From the PT WSP Board.....

[kyndkate]

I\'ll think about it. It\'s just not happening anytime soon is all.

if he wants your help why not ask him to supply burned shows and postage? If he wants your help thats the least he can do. If he agrees you can send a umelt cd to all the breakfast fans and you wont have to spend any money of your own on postage. its no more work for you and less money you have to spend.

Problem is, Chris, they are just now putting finishing touches on a live show. They hardly have any live stuff available. The dude said it would be ready in "a couple weeks." My samplers are going out next Monday, and no later. I gots to keep my promises to people expecting their free Breakfast. If I\'m late, my image as well as the Breakfast\'s has less credibility. See where I\'m coming from? I\'d love to wait on this guy, but I can\'t. Plus I haven\'t listened to U-Melt at all...what if it\'s complete fodder and people get really turned off by my selection? Bad U-Melt=bad exposure, bad news for Bfast.

[leith]

My Monday was fine, how was yours?

Pretty dull until just awhile ago. No I finally got another day off from the crappy fair. 2 more weeks to go and than a month or so off to waste the $$ I made. moe.down etc.

[ChrisF]

The dude said it would be ready in "a couple weeks." My samplers are going out next Monday, and no later. I gots to keep my promises to people expecting their free Breakfast.

there\'s always next time. and if that guy sends you something really good and is willing to pay for postage then maybe its worth hooking up with him for the next batch of samplers.

[kyndkate]

Okay, I\'m going to bed. Bottom line: If U-Melt is as good/better than The Breakfast, I\'ll actually be willing to spend twice the postage on more free B&P\'s. I work 40 hours this week and have 75 CDs to pass out on Wednesday at Widespread, so U-Melt will just have to wait until next weekend.

[Spacey]

Here is the show that made UMelt a name worthy enough to talk about.

The quality I don\'t believe is great, and I don\'t think it was a musically good show, but to be fair to UMelt and their loyal fans, I suggest you take a listen to it yourself.

September 4, 2004

SURVIVOR: U-MELT IN THE GARDEN
U-Melt :: 09.05.04 :: Strangefolk\'s Garden of Eden Festival :: Greenfield, MA (Jambase.com review)

It began with a challenge issued to the band and ended after an "unbelievable" musical journey lasting well over six hours. U-Melt was scheduled to start its late night set at 4:00 a.m. and finish later in the morning. The promoters challenged U-Melt to play as long as they could without taking any breaks, or at least until the festival\'s music began the next day. The band accepted the challenge with open arms and the rest, as they say, is history.

U-Melt\'s set began with the opening notes to "Tomorrow My Friend," and with that, the epic voyage began. On "Tomorrow" keyboardist and vocalist Zac Lasher took over the late night crowd with his crisp vocals and tight jams. Next, during "Schizophrenia," guitarist and vocalist Rob Salzer dove right into his first of many extraordinary solos of this super set. At this point the crowd grew larger as everyone within earshot packed into the late night cabin to hear what the rage was all about. The band\'s powerful "Infectious Groove" was a personal highlight of the evening with Adam Bendy and George Miller putting together a tremendous groove on bass guitar and drums respectively. The groove was as infectious as the song title suggests and the band pushed and pushed until I thought my head would melt.

The night took a funky, unexpected turn when they launched into a cover of Kool and the Gang\'s "Get Down On It" with Miller taking the lead on vocals. This rendition would have made Kool and the rest of his Gang proud! "Get Down On It" segued flawlessly into "Missed," where Miller took the lead again laying down his unmistakable beats. The crowd was very excited--yet attentive--despite the fact that the sun was rising after a long festival day with another one literally on the horizon.

"We\'ve come a long, long way together, through the hard times and the good..."

Appropriate lyrics for a marathon set, the cover of Fatboy Slim\'s classic dance song "Praise You" brought the crowd to frenzy and seemed to energize the band for the long haul. At this point it was nearly time for breakfast and those who didn\'t make it through the night were waking up and making their way to the cabin, many of them still in their pajamas. Then the U-Melt staple "Green Amber" took off and didn\'t come down for nearly 20 minutes, and the crowd loved every second of it. As if the crowd didn\'t know already, after "Green Amber" it was apparent that this was not your typical U-Melt show, or any show for that matter. The crowd swelled as parents brought their kids into the cabin after they woke up, and some of those who had caught the beginning of the show and went to bed, returned after getting some much needed rest.

U-Melt has never shied away from wearing their many musical hats and they donned yet another one during this extensive set with their cover of the classic 80s Huey Lewis tune "I Want a New Drug." The crowd nodded its collective heads in approval as Lasher belted out the lyrics with impressive enthusiasm. U-Melt followed Huey\'s party cry with perhaps their single best version of "The Eternal Groove" with Lasher singing and Salzer taking a lengthy solo before the end of this band staple. Up next was a fantastic rendition of moe.\'s "Happy Hour Hero" a tribute to U-Melt\'s friends in moe. and also those friends of the band who were a few hundred miles away in upstate New York at moe.down. "Happy Hour" was followed by a huge "Human Compass" which featured Salzer\'s most ferocious solo of the night. At this point, with each song and hour that passed, it became clear that we were all witnessing something exceptional that may never be surpassed. U-Melt had now been playing for over five hours without taking so much as a bathroom break.

The band then did a brilliant version of Medeski Martin & Wood\'s popular "Bubblehouse" featuring a short freestyle rap by Mike McCann, lead singer of Oak Street. "Bubblehouse" segued back into the monster set closer "Through the Prism" finishing the version which was played earlier in the set, which seemed like days ago. When all was said and done, U-Melt had shredded the late night cabin for over six hours. After the set ended it was 10:30 a.m. and a new festival day was upon us.

After it was complete, I asked myself, "has anyone else even tried to play for over six hours without taking any break?" We all know about Phish\'s Big Cypress all-night set during the millennium, but that was from midnight to 7 a.m., and they took several on-stage bathroom breaks as well as other lengthy on-stage breaks. U-Melt let loose in incredible late night fashion and proved they are a progressive groove force to be reckoned with and the Energizer Bunny of the jam scene. They just keep going and going and going...

Todd Gordon
JamBase | Worldwide
Go See Live Music!

To understand where they are today, listen to a show from this year.March 10, 2005

It took everything in me to refrain from saying this, but I just have to. It\'s out of my character, but I feel compelled to get it out there:
Leith, quit being a pot-stirrer.
Spacey, quit letting him stir you.
And vice versa.

Take arguments to private messaging. I don\'t really feel like seeing it here.

[/post]

Uh waaah. I can not help it if people take exception to MY opinions. You seem to be like everyone else in the fact that i am not allowed to post my thoughts on a subject only due to the fact that I may disagree w/ someone else?
Also many times I merely express another side to an argument W/O TAKING that position in the argument. I merely aim to make sure both sides are explored if i feel the need to do so. Is that pot stirring? If so sorry lady I ain\'t stopping. The day I stop questioning is the day I\'m dead. Plain fact.

It\'s only done because I like him...

[ChrisF]

when it starts to get ugly just ask the other person(s) to join you in the chat room and take it up there. its much better for everyone that way.

[leith]

when it starts to get ugly just ask the other person(s) to join you in the chat room and take it up there. its much better for everyone that way.

Great idea. I\'ll try and remember that.

[Gordo]

just listened to about 30 minutes of U-Melt.. theyre pretty good actually. id see em if they were in town. funny with all the Bisco talk this past week, they sound a lot like the Biscuits. i think their bass player is pretty weak, drums could use more fills, and really just stating this because ive gone into TB comparison mode. basically there\'s absolutely no comparison. props to the man for working hard to promote them, shame on him for acting like a freak/stalker type off the bat, and personally-- they aint nearly good enough to have someone dedicated to The Breakfast take over grassroots in the Midwest. nice try man. but, like i said, id see them if they were in town for sure. ready to hear what the vocals are like for U-Melt.................

pretty weak.

yet another reason why TB is so good. i think it\'s crazy how unique each voice is in The Breakfast. Tim absolutely has his OWN voice, jordan has so much soul, ronny "the tenor" spears. all very good, they make perfect harmonies, and theyve all gotten a lot better. also makes for quality -and large range for- covers. fuck this, im writing to relix right now. and noooo, im not gonna preach about how theyre the best band ever (well not directly or in an obvious sense, of course.)

[ChrisF]

props to the man for working hard to promote them, shame on him for acting like a freak/stalker type off the bat

i think its all good. he\'s a friend of dobz and for all he knew he was contacting someone who also works for or helps the band. no big deal.

[Gordo]

true. after reading it again i cant blame the man for being passionate about a band he loves and works for.. shame on me for being hypocrytical.

[kyndkate]

Dun dunda DUUUUUUN....

Tomorrow is the day, folks. Fifty samplers will be handed to fifty unsuspecting Widespread fans. Fifteen samplers will be put in the hands of Phantasy tourists from around the midwest. I\'m thinking there will be 65 cars melted on the side of the highway when they pop the CD in for the ride home. Pray for no rain, receptive pholk, and smiles.

[Spacey]

Ya, Good Luck with that.

You might want to put a disclaimer on the cds taking no responsibility for any damage to face, mind, cars and stereos.

[Whathefunk]

Dun dunda DUUUUUUN....

Tomorrow is the day, folks. Fifty samplers will be handed to fifty unsuspecting Widespread fans. Fifteen samplers will be put in the hands of Phantasy tourists from around the midwest. I\'m thinking there will be 65 cars melted on the side of the highway when they pop the CD in for the ride home. Pray for no rain, receptive pholk, and smiles.

Good luck Kate!!! keepin\' the fingers crossed for ya  :peace:

[Spacey]

The Breakfast will soon own the mid-west.

[kyndkate]

Ya, Good Luck with that.

You might want to put a disclaimer on the cds taking no responsibility for any damage to face, mind, cars and stereos.

HAHAHAHA, I may just have to get up early tomorrow and grab a pen.