Random Karma

To say Random karma is a band like any other would be a lie. While the music has inclinations of being old school rock that makes you want to sit and chill it also has a complexity that is added that most bands cannot imitate. The kicker is these guys have only been playing their own songs for less than a year. Someone has seen their talent as local rockers, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers (Roger Clyne of the Refreshments fame (for those kids who don't know, the band that sings the theme song from King of the Hill)), and Random Karma has opened for The Peacemakers in the valley and at the Circus Mexicus in Rocky Point. You probably haven't heard of Random Karma because the guys all are successful outside of the band, but they are currently working on new material.

The live show these guys put on is great. They give the feeling that they want the crowd to just have a great time and that is exactly what happens, a great time. Each musician knows the ins and outs of their instrument (which is more than we can say for some bands on the radio today) and when they set Louie Moses loose on the drums he shows the kind of drum talent that Arizona has. I highly recommend checking these guys out! Look for them on the 29th of October with Cowboy Mouth at the Martini Ranch. Or in December on the 6th at Club Mardi Gras. If you are in Las Vegas in February on the 24th or 25th they will be playing at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (yes THE Hard Casino) and the Double Down Saloon. Check out their music on their MySpace page, learn more about them on their website and watch Louie Moses on a 4-minute drum solo. Check these guys out and support your scene!

- Matt Hodson - AZ Music Scene

- Arizona Music Scene (10/08)

Day 2: Back to Day 2 and the tunes.

Two local bands led off the day on the main stage. First up was Ten Dollar Outfit (http://www.tendollaroutfit.com)at 11am. I’m sure some people really enjoyed it. For me, it married together two entities that I am not a fan of: James Taylor and light jazz. There were some okay moments - pleasant enough - but I always prefer a little bite in my tunes.

Random Karma (http://www.randomkarma.com) was next (another local band). These guys played a pretty strong set of straight ahead rock. The highlight for me came with a cover though: the Stones’ “Dead Flowers”. Their last tune was a CCR song, and naturally, I can’t recall which one.

1:15pm brought out the Young Dubliners (http://youngdubliners.com). Yes, a national act like the Young Dubs slotted in an early afternoon set. But that didn’t deter them. They came on about 15 minutes late, but launched right into things with their brand of L.A./Irish rock. Founder Keith Roberts and the boys drew from their original material, old and new (”Rosie”, from their new album Saints & Sinners, was a highlight); some old Irish standards; and even a Pogues cover: “If I Should Fall From Grace WIth God”.

It was their first gig of this year’s festival season, so Keith warned there may be a little rust. But no major flubs as far as I noticed. The festival Young Dubs were a fun band, and their 85 minute set was a great way to shift the afternoon to a higher gear. But I look forward to seeing them someday in a Guinness infused small club atmosphere - at night.

Indigenous (http://www.indigenousmusic.net)was up next. The focal point of the band is Mato Nanji, a Native American of South Dakota’s Nakota Nation, who loves him some Texas blues. In fact, closing your eyes at times, you’d swear that some of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s departed soul found its way into him. Some really impressive playing on the Fender Strat, and a husky, bluesy voice to match. Adding his own flair to the lineup - and always a favorite live instrument for me - was Hammond B3 player Jeremiah Weir. He laid down some tasty blasts of B3, bringing to mind at times a younger Gregg Allman.

New Jersey bluegrass jam band Railroad Earth [http://www.railroadearth.com] (introduced by the straight-laced mayor of Scottsdale) then took the stage. There were a couple of highlights for me during their set: “Dandelion Wine”, and their beautiful finale of “My Sisters and Brothers”, one of my favorite Jerry Garcia Band tunes (written by a Charles Johnson in the year ??). All in all, a good live band. Other than “My Sisters and Brothers”, they did for me what Assembly of Dust did the day before - a pleasant band to take in, but nothing that really rocked my socks. Railroad Earth’s followers are called Hobos, and I’m sure they strongly disagree with me. But I guess no Hobo am I at this point.

Right when the band wrapped up, I grabbed the gang and zipped off to the Creamy Radio acoustic stage, where one of my favorite local bands was kicking off a 30 minute mini-set. The boys from Tempe’s What Laura Says (http://www.myspace.com/whatlaurasaysthinksandfeels) were present, and they kicked off their set with one of my faves: “Get Better Soon” - a song that my 3 year old sings along to. The dreamy ballad “Waves” was also played among a few other tunes. We didn’t stick around for long, but it was nice to see these guys again. I really think they have something special, and you can count on me keeping you updated on their second album, which should be out this year.

So back we went to the main stage for some Hasidic Jewish hip-hop laden reggae! That’s right, Matisyahu (http://www.matisyahuworld.com), his long black coat, his long beard, and two long tassels of hair were in the house. The set was only an hour long (less than any of the other afternoon acts, which I found curious), but you know he rocked it. He’s definitely a character, and has a lot to say. And he’s got some some fancy footwork too - jumping around in circles, hopping up on the PAs. I recognized a couple of his tunes - “King Without a Crown” and “Fire of Heaven/Altar of Earth”. He’s come a long way since his early years ’shrooming at Phish shows.

The Flaming Lips (http://www.flaminglips.com): And it all came to this. Since the announcement of Oklahoma City’s Flaming Lips a few months ago, I and a lot of other folks had this pegged as the highlight of the weekend. I’d heard the stories about how thoroughly entertaining to the senses a Lips show was, and I was very much looking forward to experiencing it, finally. The band was about 30 minutes late to kick off their set, originally scheduled to start at 9. But with Matisyahu wrapping up at 8:45, there was no way a Flaming Lips show could come together in that amount of time.

But even watching the stage set up was amazing. A stage crew in orange uniforms and hard hats, and front man Wayne Coyne, ever a man of the people, there in his white suit, out on stage helping set up. By 9:30, the lights dimmed, and a large plastic bubble emerged on stage. Inside, Wayne Coyne. And the bubble began to roll across the stage out on to the waiting arms of the crowd. As colorful lights swirled, and the bubble made its way back to the stage, the real spectacle - the majesty - of the Flaming Lips stage show began as the band launched into “Race for the Prize”. Colorful streamers and confetti shot from the stage, balloons bounced, the circular background screen pulsed with strange visions, shapes, and images. And on each side of the stage appeared a large contingent of Teletubbies. Now, none of this is new to anyone who’s seen the Lips before. But for me, my wife, and my two girls, consider us entertained! Indeed, the real fun during “Race for the Prize” was watching the looks on my daughters’ faces. Eyes wide open, mouths agape… looks of genuine wonder. No fear or trepidation - just joy. It was so fun to watch…

The show was great. I mean, they even busted out “Purple Rain” - after Wayne intro’d the song by mentioning how Prince wouldn’t let them cover it for a Warner Brothers anniversary album. They stopped after the first verse/chorus and launched into their delightfully unique take on Madonna’s “Borderline”. For “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots”, the Lips drummer donned a pink robot costume supplied by someone in the crowd. We heard “She Don’t Use Jelly”, “Lightning Strikes the Postman”, and the crowd pleasing “Do You Realize?” (soon to be the official state rock song of Oklahoma!) for the encore finale.

In thinking about the live Flaming Lips experience, I kept wondering if the music would hold its own, if it would still be a good live experience without the spectacle. Without the bullhorn that shoots out smoke; without the handheld gizmo that Wayne used to blow up a balloon the size of a small car; without the camera mounted on the microphone, pointing up for a mega-closeup of Wayne’s face on the giant screen behind him; without the Teletubbies and the smoke and the confetti and the streamers and the background screen…. Well, of course not. Because all of those things define the Flaming Lips. The weirdness and the quirkiness - and at the underbelly of it all, a tremendous sense of joy and positive feelings.

Life is short. Let’s celebrate it. That’s really the essence I took away from seeing the Flaming Lips, and a life motto that I like to think I live by.

Sitting outside the RV the next morning, having a cup of coffee with my wife, watching my two girls playing around, and Wayne the Gnome perched under the RV… well, I was reluctant to head back home. These are the moments - the events - that define my life. Spending time with those I love, with Music as the backdrop. I’ll cherish the vision of my two daughters watching “Race for the Prize” as long as I live. And I’ll make sure they don’t forget as well… memories are made of this.

Thanks McDowell Mountain Music Festival. Another great year… - Pete at www.ickmusic.com