Mike Gordon comments on Phish Halloween show

At the Phish tour-ending show at the Hollywood Bowl on Monday August 5, bassist Mike Gordon made a surprise appearance at setbreak, coming out to talk to fans behind a gate barrier.  Phish fan Darwin Grimm tells ReeVewz he managed to ask Gordon: "Any comment on the rumors about Phish not doing a 'musical costume' for this year's Halloween show?" (10-31-13 in Atlantic City).  Grimm said that Gordon hesitated before answering, only committing to say: "Whatever we do, it'll be good."  Grimm said he nodded affirmation at Gordon, who then talked to other fans. Whenever Phish has played a Halloween show since 1994, they've always performed another band's album in the second set, a so-called "musical costume", but with the announcement of this year's 'ween show, there have been rumors that Phish will not put on the traditional "costume" but will perform a series of unheard original songs or perhaps a random collection of favorite cover songs.  We'll know in a little less than three months.

Camp Bisco XII review is up!

http://www.hightimes.com/read/review-camp-bisco-xii

Was Alex Lifeson bagging on Quincy Jones and Flava Flav?--A R&R HOF ReeVew

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Anthrax/Exodus/High on Fire • 3/27/13 • HOB • WeHo, CA

Worship (studio album intro)
'Among the Living' A-Side
Among the Living 
Caught in a Mosh 
I Am the Law 
Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.) 
A Skeleton in the Closet 
Hymn 1 
In the End 
T.N.T. 
(AC/DC cover) (with Slash)
March of the S.O.D. 
(Stormtroopers of Death cover)
I'm Alive 
'Among the Living' B-Side
Indians 
One World 
A.D.I. / Horror of It All 
Imitation of Life 
Encore:
I'm the Man 
Bring the Noise 
(Public Enemy cover) (with Chuck D)
Antisocial 
(Trust cover)
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll 
(Rainbow song, studio album outro)

We received a bonus when after "Antisocial",  Scott Ian said, "I know you read the setlists on the web and think the show's over, but this is LOS ANGELES!" and then Chuck came out

Now I've seen Slash twice live, never with GnR (saw him with Drunk Fux on 12-31-89 and last night), both times in L.A. Last time I saw Anthrax live was 12-31-88 (opening for Ozzy) in L.A. and last time I saw Chuck D/P.E. was in L.A. sometime in 1990. The night def brought back memories on so many levels. For whatever reason I never saw any of those bands in S.F. Full circle'd

The ATL album was near flawless except the first section of One World, they fukked that all up. Slash's appearance was kinda laid-back for TNT but Chuck D brought the FURY! Plus it was kinda a "Dio tribute night" with Joey making lots of references to Ronnie James. 

High on Fire were really impressive, first time seeing them live, their drummer is majestic. 

Exodus did more old school songs than I thought but they didn't do "Deathamphetamine"--the one disappointment of the night.

2013 Oscars Predictions

Now that we're living just behind Hollywood Blvd, a mere half-mile from the Dolby Theater (though somehow we didn't get invited to the Awards, maybe next year), with helicopters flying overhead of our Hollywood Hills balcony view, it's time to predict the winners for tonight's annual celebrity Super Bowl.

BEST PICTURE--Argo...This will be the payback for Affleck not getting the Director nod.

BEST ACTOR--Daniel Day-Lewis...Daniel Duh-he's going to win.

BEST ACTRESS--Jennifer Lawrence...She's the most refreshing actress in a generation (or maybe ever) and this is her anointing.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS--Anne Hathaway...Payback for hosting the Oscars in '11, despite the disaster it truly was.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR--Robert DeNiro...This could easily go to Jones or Arkin, but it feels like the Academy will want to honor the actor who had arguably the greatest run in cinematic history from 1973-1983 (spanning Mean Streets to The King of Comedy) and hasn't won since Raging Bull.

BEST DIRECTOR--Spielberg, since he hasn't won in years and as a way of giving Lincoln a "best picture" split of sorts with Argo.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY...Django Unchained

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY...Argo

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY...Claudio Miranda, Life of Pi

BEST EDITING...Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg, Zero Dark Thirty

Top 12 Albums of 2012

The world didn't end and neither did good music in 2012, despite proclamations to the contrary. Here is ReeVewz annual best album list for the past 12 months.  One common theme from top to bottom is that several of the albums featured the most impressive work by those particular artists in years--and in some cases, decades.

* Indicates reviewed/referenced in High Times magazine and/or online at High Times.com 

1. Paralytic Stalks...Of Montreal.  Kevin Barnes' lyrical and musical genius was never more evident than on Paralytic, the dense complexities of the song structures to be analyzed for aeons. Here Barnes successfully coalesces his earlier Barrett/Beatles influences with his more recent Bowie/Prince dabbling.

2. Clockwork Angels...Rush.  The Canadian power-trio's best album in 31 years is a conceptual masterpiece, with "Headlong Flight" the standout track for both musicianship and melody.

3. Psychedelic Pill...Neil Young.  Like Rush, Young dipped back to his '70's influences to create something fresh and necessary.  If the 16-minute "Walk Like a Giant" isn't enough, try the 27-minute opener "Driftin' Back".

4. Noctourniquet...Mars Volta.  After the disappointment of 2009's Octrahedron, Omar and Cedric bounced back in a big way with this album of one strong song after another, highlighted by another round of brilliant vocalizing by Bixler-Zavala (more on him below).

5. Shark Wolf Rabbit Snake...Eliot Lipp. Shark et al is the electronica album of the year, a concept piece fusing the organic and the synthetic in a way that appeals to prog geeks as much as it does club bouncing hipsters.  Also wins best LP cover of the year.

*6. Electric Sea...Buckethead...Per usual, Mr. Head released about 420 albums this year, so there are an abundance of choices.  But we're going with this touching, mostly acoustic offering from arguably the most diverse guitarist in rock history.

*7. Oblivion Hunter...Lightning Bolt...Oblivion is the best EP of '12, a re-re of "lost 2008 material" that makes a travel-size representation of the Bolts' two-man assault.  Their experimentation is ever on display, as on 13-minute "World Wobbly Wide".

*8.  Anywhere...Anywhere With this eponymous release, Cedric Bixler-Zavala established himself as the musical MVP of 2012, not only singing but playing persuasive percussion.  Also featuring former Triclops! guitarist Christian Beaulieu and bass-god Mike Watt, Anywhere is ferocious and psychedelic all while being largely acoustic.

9. The General Strike...Anti-Flag...The punk album of the year, AF continues their assault on conservative insanity and inanity delivering genuine punk instead of pop-laced junk food.  Strike opens creatively with a 20-second thrash mini-track before kicking into head-rushing "The Neoliberal Anthem".

*10. Unlocked--Live From the Georgia Theater...Conspirator...This is the jamband live album of the year, the best representation of Conspirator's sound to date, bringing the studio proficiency of Brownstein and Magner into the live arena with dynamic results.

11. Centipede Hz...Animal Collective...While this isn't as realized as their 2009 smash Merriweather Post Pavilion, on Centipede AC went back to their darker roots and excavated some gems, most notably the thrice-changing and always thrilling track closer "Amanita", in the discussion for song of the year.

*12. That's Why God Made the Radio...The Beach Boys...In 2011, the Boys topped the list with Smile, this year they're on the bottom rung, but the fact they're here at all on this long awaited and sometimes feared reunion album is a pleasant surprise. The last three songs comprise a sentimental suite that ranks right up there with just about anything in the BB' canon.

Hopefully, "This" isn't the place

Sean Penn was in the two worst films of 2011.  Although at least in the laughably pretentious Tree of Life Penn only played a pissed-off adult version of one of the children abused by the father played by Brad Pitt.  In This Must Be The Place, Penn bares the brunt of the responsibility himself—at least in front of the lens.  Much has been made of Penn’s collaboration with director Paolo Sorrentino, who wrote the script specifically with Penn in mind. 

Penn plays retired rock star Cheyenne a raven-tressed ‘80’s holdover hunting a Nazi prison guard camp who imprisoned Cheyenne’s recently deceased father during the Holocaust.  Yes, boys and girls, it’s an indie-Holocaust themed movie, ain’t that whacky?!    

Cheyenne as portrayed by Penn is the most self-conscious character in cinematic history—or maybe he’s the least self-conscious, but either way he’s strictly an artistic caricature, there’s nothing flesh and blood about him.  And his mumbling affected pattern of speech is a distraction that does nothing but remind the viewer she’s watching a film.  Jeff Spicoli would crack up and blow bong hits right into Cheyenne’s stupid monkey face.

Conceptually, this film might have been brilliant and totally original if executed properly, but the film’s plodding pace, the annoying and boring characters and Sorrentino’s “Hey, if you need me I’m in the next room” directorial style eventually drags the viewer down into a bottomless pit of thrift-store aesthetics.  And what David Byrne is doing playing himself in this mess is beyond the ken of mortal man.

This weekend, please be any place but in front of this film.