Oysterhead to perform Saturday

By Ayall Sagi
Staff Writer

Imagine three virtuosos, already financially and critically successful, who just want to jam.

And jam they will at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Elliott Hall of Music.

Oysterhead is guitarist Trey Anastasio from Phish, bassist Les Claypool from Primus and drummer Stewart Copeland, formerly of the Police.

The band originated at last year's New Orleans Jazz Fest, where the supergroup jammed for fun and immediately clicked. Then the three artists got together at Anastasio's Vermont barn, where they began recording their first album together. "The Grand Pecking Order" has been favorably reviewed since its release Oct. 2.

Hunter White, a sophomore in the Schools of Engineering, has seen Anastasio perform several times. He said knowing that Anastasio majored in music from the University of Vermont makes him feel that Anastasio can "manipulate the guitar in anyway that he wants."

"Trey is definitely the best guitarist playing right now, and even though his main connection with Phish is what he is known for," White said, "I've seen him by himself on solo tours and he still steals the show away even without Phish to rely on."

Nick Richardson, a sophomore in the School of Agriculture, is also a believer.

"Trey has an astonishing ability to play fluently in many different genres of music," said Richardson. "The music Trey helped make with Phish is very different than the music he is currently making with Oysterhead, but ultimately the goal in the end is the same."

Richard Knapp, a junior in the School of Liberal Arts, considers Claypool to be the most influential musical artist in his life.

"Les has one of the most unique styles and techniques in the world," he said. "There are very few musicians in the world who can play up to par with Les Claypool, as for bassists."

Claypool is well known for writing music with the bass guitar as the lead instrument, which is shown in his past musical pieces with Primus.

"On top of providing great lead parts that get the song going, he also provides a good rhythm section to support a band of that caliber," Knapp said.

Rcihardson, who has seen Claypool perform before, feels that he is the Frank Zappa of bassists.

Richardson said, "On stage, Les shares the same theatrics as Frank Zappa, being half comedian and great musician."

Jim Malooley, a sophomore in the Schools of Engineering, has confidence in the new group. "I've seen Les and Trey solo live, and they are both very good. I expect the show to be excellent," he said.

White agreed, saying, "I think that the combination of Trey, the best guitarist right now, and Les, the best bassist right now … you can't expect anything to go bad."

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