Chris Forsyth at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee on November 2, 2022

Guitarist Chris Forsyth was born in 1973 and grew up in New Jersey. His musical journey has been marked by a fusion of genres, blending elements of rock, psychedelia, and experimental music to create a sound that is both unique and highly satisfying.

Here is a fiery recording from Chris and band from November 2022 at the legendary Cactus Club in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee

One of Forsyth's most interesting characteristics is his ability to navigate between structured compositions and improvisational passages. His guitar work is infused with intricate fingerpicking, dynamic shifts, and a strong sense of melody.

In addition to his solo work, Forsyth has collaborated with a diverse array of musicians such as William Tyler, Ryley Walker, and Meg Baird.

Forsyth's discography is exceptionally strong. Beyond his studio recordings, Forsyth is renowned for his live performances, many of which you can find on his bandcamp page. 

For this tour, he co-headlined with Meg Baird, each artist using the same core backing band of Doug McCombs on bass and Ryan Jewell on drums.

Thanks so much to Chris for going out of his way to help tapers and to request FOH sound engineer Alex to provide me with a board feed.

Buy his latest album here.

Recording information:

CHRIS FORSYTH

2022-11-02 

Milwaukee, WI 

Cactus Club

Chris Forsyth: guitar and vocal

Doug McCombs: bass

Ryan Jewell: drums 

Charlie Saufley: guitar (on track 7)

Source: SBD (stereo) + mics on 8 foot stand at mixing board

Microphones: Line CM3 (ORTF)

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre 6ii at 32bit float, 96kHz

Software: Audacity, xAct, Fission

Set list:

01 Tomorrow Might As Well Be Today (3:45)

02 You’re Going To Need Somebody [Richard Thompson] (4:14)

03 Bad Moon Risen (5:08)

04 Experimental & Professional (9:02)

05 Heaven For A Few (8:18)

06 Long Beach Idyll (8:03)

07 Robot Energy Machine (15:38)

Total time = 54:08

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (340 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (127 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Acid Mothers Temple at the Milwaukee Psych Fest on April 13, 2019

After sharing my recording of Acid Mothers Temple at last year's Psych Fest, I realized that I still had not yet shared my recording of these Japanese psych rock veterans at the 2019 Psych Fest.

This performance was the culmination of another brilliant festival programmed by Andrew Shelp. Although small in square feet, this festival has the right to be considered one of the highest quality music festivals in the country. The number of bands I have discovered at this festival is almost unbelievable to me.

Buy one of their recent albums here.

Recording information:

ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE
2019-04-13
Milwaukee, WI at the Cooperage
Milwaukee Psych Fest VII

Kawabata Makoto: guitar
Higashi Hiroshi: synthesizer
Jyonson Tsu: vocal, bouzouki, guitar
Wolf: bass
Atoshima Nani: drums


Tracklist:
01 Blue Velvet Blues -> Dark Star Blues (19:59)
02 Disco Pink Lady Lemonade -> OM Riff -> Pink Lady Lemonade coda (25:03)
03 Cometary Orbital Drive (14:06)

Total time = 59:08

Microphone: Superluxe S502 (fixed ORTF)
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6 at 24/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (368 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (135 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Bitchin' Bajas at Colectivo Back Room in Milwaukee on December 15, 2023

One of the most interesting bands in Chicago over the past decade has been the Bitchin' Bajas. Despite their somewhat goofy name, the trio (Cooper Crain, Dan Quinlivan, and Rob Frye) are dead serious in their approach to musical explorations.

 

Drawing inspiration from the so-called Berlin school of electronics (1970s synth pioneers such as Klaus Schulze) as well as jazz artists such as Sun Ra, the Bajas spun a mesmerizing web of melodies over an hour or so of the concert.

 

This was the last concert ever at this venue and I will not be missing seeing shows here. From super talkative crowds to security staff who seem to approach recording gear as something akin to high-level explosives (and permission to tape as something impossibly difficult to comprehend), my history at the venue has been somewhat unfortunate.

Despite all this, the show was amazing.

Buy their latest album here.

Recording information:

BITCHIN’ BAJAS
2023-12-15
Milwaukee, WI at Colectivo Back Room

Cooper Crain: synthesizers
Dan Quinlivan: synthesizers
Rob Frye: synthesizers, sax

Setlist:

01 Unknown Title (14:30)
02 Unknown Title (5:34)
03 Unknown Title (7:24)
04 Unknown Title (7:18)
05 Unknown Title (11:20)
06 Unknown Title (11:58)
07 Unknown Title (9:46)

Total time = 67:50

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC 930 in ORTF on stand
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (325 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (107 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible