Happy New Year

I hate NYE. You have no idea how much and I don't know quite why but I do hope you all have a healthy and prosperous New Year. Here' a little video from Charlie Robison. Long Island is about as far from Texas as you can get but I do love the music...

Gov't Mule - Beacon Theater

I took my son last night to see da Mule at the Beacon. I go every year to one of the nights of the NYE run (just never NYE) and started taking him last year. We we lucky enough to grab a pair last year for the acoustic show at the Angel Orensanz Center, but this was his first full on Mule concert. The band was heavy as usual and it seems that Warren has shaken off the effects of playing in the Dead (love the Grateful Dead, but this new version not so much). Warren plays with everyone but he is at his best in Gov't Mule. A bunch of new songs which were great and some classics. All in all another great show. I've been seeing them since 1997 and this is one New Year's tradition that I hope will continue for many years to come.

Here's the set list and a link to the show on bt.etree.org (If you grab the show, don't forget to leave a thank you for the taper...)

Set 1
1. Crowd
2. Broke Down On The Brazos
3. Rocking Horse >
4. Banks Of The Deep End
5. Lay Your Burden Down
6. Steppin' Lightly
7. Any Open Window
8. Devil Likes It Slow with Jon Herrington & Bill Evans
9. Sco-Mule with Jon Herrington & Bill Evans & Dance To The Music chorus

Set 2
10. Crowd
11. Railroad Boy >
12. Monday Mourning Meltdown >
13. Beautifully Broken >
14. Wandering Child >
15. Drums & Bass
16. Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home with David Hidalgo
17. Dear Mr. Fantasy with David Hidalgo
18. Thorazine Shuffle

Encore 1
19. Crowd
20. Low Down Dirty Shame with David Hidalgo
21. Look On Yonder Wall with David Hidalgo

Encore 2
22. Woodstock First Time Played

Patti Smith - Bowery Ballroom

I've never seen Patti Smith before. I've had Horses and Easter since high school but I am not what you would call a huge fan. After seeing her at the HOF show with U2 and Bruce I thought I should check her out live. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. A few readings, some poetry and some really great songs made for a most enjoyable night. I am most surprised at how chatty she is during the set. Her stories and overall personality bordered on sweet. Go figure.

Thanks for the photos Larry!

Old and In The Way

Here's another classic from back in the day. Old & In The Way in mp3 (VBR) from a vinyl rip. I believe this was on CD at one time (Rykodisc?) but is long out of print and unavailable, even as a digital download.

I wasn't a "Dead Head" in the classic sense. I absolutely hate the long spacey jams and can live with never hearing Dark Star again. What I am constantly drawn to is the acoustic side of the band and their side projects. This classic bluegrass in the traditional sense. Acoustic instrumentation played extremely well, great harmonies and wonderful songs (traditional and contemporary). Any time Grisman and Garcia got together it was magical for me.

Here's what Allmusic.com has to say...

Review by Peter J. D'Angelo
The first release from Jerry Garcia's short-lived backcountry bluegrass act was this 1973 recording that also highlighted the amazing skills of mandolin player David Grisman. The quintet actually released only this record, recorded at a series of performances in 1973, but the sound caught on with Grateful Dead fans and the record actually built up the group's legacy long after they disbanded. The songs themselves, mostly penned by guitarist Peter Rowan and Grisman as well as a handful of traditional numbers and even a revamped version of the Rolling Stones' classic "Wild Horses," are delivered with the sincere reverence of true bluegrass fanatics. Soaring multi-part harmonies; fiddle, guitar, banjo, bass, and mandolin lines that seamlessly intertwine with a good-time feel; and exceptionally solid musicianship round out the ten-track effort. Fans of the Grateful Dead's jolly throwback tunes should already have this in their collection, but even those put off by the member's psychedelic resumés will find that Old & in the Way is nothing of the sort. This is the sound of purists re-creating the music they grew up with and it's both enjoyable and inspiring to listen to. Like American Beauty and Workingman's Dead, this record showcases Garcia going back to his roots, and it shows that he and his buddies have more than the chops required to live up to their legend.

Old & In The Way
Round Records
1975

1. Pig in a Pen
2. Midnight Moonlight
3. Old and in the Way
4. Knockin' On Your Door
5. The Hobo Song
6. Panama Red
7. Wild Horses
8. Kissimmee Kid
9. White Dove
10. Land of the Navajo

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*If you are the artist or their representative and you would like this link removed, please e-mail me or leave a comment and it will be removed ASAP.

Enjoy the music and please support the artists that make it. Happy New Year!

Hotels, Motels and Road Shows

Hotels, Motels and Road Shows
Various Artists
Capricorn 0208
1978

Here's the first of my vinyl rips of some long out of print albums. To the best of my knowledge this has never been on CD or if it was it is long out of print. Back in the day Capricorn used to put out these live collections every once in a while featuring many of the "stars" that were on the label. I remember having this one back in the day and it disappeared at some party around graduation. I recently found a vinyl copy in pretty damn good condition so I figured I'd try to rip it and convert it to mp3 (VBR). This is a nice little slice of Southern Rock circa 1978. Enjoy!

1. Out On A Limb - Stillwater
2. Mind Bender - Stillwater
3. Grand Larceny - Sea Level
4. Refried Funky Chicken - Dixie Dregs
5. Superstar - Bonnie Bramlett
6. You're So Fine - Grinderswitch
7. Travelin' Shoes - Elvin Bishop
8. Teaser - Wet Willie
9. No Hard Times - Richard Betts
10. Are You Lonely For Me, Baby? - Gregg Allman
11. Statesboro Blues - The Allman Brothers Band

Download
*If you are the artist or their representative and you would like this link removed, please e-mail me or leave a comment and it will be removed ASAP.

Merry Christmas OldRockr Style

May the Joy of the Season be with you and yours!
OldRockr1, Mrs. Rockr and all the little Rockr's





Perhaps the best Christmas song...ever.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Wow, the weather guy finally got it right. Looks like about a foot and a half of the white stuff on Long Island. Too bad we don't get a snow day.

Best of 2009

It's the end of the decade, or is it? I am so confused about this one. Personally I don't really care and I can't begin to put together that kind of list, but 2009 was a pretty good year for music, at least for me. So here goes the 'ol Best of 2009 in no real order with the exception of my overall favorite. Drum roll please...

Best of the Year: Levon Helm - Electric Dirt
Dirt Farmer was good. It was great to hear him again but this one is even better. From the joyous romp through Tennessee Jed (my 15 year old is walking around singing it now) right on through this is an amazing album. Easily the best "Band" album since Stagefright. You want American, this is the real deal right here. No duds at all and Growing Trade is absolutely amazing. If you don't have it you need it. Now.

Really Great Stuff You May Not Have Heard
Otis Gibbs - Grandpa Walked a Picket Line
Michael Dean Damron - Father's Day
William Elliott Whitmore - Animals in the Dark
American Aquarium - Dances for the Lonely
Matt Schofield - Heads, Tails & Aces
Tommy Castro - Hard Believer
Ashley Cleveland - God Don't Never Change
Mike Farris - Shout! Live
Rufus Huf - Rufus Huf
Bloodkin - Baby, They Told Us He Would Rise Again
Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day

One You Probably Know
The Subdudes - Flower Petals
Sam Bush - Circles Around Me
Buddy & Julie Miller - Written In Chalk
Gov't Mule - By A Thread
Black Crowes - Before the Frost...Until the Freeze
Lucero - 1372 Overton Park

Kind of a Little Disappointed By
Ian Hunter - Man Overboard (but it is starting to finally win me over)
Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream (great tour but the worst album since Human Touch)
Willie Nile - House of a Thousand Guitars
Bob Dylan - Together Through Life

Best Live Shows
Bruce Springsteen at MSG (natch!) The River and E. Street Shuffle!
Steely Dan Internet Request Night
Railroad Earth
Allman Brothers with Clapton
The Cult playing Love

I really enjoyed the year in music and I want to thank all the blogs out there where I find out about these new artists. The music world is a much smaller place now and that is a good thing!

Great Music Blogs
Wild Safari (invite only)
Music Fog
Burning Wood
Twang Nation
Nightwatcher
and so many others. Thank you for your time and efforts!

Let's hope 2010 is another good one.

Savoy Brown - Boulton Center

Kim Simmonds brought a new version of Savoy Brown to the Boulton Center in Bayshore last night. Kim isn't singing every song anymore so that really opens him up to play and after all that is why we were all there in the first place. Still one of the great British Blues guitarists. My son keeps getting to see all these great players, I am so glad he digs it...

The new official Savoy Brown line-up therefore is as follows:

Kim Simmonds: Guitar/vocals
Joe Whiting: Vocals/Saxophone
Pat DeSalvo: Bass
Garnet Grimm: Drums

Railroad Earth - Music Hall of Williamsburg

Great night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. First time seeing the Infamous Stringdusters and they did not disappoint. Railroad Earth just totally killed last night. From the get go they were very much "on" and there was a whole lot of dancing in the crowd. Railroad Earth is fast becoming one of my favorite live bands. Check 'em out.

Set 1:

Carrying Coal to Newcastle -->
Mighty River
Give That Boy a Hand
The Good Life
Bread and Water
The Forecast
Crossing the Gap
Water Fountain Quicksand

Set 2:

Happy Song
Elko
For Love
Been Down This Road
Like a Buddha
New Jam (SHJ)
Peace on Earth
Sing for Me

Encore:

Moonshiner

Perfect for your OldRockr this Christmas

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - The Live Anthology

Tom Petty finally gets the proper live album that he deserves (Pack Up the Plantation was only OK). You get the hits, the misses, the album tracks and a bunch of covers over 4 CD's with a list price of only $24.99 which is a bargain and a half. I've been playing it over and over in the car, it's just too much fun to listen to.

Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood - Live From Madison Square Garden
I got to see the third night of these dates back in 2008. It was every bit as good as I had hoped. Steve Winwood sounds like 40 years haven't passed since some of these songs were recorded and Clapton's playing is positively inspired throughout. This is worth it for Voodoo Child alone.

Both of these should be on my year end Top 10 but I usually don't include live albums. Great, great listens.

Subdudes - Boulton Center 12-3-09

I've been hearing how great the Subdudes are live for years but haven't gotten around to seeing them myself. I grabbed tickets for the Boulton Center show last Thursday a while back and then I dove into the new album "Flower Petals" which has become a favorite of mine this year.

I have to say they put on a great show. This tour is pretty much unplugged but it is not sedate in the least. The band was TIGHT. Great setlist that drew heavily from the last two albums. If i get the chance I would definitely see them again. In particular No Man, Poor Man's Paradise and Barley in the Silo were excellent.