Gathering of the Vibes 2013

 

As you read this please keep in mind that my user name is OldRockr1.  I am not a kid by any stretch of the imagination so please know that someone younger may have a different impression of this festival.

 

Vibes is huge!  There had to be over 20,000 attending and Bridgeport's Seaside Park turns into a mini city for a week in July.  We didn't camp so I can't comment on that experience but the Holiday Inn was very welcoming to the "Vibe Tribe" and shuttle service was OK back and forth to the festival.  Security varied...tough on some and easy on others with lots of cans of beer seen on the festival grounds each day.  Security on the concert field was pretty much nonexistent and there was a police presence but they didn't seem too engaged.

 

 

 

The setup allowed you to get pretty close if you arrived by noon each day but it got very crowded by the time Phil Lesh played each night.  The problem for me each night was the younger, douche stoners.  I have no patience for these assholes.  Do what you want but just blasting through peoples chairs to get a good spot down front just sucks.  Most of these losers are play acting a Dead show experience having never been there themselves.  Given the choice I think I will be leaving these shows to them in the future...it ruins the day for me when I want to punch some little turd in the head.  So those of you of a similar age and mindset should keep this in mind if you are thinking about one of these huge jam fests.
 

Aside from this the music was very good at Vibes and that was the main reason we all go in the first place.  Four days of music for $170 is a hell of a deal and if you get there early each day you can set up pretty close as I said and move down to the front of the stage for most of the acts, which I did each day.

 

Some highlights for me: 

 



Dark Star Orchestra - A great first set by this long time Dead tribute band.  Sometimes these guys are more fun than Phil or Bobby on their own (I know, I know that's sacrilege but true).  The Spirit of the Dead is alive and well in DSO.

 

Railroad Earth - I love these guys.  I have watched them grow from 200 seat venues up to some of the larger theaters in the NYC area and they just get better.  I am a huge fan of acoustic instrumentation and they take that roots/bluegrass base to places no one else even attempts to go.  They should have an even bigger audience.  Check Railroad Earth out live if you get the chance.

 

 

Tedeschi Trucks Band - I initially thought their first album was just OK but a bunch of friends got me to play it a few more times and boy did it grow on me.  Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks have put together an outfit that makes bluesey-soulful sounds that positions them to be at the top of the jam heap for years to come.  They play songs folks.  Yes Derek is a guitar legend but the band plays really good songs which is often missing from many jam band repertoires.  They were my favorite act of the entire festival.

 

Wavy Gravy - What more can you say?

 

Gov't Mule - I've been on the Mule bandwagon since sometime in 1997 and I still love seeing them live.  They played a bunch of new songs which were good, but I don't know how often I'll play the new album.  Like a lot of the acts at Vibes I am starting to lose a little interest.  Maybe it's age, maybe it's just a shift in my listening habits, but I had the same feelings during a lot of the festival.  I liked it but I didn't love it.

 



Phil & Friends - I have always liked the Phil & Friends shows I have seen.  It's usually an interesting group of musicians playing some of my favorite songs in new and different ways.  The line-up with Scofield and Medeski was no exception.  I would have liked to have seen and heard more but the crowd just pissed me off too much to stay each night. 

Some of the other acts had some interesting moments, in particular Galactic and The Revivalists doing Gimmie Shelter which absolutely killed.  The Funny Meters were pretty good as were Assembly of Dust, but I was a bit disappointed in Grace Potter.  Ms. Potter has moved far away from what I liked on her first two records into more of a heavy pop sound.  Not my thing.  Here's a few more pictures.

So all in all it was a fun weekend with some good and sometimes very good music.  Will I be back?  Probably not, but it may work for you.

Some Recent Favorites

It has been a long time since I have been able to sit down and blog a bit about music.  The end of the school year is always so hectic, but that is now past so off we go...

Bonnie Raitt - Slipstream

Several of my music acquaintances have been raving about this one for a while now and I finally got around to grabbing it.  Bonnie Raitt is never less than a good listen and at times she goes far beyond that (Nick of Time).  Slipstream is definitely the latter and to these ears her best release in many years.  Ms. Raitt has always chosen great material to go along with her under rated slide playing and soulful vocals and Slipstream is no exception.  Tracks by Randal Bramlet, Joe Henry, Gerry Rafferty, Loundon Wainwright III, and couple by Bob Dylan make for a very satisfying listening.  In particular, the two Dylan covers are outstanding.  Million Miles and Standing in the Doorway are two of my favorite latter day Dylan songs and both of these cuts are fantastic.

Classy, bluesy, soulful...a more than solid release that you should not hesitate to pick up.  My only complaint is that the vinyl doesn't come with a download.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Big Moon Ritual

The Black Crowes singer goes it with a new band during their hiatus and I am digging it.  Chris Robinson has not shied away in the past from picking up the mantle from the Grateful Dead and he has his hippy on to full effect on Big Moon Ritual.  Every track clocks in at 7 minutes or longer so the band has time to stretch out and jam to surprisingly good effect.  Tulsa Yesterday and Roasalee start things off in fine fashion and the rest of the record just keeps the vibe going.  Are the lyrics great?  Nope, but then who cares when the listening experience is so good.  It's a shame so few folks know this is even out.

The Royal Southern Brotherhood

I kind of avoided this at first fearing that it was some kind of Molly Hatchet mash up but I was very much wrong about that.  As soon as I saw the guys involved (Cyrille Neville, Devon Allman, Mike Zito) I knew it would be a good listen and it sure is.  This is kind of bluesy in that swampy NOLA way.  As expected the guitar playing is excellent and the songs and vocals are very strong.  Check out New Horizon, Gotta Keep Rockin' or Nowhere to Hide.  A very strong record from a group that shows a lot of promise.

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Live!  Everybody's Talkin'

Revelator was a really good record.  On this 2-CD or 3-LP set the band gets to stretch out and it makes for an even better listen.  Bluesy and soulful and jammy all mixed up into one really good mix.  Just buy it.

Best Records of 2011

And I do mean records.  2011 will be remembered, at least by me, as the year that virtually every new release I wanted was available on vinyl in addition to those other formats.  I love it.  Wanna stop piracy?  Release it all on vinyl.  One negative that has not been corrected by many of the labels is the failure to provide a download code. C'mon you money grubbing whores at the majors...those of us buying the new vinyl are your core customers so how about a little respect.

OK, enough of that.  2011 was for an OK year in music.  There were some really good releases but not as many as in years past...at least to these ears.  What I did like I enjoyed immensely with some great music coming from both new and established artists.  What follows is a list of records that did it for me in a bid way in 2011.  These are in no particular order and I am leaving what I think is the top album for the end.  So here goes nothing...

I know, I know this is chock full of the same old blues classics but you know what?  Johnny Winter is playing and singing better than he has in years.  This is a legend ripping through some of his favorites along with some top notch guests.  You can't go wrong with this one if you like the blues at all.  Good time, beer drinking rockin' blues.

John Hiatt has been making great records for decades.  All of them are good, some of them are great.  This one falls in the latter category.  This is the best thing he has done since Slow Turning.

Austin Lucas doesn't look much like a country singer, but he sure as hell sounds like one.  The best high-lonesome sound I have heard in years.  Real Country Music!

Speaking of real country music...it doesn't get much more real than this one.  The self described "scumbag country" band returns with their finest work yet.  Ever so slightly less in your face than last year's Old Highs and New Lows, Damaged Good benefits from the approach.  The song writing and performances are top notch.  You can trash all those Jason Aldean records...Hellbound Glory is the real deal my friends.

The hardest working man in rock & roll serves up his first solo project since the mid-90's.  Warren turns to the soul music he loves and gives it a little kick.  I haven't enjoyed a Mule record this much since Life Before Insanity.

I never much cared for The Decemberists.  That is until I heard The King is Dead.  With an REM meets Neil Young sound, The Decemberists take it in a much more accessible direction which is a very good thing.  This was my favorite album for most of the first half of the year and it is still right up there.  Love it, love it, love it.

By now you know the story.  Glen Campbell has early Alzheimer's and he wanted to make one last record and go out on the road before he can't anymore.  If this is his goodbye record he is going to be remembered for creating a classic.  A tremendous record from start to finish that rivals and often surpasses his best work from the late 60's and early 70's.  A shining example of how great music is timeless and ageless.

This one took a bit to grow on me.  I didn't dislike it at first...it just wasn't doing it for me.  More than a few folks whose opinions on music I respect said I need to give it a few more spins.  How right they were.  This record has grown on me to the point it is on my year end list.  Both Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks are undeniable talents who have left me a bit cold on previous efforts.  This material fits them both quite well and all the Delaney & Bonnie comparisons are not that far off.  A very, very good listen.

Matt Schofield is a British Blues guitarist who has made quite a name for himself on the other side of the pond over the last couple of years.  He reminds me quite a bit of Robben Ford in his playing.  Definitely more polished than raw with some great vocals and never less than impressive playing.  I hope he gets over here this year for a couple of shows.

I know is voice is shot now but it wasn't too bad when this was recorded back in 2008.  I don't care about that.  The shear joy that jumps out of the grooves is worth the price of admission.  Levon Helm is an American classic!

They may not be the most traditional bluegrass outfit but they can sure play their asses off as this live document attests.  The best of the young bluegrass/newgrass/jamgrass bands.

Any record that starts off with a killer (pun intended) murder cut has to be good and this one is.  Cruz Contreras and the rest of the Black Lillies have turned in one of the best Americana releases of the year.  Tall trees is like some kind of bluegrass meets the Allman's with a kick of gospel mash up and it works really, really well.  I've been playing this since it ended up in my ReviewShine inbox.  I'm still playing in December.

And last but not least my favorite album of the year....

Former Hot Water Music vocalist Chuck Ragan has been leading the folk-punk charge for a bit now and he has released what may be the perfect example of this genre (whatever the hell folk-punk means).  A stripped down guitar/fiddle/bass sound to go along with his gruff but honest vocals singing songs of the road has kept me playing this over and over since it came out.  Think Springsteen rocking out with acoustics and no E. Street band with a little high lonesome sound thrown in for good measure.  A couple of cuts with Brian Fallon doesn't hurt either.  An instant classic.

So there it is,  my faves for 2011.  It wasn't the best year ever but there were some really great releases.  Let's hope 2012 is another good one.