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!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
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!
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!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
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
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
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