Podcast: Episode #009

Subtitle: #BTV: Music & Beyond

Post Date: August 3, 2018

Hosts: Andrew James and Eric D.

Show Notes: Co-hosts Andrew James (@OneWhoSeesDimly) & Eric D. (@HopSnobbery) launch Episode 009 of Riff On talking about Wheel of Fortune out of all things, and how they used to "shop" at Service Merchandise at the end of the show, a store that Eric worked at in 1992 and 1993.  Andy's family bought an Atari in Service Merchandise in 1981 and years later, his wedding ring, which he just lost. 

Eric recollects his enjoyment of working at Service Merchandise, including all of the different rolls he had while there, and making just over $5 per hour. Back in the days when you had cigarette breaks and Andy recollects how he worked at job in Florida that scheduled their bathroom breaks. He also worked at Ames in South Burlington, which was at the University Mall.

Eric issues a WOOHOO! as Target is moving into the University Mall this coming Fall and the boys start talking about stores and restaurants of days past and other stores moving in. While working at Ames, Andy stocked CDs around New England, back when stores sold CDs.

Andrew and Eric share a Good Measure Brewery Cuvee de Northfield 2017 over the show.  As per Untappd, Our House Saison/Farmhouse ale “Barn Coat” and our House Extra Special Bitter “East Street Bitter” were blended together and then inoculated with a mixed culture of yeast and bacteria including house microflora propagated from various fruits and flowers grown in VT. After fermenting on oak staves for over 12 months we then re-fermented the final blend in bottle. It's a delightful sour and Good Measure out of Northfield, Vermont should be found. The boys start talking about sour beers, as Andrew attempted to introduce Eric to sours with Oxbox in 2014 and my, how palates change. 

The conversations turns to what do you call someone when you can't remember their name, or even know their name? Is it Dude? Man? Bro? My friend? Sir? Buddy? 

The guys start talking about the last time they hung out, which is when they connected for a concert. Andrew plays in The Owl Stars and plays open mics and out with Troy Millette, who will be opening for Live and Counting Crowes. But on June 14th, Eric picked up a pair of tickets to see Sturgill Simpson at the Shelburne Museum. Andrew's brother, Dave Patterson, introduced Andrew to Sturgill way back when. Dave is a former beer writer for Maine Today, who is releasing his debut novel 'Soon the Light Will be Perfect' in April of 2019 (Preorder HERE)

Eric recollects how his music mantra used to be 'anything by country', but his latest favorite artists include Tyler Childers, Jason Isbell and Chris Stapleton - all essentially country music. Eric saw Tyler at Higher Ground earlier this year. Alex Crothers is an original co-owner of Higher Ground, who opened in April of 1998 and nowadays they book the Shelburne Museum, State Theater in Portland, Mass MOCA, Brewery Ommegang and the Midway Lawn at the Champlain Valley Exposition.

Unfortunately, Vermont doesn't have a permanent music ampitheater, despite the number of mountains which contribute to the natural shape. We've had Stowe Performing Arts Center and Bolton hosted concerts over the years, but with the exception of Jay Peak hosting some occasional shows in their new structure, we have no summer sheds. Phil Lesh, Twiddle's Tumble Down and Grace Potter's Grand Point North are all upcoming (at the time of the recording) at the Burlington Waterfront. 

The talk turns into concerts being announced eight months to twelve months out, if not longer. Especially for major artists like Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, U2 and Metallica, and that doesn't take into consideration the pricing and how expensive the tickets are.

Andrew is looking forward to that upcoming Live and Counting Crows shows, which falls on the same weekend as Phish's Curveball, which will be Phish's eleventh festival, at Watkin's Glen Speedway. Eric has seen Phish over 70 times and this will be his first Phish show in almost five years. Despite the boys likes to see live music, both don't get out to see many shows, especially with families at home.  Eric recently went to see moe. two nights at Higher Ground and ended up eating a ticket for both nights.

Catch Andrew at 14th Star Brewery with The Owl Stars on August 10th and he'll be playing at the Champlain Valley Fair, both solo and with The Owl Stars. Check out their gigs here: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/4504746-the-owl-stars 

Andrew James hosts The Local Haunt on Facebook.

Eric D. also hosts the Let's Fix Construction podcast. www.LFCpodcast.com 

Thank you for tuning in and be sure to give us a follow on Twitter or Instagram at @RiffOnPodcast and a like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RiffOnPodcast/

Stream this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igfLXxSWpvk​

Podcast: Episode #005

Subtitle: Daughters 

Post Date: February 7, 2018

Hosts: Andrew James, Eric D. and The Real Voice Mel

Show Notes: Co-hosts Andrew James (@OneWhoSeesDimly) and Eric D. (@HopSnobbery) and joined by Mel Allen (@TheRealVoiceMel) to launch Episode 005 of Riff On, talking daughters and family. Andrew has a seven year old and ten year old daughter, Mel a four year old, nine year old and twenty-two year old and Eric D. has an almost sixteen year old, who lives in Los Angeles with her mom, a four and a half year old daughter and an almost seven year old son.  

Andrew, Eric D. and Mel immediately go down a rabbit hole where Eric D. brings up John Mayer, Dead and Company and Joe Russo's Almost Dead.  Andrew reels it back in to talk about passing on the love of music to his daughters. Terrible twos was nothing. Threenager is really what it is happening with children nowadays, including the eyeroll and the fussiness that is feeding the kids.

Passing on music to the children is something that all three hosts take pride in with their girls.  Andrew's girls want to hear 'Stitches' nowadays, but they took great love to The Beatles way back in.  Mel taught his oldest daughter to play guitar and some classic guitars and learned that her modern music didn't translate, so she took to older music.

Trying not raise an a**hole, Eric D. asks his co-hosts if they feel like they've ever been to hard on their children.  Mel recollects about his punishment of taking the door off the hinges after warning his oldest about door slamming.  Andrew talks about sending this daughters's friends home early during a play date. Eric D. talks about taking away bedtime stories, despite his love of reading to the kids before bed. 

How do you get your children to listen?  Eric D. is struggling with his kids.  Andrew James has been shutting down the WiFi on his daughters to keep them from their YouTube and technology.  The girls have grown up around technology, including streaming services and not watching commercials.  Cord cutting has led children to not knowing what products are due to lack of traditional advertisement. Modern punishment has turned into "I'm taking away your WiFi" as a consquence. 

When does the need for entertaining the kids stop?  When they get car keys?  So, who is going to teach the kids how to drive?  The mom? The dad?  So, what happens when we all have self-driving cars?

The kids are constantly trying to teach Eric D. patience. How do you handle patience with the kids?  Mel says that if he needs to say it twice, he asks the kids to stop and look at him and tell him what he just said and if they don't, things just stop. Andrew's hardest time with patience is when his daughter's get a bit mouthy with their mom.  Eric's biggest issue is having to repeat himself due to their lack of listening. 

Public education and daycare is discussed.  Eric D. remembers his first grade teacher spanking another teach, and Mel recollects a principal in Richmond spanking. Were you spanked?  Wooden spoons, the ruler and the switch were all used. Andrew James says he is transgenerational and says that every generation coming after them is not as good as their generation. 

The society is connected way more than it ever has been, so what is the concern over social media and the information we put out there?  As a sales guy, Eric D. makes it a point of putting information out there. 

Do your children have a cell phone?  Andrew James oldest has one and both of Mel's oldest had phones at the age of nine. Phones lead to everyone having a camera, yet we don't develop pictures anymore.  So, are we going to have yearbooks in the future? 

Please give us a follow on Twitter or Instagram at @RiffOnPodcast and a like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RiffOnPodcast/

Podcast: Episode #004

Subtitle: Live Music 

Post Date: January 22, 2018

Hosts: Andrew James and Eric D. 

Show Notes: Co-hosts Andrew James (@OneWhoSeesDimly) and Eric D. (@HopSnobbery) launch Episode 004 of Riff On, talking live music.   

Andrew and Eric discuss how they met when Andrew was playing with his former Citizen Bare bandmate, John Gratton, at the Monkey House in Winooski.  Eric recollects his DJ background at WIZN and WEZF and his experience working with the Burlington-based band, Currently Nameless. 

Beyond Andrew's experience in Citizen Bare, which started in 2007, Andrew plays live music out with his wife, Elizabeth, as The Owl Stars. 

Attention turns to radio, both large wattage, low wattage with The Radiator from Burlington and college radio, including WWPV, where Eric D. hosted a show for four years from 1998 to 2002. 

Eric D's desire to share more music has led to the creation of a private Facebook group called 'Long Tall Road', which is meant to share underground music and events in Northern Vermont.
You can request to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1940349699560254/  Don't miss Tyler Childers and Anderson East coming to Higher Ground soon. 

They discuss CDs and the Live Music Archive (http://www.archive.org) and nugs.net and how the distribution model has changed in the music industry.

Songwriting gets discusssed, after Eric D. hears Chris Stapleton for the first time with Justin Timberlake on the CMA in 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSfQw-Qhr14 and recently listened to him on the Joe Rogan podcast (which you can listen to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26JaoS-zbz8) 

Eric D. attended Higher Ground's debut show on April 15, 1998, where Everything and Agents of Good Roots played.  They chat through some of the behemoths of the Vermont music scene over the years, including Phish, Belizbeha, Smokin' Grass, viperHouse, Twiddle and Seth Yacovone.

National touring acts get touched on, including The Tedeschi Trucks Bands and The Wood Brothers, who played together in Essex Junction, VT in 2017. Eric D. recollects seeing Smooth Hound Smith opening for The Record Company at Higher Ground and The Barr Brothers, who Andrew was recently introduced to by Eric D. 

Venues get discussed including the Stowe Performing Arts Center (RIP), the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds, the Shelburne Museum and the Lake Champlain Waterfront in downtown Burlington, ArtsRiot, Nectar's, Radio Bean and the Light Club Lamp Shop.

The City of Burlington, all 50,000 people of it, is addressed, including the beauty and draw that the Queen City is. Andrew reminiscises about seeing Dr. Dog in the early days and Eric D. talks seeing The California Honeydrops recently as well as seeing Deep Banana Blackout way back twenty years ago. 

Please give us a follow on Twitter or Instagram at @RiffOnPodcast and a like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RiffOnPodcast/

Podcast: Episode #000

Subtitle: Riff On What?

Post Date: December 12, 2017

Hosts: Andrew James and Eric D. 

Show Notes: Co-hosts Andrew James (@OneWhoSeesDimly) and Eric D. (@HopSnobbery) launch their podcast, Riff On, with episode 000, titled 'Riff On What'.  

Riff, in it's most common definition is a noun and defined as a short repeated phrase in popular music and jazz, typically used as an introduction or refrain in a song. As Andy is a singer/songwriter and Eric D. is a self-confessed musical snob, this definition fits them well.  However, riff is also a verb and can be defined as a monologue or spoken improvisation, especially a humorous one, on a particular subject.
"subsequent riffs on the same themes fail to amuse"

So, Riff On will be about both of these definitions.  

We're going to talk music. And beer. And sports. And Vermont. And social media. And marketing. And pop culture. And more music. And more beer. And more sports. And really any subject that catches our eye or brain.

Please give us a follow on Twitter or Instagram at @RiffOnPodcast and a like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RiffOnPodcast

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