Kelvin Underwood
After the koto performance, we were treated to Kelvin Underwood and Suzee Grilley on the, mostly, taiko drums. Really, really good stuff.
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Posts tagged music
Green Show Koto Performance
I didn’t know which blog this would be most fitting to post on so I’m doing so, with different photos, on both.
This past Sunday, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival was having its “Culture Fest.” At noon a matinée Green Show featured Mitsuki Dazai on the Japanese koto. Ms. Dazai was lots of fun between songs, telling stories and enchanting the crowd.
Here she is performing Shaei (斜影 or Diagonal Shadows) by Hikaru Sawai (沢井 比河流). Sawai was in a heavy metal band before writing this piece for the koto.
Travis Meeks of Days of the New
As mentioned yesterday, Days of the New were the headliners at the show at the Rogue Theatre in Grants Pass. I never really got into grunge or post-grunge so I knew nothing about Days of the New. Like most people in attendance, I went to the show to see Floater.
Today’s pic is of Travis Meeks who is basically the whole band. I thought the guy was in his late 40s, but it turns out he was only 31. Moral of the story: don’t do meth.
Meeks is an amazing musician, but he seemed to treat his hired guns (bass and drums) like dirt.
Anyway, here is another Floater video for you. This time they are doing a song that sounds more like Primus than typical Floater IMO.
Floater
Last night I went to see Floater (again) at the Rogue Theatre. This show was very different from my prior two experiences at the same place. The crowd, this time, was tiny as Floater was the opening band (for Days of the New). If Floater was the headliner the place would have been packed. Many, of the few concert goers, left after Floater’s short set of only about six or seven songs.
The pic above I took from my car at midnight. Rob Wynia, of Floater, is standing under the marquee and talking with some other guys. Floater is playing an acoustic set tonight, but I will pass since it will probably be another mini set list.
Here is a video I took of them doing “Weightless” off their “Stone by Stone” CD. The lighting in the Rogue Theatre (in Grants Pass, almost an hour north of Ashland on I-5) was really bad, but the audio is pretty good (on this song anyway). There were many audio problems during the night including Rob’s mic not working for half of one song and annoying feedback during much of Days of the New’s performance.
Deftones, part 3
This was actually the second time I have seen the Deftones in concert. Well, sort of.
The first time was at Ozzfest in 1999. I caught maybe one or two songs during the Deftones’ set. There were too many interesting things going on at Ozzfest to get caught up in the music until Slayer and Black Sabbath came on. I don’t remember exactly what I was doing during the Deftones, but I could have been watching Ozzy Karaoke, topless swings, or naked bull riding. The whole day is a blur now. I do remember seeing Slipknot, before anyone had heard of them. I’m pretty sure I completely missed Primus, System of a Down, Fear Factory, and Static-X. Too bad since now I like all four. And I clearly remember seeing Rob Zombie, a horrible show–almost as bad as when he played at Loud Park last year.
Deftones at the Medford Armory
Normally I post concert pics and video on my other blog, but I think I will post local shows here from now on. Actually, I posted Floater here as well.
Few bands come through Southern Oregon, given the small population, but last night the Deftones made their first appearance. The crowd at the Medford Armory was not as large as it was for Black Label Society or Static-X, but they are about the only two bands who never miss the area so it makes sense that they have built up a strong fan base here.
More photos and HD video will be coming soon. For now, I’ll leave you with a video I took of the song “My Own Summer.” Even though cameras were “not allowed” you can see that the rules were not enforced. The two large guys that walk in front of the video (from left to right at 3:16) near the end are actually security guards.
OSF Green Show
Before the evening plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival there has been a long tradition of a free Green Show. Today’s picture is from the Green Show a couple nights back.
Until last year, a group of dancers performed in front of live music nightly. Beginning last year the dancers are gone and every night is something different. The dancers were consistently good. Now you never know what you will get. Sometimes great, sometimes good, sometimes not so good. The starting time for the OSF Green Show is 7:15 after Memorial Day until mid-August. From mid-August until early October the Green Show starts at 6:45. If you want a good seat you should arrive at least 20 minutes early.
Here is a schedule of this year’s OSF Green Show performances.
Floater video
Here is another Floater picture for you. And below is an HD video I took on my LX3 at the show. I forgot to follow my own advice and zoom before starting the video, but given my state of mind at the time it’s amazing that I remembered to take any pictures or a video. 😉
The above video is Floater performing “Ghost in the Making” off of their Stone by Stone CD. This live performance at the Rogue Theatre in Grants Pass, Oregon on May 29, 2009 features an extended jam beginning at about minute 5 in this video.
Floater in Grants Pass
I experienced Floater for the second time on May 29, 2009 at the Rogue Theatre in Grants Pass, a little over an hour to the northwest of Ashland.
The first time I saw them was November of 2008 at the same venue.
Tomorrow I’ll have another photo from the show as well as a video taken on my LX3.
Japan – Taiko Drumming (5 of 7)
I’m looking forward to hearing Taiko drums on Japanese soil in a few months. This was the next best thing to being there.
