Greensky Bluegrass: August 1, 2015 Gathering of the Vibes (Bridgeport, CT) – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

August 5, 2015
By

Screen Shot 2015-08-05 at 9.03.04 AM
[screen shot from the below YouTube video by MK Devo]

We caught back up with Michigan band Greensky Bluegrass, seen by us most recently at the Gramercy Theatre last year, during the peak heat on this past Saturday at Gathering of the Vibes. The band’s updated bluegrass sound made for a perfect backdrop to the sunny weather, as they mellowed things down with their approachable tunes and good, well, vibes. This being a festival set, we were treated to an hour’s worth of some of the band’s key material, much of it culled from their most recent effort If Sorrows Swim. Back at the Gramercy the band busted out a Prince cover; today found them in a similar mid-’80s frame of mind cover-wise, as they pulled out Dire Straits’ 1985 classic, “Money For Nothing.” MTV barely even exists anymore, but even the younger segments of the Vibe Tribe still seemed to get it. This was Greensky’s first Gathering of the Vibes, and based on the crowd’s response, I suspect they’ll be back.

I recorded this set with four Schoeps microphones, combining a pair of MK4V cardiods with MK5s in the omnidirectional pattern to give the recording added presence. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Download the complete set: [MP3] | [FLAC]

Stream the complete set:

Watch “The Four” on YouTube:

Greensky Bluegrass
2015-08-01
Gathering of the Vibes
Seaside Park
Bridgeport, CT USA

Hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK4V (PAS)>KCY>Z-PFA + Schoeps MK5o (3′ split A-B)>KC5>CMC6>>Edirol R-44>24bit/48kHz WAV>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, effects, imaging)>Audacity 2.0.3 (fades, tracking, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time: 1:01:12]
01 Demons
02 Handguns
03 Kerosene
04 [banter1]
05 Windshield
06 The Floor
07 Burn Them
08 [banter2]
09 Money For Nothing [Dire Straits]
10 [banter3]
11 Wings For Wheels
12 Hit Parade of Love
13 Leap Year

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Greensky Bluegrass, visit their website, and order If Sorrows Swim and buy their other records in their store.

75 Dollar Bill: June 28, 2015 Trans-Pecos – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

August 5, 2015
By

75 Dollar Bill

75 Dollar Bill is quickly becoming a staple in New York’s rich improvised and experimental music scene. They’ve got one proper LP, Wooden Bag (out on Other Music Recording Co.), and a few self-released tapes to their name, but it’s their live performances that are creating a splash that even the New York Times is picking up on. Though they’ve been known to incorporate other musicians in their live shows, 75 Dollar Bill proper is a duo, with Che Chen on guitar and Rick Brown on homemade percussion and horns. While that description may give you the notion that the band trades in minimalism, the rich textures of Chen’s guitar played through a small practice amp combined in complex rhythms with Brown’s improvised and homemade percussion will set you straight. This set from Trans-Pecos, opening for the equally mighty Bill Orcutt and Tom Carter, finds the duo exploring some material off their first release, the simply titled cassette (“Every Last Coffee or Tea” and “Water in the Lock”),  along with a shorter improvisation and a finale of “I Was Real,” which doesn’t appear to have yet seen release. Though the technique to the music is intricate, it’s not fussy in the least bit—what’s clear is that Chen and Brown are having infectious fun and it’s sure to rub off on you.

I recorded this set with the AKGs at the stage lip and a soundboard feed from Trans-Pecos FOH Max. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Catch 75 Dollar Bill later this month at this can’t-miss show also featuring Eleventh Dream Day and Antietam at Mercury Lounge, August 21. Tickets on sale.

Download the complete show: [MP3] | [FLAC]

Stream the complete show:

75 Dollar Bill
2015-06-28
Trans-Pecos
Queens, NY

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by Eric PH

Soundboard (engineer: Max) + AKG C480B/CK61 (stage lip) > Roland R-26 > 2xWAV (24/48) > Adobe Audition CC (align, compression, mixdown, normalize) > Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, imaging) > Audacity 2.0.5 (fades, downsample, dither, tracking, tagging) > FLAC (16/44.1, level 8)

Tracks [34:38]
01. Intro / Every Last Coffee or Tea
02. Water in the Lock
03. [banter]
04. [untitled improvisation]
05. I Was Real

Support 75 Dollar Bill: Bandcamp | Buy Wooden Bag from Other Music Recording Co.

Wilco: August 1, 2015 Gathering of the Vibes (Bridgeport, CT) – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

August 3, 2015
By

Screen Shot 2015-08-03 at 9.02.40 AM
[screenshot from this YouTube video]

Wilco has wowed this summer in a few ways — first with their exceptional Solid Sound acoustic performance (which we captured here), then with the surprise free release of Star Wars, easily their finest album in ten years. Here at Gathering of the Vibes on the Bridgeport seaside, the band built on the momentum they created with their full-album performance of Star Wars back at Pitchfork Music Festival with another full-album run through, followed by some of the band’s best-known songs as well as the rarity “Laminated Cat.” As a special treat, Warren Haynes, he of every single guest appearance at northeastern jam festivals, joined for “California Stars” along with Joe Russo to close things out. But lest you think this was a standard-issue performance, Jeff Tweedy and co., buoyed by the presence of Nels Cline, turned even the older tunes into noisier, edgier renditions than we’ve seen recently, perhaps alienating some of this festival’s core audience, but proving that Wilco is returning to what made Yankee Hotel Foxtrot their true landmark album, and what marks them as so much bigger than being the “dad rock” of their detractors. Star Wars has proven that this band has many more good years ahead, and we’ll be thrilled to be a part of them.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK4V microphones in the taper’s section. While distance and being outdoors always impact sound quality, overall this is an excellent effort. Enjoy!

Download the complete set: [MP3] | [FLAC]
Please be kind and do not repost the direct download links. 

Stream the complete set (note: the first track is intro music and was played at lower volume than the set itself): 

Wilco
2015-08-01
Gathering of the Vibes
Seaside Park
Bridgeport, CT USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK4V (PAS)>KC5>CMC6>Edirol R-44>24bit/48kHz WAV>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, effects)>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (fades, compression)>Audacity 2.0.3 (track, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time 1:52:46]
01 EKG (intro)
02 More…
03 Random Name Generator
04 The Joke Explained
05 You Satellite
06 Taste the Ceiling
07 Pickled Ginger
08 Where Do I Begin
09 Cold Slope
10 King of You
11 Magnetized
12 Handshake Drugs
13 Kamera
14 I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
15 Art of Almost
16 Via Chicago
17 Shouldn’t Be Ashamed
18 Walken
19 I’m the Man Who Loves You
20 Jesus, Etc.
21 Born Alone>
22 Laminated Cat (aka Not For the Season)
23 Impossible Germany
24 Passenger Side
25 [encore break]
26 California Stars*

* w/ Warren Haynes & Joe Russo

If you download this recording from NYCTaper we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Wilco, visit their website, and purchase their Star Wars and their other releases from their website [HERE].

 

Ty Segall: June 24, 2015 Baby’s All Right – Flac/MP3/Streaming

July 29, 2015
By

ty-segall-4
[photo by PSquared Photography]

We’ve already posted two of the shows of Ty Segall’s brief four-show NYC acoustic tour from June (Mercury Lounge and Rough Trade). This night at Baby’s All Right was special because it was the first one — Ty remarked that it was indeed his first ever full acoustic show outside of California. This set was close to the vest as Ty played the show fairly straightforward and tight, as opposed to the Rough Trade show later in the week which was a loose and crazy midnight set with a ton of covers. The Baby’s show featured the premiere of several new songs, but it remains to be seen whether those songs will be released as acoustic or full band numbers. Either way, the new songs are strong and meshed well with older material, particularly the tracks from Sleeper, the title track of which we’re streaming below. But this set was not completely devoid of covers, as Ty and guest Cory Hanson played a sweet version of Neil Young’s “For The Turnstiles”, also streaming below. Ty Segall will return to the NYC area in the Fall with his hardcore/metal band Fuzz for a gig at Bowery Ballroom on November 15.

This set was recorded by House FOH Harrison, who provided a superb live mix of the multitrack. There are also cardioid microphones installed near the lighting rig about 15 feet in front of the stage. In post-production, I mixed the two sources and the results are quite excellent. Enjoy!

Download the Complete Show [MP3] / [FLAC]

Stream “Sleeper”:

Stream “For The Turnstiles” (Neil Young cover):

Ty Segall
2015-06-24
Baby’s All Right
Brooklyn NY

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Multitrack Soundboard (engineered and recorded by Harrison Fore) > Harrison mix Wav files + Room mic wav files > Soundforge (post-production) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > TLH > flac (320 MP3 and Tagging via Foobar)

Produced by nyctaper

Setlist:
[Total Time 53:40]
01 [introduction]
02 Crazy
03 The Keepers
04 California Commercial
05 Sleeper
06 [tuning]
07 The Faker
08 [Cory intro]
09 Don’t You Want to Know
10 The Feels
11 Orange Colored Lady [new song]
12 Mister Main
13 Emotional Mugger [new song]
14 [banter – airports]
15 For The Turnstiles [Neil Young]
16 [Cory exit]
17 California Hills [new song]
18 The Picture
19 Queen Lullabye

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Ty Segall, visit his website, and purchase his official releases from the Drag City Records website [HERE].

Zachary Cale: July 16, 2015 The Living Room – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

July 28, 2015
By

IMG_2560

Zachary Cale has been called a “musician’s musician,” in part because he seems to be friends with just about everybody, but more importantly because he exudes a music-first mentality that prioritizes creation over every other aspect of what’s so-often called the “music business.” To wit, he’s released his past four records, including the higher-profile Blue Rider in 2013, on his own label, All Hands Electric, and his output has been strikingly consistent throughout. His work rolls out of him, sounding as effortless as it surely isn’t. Reviews of Blue Rider pointed out that that finger-picked guitar you hear that sounds like three people working. Well, that’s just him. Zach’s stage persona is humble; his abilities are not.

This show at the Living Room previewed an exciting turn for Cale’s recorded output, as his forthcoming Duskland will be his first for Brooklyn-based No Quarter, a label that has a diverse roster but has shown, of late, a penchant for great singer-songwriters (e.g., Doug Paisley, Joan Shelley, Jennifer Castle). Five of the seven tracks on offer here come from the new album, plus the brand-new “Riverbed” and “Hangman Letters” from Blue Rider. The new album proves to be something to look forward to — it’s of a piece with Blue Rider stylistically but with a more melancholic tone that befits the “dusk” in the title. Cale hails from Louisiana, but this work feels closer to the empty parts of Texas most times, the kind of songs that belong under an open sky, particularly the windswept, propulsive “Evensong.” The country-tinged trifecta of “I Forged the Bullet,” “Sundowner,” and “Changing Horses” made for a fine set closer. Cale may not have “changed horses” with the move to No Quarter, but he has put himself in the best position to succeed, alongside like-minded artists he belongs with. Make sure to get ahold of Duskland on pre-order, or when it hits stores on August 7.

I recorded this set with a soundboard feed from Living Room engineer Kevin and Schoeps MK41V supercardiod microphones. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Cale plays New York again on August 28 at Baby’s All Right. 

Download the complete set: [MP3] | [FLAC]

Stream the complete set:

Zachary Cale
2015-07-16
Living Room
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Soundboard (engineer: Kevin) + Schoeps MK41V>KC5>CMC6>>Edirol R-44>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS5.5 (align, mix down, fades, compress SBD)>Izotope Ozone 5 (effects, EQ)>Audacity 2.0.5 (track, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Blue Moth
02 Evensong
03 [banter1]
04 Riverbed
05 Hangman Letters
06 I Forged the Bullet
07 Sundowner
08 [banter2]
09 Changing Horses

If you enjoyed this recording, please support Zachary Cale by visiting his website, pre-ordering Duskland from No Quarter, and buying his other records from his online store. 

Mekons: July 21, 2015 Bowery Ballroom – Flac/MP3/Streaming

July 27, 2015
By

Mekons Bowery neild
[photo by neild]

It shouldn’t be so long between my Mekons concerts. I’ve seen the band five times over 22 years, generally with 6 or 7 years between shows. The last time was a crazy crowded show at Mercury Lounge in 2009, and before that it was 2007 at Gramercy Theatre, 2000 at Bowery, and 1992 at the Marquee. It isn’t like the band doesn’t deliver — each of these shows were lengthy and highly entertaining trips through the band’s entire catalog. Indeed, Mekons shows are legendary for their remarkable ability to keep the audience engaged through not only the musical performances but the hilarious banter. So much so that the Mekons now have a feature film documentary about them called “Revenge of the Mekons“. The success of the film has translated to increased exposure for the band and the result has been a “sold-out” tour that reached the Bowery Ballroom last week. Bowery was indeed packed with a very boisterous and committed crowd who not only interacted with the band but also indulged some of the unpredictable events possible at any Mekons show. Tonight it was Rico Bell’s unfortunate misplaced high kick during “Heaven and Back” that resulted in him completely wiping out Jon Langford’s amp and other assorted pieces of equipment. For any other band, this kind of clusterfuck would be a disaster, for the Mekons it was a slight blip in the show that ended up being fertile ground for even more hilarious banter. But lest our readers believe this show was messy, this was the tightest and most meticulously performed Mekons show I’ve seen. Indeed, NYCTaper uber contributor and huge Mekons fan neild, who has likely seen the band a few dozen times remarked to me after the concert that this was the best Mekons show he’d ever seen. I had little cause to disagree. The band played everything from 70’s era single “Where Were You?” to tracks from the latest album (2011’s Ancient and Modern) and virtually everything in between. I’ve always loved the 2000 album Journey to the End of the Night (saw the tour) and we’re streaming an incendiary version of “Tina” below. The band’s 80s catalog was also well represented and we’re also streaming an excellent version of Sally Timms’ coined 1988 single “Ghosts of American Astronauts”.

I recorded this set in our usual manner at the Bowery — Schoeps cards in the balcony and mixed with an excellent board feed. Bowery legend Kenny really nailed the mix on this night and the result is one of the best Bowery recordings we’ve ever produced. Enjoy!

Download the Complete Show [MP3] / [FLAC]

Stream “Tina”:

Stream “Ghosts of American Astronauts”:

Mekons
2015-07-21
Bowery Ballroom
New York NY

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard [FOH Kenny] + Schoeps CCM4u Cardioids > Sound Devices 744t > 2 x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (post-production) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > TLH > flac (320 MP3 and tagging via Foobar)

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:55:51]
01 [introduction]
02 Memphis Egypt
03 Beaten and Broken
04 Tina
05 [banter – Mekons tribute band]
06 Millionaire
07 Diamonds
08 [banter – Rehoboth Beach]
09 Abernant 1984-85
10 Heaven and Back
11 [Rico falls]
12 Fantastic Voyage
13 Fletcher Christian
14 Orpheus
15 Now We Have the Bomb
16 Last Dance
17 Curse of the Mekons
18 Hard to Be Human
19 [encore break]
20 I’ve Gone And Lost My Little Yo-Yo
21 [band introductions]
22 Afar and Forlorn
23 Thee Olde Trip to Jerusalem
24 Ghosts of American Astronauts
25 Shanty – Wild and Blue
26 [second encore break]
27 The Hole In The Elephant’s Bottom
28 Powers and Horror
29 Prince of Darkness
30 Belly to Belly
31 Big Zombie
32 Where Were You

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT The Mekons, visit their website, and purchase their official releases from the Bloodshot Records website [HERE].

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