[photos by acidjack]
Mistakes have been made. I first caught Blitzen Trapper at Music Hall of Williamsburg way back in 2009, dug what they were about, but then managed to miss every single one of their NYC shows for the next five years (though the site covered them as recently as 2012 at the Stuyvesant Oval). When Trapper took the stage at Mountain Jam this year, I expected the same good-time band I’d seen back in 2009. Instead, what I witnessed was a far more robust performance that featured some amazing covers (including the set closer of Led Zep’s classic “Ramble On”), killer improvisations, and excellent new work from their latest record, VII. The Portland band hadn’t played Mountain Jam before, and they obviously decided to make the most of the opportunity, bringing their A game for the full hour allotted. Highlights for me included the jammed-out “Thirsty Man” from VII, “God & Suicide” from 2008’s Furr, and “Black River Killer” from the 2009 EP of the same name. The big stage has a way of proving a band’s mettle, and given the opportunity, Trapper proved that they’re more than a great club band. Give them the chance, and they’re a juggernaut.
I recorded this set from a location to the immediate right of the soundboard with MBHO microphones. There is a bit of phasing caused by the higher winds during this set, but the vocals and instruments are clear and the sound quality is overall excellent. Enjoy!
Look for more Mountain Jam sets soon.
This NYCTaper recording is being hosted on the Live Music Archive. You can stream the entire show by clicking the song titles below or download it via the links provided.
Download the complete set: [MP3] | [FLAC]
Stream the complete set from the Live Music Archive:
Blitzen Trapper
2014-06-07
Mountain Jam X (East Stage)
Hunter, NY USA
Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack
MBHO KA200N/MBP603 (PAS, Side of Board)>Sound Devices USBPre2>Sony PCM-D50>24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (fades, compression)>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, effects)>Audacity 2.0.3 (track, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )
Tracks [Total Time: 1:00:11]
01 Fletcher
02 Feel The Chill
03 Thirsty Man
04 Rocky Mountain Way [Joe Walsh]
05 Shine On
06 [banter1]
07 Black River Killer
08 Don’t Be A Stranger
09 God & Suicide
10 Love the Way You Walk Away
11 Furr
12 Wild Mountain Nation
13 Big Black Bird
14 Ramble On [Led Zeppelin]
If you enjoyed this recording, please support Blitzen Trapper, visit their website, and buy VII and their other records from them there.
I was at the Mountain Jam Blitzen Trapper show and I agree with your take on it. I saw them recently open for Drive By Truckers at Terminal 5 and was frustrated because they only did about half an hour worth of material but was happily redeemed by the Mountain Jam appearance. They have what I call a psychedelic-funk-mountain-rock-n-roll sound that is unique but calls on classic rock elements. Show at Mountain Jam was a joy and I was lucky to be right down in front. Hoping they play there again and get an evening slot… Thanks for the recording.
What an awesome comment. Thank you!
Songs from this pop up occasionally in my playlist – still enjoying it, especially the Joe Walsh/Rocky Mountain Way cover…