Live Review: Midnight North @ The Hamilton Live – 10/7/21

Posted on 10/12/2021 by Mark Caicedo in Live Review and tagged California, jam band, Midnight North, psychedelic, San Francisco, The Hamilton, The Hamilton Live.

The Midnight North perform at The Hamilton Live on Oct. 7, 2021. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)

After a two-year absence, Midnight North recently made a much-anticipated return to the DC area, even briefly renaming The Hamilton on the strength of the two “Graham(e)” bandmembers. The show featured an appearance by Phil Lesh, beloved Grateful Dead bassist and father of Midnight North guitarist and founder, Grahame Lesh. For two-plus hours, the “Gramilton” felt like an extended family reunion with fans from differing generations and bands reuniting after a too-long pandemic hiatus.

Live Review: Trey Anastasio Band @ The Anthem — 10/1/21

Posted on 10/06/2021 by Casey Vock in Live Review and tagged bluegrass, jam band, Phish, psychedelic, The Anthem, Trey Anastasio, Trey Anastasio Band.

Trey Anastasio leads his band during a performance at The Anthem on Oct. 1, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)

The pandemic and the impacts of COVID have been seen across the music industry since it began and especially hard hit has been the live music segment, with it being a challenge for both touring acts and venues to get all this right in an uncertain environment.

Maybe nowhere has that been more obvious lately than the Trey Anastasio Band tour, an outfit that, just a few weeks ago, would have looked entirely different. Then came a couple positive tests, and trumpet player Jen Hartswick and drummer Russ Lawton were sidelined, putting the back half of the tour in jeopardy.

Preview: Trey Anastasio Band @ The Anthem, 10/1/21

Posted on 09/29/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged bluegrass, jam band, psychedelic, The Anthem, Trey Anastasio, Trey Anastasio Band.

Trey Anastasio Band (Photo by Rene Huemer)

Trey Anastasio Band recently announced its long-awaited return to the road with a series of live dates, including The Anthem in DC on Friday, Oct. 1.

Live Review: My Morning Jacket @ Merriweather Post Pavilion — 9/7/21

Posted on 09/10/2021 by Kyle Gustafson in Live Review and tagged Americana, jam band, Merriweather Post Pavilion, My Morning Jacket, psychedelic, southern rock.

Jim James of My Morning Jacket performs at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Sept. 7, 2021. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson)

One of my favorite summer traditions in DC is the seemingly annual My Morning Jacket show at Merriweather. Tuesday’s show with opener Brittany Howard was the band’s 8th show in Columbia since they graduated to amphitheaters in 2010. I’m not going to lie and say that I’ve been to all of those shows, but I’ve seen most of them and the 2011 and 2015 shows still stand out to me. The Circuitual tour show in 2011 might be the best show I’ve seen the band do locally.

Merriweather was a little over half full on Sept. 7, which was actually a wonderful thing. If you wanted to experience the show in a crowd, there were plenty of people around to remind you how that felt, pre-COVID. If you were still a little freaked out by maskless people singing and shouting along to the music, there were plenty of empty spaces to claim and still have a great vantage point for the show.

Live Review: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead @ MECU Pavilion — 8/21/21

Posted on 08/30/2021 by Casey Vock in Live Review and tagged Brooklyn, jam band, Joe Russo's Almost Dead, MECU Pavilion, New York City, psychedelic.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead performs at MECU Pavilion in Baltimore on Saturday Aug. 21, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock.)

The Grateful Dead certainly aren’t done yet, as a recent stop at Jiffy Lube Live by Dead & Company showed us last week. But even if they were, there are so many musicians dedicated to carrying their torch that fans of the San Francisco-based band can rest assured they’ll be able to enjoy the catalogue of music in some live form for years to come.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, a highly talented five-piece outfit obviously led by respected veteran drummer Joe Russo, who himself is not yet close to passing away, made a timely stop in the Charm City this past weekend to drop two world-class sets of music paying tribute to the Grateful Dead.

Preview: Hot August Music Festival @ Oregon Ridge Park (Cockeysville, Md), 8/28/21

Posted on 08/24/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Americana, Andy Frasco and The UN, bluegrass, blues, Dumpstaphunk, Greensky Bluegrass, Hot August Music Festival, jam band, music festival, Shakey Graves.

Shakey Graves (Photo by Magen Buse)

The long-running Hot August Music Festival hits Cockeysville, Maryland, with an exciting summer lineup that includes Greensky Bluegrass, Shakey Graves, Dumpstaphunk, Andy Frasco and The UN, and more at Oregon Ridge Park on Saturday, Aug. 28!

Preview: Dead & Company @ Jiffy Lube Live, 8/18/21

Posted on 08/13/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Bob Weir, California, Dead & Company, jam band, Jiffy Lube Live, psychedelic, San Francisco.

Dead & Company (Photo by Danny Clinch)

Psychedelic rockers Dead & Company visit Jiffy Lube Live in Virginia on Wednesday, Aug. 18, for a stop on their What a Long Strange Trip Its Been Tour.

Song of the Day: Derek & The Dominoes’ “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” by Tedeschi Trucks Band

Posted on 05/21/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged blues, Florida, jam band, LOCKN' Festival, soul, Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Tedeschi Trucks Band performs live at LOCKN’ Festival on Aug. 24, 2019. (Photo by Stuart Levine)

Tedeschi Trucks Band featuring Trey Anastasio share a smoldering live performance of the Derek & The Dominoes classic “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out.”

Preview: moe. @ Frederick Fairgrounds, 11/7/20

Posted on 11/04/2020 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Buffalo, Frederick Fairgrounds, jam band, Mandolin, moe., New York.

moe. (Photo by Paul Citone)

moe. today issued a low ticket warning for the jam band’s outdoor show at Frederick Fairgrounds on Saturday, Nov. 7.

The quintet triumphantly arrives on the heels of releasing This Is Not, We Are, the group’s first studio album in six years!

Livestream Preview: Keller Williams @ StageIt, 8/19/20

Posted on 08/18/2020 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged bluegrass, folk, jam band, Keller Williams, livestream, StageIt.

Keller Williams (Photo by Taylor Crothers)

Keller Williams released his 25th studio album, Speed, last year, and it was his third collaboration with flatpicker Larry Keel and bassist Jenny Keel, following 2006’s Grass and 2012’s Thief.

Since then, Keller has embraced live-streaming in our pandemic times, and he has a show on Wednesday, Aug. 19 via StageIt that’s sure to touch on his collaborations with The Keels and more!