Scene and Heard

Three and a half years in the making, the efforts of writing and recording THERE IS NO ENEMY led Built to Spill founder Doug Martsch to wonder whether this would be the last album he ever makes. As his wife, I watched him work, pouring hour after hour , day after day into writing. Song lyrics were labored over then thrown in the trash, guitar parts revised again (and again). A musician and artist like Doug edits far more than he keeps.

For over twenty years, Doug Martsch has been writing and recording music. Built to Spill members Brett Nelson (bass), Scott Plouf (drums) Jim Roth (guitar), and Brett Netson (guitar) have all been musicians for two decades. That adds up to more than a century. Doug’s strong aesthetic combines with the band members’ mix of approaches to create an aural topography. Doug sets course and navigates. Each member of Built to Spill comes to the music with a different set of expectations and ideals.

With the complexity and variety of music they have created, Built to Spill endeavors to make songs interesting to themselves and their audience. They hope that the band will remain special and that people will discover the music for themselves. Year after year, new fans show up. Just like the band members, listeners come to the music with expectations and ideals. They make up their own ideas about the songs.

I once overheard Doug on the phone being interviewed. He sounded almost stand-offish in not “telling” an interviewer the meaning of a song or describing its origin. Doug and I have speculated about this sometimes: meaning (whether intended or not )is not inherent in lyrics or in any art. Listening, looking closely, and responding with one’s feelings, thoughts, and senses transforms. Doug simply does wish to disrupt any meaning someone else has found.

I can barely repress the urge to tell you what THERE IS NO ENEMY means to me. When making the new record, Doug literally lived in the studio. To be able to work all day and all night. To spend hours and hours laying down guitar tracks he realized he couldn’t use since the first live takes had the best tone and feel. To undigitally remix the record. With so much work behind the band, the record is here. Now comes the album’s journey into the world. This venture Built to Spill does not map out. The record is yours to respond to.

When I listen to songs Doug writes and the whole band plays, I think, “How can people make music this good?” Even though I witness and minorly assist, I still do not understand how theirs or any beloved music comes into the world. To me, the process and result are magic.

BUILT TO SPILL:
Doug Martsch • guitars, vocals / Brett Nelson • guitars / Jim Roth • guitars / Brett Nelson • bass / Scott Plouf • drums

www.builttospill.com

Sunday, August 29 2010
Headliners
All Ages / 8pm (doors 7pm)

LOUISVILLE, KY – The Forecastle Festival and Nederlander Entertainment are pleased to announce (75) additional artists to the 9th annual festival, July 9 – 11 at Waterfront Park in downtown Louisville, KY. The initial artist schedule has also been released.

DEVO, Cake, She & Him, Umphrey’s McGee, Against Me!, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Manchester Orchestra, and many more bands will join previously announced artists The Flaming Lips, Widespread Panic, Spoon, Drive-by Truckers, Bassnectar, Minus the Bear, a reunited Cap ‘n Jazz, and more. Also making their Forecastle debut is a rare daily / nightly performance by “Cirque Berzerk” – a Los-Angeles based circus extravaganza combining aerial acrobatics and French burlesque with punk rock influences. Forecastle will be the first major festival they have performed at apart from Burning Man in Black Rock, Nevada.

Another major artist announcement is coming soon, as well as art and activism lineups, keynote speaker, film schedule, outdoor activities, kick-off parties, and complete festival schedule including hourly breakdowns of all performances and activities. Big Gigantic and Ana Sia will perform on the Belle of Louisville for the Friday night after party and EOTO will perform on the Belle of Louisville for the Saturday night after party. After party tickets are on sale now.

The initial schedule is available on the festival website: www.ForecastleFest.com, along with a breakdown of bands, including live performance videos.

Three day passes, priced at $150, and single day tickets, priced at $60, are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. They are also available at ear-X-tacy in Louisville, Shake-It Records in Cincinnati, CD Central in Lexington, Indy CD and Vinyl in Indianapolis, and Grimey’s in Nashville. VIP packages and other premium ticketing options are also available, as well as campground accommodations and on-site hotel rooms. Visit www.forecastlefest.com for details, along with directions, campground and lodging information, and more!

French sensation, Phoenix brought their red hot tour to The Louisville Palace Thursday, leaving their young audience begging for more. Performing the majority of their Grammy winning, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the band kept fans singing and dancing the entire 1 hour and 30 minute show.

Phoenix duplicated their complicated sound beautifully. With Thomas Mars vocals leading the way. Playing their final song “1901”of a three song encore Mars left the stage and moved into the crowd serenading the audience while being hoisted in the air by his loving fans.

more photos on http://mikeseye.phanfare.com

This information is direct from The Black Crowes website

http://www.blackcrowes.com

THE BLACK CROWES TO RELEASE  DOUBLE STUDIO

ALBUM OF ALL ACOUSTIC MATERIAL TO COMMEMORATE

THEIR 20^th ANNIVERSARY

INDEFINITE HIATUS TO FOLLOW TOUR

In celebration of the 20^th year anniversary of their 1990 debut multi platinum release “Shake Your Money Maker,” The Black Crowes will release their first ever double album of all acoustic material on August 3, 2010.

After touring in 2009, The Black Crowes spent time at the Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles, recording over 20 songs from their 20 year history.  The band arranged acoustic versions of many of their best loved songs and the band’s catalogue picks.

The double album, Croweology, will be sold at the cost of a single album as a “Thank You” to their fans for 20 years of support.  Also to be released on vinyl, the project was produced by Paul Stacey and will be released on The Black Crowes label, Silver Arrow, through Megaforce Records.

In late summer, The Black Crowes will kick off their “Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys” 2010 Tour which will feature three hour performance sets in most markets. The shows are being billed as “Acoustic Hor D’oeuvres followed by an Electric Reception With The Black Crowes,” and will consist of a full hour and a half acoustic set followed by a full hour and a half electric set, except where noted below *.

The tour will begin on August 13 in Milwaukee and is presently scheduled to conclude with the band’s annual multi-night stand at the Fillmore in San Francisco on December 19, 2010.

Following their 2010 “Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys” Tour the band has planned a lengthy hiatus.

Chris Robinson had this to say, “With a smile so wide you can count my teeth and with a heart so full of love that it is spilling over the rim, I offer a humble and simple thank you.  Thank you for your time, your imaginations, your heartaches and joy.  Thank you for 20 years of cosmic rock n roll. 20 years of keeping it weird.  20 years of chasing horizons and before the band that dares dream out loud puts it down for a while, we are proud to give you our Croweology.  This year the music is only for you as we celebrate what has been, what is now and whatever will be”.

Rich Robinson said, “At this milestone in our career, I feel very fortunate that I have had the opportunity to spend my life making music.  It’s been 20 years since we started out on this journey.  I would like to extend my deep gratitude to all of our fans who have been there with us along the way. We would not have gotten here without your support. Every night I stand on the stage I feel great pride and respect for what we share with our fans. After this tour we are going to take some much needed time to spend with our families.  But for now, we are very much looking forward to a great year of touring.  I look forward to seeing all your familiar faces again on the road. See you soon.”

Steve Gorman added, “20 Years Gone – To look back over the past twenty years …there are so many thoughts, feelings, and memories of all shapes and sizes that it’s tough to process it all.  Lots of ups and downs, lots of everything.  One can easily get lost in the labyrinth of those many experiences. However, there is one constant – and that’s an overwhelming sense of gratitude to all of you that have supported us for the past twenty years. Our tour this year serves as a very large THANK YOU to all in attendance.  Whether you have seen us one time, ten times, a hundred times, or more, it goes without saying that we wouldn’t be here without you.  The lives that we all lead, and the opportunities that we have been presented with, all trace directly back to your support.  Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!  And after this tour, we’ll be taking a nice, long, much needed break.  We are all in agreement  (no, seriously, we are!) that this is the right time to spend time with our families, friends, outside musical and non musical projects and of course, our personal lives. So, we’re going out swinging with all we got.  Let’s all join hands and share the ride!”

The Allman Brothers

Johnny Winter

What started as dream of the Allman Brothers Band to have a ” festival featuring the band and their many side projects “, has become the south’s most important music festival of the year. With the help of Live Nation, the past two years, the sixth annualWanee Music Festival held at Spirit of Suwanee Music Park, in Live Oak Florida, the festival has grown to over 16,000 fans camping and enjoying the beautiful park and the great North Florida Spring weather.

Wanee Festival added an extra day of music and a stellar lineup of musicians to the 2010 edition of the show. This years show made it a difficult choice of what band to pick between or leave before the show finished in order to see another show.

Devon Allman kicked off the event with a blistering set that was an omen of  incredible guitar filled music you would hear for the next two and one half days. Col. Bruce Hampton followed with a jammed filled set that included Butch Trucks of the Allmans setting in on drums.

It wasn’t all guitar and jamming. Funk filled shows by George Clinton and the Parliment Funkadelic, A Sly and Family Stone tribute by IvanNeville’s Dumpstaphunk made sure fans got their share of the groove.
The legendary Dr. John and the Funky Meters brought a New Orleans flavored jazz based funk to the crowd.

The Lee Boys joined by Oteil and Kofi Burbridge, and supergroup, The Word starring Robert Randolph and North Mississippi All Stars and John Medeski kept the gospel jam magic at a high level.

Impressive shows by music  legends such as Johnny Winter, Steven Stills, Bob Weir and Hot Tunarounded out the afternoons and early evening.

Both nights where put in high gear when Widespread Panic began at 6:30 playing over two hours each night, Panic and their large fan base set the bar high for the headlining Allmans Brothers.

The Allman Brothers did what they do best, playing from their catalogue of 41years at a fever pitched pace. They are a music machine perfectly in sync on every note. Greg Allman, one of the best all time blues voices was as strong  as ever. Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks are both considered top guitarists in Rolling Stone Magazine’s 100 all time greatest guitarists poll. The wall of sound formed by drummers and bass form a well oiled music machine carrying you with them through every musical twist and turn.

Inviting guest musicians to sit in is expected with the Allmans, this year they were joined by John Bell, Dave Schools, and Jimmy Herring of Widespread Panic, Johnny Winter, and Luther Dickinson to name a few.

Gov’t Mule ended Friday’s lineup with a blistering set playing to the nearly 3:00am. The event ended with Derek Trucks and his wife Susan Teseschi  starting at nearly 12:45 Sunday morning and wrapping up a spectacular weekend of music close to 2:45.

Wanee Festival has become bigger and better every year. I am not sure how they will top this one. You can purchase the entire shows to watch on your home computer at Moogis.com

Complete cds of the Allman Brothers and Gov’t Mule shows are available from Hittin the Note

Widespread Panic shows from Widespread Panic’s website

To see more photos : http://mikeseye.phanfare.com

Comedian and Musician,Stephen Lynchbrought his explicit comedy routine toHorseshoe Casino In Friday evening. The talented musician picked on all subjects, beginning his show with song ‘Waiting” , a song about a person contemplating his mistakes in great detail while waiting for his AIDS test results.

Lynch is a Tony nominated actor, for Broadway’s ” The Wedding Singer” and a classically trained musician. He clearly has  a great amount of talent, which he uses to sing about the most untouchable subjects, such as Jesus’s brother Craig to Toilet seats at McDonalds.

Comedy Central Network,  invited Stephen to record his 1st special in 2000. That special became one of their highest rated performances, almost unheard of for an unknown. Stephen’s 2nd special debuted in January 2008, with similarly high ratings.

Early in the show Lynch remarked, ” some of you won’t be here when my show ends”. While his raw style insulted a small portion of the audience, who did leave early. The majority knew what to expect and Stephen Lynch delivered it to them.

Stone Temple Pilots are back with all the power that made them mega stars in the past.! They absolutely rocked  Louisville Palace and the crowd of approx. 2,200 with a mix of new songs from their self titled new album, Stone Temple Pilots, along with their past mega hits. The band has had it’s share of scandals, drug use, band break ups and record label lawsuits but they were in top form on Tuesday night.

Lead singer, Scott Weiland began in a suit, tie  and sun glasses but discarded them by the third song.

He entertained his fans with strong vocals even using a megaphone during the performance. The band was loud and tight playing before a background that included a large video screen and many special lighting effects.

Set List

• Vasoline
• Crackerman
• Wicked Garden
• Hollywood Bitch
• Between the Lines
• Hickory Dichotomy
• Big Empty
• Sour Girl
• Creep
• Plush
• Interstate Love Song
• Bagman
• Huckleberry Crumble
• Sex Type Thing
• Dead and Bloated
• Lounge Fly
• Piece Of Pie
• Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart

Forecastle Founder, J. K. McKnight

Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips

Widespread Panic at Forecastle 2009

Britt Daniel of Spoon

The Forecastle Festival and Nederlander Entertainment are pleased to announce the initial lineup for the 2010 Festival, as well as a venue change to Louisville’sWaterfront Park to accommodate larger crowds and additional festival activities.

The 9th annual Forecastle Festival will take place July 9th – 11th at Waterfront Park – just a few minutes walk from last year’s location at the Riverfront Belvedere  –  and feature experimental rock pioneers The Flaming Lips and perennial jam band favorites Widespread Panic, along with Spoon, The Drive-By Truckers, Bassnectar, Minus the Bear, The New Deal, Lucero, a reunion by Cap ‘n Jazz, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Sara Watkins (of Nickel Creek), Dar Williams, EOTO, Break Science, Mimosa, Mucca Pazza, Company of Thieves, Savoy, BoomBox, Two Fresh, and Morning Teleportation. Over sixty more performers will be announced in the upcoming weeks, including additional headliners.

Forecastle 2010 will feature over 75 bands, DJs, and electronic artists on (4) festival stages, along with regional art installations, the Sustainable Living Roadshow, an expanded outdoor extreme sports park, Patagonia Footwear Film Pavilion, SPROUTS “Rock, Relax, and Refresh” children’s eco-info zone, renewable energy exhibits, organic food options, discussion panels, speakers, dance tents, and more.

“Forecastle’s move to Waterfront Park is a long-awaited dream come true. After nine-years of continuous growth, we finally have the opportunity to spread our wings and do things we’ve always wanted to do. This is a new chapter, and groundbreaking time for us,” said JK McKnight, Founder and Manager of Forecastle.

“We’re very excited to be able to grow The Forecastle Festival and continue to connect fans from across the country with emerging musicians, longtime favorites, and local artists in an environment as scenic as Louisville’s Waterfront Park, “said Nederlander’s Vice President of Business Development Steve Liberatore.

The Louisville Palace turned  into  the David Gray Fan club headquarters Friday evening. With the crowd singing along as Gray performs songs from his new album, “Draw the Line” and many of his past hits. Gray,the owner of three consecutive number one albums in his native country of England, wows his audience with his soulful,gritty voice  and his excellent band.

His music tends to lean on the trials and suffering  of love. Though it may sound sad, you couldn’t find that in Louisville last night!

Setlist

Fugitive

Sail

Stella

Now and Always

Slow Motion

Draw the line

Freedom

Babylon

Be Mine

Otherside

Nemesis

TYL

Jackdaw

Everytime

PFM

Encore

Ain’t no love

Flame

World to me

TOIL

Headliners Music Hall, hosted, “The Boogie for a Buck” series presented by Kentucky Ale. featuring Nashville based bands, Moon Taxi, and Elmwood,  along with San Francisco Bay area based, Tea Leaf Green.

A near capacity crowd took advantage of the estimated 500 free ticket on line give away and $1.00 at the door show.

It was quite a bargain with a rousing warm up set by Moon Taxi and the  sax filled music of Elmwood.

It was nearly midnight when the jam based road warriors, Tea Leaf Green took the stage. Selecting songs from the decade plus musical catalogue, the band took time to display the many talents of each member. With Josh Clark’s shredding guitar licks,  Trevor Garrod’s driving keyboard, being pushed to new heights by the thundering  bass of  Reed Mathis, the band seems ready to take on it’s heavy schedule of summer festivals.

This is one band you must see this summer! Be prepared, you can’t sit still with music like this!