Sunburned Hand of the Man at the Milwaukee Psych Fest on April 13, 2019

Sunburned Hand of the Man is a large collective of improvising musicians formed about 30 years ago in Boston. They have released a staggering 200 albums, most of which are available on their Bandcamp website. The band frequently incorporates friends and guest musicians, so that the list of past members of the band is preposterously long.

    

Given the breadth of their catalog, it is pretty much impossible to properly categorize their music, which I think is wonderful. On this day in April at the Psych Fest, they performed an evocative 37-minute piece which was apparently largely improvised and featured lyrics centered around the topic of Death.

The 2019 Milwaukee Psych Fest was the first I taped in an open manner. At that point I was running back and forth between the indoor stage and outdoor set (where this set happened). I missed a lot that way, and for later Psych Fests I utilized two setups so as not to miss anything.

Check out their massive and wonderful catalog here.

Recording information:

SUNBURNED HAND OF THE MAN
2019-04-13
The Cooperage
Milwaukee Psych Fest

Setlist:
01 Untitled (37:11)

Total time = 37:11

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 in ORTF on stand
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6 at 24/96
Software: Audacity, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (152 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (103 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Sunburned Hand of the Man at the Milwaukee Psych Fest on May 6, 2023

The origins of Sunburned Hand of the Man can be traced back to the vibrant underground music scene of Boston. The original core members, including John Moloney, Robert Thomas, and Paul LaBrecque, shared a passion for pushing the boundaries of traditional musical genres and in 2002 they officially came together to form a band.

The group operates as a loosely organized collective, with members coming and going based on availability and artistic inspiration. This fluidity has allowed the group to constantly evolve, keeping their music fresh and unpredictable.

Musically, Sunburned Hand of the Man defies easy categorization. Their sound is a melting pot of influences, blending elements of free jazz, psychedelia, folk, and noise into a unpredictable sonic tapestry. Improvisation plays a crucial role in their creative process, with each performance taking on a life of its own.

From the early days of self-released albums to collaborations with independent labels, Sunburned Hand of the Man has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is considered conventional music. Albums like Headdress and Fire Escape showcase their ability to create immersive sonic landscapes, while live recordings capture the raw energy and spontaneity of their performances.

The recording information is as follows:

SUNBURNED HAND OF THE MAN
2023-05-06
Milwaukee, WI at the Cooperage
Milwaukee Psych Fest VIII

Shannon Ketch: vocals, synth 
Wednesday Knudsen: sax, synth, flute, vocals
John Moloney: percussion, recorder, loops 
Ron Schneiderman: guitar, percussion, flute
Gary War: synth, octatrack 
Matthew J Rolin: guitar

Jen Powers - keys

Ian St. George - guitar

Tracklist:
01 Untitled (33:55)

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in NOS on stand in balcony next to mixing desk
Additional source: mono SBD feed from Behringer X32
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (184 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (78 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible