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Tea Leaf Green & U-Melt |
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Written by Jared Hecht
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Wednesday, 25 April 2007 |
Irving Plaza, NYC
Saturday, March 24, 2007
It’s a beautiful and exciting thing to watch an up-and-coming band.
It’s twice as exciting to see two rising acts sharing the same bill.
Tea Leaf Green held a headlining spot at the newly dubbed Fillmore East
at Irving Plaza with New York City natives U-Melt. It’s usually a rare
occurrence when an opening act almost fills a venue. U-Melt provided
for one of these rare opportunities, bringing the crowd in early to get
the night started.
U-Melt has a very eclectic sound. Reminiscent of Phish, the band has the uncanny ability to execute compositions, seamlessly segueing between complicated time signatures, quirky syncopations and infectious grooves. A clear standout, guitarist Rob Salzer has the potential to be a contender as one of the jam scene’s most proficient and capable guitarists. Quickly moving up and down the fret board, Salzer really doesn’t miss a note and plays with precision. U-Melt’s finest moment of the night came at the conclusion of its set as they journeyed through “A Robbins Tale Part 1,” segueing into Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime” and concluding their journey with their original “Clear Light.” As can be expected, “Once In A Lifetime” was a crowd pleaser, energizing the audience as heads bobbed in unison and chants of “Letting the days go by” resonated throughout the building. U-Melt finished its set to an almost packed audience, proving once more to Big Apple residents that they are a force to be reckoned with, rapidly gaining popularity at each show.
Tea Leaf Green quickly took the stage, opening with one of their finest tunes, “Taught To Be Proud.” From the opening notes the band made it apparent that they were in New York City for one reason: to rock as hard as they could. Their performances have become a spectacle with a bewildering light show to accompany the pretty-boy-rock stars’ stage presence. Tea Leaf is a band that delivers a performance fueled by energy. There was not a single dull moment during the entire show. Each song was tight, not a single cue went unacknowledged. Exemplified in the “Garden Suite (Parts I-III)” and songs such as “Dragonfly,” the band has mastered the concept of tension and release jamming. The group has a remarkable capacity to extemporaneously build as a single entity, and at the exact right moment, explode with ferocity.
Keyboardist Trevor Garrod has a pleasant voice, proving to be one of the few “jamband” artists who can sing in key throughout an entire show. Combine his song craft with the solid rhythm section of Ben Chambers (bass) and Scott Rager (drums), then add guitar virtuoso Josh Clark and you have the perfect ingredients for a rock ‘n’ roll band with unlimited potential. It’s not surprising that this group has been referred to as the West Coast’s answer to Phish. The night ran smoothly as Garrod, Clark and Chambers traded off solos and moved through 25 songs in two sets. When you talk about bang for your buck, Tea Leaf Green personifies the expression rather well. Wrapping up the night with AC/DC’s “Have a Drink On Me,” the crowd left ranting and raving, fulfilled and excited from a night of consistently rockin’ music. It’s a safe assessment that the future will only get brighter for Tea Leaf Green.
Setlists
U-Melt
Question Matters, Different Things, Air, A Robbins Tale Part 1>Once in a Lifetime>Clear Light
Tea Leaf Green
Set 1: Taught to be Proud > Kali-Yuga, One Reason, Georgie P, These Two Chairs, Faced with Love, The Devil's Pay, Without A Broom, Don't Curse the Night, If It Wasn't for the Money
Set 2: Lil Hood > The Garden (Part I), The Garden (Part III), The Garden (Part II) > Dragonfly, I've Been Seeking, Franz Hanzerbeak, Incandescent Devil, Criminal Intent > Trouble > Criminal Intent, Make A Connection, Morning Sun
Encore: Emma Lee, Mistletwo, Have a Drink on Me
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Last Updated ( Friday, 27 April 2007 )
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April/May 2 0 0 8
(on newsstands now)
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