I arrived fashionably late to Club Helsinki for Charlie Hunter on Friday, mostly because its rather unassuming at first glance. Understated even, compared to the elegance inside. A renovated Factory originally built in 1863, Helsinki has many irons in the fire with a Ballroom upstairs, full restaurant in front, Club in the rear and an adjacent courtyard.
I had driven right by as I am not totally familiar with Hudson yet and hadn’t noticed the HELSINKI lettering dripping down the outer wall on either side. Duh, I thought, as I hustled inside. I mistakenly entered the restaurant first and was directed to the back via the courtyard. Luke, the Club Helsinki manager greeted me outside in the courtyard with a smile. He showed me in, informing me Charlie had started about 15 minutes before. Knowing his songs tend to noodle around, I figured I had missed around 3-4 songs. Club Helsinki has simple tasteful decor and is inviting and comfortable with a large bar, three levels of tables and an ample dance floor. I settled into the most immediate open table with my brown ale.
The first song I’m privy to is an energetic and funky breakdown of Hall & Oates’ I Can’t Go For That! It was everything I could hope for in a jazzed up version of a song I grew up hearing. I enjoyed the next song and then noticed my friend Tom Carpenter and joined him at a table closer to the stage. I am not sure what the next couple songs were, but I noticed as I was sitting closer that Charlie has on his guitar face, that means business. Scott Amendola, his drummer, has come to play as well. Playfully covering a Curtis Mayfield B side Charlie’s chops are so incredible as he makes the bass lines with the top three bass strings and guitar licks and solos on the bottom four strings of his hybridized guitar. Next is a soulful You’ve Been A Good ole Wagon, But Baby Now You’ve Done Broke Down, an old Bessie Smith number. After a brief pause at the end of the show Scott and Charlie joined us for an encore after the crowd of 40 or so hooted and applauded them.
I had a great time at Club Helsinki. Anyplace I can see some great musicians in an intimate setting with excellent sound and have drinks delivered to my table, I’m game. I will definitely be back.
The NY Banjo – A Five-String Summit has a very rich tradition. So rich, in fact, it reaches beyond its own ten year history and into the history of the banjo’s story. Actually an instrument with African heritage, the banjo began to assume its place in the culture of americana music around the 1930s. Pete Seeger was at the apex of that effort, and his time touring with Woodie Guthrie helped catapult him along with, and perhaps through, the burgeoning folk scene of the time. Audiences began to embrace the banjo as a lead instrument, and as the lead instrument in many cases. Largely because Seeger was not only an expert technician but also so adept at fusing politics and social issues with song, he and his banjo filled a much needed niche in the country given the political and social climate of the changing times. New York City began to flourish with the sounds of flying fingers and a wave of young musicians emerged hungry to lend their thumb picks to the cause. Among those musicians was Eric Weissberg, ultimate member of the NY Banjo Summit, who studied for a time at the nimble hands of Pete.
Bluegrass groups began to take shape and New York City was a hotspot in the early 50s, at the cutting edge of the wave. Through the rise of Mike Seeger and The New Lost City Ramblers, The New York Ramblers and The Down State Rebels and many others, banjo players were evolving and developing their own styles. Naturally, they cooperated, work-shopped, and listened to each other, drawing out the best innovative ideas each had to offer and strengthening the overall community. Mac Benford and his 5 string were upstate, and so entered Ithaca’s part of this tale with Benford’s The Highwoods Stringband. Other notable bluegrass musicians included in his I-town contemporaries include Walt Koken, Howie Bursen, and Ken Perlman and as they are wont to do, these musicians all began to collectively establish a community supportive of their genre in the Southern Tier, a healthy extension of downstate’s scene. Communities easily blossomed into networks and it is from that The NY Banjo Summit was planned in 2002.
In the 1970s, Bela Fleck was living among the downstate limb of the body of New York bluegrass and is a part the next wave of appreciation for the banjo. He studied under Tony Trischka and whittled his craft to precision. He has unique techniques of interacting with his instrument and he is both traditional and progressive.
That’s quite a history and quite a root stock running through New York! This history was recognized in 2002 when the Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center in Albany, NY, assembled an all star group of banjo aficionados for the first New York Banjo concert. This marks the 10 year reunion of that effort and a 10-city New York Banjo Summit tour arose in honor of the accomplishment.
For additional information regarding this show, please reference the State Theater and Dan Smalls Presents websites. Gold Circle Seats refer to the first 10 rows in the center section of the theater and also the first 2 rows of the balcony section.
I first became “acquainted” with Jackie Greene, when a video of Jackie Greene performing “Brokedown Palace” with Phil Lesh at Phil’s Marin County home surfaced back in September 2007. The rehearsals were in preparation for the fall 2007 Phil and Friends tour. I happened to catch the 10/20/2007 show of that tour at the Glens Falls Civic Center. Most of the hype centered around the appearance of Phish’s Trey Anastasio who was residing in the area at the time. But “the new kid” in skinny jeans, as I referred to him in a blog post, impressed me with his gritty bluesy voice. Not an easy task when you are on stage with Larry Campbell, Phil Lesh and Trey Anastasio!
I’ve been a fan since. I have caught his sets at Gathering of the Vibes, his performances with Ratdog and Bob Weir, and followed the YouTube videos he shoots of himself performing new tunes. Although I missed out on his Ramble appearances down at the late great Levon Helm’s Barn and his prior visits to Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY, I tentatively had the 11/2/12 show at Bearsville Theater pencilled in on my calender prior to the announcement he would be joining Phil and Friends (again) on tour shortly thereafter. While I was stuck working, I was shut out of tickets for the Phil & Friends dates at the Capitol Theater in Portchester, NY when those dates sold out quickly.
It was serendipity that Jackie Greene announced an added date at Club Helsinki in Hudson, NY where I grew up and where family still lives. A 45 minute drive to Hudson sure beats the 1hr 45m drive to Bearsville as much as I enjoy hanging out in Woodstock.
I had never been to Club Helsinki before, which I can best describe as a seated club (or at least it was for this night). It had a supper club/cabaret type feel. In fact people were dining throughout most of opening act Jabe Beyer’s set and through Jackie’s. The tables were all full when my friends and I arrived but we were told we could sit on the couch which was side stage and right next to Jackie’s tech.
For a singer/songwriter type like Jackie Greene, the venue was perfect and the acoustics were outstanding. The 17 song set showcased Jackie’s versatility as he segued seamlessly from folk to pure country to rock and blues and back showing why the New York Times labeled him the “Prince of Americana”.
Jackie opened with I Don’t Live in a Dream from 2008’s Giving up the Ghost. He then put on the harmonica for a Dylanesque Gone Wanderin’ prefaced by stating “a little joy before the storm hits” referring to the looming Hurricane Sandy. Honey I Been Thinking about you had folky Arlo Guthrie like humor. A Side of the Road and Honey also showcased folk influences. There was a a nod to the outstanding sound because “I can hear myself” with pure country ballad When Did you Stop Loving Me?
A cover of the Grateful Dead’s Deal featured an outstanding keyboard solo by Steve Taylor on a very clean and crisp sounding Yamaha. I was continuously torn between putting down my camcorder to just listen especially on the lush harmonies of A Moment of Temporary Color where Steve Taylor showed restraint and a light ethereal touch on those ivories.
Jackie took an audience request on 1961 playfully stating “WTF are the words!! I always get myself into these situations” It was then his turn to take to the piano and he swapped places with Steve Taylor for Shaken, So Hard To Find My Way and the gritty, soulful and very old-school blues of Tell Me Mama, Tell me Right were he asked the soundman to take everyone else out of the mix.
Jackie then returned to the guitar for a duet with Steve on Elton John classic Bennie & The Jets. The playful back and forth of Bennie Bennie Bennie…. Bennie & the Jets had both singers at the tops of their range in falsetto. A switch to acoustic guitar for One Bad Love and one of my favorite tunes of the evening Uphill Mountain signaled the night was winding down all too quickly. Band introductions followed and it was back to the electric for set closer and the second Grateful Dead cover of the night: Sugaree. After the band left the stage briefly, they came back out with Jabe Beyer. With a nod to Levon Helm and The Band, Jackie and Jabe encored with The Weight.
Setlist: Tuning, I Don’t Live In A Dream, Gone Wanderin’, By the Side of the Road, Dressed to Kill, Honey I Been Thinking About You, When Did You Stop Loving Me?, Deal, A Moment of Temporary Color, Till the Light Comes, 1961, Shaken, So Hard To Find My Way, Tell Me Mama, Tell Me Right, Bennie and the Jets, One Bad Love Uphill Mountain, Sugaree
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.
Pink Floyd enthusiasts were treated to a fun night of music and visual displays Saturday night in Albany. The Australian Pink Floyd Show made a stop at the Palace Theater and put on a complete show filled with classic Pink Floyd songs that spanned their entire catalog. Along with a giant circular video monitor, laser light projections and backup singers, it made for a true theatrical experience. Writers Tim O’Shea and Pete Mason attended and each took something different from the show.
Review by Tim O’Shea
The show opened with the dark and brooding “In the Flesh” and instantly captured the audience’s attention. The early portion of the show included several selections from some of the later Pink Floyd albums. “Sorrow” from the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason was also well received. The band then shifted gears and went into one of the group’s earlier numbers with a stirring rendition of “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun”. Another first set highlight was “Pigs” which was performed flawlessly. After this, spotlights and that familiar helicopter sound led into the set closer of “Another Brick in the Wall” which also featured a giant inflatable “teacher” on stage which corresponded to the video being shown on stage.
The second set opened with the Syd Barrett tribute “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”. This was another song complemented beautifully by the video being shown which included some very early images of the band when Barrett was still included. The chiming of clocks that followed could only mean it was time for “Time”, followed by another song from the epic Dark Side of the Moon album with “Great Gig in the Sky”. This gave the three backup singers a chance to shine as each took their own approach to the classic vocal solo that ends the song. “Us and Them” was also played later in the set giving the audience a good sampling from this classic album.
Review by Pete Mason
What stood out about Australian Pink Floyd was the the fact that this was not a cover band, it was a true tribute band. The band not only had strong improvisational structure to songs with full jamming capabilities. But the key thing for me was that they featured a great deal of rarities and for once, a band playing Pink Floyd was not a greatest hits parade. Utilizing the full catalog, the band’s songs connected you with the four decades of Floyd, especially the songs that harken back to the emothional aftermath of World War Two that is intertwined throughout a number of their songs.
Opening up with “In the Flesh” is setting the bar high for the night with the ‘thrust you back into your seat’ power of this tune from The Wall. “Set the Controls” was a huge highlight, with the sun projected in various lenses behind the band as the ominous and dark song got into motion; with Halloween around the corner, this is true Haunted House music. “Pigs”, appropriately, showed political leaders with snouts and pig ears super imposed on their visages on the screen as the full song was played well enough that you could picture Battersea Power Station behind the band. But instead, we got the incredibly creepy/acid-visual of a giant teacher inflated on stage left behind the backup singers, perfect to bring in “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2“
The second set gave a nice tribute to the memory of Syd Barrett with a medley of photos and his musical compositions from the 1960s, followed by the apropos “Shine on you Crazy Diamond”. After a pair of tuned from Dark Side of the Moon, we were treated to two rarer songs, “What do you want from me” off 1994s’ The Division Bell and “The Fletcher Memorial Home” off 1983’s The Final Cut, each of which allowed the various singers in the band to showcase their chops and dipped back into the well of creepy for the visuals broadcast on the screen during “Fletcher”, a truly troubling tune, albiet one of Waters more introspective songs. With some more Dark Side songs, the highlight of the night was the off-setlist Interstellar Overdrive that featured a giant pink kangaroo that arose from nowhere, keeping the psychedelic aspect of Pink Floyd lasting beyond their years. Aussie Pink Floyd no doubt redefined tribute band for me this night, as well as gave a nice sampling of the four decades of Floyd.
Australian Pink Floyd Show Setlist:
Set 1: In the Flesh, Take it Back, Sorrow, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun, High Hopes, Pigs, Another Brick in the Wall Part 2
Set 2: Syd Barrett Medley, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Time->Great Gig in the Sky, What do you Want From Me, The Fletcher Memorial Home, Us and Them, Wish You Were Here, Interstellar Overdrive, Comfortably Numb
With a history of politically-tinged acts such as State of Alert, Black Flag and Rollins Band, Henry Rollins’ foray into spoken word performance is a natural segue, removing the music and adding in an uninterrupted stream of consciousness covering a multitude of topics for two and a half straight hours. Appealing to the populist crowd scattered with faithful hardcore punk fans, Rollins delved into broad topics, ranging from national literacy to elections, traveling the world to growing up in Washington D.C. and his life with Black Flag on the road and in Los Angeles.
Henry Rollins
On this night at The Egg, dressed as usual in black shirt, black pants and black shoes, Rollins dripped sweat from his left arm as he held the mic, barely moving from his spot at center stage for the entire performance, deviating perhaps only a few inches at most from beginning to end. After an hour, he seemed like a Rockem Sockem Robot, fixed in position and only moving his arms, just a little more fluidly than the robots and with a deep passion that kept the audience engrossed throughout the performance. Rollins was nothing short of intense in speaking to the crowd, never engaging them directly but keeping them on their proverbial toes with random bursts of pure energy, akin to the refrain in the “Liar” video.
Among the multitude of topics that Rollins segued in and out of over the course of the night:
Lincoln and his recognizing that the greatest threat to America was internal;
Having played many state capitals this tour, most of them, Albany included, seem to shut down shortly after 6pm;
The use of polysyllabic words as a sign of intelligence and more prevalent among one of the two political parties;
Hope that the 21st century is looked upon centuries into the future and taught in schools as THE century where things changed for the better for all;
Megyn Kelly of Fox News and her reaction to news stories (one can never look at Megyn the same way again after hearing his observations);
The greatness of live music as described by seeing a 19 year-old playing with a punk band;
The wisdom of David Lee Roth (yes, wisdom);
Having turned 50 recently, recognizing that he is not at the midpoint of life, but rather within field goal range of death;
The trend of old bands and punk rockers reuniting to scare new generations at summer music festivals (with better sound this time);
Black Flag as an ancient traveling troupe and stories from the road, some happy, some sad and but mostly generally fucked up experiences;
Heroin in Los Angeles during Black Flag’s heyday and the friends lost to overdoses;
Visits to Syria, Iran, North Korea, China, Bhutan, Tibet and Haiti; all out of personal curiosity and general restlessness;
While visiting Haiti, having a sense of urgency to do something to help the Haitians, by getting them soap and soccer balls at their request; and,
Realizing that his Western solution to helping them (buying them things) was not a solution, but possibly adding to the problem.
For 150 minutes, Henry Rollins delivered thought provoking laughs to a crowd fixated on his every word. Without a break for a drink or a spare breath, there was much to take away from the mind of a prolific thinker and musician. A spoken-word show of this nature is one not to miss.
After catching JGB with Melvin Seals at the Catskill Chill festival this year, I was not missing their show at the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs on Saturday. Melvin Seals, one of the original Jerry Garcia Band members, leads the band JGB and together they play tribute to Jerry Garcia, playing his music around the country. I arrived to the venue to find the outside porch area lined with tables of people selling art pieces, pins and shirts, very similar to a shakedown scene you would find on any Phish lot or Deadhead scene.
A man with long dreads stepped on stage and started strumming a guitar, which at first I assumed he was doing a sound check but it turned out to be Jimmy Tebeau. The soft and familiar guitar melodies beckoned the crowd outside to the dance floor like mice to the Pied Piper and caused a gentle group sing along. Tebeau’s voice had everyone swaying to the music and energizing for the big band noise that was soon to come. Jimmy played some of my favorites like “Sugar Magnolia” into “Scarlet Begonias” into “Sunshine Daydream”.
After a quick set break, the entire JGB took the stage and the venue was packed. The band opened the night with “Cats Under the Stars”, the perfect song to wake up the audience and get grooving. The two female singers were incredible with their angelic harmonies, I couldn’t get enough. Melvin Seals is a true sight to be seen on his organ, I was in awe of his powerful key playing. The music melted over the crowd and everyone rejoiced. The familiar songs played with a rock and roll, gospel flair was guaranteed salvation from whatever the outside world had brought down on you. The entire night was rejuvenating.
My favorite song of the evening was “I Saw Her Standing There” when the band slowed down the tempo and you could really feel every note, it was a great build up. The JGB ended the night with a classic “One More Saturday Night” encore that shook the venue with a funky vibe that couldn’t be stopped.
JGB with Melvin Seals will end their East Coast touring in Fairfield, CT after playing at the Brooklyn Bowl on the 26th and 27th. They are set to play a 4 night run in Denver, CO for New Year’s Eve. For more information about touring, go to their website or like them on Facebook.
Setlist:
Set 1 (Jimmy Solo Acoustic) : Walkin’ Blues, Jack Straw>Box of Rain, Cumberland Blues>Maggie’s Farm>Cumberland reprise, New Speedway Boogie>Other One>New Speedway Boogie>Goin’ Down the Road, Looks Like Rain>Women Are Smarter, Ripple, Sugar Magnolia>Scarlet Begonias>Sunshine Daydream
Set 2 : Cats Under the Stars>And It Stoned Me, Evageline, I’ll Take a Melody, I Saw Her Standing There, Who Was John>After Midnight
Set 3 : Stop That Train>I Want to Tell You, Sitting In Limbo>Don’t Let Go>Waiting for a Miracle, I’ll Be With Thee>Breadbox
Max Creek is hosting a “Haunted Halloween Bash” this coming weekend in beautiful Lake George, New York on Friday October 26th and Saturday October 27th. Connecticut’s legendary American rock jam band will be preforming at the Fort William Henry Hotel with tickets available for single nights or weekend days, ranging from $25 to $40. Max Creek will share the stage with Conehead Buddha on Friday October 26th and Dr. Jah& The Love Prophets on Saturday October 27th.
The fright fest kicks off each night at 7pm and is a 16+ event. There will be a costume contest for each night with categories for Scariest, Most Creative and Sexist, and winning prize tickets for Floodwood, Kung Fu, Marco Benevento plus a 4 pack to Max Creeks New Years Eve Masquerade Ball. Don’t miss this weekend, one that’s sure to be full of spooky fun and a musical adventure!
Attention music fans! This is not a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is the real deal coming at you. Saturday, November 3rd at 8:00 p.m., a rolling wave of powerhouse party rock is scheduled to hit the Kirkland Art Center Roadhouse with Rawson and The Rick Short Band. You do not want to be left out of this one!
The story goes, a wild eyed Rick Short, blissed out on his first UMAF experience several years ago, walked in on a Rawson set at The Electric Company. Rick took in part of a number and looked around him noting the lack of other bodies for him to excitedly exclaim to. He was overcome. He ran outside and literally grabbed hold of the first person he saw. I’ll closely paraphrase: “You gotta get in there! This band! It’s like Prince on Acid!”
If you know Rick, you know you can picture this actually happening. Cue your dream sequence moment. As luck would have it, the hapless victim of this guerrilla promotion was none other than Bernie Freytag of the KAC (among other projects and community contributions). Bernie was intrigued and followed Rick inside. The rest, as they say, was history.
It was love at first listen for Rick and he and the clan from Rawson became fast friends; a friendship that has stood the test of time over the last several years. And over that period of time, as many of you CNY-ers know well, Rick has put together quite a band himself! The Rick Short Band debuted UMAF weekend at The Tramontane Café two years ago and then again this year at The Boilermaker Road Race with a change in the line up making things fresh again. With thoughtfully crafted songs, catchy hooks and melodies, familiar tones, expert musicianship and varied and pertinent lyrical subject matter, The Rick Short Band has done nothing but gain fans and support since this summer. Their run of UMAF shows this year impressed the fans and promoters and all the hard work is coming to an exciting and endearing fruition with this coming show.
And so it goes that under a Utica Greens Festival sunny sky, Rick, Jimi Short from Rawson, and Bernie Freytag struck up a discussion. Playfully remembering the connection between them all from years ago, a plan took shape. Now the Mohawk Valley gets to reap the benefits of this mega-networking when The Rick Short Band and Rawson rock and roll the Kirkland Art Center.
That’s the backstory, but what can you expect to hear November 3rd? Both of these bands understand and appreciate the roots of soul, R&B and Rock and Roll and how much music can ignite the masses.
Rawson is indeed a powerhouse of an ensemble and their goal is to make you shake your thang. Their original selections fuse R&B and good old fashioned Rock and Roll creating what they like to call the “Rawson Roll.” Everyone is as slick as slick gets and they look every bit the part of members in one of downstate’s most epic party bands. Jimi Sharp is infamous for coaxing his lead guitar to scream, moan, and wail while Sean Rawson works the microphone like the great frontmen of years gone by. You certainly will think of Prince and you’ll also have some liberal Rolling Stones moments, particularly from their later years. Sean and Jimi play off of each other well on stage, each giving, taking, and pushing the other and the fans and lifting things to the pinnacle of the next level. G steadily gives up what everyone at a Rawson show wants- that rhythm! Shuffling, rolling, splashing and crashing, he holds down the foundation together with Edwin Alvarado thumping on the bass. They drive that Rawson Roll straight home. This band does not let their talent and showmanship isolate them from their fans, either. They are extremely down to earth and genuinely want to make you smile and get to know you. This is a big reason why Rawson has built a strong following of quality fans in the Utica area. It’s a rare Rawson show that doesn’t end with a stage full of gyrating audience members.
Rawson’s stage show is going to go so well next to The Rick Short Band’s nostalgic and high energy performance. Joining Rick in the act of creation are Kassandra Freetage on vocals, Rick DeJohn on the bass, Eddie Reilly on drums, and Joe Rizzuto on lead guitar. Kassandra’s vocals are smokey and confident and she illustrates her range, sometimes singing in the lead role and frequently supporting Rick’s vocal, weaving in and out reminiscent of both bluesy bands you know and love and the more psychedelic fare of yore. Rick DeJohn understands the importance of an active and present low end and dances inside the song structures expertly. His work stands out and I enjoy it immensely. Eddie is a supportive, spirited rhythm master, intuitively understanding when to push out to the forefront of a song and when to hang back and add texture and depth; such a valuable quality in the percussion section. Joe is an incredible lead guitarist and I expect he will blow your socks off. He plays with and off of Rick’s strong rhythm structures and intriguing progressions. Prepare to stand slack-jawed.
The bands are psyched, too. In Rick’s own words, “This showcase is a pairing of two bands that, first, are great friends. Second, that met at The Utica Music Fest. And, third, who are going to ROCK the KAC like it’s never been rocked before. THAT is a promise! The tremendous setting and professional sound system will allow the guests to truly enjoy the musicianship and artistry.” It’s true that the KAC is a very bright spot on the CNY music venue landscape. Rick continued, “Both bands feed off of each other’s energy and passion. Friends for years, [we] encourage each other, support each other, respect each other, and truly enjoy each other. The audience will feel this respect and will be drawn into the family.” Rick summed up the experience he is expecting nicely for me. “The combination of being featured with Rawson and performing for the discerning audience of the KAC Roadhouse is truly a highlight in The Rick Short Band’s calendar. We’re taking this VERY seriously and bringing our “A” game.”
I also spoke with Sean about his thoughts. “It’s our first time playing together outside of UMAF.” He continued that he and Jimi, “have [our] musical wheels spinning in preparation for this show. Don’t be surprised to see bubbles, heels and Hershey kisses during the Rawson set! I’m just saying you are not gonna want to miss this show. We can’t wait to share the stage with our friends. We are honored and anxious for this fun filled night of music which is sure to be an incredible time for people of all ages.”
How’s that sound to ya? Nice, right?? I think these are two of the best party bands I’ve had the pleasure of dancing around to and I hope you will too. Tickets for this event are $10.00 for KAC members and $12.00 for non-members, pre sale. Tickets at the door will be $12.00/members and $15.00 nonmembers. They can be purchased by calling 853-8871 in advance.
As we all know, time flies. Sometimes it is months before you and your favorite band cross paths again. For me that’s been the case as I’ve been going through withdrawal lately singin’ the mantra, “Gimme some moe.” Having only seen moe. once this past year, my body and mind have been begging for some “Lazarus”, “Buster”, “Rebubula”… anything by the music-master-minds. One thing moe. is known for their annual shows at the Saranac Brewery in Utica, including one on Saturday, October 13. Their love for east coast fans, central New York venues and good beer makes the Saranac Brewery an essential stop on their seasonal tours.
Saturday night’s show had the atmosphere of an autumn backyard party, complete with a decked out Jack-O-Lantern dressed as a viking, front and center on stage. There was a chill in the air and a forecast promising rain but the crowds came flooding in anyways. Everyone was bundled up and feelin’ fine; the weather quickly became a minor detail of the evening. The band opened with “Haze”, belting out the lyrics “I wanna do this with you… Hey! Let’s go! I don’t care as long as you are there!”. The crowd melted together at a rapid pace and the energy was high with the anticipation of yet another electrifying set. Anyone who has been to a moe. show knows that the crowd is made up of highly devoted fans and you can hear people’s debates from every direction about what song the band will bust out next.
The first set had unique progression, as it certainly was not one of their jammier shows but flowed nicely. ”St. Augustine” was the highlight with it’s long gorgeous jam that is always so full of light. The first set had short renditions of a few favorites, “Wind It Up”->”Lost Along the Way” ->”Tambourine” and of course “Happy Hour Hero”, for tonight, a Saranac would do just fine! Some people around me seemed to be a little disappointed with the “Happy Hour Hero”, practically the brewery’s anthem. Overall, it seemed as though the first set came and went, leaving us all thirsty for some heavier jams during the second part of the show.
Sure enough they came back from break with a whole new attitude. The boys jammed “Billy Goat” into “Tailspin” and then pleased the crowd with an all-time favorite, “Kyle’s Song”. Everyone was singing along with the lyrics and smiles were all around. The energy was taken to a whole new level, with even the light show changing into something spectacular and matching the more intense vibe of the second set jams.
There was a lot of love and light in this show; Cass, an eleven-year member of the crew took the stage and played heavy on the drums. He wanted to go out with a bang so drummer Vinnie Amico swapped seats with his beloved crew member and let him rock out. THIS is what sets moe. apart; a moe. show is never just about the music. The music is our common ground, and is what connects us and gives us collective roots.
But moe. offers a whole other element to our shared reality. It is a wholesome, rich experience which earns them one of the most dedicated fan-bases around, not to mention the band’s political activism and the way in which they use their voice to spread messages. Towards the end of the show there were speeches given on hydro-fracking and information was offered in hopes of educating people on it’s negative impacts. Bass player Rob Derhak took his usual cracks at guitarist Al Schnier as Chuck Garvey laughed on and the band’s freeing chemistry overflowed out into the audience. It felt just like home.
Needless to say, the Saranac Show had a little bit of everything. As I made my way through the crowd bouncing around from “Chuck-side” to “Al-side” there was a common theme throughout. We’re all like old friends, supporting a band that supports us. So what could be a better encore then “Raise a Glass->Plane Crash”?! Might as well make a toast and say cheers to band that got us all tied up together inside this musical maze.
Setlist:
Set 1: Haze, St. Augustine, Wind It Up, Lost Along The Way, Tambourine, Happy Hour Hero > Seat Of My Pants
Set 2: Billy Goat > Tailspin > Kyle’s Song > Kids > Down Boy > Skrunk > Brent Black
I had driven right by as I am not totally familiar with Hudson yet and hadn’t noticed the HELSINKI lettering dripping down the outer wall on either side. Duh, I thought, as I hustled inside. I mistakenly entered the restaurant first and was directed to the back via the courtyard. Luke, the Club Helsinki manager greeted me outside in the courtyard with a smile. He showed me in, informing me Charlie had started about 15 minutes before. Knowing his songs tend to noodle around, I figured I had missed around 3-4 songs. Club Helsinki has simple tasteful decor and is inviting and comfortable with a large bar, three levels of tables and an ample dance floor. I settled into the most immediate open table with my brown ale.
