The hardest working man in music, Warren Haynes, is back with the 20th year of his annual Christmas Jam. Though I’d pay a lot of money to go back in time and see all of the canadian tuxedos that people wore in 1988, this year looks like it could be a great event. This year’s X-Mas Jam will span two nights for the first time in its history and as always proceeds from the shows will go towards Habitat for Humanity, a great cause.
The event will take place on December 12th and 13th down in Asheville, a wonderful little city full of like minded people. The lineup consists of a great blend of blues, rock, bluegrass and folk including the headliners Gov’t Mule and the Allman Brother’s Band. On top of the bands slated to perform each day, there are a whole slew of special guests who will no doubt join in on the fun. I promise that no one plays with more people than Warren, the “sit-in” is his go-to move and always a Christmas Jam staple. Read on for more info and the lineup.
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A few Sundays back, I was among the lucky few to attend the Fleet Foxes show here in Chicago. It was a perfect a show for a Sunday – tangible energy from the crowd and melodic music from the band. Yet, I caught Fleet Foxes back in July at Pritzker Pavilion and was a little underwhelmed with the direction of their live show. They would hit on some amazing sections and I would be in folk heaven but rarely would they stay in that place. It was like listening to CSNY if Crosby had ADHD. In Fleet Foxes’ case the potential was there and that’s all I need to give a band a second chance.
This second live show affirmed the group as the force many claim them to be musically; they quickly enveloped me in an array of sound and I found myself lost — in a good way — for the first half of the show. But they failed to put together the entire package a great live show must claim. The second half was more stage banter than music, which I can’t endorse as a way to maintain a concert. The crowd seemed to be enjoying themselves and there were a lot of laughs but it was somewhat lost on me. Some of the band even seemed annoyed at these numerous misdirections.
Over the course of the night I took some photos from the bird’s eye view I found myself in but I was lucky enough to have any view at all because Metro was packed with people. If you’ve seen Fleet Foxes before let us know what you think about their approach to the onstage conversation. Follow the jump for some more photos from the night. READ MORE
Earlier this week we let you know about some great things we’ll be doing at Metro here in Chicago to help get more and more readers to see great live music. For this Saturday’s show featuring two pairs of musicians, Crystal Castles & Lymbyc Systym, we’re offering two pairs of tickets. For the first two comments that appear on this post, we’ll get your name on the list over at Metro with a +1 and you’ll be all set to go for the show.
Both of these bands are truly fantastic, they definitely have different sounds and their live shows are nearly at two extremes but collectively it will be an amazing night of music. Lymbyc Systym has just finished a new split LP this past summer and the new stuff is great. Crystal Castles has been riding the wave of support for their eponymous debut that released earlier this year.
Though I usually enjoy a more creative contest in order to get something free, we’re a little late on this one and therefore need to get the names in asap. Please remember to leave an email address and obviously your name so that you won’t get shut out. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
The last few weeks have been really exciting for LMB especially here in Chicago where both Mitch and I call home. Not only did the blog get its wish — it has to do with a certain band — but we’ve been ironing out a relationship with Metro Chicago to get more and more great music to this city. And more importantly get more people to see said music. For the foreseeable future, LMB will be promoting shows at the Metro and we’ve got three great concerts on the slate through the end of the year.
What this means for our readers is that we’ll be throwing some tickets around for free — or more accurately for your wonderful comments — showcasing some great bands both old and new on the site, and possibly having some great giveaways aside from the tickets. The three shows that we’ll be supporting in the next three months are Crystal Castles, Lymbyc Systym on 10/25, Calexico on 11/21 and CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy) on 12/14. We’re very excited about all three of these shows and if you follow the jump you can hear about the first upcoming date with Crystal Castles and Lymbyc Systym.
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Blue-eyed soul has been around forever, white dudes have been trying — sometimes very successfully — to replicate the music that poured out of Detroit and Memphis during the 50′s and 60′s throughout almost every other decade to date. Jamie Lidell may have the most uncommon path to blue-eyed stardom, starting his career as one half of the electronic duo Super Collider. Yet the result is unmistakably smooth and expressive.
Jamie Lidell made a stop at the Metro here in Chicago last Wednesday night and I had the definite pleasure to catch the show. Lidell brought a great band with him, complete with the keyboardists’ version of Keith Richards. The rest of the band, including Lidell, were decked out in Elvis costumes and pajamas; they even brought out a bust of Elvis Presley with them on stage. To say the least, it was quite the night.
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The live music universe is a world filled with ebbs and flows of energy; when things get busy, they really get busy and then there will be a down period. Suffice to say that in Chicago, right when that 90 day limit Lollapalooza puts on its performers finishes, October is busy. Everyone is touring. In addition, there have been a number of announcements of late pertaining to New Years Eve. So gathered here is a pretty solid compendium of who’s playing where on December 31st. The venue link will get you to ticket information for the mentioned shows.
- San Francisco may be the queen of NYE this year with eight shows slated for 12/31/08. Tea Leaf Green is setting up at Mezzanine while ALO will be at The Independent. The two heavy hitting shows are Les Claypool and Zappa Plays Zappa at the War Memorial Opera House while George Clinton and his crew will finish what The Greyboy Allstars start at The Warfield. That’s a tough decision.
- In CO, Widespread Panic and Yonder Mountain String Band are holding down the Pepsi Center, while Lotus will fill the Fox Theater up in Boulder.
- If San Fran’s got quantity then Atlanta has got the quality. STS9 sets up at The Tabernacle for another four night run; this has become the gold standard in NYE shows. Band of Horses has got two nights at the Variety Playhouse. Just up the road in Athens, Perpetual Groove plays the Georgia Theater.
- Chicago’s got two nice shows: Umphrey’s McGee moves their annual romp to the Auditorium Theater and at the Congress Theater, Justice will be making sure the hipsters get down — note: this is a DJ set.
- Some great jazz acts are heading home for the New Year’s. Soulive will be at the Paradise in Boston, Galactic will “laissez les bon temps rouler” at Tipitina’s Uptown and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey heads home to the Blank Slate in Tulsa, OK.
- In New York, the home of New Year’s Eve, the big show is My Morning Jacket at Madison Square Garden. Yet, the Disco Biscuits will drop the heat on Nokia Time Square Theater for five nights and Gov’t Mule is playing the Hammerstein. Late night, the Duo and Surprise Me Mr. Davis will keep you up until the wee hours at B.B. Kings.
- The show of the evening may be Brothers Past making their return at The Note in West Chester, PA. Word is that this will be their last show. It is sold out, so have fun those of you attending; I caught a late night NYE show back in ’05 – ’06 and it was fire. Still the best cover of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” I’ve ever heard.
You guys thinking about New Years Eve yet? Drop a comment about the shows that are making you giddy with anticipation. Keep each other informed and we’ll pick up the slack. Hope everyone had a great weekend.
After hearing of Jim James’ unfortunate fall in Iowa City, its a little tough to write about the great time I had catching My Morning Jacket at the Greek Theater a few weeks back. Jim James has such energy and is totally in command when on stage, it is awful to think that he hurt himself doing what he so seemingly loves to do. Those of us who live in Chicago should know that MMJ is fully committed to its fans, the band will come through Chicago to redeem the postponed shows and burn the house down.
While I was in LA I got the chance to spend “An Evening with My Morning Jacket,” as they so aptly named their concerts on this tour. My Morning Jacket understands the concert experience well, something that they probably learned through ten years of exploits. The show had few down periods of energy unless the band seemed to want it that way; they were constantly in control. They played for a good two and a half hours complete with a five song encore. It was fantastic, I was lucky to see them in such a wonderful venue and for those of you feeling a bit bummed because of no MMJ this weekend, believe me, they’re worth the wait.
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