NYS Music 20​12

Category: Albany

  • 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.

  • Warren Haynes Band at The Egg, October 13th

    There might be literal and figurative reasons why the concert room at The Egg is called the Hart Theater. First and foremost, for anyone unfamiliar with the area across from the Governor’s mansion, The Egg is just that – a very large, concrete building in the shape of an egg. It perhaps provides one of the most unique ways to experience a concert. Inside the building, elevators lift attendees to the fourth floor where they walk into a large semi-circle lobby speckled with lounge seats and a makeshift bar. There are four separate walkways on each side of the theater, at different levels. The arteries of the ‘Hart’ empty into an amphitheater setting where the stage is below. Sight lines and legroom are a bonus, but even more so, the shape lends itself to pristine acoustics.

    Warren Haynes, who has crafted his skill to perfection, graced the sold out Hart Theater at The Egg with an abundance of heart for his adoring fans and love of his guitar. Playing the title track off the 2011 disc release, Warren Haynes opened the show with “Man in Motion.” He immediately engaged the crowd in the front, greeting them with hellos and smiles. His demeanor was friendly, inviting and kind. Three deep into the set, Haynes’ guitar and Ron Holloway’s saxophone playfully conversed back and forth, speaking through notes as if to say, “more, more.” More is what we get as the band moved through their set. Haynes greeted keyboardist Nigel Hall for another playful round of back and forth during “On a Real Lonely Night.” Haynes carried the conversation to Holloway, until the music reached a climax and the three played together. The first set was a display of musical talent that crossed genres and pushed boundaries, while maintaining the sound of soul and blues.

    After set break, the band gave the spotlight to drummer Terence Higgins, his red kit sitting above the band mid stage. He pounded his beats with enthusiasm until he broke away and gave it to the band, indicating the second set would be filled with a heavier rock essence. “Spanish Castle” was a weighty song driven by the backdrop of keys. Both Haynes and Holloway swap solos while Alicia Chakour interjected her soulful vocals at key moments. Towards the end of the set, Warren Haynes introduced each member by singing their names as they jammed on their respective instruments. The encore took a turn into the Gospel realm – yet another indication of their collective talents transitioning into multiple genres. The Warren Haynes Band put the soul in “Soulshine” and heart into the theater of the same name.

  • Medeski, Martin and Wood: An Acoustic evening at the Massry Center for the Arts

    This past Saturday evening, I had the pleasure of enjoying Medeski, Martin and Wood, or MMW for short, perform an acoustic show for a sold out audience of 400 fans at the Massry Center of the Arts at The College of Saint Rose. Having never before been to the Massy Center, I had only heard that it had possibly the best sounding room in Albany. I was excited  for MMW to let their brand of beautiful noise loose in this room. Oh and how they let it loose!! More on that however, first some history on the center itself.

    A subtle grace is bestowed upon Massry Center. It isn’t apparent how graceful it is until you dig deeper. Some 450 feet deeper to be exact, as it is heated and cooled by a geothermal system originating from 40 wells dug beneath the building and its adjacent parking lot. It gets greener yet with 35% of its electricity supplied by wind and water. Using no fossil fuels, it also is made of 78% recycled steel and 15% recycled concrete. Gorgeous American and Patagonian Cherry wood is used on the doors and floors in accordance with standards set by the Forest Stewardship Council. All of these attributes makes it almost 50% more efficient than a comparable building built conventionally.

    Arriving close to the 7:30 starting time, I met up with photographer Chris DeCotis. We assumed our seats on the top landing facing down the stairs for a great view of the stage. Due to the show being sold out we were relegated to chairs, but being a rather lanky fellow I was pleased to not be crammed into a theater seat. Most of the seats were filled and just after 7:35 MMW began.

    As DeCotis assumed his position near the floor, I sat back and prepared for the inevitable onslaught. Having seen MMW around 25 times previously, I knew how unpredictable and how completely mind blowing they can be. These Berkelee College of Music trained musicians began their career in 1991 playing acoustic together and can read each others every syncopated move like Jedi knights. I had not seen them perform acoustic before so I was in for a very special treat.

    They began with a short intro then blasted into “Piano/Bass Chase” a free wheeling number that had everyone’s attention; no easing into things tonight. Very smoothly sliding into a improvised jam, the trio was clearly at ease, when they decided to shake it up a bit. They moved into a “Melodiccordian Shuffle” where Medeski plays a melodica/accordian hybrid, both rollicking and funky, to the point where I’m having a hard time sitting still. The crowd is bobbing heads and tapping toes in time. It’s the third song before they take a short breather. After playing a bold “Truth or Suffering” and very tight “Down On Me” things get weird. Playing an instrument that looks like someone tried to make an Oboe out of a Didgeridoo, Medeski showed his versatility, while Chris Wood opted for the electric bass and Billy Martin played all manner of random percussion in his repertoire before settling on two handfuls of orange plastic clothes hangers.  To close the first set they play a chopped up and regurgitated “Suspicious Minds” which I recognized but could not place the original artist…thinking it was a Tom Jones song, I realized later it was originally Elvis.

    After taking a short stretch break, the theater filled back up and is ready for round two. A quick intro leads right into “Nostalgia in Times Square”, segueing into “Angel Race (I’ll Wait for You)”. Wood’s upright bass solo in the middle on an extended “Illmoan” is a moment of focus in a tribal fertility space funk. Following the completion of “Illmoan” was another jam with John Medeski on the Slovakian Bassoon (or in my mind the Obidgeridoe). Never compromising, they round out the second set with a more straight forward “Pocket Knife” followed by a Drum Solo from Billy. Finishing the set with “Olde Wyne”, the boys were really feeling it and swerved around the song with ease.

    They were lavished upon with a standing ovation from most of the crowd, cheering, whistling, hooting and screeching for more. The crowd loved it and wanted more. They take the stage and the usual mouthpiece, Billy, gives their collective appreciation for being able to play acoustic for us. They finish the night out by encoring with “Fall River Blues”. Again, I find it hard to sit down, and know that I’m not the only one.

    Download Andy Murray’s recording of Medeski, Martin and Wood Acoustic

  • North Mississippi Allstars, Missing Cats and Eastbound Jesus, Upstate Concert Hall, September 29th

    North Mississippi Allstars, Missing Cats and Eastbound Jesus, Upstate Concert Hall, September 29th

    With the arrival of southern rockers North Mississippi Allstars and Missing Cats heading up Upstate New York, I leaped at the chance to check out two bands that I was first enthralled by at the first Bonnaroo. While not exactly the same band lineup, with North Mississippi missing the recovering Chris Chew, and Missing Cats featuring Widespread Panic keyboardist JoJo Hermann, this was a pure treat, to see the musicians playing together for two sets, one Missing Cats and one North Mississippi. In a room like Upstate Concert Hall (formerly Northern Lights), the potential for an intimate and classic show was high.

    north mississippi allstarsThirty minutes of Eastbound Jesus got the crowd warmed up for the evening, and added some local flair to an otherwise southern lineup. Missing Cats took the stage with Sherman Ewing on acoustic guitar and JoJo on keyboard. Singing original songs with a rockabilly/Dixieland ring, the duo opened up with “Lazy Bones” and a few songs later were joined by Luther (guitar) and Cody Dickinson (drums) for the rest of the set. JoJo told stories in between some songs, including “Over Lovett”, which was written while flying over Buddy Holly’s hometown.”Follow me Down” had a Warren Zevon aspect to it, between both the lyrics and JoJo’s melody on the keys (see video below). This song stuck in my head for a day or two after, particularly because JoJo and I had discussed Zevon in our interview earlier that week, and lo and behold, the influence of the hairy-handed gent was present on stage. Some New Orleans infused tunes followed, along with “Halfway to the Top”, which JoJo mentioned was inspired by driving on a mountain highway through the Catskills during the change in foliage; the tune had a Jackson Browne/Early 80s feel, and was a perfect end to a great first set.

    Six song playlist – Missing Cats: “My Hideaway”, “Burn This Mission Down”, “Follow me Down”; North Mississippi Allstars: “Sugartown”, “Daisy Mae”, “All Night Long”

    North Mississippi Allstars brought the jukejoint blues of the land south of Memphis to the stage with Lightnin’ Malcolm on bass and JoJo on keys, the sound of generations past were updated as fluid jams developed from blues compositions into jazzy outlays of pure gold.

    Following the opener “Someday Baby”, after 10 years, I finally got to see “Sugartown” for the second time (first at Bonnaroo) and it was a pure treat, although the absense of Chris Chew’s thumping bass could be heard. “Never in all my Days” and “Mean old Wind Died Down” were foot stomping, head bobbing, thigh slapping numbers that roused a focused crowd. “Mississippi Boll Weevil”, “Shake ’em on Down” and “Shake What your Mama Gave You” provided a steady arc of upbeat, evenly paced songs that never let the momentum drop. “Moonshine” was more of a bridge, being somewhat more ballad-esque, and showcased Luther’s slight drawl-tinted voice. JoJo joined the band for “Bang Bang Lulu”, a machine-gun of a number, with Cody knocking each verse and refrain out of the park.

    The echo-laden blues guitar sound of “Po Black Maddie” was oddly complimented by a Dukes of Hazzard video on the screen behind the band. Cody took a moment to solo with his electric washboard, a classic aspect to any NoMiss set. Luther then took out a two string guitar made with an old microphone as the (limited) body, but still played strong on “Ho Down” and “Psychedelic Sex Machine”  The set ended shortly after midnight, and an encore of the Smiling Assassins tune “Daisy Mae” was sung by JoJo and received a warm reception from the Panic fans in the crowd who have heard this number played once or twice in the past. Being that is was Lightnin’ Malcolm’s birthday, he elected to play Junior Kimbrough’s “All Night Long”, which kept the audience dancing for an extended jam that drained every bit of energy from the band and fans alike.

    Post show, Luther and JoJo stopped into the crowd to talk to fans, remarking about the intimacy of the show and the tour as it was slowing creeping to a close. Later that week they played in Ithaca at The Haunt and brought the same high energy, southern rock show to a gathering of ardent fans of the blues.

    Download the North Mississippi Allstars show recorded by tapers John and Ed.

  • 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

  • Medeski, Martin and Wood performing acoustic concert October 6th at The College of Saint Rose Massry Center

    Medeski, Martin and Wood performing acoustic concert October 6th at The College of Saint Rose Massry Center

    “Wide open.” That’s how John Medeski describes his bandmates’ musical sensibilities, the attitude he seeks in himself, and the spirit of musical adventure he, Billy Martin and Jeff Wood have pursued for two decades. On Saturday, October 6th at 7:30pm, Medeski Martin & Wood will perform a special acoustic performance at The College of Saint Rose, in the Kathleen McManus Picotte Recital Hall, located in the Massry Center for the Arts. Tickets are $30 each and may be purchased online.

    Medeski Martin Wood Massry Center
    photo by Christopher Decotis

    Medeski, Martin and Wood’s amalgam of jazz, funk, “avant-noise” and other musical currents and impulses is nearly impossible to classify. Medeski’s keyboard excursions, Chris Wood’s hard-charging bass lines and Billy Martin’s supple, danceable beats have come to resemble a single organism, moving gracefully between genre-defying compositions and expansive improvisation atop a relentless groove.

    Though the “jazz spirit,” as they like to call it, has been ever-present in their sonic voyages, Medeski Martin & Wood have won over a substantial audience that rarely responds to instrumental music. Their club and festival appearances are packed with alternative-rock lovers as well as jam-band aficionados and jazz heads. The band’s onstage adventurousness sparked an experimental approach to recording as well – as on 1996’s solar-powered Shack-Man, recorded in a plywood shack amid the mango trees and plumerias on Hawaii’s Big Island (and featuring Martin’s artwork on its cover); the funked-out 1998 Blue Note disc Combustication, which enlisted two radically different engineers to create complementary sonic approaches; the acoustic live set Tonic (2000), recorded in New York, and its plugged-in twin, 2001’s Electric Tonic; 2004’s End of the World Party (Just in Case), produced by John King of the Dust Brothers; their two collaborations with guitarist John Scofield, A Go Go (1998) and Out Louder (2006, under the name Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood); the 2008 children’s record Let’s Go Everywhere; and the 2008-09 Radiolarian series, a trilogy of albums generated according to a strict policy of “Write > Tour > Record > Repeat,” as the band noted in an online announcement. They’ve also founded and run their own label, Indirecto.

    The band members also have kept things fresh by pursuing scores of other projects. Medeski produced two albums by the Wood Brothers, Chris Wood’s rootsy partnership with his brother, Oliver, as well as work by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and performed as a solo pianist. He and Martin also have performed and recorded as the duo Mago.

    Martin, for his part, has recorded several solo discs and an album of breakbeats (under his own name and as Illy B), collaborated with DJ Logic, DJ Spooky, Dave Burrell and other artists, authored a book, pursued his own visual art, and produced and directed “Fly in a Bottle,” a feature-length documentary about the making of the Radiolarian series.

    The Wood Brothers have released three LPs and an EP of cover songs and toured with the likes of Zac Brown Band, Levon Helm, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers and k.d. lang.

    We’ll see you at the show on October 6th at 7:30 for this intimate performance.

  • Jimkata with Dirty Paris, September 20th at Red Square

    Jimkata with Dirty Paris, September 20th at Red Square

    Jimkata embarked on their ‘Die Digital’ Fall Tour last week and made a stop in Albany at Red Square to get things rolling, and opener Dirty Paris was a perfect selection as their electronic dance music finds a great groove and sticks with it, not looking for an easy out. Take a song and they’ll make a rager of it, and damn well at that. You can get lost in their jams for the longest time before the jam changes tempo and you’re catching up to pace. Dirty Paris is traveling and writing but expect them to be back in Albany and  surrounding areas as winter approaches.

    jimkata dirty parisJimkata drew quite a crowd for a Thursday and treated the crowd to much of their new album Die Digital and some classics. The intro bled into “Release” followed by a great duo in “Feed”->”Chalice”.  “Fiction” was an immense highlight, with Eric shredding through a jam, an extended explosion of Super Mario coins. Intense, thorough and patient jams could be found in LegoLand, Electronic Stone and Chainstore. An encore of an older number, “One to Ten” was met with great thanks after the show from the crowd, while “Die Digital” makes the album version seem basic by comparison; this song mutates into a huge set closer live. While Die Digital is a great album, live > studio, and that’s a good thing.

    Of note, the band has some impressive lighting, especially for an up and coming band. In the back of Red Square, the back wall was lit with rows of small twinkling LED lights that moved in waves as a perfect accent to the music, while the low front stage lights gave the band their own 5th member,  in sync throughout the show.

    Setlist: Intro, Release, Feed->Chalice, Punches->Fiction, Niteshade->When The Day Comes, Legoland, Place of Dreams, Electronic Stone, American Cars, Chainstore

    Encore: One to Ten, Die Digital

  • Brothers Past and Timbre Coup at Valentines this Friday

    Philly-based Brothers Past returns to Albany this Friday night, September 28th with Timbre Coup. This four piece jamtronica band has been described by The New York Press as “the square-jawed, bastard child of Pink Floyd with a gigantic stage show.”  Summing up their music with a few catchy adjectives won’t do them justice though… their songs vary in style and crossover many genres.   You’ll just have to judge for yourself.

    Timbre Coup, Albany’s favorite prog-rock act, has had a very busy summer, holding an awesome stage presence at festivals such as Catskill Chill, moe.down, Cabinfest, Strangecreek, and Bellstock.  Pronounced “tam-ber koo” (see: music theory), this talented four piece experiments with crazy time signatures and tripped out experimental prog-rocky funky beats that get you off your ass and spinning around.

    Valentines (upstairs) is located at 17 New Scotland Ave in Albany and the show is 18+. Doors are at 8 pm with  Timbre Coup taking the stage at 9:30 pm and Brothers Past at 11pm.

    A word of advice – Do NOT be late for this show.  Tickets are sure to sell out (there are still a few left online!!) and are only $12 in advance!

  • PearlPalooza 2012 Review

    Early afternoon is a tough time to get moving and grooving, but that didn’t stop the masses from arriving on Pearl St. in Albany. Once again for 2012, WEQX presented the day-long street festival, Pearlpalooza, with Cobblestone allies led into the downtown urban scape where high-rise brick and mortar buildings provided a periphery to the event. There were two stages located at each end of the street. The EQX Main stage was reserved for the national acts and the second stage was reserved for the popular local acts.

    On a breezy and sunny, but still warm autumn day, the music hit the walls of the buildings and fell to jovial ears. The time slots for the bands to play were balanced so that not one artist would be missed. I arrived just in time to grab a spot for Eastbound Jesus. In spite of the early time slot, they had amassed large crowd in front. Now becoming an Albany area staple, they have gained steam and a large following. Giving the shortened time, as most festivals require, their truncated set still allowed for the boys to weave in and out of a mix of new songs and familiar hits. Eastbound Jesus played crowd favorites, “Holy Smokes!” and “Gonna Go Down.”

    Mirk is a seven-piece outfit mostly composed of hip-hop songs that teased every other genre of music. Each song hit on just something a little different, with horns, a keyboardist and electric instruments; Mirk leaves room for a variety of sound. Wild Adriatic played a bit of rock and roll and closed out with a crowd sing-a-long,” With A Little Help From my Friends.”

    The EQX Main Stage included mostly pop artists that fit the bill of radio friendly electronic acts. Robert Delong takes his drum kit, gaming unit and laptops and fuses electro-beats with rock and roll. Most notable were his vocals. Local turned national artist, Phantogram enjoyed playing to their hometown fans with their electronic rock and roll beats. A rainstorm rolled in at around 6:30 pm when Conehead Buddha was set to play the small stage, but the rain began to saturate their equipment and they only made it through a few songs. Meanwhile, the rain delayed headliners, Matt & Kim, but that didn’t stop the busting-at-the-seems crowd from chanting, “Matt and Kim.” The duo catered to their crowd in big ways. The boy/girl team popped on stage to Jay-Z and Alicia Key’s, “Empire State of Mind,” wielding drumsticks like Kim was a ninja and elevating themselves above the crowd ramping up the fans. Much of their set included covers and sing-a-longs such as Biz Markie’s, “Just a Friend.” The duo incorporated their instrumental talents on drums and keys into fast tempo electronic beats with much gusto and energy. The team made their on stage workout seem effortless.

    Overall, there was a variety of music and therefore something for everyone. One fan in the crowd stated how she enjoyed that it wasn’t overly populated with the college kids. The most enjoyable aspect was the kid friendly atmosphere in spite of the bar-lined street.