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With 40 artists on four stages over two days of perfect weather and with late nite blowouts all over Las Vegas, if you weren't having fun on Halloween Weekend in Sin City, it was most certainly your own damn fault. Add to the equation the highly coveted "Halloween Shows" from both Widespread Panic and Ween following the final day of the inaugural Vegoose festival, and it seems clear that Superfly has once again given the music world a top-notch, tough to beat, amazing event.
Vegoose 2005 :: Jokers Wild Stage :: By Andrew Wyatt |
But more than just music, there's something happening in these fields and in these concert halls that is of the utmost importance. Listening to Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips speak to the mass of people gathered in front of the stage Sunday night, he put things into perspective. With balloons bouncing, confetti flying, folks in animal costumes dancing, and projections glowing, Coyne turned to the audience and said something to the effect of: "Listen everyone, you are the ones. You are the young, you are the open-minded, the folks who come to these events. YOU are the ones who need to come up with new ideas. YOU are the ones who need to make a change in this country. YOU are the smart, the gifted, the caring, YOU are the chosen."
It's events like Vegoose, Bonnaroo, and High Sierra that are the breeding grounds for change. These fields of mud and stretches of grass are where we find like-minded, deep-thinking, heavy-questioning, inspirational individuals. It's where we have a chance at change. Music is the place that perhaps serves our best opportunity at uniting for the greater good. We no longer see the youth taking to the street - sure there are pockets of progressive action and areas where change is occurring, but for the most part, we no longer see protests and rallies. It's the world of music where we find our people. Woodstock wasn't just a music festival, it was a political statement. And as Wayne Coyne insinuated, whether you realize it or not, these festivals and tours to which we see hundreds of thousands flocking are also political. It's not rooted in Democrat/Republican; it speaks to something much larger. But it ain't all heavy thoughts and movements for change; it's a hell of a party as well - especially when Las Vegas is the backdrop.
SATURDAY :: 10.29.05 :: LAS VEGAS, NV
IN SOME WAYS, VEGOOSE WAS THE POLAR OPPOSITE OF BONNAROO
George McConnell (WSP) & Trey Anastasio
Vegoose 2005 :: By Josh Miller |
(Superfly Entertainment's other major festival). Bonnaroo takes place on the East Coast in the middle of the summer; Vegoose goes down in the West as we hit winter. Bonnaroo is humid, often rainy and muddy; Vegoose is dry, clear-skied and boasts absolutely gorgeous weather. Bonnaroo occurs around the peak of the Summer Solstice making for very long days of sunshine; Vegoose hit at exactly daylight savings time - making Vegas dark by 5 pm. At Bonnaroo you camp; at Vegoose you get a hotel. Bonnaroo has about 75,000 - 100,000 people; Vegoose closer to 30,000 or 40,000. Yet with all these differences, there were some striking similarities between the two mammoth events. Put simply: Superfly knows what they're doing. Vegoose was a logistical dream, far easier to get around than Bonnaroo - mostly because of the size. And while there wasn't quite as much of it, there was once again a stellar group of musicians serving up a fairly diverse span of music. If there were complaints, they came in two forms. There was the complimentary "which of these bands do I miss?" (like when Primus played against Beck and Widespread Panic versus Arcade Fire). And there was also the more serious gripe in regards to late nite shows. While the actual festival that ran till around 11 pm was full of variety, the late nite fare was heavy on the jam with Ween being furthest outside the box. It would have been nice to have had the option to see bands like Spoon, Sleater-Kinney, Atmosphere, Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, or Devendra Banhart after-hours should one have desired.
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
The Cabaret :: Vegoose 2005
By Jeffrey V. Smith |
Being the first or second band to play a huge festival like Vegoose is a mixed blessing. Bands like Steel Train and Slightly Stoopid were honored to kick things off as they played to small, yet excited crowds - yet many fans were still getting off planes and getting to the site. As folks began to spill into the half-empty festival, the North Mississippi Allstars pushed things into gear as freak folk darling Devendra Banhart performed his quirky, original, and impressive songs. Banhart even went as far as to pull a young lady out of the crowd to perform one of her own selections. Look for Banhart to win hearts across the country as he continues his ascent to stardom.
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Vegoose 2005 :: By Andrew Wyatt |
The Decemberists, one of the hottest bands to come from Portland, OR in years, is a perfect example of why Vegoose (and her Tennessee sister Bonnaroo for that matter) is so appealing. They may not be the type of band you are inclined buy an expensive ticket for at the theater in your home town, but maybe you're curious what all the hype is about. At Vegoose, all you gotta do is get your ass outta bed by 2 pm and find the Snake Eyes Stage. And what seals the deal about these Superfly events is the fact that if after checking out a half-hour of The Decemberists' instrument-swapping indie-pop, you decide it just ain't your bag, you walk for five minutes on the soft, well-groomed practice field grass, and you're standing at the hip-hop stage where Blackalicious is holding court in front of a rabid fanbase spilling out from under the circus tent. Hip-hop and indie-pop still not greasing your wheels? No need to fret, a ten-minute journey into the gigantic 40,000-person Sam Boyd Stadium to the Double Down Stage, and The String Cheese Incident is twirling under what might as well be summer skies. Need a lil' more bite? All you gotta do is head back to that grassy field and set up at the Jokers Wild Stage where Gov't Mule was doin' their thing, which included an impressive version of "Lively Up Yourself" that successfully mixed psychedelic guitar leads with a jazzy backbeat and recalled Charlie Hunter's incredible 1997 release Natty Dread. This is what sets Vegoose and Bonnaroo apart, the variety and the wide range of musical choices. The only criteria seems to be that the band brings it live.
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
The Shins :: Vegoose 2005
By Josh Miller |
Minnesota's Atmosphere put on one of the more surprising sets of music all weekend. Rarely do we see a hip-hop group that is able to captivate as Slug and crew can do (For more on Atmosphere, see JamBase's Vegoose Supplement). While it was tough to walk away from Atmosphere, there was a compelling opportunity to see another indie band that hadn't reeled me in but had piqued my curiosity: The Shins. With the underground classic "New Slang" from the movie Garden State capturing young ears across the country and 2003's Oh, Inverted World putting the band in the glossy pages of every major magazine, it seemed foolish to not stroll by their stage. The Shins may have proved to be a bit light and poppy for some (although their nun attire was certainly a hoot), thus there was Phil Lesh & Friends in the stadium and an impressive, eclectic, rousing set of rock-based sounds from Colonel Bruce Hampton and the Codetalkers. As the Colonel's nuggets faded with the sun, conscious hip-hop stalwart Talib Kweli was dropping-in. It was at about this point in the early evening that the first really difficult decision was forced upon Vegoose: Primus or Beck?
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Les Claypool (Primus) :: Vegoose 2005
By Jeffrey V. Smith |
Much like Claypool's famous "BOONNNNAARROOOOOOOOO" chant, his "VEGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE" was a call to arms for fans of the heavy. The doctor demento weirdo hour-of-rock freak with Primus was very difficult to tear away from. It was loud, spacey, and all frizzle-fried. Claypool was popping bass strings while guitarist Larry LaLonde was blazing a psychedelic path. As the set raged, Les brought it down for a minute at which point his trademark nasally voice echoed, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're missing Beck right now." I took the opportunity to check out a bit of Beck, and as fun as Mr. Hansen's boy scout set was, Claypool's extended instrumental areas would prove to be the highlight of Day 1. (For more on Beck go to JamBase's Vegoose Supplement.)
9:00 PM - 10:30 PM
Matthews & Anastasio :: Vegoose 2005
By Jeffrey V. Smith |
Strolling into the stadium for Dave Matthews and Friends, it was clear that the masses had arrived! Whereas earlier in the day, Sam Boyd was traversable, full in some areas but empty in others, at Dave's gig, it was packed to the gills. As the sea of beautiful people were up in arms, Dave delivered, perhaps a bit more than this tainted writer expected. Dave's more-than-talented band pulled off songs like "Will It Go Round In Circles" and "Tell Me Something Good" particularly well, and the moments when he performed solo ("Some Devil") or with just Tim Reynolds ("Jimi Thing") were excellent as well. Also of note were the contributions of Trey Anastasio, performing solo with Dave in pretty much exactly the same format as they did at Bonnaroo in 2004 ("Everyday," "Bathtub Gin"). More than the songs, what was perhaps most impressive about Trey was watching him as a side-man (as he would be the following night with Widespread Panic). In 2005 it's rather enjoyable to see Trey adding color to the top, taking cues, and not being the center of attention. He's damn talented and can be fun to watch when the situation is right.
PHIL LESH & FRIENDS :: 10.29 :: VEGOOSE
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PHOTOS BY CASEY FLANIGAN
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 Phil Lesh :: 10.29 :: Vegoose |
Phil Lesh & Warren Haynes :: 10.29 :: Vegoose |
Phil & Friends (Osborne, Haynes, Lesh) :: 10.29 |
 Barraco & Sless - Phil & Friends :: 10.29 |
Jimmy Herring - Phil & Friends :: 10.29 |
Warren Haynes - Phil & Friends :: 10.29 |
Phil & Friends :: 10.29 |
SATURDAY LATE NITE :: 10.29.05 :: LAS VEGAS, NV
Words by Cory Ferber
Sound Tribe Sector 9 :: 10.29.05 :: House of Blues
There is no better way to capture the essence of Sound Tribe Sector 9 then at a late nite performance. Famous for legendary late nite concerts, the Las Vegas House of Blues show exceeded any possible hype with a blockbuster dance marathon.
Vegoose Late Nite (not STS9 show) :: By Andrew Wyatt |
STS9 surprised everyone by opening with an instrumental of "Big Ego's" by Dr. Dre. Played for the first time, this was a hint at their hip-hop alter egos, which they assumed on Halloween night. From there, the band moved into alternating between older and newer material, demonstrating how their music of past and present fit together.
A short journey through the percussion rhythms of "Glogi" was followed by the first highlight of the night, a fifteen-minute rendition of "Ramone and Emiglio." This was classic all-for-one jamming where the music was twisting and turning through time like a sculpture of sound being carved. "Peoples" continued the high energy and included an extended drum-and-bass jam and a new climactic ending. The spinning sounds of "Grow" kept the dance floor moving further.
The first set closed with a twenty-minute sequence of the band's newest material. Featuring the sample "Instantly," this funky number has been an instant hit with fans since being debuted this summer. This segued into a new improvisation flavored with industrial sounds and a heavy bass line. After falling into a spacey interlude, the band crashed through with a powerful rendition of "Open E" to close the set.
Vegoose Late Nite (not STS9 show) :: By Andrew Wyatt |
The second set opened with an hour-long sequence of hardcore dance music featuring four distinct song movements, which was unique because each song can be the centerpiece of a single set. The opening "Orbital" had fans erupting in cheers as the band sped faster and faster like an old blender trying to smooth chunky percussion parts. A cover of Dee-Lite's classic house song "What Is Love" was followed by STS9's own classic house song "Evasive Maneuvers" and the popular extracted hit "Kamuy." While fans may have expected things to slow down, the band had different intentions and launched into an epic fifteen-minute version of the fast-tempo "Move My Peeps."
With over two hours of music behind us, it felt as if we were entering the final sequence of the show. A funky "Arigato" segued into "Tokyo," a common pairing used to close shows. But wait, the show wasn't over! Instead of leaving the stage, STS9 broke into the ever-popular "Tap-In." This stellar version left the audience in a wild frenzy to close the second set.
The band encored with "Roygbiv" by Boards of Canada. It seemed certain this rare chilled-out cover tune would end the madness, but wait, again the show wasn't over! STS9 then took the crowd on an ambitions journey through the swirling vortex sounds of "Monkey Music." Twenty minutes later, the band began to tease "Moonsockets." It didn't seem plausible, but we were soon all dancing to this techno jam science-fiction classic. This short-but-sweet adaptation was the perfect ending to a magical evening of three hours of dance music.
SATURDAY LATE NITE :: 10.29.05 :: LAS VEGAS, NV
Words by John Smrtic
String Cheese Incident :: 10.29.05 :: The Orleans
SCI :: Vegoose Late Nite :: By John Smrtic |
In a town like Vegas where the stakes are high, the buildings larger than life, and the illusion even bigger, playing one of the major late nite concerts on Halloween weekend during the inaugural Vegoose festival is no menial task. Bringing your game is good and satisfying indeed, but to match or even exceed the fantasy of this synthetic city in the middle of the dessert, something more is required. Just after the stroke of midnight, when the chips were down, The String Cheese Incident dropped what very well could have been the hottest, glitziest, most transcendent show on or off the strip.
Earlier that Saturday afternoon, SCI threw down one of the better major festival sets the band has ever delivered, and many Cheeseheads left Vegoose early to hustle over to the Orleans Arena for the evening's revelry. The buzz that something special was afoot was strong, and though not blatantly advertised as such, Peak Experience Productions played a major role in the magic. The arena itself was rather large, and though plenty of costumed freaks had assembled, there was more than ample personal space and dancing room just about everywhere.
SCI :: Vegoose Late Nite :: By John Smrtic |
So the vibe was high and the scene was set as SCI took the stage just after midnight. Flanked by the Panjea horns, Chris Cuzme and Dan Sears, The Boys got the party started right with a strong "Get Down Tonight" cover sung by bassist Keith Moseley. The first set was strong, dabbling in bluegrass with "Sittin' on Top of the World," Latin with "MLT," and the horns returning for standout takes on "Sirens" and "Lost." After an intense jam featuring drummer/percussionist Michael Travis and percussionist Jason Hann, all hell would break loose... literally. Kyle Hollingsworth's keyboard notes would scream the introductory lines to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as the crowd responded with a deafening, welcoming cheer.
As Michael Kang belted out the familiar lyrics, the Orleans Arena transformed into "Freak du Soleil" as showgirls descended from the raptors and ghoulish apparitions cast shadows on huge screens while other ghosts danced on platforms. Fire eaters would compete with a massive balloon drop and disco ball as the ensuing madness nearly threw the 1980's funk into the background. It was truly one of those amazing concert, and... well... life moments, where the senses are pleasantly overwhelmed and one doesn't even know where to look. An even scarier Jacko impersonator would put the icing on the cake as the raging audience settled in for the set break.
SCI :: Vegoose Late Nite :: By Jeffrey V. Smith |
Set II would be musically superior, if possible, allowing the late nite partying to continue at full throttle. The band made sure the elevated mood didn't fade after the first set circus, opening appropriately with Gram Parsons' (sung by Bill Nershi) hip-hop rocker "Ohh Las Vegas." The band paid special tribute to New Orleans by welcoming Umphrey's McGee guitarist Brendan Bayliss to the stage for a horn-laced "Hey Pocky Way." The musical highlight of the evening would be the near forty-minute set-closing segue bending the Talking Heads' "Naïve Melody" into the tribal drum-and-bass meltdown "Desert Dawn" and then finally, into "Restless Wind." If all this wasn't enough, SCI encored with a stellar "Miss Brown's Teahouse," sending the drooling hoards out into the Vegas Dawn still in space-funk mode. I could only nod my head in both amazement and agreement as "Instant Classic!" was the post-show phrase of choice.
SUNDAY :: 10.30.05 :: LAS VEGAS, NV
Vegoose 2005 :: By Andrew Wyatt |
They say that "Vegas is for pros." What they mean is that if you don't bring your "A Game," you best not show up. That goes for bands and fans alike. After remarkable marathon late nite shows from STS9, moe., Robert Randolph, and SCI, not to mention time spent gambling and dirty hours spent in hotel suites and just roaming the strip, it was damn impressive to see folks in fine shape come Sunday at the fest. While cruising the grassy grounds, it struck me how important a hotel room is. While the press (and of course bands) usually tend to find shelter away from the camping area at Bonnaroo, Vegoose created a scenario where everyone found a bed (or floor), and the sun therefore never forced anyone from their tent before they were ready to emerge. What this meant was that if you decided to stay up all night and just play through, it was because you are a super-pro and could handle it, not because Mother Nature wouldn't budge. After a day at just about any festival, you will likely see people face down in the dirt, pushed up against a wall, or struggling to keep it together. Not so at Vegoose - Vegas is for pros.
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Ryan Stasik - Umphrey's McGee
Vegoose 2005 by Jeffrey V. Smith |
Coming off a huge year with the support of Jack Johnson, many made sure to get to ALO's opening Sunday slot, while those looking for something a bit different strolled by London's up-and-coming pop-rock hot shots The Magic Numbers. Jam favorites Spearhead (Michael Franti) and Umphrey's McGee lined-up against each other as perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend was setting up on the Jokers Wild Stage: Sleater-Kinney. The hype has been huge surrounding Olympia, WA's Sleater-Kinney, and while the albums convinced me to check out their set, I simply had no idea how fucking awesome these chicks are. The three-piece power-punk outfit blew the growing crowd away. Playing as loud as anyone all weekend, the band displayed an incredible ability to switch tempos, lay down heavy riffs (from both the bass and the guitar), and extend jams into heavily improvised areas. Often keeping the entire sound in overdrive, it was shocking to watch one of the piercing layers peel back to reveal a foundation of fuzzed-out, heavily-distorted bass. This band is for real. For anyone who thinks that the ladies can't rawk, get yourself to a Sleater-Kinney gig.
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Britt Daniel - Spoon :: Vegoose 2005
By Jeffrey V. Smith |
For those who didn't get enough of moe. at their stellar late nite show the previous evening, there was another dose readily available inside the stadium. Meanwhile, many a savvy music fan were bouncing on the grass between Ween, Spoon, and Lyrics Born. Ween opening with "AIDS" just about says it all... but I'll say a bit more as the grizzly bass line and circus string line are just as important as the shock value found in this selection. From "AIDS" into "Spinal Meningitis," it was funny to watch more than a few disgusted festivarians walk away - quickly. Opening a show of this nature with "AIDS" and "Spinal Meningitis" was basically like telling all the hippies who just looooove "Roses Are Free" and figured they'd check out Ween to "FUCK OFF!" In certain respects, Ween is like Zappa: at times there is a considerable amount of crap you need to wade through, but when it gets there - it's often amazing. The pay off at Vegoose was "Voodoo Lady" (featuring some damn impressive, dark-and-dirty guitar work), the ever appropriate (especially in Vegas) "Bananas and Blow," and the aforementioned "Roses Are Free."
As enjoyable as Ween was proving to be, to get the most of your festival experience you need to go see those bands you haven't seen before. Enter Spoon. Their sonically impressive 2005 release Gimme Fiction is bound to end up on a number of critics "Best Of" list, and I'm happy to report that the live show (while ending early for some unknown reason) was a hit as well. Playing emotionally-steeped, simple yet effective rock music was the call of the day, and Spoon gave up a heaping helping.
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Porter & Nocentelli - The Meters :: Vegoose :: By J. Miller |
The five o'clock slot was full of big names: Trey Anastasio, The Meters, and The Flaming Lips (followed by Digable Planets around six). Here's where the ease of Vegoose truly came to light - instead of shacking up at one, we hit them all.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it was hard to stay away from NOLA's Meters, yet after a chunk of funk from these fine men, it seemed appropriate to see what was shaking inside the big stadium where Trey Anastasio was already underway. Walking into the half-full arena, the sounds of "Push on Till the Day" were palatable and "Night Speaks to A Woman" rather enjoyable. From there, things slowed down as the more pop-centric material from Shine bubbled up. As the refrain to "Sleep Again" (you will sleep again) snoozed into "Shine," it seemed time to see what festival favorites The Flaming Lips had in store.
Wayne Coyne - The Flaming Lips :: Vegoose :: By J. Miller |
Coming from the huge stadium, mellow-rock of Trey, the sound of the Lips was like a shot of adrenalin. Breaking down the barrier between band and fan, Wayne Coyne proves to be the ever-intriguing front man. Coyne seems to have found the ability to lead while releasing the ever-annoying ego that plagues many a band leader. The Flaming Lips never seems to be about perfection or the incredible production, but rather the whole thing revolves around an experience - a life-affirming, love-inducing engagement that makes you think. After great renditions of "Yoshimi," "She Don't Use Jelly," and "Do You Realize," they pulled off the greatest encore of the weekend. After addressing the crowd as "The Chosen, The Future" and filling the few thousand in front of the stage with a sense of purpose - that perhaps we can make a change, that just maybe we are the ones who can save this dying planet - Wayne grabs the mic and says: This is "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath. Sing along!" From there, the band went into an absolutely raging version of one of the best songs ever written. Not only was the intro too good for words and the musical rendition just as heavy and demented as needed, the projections behind the band were overwhelming. As "Generals gathered in their masses / Just like witches at black masses" came across the speaker, images of George Dubbya Bush and Dick Cheney mixed with shots from Iraq: burning babies, dying women, blown-up buildings, crying brown-skinned brothers and sisters. It was incredibly heavy in both musical content and visual accompaniment, but these are heavy, difficult times. WE are the Chosen; if not us, who?
7:00 PM - 10:30 PM
McConnell, Anastasio, Bell :: Vegoose :: By Jeffrey V. Smith |
The most questionable scheduling decision of the weekend was putting the sun-loving Jack Johnson in the dark. Also at this point was the painful decision to forego Canada's hottest export, the amazing Arcade Fire (see JamBase's Vegoose Supplement featuring The Arcade Fire) to get rowdy with Widespread Panic as they closed down yet another Superfly festival (the promoters know a good thing when they find it).
Arguably spilling a bit too much of their juice on the over three hour, monster single set, Panic put down one hell of an impressive festival appearance. The instrumental party track "Disco" into band-staple "Space Wrangler" to start was an immediate indication that things were warmed-up and ready to roll; while the appearance of a rare selection like "Last Dance" forced those "in the know" to recognize the depth of the gig. Coming out of the shadows during "Slipping Into Darkness," Trey Anastasio would up the ante once again as he played very tasteful, almost understated accompaniment. The highlight of this exchange, and maybe of the weekend, occurred as Trey lined up square in front of bassist Dave Schools as they went head-to-head for several minutes. Trey would lay out a deft-fingered guitar lick, and Schools would match it spot on and raise him one with a bass progression. Watching these two masters swing dicks in a "who's the shit" competition was worth the price of admission alone. Leaving many in attendance wondering what the band planned to do tomorrow, the Panic busted one of the better "Hatfields" in recent days (with a nice JB rap), brought Col. Bruce out for "Fixin' To Die," and surprised everyone with a punchy "Chilly Water" to end the set. A hot double-encore featuring Tom Waits's "Goin Out West" and the Afro-laced political uprising "None Of Us Are Free" made it official: Vegoose was over, and it was a massive success.
Bell, Anastasio, Schools :: Vegoose
By Jeffrey V. Smith |
Leaving Sam Boyd stadium with the warm Vegas air spilling down our back, the words to Solomon Burke's "None Of Us Are Free" continued to splash against the mountains that lay miles across the dessert. None of us are free, none of us are free, none of us are free IF ONE'S CHAINED TO ADVERSITY... Finding our way to whatever late nite gigs were on the horizon, thoughts dipped back to the words of Wayne Coyne. WE are the gifted, WE are the bright young leaders of tomorrow, WE are The Chosen. When Hendrix played the "Star Spangled Banner" as the sun rose over Woodstock, it wasn't just another solo. It was a statement. Perhaps it's time we found ourselves in the music we love so much. None of us are free.
Kayceman
JamBase | Vegoose
Go See Live Music!
MONDAY :: 10.31.05 :: HALLOWEEN :: LAS VEGAS, NV
Ween :: 10.31.05 :: The Joint @ Hard Rock Hotel
Words by Robyn Rubinstein
Ween :: 10.31.05 :: Las Vegas :: By Forrest Reda |
I'll be honest here. A huge part of me doesn't want to tell you about Ween, for my own selfish reasons. I know many people who don't get Ween or who balk at song titles like "She Fucks Me," "Spinal Meningitis," and "Put the Coke on My Dick," so they dismiss Ween, ignoring the latent possibilities of their live performance. Some of those doubters have weak musical constitutions and probably couldn't take the full sonic assault of the live Ween experience, so good riddance. However, the majority of Ween virgins would be ready to follow Geaner and Deaner around the country after one night steeped in the high-voltage psychedelic alt-rock and the foot-up-the-ass experience that is Ween live. It's been some time since a band was able to consistently put its foot all the way up my ass, ready to kick me across the country in blind hedonistic pursuit. Right after the encore that night, I turned to my roommate - who is flying out to Colorado to see their three-show run in Boulder in December – grabbed her arm, looked her dead in the eye, and asked her how much she paid for her plane ticket.
Gean Ween :: 10.31.05 :: Las Vegas
By Forrest Reda |
The staff at The Joint in the Hard Rock seemed entirely ill-prepared to deal with the throng of ticket-holders, and due to their ineptitude, I didn't make it into the gig until "Mutilated Lips," one of the languorous, disturbing tunes that always sets a twisted tone. I was baffled by their costumes until someone explained that they were all carrots, except for Gean who was a pea pod. He summed up his costume thusly: "It's Vegas, I'm a pea, and this is a song called 'AIDS,'" which is my personal favorite HIV carnival ride. The beauty of Ween is that below the dick and fart humor and seemingly testosterone-laden surface is complex, unadulterated rock with borderline inane blather for lyrics. The union of the two goes beyond satire to some whacked-out surrealist playground where Salvador Dali and Henry Rollins get together to hang out and listen to some tunes. If that doesn't scream perfect Halloween party locale, I don't know what does. They sounded solid and excited to be there, whether floating down the "Zoloft" trail or telling you how much "You Fucked Up," and that new song "Gabrielle" is a raging seventies-rock style anthem that improves every time I hear it. No matter how often they ask, I just can't "Leave Deaner Alone," and there is a sweet joy in the languid fuck off of "Baby Bitch."
But really, it totally sucked and you shouldn't waste your time. Honestly, what kind of pussy band dresses up as vegetables for chrissakes? There is no substance to their music, and they're both just a couple of assholes. If you need to get rid of that Boulder Theater ticket, I'll take it.
Widespread Panic :: 10.31.05 :: Thomas and Mack Center
Words by Kayceman
WSP with DDBB :: 10.31.05 :: Las Vegas :: By Casey Flanigan |
There is no single show on the Widespread Panic calendar that evokes as much anticipation as the Halloween event. Add to the equation that they were playing in Las Vegas with a full day of post-festival rest available for fans to recharge, and you have yourself one seriously amped-up crowd. This is why the first set was such a letdown. Had it been a normal night with the Pan, the "Love Tractor" opener, first-time "Born Under A Bad Sign," first "Vampire Blues" (Neil Young), and Dirty Dozen-infused "Weight of the World" closer would have gone over huge. But this wasn't any night; this was HALLOWEEN! Where was the dark and dirty? Instead we got light and fluffy ("Papa Johnny Road," "Bayou Lena," "Old Neighborhood").
JB - Widespread Panic :: 10.31.05 :: Las Vegas :: By J. Miller |
As I roamed the Thomas and Mack while The Crystal Method reworked rock classics, I found myself growing a bit pissy. I mean come on fellas, this is a major night for music, and we all have raging rock on the mind. It's not that the songs weren't played well in the first set, things just never fell into gear. Things never got confusing or hairy... Point being: there were many who came to get all sweaty and riled up, but things were way too PG in the first set for Vegas Halloween.
As The Crystal Method was tweaking Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," it was almost a no-brainer. And when Schools took the stage, it seemed clear they were going to segue right into "Superstition" with the band supplemented by the Dirty Dozen horns. Now this is what we came for. Dressed as some type of elf, JB began to lean on the sound, filling the arena with his soulful cries.
WSP with DDBB :: 10.31.05 :: Las Vegas
By John Smrtic |
Schools was dumping bomb shells, and George was in the spot - things were turning around. After a set-peaking "Arleen" with JB tossing in both a "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" and "Ribs And Whiskey" jam that finally found the beast firing on all cylinders, the Halloween covers crept back out. Both "Spirit In The Dark" and "I Put A Spell On You" featured the fine, expansive vocal work of John Bell before a dirty "Fishwater" ended what appeared to be a somewhat short Set II.
The triple-encore of Dan Penn's "Dark End of the Street," "Nowhere To Run," and fan-favorite "Coconut" were just enough to make the show sufficient. However, just as things got going, it was over. Sure, it was a good show, but it didn't stack up against Halloweens of years past, 2003's Madison Square Garden included. In retrospect, it seemed odd that the festival show to close Vegoose was so inspired, but such is life. They can't all be homeruns, and coming off one of the best festival experiences of the year, it was difficult to leave Vegas anything but satisfied!
Click Here for more Vegoose Images by Josh Miller.
JamBase | Sin City
Go See Live Music!
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