Live Music Update/Super Ball IX Preview

I saw two more last week, Yellowbirds on 6/23 and White Denim on 6/25, that I wanted to mention simply because I thought both shows were great and because I got some cool pictures to share.





So now that I mentioned those shows and you saw my pictures- Super Ball IX is only 2 days away, and I know you, just as I, are more excited for that. The official map is up, and the names of the campgrounds are all states Phish hasn't played in. Pretty funny stuff. The Bunny has begun broadcasting. The Phish SuperBall IX official twitter has become more active with amusing tidbits and previews of things to come. Basically, it's all happening, and it's about time.

Lot Bites will be tweeting all weekend about h3ddy eats and where to find the best bites of the festy all weekend. Expect a huge report about all the food, lots of pictures and some interviews taboot. If you taste something at SuperBall you need to share, be sure to send it to Lot Bites! Either send us a tweet or you can always e-mail us at lotbites@gmail.com.

See you there!

Galactic at Brooklyn Bowl, 6/21 and 6/22

Galactic is known for bringing the ultimate in funk to any spot they play around the country. But, when you add some legendary guests with different styles of music, the funk takes on a whole new meaning.

A four-night Brooklyn Bowl run began on 6/21, with Galactic taking the stage with Corey Henry of Rebirth Brass Band on trombone. You would have no idea that Corey Henry played for any other band but Galactic; he fits in seamlessly with them. Also joining them for a few numbers would be Corey Glover of Living Color fame, a passionate vocal force flowed smoothly with the powerful melodies being played around him.

Both of these special guests are performing for the entire run and would have sufficed to make it stellar, but Galactic kicked up a notch by inviting even more notorious guests. On the first night, Chali 2na of Jurrasic 5 joined the band and turned the Bowl into a funked-out hip-hop dance party. In the spirit of their guests, the ensemble took on covers of Jurrasic 5 classics like “What is Success,” “Church,” and “Keep Steppin,” as well as “La Di Da Di” by Slick Rick. Also playing for a few songs was guitarist Scott Metzger, adding a melodious edge to the hip-hop beats. In true Brooklyn style, the beat went on (and on and on).


On the second night (6/22), an entirely new musical beast took the stage- Warren Haynes, best known for his work with Gov’t Mule and Allman Brothers Band. Gone were the rap vocals and hip hop melodies, but the funk remained in full force, only this time infusing the sound with the blues. Haynes graced us with his effortless jams and musings for a few songs, including Rolling Stones' "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" and an instrumental version of Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks." As Haynes left the stage, Galactic reminded us that they were than their guests with a sensational version of "Heart of Steel." Rejoined again by Corey Glover and Corey Henry, they ended the set with a slowed down, rocked out version of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.”


In these two nights, Galactic has proven that they are truly a dynamic and skilled band. Both shows were equally musical and whimsical, but were also both very different from each other. Galactic has a very unique sound that is clearly influenced by many different types of music, and they have proved time and again that they can adapt to playing with big name guests. Not only do they maintain their own sound from guest to guest, but they know how to highlight the various stylings of the guests and layering it within their own playing.


There's two more nights left of Galactic at Brooklyn Bowl, tonight 6/23 and 6/24. The 6/24 show is sold out, but there are still some spots available at the door starting at 6pm. Trust me- you do NOT need to be there that early. Get there by 7-7:30 the latest to be safe, but you should be fine around that time. I definitely recommend going if you've never seen Galactic!

Stashing the Gumbo: Phish Tour Closers and Southern Eats

So there we have it. Phish ended the first part of their summer tour down South with two very special nights in Raleigh on 6/18 and Portsmouth on 6/19. As the last two shows before Super Ball IX, phans I spoke to seemed on edge about how these shows turned out. If these shows are going to set the tone for Super Ball and the rest of the summer, I think we're in for a real treat.

Raleigh 6/18 opened with a bang a of rare ones, Car Trucks Buses and Peaches in Regalia, but fizzled a little bit towards the end with some of the more popular repeats this tour. Though the versions were on point more or less, especially AC/DC Bag , there were some noticeable flubs. But the band got right back into it after set break, opening with Twist, busting out Esther, and playing some great versions of classics. The spacey jam in Split Open and Melt is well worth a listen. Also brought back after 298 shows, an interesting rendition of Jane's Addiction "Been Caught Stealing."

If the openers spoke volumes about the Raleigh show, then the openers at Portsmouth will blow your eardrums. Phish opened with Harpua after Trey spotted a Harpua sign in honor of someone's 31st birthday, and the band member's fathers helped them out with the story after a barely present narration from Trey. The fathers stayed on the stage for Phish's 3rd annual Father's Day rendition of Brother, joined by the rest of member's families. As always, an enjoyable tribute to Phishy and not so Phishy fathers everywhere. The rest of the first seemed to feed off of the father's energy with well played versions of Down with Disease and a perfectly placed Alaska, and other standards. The highlight of the first set, however, was Thunder Road, a tribute to recently deceased member of the E Street Band, Clarence Clemons.

The second set had a funky energy that stayed put throughout. The set began with Crosseyed and Painless, not as a good of a version as Merriweather but still better than earlier versions this tour. Then continued on with a personal favorite rare one- Walls of the Cave, and while the setlist continued on with less rare songs like Slave to the Traffic Light, Fluffhead, and the omnipresent Backwards Down the Number Line, they were some of the strongest examples of these songs this summer. Sand stuck out as true gem, complete with a start-stop jam.

Looking forward to Super Ball IX- we're in for a treat.

As for the lot bites of the South, I've had reports of many different kinds of gumbo on the lot on top of the standard veggie burrito fare. So curious about this, as pretty much everywhere you go down South they have a million different recipes for gumbo depending on season and locale. If you were on the lots down South and sampled some gumbo, please tell me all about it.

Going to a whole bunch of shows this week and next before Super Ball, so be sure to come back and visit. I'll let you know what shows I'll be at on the twitter. Also, I've been asked by a lot of people about my gym playlist and what's in season. Those posts will be coming soon.

Go see live music already!

Phish Alpharetta/ Charlotte: Couch Tore

Phish fans finally got some official couch tour action last night when the band webcast their sold-out shows in Alpharetta, GA on June 15th and 16th. Despite some minor technical hiccups and a nasty thunderstorm that interrupted Mound on 6/16, the webcast itself was a truly special way to see Phish. The webcast was $24.99, but seeing a close-up of Trey and Fishman's faces during a particularly crunchy jam, Mike's bass bombs, and watching Page's fingers glide along the keys are truly priceless.

If only the two Alpharetta shows could match the quality of the stream. First off, both setlists were full of repeats of recent shows. The only unique songs of the tour to be played at these two shows were Dinner and A Movie, Ginseng Sullivan, Light Up and Leave Me Alone, Army of One, Birdwatcher>Kung, and Water in the Sky. The two second sets were disjointed and confusing, especially on the second night, which was just one set closer after another. Birdwatcher > Kung a capella was fun, but musically harmful to the ears.

It looks like Phish may have seen the disappointment of phans after these two shows, because last nights show in Charlotte featured one of the best set lists in awhile. The Mike's Song > Hydrogen > Weekapaug started off a little sloppy, but soon after the band founds it groove and played cohesively. As the first set played on, it seemed that the set list would carry on in a predictable fashion- until they busted out Colonel Forbin's Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird for the first time this summer. Also making appearances in the first set- Axilla I, which had not been seen since PNC 6/1- and Scent of A Mule, which was only seen for the first time this summer a week prior in Camden on 6/10.

With Phish's recent track record of great first sets and underwhelming second sets, there were no expectations for the second set. Opening with Backwards Down the Number Line and going into Rock and Roll, it at first seemed like this show was going in that direction. Until Phish finally- FINALLY!!!!!- played Ghost for the first time this summer, with high energy. The rest of the set kept that energy, and in the spirit of the bustouts came Icculus. Another great thing about this set- the reemergence of Fishman antics, which, except for the occasional "WHAT?" or goofy utterance, had been pretty tame this tour. Hold Your Head Up > Bike + vacuum solo > Hold Your Head Up was a welcome and hilarious divulgence that restored the faith for second sets. Finishing up with an amped up Chalkdust Torture and a slightly darker You Enjoy Myself, and a Wilson > Loving Cup encore, this Gamehendge friendly show reminded us that, yes, Phish still has "it"- "it" just needs to be found sometimes.

The Charlotte show has put the bar back up pretty high. I'm very interested to see what's in store for the rest of the weekend, a these are the final shows the band will be playing before Superball IX.

Lot Bites Report

The Phish show is about to start. You have the munchies. You're walking around the lot. What's that smell? A h3ddy grilled cheese? Macaroni and Cheese? Chicken Bacon Ranch? Veggie Burrito?

I'm happy to report at all of those items were spotted on tour this summer. Of course you'll find your average $1 bread and cheese variety, but I also did find an amazing garlic thyme grilled cheese in Bethel. Also in Bethel, I enjoyed some garlic parmesan fries. The folks making both the grilled cheese and fries let me know they would be at all of leg 1 and always travel together, so if you hear about the grilled cheese or the fries and you're looking for the other, you can find one right next to the other.

After scores of lots of in search of my favorite veggie burrito, I think I finally found my go to. I'm picky because I don't always like the beans they use, but these featured whole black beans, cheese, tomato sauce, garlic, and fresh spinach. So good! The guy who makes them looks like Page, which is how I've spotted them a few times, but sometimes it's just his wife- in that case, they're the only people using fresh spinach in their veggie burrito, so that's how I spotted them without Page, er, the dude.


Last but definitely not least, I have found the ultimate lot eat: Billy's Pulled Pork Sandwich. Perfectly sauced and tender pulled pork with cole slaw on a doughy bun. The cole slaw adds a nice crunch and the creaminess cuts through the spicy bbq sauce in just the right way. I'm hoping to get an interview with him to find out more and let you know where he's going to be on tour.

As always, be familiar with which venues allow vending and which don't. Several people got busted at Merriweather, and the cops were out for them. If you want to sell your own eats, make sure you know what the deal is. It's not worth getting in trouble over.

Happy lot adventures! Maybe you'll get lucky and see Mike Gordon romping around a golf cart, like I did. He even wished me a happy birthday!

Phish Summer Tour 2011 Leg I First Half- WHAT?!!

I am sure you are all very aware that Phish has (finally) begun their summer tour, starting with a 3-night run in Bethel, NY and the most recent shows being a 2-night run at Merriweather Post Pavilion and Alpharetta. This has certainly been a rollercoaster of a tour for Phish, not only because of the highs and lows we've been seeing in shows (two awesome nights in Bethel > weak showing on the final night > I'm still really not quite sure what happened at PNC), but also because of the ups and downs we've been seeing in the flow of the individual shows. Rather than comment on the shows individually for fear of rambling, I'm going to discuss some of my favorite moments, impressions, and observations of the tour as a whole so far.


Some of my favorite shows were Bethel 5/27 and 5/28: The two strongest of the 3 night run in Bethel, these shows had not only fun set lists, but also well played. The segue from Tweezer > My Friend, My Friend from the first night is worth a listen, as is Wolfman's Brother, Boogie On Reggae Woman > Waves. From the second night, I cannot stop listening to the Makisupa > Harry Hood because of the funny banter in Makisupa, the awesome little tip off into Harry Hood, and then an intriguing Hood jam.

After two low key nights at PNC Arts Center, Phish brought it back for DTE Energy Center 6/3 and Blossom 6/4. These in my opinion have been the two best shows so far. The Down With Disease from 6/3 is a solid 25 minutes of pure fun and teases taboot. The entire 6/4 show is pretty fantastic; the playing is solid, and the setlist had good energy and great songs. Harry Hood > Have Mercy has been on repeat for me.

The encore of the 6/12 show at Merriweather Post Pavilion made a bipolar second set seem totally manic. It started by busting out Sanity and raging off the stage with First Tube, with a raunchy Makisupa sandwich in the middle. By far the most unexpected and most fun encore I've seen in a very long time.

That list, by all means, does not cover every highlight of every show. Just saying.



The reason I named this post "WHAT?!" is not only due to the amusing ramblings of Fishman during Suzy Greenberg, but because I've found that I've been saying more or less the same thing to myself after every show. While some great and not as frequently played songs have made their way into the rotation, like Carini and to my happiness Crosseyed and Painless, some of their more popular songs have been appearing on too many setlists. Don't get me wrong, I love a raging Possum, and Possum has certainly been getting better throughout the tour. But I just don't know if I can hear it again for the rest of tour without thinking-really? Of course, before I go back to dancing.

Another confusing point for me throughout this tour is song placement. There have been several first sets that have played out like second sets; Mike's Song et al has been played in the first set twice. Also, some sets have been all over the place in terms of energy levels. Set II of the 6/11 Merriweather show contained a weird Piper > Wading in the Velvet Sea > 2001- not only was the energy fluctuation odd, but 2001 is another song that has been showing up too often.

While some the baffling nature of Phish this tour has been negative, I think the fact that Phish has been so puzzling only lends itself to the fact that they are, and always have been, an unpredictable band. Sure now we can pretty much expect to Possum or Fluffhead every other show, but on the flip side, a Crosseyed and Painless may not be far behind it. Phans have been diligent with their signs in the past, much to our delight (Guyutica!), but has now provided us a new array of rare openers, like Nellie Kane on 6/8, Daniel Saw the Stone on 6/11, and Buried Alive on 6/12. One of my favorite moments on tour was watching Trey grab the Page's House sign from the pit in Merriweather and giving it to Page, who held it up and received a well deserved round of applause.

With that being said, the unpredictability of Phish tour can both exhilarating and unnerving. They could go in any direction with the set list and the jams, but it could for better or for worse. We've seen some pretty interesting cases of both on tour so far, but I still can't say with any certainty what the rest of the summer holds for us.

But that's why we go see Phish, right?

I'll be posting about the Alpharetta webcast and my report of the h3ddiest lot eats on tour in the next few days. Also, check facebook for some pictures of shows I went to this Winter/Spring- Furthur, Disco Biscuits, EOTO, Railroad Earth.