The annual NYC Freak’s Ball moved over to the Brooklyn Bowl and expanded to two days of big names and big jams last weekend.   Warren Haynes, Eric Krasno, Joe Russo, Scott Metzger, and Marco Benevento came out to play to just to name a few of the freaks. This event is a testament to the thriving and growing New York City jamband community. Check out Jambands.com review and Relix’s video from the big gig.

Umphrey’s McGee played Friday and Saturday night shows at NYC’s Best Buy Theater to celebrate their 14th anniversary. The shows have received rave reviews from Umphreaks everywhere, as UM continues to blow up their shows with tight and energetic live performances. The prog-rockers covered Daft Punk and brought out Jennifer “J-Ha” Hartswick for a debut cover of the late Etta James ‘At Last’. Check out official LiveDownloads SBDs or head over to Jambands.com for their review of the smokin’ shows.

UM

Elsewhere in the big apple, the music never stopped this past weekend with shows from Avicii, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Ozomatli, and Zeds Dead. There truly is nowhere in the world like NYC for live music – the city that never sleeps, and never stopps jamming!

Poster by Joshua Morton

The latest (and most legitimate) Phish summer tour 2012 rumors:

-Phish returns to Bethel for memorial day weekend (latest word is that this is just about finalized)

-Phish ‘fest’ in AC at Bader Field, June 15th-17 (LOTS of talk about this, hotels are selling out. This seems likely). Watch a speech from the mayor of AC about the upcoming ‘jamband’ concerts in June (start video at 16:30)

-Phish in Vegas April’s Fools day weekend (see tweets from@jpcoolican)

-Phish will return to Bonnaroo (seems VERY likely). Most recent Bonnaroo clue likely about Phish: “And now for ‘RooClue #3: The original simpleton; misspell the mini-liar” (via Bonnaroo Twitter)

• Phil Lesh and Friends – 1/26/2008 Set 2 ALL

• Phish – 12/31/2009 – Fluffhead w/ Sarah!

• Ratdog – 8/06/2005 – Standing on the Moon 

• Blind Melon – 4/08/1994 (RIP Kurt Cobain) – Change

• Gov’t Mule – ?/?/2007  - The Letter (cover)

The unexpected Chalkdust sandwich, near flawless segue into I Am Hydrogen, and ripping 10+ minute Weekapaug Groove elevate this song series above the rest of the night. The energy is soaring throughout this run of songs, and the boys really seems locked in. Obviously the band felt this performance was worth re-visiting as well, based on the fact that they choose it as the one official video to release from the 29th. Enjoy this tasty groove!

You can get tickets for the newly announced show at Ticketmaster. The APE presale begins this Thursday at 10AM (password is layover) and the public on sale begins on Friday, also at 10AM. The first show sold out lightning fast, so grab em’ while you can phans!

FOR YOUR

SUNDAY LISTENING PLEASURE

YouTube-Music

• Phish – Steam>ALS>DWD – 12/31/2011 MSG

• Bisco – Astronaut> Helicopters Countdown – NYE

• Warren Haynes Band – River’s Gonna Rise – Xmas Jam

• STS9 – Shakedown Street – 12/29/2010 (Aud Only)

• DSO – Eyes of The World – 12/31/11, The Wellmont

• Trey Anastasio Band -Ether Sunday – 2/20/2011

1. FURTHUR

Photo: Mary Ouellette / SoundSpike

Bob Weir and Phil Lesh’s Furthur continue to tour from coast to coast, the incarnation closest to the original Grateful Dead experience. While there are haters and lovers of Furthur, all true deadheads can rejoice in seeing Bobby and Phil share the stage and make magic. To get a feel for where the band is at today, check out this show from Madison Square Garden from November 10th.

2012 Forecast: Furthur already has a spring tour booked, and will likely continue to tour at least through the end of 2012. With more Phil and Friends shows in the works and a possible Ratdog reunion tour, 2012 may be a lighter touring year than 2011.

2. 7 WALKERS

7 Walkers

If you haven’t heard the debut album or caught a show from Billy K. and Papa Mali’s ’7 Walkers’, do yourself a favor and check them out. This stripped down ensemble invented a whole new genre of Grateful Dead known to fans as ‘Swampadelica’. Their album is soulful, bluesy, fun, and a must have for deadheads. You can buy it from the official 7 Walker’s site here.

2012 Forecast:  Next up for 7 Walkers is a series of shows with Steve Kimock aboard next week’s Jam Cruise. After that, look for continued dedicated attention and touring from Billy K. as well as a possible follow-up studio album.

3. MICKEY HART BAND

Mickey has put together a brand spanking new band for 2012 with a whole slew of new original songs taboot. Check out the YouTube above to see the cast of characters that Mickey has assembled. The band just recently finished up a winter tour that was pretty smoking from what I’ve heard. Let’s hope Mickey keeps this band around for a while and releases some of the great new originals they’ve composed.

2012 Forecast:  Mickey and his new band already are still in the midst of a few January shows and then will likely be releasing an album of original material with a supporting tour to follow later in the year.

4. PHIL LESH AND FRIENDS

Phil Lesh reunited ‘Phil and Friends’ this year at Warren Haynes’ annual Christmas Jam. Check out the vid above of a playful China Cat Sunflower from the reunion. The Xmas Jam group featured Jackie Greene, Warren Haynes, Jeff Chimenti, Joe Russo, and of course uncle Phil himself.

This was just a preview though, Phil and Friends will be playing 3 shows in Colorado in February of 2012 with an amazing lineup of John Scofield and Warren Haynes on Guitar, Jackie Greene on Keyboard/Guitar, John ‘The Lion King’ Molo on Drums, and Phil. These shows promise to be nothing short of epic. To get a feel for what the shows might be like, check out the vid below of a very similar band featuring Warren and Sco from Mountain Jam 2007. I was at this show and it is probably my favorite P&F show ever out of many, many shows I’ve seen.

2012 Forecast:  Aside from the February shows, rumors have been swirling that Phil and Friends will crank out some more shows in 2012. Expect to see some one-off or mini-runs at Phil’s new Terrapin Crossroads venue.

5. DARK STAR ORCHESTRA

DSO

DSO continues to tour relentlessly, from New York to San Francisco to Jam in The Dam and beyond, bringing unmatched energy, passion, and love for the Grateful Dead canon to ‘Starheads’ everywhere. With Jeff Mattson firmly settled into the lead role in Dark Star, fans everywhere (including myself) can’t stop singing the praises of the new frontman and the raw 60s and 70s style psychedelic guitar work he brings to the band. If you’re still a skeptic on Dark Star and think they’re just a ‘cover band’, stop fooling yourself and catch them on their upcoming tours, you will not be sorry!

2012 Forecast:  DSO is sure to keep up the relentless touring in 2012. So far the band is playing the NE and SE in the winter, Jam in the Dam in March, and the West Coast in April. Expect a NE and festival tour in the summer, West Coast in late fall, and a return to the NE for NYE 2012.

Bonus Dead: As if this wasn’t enough, RATDOG is reuniting on January 25th for a special webcast show from Bob Weir’s TRI Studios venue that he launched in 2011. The golden road really does go on forever, and there’s nothing to do but smile about it.

GD

Here’s a taste of Weir and Hornsby together at moe. Down 2011 performing Jack Straw:

To get tickets, head on over to the APE pre-sale now (pw is ‘layover’) and get your tickets while they last.

PHIL LESH – TERRAPIN CROSSROADS LAUNCH!

FULL WEBSITE LIVE

PHIL'S NEW TERRAPIN

PHISH NYE RUN! WHAT A RUN IT WAS, LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT!

Contact -> Sample official vid

GREAT review of Night 1, the best of the run

Lots more to come, but what I wanna know is….