​moe. Tarantinoe. Halloweenoe.- (JBP)
​After writing several reviews for this Halloween show and then rewriting them again, I have decided that my vacation for the year is going to be Halloween and I will not write a full review for this set of shows. It's not that there's not a lot to talk about, it's just that everybody needs a holiday, even the Jam Band Purist. There are some things I would like to say though specifically about the venue and the show itself.
The Fillmore in Philadelphia is some of the highest security that I have gone through to see any band.
That being said I completely understand why, I just wish my crotch hadn't been touch several times. At one point, they even separated the security lines from male to female, what about those trans gendered folk? So, I kept telling the men dressed as women to go in that line as well to confuse security.
The show itself was great, moe. took time to try and change their songs to match the theme. It didn't work out as well as Star Wars theme last year because the Tarantino theme itself is so broad, it's hard to capture moments from several movies, nonetheless just one.
It's also really hard to understand the lyric changes live because you're expecting the song that you are used to and all the commotion and muffled sounds of the concert itself makes it hard to decipher the change in lyrics. I had an amazing time with all my friends and even met some really cool people. I was dressed in my "Pojama People" outfit, PJ's and a robe and moe. even teased Frank Zappa's "Inca Roads" and that made my night. Needless to say, I had a great Halloween.
JBP

​I still remember the day I opened up my computer and went to the social media insulin that is Facebook. I had recently been trying to find new bands to listen to, extremely bored with my current state of musical destitution. Marbin popped up on my screen immediately and I check them out. I was very impressed with their sound and tight scale arrangements, as well as their unlimited capabilities to change, or maneuver around chord/scale structures. I quickly became a fan and downloaded some of their albums. I showed them off to my friend’s, waiting for an opportunity to see them live.
That was 2014, this year I interviewed and covered their recent hometown show here in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Harrisonburg is a small college town with very limited musical acts coming its way, mostly country: (I think this year the county fair featured Hank Williams Jr; who’s last appearance in the valley was tainted with horror stories of bags of excrement being thrown at the crowd from HW, but anyway that’s another story all together.) But here is one of my favorite, new acts coming to a local venue. I had to meet them and talk with them about their music. So, I got into contact with Danny and to my surprise he messaged me back immediately with a response that they would be happy to meet with me.
I met Marbin at the Artful Dodger, a downtown coffee shop and bar, once the only haven for transvestites and drag shows in the Valley. When I arrived, I saw Dani Rabin strumming on his guitar smiling with a pleasant air about him. Danny Markovitch, the sax player was laughing at his side, as well as Jon Nadel, the bass player and Blake Jiracek the drummer came along a little later, he was likely breaking a few rules of the road.
The Interview:
Jam Band Purist: How many shows have you guys played now?
The band discussed it for a second.
Dani and Danny: “Conservatively around 1200.”
Jam Band Purist: Holy hell that's a lot of shows. I thought you guys would be bigger than you are by now.
Dani: “So did we. It just takes a lot of time and effort to get to where we need to be, it's taken us 4-5 years just to break into the music festival scene.”
Jam Band Purist: Have you just not found your niche?
Dani: “No, we have our fan base but its just having our niche accepted. We do things a little different than other bands.”
Jam Band Purist: “If you play that many shows, you must have a lot of crazy experiences, what are some of yours?
Jon the Bass Player: “Almost driving into a river.”
Dani: “No, not too crazy stuff just the normal incidences when you go on tour you see all kinds of crazy people and when drugs and alcohol are involved...”
Danny: “Well, alcohol mostly.”
Jam Band Purist: What's the story behind the song “Escape from Hippie Mountain” that's got to be relevant to these crazy experiences?
Dani: “We were at a festival called Spring Fling, I think it was there. There were two chicks getting into a fistfight.”
Danny: “The one kept introducing herself as Jessiker”
Dani: “Her and another girl were fighting but were still trying to be all ‘hippy’ about it and when we first got there, their was the other hippy with blood all over his shirt and when we asked him what happened, he said it wasn't his blood and that made things even worse. Jessiker was eventually banished from Hippie Mountain, people yelled ‘Go West,’ it was cold and freezing and we left as soon as we could. We saw her hitchhiking on the way out.”
Jam Band Purist: Sounds like quite the escape. You use a lot of interesting scales and modes within your music, what are some of your favorite scales and why?
Dani: “We like all scales equally, our music changes scales so quickly that we have to understand them all equally. For us as a band, it's more about the melodic statement.”
Jam Band Purist: So, what's up with the rotating cast of band members? Are you just trying to keep things new/fresh and interesting? Or are there other reasons?
Dani: “There have been all kinds of reasons for us to have different members but mostly musical differences.”
Danny: “We can put up with a lot of personal stuff but musically we can’t have it. Those guys are dead to us.”
Jam Band Purist: So, part of why I love music is lyrics, you guys are great but any thoughts on lyrics or are you strictly instrumental?
Dani: “We are strictly instrumental. We have no thoughts on changing that.” (Later, Dani would sing me a few of the songs he wrote which I really liked.)
Jam Band Purist: There are a lot of bands using social media to gain fans and followers, for me you guys helped pioneer or start that whole trend but you have played over 1200 shows, while most of these bands have barely played out of their basement. What can you say to that and to the bands that are up-and-coming using that model?
Dani: “We are just now getting to the point where we can use social media to gain hundreds or thousands of followers/likes but that took a long time. I say good for them, if they get likes and can get big off just social media that's their prerogative, some bands just can't tour and they aren't meant to tour like we do.”
Jon Bass Player: “I think the promotional videos that were are putting out have really helped gain access to the music.”
Jam Band Purist: Anything planned for tonight, maybe set-list wise?
Dani: “The band has never made a set list, we play what we are feeling.”
Jam Band Purist: Ok, final question but a serious one; any musical guilty pleasures?
Dani: “You should ask the bass player.”
Jon Bass Player: “Oh Here we go.”
Dani: “The problem is that he doesn’t feel guilty about them”
Danny: “He likes Lincoln Park and bands like that, haha”
We all laughed at him for a moment.
Jam Band Purist: I would make fun of you too. Thank you guys so much.
The Show:
After I conducted the band interview I headed home for some R&R before the show. I came back to the Golden Pony, A newer restaurant/bar/small venue in downtown Harrisonburg. I had yet to check it out in its newly renovated form and I was impressed at some of the artwork and the sound system was fairly decent. The opener was a very dissonant and cacophonous group, The Jorge Arana Trio; I think I heard some non-existent chords in there. When I told Jorge himself that, he just responded, “That’s kind of the point.”
I talked with the guys from Marbin and really hoped more people would arrive to the show. What can I say, it was a Sunday in a small town.
Marbin played with the intensity of a band playing for thousands of people, not the 30 or something that showed up. There were times I would think to myself “Holy F*** these guys are way too good to be here.” They were too good to be in the small town, hell too good for $10. I've seen well over 300 shows and Marbin contended with almost every single act I have ever seen, musically. As a musician, I can honestly say, Dani and the band are well beyond their years and have surpassed any band their age with talent and bravado. These guys are serious musicians who know their stuff, all their scales, all the modes and everything in between.
The set-list included a ripping “African Shabtay” that had me dancing up front, with unbelievable guitar work from Dani, his black hair whipping wildly with the music. The band worked up a great “Redline” and “Goat Man” had a funky western vibe that made me feel like I had just stepped into a spaghetti western where Dani and Danny were both playing at some saloon with cowboy attire and all. Danny moves side stage during guitar and bass solos, I asked him why he does this later that night and he responded, somewhat jokingly, “Because Jon likes the spotlight.”
“Arkansas Jumper” a new tune they had recently composed, was raw and uncut. I could feel the emotion of the song itself coming through; the melodic statement that we had discussed in the interview was clear in this song. And it opened up my eyes to the way the band worked while writing and performing their songs. Dani pointed me out of the crowd and said “This one is for you” as they went right into, “Escape from Hippie Mountain.” After the show my friend and I hosted the band for the evening and we stayed up discussing music all night.
These guys know everything about music from Miles Davis to the ins-and-outs of the Jam world. I felt like I was a part of the band for the night. We discussed everything from Jimmy Herring’s phenomenal guitar work to Joe Bonamassa’s ego, never seeming to grow out of his 11-year-old blues persona. Most of the other discussions were off the record but lets just say we all had some very strong opinions concerning music and musical acts.
What can I say about this band that I haven’t already said: Just take a look for yourself and you be the judge. I encourage everyone who reads this to go out and support Marbin in their endeavors, these guys are the real deal and deserve so much more. There are some bands out there that couldn’t even hang with these guys and I give Marbin a lot of credit, striving for success and perfection in everything they do. I am proud to call these guys my friends and while we didn’t agree on everything musically, I appreciate the willingness to discuss it and talk it out. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Marbin and I truly hope they become successful beyond their wildest dreams.
Respectfully,
Jam Band Purist

​TND and Dopapod: (The Jam Battle Continues...)
​As I drove down to The National in Richmond, I contemplated the many years where I truly enjoyed electronic music. I had always enjoyed house and trance music. I had been to a few raves and DJs in my time, when I was younger. It was a lot of fun at the time and so were Jam-tronica bands, but somewhere along my 10 year experience with live music, my tastes changed and diverged into the Jam Purist I am today. I am not sure at what point it happened but it could've been the onslaught of dub-step and the horrible pop-trance culture that I decided real instruments that played rock 'n' roll music sounded much more aesthetically pleasing to me.
I won some free tickets to the show and the only real reason I was going was to see Dopapod. I had seen TND before, at All Good music festival and had actually enjoyed it at the time, besides the lack of lyrics, which always adds another dimension for me. Dopapod had caught my attention a few years ago but I had yet to catch them live. I have been making it a point to see all the new up-and-coming jam bands out there and Dopapod was surely on that list.
Outside of The National, I was accosted by a homeless gentleman who proceeded to tell me about his experience outside of a Grateful Dead concert in the 90s, in where someone had given him LSD and he found himself laid out getting a blowjob from someone. He wasn't sure if it was a man or woman. He carried the latest Game of Thrones novel and shouted many things like "No Westerners here" and "King Richard." I'm highly positive those aren't even characters from any of the books.
I went into the venue at the proper showtime which was billed as 7:30. There were possibly 20 people at the venue so... the excruciating pop trance House music played for over an hour while I waited for the band to come on. They seemed to be holding out for more people to show up before they came out to play. Finally, after an hour of pacing around due to no seating, Dopapod came out onstage and more people seemed to arrive at the show. Dopapod didn't waste any time with a hard transitioning jam that turned into an even harder one, as they moved on, very quickly. I noticed that they had a new drummer, who seemed to be like Animal from The Muppets, beating the almighty out of those drums. The band slowed down for a crazy organ solo but then quickly picked up and took off at high speeds, never seeming to slow down all night. The keyboardist is the heart of this band and most of the solo work is done by him. The solos and transitions were very reminiscent of YES or even, Emerson Lake and Palmer. The sound in The National was very muffled and I couldn't hear the guitarist as much as I would have liked. As a guitarist, I much prefer music that is more guitar-centric but I can appreciate keyboard-centric music as well. Dopapod blended all essential musical genres successfully but they did it with a very raw and choppy intensity that I haven't seen from any band other than Umphreys Mcgee, and thats not always a good thing for me. The band never seemed to stay on one groove long enough to get a complete feel for it but on the other end they never stayed long enough to get bored with it either. I would have liked to had more time to get into a specific moment of their music but they moved on so quickly, back and forth from hard to even harder. The band was a lot less electronic than I had expected and they actually sang words. The song "NERDS" was actually the song that got me into Dopapod in the first place and it accentuates everything that I need in music. It has a great rhythm and jam section but also has simple use of lyrics "No, Words," which adds a another layer to the song completely, as the listener wonders exactly what they mean.
All in all, Dopapod was surprisingly great. They completely understand the build up and breakdown of jams extremely well. I can definitely see why there is a buzz about them and I plan to see them every chance I get in the future to decide more. The still seem to need some band cohesion and I can't say they are my favorite band out there but they have my attention. I cannot wait to compare them with some of the other new bands. I can see a relation to The Big Something and even Tauk but in my opinion, they are better than either one. Keep on playing and getting better and for jams sake, STAY IN THE POCKET LONGER........
As for TND, they didn't even come on until 11:30. So, I only caught the first few songs which in the end reminded me of why I didn't like jam-tronica in the first place. It doesn't seem to go anywhere and just stays very level and very even keel, very unlike Dopapod, which transcended musical genres and jam space itself at times. I'm pretty sure @bobbymaxwell2 The New Deal should've opened up for Dopapod but seniority and all that.
Jam Band Purist- "Please don't dominant the rap Jack, if you got nothing new to say."

I have been seeing moe. for almost 10 years now, and I have never been disappointed. They always put on a consistent show. This band was one that introduce me to many musical experiences in my life, some that I will never forget. They are my consistent constant in the festival music scene. With their unique musical style, moe. seems slotted to take over the North-East "Jam" scene when some of the "Majors" step down or take a break. But while moe. is musically and lyrically brilliant, they can't seem to grasp much of a foothold in the South. The National is a smaller indoor venue and it wasn't even close to being halfway sold out and the upstairs balcony was closed off completely. Perhaps lack of ticket sales is why moe. doesn't come to the south very often but in turn, not playing at all will gain you no notoriety in the area.
The beginning of the show took off with a "Brent Black" but Al was having guitar difficulties so Chuck, took the reins and pushed through to the first round of "The Pit," one of my favorite moe. songs with the lyrics: "All the way down to bottom, all the way dow to the fire, all the way down to the devil, Beelzebub in the bottom of the pit." I have always wondered what this song is truly about. Chuck looked very un-Satanlike and way out of place with his camo hat and glittery-pink guitar.
The band quickly came back together with a super country and twangy, "Tambourine" that resonated with the audience. Al was classically smooth on his Gibson SG and took over soloing for a few songs. The night would turn into "The Pit Incident" as the band continued to transform other songs into "The Pit" (much like tweezers-fest- Phish) The band would change tempo on a dime and revert back to "The Pit," each band member taking solos in each transition. Musically the show was stunning, the band did things I've never heard them do. The second set was very noodley and ethereal in it's essence but they had to play it fast and loose to keep transitioning into "The Pit" again and again. One of the highlights for me was the encore, "The Ghost of Ralph's Mom." I just love the lyrics:
"You wait there every evening
Till the morning light
I saw you on the ceiling
How could I even fight?
I saw you in the morning
About 3:55
I asked you what you wanted
You said you wanted to be alive
The more things change, the more they stay the same
The more things stay the same, the more I go insane
The more things change, the more they stay the same
The more things stay the same, the more I go insane
You ran around my bedroom
And made me levitate
You pinned me to my bed
You forced me to stay awake
The more things change, the more they stay the same
The more things stay the same, the more I go insane
The more things change, the more they stay the same
The more things stay the same, the more I go insane
Haunted by the ghost of you
Each lonely night
I've tried to scream out loud
But the walls they closing tight
My heart beats faster
Twice as faster
And the more things change, the more they stay the same
The more things stay the same, the more I go insane
The more things change, the more they stay the same
The more things stay the same, the more I go insane
The more I go insane
The more I go insane"
Setlist: I: Brent Black > Tubing The River Styx > The Pit > Tambourine > Letter Home > Gone > Timmy Tucker, Karma Police#
II: Defrost > Smoke > Zed Naught Z, Happy Hour Hero > The Pit > Annihilation Blues > The Pit > Tubing The River Styx > Puebla > Brent Black
Enc: The Ghost Of Ralph's Mom