June 25th, 2016 - Creating A Stage For Father Hennepin

Good evening!  The Meista is here tonight pairing David Bowie's live "Stage" album with a Hennepin Farmhouse Saison from Bohemian Brewery Ommegang!

Album Info:

• Artist: David Bowie
• Title: "Stage"
• Recorded: April and early May 1978 live on the Isolar II world tour in Philadelphia, Providence and Boston
  Release date: September 8th, 1978 (2nd live album by David Bowie)
• Record company: RCA Records
• Production: David Bowie and Tony Visconti
• Album cover art: Gilles Riberolles, Dagmar, and Sukita
• Personnel: David Bowie (lead vocals and keyboards) with Carlos Alomar (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), Adrian Belew (lead guitar and backing vocals), Dennis Davis (drums and percussion), and George Murray (bass and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Simon House (violin), Sean Mayes (piano, string ensemble, and backing vocals), Roger Powell (synthesizer, keyboards, and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Art rock, glam rock, power pop, progressive rock, rock and roll
• Sound: More relaxed and maybe a little more mellow than his previous live album ("David Live"), "Stage" is a collection of more polished live tracks with an almost studio album feel as the recording was taken from direct instrument and microphone feeds, which gave minimal audience sound.  Bowies vocal performance is stunning and Belew's guitar work is mind-blowing!  Along with classic tracks, the concert included several soundscapes. 
• Major themes: Life, death, relationships, states of mind, states of emotion, states of being, love, loss, isolation, hope, desire, desolation, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Hang On To Yourself"
2. "Ziggy Stardust"
3. "Five Years"
4. "Soul Love"
5. "Star"
6. "Station To Station"
7. "Fame"
8. "TVC 15"
9. "Warszawa"
10. "Speed Of Life"
11. "Art Decade"
12. "Sense Of Doubt"
13. "Breaking Glass"
14. "Heroes"
15. "What In The World"
16. "Blackout"
17. "Beauty And The Beast"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York)
• Website: www.ommegang.com  
• Brew: Hennepin Farmhouse Saison
• Style: Farmhouse Ale / Saison
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.7%
• Ingredients: Grains of Paradise, coriander, ginger, and sweet orange peel
• Pour: The Hennepin pours a hazy golden pear color with a fizzy, bright white head with lots of bubbles.  The head dissipates rather quickly leaving a thin cap with minimal lacing.
• Nose: The nose is yeasty, fruity, funky, and spicy.  There are aromas of soft banana, pink bubblegum, ginger, coriander, and bitter orange peel along with Chardonnay. 
• Taste: The taste of the Hennepin follows the nose.  There are big fruity and funky Belgian notes of banana, bubblegum, and pear along with spicy notes of ginger, clove, and coriander, and barnyard funk.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with high carbonation, the mouthfeel is dry, crisp, tart, and fizzy with a very clean and dry finish.

Overall pairing: The Hennepin Farmhouse Saison from Brewery Ommegang is a wonderfully flavorful and complex Belgian-style brew that works perfectly with the sonic storytelling and mastery of the late, great David Bowie!  Those complex flavors really work well with the decade long (at the time), ever-evolving career and songwriting style of Bowie... a wonderful combination!!

Cheers!!