NYS Music 20​12

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  • 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.

  • Live Free But Die Digital : An Interview with Jimkata Frontman Evan Friedell

    Live Free But Die Digital : An Interview with Jimkata Frontman Evan Friedell

    Nearly exactly four and half years ago, I drove up to Ithaca to interview four young musicians making local waves as an up and coming college band called Jimkata. They had barely released a 5-track LP and were playing Friday nights in Ithaca and Oneonta. Fast forward to today, that same foursome has caught the attention of more than just Ithacans or regional Upstate New York jam fans.

    Evan Friedell On the heels of releasing their 4th album Die Digital, due out September 18th, and a 10-week national fall tour, I caught up with Jimkata’s front man and guitarist Evan Friedell. The following is the transcript of our recent discussion covering everything from sharing the stage w/ Umphrey’s McGee, their new fan-funded album and how the uniquely infectious sound Jimkata has patented continues to evolve.

    Johnny Goff: so I believe it was 2008 when I came over to your house in Ithaca and sat down to interview you guys. You guys were just getting going. What’s changed in the past 4 and half years as a band?

    Evan Friedell:  We’ve come miles in those 4-5 years. No. 1,  we’ve all grown up and changed as individuals. And also, we’re just kind of starting to find our sound. When we started, our sound went many different directions. And now finally, the sound writing, the instrumentation, the use of technology w/ analog/synth and e-drums has really evolved our sound to what it is today. We’ve also started touring more extensively in the past several years and that has helped us grow a fan-base which is awesome. Also, the new record has been entirely fan-funded. So yeah, we’ve come a long way from a scrappy, little college bar band into you know what we are today.

    Evan FriedellJohnny:  So, in attempting to achieve a good fan base, how important is it that you guys, as a band play every night of the week and not just weekends in attempting to win over new fans?

    Evan: Well, you know, that’s something that has changed over time too. We’ve realized now that we can’t pick a day here or there and play those dates. We’ve realized that in order to get your name out there, you have to play every day of the week. For example, when we go out to Colorado, we decide to play Michigan on the way. And it’s funny, one of the bi-products we’ve found is when we leave our home area and venture away and then return to our home area, our local fans seem to be more energized and at the same time, we are building new grounds withnew fans.

    Johnny: So I’ve noticed that recently, you’ve shared the stage with some pretty notable bands. Can you talk about that?

    Evan: We’ve played a number of festivals on the same bill as some pretty big acts. And we’ve also had the chance to directly support Umphreys McGee for a few shows in Colorado and in Utah. I think as of right now, it’s pretty inspiring to see how bigger acts work from the inside. The professionalism is a totally different ballgame. Everything’s pretty regimented for them and they are on schedules, etc…and then there’s us…you know, we slept in the van and go on stage. We’d love to be there someday but right now, even though we’re growing, it feels like a different world.  The big ones are great too, but I love seeing bands we’ve built the comradery together over the years and seeing them at regional festivals and hanging out before or after our sets.

    Johnny: So, considering this interview is for NYS Music, I’d be remised if I didn’t touch on Upstate New York and its festivals and JImkata’s plans going forward. Also, if you could, discuss my home festival, Grassroots, in Trumansburg, NY and  how Jimkata has taken off there also. It seems like every year, you guys are jumping up to a bigger stage and a better timeslot.

    Evan: Yeah, yeah. We are very grateful for that. All of us are. It’s been great for me because I grew up a couple hours from there (Oneonta) and I used to go to Grassroots when I was 16 and I was like “Holy Shit, ya know, this would be sick to play at sometimes”, and then, well, we were. So it was a huge thrill to get that slot after midnight on a Friday and thinking about back when I was 16 and wondering if I was 16 and watching this, what would I be thinking about these guys? So, it’s pretty cool.

    Johnny: So the way your guys’ sound has morphed from album to album,  I’ve drawn some other comparisons besides just Umphreys McGee; the way your sound is headed with added synthesizers and e-drums, but how would you describe Jimkata’s evolution of sound?

    Evan: First of all, after seeing first-hand what and how Umphrey’s does what they do, I don’t think we would ever be as virtuosic doing what they do. Their skills are out of the park. But, I think, with this latest album, what we’re going for, is we’re simply trying to create songs that hit home for people. That hit home for people in two ways: 1) We’re trying to drop a beat that’s infectious and 2) bust out a melody and chorus that people can bring home with them in their daily lives. I mean that’s one thing I’ve always loved about watching jambands because of they’re playing, skills, and live improvisation but that’s one thing you miss by not putting out an album, the “Wow! Holy Shit!” Factor of a song where you wanna listen and relisten to the melody or chorus was our focus.

    Johnny: If you can, for readers who may not be all that familiar with Jimkata or reading about you for the first time, drop on us some chronological album history and how your sound has morphed from album to album up to your very latest release.

    Evan:  So our first album has some of our earliest songs and is way more guitar oriented and some has killer early rippage. And then, “Burn My Money” was after that and that is when we began to gain some of our earliest fans and has some of our songs that we had been working on for years and years and so we had a ton of available possible songs to choose from to put on that album and that had some of our core songs that we still play today and you can start to hear to some of those synths and e-drums begin to make some appearances and it really was the album where we began to hone a lot of our songwriting. And Next was “Ghosts & Killers” and that came after we had come into some analog synthesizers that we had been playing around with and That was recorded with very little being done to it afterwards post-production. Like with “Burn My Money” we did a lot in the studio to that album but with “Ghosts and Killers”, it was almost like it was simpler arrangements but more complicated instrumentation.

    Johnny: So, take “Ghosts and Killers” and that simpler approach to album making to this latest album Die Digital, I just listened to the other day, it’s obvious there’s a clear delineation now between your album creating philosophies from previous to this latest JImkata album. Is that fair to say?

    Evan:  Our songwriting process has morphed a little bit. The recording process was different also. We recorded w/ a different engineer, a different space and the song writing process, we all started writing music on a laptop to start. So, like If I had an idea, to start the process, I would immediately open the laptop and start putting something down. So, it was like instead of me walking up to see the band and saying I have this great idea for a song and they’re like, “What is it?” and I can’t describe it…I am able to say, “well, here ya go. Here’s an idea for a song,” and simply pull out my laptop and immediately give them an audio sample of where we can go with something. We are all were writing on our own and we were touring more too so it was actually an natural adaptation because it meant we had less practice time.  This album, there’s a couple songs that are straight up Packy (drums) which is a first for all of our records. There’s a couple songs from Aaron as always.

    Johnny: So with the help of technology, you are able to get a better picture of what a song could end up becoming?

    Evan: Exactly. And I think our song-writing skills have gotten a lot better also. You know, for example, when to add something or to cut something from a tune.  Knowing when to keep things simple is the key. Knowing when to keep things simple when you have a lot of different elements happening…that is key; and we had quite a few of these actually from this latest album. We had a million things going on in this album and we seemed better at knowing when and where to cut something.

    Another thing that was noticeable from this album is us as a band really embracing our electronica and hip-hop influences we’ve had. We’re children of the 90’s…ya know? We’ve listened to tons of 90’s hip-hop and electronica music and that’s been huge for us. BUT, we also all love our rock-n-roll. And not just classic rock and jambands but again, being a child of the 90’s, our grunge rock music…Nirvana, Weezer and Smashing Pumpkins and all of that stuff…. and I think finally, all of those influences, all of those factors are finally beginning to come together to form the sound we have on this album.

    Johnny: It’s ironic you mentioned you guys were ‘Children of the 90’s’ because a lot of the sounds coming off this new album is almost from the 80’s. The combination of the electro and synth-sounds just brings me back to when new-wave was really popular.

    Evan: Yeah, it’s funny. I thought “Ghosts & Killers” came out sounding like the 80’s too. So, I guess, you’re right, it’d be fair to say we’re products of our generation, whether it be the 90’s or the 80’s. Music on the radio, commercials on t.v., movie soundtracks, c.d.’s, etc…whatever it was, it apparently influenced us and how we’re making music.

    Johnny: So, there’s a track on your new album “Die Digital” called “Night Shade.” I fell in love with this track and the more I listened to the new album again and again in preparation to speak with you, I found myself going back again and again to this track “Night Shade” with its very infectious rhythm.

    Evan: So, the song is sort about ‘working through hard times and everything turning out all right in the end.’…and now that I’m saying that, I’m realizing I end up writing about that an awful lot. (laughs out loud). The synth hook was written and then the bass line came around and it took me a while to write some lyrics to it because I didn’t want to fuck it up. The track is so epic and fun to begin with so I wanted the hook to be fun and “We don’t give a shit” and not to be too serious.

    Johnny: So, let’s turn the attention to your upcoming tour, your travels in New York and what’s immediately ahead for Jimkata.

    Evan: We have like 10 straight weeks of touring. We’re going, pretty much everywhere but all the way to the west coast. We’re going out to Colorado again, the south. We’re hitting the Midwest and up to Minnesota so we’re basically hitting up everywhere. Finding a gig is not that hard anymore and we’re super thankful for all the work our new agent has put in to get us into some bigger festivals.

    Johnny: So, the new album Die Digital is about to be released. Tell readers how they can listen to this new Jimkata album.

    Evan: It comes out September 18th. A lot of people who donated are going to get a copy in advance. We’re going to have it on our website and I-tunes. I also think we’re going to have it streaming so I know it’s going to be around. We’re just about to head into album promotion mode now as a band.

    Catch Jimkata when they come through Upstate New York over the next three months.

    Thurs. 9/20 – Albany, NY – Red Square
    Fri. 9/21 – Ithaca, NY – The Haunt, with Manhattan Project
    Sat. 9/22 – Rochester, NY – Lovapalooza, with Lovin Cup
    Tues. 9/25 – Buffalo, NY – The Tralf, with Papadosio
    Fri. 10/26 – Jamestown, NY – MoJo’s
    Weds. 10/31 – Syracuse, NY – The Westcott Theater
    Thurs. 11/1 – Burlington, VT – Nectar’s
    Sat. 11/3 – New York, NY – Sullivan Hall

  • Master Thieves talk about their latest release ‘Nature of Gravity’

    A chance to sit down with three of the members of Master Thieves – though a wonderful time – felt far too brief. Chuck Dorgan (guitar/vocals), was joined by vocalist Denise Shuart, as well as bassist and vocalist Jacob Alaniz. Sitting across from the three you can feel the closeness, care and admiration they have for one other. That same feeling is also palpable on stage with all five members, which they all agree lends to the joy of creating and performing music together.

    Dorgan is the first to admit that putting a band together is no easy task, one that takes patience and perseverance. Lately, from what this writer has seen, that patience is finally paying off. Jokingly, he states, “I think the band is on version 4.2.,” noting that he first formed the group in 2006 with an entirely different set of members. There never seemed to be a “meeting of the minds,” however, when it came to the musical aspect.

    Dorgan met Shuart at the Syracuse-based Shenanigan’s during an open mic hosted by a mutual friend in 2007. From there they decided to perform an open mic at Shifty’s, and shortly after the guitarist decided to bring her into the fold, after getting on stage for a tune or two. Shuart herself is a classically trained vocalist (opera) and also studied viola and violin, always a treat to see brought out for a song or two during a gig. With musical influences such as Pat Benetar and K.D. Tundstall, Shuart taken the time to learn the background of the singers she emulates and was surprised to find out they are classically trained – or the product of classically trained parents – as she was.  Shuart also laughingly points out that singing in a band like Master Thieves is extremely enjoyable. It’s a credit to her talent and dedication as the only woman in a group of musically talented men and the ensemble, as a whole, has a great amount of respect for one other.

    Drummer Eric Tozer, first asked to join a bluegrass band due to Dorgan’s reluctance with the way things were going with the Thieves, subsequently joined the band. It was an easy transition for the drummer – who joined in the fall of 2009 – bringing along some straight-up funk, with influences including greats such as Galactic, James Brown, Karl Denson, the Meters and the Greyboy Allstars, just to name a few. Songs he would like the band to tackle, said Tozer Deep Banana Blackout’s “God Made You Funky”. And while the summer of 2012 has been a bit dry for the band (as far as gigs go), Tozer did get to marry the love of his life, wife Renee. Now that the dust has settled, however, the band is ready to knock some socks off.

    Guitarist Brian Golden, of Norwich, NY, Tozer’s best friend, best man and long-time fellow musician, was brought into the fold shortly after the group’s then-lead guitarist exited to pursue other avenues. Golden, said Dorgan,  brings “a very bluesy feel to his music,” much of which is influenced by the artistry of  Hendrix, Clapton, Derek Trucks and Stevie Ray Vaughan, to name a few. As for a tune Golden would like to cover with the group … Hendrix’s “Bold As Love.” The band, added Dorgan, would love to see its lead guitarist relocate to the Syracuse area (where the various other members are based), a sentiment shared by Golden himself.

    Bassist Jake Alaniz, who stepped in at a crucial time in the band’s development (the recording of its first album, Robbing the Blind) said it was tough to step in and re-record someone else’s bass lines, yet it was necessary for consistency in the album. Once completed, Dorgan said it was like trying to give up a cute puppy; it was just too hard to do. Alaniz’s bandmates all agreed it only made sense to add the inspirational bassist to the group. Alaniz – who also performs with the popular CNY, Grateful Dread tribute band Dark Hollow – has been more than willing to share his musical talents. With a strong background in music – much thanks to his father the late David ‘Ese’ Alaniz – Alaniz said he finds inspiration in all different types of music, encompassing a wide range of artists. When asked, he couldn’t name just one song he would love to cover, because it changes so often. He did say, however, that he walked into rehearsal one day and proclaimed the band needed a reggae song, a genre that’s a clear focus on the group’s latest release, Nature of Gravity.

    A true sign of a natural leader, Dorgan spent most of the interview highlighting his fellow bandmates’ talents. To be fair, Master Thieves is a labor of love for the guitarist, singer and songwriter. His inspiration, he added, was The Band, and he modeled much of his hopes on what the band could accomplish on that group’s success. Other inspirations? The Grateful Dead, Phish, and every other band that takes the stage knowing that soul – more than anything – makes for good music.

    On Nature of Gravity, the band also has two other members who step-in for much of the album. Young saxophonist and guitarist Mikey Dufresne (I was very impressed considering he is in his mid to late teens) and keyboardist Mark Nanni (known best for his work with Los Blancos) both added their talent to the new release; something that truly creates an amazing, dynamic sound. And while Master Thieves’ debut recording, the aforementioned Robbing the Blind, was a good start, Nature of Gravity is much more of a collaborative effort, said Dorgan. From blues to rock, reggae to Americana, the songs have the ability to make you laugh, cry or inspire one to dance (or hula hoop!)

    Camaraderie, said Shuart, is the most important element of the band.

    “We can be playing … and we know each other well enough to know that each member is given the ability to have some freedom to freestyle, but when necessary there are moments to hold back,” she added. “Yet there is never a feeling that we are stepping on each others’ toes. When there is a disagreement, the issue is dealt with and [we] move on. The band works very hard to make sure they know the sound we are going for … we thoroughly practice, and are fully prepared, before stepping into the studio.”

    Dorgan said he feels that Subcat Studios really enjoys having the band record there because its members arrive “fully prepared to knock out each tune. The Nature of Gravity CD release party, kindly hosted at the Redhouse, was a wonderful experience, said the band’s members (during the show, the band teased fans by telling them about a seventeen minute jam near the end of the album, what I consider the icing on the already rich red velvet cake).

    Most of all there is a palpable sense of love, joy and kinship shared among this group that makes it feel more like a tight-knit – and functional – family unit. Such feelings are translated beautifully to their music and their performances.

    The band has a few gigs lined up this month:
    September 7th, 9:30pm @ Limp Lizard in Liverpool NY
    September 15th , pm @ 58 Main in Brockport NY (Dorgan’s hometown)
    September 22nd @Tipp Hill Music Fest time TBA

    The band has a few favorite places they like to play in the CNY area by the way, including The Westcott Theater, Bull and Bear, Thunderbird Lanes and Coleman’s. The band is hoping to make it to more locations around CNY, such as Al’s Wine and Whiskey Lounge and Dinosaur BBQ, among many others. The Thieves most recent CD is on sale at the Soundgarden (and at every gig they play), and don’t forget to pick up your very own t-shirt (and other merchandise) that the group has for sale. Be sure to look up Master Thieves on Facebook and Reverb Nation to catch a taste of the group’s unique sound and stay up to date with what’s going on by visiting masterthieves.net

    by Ashleigh Dunseath

  • David Gans at DBGB’s, August 19, 2012

    David Gans at DBGB’s, August 19, 2012

    After a busy summer concert schedule, the dog days of summer upon us and winding things down, David Gans snuck in a nice little Sunday date on short notice at DBGB’s in Buffalo only six weeks after playing his first ever gig in town; quite a feat for this musician who hails from Oakland, CA and generally plays the east coast festival circuit. Not only are Sundays in Buffalo generally mellow (even Downtown), an intimate solo acoustic gig in Buffalo’s historic Allentown District provided the perfect setting for this singer/songwriter and Grateful Dead historian to sing and strum his tales.

    david gans DBGB'sWhat was most surprising about this gig for me was it being scheduled on the heels of David’s mid-summer July 8th show at Papa Bear’s Campground just outside of Buffalo, a gig I couldn’t make due to conflicts with Phish’s 3-night stand at SPAC that weekend, which left me most disappointed. You see, growing up a young Deadhead in Buffalo, David was a big inspiration. Every Sunday night I would head off to bed during my high school years in the early 90’s to David’s nationally syndicated Grateful Dead hour. Once a week I fell asleep to Gans soothing voice as he treated us to his choice selections of not only vintage, but hot off the tour new Grateful Dead recordings, and closed with his unforgettable “I’ll meet you back here next week” after each program.

    Amongst the changes and adjustments many of us went through when Jerry Garcia passed away in 1995, David Gans went through a life changing phase as well, and that was a new found focus on making music again, something he did long before being a music journalist. My respect for his passionate and tireless work as a radio host, journalist and author rolled over seamlessly for me to his music. Like an old friend you’d trusted and respected for so long., you just knew it’d be right. Having been waiting a decade or more to see Gans perform live, I was stoked to say the least.

    After only collecting CD releases and live shows I could find on etree and the Live Music Archive, I arrived early for the matinee performance, to find David at the venue remote broadcasting live on his weekly satellite radio program on Sirius/XM Grateful Dead Channel’s ‘Tales From the Golden Road’, which he co-hosts with Dead historian Gary Lambert. The program centers around all things in the extended Grateful Dead community and did offer a small opportunity for David to plug the show and his newly discovered enjoyment for the Buffalo area.

    DBGB’s was the perfect venue for this this gig. Owned by a longtime Buffalo restaurateur family with a passion for live music and delivering a classy experience, this newly opened bar, restaurant and live music venue with a nice sounding room offered a nice intimate setting. Within 30 minutes of signing off the air waves, David was tuned up and ready to get going. Being an under promoted gig on short notice, the room was not over crowded, but those there were very energetic and anxiously anticipating the performance. This setting also allowed for me to setup shop just 10 feet from the stage dead front center, to record the audio of the show.

    “Reuben and Cerise” kicked things off perfectly by request with Gans singing the beautiful Garcia/Hunter extended verse number to an excited audience. This segued nicely into a soulful rendition of “Me and Bobby McGee”. In addition to having excellent command over his guitar and precise vocals I walked away from the gig most impressed by Gans guitar looping, which was first showcased this night on the instrumental “Afterbird” and led to a perfectly executed segue into “Loser”, one of the more powerful tracks of the night. In a more traditional early format of the tune, it was delivered with great soul and energy, much to the audiences delight. A number that sounded so good, the urge to sing a long was curbed by the desire to listen, with everyone seemingly focused. “Down to Eugene” showcased Gans skilled fingerpicking, and has always been one of his signature songs to me, one I associate his playing and singing to. This has been a regular in Gans rotation from early on, and his arrangement of the Jim Page lyrics to this song is quite skillful.

    The next transition of the night with some perfectly structured looping included the Gans/Hunter original “Like A Dog”, which found it’s way to “Terrapin Station”, one of the longer tracks of the night. Gans delivered with passion and precision, crafting his way through the epic tune and concluding with a nice one-man jam. “Terrapin” segued into a well executed run through of “Cassidy’s Cat”, with it’s signature unmistakable groove. The rest of the set is comprised of originals and some Grateful Dead covers, and included a well placed rendition of the 60’s anthem “Eve of Destruction”. The show wound down with a punchy rearranged version of “New Speedway Boogie”, into “Brokedown Palace” and finished with David’s “Life is a Jam”, written for his passion of Grateful Dead music and included a nice spacey jam teasing its way into a fine “Norwegian Wood” to close the show.

    One thing I come to expect with live music after so many years, performers and shows, is a benchmark of a performer executing their time on stage with passion. Without passion for the music and performance, whether the musician has it for their music or not, the show will always come off half hearted to me. One thing for certain when seeing David Gans perform is his passion for the music emanates through to the audience. Not only has Gans mastered his original love of making music over the past 15 years, but he has done so while maintaining a fresh energy and level of passion that any audience member would want from a musician live in concert.

    Gans performed later in the evening at DBGB’s with Buffalo’s own Garcia Grass Band.

    Download Lenny Stubbe’s recording

    Setlist: Reuben and Cerise > Me and Bobby McGee, Afterbird > Loser, Down to Eugene, Stagger Lee , Like A Dog> Terrapin Station > Cassidy’s Cat, Therapy Blues, Eve of Destruction > It’s Gonna Get Better, Lazy River Road, New Speedway Boogie > Brokedown Palace, Life Is A Jam > Norwegian Wood

    Review by: Lenny Stubbe, Buffalo, NY of dead-phish.com Follow on Twitter at @lastubbe

  • The Utica Music and Arts Festival explores new ways to bring the region together

    A little something extra at this year’s Utica Music and Arts Festival!  The 1st Annual Industry Meet and Greet will be held at The Radisson Hotel, Friday, September 14th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

    Every year, the organizing committee of the Utica Music and Arts Festival strives to create an experience not only enjoyable, but valuable to the artists we call family and the environment that makes or breaks them.  This year we take the time, in our 5th turn around the sun, to remember a commitment we hold dear: networking.

    More than a festival experience, the UMAF has been structured from its inception to provide a plethora of opportunities for artists to meet and mingle with each other, make lasting connections with other artists they can continue to work with, form touring caravans, gig share, and join forces in a variety of ways.  We desire strongly that everyone cooperate and collaborate in an effort to become increasingly more self sustainable in a changing industry. The committee enthusiastically explores all options available to assist our family of artists in rebooking locally and attempts to place them in performance spaces most suited to that end.  Venturing further beyond that threshold, this year the team has conceptualized a pilot Industry Meet and Greet which will occur on Friday, September 14, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at festival headquarters, The Radisson.

    All performers are invited to attend and gain access to professionals who may be able to advance your presence in Central New York.  We are happy to provide them for perusal should you have them in a compatible format.  This includes demos, business cards, download cards and other materials linking to online content, press kits both digital and physical, and mailing list information.

    Members of the industry in the niches of booking, talent buying, press, and promotion have been invited to attend this two hour, informal gathering and to mingle with each other and our artist roster, exchange materials and contact information, and discuss strategies for continued success and experience in The Mohawk Valley and outlying points of New York State.  Invitations have are being sent out to specifically identified industry persons and these invitations will entitle their recipients to access any and all of the performances of over 200 artists over 3 days in Utica, NY and our first annual Industry Meet and Greet.  We mean to keep this informally structured, but are here to facilitate needs you may anticipate or encounter.  This even will foster increased cooperation between independent agencies operating in the Central and Upstate New York region so that we may all be successful in the endeavors that move us.

    Please remember to keep on the cutting edge of information regarding the UMAF by checking the official website, joining our Google Plus Circle, and ‘liking’ our Facebook Page.

    This embedded presentation will provide a few more details, as will the article available on the festival’s website.

    Let’s prove you can do business, earn your living, and have a great time all at the same time and let’s explore even more ways we can cooperate together at this year’s UMAF!

  • Oaktoberfest featuring Conehead Buddha, The Deadbeats and Jerkwater Ruckus coming to Speculator on September 15th

    Oaktoberfest featuring Conehead Buddha, The Deadbeats and Jerkwater Ruckus coming to Speculator on September 15th

    Next weekend is a celebration of great music and great beer in the mountains of the Adirondacks, featuring two sets each of The Deadbeats, Jerkwater Ruckus & Conehead Buddha! Three of Albany’s storied bands will take the stage at Oaktoberfest during the day and evening at Oak Mountain in Speculator, NY with beer specials from Saranac, Labatt Blue Light, Becks & Blue Moon.

    OaktoberfestOn Saturday, September 15th, the gates open at 11am with music starting at 12 noon. In between each set, kids will have an opportunity to play and dance to their own music in the kids tent, provided by Matt Yaeger and Music Together. The base lodge and bar will be open for all sorts of food and drinks. A beer truck will be on premises ready to serve $2.50 12oz beers.

    Cost of tickets is $30 in advance or $35 the day of the show, with RV Passes costing $25. You can pick up your pre-sale tickets at oakmountainski.com/oak. Camping is provided with ticket price and is a short walk from the parking lot. The chairlift will be open for rides!

    Merchandise vendors are welcome to Oak Mountain, all for the price of admission (no promoter cut). Oaktoberfest is rain or shine and please, no glass or glass bottles on site.

    See you on the mountain!

  • 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.

  • An interview with Alan Evans of The Royal Family

    An interview with Alan Evans of The Royal Family

    Alan Evans has been the drummer for funky alt-jazz trio Soulive since 1999 and laying the foundation for The Royal Family record label. With his new group, Alan Evans Trio, touring this fall in support of Drop Hop, their debut album. Alan spoke with ‘s Pete Mason regarding his new project, The Royal Family and growing up in Buffalo. The group is currently on tour, performing at Catskill Chill Music Festival on September 8th, Nietzche’s in Buffalo on September 27th and The Haunt in Ithaca on September 28th.

    Pete Mason: The Royal Family – you, Krasno, Neal, Nigel, Deitch, Zoidis and others – combine for a number of acts, some that intertwine the musicians into side projects and some that stand alone. How is it that an eclectic group of musicians can come together under one label and produce albums and acts that have broad appeal and a solid following?

    Alan Evans: Most importantly we’re all friends and we all enjoy playing music with each other and we enjoy each other’s music and that’s really what it’s all about. It’s a family, we’ve known each other, most of us, Dietch and Zoidis and Kras, we’ve known each other for 20 years now, so we’ve been at it a long time. It’s all about having fun and making good music.

    Alan EvansPM: How does the Alan Evans Trio differ from other Royal Family acts?

    AE: It differs in that Beau and Danny playing with me and they’re just different people, their take on music and their influences, it’s different from everybody else. A lot of us grew up listening to the same things but then we perceive those things as individuals, and that helps create your sound and your take on music, so that’s pretty much the difference, just the individuals and the individual take on music.

    PM: Working with new musicians, how does their presence in a free form improvisation setting change the musical environment you become accustomed to, even if only briefly?

    AE: It’s funny, it depends. Sometimes there are very subtle differences and sometimes they can make be huge (differences). For instance, we just did this album with Karl Denson, and we have played with Karl on many occasions, but just throwing him in the mix, the way he plays, we’re all ears, we’re always listening or reacting to what he does, so we have Ryan Zoidis up there playing with us and literally the next night, have Karl play the same exact tune, definitely completely different. Again, it’s all about people’s vocabulary and improvisational music is using that vocabulary to have a conversation, but at other times it can be very subtle. The thing with Neal, Eric and I, and all of us really, we’re always listening to each other so it’s not a one sided conversation.

    PM: The debut album from Alan Evans Trio is Drop Hop. Consider the uninitiated jazz fan who is unfamiliar with your work – how do you pitch the album to them as a must listen?

    AE: I can’t understate enough that I love to have fun and playing with cats who like to have fun too. The album itself, there’s no political statements; it’s a fun album that I just pulled my influences in on for the album, like Booker T and the M.G.s and The Meters. The album has a definite vibe and it takes you somewhere and if you want to go on a quick little journey, that’s the album to check out.

    PM: The new trio includes you on drums, Danny Mayer on guitar and Beau Sasses on organ. How did you first connect with each of them and how did the Trio come together as a result?

    AE: Beau and I have known each other for a long time. He’s always been a part of Royal Family circle, even before we had an idea of what the Royal Family was. Beau is a Boston cat and I’ve known Beau a long time and he does regular gigs out near my house in and basically, it’s an every Wednesday gig and whoever’s around will show up, it’s a rotating cast of characters on this show. So Beau asked me while I had some time off the road from Soulive and we’re hanging out and playing and that’s when I was like “OK, I want to create a band with this guy here,” and that was the initial scene.

    Danny, who initially came to me as a Soulive fan and musician, he wanted me to engineer and produce his band, the On the Spot Trio for their album, and then it became two albums. The last album I did for them we did out in Santa Cruz, California, and while I making the album, I was out there for like three weeks, Danny and a friend of his asked me to do a regular Tuesday night gig there, and that was the first time I got to play with Danny. That’s when I knew, “I gotta put Danny and Beau together.” So I started us with a few tunes, and I thought “I’ll record an EP and see what happens,” so I set the recording date, the mastering date, I had Danny’s ticket to fly out east, and when I got home from Jamcruise, they were going to record maybe two weeks after Jamcruise and I ended up writing the entire album. We got in the studio and the first day when Danny and Beau met each other and it just clicked and that’s the history.

    PM: Buffalo is you and your brother Neal’s hometown. In what way did growing up in Buffalo influence your musical upbringing and how did you develop as a musician while in high school in Buffalo?

    AE: Buffalo is an interesting place because back in the day it was a huge stop on the soul/jazz circuit, punk rock, everybody was coming through Buffalo. So growing up, all those influences were around us in the city and in the music we were growing up listening to. When I was about 11 years old that was when I started gigging out in clubs and such, and the cool thing about that was that I was really young and I’m hanging out with all these older musicians, very experienced, been on the road and played with everybody and everyone was very supportive, which was amazing. There weren’t a lot of haters in Buffalo, everyone was always willing to give you a chance, and then it was up to you, once you were on stage if you were going to stay up on stage. If you weren’t a hit, they would let you know kindly. It was a very supportive musical community.

    PM: You are playing Catskill Chill September 8th, a hometown stop at Nietzche’s September 27th and The Haunt in Ithaca September 28th, covering much of Upstate New York. Is there an aspect to Upstate New York that you enjoy returning to when touring makes it possible, and what can you recommend to those who head out of New York City and venture into Upstate?

    AE: I have a special place in my heart for Upstate New York. I’ve been touring this area for as long as I can remember. It’s hard for me to remember having a bad show upstate. I don’t know what it is about it, people love to get down and have a good time. Some of my favorites, Syracuse, Rochester with the Jazz Festival is amazing; I would always anyone go check that out, it’s an amazing festival. Playing in Buffalo for me obviously involves seeing friends and family, that’s just amazing, plus when you’re in Buffalo you gotta get some chicken wings. Ithaca is always dope and a crazy music scene. It’s a small town and I can think of so many great bands that have come out of there. The old Haunt has been gone for a long time but the tradition is still being carried on. There’s something in the water there; its a lot of fun to play, people really appreciate music in Upstate New York.

    PM: Having collaborated with a variety of musicians over the years, both live and in the studio, what artists out there are you looking forward to working with in the future, either ones that you know or ones that you hope to know?

    AE: Man, that is a tough one. What I’ve discovered over the years is that the collaborations that have worked best and I have enjoyed the most are the ones I wasn’t looking for, and then there have been collaborations that we worked on very hard at getting so and so into the studio and it just doesn’t work. The reason is, what I have found is that when people come and see us or hear about us and they’re really digging on it, there’s something about a more personal connection, rather than its just kind of business. With that said, one person I would love to work with, and we kinda have at one of our Bowlives is Van Hunt. Van has become a friend which is really cool, so I can hit him up whenever and we can just kick it. I’d love to get in the studio or just play live with him again. He’s just an incredible musician, incredible composer, incredible lyricist, incredible writer, all around the dude is just dangerous. On top of that he’s just an amazing human being, a really cool cat. That’s one that I’m really waiting on.

    Check out more from Alan Evans Trio at alanevanstrio.com and Royal Family Records

    Alan Evans Trio plays Catskill Chill in Hancock, NY on Sept 8th, Nietzsche’s in Buffalo on September 27th and The Haunt in Ithaca on September 28th.

  • 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.