“GREEN BEANS – Thanks for Listening” the sign reads… love it. I caught up with The Werks at The String Cheese Incident‘s Suwannee Hulaween 2016 on Thursday afternoon, a few hours before their psychedelic dance jam funk rock set, which to me was just the right thing before a face-melting Umphrey’s McGee set.
The Werks are from Columbus, Ohio and get down with extensive improvisation and incredible exploration into multiple genres. They have quickly elevated their status in the jam scene, and even have their own annual festival, The Werk Out, held in August in Ohio. The Werk Out has successfully evolved into more than just once a year as the band recently announced two new separate events: The Winter Werk Out in Ohio (February 2017) and The Werk Out West in Colorado (March 2017). These two new fests are part of a massive two month tour that touches every corner of the country.
The Werks Upcoming Tour Dates
2/3/17 – Winter Werk Out Music & Arts Festival – Columbus, OH
2/4/17 – Winter Werk Out Music & Arts Festival – Columbus, OH
2/8/17 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY#
2/9/17 – Once Ballroom – Boston, MA
2/10/17 – The Foundry – Philadelphia, PA
2/11/17 – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, DC~
2/12/17 – The Broadberry – Richmond, VA
2/14/17 – Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC
2/15/17 – Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC
2/16/17 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA
2/17/17 – 1904 Music Hall – Jacksonville, FL
2/18/17 – Barrelhouse South – Savannah, GA
2/19/17 – Pour House – Charleston, SC
3/14/17 – Taos Mesa Brewing – Taos, NM
3/15/17 – Agave – Avon, CO*
3/16/17 – Barkley Ballroom – Frisco, CO*
3/17/17 – Werk Out West Music & Arts Festival – Denver, CO
3/18/17 – Werk Out West Music & Arts Festival – Denver, CO*
3/19/17 – Mesa Theater – Grand Junction, CO*
3/21/17 – OP Rockwell – Park City, UT*
3/23/17 – Knotty Pine – Victor, ID*
3/24/17 – Eagles Ballroom – Bozeman, MT*
3/25/17 – Top Hat – Missoula, MT*
3/28/17 – Big Dipper – Spokane, WA
3/29/17 – Nectar Lounge – Seattle, WA
3/30/17 – Wild Buffalo – Bellingham, WA
3/31/17 – Star Theater – Portland, OR
4/1/17 – Domino Room – Bend, OR
4/2/17 – HiFi Music Hall – Eugene, OR
4/4/17 – Humbrews – Arcata, CA
4/5/17 – Crystal Bay Club – Lake Tahoe, NV
4/6/17 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA
4/8/17 – Winstons – San Diego, CA
4/9/17 – Last Exit Live – Phoenix, AZ
* w/ Cure for the Common
# w/ Swift Technique
~ w/ Moogatu
I absolutely love their new album, Inside A Dream. It’s a concept album that takes listeners on an auditory expedition through the composition of a dream. Dreams are confusing. They don’t make sense, at least at the time. However, fueled by instinct, imagery, and inner most feelings, they can also be inspiring. Dreams take on many forms and are not easily explained. This album does a fantastic job at helping to understand what dreams and life are truly about. The aural tones and soundscapes really strike the soul, and coupled with honest lyrics that are eerily relatable, the album emits a sense of self-reflection, nostalgia, what-if, and hope. My favorite track is probably “Not Alone” which reminds us that everyone is afraid of being alone but we don’t need to be. Rob’s favorite track which he says is the most well-rounded song on the album is “One Drop,” a bouncy song that lets you bump your butt to the drops. Chris says his favorite track is “Waiting Room” but that “Find Your Way” was one of the more fun ones to do, in part because it included voices on walkie-talkies that referenced the previous year’s Werk Out festival where someone ran on stage and grabbed a mic to yell out “We are the universe!” as he gets tackled by security. Dan’s favorite takeaway from making the album was the track “Give or Take” which was the only song they wrote while at the studio, adding a dash more of studio magic to the mix. Inside A Dream is their fourth studio album and was released November 20th, 2015.
The Werks are Rob Chafin (Drums, Vocals, Samples), Chris Houser (Guitar, Vocals), Jake Goldberg (Bass, Vocals), and Dan Shaw (Keyboards, Vocals). Rob and Chris are original members. Dan took over keys in 2014, and Jake joined in 2016 on bass.
Watch the interview and video of their set, thanks to The Sober Goat!
SETLIST: Lights Out, One Drop ~ Hulaweener Jam ~ Cloud Hopper, O Fortuna[1] ~ Frankenstein
[1] excerpt from Carmina Burana (Carl Orff)
Check out my bigly Hulaween photo gallery below.
[Not a valid template]The Werks Interview & Performance and Suwannee Hulaween 2016 Photos & Videos by Richie Williams, The Sober Goat!
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â–¼ SHOWS TO GO TO â–¼
Please support our friends who support us! Tell them Shows I Go To sends love! 🙂
- The Commission Beer Chamber
- Kingfish Records (Clearwater)
- Nora's Sugar Shack!
- Park Ave CDs
- Montgomery Drive Presents
- RT-Art Printing
- The Mary Jane 'High-Quality' Art Gallery
- The Owl's Attic Vintage Shop
- Broken Strings Brewery
- American Combat Club
- Lazy Moon Pizza
- Ten10 Brewing
- Leguminati
- Mutiny Ocala
- The Tipsy Skipper
- Conrad's Beer Shanty
- AKT Shirt Printing
- Smartpunk Records & Shop
- No Clubs Presents
- DaddyKool Records
- Galactic G Skateshop