RAQ

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For the server, see Cobalt RaQ.

RAQ (pronounced "rack") is a psychedelic, progressive rock quartet from Burlington, VT.

RAQ

Country Burlington, Vermont, USA
Years active 2001–Present
Genres Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Rock
Members Jay Burwick
Chris Michetti
Todd Stoops
Greg Stukey
Past members Marc Scortino

Contents

[edit] The music

The power of RAQ's music is quite enigmatic and often paradoxical. One moment the band is firing off warp-speed progressive rock hooks with laser precision. Then suddenly the group is perusing the cosmos, floating gracefully through improvisational bliss. It is a sound that is both retro and futuristic to a generation of grassroots music fans. Glide Magazine says, "They've invented the concept of jambands even having an old school style to bring back in the first place." [1] RAQ's compositions are grounded in solid song structures, but the music is malleable enough to go in an infinite number of directions in a live setting. This is what keeps the quartet's growing crowds coming back for more, as the audience is taken along on the musical journey. The sound is one that garners attention from new audiences, and euphoric release to those that embrace it.

[edit] The fans

Todd Stoops at Boulder's Fox Theater, February 16, 2005
Enlarge
Todd Stoops at Boulder's Fox Theater, February 16, 2005

RAQ has amassed a large and loyal following in a short amount of time, strictly on the basis of word of mouth and dazzling festival performances. In just its first national tour in 2002, the quartet played in front of thousands at many of North America's highest profile events including the Tennessee's Bonnaroo Music Festival, California's High Sierra Music Festival, Florida's Langerado Music Festival, New York's moe.down, Massachusett's Berkshire Mountain Music Festival, the Starwood Festival, and Vermont's Garden of Eden festival. The band has also appeared at prestigious venues such as the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco and the Knitting Factory in New York City. RAQ completed their second nationwide tour where they ripped through Colorado performing in front of sold out crowds in Telluride, Denver and Breckenridge. The band continues to add venues in different areas of the country as the word spreads and the core fans--self-dubbed Raqaholics and Hyperfunkers--who attend numerous shows each tour are increasing in number.

[edit] Recognition

RAQ has been chosen as a 'New Groove of the Month' by Jambands.com, and nominated for a 'Jammy' Award in the category of 'Best New Band'. Relix Magazine recently featured the band in its Spotlight section, raving "RAQ has the ability to captivate an audience, dropping jaws with hyperkinetic improvisational splendor." The band was also highlighted by Relix as one of the top bands to look out for in the summer of 2005.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Shed Tech

Released: March 1, 2001 (debut album - currently out of print)

Artists

Tracklist
  1. Time Bomb
  2. There When I Land
  3. Verde Burro
  4. Tunnel Vision
  5. Hot Wired
  6. Confuzor
  7. Weakling
  8. Guilty Pleasure
  9. Last Bag
  10. Welcome to the Donkey Show

[edit] Carbohydrates

Released: 2002
RAQ's sophomore release and first to feature keyboardist, Todd Stoops. The album was produced by Grammy Award winner Mark Johnson (Paul Simon, Los Lobos, Jackson Browne) in Colchester Vermont at Egan Media Productions, and mixed by Johnson in Los Angeles.

Artists

  • Todd Stoops: Keyboards/Vocals
  • Chris Michetti: Guitar/Vocals
  • Greg Stukey: Drums
  • Jay Burwick: Bass/Vocals
Tracklist
  1. Shirley Be A Drooler
  2. TheDownLow
  3. Beauregard
  4. Georgia
  5. Brother From Another Mother
  6. The Hunter Becomes the Hunted
  7. Circumstance
  8. Carbohydrates Are The Enemy
  9. Sweet Cream Butter
  10. Hannah Can
  11. Barometric Whether
  12. The Anthem of Beauregard

[edit] Ton These

Released: 2006
RAQ's Third album. Recorded at former Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio's renowned recording studio The Barn, in Vermont.

Artists

  • Todd Stoops: Keyboards/Vocals
  • Chris Michetti: Guitar/Vocals
  • Greg Stukey: Drums
  • Jay Burwick: Bass/Vocals
Tracklist
  1. Walking In Circles
  2. Forget Me Not
  3. Tumbling Down
  4. Glimpse
  5. Lush of Lush
  6. Bootch Magoo
  7. Will Run
  8. City Funk
  9. One Of These Days
  10. Said & Done
  11. The Whistler
  12. Botz

[edit] List of original songs

Since their inception, RAQ has performed a total of 74-different songs either live or on an album.

  • 15 Shakes
  • Back To The Head
  • Barometric Whether
  • Bean
  • Beauregard
  • Boom
  • Bootch Magoo
  • Botz
  • Bowl Position
  • Brain Phat
  • Brother From Another Mother
  • Café Borgia
  • Carbohydrates Are The Enemy
  • Choose
  • CHUCK
  • Chuck & T-Bird
  • Circumstance
  • City Funk
  • Clamslide
  • Cloud City
  • Comin' Home
  • Confuzor
  • Crazie Tonie
  • Dave Lew Cell Phone Jam
  • Dirty Sanchez
  • Donkey Show
  • Don't Let Go
  • Drive By World
  • Forget Me Not
  • Gabvonie
  • Georgia
  • Glimpse
  • Goner
  • Guilty Pleasures
  • Hannah Can
  • Hitchhiker
  • Hitchhiker (II)
  • Hot Wired
  • Hyperfunkalicious
  • Japan
  • Last Bag
  • Lembo
  • Lines Within
  • Loose
  • Lush Of Lush
  • Massive
  • Merge
  • Mollies Cules
  • Moserine
  • Moxie
  • Nancy's Jig
  • Nasty
  • Newton
  • One-Eyed Jack
  • One Of These Days
  • Quick and Painless
  • Reason
  • Return to Sender
  • Said-N-Done
  • Shirley Be A Drooler
  • Stuck In a Big Hole
  • Sucked Up The Shoot
  • TheDownLow
  • There When I Land
  • Time Bomb
  • Time to Hurry
  • Tone
  • Tumblin' Down
  • Tunnel Vision
  • Unavailable
  • Ventriliquist, The
  • Verde Burro
  • Walking in Circles
  • Wax
  • Weakling
  • Whistler, The
  • Will Run

[edit] List of cover songs

RAQ has performed 66-songs by other artists (covers) since the band began in 2000.

  • 7 Days - Sting
  • Andy - Frank Zappa
  • Andy Griffith Theme Song - ?
  • Angry Young Man – Billy Joel
  • B-Movie Boxcar - Blues Brothers
  • Bails Of Cocaine – Woody Guthrie
  • Big Shot – Billy Joel
  • Big Time (tease) – Peter Gabriel
  • Black Friday – Steely Dan
  • Brain Stew - Green Day
  • Bright Sized Life - Pate Metheny
  • Bubble House Jam - MMW
  • Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy – Frank Zappa
  • Caribbean Queen – Billy Ocean
  • Cavern - Phish
  • Cult Of Personality - Living Color
  • Cheap Sunglasses – ZZ Top
  • Dear Prudence - Beatles
  • Dont Stop Believing - Journey
  • Dirty Love - Frank Zappa
  • Easy Like Sunday Morning – Lionel Ritchie – The Commodores
  • Echidna’s Arf - Frank Zappa
  • Fixin' To Die – Bukka White
  • Fire On The Mountain (tease) – Grateful Dead
  • Funk 49 – James Gang
  • Gambler, The - Kenny Rogers
  • Green Earrings – Steely Dan
  • Hava Nagilah - (traditional)
  • Have A Cigar – Pink Floyd
  • Hello (tease) – Lionel Ritchie
  • Highway 61 – Bob Dylan
  • I’m The Slime – Frank Zappa
  • Informer - Snow
  • Jump – Van Halen
  • Just Kissed My Baby – The Meters
  • Legalize It - Peter Tosh
  • Led Boots – Jeff Beck
  • Let’s Move To Cleveland – Frank Zappa
  • Lights Go Down In The City (tease) - Journey
  • Listen To The Music – Doobie Brothers
  • Lost Wages – Steely Dan
  • Lovely Rita - Beatles
  • Mercury Blues - Alan Jackson
  • Message In A Bottle – The Police
  • Mojo Workin’ – Muddy Waters
  • My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama – Frank Zappa
  • Nation Wide – ZZ Top
  • Push The Lil' Daisies – Ween
  • Raspberry Beret - Prince
  • Red Baron – Billy Cobham
  • Rock Lobster (tease)- B52s
  • Scarlet Begonias (tease) – Grateful Dead
  • Seeker, The - The Who
  • Son of Mr Greengenes - Frank Zappa
  • Starfish and Coffee – Prince
  • Stratus – Billy Cobbham
  • Sweet Cream Butter - Flan
  • Sweet Home Alabama – Lynard Skynard
  • Take Me Home – Phil Collins
  • Terrapin Station (tease) – Grateful Dead
  • Them Changes – Band of Gypsys
  • The Way It Is – Bruce Hornsby
  • Tough Mama – Bob Dylan
  • Trouble Everyday - Frank Zappa
  • Waterfalls - TLC
  • We Are The Champions (tease) – Queen
  • When I Come Around – Green Day
  • Wharf Rat (tease) - Grateful Dead
  • Whipping Post – Allman Brothers
  • Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

[edit] References

[edit] External links