Freaker Scene

2-3-2010 Dark Star Orchestra @ the Varsity Theater

    Ever since moving to Minneapolis at age 18, I have noticed that this has always been a Grateful Dead town. That said, it remains today & this evening of the music playing the band via Dark Star Orchestra all in the spirit of the Dead.

    The 1st set was reported to be remarkable & thrilling by friends on the scene. The 2nd set was musically impressive & vibrantly dance centric. The Varsity is a fave cool venue for me & for ...
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12-29-2009 Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Ken Valdez @ 1st Avenue mainroom

Big Head Todd & the Monsters enliven the crowd.
 
    One downtown ritual I’ve enjoyed for years is Big Head Todd & the Monsters at the mainroom of First Avenue. It remains a true joy for me. You can tell they love to play this historic room & always bring their most potent juice.


    Ken Valdez did a good funk infused set to open the night. Then it was BHTMs for over ... << MORE >>

11/22/09 Widespread Panic @ Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI

Widespread Panic "Let's Get The Show On The Road" opener * foto: timmy

    Panic had pleasurably heated the chilly beer town massively for the 2 previous meltdown nights & now Sunday had arrived like the colossal mothership.  Following a powerful whim, I had traveled by train all day from the Twin Cities to join good friends for this finale show occasion.

From down on the street to outer space.... WsP

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11/18/09 Dinosaur Jr. @ First Avenue


Dinosaur Jr. detonate 1st Avenue


   This enormously anticipated rock show burstively blew thru town like a dangerous category 5 tornado as Dinosaur Jr. ragingly thrilled & rocked the captive
enthusiastic throngs at the quintessential premiere live nightclub First Avenue in the mainroom.  The place was pretty packed with enthusiasm from the loyal crowd clearly felt
in the air.  Dinosaur Jr. is J. Mascis on guitar, vocals, Lou Barlow on bass, vocals & Murph on drums.




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10/10/09 Davina & the Vagabonds @ The Dakota Jazz Club

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7/10/09 The Black Crowes @ Basilica Block Party Main Stage Mpls

   
    Seeing the Crowes in my main hometown feels like a dream come true minus the sloppy drunks, of course, that populate the Basilica’s annual urban debauchery fest.

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7/7/09 The Black Crowes @ Simon Estes Amphitheater Des Moines, IA


    After a smooth quick roadtrip, my friend Paul & I were ready (& beyond excitement) for a summer outdoor concert by the lively invincible Black Crowes in Des Moines.  We randomly ran into Luther in our hotel lobby just before soundcheck, which proved to be an unexpected treat.  Just when the gates were supposed to be open some annoying light rain was coming down while the stage remained draped in plastic.

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4/10/09 The English Beat @ The Cabooze

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3/31/09 Railroad Earth @ The Cabooze

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3/14/09 Zack Lozier Quintet @ The Dakota Jazz Club

ZLQ returned to the Dakota for another epic show for their late night series.  Led by trumpeter/composer Zack Lozier, this quintet is styled after those heading up the Blue Note Records era 5-pieces from the 50s & 60s namely artists like Art Blakey & Hank Mobley.


    The ZLQ = Zack Lozier on trumpet, Gus Sandberg on sax, Tanner Taylor on piano, Keith Boyles on upright bass & Reid Kennedy on drums.

    Zack & his krewe soared to open the first set with a few highly revered Lee Morgan tunes, which were the lovely & provocative “Afreaka” & “Rumproller”.  Lee is Zack’s musical hero & it truly shows in his passionate readings of these scintillating songs.  It should be noted too that these songs were recommended by Zack’s pro musician uncle Rick Germanson, who has been very influential.


    From here the crowd with myself included were won over delightfully macking on the groove as the hip cats might say.  After this warm up, Zack & the rest engagingly torqued into (Zack Lozier) originals “Mogie’s Lament” & “The Comeback” to a very strong response & heated reception for the enrapt audience.  Zack wrote “Mogie’s Lament” in 2009 as a tradition honoring tribute to his aforementioned mentor Lee Morgan, who had the nickname “Mogie”.  Zack’s prolific  “The Comeback” was composed in about 2001. 

    ZLQ rounded out the impressive set with a captivating rendition of Horace Silver’s “The Preacher” (actually an old standard) further astounding the night’s attendees.


Zack Lozier Quintet live @ the Dakota 3-14-09 * all fotos: timmy

    Zack’s 2nd set flew open with another of his career hero Hank Mobley’s quintessential “Hipsippy Blues” (recorded on Blue Note by the Jazz Messengers) pleasing the crowd thoroughly.  After that they cooked into the 1938 popular song (written by J. Fred Coots, lyrics by Haven Gillespie) & one of the world’s most enduring standards “You Go To My Head”, which was played &/or recorded by so many including Billie Holiday, Louie Armstrong, Sinatra, Dizzy, Ella, Jerome Kern, even Rod Steward & then some.  The quintet shined on this.  Following that was the penultimate John Coltrane tune “Lazy Bird” (found on the album “Blue Trane” featuring Lee Morgan), which came off like a vivid dream.  The Thad Jones composition “3 & 1” was heard next exuding momentous jazzy soul & stylish substance.

    The ZLQ closed the set & show strong with more of Zack’s exquisite wonderful originals “Rum Dance” (written in about 2001) & “Em’s Walk” (2001).  These were a peak highlight for me as Zack visibly put his heart & soul into their emotive live rendering.  Something to note here that made the night even more special was the touching presence of Zack’s grandparents who ventured into town all the way from Milwaukee for the show.

ZLQ dazzles the captive crowd..

    Zack Lozier is a trumpet playing legend waiting to happen.  This is my honest assessment of his passion, skills, ambition & subsequent future career rise.  He’s young, strong & gaining chops & playing experience everywhere he turns.  He & I have been friends a long time.  I’ve noticed his vast talent improve & expand.  Very inspiring.  You can find Zack playing in other groups such as Davina & the Vagabonds, Jack Brass Band, The Irresistibles, as well as guesting with many many others.

   Lastly, I want to encourage you to see Zack play & to invite you to his website http://www.zacklozier.com.  You can see video of this ZLQ show at the Dakota (also vids posted on youtube.com/broddsgarage) <here.  Don’t be shy.  This is all welcoming music that begs to be heard & appreciated.  Find yourself there.

"The Comeback"  3-14-09 video is here.

"Mogie's Lament" 3-14-09 video is here.   Enjoy..



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