NYS Music 20​12

Author: Pat Rogers

  • An Interview with the Guys of Formula 5

    Formula 5 has come a very long way since their start. Their talent as individuals and as a band has moved light years ahead from when they first took stage around the Capital District. Formula 5 has quickly become a staple in the Albany live music scene, opening for such bands as Timbre Coup, Twiddle, The Heavy Pets, Dopapod, The McLovins and Lucid. It is certainly refreshing to see a young up and coming band be so passionate about their music and be representing Albany’s music scene. Jenni Wilson sat down with the guys from of Formula 5 at the recent Autumnation Festival and followed up with the band for their first interview with .

    Jenni Wilson: Where are you all from?

    Formula 5: We are all pretty local to the Capital Region/Upstate NY area. Mike (Keys, Vocals) and Joe (Guitar, Vocals) are from Latham, Bill (Bass, Vocals) is from Clifton Park and Greg (Drums, Yelling) is the odd ball from all the way up in Lake George.

    Jenni: When did you guys start playing together and how did you meet?

    F5: I guess the way we all came together was pretty random. It was definitely a gradual process starting with Bill. Bill had been playing some music with some former members of our old band called Chinatown Lights. You may or may not have heard that name before in the Albany area. They played as a threesome for a little while (2 guitars and bass) and eventually met Greg by chance. Bill met while waiting in line for Phish tickets at the Times Union Center, found out he played drums and lived in Lake George and they set up a time to jam. They got together, liked the connection and started playing as a foursome. Eventually they wanted a keyboardist and they contacted Mike, who went to the same local high school as the former guitarist, was local to the area and was currently playing keys in a Grateful Dead cover band called the Green Mountain Pranksters. Mike joined wanting to explore his original music ideas and they started practicing and scheduling more gigs around the Albany/Upstate area. After about a year, the band stalled out when the former lead singer and major song writer departed the group.

    With the future of the band in question, Bill and Mike decided they wanted to try and keep this thing afloat by finding a new guitarist and pursuing the music that they loved – Jam music. The older lineup tended to be more of a funk/soul group and they all felt like they were ignoring their true musical direction of more improvisational music. They went through many, many auditions and finally settled on the unlikely younger brother of one of Mike’s high school friends – Young Joseph. When Joe came up to audition we weren’t exactly sure of what to think. He was 19, he had no band experience and no one had heard him play prior to the audition because he had no recordings of his playing to send us. From the very first audition, we knew he was the guitarist that we were looking for. He fit our style very well and things seemed to “click” right away. In January of 2012, Joe became our guitarist – and things have really taken off since we finalized our current lineup.

    Jenni: Who are some of your influences?

    F5: Being that we employ a very loose, improvised musical standpoint, our influences would have to point to artists such as Phish, Grateful Dead, Medeski, Martin & Wood, moe., Umphrey’s McGee and many others who have made the jam scene what it is today. We are also very big blues, folk, Americana, Motown and classic rock fans that have been influenced by the greats such as Jeff Beck, Clapton (and his assorted projects), Traffic, David Bowie, Van Morrision, The Band, Little Feat, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rush, Miles Davis, BB King, Stevie Wonder, among many, many others. Growing up in our generation we have been exposed to many different genres and we are indeed very influenced by 90’s alternative music, some pop music as well as some of the newer indie groups that are writing great music in the 21st century. We like a lot of different music.

    Jenni: What are some of your goals as a band?

    F5: Some of our goals as a band include playing some larger regional festivals such as Catskill Chill, Gathering of the Vibes, Mountain Jam, moe.down, Backwoods Pondfest and others. In the next year we would like to release another larger studio album. We have enough new original material for two albums already and can’t wait to get back into the studio with some of these newer tracks that we are already playing live.

    One major goal that we have as a band is to expand our musical resume as pertaining to different styles of music. Some of our favorite genres include reggae, funk, folk and blues but we really are working to encompass other genres such as more progressive rock, electronica, and even some exotic music styles. We have already written a bluegrass song and experimented with more progressive time structures and Middle Eastern scales in some of our newer material and are looking to incorporate these genres into our new material.

    Jenni: Can you guys talk about the reincarnation of Formula 5 and the origin of your band’s name?

    F5: Sometime towards the end of our old lineup, we decided we wanted to change our band name and we were toying with some concepts such as “Formula” or “Elixir” referring to the various influences and styles that come together from our various members to create our unique sound. We dragged the decision making process out for a very long time and we finally decided on Formula 5, due to their being 5 members in the band at that time and the fact that we were so sick of arguing about it. It seemed to be the name that everyone hated the least. Clearly we are now a four-piece band so it’s the most misleading band name of all time. In all honesty, we just thought it would be less trouble to keep the same name, websites, mailing lists, logos, etc… rather than re-branding ourselves. We knew that our new sound with Joe on guitar was going to do a majority of the re-branding anyways. Now we kind of enjoy the name because we know people are sitting there trying to figure out why we’re named Formula 5. People either think we can’t count or were looking to add another member. The truth is neither: we can count and no, we are not actively looking for another member. We are just focusing on becoming tighter as a band and writing more and more new material as a band.

    Jenni: Where have you guys toured so far?

    F5: In our short year as a group we have begun to play around parts of New York State and even a few outside of the borders as we look to grow and expand. While we haven’t strung together what could be considered a “tour”, we try to do the weekend warrior thing while we work our day jobs during the week. We frequent the Albany music stops, Putnam Den in Saratoga, Shepards Cove/Park in Lake George, The Monopole in Plattsburgh, The Waterhole in Saranac Lake, Java Barn in Canton, Oneonta, Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Jamestown and other random places across the state. We’ve played a few festivals as well such as StrangeCreek, Bellstock, the recent Autumation Festival, Green Mountain Getdown festival in VT, Mama Strawberry Jam and a few other smaller festivals. We are working on something in Boston and New York City as well.

    Jenni: Where are your favorite places to play?

    F5: We are still trying to play some of major stops in the northeast but we still love getting back to place we got our start – Red Square in Albany. We’ve had some great shows in the north county at the Waterhole in Saranac Lake and the Monopole in Plattsburgh. The Java Barn was a very memorable for us we absolutely loved the hospitality and the eager crowd that couldn’t get enough. Black Oak Tavern in Oneonta is also a very fun one for us.

    Jenni: What is the name of your album and how many tracks are you including?

    F5: Currently the album is slated to be self-titled “Formula 5”. Another idea we had was “Peanut Butter Tuesday” but not sure if that’s going to happen. It will likely be self-titled unless an amazing name comes up in the next few weeks. We are picking our final mixes of the songs and will be sending it off to get mastered over the next couple of weeks. There are seven tracks total on the album with one of them being a short interlude leading into the track “Mister Elixir”. We chose six of the oldest tracks that we have been playing since the beginning of this lineup and many of them were written and played long before Formula 5. While being our oldest tracks, we also feel that these tracks really illustrate our style as a band and what we like to do with our songwriting. Each song averages about 7-8 mins (we’re a jam band…) and they showcase many different styles that drive us. We have straight ahead rock, minimal funk, horn-driven R&B, gritty blues, reggae, progressive time structures and plenty of improvisation across these six tracks. We employed the horn work of Bryan Brundige (trombone) and Jeff Nania (saxophone), two well know performers in the Capital Region to spice up the funky track “Houdini.” Stay tuned for an album release party in early 2013.

    Track Listing for the upcoming self-titled debut album:

    1. “Hot Box”
    2. “Coming Home”
    3. “Paella”
    4. “Sueno”
    5. “Mister Elixir”
    6. “3 Ring Circus”
    7. “Houdini” feat. Bryan Brundige and Jeff Nania on horns

    Jenni: Is this your first experience in the studio as a band?

    F5: Yes, this is the first time we have entered the studio as a band. A few of us have done some assorted studio work but nothing too extensive. We really focused on this album and put a lot of time and thought into it. We can’t wait to get it out there for people to hear.

    Jenni: What are some future shows you guys will be playing?

    F5: We’ve got some great shows schedule in the next month or two. Friday November 23rd we are at the Bayou in Albany; December 7th we’re at the Monopole in Plattsburgh; December 15th at The Putnam Den in Saratoga with our friends Lucid; January 4th we’re at the Dinosaur BBQ in Troy; January 18th we’re in Buffalo with our good friends Funktional Flow; January 19th we play in Jamestown, NY again w/ Funktional Flow and February 2nd we are in Oneonta at the Black Oak Tavern.

  • First year Festival gets off on the Right Foot: Autumation, November 9th-10th

    Let’s be honest, by the end of August we’re already missing the festival season: the pounding music at all hours of the night while you’re trying to squeeze in what little sleep you can, the endless rows of vendors and the food that by day two is swamped with melted ice in your cooler. Enter Autumation. While it is rare to see this many good bands in one place in the cold of Upstate New York, the stages for this festival were thankfully inside. Not only were they inside but each stage was elaborately decorated with an Autumnal/Futuristic feel that turned each performance into not just a show, but an experience. The hotel was nice, in fact maybe too nice considering the crowd they were welcoming in for a long weekend. I am pretty sure there was a security guard watching over the lobby furniture (which looked like it was straight out of a Victorian era foyer) to ensure no one turned them into a public sleeping area. The main stage was directly across the lawn from our hotel room making it much easier to avoid the cold.

    One serious qualm I had with the festival is that I could not find a list of set times anywhere. When I asked the volunteers at the check-in table they looked at me like I had six heads. Thankfully, one of our friends working the festival scored us an official list of the set times. Due to technical issues most of the acts were pushed back by at least an hour. This definitely added a sense of confusion to the entire weekend. The first show I saw Friday night was The Manhattan Project. The band consists of two guys, Shawn Drogan on drums and electronics and Charles Lindner on keyboards and synths. This duo never ceases to amaze me with the energy they draw in every show they perform. The second they take stage the crowd is moving and the energy is non-stop. For a band that only emerged onto the scene two years ago, they have moved light years ahead of their genre. The one thing I loved most about their set at Autumation is that they kept the crowd guessing throughout every song. Often times they’ll take long exaggerated stalls and pauses throughout songs that leaves you dancing like an idiot while they are frozen on stage.

    The next band I traveled into the cold to see was Higher Organix, playing at a separate stage attached to the main hotel building. The decorations were amazing throughout every stage in the venue. The band was delayed by some time so I kicked around the bar (which had surprisingly cheap drinks for a festival) and watched Last Fair Deal blow glass outside the hotel. The surrounding areas of the festival were strewn with debauchery. At one point I actually watched one individual climb into the freezing cold fountain stationed outside of the hotel patio. Finally Higher Organix came on bursting into a drum centered jam. Drummer Jules Jenssen is always a pleasure to watch perform. He stays consistent with his energy level and vehemence throughout every song, keeping the tempo hot and the crowd hotter. Clayton Squire on guitar takes it to the next level with impressive riffs that spiral the entire band into amazing jams.

    Unfortunately we had to leave early in order to catch the Cosmic Dust Bunnieson the main stage. This was actually the first time I ever got the chance to catch CDB and I am truly happy I got the opportunity. With a name as farcical as “Cosmic Dust Bunnies” you don’t really know what to expect. I don’t know if it was the time of night (3:30 am) or the intense decorations at main stage but the crowd seemed to make a large shift right around when these guys took stage. This was certainly the perfect band to take on the late night crowd with their stellar jams. By this point of the night my friends and I were all too tired to stand so we sat in plastic Adirondack chairs and let the crowd “happen” around us. The crowd thickened almost immediately and it seemed like not a single person stood still throughout the entire set. The keyboardist used intricate breakdowns to feed into the build ups wavering on the line of electronic and jam. I was seriously impressed with the show these guys put on. By the end of their set we all dragged ourselves back our hotel room to retire until the next day of music began.

    My friends and I woke up Saturday morning (afternoon) starving only to find that EVERYTHING in Lake George was closed until the Spring (go figure). We ate a healthy breakfast of mozzarella sticks and French fries from a local Diner and got ready for another long night of music. The first show we saw was Lucid, hailing from the north country of Plattsburgh. Right off the bat their music broke into a bluesy jam accompanied by both a harmonica and a saxophone. Often times with a band as talented as this I get distracted by a singer but in this case I think he is one of the key components of why this band is so good. His raspy voice adds a melancholy level to their upbeat tempos and bluesy guitar riffs. Half way through their set the lead singer gave a shout out to the Tree Shurts table where my friends and I were stationed. They dedicated their next song “All I need is a Spliff,” and burst into a funky, satirical tune about the finer things in life. It is rare to see this combination of instruments on stage these days, especially with the increasingly more popular electronic music which requires little more than a lap top and some speakers. It was truly refreshing to see a band so passionate about keeping the music alive, and pumping out some good tunes while doing so.

    Next on main stage was lespecial,the decor of which got more and more intricate every night and by LeSpecial’s set they had girls cascading down the ceiling from ribbon, neon clad hula hoopers dancing on pillars surrounding the stage and neon face painters sending people back into the crowd looking otherworldly.  I had heard great things about LeSpecial at previous festivals but never actually had the chance to stay for a whole set. They are a jamtronic three- piece band made up of guitar, drum, bass and some keys and synth on the side. When they hit the stage the crowd was immediately electrified. I often do not find myself blown away by a drummer, especially in a band with heavy bass, but I was pleasantly surprised at how intricate and in-depth the drum beats made each song. This band is definitely very in tune with each other and has a great time on stage.

    Viral Sound was a highly anticipated set of the night. The four piece band took stage and broke into a heavy electronic jam consisting of intense guitar solos and spacey drum beats. Jordan Giangreco, formerly of The Breakfast, kept the crowd guessing with funky buildups on the keys and synth. They covered a range of different songs, including a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Help on the Way”. It’s always nice to be brought back to reality by a song or two that you know, especially with a band like this that takes you to as many different musical territories as they can grasp within an hour-long set. With a first year festival you expect as many things to go wrong as possible. Most first year festivals I have encountered have been an absolute mess and this includes a lot of the larger East coast festivals of today. It takes a lot of time to perfect something that large with that amount of people in attendance. I was actually very surprised at how smoothly things ran all weekend. It is to be expected that there will be some bumps along the way, but for the most part I think Autumation could make a great home for itself as an annual, autumn festival in Upstate New York. If they let us back

  • Timbre Coup and Formula 5 at Red Square October 27

    It was the weekend before Halloween and Red Square was decked with decorations galore.  The bar was hosting two of Albany’s favorite young up and coming bands for the Halloween celebration – Timbre Coup and Formula 5. Formula 5 got the party started with their signature Phish style jams. All dressed in white lab coats, it was obvious throughout the show they were having fun on stage playing off each other in and out of every song. The talent is certainly beyond their years. Their 20 year old guitarist, Joe Davis, tore it apart all night with tight guitar riffs and tons of enthusiasm. It is refreshing to see some young new talent on the jam scene in Albany and Formula 5 always brings out a pretty vibrant crowd. The last song I heard before stepping outside was an interesting rendition of the “Ghost Busters” theme song. Certainly not the tightest song they played all night, but still a humorous choice to play for their costumed crowd.

    After a short break Timbre Coup took stage dressed as elderly men. It was seriously entertaining to see four men taking their music so seriously while dressed in such ridiculous costumes. Timbre Coup is always a pleasure to see live and their crowd never leaves disappointed. Their band is made up of Andrew Chamberlain on the guitar, Matt Pickering on the drums, and Dan Gerken and Ben Pickering trading off duties on the guitar and bass. While their music is often referred to as improvisational progressive rock, each song individualizes itself into its own category. While their dance-worthy bass lines keep the crowd moving, some songs stray away into heavy head banging guitar riffs that bring the energy in the room up another caliber. It seems every Timbre Coup show I see each band member grows individually as a musician and together as a band. One thing is for sure, they never disappoint. Their crowd always stays moving, and always leaves happy.

    Midway through their set a drummer took stage to pull up members of the crowd for an impromptu costume contest. Seeing 12 people squeezed onto the small stage all dressed in their Halloween finest was certainly a sight to see. The winner was a man dressed head to toe in gold spandex donning a Beauty and the Beast Lumiere candle-stick hat and light up candle hands. Truly the most creative Halloween costume I’ve seen in years. Overall the show was great, the Halloween Vibe was spot on and the energy was non-stop. As always, these bands did not disappoint.

  • Biodiesel with DigiMUN at Red Square, October 20th

    While JGB was rocking the Den and Australian Pink Floyd played the Palace, Red Square hosted three electronic-based acts: Biodiesel, Digimun and Albany’s own Digital Dharma. I had no expectations going into the show, other than the knowledge that both Johnny Rabb and Clay Parnell of Biodiesel are both monumentally talented individuals. Clay Parnell has been an important and well known electronic bassist on the scene for years working with bands such as Brothers Past, The Join and Philabuster. Then there is Johnny Rabb, pioneer of the free-hand technique and a drumming legend. These two joined up to walk the line of Band & DJ and create an electronic super-duo that explores the new genre of “Livetronica.”

    I was lucky enough to catch the very end of the opening act DigiMUN, which is a mash up of Digital Dharma and Mun from NYC, playing what they describe as “astrofunktronica”. DigiMUN was created after an accident involving bassist Steve Mink  and keys/synth player Eli Ramos, which left both injured and Eli in critical condition. Eli insisted that band push forward after the accident, and DigiMUN was born.

    DigiMUN is 100% improvised on the spot. Much of their influence is derived from bands including The Disco Biscuits, STS9 and The New Deal. You can tell that there is a connection between the band members, even after working together for such a short period of time. It was certainly a pleasure to be able to catch an up and coming collaboration group.

    When Biodiesel hit the stage, drum and bass began emanating outside to the parking lot. The one thing I love more than seeing a show at Red Square is seeing a show where the back room is filled to capacity with a dancing crowd. You don’t expect much when going to see a two-man band but I found myself pleasantly surprised. The hard beats and bass lines had everybody in the crowd moving. One thing that stood out to me in particular were the samples they used to break apart the heavy beats. It was a perfect mix of man and machine and created a totally different atmosphere than I had expected. You could certainly tell that both Rabb and Carnell were pouring everything they had into their work and keeping the crowd hyped.

    Biodiesel ended around 1am, relatively early but came back on for a hard hitting encore that left the entire crowd wanting more. Although I have seen Biodiesel a handful of times, it was refreshing to see such a high-powered show with a crowd to match.

  • Jeff Bujak at Red Square with Mentally Ill and DJ Leila, October 19th

    Red Square is one of my favorite smaller venues to see live music. The drinks are always strong, the bartenders are always friendly and the music is always amazing. This night was no different. Jon Santolla, aka Mentally Ill, started the night off for Jeff Bujak strong with hard, dirty drum and bass with clean cuts. The bar began to fill up as the night progressed. The back room slowly began to fill up with 20 something’s getting down to Santolla’s beats. If you’re not up by the time Santolla’s set it over, check your pulse.

    The moment Jeff Bujak came on, the vibe in the bar changed completely. The electricity he exudes while he slams on his keys changes the atmosphere the moment he takes stage. He often plays entire sets with his eyes closed, pouring every inch of energy into his love for his music. I have not gotten the chance to actually enjoy a full Bujak set since The Come Up Festival in June so it was nice to be able to get down to his pulsing beats. The thing I enjoy most about Jeff Bujak, besides his amazing light show, is that he does not fall into one specific genre of music. He combines the efforts of rock, electronic, club, funk, and hip hop into a medley of drum loops and keyboard grooves. Bujak’s personality exudes through all of the shows I’ve seen him play, and although this may have been my tenth or eleventh time seeing him live, his act still manages to impress me.

    During Bujak’s setbreak, DJ Leila took the stage bringing more hard hitting beats that vibrated the dance floor. Mentally Ill and DJ Leila are two of my favorite DJs to see live because of their consistent energy. Their shows have a similar personality to Orchard Lounge, with both Leila and Jon trading off on the tables. While one is spinning, the other is close by waiting intently for their cue to step up to the tables. It is refreshing to see a DJ who does not just push play on a Mac computer and genuinely loves the art form of spinning for a crowd- no matter how big.

    As Bujak returned for round two, the crowd was in store for another high energy performance. I watched from the leather couch as silhouettes recognized each other against a back drop of blinding lights. The best thing about Red Square is how personal every set feels, whether you are toe to toe with the stage or sitting comfortably in one of the couches against the back walls. Of course, I finally migrated to the front to replenish my drink and Bujak busts into an electric rendition of “Intergalactic” by the Beastie Boys. I left my drink before it was even made to go to the back and watch the crowd pulse to the music.

    By the end of the set my friends and I were all tired and a little tipsy, as we often are after a night at the Red Square, so we said our goodbyes and made our ways to the closest pizza place before going home. Once again, I am not surprised to say that I was very impressed with Jeff, Jon and Leila’s ability to put on an amazing show.