It’s currently 8:42am on July 7th. We’re parked outside Harrah’s in Council Bluff’s, IA waiting for our hotel rooms…might as well tell you all about Kansas City.
We flew into KC on Monday the 5th so we could all get settled in. Standing outside the airport, our bus rolled in and my face lit up. I felt like freakin’ ROYALTY!
We hopped on the bus, grabbed our bunks, and headed off to the hotel.
Hotel Phillips — Great hotel to stay in. Courteous staff, nice rooms, great breakfast, but I think it’s haunted. Even though nothing of the paranormal happened, I still think its haunted — We all went to Jack’s Stacks for dinner, had some delicious BBQ, and headed off to bed.
I woke up at 7:30am (not impressed) got myself ready and hopped on the bus. As tired as I was, I just kept saying to myself “Ok Nat. First day, let’s do this”
Starlight Theater, wow, very cool. Set up the production office, set up the dressing rooms, and send the runner on his way. Put up signs, check the bus stock, send the runner on his way. Work on a few things, watch a piece of the show –
BNL put on a great show. They had just watched the RUSH documentary on the bus prior to performing, and spent about 5 minutes on stage playing “80’s jukebox”. Hilarious. They also played The Big Bang Theory, (secretly my favorite BNL song), and it was AWESOME.
– eat, ice the bus, where the hell is the runner??
order food, stock the bus, stock the other bus, send the runner to pick up the food. Pack up the production office, pack up the dressing rooms, shower, hop on the bus, wait for the runner, EAT, and crash.
It doesn’t sound like alot, but it was a steady work flow day. The adrenalin kept me running all day, and it wasn’t until I was walking to the bus that I realized I was exhausted.
I climbed into bed, and woke up in Iowa.
By the way, what the hell is there to do on a day off in IOWA?!
Touring with a band. It’s a dream that many kids have, but are never able fulfill. But Natalie Goik’s dream is coming true this week as she sets off across the US on her first big production tour with Barenaked Ladies. Nat will be reporting in to me as often as she can about life on the road and all of her “firsts.” I’m looking forward to going on tour with her and I hope you come back often to see what she’s been up to.
I asked Nat to give me a little info about herself and how she got this gig.
“I’ve been a techie for the past 6 or 7 years now. It all started back in high school when I found out that you could join the sound and lighting crew, and every time there was an event or an assembly, you were allowed get out of class early to go set up. Ever since then I’ve been working gigs around Ontario.
I’ve worked 4am load ins and 40 hour weekends (not including Friday), I’ve driven to cities hours away, only to work 4 hour calls, I’ve worked 13 hours and then had to drive home 2, 3 hours, and I’ve done more than my share of volunteering. Hell, I’ve even toured with a Magician. But I can’t say I’ve regretted anything so far. I’ve made friends, contacts, and injured myself many many times.
For years now I’ve been trying so hard to get on a big production tour. I’ve had interviews and sent out resumes, and never gotten any response – until a few months back. I remember it very clearly. I was in my house, walking down the stairs when my phone made it’s “you’ve got mail” ding. I stopped, picked up my phone, and opened my mail box.
from: Deb H.
subject: Tour
Now, Deb has been my guardian angel for this past year. She always puts my name in and always calls me up when she needs an extra crewman. So, I open this email, and read:
Hey Nat,
Are you free from July 5th-Aug 15th to come out on tour with the Barenaked Ladies?
Let me know
Deb
I froze. Mouth dropped. Totally speechless. This was it, the big break I’ve been waiting for. Holy-shit. I’m going on tour.”
First Stop: Starlight Theater, Kansas City, MO
I drove to Atlantic City this past weekend to see David Cook perform from his self-titled album at The Music Box at The Borgata. As an avid American Idol viewer, I already consider myself a fan of the Season 7 winner. I arrived a few minutes late and quickly went over to his merchandise table to grab a t-shirt. When I went inside the Box, I heard his opener, indie rock singer and songwriter Ryan Star, already a few minutes into his set list. I’m not too familiar with Ryan having never watched Rock Star: Supernova. My first impression of him was that he was surprisingly pretty good. I enjoyed the rest of his set especially “Breathe” and “11:59”. I decided to purchase his album Songs from the Eye of an Elephant on the way out and met him in the lobby after the show, where a long line had formed because he was signing his CD.
After a twenty minute break so David’s band could set up, the lights went out and the sold-out crowd rose to their feet waiting for a glimpse of the main event. David was on stage with his guitar and he opened with “Heroes”. David was wearing a black and white patterned short sleeve button up shirt with black pants and boots. He had on an orange bracelet, and it doesn’t seem like he is traveling with a hairstylist as his hair looked like he just got out of bed. Next he sang a song he co-wrote called “We’re Only Honest When We’re Sleeping”, with these lyrics:
You’re a broken thing
Your cracks are showing through
Your best attempts
At making nice with the world
So keep on dreaming
Cause someday soon the things that keep you up late
Will fade away
Or so I’ve heard
I really like the lyrics for this song and as he co-wrote 10 out of the 12 tracks on his latest album, I am very impressed with his song-writing ability. Now is clearly his time, but it is a little hard to fathom why we hadn’t heard his name before this reality show. He went on to sing four songs not on his new album, including the Collective Soul cover “The World I Know.” He paused to let the crowd know that the next song was very close to his heart, and he started to sing “Permanent”, which he co-wrote about his brother Adam who is currently battling brain cancer. It was now incredibly quiet as the crowd focused on him and the words seemed to pour right from his soul.
He picked up the mood a little and sang “Declaration,” his newly released single “Come Back to Me” and his first single off the album called, “Light On”. He asked the crowd to help him with the words to “Light On” because sometimes he forgets. He got a few sympathy laughs and everyone seemed happy to oblige. He asked if anyone in the audience had been at the Friday night show and it seemed by the cheers that at least half of them had been. There were glow sticks galore in the crowd and he had a brief conversation with a nine year old girl in the front row who was smiling from ear to ear after he signed her CD. Someone threw a dog collar onto the stage and he went over and picked it up. He explained to people that were seeing him live for the first time that he now has a collection of collars and he really has no explanation for why this started happening. He thanked everyone and said Goodbye and threw out some guitar picks, but everyone seemed to know he wouldn’t be gone for long.
He came out again after a very brief absence and sang “Barbasol.” His band was just incredible and they seem to have great chemistry. Before the next song, “Hot for Teacher” a Van Halen cover song, he introduced them all and they waved to the crowd. He finished for real this time with “Daily Anthem”, which he mentioned was written before his Idol experience. If I had to sum up the whole night in one word it would probably be “effortless.” He came on that stage and just did was seems so natural to him. His album has gone platinum already and if you decide to go and pick it up, you will be glad you did. I plan on going to see him again this summer when he takes part in Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA in August.
Recently, my lifelong friend Lisa and I went to see singer/songwriter Marc Broussard perform at the Lowell Summer Concert Series. I loved this musician before that night, but seeing him live has taken it to a much higher level!
Due to rain, the show was moved from Boarding House Park to the Lowell High School Auditorium nearby. I would have loved to have been outside under the September stars but will not complain about the rain. The venue was very close to full except for the balcony and I would guesstimate 500-600 in attendance – more about the crowd later.
The opening act was a trio named Spring Standard from NYC. They were “interesting” to say the least. Not my type, but got respect from the crowd.
Marc came out and said “Evenin’ Ya’ll!” and began his set. He said we were going to have fun and were all going to party. During the course of his 90-minute set he became increasingly happy, relaxed, rowdy, funky and the crowd went nuts for him. He was talkative and we loved his New Orleans accent (must have said “Ya’ll” a dozen times.) His voice was clear and strong, very soulful, and he looked like he was having so much fun.
Marc told us that he didn’t know what he was going to play (no set list) and folks started calling out tune requests. He said to the “Home” shout out, “We’ll do ‘Home’ later on.” A little while later he mentioned not knowing what to sing next and during a lull, I shouted “The Beauty Of Who You Are” (LOUDLY) and he responded “We could do that!” He sang my top two faves – the one I “requested” and “Gavin’s Song” (as his encore) along with crowd favorites “Home,” “Love And Happiness,” “Rock Steady,” and “Come Around.” He highlighted each band member with an intro and solo moment. It is very apparent that this man loves him family, his home, and has much respect for his bandmates. The guitar player was performing with them for the very first time (from Boston) but you’d never know it! In addition to the songs we knew, he performed three songs from the new CD, Keep Coming Back, which will be released on September 16.
The biggest surprise of the night was the crowd. They were amazing and it was sooooooo nice to be among fans who loved the music and were on their feet begging for more. The crowd was REALLY into it and not only did they not mind if you stood or moved around for a better vantage point, they ENCOURAGED IT! Many fans filled the aisles 3/4 of the way through the evening and at least 50 people came down to stand right in front of the stage for Home. Marc loved it and came right to the edge of the stage and wailed, feeding off the energy and giving it all back. There were three women in front of us and in-between the opening act and Marc, they turned and asked me how I learned about Marc’s music. They said none of their friends have ever heard of him and wanted to know how I became a fan. I had to mention Taylor Hicks and the fact that I would not even know of Marc, Toby Lightman, Anthony Hamilton, and more if not for Taylor and his fan community.
OFTV is pleased to welcome a new blogger, Maddie, to the family. Maddie will be entering her sophomore year of high school at the end of this month and we hope to hear more of her teen perspective in the future.
Recently, I attended my first ever 92.5 Riverfront Festival. The event was held at Waterfront Park in Newburyport, MA overlooking the water; an ideal spot to lie out a blanket on the grass and enjoy this free outdoor event.
Before the music even started, the event’s sponsors set up booths, many of which were giving away free samples. I spent quite a bit of time browsing and was able to snag a bowl of Gifford’s Ice Cream, Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, various Trader Joe’s products, some Cabot cheese, and Polar iced tea. I just couldn’t pass up the chance for free stuff!
I did eventually make it back to where we’d set up our blanket, just in time to catch The Brother Kite, the local opening band who had recently won the River Rising Stars contest. Although I enjoyed their music, I found myself anxious for the next band, Needtobreathe, and probably didn’t listen as closely to The Brother Kite as I should have. After a short intermission, Needtobreathe came on stage and began their set. Although all of their music was enjoyable, my personal favorite was More Time, which was featured in the movie P.S. I Love You. The band seemed very relaxed and laid-back, which made their show even more pleasant.
Next up was Matt Nathanson, one of my favorite artists! I was so excited to see him perform live! He was extremely laid-back and talkative, and informed the crowd that he grew up locally, in Lexington, MA, and that he was a “big fan of New Hampshire”. He played many of the songs from his latest CD Some Mad Hope, including my personal favorites Car Crash and Come On Get Higher. In addition to his wonderful music, Matt Nathanson was also hilarious! He was always making jokes, often right in the middle of a song! After a sing-a-long to a new song, Matt Nathanson left the stage into a tornado of teenage girls already lined up for autographs. He was by far my favorite act of the night, and most others in attendance seemed to feel the same way.
The last band, Blind Melon, was a huge letdown after Matt Nathanson’s amazing performance. I only heard a song or two before the rest of my party decided it would be a better use of time to pack up early and beat the traffic instead of listening to the mediocre band.
In all, I was incredibly pleased with my whole experience at Riverfront Festival ’08 and will be sure to go back next year.
If you’re interested in finding out more about these River artists, you can visit the following sites.
For about two months, my calendar for June 28 was marked “Martin Sexton at the LL Bean Summer Music Festival.”As the date approached and I had no volunteers to accompany me and gas prices rose, it started to look like I would spend another Saturday night at home.But one day driving home from work, I was listening to my favorite radio station, The River (92.5), when a commercial came on for a band called The Mystix.The grittiness of the lead singer’s voice and the driving guitar had me turning up the volume.I discovered that they were playing in the neighboring town of Londonderry, NH at a little venue called the TupeloMusic Hall.Interest piqued, I went home and checked out the band’s website, and immediately visited the Tupelo website to purchase tickets.
While this review is about The Mystix, I would be remiss not to talk a bit about Tupelo. Housed in unassuming old white farmhouse, it would be easy to just drive by. I had heard from friends that it was an intimate setting and a great place to get up close and personal with the music.What they didn’t tell me was that there is an absolute musical gem right in my backyard.Once inside, the atmosphere is warm and inviting.The night I visited, the venue was set up with about 30 tables for four lit with candles. They sell non-alcoholic beverages and food items and you can BYOB, paying $3 for each person who will be drinking.The one big surprise about the venue was the quality of the sound, which was amazingly crisp and clear.It did not overwhelm the small room but still allowed you to really feel the music.Owner Scott Hayward should be complimented on the full package he has put together here.It was recently announced that Hayward would build a new Tupelo in the neighboring town of Derry. After experiencing Tupelo, I hope he works to maintain this amazing quality in a new, larger venue.
Jo Lily, front man for The Mystix, said he visited Tupelo three years ago to see Jonathan Edwards and has been itching to play the room ever since.His itch was finally scratched on a cool New England summer night, when Lily and his band brought some hot, sultry, juke joint sounds to that small New Hampshire room.
The Mystix are an all-star band of sorts, comprised of journeymen musicians from the Boston/New York music scene.With roots in blues, rock, and country, their most recent CD, Blue Morning, has become a fixture on roots and country playlists around the country.
The evening’s entertainment started with a four song instrumental set, which included a playful, driving version of Duke Ellington’s Caravan, by three members of The Mystix – guitarist Bobby Keyes, drummer Marty Richards, and bassist Marty Ballou.Keyes is clearly the standout here.A longtime studio player at the legendary Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Keyes has played with everyone from Jerry Lee Lewis and Ben E. King, to New Kids on the Block and most recently, Lil Wayne and Robin Thicke.Keyes is also an accomplished songwriter, writing four songs for Thicke’s recent CD and co-writing with Lily for The Mystix.But it’s his guitar playing that’s on display here – he is a six string virtuoso.His play is inspired, passionate, and clean. His guitar comes alive under his gentle touch.This description, from a CD Baby review, hits the nail on the head.
He can switch from “Surf-style-spaghetti-western” to Django Reinhardt-style hot jazz to kiss-ass rock riffs in the blink of an eye and never break a sweat.
The trio was later joined on stage by keyboard player Tom West, and lead singer and guitarist Lily.Lily’s gravely, passionate vocals grabbed hold of the audience with Let’s Get Started and didn’t let go throughout their 14 song set.Some highlights included: the jumpin’ juke joint inspired Keyes/Lily original, Yolanda; the rocking Bourbon Street rhythms of New Orleans; and the Traveling Wilbury’s tune Rattled.
A taste of Yolanda at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2007.
I’ve read that they are a much tighter band since this performance – changing their drummer and adding a keyboard player.
Their country side was on display with their George Jones inspired original What Side of Heartache, which has risen to the top of the playlist on XM Country, and a cover of Porter Wagoner’s Nothing Between.They gave a couple of interesting nods to their interest in roots music.The first, Almost Down to the Shore was written by Jimmy Struthers, a blind axe murderer whose music was recorded at a penitentiary in VA by the Dust-to-Digital project.And the second, the encore, a song that they had never before performed live, Stephen Foster’s Hard Times Come Again No More.Yes, Stephen Foster – the “father of American music,” composer of Oh! Susanna, Camptown Races, and Beautiful Dreamer.Lily mentioned being asked to record this song by Keyes for a movie project, and how he was intimidated because it had been performed so perfectly by Bob Dylan. Having experienced Lily’s performance and watching Dylan’s performance, I’d take Lily’s version, hands down.
The Mystix are currently in studio working on their third CD which, according to Lily, will be more focused on roots music.If you get a chance to see the Mystix, I would highly recommend that you do, and you too will believe that the south has indeed moved to New England.
You can find The Mystix CD’s on CDBaby and iTunes online, and at Newbury Comics and Dyno Records in Newburyport, MA.
I went to see John Mayer and Colbie Caillat this Thursday at the Susquehanna Bank Center in New Jersey. After arriving approximately an hour late due to a mix-up, I am surprised at the mile traffic back-up still trying to enter the arena. I’ve never been to this arena before or to a John Mayer concert for that matter. I am also surprised that it now costs $20 to park in Camden and at the amount of tailgating that is still going on in the parking lot. It is very similar to what the parking lot looks like at the Wachovia four hours before a Philadelphia Eagles game. I see a big truck with “John Mayer” written on it, and hooked to it is a trailer with a huge jumbo screen on which the tailgaters are watching Colbie Caillat perform.
Colbie Caillat performs at the Susquehanna Bank Center on 7/10/08, opening for John Mayer. Photo by THawks.
Upon entering the arena, there are still thousands of people milling about buying their $12 drinks and $35 JM t-shirts and now I understand why there are still so many people in the parking lot tailgating! When I finally reach my seat, I hear Colbie singing her radio friendly song “Bubbly” and the crowd is happy. She then sings Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” and ends with “The Little Things”. I miss most of her set, but Colbie looks great and I enjoy what I do hear. After some convincing, I’m able to get past security and take a nice close-up shot of her.
When Colbie leaves the stage, a large portion of the audience heads out for a short break. A large group of “roadies” rush the stage and carry off her stuff. They start setting up for John and I notice a huge silky gray back-drop in the background. They roll out two large area rugs where John and his fellow guitar players will stand. The instruments are rolled out on platforms and racks of guitars are set in place rather quickly. His band starts warming up and before I know it, I hear the music to “Belief” and the crowd roars. Then, through all the lights, I see him!
John Mayer performs at the Susquehanna Bank Center on 7/10/08. Photo by THawks.
He is wearing a black sleeveless t-shirt, his guns and tattoos in full view. He’s wearing jeans and I notice that his jeans are either too big or he has recently lost some weight and we occasionally see his white boxers. After “Belief”, he tells us he’s going back to his “know it all years when he really didn’t know anything” and then we hear “No Such Thing” and “Why Georgia”. Two beach balls are being tossed around in the crowd seated in the orchestra area and some people have brought “We Love You John!” signs.
He takes us back to 2006 when he had a bunch of songs put together for Continuum and he tells us a story about how “he needed one song to be in charge” and then he sings “Waiting on the World to Change” to a screaming audience. At this point, I realize most of the crowd is standing and I don’t think I could sit again if I tried. We hear “Vultures” and “Bigger Than My Body” (hey, maybe he means his jeans!).
He tells us that some songs are meant for when “you know a relationship just isn’t working out” and he mentions the song “Stupid Mouth” but then starts to play “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room”.
He does an amazing cover of “Crossroads”. I noticed when he plays guitar live he gets “in the zone” and the songs are extended by five minutes or so and no one seems to mind. I try to get closer to get a better picture of him but his security detail isn’t letting anyone get any closer to the stage. I do my best with the camera I have with me.
He addresses the crowd about every three songs or so and they react with extreme admiration. He sincerely thanks us, his fans (who have filled this 25,000 capacity arena) for “still being able to do this gig.” The stage lighting changes quite a bit but I notice that the only thing he really changes throughout the show is his guitar. This man was born to play the guitar and he just happens to sing really well too. His band is just as impressive, especially his guitar players, Robbie McIntosh and David Ryan Harris. He highlights them both quite a few times during the show.
The crowd reacts to John Mayer. Photo by THawks.
He sings “Free-fallin” by Tom Petty and I really enjoy his version. Then he tells us he’s going to get “bluesy” and he sings the Herbie Hancock song “Stitched Up”. He closes with “Gravity” and most of the massive crowd is on their feet singing along with him.
He comes back for an encore to a thunderous crowd and sings “Bold as Love” and then segues into “The Wind Cries Mary”. It is CRAZY GOOD. He has mad talent and I don’t want this one to end. He does end it though, with “Wheel” and “Say”. He gives us cards reminding us he will be coming back to The Borgata in Atlantic City to perform on August 24th with special guest One Republic. I’m checking my schedule already, John.
