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By: SuperDee
PAGE McCONNELL: HOLD ME CLOSE
Page McConnell :: By S. Weiand |
High Sierra welcomed Page McConnell and crew to the festival this year for a Sunday evening set on the main stage. Smiles were everywhere on stage and off as the band ran through the repertoire from McConnell 's new album. While this may not be the most compelling music ever performed, it is well crafted, and it's just wonderful to see McConnell writing and performing music again.
With such an adored character onsite, High Sierra wisely asked McConnell to conduct one of the festival's signature playshops. He gave a warm, shy smile to those assembled for this special show. He twinkled on the keys for a moment and said, "Any questions?" Everyone laughed and exhaled as he began to play Elton John's "Tiny Dancer." Tears flowed as his sweet voice rang through the hall. During the Q&A portions, McConnell gave us insight on some of the practicing processes with Phish including something they called "filling the hey hole" – a round robin improvisational technique they made up to practice their musical communication (aka JAMMING). To the crowd's delight, he granted requests to play old "phavorites" like "Strange Design" and the outro to "Squirming Coil." A brick wall could not hold the memories from rushing back. McConnell himself got a little choked up as he sang "Velvet Sea," which somehow validated our own mixed emotions. One audience member dared to ask how he felt about the topic of Phish ever getting back together. A hush fell as everyone in the room stared at Page. Then, the ever-self-regulating High Sierra crowd deemed that question null and void by booing in the questioner's general direction and then quickly cheering at Page to play another song. At a place like High Sierra, it is overwhelmingly evident that the present moment is all that we have and it is worthy of being cherished for what it is. There's hope for you yet, Page McConnell.
THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE DISCO BISCUITS
The Disco Biscuits - Jon Gutwillig :: By S. Galbraith |
The Disco Biscuits arrived at High Sierra in style on the tail end of their D.U.M.B. tour with Umphrey's McGee. After the festival organizers invited the Biscuits to come to Quincy a few years ago they have been a welcomed act ever since. The guys came to play two prime spots – Saturday night late night at the Funk'n'Jam House and closing the Big Meadow stage on Sunday night. It's usually the wee hours of the morning where the Biscuits shine but I don't believe this was the case at High Sierra in 2007. Featuring more of their newer, instrumental, trancey pieces like "Orch Theme" and "Strobelights and Martinis," the show seemed to meander in and out of the same jam. Bassist Marc Brownstein later described it as more of a "Tractorbeam" show – the band's moniker when they play an all-instrumental show akin to a DJ club set. While the dance party was certainly on, call me a traditionalist but I like my Biscuits to rock! This is what we got on Sunday night with a "Bazaar Escape" sandwich filled with delicious bits of "Little Betty Boop" and "Aceetobee." A great Disco Biscuits show makes you feel like you've won some awesome prize, and that's how we felt as the band played "A Story of the World." With an old school crowd bouncing in the front row, the haze was gone and our rock band was here delivering a powerful set to close this corner of the fest.
LOVE FOR THE CRESCENT CITY
Hot 8 Brass Band :: HSMF :: By Z. Smith |
As always, there was a strong contingent of artists from New Orleans on the High Sierra line-up. The love for the Crescent City always shines throughout the fairgrounds in the form of brass and that unmistakable drumbeat. This year, NOLA seekers could rock with Galactic on the main stage Thursday night or with Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk late night set in the Vaudeville Tent. Anders Osborne is no stranger to High Sierra and this year delivered an emphatic set at the Big Meadow stage with special guest SCI's Kyle Hollingsworth on keys. He soulfully sang his songs about post-Katrina New Orleans, which can make your heart just want to jump out of your chest. However, the real mayhem went down Sunday afternoon set in the Vaudeville Tent with the Hot 8 Brass Band. It was as if a bat signal was sent up into the sky for anyone who wanted to be transported to the Dirty Coast for an hour. Dust and sweat filled the air as folks were "poppin' gators" and furiously rockin' with the Hot 8. High Sierra and Jazz Fest are two of the greatest places in the universe, and having their flavors run together is about as close as one can come to achieving perfect bliss. Next year, a second line parade?
Honorable Mentions:
Phish recreators the Phix– the first ever tribute band at High Sierra apparently – and their note-for-note version of "Divided Sky"
JJ Grey & MOFRO's scorching main stage set
Watching the aboriginal flag flap in the wind as Xavier Rudd played the didgeridoo
Reed Mathis evolving into a guitar god
The ever-evolving cast of characters and side projects at Camp Harry
Brad Barr, Andrew Barr, Marc Friedman, and forevermore, Nathan Moore
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