Live from the 2010 Life Is Good Festival
Posted on September 11, 2010 at 12:34 pm | No Comments
Greetings from Prowse Farm in Canton, Massachusetts, located just south of Boston off interstate 93 in the beautiful Blue Hills (and literally in the shadow of one of ’em). This is the site for the super-sized 2010 Life Is Good Festival, which has taken place for the past few years in smaller form on the Boston Common. By teaming up with Superfly Presents (the team behind Bonnaroo and Outside Lands), LiG’s Jacobs brothers have given the event a serious upgrade, with 3 stages of music, tons of kid-friendly activities, socially-conscious organizations on site, and general good vibes galore. In fact, this wide open field, blue skies above, and the sounds of Eli “Paperboy” Reed and his band have forced my cynical side to take the day off. How can it not when the whole shindig is a one big fundraiser for children?
Speaking of Mr. Reed, his set just started, and I want to get over to the main stage to check it out, so I’ll rattle off some info, tips, and photos for those of you planning to come on down…
While 3,000 or so all-weekend passes have sold out, the approved capacity of Prowse Farm is a healthy 15,000, and there are plenty of single-day passes available for today. Word is that Sunday is much closer to selling out, so I’d recommend grabbing a ticket online or getting here early tomorrow. The staggered music schedule starts each day at 11:30am on the “Good Kids” stage (located under a large tent, to keep the little ones from too much sun), with the next performer starting just 15 minutes later on the “Good Vibes” stage. The first performer of the day on the main (“Life Is Good”) stage gets going as soon as the “Good Vibes” band finishes up, so the outside sounds won’t compete with each other. While public transportation is recommended, if you’re driving from Boston, take 93 south to exit 2B, then stay to the left to get to the public parking area (currently near the Reebok headquarters). A short walk will get you to the yellow school buses that will shuttle you across Route 138 to the festival ground gates. The place is pretty well covered with wireless internet access, although you’ll need a password. If you know me, ask me, otherwise hit up one of the many friendly fest volunteers. If you’ve got a Chase credit card, bring it. It’ll get you into a tent called the Chase Freedom Lounge that you might want to take advantage of (marketing schwag, laptops to use, Nintendo Wii, a recording booth, a temporary tattoo artist, etc). In fact, I’m in there right now. This afternoon the Lounge is hosting a private acoustic performance from Grace Potter, and tomorrow there will be one from Brett Dennen. Ah, sweet corporate synergy. A bottled water will run you $3.00, a cup of beer is $6 or $7. Other prices are in a photo below. Surprisingly, not only is there beer, but a total lack of a drink tent – you can carry your plastic cup anywhere on the grounds. Obviously, make sure you bring your ID. In addition to your standard garbage receptacles, there are, of course, ones for recyclables, but a first for me is seeing a third type: for composting. Something else I’m also surprised to see here? Breakdancing demonstrations. And Jim Rice! But no, not a breakdancing Jim Rice. He’ll be here signing stuff later on today. If you can’t make it down here, the festival is being webcast on Facebook. And if you want to donate long-distance, you can simply text “LIG” to 20222 and you’ll make a one-time $10 contribution to the cause.
Photos from the day so far…
[Live MP3s] Built To Spill on Cape Cod in 2010
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 7:13 am | No Comments
It’s fitting that more than a few Doug Martsch-penned lyrics are about dreams, because this particular Built To Spill show still feels like a vivid one. On a hot early-August evening on the hook of Cape Cod, after a dark drive down a Lost Highway-lit road, I was directed down a dirt-covered driveway for my first-ever look at the Wellfleet Beachcomber – a glorified summer shack that was very sold out at just 400 sweaty souls. The place was hoppin’, the parking lot totally packed, the secluded scene something out of a late-night-beach-party flick.
When the show first appeared on the Beachcomber’s summer schedule, being there was a no-brainer. I’d seen Built To Spill plenty of times, but never in a place so intimate. I’d make a getaway out of it, book a couple mid-week nights at an area motel, grab some precious family and beach time. So after a relaxing evening filling up on seafood with friends, I headed solo to the ‘Comah, but wouldn’t feel alone – ended up there were more than a few familiar friends in the crowd – Two thirds of the wonderful Sleepyhead, Mr. Flyweight himself, and even some long-distance drivers from my beloved hometown. These friendly faces were offset by a fairly substantial number of bro-dudes and backhatters, of both the local and vacationing variety, but the die-hard BtS fans in the crowd squashed their drunken, aggro vibe. We’re talking joyous, appreciative sing-a-long here, people. Grinning from ear to grateful ear.
Best Built To Spill set I’ve ever seen? Ayup. Show of the summer? Newt says “Eye-firmative”. Show of the year? It’s looking good. 2010 has just four full months to change my mind. More comments on the night, along with a free mp3 from the new Electronic Anthology Project, are below these downloadable live tracks…
Live at The Wellfleet Beachcomber
in Wellfleet, MA
on Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
[Download the set as a 131 MB .zip file]
01. In The Morning
02. Hindsight
03. Kicked It In The Sun
04. Else
05. Twin Falls
06. Reasons
07. Traces
08. Nowhere Lullaby
09. Three Years Ago Today
10. Car
11. Carry The Zero
12. Life’s A Dream
13. Big Dipper
14. You Were Right
- Hell of a setlist, huh? It’s like they reached into my brain, wrote down my favorites, and ran through ’em. I mean, five songs from “There’s Nothing Wrong With Love”? Granted, a likely-unplanned “Twin Falls” was to kill time while guitarist Jim Roth changed a guitar string, but jeez, what a gift. Starting with “In The Morning“? Ending with “You Were Right“? Glorious.
- The small stage and complete lack of roadies meant the band hung around after their set, and I had the rare chance to accost approach drummer Scott Plouf, one of my longtime drummin’ heroes (has been since the very first the Spinanes 7-inch). This isn’t something I ever do, but the atmosphere, post-show glow, and a couple o’ beers gave me the guts. He graciously accepted my thanks and words of admiration as I explained that, oddly enough, my week had a bit of a “Scott Plouf” theme to it. Bear with me here: A few days before the show, I caught the 2000 K Records documentary “The Shield Around The K” for the first time at the Middle East (one of the excellent Rock Shop installments). On screen within the grainy archival footage was Mr. Plouf. A couple days later, while driving to the Cape and listening to a Red Sox broadcast on WEEI, the Spinanes’ “Spitfire” (which starts with a signature Plouf beat), was used as a back-from-commercial musical bed. And then, of course, I get to meet the man himself. I just love little weird coincidences like that.
- The main reason I was hanging around after the show wasn’t to bother Scott, but to pick up a physical copy of the relatively new Built-To-Spill-but-not-Built-To-Spill mini-album from the Electronic Anthology Project. Yeah, I’d already bought this aural curiosity digital a few weeks previous, but I’m one of those weirdos that needs to hold music in his hand (and I also like putting cash straight into the hands of touring bands). I personally think this thing was worth paying for twice. If you haven’t heard about it yet, here’s the deal…
Nope, no mention of Built To Spill on there, but it’s them. Specifically, it’s BtS bassist Brett NeLson (no, not guitarist Brett NeTson) rebuilding seven Built To Spill tracks electronically, with Dug Martsch re-singing his vocals over the whole shebang. And I love it. It brings Doug’s longstanding mastery of melody to the forefront, hits just the right nostalgic notes, and shines a new light on some old faves. Don’t recognize the titles? Well, it requires some decoding, and *spoiler alert*, here’s what you’re in for – one song from every proper BtS album, done up 80’s synth-style…
01. I Dim Our Angst In Agony (Goin Against Your Mind)
from “You in Reverse” [2006]
02. Age I Felt (Get A Life)
from “Ultimate Alternative Wavers” [1993]
03. At The Where (The Weather)
from “Ancient Melodies of the Future” [2001]
04. Eels (Else)
from “Keep It Like a Secret” [1999]
05. What If Your Dull (I Would Hurt A Fly)
from “Perfect From Now On” [1997]
06. A Gloss Siren (Israel’s Song)
from “There’s Nothing Wrong With Love” [1994]
07. Far Path Tall Sign (Things Fall Apart)
from “There Is No Enemy” [2009]So why no mention of Built to Spill on this sucker? Why the scrambled song titles? My guess is it ain’t just to be obtuse, but also to avoid the legal shenanigans of the band’s major label, the good ol’ double-you bee. Allows the guys to do their own thing, release something just for fun and on the down low, make a little bit of scratch without the brothers Warner sticking their hands in there. Hell yeah, I say. All the more reason to buy the thing. (CDBaby / iTunes / eMusic). As for the relatively non-specific band name? Well, word is that Brett hopes to involve other artists in the project down the road, creating electronic versions for a wish-list of bands. Does the idea of electro-Dino-Jr. tickle your fancy a bit? Well, keep your fingers crossed, and like I said, buy the thing to show your support.
Brett graciously gave me the go ahead to share up one of the EAP tracks, so I picked my fave…
- Given the setlist above, and the meager two songs from last year’s “There Is No Enemy”, the band doesn’t appear to be ‘working’ the album in the traditional sense, but that didn’t stop them from releasing a new video for one of those tracks, “Hindsight“…
[VIDEO] Built To Spill – “Hindsight“
- As I was about to click “publish” on this post, lo and behold, NYCtaper has shared up their recording of Built To Spill’s floating Rocks Off Concert Cruise last week. Confluence!
- The band continues their extensive fall tour in 10 days with a stop in Salt Lake City before they head back East and hit Boston for two nights at the Paradise (tickets), then back West to finish up in Seattle by Thanksgiving. Don’t miss ’em. The dates…
September
17th — Salt Lake City, Utah @ The Depot
18th — Englewood, Colo. @ Gothic Theatre
19th — Kansas City, Mo. @ The Beaumont Club
20th — Iowa City, Iowa @ Blue Moose Tap House
21st — Madison, Wis. @ The High Noon Saloon
22nd — Champaign, Ill. @ Pygmalion Music Festival
23rd — Indianapolis, Ind. @ The Vogue
24th — Chicago, Ill. @ Vic Theatre
25th — Detroit, Mich. @ St. Andrews Hall
28th — Buffalo, N.Y. @ The Town Ballroom
29th — Northampton, Mass. @ Pearl Street
30th — Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock ClubOctober
1st — Boston, Mass. @ Paradise Rock Club
2nd — Pawtucket, R.I. @ The Met Café
3rd — So. Burlington, Vt. @ Higher Ground
7th — Philadelphia, Pa. @ Trocadero
8th — Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
9th — Richmond, Va. @ The National
10th — Carrboro, N.C. @ Cat’s Cradle
11th — Charlotte, N.C. @ Neighborhood Theatre
12th — Athens, Ga. @ 40 Watt Club
13th — Jacksonville, Fla. @ Free Bird Café
14th — Orlando, Fla. @ The Social
15th — Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. @ Culture Room
16th — St. Petersburg, Fla. @ State Theatre
17th — Gainesville, Fla. @ The Venue
19th — Tallahassee, Fla. @ The Moon
20th — New Orleans, La. @ Howlin Wolf
21st — Houston, Texas @ House of Blues Houston
22nd — Austin, Texas @ Emo’s
23rd — Austin, Texas @ Emo’s
24th — Oklahoma City, Okla. @ Diamond Ballroom
25th — Albuquerque, N.M. @ Launch Pad
26th — Tempe, Ariz. @ Marquee Theatre
27th — Solana Beach, Calif. @ Belly Up Tavern
28th — Los Angeles, Calif. @ El Rey TheatreNovember
11th — Ashland, Ore. @ Ashland Armory
12th — Eugene, Ore. @ WOW Hall
13th — Portland, Ore. @ Crystal Ballroom
15th — Bellingham, Wash. @ The Wild Buffalo
17th — Missoula, Mont. @ Wilma Theater
18th — Spokane, Wash. @ Knitting Factory Concert House
19th — Seattle, Wash. @ The Showbox
20th — Seattle, Wash. @ The Showbox - As ever, stream any and all ‘Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine.
the fine print… If anyone has an issue with these Mp3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the ‘nac faq). Live sets recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav and then edited to 256kbps Mp3s. Files are made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed.