I’m still coming down from watching Deer Tick’s John McCauley front Nirvana during the Foo Fighters’ encore at the CalJam Festival last weekend, but with wing and a shot of tequila, hopefully we can get through this. McCauley led surviving members of Nirvana through spot-on versions of “Serve the Servants,” “Scentless Apprentice” and “In Bloom” before […]
Okee dokee folks… I hate to beat a dead horse, mostly because I am an animal lover, but it is imperative that folks get out on November 6 and exercise their right to vote. We are in dark times, people, and it is getting darker. If it gets much worse, we may never be able […]
Okee dokee folks… Back in 1985, I came across an article in Time magazine about the crisis of family farmers that inspired me to write a song called “The Final Harvest.” Later that year, John Cougar Mellencamp released his Scarecrow album with its title cut about the farm crisis, and he, along with Neil Young […]
People in the music industry tend to live hard. They don’t sleep a lot. They don’t have great food choices on the road. Alcohol and drugs are constant temptations. And who has time to see a doctor? “We [were] so tired of just throwing benefit concerts for fellow musicians who got really sick,” said Russ […]
John Faraone – Light Upon John Faraone, who serves as a distinguished sideman as the drummer for local rock favorites The Quahogs, along with other acts like Ian Fitzgerald, is making his own way as a singer/songwriter. His debut LP, Light Upon, is a mellow, focused album that that doesn’t swing for the fences, but […]
One of Rhode Island’s finest all-around jazz entertainer is Debra Mann. Her young talents brought her to Boston’s Berklee College, where she studied jazz and classical music. Soon, she became a premier jazz pianist and singer, gracing top performing halls, restaurants and hotels. She operated as a solo artist for a period and then formed a trio and later a quintet. […]
Providence is nothing if not artsy — they don’t call us the Creative Capital for nothin’! With creative juices flowing freely and abundantly from all corners of the city and surrounding towns, it isn’t surprising that so many organizations focused on helping young artists explore their passions have popped up over the last couple of […]
Jazz guitarist and recent Rhode Island Music Hall Of Fame inductee Frank Potenza returns to the area to play Chan’s on September 22. To prepare for the gig, I asked him a few questions about his music and local ties. Ben Shaw: What got you into jazz? Frank Potenza: My father, Frank, had a […]
Algiers The sophomore album by Algiers, The Underside of Power, is a stirring statement of our times. Algiers remind me a lot of TV on The Radio, but better. The title track is an upbeat march to redemption. Algiers, at times, fuses gospel and hip-hop with the urgency of Gang of Four, which isn’t easy […]
Okee dokee folks… The other night I went to check out a show featuring two classic rock bands at Twin River’s Event Center. The bands were Starship, featuring Mickey Thomas, and The Guess Who. I have never had the chance to see these bands live before, but have seen a few of the original members […]