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a quad-shot of espresso [in music news format]

14th Feb 09 (Sat) Leave a comment

Four shots of espresso…

  • Dream Theater will have a new album out in the Summer.  My guess is that it’ll have long songs, some rockin’, some ballads, and it’ll mostly be enjoyable when there is no singing involved.  No title for the album yet.  My guess would be that it’ll be named after some obscure latin verb conjugated in a clever way, or some multi-syllabic extinct bird and/or fish.  They’ll be kicking off the Progressive Nation 2009 Tour.  Dates are not out yet, but I hope they swing through Portland, OR (or at a minimum, Seattle).  And… and… and…
  • Zappa Plays Zappa will be on the bill for that tour.  So will Pain of Salvation and Beard Fish, but that’s totally not as cool as Zappa Plays Zappa and Dream Theater in one night.  Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater drummer) is a huge Frank Zappa fan; so I bet it’s a dream come true for him as well… I’m more stoked for ZPZ than DT.  Eh, sue me.
  • Iron & Wine is releasing a b-sides / rarities double-disc set called Around the Well (May 19, Sub Pop), and he’s also heading out on an all-request tour.  Check out the tracklist for the double-disc as well as the tour dates over at Pitchfork (link).
  • U2 will essentially take over as house band on the David Letterman Show with five days in a row performances the week of March 2nd in support of their upcoming album, No Line on the Horizon.

Half and half…

(image by burntwoodstudio.com)

  • Maynard James Keenan and his Puscifer project’s three nights of shows at the Palms in Las Vegas is underway now.  Feb 13, 14, 15… anyone go?  Got a good review?  I’m totally jealous.

The “don’t burn your hands” sleeve that goes around the cup…

  • Björk is re-issuing the underwhelming Volta in a special 4-disc edition that I may actually spring for (i.e.- I never bought Volta, but this version looks great).  It’s called Voltaic, and it’s the Volta CD (billed as “Songs From The Volta Tour Performed Live At Olympic Studios”), a CD of the official remixes, a live DVD from Paris & Reykjavik, and a DVD of the Volta videos.  Quite frankly, the DVD of the videos is what piqued my interest (see gif to the right).

Hmmm… now I’m craving a venti americano with room for cream.

~Dan – np: Wynton MarsalisFrom Plantation to the Penitentiary

Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy – Spirit Moves

13th Feb 09 (Fri) 1 comment

This from the latest Greenleaf Music email from trumpeter Dave Douglas

My new recording with Brass Ecstasy, to be titled Spirit Moves, is to be released in the coming months. It’s a thrill to be playing alongside these great brass players: Luis Bonilla, Vincent Chancey, and Marcus Rojas. And the great drummer Nasheet Waits. This is kind of a new deal for me and I’m psyched to get out there and play some dates with the band.

Yay… Dave Douglas’ last studio album, Keystone’s Moonshine, was one of my favorite CDs of 2007 (by far).  And his instant live series in 2006 & 2008 were awesomely jam-packed with great music (21+ hours in total, 11+ hours of non-repeating music among the two years).  So, new music from this trumpeter / bandleader is a-OK with me.  I get to see him next month play with the SFJazz Collective; so it’ll be nice to get that Dave Douglas live fix satiated in 2009. :)

http://www.davedouglas.com/
http://www.greenleafmusic.com/

~Dan – np: That1Guy – Let’s Hear That1Guy

REVIEW: That1Guy @ WOW Hall (Eugene, OR – – 2/11/09)

12th Feb 09 (Thu) 2 comments

FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM

 Well, this was my 5th time seeing That1Guy and the Magic Pipe.  He is a truly mesmerizing performer… the inclusion of the Magic Saw and Magic Boot are also great, but the true show is seeing Mr. 1Guy put a crazy go nuts university seminar on the Magic Pipe.

The opener was Seattle’s Flowmotion.  I only caught their last 3-4 songs, but I liked them.  Kinda of a more rock style jam band.  The best part for me was their drummer and drummer/ percussionist combo.  Two of the 3-4 songs I saw had some cool extended dual drum solos.

T1G came on right around 9:30.  He seemed to play a very similar setlist to the time I saw him a year and a half ago at John Henry’s, but much more energetic… having a pretty packed house at a bigger venue on a Wednesday definitely didn’t hurt the energy. :)

Setlist:

  • Forgotten Whales leading into Instrumental Intro Jam
  • Jigsaw
  • Weasel Potpie leading into Instrumental Jam
  • the one with “heaven or heck” in the lyrics
  • Dig (with the magic boot)
  • Buttmachine (extended)
  • Instrumental Jam
  • Bananas
  • Somewhere Over the Rainbow(with the magic saw)
  • One(with card tricks)
  • Jam Session with Flowmotion drummers (T1G’s credit card jam)

Great show… I left at about the 90 minute point (it’s been a long week for me so far).  If I had to wager a guess, I bet he played “Mash” and/or “The Moon is Disgusting” and/or “Birds” as encores… but that’s only a guess.

the magic pipe

And now for some news from That1Guy…

He’s re-issued his first album… the one before Songs in the Key of Beotch called Let’s Hear That1Guy (click pic to find out more):

New animated video for “Mash” made by some ausome aussies at Silo:6

Oh, and T1G’s “Buttmachine” is the new Rick Rolltry it on your friends. *cough*

The Appropriate Linkage:

~Dan – np: The BeatlesThe Beatles

THAT1GUY PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2009 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution

(click for larger)

anyway the wind blows is fine with me

6th Feb 09 (Fri) 14 comments

Anyway the wind blows
it don’t matter to me

A continuation from this post 6+ months ago… Lagunitas Brewery’s Frank Zappa beer #5… is in my hands (but not quite my mouf yet)…

Behold, the Cruisin’ with Ruben and the Jets Ale*… a tribute to the 40 year anniv of the album of the same name.  It’s probably my least favorite Zappa album, but Hot Rats followed shortly (and that one is superb).  *– as noted in the Brewed for Thought blog about this beer, he had this as a chocolate pepper stout.  My version is an ale.  I’m disappointed as the chocolate pepper stouts sounds fantastic, but I think I’ll live.

Update: it is a Chocolate Pepper Stout… I wonder why the label says “ale” in several places and “stout” is nowhere to be found.

Picture provided by Brewed for Thought, as I’m lazy and it’s busy season for me at work:

I’m looking forward to enjoying this on the weekend…

FZ beer 1 was Freak Out! Ale
FZ beer 2 was Kill Ugly Radio Ale (aka for the album Absolutely Free)
FZ beer 3 was Lumpy Gravy Ale
FZ beer 4 was We’re Only In It for the Money Triple Ale

FZ beer #6 should be Uncle Meat, by my count… we shall see.

~Dan – np: Joey BaronWe’ll Soon Find Out

SC3 @ the Great American Music Hall

3rd Feb 09 (Tue) Leave a comment

Well, I was proven wrong for my naysaying only a week later, the Secret Chiefs 3 have followed up on their promise, and the live DVD is officially set and ready to go.   This was posted to the Web of Mimicry store on Friday:

Live at the Great American Music Hall captures Secret Chiefs 3 in concert with what many consider to be the best of their many line-ups in 14 years of playing.

Shot in 2007 at one of the band’s favorite haunts, in San Francisco, this DVD does justice to a group whose live energy usually exceeds the recorded medium. Renowned for their ultra-elaborate CD productions, Secret Chiefs 3 has also garnered a reputation for the power and immediacy of their live shows. Their fanbase has swelled in recent years and grown accustomed to this live incarnation (the Secret Chiefs 3 bootleg scene is thriving), and they demand an official release! Not just some audience-hand-cam and stereo-mic-job thing, this DVD boasts a pro six-camera shoot with live sound mixed by Billy Anderson, with the multi-channel outs mixed for DVD by Trey Spruance and Randall Dunn (producer of Earth, SUNN O))), Kinski, Wolves in the Throne Room, etc). And it comes with a really nice six-panel gatefold digi-pack with original artwork. At the show, Secret Chiefs 3 performs a set of both familiar and as-yet-unreleased music. The line-up includes Ches Smith (Xiu Xiu, Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog), Shahzad Ismaili (who also plays with Graham Haynes, Laurie Anderson, and Tom Waits), Timb Harris (Estradasphere), Rich Doucette, Peijman Kouretchian, and Jai Young Kim.

Live at the Great American Music Hall DVD also includes an award-winning and seriously dimensionally altered 80-minute stop-motion animation feature film directed by Tawd Dorenfeld that uses Secret Chiefs 3’s live show as a soundtrack.

It’s a pre-order for a March 3rd release.  Mine’s on order… yay…

Oh, and a side note… the Fol Chen CD out on Asthmatic Kitty (entitled Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune’s Made) is really really fun and rad.  It’s poppy-electronic-indie rock goodness.  Quirky, yet melodic.  Totally a gem in 2009, if you ask me.

John Shade, Your Fortune's Made

~Dan – np: Jamie SaftBlack Shabbis

Change I can get behind…

31st Jan 09 (Sat) 3 comments

The new 2009 quarter representing the District of Columbia has jazz great / composing legend Duke Ellington featured on it… this is change I can get behind:

I haven’t paid attention.  Of the state quarters, do any of them have people outside of presidents?  Looking here, it looks like the Duke Ellington quarter is the one with a person the most prominently featured (outside of the Helen Keller one for Alabama).  Anyway, it’s great to see a jazz great on our currency.  Jazz is one of the most truly American creations.

Oh, and unrelated, anyone go to the Album Leaf show last night in Portland at Rotture?  Was it good?  I wasn’t able to go, but I’m hoping Jimmy LaValle swings through again soon…

~Dan – np: Cyro BaptistaLove the Donkey

Flight of the Conchords Tour 2009

30th Jan 09 (Fri) Leave a comment

Flight of the Conchords tour dates:
4/6, Tampa, FL, (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center)@
4/7, Coral Gables, FL (University of Miami BankUnited Center)@
4/8, Orlando, FL (UCF Arena)@
4/10, Nashville, TN (Ryman Auditorium)@
4/11, Atlanta, GA (Fox Theatre)@
4/13, Washington, D.C. (Constitution Hall)@
4/14, New York, NY (Radio City Music Hall)@
4/17, Boston, MA (Agganis Arena)@
4/18, Philadelphia, PA (Tower Theatre) (two shows)@
4/19, Kent, OH (Kent State University)@
4/21-22, Toronto, ON (Massey Hall)#
4/24, Detroit, MI (Fox Theatre)#
4/25, Bloomington, IN (IU Auditorium)#
4/26, Madison, WI (Overture Center for the Arts)#
4/28, Chicago, IL (Aerie Crown)#
4/30, St. Louis, MO (Fox Theatre)#
5/2, Milwaukee, WI (Riverside Theatre / 2 shows)#
5/3, Minneapolis, MN (Northrop Auditorium#
5/5, Dallas, TX (Nokia Theatre)#
5/6, Houston, TX (Jones Hall)#
5/7, Austin, TX (Bass Concert Hall)#
5/10, Vancouver, BC (Center in Vancouver for the Performing Arts)$
5/11-12, Seattle, WA (Paramount Theatre)$
5/14, Portland, OR, (Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall)$  (hell yeah!)
5/16, Denver, CO (Red Rocks Amphitheatre)%
5/17, Salt Lake City, UT (Abravanel Hall)$
5/19, Phoenix, AZ (Dodge Theatre)$
5/20, San Diego, CA (RIMAC Arena)$
5/22, Santa Barbara, CA (County Bowl)$
5/23, Las Vegas, NV (The Joint)$
5/24, Los Angeles, CA (Greek Theatre)$
5/25, Berkeley, CA (Berkeley Community Theatre / 2 shows)$
(@ w/Kristen Schaal)
(# w/Eugene Mirman)
($ w/Arj Barker)
(% w/Iron & Wine and Arj Barker)

Jacob FREE Jazz Odyssey

30th Jan 09 (Fri) Leave a comment

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey have released their new studio album, Winterwood, for FREE.  Go here… http://www.jfjo.com/info.php?i=3160

They’re also embarking on a tour which (of course) swings through Eugene when I’ll be out of town.  So, three times through Eugene in 10 months… first time the same time as an in-town Ani DiFranco gig, second time when it was a ticketed show behind a ticketed festival (grumble), and third time when I’ll be 100 miles away for work.  Sigh.  At least they’ve proven that they’ve got love for Eugene… and I’m sure I’ll get to see them… eventually.

Anyway, here are their tour dates (as of 1/29/09):

01/29/09 :: George’s Majestic Lounge – Fayetteville, AR
01/30/09 :: Jardine’s – Kansas City, MO
01/31/09 :: Mojo’s – Columbia, MO
02/10/09 :: Winston’s – San Diego, CA
02/11/09 :: Largo – Los Angeles, CA
02/12/09 :: Yoshi’s – Oakland, CA
02/13/09 :: HopMonk Tavern – sebastopol, CA
02/14/09 :: New World Ballet Co. – Arcata, CA
02/18/09 :: Indigo – Eugene, OR
02/20/09 :: Eastside Club – Olympia, WA
02/21/09 :: Goodfoot Lounge – Portland, OR
02/22/09 :: Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
02/25/09 :: Hodi’s Half Note – Fort Collins, CO
02/27/09 :: The B-Side Lounge – Boulder, CO
02/28/09 :: Owsley’s Golden Road – Denver, CO
03/28/09 :: The Parish Room – Austin, TX

And I’m glad I’ll at least be spinning their new album for free in a bit.

~Dan – np: The Bad PlusThese Are the Vistas

Her Morning Elegance

29th Jan 09 (Thu) Leave a comment

So, thanks to Barry for pointing this video my way…

I’d never heard of musician/director Oren Lavie or directors Yuval & Merav Nathan before.  This video for Oren’s song “Her Morning Elegance” reminds me of something Michel Gondry* would do (“in camera” special effects)…

Enjoy!

*Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep, Be Kind Rewind, several Bjork / Radiohead / White Stripes videos, et cetera…

~Dan – np: The Bad PlusThese Are the Vistas

Harmony Korine

28th Jan 09 (Wed) Leave a comment

Harmony Korine” will be the first single off of Steven Wilson‘s Insurgentes album.  It is being released on 7″ vinyl only with a non-LP b-side “The 78.”  It is available on black, white, and blood red (in limited quantities) via KScope.

Also reported on SWHQ.co.uk, over the next few weeks they’ll unveiling the Lasse Hoile video for “Harmony Korine,” downloadable remixes, and a remix competition.

~Dan – np: Marie McAuliffe’s Ark Sextet plays the music of Burt Bacharach

Happy Year of the Ox!

26th Jan 09 (Mon) Leave a comment

Happy Year of the Ox!

Here’s a string-quartet version of Sufjan Stevens‘ “Year of the Ox,” which originally appeared on his (brilliant) electronic album, Enjoy Your Rabbit!  The string quartet version was arranged and played by the Osso Quartet, based in NYC.

The performance above is from Osso’s 2007 appearance at Cincinnati’s MusicNow Festival (click here for my review).  Check out Sufjan’s Enjoy Your Rabbit, too…

~Dan – np: Steve LacyNew Jazz Meeting : Baden-Baden 2002

Isis, Geo 100, and a Secret DVD

24th Jan 09 (Sat) Leave a comment

A trio of music news about Isis, George Hrab, and the Secret Chiefs 3…

As foretold in Pitchfork, post-metal band Isis is due out with their follow-up to the amazingly great In the Absence of Truth (2006) on May 5th on Ipecac Recordings.  The release is April 21 for the special edition vinyl.  Wavering Point is their 5th full-length album, and it features TOOL guitarist Adam Jones on a coupe of songs.  The blurb in Pitchfork cracked me up…

And this is just a wild guess, but I’m thinking most of the songs will start out really quiet and pretty and they they’ll get epically loud and crunchy and they’ll last for about eight minutes. Call me crazy.

…because it’s true.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

George Hrab‘s Geologic Podcast (i.e.- the best free thing on the internets) just turned 100.  With one every week (give or take), that’s roughly 2 solid years of putting out an almost album’s worth of comedy and musical goodness every stinkin’ week!?  Check him out:

http://geologicpodcast.com/
http://geologicrecords.com/

Oh, and he’s working on album #6… which is oh so nice

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And according to the prophecies and the motto of “screen shot or it didn’t happen,” I present you with this gem of “based on their track record, it probably won’t actually come out on time“… the Secret Chiefs 3 have a live DVD coming out in “March” on Web of Mimicry:

sc3dvd

We shall see…

~Dan – np: Baby AnimalsShaved and Dangerous

Puscifer Command Central

23rd Jan 09 (Fri) Leave a comment

Maynard James Keenan (aka Major Douche) held a press conference about the upcoming Feb 13-15th Puscifer shows at The Palms Casino in Las Vegas:

Oh, how I wish I could go to Vegas in a few weeks… like, not as much as I wish I were in San Francisco for the Week of Masada in March, but pretty damn close.  Pretty… damn…. close…

~Dan – np: AudioslaveOut of Exile

Shark Remixes & Holy F’s Mia Remix

22nd Jan 09 (Thu) Leave a comment

Last fall, Asthmatic Kitty released My Brightest Diamond‘s Shark Remixes Volume 1 (by Alfred Brown).  It is a great remix EP… yet, the initial press release said something about a Vol 2 in Nov and Vol 3 in Dec.  Well, our Thanksgiving gift has now arrived…

Shark Remixes, Volume 2 is done by Son Lux.  It’s only $1.99 on iTunes for four songs… you can try out two of the tracks for free over at Asthmatic Kitty’s website (right click links below, “Save As”):

Our Christmas gift (i.e.- Volume 3)… well, maybe March?  Whenever it comes out, I’m sure it’ll be great…

EDIT / UPDATE (1/28/09): a 4th volume was just announced, and the four EPs are slated for a hardcopy release in the spring/summer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And, in true blog fashion, as I’m writing one up I stumble on some other good news…

Canadian live electronic / post rock band of awesomeness, Holy Fuck, have done a remix of Mia‘s “Paper Planes.”  You can get a copy of the track over on Nialler9’s blog.

~Dan – np: AsvAFuturists Against the Ocean

U2 and Radiohead

19th Jan 09 (Mon) Leave a comment

Not that these bands are lacking of free advertising… but here’s some good news that came out this past week. U2‘s upcoming No Line on the Horizon (due out in March) now has a cover and tracklist…

1. No Line on the Horizon
2. Magnificent
3. Moment of Surrender
4. Unknown Caller
5. I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight
6. Get On Your Boots (streaming at u2.com or on YouTube)
7. Stand Up Comedy
8. Fez – Being Born
9. White as Snow
10. Breathe
11. Cedars of Lebanon

The Amazons also has No Line on the Horizon for pre-order now.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

meets

Radiohead‘s guitarist anti-rockstar Jonny Greenwood is recently collaborated with Israeli singer Dudu Tasa on the new single, “What a Day“.  The song is streaming over HERE (browser warning: IE only).  It’s good, but not like Jonny’s usual fare (i.e. – it’s not like the more experimental Bodysong or There Will Be Blood).

Also in recent directly Radiohead news… EMI/Capitol is re-issuing triple-disc versions (2CD+DVD) of the band’s first three albums (Pablo Honey, The Bends, and OK Computer).  There are no previously unreleased tracks on any of these issues, but it will be a more cohesive place for all of the b-sides rather than the glut of import singles and EPs that the band released as “tweeners.”  They’re due out in late March.

The original singles up through those on Amnesiac are also being repressed in 180 gram 12″ vinyl.  The one for the Drill EP was the one I sprung for… I’d only heard it before in crappy mp3.  It’ll be nice in the analog, backwards technology re-issuance.  They’re due out in late April.

~Dan – np: AntibalasWho is this America?

REVIEW: Jeremy Pelt Quintet @ the Shedd (Eugene, OR – – 1/16/09)

17th Jan 09 (Sat) Leave a comment

FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM

Brilliant show last night at the John G. Shedd Institute… I literally walked in at 7:30pm, just as the Shedd was announcing the Jeremy Pelt Quintet to come out and play.  Whew… barely made it.  Jeremy Pelt and crew came out and played 7 pieces over 90 straight minutes with very few breaks to talk between the songs.

(click for larger)

I’d never seen Jeremy Pelt before, but I had gotten into him via Ken Laster’s great In the Groove and Beyond podcast a couple of years ago.  The band was Jeremy Pelt (bandleader, trumpet), JD Allen (tenor saxophone), Danny Grissett (piano), Dwayne Burno (bass), and Gerald Cleaver (drums).  They were hot… most of the songs were definitely extended jams over what’s put down on their latest record, November, which I picked up at the show.

Set list: (as called from the stage)

  • Avatar
  • Clairvoyant
  • Phoenix
  • Nephthys (based on the Egyptian goddess, not the Egpytian online movie rental store Netflix…)
  • Shirley Horn’s You Won’t Forget Me (dedicated to the recently passed trumpet great Freddie Hubbard)
  • (JPQ pianist) Danny Grissett’s Untitled
  • 466-64 (based on JP’s visit to Nelson Mandela’s jail cell)

Great show.  The hour and a half passed by too quickly.  Apparently Jeremy Pelt comes through Eugene often (every year or so); so I’m looking forward to seeing him again in the future.  He’ll be at the Shedd again in early March 2009 for the multi-day Jazz Fest / Party, but I don’t think I can make it.

The appropriate links:

Next show… Skerik’s McTuff at Sam Bond’s on Thursday.  I’m there if I’m not beaten down by busy season work…

~Dan – np: Jeremy PeltNovember

JEREMY PELT QUINTET PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2009 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution

(click for larger)

fright of the conchords

13th Jan 09 (Tue) 7 comments

There’s no reason to be afraid of New Zealand’s 4th most popular comedy folk duo.  They’re mostly harmless, and they’re back for both a 2nd season on HBO (or eventually on DVD for those non-HBO subscribers like me) and a second album as well. 

The Flight of the Conchords… looking… longingly and forlorn…?

As reported in SPIN, the kiwis are releasing their 2nd CD this coming April on Sub Pop Records (April 14th to be exact).  Australian singer (and Zero 7 collaborator) Sia guests on a track.  Also, if you pre-order the album from Sub Pop, you get the singles right after they air on the TV show (as well as some songs not on the TV show).

~Dan – np: Criss AngelSystem 2 in the Trilogy

PS- the new 3rd -gen Prius looks freakin’ rad…

Nellie McKay in China (old but new) & 5th Zappa beer (soon)

12th Jan 09 (Mon) 6 comments

There are some new-old (or old-new?) Nellie McKay songs on iTunes.  Four songs from the never released Live from the Great Wall of China concert that Nellie was involved in back in Sept 2004…

(photo by eatsdirt)

Songs: Dog Song, Manhattan Avenue, I Wanna Get Married, Really

Each song is its “own album” for $0.99.  Odd iTunes categorization, but great performances by Nellie.  Alicia Keys, Boyz II Men, and Cyndi Lauper also performed at the original concert (wacky line-up indeed).  Only Boyz II Men have songs up on iTunes outside of Nellie (as of now).  There is video footage of this concert that was intended for a DVD release a while ago, but as far as I know it never got released due to issues with the Chinese government.

No, I made that up.  It is Bruce Jenner’s fault, not the Chinese government’s fault.  Or maybe Bruce Banner?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Unrelated… the 5th Frank Zappa beer made by Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA) will be a Cruisin’ with Ruben & the Jets ale.  Meh, it’s one of my least favorite FZ albums… but I’m a beer drinker and a Frank Zappa collector.

Someone is selling one on eBay now… my local beer shop (the Bier Stein, Eugene Oregon) doesn’t have it yet, but expects it soon.

Ya Hozna!

~Dan – np: Tori AmosThe Beekeeper

REVIEW: Zappa Plays Zappa @ the Hawthorne Theater (Portland, OR – – 1/2/09)

3rd Jan 09 (Sat) 4 comments

Boo… no concert photos this time around… they wouldn’t allow cameras into the venue at all. :(

(Dweezil = rock)

This was my 3rd time seeing the Zappa Plays Zappa tour (aka Tour de Frank)… each one being different (set lists, lineup, promotions).  This time was at Portland’s Hawthorne Theater as the “You Can’t Fit On Stage Anymore” variation of the tour.  The venue had a small capacity (~300), you get a download code at the venue to get the entire recorded show after they mix it down (about a month?), you have a chance to win a free Hagstrom guitar (at each show), and you get to help choose the set list for the night.  Of the 68 available tunes in the ZPZ band’s repertoire, here were my selections: Broken Hearts Are For Assholes, Inca Roads, Montana, Peaches En Regalia, and Sofa. They played two of my choices. I was really hoping for “Montana,” though.  Eh, choosers shouldn’t be beggars.

Dweezil came out first and talked about the download code and how it wouldn’t quite be ready within 8 days, but that it’d be worth the wait.  I’m sure it will, as it’s gonna be 3 CDs of professionally recorded audio for “free.”  Free in that it’s part of the pricey ticket.  But, it’s not like I have to pay for it again, eh? :)

The band was very similar (if not the same) as when I saw the 2007 tour at Moonlite Gardens in Cincinnati, OH.  Different set list, of course.  They had a few technical difficulties during the show, but veryveryvery minor, and they rolled with the punches very well.  Outside of Ray White, they were all pretty much playing for the entire show, and even Ray only had a few breaks when he wasn’t needed to sing.

The ZPZ Band this time around is:

  • Dweezil Zappa: Guitar
  • Aaron Arntz: Keyboards
  • Scheila Gonzalez: Saxophone, Flute, Keyboards & Vocals
  • Pete Griffin: Bass
  • Billy Hulting: Marimba, Mallets & Percussion
  • Jamie Kime: Guitar
  • Joe Travers: Drums & Vocals
  • SPECIAL GUESTRay White: Guitar & Vocals

(Ray White is the pimp)

Setlist: (any help in filling in the blanks is appreciated)

  • Peaches En Regalia (a fave of the set)
  • City of Tiny Lights
  • Inca Roads (a fave of the set)
  • I’m Not Satisfied
  • Pygmy Twylyte
  • Idiot Bastard Son
  • Cheepnis (partial) then back to Inca Roads (??)
  • Hagstrom Guitar Giveaway Jam (I didn’t win… boo…)
  • Chunga’s Revenge with solos
  • Billy the Mountain (28 minutes) (a fave of the set)
  • Andy
  • Dirty Love (a fave of the set)
  • Uncle Remus
  • Willie the Pimp (a fave of the set)
  • Wind Up Workin’ in a Gas Station
  • San Ber’dino
  • Yo Mama
  • Black Napkins
  • Encore: ____________ (missing name, more guitar solos)
  • Muffin Man (a fave of the set)

All in all… fantastic show… 2 hours and 40+ minutes of amazing musicianship… the only things to make it better?  My own pictures perhaps… oh, and winning the guitar would have been nice. :)

I hope they come around again in the fall… I’ve seen all three of the ZPZ tours.  And this was technically the “2008” tour, even though it was in 2009 (obviously).  Seeing as I wasn’t into Frank’s music before he died, this is the next best damn thing.  Thanks, Dweezil and Co.!

The Appropriate Linkage:

~Dan – np: Ryan AdcockFinished -LP-

New in 2009

31st Dec 08 (Wed) Leave a comment

What I’m looking forward to in 2009?

The 3rd O.S.I. record, the next dredg record, Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane, a new Fantômas, the debut of Crudo (Dan the Automator & Mike Patton), more John Zorn including Masada Book Two releases (one with Dave Douglas & Uri Caine), the new U2 record in March, Medeski Martin & Wood‘s Radiolarians 2 & 3,  another Nellie McKay, Steven Wilson‘s cover version VI, Porcupine Tree in September, new Tegan & Sara (they’ve got 40 songs ready), Galactic Cowboys guitarist Wally Farkas‘ solo debut, The Zappa Family Trust’s Lumpy Money, solo albums by Jurassic 5 rappers Chali 2Na & Akil the MC, Eisley‘s 3rd record, new Megadeth, new Dream Theater, Derek Webb‘s “electronic-tinged” album, new Incubus, three OutKast-related releases, new EminemYann Tiersen‘s Tabarly (a stateside release, please?), OSSO string quartet’s debut, Wussy‘s 3rd record and/or The Magic Words debut record, a new Ani DiFranco (based on Sir Isaac Newton’s Law of Ani DiFranco Will Release Something Every Nine Months), and a 5th Lagunitas Frank Zappa beer (might I suggest Cruisin’ with Ruben and the Jets Pale Ale, Uncle Meat Porter, or Hot Rats Stout?).

And some maybes (as far as “maybe they’ll come out” if we’re lucky)… Secret Chiefs 3‘s long awaited-always promised-never delivered Book of Souls, the Daniel Johns / Luke Steel project called Hathaway/Palmer, another Sufjan Stevens state album, Carissa’s Wierd singer Jenn Ghetto‘s 3rd S album, Saviour Machine‘s Legend III:II (8 years in the making?), Celldweller‘s sophomore album, another Peter Mulvey (he’s due), George Hrab‘s 6th album, Incubus guitarist Michael Einziger‘s end.>vacuum project, the debut from Ken AndrewsLos Angeles Digital Noise Academy project…

~Dan – np: George Hrab – Geologic Podcast #97

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