The Sound September 2023 Issue 154

Performing September 7th, Mohegan Sun

Machine Gun Kelly is a Grammy-nominated artist who is an atomic force in music, entertainment, film and fashion. In 2020, the Cleveland, Ohio native eclipsed genre expectations releasing a Rock/Pop Punk album, the widely acclaimed Tickets to My Downfall. The platinum album topped the Billboard 200 and became his first No. 1 effort. Tickets to My Downfall landed 18 tracks on the Hot Rock Songs chart and spawned two No. 1 songs on the alternative side with "bloody valentine" and "my ex’s best friend," which both went platinum. In 2022 he followed with Mainstream Sellout, his second album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 cementing his status as a chart-topping artist.

Performing September 9th, Foxwoods

The Psychedelic Furs may not have invented rock & roll per se, but their influence since arriving on the post-punk scorched-earth landscape four decades ago has reverberated and resonated among all those who cherish the sweet-and-sour spot where rawness and romanticism meet. Born out of the UK rock scene and led by vocalist and songwriter Richard Butler, and his bass-wielding brother Tim, the Furs quickly developed as one of the premiere bands at college and alternative radio scoring a multitude of major hits with "Love My Way," "Pretty In Pink," "Heaven," "The Ghost In You," and “Heartbreak Beat” in all releasing eight studio albums, spawning several compilations, a boxed set, a live concert DVD and inspiring one of the most iconic motion picture soundtracks of all time. Their latest release “Made Of Rain” became the Furs’ second highest charting UK Album ever and was prominently featured in the end of year “Best Albums” roundup in a multitude of publications worldwide. The Furs especially thrive live in concert having headlined the U.K.’s famed Glastonbury Festival, performing at sold out gigs at the California’s Hollywood Bowl and continuing to tour quite regularly around the globe.

Performing September 16th, Wall St Theater

The High Kings continue to set the bar extremely high for Irish Folk bands across the world and are widely regarded to be at the forefront of the genre. In 2019 after a 12 year journey The High Kings continue to perform in sell out venues across the globe to their ever-growing army of loyal fans that span generations.

machine gun kelly psychedelic furs the high kings

“pressure”

“evergreen”

“go with the flow”

n o t e s

announcements you might have missed

9.08

the loveliest time dying fetus: Make Them Beg For Death

Allison Russell: the returner

9.15

teddy swims: I've Tried Everything But Therapy Part 1

killer mike: michael

9.22

staind confessions of the fallen

australian pink floyd show

Performing the music of Pink Floyd with note for note perfection, this critically acclaimed tribute show has been astonishing audiences worldwide. Striving to reproduce the Pink Floyd experience and bring the music to new audiences, the show continues to include a stunning light and laser show, video animations, state of the art high resolution LED screen technology and other special effects. To accompany these visuals are several large inflatables including a giant pig and their own distinct Pink Kangaroo.

September 21st, The Capitol Theatre NY

men without hats

With a mixture of the latest digital technology and the best of the analog world (including an actual prophet 5 synthesizer that was used during The Safety Dance recording session), Men Without Hats continue their voyage into the world of synth-pop, with a sound forged in the past and hardened by their life experience and commitment to the future. For the past 10 years, Men Without Hats have toured the world with the cream of 80’s royalty, and have had two of their songs – The Safety Dance and Pop Goes The World – inducted into the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

Sept 22nd, Wall Street Theater

3TEETH: endex

wilco: cousin

The Replacements: tim let it bleed edition

Seth Lakeman: somerset sessions

Featuring Aztec Two-Step 2.0

The music is anchored by Rex Fowler, co-founder of the renowned folk/rock duo Aztec Two-Step. Rex is joined by his wife Dodie Pettit on lead guitar, keyboards, and vocals. Dodie was also an original cast member of Broadway’s greatest success story, The Phantom of the Opera. Multiinstrumentalist Steven Roues, multi-horn player Joe Meo, and drummer/ percussionist Peter Hohmeister round out the band.

The show’s storyline was created by Pete Fornatale, the late great pioneer of progressive FM radio and author of Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends biography.

September 23rd, SHU Theatre, Fairfield

The Simon and Garfunkel Songbook

Carly Rae Jepsen:

Olivia Rodrigo guts bright pink

otep the god slayer

@Mohegan Sun Arena

Old Dominion emerged as one of Nashville’s most successful Post-modern Country bands, fusing clever lyrics with an infectious sound. Their lyrical wit and hook heavy songwriting is a winning proposition. Since breaking onto the scene, the band has achieved eight No. 1 singles at Country radio, over one billion on-demand streams, multiple Platinum and Gold single certifications and headlined arenas and amphitheaters around the globe. Old Dominion are currently the 5X reigning CMA and ACM “Group of the Year.” T-Shirt $40.

megadeath/biohazard

Thrash pioneers Megadeth have announced a new round of dates on their ongoing Crush the World Tour — and none other than the reunited Biohazard are set to play in support. The OG lineup of Biohazard — bassist-vocalist Evan Seinfeld, guitarist-vocalist Billy Graziadei, guitarist Bobby Hambel and drummer Danny Schuler — played their first show together in over a decade in June, coming together onstage at the Jamey Jasta-resurrected Milwaukee Metal Fest.

september 16th: foxwoods

@Foxwoods

Jordan Davis is a contemporary country singer who proudly follows in the footsteps of Sam Hunt, dressing his solid country foundation with a blend of pop, modern R&B, and hip-hop. This fusion can be heard on "Singles You Up," the bright and soulful track that helped push his debut, 2018's Home State, to number six on the Top Country Albums chart. He then reaffirmed his country roots on 2021's Buy Dirt mini-LP, hitting number one on the Top Country Songs chart with his title track duet with Luke Bryan, a success that set up the 2023 release of his second album, Bluebird Days.Hoodie $40

friendsgiving 2023

The Cap’s fave rave rock, jazz, bluegrass jam band returns for their annual Friendgiving three night run. Twiddle announced three Frendsgiving concerts over Thanksgiving Weekend at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York November 24 – 26.

The three-night stand at the Rock Palace will be the band’s last shows before beginning an indefinite hiatus. Frendsgiving at The Cap has been a tradition for the quartet dating back to 2017. Kitchen Dwellers will open on the 24th and 25th before Twiddle says “goodbye for now” with a three-set show that includes an acoustic first set on the 26th.

nov 24-26: the capitol theatre,ny

9.23

9.22 old dominion

jordan davis

UPCOMING GARDE EVENTS!

CROCE PLAYS CROCE

THURSDAY, 09.14.23 | 7:30 PM

A.J. Croce performs Croce Plays Croce, a special night of music featuring a complete set of classics by his late father Jim Croce, some of his own tunes, and songs that influenced both him and his father Sponsoredby:NutmegBuilding &Remodeling

DIRECT FROM SWEDEN:

THE MUSIC OF ABBA

SUNDAY, 09.17.23 | 7 PM

“The Music of ABBA” are no strangers to the incomparable sound and look of Sweden’s greatest music export with meticulous attention to costumes, make-up, and musical arrangements, nothing is left to chance.

BRUCE HORNSBY & THE NOISEMAKERS

THURSDAY, 09.21. 23 | 7:30 PM

Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers will celebrate 25 years of Spirit Trail, bringing the album’s anniversary tour to the Garde this fall! Each ticket will include a copy of the Spirit Trail: 25th Anniversary Edition 3-CD box set.

ERIC D’ALESSANDRO

FRIDAY, 09.22 .23 | 8 PM

Long before he was old enough to enter a comedy club, native New Yorker Eric D’Alessandro was creating and honing his act online. He next conquered social media, gathering 349,000 followers on Instagram and 590,000 on TikTok.

KURT VILE AND THE VIOLATORS

WITH SPECIAL GUEST: JOANNA STERNBERG

SATURDAY, 09.23.23 | 8 PM

Philadelphia psych-pop master Kurt Vile will play the Garde stage with his band The Violators. Kurt Vile combines poetic lyric with guitar genius. This great modern American songwriter exudes a wholesome and easy charm

WORLD BALLET SERIES: CINDERELLA

SUNDAY, 09.24. 23 | 6 PM

An enchanting story for all ages with a wonderful dose of humor, majesty of classical ballet and the promise of “happily ever after”.

THE MOTH: TRUE STORIES TOLD LIVE

FRIDAY, 09.29.23 | 8 PM

The Moth is true stories, told live and without notes. The Moth celebrates the ability of stories to honor both the diversity and commonality of human experience, and to satisfy a vital human need for connection. Sponsoredby: WSHU-NPR

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

SUNDAY, 10.01 .23 | 3 PM

MANHATTAN SHORT is the only film festival of its kind where you are the judge with audiences around the world during a one-week period choosing the Best Short Film and Best Actor awards. These are movies you can only see on the giant screen!

BALLET HISPANICO

FRIDAY, 10.06.23 | 8 PM

America’s leading Latino dance organization, bringing communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through dance for nearly 50 years

CHRIS BOTTI

SATURDAY, 10.07.23 | 8 PM

For over two decades, Grammy Award-winning master trumpeter and composer Chris Botti has amassed a spectacular variety of honors, including multiple Gold and Platinum albums, to become the largest selling instrumental artist in The United States.

STEVE HACKETT – GENESIS REVISITED

FOXTROT AT 50 + HACKETT HIGHLIGHTS

FRIDAY, 10.13.23 | 8 PM

Steve Hackett brings Foxtrot at Fifty to North America for a string of eagerly awaited dates following the huge selling UK 2022 tour

+LIVE+ UNPLUGGED

SUNDAY, 10.15.23 | 7:30 PM

With some of the alt-rock era’s biggest hits up their sleeve, you don’t want to miss an evening with the multi-Platinum band +LIVE+ +LIVE+ have sold over 22 million albums worldwide

BREATHE RITE

FRIDAY, 10.27.23 | 7 PM

New London artist Kolton Harris’s series of music short films combine storytelling with musical exploration around the themes of equity, justice, humanity and unity. Each film is based off of a song from his EP called 4Freedom. Join us for a screening of the series and the premiere of the last film in the series Breathe Rite.

BORED TEACHERS COMEDY TOUR

SATURDAY 10.28.23 | 8 PM

Bored Teachers presents the 2023 ‘We Can’t Make This Stuff Up’ Comedy Tour featuring the funniest teacher-comedians in the world!

LET’S SING TAYLOR

A LIVE BAND EXPERIENCE CELEBRATING TAYLOR SWIFT

SATURDAY 11 .04. 23 | 8 PM

So, let the games begin. Calling all Swifties to sing your hearts out and sport your Taylor-inspired attire. Let’s Sing Taylor is headed to the Garde.

EVIL WOMAN: AMERICAN ELO EXPERIENCE

FRIDAY, 11.10.23 | 8 PM

You will be left spellbound by the flawless musicianship and vocals of EVIL WOMAN’s 12 musicians as well as the fusion of Beatlesque-Pop and classical arrangements where cellos co-exist with guitars, and where classically tinged rock intersects with pop

MASTERS OF ILLUSION: BELIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE

SATURDAY, 11.11 .23 | 8 PM

Audiences will be held at the edge of their seats by the jaw-dropping grand illusions and laugh out loud at the hysterical comedy magic as performers from around the world combine fantasy, fervor and flair with magic created in front of their very eyes.

LEWIS BLACK: OFF THE RAILS

SUNDAY, 11.19.23 | 7 PM

Known as the King of Rant, Lewis Black uses his trademark style of comedic yelling and finger pointing to expose the absurdities of life. His comedic brilliance makes people laugh at life’s hypocrisies and the insanity he sees in the world.

A MAGICAL CIRQUE CHRISTMAS

SUNDAY, 11.26.23 | 4 PM

ARTRAGEOUS SUNDAY, 12 .30.23 | 4 PM

THE ARTIMUS PYLE BAND & SOULSHINE FRIDAY, 02.09.24 | 8 PM

LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO

TUESDAY, 02.27.24

q u i c picksk

shows we’ll be attending this month

9.16

In James McMurtry’s new effort, The Horses and the Hounds, the acclaimed songwriter backs personal narratives with effortless elegance and endless energy. The seasoned tunesmith is in peak form as he turns toward reflection and revelation.

“James McMurtry may be the truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation”

Stephen King

9.20

stage one, ftc daryl’s house club, ny

The seven-time Blues Music Awards recipient (and the 2009 B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, the Blues Foundation’s highest honor) and 2016 Grammy Award nominee Janiva Magness will simultaneously release the Fathead audio book edition of Weeds

Like Us, her frank, profoundly moving 2019 memoir. Los Angeles composer and musician Matt Cartsonis produced. LA Weekly named the volume its “Book of the Month,” while No Depression said, “[Magness] plumbs her own emotional depths, carrying us with her through her own hells and back to the other side. Ultimately, Magness’ memoir is a story of hope and the refusal to let the worst experiences of life kill you.”

ludacris

As a recording artist, he has sold more than 24 million albums worldwide, thanks to the blockbuster success of such singles as “Stand Up,” “Get Back,” “Southern Hospitality,” “Number One Spot,” “Money Maker” and “My Chick Bad.” All of these records were accompanied by ingenious videos that demonstrated Bridges’ far-reaching imagination, and his willingness to stretch the boundaries of what rap videos should look and feel like.

September 2nd, Foxwoods

kurt vile & the violators

Since his earliest self-produced CD-Rs, Philadelphia psych-pop master Kurt Vile has referred to himself as “Philly’s Constant Hitmaker“—and while he gave himself that name with a sly wink, he was also nodding toward the songwriting prowess that would result in him becoming one of his home city’s most celebrated rock artists. On his latest album, (watch my moves), Vile pulls his talents as a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer in unexpected directions—and the result is a vibrant, yet meditative album propelled by Vile’s laid-back charm and curious spirit.

September 23rd, Garde Arts Center.

9.21

the kate, old saybrook

Lucy Kaplansky is an acclaimed singer-songwriter of rare talent, “a truly gifted performer with a bag full of enchanting songs” (The New Yorker) and “the troubadour laureate of modern city folk” (The Boston Globe). She has released eight critically acclaimed CDs, two of which were awarded Best Pop Album of the year by the Association for Independent Music. National Public Radio described her 2012 album “Reunion” as “a master class in making the personal universal,” and her most recent album

“Everyday Street” has been dubbed“ spare and luminous” and “remarkable.”

dropkick murphys

Dropkick Murphys proudly remain Boston’s Rock ‘N’ Roll underdogs turned champions. Since 1996, the boys have created the kind of music that’s meant to be chanted at last call, in packed arenas, and during the fourth quarter, third period, or ninth inning of a comeback rally. Their celebrated discography includes four consecutive Billboard top 10 album debuts (2021’s Turn Up That Dial, 11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory, Signed and Sealed in Blood, Going Out In Style), along with 2005’s gold-selling The Warrior’s Code featuring the near double platinum classic “I’m Shipping Up To Boston.” Sept 28th, Mohegan Sun Arena

ISS 154

Joshua Radin emerged in 2004 as an empathetic, engaging, and often enthralling troubadour. Over the years, he’s tallied north of 1 billion streams, moved 1 million -plus albums worldwide, and scored a gold certification for the single “I’d Rather Be With You.” His music has appeared in over 200 films, television series, and commercials. In addition to multiple showstopping appearances on Ellen (who also enlisted him to perform at her wedding) and Today Show, and performances on The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, and Conan, he contributed “Brand New Day” to a commercial in support of the troops at the request of First Ladies Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. He’s played to sold out crowds around the globe and shared the stage with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos and more. Not to mention, he’s a staunch philanthropist who supports Little Kids Rock and North Shore Animal League America (NSALA), among others. Thus far his catalog consists of nine full-length offerings highlighted by fan favorites such as We Were Here, Simple Times, Underwater and Wax Wings.

$100 VIP Meet and Greet Package includes

• A one-song performance in front of the stage pre-show

• Autograph and photo with Joshua Radin

• Early access to the venue 30 minutes before doors for crowd

A WHOLE NEW SE ASO N STARTS T HIS FALL!

CHRIS SMITHER + TIM O’BRIEN WITH JAN FABRICIUS

SAT, SEP 30

LEGENDARY FOLK & GRAMMY WINNING BLUEGRASS

MACWOOD FLEET PLAYS RUMOURS

SAT, OCT 21

NY’S MOST AUTHENTIC FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE BAND

ACTORS WITH A MUSICAL SIDE OR A BAND MEMBER STRIKING OFF ON THEIR OWN Whitesnake's Joel Hoekstra and Devil City Angels' Brandon Gibbs have joined forces to form a powerhouse acoustic duo, playing limited dates in between working with their many other successful projects. Their live duo performances are both intimate and high-energy, featuring a wide variety of material from bands that each of them have been a part of, along with innovative original music, and great stories from their respective careers. The energy and stage presence that radiates from these two make this a "must see" show. Their mix of song choices leaves the audience begging for more as there is literally something for everyone. Both Brandon and Joel have a long history of bands they have either been a part of or performed with including Whitesnake, Devil City Angels, Poison, Night Ranger, Cher, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra to name only a few. While this show has an intimate vibe, don't let that fool you; the sound is bigger than ever with these two guitar extraordinaires bringing it home every show! Sept 10th, Daryl’s House Club, NY.

Geoff Tate is best known for his 30-plus years as the creative and driving force behind the band Queensrÿche. With Geoff at the helm, they sold over 20 million albums and performed in almost fifty countries. Geoff is regarded as one of the most skilled vocalists in the genre with hundreds of modern, popular artists citing him and his former band as a major influence. Combining social consciousness and expertly crafted lyrics with high-energy, melodically complex music, Queensrÿche with Geoff Tate at the forefront became internationally recognized as the thinking man’s rock band. Sept 12th, Warehouse FTC

THE LINDA RONSTADT EXPERIENCE

SAT, NOV 11

A MUSICAL JOURNEY OF THE ICON’S SMASH HITS

MATT SCHOFIELD

FRI, NOV 17

BRITISH BLUES GUITAR VIRTUOSO

COMEDY!

LADIES OF LAUGHTER

SAT, OCT 7

FEATURING JOCELYN CHIA, MARLA SCHULTZ, MARCELA ONYANGO

PAULA POUNDSTONE

FRI, NOV 3

LEGENDARY OBSERVATIONAL COMEDIAN PERFORMS

914 . 698 . 0098 | EME LIN .ORG

the kate, old saybrook

ASK THE SOUND! A chance to answer some ques ons directly from our

readers: words: Sco Yager

READER: With the Writers & Actors going on strike, would it ever be possible for musicians to unite similarly and demand more money or better terms?

SOUND: That’s an interesting question. The short answer is no, not in the same way that these unions are banding together. Simple reason for that is that there isn’t a musical performers Union in the same way. What is similar is that you do see and you have seen artists putting their foot down or doing whatever they can to get more ownership of their music. It’s not necessarily a group of artists are doing it together but you do see people, like Taylor Swift, re-record their music so that they own it outright and thus make a higher percentage of the profits off of it. You’ve seen bands like The Cure or Pearl Jam come out against Ticketmaster. We all remember Metallica trying to prevent the free MP3 sharing boom back when Napster lost. Other artists have refused to have their music, or certain parts of their catalog, on particular streaming platforms or on streaming in general. But unlike the WGA & SAG who basically require that anyone in these unions abstain from working so that they can collectively negotiate with the big studios for the terms of their base contracts in the future, musicians would need to band together on their own. It would be pretty hard to get everyone in on the action. As crappy as these deals have gotten for recording artists, it’s been something that has plagued everyone, from large artists down to small, since the spending model went from the average person paying $20 for an album to now everyone essentially owning every song ever written for $15 a month. So no, I don’t see this happening with the music industry as a whole. But you will read about more artists following Taylor’s lead and striving to own their music ought right, relying less on the labels that once served as the gatekeepers.

READER: Why has Live Music gotten so expensive?

SOUND: That’s complicated. But I think the short of it comes from the simple fact that as expensive as it’s getting, we’re still paying it. I wonder how much of that comes with many people missing out on live entertainment of any kind for periods of 12-36 months. We all know the fees are big for why it’s gotten out of control. In addition to artists and venues making money, the ticketing platforms, whether they be Ticketmaster or secondary ticket vendors, are charging fees of 20-30%. When the ticket price is high to begin with, this can lead to fees of hundreds of dollars. The fact that these fees are percentage based is an absolute scam. It is a good thing that live music, and live entertainment in general, is booming right now. People enjoy getting out of the house. They’re okay with the expenses and look at it like an event. Whether you go to one concert a year or ten, people are willing to lighten their wallet for a great night out. Scalpers are buying a lot of the tickets and trying to profit on them on the secondary market. When this works out for them it makes the prices skyrocket. However, when they overbuy or over-estimate interest in a show, it can lead to tickets that are even cheaper than they should have been. I do think ironically that the price of a show can add to its appeal in some way. When you look at a wine menu, sometimes you pick based on the price. When a tour is pricy and still sells well, it makes people that much more eager to be a part of it. The big show is coming to town and everyone is going. Can’t miss it. And if everyone I know is still going even if the prices are absurd then it must be worth it. Ever get that email from a venue offering you 4 for 1 tix or $10 lawn tickets for a show? I don’t know about you but those often make me less interested in going. It tells me they need these discounts to fill the seats, which tells me this is a can-miss event. People probably don’t want to admit it, but superficially, when something is expensive, it might make it less likely you can afford it…but it makes you more likely to want to afford it in the first place.

READER: Has there ever been a period where more comedians are selling out arenas?

SOUND: Nope. This is it. Everything I just said for live music applies to live comedy. Personally I find the best setting for comedy to be a club or at a theater. But when a comic gets to the arena level, it subconsciously tells customers that this person is an event. The same way a concert is.

You see Dave Chappelle, Sebastian, Jo Koy, Joe Rogan, Bert Kreischer and others not just playing arenas but packing them and selling them out. Louis CK, who was public enemy number one for a while, was able to sell out MSG this year. Bill Burr has been selling out arenas left and right. Last November I was in Chicago and on back to back nights I went to Bill Burr at the United Center and Smashing Pumpkins at the United Center. It’s utterly amazing that a single person walking the stage with the mic had the full capacity crowd as captivated and energized as the bands did. No pyro needed. No light show needed. Comedy, jokes, stories, were enough to sell out the house that Michael Jordan built. So no, I think this is one of the biggest standup booms ever. I credit that same time off for people since 2020 but I credit podcasts for making the bond that people have with comedic performers so strong.

READER: When I buy a shirt from a band at a show, who gets that money? Does it all go to the artists or does the venue get a cut?

SOUND: It has definitely turned into a problem between venues and artists. The bands are trying to cut out the venues from their split, and this is for merch that costs more now than ever. This had led to some performers demanding 100% of their merch sales revenue at the end of the night which some venues seem to be yielding to. But, in a business where agents continue to drive up the price of performances while limiting the size of the performance radius to recoup dollars lost to the pandemic, doesn’t the venue have a right to make as much money back as they can as well?

READER: Are bands doing less interviews than they used to?

SOUND: It sure seems like it. Doesn’t it? Not saying all artists are guilty of this but many seem to be riding the post-pandemic wave and falling back into the same pitfalls of being lazy, uninterested in marketing and other thing that can help move tickets to a show. A lot of artists are taking a take-it-or-leave-it approach and putting it on the venues to market and plug a performance. When an artist does an interview it serves as organic promotion. Artists says interesting things. You guys read it. Upon reading it you find out they are playing at a great new venue and you can’t stomach the idea of missing it. It’s a tale as old as time but sadly it’s a process very few artists are subscribing to these days voluntarily. Often it will take until a show is really tanking or with a lot of hand-holding for an artist to agree to become available. At that point it can become too little too late.

READER: I am all out of TV shows. Can you recommend one for me?

SOUND: I am going to assume since you’re “all out” of TV shows, that it could be because Succession just came to a close. But if you somehow managed to avoid hopping on that train yet, I urge you to run to MAX (HBO’s streaming platform) and to knock that out immediately. While you’re there you can check out We Own This City. If you don’t have 5 seasons in you and want to wait on Succession, this might be more up your alley. You can binge this six episode mini-series from last year in a weekend. Another great show that really hit its stride in its third season is DAVE on FX/Hulu. It’s a fun look at the music industry from Lil Dicky and is best described as Curb Your Enthusiasm meets Atlanta. The Bear is another one on Hulu that is nice short 30 minute episodes. Only 2 seasons so far and a really nice watch. Those are what I would start with.

Samara Joy

Anoushka Shankar

The Best of MUSIC, DANCE & ENT ERTA INMENT

Song of the North

Thu, Sept 21, 7:30 pm ($36-39)

Anoushka Shankar

Tue, Oct 3, 7:30 pm ($36-46)

Isidore Quartet

Thu, Oct 5, 7:30 pm ($36-39 )

Sergio Bernal Dance Company

Thu, Oct 12, 7:30 pm ($36-41)

Justin Willman

Sat, Oct 14, 8 pm ($31-51)

Samara Joy

Fri, Oct 20, 8 pm ($36-56)

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live!

Sun, Oct 22, 2 pm ($26-31)

Randy Rainbow For President

Sat, Oct 28, 8 pm ($46-51)

Le Consort

Thu, Nov 2, 7:30 pm ($36-39)

Jessica Vosk

Sat, Nov 4, 8 pm ($46-56)

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Sat, Nov 11, 8 pm ($36-56)

American Ballet Theatre

Studio Company

Fri, Nov 17, 8 pm ($36-39)

Messiah Sing

Thu, Nov 30, 8 pm (Free)

MacMaster & Leahy

Sun, Dec 3, 3 pm ($36-46)

Holiday Pops

Fri, Dec 8, 8 pm ($76-91)

Randy Rainbow

Mike Campbell is the original guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. While in the Heartbreakers, Campbell was lead singer and guitarist with a side band, the Dirty Knobs, with guitarist Jason Sinay, drummer Matt Laug, and bassist Lance Morrison. “It’s rougher-edged [than Petty’s material],” Campbell says of the group, “It’s slightly over-driven, less polished, lots of Sixties influence: The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, The Animals. It’s something I probably should have done a long time ago, but I didn’t ’cause I was wrapped up in the Heartbreakers.” They released a single, “Feelin’ High”, in 2010.

SOUND: You have a great in-home studio where you’ve recorded both Tom Petty and your own solo material. When you have that kind of studio, and your history of recording are you more comfortable now in the studio or out on stage performing live?

MIKE: I like them both equally honestly. I’ve always had recording gear in my house my whole life. It’s like a man cave where I can go to be alone and connect with my music. All the sounds are up and I don’t have to dick around with things. I have a band now that’s so good and the energy from the audience is so great that you can’t really get that experience just existing in the studio.

SOUND: Were you surprised at all at how quickly the band took off after it being a limited side project up until Tom’s passing?

MIKE: I guess I’m a bit surprised with just how far we’ve come in such a short period of time, but I try not to think about it too much. This band I have now became my main project of course with the passing which was rough for a while. It was something I figured I could lean on to get through my grief and all. The first year we toured we would play anywhere as long as it was to a room full of people. The goal that first year was to work up to theater size venues in the first year and we kind of did that with the Fillmore and a few other places that were a little bigger. That seems like success for me with this band. I have no great illusions. I don’t expect us to play Madison Square Garden anytime soon but what we’ve been playing lately has been a joy.

SOUND: You have taken on the task of curating the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers catalog overseeing remastered releases the past few years. We have to imagine that is an emotional process. Has it gotten any better with time or at times do you feel yourself needing to take a break?

MIKE: It has been tough to go back and listen to the archives without my partner sitting next to me and at times I just couldn’t do it. I did the best I could to hang in there long enough to pick the takes that made the most sense and had the right music balance and all. To be honest I don’t go and listen to the old catalog too often. Having said that I’m really proud of the catalog and all of the songs that we did and how many good quality songs we were able to put together over the decades. I’m really proud of them. With The Dirty Knobs every show I’ll do a few Heartbreaker songs as a tribute and to pay respect to my legacy with the band. The crowd seems to appreciate why I do them and that I’m someone who knows how to put them across. It’s a badge of honor to go back to the old songs but it does sometimes choke me up but I’m getting better.

SOUND: When you’re prepping for a tour like this is there just a trailer full of guitars and pedals loaded up or do you trim the arsenal down?

MIKE: With the Heartbreakers for sure I had an arsenal of guitars that we toured with. With The Dirty Knobs it’s just a few guitars and some small little amps. My pedals are pretty simple but it’s not an elaborate setup. The Dirty Knobs are a pretty basic boogie rock band although we also do some different style tunes here and there.

SOUND: The majority of External Combustion was recorded with you prized 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard. Thought while stuck at home during lockdown we have to imagine the extra time allowed you to pull some guitars off the wall and give them a little love. Is there anything special we might see used in the future or out on tour?

MIKE: I’m a bit of a guitar fanatic and I finally have a place where I can display and access them easily. It’s funny that you mentioned the Gibson 59 Les Paul, it’s the only guitar that goes back in a case when I’m done playing it. I hadn’t pulled that out in a while because I was using some old Heartbreaker guitars because they were a bit more accessible to the studio. But I did one day go up and pull out the Les Paul and once I played it, it sounded so good, I played it on almost everything though I do switch things up in the studio from time to time.

SOUND: When you’re curating the catalog I’m you can see the influence you and Tom had on each other and the genre in general. As you go back and relisten are you still feeling those influences now as you continue to create music?

MIKE: It’s an interesting question. With the Heartbreakers we were so busy that we never looked back or felt nostalgic. When Tom passed away, I started looking back at the old catalog and rediscovering some of those songs. It’s pretty overwhelming. It surprises me even to this day the quality of the work we did. The songs that Tom and I wrote and that Tom wrote on his own are really great quality songs that age very well. I really enjoyed doing them and I think the crowd that comes to see me knows where I came from. For them it’s nice to hear those songs again by someone who wrote them and recorded them because I know how they are supposed to sound. I’ve gotten my vocals to the point where they’re strong enough to put the lyrics across with the proper character and tonality and cadence. I’ve heard other people perform Heartbreaker songs and while it’s nice to hear them they don’t always get it quite right. I know how the guitar parts are supposed to work and where the bracing of the vocals is supposed to be because I was there. It was part of my DNA. When people see The Dirty Knobs they’re going to hear it the way it was supposed to be. I’m proud of that. He’s my brother and I picked up a lot from him and he picked up a lot from me. I think it’s my responsibility to share what I can do with the people who love our music. It’s a great part of the show…

SOUND: So it’s a personal goal of yours to make sure that those songs are a part of the set list each and every show.

MIKE: It’s not a burden at all. I love the music. I also love the new songs that my band is doing. When we do them side by side I’m pleased to see that some of The Dirty Knobs hold up well and work with some of the Heartbreaker songs. It’s a high bar that I aim for. I want The Dirty Knobs songs and performances to be as good as those from the Heartbreakers. That’s what I strive for. It’s a labor of love, it’s my responsibility to share that and carry it on and also bring on the new music as well. I want everybody to leave feeling like they received a piece of the real thing. It’s interesting putting a set together. I know quite a few Heartbreakers songs now but what I find interesting is that we will start out a set playing a handful of Dirty Knobs songs and then we’ll throw in a Heartbreakers tune and people realize that ‘hey I did that too’. It’s a flash of memory for some in the audience and they realize where I’m coming from. I’ve found a way to make it flow very well. Playing those songs is a luxury for me and I’m happy to be able to filter them into our setlists. Throwing that extra bit of cream on top makes for a great experience for everybody.

saturday october 7th 2023 8pm

live wall street theater

firehousemusic.com - @ firehouserockband

SOUNDBITE FIREHOUSE

WORDS: D.C. WASHINGTON

New England Rock Fest was started in 2018, as an event designed to celebrate music made famous by the arena rock bands of the 80s and early 90s. Through the years, New England Rock Fest has had some very well-known acts from the genre grace its stage. 5 years later, it’s time to expand and move. Moving their home to the Wall Street Theatre in Norwalk, CT. Headlining this year’s main day is none other than Double Platinum selling artist, FIREHOUSE! With over 7 million albums sold worldwide. They will be coming to Norwalk for this year’s N.E.R.F performing their hits, including Don’t Treat Me Bad, Reach for the Sky and the hit ballad, Love of a Lifetime. We had a chance to sit down with guitarist Bill Leverty to discuss the upcoming performance.

SOUND: Rock festivals seem to be all the rage nowadays whether out on a field, inside or venue or even on a cruise ship. The events offer different collaborations that you won’t normally have out on tour. For the band, what’s the good part about being part of festivals like these, is it that possible collaborative element or the fact that you have time and can watch the other performers and be a fan once again?

FIREHOUSE: I think the best benefit is for the fans who have an opportunity to see so many talented performers on one bill. Add to that when you have such a talented guy like John Kivel from Kivel Records at the helm, a seasoned veteran, he knows how to make it a great experience for the fans, so they get to see all this great entertainment and during changeovers there’s a ton of vendors and other experiences for the fans to have during the downtime as well. It’s a big basket of rock and roll

good times. He’s put together a bunch of really good bands that can dovetail from one to another making for a great experience for everyone.

SOUND: Since the pandemic shut everything down, we have seen a resurgence of older material which was new for a slew of music fans who were turned onto it because there was no music releasing at the time. As a result, are you seeing a younger fanbase start to build again at your shows?

FIREHOUSE: Possibly. I think a lot of people were turned onto new genres of music during that discovery process during the early days of the pandemic. Even before that though we were seeing kids out there wearing our merch shirts from bands of our generation, late 80’s, early 90’s. It was really a cool feeling seeing the youth take to our material like that. I don’t

know what the rhyme or reason was, I just chalk it up to good parenting (laughing). Growing up I took to some of the entertainment my parents were into so maybe it’s all about life coming around full circle as well.

SOUND: I often wonder how these power ballad bands would do nowadays and I think they would fare better considering the wider palette the music consumer seems to have in 2023? Do you think the band and genre in general was just ahead of it’s time?

FIREHOUSE: Listeners today are so eclectic that they just aren’t pigeonholed the way that the labels think that they are. People seem to like a bit of everything nowadays, something that most radio program directors don’t seem to understand (laughing). You can like the heaviest band out there and also like pop and there’s nothing wrong with that.

SOUND: The grunge brought most all rock infused genres to a health when it emerged but Firehouse persisted. What modifications did you have to make in a time where all stations seemed to play was Nirvana and the like?

FIREHOUSE: It was a really tough time for bands like ours during that time. We were all putting out records, but they just weren’t receiving any airtime. We saw the writing on the wall. It was a record company decision at that time to take the limited resources that they had and allocate them towards the bands that they thought had a shot at success. The band that was on our label that was making the most headway at that time was Pearl Jam and looking back now I think the label made the right decision. They didn’t put any money into promoting that song outside of the music video, something were not real proud of, but they did pay to make the video, but no one ended up playing it. What we decided to do was take it upon ourselves to exercise the relationships we had with radio stations we had worked with and started reaching out to make sure we had airplay. What we found was that we had great relationships with those stations in the past that oiled the machine so that our song received the legs that it got.

SOUND: The band has received massive international acclaim at a time when your genre was hitting the skids here stateside with the rise of grunge. Why do you think the popularity continued to increase overseas during that time even with the presence of grunge music there?

FIREHOUSE: We had managed expectations from the time we started trying to get a record deal. We knew it was going to be tough to try and have some longevity in this business. We had a hard time getting good gigs stateside. Our last big tour at that time was with Poison and we started to see how popular our third album was starting to become overseas, and we made the best of it and started to shift our touring plans to those locations. We went to Indonesia and played twenty cities. They love rock music there. The passion is an eleven there. In America the passion is really high when the band is hot, when you’re on the radio and the television. The fans in Asia and Europe are a little less fickle. If you make a fan there, they stick with you for life. In America some fans stick with you for life, but that pop side fan comes and goes. I can’t say we were devastated by those tough times, but it definitely made us rethink the importance of going out every night and putting on a great show. We did what we needed to do to make the band sustainable and sometimes we lost money on tours in order to stay viable and have longevity.

SOUND: Have there been any lessons learned from being overseas or maybe even some influence the band picked up performing in front of different crowds and cultures?

FIREHOUSE: I think that what we learned overseas was to expect the unexpected. It’s a very fluid lifestyle. Everything changes at the last minute, and you can’t let it blow your vibe. We might not be playing in the stadiums all of the time but it’s appreciated to be able to get out there and do this, it’s what we’ve worked our whole lives to do this. The second time you go back to a country to perform you’re more experienced and can avoid the pitfalls but for the most part things still change. It’s all about experience. We play a little bit different setlists over in Asia because they have more of a pop culture scene. We play more of a rock show here stateside in comparison.

SOUNDBITE CHRIS SMITHER

WORDS: D.C. WASHINGTON

The award-winning Folk singer-songwriter and one of the finest acoustic musicians in the country, sings “about “the big things – life, love, loss – in a penetrating and poetic yet unpretentious way.” (Acoustic Guitar). Smither’s trademark acoustic guitar sound and evocative sonic textures, mesh with spare brilliant songs, delivered in a bone-wise, hard-won voice. Smither has toured with B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Nanci Griffith, and the original ‘Monsters of Folk’ tour with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Dave Alvin and Tom Russell. In addition to Raitt, his original songs have been recorded by many artists including Emmylou Harris (“Slow Surprise),” and jazz great Diana Krall (“Love Me Like A Man”), introducing what is now a blues standard to a whole world of jazz fans.

SOUND: We were just recently in New Orleans and were disappointed on how the scene has changed in recent years. It’s still a bustling city but it appears some of the new youthful transplants aren’t taking to the culture as maybe people thought they would and it’s having an effect on the overall vibe. What fueled your decision to leave the city?

CHRIS: New Orleans is a big-time music town but unfortunately what I was doing was of no interest for the people there (laughing). People used to laugh at me for playing the old blues songs before I was getting around to writing my own music and people would say ‘well that’s great, what are you going to do for a living (laughing)”. To be honest it wasn’t really a guitar town at all. It’s basically keyboards and horns. Everyplace is more of a guitar town now but back then everything I was interested in was being rediscovered in the northeast and that’s where I went.

SOUND: You’ve trimmed down the number of performances you have in a year dramatically which makes every engagement unique and special. What was the reason behind trimming down your tour schedule?

CHRIS: Part of the realization was during the pandemic when I couldn’t work that I came to understand that I was financially well off and didn’t have to work if I didn’t want to. It’s a weird feeling as a musician to finally get to the point where you know you can retire, but then know that you don’t want to (laughing). Being a musician is what I do. I don’t like to travel as much anymore but when I do travel it’s first class though overall it still wears on me a bit. What I like to do is get in front of people and do this thing where the audience participates, it’s magical. There were years when I performed close to 200 shows and now, I perform about 80. I still have the thing for it, it’s an addiction, I think.

PHOTO: JOANNA CHATTMAN

SOUND: You’ve been performing for five decades, the kind of longevity that I don’t think we will ever see again. What is it like to be part of that last generation of musicians who can make a whole life out of their art?

CHRIS: I just think there are some adjustments going on. There’s no lack of people trying to break into the music industry, that’s for sure. For the most part the one or two hit wonders don’t last that long but they have different people behind pushing them to the limit before their stars burn out. The problem with me talking about this is that I don’t tend to keep up with the industry as much as I should. I’m a little ignorant about the people coming onto the scene today. At the same time though you can go to the Folk Alliance Conferences, and you will find hundreds of young people trying to do this and some of them are pretty good. I understand the foundation of your questions, but in my own experience I’ve never had it better, I go and play, and the shows are full. The issue for the new generation is that there is music everywhere now, which is great in terms of being able to reach the masses, but you don’t really get paid for it.

SOUND: A wide variety of artists have covered your material over the years, have you ever been approached to write directly for an artist as a result?

CHRIS: I write for myself, and other musicians adopt the material. Basically, I’ve never sat down to write a song for somebody else. The people who have covered my songs are personal friends. Some of us were friends before we ever made any records. They are great artists in their own right and don’t really need my influence when covering the material or creating their own.

SOUND: Songs are yours until you decide to share them with the world and then they take on a life for the listener or at least they used to. Do you feel that some of that song writing mystique is gone now with many musicians feeling the need to share all motivations behind their material?

CHRIS: I’m afraid to say you might be right. If someone was to come up and ask me what one of my songs were about my response would be simple. I spent a lot of time writing that song, trying to be as clear as I can be and what you’re telling me is that I failed (laughing). And then there are people who come up and tell me that they know exactly what certain songs are about and provide me a very detailed perspective that has no relationship with anything I ever thought though that relationship is perfectly valid for them. You have to bring something to the music or it’s pointless. Music should be something you engage with, not something that just batters you from the outside. It also creates a deeper relationship between you and the listener, your fans.

SOUND: You’re famously known for your foot tapping though I would imagine brining that technique into the studio must drive some producers nuts…

CHRIS: (Laughing) You’re right, for first two or three producers, my foot tapping would drive them nuts. The problem is that I can’t play if I can’t hear my feet. I know that I shouldn’t need it and it’s something that schooled musicians are taught not to do and I can appreciate that, especially if there is a rhythm section with a drummer because they’re supposed to do that for you. At the same time, I’ll never forget when I first started working with Steven Ruth down in Austin Texas and he had a wonderful drummer and he allowed it because most skilled drummers could work with that. From that point on it was accepted and expected from me.

SOUND: Looking back at your illustrious career what do you feel you’ve become better at in comparison, a guitar player or a song-writer?

CHRIS: I’ve become better at both and a better singer as well. Singing I never really paid attention to. I was decent at it from the beginning, but I never really gave it much thought. Songwriting was always a natural progression but all three have gotten better with time though I don’t think I can put one in front of another. I definitely focused on guitar playing in the beginning because that’s what separated you from the sheep (laughing). Now I understand scales and different progressions but I’m an unschooled musician and I’m still learning things with each new song which is really cool.

SOUNDBITE ANDY FRASCO

WORDS: DEREK SIGNORE PHOTO: STEPHANIE PARSLEY

andy Frasco & The U.N. have long been the high-flying DIY renegades of the touring scene known and loved for their kaleidoscopic musical fusion and one-of-a-kind onstage audacity. Now celebrating their longevity, the band is shaking things up with L’Optimist (Fun Machine Records/Soundly), as its title suggests, Frasco’s most hopeful and enthusiastic collection thus far. A testament to Frasco’s wide-ranging influences and boundless energy, his band’s sixth released studio album sees the magnetic frontman continuing to chart his path of self-exploration and personal discovery through increasingly introspective lyricism and musical adventure. Songs like “Everything Bagel (Feat. Artikal Sound System)” and the deeply moving “Iowa Moon” touch on matters of the heart and mental health, emotional struggle and the sheer vulnerability of the human experience, all relayed through a wildly eclectic approach navigating funk, jazz, surf rock, blues, swing, gospel, reggae, exotica, and more with horn-blasted positivity and soulful power.

SOUND: Your music has always had a party vibe to it but living that lifestyle is not as sustainable as some might pretend it is. With this new album there still exists a party element but a certain maturity is also present. Was part of the reasoning behind that creative move to prove to your naysayers that you weren’t just another LMFAO and had musicianship skills as well?

ANDY: I think the people who were judging me weren’t necessarily the people you would see at my shows. Of course, if you judge a book by its cover, I party, but everyone does. People just don’t talk about it. I’m not going to suppress that this life isn’t fun. I wanted to show people that yeah, we all party, some people lie about it but I’m going to face my demons and show you that the partying got the best of me and I wanted people to know that we all change. As a society it seems like we are always too worried

about what people think about us than what we think about ourselves. I wanted to make a record to show the introspective version of myself that I’m not who I want to be at this point in my life, so I wrote an optimistic version of growing up I guess (laughing).

SOUND: Have you seen your story being told as having an influence in your community be it fan or friend?

ANDY: I think it’s like anything. We’re no different than anyone else. Some musicians put themselves on a pedestal telling people how life should be, and I just never bought into that knowledge. I am fucking struggling with depression just like my fans are and I’m not going to show you that I know more than them. I think they are finally appreciating that. I used to write songs giving people advice and advising them to follow their

dreams. Sometimes it helps but I was scared shitless of following my dreams. I was scared shitless of getting out there everyday and pushing myself to do better. I think instead of preaching I kind of changed the role to what I needed to do to be happier. It was about putting a camera on the mirror and telling myself how to fix myself. I think the fans are really responding to it because we are just trying to grow as people. It’s okay to grow and to grow of out things and for me it was to grow out of just partying.

SOUND: Is it tough though when you look back at some of your old material and not try to be critical of what you put out to the world back then?

ANDY: Oh yeah. When people ask about the song ‘Blame it on the Pussy’ and I try to avoid talking about it constantly (laughing) even though at its heart it’s just a satire of a Stevie Wonder song. It also reminds you of who you were, I don’t regret it though sometimes listening to those old songs does get a little cringy. I just try and remind myself of how thankful I am that I’ve grown out of that old persona. I could still be that same person trying to rip coke and drink a bottle of Jagermeister all night. It makes me happy that I’m becoming the man that I have.

SOUND: More amazing is that of all times to quit drugs was during the pandemic when recreational drug use was at an all time high…

ANDY: For the record I still do mushrooms (laughing), I’m not completely sober (laughing). It was more about the coke and the one-night stands and the lifestyle of rock and roll that was the downfall. Now that I understand the situation I can party once every couple months, I didn’t have control of that before. I get asked to do drugs every single day and if I chose to do them, I just have to tell myself that it’s just a one-night thing and move on. It doesn’t control my life anymore. I don’t have to do it anymore like some people. I barely smoke weed anymore too. I just don’t need it.

The only thing I’m still addicted to is cigarettes.

SOUND: At least you’re not one of those people who quit smoking weed because it’s decriminalized.

ANDY: Oh, like it’s a rebellious thing (laughing), no, never. A lot of the times people are afraid of our brain and what we can do. We need to have a better understanding and relationship with our brains. We’re going to have needs; we’re going to fuck up and relapse a little bit, but it’s all about how far down the hole do you want to go and it’s all about trusting your brain.

SOUND: We are currently in the midst of an Actor’s and Writer’s strike, but it’s interesting we haven’t seen one from musicians yet considering how much the label and venue industry is milking the performers and their fans?

ANDY: I think it’s because we don’t have a union. No one gives a fuck about musicians as much as they care about their actors, and I think that’s sad. We’ve been getting fucked since the beginning of record labels. Look at George Porter and the fact that he didn’t get any royalties off of any of those Meters songs that were being sampled. We need to have a union to push back on how we’re told to deal with royalties. Musicians never had the business sense. Musicians need to learn about what publishing is, learn about touring and how to manage yourself. It’s a lot different than being an actor.

SOUND: I agree with you on that, and I know you worked for Capitol Records growing up and managed yourself but I’m not so sure many musicians would still want to be musicians if they looked behind the veil of the music label industry…

ANDY: Yeah, I think the mystery and mystique in the industry as a whole is gone sadly. Think about all the stories and lore there has been over the years in music. Today you see everything about these musicians, even what they had for breakfast. There is no mystery anymore. I often think about what it would be like if Led Zeppelin was on Instagram, what would that mean for the band, how would people react, what would they reveal, it’s unreal what is expected from musicians today. I remember when musicians talk box was only during the album cycle. It’s tough to make new content all the time.

SOUND: You mean like an album cycle going from 18 months to now sometimes less than a year?

ANDY: Absolutely. As soon as you release anything people start asking about the next project, like what the fuck? It’s an ADD culture. Now we’re

at that point where we still love art and football and we can’t just love it for a few months, we need it all the time. It’s a lot of pressure to put on someone’s brain to always entertain someone. Things need to marinate so you don’t devalue the art. You have to take a break or you’re just going to continue to write about the same stuff. I know I’m not going to be a super pop star, but I know I’m going to wake up and turn it on, I’m never going to phone it on. It’s a lucky job to be able to play music and entertain people. When I was taking drugs, I was taking this all for granted. Now I’m focused and I know what I want to talk about and appreciate that I get to be onstage everyday and not take it for granted. If we try and entertain people more than ourselves then your brains are going to get tired of that shit. It’s a lesson I think I’ve learned.

SOUNDBITE HENRY ROLLINS

WORDS: SCOTT YAGER

SOUND: Do you see a connection to what you’ve been doing for so long with your shows and tours and now what has become this massive wave of podcasting and other forms of spoken media?

HENRY: I’ve never thought of it. I’ve been on some podcasts and before COVID I did some with my manager, but I’ve never thought there was any connection between what I do onstage and what happens on a podcast.

SOUND: You’ve podcasted as well and found the medium eventually (and were always a favorite on radio as well) but now it seems like the first step a lot of voices take, or one they transition to in an effort to enjoy more creative freedom. Is it fair to say someone like yourself might have taken to podcasting immediately and initially if it were around back when you began your speaking career? Are this many microphones a good thing? Is there a downside to the medium (and its voices) getting so large and influential?

HENRY: I make little to no attempt to be connected to that mode of communication. I was on a podcast earlier this year as I thought I was

doing a favor for someone. Past that, I decline any request to be on them. For me, they’re an exercise in me taking the contents of my mind and putting them on someone’s platform where they own it in perpetuity. They can do whatever they want with the content. That doesn’t work for me. I don’t think they’re a bad thing and I’m sure they can be a useful medium for expression, information, and education. When I was young and was given access to interview people for a podcast, I might have found it interesting, but at this point, I’d much rather work on my own projects. I’m much more aware of time now that I’m older.

SOUND: Are you a social media guy? You feel like someone who would be adamantly against it, particularly lately? Is there anything redeeming about it?

HENRY: I’m not against social media, I just have no interest. I’m not exactly the social type. It seems like a perfect way to waste a lot of time. Maybe some people are lonely and they want a way to connect with someone. I don’t get lonely, ever. When my phone rings, I groan.

on the Good To See You tour Henry Rollins will faithfully recount the events of his life in the brief pre-COVID period since the last tour and when things got even stranger over the last several months. It's been an interesting time to say the least and he's got some great stories to tell. Scott had a chance to sit down with Henry to discuss the new tour and his current cultural temperment.

SOUND: This is going to come off as broad and cliche but…what are you thoughts on the current state of the country?

HENRY: I think “we” are living in an age of eventuality. USA citizens, the consumerati as I call them, are at long last on the other side of the “=”. Eradicating a landmass of its indigenous population and slavery and the Civil War and the failure of every civil rights movement from the Thirteenth Amendment to now and the willful dumbing down of the electorate and diminishing natural resources and the internet and fill-in-the-blank = USA 2023. This is why absolutely nothing that’s been happening surprises me all that much. I thought there would be more violence and destruction after the last presidential election but past that, “here we are” and “we” will deserve everything awful that’s going to happen. Kids getting shot in schools again and again and nothing being done about it is the proof.

HENRY: As someone who has always been so outspoken about social issues and pays close attention to the cultural temperature…does it feel like we’re moving backwards with a lot of it? Why do you think that is?

SOUND: Is it possible for music to play the same role in society as it once did?

HENRY: I don't think so. With streaming, algorithms picking a listener's content, the alternatives provided by the internet and countless other factors, I think it's just a different thing almost completely.

SOUND: How do you feel about the music industry today? Do you follow newer bands and music at all?

HENRY: I have a radio show and a am music fan, so I’m always looking for new bands to listen to. I find them all over, all the time. I don’t think Independent music has been better than it is right now. There’s a ton of great bands, labels and records happening.

SOUND: In your opinion, what was the last true era of Punk music? Is there anyone still carrying on that legacy today?

9/24

HENRY: I think there are people who want to move the country backwards, although they would probably characterize it as taking their country back. They want to “make America great again” but when I ask someone wanting this to happen when it was great before, they don’t have an answer or won’t give me one. I think they might miss a time before they were born when “people knew their place” and nonwhite people stayed in their neighborhoods, women were obsequious baby making machines, and a white man could be free in his country without having to deal with the aforementioned and LGBTQ folks, etc. I think if you put millions of adult Americans in a state of financial uncertainty and insecurity and point to a certain race or demographic and tell them they’re the reason things are the way they are, you can get someone quite worked up. If you tell them over and over that they’ve been stolen from, that someone is trying to take something from them, you can get them quite worked up to where they’d do something like storm the Capitol building with flags, bear spray, thinking they’re going to turn over a presidential election. How do you think that’s going to work? You have to be either high or stupid. Being angry isn’t an excuse.

SOUND: Are there any people out there you find truly troubling? Anyone you want to point out as being a real part of issues you deem to be massive problems these days?

HENRY: Yes. Those who are doing their best to delegitimize every aspect of Democracy. “We’ll never know if Joe Biden really won the election.” This is of course ridiculous, but at the same time, it’s dangerous. There are people, some of them elected to office in the US gov. who are trying to tear down not only the government but democracy itself. They’re not going to pull it off, of course, but these people are dangerous. They’re trying to burn it all down. Why? I don’t know, but it’s not as if they’re in the shadows.

SOUND: What sort of effect did the pandemic have on you as an individual and an artist? How did you use the time to yourself or off the road? Was it constructive?

HENRY: I don’t have an artistic bone in my body, but I do work a lot. I realized very quickly if this virus can cause an entire tour to cancel, it’s much bigger than I am so I’d have to adapt. I started figuring out what I could do without being able to travel. I believe that if change is upon you, the best thing to do is run at it and get into it. Be the first on the block to get with it and keep moving as best you can. For me, things never went “back to normal.” Things are different now and I’m doomed to carry on no matter what. I used the time as effectively as I could. I did a lot of writing and editing, a lot of voice work for animated features, plotting, planning, fitness, whatever I could do while on the sideline. I made the best of it. I didn’t despair as to what was lost, I just got on with what was possible.

SOUND: Did you learn anything from the last few years, either about yourself, the country, or people as a whole?

HENRY: I learned that no matter what, I keep going and all the years being on the road, often in less than optimal environments, was good training for adapting quickly and learning the new terrain. I don’t know if I learned anything new about myself. I definitely didn’t learn anything new about Homo sapiens. They won’t take a vaccine because it’s mind control and libtards or something. So, you get to die, saying goodbye to your grandkids via an iPad. I guess that’s why they make iPads. At least you got to stick it to Fauci.

HENRY: I think once it started, it kept going. No generation is “truer” than the one or ones before. There might have been a time when things were starting out and there weren’t so many rules in place, but past that, I think there have been “punks” in music from the start. For me at least, it’s about attitude and outlook. Miles Davis was as “punk” as anyone I’ve ever seen. I don’t see any reason to measure or compare. If you like the music, play it.

SOUND: You were in the movie HEAT; An all-time classic. But a film that has also had a real resurgence in appreciation recently thanks to podcasts, pundits and other things. Michael Mann even recently wrote a sequel as a book that’s being made into a movie. Thoughts on your experience on that film and how it was received then and now?

HENRY: It was an interesting time working in that film. It was the “big time” and I was a microscopic part of it. I was more an observer than a participant. I saw the film once after it came out. I bought a ticket. I have no memory of the film. It was fun doing scenes with Al Pacino. He was very friendly to me. Funny guy.

SOUND: Favorite experience in Film or Television?

HENRY: I really liked working with David Lynch. He thinks differently about things. We keep in touch now and then. I liked the show I had on History Channel 10 Things You Don’t Know About. I’ve been in a lot of television and film roles. It was never my thing all that much, but I appreciated the chance to work.

SOUND: Are you optimistic about the world as a whole going into 2024? What’s one change we could make that could help bring us all together?

HENRY: As to the first question. My optimism resides with young people. As to your second question, I don’t think there could be any one thing that could bring us all together. I don’t think that’s remotely possible. Humans pick winners and losers. They always have, always will. I quite like all the disagreement. I believe it. I think it’s the state of the species. We’re complex. I don’t think the species would be on the planet in such numbers without our incredible intelligence. Think of what the human population would be without medicine? A fraction of what it is now. Not even a global pandemic could bring “us” together. Do you want to be together with everyone else? Not me. I think it’s possible to have a lot less bad things happening. How about people stop breeding so much? How about one kid instead of five? Maybe the human population could thin itself out so where war would no longer be unnecessary.

f o r tribute

tribute bands - the next best thing until the actual artist returns

THE AUSTRALIAN BEE-GEES

infinity hall, hartford wall street theater

The quartet Dopapod—Eli Winderman [keys, vocals], Rob Compa [guitar, vocals], Chuck Jones [bass], and Neal “Fro” Evans [drums]—present albums as experiences meant to be shared out of your speakers and on stage. Traversing time travel, palindromic labyrinths, and binary pairs in a greater cohesive mystery, Dopapod’s forthcoming self-titled album ties the conceptual ends of the group’s discography, while charting a path forward. The group’s hypnotic hybrid of funk,rock, jazz, bluegrass, and electronica has packed shows coast-to-coast, and earned acclaim from Rolling Stone, Guitar World, Glide Magazine, and more, while reeling in millions of streams online. Their immersive, expansive vision as a group continues to conjure alchemy nearly fifteen years into their journey with the release of their seventh album, Dopapod out in spring of 2022. They Return after a great performance this past spring at the FTC.

It’s Saturday Night Fever every night with The Australian Bee Gees Show. You’ll hear hits like Staying Alive, You Should Be Dancing, How Deep Is Your Love, and Jive Talkin’. The performers authentic take on the trio’s clothes, style and moves showcase five decades of the Brothers Gibb’s success as rock and disco legends, while audiences groove to their memorable music and are immersed in the disco era. The President of the Bee Gees Fan Club, USA has said, “In my opinion they are the best Bee Gees tribute in the world!” The Las Vegas Review Journal has named them Best Tribute Show for 2015. Sept 21st Wall Street Theater

Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who “observes the world with a clinically poetic eye” (The New York Times), Suzanne Vega’s songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognizable—as utterly distinct and thoughtful as it was when her voice was first heard on the radio over 30 years ago. She returns after a sold out performance at the Emelin Theatre this spring.

TEXAS FLOOD: STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN TRIBUTE

Tommy Katona and Texas Flood have become one of the premier blues bands in all of North Texas. Evolving from the original tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas Flood pays tribute to the legends as well as the future of the blues through their own music and style. With an in-your-face show and raw high energy playing Tommy Katona takes the listener on a journey through the blues.

September 27th, The Kate - Old Saybrook

END OF THE LINE: ALLMAN BROS TRIBUTE

End Of The Line is the premiere Allman Brothers Tribute band. Having carved up the southeast with sold out shows in Georgia & Tennessee, End Of The Line is making a name for themselves with a sound as classic & heavy as the original brothers themselves. From the authentic, raspy vocal approach of Justin Smith to the chugging drum/percussion train of Chase Bader, Dave Czuba, and Ryan McClanahan, the band both pays homage while pushing the boundaries of the timeless & extensive catalog. With endorsements from the official Allman Brothers Museum The Big House, End Of The Line carries on the legacy of the Allman Brothers with poise & power. Come experience the soul, the guitarmony, the jam, and the ramblin’ spirit that still lives on through each note hit. Sept 30th, Wolf Den Mohegan Sun

enter to win tickets to these shows and more at www.thesoundmagazine.com

r o d u c t p l a c e m e n t

PRISONER DRINKING GAME

Do you think you have what it takes to get through a prison sentence? Put your skills to the test in this hilarious drinking game. Here’s how it works: you and your friends take it in turns to roll the dice. The player with the lowest number gets put in handcuffs. That’s right - actual handcuffs! The player then has to navigate through various tricky action cards. The other players (the jury), have to vote on whether the prisoner can complete the challenge. If they guess incorrectly, they have to drink! Once you’re out of the cuffs, you get to choose someone else to go in the clink. $25 Firebox.com

RUDE WRAPPING PAPER

Get ready to throw your inhibitions to the wind in this exhibitionist’s game for adults! In Name that Porno, you’ve gotta translate 55 pornofied Hollywood blockbusters into actions for your teammates to guess. That means thrusting, gyrating, and salivating to help them reach the right answer. While having a dirty mind isn’t essential to winning, it definitely helps! $10 Firebox.com

FREDDIE MERCURY MINTS

Peppermints fit for a queen. Get it, cuz it's Freddie Mercury and he was in the band Queen. And also there is a saying like "Fit for a king" and a queen is really similar to a king so it's like a play on words. $4 offthewagonshop.com

a look at the gear you crave, and the toys that will drive your coworkers nuts.

Emerging in the 1990s, English singer/songwriter Beth Orton combined the passion and beauty of the acoustic folk tradition with the electronic beats of trip-hop to create a fresh, distinct fusion of roots and rhythm. She charted in the U.K. and Australia with her international solo debut, 1996's Trailer Park, kicking off regular chart appearances highlighted by 2002's Ben Watt-produced Daybreaker, which cracked the Top Ten at home and marked her only appearance in the U.S. Top 40.

september 7th - shu theatre

Hailed as “pathologically fun” by The New York Times, Low Cut Connie first exploded out of Philadelphia roughly a decade ago with their self-released debut, Get Out The Lotion. Crossing the rapturous energy of Jerry Lee Lewis with the flamboyant sleaze of the New York Dolls, the record earned immediate critical raves, with Rolling Stone describing it as “what Indie Rock might sound like were it invented in Alabama in the late fifties” and NPR’s Fresh Air praising it as “both a throwback to early rock and a vital collection of raucous new music.” In early 2015, they returned again with Hi Honey, an album dubbed “the essence of what Rock ‘n’ Roll should be” by Sound Opinions host and legendary Rock critic Greg Kot.

september 8th - wolf den, mohegan sun

Bonerama is a force of nature. It is a band that in many ways defies categorization. A funky rock band with brass…a funky brass band that rocks. Pick Yer Poison. Bonerama is a New Orleans-based band that fuses everything that has made that city’s music famous into a genre defying gumbo. The band has taken the best elements of rock, soul, fusion, pop, jazz, funk, brass, gospel and blues to forge its unique sound.

september 21st - stage one, ftc thesound september 2023 - 27