Amberland IX | 05.23 – 05.25 | Georgia

Words by: Brian Bavosa | Images by: Brad Kuntz

Amberland IX :: 05.23.08 – 05.25.08 :: Cherokee Farms :: Lafayette, GA

Matt McDonald – PGroove :: Amberland 2008

Memorial Day Weekend is a time to reflect on and remember those that have served our country bravely. It has also become one hell of a great weekend to see some live music. This year found me back at Cherokee Farms in Lafayette, GA for the ninth installment of Perpetual Groove‘s Amberland. The second straight year at this locale, these performances were bittersweet as they represented the final gigs for keyboard player – and former U.S. Army veteran – Matt McDonald.

What started as a small gathering in a backyard has grown to a large production built on the impeccable sound of engineers Patrick Kinkade and Newton Carter and the retina-blinding, seizure-inducing lights of Jason Huffer. But, at the forefront lies the band themselves – Brock Butler (guitar, vocals), Adam Perry (bass), Albert Suttle (drums) and McDonald – who, with the exception of a few guests, owned the spotlight for twenty-plus hours of music over three days and very enjoyable nights.

They’ll Take You There

The true beauty of this fest is in the casual atmosphere, from all angles, sides and perspectives. A loose schedule, a band that mingles openly every chance it gets and some straight up, Southern hospitality make this weekend exceedingly comfortable. Friday night was the perfect example. Opening on a side stage set under a round, white tent, Butler and company tore through some of their lesser-played tunes, but ones that McDonald helped define in their sound’s evolution, adding to the catalog back in the early part of the decade when he and Suttle joined the band after the Army. Kicking off with “Perihelion” and “Andromeda,” longtime fan favorites and tunes from the early bowels of the band’s repertoire, the weekend gave early signs of showcasing the seven years McDonald poured into PGroove, including the first of many appearances over the weekend by Adam’s brother, Damien Perry (Red Giant) on guitar. The band also welcomed Travis Cline (Captain Soularcat) on drums, and tore through choice covers of “I’ll Take You There” and the first offering of Rage Against the Machine’s “Bulls On Parade” in over a year, setting the bar high and welcoming all to “Amberland: Not just a place, but a state of mind.”

Diamonds on the Soles of Their Souls

One thing about PGroove that has drawn so many to them over the years is their unique sound. They don’t try to emulate any other band, and have truly coined something uniquely their own. From Butler’s honest vocals, to the knob twisting sonics of McDonald’s rig, to Suttle’s unrealized talent of making double and triple time seem easy, to Perry’s rock steady, never flashy bass, this band has developed into a true force to be reckoned with – in any genre. Mix in the aforementioned sound and light crew, and the results are absolutely delicious, with Amberland being the annual pinnacle of it all.

The afternoon set saw PGroove focus on many lighter numbers, including an opening “For Now Forget” and a spot-on rendition Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes,” where Butler shined brighter than the heels Simon once sang of. After a few hour break, the band returned where it left off with a stirring rendition of the amazing composition “Decepticon Structure,” and the poignant “So Much As Goodbye,” which had Butler’s pedal steel licks foreshadowing the tears that would be wept only a day later. The second set closed with the one-two punch of “Crapshoot” and “Occam’s Blazer” which displayed the darkness this band is capable of conjuring, especially in the wooded area the stage was placed this year. Along with a more intimate feel and natural amphitheater look than in past years, it allowed Huffer a palette to paint his lights on that was nothing short of mind-blowing.

The third set featured Damien on the opening “Speed Queen” and “Echo,” juxtaposing the darkest and friendliest sides of their catalog, and was preceded by Butler saying that this was the way the festival was supposed to end last year, before it was shut down by the police for a noise ordinance violation. After a freestyle “Macumba” and huge but slightly rushed “Teakwood Betz,” the band took a breather before heading back over to the tent stage for an extremely intimate, “in-the-round,” stripped-down setup.

Old McDonald Had A Turntable

McDonald offered a potential look into his future endeavors by treating us to a debut set from his Mac computer. Speaking to McDonald afterwards, he informed me that his hard drive crashed the day before Amberland and he’d had to completely redo this on the fly. It can now be downloaded as a gift from him here. That being said, the dance beats and reworked Nine Inch Nails was twice as good, under the circumstances.

The band then joined their mate for what was probably my favorite portion of the weekend. Spanning STS9‘s “Breathe In,” The Disco Biscuits‘ “Home Again,” The Sopranos theme and closed out by one of the greatest anthem’s ever written, The Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody),” PGroove again treated fans, while showing everyone that they were indeed multi-talented and extremely imaginative.

Brockfast In Bed

Arguably the most enjoyable part of any Amberland is the Sunday morning “Brockfast,” which features superstar-to-be, Butler, offering his solo act. With vocals and songs that are as light as the air, sprinkled with a touch of comic relief and a few old friends, Butler makes it easy to climb out of your tent and ease your hangover. Opening with “Graceland,” the tile cut from an album that Butler has previously told me changed his life, the 700 or so fans in attendance began making their way over to sprawl out in the grass, plop down in chairs or snuggle under the shade of a tree by the main stage. It is also such a friendly atmosphere because, besides the music, almost everyone at Amberland knows each other through the band’s message board, Talking In Place.

The set featured friends Ayinde Bryant on bass for a few numbers, including “Under African Skies” and Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice,” while Brian Rivercomb, a former bandmate of Butler’s from his high school band, The Corporate Sugardaddies, also shared the stage for one of their old tunes, “Sometimes.”

Around 4 p.m., PGroove reemerged with another mid-day set that offered tunes that again, seemed to fit the daytime perfectly. Numbers such as the rare “53 Things To Do in Zero Gravity” and the emotionally charged “Tu Seven” and “La Casa Bien” leaked the first hints that Sunday would not only be a celebration but also a farewell to a good friend.

I’ll See You On The Dark Side of the Pig

Just when this journalist thought he had seen everything, I am reminded that my home in NYC is a far cry from Georgia. A genuine pig roast by Mark “Uncledaddy” Day, the patron who held the first Amberland on his property, showed that Southerners do some good eating. All I can say is, it’s a sight to behold, especially after Uncledaddy fired up the chainsaw to “prepare” the pig at 5 a.m. the night before, signaling my bedtime, more out of fear than weariness.

As darkness fell, and the moon rose, PGroove delivered another giant surprise with a complete set of Pink Floyd tunes, featuring the shredding madman, Damien. “Mother,” “Obscured By Clouds,” “Have A Cigar” and “Brain Damage/Eclipse” transported us to the Dark Side of the Moon in anticipation for the final taste of this year’s fest. This set wins the award for biggest, darkest, loudest shred-fest of the weekend, hands down. It was nasty.

The Last Robot Waltz

As McDonald and company took the stage for their final set together, they ran through such new numbers as “Gorilla Monsoon” and “Wasted Endeavors,” while showcasing some of the true jam-monsters that have come to define the band, “Playground” and “Aim.” I must give credit to the band for keeping the vibe very loose and happy all weekend, even through this set.

The final set easily topped two hours, and concluded with a funky “TTFPJ,” complete with a life-size cut out of Sarah Michelle Geller/Buffy the Vampire Slayer onstage for the line, “Banging Buffy’s Muff,” an original lyric often replaced nowadays. Even in the face of change, the band kept their sense of humor while nailing one of their hottest numbers.

However, anyone who attended or will hear this Amberland will forever remember the encore. A powerful “Mr. Transistor” was followed by the debut of Modest Mouse’s “Float On,” where McDonald’s vocals seemed to ring through my brain as he hollered the lines:

And we’ll all float on alright
Already we’ll all float on
Alright, don’t worry even if things end up a bit too heavy
We’ll all float on alright

“Sweet Oblivious Antidote” – arguably the most emotional, heartfelt and meaningful song in the band’s catalog, and the first album with McDonald – gave the departing keyboardist center stage. During an extended piano solo in the middle section, McDonald was visibly moved, and when the song was over he simply reached out and held the hand of his brother for the past seven years. The final song was “Robot Waltz,” which has been – and always will always be – characterized by McDonald’s karate chop keys. It was one of the craziest, most-inspired versions I’ve ever heard, complete with the band offering their patented rock horns/hands in the air climax. It was a fitting way for McDonald to waltz away from Perpetual Groove, having left it all on the stage.

Brock Butler

Albert Suttle

Damien Perry with PGroove

Damien Perry

Adam Perry

Brock Butler

Brock Butler

Brock Butler

Matt McDonald

Adam Perry Adam Perry & Matt McDonald Brockfast Brockfast Brock Butler Damien Perry Matt McDonald Matt McDonald Matt McDonald Perpetual Groove Matt McDonald

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