Ethan Daniel Davidson: From Troubadour to Family Man
Ethan Daniel Davidson is a guy with such a storied past that it’s impossible to paint an accurate picture with just a few anecdotes. He grew up in Detroit, but he has traveled to almost every corner of the world and even once called Alaska home. For several years he lived out of a trailer while he toured and gave his CDs away for free. A few years back, though, he met the love of his life and settled back in Detroit to run the family business.
We caught up with Ethan to discuss Silvertooth, his first album in seven years. When asked what finally prompted him to record again, Ethan credits his wife, Gretchen Gonzales-Davidson, who co-produced the album and is herself a musician and former member of Slumber Party. Ethan said for many years after moving back and transitioning out of life on the road, he “couldn’t even touch a guitar or think about playing music at all.” He started to record at his former stomping grounds in Royal Oak, MI, but was falling back into his old routine, so Gretchen set up studio time with highly-regarded Detroit producer Warren Defever (His Name Is Alive). The change was just what Ethan needed. He gathered some new friends and they recorded every song on his new album totally live: some of the songs were even improvised and written on the spot, and the version you hear on the album is the first time the song was played through.
The song “Ain’t the Man I Used to Be” has an appropriate title, and Ethan says it is mostly autobiographical. His previous albums belied the undying optimism of his youth, but now he is a bit less hopeful, acknowledging that people in your life can show their best but also their worst. “We don’t want to totally lose our souls, but on the other hand, you end up a lot more cynical about things (as you age)… I used to be a little more quixotic or positive about where the whole human enterprise could go… maybe the whole human enterprise could still go someplace positive at the end of the day, but… (I am)… a little more blackhearted.”
The shift in Ethan’s personal life is reflected in the sonic shift on Silvertooth. His previous albums were in the folky, Americana vein with a lot of protest songs mixed in, but this album involves a lot of reflection on life, death, hope, and loss. There are a lot of horns and background sound effects, evoking an eerie New Orleans-style tone. Warren Defever even stepped in on the harmonium, one of the many instrumental additions added spontaneously during the recording process.
We asked Ethan, father of two young boys, if he would let his children listen to the album with such complex themes, or if he would wait until they were older and could understand. He laughed and said they’d already heard the album several times and would ask for it specifically. He said he would drive them to preschool and play parts of the album during the recording process. Their two favorite songs are “Go Down In the Black Earth” and “‘Til the Light Comes Shining In,” which one of his sons calls “Vacuum Shining In.” He said he was a little disturbed when they learned the words, and tried telling them he lost the CD, but they figured out he was lying. “I don’t think they really understand the songs, but I guess they’re going to have to figure it out soon enough anyway… [with a hint of sarcasm] they may as well learn while they’re young that the world is a tough place.”
In light of the personal subject matter on the album, we asked if it was cathartic for Ethan to record and release this album. “It really was. I never thought I would do it again,” he said. He had come to terms with never playing 
again after ending his last tour and settling in to his new life: “I never could understand the people out there who say, ‘If I couldn’t do music… I would die,’… certainly you’d figure something out.” He moved on to other things, like getting married, running a business, and having children. Then he played a show to 400 people in the Orchestra Hall (home to Detroit Symphony Orchestra) where gained some new fans (including Kid Rock, oddly enough), and it was “like getting back on a bike.” He said it felt really good to play again, and that there will be more to come.
When asked if “more to come” meant another US tour, Ethan said he can’t tour like he used to, that he’d “already slept on all the best couches in America,” and needed to focus on his family, but he didn’t rule out the possibility of a few more shows here and there.
Towards the end of our conversation, Ethan mentioned that he was reflecting on the fact that five years ago he was just “some schmuck living in my van” during a business meeting. At the end of the meeting, a government official pulled him aside and complimented him on his version of John Prine’s infamous anthem, “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore.” He was shocked that anyone in the government would have heard the cover, but flattered that “somebody was listening.”
Ethan makes it easy to listen because he gives his albums away for free, and they’re GOOD – check out www.silvertoothmusic.com for a free download.
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FreshGrass Festival 2012 Recap
Mamie Minch teaches kids how to make homemade instruments at the FreshGrass Festival
This year’s FreshGrass Festival at the MassMoCA in North Adams,MA offered one of the most rare experiences a music fan can have: An intimate, big outdoor festival. Running September 21-23 (I unfortunately had to miss Friday night due to travel and work, which meant no Spirit Family Reunion for me…), you had a multistage music fest smaller than the average House of Blues set in a truly hidden gem of an art museum housed in a former textile mill.
One thing that set FreshGrass apart from other festivals is how truly interactive and all inclusive it was. In the morning there were workshops, such as a guitar making workshop, a banjo workshop with Bill Evans, and a workshop with Mamie Minch showing kids how to make homemade instruments. There was also an area set aside for festival attendees to jam together with their own instruments. Even the musicians participated as audience members. When one act would bring another out to perform a song together, they would always come up from the audience, not an area backstage. Other musicians would be spotted regularly catching each other’s set from the crowd. It truly had a community vibe.
Morgan O'Kane at the FreshGrass Festival
As with any festival, one of the most fun things to do is discover new acts. Morgan O’Kane played a pop-up set in one of the art galleries Saturday afternoon to a very intimate crowd of both festival attendees and museum visitors. He brings a dark intensity to traditional bluegrass that borders on punk, as if Dischord put out an Appalachia album. Mamie Minch played the same gallery on Sunday with her blend of classic Brooklyn blues. Her originals blended with her classic covers perfectly and seamlessly. Leyla McCalla blew everyone in attendance away early Sunday afternoon with what may have been the best set of the festival. Based in New Orleans (and the newest member of Carolina Chocolate Drops), she came seemingly out of nowhere with her solo set that combined cello, banjo, and guitar along with her Haitian heritage and Langsdon Hughes poetry. I’ve never seen a cello strummed, but she made it work. She brought one of the most unique voices and sets to the crowd, and fully earned the standing ovation she received.
Stage during David Grisman Bluegrass Experience
Other festival highlights included sets by Carolina Chocolate Drops, Trampled By Turtles, Joy Kills Sorrow, and The Devil Makes Three, who played a Saturday night indoor “barn dance,” which started just as the rain came pouring down in one of the best timed storms I’ve ever witnessed. I’m not sure if it was the moonshine slushies or the fact that it was billed as a barn dance, but they played in front of one of the most raucous crowds you’ll ever see at a bluegrass show. Joy Kills Sorrow pushed the boundaries of bluegrass with their laid back set that included a cover of The Postal Services’ “Such Great Heights.” Trampled By Turtles started their set by claiming they begged to switch places with Carolina Chocolate Drops before breaking into their trademark blisteringly fast version of arena rock infused bluegrass. Carolina Chocolate Drops were the highlight of the festival. In addition to being absurdly talented musicians, they also had a sense of showmanship and theatrics, along with an insane knowledge of musical history. Seeing their show can probably earn you a college credit.
I can’t possibly review the festival without talking about MassMoCA. Set on the site of a former textile mill, the museum was open to all festival goers. I decided to peek in
MassMoCA
and look around briefly between sets on Saturday. Then I went back in during a band I wasn’t crazy about. Sunday I got there early to go on a tour, and then wandered the grounds between acts again. I’m pretty sure I spent as much time in the museum as I did actually watching bands, and I’m pretty sure I missed some things. The exhibits are very installation heavy, my favorite of which was Sanford Biggers: The Cartographer’s Conundrum, where some of the pop up sets took place. You could even wander around the old boiler room, which was fantastic being a history buff. The museum has Kidspace, a smaller gallery filled with art that appeals to kids (Han Solo frozen in carbonite made from Legos!) as well as an arts and crafts area. Kids, and adults, could also use swings hanging from the Route 2 overpass, so it’s fantastic for all ages.
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How to Pick the Right Music Instruments for Your Child
When your child gets to the age where he or she is interested in playing a musical instrument, the most important decision is which instrument they will play. There are a number of different factors to consider, but you want to make sure you pick the right instrument or your child might lose interest shortly after the practice sessions begin. In order to make the right match and allow music to be something your child enjoys, the appropriate instrument is key.
First, you will need to think about the age of your child. Brass instruments and even woodwind options cannot be played until a child has a mouth full of adult teeth. That means the child has to wait until age 7 or 8 in order to have their teeth fit right around any mouthpiece. On the other hand, string instruments can be started as early as the age of three and drums and piano can be introduced any time as well. It is best to start some form of music lessons between the ages of 3 and 5 so your child develops a musical talent and a love for the craft, even if you do not start a specific instrument until later.
Second, think about the amount of space you have in your house to store an instrument. Obviously, pianos and drums take up quite a bit of space, though you could perhaps get away with a keyboard or drum pads. Think about your car space as well and how much room you would need to transport any instrument you choose. The cello or bass might be easy to store under a bed, but those instruments do not fit in any trunk. Take an inventory of your space and see what is viable for your home situation.
Third, take your budget into account. You will want to start your child on an instrument that you can afford to purchase or at least rent. The last thing you want is for your child to set their heart on a certain instrument only to be disappointed because you cannot afford that particular one.
Fourth, decide which instruments you enjoy hearing the most. Check out some CDs from the library and pick out your favorite sounds. You will be hearing a lot of the instrument your child chooses, so it may as well be a sound you like to hear.
After you have the initial decisions made, take the remaining instruments on the list to your child and see if they have an affinity for one or another. Some children can easily make notes on a trumpet while others gravitate to the clarinet or flute.
Once you have an idea of what instrument your child wants to play, see if you can find a teacher to help them learn the skills. You will also need to buy or rent an instrument and for that, you can look at www.dawsons.co.uk for inspiration and more details.
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Newport Folk Festival 2012 Recap
For the first time in all my years of going to the Newport Folk Festival (7?), this was the first year I felt truly overwhelmed. The festival has swelled from just the three main stages to include six, as long as you count the Sennheiser Ruins Stage and the Late July Kids’ Tent, which I will since they had some of the weekend’s biggest acts playing. I didn’t even get a chance to set foot in the brand new Museum Stage. Since I couldn’t see everything I wanted to for the first time ever (trust me, I’m not complaining, it’s a fantastic problem to have), I’ll have to limit this to just the highlights, even though I’m sure I’m missing some.
Every year Newport has one break out act that comes seemingly out of nowhere and wins over an entire crowd by sheer talent and joy of playing. The past two years had David Wax Museum and Brown Bird. This year’s was Spirit Family Reunion. Going on Saturday morning on the smallest of the three main stages, they were virtual unknowns except for a few die hard fans. On stage, all six members (except the drummer) crowd around a single microphone and just sing along with everything they’ve got. Their blend of Appalachian rootsy folk may seem out of place in their native New York City, but it was right at home at Newport. By the end of their set, which included one of five true encores I have ever seen, the crowd had swelled in size and they received one of the most enthusiastic ovations I have ever heard. It felt like a truly special moment for both the crowd and the band.
Spirit Family Reunion at the Sennheiser Sound Lounge.
One of the hardest choices I had to make was whether to watch Deer Tick or Alabama Shakes who had overlapping sets. I started with Deer Tick over on the Quad Stage. Their latest album, Divine Providence, shows the band moving away from their original Hank Williams meets Nirvana sound and into more straightforward rock. Their set reflected this, included covers of John Lennon’s “Mother” and Chuck Berry’s “Maybelline.” It was still such a tight, solid set that I begrudgingly wandered over to the Fort Stage for Alabama Shakes, since they are by far the biggest buzz band of the weekend, and I saw it as my journalistic duty. For the band with probably the most to prove, they blew away everyone who saw them and defied all expectations. Lead singer Brittney Howard’s voice may not be traditionally pretty in the folky way, but she packs the punch of both Mavis Staples and Janis Joplin combined. They were by far the best pure live act of the festival.
Alabama Shakes at Newport Folk Festival 2012
Another pleasant surprise was Iceland’s Of Monsters and Men. I had no true interest in seeing them and had dismissed them as a radio friendly pop act with the big hit included to appeal to the kids. And, to be honest, they are. But they were amazing at it. They brought an unexpected life and energy to their set that was missing from the album. While they did have the advantage of attracting a crowd mostly in their early 20s, its energy and enthusiasm was infectious, causing just about everyone in earshot of the Quad Stage to join in dancing. I’ll be very curious to see where this band goes from here.
Another band that beat my expectations was First Aid Kit. Adding only a drummer to their live show, their set was sparse yet complete. Forming in their teens, their harmonies are more cultivated far past their ages. Being sisters probably helps with this since one would assume they’ve been singing together since Klara learned to speak. Don’t look up ages right now. Just trust me on this one. Even though their sound can be described as ethereal, they showed their more headbanging side on “The Lion’s Roar,” proving once and for all that Sweden loves their metal, even in folk form. They closed out their set with “King of the World,” complete with Conor Oberst hopping on stage at the end for his verse.
Conor Oberst and First Aid Kit at the Newport Folk Festival 2012
The most infamous set of the year was from Tom Morello. In his third year atNewport, he always seems to surprise the crowd and bring something new to his set. The first year was just surprise that the guitarist from RageAgainst the Machine could play without all the pedals and affects. The second year he brought a more full and fleshed out focus to his songs, even though it was just him. This year he brought along both electric and acoustic guitars along with a second guitarist. This allowed him to break out some of his more trademark solos, which did lead to an impressive but overblown solo during “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” complete with playing the guitar with his teeth. He brought the focus back on the folk side with his rendition of “This Land is Your Land.” He was joined by Jackson Browne to the stage to take a verse. For the third time he got the entire Harbor Stage crowd to their feet to pogo along during the last chorus. He kept the raucous mood going by asking the crowd to join him on stage and “Occupy the Newport Folk Festival.” Security was no too pleased with this idea, and attempted to stop the rush of fans from climbing onto the stage. After Morello explained that we were now all in the band and that he “… made [his] living with a song that goes #&*@ you I won’t do what you tell me,” security and police finally relented and the entire stage quickly filled up with eager fans, including Jackson Browne who could be seen taking pictures on his cell phone.
Jackson Browne joins Tom Morello at Newport
One of the themes of this year’s festival was Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday. The two acts that brought this to the forefront were Guthrie Family Reunion and New Multitudes. Guthrie Family Reunion is the obvious one. Led by Woody’s son Arlo, Guthrie Family Reunion features three generations of Guthries on stage together. The family played a variety of their patriarch’s songs, including some of his lesser known children’s songs with Arlo’s elementary school age and younger grandkids taking over vocals. It was a great tribute to Woody as a songwriter and a family man.
Guthrie Family Reunion at Newport Folk Festival 2012
New Multitudes are a supergroup brought together to bring music to unfinished Guthrie songs, much like Billy Bragg and Wilco did with Mermaid Avenue. New Multitudes features Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker, and Yim Yames, and were much tighter than you would expect from a side project with very busy members. They stuck closely to the album (one of the best of the year so far) and added much more rock to the songs than would be expected. It made for a great modern take on a classic musician’s unfinished works.
Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker, and Yim Yames make up the New Multitudes
The two smallest stages brought some of the biggest moments. The Late July Kids’ Stage featured Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower, one of the best children’s music acts out there today. As if that wasn’t enough, it also had other festival acts playing a tiny, tiny, completely overlooked stage. You can’t ignore a tent when it features sets by Spirit Family Reunion, Conor Oberst, and a three song Nickel Creek reunion. Even more overlooked was the Sennheiser Ruins Stage. This stage was actually in the corner of the Quad, and featured everyone from Of Monsters and Men to Tom Morello playing intimate sets in front of small crowds. In order to drown out the nearby Quad stage, Sennheiser headphones were passed out to offer sound in perfect clarity. It also gave you a great chance to check out acts you might have missed earlier in the weekend, if just for a few songs.
Each night’s headliners, My Morning Jacket and Jackson Browne, each had to contend with weather issues that threatened both days of the festival but chose their sets to truly open up. My Morning Jacket brought their jam band meets Sonic Youth sound, starting off more melodically and as close to traditional folk as they get, and slowly built to a more indie rock sound, while still keeping it rootsy. I was never truly a fan from the albums, but they proved themselves to truly be an act you need to see live. Unfortunately, lightning and safety concerns cut their set about 40 minutes short, so we never got to find out how truly great they could have been. While he didn’t have to deal with torrential rains, Jackson Browne still lost a lot of the crowd due to the skies opening up and overall fatigue. Anyone who left early missed a set of a master songwriter in the midst of a true second life and rejuvenation thanks to things like the Watkins Family Hour podcast.
In 2013, the Newport Folk Festival will be July 27-28. While you’re planning, check out NPR’s website to stream some of the sets from Newport 2012, and keep an eye out here for our upcoming Newport Folk Fest 2012 picture journal.
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Up Close and Personal: 2012 Ottawa Bluesfest (GIVEAWAY)
For the past sixteen years, my family and I have spent the first week in July at a fantastic lakeside cabin in the (New York) Adirondack Mountains with two other Canadian families – one from Ottawa, the other from Toronto. This year, due to scheduling conflicts we had a change in plan and gathered together in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, at our friend’s home to take in the annual Ottawa Bluesfest among other great outdoor experiences aswell as the overall charm of this very civilized and charming northern city.
Bluesfest technically runs from July 4-15th, and we attended on two days, July 11th and 12th. An evening event, the program kicks off at 6:00pm and runs through 11:00 pm. In typical
In 90 degree heat, attendees could easily refill their water bottles at multiple H20 refreshment stations.
Canadian style, the event is particularly civilized. The festival site is bordered by the Trans-Canada Trail, a fabulous tree-lined bike path that runs through Ottawa, along the Ottawa River. It is held around the grounds of the Canadian War Museum. Our friends are within a short drive, but we decided to bike there - about 4.5 miles. Upon arriving, we left our bikes in the secure, free, bicycle parking area and proceeded to the festival gates where we got a scanable bracelet. There were a bevy of food stands with a global selection, from Mexican to Caribbean and natural/organic foods. One thing that impressed me were the drinking water filling stations where anyone could refill their water bottle with clean, fresh water at no charge. Given that the temperature was in the 90s, this was a real bonus. Interestingly, and again, I must hand it to the Canadian’s sense of ecology, all of the beverage cups sold at the event were compostable at stations scattered throughout the festival grounds.
What really sets this festival apart is the intimate environment, the ability to get up close to most performers and the relative ease of walking from one stage to another (there were 5 stages
in all) to sample everything at one’s leisure. The Bluesfest talent roster has, for the most part, an Indie bent, but included a few headliners such as John Mellencamp (who was underwhelming) and the rockin’ and very much-loved Canadian Sam Roberts Band (fantastic sound and familiar songs that had the audience on their feet during the entire set).
Here are music notes from my son Benjamin, age 15, and me on the bands we saw.
July 11th
Father John Misty features singer/songwriter Joshua Tillman, formerly of the Fleet Foxes. The sound is folksy and harks back to Nick Drake and Pete Seeger; some of the
harmonies were Mamas and Papas-ish with a contemporary beat. We especially liked how Tillman related and spoke to the audience. While standing in the crowd, my son Ben turned around and saw two members of LA band, The Airborne Toxic Event and went over to them. Ben said to them, “its very cool that you’re watching this other band.” Band members Steven Chen and Noah Harmon took photos with Ben (and later, with me) and told him they are currently recording their third album and were asked to play at the BluesFest sort of at the last minute. They said it was their first time playing in Canada’s capital city. Ben also relayed his (and my) experience seeing them play at New York’s Terminal Five, when frontman Mikel Jollett climbed up a rope on the side of the stage up to the balcony area where we were sitting, his foot resting on Ben’s thigh.
Me with Noah Harmon and Steven Chen of The Airborne Toxic Event
Okay, I digress, so here are thoughts on The Airborne Toxic Event, who performed on the Main Stage. Needless to say, we were pretty jazzed. They are amazing at connecting with the crowd and even though there appeared to be technical issues throughout the performance, Mikel had such a warm, pleasant demeanor about him. I also love the face theat they have a female violist, who also plays tamborine and keyboard in Anna Bulbrook. Here’s their set list. They ended with two cover songs: The Clash’s “I Fought The Law” and Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire”. Love, love, love this band.
Big Wreck is another Canadian (classic) rock band we saw and they’re powerful and really connected with the audience. One of their songs had a drum solo that sort of reminded me of The Who’s ”Baba O’Riley.” There was a rowsing sing along to “You Caught My Eye”and I was impressed when the lead singer threw bottles of water into the audience, encouraging people to “stay hydrated” in the steaming heat.
The Bluesfest dedicates its Black Sheep Stage to blues and jazz artists, and there were some real finds there. The Cody Allen Band were good but not particularly memorable. Next up was Carolyn Wonderland, who is a musical force of nature, with a voice that’s reminiscent of Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt – and guitar playing skills like Stevie Ray Vaughn. Carolyn reaches into the depths of the Texas blues tradition with the wit of a modern day poet. Super soulful, she also plays the trumpet (unusual for a woman), and her band includes a robust horn section. Dedicating her closing number to Levon Helm, who passed away earlier this year, Wonderland and her band had opened for him in years past. In tribute, she sang, “When I Go Away,” a song written by Jerry Campbell. It was a touching end note to a strong performance. I’d love to see her again on stage.
We also saw Reverend Raven and The Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys whose name alone made me laugh. They are a talented Chicago-based blues band, replete with a wailing guitar and Hammond organ. The Reverend himself has an awesome sense of humor, plays a mean guitar and harmonica, and got everyone up and dancing to their soulful tunes. We loved all of their songs especially “When the Women Start Talking” and “Aint No Friend of Mine”. This band really ignites the stage and are a must-listen if you love the blues.
Stay tuned for our recap of Day #2 and check out our awesome slideshow of Bluesfest 2012!
Win it!
Open to U.S. residents only. Deadline is August 1, 2012 at 5 pm EST.
To enter: Leave a comment telling us what your favorite blues artist is. You can enter once a day until the end of the contest. To up your chances of winning, you may enter additional times by leaving an extra comment for each optional entry completed.
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For a complete list of our giveaway policies, click here.
About Julie Livingston:
Based in New York City, Julie is a mom of two sons, Jacob and Benjamin, as well as a public relations professional with extensive experience in the youth entertainment industry. She is the author of The Playtime Mom where she shares her perspectives on play.
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Time for Livin’ – Remembering Adam Yauch
Photo courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zaneology
The Beastie Boys are the band I’ve loved the longest that were truly mine. I’ve known The Beatles and The Beach Boys longer, but they were handed down to me by my parents. There was no way they were coming home with License to Ill on their own. I was 10 when it came out. I knew “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)” of course, but I didn’t really know much else. I liked it, but something about it scared me. I remember going on a call with my dad (he was an electrician) and I could see a Beastie Boys poster hanging up in the teenage son’s bedroom. All I could think was “His parents let him listen to the Beastie Boys??!!!” which is a hilarious notion now. For an album that seemed so outrageous at the time, there isn’t even any profanity on it.
It took a while for the Beasties to turn back up on my radar. I loved the video for “Hey Ladies,” but none of my friends were into it, so I pretended not to care. As high school ended and I started to come into my own as far as musical taste went, I became secretly obsessed with Check Your Head, and then Ill Communication made us all die hard fans again. From there on, I picked up every album on the day it came out, including the instrumental jazz ones. The final straw to get me out of my post-college “I’m-still-trying-to-decide-what-to-do-next” retail career wasn’t missing various family functions on weekends, but when I had to miss the Worcester show on the To the 5 Burroughs tour.
Last Friday, the first text came when I was in line at Starbucks. It just said “RIP Adam Yauch of Beastie Boys.” It wasn’t a shock. They didn’t tour after their last album came out 3 years ago. In an email to their mailing list, he had announced he was seeking holistic treatments for cancer, which is never a good sign. He missed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony a few weeks ago. But this one has affected me more deeply than the deaths of most of my relatives. Work productivity ground to a halt as I kept checking every news website I could think of for new stories. I listened to the WFNX tribute at 11:00 that night, and then just drove around for a couple hours afterwards, just listening to Paul’s Boutique and Hot Sauce Committee, Part 2, the only albums I had in my car at the time. All this for a man I never met and will never meet.
For all the talk of what was lost last week, the music, the humanitarian work, the only rap group to apologize for homophobic and misogynistic lyrics in their past, one thing never gets mentioned. When I went to their last tour, we had this group of guys next to us. I believe the correct term would be “meatheads.” You know the type… all wearing baseball hats (mostly backwards), chugging beers, saying they couldn’t wait to hear “Girls” and “Sabotage”…. Let me back up and explain a bit. My friend and I are the music elitist/snob types that love Sonic Youth and tend to hate the hit singles. Everyone knows they close with “Sabotage” and had for years, and as much as we might love the song, we’d both much rather have them surprise us with “The Sound of Science” or “Egg Raid on Mojo.” When this group of guys sat next to us, we rolled our eyes and made snide little jokes. But something happened over the course of the show. We were completely sucked into the show. They broke out “Shake Your Rump,” “Pass the Mic,” “Brass Monkey,” and “Egg Raid on Mojo.” By the time they closed with “Sabotage,” no one was more excited than we were. As the house lights came on, we were high fiving the meatheads and talking about how amazing the night had been. Guys we would normally avoid talking to under any other circumstance were now our buddies for the walk out. That’s what we lost last week: The only band that united my generation.
Feature photo by: GManvis
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BE SOCIAL
