Review: Umphrey's @ Northern Lights

Rawk show.

There have been plenty of Umphrey's McGee references on my blog and if you know me personally, I'm not shy about pledging my allegiance to the jam/prog-rockers.

After seeing them at a couple festivals over the summer, I was able to see them twice recently in the forum where they really shine: the club setting. First, at Higher Ground, in Burlington, Vt. on Nov. 13, and then at Northern Lights, in Clifton Park, NY, on the 17th.

They definitely brought their A-game and even welcomed Mike Gordon, of Phish, to sit in at Higher Ground. The sit-in was a 'gift' for their full-time bassist Ryan "Pony Boy" Stasik on his birthday. Here is a link to a review I wrote of the show at Northern Lights: LINK . Here is a link to the soundboard you can purchase and download for $9.95. It has remained on the "Top 5 Downloads" since the show and that probably won't change until New Year's. I also have it if you want a copy. I highly recommend.

Hidden Hand, Hidden Track

I hope to have my computer running at full capacity soon so I can begin posting again.

In the meantime, a "highlights from moe.down 10" list I compiled and photos I shot dropped on Hidden Track earlier this week.

My first festival review was a learning experience to say the least.

I have done some freelance work for Hidden Track before as well. Check out my review of an Umphrey's McGee show at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, Mass.

Hidden Track Review

My review appeared on Hidden Track yesterday afternoon. Read it here.

Being the show that I reviewed was April 8, it was a little stale when it hit the site but the editor was in China for the week and couldn't post it any sooner.

Hidden Track (a subsidary of Glide music magazine) won the Weblog award for "Best Music Blog" in 2008. I got hooked to it months ago because of it's fresh look at the music scene. It is awesome for anyone who is more than just a casual fan of jam and rock music. Each day of the week has featured departments: like Stormy Monday's and Friday Mix Tape. They also have a guy that does movie reviews, one that does book reviews and everything else that keeps you caught up with music and beyond - I definately recommend.

I am very happy to be associated with HT and will surely be offering my time for another review soon (hopefully as correspondent at Mountain Jam in Hunter, N.Y. on May 31-June 2).

Not to get greedy, but my hope is that the Umphrey's family catches wind of my review and throws it on its Web site.

It would be like a big hug that a writer so desperatley needs every now and again.

-J

Hidden Track

What a great week.

My story about Scott Hannay's date with destiny was a hit and I received a lot of good feedback. I also completed a logo for a private contractor friend of mine that I will post within the next few days.

But here's the best news:

On Thursday I reached out to Hidden Track music blog to see if they would be interested in a first-hand account of the April 8 Umphrey's McGee show with a little background about Scott (I got greedy, which you have to do as a freelancer).

First, a little bit about Hidden Track (from the Web site):

Hidden Track was started in October 2006 by Ace Cowboy and Scott Bernstein to offer live music fans an off-beat look at the scene. We cover a wide range of music from Prog-Rock to Classic Rock to Jazz to Blues to Jam to Indie to Klezmer. Okay, maybe we don’t cover Klezmer although The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band does kick some serious ass. Over the years we’ve developed a more serious tone, but we’re not afraid to drop a fart joke when necessary. In January of 2009, Hidden Track was awarded the 2008 Weblog Award for Best Music Blog, a fair indication of how far we’ve come in just 28 short months.

Yeah, it's the best in the blogosphere and I am hooked. They often feature exclusives with both up-and-coming names in music as well as established acts.

So I sent a snail-mail to scott@glidemagazine.com and a couple days passed with no reply. I followed up and got a reply almost immediately.

It read:

John,

Thank you so much for following up with me. I had started a response to you, but it got lost in the shuffle before I sent it out.

I'm VERY familiar with Scott Hannay's work and it's amazing. I'm so excited that he gets to mash up with the band. I'm extremely interested in running your account of the evening. Do you need anything from my end?

- Scott

So, yeah, I will tell the nation about April 8 at The Calvin. I will also have a professional photographer accompanying me (Glens Falls native Sean Culligan, seanculligan.com)!

I have a feeling it will be a memorable one.

P.S. Being associated with anyone named "Ace Cowboy" is pretty sweet. Check out his blog (hilarious)

-J