For Set Two, we bring you another set of year-end responses from artists and music industry gurus in the jamband scene. This week’s “Auld Lang Syne” includes responses from Grace Potter, Jim Loughlin (moe.), Kevin Shapiro (Phish archivist), Jeff Mattson (DSO), Papa Mali (7 Walkers) and more. Also, be sure to take a look at Set One if you haven’t done so yet.
GRACE POTTER
What will you remember most about 2010?
God it’s been such a big year! I’m not sure whether there was one defining moment, but the day we released our record was pretty amazing. There was so much expectation and excitement, we wanted to make it a special day. We cancelled our fancy city show and drove back to Vermont to play a free show in the streets for our hometown fans. That meant a lot to me.
Here are a few other first-time moments: We rang in the New Year by re-enacting the movie “Top Gun”, we rode in our first limo, (Don’t worry, we won’t be making a habit out of it). I went country, singing a duet with Kenny Chesney. I met (and sexually assaulted) Robert Plant. We played a morning show in our Pajamas at SXSW, walked our first red carpet, I propositioned Danger Mouse, jumped on the Lilith Fair tour for a hot second, hung with Sheryl Crow who said we reminded her of Heart. Then we played a show at the air force base where they filmed “Top Gun” at the VH1 Divas “Salute the Troops” where we collaborated with…Heart! See how things just seem to come back around? Also we did a lot of things twice: Played The Ellen Show twice, travelled with the band to the UK twice, played Jay Leno twice, Filmed 2 music videos; one in the desert with classic cars and smoke machines and cameras on cranes, then music video with naughty burlesque dancers and LOTS of confetti, recorded 2 songs for 2 different Disney movies, then, most recently we beat out the Beatles, getting to #1 on the iTunes charts on the same weekend that we beat out Harry Potter in the box office with the movie that I wrote a song for, “Tangled”! That was bonkers. What can I say? It’s been a great year and our hard work is definitely starting to pay off.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
All-Star Hawaiian Band Hawaiian Style, The Black Keys Brothers, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings 100 Days, 100 Nights, Dr. Dog Shame, Shame, LCD Soundsystem This is Happening, MIA Kala, Everest On Approach, Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Karen Elson The Ghost Who Walks, Portishead Dummy.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
I’d have to say it was a three-way tie: I loved our shows with My Morning Jacket, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings and The Avett Brothers this fall! Then I’ve got about 10 runners up: Jamaica with Gov’t Mule, Mountain Jam, moe.Down with the Black Keys, Austin City Limits, Halloween with Hacienda, Halloween with Kenny Chesney, Halloween at the Exit/In dressed as Nashville Country Stars (yes, we played 3 Halloween shows), “Salute the Troops” w/Heart, Fox Theater with Dr. Dog, Lilith Fair, Paola Roots Fest w/Marty Stuart, our southern tour w/Everest. Can’t pick one. Shit this is hard.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
An incredible new band from Vermont called Chamberlin.
What artist or artists would you most like to collaborate with next year?
There are lots! Robert Plant, Santigold, Dan Auerbach, David Bowie, Beyonce, Jack White, Gnarls Barkley…should I keep going?
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JOSH RAYMER (Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey)
What will you remember most about 2010?
JFJO’s four week European tour in March.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Steven Berstein’s Millinnial Territory Orchestra We Are MTO
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
Teatro Alfieri in Cagliari, Sardinia Italy.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
The Panda Resistance
Who would you want to collaborate with next year?
Jeff Coffin, Steven Bernstein, Peter Apfelbaum & Mark Southerland
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JON TOPPER (moe./Cornmeal Manager, Summer Camp Festival, moe.down)
What will you remember most about 2010?
moe. Halloween on Dec 4. Allie’s tattoo.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Keller & The Keels Thief, Disco Biscuits Planet Anthem, Gov’t Mule By a Thread, U-Melt Perfect World, Cornmeal Live in Chicago IL, Vol. 1, Phish Joy, .moe. Smash Hits Vol. 1, Zach Deputy Sunshine, Hot Buttered Rum Limbs Akimbo,
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
moe. Halloween on Dec 4., Cornmeal Thursday night set at Summer Camp, Chuck playing with Warren at One for Woody at Roseland.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
Sister Sparrow, Orgone, Turbine, Leroy Justice, Zach Deputy
JEFF MATTSON (Dark Star Orchestra, Donna Jean Godchaux Band, Zen Tricksters)
What will you remember most about 2010?
Joining Dark Star Orchestra was the high point of the year for me.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Well, of course I’ve had to listen to a lot of Grateful Dead this year to bring me up to speed in my new role with Dark Star Orchestra. (Tough job, huh?!!) But other than that I’ve been loving the new Neil Young CD, Le Noise. I thought the combination of Neil and Daniel Lanois would be deadly, and I was right! I love the Mavis Staples/Jeff Tweedy collaboration also and I have also been rediscovering the early Delaney and Bonnie albums.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
Unfortunately, I was on the road so much in 2010 that I did not have a chance to hear near enough other music. But about a month ago I saw a terrific Bob Dylan show at the Smith Center in Washington, DC. I’ve been seeing Bob Dylan concerts for well over 30 years and it never ceases to amaze me how he can continually reinvent his songs from year to year, proving songs can be living, breathing, growing organisms.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
I’ve given up trying to prognosticate on such matters. Besides, can someone really come along who is dreamier than Justin Bieber?
What artist or artists would you most like to collaborate with next year?
I’m really looking forward to continuing my collaboration with Donna Jean Godchaux. We’ve been writing some great songs together and we are hoping to get into the studio this year. Beyond that, I’d love to be able to do some playing with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.
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KEVIN SHAPIRO (Phish Archivist)
What will you remember most about 2010?
Phish’s return to smaller venues like Greek/Telluride in summer and indoor shows with GA floors in fall, Senator Bernie Sanders’ tax “Filibuster”, playing drums with Dead Sessions and Liquid Dead.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
James Carter Heaven On Earth feat. John Medeski, Christian McBride, Adam Rogers and Joey Baron, Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit (Live), Art Ensemble Of Chicago Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City – Live at Iridium.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
4-way tie: Phish at Utica 10/20/10 (hon. mention to Waiting For Columbus ), Gerald Clayton Trio 6/8/10 at Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, Allen Toussaint’s Jazzity Project 4/27/10 (late show) at Snug Harbor – New Orleans, World Saxophone Quartet and M’Boom 1/23/10 at Birdland – NYC.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue
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PAPA MALI (Malcolm Welbourne)
What will you remember most about 2010?
San Francisco
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Exile on Main St
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
Kris Kristofferson
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
Deadman
Who would you want to collaborate with next year?
Bill Kreutzmann, George Porter Jr, Matt Hubbard, Robert Hunter, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan.
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AMY JACQUES (Relix Copy Editor)
What will you remember most about 2010?
Lady Gaga, Kanye, Silly Bandz, Yo Gabba Gabba!, a lot of traveling and weddings, Four Loko, iPad, Groupon, Lebron James, BP Spill, John Isner tennis match, World Cup
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Yeasayer – Odd Blood, Widespread Panic – Dirty Side Down, Futurebirds – Hampton’s Lullaby; Real Estate, LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening, Hot Chip – One Life Stand, The National – High Violet, Band of Horses – Infinite Arms, Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More, Punch Brothers – Antifogmatic, Toubab Krewe – TK2, The Postelles, Four Tet, Toumani Diabate
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
Prince at Meadowlands, Roger Waters’ The Wall Tour, String Cheese Incident at Horning’s Hideout, Yo Gabba Gabba Live!, The National at Bell House, Robert Plant at Bowery Ballroom, Toubab Krewe in Jamaica, Yeasayer at Bowery Ballroom, Avett Brothers at Mountain Jam, Punch Brothers at MHOW, Phish in Atlanta on July 4, Widespread Panic in Danbury, CT
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
James Justin Burke, Futurebirds, miniBoone, Real Estate, Holly Conlon, The Postelles, The District Attorneys, The Drums, Pomegranates
Who would you want to collaborate with next year?
Toubab Krewe, Railroad Earth, Punch Brothers, Pretty Lights
STEVE MOLITZ (Particle, Phil Lesh & Friends)
What will you remember most about 2010?
Rather than try to pinpoint a specific event, I’ll just say that I noticed a big jump in the internalization of technology in 2010. Things have been advancing at such a rapid rate over the past decade, but I feel like this year people really adapted and integrated the technology on a more personal level. In the past, we had the technology…but now we’re actually using it more consistently.
I think the widespread use of technology feels so different to me this year because it’s become so embedded in the most common aspects of our lives. When I meet new people, they almost always prefer to route me to their social networking account rather than give me their phone number/email. And think of how many smartphones you see at concerts capturing photos/video/audio, or even just in people’s hands as they text absent friends about the show.
Here’s an experiment: go to dinner with a friend, and after you’ve both ordered, excuse yourself to go to the bathroom. Take 10 steps away from your friend, and turn around. I can almost guarantee they’ll be staring down at their phone. And not because it’s a distraction or an alternative to thought, but because that is their thought. It’s been internalized. It’s become instinct to tap into the grid at all times. But it’s only a matter of time before Skynet takes over…so hurry back to the table and enjoy your meal before the ‘experiment’ is over…
(Note to self: next year, don’t watch 30 hours of doomsday sci-fi films before answering jambands.com year-end questionnaire)
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Greg Giraldo Midlife Vices.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
My favorite two shows that I played were probably:
1. Robby Krieger and The Roadhouse Rebels, Bella Vida Music Festival, MN, 5/29/10: the band featured Robby on guitar, John Molo on drums, John Avila on bass, Terry Saffold on percussion, Willlie Waldman on trumpet, Adam Iscove on vocals, and me on keys. We headlined the fest that night, and crowd’s energy was massive. The band had only rehearsed once in LA before flying out for the show, but it felt like we had been playing together for years. If I was a character from Josh Clark’s satirical comic strip Eternal Jamnation, I’d tell you that it felt like the whole set was an intense moment of connectivity, where the musicians and the audience really transcended to create a shared consciousness. Or, if I was myself, I’d say it was like hanging out telling jokes with a group of friends, and you’re all cracking each other up while finishing the punch lines together. Only in this case, the set ups were rhythms, the punch lines were melodies, and the ‘group of friends’ was about 5,000 people!
2. Further & Friends, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA, 3/12/10: This was Phil Lesh’s 70th birthday show (and an Unbroken Chain Charity benefit for Haitian earthquake relief), and it was absolutely amazing. Looking back on it is like trying to remember details from a cool dream you had. It seems to have happened in the blink of an eye, and it was so sensational that you don’t even know where to begin telling the story. There were so many incredible musicians there that night that it’s hard to recall the exact line-up, but I’ll try mention a few: Lesh, Weir, Robinson, Lane, Chimenti, Kadlecik, Greene, Russo, Molo, etc.. It was a three set show (complete with a float parade and baloon drop), and it was a really magical night. Phil’s musicianship and energy were through the roof, and it inspired the rest of the band to dig deeper to reach new heights within our own improvisation. I was truly honored to help Phil celebrate his birthday that night with such a stellar bunch of folks. If you want to check out the music we played at that show, you can probably find download info at www.further.net.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
Roster McCabe
Who would you want to collaborate with next year?
Skynet.
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UTAH GREEN
What will you remember most about 2010?
Life began again.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
When the Sun Goes Down by Langhorne Slim
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
Joanna Newsom
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
Nohow On
What artist or artists would you most like to collaborate with next year?
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
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JIM LOUGHLIN (moe.)
What will you remember most about 2010?
I’d have to say Fuji Rock. That festival just leaves a lasting impression.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
I saw the Rush documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage this year so 2112 and Hemispheres have been getting a lot of play.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
I had a blast at the 4th of July show this year. It was a lot of fun.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
Consider the Source is a band people should try and see.
Who would you want to collaborate with next year?
Mike Dillon. He sat in with us at Bear Creek and it was awesome. He’s just super talented and I’d like to work with him at some time.
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ED ANDERSON (Backyard Tire Fire)
What will you remember most about 2010?
Sharing the stage with folks like ZZ Top, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Cracker, etc.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Mojo, Neil Young Le Noise.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
Opening for ZZ Top at the US Cellular Coliseum, Bloomington, IL. Home town gig warming up the stage for some of my childhood heroes!
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
Blitzen Trapper, Dawes, Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons, Joe Pug,
Retribution Gospel Choir, Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts, Chicago Farmer, and too many more to list…
Who would you want to collaborate with next year?
Would love to make another record with Steve Berlin from Los Lobos. Fantastic person and producer. Had a ball working with him on Good To Be!
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JAY SWEET (NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL, PRODUCER)
What will you remember most about 2010?
Musically…the crew party after Newport Folk Festival with The Low Anthem, Pokey LaFarge, Jim James, The Felice Brothers, Andrew Bird, Glen Hansard, Alex and Jade from Edward Sharpe, David Wax Museum, and a whole host of other artists hanging out having an impromptu hootenanny at an undisclosed location on site; that and learning to play “Furr” by Blitzen Trapper with my 6 year old on drums and my 3 year old on harmonica and creating this euphoric cacophony together.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Horse Feather’s Thistled Spring, Dawes North Hills, Sharon Jones I Learned The Hard Way, Avett Brothers I & Love & You
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
Atoms of Peace, Tallest Man on Earth, Avett Brothers, and seeing the Black Crowes at least six times and every show leaving with a big smile, a great story, and less hearing
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
The Head & The Heart, Middle Brother, The Secret Sisters, Trampled by Turtles
What artist or artists would you most like to collaborate with next year?
Tallest Man on Earth, Jack White, Eddie Vedder, and of course my kids again.
