More Live Music/ Jones Beach Furthur Lot Report

This past week was an especially memorable week of music. It all started Wednesday night with Ratatat at SummerStage at Central Park. They played an interesting setlist of newer and older songs, but I was not impressed with the sound. Enjoyable show, but nothing compared to the rest of the music I saw the rest of the week.




Thursday night was the night I was most excited for: my first time seeing The Slip!! Playing at Brooklyn Bowl and being joined on stage by Sam Cohen of Yellowbirds made for a wonderful combination and this was by far my favorite night of music this week. I have a lot of great pictures up here on Facebook.




Saturday night, I went to Monster Island to see Oneida. The space is cool, basement chic. But the bands that played before Oneida- let's just say I'm not quite sure how they fit with a band like Oneida. As for Oneida, they played a psyched out and rocked out set that was I happy to have witnessed.



I was thrilled to be back in the lot scene for a little bit at Jones Beach for Furthur on Sunday. Several of the food vendors I saw this summer on Phish tour were also at Jones Beach, including Billy's Pulled Pork. I had to get some for myself. Also present- Ragin' Cajun, and several varieties of grilled cheese, veggie burritos, and chicken bacon ranch wraps.




As for the show, it was another great night of music. The show featured some solid classics; I've seen Shakedown Street at every Furthur show I've been to, and this was my favorite version of it. The second set itself was very jammy, and featured a remarkable Dark Star.



Hope everyone else had a great week and got to see some live music!

Lot Bites- The Gym Mixes

I often brag about the playlists I make about the gym on Twitter, mainly because if I did not make them, I would have no motivation to go to the gym. I go because I took the time to make a killer playlist to rock out to, and get some exercise in too. Hey, whatever gets you there, right?

So a lot of people have asked me what are on these playlists that I seem to boast about them all the time. I have so many that are all so different from each other. Some are only Phish, some are a giant mash-up of several genres... you get the picture. But I think I found two that are a perfect 40 minutes of tunes to get you grooving in the gym. One is a mix-up of some fun electronic stuff, and the other some rock tunes to get you going.

Here are the playlists- click on the name to download.
Untz Gym Mix
1. Bloody Beetroots featuring Steve Aioki- Warp 1.9
2. The Disco Biscuits- The Great Abyss
3. Lotus- Spiritualize
4. Benni Benassi- Cinema (Skrillex Remix)
5. + 6. Justice- Phantom > Phantom, Part II
7. Pretty Lights- The Time Has Come

Rock Mix
1. Arcade Fire- Crown of Love
2. Rolling Stones- Rocks Off
3. Talking Heads- The Great Curve
4. The Ramones- Beat on the Brat
5. + 6. White Denim- Burnished > At The Farm
7. The Slip- (Take A) Beetle to the Badlands
8. Vampire Weekend- Cousins
9. Yellowbirds- The Honest Ocean
10. Passion Pit- Sleepyhead
11 Marco Benevento- Wolf Trap



Note: The songs are in a specific order for a reason- begin with a warm-up, end with a cool down, and intervals of higher and lower intensities all throughout the middle.

Let me know how these work out for you while you're working out, and next up, I'll put up two different Phish gym mixes for two different kinds of work outs.

We've Got Super Balls- Super Ball IX Review and Lot Bites Report

Super Ball IX has come to an end, and it was certainly a super ball. Eight sets of well-executed music, some great eats, epic fireworks, art, and fun. Here's a breakdown of the music by set, the setlists (thanks to Phish.net), some pictures, and a review of the food to be found throughout the festival.

7/1/2011
Set I: Possum, Peaches En Regalia > Moma Dance, Torn and Frayed > NICU > Bathtub Gin, Life on Mars?, My Friend, My Friend, Wolfman's Brother, Roses are Free > Funky Bitch, Quinn the Eskimo
Set II: Super Ball Jam > Crosseyed and Painless > Chalkdust Torture, Sand > Wedge, Mike's Song > Simple > Bug, The Horse > Silent in the Morning > Weekapaug Groove > Joy > Character Zero
Encore: Show of Life

From the second they got on stage with the obvious Possum opener, you could tell Phish was very excited to be there. The first set started off the weekend right. Setlist wise it was very cover heavy, featuring two rarer ones, Peaches en Regalia and, for the first time in 3.0, Life On Mars?. The Mike's Song through Weekapaug set-up was also different, with a beautifully played Simple and an unexpected Bug. The highlights of this night musically were Bathtub Gin, Wolfman's Brother, Super Ball Jam > Crosseyed and Painless.



7/2/2011
Set I: Tube, Kill Devil Falls, Ocelot, Lawn Boy, The Divided Sky, Boogie on Reggae Woman > Camel Walk, Cities > Poor Heart > 46 Days > Suskind Hotel, When The Circus Comes To Town, Timber > Back on the Train > Suzy Greenberg, Monkey Man
Set II: Runway Jim, McGrupp and the Watchful Horsemasters, Axilla, Birds of a Feather, Stash, Sample in a Jar, Heavy Things >Horn > It's Ice > Mango Song > Rift > Scents and Subtle Sounds > Run Like an Antelope
Set III: Golden Age > Prince Caspian > Piper > Tweezer > Julius > Backwards Down the Number Line > Twist > 2001 > Hood > Cavern > Golgi > A Day in the Life
Encore: Loving Cup, Tweezer Reprise
Set IV (Secret Set at Storage Unit): Ball Square Jam >Sleeping Monkey

The only day set of the festival brought upon some funky jams- Boogie On Reggae Woman, Camel Walk, and Cities- and two Phish debuts- Suskind Hotel and a cover of Monkey Man by the Rolling Stones. Set II opened with Runaway Jim, announcing the winners of the Runway Jim 5K, and featured some songs that had only been played once so far this summer, plus Scents and Subtle Sounds for the first time this summer. The last set played like a mix of solid versions of classics. Highlights from the day included Boogie on Reggae Woman > Camel Walk, Stash, Scents and Subtle Sounds > Run Like an Antelope, Golden Age, and my favorite of the day- Twist. Also in this set, the first time the secret language has showed itself in 3.0, when Trey teased "The Simpsons" post-Birds of a Feather, to which the crowd responded eagerly, "D'oh!"

Following the last set, race car noises emerged from around the track, and the lights set up around Ball Square began to take shape around one of the art installations, a storage shed labeled "USA Storage." Before long, some very spacey, psychedelic emerged from the speakers, and the band became visible from the shed. This jam continued for almost an hour, hitting some Pink Floyd-esque peaks before delving into a unique rendition of Sleeping Monkey. This "secret set" at Ball Square was one of the greatest highlights of the whole weekend. I have never heard Phish play quite like this, and it was a special set to have witnessed.



7/3/2011
Set I: Soul Shakedown Party, AC/DC Bag > The Curtain > Colonel Forbin's Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird, Destiny Unbound, Big Black Furry Creature From Mars > Wilson > Mound, A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing, Time Loves a Hero, Reba
Set II: Big Balls > Down with Disease > No Quarter > Party Time, Ghost > Gotta Jibboo > Light > Waves > What's the Use?, Meatstick Dance, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Star Spangled Banner
Encore: First Tube

Set I opened with a bang- Soul Shakedown Party, which had yet to be played since the 2009 New Years Run in Miami. After The Curtain, played "without" for the first time since 2000, some rare Gamehendge emerged with Colonel Forbin's > Fly Famous Mockingbird. It featured a narration, also for the first time since 2000, that told the story behind them playing in the storage unit the night before. While in their early days on tour, the band had gotten locked in a storage facility, and would play these jams in hopes of altering their reality, and that this whole event was a result of these moments. Some more great versions of seldom played songs made the list with Destiny Unbound, Mound, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing, and Time Loves A Hero, and the Reba had the whistling ending, which was not up to par, but is so rare these days it was nice to hear. Highlights from the first set were Colonel Forbin's > Flying Famous Mocking Bird, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing, and Time Loves a Hero.

For the record- the best pre/post set music goes to setbreak on 7/3, as every song had an American theme.

The song choices and execution of Set II from this day will go down, at least for me, as possibly one of the better sets I have ever witnessed. It began with a fitting and raging Phish debut of AC/DC's Big Balls before transitioning into a rousing Down with Disease. Leaving DwD unfinished, the band transitioned into its second playing of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter," which they have clearly practiced since its debut. Party Time kept the energy going, before playing a spacey version of Ghost. Light was one of the best versions played since it debuted, and the rare Waves and even more rare What's The Use continued on this epic set. A whimsical Meatstick Dance and an awkwardly placed but raging Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, followed by a heartwarming a cappella version of the Star Spangled Banner. As they came on for the encore, the band thanked the many people in their crew and at Watkin's Glen for helping them out, and as the First Tube encore played on, a fantastic display of fireworks appeared in the sky and continued well past the music. This whole set was a highlight for me for the entire weekend. Maybe it was just my song taste (What's The Use is one of my favorite songs, and I'm a sucker for Down with Disease, especially a great version) and my jamming taste, but I will never forget that set.

Can you believe that was just the music? The music, however, blew the food away at Super Ball IX. While there was certainly some variety and some of it was tasty, the officially vended offerings were subpar at best. The veggie quesedillas and enchilladas were good, the smoothie was ok, and the various Spicy Pie pizzas set-up were inconsistent; I had the perfect slice of it inside the venue, but it was cold and soggy when I got a slice in the campground vending. As the weekend went on, many independent vendors began to set-up in small shakedowns throughout the campsite, including my favorite veggie burrito of summer tour (adding fresh corn now to its mix of black beans, fresh spinach, tomatoes, garlic, garlic, and cheese) and the infamous Billy's Pulled Pork sandwich. I found and tried another pulled pork sandwich that was sans the slaw, and not only was the pork not as good, but you really need that slaw to bring the whole thing together. I was very pleased to see, however, that there were many smaller vendors set up that were using a lot of fresh ingredients; I watched a very nice neighbor making breakfast sandwiches, complete with your choice of two different cheddar cheeses, fresh onion, peppers, and eggs.




(h3ddy breakfast sandwich)


I was especially disappointed in the farmer's market this year. New York state is famous for its farm, and summer produce is nearly at its peak. So why was their so little fresh produce? Besides some decent plums, cherries, and scapes, the produce was lacking. Most of the market featured grains, granola, and other all-natural food and beauty products. This was especially angering considering the market(s!) at Festival 8 were bigger and had much better offerings.



(farmer's market)



A month off before Phish goes back on tour, and given what I saw this weekend, I have very high expectations for leg II. I hope to see some of you out west, and if not, definitely at UIC! Until then, a farmer's market report, some gym mix tapes, and some more live music reviews as I see them will be coming your way.

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.