NYS Music 20​12

Author: William Shanks

  • Barons in the Attic, Wild Adriatic and Deer Tick at The Putnam Den

    It was my first time at the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs this past Saturday where I saw Barons in the Attic, Wild Adriatic and Deer Tick perform. The venue has a large tented area in front, complete with concession stand and picnic tables. Inside is a huge, wide open room with a long bar on the left, equally as long merch table to your left when you walk in and big stage in the back. I loved all the free space to move around in, with very little view obstruction you can see the stage from anywhere in the room.

    Barons in the Attic started the night off to an eager to party crowd. The four-man band from Albany sends out a reckless abandon attitude as they slammed on their instruments during “Julia”. Showing their somewhat softer side was their song “Purple Underwear”, strong guitar notes and a great build up at the end. The crowd charged up and all starting to thrash about as The Barons egged us on and delivered a rebellious energy of punk rock during “In a Nutshell.” The lyrics are bitter as the boys scream and caused a ruckus during “My Old Soul.” Barons in the Attic can always start a party but they don’t guarantee ending it, to which their fans aren’t complaining. For more information on upcoming shows, merch and free music, go to wearebarons.com.

    Wild Adriatic is an untamed force that flows with such soul, it quickly catches you off guard and sucks you in. The rock and roll group infuses their music with plenty of funky guitar solos and groovy melodies. Shane Gilman on lead guitar has serious range for vocals and can really hit those high notes.  Rich Derbyshire shows no problem of dropping heavy bass notes while Travis Gray shreds on his guitar and keyboard. Mateo Vosganian provides steady beats all night, setting the ultimate dancing rhythm. From the band’s latest album, Lock & Key, they played “Spark” which is just that, a spark that explodes and grows all over the room with sharp guitar riffs and symbols. “Make like a Ghost” sends out a groovy melody that rises and picks you up with soulful harmonies. Wild Adriatic ended the night with their friends from Barons in the Attic, who all participated in their rendition of The Beatles “With a Little Help From my Friends.” Putnam Den was in perfect unison as bands and fans sang for the celebration of the weekend. Wild Adriatic announced their Halloween Show will be with Barons in the Attic at the Bayou in Albany, NY on October 25th.

    Wild Adriatic had this to say about the show, “when we close our set, we like to invite other bands, friends, promoters or anyone on stage to sing with us. It’s just a good time for us, and the crowd seems to enjoy it. We never really plan it.  We just ask people up last minute. Everyone knows the song and we don’t care if its good or not. It’s about fun and fun is why we all got into playing music in the first place!” For more shows and information, go to their website wildadriatic.com

    After way too long of a soundcheck, the crowd exploded once headlining band Deer Tick took the stage and announced, “This is show one of the Deer Tick tour. We’re gonna vandalize all your schools and churches and then pass out on your lawn. But we’re gonna play some songs for you first.” They have a raw sound covered in grunge-ness which surprised me given their “country” music reputation. The music came at me and I couldn’t label it then and I still don’t think I could. Rob Crowell would pound on the keys, sending out organ notes that brought in the “folk” style I was seeking. Ian O’Neil could not be stopped on guitar; fast paced chord progressive gave us the punk fighting spirit. Deer Tick has a fierce stage presence, the artists constantly bouncing on the stage and a mosh pit forms in the crowd. Dennis Ryan kept the drums loud and steady with Chris Ryan on bass.

    During the performance, lead guitarist John McCauley had a solo session with his guitar and the audience. “I’m not a poet, I’m not a clown. I just think these things and write them down.” His heartfelt vocals echoed through the room as the guitar notes gracefully followed. After playing a few new songs such as “Old Lady”, Deer Tick played requests from the fans resulting in massive sing-a-longs. It’s no wonder that Deer Tick has a dedicated fan base, given their broad genre playing skills. Deer Tick gained a lot of fans 2 years ago from their performance at Rest Fest in Albany and gained even more Saturday night. For more information and touring, go to their website, deertickmusic.com

    photos by David Mark Photography

  • The Punch Brothers inside The Egg

    The Punch Brothers inside The Egg

    Singer and song writer Tom Brosseau was the opening act for the evening and took the stage with just him and an acoustic guitar. Brosseau swooned the small crowd with his emotional songs full of compassion and a slight optimism. Brosseau made cute conversation with the audience about the inspiration for his songs, that come from his Grandma and growing up in North Dakota. He said of The Egg, “(It) Always remains my favorite sight and sound.”  One of the songs that stood out most to me was “Youth Decay” a sorrowful melody that showcased Brosseau’s gifted folky guitar playing. As talented as Tom Brosseau was, I was hoping for a more upbeat opener for The Punch Brothers at The Egg.

    Much to my surprise the seats were half full as the progressive bluegrass band; The Punch Brothers took the stage.  The first beautiful notes are played and the audience falls deadly quiet; such a beautiful sound deserves complete silence. The feel of the music as it rapidly circles around the odd curves of the room only to gently wash over you, are irreplaceable. PB played a lot of songs off their newest album from February, Whose Feeling Young Now? showcasing a fine array of the bands individual as well as group talent.

    “No Concern of Yours” was a heartbreaking tune, especially with hard strumming from Chris Eldridge playing guitar. Noam Pikelny on banjo helped guide the music through the evening with a bluegrass sway.  “This Girl” was a song “about relationships” with lyrics full of love, a melody upbeat and sweet with chords that give you butterflies. Gabe Witcher was master of the fiddle as his strings had the ability to create visions and thoughts of the great outdoors and adventure, who said, “This song is about a place not too far from here” an obvious hint for one of their new songs, “New York City.” A fast tempo is kept up throughout the song, creating multiple beautiful build ups, similar to any day in the big city. The Punch Brothers have a fluidity that couldn’t be broken.   I was delighted to remember that the PB were fans of Radiohead too and couldn’t have been more impressed with their rendition of “Kid A.”  Paul Kowert’s steady bass notes were haunting, making this a cover song that any Radiohead fan should listen to. The night closed with one of their popular tunes, “Rye Whiskey” a mischievous song that had the audience nodding their heads in approval and wishing the show didn’t have to end.

    It was fun to watch Thile wander from his center spot to his surrounding band mates, everyone playing off of each other. For a good amount of the show, Chris Thile seems to be possessed by his very instrument. His body jerks uncontrollably as his fingertips radiate pure soul. Thile has brought life back into the mandolin, performing improvisational bluegrass, classical, folk and jazz with grace and sincerity. This musical experience was sacred, refreshing and inspiring to me. The music of the Punch Brothers expands the space in your mind and urges you to stretch your thoughts.

    Go to punchbrothers.com or find them on Facebook for more information on the bands tour dates as well as merchandise. I highly recommend purchasing their newest album, Whose Feeling Young Now? as well as Chris Thile’s solo album The Goat Rodeo Sessions” which was recently collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma.

  • Flux Capacitor, The McLovins and Consider the Source, September 29th at Red Square

    My last Saturday of September was spent at Red Square with Flux Capacitor, McLovins and Consider the Source. As unique as their sounds are, these three bands make up an incredible lineup, offering all the best music you can fit inside the Albany, NY venue. Flux Capacitor, based in Pennsylvania, served up an electric sound of rock, giving the night a great boost.

    McLovins took the stage to an eager crowd who were kept in suspense as sound issues were being worked out. Blasting off with “Day to day”, Jason Ott sent out a steady groove on bass. First time listeners became longtime fans as the boys played songs such as “Cohesive” with upbeat flair, catching them with surprise when the jams escalated. The audience was most enthusiastic when “Quinn the Eskimo”, a classic cover, was busted out. The McLovins are set to play in Connecticut for the next few weeks. For specific dates, check out themclovins.com

    Download The McLovins show here

    The smell of incense floated through the air as Consider the Source wasted no time jumping right into the jams. The opener was “New World Cocek”, a high energy funk that came out of nowhere and immediately demanded attention. After a mouth dropping delivery of “Absense of a Prominent Tooth”,  CTS took a short water break to express their love for the Albany area, reminding us of our #1 party city reputation. They made the big announcement that their NYE show was to be at Red Square in Albany, resulting in massive crowd cheers. As the night progressed, they slipped into the dark side of their music. “This Dubious Honor” was a hair-raising melody of John Ferrara’s bass notes intertwining with Jeff Mann’s sharp rhythm. They created monstrous sounds that they themselves could barely control and ate the crowd alive; Gabriel Marin created bizarre and mind-blowing sounds from his guitars that I never knew possible.

    I was lucky to ask some questions to Consider the Sources, Gabriel Marin and John Ferrara, about their sets lists, their fans and New Years Eve.

    Susan Rice: Do you make set lists or do you just jam unpredictably into the night?

    Gabriel Marin: We make set lists. Our songs feature improvisational sections, but also have tightly composed part that require certain sounds and approaches that we need to get set for, so we have to plan out our sets. We also like to make sure the set flows nicely and that we represent all the different sides of our sound.

    Susan: You guys had quite the crowd at The Catskill Chill. Do you prefer intimate bars to melt faces in or larger festivals? How does this effect your music and sound?

    John Ferrara: HA! We enjoy both honestly. Our formative years were spent at house parties and bars so the intimate vibe has always felt like home. During those years we learned that setting up close to one another heightened the interactivity between the 3 of us. Having that same proximity to the audience makes for an energy that is raw and powerful. Festivals have a totally different kind of energy though. You don’t have the close proximity to the audience or to one another but when you’re playing for an audience like the one at Catskill Chill something different happens. What you lose in sonic nuances of a smaller setting you gain in the cumulative energy of thousands of people. There’s nothing like being able to make eye contact with people like that from the stage while you’re performing. It’s like you’re jamming along with hundreds of people at once.

    Susan: I’ve seen you guys play here in Albany, NY a few times and you announced at the show last night that you were playing here at red square for NYE. Very exciting! What keeps bringing you back to Upstate NY?

    John: We are extremely excited to be playing New Years at Red Square for the second year in a row with our homies Timbre Coup. They’re a great band and great guys and the Albany crowd has always been a great one. Albany was the first city we ever played outside of NYC so we have a very special connection to that audience. Last New Years there was absolutely insane and I think this year is going to be way crazier.

    Gabriel:  The fans upstate have a ton of energy and are really fun to play for and really seem to appreciate that we do our own thing musically. It inspired us to try to be better each time we come back.

    The last few places to catch Consider the Source before their tour to Europe are in Virginia and North Carolina. For some fans, like Krystal W, the next show isn’t soon enough. “Consider the Source has a very unique sound and every show is a beautiful spiritual experience.”

    For more information, go to their website, www.considerthesourcemusic.com

  • Stuff Your Face With Bass: Jungle Rumble

    Get out the glow sticks and neon clothes, bust out the pinned hats and your rage faces because Rave Season is back! The first rave of the season blew up at the Washington Armory in Albany, NY this past Friday September 21st. PeepThis Entertainment hosted the Stuff Your Face with Bass: Jungle Rumble event, urging attendees to unleash their inner animals and go wild.

    The first few minutes of entering the venue and being thrown into the scene, can be more than chaotic and intimidating. Push past the main lobby and make your way onto the wide dance floor, when suddenly the bass drops. ERUPTION! The crowd goes wild and you give in. The beat hits you with a feeling of immense relief to let go and party. Eric David, TrevMunz , Bare and DieselBoy had control of the main stage, pumping out huge sound waves, all about the buildup.

    If the large crowd was too overwhelming, there were 2 other stages set up in rooms located on the left and right side of the venue. The smaller rooms provided artists a chance to shine and show their talent in a more intimate setting. Lions Den on the left hosted Deyo life, Notixx , Evac Protocol and Aire Atlantica. The Waterhole on the right hosted JP Mac, Primitive, Fitted (Hip-Hop MC), Nikolai & Hoops, SubSet and J Demonic. One of my favorite acts took place in the Lions Den, left room stage where I caught Evac Protocol. The angry, high energy techno felt so good after a long work week. The dark beats were ideal for a Friday night and a sure thing to unleash the beast within.

    PeepThis company member and cofounder, Kyle Faulkner, had this to say, ““This was our 5th installment and numbers were average. I can proudly say that after this show over 15,000 peeps have stuffed their faces! What started as a pun on thanksgiving since our first show in November of 2011, has turned into a popular catch phrase for the EDM scene. If there is another SYFWB it’ll be a super sized 1 year anniversary party.”

    For more information on the biggest parties, like PeepThis on Facebook. PeepThis will be hosting Masquerave at the Oneonta Theatre on October 11th and at the Washington Ave Armory October 26th.

  • We Came, We Saw, We Chilled! Catskill Chill Music Festival 2012

    This was my first time attending the 3rd annual Catskill Chill, a 3-day, 3-night music festival packed weekend located at Camp Minglewood in Hancock, NY. By fate, I immediately found my friends out of the other 5,000 people that attended the festival. Each year, the Chill grows and extends the family to include even more outgoing, fun loving people. The concert-goers ranged from all ages, showing that people of any generation can appreciate great music.

    Friday September 7th

    Wasting no time after settling in, I rushed to catch the first band of the weekend, Caravan of Thieves. The four members each played stringed instruments with a unique percussion set behind them, consisting of large buckets and empty paint cans. Caravan of Thieves was a great way to ease into the weekend, helping to loosen up the dancing muscles after being stuck in a car. The band sent out gypsy melodies full of swing and mischief, energizing the crowd by playing Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” as well as Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees. JGB with Melvin Seals took the Main Stage paying tribute to Jerry Garcia by playing his songs and staying faithful to his style. Intense energy radiated from the organ, especially during “My Sisters and Brothers.” The music of JGB was a breath of fresh air with everyone praising the groove and throwing their hands up to rejoice that the weekend had arrived. We all were here, it was finally ok to breathe and boogie down.

    DrFameus, better known as the drummer from The Disco Biscuits, Allen Aucion, threw down some serious beats on the B Stage. DrFameus played drums and worked off computers at the same time, creating a glorious range of electronic music with plenty of bass. It was his first time at the festival and hopefully not his last. Kung Fu’s late night set elicited positive responses from fans, including “Kung Fu was amazing! A jazzy improv jam band with funky… costumes. Chris Michetti from Conspirator came and joined them and tore his guitar apart.”

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYsCldy6Xu0&w=560&h=315]

    Saturday September 8th

    Consider the Source was the first to take the Main Stage on Saturday and featured multiple guest appearances throughout the show. The sound wave sorcerers brought chills to the crowd with their exotic, funky rock. Frank and Ryan Members of Shwizz, jammed out on one of the songs. John from FiKus joined the band on trumpet. Rob and Tim from Kung Fu came in on the second to last song. Consider the Source gave the audience a choice of two short songs or one long last song, the response was unanimous for a long jam.

    After Consider the Source ended at 1:40pm, announcements came on the loudspeakers that there was a tornado warning for the area. All concert goers had to be inside of the stage areas or a cabin and the music was going to be put on hold. People quickly stashed to bring any items inside to nearby friends cabins and prepared to wait out the storm. The rain fell hard for only a few minutes but continued for about 2 hours and the wind picked up but not to the extreme. The weather finally calmed down and word spread that the music would resume at 4:30pm. The schedule would pick up where it left off, but each set would be shortened to provide each artist a chance to perform.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klnzvEn4Hwg&w=560&h=315]

    A friend had recommended that I make time during the festival to check out the Alan Evans Trio. The trifecta is led by Alan Evans from Soulive on drums, with Beau Sasser from Akashic Record playing the Organ and Danny Mayer from On The Spot Trio on Guitar. Alan Evans Trio was our salvation after the storm. The fans were soaked but smiling after hearing “Baby, take my hand.”  The soulful organ, funky beats and groovy guitar was just what the crowd needed to forget the rain delay and to turn the party back on. With only 10 minutes left in the set, Alan asked if they should play two short songs or one long song,  the crowd again cheered for one long song. A new song by the group, “Cosmic Hazeldust” was inspired by Eddie Hazzo and Jimi Hendrix, was a great set closer and psychedelic music gold. One of my favorite discoveries of the weekend was The Indobox, a great rock dance group who quickly won me and the rest of the crowd over just after their first song, “Colours”. The Indobox played a few songs off their new album, Dig Safe, which was released back in March and quickly flew off their merch table. The band hailing from Boston, MA sounded similar to a band like Passion Pit. The music was full of ranging synth beats, catchy pop lyrics and groovy guitar jams especially during “Please don’t say no!” and “Covering up the sky”. The Indobox has a mechanical sound, each instrument working perfectly in sync with the others and well-constructed.

    Shwizz was the first act I caught playing at the Club Chill stage. The Club Chill is on top of the festival hill and is on the one side of the Tunnel of Light, a pathway full of strung up lights. The stage is in an enclosed building with red stadium benches and a big dance pit, a very unexpected and thrilling venue. My friends and I had great timing by walking in just as the band had started to play Frank Zappa’s “City of Tiny Lights.”  Followed later on by a song they said was inspired by their friends, “Slow Down” and stated that they were happy to be a part of the ever growing Catskill Chill Family. Shwizz ended the set with Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar.” During the show, Shwizz had the chance to show off their rockin wild guitar solos and fusion of funky electronic jazz beats. Frankie Coda, the bass player had this to say, “The festival was magical. It has grown into one hell of a family over the past 3 years. The Club Chill set was a ton of fun. The late night cabin jams were off the charts and the vibes at this festival are something special. We are looking forward to the next one.”

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdPN1CS31f4&w=560&h=315]

    Rumor had spread over the weekend that one of Ithaca’s top electronic rock bands, SolAris was going to perform on their cabin porch on Saturday. The 3-piece all instrumental trio grew a crowd once their light show went off and their music started oozing over the camp grounds. During the performance of their original song, “Harkonnen”, drummer Daniel Lyon’s beats were so hot he was literally steaming. Jared Raphel was glued to the keys as he electrified the crowd with his notes and Vinny Naro shredded on his deep bass solos. Besides playing Radar and Cosmo, SolAris used funk and trance house music to make a serious improvisation set.

    Yonder Mountain String Band was this year’s main headliner and my first time seeing this band from Colorado; after Saturday night on the main stage, it will not be my last. YMSB’s music calls to you like the open road, giving you a need for adventure and an aching in your heart. The set started with an intense energetic song called “Casualty” at which time the band stated before how amped they were to be playing in Upstate New York. The acoustic foursome blasted into “Heading back to Colorado” to which I’m surprised their strings didn’t break from the hardcore strumming they were all doing. Yonder took some time to thank everyone at the Catskill Chill for putting on such a great festival and providing everyone with such a diverse lineup. They felt that it was “a force to be reckoned with” and that “you’ll never know what you’re going to get.”  YMSB commended the audience for having such a wide taste in music and for discovering new artists that weekend. Their fast paced blue grass tunes lead us into “Another Day” followed by “On the Run” during which they added a jam singing about the festival. The crowd went wild as they sang, “Tent to tent, RV to RV, it’s all about variety!”

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU75CS-WUrs&w=560&h=315]

    Particle had travelled all the way from California to play at one of their favorite festivals, The Catskill Chill and with knowing this, no one wanted to miss their last night set on the main stage. The floor and stadium benches were packed and rowdy with excitement. As soon as the lights went out, fire dancers ignited the VIP standing area and neon glow sticks were in full force. Particle wasted no time by starting the show with “Triple Threat” and “The Golden Gator” both amping up the already crazed crowd. After their original grooves, Particle took the crowd on a Pink Floyd wonder ride consisting of “Have A Cigar” into “One Of These Days” and directly into “Pigs.” The flow and segway into the jams was spot on and had shown the crowd that is was not the same Particle back in 2005. Ending the set with “Ed+Molly”, an upbeat hard electronic rock groove,  left my mind numb.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl0Gu3ddNJk&w=560&h=315]

    After the serious jams from Particle, I headed back to my tent while my friends checked out Wyllys at the Club Chill late night set. Wyllys was described to me as “it’s like taking a child out of Disney movie, kicking and screaming and throwing them in a deep, dark dungeon and giving them only electronic music equipment to play with.” Anytime Wyllys is on a festival line up, don’t miss out on the dance party throw down that erupts.

    Sunday September 9th

    The weekend was finally coming to an end and there was still more music to be heard. Timbre Coup opened up the B Stage that afternoon to blue skies and a cheerful crowd. One of the first songs, “August” was off their new album Knuckles and Valleys, providing simple, inspiring lyrics and a Zen like sound. There was much excitement for fans as Timbre Coup busted out a rendition of the New Deal’s “Deep Son”. Fans of the New Deal claimed that Timbre Coup provided a great cover and it was one of the best of the weekend. This was followed by “Arnold Schwarzenegger”, a more laid back, dark raging guitar jam.off the album, Check out This!

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKx0t4rFOQo&w=560&h=315]

    There was much hype built up about the band, The McLovins, a young quartet from Connecticut who knew how to make the crowd dance. McLovins opened with “TETOP”, a soft, jazzy jam that instantly showed me that The McLovins did have as much talent as everyone said they had. It was incredible to watch such young musicians create jams with such soul and nature flow.  Fans described “Tokyo Tea” as their most badass song. The McLovins ended their set with the ever popular Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” and Dylan’s “The Mighty Quinn”.

    I grossly underestimated how spectacular Cornmeal was going to be.  The Bluegrass rock/Jamgrass group ignited Sunday night with a fitting farewell festival performance. Cornmeal brought fierce country energy to the crowd, with plenty of foot stomping and non-stop cheering. One of the most memorable songs was “I’m Coming Home” containing an all-consuming, strong jam that I never saw coming or thought possible from a bluegrass band. Followed by that was, “When the Worlds Got you Down” an enchanting melody that has you singing along instantly, even the first timers. The encore was “Long Hard Road” once again, displaying their amazing finger picking skills, their goddess of a fiddle player, Allie Kral, showcasing her speedy rhythms; Cornmeal is definitely a band worth following. The perfect Cornmeal follow up was at Acoustic Junction in the middle of the camp grounds. The Brummy Brothers quickly drew a crowd with their upbeat original bluegrass tunes as well as modern pop hits such as “Fuck You” by Cee Lo Green. My favorite song of their’s that I can’t get out of my head is “Weed, Whiskey, Women” due to the beautiful harmonies and the repeating chorus line, “Nothing like being home, drunk, stoned and laughing.” The B Brothers are sure to have a bright future ahead of them with their attention grabbing talent.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpysQri2AFs&w=560&h=315]

    Possibly the biggest excitement built up for the day was for Lotus.The set started with the ever popular, beeps and boops of “Suitcases.” A mellow start that quickly picked up speed from the heavy dance beats pumping out the speakers. “Livingston Storm” picked up the crowd with the funky guitar notes and rolled them over into “Dowrn”, the groovy electronic tune that had everyone dancing. One of the highlights for fans was “Tip of the Tounge” taking to the next level with exotic drumming and spacdy guitar riffs. The popular set closer was “128”, which shredded faces with fast rhythm and serious synths.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIlpPuEgJPo&w=560&h=315]

    At the end of the weekend, it made total sense to name the festival Catskill Chill. The laidback attitudes and friendly nature of everyone, made the festival that much more relaxed and enjoyable. This was another successful year that proved the Catskill Chill family are true party professionals. The Catskill Chill dished out everything you could want in a festival and much more. I know that I am already counting down the days until next year’s Chill.

  • Black Abbey and Hair of the Dog on The Captain J.P. Cruise Line

    Friday August 24th, two local Irish rock bands set sail down the Hudson River on The Captain J.P. Cruise Line. It was an ideal summer evening, with soft breezes as passengers floated by layers of landscape, adrift on the water. The Captain J.P. is one of the largest cruise ships in the capital area, with the space to accommodate 600 passengers and can make for one heck of a party. Black Abbey occupied the 2nd floor outdoor patio underneath the stars, while Hair of the Dog had the indoor, air conditioned 3rd floor.

    This was Black Abbey’s 3rd year playing aboard The Captain J.P. and said it was the events biggest crowd yet. This Celtic and Contemporary Rock group from Saratoga Springs, NY is made up of Rick Russo on guitar, Mark Lewis playing fiddle, Les Swinton on bass and Robert Daly on drums. They have a desire to bring classic Irish tunes as well as fresh hits to their audience. Black Abbey got the night rolling with “Whiskey in the Jar” and “Shippin’ off to Boston.” The band took advantage in between songs to crack jokes with each other as well as the audience, encouraging laughter and more dancing. Mark Lewis took a break from fiddle playing to sing “Run Around” by Blues Traveler. A pleasant surprise was hearing “Bones of Lazarus” by moe, the harmonization of which would have made moe. proud.

    Hair of the Dog has been playing together for almost 20 years and they show no sign of slowing down. Heavy on the bass, was Rick Bedrosian, Mike DeAngelis playing acoustic guitar, John Haggerty strumming the banjo, Larry Packer blasting the fiddle, Eric Finn rocking the electric guitar and Scott Apicelli playing drums, makes up the Irish harmonizing storm that gets everyone on the dance floor. After a few drinks and songs, everyone is an Irish step dancer. One of the highlights was Eric Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally” which was jammed outside of the box. It wasn’t just strictly textbook Eric Clapton with an Irish twist, the band had made the song their own, not accomplished with every band who covers classic rock. Each band member has their own individual talent that comes shining thru and blends beautifully with the rest of the group. One of the songs that ended the night was the classic Irish tune, “Drunken Sailor” which played into the lyric, “Give ’em a hair of the dog that bit him!” Whether it’s a night full of music or enjoying a drink or two, maybe even both, everyone needs a bit of the Hair of the Dog.

    For details about The Captain J.P. Cruise line, go to their website, captainjp.com. Like Black Abbey on Facebook for more show dates. For more information on Hair of the Dog, visit their website 

  • Dopapod set to fire up Catskill Chill

    The third annual Catskill Chill Festival takes place this weekend, September 7th-9th in Hancock, New York and one of the bands that are not to be missed by festivalgoers this year is the ever growing Dopapod. This experimental funk rock group has collected a huge fan base since starting in 2007 and shows no sign of slowing down. Dopapod will play late Friday night at The Catskill Chill, promising to be a great start to the festival weekend. With their hectic summer shows finally over but on the brink of a full fall tour, Dopapod’s guitarist, Rob Compra was able to find time to answer a few questions.

    Susan Rice: You’ve spent much of 2012 playing festivals and shows all over the eastern half of the country, you played dozens of shows including StrangeCreek, Camp Bisco, Gathering of the Vibes, and even reached 10,000 fans of Facebook. How does it feel?

    Rob Compra: It feels great! This summer has felt like a bit of a breakthrough for us. I think right now is a very exciting time for us.

    SR: Your summer tour and this upcoming fall tour are all over the east coast.  Does networking with other bands helpful to promoting yourself?

    RC: I feel like every band in our scene supports one another very heavily. At this point, all the other bands that are in the same boat as us (i.e. touring and playing clubs/festivals) are our best friends, and we all look out for each other. I don’t think any of the bands in this scene would be very successful if we didn’t have that give and take attitude for one another. For groups like us who don’t have support from a record label, it really is essential to help one another.

    SR: You play an array of cover songs, what process do you use when you choose a new cover song to play? Which song that you cover is your favorite to perform live?

    RC: Whenever we’ve got a really big show coming up, everybody kind of splits off and thinks of some ideas, and then we decide which one we like best. There’s some covers that we’ve done that have deliberately been one time things. We want the crowd to be able to say that they were lucky enough to be there for something special that not everyone else was able to see. I think that really makes people rabid to come out to more shows. But as far as favorites go, we play an instrumental cover of “Microcuts” by Muse, which is pretty much in regular rotation. We never get tired of it. It’s funny; Muse is debatedly the biggest band in the world right now, yet when we play that song, it seems as if hardly anybody knows what it is or who wrote it.

    SR: This was your first time at Camp Bisco this year. Can you sum up in the experience in 11 words? Do you feel like this was good preparation for Vibes?

    RC: Well, to be honest, it was our second time at Bisco haha. We were there two years ago as well. Due to a lack of the math and grammar skills to construct a proper sentence in 11 words, Here’s my 11 adjectives to describe the experience: fun, exciting, challenging, inspiring, stressful, sweaty, loud, exhausting, fulfilling, smelly, & friendly. I think Bisco was indeed good preparation for Vibes but, I don’t think we were really conscious of that while it was happening.

    SR: What was the experience like at Gathering of the Vibes? Was that your biggest festival? I heard your performance brought people to their knees! You played a killer show and Eli sat in with Papadosio. Any musical highlights for you from the show and the festival?

    RC: Gathering of the Vibes was absolutely amazing. We couldn’t have had a better time. We’re pretty sure that was the biggest crowd we’ve played for to date, and it was an amazing feeling to see all those people in front of us in broad daylight. It meant so so much to us to have everybody there having a great time and showing their support. I had plenty of highlights. One was Kung Fu’s set. As a guitarist, anytime I get to see Tim Palmieri play is just unbelievable. I also really enjoyed Chris Michetti’s playing in Conspirator. Papadosio’s sunrise set was terrific. Twiddle’s set was great too. They played early in the day in the pouring rain and totally brought their A game. And aside from musical highlights, the night of Papadosio’s set we all stayed up until sunrise and went to a clambake on the water with all the Dosio guys, Stoops from Kung Fu, and a ton of other great friends. That was too much fun to put into words.

    SR: What do you want first time listeners to experience at your shows? Any big surprises for fans going to your fall tour shows?

    RC: We obviously want first timers to enjoy the music, but I think we also want to challenge the listener a little bit. We don’t want to play it safe and give them something they know they already like. As far as fall tour, our surprises are so good that we don’t even know what they’re gonna be yet. Expect cameos from washed up child stars from obscure 80’s sitcoms, effigies of unpopular politicians, door prizes, and expired fun size candy bars.

    SR: You got your start playing the major markets in the Northeast, and spent some time in Upstate New York. What appeals to you about playing in Upstate New York that you can’t find elsewhere?

    RC: I personally love Upstate New York because I grew up there, in Rochester. It’s great to see old friends whenever we’re up there, and my Mom and Dad usually make the drive to shows around there, and it’s always great to see them. Also, markets like Rochester, Albany, Ithaca, Buffalo and Oneonta are great because there isn’t much to do around there (at least that’s how I felt growing up there). So when a band comes to town, everybody gets really psyched to come out. People are super eager to have something exciting to do on any given night.

    SR: Can we expect any artist sit-ins at Catskill Chill? Who are you most excited to see perform?

    RC: I think that’s a fair assumption. There’s plenty of friends there, so sit-ins are extremely likely. I’m personally really excited for Rubblebucket, Kung Fu, Lotus, Heavy Pets, Zoogma, and Consider the Source. There’s really no weak point at that festival, in my opinion. Every single act is going to be a grand slam.

    For tour dates and music from Dopapod, visit their website at dopapod.com and for more information about The Catskill Chill, go to catskillchill.com.

  • 51BassCamp Festival Review

    This past weekend, Maple Ski Ridge in Rotterdam, NY, held for the second time a one day, multi-stage, all night rager. 51BassCamp called the summer slopes home that day and night on Saturday August 25th. There was the main stage set up outside, under a tent at the foot of slope surrounded by artists doing live art. The lodge was transformed into a dark, dance cave complete with concession stand and the entertainment corner. With ice cold Magic Hats and hot bass music being pumped out all day, concert goers had it made in the shade. Starting early in the afternoon, a small crowd danced inside and under the main tent, while a number of people enjoyed laying on blankets all over the slopes, soaking up the scene outside.

    Besides, the main music attractions, there were plenty of other activities to keep the audiences happy. A hookah lounge was set up by Spiritual Haze from Worcester, Ma, providing multiple flavors and hookahs unlimited all evening. The infamous Tree Shurts had their iconic Winnibaker set up and ready to sell their tasty tee-shirts. One of the more popular booths was Beacon in the Dark Blacklight Collective. The small operation had two areas set up for face and body painting, with both Christian Diaz and Chris VanderEssen providing their creative paint brushes. Christian Diaz enjoys watching his art come to life on people and its a nice reward to see the art work evolve.

    Alan Claw Letko was the first act I was able to see on the outside main stage around 4. He is known for his heavy dupstep music with remixes inspired by hip-hop and rap. Together, Claw and Richie August form Hulk, a intense sound of bass and pure rage. It’s noise that fills you with an irresponsible anger you never knew you had and must be taken out on the dance floor. Heading inside, I was lucky to catch the ending set of Mikey Parkay, a DJ who has traveled coast to coast in the states as well as Canada. Parkay brings a variety of music to his performances, a great way to ease into the evenings festivities. Heavy on the funk and disco, Parkay mixes classic hits with a fast paced energetic sound.

    Everyone could feel the electricity in the air as the sun began to set, the universal sign that it’s party time. The slopes were light up by Dutch Masterson Designs and it was truly breathtaking to watch colors and shapes shoot across the hillside, almost like a multi-colored meteor shower. Horizon Wireless took the main stage at 7 and set the bar high for the evening. Horizon Wireless consists of DJ, Harrison Waxenberg, and Drummer, Sol Montoya who blend together a wide variety of sounds that grabs the listener by the chest as they get thrown into the music. A non stop thrill ride that Horizon Wireless can barely control themselves.

    As the mountains were laced with lasers, the ski lounge dripped with bright neon lights and paint, proving that the best was yet to come of the festival. Sweatpant$ Money, recently voted Best Name in Albany’s Metroland Best of Issue last month, performed to a packed glowing dance floor. Providing electronic music and noises that had the audience moving in a almost synchronized dance together, proving that Sweatpant$ Money is more than just a cool name. Cosmic strips, the one man producer from Pennsylvania, knows how to manipulate the crowd with his passionate spinning. Constantly pushing and pulling on the audiences heads and hearts with the sounds that lift you off the ground only to drop you.
    51BassCamp was a festival with an ideal location, small crowd and relaxed yet enthusiastic attitude, best described as “The Biggest VIP Party.” In such an intimate setting, fans had the chance to interact with their favorite DJs and producers, plus be introduced to up and coming new sounds. The event was also a great opportunity for everyone involved in the industry to come together and create friendly new networks. If concert goers are looking to experience the Bass-sensation without being fully submerged in the beat, 51BassCamp is worth every penny.

  • Prepare for The Chill: Interviews with Catskill Chill performers Jeff Bujak, Particle and Timbre Coup

    The 3rd annual Catskill Chill Festival will return back to Camp Minglewood in Hancock, New York for September 7th-9th. This years lineup includes: Yonder Mountain String Band, Lotus, Conspirator, Soulive, Lettuce, EOTO, JGB with Melvin Seals, Rubblebucket, Cornmeal, Jeff Bujak, Timbre Coup and many more bands as well as DJs. With three stages consisting of jam bands, reggae music, funk, jazz, blue grass, electronica, and rock and roll, there’s something for everyone. Besides great music, the festival offers a fire show by SOPF, bonfire drum circle, an open mic stage and yoga classes.

    Festival goers have the option of free on-site camping or renting on site cabins. Cabins range in size with private cabins that sleep two to large double bunkhouses which sleep 32 people. The Catskill Chill Music Festival is also offering buses from New York City to Camp Minglewood for only $60 per person. The bus ticket gives city slickers a round trip ride from Bryant Park in Manhattan, straight to the front gate of the festival.

    For more information, go to catskillchill.com or like them on Facebook. Some of the artists attending The Chill this year spoke to about their music, upcoming shows and Upstate New York.

    Jeff Bujak

    Susan Rice: How do you perform differently during a silent disco vs. a “regular” non-headphone wearing show? Do you find yourself watching the crowd more during one over the other?

    Jeff Bujak: When I run my show audio through wireless headphones, I have the advantage of hearing exactly what the audience hears. Same mix. Same stereo audio feed. I’m able to mix in full stereo and have fun with panning and such. I can do more intricate progressions and get more complicated since everyone is paying attention. When I perform through a PA, everyone hears the audio differently, so I try to mix the audio for the best of the room and keep it intense to keep the audience’s attention. I’m up against other people’s friends talking to them; not the case with headphones. I can’t get as mellow or intricate. Being louder and bassier can get a crowd into a frenzy, but the audio quality usually suffers so I play more heavy and simple to keep that attention going. 2-different shows. I love them both. And I never really look at the crowd for either show. It disrupts my playing. As much as I want to, I try and mess up.

    SR: You have a busy schedule for the next few weeks from traveling all over the east coast. Do you think your tour will end with a completely different sound from when you originally started?

    JB: My sound varies from night to night. I’m pretty much a traveling experiment to see how far I can push myself; mentally and musically. I can always feel the rust coming on when I have a week off, and it takes a show to get moving again. But, once my mind is loosened up, I’ll try new things and see if I like it. By the end of a run, I usually have new parts and new things to practice with that week.

    SR: What is it about Upstate New York that keeps bringing you back to perform?

    JB: I grew up in Syracuse, NY so upstate NY has always been a hotspot for music in my world. All of the bands and clubs that have been in and out have created a great scene and I love being a part of it. There’s more clubs/bars down the Thruway to keep a band touring for a couple weeks. I hate tolls, though.

    Particle with Steve Moltiz

    Susan Rice: You have played multiple Phish After Party shows in New York, Massachusetts and soon California. Do you get to see the Phish shows often? What influence does the band hold for you?

    Steve Moltiz: Whenever Particle plays a Phish after party, we all go see the Phish show together. It’s an inspiring way to start the night, and it really opens our mind up to taking a more expansive approach to our improvisation…

    SR: After touring the west coast, what new skills and sounds are you bringing for the folks on the east coast, especially those attending your first show back, the Catskill Chill Festival?

    SM: We just incorporated a Pink Floyd theme into ou recent West Coast shows, so I’m sure we’ll work in some of the Floyd highlights into our Catskill Chill set. It’s really a blast for us to “Particlize” the Floyd tunes by merging their psychedelia with our funktronic rock…

    SR: What inspirations do you get when traveling and touring through Upstate New York that you can’t find anywhere else?

    SM: Upstate NY is a very peaceful place to get away from the usual distractions of technology, and allow yourself to reconnect with some of the more subtle rhythms in life (your breath, heartbeat, etc.). We love playing up there, and can’t wait to see you all at the Chill!

    Dan Gerken of Timbre Coup

    Susan Rice: You attended moe.down 13 this year for the first time as a performer. What were some of your favorite moments? What were your fans reactions?

    Dan Gerken: moe.down 13 was amazing from top to bottom from performers to organizers of the event. It was very special to us playing with such awesome national acts in our own region and we found that a lot of our core fan base came out to support us. Some of my favorite moments include the Saturday moe sets, hanging with the Umphreys Mcgee guys and being videotaped by multiple cameras at the same time. My pinnacle moment was chatting with Stanley Jordan after the Umphreys set and being able to talk music with such a legend and positive soul such as him.

    We feel as though we introduced ourselves to many new folks who hopefully become fans. Sometimes it’s difficult to put all your eggs in one basket and go catch a club show of a new band but at festivals you can get this introduction without having to go out of your way. I believe a lot more fans will be following us and we all feel as a band that we all put on a good performance in a key situation at moe.down. We were happy with our sets.

    SR: You have 13 shows lined up for your fall tour including The Catskill Chill festival. Where do you see your music branching out over the season?

    DG: We will be adding many more unannounced shows to our calendar in the next few weeks leading up to Catskill Chill but….. as far as what we have up as of yet we are excited to get down south again (10/18 Knoxville TN, 10/20 Savannah among others) and get invited back to a few spots as well. Look for us in the Northeast quite a bit too with stuff in MA and all over NY (September 20 Rochester, September 21 Buffalo). www.timbrecoup.com for details

    SR: Having grown up here in New York, what were some of your favorite events to attend in the Upstate region?

    DG: I personally have been in NY since I was 14. There are many things to do in the summertime tied in with nature and the Adirondacks as well as music and culture and we as a band have always enjoyed when the two came together. Mountain Jam, moe.down, Camp Bisco and Backwoods Pondfest are just some of the many events we have attended in NY and are some of the biggest festivals in the country as well so this is clearly a place where both nature and culture can come together as one entity.

    Gabriel Marin from Consider the Source.

    Susan Rice: You have a fall tour of 4 shows scheduled in Germany. What to you hope to learn most about while there?
    Gabriel Marin: We are also playing Israel for the 3rd year in a row too. This is also our second year doing Germany.We have a really big fan base in Israel, so that is always a blast, and we are excited to tour in Germany opening for Panzer Ballet, who is really amazing. God willing by the end of this tour we will have a sizeable following in Deutschland.

    SR: Which artists do you enjoy sharing the line up with at Upstate New York venues?
    GM: Upstate is the first region out of NYC we starting playing, so we have a ton of great friends from upstate. Timbre Coup, Arm Cannon, Peanut Brittle Satellite… Im sure I’m leaving some out by accident. Even though they aren’t from upstate, we play a lot of festivals and upstate gigs with our homies in Dopapod.

  • Eastbound Jesus at Red Square, August 10th

    Local Americana group Eastbound Jesus played last Friday at Albany’s popular venue, Red Square. The band announced early in the day on their Facebook page that there would be no opening band and they were excited to play longer sets that night with plenty of music to spare.

    The crowd quickly rushed the stage once Eastbound Jesus had started tuning their instruments. To some disappointment, it was only the sound check. Even before their set, the band set the bar high with only warming up and the crowd had a to control their anticipation a bit longer. A quick “Sorry guys, we’ll start real soon” reassured the crowd. After a round of drinks, the boys were ready to rock, roll and ramble on.

    With Adam Brockway on acoustic guitar wearing his signature hat, Zack Infante rocking the lap steel in his chair, Dave Wright on bass and mandolin, Dylan Robinson playing electric guitar as well as Carl Anderson on drums and Luke Anderson on banjo, Eastbound Jesus has quickly become one of the Capital District’s most beloved bands. Each member contributed vocals and lyrics that almost break your heart, making it impossible not to enjoy a performance, with music that stirs your blood and makes you stomp your feet. It should come as no surprise the band was voted ‘Best Country Band’ in the Metroland’s “Best of 2012” issue this past July. Eastbound Jesus released their second album, Holy Smokes! last January and with such chemistry between them, there’s nothing but more great music to follow.

    Eastbound Jesus will be appearing at the Bella Terra Festival on August 19th in Stephentown, New York and 3rd annual Upstate Boogie Festival in Lyons, NY August 31st. They will also be making stops at Nectars in Burlington, Vermont on August 23rd and Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, New York on August 25th. For more tour dates, news and free tunes, head to their website, eastboundjesus.com