NYS Music 20​12

Tag: albany

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Download The McLovins show here

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Medeski Martin Wood Massry Center
    photo by Christopher Decotis

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Oaktoberfest review

    Oaktoberfest review

    Words by Amy F. Fischer – It was a gorgeous day at Oak Mountain in the cozy town of Speculator, NY.  Three jambands I saw religiously in college were all playing at the 1st Annual Oaktoberfest.  This mountain has the potential to be a great venue for live music, with overnight camping encouraged, food that was dirt cheap, a beer truck with a great selection (including Lake Placid’s Ubu Ale, a personal favorite) and you were allowed coolers if you wanted to bring your own.  All this and almost 12 hours of music for $35… and if your kids were 10 or younger they got in FREE. Certainly a family-friendly event, Matt Yaeger (Owner/Director of Matt’s Music Together, LLC) held mini class demonstrations in between music sets for the kiddies.  The purpose of his program is to encourage music and movement for children 0-4 years of age with their families.

    oaktoberfestTwo sets of The Deadbeats started the day off right; as always, the band jammed a long list of favorites.  This band has had a Wednesday night residency at Valentines in Albany for almost two decades.  Their impressive song repertoire of the Grateful Dead and Phish, as well as many other classic rock covers and their own originals, keeps fans dancing the whole time and wanting more.  On this sunny Saturday afternoon they pulled out a great “Cassidy” (Grateful Dead), “Rock and Roll” (Velvet Underground), a gorgeous “If I Could” (Phish), and a “Big Yellow Taxi” (Joni Mitchell).

    Jerkwater Ruckus was next on stage.  For those that weren’t around when they were out playing live regularly, you missed a special era.  These six musicians started playing in 2000, but other than a few recent reunion shows have not played together as a sextet in quite a few years.  A bunch of us old “groupies” were there to rock it old school.  A friend I hadn’t seen in over ten years hopped a plane from Colorado just to see these guys.

    My favorite part of the entire day was when all the kids started accompanying the second Ruckus set with hand drums, sticks, egg shakers, streamers and a large colored parachute.  What a treat it was to see a new generation dancing and playing along to a band that in the past was only enjoyed after their bedtimes in dingy, smoke filled bars in the Northeast.  A bluegrass version of “Mother” by Pink Floyd was only topped by my favorite band original, “Yet”, a multi-part number that to a Phish fan I could describe as the Ruckus’ “Divided Sky”.

    The kiddies were then put to bed and the parents were able to enjoy some grown-up time with Conehead Buddha.  CB was a major part of the jamband scene in Upstate NY a decade ago as well… I am thrilled to see them playing out more often again.  Most songs were recognizable, all were danceable, and a great time was had by all.  The show ended with a memorable “Sights” -> “Psycho Killer” -> “Sights” with the bonfire raging and a starscape that makes you appreciate going up north.

    I hope to see everyone in Speculator next year!

  • Albany Bar Owners Protest Cabaret Law

    “Music anytime should never be a crime,” chanted Albany bar owners, musicians, and DJ’s Monday evening as they protested the Cabaret Law. The protesters marched through the streetscape beginning at Townsend Park and filed into Albany City Hall. (pictures from Pete Mason below)

    Last spring city council members passed the Cabaret Law requiring businesses seeking live entertainment to purchase a permit. However, once the permits were issued, business owners were outraged to learn there were restrictions. The Cabaret Law requires music to be shut down by midnight on weeknights and by 2 am on weekends. Patrons under the age of 21 must be off venue property by 11 pm. Bar owners fear this will drastically hurt business.

    Albany bar and restaurants, particularly in the live music business have been struggling. With the recent closures of Jillian’s and The Dublin Underground, protesters are distressed over losing their livelihood. The Albany bar scene has always been a late night town. Patrons do not usually start filing in until after 11PM. It is not uncommon that after party shows happen after midnight.

    The Common Council is reviewing the recommendations and will hold a special meeting in the future.

  • Lucinda Williams and John Prine at The Palace Theater

    Lucinda Williams and John Prine at The Palace Theater

    Singer-songwriters Lucinda Williams and John Prine took the stage at The Palace Theatre, each playing a story telling set to a rapt crowd of Baby Boomers and 30-somethings.Lucinda, in her silver locks and with a mild southern drawl sang selections off her new album, Blessed. Fans heard favorites such as “I Lost it” and “When I Look at the World”, as well as “Drunk Angel”, a song Lucinda said could have been about Townes Van Zandt (off the album Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, the title track of which was also played earlier that night). Guitarist Doug Pettibone accompanied Williams while she played acoustic guitar, adding a compact electric guitar sound, contributing no more notes than necessary, with a blues base that set the groove for much of her performance. The Tom Petty rarity “Change the Locks” took a new perspective when sang by Lucinda, adding an emotional freedom to the lyrics. Skip James’ “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues”, a delta blues song written during The Great Depression was noted as an appropriate tune for today’s hard times, to cheers of agreement from the crowd. Closing the set was “Joy”, a scornful and angry lover number that elicited the most cheers of the night.

    john prine

    John Prine took the stage thirty minutes later and the crowd became notably more engaged and slightly chatty in between songs. Dylan-esque in writing, performance and even voice, Prine gives a quite memorable live performance, playing hits, fan favorites and a variety of covers. With David Jacques on bass and Jason Wilber on electric guitar, mandolin and harmonica, the crowd stirred, cheered and shouted out love for songs throughout the 85 minute set.

    The crowd showed much love for “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore” and “Six O’Clock News” contained the touching line “Come on baby spend the night with me” while the song deals with more tragic circumstances. “Souvenir”, his mother’s favorite song he wrote (she would cook him anything he wanted if he played it for her) was dedicated to his brother Doug. Mid-set, Prine played a few solo numbers: “Long Monday”, about a weekend that hangs over into the new week, “Donald & Lydia”, an Army story from his days at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, and All the Best.

    During “Sam Stone”, he was rejoined by Jacques and Wilber halfway through, taking the song from acoustic somberness to a deeper, more powerful song of drug addiction, with the harrowing line “There’s a hole in daddy’s arm, where all the money goes”. “Bear Creek Blues”, by The Carter Family and “Lake Marie” brought the set to a close and the crowd to their feet, giving a deafening ovation and praise to Prine for a memorable and incredible performance.

    john prine

    Before the encore, a second microphone was brought out for Lucinda Williams, who said to the crowd “I am completely mesmerized and in love with this man” and embraced Prine before singing along with him on “Paradise”. The performance ended as the crowd showed their appreciation once again, praising two songwriters for a noteworthy performance.

    John Prine Setlist: Spanish Pipedream, Picture Show, Humidity Built the Snowman, Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore, Six O’Clock News, Souvenir, Grandpa was a Carpenter, Storm Windows, Fish and Whistle, Angel of Montgomery, Long Monday*, Donald & Lydia*, All the Best*, Sam Stone, Bear Creek Blues, Lake Marie

    Encore: Paradise

  • Eastbound Jesus at Red Square, August 10th

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

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

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

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

  • Jillian’s of Albany set to close on August 11th

    Jillian’s of Albany set to close on August 11th

    The Times Union reported today that local bar/restaurant/club and live music venue Jillian’s of Albany will be closing on August 11th, after 13 years of operating on North Pearl Street in Albany. Five years ago, owner Ralph Spillenger purchased Jillian’s from the national chain it had been associated with since it opened.

    jillian's“I just cant keep supporting it anymore,” said Spillenger “I’ve lost all my customers, people are afraid to come to downtown Albany. It was my Waterloo.” Jillian’s is not the first North Pearl Street club to close this summer as R Bar closed in June.

    While the economic downturn is likely to take the brunt of the blame for Jillian’s closing its doors, the summer concert season and warm weather tends to draw customers away from the bar scene of Pearl Street, as well as college students going home for the summer. The music venue played host to numerous bands in recent years, led by local promoter Greg Bell’s shows featuring Hot Buttered Rum, Cornmeal, The McLovins, Deer Tick and local acts Eastbound Jesus, Timbre Coup, Formula 5 and Higher Organix. With the closing of Jillian’s, The Bayou, Red Square and The Barrel Saloon remain the only bar/live music venues in downtown Albany.

    Earlier this year, The Electric Company in Utica closed its doors.

  • SmashMouth Takes Us Back to the 90s

    Albany had the opportunity to host one of the 90’s greatest pop rock bands, SmashMouth on Thursday July 26th. Albany’s weekly music events, Alive at Five, are usually held down at the Albany Riverfront Park. However, with a forecast of harsh winds, rain, hail and a possible tornado, the city moved the event into the Times Union Center. Despite the dark clouds and weather warnings, the crowd couldn’t be kept away.

    Smash Mouth is lead singer Steve Harwell, Paul DeLisle on Bass, Mike Krompass on Guitar, Michael Klooster playing keys and Randy Cooke on Drums, and they took the stage to a excited, crowded arena. With Steve lifting his red solo cup, it was the signal the audience was waiting for, to get the party started. SmashMouth began the set playing some of their classic hits, ‘Can’t Get Enough of you Baby’, ‘Then the Morning Comes’ and ‘Walking on the Sun.’ SmashMouth reigns from California, explaining their relaxed harmonies, Americana guitar rifts and catchy, youthful lyrics. With the band’s rendition of The Kinks, ‘Girl, you really got me’, Bob Marley’s ‘Is this love’ and The Monkees ‘I’m a Believer’, everyone had the opportunity to sing along. The surprise of the night was the performance of a brand a new song ‘Magic’, off their newest album set to drop September 4th. With much build up from Krompass’ guitar solo as well as Klooster’s organ solo, the encore erupted into their number one hit, ‘All Star.’ SmashMouth seemed overjoyed with the audience response and Harwell cheered, “We’re back, b*#$%es!!”

    The band’s reputation for bringing the good vibes and party attitude is still as fresh as it was in the 90s. Despite having lost band members and being dropped from their original label, SmashMouth can take a hit and keep going, very suiting to the band’s name. SmashMouth will be making a few stops in the United States, coast to coast, before touring around Austrailia. More information can be found on their website, smashmouth.com

  • Jeff Bujak at Red Square

    Last Friday night, Jeff Bujak made a return to Albany’s Red Square, which hosted a number of other DJs that night including Sweatpants Money, Evac Protocol and Leila, providing plenty of variety for the crowd seeking their BassFix.

    Jeff started the night out with a strong, fast tempo that went throughout both sets, living up to his label of electronic dance music. In Red Square’s small venue space, the floors were actually vibrating from Bujaks nonstop beats and key slamming fingers. It was music that you could literally feel, that physically moved you and forced you to use every part of your body. The air was electric; with such flow and control over his equipment, especially the piano, Bujak is a sight to see.

    Despite the night being heavy on the electronic music, it was far from overwhelming, perfect for newcomers to the scene. With an array of mixes ranging from pop, 80s, rap and jam band, there was something to find in each song for everyone. Playing into the slogan on his website, “Finally, Something different” was exactly what the audience got and then some.

    After every few songs, Jeff Bujak took the time to thank his fans, when really we should be thanking him. Jeff Bujak is touring around the East Coast and will make stops at Catskill Chill Music Festival (Sept 7-9, Hancock, NY) as well as 51BassCamp (August 25th, Maple Ski Ridge). For a complete list of his upcoming shows as well as a vast amount of free official recordings, go to www.jeffbujak.com