Dad Rock II-The Gaslight Anthem

Brian Fallon, lead singer of The Gaslight Anthem

If I'm talking about Dad Rock, it only makes sense that I include a band that Jesse and I saw together. Last June, through a bizarre but fortunate series of events, we had free tickets to the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. We left after work one evening and made it as far is Fairview Heights, Illinois. Jesse wanted to get up early (before 5 AM) the next morning so we could make it to Bonnaroo in time to see The Gaslight Anthem.

I had heard a few tracks off the band's breakthrough album, The '59 Sound. I generally liked the music--they clearly channeled a young Springsteen and had incredible energy.

When we arrived at the festival, they had already begun playing and we were far from the stage on a 95 degree day following a rain storm. Jesse and I parked ourselves near a lemonade stand, far from the mud pits that would have provided a better view.

Even from that distance, while we dripped with sweat, lead singer Brian Fallon and the rest of The Gaslight Anthem dripped with charisma. It may be a cliche, but the band really did sound better live than on recordings. They played most of the songs on their new album, American Slang, which was released the very next day. 

The Gaslight Anthem is led by Brian Fallon, lead singer and lyricist. Fallon brings the energy of an early punk band, the lyrics of a modern culturally observant poet, and the humility of someone comfortable with his blue-collar roots. In fact, he worked as a roofer before the band became financially viable.

Alex and Jesse

After seeing them perform, Jesse and I were able to attend an interview that Spin Magazine did with Fallon and lead guitarist, Alex Rosamilia. There were only about 5 other people at the interview, so it felt like it was our own private meeting with the band. In the interview, they were pleasant and funny, clearly enjoying what they do. We had a chance to talk briefly with Brian and Alex--we were on a 1st-name basis by that time--and they were very accommodating in taking time for a few photos. 

The Gaslight Anthem have had a big 2010. American Slang has been a consensus choice on all the "Best of the Year" lists. I am still listening to it constantly more than 6 months later. The band is from New Jersey, and they clearly have a Springsteen influence. They borrow at times from his lyrics (it seems every girl in a song is called "Maria"), his images (cars), themes (lives of desperation that really aren't that bad because they are honest).

Brian Fallon is a fascinating guy. As a dad, I was overwhelmed by the quantities of tattoos when I saw him up close--he certainly looked hard-core--but he always had a twinkle in his eye that made him seem more like the kid who was always full of mischief, but you could never come down hard on him because you knew he was basically good. Near the end of the Spin Magazine interview, he was asked about the lyrics of his new song, Old Haunts, and if the lyrics were "anti-nostalgia." (The '59 Sound had been full of nostalgia.)

Fallon smiled and said, "No, it's not anti-nostalgia at all. Actually, that one was for my mom. She's always talking about how I only live in the past or the future...so I had to write a song for her, about the present."

The Gaslight Anthem--maybe I should include them under Mom Rock.
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Here is Bring It On performed live at Bonnaroo 2010:
 

Now for an acoustic version of Old Haunts:
 

Finally, a glimpse of The Gaslight Anthem with The Boss:
 

Bonnaroo Ozomatli 2010

Those of you who read my previous post know about how Jesse and I love the band Ozomatli, and how the band invited us to the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennesse. .

One of the things I love about this group is the variety of their music. They have won three Grammy awards, including one for best Latin Rock/Alternative album. But, they are not just a Latin band--they have incorporated African and Middle-Eastern rhythms, as well as American hip-hop. Here is a list of the instruments they play: bass, guitar, drums, marimbula, tres, jarana, trumpet, saxophone, requinto jarreno, melodica, tabla and cajon.

I'm guessing about half of the audience was familiar with Ozo before the show. By the end, everyone knew Ozomatli. They played an incredibly energetic 90-minute set, concluding by coming into the audience, as they always do.

Uli led the march with his saxophone, followed by Justin with a drum set and Asdru with his trumpet. Finally, Mario and Jiro brought percussion instruments as well. The crowd was singing/chanting "Ozomatli" with the beat of the drums. Then, the band led the audience in a singing of the Latin soccer anthem "Ole." Jiro took things in another direction by pantomiming while the band let a singalong of "The Hokey Pokey." Finally, a conga line formed as Ozo led the crowd all through the venue.

This is a band that loves their work. And so do we.