The
shows were on Friday and Saturday. I had flown in to New York City from Spokane
(via Seattle) late Thursday night. Those who have been to shows with me know
that I suffer from concert anxiety. I have to get to a show early to make sure I get a good spot. This is exactly what I did this weekend. I got to the venue for the
Outlaw Roadshow about two hours early on Friday morning (the show was scheduled
12-7pm.) The venue was the Bowery Electric. A small club with two stages, a
smaller one upstairs called the Map Room, and the second downstairs, called the
Bar Stage. While waiting outside for the show, I ran into Outlaw Roadshow alum Johnny Mathias from Filligar, who had played at the Bowery Electric the night before and was there to collect the band's gear. I told him I loved his band, and that I was sad I didn't get to see them play while I was in NYC, and got a picture with him. I also met the artist behind the poster for the show, Frank Germano. As I stood out there, I saw a bunch of the day's bands come in and out, loading their gear. Ryan Spaulding arrived to the show around noon, and it was shortly there after the day began. It was at this time, while talking with Ryan that I was let in on a very big secret for the day, regarding the band on the bill called Sonic Cow Grunt, a secret that made me very, very excited, a secret that made the whole trip out to New York totally worth it, even if nothing else happened. I hated that I couldn't tell anyone this secret, well, I did text my sisters back home and tell them, they weren't going to do anything with it. The secret was that Sonic Cow Grunt was in fact an anagram for Counting Crows. They were slated to play a secret show that evening around 6pm. Now that I had this information in my brain, the build up of the day was incredible.
The line up that first day was great. I'd heard of only a couple of the bands going on that day, but really didn't know much of their music except for maybe one song, but nonetheless, I was happy to be there and to be exposed to these bands. The first band that I saw that day was called Bridges & Powerlines. I very much enjoyed them, and they were added on the list of bands who's records I now need to acquire (it's a long list after this show.) After Bridges & Powerlines, I went upstairs to see You Won't perform. You Won't was two guys: Josh Arnoudse and Raky Sastri, playing acoustic folk-like music, with some of the craziest, unique instruments ever (saw & bow, xylophone, some small little organ of some kind, and wait for it... wind chimes,) great lyrics, feeling and and an infectious stage presence.
After You Won't it was back downstairs to the bar stage for Mellow Bravo. One of several Boston based bands that were on the bill that weekend, Mellow Bravo was a thrill to watch. Fronted by Keith Pierce, who's charismatic on stage persona brought out memories of seeing Jack Black with Tenacious D a few years ago. His powerful, soulful lead vocals were backed by equally awesome pipes provided by Jess Collins. The band was amazing, the guitars on fire. Mellow Bravo is a bit of a misnomer, as the band was not at all mellow, but full of energy and life. To close out their set, the band did what is probably the best rendition of the Rolling Stones' Jumping Jack Flash I've ever heard, I could even go as far as to say it was better than the original. Following Mellow Bravo upstairs in the map room was Golden Bloom.
The first thing I noticed about Golden Bloom was that singer/songwriter Shawn Fogel looked a lot like a mini Adam Duritz, so that was cute. I really enjoyed their set (well, sets really, they got to play extra long due to a schedule gap.) Fogel's cohorts on stage were Josh Cohen on bass and keyboard, Jeff Patlingrao, on guitar, who was amazing, by the way, and Justin Hofmann on drums. Also super cute about Golden Bloom's set was that Shawn's Mom was in the audience, which was as he called it "self esteem in a box, not that you should put your Mom in a box."
The next band I saw was back downstairs on the bar stage, Seattle based Hey Marseilles. Hey Marseilles was kinda rock-y, kinda folk-y, kinda classical-y, but really, really good. Their band is more like an orchestra with a cello, viola, guitars, and a one man horn/woodwind section, this band really grabbed my attention. After Hey Marseilles was another Boston band called RIBS. I'll have to be honest here, but I really didn't care for this band, I mean they were good, the band was really good, the lyrics good, it was just that they were a little too much for my taste, a little too loud, a little too hard. The crowd seemed to really enjoy them, and they did a great job, but this band just wasn't for me.
After RIBS I stayed downstairs at the bar stage for the rest of the night. Around this time word started slowly leaking out that Counting Crows were playing a secret show that night, so I wanted to make sure that I got my spot in front of the stage, the same as where I'd been for the last two times I'd seen them. So I placed myself front and left of center for the next band that would take the bar stage, Mean Creek. I had seen Mean Creek back in April when they opened for the Counting Crows in Seattle. They are a great, powerful rock band from Boston. Lead vocalist Chris Keene delivers a strong, powerful song that grabs you and doesn't let go, the amazingly talented Aurore Ounjian just screams rock and roll on the guitar and backing vocals, along with Erik Wormwood on bass and Mikey Holland on drums. Mean Creek really got the crowd going with their energetic set.
By the time Mean Creek was through the word of the secret Counting Crows show had spread like wild fire through the Bowery Electric, those who hadn't gotten word of it through social media sites like Twitter or Facebook were alerted by others around them, or by the fact that three other members of the band were wandering around the building. I first sighted David Immergluck from across the room, and heard that Dan Vickrey was also around. I'm sure that most of the crowd, including myself, was expecting the whole of Counting Crows, but when the band took the stage, it was just Adam Duritz, Charlie Gillingham, David Immergluck and Dan Vickrey.
The star struck nerd in me got very excited when I saw Immy, who until this weekend was the only member of the Crows who I really got star struck over. I'd met and talked to Adam before, and a few times over the weekend, I'd met Dan and Charlie as well, but not Immy. So when he was standing in front of me on stage getting ready, I thought for sure I'd turn into the big dork I knew I'd be, but I surprised myself and stayed fairly calm. I said Hi, he shook my hand and went back to getting set up. As was expected, the crowd of about 200 people were more than a little excited when the four members of "Sonic Cow Grunt" took the stage. They played an all acoustic set, well Charlie had an electric keyboard, but Dan and Immy played acoustic guitars (and mandolin.) The songs they chose for the set were fantastic, some I'd heard live before, some I hadn't. In classic Adam Duritz style, he messed up the chords on A Long December and the words on Rain King, but of course he can be forgiven. For their final song, You Ain't Going Nowhere, Adam invited fellow Outlaws in the crowd to join them on stage, so up went Jimmie Linville of Daniel & The Lion, who was playing the next day, the boys from Filligar, who weren't playing at the Roadshow, but were just attending, and Ryan Spaulding, who displayed his amazing jazz hands skills during the song. You can go here to watch the Crows doing Girl From The North Country (most of it anyway, my camera wasn't cooperating in the beginning,) or here to watch the video I took of Rain King.
Right after the set I got to meet Immy and get a picture with him, telling him that he was one of my favorite guitarists, and most likely coming off as the world's biggest dork, because that's what I do best when I meet my rock stars. A bit later we were waiting outside the Bowery Electric, deciding what to do next, when Dan walked by, I took the opportunity to get another picture with him, and a bit later with Charlie. We also ran into Immy again before leaving, I thanked him for the show, and he thanked me for saving his beer (someone had brought him a beer during the set and placed it right in front of him, but as he was moving about the stage, I feared for the safety of his beverage, and was concerned that he would knock it over and spill it all over his guitar pedals, so I held onto it for a while.)
So all around day 1 at the Outlaw Roadshow was an incredibly amazing day. Day 2 sure had a lot to live up to. After the show I was just exhausted, so even though it was Friday night in New York City, I just grabbed some dinner, then went back to the hotel and to bed.
Day 2:
bands that weekend, I really didn't need to, as they
already knew who I was from the blog and twitter.)
Act number 2, upstairs in the map room, was Ryan Schmidt, a singer/songwriter doing a solo act. He was super adorable, looked like he was 14 years old, but his songs were beautiful. After Ryan Schmidt, it was back downstairs for OldJack. Another Boston based band, and one who I was somewhat familiar with, as they played the Outlaw Roadshow at SXSW. I knew their song Chorus Line, and it was one of my favorites from the the batch of songs I got from the SXSW Roadshow bands, so I was excited to see them play. They did not disappoint. Lead singer Dan Nicklin has a great stage presence, he reminded me of Joe Cocker. The band was incredible, I think OldJack was one of the best sets in the whole of the Outlaw Roadshow. After OldJack I seemed to just wander around the venue for a bit, talking with bands, it was at this time I met one of the bands I was most excited to see that day, Runaway Dorothy, who again I didn't need to really introduce myself, they knew who I was (which still seems really weird to me, but I love it.)
The next band I saw was Daniel & The Lion. They were one of the four bands who really swayed my decision to fly out for this weekend. I really love that band, I listen to their records all the time. Jimmie Linville and Daniel Pingrey were yet another band who knew me, and were very nice. Their set was just the two of them, on acoustic guitar and piano. They played most of the songs off their record Death Head, including the title track, Flash Flood, Need You, Dark Red Waltz, Paper Dove, and a couple others. They closed their set with a great cover of Ray Charles' Hallelujah, I Love Her So. Fantastic. Really.
After Daniel & The Lion it was downstairs for Foreign Fields. Another band whom I love and was very excited to see. Their record Anywhere But Where I Am is probably one of the best records of the year, in my opinion anyway. They started their set with Pillars, then (I think) So Many Foreign Homes and Taller. I didn't get to see the rest of their set because in the middle of Taller, Nick Mishko, who is Runaway Dorothy's manager, came down to let me know that they would be starting their set in a couple minuees, and well, I had to go up there.
Runaway Dorothy quickly became one of my favorite bands that I discovered after downloading the SXSW Outlaw Roadshow band's tracks, and have become friends with Dave Parnell, the lead singer/songwriter via twitter. The band opened with Hard Way Home (watch it here) followed by Abilene (that's here too), which I got videos of, and of course right after I finished recording and turned off my camera, I got the coolest shout out ever. Dave thanked Adam Duritz and Ryan Spaulding for having them at the show and then went on to say "But thanks most of all to Jennifer, who flew all the way across the f---ing country to see us!" So that was pretty rad. The played songs from their up-coming release, The Wait, and an amazing cover of This Train is Bound for Glory, which featured each member of the band on vocals (they all can sing, by the way.)
Following Runaway Dorothy, I ventured downstairs into the middle of a set by Boston band Air Traffic Controller. Out of all the new bands that I was introduced to over this weekend, this is the one I find myself listening to the most now that I'm home. Their uptempo, layered, poppy yet rocky, almost dance-like sound is intoxicating. Their songs are addictive, Hurry Hurry, You Know Me and If You Build It especially. This is band who I wouldn't be at all surprised if they exploded onto the national music scene. They were really, really good.
The final band I saw that day, and the final band of the Outlaw Roadshow, was a band I had already seen three times this summer, well part of the band, not all the members were present for this show: Kasey Anderson & The Honkies. Coming into this show, they were the last of the four whom I was most excited to see, and one of my favorite "new" bands. For this show Kasey was joined by Ty Bailie on keys and Star Anna on vocals and guitar. Their set was all acoustic, but brilliant. Kasey and Star Anna alternated their songs, Kasey singing For Anyone, Like Teenage Gravity, All The Good You Loose, Exit Ghost, and my favorite song of his, one that I'd been waiting all summer to hear live, Don't Look Back (you can watch the video of that song here.) Star Anna closed out the night with an amazing rendition of Elvis Presley's The Power of My Love. That girl has got an amazing voice. If you've never heard her sing, do yourself a favor and Google her, listen to some stuff, it's pretty spectacular.
When the show was over I spotted Ryan Spaulding across the room, I had to go say good-bye and thank him for the amazing weekend, to which he responded with a hug and a big thank you to me for coming all the way out for the show. After Ryan I went up and said good-bye and thank you to Adam Duritz, from whom I also got a hug and a thank you. My last goodbye was for Immy, who had been there for the last couple bands that day; I got a hug from him too.
After the show that night, my new friend Michelle, who I had met through twitter, and I went to a small after party with Dave from Runaway Dorothy, their manager Nick Mishko and a couple of his friends. We started at Lunasa Pub for dinner and drinks, and ended at Hi-Fi, a bar not far from the first. I had a ridiculously early flight home the next morning, so that was the end of my night, and my Outlaw Roadshow weekend.
I still can't believe that I actually did it, that I flew all the way to New York for two days of amazing music, memories and friends. These are memories that I will hold with me forever, and I can't thank Ryan Spaulding, Adam Duritz and all of the bands enough for the weekend. Now I just need to figure out how to get myself to Austin for SXSW 2013.
The line up that first day was great. I'd heard of only a couple of the bands going on that day, but really didn't know much of their music except for maybe one song, but nonetheless, I was happy to be there and to be exposed to these bands. The first band that I saw that day was called Bridges & Powerlines. I very much enjoyed them, and they were added on the list of bands who's records I now need to acquire (it's a long list after this show.) After Bridges & Powerlines, I went upstairs to see You Won't perform. You Won't was two guys: Josh Arnoudse and Raky Sastri, playing acoustic folk-like music, with some of the craziest, unique instruments ever (saw & bow, xylophone, some small little organ of some kind, and wait for it... wind chimes,) great lyrics, feeling and and an infectious stage presence.
 |
| Mellow Bravo |
After You Won't it was back downstairs to the bar stage for Mellow Bravo. One of several Boston based bands that were on the bill that weekend, Mellow Bravo was a thrill to watch. Fronted by Keith Pierce, who's charismatic on stage persona brought out memories of seeing Jack Black with Tenacious D a few years ago. His powerful, soulful lead vocals were backed by equally awesome pipes provided by Jess Collins. The band was amazing, the guitars on fire. Mellow Bravo is a bit of a misnomer, as the band was not at all mellow, but full of energy and life. To close out their set, the band did what is probably the best rendition of the Rolling Stones' Jumping Jack Flash I've ever heard, I could even go as far as to say it was better than the original. Following Mellow Bravo upstairs in the map room was Golden Bloom.
The first thing I noticed about Golden Bloom was that singer/songwriter Shawn Fogel looked a lot like a mini Adam Duritz, so that was cute. I really enjoyed their set (well, sets really, they got to play extra long due to a schedule gap.) Fogel's cohorts on stage were Josh Cohen on bass and keyboard, Jeff Patlingrao, on guitar, who was amazing, by the way, and Justin Hofmann on drums. Also super cute about Golden Bloom's set was that Shawn's Mom was in the audience, which was as he called it "self esteem in a box, not that you should put your Mom in a box."
The next band I saw was back downstairs on the bar stage, Seattle based Hey Marseilles. Hey Marseilles was kinda rock-y, kinda folk-y, kinda classical-y, but really, really good. Their band is more like an orchestra with a cello, viola, guitars, and a one man horn/woodwind section, this band really grabbed my attention. After Hey Marseilles was another Boston band called RIBS. I'll have to be honest here, but I really didn't care for this band, I mean they were good, the band was really good, the lyrics good, it was just that they were a little too much for my taste, a little too loud, a little too hard. The crowd seemed to really enjoy them, and they did a great job, but this band just wasn't for me.
 |
| Chris Keene of Mean Creek |
After RIBS I stayed downstairs at the bar stage for the rest of the night. Around this time word started slowly leaking out that Counting Crows were playing a secret show that night, so I wanted to make sure that I got my spot in front of the stage, the same as where I'd been for the last two times I'd seen them. So I placed myself front and left of center for the next band that would take the bar stage, Mean Creek. I had seen Mean Creek back in April when they opened for the Counting Crows in Seattle. They are a great, powerful rock band from Boston. Lead vocalist Chris Keene delivers a strong, powerful song that grabs you and doesn't let go, the amazingly talented Aurore Ounjian just screams rock and roll on the guitar and backing vocals, along with Erik Wormwood on bass and Mikey Holland on drums. Mean Creek really got the crowd going with their energetic set.
By the time Mean Creek was through the word of the secret Counting Crows show had spread like wild fire through the Bowery Electric, those who hadn't gotten word of it through social media sites like Twitter or Facebook were alerted by others around them, or by the fact that three other members of the band were wandering around the building. I first sighted David Immergluck from across the room, and heard that Dan Vickrey was also around. I'm sure that most of the crowd, including myself, was expecting the whole of Counting Crows, but when the band took the stage, it was just Adam Duritz, Charlie Gillingham, David Immergluck and Dan Vickrey.
The star struck nerd in me got very excited when I saw Immy, who until this weekend was the only member of the Crows who I really got star struck over. I'd met and talked to Adam before, and a few times over the weekend, I'd met Dan and Charlie as well, but not Immy. So when he was standing in front of me on stage getting ready, I thought for sure I'd turn into the big dork I knew I'd be, but I surprised myself and stayed fairly calm. I said Hi, he shook my hand and went back to getting set up. As was expected, the crowd of about 200 people were more than a little excited when the four members of "Sonic Cow Grunt" took the stage. They played an all acoustic set, well Charlie had an electric keyboard, but Dan and Immy played acoustic guitars (and mandolin.) The songs they chose for the set were fantastic, some I'd heard live before, some I hadn't. In classic Adam Duritz style, he messed up the chords on A Long December and the words on Rain King, but of course he can be forgiven. For their final song, You Ain't Going Nowhere, Adam invited fellow Outlaws in the crowd to join them on stage, so up went Jimmie Linville of Daniel & The Lion, who was playing the next day, the boys from Filligar, who weren't playing at the Roadshow, but were just attending, and Ryan Spaulding, who displayed his amazing jazz hands skills during the song. You can go here to watch the Crows doing Girl From The North Country (most of it anyway, my camera wasn't cooperating in the beginning,) or here to watch the video I took of Rain King.
 |
| The set list |
Right after the set I got to meet Immy and get a picture with him, telling him that he was one of my favorite guitarists, and most likely coming off as the world's biggest dork, because that's what I do best when I meet my rock stars. A bit later we were waiting outside the Bowery Electric, deciding what to do next, when Dan walked by, I took the opportunity to get another picture with him, and a bit later with Charlie. We also ran into Immy again before leaving, I thanked him for the show, and he thanked me for saving his beer (someone had brought him a beer during the set and placed it right in front of him, but as he was moving about the stage, I feared for the safety of his beverage, and was concerned that he would knock it over and spill it all over his guitar pedals, so I held onto it for a while.)
 |
| Me & Immy |
So all around day 1 at the Outlaw Roadshow was an incredibly amazing day. Day 2 sure had a lot to live up to. After the show I was just exhausted, so even though it was Friday night in New York City, I just grabbed some dinner, then went back to the hotel and to bed.
Day 2:
 |
| Me & Dan |
Day 2 began much like day 1, after breakfast I headed down the street to the Bowery Electric, getting there around 10:30am, about an hour before the doors were scheduled to open, and just like day 1, I was first in line (thanks again to my concert anxiety.)
The band that kicked off day 2 was K Phillips and the Concho Pearls, from Austin, Texas. I had heard their name many times, but never really listened to their music. K Phillips & The Concho Pearls' music was very country, full of stories, one about losing a girl to the painter Bob Ross. The band was really, really good, and featured on bass Little Brave, who's music I am a big fan of and who I was excited to meet (which I did. I was upstairs later after their set and introduced myself, but as with a couple other
 |
| Me & Charlie |
Act number 2, upstairs in the map room, was Ryan Schmidt, a singer/songwriter doing a solo act. He was super adorable, looked like he was 14 years old, but his songs were beautiful. After Ryan Schmidt, it was back downstairs for OldJack. Another Boston based band, and one who I was somewhat familiar with, as they played the Outlaw Roadshow at SXSW. I knew their song Chorus Line, and it was one of my favorites from the the batch of songs I got from the SXSW Roadshow bands, so I was excited to see them play. They did not disappoint. Lead singer Dan Nicklin has a great stage presence, he reminded me of Joe Cocker. The band was incredible, I think OldJack was one of the best sets in the whole of the Outlaw Roadshow. After OldJack I seemed to just wander around the venue for a bit, talking with bands, it was at this time I met one of the bands I was most excited to see that day, Runaway Dorothy, who again I didn't need to really introduce myself, they knew who I was (which still seems really weird to me, but I love it.)
 |
| K Phillips & The Concho Pearls |
 |
| OldJack |
 |
| Daniel & The Lion |
 |
| Me with Jimmie & Daniel |
After Daniel & The Lion it was downstairs for Foreign Fields. Another band whom I love and was very excited to see. Their record Anywhere But Where I Am is probably one of the best records of the year, in my opinion anyway. They started their set with Pillars, then (I think) So Many Foreign Homes and Taller. I didn't get to see the rest of their set because in the middle of Taller, Nick Mishko, who is Runaway Dorothy's manager, came down to let me know that they would be starting their set in a couple minuees, and well, I had to go up there.
 |
| Foreign Fields |
Runaway Dorothy quickly became one of my favorite bands that I discovered after downloading the SXSW Outlaw Roadshow band's tracks, and have become friends with Dave Parnell, the lead singer/songwriter via twitter. The band opened with Hard Way Home (watch it here) followed by Abilene (that's here too), which I got videos of, and of course right after I finished recording and turned off my camera, I got the coolest shout out ever. Dave thanked Adam Duritz and Ryan Spaulding for having them at the show and then went on to say "But thanks most of all to Jennifer, who flew all the way across the f---ing country to see us!" So that was pretty rad. The played songs from their up-coming release, The Wait, and an amazing cover of This Train is Bound for Glory, which featured each member of the band on vocals (they all can sing, by the way.)
 |
| Me & Runaway Dorothy being photo-bombed by Ryan Spaulding |
Following Runaway Dorothy, I ventured downstairs into the middle of a set by Boston band Air Traffic Controller. Out of all the new bands that I was introduced to over this weekend, this is the one I find myself listening to the most now that I'm home. Their uptempo, layered, poppy yet rocky, almost dance-like sound is intoxicating. Their songs are addictive, Hurry Hurry, You Know Me and If You Build It especially. This is band who I wouldn't be at all surprised if they exploded onto the national music scene. They were really, really good.
 |
| Air Traffic Controller |
The final band I saw that day, and the final band of the Outlaw Roadshow, was a band I had already seen three times this summer, well part of the band, not all the members were present for this show: Kasey Anderson & The Honkies. Coming into this show, they were the last of the four whom I was most excited to see, and one of my favorite "new" bands. For this show Kasey was joined by Ty Bailie on keys and Star Anna on vocals and guitar. Their set was all acoustic, but brilliant. Kasey and Star Anna alternated their songs, Kasey singing For Anyone, Like Teenage Gravity, All The Good You Loose, Exit Ghost, and my favorite song of his, one that I'd been waiting all summer to hear live, Don't Look Back (you can watch the video of that song here.) Star Anna closed out the night with an amazing rendition of Elvis Presley's The Power of My Love. That girl has got an amazing voice. If you've never heard her sing, do yourself a favor and Google her, listen to some stuff, it's pretty spectacular.
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| Ty Bailie, Star Anna & Kasey Anderson |
After the show that night, my new friend Michelle, who I had met through twitter, and I went to a small after party with Dave from Runaway Dorothy, their manager Nick Mishko and a couple of his friends. We started at Lunasa Pub for dinner and drinks, and ended at Hi-Fi, a bar not far from the first. I had a ridiculously early flight home the next morning, so that was the end of my night, and my Outlaw Roadshow weekend.
I still can't believe that I actually did it, that I flew all the way to New York for two days of amazing music, memories and friends. These are memories that I will hold with me forever, and I can't thank Ryan Spaulding, Adam Duritz and all of the bands enough for the weekend. Now I just need to figure out how to get myself to Austin for SXSW 2013.
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