12/27/08 Disco Biscuits @ Nokia Theater, New York, NY

Set 1: Jam > Orch Theme > Tricycle > 42 > Orch Theme > 42, Uber Glue
Set 2: Jam > Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On1 2, Rock Your Dance1 3, Tamarin Alley, Reactor > Mindless Dribble4 > Reactor, Spraypaint4 > Little Shimmy In A Conga Line5, Bernstein And Chasnoff
Encore: Digital Buddha
1with Tuphace on vocals
21st time played (Funkadelic)
31st time played (Tuphace)
4unfinished
5ending only

This was the Biscuits' first New Year's run at Nokia, which has become their NYC home.

The first set was pretty solid and they had a very nice jam to start set two. The guest vocalist threw off the momentum a bit, but they recovered for a decent show. Nothing mind-blowing though.

4/12/08 Disco Biscuits @ Nokia Theater, New York, NY

04/12/08 • Nokia Theatre • New York , NY
Set 1: M.E.M.P.H.I.S. > Lunar Pursuit > Shelby Rose1 > Air Song1 > And The Ladies Were The Rest Of The Night2
Set 2: Rockafella > Above The Waves3 > Bazaar Escape2, Resurrection > Spacebirdmatingcall > Shadow > 42
Encore: Mulberry's Dream
1inverted
2ending only
3completes 4/11 version (ending and beginning sections only)

I know I caught one of the shows of the Biscuits' inaugural run at the Nokia, which would quickly become one of their most venerated stomping grounds. I am 90% sure it was this one.

12/22/07 Badfish (Sublime tribute) @ Nokia Theater, New York, NY

This long running Sublime tribute act played all the greatest hits and then some quite capably.

At one point, the fake Gwen Stefani from No Doubt tribute act Excuse Me Mister passed me a joint. There's something abjectly postmodern about that.

During setbreak, we watched two teens put on the longest recorded public make out session in history. Nothing postmodern about that.

11/23&24/07 Dark Star Orchestra @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

11/23/07 • Nokia Theatre • New York , NY
Original Setlist
Set 1: Sugar Magnolia> Loose Lucy, Cassidy, Mr. Charlie, HC Sunshine, Music Never Stopped> Unbroken Chain> Sunshine Daydream
Set 2: Help on the Way> Slipknot> Feel Like a Stranger> Franklin's Tower, Alligator> Drums> Space> Other One> Alligator> Other One> Standing on the Moon> Lovelight
Encore: Werewolves of London

11/24/07 • Nokia Theatre • New York , NY
8/12/81 • Salt Palace • Salt Lake City, UT
Set 1: Alabama Getaway> Greatest Story, Friend of the Devil, Mama Tried> Mexicali Blues, Jack a Roe, C.C. Rider, Althea, Lost Sailor> St. of Circumstance
Set 2: Might as Well> Women are Smarter, Scarlet Begonias> Fire on the Mountain, Estimated Prophet> Eyes of the World> Drums> Space> Spanish Jam> Truckin'> Morning Dew> Around & Around> Good Lovin'
Encore: US Blues
Filler: We Bid You Goodnight

On occasion, DSO will deviate from their normal template and bust out a stellar original set composed of Dead tunes, as was the case on the first night of this holiday run. They returned to their standard operating procedure on the second night for an early '80s gem.

10/31/07 Phil Lesh & Friends @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

10/31/07 • Nokia Theatre • New York , NY
Set 1: Shakedown Street > Loose Lucy, Don't Let The Devil Take Your Mind1, Candyman, I Put A Spell on You1 > Story of the Ghost > Casey Jones
Set 2: The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allen Poe, Cryptical Envelopment > Boris The Spider1 > Caution (Do Not Step On Tracks) > Voodoo Chile1 > The Other One > Cryptical Envelopment > New Speedway Boogie > Fire On The Mountain, Sympathy For The Devil1 > I Know You Rider
Encore: Donor Rap/Intros, Werewolves Of London
1 first time played

For all the emphasis placed on Halloween in the live music scene, this remains one of the only shows I've seen on that particular day. This kicked off an extended run by Phil Lesh's latest group of Friends in the heart of Times Square.

The setlist included numerous tunes referencing the appropriate spooky epherma of ghosts and devils and such. The second set opened with a spine-tingling jam while Phil read Poe.

I also caught one other show on this 9 night run, but I can't remember which one. However, I do remember seeing Mike Gordon in the balcony.

10/19/07 Umphrey's McGee @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

10/19/07 • Nokia Theatre • New York , NY
Set 1: Higgins, Der Bluten Kat, Intentions Clear, Bright Lights, Big City, Great American1 > That's the Way1 > Great American1
Set 2: Nemo > Meeting In The Aisle > Nemo, Pay the Snucka > Jimmy Stewart2 > 40's Theme, The Stranger, Eat, Out of Order > Mood For A Day3 > Pay the Snucka
Encore: Hangover
1Brendan and Jake on Acoustics
2Tim Lefebvre replaces Ryan on bass
3Jake Solo

This might have been the last time I saw Umphrey's at Nokia. The highlights were the appropriate "Bright Lights, Big City" and the "Hangover" encore.

10/07/07 Common/Q-Tip @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

Even though Q-Tip stuck mainly to his new material featuring more singign than rapping. The man can sing, but I really just wanted to hear his classic Tribe material.

Common put on one of the best live hip hop performances I've ever seen backed by a live band, which was the style at the time. He is a showman through and through working the audience and rocking the mic right.

The highlight of the night was when he brought Q-Tip and surprise guest KRS-ONE on stage for an impromptu freestyle.

09/29/07 Sound Tribe Sector 9 @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

I wish I could remember something about this show that caused me to miss Talib Kweli, A-Trak and Hifana's only U.S. appearance, but I can't.

05/18/07 Riders on the Storm (ex-Doors) @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

Following charges of copyright infringement after performing under the moniker Doors of the 21st Century, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger, original keyboardist and guitarist for The Doors respectively, headed out on another tour, this time borrowing a name from one of their best songs, Riders of The Storm. This incarnation included Fuel lead singer Brett Scallions.

No one, much less Scallions, could ever hope to replicate the stage presence of the legendary original front man Jim Morrison, but the show was an enjoyable, if predictable string of faithful renditions of classic Doors hits.

The real thrill of the night came later at the Hotel QT's swim-up bar. The pool area also featured a steam room and a sauna. A DJ and projectionist added to the ambiance. The whole set-up was simultaneously relaxing and liberating, inspiring various random acts of nudity.

04/06/07 Martin Sexton @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

I was not then, nor am I now, familiar with Mr. Sexton's work, but a couple of my friends were going and the price was right.

12/29/06 Greyboy Allstars @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

The Greyboy Allstars formed out of a collaboration between SoCal acid jazz DJ Greyboy and saxophonist Karl Denson. Eventually the project swelled to a full band soul funk project including organ wizard Robert Walters. This show was one of the first after a several year hiatus.

12/02/06 Umphrey's McGee @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

Set 1: Hurt Bird Bath, Ocean Billy > Resolution1 > Ocean Billy, Morning Song, Mulche's Odyssey
Set 2: Bridgeless > The Triple Wide2, The Bottom Half, Sweet Child O' Mine3, Push the Pig4, Miss Tinkle's Overture > Much Obliged > Bridgeless
Encore: Band on the Run5
1'Norwegian Wood' Tease 2'Carol Of The Bells' Tease ; '25 Or 6 To 4' Jam 3Jennifer Hartwsick on Vocals ; Last Played 10/16/2000 (891 Shows) 4Jake on Additional Keyboards 5Last Played 10/22/2002 (586 Shows)

Umphrey's was becoming less impressive with each performance I caught, but the price was right.

I don't remember much about this show other than the covers, neither of which were particularly inspiring.

10/28/06 Derek Trucks Band/Susan Tedeschi Band @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

Derek Trucks Band
I Wish I Knew, Volunteered Slavery > I'll Find My Way, Sahib Teri Bandi, Leavin' Trunk, Soul Serenade, Mahjoun > Greensleeves, Key To The Highway, Walkin Blues1, Anyday2, Sugaree3, Gonna Move4
E:Feel So Bad5, The Weight6

1 w/ Derek Trucks - guitar, Susan Tedeschi vocals only
2 w/ Susan Tedeschi - vocals
3 w/ Susan Tedeschi- guitar & vocals,Ron Holloway-tenor sax, The Persuasions- vocals
4 w/ Susan Tedeschi- guitar & vocals,Ron Holloway-tenor sax, The Persuasions- vocals, William Greene-organ and piano, Kofi Burbridge-clavinet only
5 w/Susan Tedeschi - guitar & vocals, Ron Holloway-tenor sax
6 w/ Susan Tedeschi- vocals, Ron Holloway-tenor sax

Another LifeBeat show, this one featuring the bands of Allman Brothers slide guitar scion Derek Trucks and his nearly equally talented wife Susan Tedeschi.

The highlight was the a capella group The Persuasions coming out for a nice version of Dead staple Sugaree. And of course, the second encore of everyone's favorite sing-along Band tune.

07/15/06 Les Claypool & His Fancy Band @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

Rumble of the Diesel, Up on the Roof, Of Whales and Woe, Long in the Tooth, Vernon the Company Man, Mr. Krinkle tease > One Step Beyond, D's Diner, Drums, Buzzards of Green Hill, Cosmic Highway, One Better > Tommy the Cat tease > One Better
E: American Life1, Iowan Gal1, Lust Stings
1 Les solo on bass banjo
Les Claypool - Bass, Gabby LaLa - Sitar, Skerik - Saxaphone, Mike Dillon - Percussion, Paulo Baldi - Drums

After missing attempts in the prior several years to catch Les with the Frog Brigade, Bucket of Bernie Brains and Primus, I finally got to see him with his latest group and it did not disappoint.

I came for bass slapping wizardry and that is exactly what I got with Skerik saxaphonic weirdness taboot.

Les Claypool truly is one of a kind

05/13/06 Dark Star Orchestra @ Nokia Theater, New York, NY

1: WRS Prelude@> WRS Part 1@> Let It Grow, Half Step, Jack Straw, West LA Fadeaway, Cassidy, Run for the Roses, Esau, Hey Pockey Way> Deal
2: China Cat> I Know You Rider, Dancin', Liberty@ , Sailor@> Saint@> Drums> Space> Other One> Stella Blue> Lovelight
Encore: Box of Rain> Saturday Night
Notes: Special guest keyboardist Dan Klepinger - @Eaton on acoustic

This show holds a special place in my heart since it was the night I met my girlfriend. We were both working at the Lifebeat table and we hit it off immediately. Curiously, she knew nothing of the Grateful Dead prior to that fateful night.

Several years later, we are still happily together and she is now a converted 'head.

05/12/06 Dark Star Orchestra @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

10-08-1989 Coliseum, Hampton, VA
Set 1: Foolish Heart> Walking Blues, Candyman, Me & My Uncle> Big River,Stagger Lee, Queen Jane, Bird Song> Promised
Set 2: Help> Slipknot> Franklin's, Victim> Eyes> Drumz>Miracle> Wheel> Gimme Some Lovin> Morning Dew
Encore: We Bid You Goodnight
Filler: Marriage Proposal, TLEO, Good Lovin'
Notes: Special guest keyboardist Dan Klepinger

This was a reinterpretation of one of the legendary Hampton '89 shows, during which the Dead were billed as Formerly The Warlocks. Unfortunately, DSO did not choose the show that included the Dark Star bust out.

The most memorable part of this show was the post-encore marriage proposal. She said yes.

04/21/06 Toots & The Maytals/Soulive @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

This was a stellar pairing of my favorite jazz funk trio and one of the founding fathers of reggae, who actually coined the term in his 1968 single, "Do the Reggay."

Soulive's set was highlighted by the predictable, yet effective Zeppelin cover and voice box "California" jam. "New York city knows how to party!"

03/28/06 Rob Zombie/Lacuna Coil @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

Primarily focused on his film directing career these days it seems, Rob Zombie still finds the time to bring his brand of horror thrash metal to a live concert setting. But here he was in all his kitschy glory replete with giant monsters and other assorted cinematic touches rocking Nokia in proper Zombie fashion.

The opener, Lacuna Coil, was less memorable.

03/01/06 Dropkick Murphys/Sick Of It All/Horrorpops @ Nokia Theatre, New York, NY

Back to faint recollections after a brief spell of relatively immediate reactions...

This was a strange venue for the Dropkicks, especially after being shut out of their packed to the gills American Legion show just several years prior.

It was nice to catch veteran hardcore punkers Sick Of It All as well.

01/26/06 MF Doom/Big Daddy Kane @ Nokia Theater, New York, NY

MySpace blog repost alert!

This is a short one, which bothers me because it's a great story and I'd like to give it due respect. But laziness comes into play.

We begin at the first ever hip hop show at the brand-spanking-new Nokia Theatre in Times Square. This place is super-corporate (there are cell phones and other electronics on display in the lobby), but it's immaculate: great acoustics, beautiful decor complete with color-changing lights in the hallways and, though it was pretty much packed to capacity, it never felt crowded.

As for the music, it was a who's who of hip hopper's hip hoppers headlined by the man in the mask himself, MF DOOM, although old-schooler Big Daddy Kane stole the show. Other scheduled acts included Little Brother, Pete Rock, Spec Boogie, Lord Sear. Unannounced guests were practically a show themselves: Jin (tha Chinese MC), Joe Scudda, Boot Camp Clik, Raheem and Melle Mel (original Furious Five members performing their classic "The Message"), and last but not least, for the encore, Talib Kweli (who had been up in the VIP lounge smoking blunts mere feet from me until that point). All in all an amazing show, compounded by the fact that I got a free pass with VIP access thanks to LifeBeat.

Unfortunately the story does not end there.

It all started when I was at the LifeBeat table and the hottest girl in attendance walked in. I'm talking jaw-droppingly gorgeous. And her pleated denim mini skirt showing off her beautiful legs did not hurt at all. I saw her with some guy that I assumed to be her boyfriend so I didn't pursue her (not that I would've anyways).

So I see this same girl up in VIP, sans boyfriend, looking dead sexy and kind of lonely. I start to think that maybe I should go talk to her, but I just exchanged glances until she finally walked away. At this point I'm pretty much kicking myself for being so shy.

Now the whole show I'd been rolling cigarettes and spliffs (weed/tobacco mix for you straight-edgers out there) and I had half of one of each of those in my Drum tobacco pouch.

Cut to outside the Nokia Theatre right after the show. I'm ready to go home pretty much, but I have this crazy idea in my head that I can somehow find this girl amidst the sea of humanity. Just my luck, she was right outside smoking a cigarette. I pulled what I assumed to be a half-smoked cigarette out of my pouch and walked over to ask for a light. Surprise, surprise! The lovely young lady who had intimidated me all night long was an enthralling conversationalist. Her name is Emily. She goes to F.I.T. and I'm pretty sure she said she lives right near me in Queens. If anyone knows this girl, send her my way.

The reason I don't have her number is because, after a minute of talking to her, I was surrounded by about ten of NYPD's finest (OXYMORON ALERT!!!). You guessed it. I was smoking a spliff in the busiest sector of the busiest city in the fucking world which thanks to Giuliani (Rudy G. for President 2008!), is swarming with those beloved boys in blue 24/7. Needless to say, especially if you know me, I was cuffed and taken into custody by some decidedly inept Keystoners.

Now if you do know me, you know that I am not one to show any type of courtesy to arresting officers, of which there have been more than a few. I'm sarcastic and indignant, normally anyways.

For some reason, I was uncharacteristically calm and civil to all 37 (I think) arresting officers plus the ones I met down at the Midtown South Precinct. And wouldn't you know it paid off?

I was thinking that I'd finally be headed to the legendary Central Booking (I later found out that they never send you there for an Unlawful Marijuana Possession, even though all the cops told me I was headed there), and I was sort of looking forward to it after an hour and change in a holding cell. But after no more than two hours I was released with a summons and several officers thanked me for my courtesy.

I would pause here to reflect on my previous experiences with the injustice system of this fine country, but that's practically a fucking novel there.

This was the least amount of time I've ever spent in a holding cell out of the four times I can recall offhand. Every previous time I thought I could argue my way out of the situation (you never can) or at least make their lives a little less bearable by being a total prick (they like that because then they can reciprocate and that's why they became cops in the first place). I feel like a jack-ass for not realizing any of this shit earlier, because it seems so obvious to me now and I could've saved myself a lot of grief.

So niceness is as niceness does. As obvious as that sounds, it took me 23 years to apply it to piggies. And I still feel as though I beat the system in some way by not giving the cops the opportunity to be total dicks to some stoner kid, which I could tell they were all itching to do. And maybe, just maybe, they realized that at least one pothead is a decent, intelligible dude and not a common criminal.

Score one for the longhairs!!!

OK, that turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be, but I'm glad because that's been sitting in my brain for a minute.

QUOTES OF THE NIGHT

"I guess those hip-hop guys are drawing a more diverse audience these days."
-unknown and borderline racist policeman after hearing what kind of event was going on at Nokia Theatre

"The traditional thing to do is a moment of silence, right?.....Fuck that! This is hip hop."
-Big Daddy Kane after rattling off an Oscaresque list of every celebrity (Richard Pryor, Luther Vandross, etc.) and hip hop cat (Big L, Jam Master Jay, etc.) who has died in the past 15 years or so and then calling for a "moment of noise"

OTHER RANDOM SHIT

A few minutes before I exited the Nokia Theatre, I ran into a cracked-out looking Dan Tamberelli (see blog entry #1) who did not remember me at all.

Melle Mel is one of the most diesel dudes I have ever seen, straight up. He could totally kick Fitty's bullet-riddled ass.

Until next time...

This still stands as the last time I ever got arrested after several unfortunate run-ins with the law from 2003-2005.