by terri sapp

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photo for website

Every time that my favorite band comes out with a new album, I get all nervous and excited all at the same time!  I can’t wait to sit alone with the lyrics, read along as I listen, and just enjoy.  The nerves come from the same anticipation that I get when I am about to shoot photos of them at their concerts.  Butterflies and all!  Nick Hexum (vocals and guitar), SA Martinez (vocals and special effects), Chad Sexton (drums), P-Nut (bass), and Tim Mahoney (guitar) have not made an album yet that I did not like, and their 2011 release, Universal Pulse is no different.  I knew from the first song, “Time Bomb” that I would love Universal Pulse.  This time, unlike in the past, I ordered my copy (CD and vinyl) on a pre-sale set up by the band.  However, once the actual day came for the album to ‘drop,’ I didn’t feel right not picking a copy up from one of my favorite local record stores, so I went there, too!  311 usually offers a special keepsake with their records that are bought the day they go on sale, and this year it was a free limited edition lenticular hologram of the album cover.  Of course, I couldn’t resist!

“Time Bomb” is a classic 311 dancehall rock jam.  Seems like another awesome message and sort of another ode to their fans… “Let me introduce you to the excitable crew!  This is just how we do.  Tickin’ like a time bomb…watch, we go off!”  SA and Nick’s harmonies are on point throughout Universal Pulse, which always gets a crowd going.  “Time Bomb” will be one that 311 enjoys playing live, I’m sure.  “Wild Nights” has a little harder feel on the music end, but very melodic vocals.Chad’s drums and P-Nut’s bass are heavy in “Wild Nights.”  There is no question where I stand onChad’s drumming, or Mahoney’s guitar work, so I’ll just say they rock this song out. 

The first single for Universal Pulse is “Sunset in July,” which is a bit more subdued than the first songs on the record.  I can hear that bit of an edge in the song, but “Sunset in July” focuses more on the melody, I think.  One of the things I love about a 311 song is that you think that it will go one way, but then they will change it up on you and make you feel like you are getting two songs in one!  “Watching you dancing and having the time of your life, and it’s getting’ me high. Time is flying by, Woah oh-oh-oh!”  Sounds like their Summer tours!!  I’m sure we’ll be hearing this one quite a bit on the road.  The guitar riff throughout the song is unmistakable. 

“Trouble” is full of great lyrics and harmonious vocals to go along with the music.  “I was always looking for trouble, trouble, it always followed me.  I would always have to do a double, a double cuz one just ain’t enough of all the liquor and enough of pharmaceuticals…The bullshit the trouble was coming from me, honestly.” “Point of contention, pain will both motivate and lead to you change, whoa.  It’s been said before, I’ll say it again, you only will get, one spin oh-oh.”  “Trouble” is a head bobber, for sure.  One of my favorites on Universal Pulse, “Count Me In” hits the reggae spot that I am always looking for with 311.  I am a sucker for a reggae beat!  I’d say that it is obvious that in their later years, 311 has matured a lot in their lyric writing.  Not to say that they haven’t always had stellar lyrics, but the topics they hit these days are more from a place of a 30 something (like me) who has been through a good bit of life experiences.  I LOVE IT!  I say “count me in!”  I would dedicate this one to my lover… “You and me will go on. We can make war or we can make love ‘til I figure out how you know what I’m thinking of, you are under my skin. Count me in I’ve made a decision. Count me in if you’re in, I’m in. I know what you’re thinking and you know I’m with you. Count me in, if you do, I do.”  Sorry to quote so much, but I love the lyrics in this record!

I knew immediately when seeing a song called “Rock On” on Universal Pulse, it would be in the more rock-n-roll genre of 311’s repertoire.  Chad’s drums are a major part of “Rock On,” and I can hear that there are dueling guitars, so that means Tim AND Nick are rockin’ it out!  The bass on “Weightless” is off the chain, yo!  And, I can’t say enough about the vocals.  SA’s harmonies kill me!  I find myself singing along with him hitting the high notes.  I know I am not the only one imaging him dancing around the stage when hearing him singing.  The beat is slower, but still very upbeat and danceable.  I really do love that Nick and SA are singing quite a bit on this shorter album.  There may not be as many songs on Universal Pulse, but the eight songs that are on it all have their own personality and ROCK!

The last song has to be my favorite of the whole LP!  “And A Ways To Go” is one of the many songs in 311’s catalogue that shows off their softer side!  The vocals, lyrics, drums, bass, and guitar are all on point, and it is just so damn pretty!  There is a heavier breakdown in the middle of the song, but for the most part, “And A Ways To Go” is sweet-sounding and ‘311 soft,’ which is softer than most of their songs.  Maybe this is where they appeal to their lady crowd, but whatever, it works!  The sensitive side of 311 always has me swaying!  SA and Nick singing together on this one is the pinnacle of their Universal Pulse harmonies!  Of course, anyone who knows me KNOWS I am totally smitten with Tim Mahoney, and could listen to his guitar all day long…because I like the way it sounds, AND because I like to imagine him playing it and doing his dance moves!  Many of my newly acquired 311 appreciators are partial to SA, so they also have to love this song, as he has most of the vocal parts in “And A Ways To Go.”  Toward the end, there is an almost Pink Floyd “On the Run” inspired breakdown, just before “come on yeah it’ll be alright and we’re gonna take a ride.  I don’t know if we’ll come back.”  The first time I heard this, I was almost in tears, not because of the cool music, but because I do NOT like hearing those words come out of SA’s mouth… (and maybe a little bit hormones).  The thought of 311 not coming back, NO!  I want them to stick with “I’ll be here awhile, ain’t goin’ nowhere!”

For more information on what 311 is doing, visit www.311.com, and make sure to pick up a copy of the new album Universal Pulse.  It is reasonably priced, and worth every penny!

by terri sapp

Photographs by Leah Yetter and terri sapp

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photos for photo gallery

On May 5, 2011, the girls of Concert Sutra came together again at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgiato FINALLY catch those English blokes who call themselves Echo and the Bunnymen, having waited for them to come back to Atlantaafter cancelling on us in 2009.  After the let down of missing them then, we were overjoyed when we showed up this year at the Masquerade and saw the tour busses and a packed house with almost no teenagers!  Echo’s lineup on this 2011 tour included Ian McCullough (the sassiest lead singer in all of the UK), Will Sergeant (bad ass guitar), Gordy Goudie (guitar with the coolest name), Stephen Brannan (unbelievable bass), Paul Fleming (old school keyboards), and Nick Kilroe (to die for drums).  The show primarily consisted of the band’s first two studio album releases, Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here, along with some extra gems during the encores.  Before Echo and the Bunnymen even showed their faces, they pumped out enough fog to throw a Halloween party in Times Square!  The only downside to that, other than the difficulty breathing, was that when they made it to the stage, you could hardly see their faces for all of the fog!  AND, don’t get me started about the lighting at the Masquerade!!  Trying to get a decent photograph of these guys in this venue (even with Leah’s brand new addition to the Concert Sutra family, the fabulous new Canon 60D) was like me struggling to capture Bauhaus in the purposeful darkness of the Tabernacle with any camera!  Needless to say, during the first part of the show, while the band was jamming out “Going Up” and “Stars Are Stars,” poor Leah was busy shooting silhouettes!  She was hungry for some rich and vibrant photos since it was our first time together at a show in a very long time, so she didn’t give up that easily.  Be sure to check out Leah’s photo gallery at http://www.leahyetter.com/110505csechobunnymen/index.htm, because we worked very hard for every single shot in there!  This was no cake walk!  I was able to catch a little video on my little Canon Elph while we were up front shooting, which can be found on the Concert Sutra You Tube channel, or by clicking here Echo and the Bunnymen on the Concert Sutra You Tube channel.  Please check it out and feel free to comment and let us know what you think!  We have started trying to get some amateur video clips that we would like to feature here on the site, so we want to hear from you and get some feedback!

One of my favorite vocalists, Ian McCullough’s voice was everything I imagined it would be.  “Pride” and “Monkeys” was clear evidence that he might be older, and sings with a cigarette in his fingers, but (like another favorite of mine – Joni Mitchell) his voice is not affected in a negative way!  Nick Kilroe on the drums and Will Sergeant’s guitar work were rocking the entire place, especially apparent to me in “Monkeys” and “Crocodiles.”  Makes me want to go to the zoo!  J  The band was literally killing it!  I also really liked the guitar player, Gordy Goudie, who proved an easier target for my camera.  His presence was huge on the stage with his band mates.  I have always liked the song “Rescue” a lot, and love it even more now from hearing it in its real live environment!  I am forever impressed when bands can stand up to or surpass their studio produced recordings during a live performance.  I know what it takes to put on a great show, and there is nothing easy about it!  Your audience will always be comparing what they hear live to the album they have been listening to for the last 30 years or whatever.  There are a hand full of bands out there with the raw talent enough to pull it off, and after seeing Echo and the Bunnymen for the first time live; I can confidently add their name to that list.  Listening to “Rescue,” I felt I was jamming out to my iPod, but really loud!  Ian’s vocals are really either not affected by the constant smoking, or enhanced by it!  I still absolutely love his voice. 

“Villiers Terrace,” “Read it in Books,” and “Pictures On My Wall” really highlighted the keyboard work by Paul Fleming.  I love the Doors-esque feel of the sound.  Then, the drums of “All That Jazz” took over.  Kilroe really kicked it up a notch on this one.  The last song on the Crocodiles album is “Happy Death Men.” And, then it all made sense!  “Happy death men, no regret men, happy death men, like to keep things dark!”  They LIKE things dark!  What a great way to end that portion of the set.  I love the way Ian says “Thank you” after every song, and then sometimes goes on a rant about something that is on his mind, or a tidbit about the next song.  I have to say that I really understood the curse words the most during those parts of the show, which is fine with me! 

Instead of taking a break, Echo went straight into the first song on their second studio album, Heaven Up Here, called “Show of Strength” and that is exactly what these guys were doing!  They may be many years older than they were when they originally released these albums, but they are just as tight as performers as back in the 80’s.  “With a Hip” “is the one for the money…This is the one for the trees…This is the one called heaven…And this is the one for me!”  “Oh yes, oh yes!”  And, cheers to you, too, Ian!  You sang the dickens out of that song!  “Over The Wall” slows it down a bit, but really, they just kept on rocking!  Even their slower songs rock!  My high hopes for this show were met and exceeded!  Being my fiancé Noel’s favorite band, I knew they would have to blow the roof off, and mid way through the show, I found myself wondering why the hell we were in the Masquerade, and not somewhere bigger and better, like Center Stage, or even the Fox!  The crowd could have really equally spread their wings in another venue, I think.  Everyone had a great time at the show, because the band commanded the stage that they were playing, but the Masquerade is not the ideal place for such icons as Echo and the Bunnymen.

“It Was A Pleasure” running into so many friends and familiar faces at this show.  Cheryl Carroll (writer extraordinaire) and Zod (from the bandVietnam) were in the house, as well as Jeff Clark (from Stomp and Stammer), and I even ran into Tom Roche (a local filmmaker who made my very favorite MAGA documentary “Alley Pat, The Music Is Recorded” that I met at the Macon Film Festival)!  The house was packed full of wonderful energy and (I’ll say it again) NO TEENAGERS for a change!  I love “A Promise” that is kept, and Echo lived up to theirs!  Everyone was singing along to this beautiful tune that was one of the singles released from this album back in 1981!  Title track “Heaven Up Here” is what Ian called “a fast one” and I’d say it could almost fall in the metal category if it wasn’t so pretty.  Heavy guitar and drums, bass booming and vocals out loud…the makings of a real crowd pleaser.

Slowing things down a bit, “The Disease” is anything but diseased.  I love the thought process of Echo’s song length…quick and dirty!  One of my favorites “All My Colours” really slows it down for a few, and then swells into beauty!  Ian’s vocals on the chorus were mesmerizing, and the drums a bit tribal, adding to my need to sway and bob!  I am not sure what a “zimbo” is, but I love that “all my colours turn to clouds!”  And then I’m confused, because “No Dark Things” goes against the way things are looking inside of the Masquerade!  I am just a little bitter about the difficulty the lighting gave our cameras on our first outing together since Leah moved to Wyoming.  “Turquoise Days” has a distinctive beat that is kind of slow and kind of fast at the same time.  I love dancing to this song.  “You’ve got a problem, come on over!”  And, for the grand finale of Heaven Up Here, one of my favorites, “All I Want.”  How anyone could be still during this song, I wouldn’t know.  “All I Want” showcased the musicianship of this band of guys, and the awesome abilities of the original lineup that composed the music!  ROCK-N-ROLL!!!!

Once the band came back for the Encore, everyone went crazy when they started playing “Lips Like Sugar!”  One of their biggest hits, I was surprised they played it first in the encore, but there was truly an echo with everyone singing along.  Echo and the Bunnymen are a class act with talent oozing from their every breath.  Toward the middle, they even got us all clapping before they broke it down concert style!  Saved especially for the encore (usually the second song on the album Crocodiles), “Do It Clean” is grouped with the songs that seem to be their most popular.  “Do It Clean” also got audience participation, and is the title track from the live album that Echo released after their tour concluded.  Ian even told a story in the middle of the song while the bass was still going.  His story included calling someone a twat, which is the part I could make out.  J  I LOVE British Rockers!

For the ladies, Echo was sure to play “Bring On The Dancing Horses!”  followed by “Nothing Lasts Forever.”  These are two of the prettiest Echo songs ever!  Even Noel sang along to some of “Dancing Horses”…the “hating all the faking” part, at least!  To this point, Echo had played a special “live” version of all of the encore songs!  It made it so worth the trouble of going out to the Masquerade during the week to see and hear this magic!  After the end of “Bring On The Dancing Horses,” Ian informed us that the next song, “Nothing Lasts Forever” would be the last song of THIS encore, and that if we wanted another, we’d have to clap!  The accent always makes me smile!  I also agreed with Ian when he stated that this one is among the greatest songs of all time!  “Nothing comes to those who wait.  Time’s running out before you’re running in.  I want more than I can get, just trying to trying to trying to forget.  Nothing ever lasts forever nothing ever lasts forever!”  Words to live by, I say!  The melody is genius!  Being my first time seeing Echo live, I had never seen, only heard rumor that this might happen, but sure enough, Lou Reed’s “Take a Walk On The Wide Side” came smack dab in the middle of “Nothing Lasts Forever!”  What a beautiful combination!

Clapping you want?  Clapping you got!  The second encore…that’s right…second encore…began with “Killing Moon!”  I was hoping to hear “Ocean Rain,” but “Killing Moon” from the same album did me just fine!  Used in the cult classic movie Donnie Darko, “Killing Moon” is another very popular Echo song, and is highly recognizable.  The whole place sang along with this one as well!  Who says that older folk can’t hang with the big dogs???  These guys played breathtakingly all night until almost 1:00 a.m.  They went out with a bang on “The Cutter!”  A grand finale with all singing along still!  They left us wanting more!  What a dynamic song, which in my opinion kills every U2 song I’ve ever heard!  I say that as a fan of U2, because the style of “The Cutter” is similar to their style, but so much more.  I guess I am just partial to Ian’s voice and Will’s guitar!  If Echo and the Bunnymen ever come around where you can see them, please do yourself a favor and catch that show!

For more information on the band, and to keep up with their tour schedule, visit http://www.bunnymen.com/.

by terri sapp

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photo for band website

One of my favorite bands, !!! (chk chk chk) made us all happy in the Fall of 2010 when they released their latest album called  Strange Weather, Isn’t It? just in time for my birthday!! !  Since their debut self-titled studio album in 2001, !!! has produced nothing but quality work.  After the 2007 release of the awesome Myth Takes record, I was not surprised to hear that their sound just keeps getting tighter and tighter!  It is hard to imagine an album that can stand up next to Myth Takes, because it is such a fantastic collection of songs, but Strange Weather, Isn’t It? holds its own in a major way.  I knew I loved this new release within the first few measures.

In true !!! form,  Mario Andreoni (guitar), Dan Gorman (horns/percussion/keys), Nic Offer (vocals), Tyler Pope (bass/various electronic devices), and Allan Wilson (horns/percussion/keys) , Shannon Funchess (vocals), Sean McGahan (various electronic devices/sound manipulation), Paul Quattrone and Jerry Fuchs (drums) kick off the new album with a lively, bouncing beat in “AM/FM.”  There are very few bands out right now that can control my body movement with their music, and !!! never fails me.  My booty loves their tunes…  The musicianship these young fellas display is beyond my comprehension sometimes.  The webs they weave with the different facets of the band always make for repeat listening between my office, car, and iPod, and it never gets old!! 

“Most Certain Sure” is one of my absolute favorite tracks on this album.  It seems to embody everything I love about the commonly referred to as ‘dance-punk’ band, !!!.  Between the sultry vocals by the ever sexy singer Nic Offer, the awesome lyrics, and multi-layered music, there is no going wrong here.  “Alright, guess I just had to learn what everybody’s always knoooown…And it’s a good thing, it’s a good thiiiiiiiiiing!”  “Most Certain Sure” makes me feel “strangely free!”  The seamless transition into “Wannagain Wannagain” is enough to keep any party going without even having to change the CD.  Shannon Funchess’s backing vocals compliment Offer’s and fit right in with Tyler Pope’s manipulation of his various electronic devices.  When we saw them play in Athens, GA at the 40 Watt in 2007, Tyler blew me away the way he transitioned from playing his guitar (that night) to the many devices he was working with to bring the sounds we are used to hearing on their records to the stage.  AWESOME!

On a funkier note, “Jamie, My Intentions Are Bass,” as you could imagine showcases the bass line.  The guitar riff is very memorable as well.  !!! is just an all around jammin’ party pumpin’ band!  I always visualize Offer’s cute moves and his seriously silly dances in my head when I hear songs like this one.  Just when I thought the next song was going to be a slower more melodic type of number, “Steady As A Sidewalk Cracks” busts out with a very upbeat and catchy chorus.  I know I go on and on about Nic Offer, but I am in love with his voice and singing style.  “Steady as a sidewalk’s crack, and let the grass grow through it.  But don’t you ever look back.  You’ve got to trust the music.”  That’s what I am talking about!  I am also always a sucker for horns, and “Steady” is full of them. 

“Hollow” has a more industrial-esque sound with a heavier drum focus and more rhythmic vocals.  The guitar is harder, too, and accompanies the sound manipulation that !!! has come to be known for.  “Jump Back” starts out with a sound reminiscent of a dance remix of a very playful Bauhaus song.  I absolutely love it.  Strange Weather, Isn’t It? serves it up song after song.  I have to say that if you do not have this album or any !!!, make it happen!  If you don’t watch it, “Jump Back” will turn into “Even Judas Gave Jesus A Kiss” and you won’t even realize it!  They seem to just flow.  “Judas” is total disco !!!  “I don’t wish that you were here now.  I don’t want those old times back.  I never wish that somehow we could change it back, ‘cause it’s all been tainted black!…I suppose that Judas had his reasons…and it all worked out the best.”  Words to dance to!  Lastly, like the grand finale, is “Hammer,” which was composed by !!! and Jerry Fuchs.  Since the time that we saw !!! before this album was released, with Jerry Fuchs on the drums, the Marietta native (Cobb County in tha house!) and former UGA student, was killed in Brooklyn in a very tragic freak accident involving a broken elevator and tremendous back luck.  What a terrible loss for !!! and music in general.  His drumming style and energy are captured forever in “Hammer.”  And, I agree with Offer when he repeats “Don’t Stop!!!” for most of the song!  Since I first learned of Fuchs early on in my love for !!!, I always put him in a category with the greats in the drummer world!  He has the chops to stand up with the likes of John Bonham or Chad Sexton, and the creativity to play next to another of my favorites Matt Chamberlain any day! 

For more information on !!! (chk chk chk), and to see if you could luck out and catch them live in a town near you, visit http://www.chkchkchk.net/.

by terri sapp

Photographs by terri sapp

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photos for photo gallery

At the risk of sounding like an old grandma, I often reminisce, especially when I am physically at a show, of my younger days with Nick Hexum, Tim Mahoney, SA Martinez, P-Nut and Chad Sexton, when I was more available to travel around on a whim to see my favorite rock band in concert.  To my knowledge, I have never missed a show in Atlanta, and I do not plan on it, unless physically impossible, or on my death bed at 98.  I made it just before and just after my major back surgery, which put me behind on bringing the coverage to my readers, but I was still there taking it all in.  I noticed more than ever at the Unity Tour 2010 that every song (with the possible exception of the newer ones that I am hearing live for only the first or second time), brings me back to a time in my 311 past when I was traveling the US enjoying the vibe.  On July 17, 2010 at the Aaron’s Lakewood Amphitheatre in Atlanta, Georgia, 311 played a setlist that got me strolling down memory lane.  My overwhelming 311 nostalgia has inspired me to organize my extensive collection to also not only archive for protection, but to also share with all of you.  It may take me a while to gather and process, but you will enjoy…stay tuned on that one.

At 311 shows these days, I look around and see myself in many of the younger kids who have come around to expand what was already an impressive fan base.  I am realizing, though, that whether you want to or not, as you get older, the things you used to be able to do are not as feasible anymore.  I am not trying to be a downer, just share my personal evolution as someone who (one of my friends pointed out to me today) has been following and collecting 311 since a lot of the younger fans these days were in diapers, and probably some may not have been born.  Don’t go thinking I am a little old lady, I am a child of the early 70’s, like most of the 311 band members.  One major example of change in my 311 world is my pit lust…in the beginning of my love and fanatic participation in 311, I would go to the end of the Earth for pit tickets at a show, camp out all day at a general admission situation, and very sturdily ride the front wall from beginning to end.  These days, I find myself (especially when shooting photographs and back and forth from the press pit) grateful for a good seat!  At one point, if I wasn’t within arms length of the stage, I was not happy.  These days, I actually look for something in the Loge (partially for the birds eye view), or ten to twenty rows back, due to the extremely loud speakers.  The way I look at it is not that I have become lame, but that I have had 16+ years riding the front row, and camping out all night to ensure Pit tickets for me and all of my friends, so now is the time that I pass the torch, so to speak, to the kids who weren’t around for all of the great experiences I have had.  After enjoying the front of the lawn with some friends on July 17^th, I finally feel perfectly content with the wanting a seat at the show.  Not that I do not want to dance the entire time, but sometimes I like the option to rest my weaker than before back and knees.

OK, so as difficult as 311 is to photograph, I did my best with a VERY crowded (more than usual) Press Pit, limited equipment (unlike my girl and Professional Photog Leah, who I miss very much), on edge nerves, Georgia heat, and an AWESOME first three songs that got me way too pumped to be working!  That said, my 2010 311 Photo Gallery can be found at http://www.leahyetter.com/100717cs311/.  Please check it out!

 Since this show made me realize that I have officially grown up with 311, I am going to take you down memory lane with me on my journey with 311 thus far.  For example, the first song on the set on July 17^th “Down,” was the song I watched (sitting in the Ed Sullivan Theatre) 311 play on the David Letterman Show, September 12, 1996.  “Off Beat Bare Ass” reminds me of the show at UMASS Amherst, September 13, 1996, the night after the Letterman Show when I threw a huge gift on stage (what’s up), and P-Nut grabbed it, put it in his mouth, and danced around on stage with it!  After that show, the guitar tech at that time, Trevor, jumped off of the stage to hand me the set list.  Good times.  Another of my fondest memories of “Bare Ass” was at one of the most fun and different shows ever, which took place at the Montgomery Motor Sports Park in Montgomery, Alabama.  Nick actually used and thanked us from the stage for the gift we threw them onstage (in so many words)!!!  The most memorable version of the ever popular “What Was I Thinking” happened October 31, 1997 in Berkeley, California when Todd and I traveled to see 311 at the Greek Theatre.  I will never forget watching P-Nut in his priest costume pound out the hardcore bass line in the then new song from the Transistor album.

The Independence Day 2009 show in Atlanta was the first time I ever heard “Mix It Up” live.  Another setlist favorite, “Beautiful Disaster” makes me think of the show in Pelham, Alabama at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, with Incubus and Fishbone opening on September 16, 1997.  After this song, Nick proclaimed that the venue would not let Fishbone sell their shirts that read “Fuck Racism,” so Nick bought them and threw them out to the crowd.  “Taiyed” got a lot of play in 1995 and 1996, and ultimately reminds me of the great times spent with friends all around the states, like Kings Street Palace in Charleston, South Carolina on August 31, 1996 in my very close old friend Gordon’s town at the time.  What a weekend that was with Gordon and Todd!  However, I will never forget my night at Lakewood Amphitheatre on June 22, 2000 celebrating the 10^th anniversary with 311, where they played their album Grassroots all the way through, only to decide to play the whole Music album as an encore!!!  Even though the From Chaos album was released in 2001, I did not hear “Sick Tight” played until July 26, 2008 in Atlanta at (then called) Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre!  It was good to hear it again so quickly.  Another song we don’t get to hear all that often, “Purpose” will always remind me of the first time I saw 311 on SA’s birthday, October 29, 1995 at local club The Moon in Tallahassee, Florida.  “Brodels,” which was played later in the show this year (after “Gray Sky”), is also not played that often, and is another played at The Moon on SA’s birthday! They really pulled out a great group of songs that night, and what a party it was!  I don’t really remember hearing it again (per my records and memories, some shows lost forever in the haze of time) until August 26, 2006 in Atlanta.  “India Ink,” being a fairly new song was first played for me in Atlanta on July 4^th 2009.  I really love this song, and its funky attitude!

Some memories of a particular moment in a show are fleeting, or need some reminding to bring them back.  Some are burned forever, never to be forgotten…no matter whether you want to remember or not!  That said, on October 31, 1999 in Atlanta at the Tabernacle, 311’s super distorted alien version of “Flowing” was all it took to send my date at the time completely over the edge to the point of the guards on the front wall pulling him out and moving him along out of the pit, and over to Grady Hospital where we eventually found him being pumped with fluids to sober up…some can’t handle theirs!  “There’s Always An Excuse” takes me back to the biggest 311 show to date on August 26, 2006 in Atlanta at the Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre with 18,555 tickets sold.  What great energy that night had!  I can’t remember a show when I did not hear “Applied Science,” with a killer different drum solo from Chad Sexton, so there are many memories that stand out surrounding this song.  First, is the first time I ever met Chad, who was the first member of the band that I met.  After Shootyz Groove played their set at the Sloss Furnaces on May 21, 1996 in Birmingham, Alabama, I spotted Chad just casually walking around in the open crowd area near the soundboard.  Since there were no people around, I went over to shake his hand and introduce myself.  He was very sweet and gracious.  An extremely nice gentleman!  The other major moment with “Applied Science” was the second time I saw them at the Fox Theatre, Atlanta, on February 26, 2000 at the 99x Chinese New Year show, which was the first time I saw them expand the drum solo to include the entire band!

During the encore at the Omni in Atlanta on May 24, 1996, P-Nut came out in his underwear and played an unforgettable “Who’s Got The Herb?”  July 17, 2010 was my first time hearing “Sun Comes Through” live…making new memories!  “All Mixed Up” is an oldie goldie, but for me, September 11, 1996 at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia will remain at the top of my mind, and not because my recorder got snatched from the bouncer on the front wall!  Independence day, 2009 was so much fun, and the first time I heard many new favorite songs, including “I Like The Way.”  Even though I had heard “You Wouldn’t Believe” before, the sweetest version for me to date was at the Tabernacle in Atlanta on March 18, 2002.  Something about that venue’s charm is mesmerizing!  “Beyond The Gray Sky” is one of my favorite Evolver songs, so hearing it for the first time on August 22, 2003 in Atlanta put me in a trance!  This performance even included the “Coda” bass solo!!  Added bonus!!  The girls all love hearing “Amber,” and so imagine my excitement when I heard those first notes on August 31, 2002 in Atlanta.  The lights are always so pretty, too. 

“Livin’ & Rockin’” have never been the same as hearing them at the Tabernacle in Atlanta on Halloween in both 1999 and 2000!  February 26, 2000 at the Fox in Atlanta, and July 26, 2008 at Hi-Fi Buys in Atlanta were both shows where “Do You Right,” “Don’t Stay Home,” & “Hive” were all played in the same night.  The experience of hearing them played as a medley is a fairly new thing.  Too cool!  “Creatures (For A While)” on August 22, 2003 in Atlanta was my first live experience with that song, and every time I hear it now, I have such a love for the beat!  311 always mixes up their encore, sometimes playing more, and sometimes playing less!  This encore started with “Jackpot,” which I had only heard once more at the Independence Day show in 2009.  Then, “Come Original” rang out, which always makes me think of the after show on November 2, 1999 at Tremont Music Hall in Charlotte, North Carolina when Tim Mahoney took my camera and snapped a “Thelma & Louise” photo of us…my favorite type of photo!!!  Finally, they hardly ever go without asking P-Nut to “beat that thing,” but “Feels So Good” sticks out in my mind for being the only song on the setlist in Antioch, TN on May 19, 1996 at Veranda at Starwood, and at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Birmingham, Alabama on June 23, 2000, because they were filming Enlarged To Show Detail 2 during the encore at that show.  This year, P-Nut came out playing a very cool looking headless bass with light up fret markers!

In honor of my long life with 311, and in appreciation of my 311 live show virgin friend (that I have been hoping for the day she gave me the chance to convert her to a 311 liker, not hater), who so kindly stepped up and offered to help me (one of the band’s #1 fans) get tickets for our crew (on the second pre-sale) for the Atlanta 311 Halloween show at the Fox Theatre that we are all excited about.  I thought 311 fans would appreciate my “2010 311 Poem.”  And, a huge thanks to 311 for all of the years of memories, wonderful shows, and for playing the Fox for Halloween.  I can’t think of any other situation where my 311 virgin friend (who is a bridesmaid in my wedding that is booked to take place at The Fox in 2012) would actually come to me and say, “I wanna go see 311 with you guys!”  Leslie, this was written in your honor:

To My Newest 311 Show Virgin

Soon, you will be “Down,” not “All Mixed Up,” and “Plain” “Livin’ and Rockin” with a bunch of “Strangers” that will inspire you to “Reconsider Everything” and say to yourself, “What Was I Thinking” poking fun at you about 311 for “Light Years!?”  

Just pop the “Champagne” and maybe a little “Homebrew,” and get ready for the “Paradise” “Mind Spin” that comes with the “Jackolantern’s Weather!” 

With your “Sweet” help, we got so “Lucky” today, and I am proud that you saw “The Other Side Of Things,” and “Let The Cards Fall Where They May!”

“You Wouldn’t Believe” how “Uncalm” and “Loco” I feel right now! 

“How Do You Feel?” 

“To Be Honest,” “Time Is Precious,” and “Today My Love” you stepped “Outside” of your usual self, and helped me score “Six” “Random” tickets that will help us “Get Down” til the “Sun Comes Through” this Halloween, my favorite holiday! 

I promise the “Electricity” will “Do You Right,” and you will “Freak Out” cause it “Feels So Good!” 

If life ever “Seems Uncertain” and you want to try for a “Neverending Summer,” just remember “I’ll Be Here Awhile” so “Give Me A Call,” even if it is before “8:16 a.m.,” and say “Hey You” let’s “Freeze Time” and go “Flowing” in the “Golden Sunlight,” cause “How Long Has It Been?”…”Eons,” “Damn!” 

“I Like The Way” “It’s Getting OK Now” to think I’ve hit the “Jackpot” cause “It’s Alright” for Leslie to be “Running” with the “Hive!!” 

“Too Much Too Fast?” 

Nah, just “Wake Up Your Mind” and “Tune In”…we’ve been “Waiting” to “Welcome” you! 

Just “Thank Your Lucky Stars” cause “We Do It Like This” and you have secured a “Sick Tight” “Visit!” 

After this “Full Ride” “Intro” you will have “No Control” over wanting more. 

You will not feel like a “Prisoner” to the “Other Side Of Things,” and will not make the “Same Mistake Twice” to turn down a killer time with 311, even though “There’s Always An Excuse” when you need one, you will feel the “Unity,” grab your “Whiskey and Wine,” “Sever” the negativity, see “Beyond The Gray Sky,” and “Mix It Up!!!!” 

Getchoo some “Down South” my “Beautiful Disaster”!!!!!

by terri sapp

Photographs by terri sapp

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photos for photo gallery

In the hottest days of Summer in Metro Atlanta, Georgia, the Concert Sutra stumbled upon the opportunity to check out a very talented young performer from Nashville, Tennessee, Ashlyne Huff.  On June 25, 2010, Ashlyne joined up with the guys from another young band, Days Difference on the Jordin Sparks (past American Idol winner) Battlefield Tour.  I have to say that when the chance to cover a show at Six Flags Over Georgia appeared, I was intrigued.  This was a first in Concert Sutra history.  Even though the temperature was in the 100s, fighting the large adoring crowd was tough, and the MARTA ride bumpy, the time spent with Ashlyne was worth working harder than ever to get the coverage!  The show was full of wonderfully high energy, and the performers gave their all in the midst of debilitating heat.  I earned an even higher degree of respect for anyone able to pull off the caliber of show while braving such extreme conditions.

With a strong start, from the self-titled debut album “Ashlyne Huff,” “Comeback” got the crowd going and excited to hear more from the newcomer on the pop music scene, Ashlyne Huff.  The first thing that struck me when seeing Ashlyne do her thing was the smooth mix of vocal and dance skills.  “Make It Rain” seemed a perfect request on such a hot and humid first day of the Battlefield Tour.  With a more mellow tone, “Heartbeat” brought on the swaying.  Asweet song with a message of not giving up on love.  Having been written on iChat with a guy in Sweden, “Checklist” really gave the guys in the band time to rock it out! 

Ashlyne then took photos of the crowd making hearts with their hands to post on Twitter.  Followed by “Sweet Nothing,” which has an appropriately sweet melody that helps showcase Ashlyne’s vocal range.  In that same vein, and as a part of Cover Song Fridays, with Brandon on guitar, Ashlyne sang a gorgeous rendition of The Script’s popular song “Breakeven (Falling To Pieces).”  Even though I had never actually heard the song before Ashlyne introduced me to it, the audience was signing along.  I found it to be a beautiful song and great choice of cover for her!  As a part of her first single, “Heart of Gold,” Ashlyne asked her fans to learn a dance for purposes of a dance party feel on tour.  She made a contest out of it, and the winning video is hilarious!  You can probably find it on Ashlyne’s You Tube channel. FUN!  Big ups to the guys in the band who rocked it out:  Bryan Brophy on bass; Brian Barefoot on drums; and Brandon Hood on guitar.  They closed their portion of the show with an almost techno feeling rock song, “Trippin’ It Up.”  Out with a bang!

Visit the following address to view my photo gallery of my day with Ashlyne Huff at Six Flags Over Georgia: http://www.leahyetter.com/100625ashlynehuffcs/  and http://www.ashlynehuff.com/ for more on Ashlyne Huff.  I also had the opportunity to speak with Ashlyne behind the scenes on the first day of her appearance on the Jordin SparksBattlefield Tour.  Check out what she had to say to Concert Sutra below!

Concert Sutra:             I picked up from your performance that you are a trained dancer.  How long have you been dancing?

Ashlyne:          I’ve been dancing since I was 7, but taking it really seriously since I was 9, which is not that much difference.  I saw a Full House episode and saw her dancing to Motown Philly, Stephanie Tanner, and that was it for me.  I’ve been doing it ever since.  It was really my first love, and what got me into music in all genres.  It was a good introduction into everything that I’m doing now.

Concert Sutra:             Other than in the shower, how did you get started singing and performing in front of an audience?

Ashlyne:          Actually, I tried out for Opryland, which is no more, they had a kid’s club, kinda like the Mickey Mouse Club.  So, I tried out for it, not really wanting to sing, and I ended up making it, so it worked out, but I had to sing.  I was 11, but I would have done it at any time, but at 11, you kind of just wanna play out in the yard (giggles).  So, I did it, and I started to sing “When You Wish Upon A Star” every Friday and Saturday at the theme park, so this environment is close to home, this theme park thing.  From that point forward, I started dancing at school, of course, still dancing.  Eventually, it just became something that took over when I started writing.

Concert Sutra:             Did you have vocal lessons, or did you just practice a lot?

Ashlyne:          Well, I asked my Dad if he thought it would be a good idea, and he said, “I think because you are so young, I think you are very impressionable, so I think the best way for you to go about it is to get your hands on every type of genre of music,” which I was already exposed to from dance, but he said, “We’ll get you everything.  I want you to learn how to sing it.  Imitate it, and through that you will come up with your own style.”  It was a really interesting approach.  I just went along with what he said, and it worked out for the best.  Now, I’m trained, and have vocal lessons for maintenance, because it is a muscle, but I love that I started out just loving to sing rather than keeping track of what my vocal coach was saying.

Concert Sutra:             Do you ever go karaoke singing?

Ashlyne:          (giggles) Actually, I don’t karaoke.  I take it too seriously, so it’s no fun for me, but Ned (very nice guy inthe room with us who gave me a much needed bottle of ice cold water…THANKS NED!!!) is really good.  Ned’s REALLY good.

Concert Sutra:             I love karaoke!

Ashlyne:          You know, I will karaoke to something…because it is what I do, I really think about the notes, so basically I’d have to do a rap song!  Something I am totally not good at.

Concert Sutra:             Rap karaoke is fun!  (to Ned)  What is your favorite karaoke song?

Ned:    Heart of Gold.

Concert Sutra:             Good answer…Heart of Gold by Ashlyne Huff!

Ashlyne:          Or, Neil Young had one, too.

Concert Sutra:             We’ll go with yours.  I like the video, too!  I took dance for a while, too, so I was immediately like “this girl is a dancer, I can tell!”

Ashlyne:          What kind?

Concert Sutra:             Well, all kinds.  I started when I was very young, too, with the basics of tap, jazz, and ballet, and later went onto pointe, and in college did some modern and hip hop. 

Ashlyne:          You kind of have to learn all the basics.

Concert Sutra:             Tap is my favorite, though.  I am so spastic, I am good at it.

Ashlyne:          I wish I was better at tap. I so wish I was better at it.  I so appreciate it, though.  It’s so hard, and fun to watch.

Concert Sutra:             When you were growing up, was there a particular type of music you were exposed to?

Ashlyne:          Once we moved to Tennessee from L.A., I was really around Country music, because that is what my Dad started to produce, but I grew up on Janet Jackson.  And, I danced to the other stuff, so I don’t really think there was just one.  I wasn’t exposed to Country at dance, because you don’t really dance to Country, so it was pretty well rounded exposure.  I definitely got a lot of the Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts and LeAnn Rimes, which I think you can hear a little of how much I imitated them when I was learning.  I would just sing them to myself, and think, maybe someday!  So, this is a dream come true!

Concert Sutra:             What was it, or who was it that influenced you now to get into the music business?

Ashlyne:          Really a couple of different things…the idea that I really like to create started it all.  I have 25 journals, and I talked to my Dad when I was younger, and told him I really want to write, but I didn’t really know what that meant!  But, wanted to write in some capacity.  He said, “You’ve got to have something to say.  If you don’t have anything to say, it is kind of pointless, because why would you write without a point?”  So, that made me really think about what I would want to say.  I was really young, so I wanted to live more, so I went to school, and did everything I wanted to do to draw in from every aspect of life, so I would actually have some life experience to draw from.  From that point, I realized that I wanna say one thing, and that is that it is ok to be exactly who you are.  That particular thing made me wanna sing and want to say it out loud, instead of just be a physical writer.  I got pushed through the song writing by my Dad, obviously, so, long story short, it was definitely my Dad who told me I could do it, but it was in a lot of other things that kind of came to an agreement in my head…it took a while (giggles).

Concert Sutra:             You still keep a journal and all that.

Ashlyne:          Yes, I’m on #25.  It’s a little crazy! (giggles)

Concert Sutra:             Wow.  That’s dedication!

Ashlyne:          I still love to write, but it’s not a job, just my famous hobby, I guess.

Concert Sutra:             Do you play any instruments other than the vocals?

Ashlyne:          No, that was one thing I started…the piano when I was younger, and I would just get up and turn on Janet Jackson before my Mom could hear me, and before the timer went off, because I had to practice for 30 minutesor something like that.  So, I’d turn on Janet Jackson kind of low in the room and just dance until the timer went off.  She was like, “Yeah, you probably don’t wanna do this.”  (laughs)  I really like it, though, because I get to dance, and am not stuck behind something, but, no, don’t play anything.

Concert Sutra:             So, what is your writing process?  I know a lot of musicians use their pianos or guitars or something to write their songs.  How do you go about doing that?

Ashlyne:          I start with the lyrics, with an idea.  Sometimes it comes from something I’ve written.  Sometimes it comes from one word, or two words.  “Sweet Nothing” totally took on a life form of its own.  I went in there, had an idea…I like to co-write, because I just like to be able to hear someone else’s thoughts, which, I think changes the whole thing, because they draw stuff out of me that I would never think being only one person.  I only have just so much ideas, so when I bounce off of theirs, and start building, you can come up with a crazy…or simple song…whatever the case.  So, I love to have something to say, and then figure out where it goes, just let it go.  I have a lot of great co-writers who let me do that, and they are AWESOME!

Concert Sutra:             How do you travel when you are on the road?  Are you always in a bus?

Ashlyne:          For longer stints like this, we are on a bus, because we drive from place to place.  If they are more spread out in time, we fly to avoid going across the country and back and forth.  Right now, we are on a buss, and it’s nice.  I love the people on it.

Concert Sutra:             How do you pass the time when you are riding around?

Ashlyne:          Sleeping on over nights, obviously.  I bring my journal and my book.  I am always reading something to get into someone’s head, and research what’s going on out there.  I love to watch things on YouTube, and just kind of brush up on stuff that I’ve been missing when I’m on the road.  Very little TV, because there’s no time for it.  Just mainly hang out with the band, and get to know everyone on a different level.  It’s a good time.

Concert Sutra:             I could imagine!  Do you see a solo tour in your future any time soon?

Ashlyne:          I sure hope so.  I don’t know when.

Concert Sutra:             Have you done that, yet?

Ashlyne:          I haven’t.  I’ve been opening thus far, and I love opening.  I love getting to learn after I’m done.  I hope to in the near future have my own tour.  It’s in my sights.

Concert Sutra:             Well, you are doing really well getting your crowd out there, with your website, the social networking, the YouTube channel.  I think the internet these days is the way to go, for sure!

Ashlyne:          Thanks!  I love being on Twitter and those social networking things, because it helps put you on a different…you know…if your fan is in Indonesia, some of my fans are, and we can talk!  We wouldn’t be able to do that without it.  They wouldn’t be able to call me.  I wouldn’t be able to call them.  It’s just really difficult, so it makes everything come into one place, so everyone can chat!  That’s all I want to do.  I want to get to the fans.  That’s the only reason I’m doing this at all.  To be able to have that personal connection with them.

Concert Sutra:             Tell me about recording your first album, and how you went about getting it out to the public.  Also, tell me about your process of recording this next album you are working on.

Ashlyne:          The first one I wrote…I graduated college, and went straight out to Los Angeles for a week…scared to death…and with some really great writers…right before I left, I wrote this song with this guy, which was my first real co-write, and it was “Trippin’ It Up.”  So, right out of college I started writing for the album, and we narrowed it down to the six we have on the album.  The writing process kind of went into the recording process, because instead of just doing something on a guitar into a recorder, we really went into the studio and put a lot of detail into it.  Then, we went back in there after we decided which ones, and polished everything.  It was a different approach, because most of thetime, like in my Dad’s studio, they come in for three months or so, and they don’t do anything besides do that.  But we did it kind of…we would go back a lot and fix and change and polish.  To me, it was the best approach I could take, because I always want to change things, and try to make them perfect, and better and better and better.  You don’t have to settle, you can keep on going back in there and revisiting, so it was great.

Concert Sutra:             The studio is FUN!

Ashlyne:          Yeah, it’s really fun!  So, that was that album, (called Ashlyne Huff) and we put it out in Wal-Mart, on walmart.com, and on iTunes.  It is in those places at the moment.  And, I am starting the writing process all over again, writing, recording, and hoping to get something out as soon as possible, cause that’s what we do!  (giggles)

Concert Sutra:             Probably get a solo tour quicker that way!

Ashlyne:          Right!  Right!  (laughs)

Concert Sutra:             Do you still live in Nashville, or have you migrated to L.A.?

Ashlyne:          Currently, I still live in Nashville.  I will probably get a place out there just so I can be there more often, and have a place I call my own.  I’ll live in dual places.  Family is in Nashville.

Concert Sutra:             Is Nashville where your recording studio is?

Ashlyne:          Both.  It depends.  Basically, wherever I write is where I record.  We typically try to do it that same day, and really start working on it.  I was in Sweden for “Make It Rain,” so it’s really just wherever the producer is.

Concert Sutra:             Get on it while it’s hot…sounds like fun!

Ashlyne:          Yeah, that was awesome!  A little far…quite the plane ride…(giggles)

Concert Sutra:             Eeeewww, yeah, I bet.  Do you have any pets?

Ashlyne:          I do.  His name is Charlie, and he is the love of my life!  He’s a Yorkie, and he lives at my parents’ house.

Concert Sutra:             (looking around)  Where is he??

Ashlyne:          Well, I want him to be able to run around, and we have a really big yard at my house.  My parents take really good care of him.  They take him on walks and stuff, and I don’t want him to get cooped up, or get a bus cough, you know!  (in a slightly baby voice) He has allergies.

Concert Sutra:             (giggles)  Aaaawwwww!  That’s very selfless of you, Mom!

Ashlyne:          I love him, and I just want him to be the same when I get back, and it gives me something to look forward to.

Concert Sutra:             Charlie!  I love Yorkies!  They are SO cute!

Ashlyne:          Yes, Charlie…he is the coolest one…I’m just telling you…

Concert Sutra:             I’ll bet he is!  With a big yard in Nashville, how could he not be??

Ashlyne:          Yes, he gets lost in it!

Concert Sutra:             I heard you like to read books and watch movies.  What is your favorite book, and your favorite movie?

Ashlyne:          My favorite book…I feel like I’m reading it right now.  This author, Elin Hilderbrand, and the book is called The Castaways.  The way she writes, it’s just cool to me.  She starts out with a big thing, and then she unravels it as she goes.  It’s kind of like a murder mystery, possible murder mystery, you know, kind of like a girly book, but whatever…girls like that kind of stuff.  So, Castaways is the book, and I really like, as far as cinematography, I really like The Notebook, which is also from one of my favorite authors Nicholas Sparks…I got confused, I was going to say Jordin!  There’s just something about how he tells stories in a book that translates so well into a movie, and I’m a big book person, so it’s good to go from book to movie.  So, yeah, The Notebook, and The Castaways.

Concert Sutra:             OK, so, do you have an opinion on Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Ashlyne:          I haven’t seen the second movie…

Concert Sutra:             What???  Where have you been…on the road or something???

Ashlyne:          Yes!  I was on the road that whole time, so I missed the whole thing, so it was out of the theatres, and then I missed it again.

Concert Sutra:             OK, you have to catch up.

Ashlyne:          I saw the first movie, and of course, Jacob wasn’t really in there.  What I like about Edward is that he’s really mysterious, but I loved Jacob there, because he’s a little more normal.  I gravitate towards the normal when I look for a guy.

Concert Sutra:             When you get a chance, you really need to read the books.  I never thought I would hear myself say, but I broke down and read them recently…

Ashlyne:          I will.  I have read the same thing from a million people…I don’t know where I’ve been!  In The Castaways, I guess.

Concert Sutra:             You have been on the road and in the recording studio, and that is just fine! 

Ashlyne:          (giggles)  I’ll get on that.

Concert Sutra:             Just let me know…  So, tell me a little more about the Feed Projects.

Ashlyne:          It’s an organization I am really interested in…in general for myself.  I have a couple of feed bags, and every time you donate something, you get something back to show what you’ve donated.  So, I have a feed bag that says 2 on it, and it puts 2 children in Kenya through school for a year.  It’s like an instant…you know you did something, and you can show everyone what you’ve done.  I think it’s a great organization for young men and women to get going, because when you buy a bag, you may as well have helped someone, or if you buy a bear to sleep with, you might as well have helped somebody when you do it. I just like the idea of getting something and giving something.  I just want to get all the people I can involved with it, because I have food, and I had food growing up.  I want all the children…I know a lot of people who had food growing up, but there are so many people out there that don’t, and they can’t get to the next level if they don’t eat.  I think it’s very important, and it’s a little bit lost, because we sometimes just take for granted that we have food everyday.

Concert Sutra:             A really smart strategy to get folks to give with the give and take concept, I think.

Ashlyne:          Yeah, I think they had a great idea with it.  I fully support Feed Projects.  Visit http://www.feedprojects.org/ for more information.

Concert Sutra:             What advice would you give to all the young kids out there who dream about getting into showbiz?

Ashlyne:          I would say if you want to do it, you have to go for it!  The last thing you want to do is regret not going for it.  My main suggestion is to go to school.  And, go all the way through school.  I have a college degree, and I didn’t miss a thing!  You don’t have to be a super star when you’re 15, or 16, or 17.

Concert Sutra:             College was fun!

Ashlyne:          Yeah, and you learn so much about yourself!  And, reverting back, I really feel like I learned what I wanted to say during those formative years, so it really helped me out.  I just think education is really important, just to have.  If you have the means to do it, go for it!  All the while, be cooking up what you want to put out there once you’re done, and you’ll have two things to show for it when you’re done…your diploma, and your career.  It’s also just really believing in yourself.

Concert Sutra:             What did you study in college?

Ashlyne:          I studied Business Administration, with an emphasis on Music Business, so basically my job.

Concert Sutra:             So, you studied the Music Business, so there you go!!  Excellent!  Pretty smart…pretty smart!

Ashlyne:          (giggles)  It was so well worth it.  I loved college.

Concert Sutra:             Alright, well, thank you so much for talking with me, for your time, the pictures, the CD and the autographs…I love autographs!  I will be on the look out for your imminent solo tour!  Good luck, and see you next time!

By terri sapp

Photographs taken by Leah Yetter

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photo for Leah's MAGA photo gallery

2010 was my first experience with the Macon Film Festival after years of hearing about how wonderful a time it was.  I have to say, MaGa surpassed any and all expectations I could have possibly dreamed up from the tales I had been told from years past.  2010 was especially momentous because it was the fifth anniversary of the festival, and the organizers did NOT hold back in celebrating this milestone!  Some of the highlights that were special to Concert Sutra I will share with you here.  After reading, you will understand why it is that I am hooked will be forever ready for a good Q&A!  Concert Sutra’s Photographer, Leah Yetter has been attending the Festival for as long as it has been an event, and told me year after year how she knew, based on my love of the arts and film, how much I would enjoy MaGa.  She has only been more right only a few times in our longtime friendship!!

For those of you on Facebook, I have a couple of photo albums of photos that I took, and photos that Leah Yetter, Photographer took.  Please check them out here:

MY MAGA:  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=63825&id=1476907249&l=5794dc4f71

LEAH’S MAGA:   http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=63830&id=1476907249&l=cc28947b25

As you can see, we had a blast at the 2010 MaGa Festival!  For more information and to see past coverage of the Macon Film Festival, visit their website at http://www.maconfilmfestival.com/. 

click photo for terri's MAGA photo gallery

The Macon Film Festival is generally a Thursday through Sunday event, and every minute of it is worth catching.  The schedule seems to allow for all of the films that one would want to catch, sometimes showing them multiple times at different venues.  The main venues for the films and workshops include The Cox Capitol Theatre, The Douglass Theatre, the Macon Marriott City Center, and Mercer University.  The films cover a wide range of emotions, and the workshops are informative and inspiring enough to make me want to transfer my theatrical talents to those of screenwriting and filmmaking.  I first showed up on Thursday evening, even though there were festivities going on most of the day.  My first time with MaGa was meeting Karen Black and watching Illeana Douglas’ web-based series Easy To Assemble.  Illeana Douglas participated earlier in the day in the dedication of the “Best In Show Award” renaming it after her grandfather, Macon native, Melvyn Douglas.  She also participated in a Q&A with her Producer, Dominik Rausch, along with her super cute pup Godfrey who follows her everywhere.  Easy to Assemble takes place in a world where Illeana Douglas as herself works as an associate at IKEA.  Her “best” friend Justine Bateman also decided to work (or pretend to work) for IKEA.  Much of what we were viewing surrounded the friendly competition between Illeana and Justine.  During the Q&A, Illeana indicated that there would soon be a Season 3, so to check it out and see what the series is all about, visit the website, http://www.easytoassemble.tv/episodes.php.  Maybe the most exciting part of the evening was the Festival After Party at Dolce Vita Café and Bar where I was able to chat with Illeana Douglas!  I brought my ticket from 1996 when I saw her on the David Letterman Show in New York City, and asked her to autograph it.  She laughed and told me that that was actually her first appearance on a talk show! 

First on the Agenda for Friday, was a very tough to watch for me (who is a bleeding heart for the animals), but important piece of work, Tom McPhee’s An American Opera.  So many people were aware and concerned about the animals left behind during the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, but Tom went and did something and incited others to do the same.  I applaud Tom McPhee for all of the heart wrenching work he does.  It takes a very strong artist to witness the types of disasters he documents and not walk around with tears streaming and a box of tissue!  I did not make it past the first scene in the movie before I was crying uncontrollably.  His work is necessary and extremely special.  When asked during the Q&A how he is able to keep it together while working with such difficult subject matter, he explained how he uses the camera as a filter to hold it together and get the job done.  However, once he is done, and the final project is complete, he allows himself to grieve and be overwhelmed with the emotions he feels.  I can only say WOW!  Tom is working from a mentality that having cameras in a disaster situation keeps folks on their toes.  The most penetrating quote that I took away from An American Opera is, “our treatment of animals is a reflection of our society.”  I am not the only one in awe of the work of director Tom McPhee, local Macon celeb AC Pup, the mascot of the Macon Animal Control Shelter, came down to the screening to collect donations and give love to those in attendance.

Next on our Friday Agenda was a highly unexpected treat called Automorphosis, which showcased the outstanding work of many car artists worldwide.  These cars were so amazing that one might not actually believe that they were cars!  Some of the themes that stood out to me the most included the following:  out house coffin car; spoon car; yarn car; brass van; hamburger motorcycle; liter bug VW Bug; horn car (from Smyrna, Ga); penny van; land yacht, which looks like a boat, but has a bed and couch inside; stain glass mosaic car; van covered with cameras that looks like a camera and can actually take photos; body part car; and a car cathedral made of a hearse and a partial VW Bug on top!  I am forever bewildered by the heights that some artists are able to achieve when they are moved to do so.  Later on Friday night, we found ourselves catching a series of short films.  The Dinner Party featured a very strange couple who lived in a neighborhood where the folks who live there actually have a manual on wrongdoings and missteps regarding neighborhood covenants.  The dinner party at question was an intervention of sorts that goes gravely wrong without the need for the cyanide casserole!  Misfortune Smiles was an interesting short involving a fortune teller, crystal ball, and some deadly predictions. 

click photo for MAGA website

To top the night off, we got a special screening of director Steve Balderson’s newest project Stuck, as well as a fabulous Festival After Party at the Sochi Gallery.  The house was packed at both events, partially due to the largely local cast used in the movie Stuck.  All those involved were out and ready to view and party!  The story of this homage to 50’s female prison black and white movie revolved around a suicide that was mistaken for a murder.  Most of the staging occurred in the jailhouse where the main character Daisy, played by Starina Johnson, ended up after being falsely convicted of murdering her mother, played by local September Carter.  Karen Black (who has quite a long career, but my favorite is seeing her work with Rob Zombie in House of 1000 Corpses) plays a neighbor witness who struggles with what she has witnessed throughout the film.  Jane Wiedlin formerly of the Go-Go’s even plays one of the lady prisoners.  She doesn’t say much, but is quite a character.  If you know the local Macon Theatre community, you will see Theatre Macon Director Jim Crisp as a lawyer in the movie, and Theatre Macon regular Tom Morris as a doctor!  Pleasant Gehman who plays Dutch really looked the part, and did a fabulous job leading Daisy through prison life.  Dutch and Daisy ultimately fall in love and have a gratuitous mutual masturbation scene before Daisy’s demise.  Stealing the show in my opinion was the Guard played by Stacy Cunningham.  This character was mean, nasty, and hilarious!  Cunningham played her flawlessly.

click photo for MAGA website

Saturday was full of fun and high learning for yours truly!  Days like Saturday at the 2010 Macon Film Festival make me understand why the organizers of this festival put so much of their time and energy into putting this thing together.  The Filmmaking 101 workshop with writers and filmmakers Michael Buchanan and Jason Winn and the Acting for Stage and Screen workshop with actress Illeana Douglas was my best spent time of the entire festival.  I learned so much about the processes of filmmaking and screen vs. stage acting that I was moved to give filmmaking a try!  I have always loved film and have had an over the top obsession with movies, but never thought to give it a go.  Since these workshops, I have been working on a screenplay of my own that one day I hope to submit to the Macon Film Festival!!  Who knows, right?  The Filmmaking 101 workshop offered a step by step guide to getting a film made, from the process of screenwriting to the hardest part of finding the funds to actually shoot your work.  Every bit of information from Michael Buchanan and Jason Winn has helped me s far in my journey to get a screenplay written, and networked to the right folks.  One of the highlights of the Acting for Stage and Screen workshop with Illeana Douglas was the demonstration of the different methods of acting used by Douglas in her work.  Being such a successful actor, Douglas was able to give examples that all attendees would recognize.  She also made it fun and interesting by using members of the audience to establish the nuances of each method.  One “Ah Hah” moment I had during Illeana’s workshop was when she explained why she preferred screen work to stage work.  With stage work, all of this time and energy is put into the project only to show for the run of the play, and with screen work, all of your time and energy, once it is complete will live on forever in the form of a film.  This seems pretty obvious, but I just never thought of it this way. 

click photo for MAGA website

Getting geared up for the grand finale on Saturday, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, we were able to view quite a few features and shorts.  One really special Narrative Feature, Blue Bus, starring Ron Recasner as August Dupree and director Phil Scarpaci as Joseph Mafe, followed two friends on a trip with a purpose that ended in a New Orleans cemetery.  In the final scene, all of the music and soul culminates into a very touching a cappella song in memory of loved ones passed.  On the last day of the festival, there were some technical difficulties on the final viewing of Blue Bus, and the actors who were in attendance of the festival gave an extremely special live version of the end of the film, song included.  Goosebumps for all.  Letters From Home was a touching short about the soldiers in Afghanistan and their different experiences surrounding the mail call.  Puppets of War on the other hand was a graphic short made with puppets, carnage, death, and buckets of blood. 

And then there was Alley Pat: The Music is Recorded…this Documentary Feature was my absolute favorite of all of what I saw!  Alley Pat was a disc jockey in Atlanta in the 50’s who did a lot of improvising, especially on the sponsor’s commercials.  The advertisers loved his style just as much as the listeners, because they paid him directly instead of the station.  He told it like it was for sure.  His humor crossed the color lines, even way back then!  He was so loved by the artists he played that he had the Drifters, Temptations, Sam Cooke, Lil’ Richard, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and more coming to the studio to promote shows they had coming up.  Alley Pat even went on tour with Ike and Tina Turner.  In the 60’s, he worked as a bail bondsman, and with the civil rights movement helping get folks out of jail.  His tag line “the music is recorded” came from the 30’s when there was a requirement to state when non-live music was being played.  His personality, even now when he is into his nineties comes through loud and strong.  The personal recordings that were saved throughout the years by the director of this documentary, out of love for his show, would be extremely valuable in a personal collection in my opinion!  I would love to listen to them all day long.  The more recent interviews that also made up much of Alley Pat: The Music is Recorded are also classic and priceless!  Read the blog and hear some clips from Alley Pat here: http://alleypattapes.blogspot.com/ and subscribe to the Alley Pat You Tube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlleyPatMovie.  This documentary should be distributed worldwide, but I am just glad that I was in the audience at the 2010 Macon Film Festival to learn about this genius piece of work on what I believe was the first time it was shown!

Another highlight of Saturday was the Student film Unearthed that was written, directed, produced, and edited by Alexander Atkins.  This film is very true to its name, and has a lot of Earthy imagery.  A man moves to the country to write, and becomes temporarily obsessed with his distractions.  A tree that the main character struggles with to decide whether to leave it inside or plant it outside plays a great role in this short film.  After deciding to plant the tree outside, while digging, he hits something under the Earth.  The tree ends up back in the house while the unknown object under the ground became the main focus.  It turns out that it is a car under the ground, which housed personal items, including a lamp, a box of random stuff, and an old school typewriter.  In the end, the character, after getting through nightmares of being buried in the car, ends up comfortable using the typewriter to write freely with the tree buried in the yard.  This film has a fantastic soundtrack, and awesomely dreamlike cinematography.  For more projects from this director, and to see more on Unearthed, visit http://www.drawingboardfilms.com/.   

This Side Up was one of the most fun and entertaining Narrative Shorts on Saturday.  A guy gets in a cargo crate to ship himself to a girl.  He has beer and Cheetos in the crate with him.  Eventually, the guy gets out of the crate in the back of the delivery truck, and discovers a Mexican guy in another crate.  They end up smoking a joint together and getting really blitzed and playing cards to pass the time.  Once they are close to delivery, they get back into the crates.  The problem is that the crates are mixed up.  The main character ends up in Mexico, and the Mexican guy ends up with his girl.  For sure a comedy of errors!

click photo for MAGA website

The grand finale of Saturday was watching on my favorite films, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Q&A with actor originally from Macon Jack McBrayer, and the Festival After Party at Bright Blue Sky Productions.  Jack spoke with the audience, and answered many questions.  He also got a key to the city from the Mayor and a special MaGa Award.  He explained how he met Tina Fey at Second City in Chicago, and got started doing a lot of improvisation.  Then, Tina Fey wrote the character, Kenneth, from 30 Rock with him in mind, which is a dream come true!  Of course, he loves working in films with Judd Apatow…who wouldn’t!!  When asked if he would consider doing serious roles, he said he would, but he bet you’d laugh! 

Sunday, the last day of the Festival was another full day/night of workshops and films.  I first made it to the Renegade Filmmaking (Small Budget, Big Film), where Stuck Director Steve Balderson gave many great tips on budgeting and ways to cut corners without compromising the quality of the product.  He talked quite a bit about selling yourself and your work.  Balderson even suggested a great payment schedule for folks who have to pay upon selling, which would have to be most all of those starting out in the craft.  He also went over many important steps in the process, from writing to casting to storyboarding to shooting. 

The Awards ceremony celebrated all of the favorites of the judges, as follows:  Animation, 1^st place went to Sebastian’s Voodoo, 2^nd place went to Skylight, 3^rd place went to Gym Lesson; Documentary, 1^st place went to Automorphosis, 2^nd place went to Alley Pat: The Music is Recorded, 3^rd place went to 45365; Experimental, 1^st place went to Even Flowers Wake Up in the Morning, 2^nd place went to Horizons, 3^rd place went to East Planet, Student, 1^st place went to Insha’Allah, 2^nd place went to My Homework Ate My Dog, 3^rd place went to Non-Love Story; Narrative Short, 1^st place went to Small Collection, 2^nd place went to Down in Number 5, 3^rd place went to Badewanne zum GI; Narrative Feature, 1^st place went to Road to Sangam, 2^nd place went to Myna is Gone, 3^rd place went to Blue Bus; and Best in Show went to Automorphosis. 

The grand finale of the 2010 Macon Film Festival was a special screening of That Evening Sun starring Macon native Carrie Preston, with Hal Holbrook, Dixie Carter, Mia Wasikowski, and Ray McKinnon.  A highly powerful and emotional story, That Evening Sun touches on domestic and animal abuse, ageism, socioeconomic conflict, inner family struggles, mourning dead loved ones, and various legal battles.  After the screening, we were treated to a Skype session with Carrie Preston, which was super cool.  Carrie’s Mom was there enjoying all of the fans of her daughter asking questions and paying compliments.  It was a special end to a special Festival!  If you are interested in learning all kinds of valuable information about filmmaking, and viewing a whole spectrum of long and short films, be sure to attend next year’s Sixth Annual 2011 Macon Film Festival!  Visit http://www.maconfilmfestival.com/ for more updated information in the beginning of 2011.

by terri sapp

Photographs by Leah Yetter

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photos for photo gallery

Even though Leah and I were stuck at the door with Press hold ups, and conflicting start times, we could hear “Change In Weather,” one of my favorite songs from Aimee Allen’s recent album “A Little Happiness,” booming from the doors of the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia.  On August 12, 2009, Aimee Allen was the perfect choice to get the people going for the headlining act, Sugar Ray.  When we finally made it to the stage, the band was playing “Crazy,” which is a great mix of Rock and Reggae.  The harmonies between the band and Aimee were right on!  The crowd was thin, but the band rocked it out.  Jen Stone (from Nashville) played the keys and sang her heart out, and what a fine voice she has…the perfect companion for Aimee’s beautiful voice.  Even though there were not as many people at the Variety Playhouse at this time of the night, you would never have known it from the performance given from these guys and gals.  The people who missed this missed something quite special.  Aimee Allen’s voice and style is an extremely appealing mix of rocker chick and chanteuse.  Despite her troubles in life (a devastating break up with former boyfriend and band mate, weathering the music industry shuffle, and getting beaten within an inch of her life by gang members), she exudes positivity in her show, evidenced during the audience participation in “On Vacation.”  One would have thought she was playing to a full house.  Having Will from Atlanta on the bass did not hurt at all either.  He was a hoot and a holler!  We also had a special moment when Aimee (from Los Angeles) said, “Ya’ll” for the first time when she was so thrilled that we sang along, we got a “Thank ya’ll!”  Adam White and Scott Russo (former boyfriend, of Unwritten Law and Scott and Aimee) are both from Indiana, making this group very “multi-cultural” as promised from our gorgeous front-woman.  This is always an acceptable quality to bring to Atlanta!

Next on the set list came a Sublime favorite, “Santeria.”  Aimee’s version started slowly, harmonic and melodic, then broke into the ska feel that was in the original version.  What a fun cover song!  Most of the “A Little Happiness” album has the reggae feel to it, which makes for the perfect beach record…tested and approved!  After almost every band member pled with the folks in the seats to join us up front, they moved on to “Save Me,” which has a really clever and sincere set of lyrics.  There are times when I am in an audience thinking that more people should be here, and those who aren’t are really missing something…this was one of those times.  For the old school fans, as Aimee said, “all ya’ll,” “In The Sun,” from the 2002 album “I’d Start A Revolution,” offered the crowd an intimate glance at the passion behind the performer.  And, of course, the night would not be complete without the title track from the new album, “A Little Happiness.”  I love this song.  I am always a sucker for a reggae beat, and as Aimee has been quoted saying, “Reggae always makes me happy,” but Aimee also brings lovely vocals and a positive message to brighten your night. 

Please check out Leah’s fabulous photo gallery here, which in true form contains many very stunning photos of Aimee and her band: http://www.leahyetter.com/090812aimeeallencs/index.htm.  We stuck around for a good part of the Sugar Ray portion of the show, which you can see here:  http://www.leahyetter.com/090812sugarraycs/.  Visit http://www.aimeeallen.com/ for more information on Aimee Allen, and to find her on all the social networks!  After Aimee’s set, Leah and I were able to catch a quick few moments to talk with her about life on the road, her music career, and much more.  Read all about it below.

Concert Sutra:             Hi, Aimee!  We had fun tonight!  I heard you say in the lobby to someone that it was a smaller crowd than you guys are used to…

Aimee:             Yeah, it was the least attended show…maybe ever!  (laughs)

Concert Sutra:             Well, I will say that the venue website said 8:00, because that is what we planned around with Leah here coming from Macon.  We actually missed seeing Change In Weather, and only got to hear it from the door…

Aimee:             That’s crazy, I don’t know why they started everyone so early…

Concert Sutra:             We are just glad we made it when we did, because we were excited to see you after listening to your album!  (Leah)  Yeah, I went to the beach recently, and listened to it the entire time!

Aimee:             (laughs) It is a good beach record!  I’m glad you guys came.  (gorgeous smile)

Concert Sutra:             The first thing I wanted to ask is what are your earliest memories of being introduced to music in your life?

Aimee:             Oh, wow, no one’s ever asked me that question before…the earliest memory…probably my Mom.  She plays accordion, and as a small child, she would play Dean Martin songs, and Frank Sinatra songs on the accordion.  I remember the whole family singing along and clapping.  That would be my earliest memories.  I just loved watching her play the accordion.  She’s so awesome!

Concert Sutra:             How cool!  Is she still alive?  Does she still play?

Aimee:             Yeah.  It’s awesome!

Concert Sutra:             What or who was it that inspired you to get into music as a profession?

Aimee:             (thinks)  Ani Difranco.

Concert Sutra:             Good answer.  We love Ani!  Do you play any instruments?

Aimee:             I play the guitar, and I write on the piano.  I write on the guitar, too.

Concert Sutra:             Is the tour with Sugar Ray the largest scale tour you have been involved in to date?

Aimee:             I opened for Unwritten Law in their heyday.  That was pretty big.

Concert Sutra:             Your tour schedule looks pretty grueling!  What are the ups and downs to being on the road?

Aimee:             I’ve been doing a lot of morning shows, like this morning, I did Fox 5 Atlanta at 6 in the morning. 

Concert Sutra:             Yeah, my friend Ginger said she heard you this morning!

Aimee:             Yeah, so I’ve been doing a lot of T.V. in the morning and shows at night.  It’s hard to be a morning person when you’re not (laughs), but the energy of the crowds, and the people coming up and saying they love it really invigorates me and gives me the strength to keep going.  You can get tired, but I guess…drink lots of water…listen to your Mom! (giggles)

Concert Sutra:             Stay hydrated!  How do you prepare for those appearances, like on T.V. and radio or whatever you are doing at the time?

Aimee:             I pray….for strength…(smiles big)

Concert Sutra:             Do you have any animals on the road with you or missing you back at home?

Aimee:             I have a German Shepherd/Wolf dog.

Concert Sutra:             Does it have the pretty blue eyes?

Aimee:             No, beautiful brown eyes…my brown eyed girl!  She’s four years old, and I’ve had her registered as a service dog, so she can go everywhere with me…movie theatres…dinner…tour…but she’s not on this tour because she had some surgery to her leg.  It’s not a big surgery, just a little hot spot that needed to be lasered.  So, she couldn’t come on tour now, but she will next time. 

Concert Sutra:             Has she been in the past?

Aimee:             No, but she will in the future.  I just had her registered as a service dog, so now she can do it!

Concert Sutra:             Cool!  Maybe we will meet her next time.  (all laugh and coo)  I am a recording geek in my own way, and I always feel compelled to ask about the recording process.  Can you tell me about your process in making the studio album, “A Little Happiness?” 

Aimee:             I really wanted to make it about the song, and not about the production.  I co-produced the album, so I was there every single step of the way.  Because it was the first time I was producing myself, there was a lot of trial and error for me, and there was a lot of…putting on tracks…like putting on Hammond B-3’s…and Wurlitzer…and Ukulele…and shaker…and djembe…on every song, and then just going, OK, it’s about the song, it’s not about the production, so let’s mute half of it out.  So, like, the songs were really big, and then I just started muting.  So, there’s a lot of me trying every instrument on every track, and then going back and muting, and getting it down to the basics.  So, that’s what I did, because I didn’t know…I mean, I knew I had limited studio time, and I didn’t have a perfect plan for every song, so I said alright, I’m putting piano on every song…Wurlitzer on every song…Hammond B-3 on every song…every percussion…I just recorded it all, and then I’m gonna go through and mute every track!  And that’s what I did until I found the sound for that song that spoke to me.

Concert Sutra:             Where did you record?

Aimee:             I recorded in Indiana… (commotion on the sidewalk interrupts)

Concert Sutra:             Well, alright!  So, I understand that your style of music has shifted in recent times.  What types of changes have you made, is it a permanent mood shift, and why the change of heart?

Aimee:             Well, I could never commit to a permanent mood shift.  I mean, I can barely stabilize myself every day!  (laughs)  Basically, some days…well, I did the punk rock, and rock and roll, recording cds for many years.  And then, as you know, I got assaulted, and when I recorded this album, I wasn’t 100% physically, like, my jaw wasn’t 100%, my memory wasn’t 100%, my emotions, my spirit, so I did this album to heal things broken in me, even though I wasn’t 100%.  I just thought, all I can do is music, and this might be my last album, only because I didn’t think…or, I didn’t know if my jaw was going to heal, and that I was ever going to be able to find that…get my spirit back, cause it kind of broke my spirit, that whole situation.  So, I recorded this album, not only for myself, but in hopes…and it motivated me every day that maybe if I’m like this, then maybe other people like this, maybe the album can help in healing for them as well.  So, I did this album for healing for me and for others.  That’s where I was at when I recorded, and who knows where I’ll be at in the future!

Concert Sutra:             That’s kind of my last question!  Where do you see yourself going from here?

Aimee:             I have no idea!  People keep asking that, and I just don’t know!  I know I’m going to keep writing, of course, and recording…keep writing songs, but, you know, life is a journey and sometimes…there’s a different season for every purpose…(laughs) Did I say that?  Well, it’s true!  There is a different in everyone’s life, you know, my life is made of seasons, and this is just one of them.  The Rock thing was a season as well!  I mean, I’m not going to do gospel… I know what I’m not going to do…I’m not going to do jazz… probably, if I were to guess, probably closer to the Violent Femmes (with the inflection of a question)…

Concert Sutra:             (Leah)  OOOO!  (Terri) Nice!  Well, we enjoyed talking with you!

Aimee:             Yeah, thank you guys!

Concert Sutra:             Let’s take a picture together!

by terri sapp

Photographs by Leah Yetter and terri sapp

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photos for photo gallery

Tori Amos is another of those Concert Sutra favorites that we always try to see whenever we can!  Until this tour at ChastainParkon July 27, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia, we had found that photo passes were nearly impossible to obtain for our girl Leah to be able to shoot photos with her major equipment of the lady!  Somehow at the last minute, and with the help on my fancy new iPhone, we were able to procure ourselves access with Leah’s photo equipment for only the first song!  Now, that is not much time, but we will take it!!!  The photographers were also asked to position themselves back by the sound board (where Tori’s husband was running sound again), which was even behind where we were sitting.  Thank goodness for Leah’s awesome huge telephoto lens!  We had Ginger with us, who was a Tori show virgin, so we felt that was a good omen for us.  To view Leah’s photos (and a few from my little Canon Elph), please either visit this link to our photo gallery: http://www.leahyetter.com/090727cstoriamos/ or click any of the photos within the story that are linked directly to the gallery.

Tori opened up with “Give” from the current touring album, Abnormally Attracted to Sin, which is a dark sounding song with an awesome vocal part.  It is hard to think of a Tori Amos joint without an awesome vocal track.  One of the things I like the most about Amos, evident in “Give,” is that as many songs as she has released, they all have their own personality and charm.  Tori, like most artists, has her own sound, but I never find myself thinking the songs all sound the same.  I know I am not alone when I say that Tori was on fire at this show.  As always, Matt Chamberlain (drums) and Jon Evans (bass) rattled the Chastain Amphitheatre with their musical magic.

“Siren” from the Great Expectations soundtrack was written specifically for the movie, and played for us at Chastain.  What a special treat!  From Under the Pink, and an old favorite, “Cornflake Girl” is always welcomed by my ears.  It never gets old.  Like many of her classics, she always seems to give them a different spin live.  I realized when writing this piece that I have actually attended every tour Tori has come around with since her third!  My first show was her first tour with the band, and I have loved seeing them ever since!  I can’t imagine not seeing one of Concert Sutra’s favorite drummers, Matt Chamberlain at least every couple of years.  There have been tours when she left them at home, but having the boys adds so much depth to her always deep songs.  I have also noticed a pattern in many of these tours of running into the same familiar faces… Kendra Triesenberg, Rhett Thomas, and Caitlin Glennon (not necessarily together) being the regulars.  Another from Under the Pink, but slowing it down a bit, “Icicle” was so pretty.  “I think the good book is missing some pages.”  Gotta love her lyrics! 

Venus: Orbiting (disc from To Venus and Back) produced many that you might hear at a Tori concert, “Concertina” being one of them.  I am not sure what happened during this time, but something got Tori all hot and bothered, because she was very flirtatious and on FIRE in HOTlanta!    Proof positive of her frame of mind this night was the improvisation that came directly behind “Concertina,” that preceded old fav “Little Amsterdam!”  The lyrics of this improv, now known as “She Touches Herself” to the best of my understanding are as follows  “Oooooo, let’s move puddin…let’s move down south for a while…a little town…a little town…she wore her favorite sun dress…yes she did…yes she did…did she pay for it?  Cause sometimes man…wants what he should not have…I said girls sometimes man wants what what he should not have…and sometimes when I want it…wants what she should not have…well she just touches herself…she just touches herself…with thoughts of him…that’s the way we do it, boys…no, don’t put my dirty hands on the wolf man…I just think of him myself…I am my own wolf man myself…I don’t believe in pale man…I got myself a 9 fuckin foot sex…lord…why yeah, boys give it to me”…(crowd erupts) and then right into Little Amsterdam…  First with only her Hammond, then adding the band.  Boys for Pele could easily be named Tori’s “angry” album, but I absolutely love the beautiful imagery and musical messages.  I never shun away from hearing anything from Pele at Tori’s shows!  “LittleAmsterdam” is always welcome to the set list in my opinion!  “I’m just comin’ out of the cell in my brain…but momma it wasn’t my bullet…”

And then, here come the clouds!!  From such an interesting and fun album, American Doll Posse, “Bouncing Off Clouds” was first in the cloud motif.  I love the way Tori (Clyde) sings this song with her unusual pronunciation of words.  With the beat, you could be “Bouncing off clouds…we were…”  A very danceable tune.  Ever since Scarlet’s Walk, I get super excited to hear “Your Cloud,” which continued the cloud theme she had going on.  Leah and I were outside of the venue during the sound check, and heard her practicing these two.  Her music can sometimes bring tears to my eyes with only a melody!!  This is one of those instances (and “Northern Lad” and “1000 Oceans” among many others!).  The live version of this song is different for sure, because she is unable to sing with herself, but it is just as beautiful!  Many in the crowd were vocally happy to hear “Curtain Call” from the newest album Abnormally Attracted to Sin.  I even heard a fella going nuts with “Yeah!” and “WOOOOO” periodically the entire song!  Unusual, but AWESOME!  I actually had a revelation during “Curtain Call” that will forever help in the world of Concert Sutra.  Thanks, Tori! 

Next is a portion of the show that folks who are familiar with Tori’s shows always look forward to…The Lizard Lounge is when she sends the band out, and does a couple or few songs by herself old school style!  “Sister Janet,” B-Side from “God” and “Cornflake Girl” during the Under The Pink era was the first song.  The highlight of the night for many of us in the crowd (especially those of us close to the front) was when Tori interrupted the song that doesn’t get played a whole lot live to bust up some commotion happening down front…”What the fuck’s going on?  (crowd goes wild!)”  This was perfect, because I had told Ginger (our newest Tori show virgin, here for the first time) that Tori would not hesitate to call someone out who might be disrupting her performance and the enjoyment of others!  Then, into a cute little extended improvisation (lyrics to the best of my understanding to follow)… “You gotta calm a right down!  It’s hot as hell…I didn’t come to this toooown to see you fighting amongst yourselves!  You gotta calm a right down.  You can’t fight amongst yourselves.  You gotta calm it down.  If you don’t wanna be here, go give a blow job right back there! Knock yourself out!  Don’t hold these people hostage to your nasty stuff!  You gotta calm a right down.  It’s cool to be who you wanna be where you wanna be, but not in my face, cause I’ll eat you up!  You gotta calm it right down.  Cause there’s some conflict going on.  I’m just sayin’ right now…I respect you all a lot, so you gotta open your heart and try and just forgive.  People are losing their minds.  It’s so hot, they don’t know just how to just go with the wind. You gotta both forgive. You gotta feel that core now, feel that core go down into the Earth and just let that anger go (all clapping to the beat)!  You gotta calm a right down!  You gotta calm a right down! You gotta find your heart!  You gotta find a waaaayyyy to come back to the start…  And, without a beat, she went right back into “Sister Janet!”  What a great moment in Atlanta’s Tori history!  Another B-Side, from “Spark” on From the Choirgirl Hotel, “Cooling” was just a perfect choice for this point in the show.  It is such a pretty song, just Tori and her piano!  Sure to cool down any heat!  I think she may have played this one for the rowdy ones in the audience, “this is cooling faster than I can.”

When the band returned, we finally got a bit of Little Earthquakes!  “China” was as always very pretty, and moving.  I’ll never forget the first time I saw this video on 120 minutes back in the early 90’s.  I had some contact with Tori through my best guy friend in High School, Cary Howie, and so I was paying attention.  The imagery was as stunning as the music itself.  The first video I saw was the “Crucify” video, because, at the time it was getting more play on MTV.  But, when I saw “China,” I knew we would have a long and happy life together, me and Tori!  And, we have…

“A Sorta Fairytale” was the single from Scarlet’s Walk, and a perfect representation of that beautiful collection of stories from the road.  Any video with Adrian Brody (even if he is just an arm and head for most of it) is going to be one of my favorites, of course!  One of Tori’s most radio played (in Atlanta, along with “Sleeps with Butterflies”), many love hearing when played in concert.  Abnormally Attracted to Sin is full of sensuously sultry songs, including “Fast Horse,” which was on Leah’s list of sing alongs/want to hear tonight!  Love the lyrics and smooth delivery!  Coming to the end of the concert, always a crowd favorite from Little Earthquakes, “Precious Things,” which I don’t think any Tori fan will ever tire of hearing her sing her heart out on and tear up on the keys; followed by the finally Abnormally Attracted to Sin’s sassy brassy “Strong Black Vine!”  Any song that starts with “shut your mouth” promises to be a beloved choice for future listening!  Tori sounded like she was ready to hurt someone singing “Strong Black Vine.”

We were lucky enough to get an encore, which began with “Police Me” from Abnormally Attracted to Sin.  Keeping with the theme of the night, this was a very sexy version of “Police Me.”  Tori played the hell out of her organ and flaunted and gyrated her organs as well!  Continuing the trend of B-sides, “Tombigbee” from Scarlet’s Walk-Scarlet’s Hidden Treasures did its part in bringing this show home.  The band along with Tori’s multiple instrument juggling was unbelievable.  For the big finish, Tori rolled out the “Big Wheel” from American Doll Posse.  Every member of the audience was clapping along and bouncing up and down.  I loved all the audience participation!  “Big Wheel” was so perfect for engaging Tori’s adoring fans.  Nobody wanted this to end!  A familiar feeling, as nobody ever does.  Even though we didn’t want her to leave, she had her big finish and wheeled out with all of us watching her go! 

Another great show for us all to enjoy by Tori and her crew.  Already we can’t wait for her to come around again in a couple of years!  For more information on all things Tori, and to keep up with when She might be taking a journey to your local Arena, visit http://www.toriamos.com/.  If you have never had the Tori experience, put it on your Bucket List…you won’t regret it!

by terri sapp

Photographs by Leah Yetter

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photos for photo gallery

On July 4, 2009 at Lakewood Amphitheatre in Atlanta, Georgia, Nick Hexum, Tim Mahoney, SA Martinez, Chad Sexton, and P-Nut celebrated Independence Day with me, Leah, and thousands of screaming fans.  I love when Leah is available to take the photos, because she always gets such wonderful shots!  Her work is so beautiful, I have to start by directing you to check out the 2009 photo gallery here:  http://www.leahyetter.com/090704311cs/.  Her photos are fantastic!  It makes me even sadder at the thought that she will be going to Wyoming very shortly.  I am going to miss her very much, especially at the 311 shows!!!  At last year’s show, I was just out of a major back surgery, but now, I have had an extra year to heal, and feel even more ready to party and dance!  Ziggy Marley opened up the show, and being Bob Marley’s DNA, he always gives me a thrill!  In addition to many amazing Ziggy Marley solo originals like “Love Is My Religion,” “Still The Storms,” “Be Free,” “True To Myself,” and “Black Cat,” as well as Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers’ gems like “Look Who’s Dancin’,” he also blessed us with many Bob Marley covers including “Roots, Rock, Reggae,” “Africa Unite,” “Jammin’” (one of my all time favs!), and “Is This Love?!!”

311 began their set with a “3-11, 3-3-11” Intro, then right into “Never Ending Summer” from their latest album, Uplifter.  A great new song to set the tone for a special 4^th of July show.  “Beautiful Disaster” continues the show with perfect energy!  Another reason I really love when Leah is at the 311 show with me to take the photos is because during the beginning of the show, I get to enjoy the music!!  With disco style lights, and all of the re-mix fixins, “All Re-Mixed Up” continues getting the party started.  Keeping it going, 311 brings me my favorite from their newest album, “Mix It Up!”  This song rocks, and has sweet lyrics.  I adore rockin’ love songs!  SA and Nick’s harmonies also melt my heart.  After “Mix It Up,” Nick says people have asked him if the reference to Little 5 Points in the song “Never Ending Summer” is about Atlanta.  He says, “Hell yeah, it is!  This is our home away from home!!!”  A shout out to Ziggy Marley, and then “Come Original!”  I always dance to this one.  Not enough artists come original these days!  I am always a sucker for a reggae beat, especially mixed with rock and roll!  Another great song from Uplifter, “It’s Alright” keeps the energy high.  When Uplifter first came out, I listened to it a few times all the way through, and found a few tracks that stood out as ones that I couldn’t wait to hear what they did with them live.  As usual, 311 does not disappoint!  Ever since the first 311 album, I have never heard one I did not like.  Uplifter is no different, and over time, the whole album grew on me, and I couldn’t wait to hear all of the tracks played in concert!

“Freeze Time,” from one very rockin’ album Soundsystem, got the place bouncing with ease.  I had not heard this one in a while, and it is like an old friend that you do not see a lot, but pick right back up where you left off!  Loving the audience participation, too!  When I first heard “Daisy Cutter,” I immediately smiled, as a daisy cutter myself.  I love daisies, and was thrilled that my boys wrote a song about daisies that touches on the ways of wooing!  How clever to move from “Daisy Cutter” to “Amber!”  311 really knows how to get the ladies to feel giddy…  “Amber” moves the crowd in a swaying motion long enough to prepare for a kickin’ “Applied Science” drum break!!  Nick says 311 is all about bringing people together, and Unity, so they want everyone to jump up together on “Applied Science,” and to help it along, they played a super hardcore version!  Every time we see these guys, they have added some new kind of drum or percussion to their full band drum line.  They have come a long way with this part of their act in the almost ten years since they have all been participating in the drum “solo.”

They really presented many of the Uplifter songs on this 4^th of July, “Something Out Of Nothing” being the next on the list!  What a treat to hear so many live in one night!  I was hoping to get more than just a few, and as always, 311 did not disappoint me.  From even the first note, I always get excited to hear one of my newer beloved songs, “Beyond The Gray Sky.”  Tim Mahoney plays the melody so beautifully with his Jerry-esque style of finger picking.  The lighters went up everywhere in the middle of this one, and it looked like a starry night all over.  From one cherished number to the next, and another from Uplifter, “I Like The Way.”   The words in “I Like The Way” are ones every girl longs to hear from her man!  311 has a way with the women that is for sure…  SA sang his heart out, and Chad knocked it out of the park with his drum sticks. 

Being that this show took place on July 4^th, all 311 fans knew that we would hear “Homebrew.”  Nick even introduced it accordingly.  “4^th of July with Lucy in the sky!…It was Independence Day, I’ve seen the other side and I say I’ve been insane, and I won’t ever be the same.”   Always fun to hear that one.  “Hey You,” Nick says, “is about how music saved our (their) lives.”  They refer to music as a “long time friend” and “constant companion.”  I, along with all music fans, can relate to such an idea and concept.  I am sure that most all who love music have needed it to get through many rough times in life.  For me, 311’s music has played a major part in helping me through my many ups and downs throughout the years.  For that, I am forever grateful.  I love that they wrote a song about it!  I can see why they named their newest album Uplifter, because every song speaks of love or positivity in some way.  “India Ink” is no different.  I acknowledge that most of 311’s repertoire consists of works full of positivity, but this entire album seems to exude it.

In an out of the ordinary move, Nick introduced “What Was I Thinking” by saying it was time to say “P-Nut, beat that thing,” which usually means we are about to hear “In Your Face.”  This time, P-Nut started “What Was I Thinking” with an awesome bass jam, which had a kind of Pink Floyd flavor to it.  I go nuts when 311 does something I have never heard before, or adds a new flare to their performance!  The last song of the night from Uplifter, “Jackpot” left us with a high-powered representation of the album.  I was pleasantly surprised that they played 9 out of the 12 songs on their newest album!  There is just something about hearing new songs live that adds a level of admiration to them in everyday life.  Now, when I hear them on my IPod, I can imagine being at the concert enjoying life!  A new sort of escape.  “Jackpot” is hype, too!  “Everybody jump!”  Nick gave Atlanta a shout out saying, “We love this town!  Let’s go a little crazy!”  To top off the night, 311 broke out “Creatures (For A While).”  A perfect choice to get everyone going crazy.  I could feel this one vibrating my guts!

In the time it took for the guys to come back for the encore, which began with the old school intro into “Omaha Stylee,” Leah went to retrieve her equipment to capture the surprise at the end of the show.  “Omaha Stylee” has a very masterful beat, and always pumps up the crowd!  I agree with Nick when he said, “What a kick ass way to spend the 4^th of July!”  He went on to say, “We were so stocked when we saw that our tour was gonna come on the 4^th of July on a Saturday night to Atlanta…Hell yeah!!!  So, we’ve got a couple of special things planned for ya, so stick around, and look up in the sky after the last song.  But, now, we’re gonna mash it up 311 style starting with the happy slam dance song, Do You Right!!”  This is something new that I’ve not heard before…a mash-up of “Do You Right/Don’t Stay Home/Hive.”  It is a fun way to get all three songs in the encore without running out of time!  Smooth mix…I would not have ever thought to mash those three in particular!

Dedicated to all of the old school 311 fans in the house, the show ended with “Down.”  As always, “Down” was a hopping way to end the show.  Once it was all over, 311 provided a spectacular display of fireworks for our 4^th of July enjoyment!  Visit the Photo Gallery to get a taste of the quality of after show fireworks we got!  Soundtrack to the fireworks was Jimi Hendrix’s version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”  Most awesome fireworks ever!!!!  What a way to spend the 4^th!

by terri sapp

Photographs by terri sapp

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

click photos for photo gallery

July 26, 2008 turned out to be the most perfect time for my man Noel to come with me to his first 311 show!  Besides the fact that 311 is a killer live band, there are two words to describe what set this night apart from any of the other many 311 shows I have witnessed…SNOOP DOGG!!!  What a perfect lineup!  Snoop Dogg and 311.  Some might not think them a likely match for playing a show together, but Snoop Dogg brought his A game to the Lakewood Amphitheatre in the A town as well as the best live band I have seen support a Hip Hop artist in all of my adult life!!  Over the years, I have made it my goal to see as many concerts as possible of all genres.  At some hip hop shows (including previous Snoop Dogg performances I have attended), you just get the artist, the supplementary rappers, and a DJ.  The very special nights are when you get the Hip Hop played truly live by real life musicians!  It makes all the difference in the world.  Even a music snob like Noel had to give it up for Snoop Dogg’s band!  THEY ROCKED IT OUT!!!  I can only give you two more words…Carlos McSwain, the drummer with the chops to match the greatest drummers in the world!

To get the party started Snoop played a recording of the theme song from his TV series, Father Hood.  The stage is set with a big oversized marijuana leaf, a tricked out low rider bicycle, a huge cut out of the back of a woman’s body, an enormous bottle of Cognac, and a giant bong.  To top it all off, there were security type of guys on each side of the stage dressed to the nines just standing around and holding it down. 

All of a sudden some very dramatic music came through the speakers.  Some Devil’s Advocate type of thing…like they were conjuring the almighty Snoop Dogg!  “Atlanta, Georgia…are ya’ll ready for Snoop Dogg?  Then make some muthafuckin’ noise!!  How many a ya’ll smoke weed out there…then, get yo muthafuckin’ hands in the air!!!”  What an intro! 

And…BOOM!  The bass was permeating!  I could feel it all the way through my guts.  The familiar melody of “Murder Was The Case That They Gave Me” rang out when the crew hit the stage.  It was at this moment that I realized that the band Snoop brought was going to rock the night away.  The guitar on “Murder” was totally jammin.  How better to open up for a Rock band than to rock out your Hip Hop like I’ve never heard before!

I have always loved the song “Tha Shiznit,” so imagine my excitement to hear it with a rock beat thrown in.  Again, the guitar is just right on point.  “Chill to the next episode, I make money and I really don’t love hoes.  Tell you the truth, I swoop in the Coupe, I used to sell loot, I used to shoot hoops.”  “Boy it’s getting’ hot, yes indeed it is…Snoop Dogg on the mic I’m ‘bout as crazy as Biz Markie, spark the, chronic bud real quick and let me get into some fly gangsta shit!” These words take me right back to the very beginning of my love for the Doggfather.  From the first time I heard/saw him on that first Dr. Dre joint, it was all over for me.  Ever since, I have made it a mission to see/hear him at every chance I have gotten.  Of course, my band 311 had the great taste enough to add him to their list of amazing bands they have toured with.  I can totally believe that his “Lexus, flexes, from Long Beach to Texas!”  I love that they began at the beginning, with songs from his first solo album, Doggystyle.

Snoop is in rare form tonight, as is his fashion statement…he came out sporting a one piece getup that appeared to be made out of a bunch of blue bandanas.  I guess he was in full “Crip Hop” mode, because he KILLED this bouncy version of “Staxxx In My Jeans” from Snoop’s newest album, Ego Trippin’.  The drums, played by Carlos, on “Staxxx” made my body move against my will!  I was in the press pit trying to work and get some decent photos, and all I wanted to do was shack my ass and bob my head!!!  Not really conducive to taking non-blurry pictures… I still can’t get over how awesome his band was.  Giving the band a break for a spell, the DJ played “Mary Jane,” and gave Snoop a chance in true form to get the audience participation going, and talk a bit about the “Sticky Icky Icky.”  But, not for too long…after a few rounds of back and forths with the crowd on “I wanna get fucked up” the band broke into another Doggystyle classic, “Gin and Juice.”  It is glorious to hear such hard core interpretations of these songs that we have become so accustomed to. 

By the time I made my way back around to the pit again where Noel was enjoying the festivities, an old school sounding jam from R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece called “Ups & Downs” was just finishing, and leading into another from the new album Ego Trippin’ called “Sexual Eruption.”  What else would this song be about? “I’m gonna take my time, she gon get hers before I, I’m gonna take it slow (woah woahh)…She might be with him but she’s thinkin’ ’bout me me meeeeeeee…Smoke us a cigarette and go back to sleep sleep sleeeeeep.”  Not very often do we get Snoop actually singing, but this one is about as close as it gets.  Upbeat and melodic. 

Now, you know the party is on when they call out for Uncle Junebug to come accompany them on a little “Snoop’s Upside Ya Head” from The Doggfather.  Junebug’s moves are always so cute and smooth.  Carlos’s drums were really warmed up by this point, and just when I thought it couldn’t get funkier, he hit me upside the head with it!

One of the most fun times at a Snoop Dogg show are his periodic “chronic breaks,” which this time included his DJ playing Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” (sampled by Mariah Carey in her song “Fantasy”) to get the crowd going, “Where the party people at??” A little back and forth of “Ho! – Ho! Hey! – Hey!” “Can I get a Biatch – Biatch…Wait a minute, ya’ll having too much fun, ya’ll act like ya’ll at a Snoop Dogg show…” Snoop Dogg is always paying homage toGeorge Clinton, and tonight was no different, with a chant to a funky beat back and forth of “Ain’t no party like a Snoop Dogg party ‘cause a Snoop Dogg party don’t stop!”  This led immediately into a slower and very funky rendition of the Doggystyle crowd favorite “Lodi Dodi.”  As if he needs to ask a mirror if he’s the top Dogg!!

I know I keep going on and on about the drummer, Carlos, but this guy was amazing!  His work on an excerpt Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” was no exception.  Then, they jammed straight into the Doggystyle tune “Pump Pump.”  It was obvious that the idea for Snoop Dogg choosing the musicians that he did to tour with him on this 311 tour was to totally rock out with guitar riffs in the likes of Randy Rhoads (Ozzy) and drum beats as heavy and crazy as Keith Moon (The Who).  The crowd went wild!  Even Noel was impressed with the band, particularly Carlos, the bad ass drummer.  I have to say that Snoop Dogg drew the largest crowd I have ever seen show up early for the opening band EVER at a 311 show, and they brought IT for sure.  He and his band made it worth every second.  Maybe it was the distinctive sound different from every other Snoop show I have seen, even though this was an abbreviated set, it may be my favorite yet!  Snoop acknowledged the change, too, encouraging the band to “Rock that shit!”  Even screaming to the top of his lungs over and over!

LT is then asked to make these muthafuckas jump, followed by them playing “Jump” by House Of Pain…the whole crew rapping along playfully with Everlast.  And, stop…”Now that I got you muthafuckas to jump around, what I really want ya’ll to do is…”  In came that hard beat that begins the hit from the 2004 album R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece “Drop It Like It’s Hot!”  As if the beat wasn’t already HOT, they tricked it out even more!  What a way to end a set…and believe me, Carlos TORE it up!

Even though I missed some of the show running around trying to catch photos and whatnot, I got a full taste of all that Snoop and his crew laid down on this hot Summer night.  For a viewing of the photo gallery from this night, please visit: http://www.leahyetter.com/080731snoopdogg/.  For all things Snoop, and to see where you could catch a glimpse into the awesome live performance world of the Doggfather himself, check out his website at: http://www.snoopdogg.com/.  If you get the chance, whether they are playing with a rock band or not, Snoop will give you a show worth every penny of what you paid for your ticket!  I promise!  I have done the research…they don’t call me TDogg for nothing!