ALO Brooklyn Bowl Setlist

Review to come.

THE HIP ABDUCTION - 08.18.16 - BROOKLYN BOWL (56 minutes)

SET -
Before We Lose Our Mind / Light It Up / Live It Right / Sun King > The Lion Sleeps Tonight (tease) > Sun King / Children of the Sun / La Resaca / Waiting* / Come Alive / Holiday / Sexual Healing

ANIMAL LIBERATION ORCHESTRA - 08.18.16 - BROOKLYN BOWL

SET I (1 hour, 5 minutes) -
Walls of Jericho / Blew Out the Walls > The Gardener > Try > Maria / Summer Dream (We Got the Time) > Room for Bloomin'

SET II (55 minutes) -
The Ticket > Cowboys & Chorus Girls / Bizarre Love Triangle / Immigrant Song / Chilly Chile (feat. Jackie Greene) > Shakedown Street (feat. Jackie Greene & Leslie Mendelson) > Barbeque (feat. Jackie Greene) > Jessica (tease) > Barbeque

The Next Round - Episode 8: ALO

Back in November, I had the pleasure of catching the second show ever by jamband supergroup, Incidental Animals.  Anchored by Steve Adams, Dave Brogan, and Dan Lebowitz of ALO, the band was rounded out by SCI's Kyle Hollingsworth and TAB's Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman.  I got to talk to Lebo after the show about how the band came together, what he's thinking about while he's jamming, and how he and Zach Gill escaped from Hurricane Sandy.  Check it out!

Subscribe on iTunes, download directly, or stream below:


Get Tour D'Amour tickets here and sign up for the Hot Tub Club.

I'll be at Flannery's Bar on Thursday at 9pm for "Laugh and a Draft."

Incidental Animals Play Their Second Show Ever at Brooklyn Bowl

Weddings bring people together.  ALO were hired to play a wedding event in NYC, but with Zach Gill on tour with Jack Johnson, Kyle Hollingsworth of the String Cheese Incident was tapped to man the keys.  Then the group was filled out with the horn section of Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman, compliments of Trey Anastasio Band.  The group, known as Incidental Animals, decided to book a few gigs to practice, and performed their second show ever on Thursday at Brooklyn Bowl.

The concert was opened by a Fort Lauderdale 5-piece called the Heavy Pets.  The Pets began with "Xylophone," which reminded me of Phish's "Free."  And while the tune may have crossed the ten-minute mark, the jam never progressed into a different headspace.  "We've got a brand new song for you guys," Jeff Lloyd announced, turning the vocal duties over to keyboardist Jim Wuest.  Unfortunately, Wuest turned his vocal duties over to a vocoder, rendering the lyrics unintelligible.  Ditching the vocal effects, "Stay the Night" went smoother: real lite FM baby-makin' music.  But the band claimed it was their 900th performance, so I expected much more experimentation.  "Help Me Help You" did feature an unexpectedly funky breakdown, but that was quickly expunged by guitar noise.  The song received a helpful upgrade from guests Cressman and Hartswick, who took turns soloing.  That would've been the ideal place to end the set, but they continued with "Last Babies," a tune that did little more than suggest that Mike Garulli probably listens to a lot of Dispatch and Slightly Stoopid.

Incidental Animals kicked off their set with the SCI number, "Can't Wait Another Day."  Dan slathered something similar to "Barbeque" sauce onto the peppy island tune before taking it into a haunting, spacier world.  Once they emerged from the darkness, Jennifer brightened things up with her trumpet, stretching the song out to 13 minutes.  "We care about you.  That's why we take the time to tune," informed Dan, readying his guitar for the rarely played "I Wanna Feel It."  Hartswick took lead vocals on the most joyous "Piece of My Heart" I've ever heard.  Always a delight, "Try" was enhanced by the ladies, who played the I-Threes card, singing back the last word of each line of the chorus.

It was refreshing to witness the smiles across the stage as the musicians figured out how to gel, with Cressman and Hartswick arranging their horn parts on the fly.  The brass reinvigorated "Lady Loop," which was also intensified by Kyle's spooky Virus TI synthesizer.  Having never seen Hollingsworth before, it was interesting to watch him work, mouthing along to the notes from his keyboards.  I got quite the kick out of imagining that the sounds were actually coming from his mouth.  Following "Naïve Melody," they played a fun Dan ditty I've never heard before, which I'll call "I Thought You Were My Friend."  Steve Adams finally got a chance to sing on "Falling Dominoes," and the girls proved they were just as talented minus their mouthpieces, as they traded verses on "Higher Ground" to finish out the set.

A minute later, the Animals returned.  "We got the OK to go another five hours straight," joked Kyle.  Jennifer ushered in a chill take on "Walls of Jericho" with a jazzy intro.  Once the song reached its climax, the band segued into the Jacksons' "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)," the perfect choice to prep the dancefloor for Bowl Train.  Aside from getting married and hiring them yourself, the only way to see them is via the Relix stream recorded that evening.  So find that special someone, and do us all a favor. 

After the show, Lebo and I went across the street to the Wythe Hotel's rooftop bar to tape an interview for The Next Round, so look for that in the upcoming weeks.

INCIDENTAL ANIMALS - 11.21.13 - BROOKLYN BOWL (1 hour, 49 minutes)

SET -

Can't Wait Another Day / I Wanna Feel It / Piece of My Heart / Try > Shining Star > Try / Lady Loop > Let's Go Outside / This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) > Jam* > This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) / I Thought You Were My Friend* / Falling Dominoes / Higher Ground > Gospel Jam* > Higher Ground

ENCORE -

Walls of Jericho > Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)

ALO and Ryan Montbleau Band Channel Prince at Highline Ballroom

When I found out that ALO were playing a show in New York the day before my birthday, I was stoked.  When I found out it was a double-bill with another artist on my iPod, Ryan Montbleau Band, I was even more pumped.  Then I found out it was at Highline Ballroom.  I'd been to two shows at Highline before, and it's one of my least favorite venues in the city.  The sound has always been awful, the aqua lights on the walls are too bright in your peripherals, and there are fucking candlelit booths scattered around the dancefloor.  It's time we call a spade a spade and recognize Highline for what it truly is: just another nightclub in the Meatpacking District.  Thankfully both of these bands have enough character that they were able to fill a room that doesn't have any.  And I'll be damned... the sound mix was good too, albeit a tad sterile.

As soon as I got out of work, I ran to the venue to make it to the meet-and-greet for members of ALO's fan service, the Hot Tub Club.  I gave Dave my input on his upcoming installment (How great would it be to hear a "Lies of the World" demo?), and chatted with Steve about the New York comedy scene.  Posing for a group shot, talk turned to photography.  "You're Blind Tony?  I love Blind Tony!  We use Blind Tony as an example of why Instagram is okay," said Zach.  It felt pretty cool to have my character Instagram (I take photos as if I were blind.) validated by my favorite band.  With all this going on, it was difficult to pay attention to the opening act, American Babies, but I heard some nice melodic jamming.  I also find it funny that you can't tell people you're into them without sounding somewhat racist: "I like American Babies."

A little before 9pm, ALO took the stage.  "How you guys doing?  You wanna have some good times?" tempted Zach before plunging into the opening chords of "Maria."  Dan Lebowitz ignited a fiery guitar solo, burning down the house on the very first song.  Ryan Montbleau's percussionist, Yahuba Garcia-Torres, sat in for a solid "Falling Dominoes."  "He'll be coming and going like a percussion ghost," informed Gill.  "Blew Out the Walls" had everyone gyrating until an extraterrestrial jam towards its end made us stand still in awe as eerie green lights danced around the stage.  Dan forgot to bring his steel to the stage, so Zach made small talk with the audience.  "It's always magical when I come to New York City.  Get one of those salads at that Pret place you have.  You've seen it all, New York.  What do you do when you've seen it all?"  "Go to California!" shouted someone.  "When you've seen it all, you have to pretend like you haven't seen it all."  I had to pretend when they started "Isla Vista Song," which I've seen them play at every ALO show I've been to but Farm Aid.  But I didn't have to use my imagination very long, because when they hit part two, Yahuba returned, and Steve moved to a small keyboard I'd never seen him play before.  Somehow they always manage to make the song sound fresh.

Zach seemed a bit more reserved than usual, but his mood picked up a little while scatting gibberish before "I Love Music."  They were joined on the song by Mitch Marcus, a saxophone player who used to play with them years ago in San Francisco.  Mitch traded lines with Dan and Zach, fitting in like he was a permanent member.  They followed it with a bizarre cover choice, the keyboard-drenched "Bizarre Love Triangle" by New Order.  I'd never heard the song before, so it was a little foreign to me.  I can only imagine how foreign "Haji Memashite" must've sounded to anyone unfamiliar with the J-pop-inspired anthem, which has been recently revived after Dan selected it for his edition of Hot Tub Club rare tracks.  After "Plastic Bubble" with a reprise from Mitch Marcus, they announced, "We have one more song for you guys tonight."  Disapproving "aww"s from the crowd.  "But we're gonna make it a good one; don't worry."  They chose the fail-safe "Barbeque," which found its way into a multi-layered euphoric jam before the mystery unfolded into Prince's "1999."  Towards its end, Lebo threw in this one tiny guitar flourish that made me laugh out loud it was so well-timed.  Morsels like this are why I go to concerts, especially ALO gigs.  

The first time I saw Ryan Montbleau was in 2006 at the Knitting Factory.  He played solo acoustic, so it was a treat to finally see him with his band.  They kicked things off with the funky "Head Above Water," which set the pace for new tune, "Pacing Like Prince."  Over a Meters-esque groove, Ryan spit lyrics referencing Purple Rain, bathed in violet light.  The colors changed to red, yellow, and green for the reggae stylings of "Songbird," complete with dub echo effects on Montbleau's mic.  The Western swing of "I Can't Wait" was a big hit with the crowd, the call-and-response in particular.  It made you wish you knew someone with a barn, so you could hire RMB to play your barn party.

Following a soulful cover of obscure Johnny "Guitar" Watson cut "Lovin' You," Ryan welcomed Zach to the stage.  "Nothing lightens the mood like a Zach Gill.  Such a pleasure to tour with these guys, and I get to sing with this wonderful human being over here," gushed Ryan.  "Oh, thanks, buddy," said Gill, plugging in his ukulele.  They covered the Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream," Ryan nailing it with some of the sharpest whistling I've ever heard.  It almost made me forget the Jeep Cherokee commercial with the Grim Reaper that I've forever come to associate with the tune.  After thanking Zach, Montbleau remarked, "That's the most relaxed song I've ever played in New York City.  It only took me 15 years, but I finally feel relaxed here."

Relaxation was needed on a day like that, after their drummer James Cohen was hospitalized earlier for severe dehydration.  Still sporting his ID bracelet, he made it back in time for the gig, and no one was the wiser.  "We were trying to get him to wear his hospital gown to the show.  Get like a Jon Fishman thing going on," teased Ryan.  Dave Brogan learned a bunch of RMB tunes as a backup option, so he manned the kit for "You Crazy You."  After "75 & Sunny," Ryan used his arms to conduct crescendoing cheers from the audience.  "Thank you for comin' with me on that," he said with a laugh.  It was clear he was having a blast, and so was keys player Jason Cohen, exemplifying the term "perma-grin."

After an extended guitar workout from Lyle Brewer during "Dead Set," Ryan invited ALO to the stage.  Zach, Steve, and Dave joined the ranks of percussion, while Dan readied his lap steel, and the newly enlarged band tackled Talking Heads' "This Must Be the Place."  Well, they didn't so much tackle it as pick it up and hurl it into the cosmos, Jason's spacey synth lines inspiring Dan to take over with a whale song from his lap.  The show could've ended there, but the Wednesday-night troopers wanted more.  We clapped until the combo-band returned to the stage, this time for a nearly 12-minute-long jammed-out interpretation of Paul Simon's "Graceland."  Dave took drums on this one, with Ryan and Zach in the front, trying out some Temptations-style choreography.  As the song moved further and further from Graceland to Spaceland, Zach hit us with some of his trademark growl-scatting (a cross between a didgeridoo and Animal from The Muppet Show), and Ryan's cheering tutorial finally paid off, as he incorporated the crowd's screams into the finale.  Not a bad birthday present.

Previous ALO reviews:

10.27.12 Sullivan Hall (Everyone Orchestra feat. Dan & Zach)

09.22.12 Hersheypark Stadium, Farm Aid

07.23.12 The Jewel, Rocks Off Boat Cruise

ANIMAL LIBERATION ORCHESTRA - 04.24.13 - HIGHLINE BALLROOM (1 hour, 33 minutes)

SET -

Maria / Falling Dominoes / Blew Out the Walls / Wasting Time (Isla Vista Song) / Dead Still Dance / Walls of Jericho / I Love Music (feat. Mitch Marcus) / Bizarre Love Triangle / Haji Memashite / Plastic Bubble (feat. Mitch Marcus) / Barbeque > 1999 > Barbeque

RYAN MONTBLEAU BAND - 04.24.13 - HIGHLINE BALLROOM (1 hour, 48 minutes)

SET -
Head Above Water / Pacing Like Prince / Songbird / I Can't Wait / Lovin' You / Daydream (feat. Zach Gill) / You Crazy You (feat. Dave Brogan) / 75 & Sunny / Hot Coffee in a Paper Cup / Heartbreak Road / Yeah Man / Inspired by No One / Dead Set / This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) (feat. ALO)

ENCORE -
Graceland (feat. ALO)

Top 10 Albums of 2012

The Top 10 Albums of 2012

10. Ben Taylor - Listening
If Another Run Around the Sun is his Sweet Baby James, Listening is his JT: still rootsy but more pop-oriented.  He has a similar honey voice to his father, but made by feistier bees.  The last track "Next Time Around" uses the same progression as James' "Bartender's Blues," which someone should've noticed, but overall, still a solid record.

9. ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) - Sounds Like This
When a band meshes so well onstage, sometimes that energy doesn't translate into the studio, but ALO have done it... with the first six songs on this album.  "Cowboys & Chorus Girls" ends with a funky keyboard jam, but then the songs start to sound like different renditions of tunes they've already recorded.  "Bark of a Tree" recalls "The Champ."  "Combat Zone" is "Monday" with different lyrics, and "Room for Bloomin" is similar to "I Love Music."  Fortunately, aside from "Bloomin," they are better versions.

8. Bill Baird - Career
Sound Team's Movie Monster is one of my favorite indie records ever. Unfortunately, the band split, with Bill Baird going solo and Matt Oliver and Jordan Johns forming TV Torso. Fortunately, both are still making good music.  Baird took a more experimental route in crafting Career, a noisy grab bag of lo-fi ambition.

7. Gary Clark, Jr. - Blak & Blu
Some are dubbing GCJ a "legend in the making," and while his eclectic major label debut may not confirm that, it's a fun ride.  In fact, Clark had previously released all but 5 of the songs in some manner, but it's exactly these songs that show his experimentation, from the horn-accented opener "Ain't Messin' 'Round" to the Lenny Kravitz-esque "Glitter Ain't Gold."

6. Diamond Rugs - Diamond Rugs
John McCauley rounds up a different batch of friends, including Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, for a 14-song drunken romp.  "Call Girl Blues" is an easy contender for song of the year with its bouncy horns and catchy backup vocals.  I saw them perform it straight-through in June, and it holds up live too!

5. Kishi Bashi - 151a
At nine tracks, it's a breeze, but it's the only violin-based album I've been digging this year.  It's clear Kevin Barnes' influence has worn off during his touring with Of Montreal, and yet Mr. Ishibashi manages a sound all his own.  Beat-boxing, loops, and an impressive vocal range only add to its diverse beauty.

4. Jack White - Blunderbuss

First off, I've never liked the White Stripes, so this came as a shocker even to me.  After seeing White and the Peacocks play Virgin Freefest in October, I was intrigued enough to check out his solo debut.  "Sixteen Saltines" is a fucking rocker, the "I'm Shakin'" cover is fun and faithful, and oodles of piano move the album along nicely.  My brother said that Jack White would convert me, and he has.

3. Rayland Baxter - Feathers & Fishhooks

I had to specially order the vinyl from a record store in Texas, and it proved entirely worth it.  It's a beautifully textured country/folk album, with accomplished songwriting that belies Baxter's 28 years of age.

2. Fun - Some Nights

While not as stylistically variant as their debut Aim & Ignite, this collection of songs makes a nice addition to the Fun canon.  The singles were picked correctly, but "Stars" is the hero of the album, with its self-referential lyrics building to an Autotuned climax.  I listened to this album more than any other new release this year, and correctly predicted their Best New Artist Grammy nom.

1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

After seeing Neil Young & Crazy Horse play new songs at Farm Aid and Global Festival, this became my number one LP to pre-order.  Though the 27:35 opening track "Driftin' Back" makes this a daunting listen, those who make it through will be well-rewarded.  Fellow 16-minute+ epics "Ramada Inn" and closer "Walk Like a Giant," with its whistling and dinosauric instrumentation, are the best songs on the album.

Everyone Orchestra Prepare for Sandy with a Cover-Filled Set II at Sullivan Hall

Matt Butler may have the best job in the world.  As conductor of the Everyone Orchestra, he gets to assemble an ever-changing supergroup of his favorite musicians and make them jam together.  They play songs in whatever style he wants, and he chooses who he wants to solo and where.  Last night's show was the second in a three-night run at Sullivan Hall, assuming Hurricane Sandy doesn't cancel tonight's.

Like Friday's sold-out show following Trey Anastasio's Beacon Theatre concert, this show was also sold-out.  Jam band fans, some in costume for Halloween, packed the 350-person club to capacity.  I spotted a pig, a wizard, and the Super Mario Brothers.  In the front row, two 6'6" guys in hats went as inconsiderate people.  The players this go-round were Jon Fishman (drums), John Kadlecik (guitar and vocals), Dan Lebowitz (guitar and vocals), Zach Gill (keyboards and vocals), Reed Mathis (bass), Jamie Masefield (mandolin), Jessica Lurie (saxophone, flute, and vocals), and Katy Gaughan (percussion).

Though the venue's website said the show would start at 8:30pm, the band didn't take the stage until 10, Fishman looking just like some guy in a t-shirt without his dress on.  Donning a psychedelic top hat, Matt Butler placed himself at the center, and revealed the words "Funk A" written on a dry erase board.  (The setlist at the bottom includes the whiteboard instructions that were visible to the crowd.)  The orchestra charged headfirst into a furious funk number (no doubt influenced by the horn-heavy funk tracks the DJ had been spinning) cooking at a pace where Reed Mathis barely had time to scratch his nose.  The jam ended with Butler conducting the audience to scream, "Yes!" to the beat.  Butler scrawled "Follow Zach" onto his slate, and Zach Gill pulled out his melodica to start a simple melody.  Reading lyrics off his iPhone, he sang about Sandy, a wild woman with wipsy twig hair that spun him 'round and 'round like a hurricane.  Gill worried that his flight home would be cancelled, "But if I had to be stuck in one place in the world, I think I'd choose New York City."  The crowd ate up the topical ditty, and under Butler's lead, the band enacted the parts of the storm from the outer bands to the eye.  John Kadlecik had the next pick, and settled on a happy groove that would've felt at home in a 1970 Grateful Dead concert.  When it came to Lebo's part, he shifted the song dramatically, taking it into dark Neil Young territory, one of the boldest and most welcome choices of the night.  Butler softened up the section, and Lebowitz and Kadlecik doubled up on the melody, Jon's drumming helping the song to begin to delve into a Phish-style jam.  I guess Butler thought it smelled too Phishy, and instead of encouraging Kadlecik to soar like Trey, he shifted the focus to stage right, Jessica Lurie.  While moments of her sax solo came together powerfully, some bits, particularly at the onset, fell out of place.  The group ascended with the sax, and segued into a new jam led by Lebo.  Starting with a chord progression similar to "Pobrecito," the song never really developed into the funky workout that the ALO song becomes.  Butler attempted to save it with some rabble-rousing, getting the crowd to chant "Hey!  Vote!"  After a string of the voting chants, the song was over, and the set was over, a scant 49 minutes.

When the band returned for the second set, the crowd had noticeably thinned.  Perhaps those who left had been disappointed by the short first round that started off so promising and fizzled out at the end.  I found Jessica Lurie's showboating a little off-putting, especially when she'd try to put a spin on the vocal licks.  Ironically, it was her riff in set two that inspired one of the night's hottest improvised jams.  After a "spacious and groovy" mandolin-based exploration by Masefield, Butler wrote "Follow Jessica" on the board.  She laid down a chugging sax riff that recalled the night's earlier funky foray, and although Butler tried to change it up with some swing in D, he always found himself re-scribbling "Back to Jessica's riff."  Some flourishes on the theme by Lebo, Zach, and Reed had everyone smiling onstage and off.  John K. got his second turn, and commenced with a cover of "Walking in Your Footsteps" by the Police.  Reed thickened it up by inserting a P-Funk bassline, and played so fervently that he broke a string.

While Reed repaired his instrument, Dan was chosen to lead again.  He decided on the ALO song "Try."  I've seen ALO three times this year (at Brooklyn Bowl, on a boat, and at Farm Aid), but this time the song went places not even Lebo had predicted.  After a once-through shouting out the key changes to keep everyone on track, he started singing the often JGB-covered "Shining Star" by the Manhattans.  I'd seen him sandwich other tunes in "Try" before, most notably "Helpless" at the Troubadour, but after returning to the song, Butler held a sign up to Zach, requesting "funny lyrics."  Zach said he would rather speak from the heart, and admitted, "I'm gonna be honest with you guys.  I have a flying phobia."  Narrating his trip here, where he watched an episode of 30 Rock to quell his anxieties, things weren't funny enough for Butler, who egged him on.  "When in doubt, tell a joke," said Zach, choosing the silly one from childhood where you look down your shirt and spell attic.  Repeating "A-T-T-I-C" several times became its own melody, and shortly thereafter Dan and Reed started singing "You've got to try / just a little bit harder" into one mic.  As Zach expounded upon all the things in his attic including Christmas decorations and CD jewel cases, everyone was singing the line from "Try" together like a gospel song at the Grand Ole Opry.  Even after the number had ended, Dan was still joyously singing "You've got to try," and we can all hope this new version finds its way into some ALO sets.  With a laugh, Butler commented on Zach's fears, "You don't need therapy."  "I just need Everyone Orchestra every 6 weeks or so," Gill quipped.

Matt took some time to introduce the band, not referring to Jon Fishman by name, but saying, "He works on a phishing boat the rest of the year.  They practice sustainable phishing."  Zach introduced Matt Butler, but Reed was curiously left out.  Butler turned to Mathis and introduced him as starting the next journey, which was a mellow, meandering beauty.  Once the jam had reached its climax, Butler turned things over to Zach, who started up a howling cover of Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London."  When the song felt too structured, Butler ripped it open by demanding increasingly longer measures of chaos, from 8 beats, to 16, to 32.  Turning to Kadlecik in the aftermath of the chaos, John K. only took it further, charging into the riff from "Crazy Train."  Everyone joined in on the instrumental tease, and the song ended with a roar.

The show could've (and maybe should've) ended there, but Butler wanted one more song.    He wrote "Disco" on the board, and the band embarked on a peppy jam, led by Fishman's hi-hat and Gill's croaky keyboard.  Butler took to the mic to sing "Goodnight to you" to the crowd a few times, but the song was essentially a cool-down.  One hour and 47 minutes after Masefield kicked off set two, the orchestra came center stage and took a few bows.  "We'll see you tomorrow night, guys, God willing," Butler said hopefully.  Even if Sandy is determined to thwart his gig tonight, his job is still the coolest gig out there.

EVERYONE ORCHESTRA – 10.27.12 – SULLIVAN HALL

SET ONE (49 minutes) –

Funk Jam (Funk A, Short Hello Solos, D Triumph!, Yes!) / Hurricane Song (Follow Zach, Simple, This is Part A, Outer Bands, Back to Part A, Closer to the Eye of Storm, Vocal) / John K. Jam (This is Part A, Part B Lebo, Part B Soft, Unison Guitars, Unison Ascending Sax) > Lebo Jam (Follow Dan, Hey!, Vote)

SET TWO (1 hour, 47 minutes) –

Jamie Masefield Jam (Spacious & Groovy, Part B Reed, Tom Tom Groove, Part B Add Vocals, Just Vocals, Mando End) / Jessica Jam (Follow Jessica, D Swing, Back to Jessica Riff, More Drums) / Walking in Your Footsteps (Foot Steps, Chorus) / Try > Shining Star > Try (Funny Lyrics, Laugh!, Lebo End) / Band Introduction (Laugh!, Ha Ha) / Reed Jam (Spacious, Ascend) > Werewolves of London (Follow Zach, 8 Beats Chaos, 16 Beats Chaos, 32 Beats Chaos) > Crazy Train / Goodnight to You (Disco, Part B Jessica, Speed Up)

Farm Aid 2012 Setlists, Photos, and Review

Yesterday in Hershey, PA, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews brought together a group of their musician friends for the sold-out 27th Farm Aid Benefit Concert.  Twenty-nine thousand people flocked to the antiquated Hersheypark Stadium, which was constructed in 1939, and probably handles high school football games better than it does giant concerts.  Every act played short (under an hour) sets, but the roster was so packed, the show still went over into the windy Pennsylvania night.

When I pre-ordered Farm Aid tickets earlier this year, the lineup was Willie, Neil, Mellencamp, Dave & Tim, Jack Johnson, ALO, Lukas Nelson, and Pegi Young.  As the months went on, they added a handful of country acts and the welcome treat of Grace Potter & the Nocturnals.  “They tricked us into going to a country concert,” remarked my sister-in-law, as we walked past several people in cowboy hats tailgating amongst the DMB fans.

ALO were scheduled to start at 2:40pm, but when we had our tickets scanned at 2:30, the announcer was finishing their intro.  We walked to our seats as ALO warmed things up with “Dead Still Dance,” guitarist Dan Lebowitz showing off his exaggerated movements while soloing.  The band followed it with another tune from their latest album, “Speed of Dreams,” in front of a large screen projecting idyllic stock photos of farms and carrots.  The stage was flanked by two giant screens that played remarkably clear live video of the show, alternating between crowd shots and close-ups of the musicians.  “This song's about prolonging good feelings,” Zach Gill introduced “Storms & Hurricanes,” the ukulele-based love song a perfect companion to the warm sun shining down.  And then it was over.  Sixteen minutes.  What happened to prolonging good feelings?  Such is the nature of a benefit concert with 12 acts on the bill.

Pegi Young, Neil’s wife, notorious for not making it for her allotted slot, actually showed up, but we decided to check out the Homegrown Village during her set.  The Village gave off the vibe of a school science fair, complete with 3-panel presentation boards on the dangers of fracking and the benefits of compost.  “Here’s a really fantastic website on sludge,” said a woman handing me a business card.  Okay, no real reason to go back.

Willie’s son, Lukas Nelson, was up next, so we headed back inside the stadium.  With a voice similar to his father, although higher-pitched and a little more nasal, he sang “Four Letter Word” and new number “Haiti’s Eyes” before tackling “Here We Are in the Years” by fellow Farm-Aider Neil Young.  A showy guitar player, he then gave his searing instrumental solo take on “Amazing Grace.”  He closed his set with rocker “Wasted” backed by his band, Promise of the Real.

I got a text message from ALO’s manager saying they’d be in the Village at 4pm.  When we arrived at the small stage, it didn’t appear as if it was set for a band to perform: two mic stands, maybe a seat.  It turned out to be a discussion with ALO and a local dairy farmer.  After asking how they came to be at Farm Aid (Jack Johnson was the answer.), the moderator asked, “So… what else?”  It wasn’t organized well at all, so the band and farmer took it upon themselves to attempt to make it interesting.  Dave Brogan commented on CSA boxes: “I never knew what kale was before.  Kale’s awesome!”  “You can fry it.  Turn it into a potato chip,” added Gill.  We got an inside tip that Jack wasn’t feeling well, but our worries that he wouldn’t perform were dispelled by Lebowitz when he confirmed that he was going to play on a few tunes.

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals opened with the “The Lion the Beast the Beat,” as they did when I saw them at Irving Plaza.  After “Never Go Back,” Grace revealed that Mickey Raphael from Willie’s band would be joining on harmonica for the next song.  She then looked just offstage and asked Willie if he wanted to play too.  Nelson obliged and they performed “Ragged Company.”  “I wanna dedicate this song to every farmer in the nation who’s been having trouble with that goddamn drought this summer,” Potter said as she took on “Nothing But the Water” alone with her Flying V and bottleneck slide.  She noted that she came from a small farming community in Vermont, but “I’m pretty sure none of ‘em ever wore boots like these, so I’m gonna take them off,” removing her stylish black boots to hop around barefoot for a spunky dose of “Medicine.”

Willie returned to the stage shortly after Grace’s set.  “I’d like to introduce an old Hawaiian buddy of mine, Mr. Jack Johnson,” he said, and Jack Johnson came out alone, sporting a crop of curly hair.  As he played "Better Together," the gardening-themed “Home,” and “Do You Remember,” Jack’s songs felt like old friends that I hadn’t seen in a long while, finding their way off my playlists as people found their way out of my life.  But it was good to heard from them again.  The band joined in on “Good People,” which was more lo-key than its usual boogie-woogie.  You could hear the cold in Jack’s voice, so Zach offered bits of harmony to soldier him forward.  “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” featured a few lines of verse from the Cars’ “Just What I Needed,” and “Upside Down” was played for the people who brought their kids to the show.  Hitting a wrong note on his guitar in a song, Jack remarked, “I dedicate that bad chord to Michelle.  I met her before the show, and she said, ‘I love it when you make mistakes.’”  The dedications continued, as he offered “Wasting Time” to his wife “sitting over here, making me nervous.”  Isn’t that cute that she still makes him nervous after 18 years together?  Zach picked up his accordion for “Banana Pancakes,” and after beginning his solo, Jack egged him on: “Come on, Zach, this is Farm Aid.”  Gill stepped up his game, and then was joined by bandmate Dan Lebowitz on lap steel for “Flake.”  “Mudfootball” was a fun closer for the first set of the day that felt like a real show because it was over a half hour.

Kenny “Pee Break” Chesney was next, and we trickled into the area underneath the bleachers where the porta-potties were.  Beer lines merged with bathroom and food lines to create one big slow-moving clusterfuck that could have been billed as a simulation of life on the feedlot.  We finally got back to our seats as Chesney was finishing, shouting, “Thank you guys for loving music!”  You don’t get to say that, Kenny.

A video of Dave Matthews that mentioned his contributions to the Farm Aid cause (Keeping family farmers on their land, in case you weren’t aware.) played on the side screens.  Now we were in board member territory.  Dave Matthews and longtime collaborator Tim Reynolds took their acoustic guitars center stage, and plucked right into “Gravedigger,” a song with an interesting concept of inventing people’s lives from their headstones.  “Stay or Leave” had fans singing along to its lofty chorus, and “Don’t Drink the Water” featured a foray into “This Land is Your Land,” which could only be applied to the plight of the farmers.  Black and white farming images were projected on the large center screen, interspersed with the DMB dancer logo.  The duo played “Funny the Way It Is” next, and I felt like its lyrics hit harder in this format than with the whole band.  Dave revealed that he was talking with Willie Nelson one time about the song “Crazy,” which was originally to go, “I’m stupid, stupid for feeling so lonely,” before producers stepped in and changed it.  Dave agreed that the word change was a good one, and that he stole it for the beginning of “Crush.”  New single “Mercy” and oldie “Dancing Nancies” followed, and Dave ended the set with a lone “Some Devil.”  I still don’t really like DMB fans, but I’d go to another show.

Using the exodus of DMB-lovers to our advantage, we made our way through the field fairly easily to check out our food options, which turned out to be incredibly limited and disappointing for a farming event.  Are hand-dipped corndogs really the paragon of U.S. family farm production?  Maybe Super Pretzel is?  I settled on a decent antibiotic and hormone-free bratwurst because the porkchop sandwiches were all gone by then.

Dave Matthews returned to introduce John Mellencamp, who reprised last year’s opener “Authority Song.”  Kenny Chesney sat in for “Small Town,” but he didn’t know the lyrics and flubbed it.  “He butchered a classic,” declared my sister-in-law.  I’m admittedly not a big fan of the Cougar, and I did not keep a setlist.  Neither is my brother: “He needs to play a little ditty about Jack and Diane, and get the fuck off the stage.”  Nevertheless, I caught him bobbing his head to “Rain on the Scarecrow” and singing along with the entire stadium on “Pink Houses.”

Neil Young & Crazy Horse charged out the gate with a blistering 10-minute version of “Country Home” followed promptly by another scorcher “Ramada Inn.”  Neil brought out Willie and began a diatribe on the mission of Farm Aid, stressing the importance of local agriculture over corporate farming.  “What we want is for you to buy food that matters.  Good food. I hope you know that’s why you’re here,” he said, though judging by the appearance of the majority of crowdmembers (We played a lot of “Pregnant or Just Fat?”), it seemed obvious that most attendees weren’t shopping at farmers markets, but were a product of the processed foods of agribusiness.  He continued, “Watch out for this food.  There’s nothing wrong with these people from South America that are sending it up here, but we have no idea what they did to get it here.  We don’t know what happened, how it got here, how much fuel it used to get here, how much damage it did getting here, what kind of antibiotics are in it, what kind of pesticides are in it.”  (It really makes me wonder what kind of speech he’ll give at next week’s Global Festival.)  He used the opportunity to introduce “Homegrown,” a Farm Aid anthem.  The highlight of the set, however, occurred next.  A keyboard disguised as a large, crying bird descended from the rafters, and the band began a jam that sounded like a storm brewing.  It churned and bubbled into “Like a Hurricane,” the massive final song.

With Crazy Horse finishing after 11, when the finale was originally supposed to happen, Willie brought forward a Native American farmer to talk during the speedy set change.  He essentially said one thing over and over, and it was, “Learn the realities of industrial hemp.”  There is a case to be made for hemp farming to be the savior of the family-run farm.  However, it probably wouldn’t take very long for a large corporation, likely a pharmaceutical company, to monopolize that industry and out-produce the independent farmers.

The set began as most of Willie Nelson’s sets have begun, with “Whiskey River.”  Transitioning into “Still is Still Moving to Me,” which has picked up a reggae lilt ever since he re-recorded it in 2004 with Toots & the Maytals, Nelson set the pace for the remainder, segueing from song to song to cram in as many as possible before midnight.  But isn’t that a metaphor for how Willie always sings, just behind the tempo, trying to catch up?  The hits found their way in: the aforementioned “Crazy,” “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” and of course, “On the Road Again.”  While most got a thrill slurring along to “Beer for My Horses,” I preferred the understated father-son duet of Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe.”  Lukas traded words with Willie, who was strumming away on his famed six-string “Trigger,” or the closest thing there exists to a zombie guitar.  For the finale, Willie chose a gospel medley of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and “I’ll Fly Away,” as friends poured onto the stage to sing backup.  The Calhoun Brothers, the Bee Creek Gospel Singers, the Watson Twins, Jamey Johnson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and someone in a full Indian headdress all crowded around the mics, with Grace Potter providing some colorful vocal licks.  But it wasn’t over yet.  “Roll Me Up,” which contains the refrain “Roll me up and smoke me when I die” made for a jaunty last song of the night, warming everyone’s spirits as chilly gusts of wind whipped through the stadium.

I had a fun time.  I got to see some artists for the first time, some of my favorites again, and I learned the term fracking.  I would definitely go to another Farm Aid, but I likely wouldn’t go to it at Hershey.  There’s no reason to spend 40 minutes moving through a line to pee for one minute.  I think I’ll take Neil's advice: keep it local, and pray that they come back to New York.

ANIMAL LIBERATION ORCHESTRA – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (16 minutes)

SET –

Dead Still Dance / Speed of Dreams / Storms & Hurricanes

LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID

SET –

Four Letter Word / Haiti’s Eyes* / Here We Are in the Years / Amazing Grace > Wasted

GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (29 minutes)

SET –

The Lion the Beast the Beat / Never Go Back / Ragged Company (feat. Willie Nelson) / Nothing But the Water (I) > Medicine

JACK JOHNSON – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (47 minutes)

SET –

Better Together / Home / Do You Remember / Good People / Sitting, Waiting, Wishing > Just What I Needed (tease) > Sitting, Waiting, Wishing / Inaudible Melodies > Upside Down / Wasting Time > Bubble Toes / Banana Pancakes / Flake (feat. Dan Lebowitz) / Mudfootball

DAVE MATTHEWS & TIM REYNOLDS – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (50 minutes)

SET –

Gravedigger / Stay or Leave / Don’t Drink the Water > This Land is Your Land > Don’t Drink the Water / Funny the Way It Is / Crush / Mercy / Dancing Nancies / Some Devil

NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (58 minutes)

SET –

Country Home / Ramada Inn / Mr. Soul / Homegrown (feat. Willie Nelson) / Like a Hurricane

WILLIE NELSON – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (32 minutes)

SET –

Whiskey River > Still is Still Moving to Me / Beer for My Horses / Funny How Time Slips Away > Crazy > Night Life / Just Breathe / Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys > On the Road Again / Will the Circle Be Unbroken > I’ll Fly Away / Roll Me Up

Farm Aid Schedule

I'm going to Farm Aid in Hershey, PA tomorrow, so check back on Sunday for setlists and a review.  Hopefully I'll get some chocolate too.

Schedule:

2:40 pm Pegi Young & the Survivors

3:05 pm ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra)

3:30 pm Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real

4:00 pm Jamey Johnson

4:40 pm Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

5:20 pm Jack Johnson

6:20 pm Kenny Chesney

7:15 pm Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds

8:15 pm John Cougar Mellencamp

9:15 pm Neil Young & Crazy Horse

10:15 pm Willie Nelson & Family

ALO Get Their Rocks Off

As the boat left the dock, Sly & the Family Stone's "Hot Fun in the Summertime" played over the PA.  Not missing a beat, Zach Gill began plunking out the song's piano notes and Steve Adams quickly dropped in Larry Graham's bassline.  Dan and Dave joined the mix, with Zach crooning "I cloud nine when I want to."  Then, just as quickly as the song had started, Lebo's guitar sliced in with the opening riff of "Possibly Drown," forecasting both a night of classic ALO tunes and the possibility that we might actually drown, venturing out in a thunderstorm.

ALO played their first Rocks Off boat cruise yesterday aboard the 300-passenger Jewel.  The crowd was made up entirely of ALO fans (save one drunk guy in a suit), which gave it a real family atmosphere (Well, I guess there's always that one too-drunk uncle.).  "It almost feels like a wedding or a French discothèque in here," remarked Zach, the band crammed into the bow of the cabin at the same level as the dancefloor.  While that made it difficult to see, the sound was shockingly well-mixed on our floating concert hall, even with socks placed over Steve and Zach's mics to prevent them from being shocked.  (There was a taper set up in the front, but I saw a bunch of people grazing his mic with their pointer fingers, so we'll have to cross those fingers that this turns out to be listenable on LMA.)

"All Alone" with a "Pink Panther Theme" tease followed, keeping up the playful vibe of the first set.  A pair of songs from their latest album Sounds Like This, "Falling Dominoes" and "Blew Out the Walls" came next, though you'd never know they were new tunes judging from the affirming cheers at the flange-y intro to "Blew."  The fun continued as the band segued into Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing."  As the boat petered down the East River and underneath the Brooklyn Bridge, the dancefloor began bobbing in the choppy water.  Three-time veterans of Jam Cruise, the boys were unfazed by the turbulence, and took things a little slower with the melodica-heavy "Shine."  The mellow mood didn't last long though, as they slipped into "I Love Music," which would be the only Man of the World entry of the night.  Frequent set-closer "Barbeque" including a reprise of "I Love Music" finished it out, lightning illuminating the water, and sheets of rain streaking the windows.

After about twenty minutes, ALO returned to the bow to sing "Happy Birthday" to someone in the front.  I took a position on the port side so I could watch Lebo for the second set.  An inspired take on "Pobrecito" laid out the map for the rest of the "deep cuts"-filled night.  I'll have to wait for the recording for verification, but I believe Dan even layered "In the Hall of the Mountain King" into his scorching solo.  They jammed into "IV Song" with Steve choosing a pipe melodica this go-round.  "You guys are yelling out some really old ones," noted Dan.  "Should we do 'Sexo y Drogas?'"  And they did.  For the first time in over a year.  It was like watching 2004-era ALO all over again.  Before launching into the singalong "Walls of Jericho," I heard Lebo tuning a little ghost of "They Love Each Other."  My ears didn't deceive me, the Garcia ditty exhuming itself from the remains of "Walls."  As the band grooved, I looked out the windows, attempting to retrieve my bearings.  Spotting the glowing red Pepsi-Cola sign of Long Island City in front of us, I came to the sad realization that the cruise was almost over.  "We have time for one more, and it has to be the fastest version ever," explained Zach before they powered through a bouncy "Girl, I Wanna Lay You Down" with a few lines of "I Melt with You" thrown in for good measure.

"This was fun.  We're gonna make this Rocks Off Cruise an annual thing.  Mark my words: ALO's coming to the East Coast," proclaimed Gill.  Cheers from the crowd.  And more cheers as they bravely defied curfew (What is curfew on a boat anyway?) for another oldie, "Time is of the Essence."  If that weren't enough, a cover of "Reelin' in the Years" found its way into the middle.  Even though the shouted requests for new monster jam "Cowboys & Chorus Girls" remained unanswered, everyone left happy knowing this wouldn't be the last time ALO "hit the water and not the ground."

ANIMAL LIBERATION ORCHESTRA – 07.23.12 – ROCKS OFF BOAT CRUISE

SET ONE  (1 hour, 6 minutes) –

Hot Fun in the Summertime (tease) > Possibly Drown / All Alone > The Pink Panther Theme (tease) > All Alone / Falling Dominoes / Blew Out the Walls > Money for Nothing / Combat Zone / Shine > I Love Music / Barbeque > I Love Music > Barbeque

SET TWO  (1 hour, 23 minutes) –

Happy Birthday to You / Pobrecito > Wasting Time (Isla Vista Song) > Plastic Bubble / Speed of Dreams / Sexo y Drogas / Dead Still Dance / Walls of Jericho > They Love Each Other / Girl, I Wanna Lay You Down > I Melt with You (tease) > Girl, I Wanna Lay You Down / Time is of the Essence > Reelin’ in the Years > Time is of the Essence