The O-town Scene

concert reviews concert reviews concert reviews concert reviews concert reviews concert reviews dancing at times. The Baseball Project feels at-home during C’town concert The marriage of The Baseball Project and Cooperstown that occurred Friday at a concert at Brewery Ommegang was a match made in heaven _ and not just for the rea- sons you might imagine. The four-person “super group” of Steve Wynn, Scott McCaughey, Linda Pitmon and Peter Buck would be the perfect house band for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Their particular breed of smooth, fun, peppy pop- rock and baseball storytelling lyrics seems perfectly tailored for both the well-heeled adults that flock to baseball’s shrine and their children (aside from a few profanities among the lyrics). The band delivered a pitch-perfect set of songs from its two albums, “Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails” and “Volume Two: High and Inside” on Friday, mixing in enough banter and smiles to make it clear that they were having a good time. Their easy smiles and easygoing attitude were mirrored by the audience, who tapped their toes, bobbed their heads and even broke into some mild The set opened with “Past Time,” a mid-tem- po rocker devoted simply to baseball itself, and the great moments that fans remember. As Steve Wynn sang, “Pastime, are you past your prime?”, the collective response from the audience seemed to be an emphatic “no.” At times, it seemed the audience was having as much fun as the band. As the band sang “Fernando,” with lyrics in Spanish, a couple of young men in the corner took turns imitat- ing Fernando Valenzuela’s signature windup, which involves looking directly up at the sky before delivering the (in this case, imaginary) baseball. During the song “High and Inside,” a tribute to pitches that come close to hitting the batter, the same duo demonstrated the meaning of the phrase “chin music,” which describes a pitch that cuts close to the batter’s chin. Opening for the Baseball Project were the American Babies, a Philadelphia-based rock band whose upbeat, poppy tunes were a good warmup for the headlining act. Singer Tom Hamilton took the group through a fast-paced 13-song set that included Beatles- esque jams, a dark, Link Wray-like tune complete with echoey reverbing guitar, country-tinged toe-tappers and a cover of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles’ “You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me.” Hamilton’s Grant Lee Phillips-style vocals were equally at home Mountain Jam delivers diverse acts Summer music festival season is here, with Hunter’s Moun- tain Jam June 2-5. Festivalgoers were treated to near-perfect dancing weather during the day with sunny skies and chilly nights. Being the first festival I’ve attended where it hasn’t rained, I have no complaints. The line-up featured a variety of bands, from the classic rock sound of festival organizer Warren Haynes to the reggae-style virtuoso of Michael Franti and Spearhead and the electronic beats of The New Deal. This was my first trip to Mountain Jam, although it was the seventh invocation of the popular festival at Hunter Mountain. Three outdoor stages and one indoor lodge stage set-up gave ample opportunity for everyone to find their musical niche. The hillside field was packed throughout the weekend with people of all ages dancing in the grass. Late Friday night on the West Stage featured electronic foursome Lotus helping to heat things up as the temperature cooled down. Saturday turned into a gorgeous, sunny day featuring the soul singer Mavis Staples and her band, followed by folk rockers The Avett Brothers. As the sun started to go down, Michael Franti and Spear- head emerged to get everyone in the crowd moving and shak- Emily Popek From left, Linda Pitmon, Mike Mills and Scott McCaughey of The Baseball Project perform at Brewery Ommegang on June 3. slipping between these genres, and the crowd seemed to warm to the group easily _ de- spite temperatures that had begun to dip into the 40s by the time the show began. Together, American Babies and the Baseball Project and Brewery Ommegang put together a winning lineup for a summertime show. The ing. His dance- hall- infused blend of funk and reggae- rock Scott Bernstein | Mountain Jam Facebook Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes frontman Alex Ebert sings to a crowd Sunday. kept the crowd on their feet during hits such as “The Sound of Sun- shine” and “Say Hey (I Love You).” Franti’s sometimes politically charged songs are well-balanced by his happy-go-lucky tunes, making for a hand-clapping foot-stomping good time. Headliners and festival founders Gov’t Mule came with a diverse blend of original songs sandwiched between covers for a mix of pure rock-and-roll. Umphrey’s McGee set had an impressive start featuring ’80s guitarist John Oates during their late night set. Then it was on to The New Deal, packing the lodge with fans of their impro- relaxed vibe and family-friendly atmosphere made for a pleasant evening, the likes of which would no doubt be appreciated by the area’s many summer visitors and area residents alike. _ Emily Popek visational elector-dance vibe. The Canadian band brought their hits and the heat despite announcing plans to break up following this concert season. Sunday was slightly overcast after a sunny Saturday as we revved up for another day. Free-spirited indie rockers Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes began their show with “Janglin.’” This 10-plus member band delivered their signature California free-spirited sing along with frontman Alex Ebert belting out tunes and gliding across the stage barefoot. Jumping into the crowd during the song “Truth,” the band decided to follow up with the feel- good duet “Home,” featuring vocalist Jade Castrinos. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals never fail to impress with Potter’s blues and rock influenced band backing her strong vocals throughout nightfall. My Morning Jacket finished out the weekend on Sunday night, fresh off the release of their new album “Circuital.” The band revisited many songs from their extensive catalog, with lead singer Jim James belting out “Mahgeetah” to end the weekend. All in all, Mountain Jam was filled with great music and a great crowd. Camping far from the car was slightly challeng- ing, but the lengthy walk from the parking lot to the mountain was nothing a $25 golf cart ride couldn’t solve. Staff was friendly, the place was relatively clean, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. _ Shannon Moore June 9, 2011 O-Town Scene 15

• Cover