The McLovins @ Pearl St. Nightclub in Northampton, MA (April 2, 2011)

Last night the McLovins returned to Northampton, MA for their debut at the Pearl Street Nightclub.  Check out what you missed with these few clips below - including a brand new song called Close to the Line!



A tribute to Jimi Hendrix - "Little Wing"



And of course a little Tweeprise to end the night.


I didn't get to stay for the entire show, but hey - a little McLovin' can go a long way.
Elizabeth

The McLovins 29 January 2011 @Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA

Last Saturday The McLovins reined the Iron Horse with a ferocious gait.  They began with a quirky intro jam that smoothly turned into Caravan - it was fast-paced; it was funktastic.  The intensity gave way to a quick reprise and a solid ending.

Jeff led the group into Tokyo Tea, an intricate tune with serious face-melting abilities.  I've gotta hand it to these guys - they don't save the best for last.

The fairly new (and very catchy) Cohesive and Milktoast Man worked nicely as a change of pace from the intense, energetic introduction.  The Adagio, if you will.

Then came what seemed like a blast from the past: Killing Time, YEM, and Guillotine Machine were served up in a row.  Waiter, can I get salt with that?

(Getting fancy with the photo editing!)

The second set opened with a badass Beadhead Crystal Bugger.  Shouts of recognition (and, of course, approval) began with the opening licks to Deep Monster Trance, probably the most complex and interesting song in their repetoire.  Jeff never fails to weave well-known riffs into the opening ambient jam.  The party really gets going, though, with a sudden pickup of the beat.  The crowd was into it!

I thought the remarkable thing about the middle jam was the way it led us up and gracefully brought us back down.  There was an incredible amount of energy in the house - and the boys harnessed it, controlled it, and gently let it disseminate into what I dub the Starry Night Jam.  A bit jazzy, a bit lento, and a whole lotta beautiful.

First YEM and then YYZ - Phish?  Rush?  Are we on a theme tonight?  Apparently so.


Break on Through was my favorite cover of the night.  I think The Doors needed a little bit more love, and the McLovins had some to give.  And this came to pass:



But seriously, this fun, high-energy tribute is always appreciated here at Hippie Espionage Headquarters.

The jazzy Conundrum and a fun Hell Yeah left the audience shouting for one more - or two, if the band was willing to oblige.  And did they oblige.  We got a tasty Virtual Circle.  It had the crowd dancing - in circles.  Or was that just me?



Overall, the night was dark, the stars were bright, and the wind just a little too cold.  Listen to the show for yourself at Archive.org!  Here's to an even more incredible 2011.

Elizabeth

The McLovins @ FTC in Fairfield, CT on 18 December 2010

Finals? Finished.  Home? Here.  And the music? Marvelous.  Is there a better way to kick off the holidays than some groovin' jams?  I think not.

And boy, did they deliver.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: Saturday night was the best McLovins show I've seen (and I've seen quite a few, my friends).  It seems like every time I go to a show, the band is always so much tighter, so much on it than what I can recall.

The group began with a dose of Tokyo Tea, with a slightly theatrical twist - each member entered individually and joined in the groove.

But it was a funked-out version of Shakedown Street that really got things going.  People were up and dancing and there were glowsticks all around!  I love the way they cover the Grateful Dead tune - it's fresh but retains the essence of the original.

My other favorite moment from the first set was a Phish cover: Meatstick Reprise.  Dear reader, if you are not familiar with such a song, please do your homework.  A new song called Mon Ami finished the set.

Tetop, another new tune, began the second set.  I like this song a lot because there are a lot of different elements to it.  The choruses are totally catchy, but there's a sort of space in the interim that's kinda cool and different.

Check it out:

To me, Virtual Circle was the highlight of the show.  The song just really gets me: I love its fast-paced, almost frenzied feel.  This time, it tore the place down.  Halfway through the guitar tones morphed into something much more metally, which had the crowd doing a jazzed-up robot... myself included.

Cohesive, the McLovins' newest official single, came next.  The only version that I knew was the studio recording with Tom Marshall and Anthony Krizan, so I was hearing it live for the first time. 

Deep Monster Trance was on fire, and could I get through Bedheadded Crystal Bugger without a sweat?  Nope.

The boys did Little Wing as the encore; a sweet ending to a very sweet night.

I was glad to see that there were lots of high school-age kids in the crowd - I would love to see these guys totally infiltrate the masses of youth.

Happy (Almost) New Year's!
Elizabeth 

I know what I'm doing on December 18th...

Do you?  The McLovins will be playing the Fairfield Theater Company in Fairfield, CT.

You can meet the band (and yours truly!) after the show.

I've never seen a promotion video for a specific show before, but I totally love it!  Check out snippets of the McL's at their finest.


Just steppin' along with those hum drum blues...
Elizabeth

McLovins 30 October 2010 @ Infinity Hall in Norfolk, CT

This Saturday I trucked on up to Norfolk, CT to celebrate Halloween with The McLovins.  They played a solid yet interesting show, always making sure to highlight their individual and group talents.  

A percussion group called The Groove Smugglers did a brief set to open the night and stayed onstage to join The McLovins for their opener, 3:47.  I have always thought it's a really cool song, mostly because of its length (roughly two minutes), but also because it's pretty different than anything else they do.  This tune stays focused on one musical thought the whole time, rather than using a more complicated song structure.  

To keep the night fun and festive, the band did a ton of covers, including "Wouldn't Wanna Be Like You," "YEM," "Tweezer Reprise," "Werewolves of London," and (my personal favorite of the night) "Tik Tok."  Yes, Ke$ha.  And it was glorious.

A new song of their own was introduced that night as well, called Tetop.  The verses start out slow and pick up with each repetition of the chorus, complete with a big, loud (and sorta psychedelic) guitar solo.  Although it wasn't jammed or anything, I can tell it's got the potential.  It's gonna be a good one. 

The most notable cover of the night goes to Ghost, one of my family's favorite Phish tunes.  Their rendition definitely echoed the original song but had a more of a funky vibe.  I always like to hear a different take on a classic!  The end of the tune brought a short but very sweet jam.  Man, those guys know how to be succinct. 

Speaking of ghosts, I could definitely hear a little bit of Jerry's in the fat, heavy tones of Jeff's guitar.  

Deep Monster Trance was where things got hot - the energy in the room was practically tangible.  I can't get over how everything flows so well in this song, especially Jeff's guitar.  It's like listening to liquid HOT LAVA ...but in a good way.  If you listen to anything from the show, make it this track.

The audience was brought back to the good old days with Purple Trees>Rapper's Delight and then into... Tweezer Reprise, bringing back precious memories of June 18th, the night Phish ended with a double Reprise.  

And then there was the drag show:

You Enjoy Myself, popularly known as YEM, was pretty damn incredible that night too.  All I have to say is: I want the vocal jam!

Check out "Werewolves of London"

And then the best thing happened: I so totally called the encore.  It was a joke (or so I thought); when they came out and started the opening section Freebird, people practically thought I was magic.  

Relive the night with a great (free!) recording on archive.org here.

Now that it's November, I'm officially breaking out the holiday tunes.  Watch out, world. 

Elizabeth

Cohesive - The McLovins

Last week brought many things: a few drenching rain jogs, a Canadian tuxedo, a paper or two, and most importantly Cohesive, the brand-new new single from The McLovins.  It was written by Tom Marshall, the chief lyricist for Phish and a friend of the band.  Pretty cool, if you ask me.

Maybe it's because I know the lyrics are from Tom Marshall, but I can just feel the Phishiness.  And that's a good thing.  There's a laid-back element to the sound that's different from their stuff on Conundrum and Good Catch.  It's also more traditionally structured: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, etc.  

I really can't wait to hear it live - I predict some really cool jams coming from this one.

The light shines on,

Elizabeth

P.S. To hear Cohesive, click the title of this entry!

P.S. Check out this sweet behind-the-scenes video!  Relix - Video - Artist Exclusives - The McLovins, Tom Marshall and Anthony Krizan: The Making of "Cohesive"

GATHERING OF THE VIBES 2010 (Part 3 of 4) @ Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT

Saturday was nicely bookended with power trios.  The McLovins shredded the Green Stage for a great afternoon set and Primus absolutely rocked the house at night.

But before we could settle down and put our listening ears on, we had some work to do...

The Thousand Hippie March was put into play!  The idea was borrowed for the Million Mom March, but we figured we would start just a little smaller.  (I'm not sure I would want to be caught up in a million hippies...)

Basically the idea was to bring attention to the fact that The McLovins should have been put on the Main Stage this year by rousing up the Main Stage crowd to head on over to the Green Stage and hear their set.

There were over two thousand faces melting!

The band played a great set - they started up, appropriately, with a jammed-out rendition of 'Dancin' In the Streets,' followed up by a crowd favorite, 'Tokyo Tea.'  I love this one because it's catchy and it's a great jam vehicle (and they jammed, alright!).  Somewhere after a song or two the group went into Phish's 'Tweezer Reprise' as a continuation of the night that all self-respecting Phans should know about by now (Read about it here!).  The faced-paced 'Virtual Circle' and The Door's 'Break on Through' were other highlights of the set as well.

I've got to give it to these guys - especially for a mid-day set, The McLovins tore the place up.  There was energy and enthusiasm in the crowd and the band that didn't happen again until the sun went down.

I was impressed with Primus, the headliner set of the night.  I wasn't sure what to expect out of them after hearing some mixed reviews.  I was immediately entranced by the music - it was totally different than what I had been listening to all day.  Maybe it was something about the heavy, repetitive basslines (hypnobass?) or the plain weirdness of the lyrics and Les Claypool himself, but for some reason... I liked it.

They play the sort of music that I know I could have a good time to.  There are definite heavy metal influences to their stuff.  Also - there was a giant glowing caterpillar!

I definitely want to catch Primus again sometime soon to experience a full-length show.  Fall tour, anyone?


Peace, love, & clown cones,
Elizabeth

Good Catch - The McLovins

Love The McLovins?  Me too.  Luckily for us, their sophomore album, Good Catch, provides more reason to dig them than ever before.

What separates this album from the first (called Conundrum - check out my review here) is the difference of sound in the songs they're putting out there this time around.  The differences in each track are subtle enough that each one has a distinct McLovins sound, but they are also all unique.  I accredit this trait to the group's improved songwriting.

Another type of difference the group has embraced incorporating parts of other genres of music into their songs.  The tracks 'Milktoast Man' and '3:47' pay homage to reggae and tribal roots, respectively.  Although there's no serious shredding in 'Milktoast Man,' I find myself putting it on replay due to its off-beat catchiness.  '3:47' is a standout tune because of two reasons: the first is that I simply like the sound of the drums used to create a tribal feel to it, and the second is that while the group continues to jam well past 5 minutes in other tracks on the album, this one is a complete musical thought captured in less than two minutes.  Pretty cool.

Another standout tune is 'Virtual Circle'.  It's catchy, it's upbeat, and it rocks.  Then there's 'Bedhead Crystal Bugger': the rocker of the album.  This is the song that's going on my running playlist.  It's totally instrumental, but words for this one seems superfluous anyway.  There's more than enough going on that words would get in the way.

'The longest track on the album is 'Deep Monster Trance' (almost 12 minutes long!) - and it's exactly what it says.  This song takes you through a series of different and engaging musical segments.  During the first two minutes of the song, there is a very faint conversation and noise in the background of a spacey intro jam - it seems as if there's surrounding life outside of the music that seems impossible to tune into.  And, voilà!  Hello, name origination.  The music launches into a catchy melody with lyrics followed by a fast-paced shred session.   A cool-down jam to follow, and with a reprise of the melody and jam to boot, you've got yourself the bare bones structure of the song.  Confused?  Go listen.  It speaks for itself. 

Here's a live version from Boston in October '09:

I tend to avoid virtually all studio albums of my favorite jam bands (read: Phish, the Grateful Dead) because they always fail to capture the energy and passion that is put on display during live shows.  It's a given that the studio albums are never as good as the live version.  On Good Catch, however, there's an intensity and energy to the jams that impresses me.  Not only do I frequently pull out the McL's studio albums for a listen, but I enjoy them as I would a live show.

So cheers.  Let's have a listen!

Peace, love, and noodles for everyone!

Elizabeth

Tokyo Tea - The McLovins

I couldn't help myself.  This groove is too good to not blog about!  Tell me what you think.

The McLovins at Sullivan Hall, NYC 12/29/09

They delivered.

Talking with a family friend tonight made me realize that there are bands who have songs, and bands who jam.  It is rare to find a band that will do both well.  From what I saw tonight, the McLovins have it.  There were some really nice segways that happened and some incredible jams to go along with it.

The boys opened up the set with ‘Guillotine Machine,’ a really good groovish sort of jam.  Conundrum came up next, followed up by this jam that I found myself seriously grooving to.  It had sort of a disco feel, with lots of underlying syncopation.  Me like.  :)

Upon catching the first inkling of ‘Rapper’s Delight’ from Jason’s bassline, I immediately turned to my dad to bask in the groove.. and he rolled his eyes when I started rapping along.  Nevertheless, the clever and fun covertune made it into my favorites of the night.

Halfway through the night, I found myself thanking the Gods of Jam.. and I only do that at Phish shows.  Jeff seriously jammed all night, and Jason and Jake provided some excellent solos and backing for all the insane shredding going down.

Due to circumstances I could not affect (aka the opportunity of getting a free ride back to Grand Central at 1am), I had to bag out before the show was over that night.  I saw the setlist for the rest of the night, and it looked rockin.. I'm bummed I missed out.

Up next?  The Ryan Montbleau Band is headlining at the Fairfield Theatre Company for the next two nights, and I am sooooo there.  Reviews are on the way!

Peace, love, and mini glow-stick wars,

Elizabeth

A potpourri, if you will.

I miss blogging.

And more importantly, I miss going to shows.

I blame my education.  Going away to such an oppressive (read: busy) school is so preventative of my jam band mojo.. It's rediculous.

That hasn't stopped me from reviewing, per se.. The problem is I just don't have any new shows to talk about!  I have been writing for my school newspaper about jam bands, but I do more of an overview of bands rather than a review of specific shows.. it's not the same!

HOWEVER.  I am thrilled to report that I sucessfully sniped tickets to two nights of Phish in Albany over my Thanksgiving break (is there anything else to be thankful of?  I think not.)  I'll have lots of new material in the near future!

I've gotta say, I haven't really been into the jam scene these past few months as much as I would like to be.. Indie tunes have caught my eye, and I finally learned who the heck Notorious BIG is!  I blame living with 350 teenagers for my growing tendency towards the mainstream.

I want to kick it with the hippies.

Christmas music is entirely appropriate for any time of the year,
Elizabeth

PS! Here's the most recent review I did for my school newspaper.. I covered the McLovins, but due to time constraints, I stole a little bit from my previous review of 'Conundrum'.. you can't win em all, I guess.  But anyways!

The McLovins- An Overview 
by Elizabeth Bayne '10
Red & White Staff Writer

There’s no doubt you’ve heard of the explosive craze within the jam band world for the group Phish.  And perhaps you’ll even know of the infamous (and oftentimes uncomfortable) tension issued between the diehard Phish Phans and Deadheads.  So was I surprised to hear faint riffs of the complex Phish tune ‘You Enjoy Myself’ drifting through the ocean breeze on the grounds of the Gathering of the Vibes this summer?  Bet on it.  (The Vibes is a four-day festival dedicated to the loving memory to Jerry Garcia, the lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead).  My immediate speculation as to the source of the music was that some barefoot, sunbathing, peace-loving hippie decided to blast it out of his car stereo.  Upon sleuthing the campground I came upon its legitimate source –The McLovins, a high school trio hailing from West Hartford, Connecticut.

While my anecdote may prove unnecessary to some, I must disagree; it is entirely relevant in order to illustrate the monstrosity of this band’s sound.  There’s this fusion of jazzy riffs and mind-blowing jams that’s vastly unlike the stuff on the radio today.  What really impresses me is the fact that the guitarist of a mere fourteen years can eerily replicate the likes of Trey Anastasio and Neil Young.
He’s fourteen.  A freshman in high school this fall.  As for the other members, they are both sixteen, juniors.

The McLovin’s debut album, titled ‘Conundrum,’ is such a win.  It is inspired by the boys’ favorite novel, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster.  The two favorite songs off the album are album-titled ‘Conundrum’ as well as ‘Sea of Wisdom’.

‘Sea of Wisdom’ is worth mentioning especially in conjunction with the overlying theme of the Phantom Tollbooth.  There’s sort of a laid back vibe for most of the song, complete with soothing imagery all relating to the water.  The lyrics give a sense of security to the listener, like they are trying to impart that knowledge is continuous and flowing, like water, but not threatening or hard to find, which, if one is familiar with the novel, happens to be a recurring theme throughout.  A great bass line starts about a minute in that picks up as the tempo changes into something faster for maybe more than a minute at the close as well.

And, of course, there’s ‘Conundrum’:  jazzy, a real standout.  I venture to assert that it’s much more intricate than most of the other songs on the album.  There’s the element of having multiple repeated parts throughout the song that makes it seem much more refined.  I especially love the tenacious bass line about two and a half minutes in.

The McLovins’ structural style to their music is a lot like that of Phish, but in more of a subtle way.  There are a few different parts or interludes to their music, which becomes apparent upon listening to ‘Dynne’, the sixth song on the album.  There’s a lot going on in this song, like how the guitar will switch from some serious shredding to a relaxed vibe on the drop of a dime.  That’s talent.

Another new favorite is ‘Virtual Circle’, which was debuted after the ‘Conundrum’ was dropped.  There’s this exchange of the vocal line between the drummer, Jake, and the bassist, Jason, which switches into this jazzy, heavy jam from the guitar with bouncing drums and a driving bass line for backup.

These kids are not your average high schoolers wielding a clarinet for an art credit.  There’s some serious passion, musicianship, and dedication going into their stuff.  Jamtopia.com says their album embodies “a cornucopia of musical genres” which “melts your face then gives you a minute to recover before melting it again.”  Need I say more?

So, without further adieu, consider this the official Elizabeth stamp of approval.
Up next on the agenda?  Two days in Albany this November for Phish.  Anyone else going?

Conundrum

So I managed to wrangle the McLovin's first album, titled 'Conundrum,' from my dad today for a long car ride. So I sat and I really listened. I mean really listened. Kind of internalized the music.

So here is my, unbiased (we're friends on facebook..its a big deal), complete, in-depth, honest opinion of the album:

IT ROCKED.

The more I tune in to their stuff, the more I'm liking these guys. Definitely my favorite track on the album at the moment is Bri (In Memory Of). When I heard it for perhaps the third time today, it really clicked. Knowing a vague backstory and inspiration for the music made it that much better. From what I've heard, it's about a friend of the trio who has passed on.

And just listening to it and thinking, okay, these sections of the music are like stages, like each of the pieces of that whirlwind of emotion that accompanies the passing of a friend, well articulated and lain out. It made sense to me at that point.

'Sea of Wisdom' is worth mentioning too, especially in conjunction with the continuous theme of the Phantom Tollbooth throughout the album. There's sort of a laid back vibe for most of the song, complete with some good imagery all relating to the water. The lyrics give a sense of security to the listener, like they're trying to get the message across that knowledge is continuous and flowing, like water, but not threatening nor hard to find. There's also a great bass line starting about a minute in that only picks up as the tempo changes into something faster for maybe more than a minute at the close.

I began to notice while I was listening to this album is that the McLovins' structural style to their music is a lot like that of Phish, but in more of a subtle way. There are a few different parts or interludes to their music, which became apparent when listening to 'Dynne', the sixth song on the album. There's a lot going on in this song... Good things. Like how the guitar will switch from some serious shredding to a chill vibe on the drop of a dime. That's talent.

'Rhyme & Reason' is an ode to the aforementioned mythical princesses. The song is almost cut into two different vibes. The first is very laid back, and lots of mellifluous lyric choices. The second part is severely reminiscent of the Phish's 'Sparkle,' a very upbeat ditty.

So. Personal interpretation: the first part of the song is for the Princess of Reason, and the second half is for Rhyme. Knowing the book quite well, Reason is the one of the two sisters who needs to be persuaded into something. She is logical. The final picture of the first half of the song is a beautiful image all around, lyrics, licks, everything. There are words. Persuasions.

A swift drumbeat introduces us to the second part, our tribute to Rhyme. From what I can recall she is the crazier sister, the one who will spring for anything if it sounds like a good time, which fits perfectly for the upbeat guitar. The two sisters balance each other, not unlike the two segments of the song.

And, of course, there's 'Conundrum', Jazzy, a real standout. I venture to assert that it's much more intricate than most of the other songs on the album. There's the element of having multiple repeated parts throughout the song that makes it seem much more refined. I especially love the bassline about two and a half minutes in. (I'm a sucker for the bass.. Mike Gordon fall tour!)

Everyone knows how I love the ukalale. Heck, I posted four videos of Jake Shimabukuro in one entry! I couldn't resist... So upon hearing 'Please Refund These Sleeping Pills,' I instantly dubbed it a favorite. Although it is more of a bonus track, it's definitely worth a listen (or a few!). We have a pleasant surprise with a switch on the vocals from Jake to Jason, and an interesting combo with a rhythm acoustic guitar with ukalale. It always puts a smile on my face.

In fact I like it so much, here's another ukalale video for you all:



Consider this the Elizabeth stamp of approval.

Hartford 8/14/09

So first off, apologies for the late update, I am covering these shows over a week late. No worries! So let's talk.

Friday was the first official day of our (ph)amily vacation, and what better way to kick it off than at a Phish show? So we moseyed our way up to Sully's Pub on a sunny afternoon to hear the McLovins play a two hour show to kick off the festivities that would continue for another twelve hours.

And what a twelve hours it was... The McLovins did great covers of Tweezer and Shakedown Street as well as a few originals during the first set. My two favorites are Bri (In Memory Of) and a new one which, if I remember correctly, is called Virtuous Circle. That one's all about trading lyrics and a nice fast pace. Now that I think about it, the music and the title work together well. Can we get more of that one soon, boys?

Backwards Down the Number Line, a recent addition to the Phish repertoire (which, on a side note, I have begun to think of as a favorable one), opened the second set and lots of dancing was definitely in order over the next hour or so. We got free bubbles!The cool thing is, I got to chat with the band and their manager (a parent, but it's still cool) for a few minutes at the Phish show; we spotted them hanging out by the merch counter and went over to hang for a while. I hinted at maybe a McLovintastic Spring Dance Weekend '10? I'll work on it.

Getting chummy with the band

Tailgating in the parking lot before Phish

Phish, the main event. In one word? Phantastic. Such a great set list, including Colonel Forbin's Ascent into Fly Famous Mockingbird, Icculus, and Psycho Killer (Talking Heads), all songs that haven't graced the stage for at least nine years each. It was very very very cool. Personal favorites of the night (excluding ones already listed) include Punch You in the Eye (show opener), I Didn't Know, Ghost, Piper, and, of course, YEM... I just remembered I liked everything. So basically the whole show. :)

The gang

Here's the set list:
Hartford Meadows, 8/14/09 8:00pm
Set I
Punch You In The Eye
AC/DC Bag
NICU
Colonel Forbin's Ascent
Fly Famous Mockingbird
Birds of a Feather
Lawn Boy
Stash
I Didn't Know
Middle of the Road
Character Zero

Set II
Down With Disease
Wilson
Slave to the Traffic Light
Water in the Sky
Ghost
Psycho Killer
Icculus
You Enjoy Myself
E: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

With a setlist like this, there's not really much you can do other than bask in the awesomeness. So here's sort of an inkling of what said awesomeness entailed.....



Fun, fun fun. Can't wait till next time.

As for more blogging adventures, I'm going into the city to see the Ryan Montbleau Band play on a cruise around Manhattan this Thursday night. It won't be long until we reunite, old chaps.

MORE GOOD NEWS!

I have recently been informed that THE MCLOVINS will be playing a two hour set this Friday afternoon in Hartford, CT.

YES.

The sole reason I will be doing the hour-and-a-half drive to check them out? I bought tickets to the Phish show that evening.

So two awesome bands in one day?

Yes, please.

Peace, love, and quinoa,
Elizabeth.

Gathering of the Vibes- Part 3 of 3

Sunday will be brief, but I wanted to mention a few great sets that put the weekend to a nice end.

I arrived at the Vibes on Sunday morning with a smile on my face and a piece of gluten-free bread in my pocket. I caught the last 15 or 20 minutes of The Harlem Gospel Choir, and I honestly wish I had seen more of them. The crowd was quite a sight to see: hippies with dreds stomping their feet and clapping their hands while singing Praise the Lord! During the last number, probably thirty of them held hands and skipped around, forming the biggest random outburst of joy I've ever seen. Very cool.



If they're ever around again (they should be, they're close- only from Harlem!), I will definitely make it a point to go see them. Sometimes your soul needs some good old gospel music.


I had never seen nor heard Grace Potter and the Nocturnals before their afternoon set at the Vibes, but I can say I will be checking them out again. Grace has got such a kick-ass voice, and it seemed to me that she was certainly the star of the show (hence the name of the band?). The Nocturnals provided a platform for her to frolic around stage between her keyboard, guitars (acoustic and electric), tambourine, and the mic. And she was hilarious while doing it! Pretty impressive, if you ask me. I happened to see her parents at the Mad River Valley 4th of July Parade this summer in Vermont. Her dad was playing the keyboard and singing while on a float! Wild. Anyways, the bottom line? She's definitely worth (ahem) checking out.





As for my favorite Green Vibes Stage artist of the day? The McLovins. Yes, the McLovins. And they're as young as their name portrays them to be! Before I go into any of the details, here is the saga of how I discovered them: Once upon a time, I was hanging out by the seashore during the Buddy Guy set, grabbing some dinner. As I was eating, I hear a very familiar tune drifting over to me: You Enjoy Myself, or lovingly referred to as YEM by Phisheads. So I said, "Oh wow, I didn't know someone would have the audacity to blast Phish out of their tent at the Gathering of the Vibes! ...I wonder if it's coming from the Green Stage?" The reply? (and this is ver batim): "No, that's too good a YEM to be coming from there." But how we were sorely mistaken. After dinner we wandered over to the stage to check out the scene, and the McLovins were up there, jamming out! I grooved to the rest of the set (unfortunately we only caught the end of it). The McLovins. Bask in the glory. And that is how they came to be.

These guys are a three-man band, with one guitar, one bass, and one drumset. And get this: the guitarist just got out of middle school! The other two members are highschoolers! These guys are prodigies, and they're going to be big news someday. So as far as that's concerned: I CALLED IT!

That's all for this espionage for now. I am in for a treat tomorrow, Ryan Montbleau is playing a solo acoustic set at the South Norwalk Arts Festival! How coincidental, I live about 20 minutes away. If anyone is looking for some entertainment tomorrow (or should I say today?) afternoon, definitely check out his act. He's playing at 2:30 on one of the stages they have set up (its the one near the Porta Potties!). Simply can't wait.

Chao, dahlings.

Crosby, Stills, and Nash:

Buddy Guy:


The Healing Shaman was walking around all weekend: