Eric Clapton once said “Music from Big Pink” changed his life. The 1968 album by The Band, with its rousing blend of country, folk, rock, and soul, was like a refreshing gust of mountain air blowing through the psychedelic haze of the late ’60s. Clapton left his rock super-group Cream not long after “Big Pink” came out, and his songwriting began to focus more on finely crafted melodies than on long, raucous guitar solos.
That’s just one example of The Band’s impact on modern music. The group, originally consisting of Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson, continues to influence new bands today.
On Saturday, Feb. 28, five local acts will pay tribute to The Band at Fury’s Publick House in Dover. Original arrangements of Band songs will be performed by Tan Vampires, Martin England & the Reconstructed, Clara Berry, Mary Dellea, and Soggy Po’ Boys.
Soggy Po’ Boys, with Dias at far right
In preparation for this event, The Sound asked some of the musicians performing in the show to share their thoughts about The Band’s music and influence.
Stu Dias
singer and guitarist, Soggy Po’ Boys
I came up with the idea when I was talking with Eff (pianist Mike Effenberger) one night. This scene is so incredibly rich and interconnected that there is an incredible amount of heterogeneity in terms of music. I thought, “Man, it seems like everyone loves The Beatles; wouldn’t it be cool to arrange some Beatles music in our (at the time, Gnarlemagne’s) style. We got Nick Phaneuf of Tan Vampires and Chelsea Paolini of People Skills and had an unbelievable time doing “Abbey Road.” Then I thought about extending the idea further — have a few groups arrange music that everyone knows in their own style. Genre-wise, I wanted there to be a good mix, and my goodness, did we get lucky! Clara Berry, Mary Dellea, Marty England & the Reconstructed, Tan Vampires, and the Soggy Po’ Boys.
singer and guitarist, The Reconstructed, photo by 4077 Photography
The Band seemed like a perfect choice for this. They have a huge, diverse, and wonderful catalog, and their music is simple enough that it acts as a canvas for these diverse groups to paint on sonically. The other really interesting thing about them is that they are considered a classic “Americana” band, even though only one member was actually American — Levon (the rest were Canadian). That, to me, felt really special. In the Seacoast, there are people who have been here for years and people who are transplants, and they play together and make really wonderful music. It is really exciting to be able to celebrate that interconnectivity with this music.
Finally, I’m really excited to see how different people approach things. I can’t wait to see how Clara and Marty arrange the songs they’ve picked! I can’t wait to see how the Vampires make something twisted and beautiful out of this music, and to hear Mary Dellea and Taylor O’Donnell sing gorgeous harmonies! I think this night will be really special. It is a one-shot deal — if you miss it, you’ll never see it again.
Martin England
Ever since I first saw The Band’s “The Last Waltz,” I fell in love with this band. They are truly one of the first crossover bands to implement many genres (country, folk, rock, bluegrass) into a singular style. Robbie Robertson is one of my favorite guitarists, as his energetic yet melodic approach is something that has deeply influenced my playing. At Fury’s, we’re covering “Makes No Difference,” which became one of my favorite songs once I saw My Morning Jacket and Alabama Shakes cover this at Newport Folk Festival in 2012. The theme of love lost and never found is very authentic. There’s no Hollywood ending here, just heartache. I was lucky enough to see Levon Helm at Newport Folk in 2010. I’ll never forget it.
Nick Phaneuf, guitarist, Tan Vampires
The Band is not the music of my childhood. My parents didn’t listen to it around the house growing up. I got to know their music around the campfires at my friends’ houses and on the bandstand with my friends at gigs. Many of their songs I have played for years and have never heard the original recording. To me, that speaks to the strength of the compositions. And the music sounds like friendship because that is the context in which I learned it.
Mary Dellea
singer and upright bassist
The Band is part of the soundtrack of my childhood. When I was 3 years old, my dad took me and my brothers and sisters to see them in Manchester, N.H. It was my first rock concert!
Clara Berry, singer-songwriter, with drummer Joe O’Neill
The Band kind of entered my musical consciousness later in my teen years. Much of my musical influence was based upon wherever my dad was in cycling through his favorite bands. He’d drop us off at school and I want to say I was 16 or 17 when The Band started dominating the CD player in the Buick. “Acadian Driftwood” is one of the tunes that sort of sticks out as something that went well with a cold day and a warm drink.
Mike Effenberger
pianist, Tan Vampires and Soggy Po’ Boys
The quality I like most about The Band is their straightforwardness. They don’t seem to dress things up much. The music is direct and raw and stripped down. They way they approach songs like “I Shall Be Released” (Bob Dylan’s tune but their arrangement) is perfectly simple and effective. It’s too easy to overthink a tune to death. They get straight to the point of the music.
“Bands play The Band” takes place on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 9 p.m. at Fury’s Publick House, 1 Washington St., Dover, 603-617-3633.