10 years seems like such a long time but yet it goes by so fast and so much has happened in those 10 years. There were 2 graduations (high school and college), starting work and realizing that it wasn’t for me, and one of the most important happenings, the birth & growth of the EmpyreLounge.com. So is this some kind of reminiscing story about this site? Why is this whole intro built around 10 years? Well the answer is pretty simple, 10 years ago a CD came out that redefined my musical taste. The loud guitars and long solos that had previously defined my taste was gone and replaced with a much more earthy quality. You see this is the 10 year anniversary of Rusted Root’s major label debut, When I Woke. Well the Root is still around and putting out great music and one of the best live shows.

   With 2003 winding down, we knew there was only one way to take the year out with a bang. Braving the two hour drive, we head down to the Recher Theater in Towson, MD for what was sure to be another great show by Rusted Root. The night before, the band played a two set show in their hometown of Pittsburgh with the whole second set being the entire When I Woke CD. Would that repeat the set and give the fans a belated holiday present?

   Setting the pace for the night was the set opener, “Artificial Winter,” a song that just keeps getting better and better every time I see them play it. The set was pretty similar to what I have seen in the last year and stuck mostly to their latest CD, Welcome to my Party. “Weave” and “Too Much” have never sounded better as the vocals of Jenn Wertz and Liz Berlin filled the theater. Other high points of the first set were the unreleased “Jack Kerouac,” and the surprising “Women Got my Money.”

   After a very short break the band came back on stage and launched right into another drum trip? This could only mean one thing as the band went right into “Ecstasy” and “Send Me on My Way.” Usually that is the end of the show but when the band kept going after “Send Me on My Way,” it was apparent that we were in for a treat as we were getting to see When I Woke played in its entirety. It was great listening to the songs in their original tracking order and definitely a cool idea and treat for the fans. Highlights included “Ecstasy,” “Send Me on My Way,” “Cat Turned Blue,” and “Food & Creative Love.”

   The band sounded as great as they always do and the energy for the second set was tremendous. From the strong backbone of Patrick Norman (bass) & Jim Donovan (drums), to the soaring voices of Liz Berlin & Jenn Wertz; the percussion and all around sounds of John Buynak to the main voice of RR, Michael Glabicki; a Rusted Root show has it all. Hopefully in another couple years we get to watch the Remember tour and get to hear that fabulous CD from start to finish…or at least “Sister Contine” once in Philly, do I have to beg? We just want to say thank you for ten great years and hoping to many more to come.

 – Scott Hamilton

Agree or Disagree??? Let me know what you think, email me at hamilton@empyrelounge.com