If you forgot to wear your tie-dye shirt out to Tubby’s 4/20 show—no problem, they were dyeing ’em out back. Meanwhile, local Kingston jammers Dominick and the Family Band were inside playing “I Wanna Get High” and “Just Smoke” to a packed Thursday evening crowd. Those songs are off last year’s tape Body Wave Heat Whatever, but the band has a new album nearly in the can and treated us to the new ones “All I Do,” “Heather,” and “Backwards.” More than a few ears perked up as the band transitioned from “Lights Out” into “I Know You Rider,” ensuring that we’d all get a bit of Dead in our 4/20.
I recorded this from our usual spot at Tubby’s, the MBHO’s combined with a board feed from enginner Nick. The sound is excellent. Dig in!
Dominick & the Family Band
2023-04-20
Tubby's
Kingston, NY
Recorded and produced by Eric PH for nyctaper.com
Soundboard (engineer: Nick) + MBHO KA200N/603A (DIN) > Naiant PFA >> Sound Devices MixPre-6 > WAV (24/48) > Adobe Audition CC + Izotope Ozone 5 > Audacity 3.0.2 > FLAC
Tracks [41:37]
01. I Wanna Get High
02. All I Do
03. Blue Morning Light
04. Just Smoke
05. Heather
06. Backwards
07. Lights Out > I Know You Rider
Readers of the excellent Raven Sings The Blues blog may have noticed a new mix of vibraphone-based music posted some weeks back. Rumor has it the initial draft of this collection, curated by Elkhorn’s Drew Gardner, clocked in at FIVE hours. This is not terribly surprising since Elkhorn does not rush to reach a point in their own music. They take the care and time to explore the corners and possibilities. They do this, as Jesse mentions at the beginning of this recording, by playing music with their hearts.
Their new album, On The Whole Universe In All Directions, sees Drew swapping his signature Tele for a vibraphone. While no one will mistake a vibraphone for a Telecaster, at its core, this still sounds exactly like Elkhorn. Deeply meditative, with both Jesse and Drew’s musical personalities front and center propping each other up.
Sadly, this night at Tubby’s did not feature any vibraphone but it did have Ian McColm on drums. This was my first opportunity to see Ian perform and I cannot think of a more perfect rhythmic companion for Elkhorn. His ability to play in, around and outside the guitar duo was remarkable. This trio is astounding.
I recorded this from my usual spot by the soundboard with MBHO’s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Sam. Enjoy!
The Royal Artic Institute is a perfect band name for a mid-February show in (slightly) upstate New York. Outside it was wet and cold but inside the drinks were flowing, the spirits were high, and the music was outstanding. Another perfect night at Tubby’s.
The NYC based band has over 50 years of combined touring and recording experience including stints with certified legends like Arthur Lee and Roky Erickson. The musical experience is palpable; they float though compositions shifting feel and sound and carrying the listener through the journey. This is a fun one for headphones and a dark room.
The Royal Arctic Institute plays “cinematic instrumental post-jazz” or, as they put it on their band camp page, “post-everything.” Pidgeon holing their sound defeats the point. These are expansive, imaginative soundscapes made for dreaming. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
I recorded this from my usual spot by the soundboard with my MBHO’s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Sam. The sound and performance are excellent. Enjoy!
The final night of Mikaela Davis’s residency took place during one of Tubby’s semi regular Dead nights. These events started simply; just a dude with a couple decks playing some Dead tapes. They have since evolved into not to be missed parties complete with all the things you would expect at this type of event. There were tapes. There was a “lot” scene. There was spinning. There was Drums > Space.
The first set of originals was comprised of mostly older songs not often played including “Do You Wanna Be Mine” from 2018’s “Delivery”. The set also features a brand-new tune, “Left Hand Path,” about a D&D Vampirate. Let’s get weird.
The Dead set opened strong with a super upbeat version of the Garcia classic “Cats Under the Stars” and jumped straight into “Shakedown Street” which had the spinners spinning. On more than one occasion I felt a dreadlock swing against my arm in wild, envelope filter induced ecstasy. The meat of this set was the transition out of “Crazy Fingers” into “Drums” that contained the most exciting and free playing of the evening.
Mikaela and the band have decided to bring this tour on the road for a, mostly, East Coast run beginning in March, and I highly suggest you hit a show. This was some of the best Dead adjacent music I’ve heard post Jerry. This is much more than another Dead cover band. They have brought authenticity, innovation, and fresh air to a vital part of the American songbook.
I recorded this from my usual spot by the soundboard with MBHO’s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Sam. Enjoy!
This was night 3 of her 3 show residency at Tubby’s. Each night was a set of originals and a set of Dead music. Tonights Dead set featured songs from 1973-1989
Mikaela Davis has an interesting winter tour going right now. Two simultaneous three-night residencies in opposite corners of Upstate New York. Bold tour planning for January. Sometimes the path of most resistance offers the greatest reward and the reward for each night is a set of originals and set of Grateful Dead material.
Those that braved the Cold Rain and Snow (pun intended) on this Wednesday night were treated to a set of mostly new material from her album coming out later this year. The new songs already feel completely fleshed out offering the band chances to explore.
The evenings “Dead” set was a full cover of the 1972 classic “Garcia”. The first side of this record is loaded with absolute classics that were staples of the dead catalog for their entire career. It is near impossible to consider the Grateful Dead without “Deal” or “Sugaree.” The highlight of this “side” of the album was “Bird Song” enriched by the harmonic intricacies at play between harp and pedal steel.
The pedal steel/Harp combo offered some exciting ideas on how the second, and significantly headier, side of the record could be handled. It did not disappoint. If you listen to nothing else, please give the “Eep Hour > To Lay Me Down” section a spin. If you love side 2 of this album as much as me, I promise it’s what you want.
I recorded this from my usual spot by the soundboard with MBHO’s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Kyle. Enjoy!
Thanks to Tubby’s FOH engineer Kyle for the patch.
This was night 2 of her 3 show residency at Tubby’s. Each night was a set of originals and set of Dead music. Tonights Dead set was a cover of the self titled “Garcia” album.
If you are a follower of this site, you do not need an introduction to Garcia Peoples. Collectively the NYCTaper team is responsible for 46% of the GP shows uploaded to the live music archive. The reason we keep coming back is because they keep evolving and this show was a perfect example of that.
The night started with an over exuberant Tom attempting a left foot crossover move to his wah pedal and falling behind the drum set. Through force of will and sheer determination he maintained peak shred for several more minutes seeing the piece to conclusion. At this point they brought saxophonist Jefry Brown up who sat in for the remainder of the set. What came next was a nearly 20-minute version of GP staple “A Reckoning” but presented in a way I had never heard. The existing structure of the song was replaced by a free jam in D featuring kraut like propulsion covered in freak out sax melts that felt much closer to electric free jazz or something you would hear at a Sunburned Hand Of The Man show then the Indie jam style they are most often associated with. Completely thrilling and the reason we keep coming back.
You can catch GP playing several Northeast shows this February including two in Boston with Sunburned Hand Of The Man that will surely be can’t miss events. New England freaks come out!
I recorded this from my usual spot by the soundboard with MBHO’s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Will. Enjoy!
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