Over the past year, I’ve worked as Live For Live Music’s videographer, traveling around the country to film and share videos of countless concerts. As 2017 winds to an end, here is the second part of a two-part series dedicated to collecting my favorite clips from the past twelve months. Also, in 2018, I will be focusing more of my energies on raising money for children stuck in months-long hospital visits. Click here for more information and to donate. Enjoy the videos below!

A Year In Review: Rex-A-Vision 2017 Video Wrap-Up (Part 1)

The Russ Liquid Test | New Tune | 6/2/17 | Purple Hatter’s Ball

This video from the Russ Liquid Test stands out, as the balance between the electronica and on-the-spot live instrumentation is excellent.

Clusterpluck All-Stars | “Midnight Rider-Amos Moses-Sailing Shoes-Holy Ghost Building” | 6/23/17 | Clusterpluck

Leftover Salmon‘s Drew Emmitt and the mayor of the “FestiVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL” land himself, Vince Herman, know how to organize a pick-off. This is what happens when you add Larry and Jenny Keel, the entire Jon Stickley Trio, and the Rev. Jeff Mosier to the mix!

moe. | “The Chain” | 6/30/17 | moe.down Music Festival

After a two-year hiatus, we were all overjoyed to see the return of the moe.down music festival and the promise of three straight nights of long sets and guest stars. The video version of Fleetwood Mac‘s “The Chain” below saw Hayley Jane and Ryan Montbleau joining the band for an impassioned take on the 70’s classic.

moe. | “We Are famoe.ly” | 7/1/17 | moe.down Music Festival

moe.down’s traditional day set, the annual “Kids Parade,” and the subsequent takeover of the stage is one of the best moe.ments each festival. This year, bassist Rob Derhak’s daughter led on vocals and charmed even the hardest of hearts with this disco-era fave!

Elephant Revival | “Have A Cigar” | 7/14/17 | Northwest String Summit

This clip of Elephant Revival covering Pink Floyd‘s “Have A Cigar” is the result of a variety of botched attempts to film the band doing their hushed and reverent version of the tune finally working out.

Yonder Mountain String Band | “Echoes” | 7/15/17 | Northwest String Summit

For close to two decades now, Yonder Mountain String Band has hosted the Northwest String Summit at Horning’s Hideout just outside Portland, Oregon. The band always pulls out something special for the crowd and this year was no exception, thanks to their nearly spot-on cover of the Pink Floyd classic “Echoes.”

Todd Snider | “The Ballad Of The Kingsman Trio” | 7/16/17 | Northwest String Summit

A native to the region, Todd Snider brought his idiosyncratic blend of song and wryly observational tall tale to the Northwest String Summit. He won hearts and minds of new fans and plastered appreciative smiles on the faces of those already hip to his music with this iconic tale of government hysteria at its finest.

Sideboob | “Straight Up” | 7/13/17 | Northwest String Summit

The ladies of the Shook Twins teamed with Allie Kral of Yonder and seemingly every other lady on the Northwest String Summit’s lineup for a GIRL! power tribute to 90’s classics. The sing-a-longs alone made this one of the best sets of the weekend!

Greensky Bluegrass with Sam Bush | “The Four-Bringing In the Georgia Mail” | 8/18/17 | Hoxeyville

Hoxeyville has sort of become, by default, a Greensky festival, and watching them play host and welcome heroes like Sam Bush onstage makes it all the better. The delight shown by Anders Beck as he trades licks with Sam Bush simply can’t be faked.

Greensky Bluegrass with Larry Keel | “Rain Jam” | 8/18/17 | Hoxeyville

I filmed this during a raging storm that caused Greensky Bluegrass’ Larry Keel Hoxeyville sit-in to go from a full-band electric affair to a guitars-only defiance of the elements.

Porter, Skerik & Dillon | “Is It Nature’s Rock N’ Roll?-Ain’t No Sunshine” | 9/23/17 | Brooklyn Comes Alive

When you put together the funkiest man alive, George Porter Jr., and the improvisational funk madmen, Mike Dillon and Skerik, you get a once-in-a-lifetime blend of in-the-moment music that speaks to many folks’ cores. Turn it up, and let these guys speak truths you haven’t heard.

Herbie Hancock Tribute | “Hang Up Your Hangups” | 9/24/17 | Brooklyn Comes Alive

One of the coolest aspects of the Brooklyn Comes Alive festival is the mix-and-match nature of the event. Rather than booking bands, they book artists, often pairing them with other players they generally wouldn’t or haven’t stood alongside in the past. To help promote some sort of structure, they often use legendary artists to serve as a musical common cause and to guide the set . With that in mind, check out the action on this Herbie Hancock jam from BCA.

Roosevelt Collier | “Amazing Grace-Churchin'” | 9/23/17 | Brooklyn Comes Alive

The death of Charles Bradley cast a dark cloud over the Brooklyn Comes Alive Festival—at least until sacred steel wizard Roosevelt Collier got onstage and took the crowd to church. Mixing “Amazing Grace “alongside more traditional hymns is a specialty of Collier’s, and he showed a dexterity of the body and spirit that will serve him well on his path to true greatness.

Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn | “BanjoMingle.com” | 10/12/17 | Roots Revival

I had to include this hilarious interaction between the husband-and-wife banjo (and apparently comedy) duo of Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn. The music they made was, as always, heartfelt and lush. But the silliness and execution they showed on their impromptu banjo dating site testimonial was as good as anything they did with their instruments.

The Wood Brothers | “River Takes The Town” | 10/14/17 | Roots Revival

For this Wood Brothers tune, the band tipped me off to make sure to be on time and recording early, as this was a brand-new song that they wanted people to be able to hear after the show!

Col. Bruce Hampton Tribute | “I’m So Glad” | 10/15/17 | Roots Revival

The second and final Col Bruce Hampton tribute on the list comes from the closing-day Suwannee Roots Revival set filled with his friends and past bandmates. They closed down they proceedings with a fittingly time Col Bruce classic, a rollicking cover of “I’m So Glad” that had everyone in the Spirit Of The Suwannee either fighting back tears or getting down and dirty on the dance floor. Heck, I’m pretty sure if you look close enough you can see folks doing both.

Umphrey’s McGee | “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” | 10/26/17 | Hulaween

In a year of stellar Pink Floyd covers, this Umphrey’s McGee rendition of  “Shine On” will go down as the heaviest by far. The band literally shook the land—though the EDM act on the main stage might have had something to do with that…

Ween | “Take Me Away” | 10/30/17 | Hulaween

Ween might not be for everybody, but I bet they have at least one song everyone loves. This version of “Take Me Away” seemed to be the crowd favorite of what I managed to record, so hopefully, the broad smiles and bliss I saw on the faces around me will end up on your faces as well.

String Cheese Incident | Cover Set | Hulaween

This is another one of those “You had to be there” moments for me. While filming these tunes, a wonderful crew of volunteers helped me fight off giant inflatables so I could film the mayhem from as close as safety and sanity would permit! Thanks to all of those who made these videos possible, but to that bunch of loonies in particular!

The Benevento/Russo Duo with Mike Gordon | “Scratchitti” | 10/27/17 | Hulaween

The crowd at Hulaween got a super special treat during the festival when bassist Mike Gordon of Phish joined The Benevento Russo Duo for a smokin’ version of “Scrachitti.”

Yonder Mountain String Band | “Don’t Fear The Reaper” | 10/31/17

I got to the show early to say hi to the Yonder Mountain String Band and heard them rehearsing a few special covers for the Halloween show that was coming, including this Blue Oyster Cult classic. The added bonus of their long-serving sound man on cowbell during the song was comedy gold though.

North Mississippi All-Stars | “You Got To Move-Need To Be Free-Meet Me In The City” | 11/18/17 | Big Orange Festival

This trio of jams from The North Mississippi All-Stars is included for more than just their kick-ass sound. It was truly wonderful to film such great music with such a lovely sunset behind the stage!

Karl Denson | “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” | 11/18/17 | Big Orange Festival

Karl Denson and his backing band, Tiny Universe, have booked a number of Allman Brothers tribute shows for next year, including a highly anticipated one for next year’s Wanee Music Festival. With such high profile versions of this show coming up soon, it was fun to get this little taste of what the sax player and his crack band could do with such legendary material.

JJ Grey & Mofro | “Brighter Days” | 11/18/17| Big Orange Music Festival

Anytime JJ Grey has the mic, the show is in danger of turning into something resembling an old-school tent revival, and that is not a bad thing whatsoever! Songs like “Brighter Days” are tailor-made for Grey’s brand of preaching and get the crowd more ready to face life’s many challenges with fresh hope in their hearts.

 Mike Dillon | “Opener” | 12/4/17 | Aisle 5 | Atlanta, GA

Mike Dillon makes the list again, this time for his monumental tour closer with special guest, moe.’s Jim Loughlin. Loughlin and Dillon have a long history of working together, and with moe. on temporary hiatus, it was wonderful to watch the chemistry that has developed between these percussive pioneers as they pursued sonic excellence together in the most chaotic way possible!

 Turkuaz | “Change” | 12/8/17 | Nashville, TN | Exit/In

The last show I filmed this year was Turkuaz’s show in Nashville (save the New Year’s Eve show). Great vibe in the Exit/In, great sound, great musicianship, and best of all, incredible showmanship from the band themselves.