…working …working …working …

Yes. I do like Umphrey’s McGee.

Because they are confused. I like that. I can relate to that.

Bands like them usually pull a few particular hardcore followers, and it was one of those I sought. (The crowd was actually pretty sparse for the Budweiser Stage, for how nice the weather is.)

I was looking for a tour rat, or at least a college kid writing down the setlist. What I found was my 18-year-old cousin Carter Watson, who confirmed what I had suspected as soon as I walked within earshot.

What was going on was pretty much improvised.

You can tell by the changing key centers, general sense of uncertainty, and causal glances among band members. But it sounded like a song.

Click here and you can see for yourself.

“They have kind of been playing ‘In the Kitchen,’ but it’s been going on for at least 20 minutes,” he said.

The jam heavy segments were interspersed with dynamic tempo changes, more melodic vocal sections and some lounge actish goofiness that, yes, reminds me of Phish. There I said it.

But it wasn’t the same bit, Anymore than George Carlin is the same bit as Lewis Black.
Not really even close.
There are just… similarities.

Most of the show was wound up pretty tightly.

It’s not everyone’s bag, but hey, what is?

I was impressed with both the technical virtuosity and multi-layered cohesiveness of the presentation.

See? I like stuff sometimes!

This might be it for me campers.
I’m thinking about bailing on Fergie and the Black Crows.

No offense intended to either.

I’m just about BSMFed out.

Thanks to everyone who helped this go so smoothly this year.

Cheers.

the contest for “who can have most women dance on stage with him.”

Usually that honor goes to a rapper.

I guess it doesn’t hurt if you play 10 or 12 shows.

Whatever, he still wins.

Oracle and the Mountain

The Whigs

(more…)

I made it down pretty early because I wanted to catch Umphrey’s McGee. Last year I went to see them based solely on the fact that their 10-year-old debut album is entitled Greatest Hits: Volume 3.

That’s funny enough to merit 40 minutes of my time.
And I think I remember really liking it.

But I’m a battered and ill-cared for old robot, and I hadn’t heard them before or since, so I need to check again. I can’t accurately access that data at this time. Please wait…

I’m also rigging this old deck up with some Photoshop action, so imagery is imminent.

The weather is beautiful.

</end>

Yea. It’s this guy.

“So anyone going to the Disturbed photo pit?”

-”Oh, I’m in!” I reply.

These guys play all super serious, but I’m standing two feet in front of “dude” and giggling uncontrollably. I mean I guess this stuff gets a pass if you’re playing guitar hero, but I thought it was pretty silly in person.

They try to be all intense, but at the end of the day they still play Phil Collins and Tears for Fears covers.

It’s also great fun watching the kids beat the tar out of each other at a show like this.

You guys need to go see Mastodon or Lamb of God or something and just settle down.

Well… I still had fun. I usually do. Till tomorrow.
Cheers.

I would like to officially apologize to the Memphis Police Department for speeding here to catch Oracle and the Mountain. I’m sorry, but I only break the law when it’s really, really convenient for me.

I had to catch the only band here who is from Memphis, who is not a rap group, who is somewhat representative of what currently, really goes on around here. (In my tiny head/world anyway.)

I mean seriously, where is all the Memphis music?

(I’m not talking about the Jerry Lee Lewis kind.)

We didn’t have 40 minutes for the Noise Choir? or Vending Machine? or even Lucero or Snowglobe or The Glass or whatever? Adios Gringos maybe? Joint Chiefs? Mouserocket? The Warble? The Subteens? Arma Secreta? I’m nothing that even approaches a music critic, but come on!?

In my head its early Saturday afternoon at the Tom Lee Park BSMF, most people are waiting around on the headliners, and this is the best time to wander and discover something. Preferably from Memphis. We have such an amazing, diverse music scene and it’s lame for it to just lie here dormant at our big “showcase.” I guess Muck Sticky and Saving Able is what the kids want to see.

But I’m not so sure. Maybe I just don’t get it.

Anyway Oracle and the Mountain was great.
We should have more acts like that.

Now that I’ve gotten my single, solitary gripe out of the way; I’m going to have some fun.

Maybe wander over towards the Buddy Guy, Lou Reed area. You guys should come hang out. I hear the draw today is 60,000, but it doesn’t really seem that crowded to me…

(I have pictures, but this computer is bobo… you’ll have to wait. I know you can hardly stand it.)

A corn dog is calling my name.

Cheers.

The Roots cancelled. Ben Folds, too.

It rained and rained.

You couldn’t have kept me at My Chemical Romance if both my legs were broken. But I still had a blast. I spent most of my time shooting dumb little videos you can see here:

www.qik.com/commercialappeal

But here’s some pics, too.

(more…)

I understand that this event is not really marketed towards “me,” per se. I think it’s marketed to the Cordovians and Arkansians and whatnot who are willing to come downtown and drop some serious loot on hotel rooms, the festival itself, and other local businesses. That makes sense. Hence we have headliners like Santana, Sheryl Crow (again), and The Black Crows (again).

Then the organizers throw in a smattering of headliners that radio stations and record execs believe appeal to the “kids.” My Chemical Romance, Disturbed, Seether, etc. (Not great choices in my own meager opinion, but what do I know? I don’t understand the kids, either.)

Then a little pop garbage I won’t even acknowledge.

So, for myself and people like me, Music Fest has to be cherry picked. You pay to get in and see a few bands you already like, and if you’re lucky, stumble on to something new.

Sometimes you even see something completely amazing. (Think that empty Sonic Youth show a few years back.)

It’s a little random, but there you go. Fortunately there is usually, simply “enough stuff” to find something that isn’t terrible. I almost always end up having a good time.

Maybe if you really luck out tomorrow you will like something new.

I will be at The Roots. Maybe Project Pat and Ben Folds. We’ll see.

I was finally giving this year’s list of artists a cursory look.

“Hey Bryan did you put the 2008 line up on the site yet or am I looking at last year’s?”

“That’s this year.”

“Oh…”

Not a great prologue. Honestly I don’t understand why anyone would want to hear my opinion on most of these bands. But lucky me, lucky you, guess we’re all going to.

There’s a couple of acts I might not mind sitting through, but I also feel a powerfully less-than-thrilled rant forming at the base of my spine.

But not today, grasshopper.

I was just checking in to make sure I remembered my password anyway.