The Park Metropolis Track Summit, which I attended from Sept. 7 to 9, goals to change into a brand new form of interactive music expertise for artists and followers, with a particular deal with psychological well being, restoration assist and neighborhood relations.
Will Schube did an exquisite job masking these points on this article, however how did issues play out in actual time? Have been the labs fascinating? Have been the artists and moderators into it? Did the vitality from the labs translate to the reside exhibits later that very same evening?
What follows is my expertise on the first annual Park Metropolis Track Summit from the extravagant opening kick-off dinner on Wednesday to the Anders Osborne set on Saturday evening, with founder Ben Anderson on vocals and bass, that closed the present.
Day 1: Labs
I created a listing of the labs I needed to attend, and due to the intelligent approach they’re scheduled, it was doable to cram in fairly a number of by sometimes planning on leaving early. Having stated that, as soon as somebody or one thing an artist is speaking about resonates with you, good luck getting up and leaving. You sit there, mesmerized, till the top, like I did.
I couldn’t make it to the John Prine lab with Jason Isbell, Warren Haynes and others on time, and the tent was packed, so my choices had been both Celisse or Adia Victoria. I made a decision one of the best concept was to seize a superb seat and be taught a bit extra about Victoria. I noticed individuals strolling out of Celisse smiling, however one way or the other additionally wanting like they’d been crying, whereas I and others leaving Victoria regarded like we had simply caught a fork right into a socket.
Victoria’s descriptions of rising up within the South as a Seventh-Day Adventist had been highly effective, concise and shifting. One of many distinctive points of her newest album, Southern Gothic, is the sense that, despite the fact that she is crucial of the South, she appreciates the positives as a lot as she’s going to criticize the negatives. She quoted James Baldwin, “I really like America greater than some other nation on this planet and, precisely for that purpose, I insist on the precise to criticize her perpetually.”
She had related views on church, which she liked for exposing her to music and music however struggled with “the limiting scope the church locations round your ideas and your thoughts.” And her saying “If I’m going to remain on this congregation, components of me are going to must die off” exhibits a formidable stage of self-awareness at a younger age.
The lab with Warren Haynes and Anthony Mason was extra in regards to the journey of Haynes’ life, from his father supporting his early curiosity in music to his preliminary challenge with The Allman Brothers and subsequent collaborations with The Lifeless and different artists that adopted.
Haynes’ perspective on collaboration is, as a substitute of looking for the place he suits into one other artist’s model or forcing them to suit into his, he goes into the session already conversant in that artist’s strengths, and writes and performs music to boost them.
The unofficially renamed “ADD Promoter Lab” with Peter Shapiro, Jay Candy and Mason moderating was the primary tent the place I observed a number of brokers and no less than a few promoters hanging across the again, with Dave Margulies of Excessive Sierra within the entrance row and different business varieties scattered all through the tent. Mason began the lab asking Candy for a full recounting of the occasions main as much as the Joni Mitchell set to shut out Newport Jazz, and Candy advised of strolling into “Summertime” at rehearsal in a Newport church that had a number of the greatest dwelling names in music historical past breaking down in tears, and never being certain if she was going to sing onstage the following day till the primary notes had been performed.
For Shapiro, of Brooklyn Bowl, Capitol Theater, Relix and Fare Thee Effectively fame, I assumed the main focus can be totally on his new e-book, The Music By no means Stops: What Placing on 10,00 Reveals Has Taught Me About Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Magic, however as a substitute began on Fare Thee Effectively and the primary Brooklyn Bowl, two issues he needed to do this most individuals stated he couldn’t. It is a recurring theme all through his profession. Mason requested Shapiro how lengthy the excessive lasts after pulling off one thing epic, and his surprisingly particular reply was “72 hours,” earlier than he should reset and attempt to do all of it once more.
Day 1: Music
Upon strolling into the Songwriter Home, you’re feeling why this place is the center and soul of the Summit. Positioned in an attractive historic constructing on the foot of Fundamental Avenue in Park Metropolis, and with an intimate however laid-back vibe set by the musicians, this was, palms down, everybody’s favourite shock on the Summit. I caught the again half of the Waylon Payne, Pher and Rick Brantley set, and all three made lasting impressions with Payne and Brantley admitting Pher had one of the best voice.
I extremely recommend you take a look at Celisse reside the following time she is taking part in close to you. Someplace in the course of an epic, 10-minute, jammed-out “Freedom,” the mixture of her voice, lyrics and the distinctive, deep tone she will get out of that guitar pulled me into her world to the purpose that I utterly misplaced monitor of time and missed Katie Pruitt over on the Cabin. So on it was to DMC, who threw down just like the hip-hop legend he’s, rocking all of the traditional hits and intertwining some new bars throughout music transitions that mirror his present mindset.
Strolling out of DMC with quarter-hour left in his set after “Peter Piper” was not simple, however two minutes later strolling into Haynes busting out “Patchwork Quilt” made it worthwhile. The remainder of his set was unbelievable, and the primary day formally within the books.
Day 2: Labs
Backline, a non-profit whose mission is to attach music professionals and their households with a community of psychological well being and wellness suppliers, threw an artist breakfast on Friday, and I used to be psyched to see what number of confirmed as much as be taught extra about them. Their providers are free for everybody, from the band to the crew to the merch desk and even their households and vital others. Backline case managers work with both a whole manufacturing staff or particular person members of a band or crew to arrange psychological well being plans for the entire tour catered to that individual or group’s particular wants. I can’t assist however assume that if this service was out there within the early ’90s, not to mention earlier, what number of good artists, crew and relations we’d nonetheless have with us.
Keith Garde, Aerosmith’s ex-manager, clearly felt the identical approach when he nearly broke down in tears describing what Backline does, in the beginning of “The Nice Collaboration” lab he moderated with panelists DMC, Tammy Michelle and Michelle Esrick.
The primary of a number of Grateful Lifeless-themed labs was “If My Phrases Did Glow” with Bonny Mild Horsemen dissecting the artwork, lyrics and poetry of Robert Hunter. Any fan of the Lifeless would have felt proper at residence there, and considered one of my favourite components was the organizers going across the tent, having everybody who quoted Grateful Lifeless lyrics of their highschool yearbook increase their hand (about 3/4 of the tent), then go across the room to have every individual recite the road.
Fred Armisen’s “Comedy for Musicians, however Everyone seems to be Welcome,” was equal components music nerd humor, stand-up comedy and Armisen displaying off his guitar and drum abilities. A few jokes about polyrhythmic drumming went approach over my head.
Celisse with Adia Victoria moderating was intense and enlightening. I realized that Celisse has a tattoo of Sister Rosetta Tharpe on her forearm in order that if anybody asks about it, she will say “Humorous you requested…”, after which go on to clarify that we’ve her to thank for the existence of not solely the blues, however rock and roll as nicely. She continued that lastly giving credit score to Little Richard and Chuck Berry was solely half-way there when it comes to correct recognition, which proves there’s nonetheless reluctance to acknowledge trailblazing girls, at the same time as we declare to be extra progressive.
In addition they mentioned how the blues was one of many uncommon locations the place males had been allowed to sound susceptible and open with their emotions, however on the similar time each unhealthy relationship in each blues music is one way or the other the lady’s fault.
I checked on the “What’s Going On” lab with Devon Gilfillian and Joe Pug. Seems Gilfillian’s a laid-back dude with an amazing smile and infectious giggle who discovered that, if he was actually going to do that music factor full time, he needed to maintain his nostril, shut his eyes and bounce into the deep finish of the music pool that’s Nashville.
Day 2: Music
Charlie Musselwhite and Elvin Bishop are blues legends, and I used to be glad to catch their distinctive storytelling and music.
I’m unsure the place to start out with John Craigie, aside from he has a novel model that’s laborious to explain. Possibly its stream of consciousness comedy folks with sometimes summary, however all the time poignant underpinnings of social commentary? Or perhaps he’s only a humorous dude who likes to jot down absurd songs with names like “I Virtually Stole Weed From Todd Snider” and “Dissect the Chicken.” Both approach, by the point he received to the hook of his encore, “when the apocalypse is over, I hope you want your job”, my thoughts was blown.
Devon Gilfillian’s headlining set on the Cabin Friday evening was absolute hearth. Seamlessly transitioning out and in of songs starting from straight blues to laborious rock to soul, he even threw down a pair sick covers of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and Led Zeppelin’s “Lemon Track.” To not point out his acapella “Lean on Me,” the place he walked offstage together with his entire band and sang in the course of the group with pageant founder Ben Anderson becoming a member of in. A fittingly epic finish to day two.
Day 3: Labs
“Spirituality and the Highlight” with Dave of Dopey Podcast with Anders Osborne and Wyatt Pike — who, enjoyable truth, was the native Park Metropolis contestant on American Idol — was fascinating. Wyatt had a whole psychological breakdown midway by means of Idol and needed to give up the sequence fully. Apparently he hadn’t shared that story with anybody till this lab. After Osborne described a number of breakdown moments of his personal (one significantly loopy story in Paris), they moved on to the significance of getting a connection to one thing religious in your life to maintain you grounded, even when that factor is so simple as listening to your respiratory 3 times per week for quarter-hour.
I used to be enthusiastic about Jay Blakesberg’s lab, a 60-minute slideshow of his life, from teenage Deadhead who favored taking footage to being one of many preeminent music photographers of a era. He talked about discovering his first press go on the bottom at a political protest organized by Jane Fonda, and having his picture of Tom Petty be the duvet of Rolling Stone after he handed. This lab was full of private tales that I’m not comfy sharing, however if you’d like a better take a look at Blakesberg’s work, the Morris Museum in New Jersey is displaying a retrospective of his images from Oct 14th to Feb 5th.
Day 3: Music
On the Songwriter Home, Matt Warren performed with Invoice Luther, Dave Pahanish and Hallie Steele, all achieved songwriters themselves. The final music Warren performed was “Each Storm Runs out of Rain,” which he launched as Maya Angelou’s favourite nation music.
Angelou as soon as stated: “There’s a rustic music out now, which I want I’d written, that claims ‘each storm runs out of rain.’ I’d make an indication of that if I had been you. Put that in your writing pad. Irrespective of how boring and seemingly unpromising life is true now, it’s going to vary. It’s going to be higher. However it’s a must to preserve working.”
Warren co-wrote the music with Gary Allen, and listening to the previous sing an emotionally charged, acoustic model in a room of perhaps 30 individuals was spellbinding.
For the final evening of the pageant, probably the most fascinating music was on the similar venue, O.P Rockwell. First up, Daniel Donato Cosmic Nation — belief me, “cosmic nation” describes his music completely as his set opened with a jammed-out Johnny Money/ Grateful Lifeless cowl “Massive River,” and later, “Again on the Practice” from Phish.
His supervisor advised me a narrative about when Donato was taking part in in a canopy band in highschool and, unbeknownst to him, his historical past instructor was at the back of the room. The subsequent day the instructor referred to as him in after class, stated he noticed him taking part in, dropped an enormous binder of reside Grateful Lifeless CDs on the desk and stated, “You want to take heed to all of those.” Daniel responded, “The place do I begin?” Instructor stated, “Doesn’t matter,” and Cosmic Nation was born.
Keller Williams’ Grateful Gospel continued the nation Lifeless theme properly. Their association on “Midnight Moonlight” was fascinating.
To shut out, Ben Anderson put collectively a lineup for Anders Osborne and Mates, together with Ivan Neville on keys and Anderson himself on bass and occasional vocals. Anderson took full management of “Fireplace on the Mountain” with a driving, bouncy bassline and mushy, bittersweet vocals. The perfect bits from the remainder of the set included the Meters cowl “Fireplace on the Bayou,” a charged-up “Stoned, Drunk and Bare” with Osborne shredding and a really acceptable “Aiko” encore with Donato on lead and Ivan Neville on vocals.
The Summit was a hit. Lab day passes offered out, and the labs had been successful. The Songwriter Home made a particular impression on everybody, and the reside music on Fundamental St. offered a chance for the entire city to have enjoyable.
The dates are already set for subsequent yr.
