 |
| This picture from my stage right front rail slot captured the intimacy between musicians and mountain jammers |
The best act on Hunter hill was the guy throwing the party… Uncle Warren Haynes.
Government Mule‘s Saturday night show at Mountain Jam 2014 was extraordinary. Their Doors cover-set, specifically the trumpet solo at the end of “People Are Strange” was my personal numero uno moment.
Also at the top of the best moments list for me was being up close with Sean Lennon while the Chris Robinson Brotherhood closed out their set. Below is a shot of Sean impatiently playing drums to Chris’ set.
Watching Lennon pick up the beat without effort (to me) was super cool… not to mention seeing him lose his patience when Chris Robinson played a little longer than expected.
At Mountain Jam, you get to see everything.
Lennon and his fashionista girlfriend bass player were a great surprise. Their songs were thick and the band was tight as a wise guy’s lips under bright interrogation lights.
The shot of Lennon I snagged below reminds me so much of his papa.
If you haven’t seen the other Mountain Jam intro story I published yet, click here.
Check out the official festival website here.
Now for the play-by play…
THURSDAY (June 5) DAY ONE
Dark Star Orchestra opened up the first night with a crisp double set in which they “owned” the music. The “Midnight Moonlight”, “Viola Lee Blues”, “St. Stephen” and “Dark Star” struck a deep chord with me.
Unfortunately, I still can’t commit to covers of Grateful Dead music. Garcia cannot be recreated. Although Jackie Greene‘s rendition of Sugaree with Mule (see below) was really captivating.
My biggest disappointment of the festival was Umphrey’s McGee…
Judging by the swift audience departure at the end of their first set, I am not alone with my opinion.
I even prepped myself with Umphrey’s music the weeks leading up the show, but it did not matter. They truly are the ultimate jam band…it’s one long ass noodle arrangement (to me).
Pass.
On that first Thursday Mountain Jam night the black as Jaws-eyes storm clouds teased the audience like a dark navy caprice in the rear view mirror, but luckily the fear of a downpour was overcome by the nuclear shine of the stars and moon.
Kudos for Momma Nature as festival goers wound down day one with dry feet.
FRIDAY (JUNE 6) DAY TWO
The Dough Rollers (with “TDR” appropriately stamped on the bass drum…very cool in a Zissou-sort of way) were the first stage act to get my attention after the coffee and bacon grease kicked in. Like Deer Tick a handful of years ago in the early day slot, TDR took advantage of the audience’s virgin ears and anxious feet and helped make a bigger name for themselves.
Robert Randolph and the Family Band was the first big act of the day and presented a fierce set of songs that championed his unique musical phrasings that make his blues and soul music so damn fresh. Robert did a nice job presenting his “little” sister to the wonderful world of Warren Haynes as she dazzled the audience with her solid gold pipes.
BTW…there aint nothing little about Robert’s little sista.
At 6:30 The Avett Brothers took stage center like Sha Na Na at Woodstock. I shit you not.
Their Violent Femmes-like set was good, but not my cup of tea. (See “Gap commercial band” comment from last year.)
Even Bob Weir coming out with the The Avett Brothers for “The Race is On” with cowboy yodels didn’t help this set turn the corner from “lame ass” to “quirky cool”.
Here is a link to the video at Mountain Jam’s official site.
At 9 P.M., Bob Weir and Rat Dog took the haze filtered stage and entertained the hungry festival crowd with Grateful Dead favorites.
There were some very hot moments (“West L.A. Fadeaway” (my favorite!), “Terrapin Station” and “Johnny B. Goode” with Warren Haynes)…and some awkward ones too “Standing By The Moon”…not something Bobby should sing.
All in all, a nice showing for Bobby Weir (see video below), who has become increasingly unpredictable.
SATURDAY (JUNE 7) DAY THREE
I think very much of Blitzen Trapper and their Band-like approach to song writing and playing rock in a band. They have “it” and can have longevity on the rock band circuit for many years to come (I hope).
Lead-man Eric Early (pictured above) captured my eye first at the Last Waltz show The Capitol Theatre put on last Thanksgiving… here is that story.
Blitzen Trapper cover versions of “Rocky Mountain Way” and “Ramble On” just after the sun stood directly overhead stirred the slowly emerging jammers from their tents as Mountain Jam’s half time passed by.
Here is a video clip of Blitzen Trapper from the show…
Check out the great image below I was able to capture in the Sister Sparrow harmonica player’s sunglasses!
The Sister Sparrow set was not particularly strong, but her (and the guys) enthusiasm and stage show was a perfect catalyst on the sunny mountain Saturday afternoon.
Just what the good doctor ordered!
I love the pixie-like picture I snapped of her below.
The Jeff Tweedy set that followed was strong. His professional approach to sharing his new music was much appreciated by the crowd.
BTW…I can’t help but mentioning that Jeff is now six months pregnant.
Hopefully that won’t affect the next Wilco tour.
From 4 P.M. to 5:45 P.M. the mountain was transformed to Rastaville with Damian Marley and his reggae show.
There were moments during the Marley set that were fierce and presented reggae in a powerful and contemporary way. Part of his set was way too hip-hoppy for my tastes. It gave the rock and rollers a chance to go back to their abodes and recharge.
Note: It was very cool to see Marley’s six foot long dreadlocks. A tremendous athletic feet just to tote that heavy hair around.
After Marley, the interesting (and fragile) Valerie June took the stage with a banjo in hand wearing a stunning shamrock green dress and matching high heeled pumps.
Her act has gained interest from the Americana music scene, but her sound is probably too narrow to win share with music fans for any sustainable period.
Saturday when the clock struck seven, the Tedeschi Trucks Band marched out on stage to the delight of all. Within seconds of their first note the magical husband and wife duo took hold of the mountain and shook it like an extra large dry martini.
The band’s cornucopia of top-notch musicians and instruments was very impressive…the flute solo during “Higher Being” was fantabulous. Eric Krasno (pictured below centered between Susan and Derek) guitar guest appearance was super too.
The whole set was terrific.
I love the band and think the power of the husband and wife duo make them so unique and hot!
Derek Trucks can take any song to another level of intensity with just a couple of “whacks” of the guitar. If you didn’t notice, Derek Trucks plays with a Lindsay Buckingham no-pick strumming style.
Like a thick and hearty October meatloaf, Tedeschi Trucks Band is satisfying comfort food.
With a full belly of music, my crew prepared for the Government Mule main course like the experienced Mountain Jammers we are.
Mule’s new songs are strong so everything they did this night was delightful. They are one of the best at connecting an audience with new material.
Whatever Warren Haynes deal was this year with Mother Nature, it was worth it. Warren’s stage light show played off the magical glow of the moon and stars with extreme precision.
Of special note the “hopped up two stepping” cover of “Saint Stephen” was great. There were so many terrific songs, such as the “Beautifully Broken” into Tom Petty’s classic song “Breakdown”.
Looking at my Field Notes from Saturday night I scribbled…”You need a voracious appetite to handle all the music that comes at you”. It is so f-ing true.
As Derek Trucks began his guest appearance with Government Mule, one of my gang says “Mule sounds like a big fat train rumbling by.”
Very true. They made your insides rumble.
Set one closed with Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You.” Mule drummer Matt Aps is one of the reasons the band can play Zeppelin so well. He is a force.
Here is the set list.
The second set only got better with an early Susan Tedeschi and Eric Krasno appearance…then a dazzling cover of Radiohead’s “Creep”, “Sugaree” and the Crowes “Sometimes Salvation”.
During “Soulshine” just around midnight, the lyrics “Sure Damn Better Than the Rain” had an ironic and uplifting meaning (hint: the rain the previous three years left deep scars.)
The wonderful and amazing Jackie Green took center stage at the nod of Warren and tore up the stage with his guitar, voice and bravado. Jackie Greene was enormous! He is progressively emerging as one of today’s best showmen.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, Mule returned to the stage for an encore with a three song Doors set that exploded everyone’s mind and ears.
Needless to say, I didn’t make the Pretty Lights late night set that began close to 2 A.M….although I did listen to the Pink Floyd “Shine on Your Crazy Diamond” electronica mash-up from the comfort of our house balcony.
SUNDAY (JUNE 8) DAY FOUR
Sean Rowe’s acoustic act was not enough to drag my butt out of bed…but, Anders Osborne (see pic below) rock and roll show was. He tried really hard (too hard one could say) to get jammers going on day four.
Just as soon as he got going, it was time for the Chris Robinson Brotherhood to do their thang.
And “thang” they did with a swampy swagger unique from his Black Crowes roots. Chris Robinson was very “shiny happy people-ish”.
His band sounded like Derek and the Dominoes in their hey day with the addition a bigger Hammond Organ. I would guess Robinson had been listening to a whole lot of JJ Cale when writing this latest batch of songs.
Their new song “Rosalee” amped up the crowd in a special way and will it on his iTunes greatest hits playlist.
Immediatley following Chris Robinson on the smaller parallel stage was Sean Lennon’s Ghost of the Saber Tooth Tiger, which I marveled about earlier. I will keep my eyes on them, you should too.
I used Michael Franti’s set to pre game back at the ranch for the Allman Brothers closing set. A pint of good Mezcal and a dozen chicken wings later, I was recharged to hear what would be my last Allman show (yes they really are retiring).
In the minutes leading up the show, I enjoyed watching the Allmans talk on stage. It was clear that Warren and Derek have a special friendship.
As always, Greg’s songs are my favorite. The lyrics from “Trouble No More” and “Dreams” have special meaning to me.
Standing to the side of the stage parallel to Greg’s piano (see my picture below), we were first hand witness to his mid-stream need for an oxygen tank during “Whipping Post.”
Greg had an oxygen mask on crouched behind his organ/piano wall during a crazy good Warren/ Derek Whipping Post solo that I’m sure had Duane Allman dancing some where in the universe.
Just as Greg’s singing part was about to come up…he rips off the oxygen mask and howls “Sometimes I feel. Sometimes I FEEL. Like I am tied to the whipping post. Tied to the whipping post. Lord knows I feel I am dying!”
Greg’s whipping post manifested itself in the form of a portable oxygen tank. He is a remarkable musician, whose legacy is etched in stone.
Needless to say, the set was cut short.
Like the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers Band makes music that can never be recreated. It will be covered forever by rock and roll bands, but never duplicated.
Until next year…when I see you on the great Hunter Mountain for Uncle Warren’s jam party…
Peace.
Flap your wings!
Leave a Reply