Fiddlehead: Coming to an Arena Near You...

This is hopefully being published in The Noise magazine next month but for the people who actually know about the blog, you get a sneak peek. I will try to update this more often now that winter is upon us!

Fiddlehead: Coming to an Arena Near You…
By: Patrick Fitzpatrick

Fiddlehead is a rock band out of Lynn, Massachusetts that has been achieving a lot of success lately. After coming off of several sold out shows including the famous Wobble Wednesday at The Wonder Bar in Allston, MA on October 30th 2011; the band is rumored to be in the studio. If these rumors are in fact correct, Fiddlehead will most likely be poised to release an album around the first of the year. Due to their recent success, I decided it would be prudent to inform the faithful Noise readers as to what they are all about.

The band is made up of Michael Strakus on guitar and bass, Kevin Maestranzi on guitar, bass and vocals, Patrick Nelson on vocals and guitar and Tim Johnson on drums. The four have been playing together for a couple years now in different configurations. Patrick and Michael have pretty much been through thick and thin, playing together since they picked up guitars as youngsters. The natural energy this band seems to cultivate is based on their deep connections to each other. It definitely comes through in their music, which along with their light show, can cause anything from spiritual transcendence to sensory overload.

Did I mention they have a light show? Yea, a real trippy-hippy, psychadelic, laser light show. Controlled by none other than Felipe Araya. How many bands do you know that have a light show and a lighting crew traveling around with them in this economy? That’s how you know its good. Seriously though, these guys have purchased some very expensive equipment to do something different than the norm and I think that shows serious dedication to the whole experience. How many bands just travel around and play the same boring old set over and over with the same guitars, same amps and dim bar lighting?

Not only does Fiddlehead bring the light show, but they also often have things like artwork and jewelry for sale at their shows. They were definitely the first band I saw selling this kind of merchandise at bars. It definitely fits in well with the hippy vibe and brings some sophistication to the table. At pretty much every show there is a painting auctioned off by the talented Desirae Hudson, who also does all the artwork for the band’s posters, logos and probably their album cover. The surrealistic art along with the lights and crazy music all blend together to create a great atmosphere.

Fiddlehead is a funky rock band, with blues, soul and jazz influences. They tend to avoid cover songs and stick to originals, though their version of “Deep Elm Blues” is excellent. Some of their original song titles include, “Nicotine”, “The Blorg”, “Space Cream” and “House of Groove”. Their song catalog is fairly extensive but they often like to jam out on individual songs for quite a long time. Long periods of instrumentals and lots of dramatic solos almost brings me back to the 1970’s. Don’t take my word for it though, you can check them out yourself online on fiddleheadband.com and several other websites. You can even become one of their over 900 fans on Facebook.

(Photo by Cherie Mann)

I Get My Thrill...On Ole Haverhill!

The Chit Chat Lounge was a happening spot again tonight as Absylum and Fiddlehead again brought their ole fashioned medicine show. Tonight the biggest factor I feel was the absence of the lights. I guess Felipe ran lights at another spot tonight, diversifying the portfolio. The mix sounds pretty good tonight and luckily there is a sound guy. Another highlight of the evening is checking out the upstairs where some kind of acoustic act is playing simultaneously. Haverhill is becoming a more and more happening spot and I really like the area.

Absylum sounds solid tonight, with MJ Sands setting the pace of the roller coaster. Sean McCormick is as energetic as ever on the bass and as a partial front man. Justin Lopes is a key-monster as always, but not only that, he gets up and sings. Overall their set is pretty tight and I really like the guitar parts as well. Overall the band has great timing and their stops are impeccable. Justin takes us all to church tonight with his intense organ playing. Their "Cool Whip" is awesome tonight. I can't wait to see what this band becomes in the future!

Fiddlehead is right on point with a well balanced start. Unfortunately I wasn't able to stay for the entire night, but they play an excellent "Baby Monster". Kevin's bass seems a little more reserved tonight but very tight. Tim Johnson's drumming is spot on and very snappy. Pat and Mike's solos weave the whole thing together in a spectacular sonic soup. These guys are gearing up for a huge summer complete with festivals and jibrolicky. I think that really soon it is all going to come together and its going to be absolutely huge.

I'm not sure if anyone even reads this stuff but just in case, I am going to drop some shameless self-promotion for the sake of feeding the hungry. I am having a show on May, 20th at the Walnut Street Cafe in Lynn including some different acoustic performers, poetry and more. Apparently some people think that the biblical rapture will be on May 21st, so this is a Pre-Biblical Apocalypse Party. Its also going to be a food drive in case we survive. The food will be going to the Cape Ann Food Pantry and split with Lynn if they have some kind of a local food charity. If you can't make it out, please at least donate a can of food to your local food charity.

Fiddlehead will be returning to the Chit Chat on May 27th, they also have some festivals coming up. check back on their Facebook page to get more information. I will try to post what I can when I get more info. Its definitely going to be an excellent summer for the jam band scene and the local music scenes in general. Please support local music and local musicians, don't let live local music become a thing of the past and be replaced by DJ's and karaoke!

Here is a picture from Dodge Street on April 3rd:

Brownchickens and Absylums and Underwear, OH MY!

The Spotlight Tavern is an excellent venue with a great setup, outdoor enclosed patio, excellent staff and strong drinks. It also sports a cozy atmosphere and friendly crowd. On this evening, Brownchicken Browncow, Fiddlehead and Absylum take the stage in that order. This is a split bill I've seen at Dodge Street in Salem and the Chit-Chat Lounge in Haverhill as well, but in different order. Either way, its always a good night when these three bands come out to play.

BCBC is up first and the Bruins play during their entire set. Sports games can be a big factor in how a night goes at a music event. The band still sounds awesome, especially Eric Houde and his monster solos. His brother Brian is also an excellent bass player in his own right, its a wonder two such players came from the same family. Mike O'Toole also does an excellent job on drums, his timing is impeccable. Their song "Japanese Fighting Mule" stood out especially. Another thing I must say about BCBC is they are a very friendly and nice bunch of guys and very community oriented.

Fiddlehead plays a very tight set as always. It is however, a tighty-whitey set. Well not quite, but the fellas disrobe down to skivvy attire to show they are "comfortable" playing the middle set. Mike Strakus has some sort of Fred Flintstone looking shirt on. Kevin Maestranzi is just up there in his underwear and a smile. Pat Nelson has some shorts and crazy socks on. At one point I am invited up on stage to be "Mr. A" opposite "Mr. F" in a sort of skit. Tim Johnson played especially well, the sound of him on MJ Sands' drum kit is interesting. Great solos from Pat and Mike tonight as well. Kevin sounds great as always, singing and playing bass seems so tough to me. Overall the set is good and everyone has a wonderful time!

Absylum...where to begin. They have gotten leaps and bounds better since I heard them last and they were already damn good before! I think the most epic part of this evenings performance is hearing Justin Lopes sing. Sean McCormick also sings a bit and manages to hit the bass at the same time. MJ Sands sounds brilliant as always, perfect rhythm and a wicked cool hat. By the time they get rolling, quite a few pretty ladies are dancing in front of the stage. Justin is an absolute monster on the keys, he definitely tears the house down. I can't believe how good Absylum sounds for being together for such a short period of time to be honest. Expect more of them in the future as well.

Great night, great lights. Felipe Araya as always puts on a spectacular light show. I am really glad the Spotlight Tavern has sprung up as one of the premier venues in Beverly. So many venues have sold out to having nothing but DJs and Karaoke, its good to have an old fashioned live music bar. They have an open jam on Tuesdays that is a great time as well, starts at 9 PM I believe. I would definitely recommend you check this place out if you haven't already, its a great time. Also check out these great bands as they hit venues near you! Look them up on Facebook for more info.

Bruins Breakdown Shakedown

Ahh, The Farm. One of the coolest venues I have ever been to. There's a volleyball court outside for crying out loud, who doesn't love that? Located in historic Essex, The Farm is a bar and grille where sports and live music collide. While a majority of the bar is watching the Bruins in overtime, Fiddlehead begins their set in a foggy, light-speed haze. Even though the beginning of their set is slowed by the game, they still bring it and start to build a crowd.

By the time Space Cream and Nicotine roll around, the crowd is really bumping. The Farm has to be one of the most hospitable places I have been in a while. Everyone is incredibly nice and friendly. Pat Nelson's SG sings from the soul tonight, and no broken strings! Strakus both dominates the SYB pedal and his Jazz Master in his epic battle against the Blorg. Kevin and Pat both combat the lack of a second mic in style. Tim Johnson rides the snake on a very shiny Gretsch kit! Desirae paints another masterpiece. Felipe's light show is out of this world.

Speaking of WORLDS, lets talk about OUR OWN WORLD for a moment, shall we? They are an incredibly awesome band with very solid licks. I really like how the lead guitar player rips a Les Paul, I haven't seen one of those since Zubru at Dodge street! They play an excellent set filled with great tunes. They are also a very agreeable and friendly bunch of guys. I definitely see Fiddlehead and Our Own World playing together again in the future.

Apparently now Fiddlehead is being played on College radio. Pretty soon that ole Blorg is going to have to make a deal here because the lads are just getting too big for their britches. In fact, the whole jam scene around Beverly, Salem and Lynn is just exploding. Pretty soon I see some of these bands touring the country, playing huge festivals and creating music all over the world. Stay tuned for more Fiddlefun!

Night at the Limelight

As I walk into this cozy, shotgun-style bar on a second story in downtown Haverhill, I am not met with quite what I expected. This seems like a very down to Earth, but hopping venue. The stage is angled and in a pretty good spot over by the windows. I am very impressed by the extremely professional setup of Guitar Center's own Nils Carlson and Chris "Keebler" Wadden. From wireless systems to a Mac book to record the whole evening, these guys cover all the bases.

The first band is a Weezer cover band fronted by Nils and they sound awesome. They put a new spin on all of the Weezer favorites. The whole band is very tight and the sound mix is excellent. The drum kit is mic'd perfectly and between the great band, awesome lights and the fog machine, everyone starts to get down. Who doesn't like Weezer anyway?!

Fiddlehead quickly sets up shop and prepares to unleash chaos on the masses. At this point the bar is starting to fill in a little more. As Fiddlehead progresses through their set, more and more people come pouring in and more and more people get closer to the stage and start dancing. I thought Tim's drumming is particularly good tonight, especially considering he isn't playing his own kit. Kevin hops in and out of the crowd with the aid of a wireless system. Mike masters the SYB pedal tonight and goes the distance. Pat's guitar and vocal mic give him some trouble but he handles it like a champion.

After the set, we head across the street real quick to check out our good friends Brown Chicken Brown Cow. Two Lynn jam bands playing in Haverhill right across the street from each other on the same night? Priceless. They sound awesome tonight especially with the addition of harmonica. They are definitely moving up in the world and making a name for themselves on the jam band scene. They have matching band t-shirts tonight as well, red, white and blue! Check them out at a venue near you.

Sorry to cut it short but sweet, will most likely be writing about Fiddlehead's next show at The Farm in Essex tomorrow night with Our Own World!

BlorGulu w/Cheese, $11.99

(I don't know if you've heard...but there is this band called Fiddlehead and well, they have been playing tons of shows all around the Northshore and beyond. On Thursday, April 7th, they played at the good old Gulu Gulu Cafe. This was a long time coming since their musical roots took hold in the original Gulu in Lynn. Legend says that Steve Feldmann himself once booted them for being too loud. Well, no longer! It appears the lads have been welcomed back to the new Gulu Gulu with open arms.)

As I walk through the door, I witness many of the typical items that come along with a Fiddlehead show. Desirae Hudson is painting a lovely picture to be raffled later on during the show. Cherie Mann is displaying all of her wonderful jewelry for sale. Felipe is running with a minimal light kit this evening but the drums are still lit up quite nicely. Fiddlehead is wailing away on one of their soon-to-be hit songs and wreaking havoc on yet another crowd.

Something feels particularly warm about this show. Maybe its the fact that the Gulu Gulu is just a comfortable place for me, but it just feels awesome. There is a decent crowd for a Thursday night and everyone is definitely entertained. Then suddenly I am summoned to the stage to play during the break. Luckily Dan Kupka happened to be there with his melodica and played along splendidly. After some good time favorites and a botched rendition of "Friend of the Devil" I gladly hop off the stage and let Fiddlehead continue to unleash chaos.

Most of the second set sounds damn good, for reasons which may be obvious if you know Fiddlehead at all...Some people get up and dance for a bit, which is awesome. The original concerns about Fiddlehead maybe being too loud are not a problem at all. Even Tim Johnson, the monster himself, rages just a bit lighter in the Cafe environment. They play right up until the wire and even a little beyond, as the crowd begs for encore after encore.

If you missed your chance to have your face melted off this time, tune in next time, as the Fiddleheads fight the Blorg once again at The Farm in Essex on April 23rd...or perhaps some other exciting locale in the meantime. Until then here is a preview of a little something you should attend next month:

Dodge Street Triple Threat

On Saturday, April 2nd, three awesome bands took the stage at the Dodge Street. Absylum kicked things off, followed by Fiddlehead and finally, BrownChicken BrownCow. I got the chance to chill with the bands while they were setting up and I must say it was all very professionally done. The mix sounds really good tonight and all the bands seem ready to rip it.

The crowd starts coming in around 9:30 or 10:00 as Absylum takes the stage. They perform a very excellent set and Justin Lopes sounds particularly good this evening. His piano is a lot less muddy than it was at the Foobar and I think the mix had something to do with that. I also heard he couldn't hear himself so kudos to Justin, very well played. MJ Sands holds down the dirty beats and Sean McCormick's bass playing is superb this evening. I see this band definitely going places in the future, very awesome!

Fiddlehead performs a very technically sound and tight set. I hear very few flaws and notice that Tim Johnson isn't dropping his sticks tonight. This is a very well rehearsed set and extremely well performed. I think Kevin sounds great, especially his singing this evening. Mike Strakus sounds awesome and I really like some of the new effects he is trying out. Pat Nelson, as always, rips epic solos and brings the house down with his thunderous vocals. These guys are incredible pretty much no matter what they do. Oh, and there were puppets...huge puppets, courtesy of Andy Burke and One World Puppetry - bringing the festival inside!

Brown Chicken Brown Cow plays last and the crowd starts to dwindle out a bit. They are a good band and play particularly well, but they just don't hold the crowd quite like the other bands this evening. Eric Houde plays excellent and lets the metal out on his birthday. They have some very catchy songs, but maybe they need a few more or a little more depth. They are still young and an up and coming band so I think they need some time to grow as well. Still a very good performance and they did hold their own for being a newer band.

If you didn't get your Fiddlefix this time, you're in luck! Fiddlehead will be playing at the Gulu Gulu Cafe this Thursday starting at 8 PM. Come by and check them out, it is going to be an epic evening!

Foobar Funk

On Friday, March 25th, Absylum and Fiddlehead pile into the Foobar, a nice little basement style bar in Portsmouth, NH. Even though it was a hike, the bands arrive ready to rock. The light show is also in attendance, with a new laser and a great atmosphere for it. The crowd is a bit sparse this evening, but those in attendance are all having a great time. Two live paintings are going on and there are constantly people on the dance floor.

Absylum takes the stage first tonight and they play through their set with maybe one or two breaks between songs. The mix isn't very good tonight but despite that they still sound pretty good. They've been practicing a lot together lately and it seems they are starting to get their stops down and be able to improvise together well. Most of their songs really remind me of the good time favorites, but they have some stuff that sounds very original.

After Absylum, Fiddlehead takes the stage. The crowd fills in a little bit as they let loose the funky jams. Included in their set list tonight are most of their hits, from "Baby Monster" to "Space Cream" but also some new stuff they have been working on. Surprisingly enough I was most impressed by their last song of the evening, their rendition of "Miss You" by the Rolling Stones. They also tried some new dub step/electronic kind of stuff added in, I think with a little more practice on that it will be great.

Fiddlehead and Absylum will be playing again at Dodge Street on April 2nd with Brown Chicken Brown Cow. Should prove to be a great evening. The following Thursday Fiddlehead will be invading the Gulu Gulu Cafe in Salem, check them out!

Spotlight On Fiddlehead!

On Saturday, March 12th, Fiddlehead once again took the stage at the new Spotlight Tavern in Beverly. Its located on Rantoul Street across from the Ford dealership and it seems to be the new happening spot in Bevtown. Its a pretty cool bar with a nice layout and the staff is excellent. I also spoke with one of the co-owners who was a really nice guy and seems to want to do a lot to help promote local music since he is in a band himself!

This particular evening Fiddlehead is opening for a band called Moss. They have a really good sound person, everything is mic'd well and the mix sounds great from the audience side. I recorded Fiddlehead's set on a digital camcorder so hopefully some of those clips will be online soon. There is a great crowd and I heard later that around 150 people came through the doors during the course of the night!

Fiddlehead's set is great and I think some of them were letting out some stress. Its difficult for a band to play shows every week, sometimes traveling for hours, while keeping up with their personal lives. Pat's solos sounded particularly awesome this evening and he had some new gadgets to make crazy sounds on "Save the Robots". Mike and Kevin both sound solid and switch between bass and guitar flawlessly. Tim tries out some new techniques and his drumming sounds great all mic'd up.

Overall it was a great show and I wish I had ended up staying for Mauce. They had a live painting raffle like Fiddlehead usually does and they banged out a good sound check. They also had some cool lights to combine with Fiddlehead's. Next time I will definitely stick around and write something about these guys but unfortunately I had to dip back to Salem. I see a lot of big shows happening in the future at the Spotlight Tavern, it seems like the new hot spot in Beverly for sure.

If you missed Fiddlehead at the Spotlight, don't worry! They are playing again March 25th at Foobar in Portsmouth NH. They are also playing at the Mill Street Brews in Southbridge the following evening, March 26th. If you gotta stay local, stay tuned for April 2nd when Fiddlehead, Brown Chicken Brown Cow and Absylum invade Dodge Street!

Chit Chat Lounge Revisited

On Tuesday, March 8th we all decided to go up to the open mic at the Chit Chat Lounge in Haverhill. Its a really nice place with a chill atmosphere and a great staff. The host of the open mic, the bartenders and the patrons were all very gracious and kind. Not only did Fiddlehead and I show up to play, but another of our local favorites, Absylum, also decided to join the party.

The host played with a drummer and did some good covers, my favorite being his very different version of "Billy Jean". He made me feel not so bad for basically being a lone guitar player up on stage. I got up after the host and did an open call for anyone to jump up and jam with me. Mike Strakus of Fiddlehead and Justin Lopes from Absylum came up and played a couple good time favorites with me and it went surprisingly well.

After I played, Absylum got up there and did their thing. I had heard them practicing earlier in the day and they sounded awesome. Justin Lopes can really rip some keys and during some parts I almost felt like I was in church. MJ Sands is an excellent drummer and keeps the beat so precisely while maintaining flexibility. Absylum has a lot of cool original songs and their bass and sax players are great additions to the band. Definitely expect to see more of these guys soon!

They decided to leave the best for last as Fiddlehead took the stage around midnight. Opening up with "Baby Monster" they all sounded pretty good despite there being a bit of tension in the band earlier in the evening. I personally thought the highlight of their set was Pat Nelson using the host's all white Stratocaster after breaking a string on his Parker. He made the thing sound almost like a fiddle on a bluegrass jam.

For an open mic night I think it was a great show all around. Good practice for everyone who played and a fun time for those who didn't. I was impressed by the amount of professionalism at the Chit Chat for an open mic. Fiddlehead is playing again tomorrow night (March 10th) at Penuche's Ale House in Portsmouth NH. It starts at 8:30 and there is a $3 cover. They are being presented by Jamantics who I assume they will be opening for. In other news, here's a cool poster by Desirae Hudson:

Bangkok Bop!

On Saturday, Fiddlehead piled into Bangkok Paradise for another show. This time they were opening for Brown Chicken Brown Cow, another local funk and jam band. Bangkok Paradise is a pretty nice place to play, spacious and did I mention the Mai Tais? Seemed to be the drink of the evening anyway!

By the time I got there everything was pretty much setup and Fiddlehead was ready to play. The light show was a bit more reserved this evening and Felipe did a great job with it. I think everyone was really tired from running around and partying like crazy for the past couple weeks. Pat sounded really good, especially with the SG. Kevin was ready to play after a long day at Guitar Center so he was wiling out.

I was impressed by their set considering the circumstances. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it. Tim sounded great on the drums and his kit was finely tuned by none other than Ben Jolly, a monster drummer and another of our fellow Guitar Center cohorts. I really liked Mike's airplane flanger, it sounds like an air raid siren and always gets people's attention. I think the highlight of their show was a song about a house...but not a RED house over yonder, a HOUSE OF GROOVE!

After Fiddlehead played, Brown Chicken Brown Cow jumped right up there and started rocking out. Eric Houde is an incredible guitarist and his cherry apple red telecaster with a pearly pick guard makes him look super cool. Brian Houde, his brother, rips bass like no other, with a natural funky rhythm and great technique. I really like this band, they are original and have good stage presence.

Part way through their set Ole Kev got up and started dancing so I joined him. Nothing like shaking out all the stress from the day to some funky tunes. Mike O'Toole is a very steady drummer and makes few mistakes in his beats. The crowd seemed to respond very well to their set.

You can catch these great bands again at another local establishment, Dodge Street on April 2nd. They will be playing alongside Absylum, another local group you'll be hearing a lot more about soon! If you just can't wait for more Fiddlehead, check out this show:

Tit For Tat At The Chit Chat

Fiddlehead assembled upon the Chit Chat Lounge in Haverhill, MA. on the evening of March 4th for a further incursion into the Haverhill scene. The Chit Chat Lounge is an awesome bar with a great stage setup, cheap beer and an upstairs with a pool table and second bar. They also sport a huge projector screen, a great staff and friendly crowd. All the Fiddleheads have been running on empty lately (figuratively and literally) but they all made it!

The first set is a little reserved as people started to pile into the Chit Chat. The sound quality is good despite the fact that the band is using some borrowed equipment. Kevin is excited to be using a wireless setup for his bass for the first time, so he jumps into the audience every now and then to show off his dance moves. Mike is all business tonight and plays really well. Everyone seems to enjoy the music and the place fills out quite nicely.

Who needs a fiddle when you have a Pat Nelson on a Parker Fly? The combination of him and Strakus shredding guitars almost reminds me of a symphony. With all the vibrato and sweeping pick work, sometimes it almost sounds like a bow is being run across a guitar. Tim Johnson sounds great and seems to be really enthusiastic on this particular night. I was actually quite surprised to see Fiddlehead out in such force after the long couple of weeks.

The second set is filled with a lot of jamming out and opens up with "Space Cream". By this point there is a substantial crowd on the dance floor. I think that the light show is the only thing that would have made this gig any better. I guess that gives the Fiddlearmy some ammunition for the next time they hit the Chit Chat. Maybe something on the projector too? I think Fiddlehead is going to be playing around the Haverhill scene more in the future for sure.

Mask & Raid, some kind of metal band, plays after Fiddlehead. They have a great rhythm and powerful sound. Their lead vocalist screams out over the crowd with a great deal of power. By this point the bar is totally packed and a substantial number of them are wiling out on the dance floor. Mask & Raid is a very professional group of guys with good equipment and original songs. Screaming metal isn't really my thing, but maybe they've won a convert!

Look out for Fiddlehead at a venue near you. Tonight, Saturday, March 5th, they will be playing at Bangkok Paradise in Salem. They'll be playing with Brown Chicken Brown Cow. I think the fun kicks off at 9 PM. Come down and get down!

Dub Step Underground - All Night Long

I have never in my life been to a party that raged quite as hard as the Winter Baller's Ball. It was presented by Crutopia, an up and coming promotions company that is expanding very quickly. Everything was extremely professional, despite the fact that it was a house party and not at a club or other venue. Everyone had numbered wristbands and everyone was safe and taken care of.

I showed up around 3 PM with Felipe, Fiddlehead's lighting expert, to start setting up the lights. We came to find out Crutopia had a few lights of their own, and the combined light show looked nothing short of cosmic. Lasers, LED's, strobes, color strips, you name it, the entire room was covered with lights. The sound board and speakers were also top of the line and when everything was setup it looked like some top level touring musicians were going to play.

Around 6 PM the first band, Black Light Ruckus took the stage to entertain the small crowd that had begun to trickle in. They are a pretty good band with some good original songs and get my personal approval for having the most lyrics out of any band of the night. They also all switched around to different instruments, showing they were all multi-talented.

After BLR, Fiddlehead took the stage at about 7 PM. They played a great set filled with favorites such as "House of Groove" and "Space Cream" with Mike Strakus throwing in some cool loops for "Robots" and the hippo hunt song whose full name I can't quite remember yet! Felipe was completely awesome on the lights and I thought the band did a great job. Tim Johnson sounded especially good on the drums and Pat Nelson's new Parker Fly brought us tones from the future. Everyone enjoyed their set and everyone was up and dancing.

Lespecial, a dub step band, came up after Fiddlehead. They had guitar, bass, drums, a couple mini Korgs and a little mixing panel for good ole fashioned knob turning. Their drummer is insanely good, the other Fiddleheads and I were pretty much watching him the whole time. They have really catchy beats and they are all multi-talented musicians. After their set we got some chances to hang out with them over the course of the rest of the night, really nice bunch of guys and I think Fiddlehead will be playing with them in the future.

Blue Boy Productions was up after Lespecial, another dub step group. Their beats had Fiddlehead's Mike Strakus rolling around on the floor staring at the lasers. Really talented duo combining computer generated effects with live drumming. By the time Blue Boy got up, the whole dance floor was filled with all sorts of people, from scantily clad girls to aging hippies. Combined with the light show, this group was awesome.

The party kept cranking until about 6 AM when the final band took off and the music pretty much stopped. It only stopped for about six hours though, at about noon, Mike Strakus and Tim Johnson got up and started jamming out. Kevin Maestranzi, the other Fiddlehead member left, played Kaossilator and then jammed out on guitar a bit. They played for a few hours and then we decided it was about time to pack up and head out. Lespecial and Black Light Ruckus played another show nearby that night as we were just getting back to Salem. Unforgettable party, people will be talking about it for years!

Tammany Goes Into Overtime

Tammany Hall was a difficult gig for Fiddlehead. It was about a three hour drive out to Tammany with traffic and another two hours back. They brought the entire light show and all their equipment and had to unload and load it all. Some of them didn't get home until 5 AM! Despite the band being run down from the week and the trip, they still brought it all together.

Brown Chicken Brown Cow showed up at Tammany with a rented U-Haul, that shows some dedication. BCBC played a great set and filled Tammany with funk. Brian Houde was excellent on bass and Eric Houde ripped some great solos. Mike O'Toole held it down on the drums and overall the band sounded top notch despite the trip and everything.

There was a canned food/perishable items drive for Strangers Helping Strangers that night organized by Fiddlehead. Several boxes of items were collected in exchange for door charges. This made it more of a benefit show than anything else really. Quite a few people made the trip all the way to Worcester to support Fiddlehead, including local fans and fans from as far away as Maine.

Fiddlehead played a good show with few technical errors and a killer light show. The band was a bit worn down so they weren't quite jelling the way they usually do. Despite this, they still sounded tight and organized. Mike Strakus did a great job both playing and helping to setup and organize everything including the light show. Tim Johnson sounded great on the drums this particular night and was very enthusiastic despite the trip. Pat and Kevin's voices sounded good in the hall as well.

After Tammany, on Friday the 18th, Fiddlehead played at Overtime in Beverly. OT's reminds me a bit of Dodge Street without a lot of the flavor. Originally Fiddlehead was only supposed to play one set, but they played so well and there were only two bands, so they were allowed to play a second set. All I have to say is - WOW, this was a truly stellar performance. I mean maybe one of the top Fiddlehead performances of all time. I think they were doing a lot of jamming and practicing up on stage and just letting loose and it paid off.

I think they were ready for the Dodge Street show, so that one went really well, Tammany kind of caught them off guard and they just decided to go for it at OT's. It was pedal to the metal funktastic as Pat Nelson and Mike Strakus shredded solos over the smooth funkalicious sounds of Kevin Maestranzi's new Fender Jazz Bass. Tim Johnson also played particularly well and I think the whole band really came together subconsciously, relieved some stress and just blew the doors off the place.

They opened for another band called Skyfoot as well. Skyfoot sounded pretty cool also, with some country and bluegrass mixed into their funky ensemble. A three piece band including a guitarist, drummer and keyboard player on double duty playing the bass on one keyboard and piano on the other. I'm sure this gig was a particularly good night for them since Fiddlehead brought the light show! Perhaps we will see more of Skyfoot playing with Fiddlehead in the future.

Unfortunately I am pressed for time and have to cut this short but I had to get it done! Been going to shows and working non-stop but I am trying hard to keep this blog updated. Fiddlehead's next show is at the Winter Baller's Ball way out in Keene and after that they are playing at Bangkok Paradise on March 5th. I'll hopefully be covering both of these events so stay tuned!

Dodge Street Dominated, Tammany BEWARE!

Saturday, February 12th, 2011, Fiddlehead takes the stage at Dodge Street Bar and Grille in Salem, MA. Opening up for them is another local funk and jam band, Brown Chicken Brown Cow, opens up and plays the first set. BCBC is a three piece band including brothers Eric and Brian Houde and Mike O'Toole. They play really tight and under the lights up on the big stage they do excellent. The crowd starts filling in around 11 PM and its time for Fiddlehead to take the stage.

Kevin Maestranzi's new jazz bass fills the room with Tim Johnson's drums as Pat Nelson and Mike Strakus shred guitars. The laser light show controlled by Felipe adds a whole new layer to the action. By the time Pat is belting out "Baby Monster" the place is packed and there are about a dozen girls dancing in front of the stage. Add to this the live painting by Desirae Hudson and Cheri Mann's handmade jewelry and you have about the closest thing to a mini indoor festival in the middle of winter. It was also their CD release party for their latest live album which I suggest everyone try to get a copy of. These live albums are made in limited number and go quickly!

If you missed Fiddlehead at Dodge Street, don't fret. They are going to be playing more shows in the coming months. Their next show is this Thursday at Tammany Hall, 43 Pleasant Street, Worcester, MA. They are running a donation for Strangers Helping Strangers, here is part of the press release for the show:

"Come get down for some funktastic smooth groovin'
with 3 ridiculous bands, fresh to play at the fabled Tammany Hall!
Also! We'll be collecting donations for Strangers Helping Strangers
so please bring any non-perishable food items / toiletries, etc. that you can spare, as the top three donors will recieve a free copy of our new cd. ( All contributors get a sticker, everybody wins with fiddlehead..)
Hope you y'all can make it out.
18+ !"

If you can't make it out to Tammany, the lads are also playing this Friday, February 18th at Overtime Sports Bar in Beverly, MA. They are sharing the bill with a band called Skyfoot, which is made up of the former members of Mondo Gecko. If you haven't seen Fiddlehead yet, I suggest you make it to one of these shows! They are playing in top form right now for sure.

Beware of the Blorg...

Gaining Momentum: Fiddlehead
Salem and Chelsea, MA
Coming to a venue near you...

Fiddlehead is a funk and jam band based out of Salem and Chelsea, Massachusetts. Its members include Patrick Nelson on vocals and guitar, Michael Strakus on guitar and bass, Kevin Maestranzi on bass, guitar and vocals and Tim Johnson on drums. They have an intensely unique sound with lots of wild guitar effects and monster solos. Some of their songs go on for twenty minutes and don't get old for a second. I've had an opportunity to spend some time with the band and even been able to check out some of their practices.

In my opinion this band shows all the qualities of hard work and sacrifice. During the warmer months, they play several festivals a year, this winter they have been keeping warm at venues such as Paddy Kelly's, Bangkok Paradise and even the Salem Beerworks. They play a ton of shows and drag around about 10,000 pounds of equipment. I accompanied them to a small festival last year and actually helped out moving some of their gear. Being cramped in the back seat of a car for two hours with two guitars, an amp and Kevin Maestranzi wasn't ideal either...playing in a funk band is not easy. These guys work really hard and put on great shows.

Fiddlehead has expanded their repertoire on a regular basis, always writing new and exciting grooves. They've also got an incredible new light show to go along with their funky tunes. At a Fiddlehead show its all about the total experience, its not just the sound of a great band, its not just the electric light show, its not just the live painting auctions, dancing hippies or the cheap beer...its about the total experience of Fiddlehead. You hear Fiddlehead, you see Fiddlehead and you even taste Fiddlehead...taste the "Space Cream".

The band is constantly doing live albums, professionally recorded and distributed. They sell stickers, CDs, artwork and their souls to survive. The band and the circle of friends around them are almost like a family, with everyone working hard for the group dynamic. You're going to be hearing a lot more about Fiddlehead if you regularly read my column as I'll be reviewing a lot of their shows in the near future. They have a CD release party for their latest live album on February 12th, 2011 at Dodge Street in Salem, MA. You can find Fiddlehead on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiddle-Head/173974271344 ...They also have a Reverbnation page at: http://www.reverbnation.com/fiddlehead