Freaks Ball XII link-o-rama

Not only was this year's Freaks Ball the biggest and the best, it was also easily the most documented of them all. Trying to collect all of the links to audio, video, photos and reviews. Let me know what I'm missing and I'll add links, etc.

Excellent photos, videos, review and interview from Marc Millman at Hidden Track
Jambands.com review

Night 1: January 20, 2011, Brooklyn Bowl

                                        (photo by Dino Perucci)

photos:
Greg Aiello
Scott Bernstein
Dino Perucci


audio:
Portugal. The Man 
source 1: Scott Bernstein (archive)
source 2: acidjack (NYCTaper)
source 3: Eric McRoberts (archive)

Sam Champion
source 1: Scott Bernstein (etree)

full show video (thx to Justin Marinoff): 


other nice video clips









Night 2: January 21, 2011, Brooklyn Bowl

                                        (photo by Dino Perucci)

photos:
Brooklyn Bowl photo stream
Michael Jurick
Greg Aiello
Scott Bernstein
Dino Perucci
Adam McCullough

audio:
Freaks Ball-Stars (featuring Marco Benevento, Joe Russo, Eddie Roberts, Ron Johnson, with special guests Warren Haynes, Eric Krasno, Alicia Shakur and Scott Metzger)

source 1:  Scott Bernstein (archive)
source 2:  Keith (etree)
source 3:

Erik Deutsch, Joe Russo, Scott Metzger, Hagar Ben Ari
source 1: Scott Bernstein (archive)
source 2: Eric McRoberts (archive)

video clip playlist

minimix: Friday FB singalong primer

Hitting the Ball tonight? Psyched for PtM but slightly unfamiliar with their material? One of the reasons I love this band is that yes, they rage very hard, but almost every one of their songs has a great hook and so there's almost always a chorus or a coda or whole song worth of singalong opportunities. Here are 6 songs over their catalog that you will likely hear tonight. Bone up and you'll be ready to belt 'em out when the time comes:

http://open.spotify.com/user/neddyo/playlist/42avfpkyvHSU69knC05bKD

01 Got It All
02 People Say
03 AKA M80 The Wolf
04 1989
05 The Sun
06 Sleep Forever

Freak Week!

Hey all it's Freak Week, do the FreakStick!

Freaks Ball X is this Saturday -- I hope to see you all there -- but plenty of time to party leading up to the main event.

First, the skinny...

Freaks Ball X
January 23, 2010
Sullivan Hall - NYC, USA
Doors at 8:30
Music at 9:00

Featuring:
Anders Osborne from NOLA (2 sets)
The Black Hollies from NYC/NJ
Scott Metzger/Ron Johnson/Eric Kalb

• First of all: if you plan on going, get your tickets there's a damn good chance it'll be sold out come Saturday.
• There's a raffle going on in conjunction with FBX that you can take part in whether you're going or not. Proceeds split between Oxfam Haiti relief and City Harvest. Check out the details here.
  
• If you're itching to get out and party early, there's a birthday party for the NYC-Freaks list at Brooklyn Bowl. Info @ Facebook here. Should be a damn good time.
  
• Robert Randolph plays Brooklyn Bowl tomorrow for Haiti relief as well on what happens to be the 10th anniversary of the start of the Freaks list and the 9th anniversary of Robert's playing the 1st Freaks Ball. Weird the way the world works. Get info/tix here.
  
• Freaks Ball getting some press: Time Out NY, Village Voice.
  
• I got interviewed at our beloved Hidden Track. Check it out!
• Trying to get psyched for the weekend? Here are some tunes to tide you over. Download the Anders show from Sullivan Hall a couple months back. Smoking stuff!
  
• Check out the Black Hollies: Ardent Sessions, WFUV studio session, and download a show from a year and a half ago (pre-newest album).
  

X-Rated

In Super Bowl numbers, X means 10; sometimes it means "prohibited," but on a pirate's map, X is where the treasure is buried and mighty fine booty is what you're gonna find at Freaks Ball X. In 10 years of Freak Ballin' it, we've always tried to balance great party with great music, big-time kick-ass national acts with local up-and-comers and old friends-of-Freaks favorites.

For the big 10th anniversary, we've pulled out the stops and got it all...

Freaks Ball X
X Marks the Spot
January 23, 2010
Sullivan Hall - NYC, USA
Doors at 8:30
Music at 9:00

Featuring:
Anders Osborne from NOLA (2 sets)
The Black Hollies from NYC/NJ
3rd act to-be-announced

Tickets: $27 ($30 d.o.s.)
Onsale now at Ticketweb or with no service fees at Sullivan Hall on any night they're open for a show.

Freaks Ball X on Facebook

* I don't think Anders Osborne needs any introduction to you Freaks.
Whether in NOLA or NYC, the man can flat out wail and the party can
never be far behind. His last Sullivan Hall show is quickly becoming
the stuff of legend (see some of it here, starts around 8mins in), and no doubt his next will be much of the same.
I hope you're psyched, because this will be a Freaks Ball for the
ages.

* I've been wanting to check out the Black Hollies for a while now and
earlier this year I finally got my chance and I do not exaggerate when
I say they blew me away. Old school, psychedelic garage rock music --
the kind your grandparents rolled joints to. It's a total magic
carpet ride with fuzzy guitars and possibly the best drummer you've
never seen.

* We're still ironing out a couple details on the third act, but
didn't want to wait to get this officially announced and on sale.
Never fear, it'll be plenty more of the awesome friend-of-Freak rock
you've come to expect from the Freaks Ball.

So come early, stay late... stay until late becomes early again. Get
your peg legs and eye patches at the ready and let's celebrate 10
years of being freaky.

Spread the word, see you there.

There will be reminders.

Enjoy some vids:

FBIX Update

Counting the days til Saturday night here at OTW. I do hope you'll come and bring the kool kats with you. If you missed it, here is the pertinent info. In addition, I'll urge you to come early:

• Doors open at 8pm and we'll be spinning the new Derek Trucks album (releasing 1/13) to get the party warmed up.
  
• In addition, there will be 3 Sixpoint beers (Sweet Action, Brownstone, Apollo Wheat) to be specific) on tap for $4 each from 8-10, so get to that bar early and often.
  
• Finally, we can confirm that Danjaboots -- i.e. Scott Metzger & Joe Russo -- will be giving us a rare appearance to open the show at 8:45... you won't want to miss their countried-up set of tunes about drinkin', fightin' and f#$%in'.

That's all in addition to the full slate of music, freaks and fun... here's that info again:

The details:

Freaks Ball IX
January 10, 2009
Southpaw
Brooklyn, USA

featuring:

• The New Mastersounds
• Danjaboots (Metzger and Russo singing about drinkin', fightin' and f#$@in')
  
• The Rodney Speed Experience (feat. Scott Boom Boom Metzger, Sir Joe Russo, Eddie Eyeball of 2 Skinnee Js, Phil Costello of Tragedy, Backyard Bill, Szuf Daddy of Tragedy, Ginger of the Wildhearts)
• and a special, rock your socks off late night set from RANA.

tickets $25 get 'em now, no guarantee they'll be available at the door

Some more links:

• Download the funktastic NMS shows from Sullivan Hall last month (courtesy of the ubiquitous Scott Bernstein and his magical microphones): night 1 and night 2
• My review of Rana's triumphant return
• Listen or download that Rana show (courtesy of Radio Johnson)
• Get a taste of the Rodney Speed Experience from their Mercury Lounge show earlier this fall.

Freaks Ball IX

It's one month and counting to the ninth annual Freaks Ball, so might as well get my hordes of loyal readers on board! We've featured some great acts in the past, helping many get their start: Robert Randolph, The Duo, Apollo Sunshine, Ollabelle, Skerik & Mike Dillon, etc. This year's no different, in fact we're going international! Extra special incentive to come join us is that the Ball is on my birthday this year, so come to Brooklyn and help me celebrate 35 years of freakishness.

The Rodney Speed Experience will kick it off with some wild rock and roll. The main event will feature the Brit ubergrooves of the f'in New Mastersounds. Late night drunkenness will be accompanied by the face-flipping rawk of the back-in-action RANA. Good times.

The details:

Freaks Ball IX
January 10, 2009
Southpaw
Brooklyn, USA

featuring:

• The New Mastersounds
• The Rodney Speed Experience (feat. Scott Boom Boom Metzger, Sir Joe Russo, Eddie Eyeball of 2 Skinnee Js, Phil Costello of Tragedy, Backyard Bill, Szuf Daddy of Tragedy, Ginger of the Wildhearts)
• and a special, rock your socks off late night set from RANA.

tickets $25, on sale now!

This show will sell out as the past few Balls have.

Some more links:

• follow the action on Facebook
• Download the funktastic NMS shows from Sullivan Hall last month (courtesy of the ubiquitous Scott Bernstein): night 1 and night 2
• My review of Rana's triumphant return
• Listen or download that Rana show (courtesy of Radio Johnson)
• Get a taste of the Rodney Speed Experience from their Mercury Lounge show earlier this fall.
  

Downloads: FBVIII

So, Freaks Ball... my review is this: first beer(s) around 6pm, soundcheck, whiskey, something something, shots of tequila, something something, lots of people I know having fun, something something, spills drink(s) on self, scene(s) involuntarily deleted, hey, I know you!, headbanging good times, whiskey, fuck yeah!, feeling fuzzy around the edges, tequila, fade to black (no money lost), see you next year.

In lieu of anything more descriptive, here are some downloads of SBD's courtesy of JR's foresight:

Bustle Set I
Bustle Set II
Mocean Worker

American Babies to come, hopefully. Let me know if you have any problems with these and I'll repost on my Mediafire.

Enjoy!

minimix: Weekend Preview... Get the Led Out

In anticipation of the big party this weekend in Brooklyn, here's a jammed up, mostly live, eight-is-enough version of minimix.

Click here to download the mix

01 The Song Remains The Same -- Bustle In Your Hedgerow: Chitown, 31 July 2005
02 No Quarter -- Gov't Mule: NYC, 17 April 2002
03 Over the Hills and Far Away -- Widespread Panic: NOLA Halloween 1998
04 Communication Breakdown -- Wolfmother: Edmonton 25 Feb 2007
05 Ramble On -- Phish: Vernon, NY 12 August 1998
06 Immigrant Song -- The Bad Plus: Unreleased Studio Outtake
07 When The Levee Breaks -- Stanton Moore Trio: Newmarket, NH 6 October 2006
08 Kashmir -- Led Zeppelin: Cleveland 27 April 1977

Previously in minimix:
Weekend Sampler
ACL '07 Preview
Weekend in Preview (7/4/07)
Week In Preview (4/16/07)
Weekend Sampler (1/18/07)

F Ball Giveaway

We're a little over a week and counting to the big Freaks Ball bash. We're running a little promo/contest over at the peerless Hidden Track, so check it out. I'd like to see each and every one of you at Southpaw next Saturday.

Also: say "Big Bill Frisell Fan" 5 times fast. I'm going into the Seuss business.

Links: Freaks Ball edition

Welcome to the official birthday of OTW!

The Freaks Ball is coming... the Ocho, if you can believe it. As always, very excited about the lineup:

• Bustle In Your Hedgerow = like best band ever.
• Mocean Worker -- very psyched about these up-and-comers, check 'em out at Sullivan Hall late Saturday.
• American Babies -- some countrified rockin' to get it rolling. these guys are awesome! (Metzger.... Russo... need I say more?)

Saturday, February 9th, Southpaw, Brooklyn, USA. The important link is this one. I hope to see you there. This message will repeat.

On the subject of Freaks Ball, it was five years ago today when I turned 29 @ the IIIrd annual. That year the shit was kind of big -- it was at the Bowery Ballroom, and I still shudder to think I had any part in throwing that party. Of course, my involvement was much less than in the other years before and after. But it came together nicely and I was able to get both the Duo (1st time playing @ Bowery) and Rana to support Robert Randolph who was just a smidge past his launching point. That's a great lineup, if I do say so myself. If I were to bring a band together for one night, it would probably be Rana... a band that is continually popping up on the iPod these days.

Here's the opener from their set that night: Tonight I'll be Staying here With You (Dylan). I do not have the complete show, sorry, wish I did.

I do have the Randolph set, here it is in 1 2 3 4 pieces. Weird crazy kind of show. Sloppy fun that highlights the best of what Robert was at that point and the worst that was to come. The Word show a couple weeks back renews my confidence that he can play this kind of show again. Lots of guests and plenty of drawn out pedal steel jam-o-ramas. Worth your while...

Gonna be a lot more shows to download here in the coming weeks, months, year... so enjoy and spread the word.

Photos: Freaks Ball VII

My review of the night in one word or less is: !

Listen for yourself, download the sets (MP3's via Mediafire):
Band of Changes Set I (w/ Dean Ween)
Band of Changes Set II
Apollo Sunshine

My half-assed photos from the evening...

The Dansettees got everyone warmed up with some groovin'

Next up was Chris Harford and the Band of Changes

Chris giving it up to the baddest rhythm section in town: Russo & Dreiwitz

Ween is in the house

These guys freakin' rocked

So did these guys: Apollo Sunshine

Dirty, dirty rock and roll

But, not to be outdone, BOC returns for the late set

Some guests join in, but the Freaks Ball Hall of Famers are Scott Metzger...

...and Sir Joe Russo!

Some other FB photos: here and here.

Dee also took a couple short videos:

Harford & Band of Changes:



Apollo Sunshine:

Links: FBVII Countdown

Freaks Ball is around the corner, so I might have to put on my pimp suit once or twice in the next week.

Details: Saturday 1/27 at Southpaw in Brooklyn, USA.

Tickets are going at a pretty good clip, so get yours now: right here!!

As a reminder, we've got three sweet, sweet acts playing, DJ's, crazy Freaks and one of the sweetest rooms in town.

Apollo Sunshine just flat out kicks ass, nothing more needs to be said, but I'll expound nonetheless, should it please the court, with some links for your consideration. Seriously, these guys are about to blow up -- they even make a cameo in the recent U2 video alongside some already legends -- what more proof do you need... OK, they get Ropeadope love, too! Satisfied?)

• Rolling Stone offers some videos
• You can stream some tracks on their site
• Download some shows at the incomparable Live Music Archive
• Or just ask anyone who's seen 'em live and left saying "SHIT that was good!"
  

Chris Harford is somewhat of a live music cult legend in NYC, and if you need any proof, check out his rotating cast of characters in his ever-morphing Band of Changes. Better yet, look at who that Band will be come next Saturday: Scott Metzger on guitar, Dave Dreiwitz on bass and Joe Russo on drums. You will not find a better backing band in the universe -- you can have Plant, Jones and Bonham, I'll take these three [he said with just a hint of hyperbole]. Seriously, they all have the same middle name -- that being Fucking as in Joe Fucking Russo. Listen to Chris at Myspace or the tracks on his site or better yet, download this show from last fall with this exact same lineup, DUDE!

The Dansettes are some old school R&B/funk/soul that will bring a smile to your face and that boogie to your bottom. Check out this YouTube or listen to some of their hopping EP at Myspace and get ready to party.

So there you have it. Tis the season to party down with the Freaks, so I hope you'll join us.

The details:

Freaks Ball VII
Saturday, 27 January 2007
Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY
Apollo Sunshine
Chris Harford & the Band of Changes (Russo, Metzger, Dreiwitz)
The Dansettes
Tickets: $20 (go get 'em!)

(P)review: Freaks Ball Se7en

FREAKS BALL VII!!!

(Apollo Sunshine photos pilfered from Beatrice Evangelista)

No review this week, instead of looking backwards, let's look forward to what will certainly be one of the throwdowns of 2007, the 7th installment of the freak-out known as the Freaks Ball.

Unbelievably, it's been seven years of the ole bump and hustle and this year we have a tremendous "tastemakers special" line-up, and you are cordially invited to join us in partying down.

The details:

Freaks Ball VII
Southpaw
Brooklyn, NY
27 January 2007

Featuring:
Apollo Sunshine

Chris Harford & The Band of Changes

The Dansettes

Tickets are a mere $20 for what will certainly be a long, dirty, drunken evening. Ticket availability is never guaranteed, so do yourself a favor and get yours now here. (They make great Kwanzaa gifts!)

I could go on about each band individually, how freakin' SICK it's all gonna be, etc., but you're better off just listening for yourself, so we've put together a little download mix to get an idea of what kind of fun we'll be having. So download these tunes buy your tickets and get ready to roll.

Of course, it's gonna be freakin' sick, party of the year... get involved!