James Bay: Not Holding Anything Back (Including the River)

Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes

Hold back the river, so I

Can stop for a minute and see where you hide 

Hold back the river, hold back

Nothing can hold back the rolling current of James Bay's rocking raw talent.

And yet ... I almost I didn't go to his May 8th concert at the Depot in Salt Lake City.

After listening to his hit "Roll Back the River" about 25 times on YouTube, well that was the deciding factor.  

His timeless, soul soaked music spoke to a throng of screaming, first-big-concert high school faces downstairs. And it was standing room only for those in the "over 21" audience bar area upstairs at The Depot in Salt Lake City.  

Perhaps those of us old enough to remember heard hints of Bruce Springstein.

There was an audible gasp the first time Bay said a few words in between songs. His characteristic British accent and deep voice warmed me.  

James Bay opened with “Collide” and mesmerized to the finish. His set was replete with songs about love, relationships, life.  “Move Together,” “Scars,” and “Let It Go” suggested he’d lived more seasons than his 23 years, as he rolled through the Depot.  An old soul perhaps.  And to my delight, he wasted little time on chatter, in spite of his charming voice.  What wasn't to like?

The Depot holds approximately 1200 people. Ive seen it more crowded, but it was mostly full, upstairs and downstairs, a hint that James Bay can command generations of fans.

As I was doing my usual review-review, I noticed he got panned by a Brit newspaper, The Guardian. Ouch.  Blasted in his own backyard for being nothing special, he was characterized as “balladeering by numbers.”  Pretty sure America will love him.  In fact, we already do. His new album, “Chaos in the Calm” debuted at number one on the albums chart by March 30th and his smash hit single “Hold Back the River” is consistently in the top 20 singles.  I'm speculating we will be seeing him again soon on a U.S. tour, and … most likely at a much larger venue.  Whatever the “formula” is, it works.  Enough said.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals: Rock Goddess Reigns Supreme

I see a tiny light like a flashbulb sparkle in the night
I see a tiny light telling everyone to hold on tight

-– Grace Potter and the Nocturnals (“Tiny Light”) 

Vermont's Grace Potter and the Nocturnals delivered up a healthy serving of Southern rock, blues, and soul at The Depot in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night. And they did so with unequaled passion. Backstopped by lead guitarist Scott Tournet, drummer Matt Burr, bassist Catherine Popper, and rhythm guitarist Benny Yurco, Potter's musical and theatrical intensity remained stratospheric for the entire set. Potter's vocals were sultry, soulful, and at times, teasing.

From the moment she walked on stage, it was clear that Grace Potter was different from any other musician or band I'd ever seen. Different and exceptionally exceptional. Besides her ability to sing, play guitar and keyboard, and command the stage, Grace and her blonde mane brought to the stage a shot of yin energy as she flipped and tossed her head for each song.

Grace and Catherine are the type of women that inspire other women to accentuate what makes them uniquely female: dress, hair, jewelry, shoes … all fearlessly and intoxicatingly feminine. She and Catherine wore flattering, thigh-revealing dresses that have become a trademark of their performances (follow Grace on twitter.com @gracepotter to track her concert outfits and set lists). What an escape from the pseudo male, business casual desert in which so many women live.

The capacity audience at The Depot was fixated on the stage for the entire show, which included a five-song encore. As we were mesmerized by each song, a group of us near the front were in awe that a performer could generate so much energy.

That good? Absolutely. Grace has been compared with some of the music industry's greatest names: Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Norah Jones, Bonnie Raitt, Melissa Etheridge, Etta James, to name a few. And for good reason. If you haven't seen Grace Potter yet, there's still time. She has the talent and charisma that will keep the craze about her band in motion for years to come. And Vermont's idyllic covered bridges and maple syrup finally have a rival for home state fame indeed.

 Fanfare
“Loved it!! She was an amazing performer, so much energy and spunk! Paris and Medicine were also fav's. :)”
- Amy

“This was so awesome!”
- Karen

“That was the first time I've ever heard Grace Potter, too! Loved her!! The music was awesome; fun beat, great voice and I agree with Amy about the energy and spunk! I really enjoyed the last song she played, too...“
- Sheila

Set List

Hot Summer

Joey

Only Love

That Phone

Colors

Low Road

Tiny Light

Ah Mary

White Rabbit

Paris

Fooling Myself

One Short Night

Sugar

Apologizes

Medicine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure: I received a photo pass to this concert.  I did NOT receive compensation for this review.

Battle of the Karoake Amos Lee Wannabees

A sold out show at The Depot in Salt Lake City, Amos Lee's Tuesday concert was the much anticipated music event of the week. And to the disappointment of fans and no doubt to concert organizers, Lee was ill and unable to perform.

With headliner under the weather, there were two choices: reschedule or play without him. Or … both.  The band declared the show must go on.

The Depot offered free admission to all Amos Lee ticket holders, so a win/win situation under trying circumstances. Lee's band didn't miss a beat. They were engaging and at times incredibly funny as they highlighted Lee's rich four-album repository. “We really wanted to be here tonight and play for all of you,” said one of the members of the band. Above all, they represented well Lee's mix of rock, soul, blues, and folk.

So what about the Amos-lessness of the gig? Enter: Amos Lee karaoke, where fans were selected from the audience to show their singing prowess onstage with Lee's band. It was Lee's idea, according to the band. As the Amos Lee craving crowd got a taste of the band's vibe, they saw and heard American Idol-type performances from local wanna be Lee impersonators. Some would be stars read lyrics from a page while one in particular wowed the audience with lyrics that came easy and corresponding antics.

The anticipation for the return of the band, with Amos Lee, is stronger than ever. The concert is being rescheduled “as soon as possible.” It's just a matter of finding an open date that will work for the band and The Depot.

Disclosure: I received a photo pass to this concert.  I did NOT receive compensation for this review.

Channeling Jerry Garcia in Salt Lake City: Dark Star Orchestra

If the thunder don't get you then the lightning will.
-- The Grateful Dead ("The Wheel")

On a hot August day in 1995 when my daughter was skating at the Cottonwood Heights Rec Center, one of the coaches blasted onto the ice wearing jeans and a tie dyed t-shirt.  Uncharacteristic skating coach-wear, her outfit was a tribute to Jerry Garcia, the voice of the Grateful Dead, who had died that day.  And with Garcia's death came the disbanding of the group named #55 in the top 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, by Rolling Stone magazine.

Dark Star Orchestra's psychedelic-rock-folk-R and B-jazz incarnation of the Dead came alive in Salt Lake City at The Depot on Friday.  I broke all sorts of speed records on I-15 getting from my daughter's ice skating performance in Bountiful.  Fortunately, my parking visualization conveniently kicked in and I got a (legal) spot three cars from the front door.

Utah Deadheads were milling about on two layered vantage points for the concert.  Kodak Perfect Picture Spots were hard to find because The Depot was so crowded, and I found myself hanging off of various balconies to get a few (camera) shots.   Congratulations to The Depot and United Concerts: a great turnout for an event-packed Friday night so close to Christmas.

Clearly, love of the Dead is a multi-generational feeling.  The ageless hippy, bearded, long-haired, tie dye set was in full force.  One group of half a dozen 40- or 50-something guys were behaving like fraternity brothers and toasting to ... well, I wasn't close enough to hear but it looked like a poignant if not spontaneous moment.  Plenty of 20- and 30-somethings, who may have gleaned an appreciation for Garcia-isms from their Deadhead parents, were chatting up a storm.  Sorry I can't be more specific - I'm a bad judge of people's ages and it's not one of those questions you ask.

Dark Star broke into the second set with "China Cat Sunflower" and had the crowd singing along to "I Know You Rider." Utah's contingent of Deadheads sang and undulated non-stop for the balance of the evening.  At times, Dark Star took on a garage jam session posture, and rightly so - the Dead were known for such. 

The August 20, 1987 set list for the Grateful Dead's performance at Park West Ski Resort (now The Canyons Ski Resort) was the show's template. Without the limitation of a lights and/or video show, the "set list" concept was not nearly so well developed during the Dead's heyday as it is today.  The Dead planned their sets on-stage, literally, and Dark Star Orchestra revives them from Dead concerts and a collection of over 100 Dead hit songs from the Dead's 30+ year history.

Sandwiched in the middle of the set was "Drums," a primal percussion drum and electronic marimba duo. Steady dancing turned to jubilation when the band played "Truckin'," a song about the Dead's 1970 arrest for possession of various drugs in New Orleans.  And the momentum grew even stronger when the band broke out with "Gimme Some Lovin'." 


Though Dark Star didn't even play the Dead's "Dark Star," the group resurrected the Dead with impeccable authenticity.  

Dark star crashes, pouring its light into ashes.
Reason tatters, the forces tear loose from the axis.
Searchlight casting for faults in the clouds of delusion.
Shall we go, you and I while we can
Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds?

Mirror shatters in formless reflections of matter.
Glass hand dissolving to ice petal flowers revolving.
Lady in velvet recedes in the nights of goodbye.
Shall we go, you and I while we can
Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds?

Dark Star capped off the happening shortly before midnight with the carefree summer love song "Sugar Magnolia" and "The Mighty Quinn."  An evening spent channeling Jerry Garcia?  Dead-on.

Dark Star Orchestra
Rob Eaton, rhythm guitar and vocals
Dino English, drums
Rob Koritz, drums
Lisa Mackey, vocals
Kevin Rosen, bass guitar and vocals
Rob Barraco, keyboard and vocals
Jeff Mattson, lead guitar

Disclosure: I received a photo pass to this concert.  I did NOT receive compensation for this review.