers>Playing In The Band>Drums>Space>Playing Reprise>Stella Blue>Throwing Stones>Not Fade Away

Encore: One More Saturday Night

Filler: Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon)

If there is anyone who can do the Grateful Dead justice, it’s Dark Star Orchestra. They are currently spreading the love of the Dead, in the midst of a massive nationwide tour. You can also catch the band at Wakarusa, where they will be play a special 3-hour set.

The Werks Double Their Crowd at The Newport

The Werks are hoping 2011 is going to be their break out year, and if their show at The Newport Music Hall last Saturday is any indication, they’re probably right. The Werks, co-headlining with Columbus staple Mike Perkins, brought nearly twice as many jam-hungry fans into the show as the last time they played The Newport less than six months ago.

The show kicked off early with openers Shank Bone, of Columbus, taking the stage around 8:30. They were a great act to compliment The Werks with shredding guitar, funky organ sounds and just the right amount of improvisation.

Mike Perkins played from 10 until midnight, alongside a bassist Johnny Z and saxophone player Jerry DePizzo of O.A.R. The acoustic singer/songwriter is reminiscent of Keller Williams or Dave Matthews and has been playing in Columbus for years. It was a little bit too mellow for a two-hour set but the crowd dug it, dropping into a mellow groove and dancing along.

The Werks finally took the stage at midnight to play until curfew at 2 am. Having seen The Werks many, many times before this its safe to say they brought it hard, playing their best show that central Ohio has seen. The crowd was going wild; senses overloaded with the incredibly loud P.A. and the band’s amazing light set up.

The band played songs off of their first two albums, “Synapse” and “Dig it”, as well as some new tunes we can anticipate on the studio album they’re currently working on. Each member of the band is so talented, which makes their show so fun to watch. Its easy to find yourself staring, jaw-dropped at guitarist Chris Houser as he shreds through the most incredible solos like it’s nothing. All members of the band sing, too, including drummer Rob Chafin who is best described as an animal. One signature of their shows is a five-minute drum solo during which the rest of the band walks off stage, highlighting the intensity and rhythmic talents of Chafin. Bassist Chuckie Love may seem quiet when you meet him but with a bass in his hands he’s a funky slapping machine. Keyboardist Norman Dimitrouleas, on the other hand, is described by the band as having an “explosive personality” and his playing isn’t any less exciting.

The show wrapped up just before 2 with the band coming back on stage for an encore. Overall, the show was representative of the band’s position right now; full of excitement, anticipation, and awesome jams. Here’s to 2011, boys.

Written by Meghan Bender

(Below is a great video of The Werks performing at Newport Music Hall from last year. Photo borrowed from http://www.theuntz.com/TheWerks)

Columbus Shows Love for Girl Talk

The sounds of Missy Elliott, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Lennon, Biggie Smalls, and hundreds more were blasting out of the speakers to a sold out crowd at The LC in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday. After selling out two nights in a row at the Newport in January of 2008, mash-up master Gregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, returned to Columbus for the second night of his 3-month tour promoting his new album All Day.

The crowd, many sporting official shirts that said "I AM NOT A DJ", packed into the 2,200-capacity venue to get their dancing fix and hear what Gillis would with do their favorite pop songs. A lot of the appeal of Girl Talk is that he, as a mash-up artist, doesn't use samples and beats but rather pieces together his hits from parts of songs fans already know.

For his follow-up to 2008's Feed The Animals, Gillis created a 73-minute long track containing hundreds of different songs. Though the album is split into tracks, its meant to be listened to straight through. For a breakdown of the tracks used on the album check out "All Day: Visualized".

He opened up with the tracks from the first song on the album, "Oh No", but throughout his 90 minute set he ventured outside of the formulas he used on All Day. After going to the show with some skepticism, it was good to see GT venture outside of the tracks he had already produced.



As far as the aesthetics and stage performance, GT seemed to be taking a page straight out of The Flaming Lips' book. During the first song fans rushed out from backstage and danced on either side of Gillis's equipment the whole show. There were confetti blasters, balloons, toilet paper, and behind the stage, a massive screen. At some points during the show Gillis would pick up a video camera and show individuals and the crowd on the visualizer with special effects. It wasn't the most original formula for spicing up the show but it definitely beat watching a dude on a laptop for an hour and a half (though he brings a lot of energy to it...).

GT wrapped up the show with an awesome Bombs Over Baghdad/Pony/Walk It Out/Pop Bottles > John Lennon's Imagine and scrolled "Get Tired THIS IS YOUR NIGHT" across the screen. After an hour and a half of non-stop dancing, the crowd abided and swayed back and forth as Girl Talk wrapped up his set.

After selling out his third show here in a row, its easy to say that Columbus loves Girl Talk and anything but a great time would be hard to expect out of his show. If Gillis had any doubts when he quit his day job as an engineer to become Girl Talk full time, his appearances in Columbus should serve as evidence that he made the right move.



-Meghan Bender

Finding New Music and Building Your Library

Finding new music is a challenge. Not because there isn’t enough of it; quite the contrary. There are so many new artists and even genres that it would take years to listen to all of the noteworthy tunes that have come out in 2010.

Most people rely on their friends for suggestions or mix CDs, but for the true music explorer who ventures out on his own to find the most prime under the radar cuts, it’s not that easy. What if you want to be the one recommending your musical finds to friends?

The first barrier to finding new music is filtering it down. This takes some time, but it could save you albums-worth of time listening to garbage. Read reviews- try JamBase, OurVinyl, and even Amazon. By reading reviews ahead of time you can prevent making a quick judgement after listening to a band’s “fluke” album . Listen to Pandora Radio or last.FM, check out iTunes Genius, and build a playlist on Grooveshark or 8Tracks. Download full live shows on Archive.org (I recommend Papadosio’s SpringFest set)

If you’re a “pirate”, musical booty comes cheap. Torrents, MegaUpload, and Limewire have exposed many people to artists that they may have never heard if there was a price on it. But to those who think of the artist and prefer the honest route, finding new tunes costs money. All is not lost though.

Music lovers can find exclusive content for free from an unexpected source. iTunes Podcasts are a hidden treasure. Artists from Bassnectar to Umphrey’s McGee to STS9, Blue Man Group, Wilco, Bob Dylan, and Jack Johnson (to name a few) all have their own podcasts. And the typical price? Free. Many artists also release exclusive free content on their websites. Sub Swara, Umphrey’s, and Phish send mixtapes and free live recordings to those on their mailing lists.

Between online radio and free downloads, musical adventurers can build up a long repetoire of no-cost tunes. And if that isn’t enough, there’s one more (possibly illegal) trick to getting that song out of your head and onto your laptop- Listen to YouTube. The site converts Youtube videos into audio .mp3 files so you can listen to them like normal tracks and without accessing YouTube or the web.

With the tools above, you’ll be impressing your friends and building your library in no time.

My Personal Faves of 2010

To close out the year, I decided to narrow down my favorite albums of 2010; here are the top three.

3. All Day, Girl Talk
Girl Talk’s All Day is the perfect everything album. It’s great for parties, in the car, at the gym, or in the shower. Even if you’re more sedentary, Girl Talk’s third album will get your endorphins flowing no matter what musical background you’re from. Split into 12 tracks, the album was actually released for free as one seamless 71-minute MP3 file, and each track flows directly into the next. The hour plus mash up features samples from everyone from Bone Thugs to Bush to George Clinton to Nicki Minaj to the Grateful Dead. A full list of the songs sampled is available here, on the label’s website.

With the variety of artists sampled on All Day, if you like music, you’re bound to find at least a few tracks that get you out of your seat. While it’s not spectacularly different from Gregg Gillis’s (his actual name) style on Feed the Animals or Night Ripper, the wide variety of his samples and his unmatched skill in mashing them up into the perfect combinations are what make All Day one of my favorite albums of 2010.





2. Odd Blood, Yeasayer
Yeasayer has come a long way since All Hour Cymbals, and though it’s in a pop-ier direction, it worked for the Avett Brothers and Black Keys, so why not? Yeasayer brings their experimental, ambient psych rock influences to the table without coming off as pretentious indie rock, as has been said of their debut album. The threesome, which describe their music as "Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel", is defined by Chris Keating’s falsetto vocals, orchestral synth lines, and attention to detail.

Odd Blood is a great straight-through listen, and one that I’ve found, will continue to grow on you. Favorites include “I Remember,” a slower, “not-your-typical” love song driven by drums and “Mondegren,” a spooky, quick tempo jam with a great horn cameo.





1. Plastic Beach, The Gorillaz
Nothing held my attention all year like The Gorillaz‘s innovative, collaborative, absolutely wonderful Plastic Beach. If you didn’t know who Damon Albarn is before this year, you should now. The Plastic Beach tour marked The Gorillaz’s first performances in front of the screen, and for many fans, the realization that The Gorillaz is actually the brainchild of one man, Albarn.

On Plastic Beach he did it all; he nailed the concept album without coming off as preachy, over half of the tracks were well-executed collaborations, and each song had hit potential. Every song is so catchy it’s hard to pick favorites, but definite stand-outs include Stylo (with Mos Def), Empire Ants (with Little Dragon), Superfast Jellyfish and the title track, Plastic Beach. Albarn’s synthesized orchestra lacks no depth and vocals from Bobby Womack and Little Dragon really seal the deal. Albarn is planning to release an album for free on Christmas Day 2010 titled “The Fall” that was made on his iPad while touring this past autumn. If it takes off, its potential to influence how music is produced will only reinforce the genius of Damon Albarn.

BEP’s “The Beginning” Misses Its Mark

The Black Eyed Peas were going for a hip European-style dance album to follow up 2009’s smash The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies). Unfortunately, what they wound up with is a 15-track argument for why the Peas should go back to their roots in pop and hip-hop.

The first single, “The Time (Dirty Bit)” has a catchy dub step style melody behind the verses but the lyrics are repetitive and uninspired (“I was born to get wild/that’s my style/if you didn’t know that/well baby then you know now”). And the worst part, the chorus is a sample from an already overplayed song, “The Time of My Life” from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Will.I.Am’s lyrics are all auto-tuned, but Fergie’s voice is refreshingly real, one bright spot on the track.

Other singles include “Light Up the Night”, reminiscent of a broken jock jams record, and “Do It Like This”, another drum/synth club jam but featuring Fergie as an early Gwen Stefani. Fergie also emulates another female rock idol on “Fashion Beats”- Blondie’s Debbie Harry, circa Rapture. “Fashion Beats” is one of the best-produced songs on the album; Will.I.Am’s lyrics are still weak but the music sounds just like Daft Punk.

Overall, the whole album lacks depth. The majority of the songs only use a synth/drum combo and the lyrics are weak. Don’t be intimidated by Will.I.Am’s empty threat, “kill you with my lyricals, call me verbal criminal”; he’s no Talib, or even Drake. The album will make your head bob- it was definitely made for the clubs, but not to be listened to straight through or thought about.

The Beginning was released November 26th, 2010, ending its first week at #6 with sales of 119,000. That’s not as well as 2009’s The E.N.D., which debuted at #1 with 304,000 copies sold in its first week. It’s doubtful that The Beginning will reach the same success as its predecessor, which has sold over 11 million copies, but maybe the loyalty of the Peas’ fans (including Oprah who included the album on her “Favorite Things 2010”) will make it happen.