Click here to see Kate Nash Photos

Kate Nash Played a SOLD OUT show at the Rechter Theatre as part of her first ever U.S. tour.  Kate Nash is a very outspoken young engllish girl but that adds a lot of zest to her writing and performing.  Her debut album earned its “explicit lyrics” warning presumably from two very specific songs that if you peruse the titles of her songs you can surely guess which two.  Anyhow the added fiestyness proved to be an entertaining show as she pounds her piano while belting out her newly penned hits.   

Click here to see the photos.

Citizen Cope played the SOLD OUT Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, PA on 04/11/2008, arriving late to the stage, to a packed house of obviously big fans.  It did not take Cope long to figure out that the fans that night were some hard-core fans with the songs being requested in between songs and the audience at times singing as loud as the music itself.

For the encore, Cope came out solo with an acoustic guitar and belted out 3 or 4 songs including Pablo Picasso for which the audeince neraly drowned him out from the first vocal line.  Cope let the audience take the entire first verse making Cope the happiest i have ever seen him with a huge grin on his face and eyes wide opened.  After the first verse he acknowledged the audience with a “Wow, you passed that test!”. 

This is the second Citizen Cope show in about 2 months and it amazes me how large of a following he has.  I first heard Cope in about 2001 when i heard “If there’s Love” and assumed he was sort of flying low under the radar But since this is the second sell out in a row for me….. I think that the news has gotten out about Citizen Cope and it is well deserved.

Click here to see the Robert Randolph photos.

Robert Randolph is a show not to miss when he comes to town, the guy exudes pure energy through his electric pedal steel guitar. His shows are always very upbeat as a lot of his songs are in the major scales instead of the typical blues in the minor voicing and lyrics are also filled with hope and inspiration without going overboard making this a very good choice of band for Messiah College to host.

I remember reading a long time ago that Robert played a pedal steel in his church when he was younger and the first time he heard Jimi Hendrix he knew he had to start a band. Robert Randolph has mastered his instrument only like he can… He is the Jimi Hendrix of the pedal steel, much like Bela Fleck is the Jimi Hendrix of the banjo. He has been on tour with the nations largest acts including Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews Band, etc… and he has also made appearances on a collection of other band’s albums.

The opening band was Sons of Bill was the opening band which bordered the lines of both country and rock reminding me in a way of the rock songs from Gin Blossoms or Craker all in all a good band that got the heads bobbing. The electric guitar player provided the evenings rock with some pretty good solos…. He was wearing an Alice in Chains (circa “Dirt” album) so i knew we were in good hands.

Click here to see the Sons of Bill photos.

The setlist and a link to download or stream the set from Robert Randolph and the Family Band are below:

http://www.archive.org/details/RRFB2008-04-05.spc4

Tuning
Jam
I Need More Love > Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ %% > I Need More Love
Feel Good Jam
Press On !!
Shake Your Hips
Nobody
Jam $$ ^^ ** &&
The March ** &&
Pre-Encore Crowd Noise
Jam > 7 Nation Army ## > Jam
Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That

Notes:
%% – Michael Jackson Cover.
!! – Danyel Morgan on vocals.
$$ – Louisiana Bayou Tease.
^^ – 1 guest guitar player.
** – Max Freilich from Audience on the B3 organ.

&& – Billie Jean Tease.
## – White Stripes Cover.
Audience Guest remains on the B3 Organ during The March.

Click here to see the photos.

Mike Doughty, previously of Soul Coughing played the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on 04/03/2008.  The band went on stage first and started playing the first intro while Mike walked to the stage with a little more than uncertain look then stopped the band and said he forgot all his stuff on the bus and it had to be about the dumbest thing he had done on tour…..  A few minutes late Mike arrived this time a little wet from running through the rain to get the bus….

After a few songs off Mike’s newest album “Golden Delicious” and its predecessor, “Hauty Melodic” it was clear something was still amiss, his in-ear monitor was having technical difficulties and would persist most of the night but fortunately the music must go on!

Luckily the night went on going through rocker after rocker without much flaw after Mike nearly completely abandoned the in-ear monitoring.  It was a great night and a glad i finally got to see the man behind Soul Coughing.

The setlist below was copped from another review on the net so i can not vouch for accuracy.

Tremendous Brunettes
I Wrote a Song About Your Car
Navigating By the Stars at Night
Circles
St. Louise Is Listening
American Car
Grey Ghost
I Hear the Bells
Wednesday (No Se Apoye)
More Bacon Than the Pan Can Handle (with Mike playing the sampler)
I Just Want the Girl in the Blue Dress to Keep On Dancing
Fort Hood
Ossining

The Gambler (the Kenny Rogers classic)
Put It Down
27 Jennifers
Looking at the World From the Bottom of a Well 

Click here to see the photos.

Yeeeeeeehaw! The Hackensaw Boys put on one heck of a show at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on 03/27/2008 promoting their most recent album, “Lookout”.  The Hackensaw Boys, if you are not familiar are a high-octane bluegrass band that can make most anyone start stomping their feet.

The Hackensaw Boys went on tour with Modest Mouse at one point and Modest Mouse liked them so much they actually hired multi-instrumentalist Tom Peloso but he still joins up with the gang every once in a while.

You REALLY must try and see these guys live (preferably with beer or whiskey in hand) when they come near.  I know i will and if you see me there, buy me a beer would you?   

Click here to see the photos

Toubab Krewe played a great show on their return visit to Appalachian Brewing Company on 03/21/2008. Thanks to Round Table Presents for bringing such talents into Harrisburg, PA.

Toubab Krewe is a 5-piece instrumental-experimental band that mixes Malian, African, and traditional American music together to make their worldly / jammy sound. Toubab Krewe first rocked a large audience when they got to play Bonaroo before 100,000 or so people and never looked back since.

Their dual percussion attack and the bass keeps the music moving at a nice pace with a dense and deep textured sound. Justin Perkins in the band plays the kora and a kamelengoni which make for an original sound in todays world. The guitarist complements the non-traditional instruments with his creative phrasings and scales. Check out Toubab Krewe’s website to have a listen.

The setlist and a link to stream or download this show are below:

http://www.archive.org/details/tbk2008-03-21.mimna.busman_bsc1-k4.flac16
http://www.archive.org/details/tbk2008-03-21.ksm109wav

51′
Diggi
Tamasanko
Wassoulou
Kaira
Bamana Niya
Hommage
Roy Forrester
Bucomble to Badala
Summel
Lamine’s Tune
Maliba
Chasse
Get Out There*
NTB
Moose > Salu
E: Zaouli

Click here to see the photos.

The Thrushes played Messiah College in Grantham, PA on March 12, 2008. The Thrushes are a four-piece band from Baltimore, MD that reminded me of a mix between The Breeders (or Pixies) with the sparkly guitars of Sugar. They recently scored an opening spot for the Raveonettes tour which will open many doors for them. Good band, glad i got to see them and i hope to see them again.

Click here to see the photos.

moe. (properly written in all lowercase letters with a period at the end) played a SOLD OUT State Theater in State College, PA on 03/05/08 on tour for their new album “Sticks And Stones”. moe. has been around cutting their teeth since being created in Buffalo in the 1980’s earning their name and reputation from hard touring, long jams, and long shows. They have hit it big-time in the jam-band world and are now one of the premiere acts.

moe. has a heavy guitar sound a la the Allman Brothers Band (which they are great friends with and have played with countless times). Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier are the dueling guitarists in this group and they alternate soaring leads that rise the jams to newer heights while the dual percussion attack and Rob Derhak hold the song tightly together. Chuck is the “tweaker” in the group, always tinkering with new guitar pedals and new sounds, Al is always improving his sound by using the newest boutiques guitar pedals but has a more traditional rock’n roll approach to his guitar leads it seems.

moe. brought with them an arsenal of lighting with them and created an amazing array of light as if they were playing Madison Square Garden. Ladies and gentleman, go see moe. now I promise you will not be disappointed.

The setlist and a link to stream or download the performance is below:

http://www.archive.org/details/moe.2008-03-05.aud.flac16

Set I:
The Ghost Of Ralph’s Mom>
She Sends Me
Hi and Lo>
Big World>
Runaway Overlude>
Mexico

Set II:
Moth>
Darkness
Lazarus
Conviction Song>
Waiting For The Punchline
Faker>
Moth
Encore:
Raise A Glass
St. Augustine

Click here to see the photos.

Keller Williams and the WMDS (an acronym from their last names) set the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, PA ablaze with their music on 03/04/08.

Keller Williams on vocals, guitar, sampler, and whacky effects
Keith Moseley on bass (The String Cheese Incident)
Gibb Droll on guitar (Marc Broussard)

Jeff Sipe on drums (Aquarium Rescue Unit, Trey Anastasio, Susan Tedeschi, Phil Lesh)

After playing only 3 or 4 songs the fire alarm at the Whitaker Center was sounded, flashing strobes pulsed, and the house lights came on. Within minutes the fire department was there and evacuated the premise to make sure there was nothing wrong. In those few minutes before the firemen showed, Keller and the WMDS was aware of what was going on through his in-ear monitor so kept the audience entertained by promptly breaking into Talking Heads’ song “Burning Down The House” then was forced to take an early set break. No fear, Keller and company extended the second set to make up for the shortened first set.

Click here to see the photos.

Thanks to Round Table Presents, Tom Hamilton’s American Babies Played Appalachian Brewing Company in Harrisburg, PA on Febraury 21st, 2008.  It was a blistery cold night with an advanced warning of several inches of snow and snow from the forecast that unfortunately kept many at home.  Those that did stay at home missed out on some great tunes.  Tom Hamilton is a singer songwriter and he was backed by a bass player and a drummer/guitar player, Joe Russo, of Benevento Russo Duo.  Their music was folk, alt-country, rock, and everything in between.

And again, a special thanks to Round Table Presents for promoting a great show.