2009 Setlists

My after birthday show
Yesterday was my birthday and I had such an awesome time with my family and friends. My mom brought me some cutie clothes and got a cake, my coworker got me a few awesome things, and my boyfriend took me out to see a movie all in all is was a pretty awesome day. But today has nothing to do with my birthday it has to do with Ekoostik! For all those that don't know Ekoostik is one of my top three favorite bands ever in my life that I've seen over a hundred times and travelled near and far for. They are a really awesome Ohio grown band that has a freaky unique style of music that consists of rock, jam, bluegrass, and you know it just is what it is: Ekoostik style. Ekoostik style is the rough yet harmonious vocals of John Mullins and him sometimes forgetting his lyrics, the always mind melting soulful twangs of Steve Sweney's guitar the sound as if the guitars a vocalist in itself, the always funky bass jam of Cliff Starbuck or the way he plays the harmonica like it's a body function and him sometimes forgetting his lyrics, Eric Lanese's boom in your chest beat of the drum but ever melodious thunder in his voice and yet again hard rock Harley driving side, and Dave Katz intoxicating voice and the way he plays his piano like making love to a sexy lady sometimes soft and slow, and sometimes rough and dirty. We have gone through many trials and tribulations with our fellows, good times and great times. I've been traveling to see Ekoostik for the past 7-8 years and that's not even a lot compared some people. We are a tight knit group of people. I've made many long lasting friends that I consider my family. Traveling around with Kellyjo and brookie, attempting cheerleading costumes with Allie, going to ville after ville festival after festival, listening to the ever wise words of Nem, getting bear hugs from BrotherMike, always looking up to Liz and Corrine, being jealous of the photos that Chris takes, riding a bus to Georgia with all the crazies there are too many too even mention. Over the years I've gotten to know the members of the band and their families as well and consider them my family. Anyway what was I talking about again, oh yeah the hookah concert. So I woke up today alone since Joel had to work early and I'm giddy but there's no one here to share. As soon as I heard his key in the door I jumped for joy and skipped down the stairs. I was going to ask him if he remembered what today was but I hadn't let him forget for the past few weeks so I settled with a kiss. I cashed my check, paid some bills, watched Joel play Mario tennis while I put on makeup and doused myself with black glitter then we were on our way. Being a hookahhead through and through I knew that the show was at headliners instead of the before planned Civic Theater. I wanted to be there at 9:00 but we didn't end up getting there till 9:30. Of course we made the usual bet of when hookah was going to go on, I always think it's going to be earlier and Joel always knows it isn't. He said he knew that they weren't going to be on when we got there and he was so positive he took the long way to prove it too me. The whole way I kept asking "are you lost, are you lost". We finally did arrive and so did hookah and it was lights camera action time. How else can I describe Ekoostik except to say fun was defiantly had by all! The first set finally let me release that bouncing energy that I had built up over the past weeks but it had enough slow moments to not let me burn completely out. Tumblin defiantly is always a great way to start the show. I once again floated my way to my front designated spot, if you don't know its Katz side for me. I was always bouncing even in while unhealthily smoking "What, u guys don't know how to slither like a Serpentine?" I was singing and dancing while smoking, waiting in line for my beer, and even in the bathroom. The guys appeared to be really enjoying themselves and that always makes the shows so much better. They really seemed to be in sync with each other. As soon as I got up front, saw Dave and he wished me Happy Birthday before going into the next song I knew this was going to be a fun one. Deep River blues was a great added feature because I always love hearing Eric sing, his voice was smooth like butter. In the clouds sent my head floating up to the risers. The soul in Dave's voice like put me in a trance that felt like a dream. Then John took it into stuck in the snow and I felt like a zombie but instead of brains I feed on intense lyrical content and deep meaning. Too much metaphor, I'll try my best to stop but it's so hard. Sheepdog was like icing on my birthday cake. It seemed like you could hear more feet stomping then Eric's drumming. I always feel like I'm at some crazy psycadelic hoedown where all the people are cover in tie-dye and patchwork yet still slapping their knees and doe see doeing. At one point I literally had to stop to breathe, damn cigarettes. I used the little I had left to boogie to shadane then got relieved when john said they were taking a break. I needed to sit for a minute, hey what can I say, I just turned 25 the day before I'm old. Joel jokingly said "I got my Sheepdog, I'm ready to go." I just laughed, he knew there was no way he was dragging me out till the fat lady sings or at least till the encore. Black Mamba started off the next set of what I thought was just pure magic. Before the show Joel and I made a bet on a game of Mario Tennis, If he won he would have full control of the show. I mean full control like where to stand, when to go up front, and gasp how much beer I could drink and the bet was vice versa. Can you tell who won? I used the bet to my advantage so by long way home I was up front center Dave side, the best side. Take that! Just kidding. Anyway carry on, Isis set us raging. Cliff was on point and at one point he used his head bandana to channel Jimi and took his bass all the way to the ground and brought it back up. He plucked his bass with fury and spit the harmonica with so much intensity. I was up front with a girl that made me giggle. She had a teeny tiny loner sign and she was trying to show Dave. Being the queen of the signs, I told her she needed it to be a bit bigger if she wanted to get his attention, then we jumped up and got his attention. The crowd was going crazy bananas by the time that here today started we all were on a definite cloud nine. The guys must have thought that all the bouncing built up an appetite because before we got to gone tomorrow we had a scrumptious bit of loner in there. Yummy! Many of you know me well and you know I don't like to be touched, stranger wise, and I stand my ground and I'm stubborn! So needless to say when a super drunk old bald guy came up and wacked me right in the head to get to Dave it was more than I could handle. I'm a Katz side girl but I'll hold my ground like those crazy Sweney siders. So as he was winding up for air POW number two, I grabbed him by the arms and said "If you touch me again ill punch you in the face." Joel was right behind me and seemed a bit nervous that he was going to have to defend me in a fight, but without blinking an eye I started dancing it up again like nothing ever happened. By the end of loner I turned and that guy was completely gone, score one for me. After loner we were expecting a slow again but that didn't happen when they added the cheese to our sandwich by playing grass. Grass made us fly high and finishing loner then gone tomorrow, the here today was earlier, we were all stuffed to the brim. Of course during reciprocity Joel wanted to smoke but he doesn't understand the meaning it has for me. My first Ekoostik album ever was dubbabuddah; I listened to that CD for literally a year straight before I got another one. That CD was dust when I was through with it so he definitely didn't get cigarette time. By the time reciprocity was over he was fiending for a cigarette and they had said goodnight but in hookah tradition we knew the encore was coming soon. After a couple minutes of "Hoooooooooooooooooookah" Steve came back out and with the first minute of playing I knew what was coming. And when I die isnt one of the songs I requested but that's ok because it is one of my top five. After finishing my exercising for the night I blew Dave air kisses and we went on our way, what can I say I was exhausted! All in all hookah was on point, the crowd was full of devoted fans and my hookah belly was full, defiantly satisfying!

What a show.....
This was my second Hookah show at the newport, and it was killer!! Sun goes down, Serpentine, Freedom, Loopers, Waterbear into black mamba!!! What a set it was!!! Very few mistakes, if any, great sound, love'd every minute of it.

BEST DAY EVER
This was the day I got married. My wife contacted Eric, Got us backstage. I danced to HOOKAH in my tux. THANK YOU EKOOSTIK HOOKAH

Dream show!? Can it be!?!?!?
I was at the camp site when i heard Carousel flow from the stage and the dream show had begun!!! Great set, personnally not my dream show, but a very big chunk of it. Some tech. problems with Johns guitar and the lights, but it was all part of the show. Although i don't remember some of these songs the show was again, one of my favorites. Utopia would have been a nice addition, regardless, awesome show!

a fun one!
was happy to have both voted and attended this show! was absolutely floored when XTC ended up being the #1 tune....oh well. aside from the sound issues at the beginning it was a solid show.

Blossom Fri!
The weekend started off on an odd note. The boards were on fire with speculation of cop city due to the unfortunate circumstances that had apparently happened the weekend before that some people were even debating on not going. Not us though, no measly cop is going to keep my Ekoostik from me as I had announced many times before this was my Jamaica, hookah being just recently back from their trip that I could not quite afford. The first set started us off in a Green way then they sent us to the Heavens, to mergatroid that is, a funky Mullins song that gets everyone pumped! When we got to the stage the crowd was sparse but as the song progressed the crowd seemed to grow bigger and bigger people came out of the woodworks, I guess others weren’t going to be frightened away either. As Walk real slow came on I started to notice some new things about Nelsons ledges and the stage area. They of course put newer sand down for our tootsies to walk on which is great for those who like to take their shoes off like me. They also seemed to have put in new speakers on each side of the band, nice ones loud ones! Also the added a laser to shine on the top of the stage in random patterns and waves right where the tapestry hangs above. Evan really spit shined the place up for all of us so let me be the first to say THANK YOU! Walk real slow jazzed and slowly creped by but I would have to say that Dave’s voice was on point, very melodious and yet had a rustic experienced sound as well. Sleepfast brought the vibe back up to a bouncing float. It felt as if everyone was on their toes, we had all been eagerly waiting for the spring hookah at the ledges and it was finally here. As Sleepfast ended the screams screeches and squeals proved to me that we were all home again. Coming back to me was like the boys were telling us yes in fact we were home. The thumping rhythm had us all twirling and jumping. Breathe a sigh of relief everyone, festival season is among us. City of New Orleans is always a treat and I just love how they don’t always save the covers for encore. You could feel the soul in Mullins voice and Daves was like adding cream to black coffee as they paid tribute to a legend. Sweney’s solo was another awesome little tidbit making the song an overall phenomenon. It was almost as if you could hear the entire crowd singing along, we were all in sync with one and other. Peter Tosh’s Burial come next and it paid homage to their recent trip to Jamaica. Cliff’s voice sounded great, I still to this day look as his small frame and not expect a voice that big to come out. The funky Jamaican jam had us saying pass the dutchie, but not to that guy he’s a cop all speculation of course. Next came a song more on the bluegrass side of the field with Silver train, a song that always makes me want to travel the world more. Chicago came next and it is one of those jams that start off on a slower side but crescendos to be a huge number. Riding with the king was last and it was a great way to end the first set. Way of the world started off our second set off on another great note. Steeped into to tears proved the phenomenal power of the Mullins lyrical content which lead us right into a huge almost ten minute helping of yummy Voodoo Stew. For those hungry bellies that still weren’t completely satisfied yet we got our first lyrical sandwich with Intrepid Traveler a extremely tasty bit of Ol’ John Henry in the middle and the finishing touches of Intrepid Traveler. Without any recover time from that we were hit right upside the head with yet another Sammy. Loner is starting to become one of those songs that everyone and their brother know all the words to and we all proved that true when Dave handed off the mike to the crowd and had us finish the opening. As if we were all singular parts of the band we did our part and sang it as loud as we could with incredible heart and soul. They smooshed Loner with another of all Ohio folk’s favorite songs: Ohio Grown. It exclaims the best way to describe this place that sometimes feels as if a prison to us but when were gone for awhile is like heaven on earth. The end of Loner was like a great ending to a phenomenal set! That wasn’t the end yet with a little teaser they left and came back for the encore of Rocky Mountain Way then sent us all to bed. Wow what a night I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us tomorrow.

Blossom was a Blast!
My first time ever at the ledges, and it was so amazing!! Seeing the beautiful land and hookah at the same time was a dream come true!!!! My memory is a little fuzzy but i will never forget this weekend.

Blossom Sat!
Saturday started off turbulent mainly because the wind felt as if it was going to lift us up in our tents like when Dorothy was on her way to oz. With the wind aside the day was absolutely amazing the sun was high and warm, the quarry was soft and chill and the polar bears were out in full force. Polar bears? Yes a group of fire blooded individuals actually jumped the cliff of the ledges into the ice cold water below. The day consisted of dancing and swaying to the assortment of bands, frolicking on the beach, hooping around, or just relaxing baking in the sun. When the sun started setting I saw the beach was abuzz with things going on. Being a veteran of Blossom I knew what was coming soon: the skydivers. Every year they have a couple sky divers fly or I guess fall down from an air plane right onto the beach. It’s a phenomenal site to see the precision that these guys possess in order to get on the right timing and direction to land right on the beach. As soon as they landed and all that mayhem ended hookah took stage and we were all ready to start again for another night. Mullins started our feet out stomping the ground with Washboard Annie then took us into a great version of Thumper. Next they took us on a journey down the Raging River and the guys were on point. Steve’s solo was amazing as always and they really seem to be enjoying this old/new song. After that we heard an actual new song with the new Mullins tune All fall in dreams. Dave came on after to lets us know not to let it get us down because there will always be a Brighter Day. After I felt almost all bounced out Mullins brought they level down a bit with Bluebird which is becoming one of my all time favorite Mullins songs. Mexican opera is always a treat and Three way street kept the tone on a very chill level. Sun goes down was a great way to end the second set off with a bang, jump, knee slap, and bounce. After a short break they started us off again with Ballad of Sam McCully that got us really moving and going. Backwoods rose kept us bouncing off the walls and boogieing. Next was the first Red Newt of 09’ and it Cliff sounded great vocally and on the harmonica. Cripple creek ferry slowed everything down again to a calm trickle like a nice slow float. They brought us back up again to end it with a great mix of Waterbear and Black Mamba that lasted a good thirty minutes of face melting jam. The mix of Dave, John, and Cliff on Waterbear honestly to me sounded a bit off but the harmonies of Black Mamba made up for it. They finished on stage and left to many yells and screams of hookah! They came back on to attempt the Simon and Garfunkel classic Scarborough Fair which to me fell a bit flat but I heard that technical difficulties made it that way and next time it will be on point. I applauded the guys for their attempt on an extremely vocally difficult song. Might I add please don’t play it as an encore, it’s a great song but an encore song it isn’t! Party girl always brings the tempo up on a raunchier note and Keepin’ time ended the weekend on a foot stompin, knee slappin, toe taping, and downright raging fun! It was a great weekend full of friends, family, sun, wind, love peace and happiness. The whole cop situation only dampened the situation slightly but it was not enough to keep us hookahheads down. The weekend in total was a great way to start out a wonderful summer full of music, camping and fun and I personally can’t wait! Let it all begin!

Blossom was a Blast!
Day 2 of blossom fun! Waterbear and black mamba was awesome, the whole show was amazing. This was my first time at the ledges, and what a better way to do it than with the Schwa boys! A weekend of endless fun will not soon be forgotten.

First Hookahville, First time at the Ranch!!!!!!
My memory is kinda fuzzy from the Hookahville madness, but my first time at the Ville and the Ranch wont be forgotten! I do remeber the boys havin fun with the intro to Serpentine. the whole show was sweet, can't wait to be back!

First Hookahville also
It was the best show i've ever been to, cannot wait for the next one, deffinatly gonna see these guys whenever I can in the future, including in 11 days at Hookahville 32!

Drunk as all hell
I was at this great venue for two days and loved every min. of the show. I knew I had seen someone tape this but I had thought it was not going to ever show up. Everyone knew that John was drunk as a skunk and listening to the Devil and me is an example. I didn't hear much missing in his playing until the end. I had though the missing on the lyrics was mic problems. Unfortunately this is not the case. This was real short set for hookah standards. The devil=jagerbombs on this one. The show from the next night is a better improvement. When the background vox come in you cannot even hear john. I am not disrespecting john as he is my favorite member of the band. Everyone was real upset when they finished after such a short set. John made it up the next night with a wonder set. Thanks for posting this and now I can listen to both shows back to back and remember the great time I had at Hog Hill. Met some great people. I was hot as hell was the only real complaint. This set was too short by time we got done eating the BBq they were stuck in the snow or the jager. Still love you John and you did good the next night.

The girls 3rd show!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All i can say is my niece eva didnt want to leave 2nd set when my mom wanted to go home, she cried her eyes out lol i would have too though! Great show, phenomenal crowd, and i just love it when they break the soundsystem! Thanks for rockin it again fellas

water-jig
i must say the best segway i have ever seen the boys do i couldnt believe what was going on really good job guys by chance did anyone record it i know it was crappy outside so im not sure if anyone could

Harvest Show=Spectacular
We had a kick ass time; the band rocked for nearly 4 hours both night pouring rain && cold... purely awesome

NYE 2009
cliff's "last" show with the band was, as expected, one to remember. for some of us! haha..some meories include solo's and duo's and banjo's. SFS played some sick-nasty acoustic Monnett. was nice to hear everyone do their own thing. there was cliff's funny hats and his funky boogie break down dancing :)...it was a rare blue moon and the theme was put to use with "circle of the moon", "hide behind the moon", and "blue moon of kentucky." there were dueling double bass features and the sickest "sister sugar" of the decade took place. of course there was some harmonica in there. other song highlights, for me, include "thumper" and "green." it was nice to have the added elements..especially the sax. but i am biased on that one. love me some horn action!! overall, was most definetely the way bring in 2010. thanks boys!

NYE
What a great show! A little bittersweet but a good show! The energy never stopped!