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Yellowman,
Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets
Northern
Lights, Thursday
In
1959, he was just Winston Foster: An albino kid born in Kingston,
Jamaica. He faced a lot of hostility from his peers, who ridiculed
him for his pale skin and his sunny-colored afro. But rather
than letting his appearance define him, young Foster quickly
learned to define his appearance. He took the moniker Yellowman,
adopted a rather cocky personal style and engaged in shameless
self-promotion. Today, friends and fans call him “King” Yellowman,
and he’s probably one of the most celebrated and best-selling
reggae artists to come out of Jamaica in the ’80s. He was
known as “Mr. Sexy,” and he was one of the hottest dancehall
artists of the decade. Yellowman will be here tonight (Thursday)
to play a 16-and-older show at Northern Lights. His latest
album, Yellow Gold, which may be a little bit mellower
than his earliest work, contains both dancehall material and
studio tracks, which were produced by legendary Jamaican producer,
Jack Scorpio. Joining Yellowman tonight will be Dr. Jah and
the Love Prophets. (June 6, 7:30 PM, $13 advance, $15 door,
371-0012)
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 Medeski
Martin and Wood
Palace
Theatre, Thursday
After
years of spending almost as much time on other artists’ projects
as they have on their own, Medeski Martin and Wood recently
released their latest album for Blue Note Records, Uninvisible.
The group turned the tables and invited other artists, such
as DJ P Love and DJ Olive, to make guest appearances on this
album. Their sound, which fuses avant-garde jazz and timeless
funk, attracts a wide range of fans from such diverse genres
as hiphop, dance, jam and lounge. MMW also have had various
individual side projects: Keyboardist John Medeski has worked
with John Scofield, Gov’t Mule and Susana Baca; drummer Billy
Martin started a record label called Amulet Records in order
to release percussion albums by himself and other drummers,
and he also organized the “Turntable Sessions” concert series
at Manhattan’s Exit Art Gallery; and bassist Chris Wood toured
and recorded with artists like drummers Stanton Moore and
Bob Moses. The trio will perform tonight (Thursday) at the
Palace Theatre. (June 6, 8 PM, $22.50, 465-4663)
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Robby
Krieger
Joe’s
Lounge, Hudson, Thursday
Yup.
That Robby Krieger. Guitarist for the Doors. Friends with
Jim Morrison. Counterculture hero. Played by Frank Whalley
in the movie. Wrote the Doors big hits, “Love Me Two Times”
and “Light My Fire.” That Robby Krieger. In Hudson. Seems
weird, we know, but there it is. Tonight at Joe’s Lounge in
that ever-surprising downriver town, Hudson, Robby Krieger
of the Doors, famed for wedding his flamenco-inflected guitar
style to Ray Manzarek’s carnival keyboard and Morrison’s poetic
baritone ramblings, will perform with his very own band. The
guitarist’s post-Doors work has tended toward the jazzy and
the jammy, so the explorations performed will probably be
musical; those of you hoping for whisky-fueled delvings into
the dark recesses of the subconscious, and/or patricidal Oedipal
freakouts and (alleged) indecent exposure à la Miami, probably
should look elsewhere. (June 6, 9:30 PM, $25, 828-9028)
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The
Asylum Street Spankers
Club
Helsinki, Great Barrington, Mass., Thursday
The
Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, Mass., Sunday
Valentine’s,
Tuesday
What
more could you ask of these guys? They need to book themselves
in your breakfast nook? You’ve now got ample opportunity to
catch the Austin-based Asylum Street Spankers, a singular
band if ever there was one deserving the adjective. In an
era of ProTools and canned backing tracks, the Spankers play
real acoustic music: no amps, no mikes, no PA—nothing electrified
whatsoever. And if you’re thinking, “O Brother, Who Gives
a Damn?” think again. The Spankers are no somber, historical
preservationists. They’re punk as it gets. They’re also slam
poet as it gets. And roots music, and Dixieland, and chain-gang
work-song field recording, and blue-to-the-point-of-filthy
jukejoint party-song as it gets. This is all the weird, woozy,
anarchic, dark, sexy-as-sin American music you can shake a
rocks glass at, and now you’ve got no excuse. (Helsinki:
June 6, 7 PM, $10, 413-528-3394. Iron Horse: June 9, 7 PM,
$12.50, 800-THE-TICK. Valentine’s: June 11, 8 PM, $10, 432-6572)
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Sixties
Spectacular
Proctor’s
Theatre, Saturday
Those
of you who miss—or altogether missed—the early days of rock
& roll and blue-eyed soul, sing a loud hosanna: The Sixties
Spectacular is chock-full o’ what you’ve been pining for.
The Box Tops, Felix Cavalieri’s Rascals, the Association,
Leslie Gore and the Happenings all will perform at Proctor’s
Theatre on Saturday, and even if you don’t recognize the names,
you’ll recognize the songs. The Box Tops’ “The Letter,” the
Rascals “Good Lovin’, ” the Association’s “Along Comes Mary,”
Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party,” and the Happenings’ “See You
in September,” are just a few examples of the many, many singles
cranked out by these hitmakers. And, listen up, hipsters:
If you didn’t know it, the Box Tops lineup is the original
one, which means that the godfather of alternative pop, Alex
Chilton (so cool that Paul Westerberg wrote and titled a song
for him) will be in the house. Fun for all ages. (June
8, 7:30 PM, $42.50-$27.50, 382-3884)
Joe
Lovano Trio
The
Van Dyck, Saturday
Joe Lovano was born into a jazz family: His father, respected
Cleveland saxophonist Tony “Big T” Lovano, taught Joe how
to play alto sax as a child, and by his teens in the late
’60s, the younger Lovano was sitting in at jazz jam sessions
in and around Cleveland. His early bebop training expanded
when he attended the prestigious Berklee School of Music in
Boston, where Lovano was exposed to modal harmony and began
charting a musical course that to this day combines free-spirited
innovation with the various traditional influences he has
absorbed over the years. After playing as a sideman in several
high-profile groups, Lovano stepped out as a leader in the
’90s, earning a couple of Grammy nominations and numerous
awards from the likes of Down Beat and Musician
magazines. He also has earned tremendous respect from his
fellow musicians in the jazz community, not only for his accomplished
and forward-thinking playing, but also for his extraordinary
sonic awareness of how multiple voices work together. Lovano
will bring his trio to Schenectady’s Van Dyck Saturday for
two shows. (June 8, 7 and 9:30 PM, $26, 381-1111)
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also
noted
Drummer
Jim Payne, who produced the first two Medeski Martin
and Wood albums, will play an after party for the aforementioned
threesome at Savannah’s tonight (Thursday) with his band House
of Payne—“a quirky R&B and jazz-based group
playing original instrumental groove music in the tradition
of MMW, John Scofield and James Brown.” (9 PM, $5, 426-9647).
. . . Quintessence has a new dance night: Every Friday, Real
George (of Buzzz magazine fame as well as host
of the long-gone local-music video show Real George’s Backroom)
will be spinning the tunes—all ’80s, all the time (11 PM,
free, 434-8186). . . . X-2 the Experimental Duo, featuring
drummer Matt Abts (of Gov’t Mule) and Johnny Neel
(onetime keyboardist for the Allman Brothers Band) will
play tomorrow (Friday) at the Van Dyck (7 and 9:30 PM, $15,
381-1111). . . . The Brett Rosenberg Problem will play
Valentine’s Friday, fresh on the heels of their new release,
Destroyer (the best album Mike Gent never made); our
own Dayjobs (welcoming bassist Mike Pauley back
to the fold) and the undersung Stars of Rock will open
the show (10 PM, $5, 432-6572). . . . Art on Lark happens
Saturday, and the street will be lined with musicians from
noon on. Michael Eck, knotworking, Chip Fasciana, Glenn
Weiser, Lani Richards, 2 Broads With Alotta Sound and
many others will partake (see pull-out guide, page 33). .
. . In our perfect-match-of-the-week category, former Commander
Cody lead singer Billy C. Farlow will play the Ale
House on Saturday (10 PM, $5, 272-9740). . . . FLY Fling 2002
takes place Sunday at the Pepsi Arena, with Sugar Ray,
Naughty By Nature, the Baha Men and many others
performing (noon, $18 advance, $25 door, 487-2000). . . .
Lincoln Money Shot will play some “drug damaged ‘rock,’
both ‘free’ and ‘standard’ ” at Miss Mary’s Art Space on Tuesday.
Joining them is Star of Rock Brent Gorton performing
some solo tunes, Karin Maag-Tanchak reading poetry,
and Jason Martin showing a new film piece (9 PM, $3,
439-0041). . . . Our Lady Peace will play Northern
Lights on Tuesday, performing songs from their upcoming release
Gravity; Marc Copely opens the show (7:30 PM
doors, $15 advance, $17 door, 371-0012). . . . Incubus
and Phantom Planet will play the Pepsi on Wednesday
(7:30 PM, $25, 476-1000).
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Columns
& Opinions
