NYS Music 20​12

Tag: jamband

  • Dark Star Orchestra delivers at The Egg, December 5th

    It was my first time seeing Dark Star Orchestra at The Egg in Albany on December 5th. They had a high reputation among many of my friends and there was much anticipation built up around the show. The lobby area was packed, mostly with everyone waiting on the beer line and sitting in group circles chatting. As guests made their way into the show room, the aisle escorts did their best to find everyone to their correct seats. Once the first notes of “China Cat Sunflower” started, it was a party. The sold out crowd was thrilled to catch one of the last four shows of Dark Star Orchestra’s tour.

    Even better for fans at The Egg was Jeff Chimenti playing keys all night. Jeff is best known for performing in RatDog as well as other post-Grateful Dead bands such as The Dead and Furthur. He was steaming as he pounded the keyboards throughout the night and especially during “New Minglewood Blues.” Lisa Mackey on vocals was mesmerizing as she twirling around the stage, flawlessly joining the boys with great harmony. Rob Eaton was center stage, bringing energy with his every guitar note, especially during “Mexicali Blues”, while Kevin Rosen sent out groovy bass rifts.

    “New Speedway Boogie” started the second set and the band was more fired up than ever. Jeff Mattson on lead guitar was more than I could handle. He was rock solid on jams, playing with great concentration and ease. Dino English and Rob Kortiz had an intense drum solo during the beginning of the 2nd set that blew everyone to their seats; lesson learned that two drum sets are always better than one. Everyone seemed quite warped after the drum solo plus from the jam session of “Space.” Each song flowed into the other with the night ending with a good wakeup call from “Casey Jones” and a surprise encore of “Quinn The Eskimo.”

    Dark Star Orchestra pays tribute to the Grateful Dead by recreating past shows, song for song, at each of their shows. If you want to hear and experience the closest thing you can get to a Grateful Dead show, you go to a Dark Star Orchestra show and you get exactly what you pay for. To describe DSO simply as a cover band is incorrect. Everything about the Grateful Dead’s music history is legendary and for DSO to perform their music is more than half the battle. To try to replicate note for note, the music of one of the greatest bands in history, I’m sure can be more than overwhelming. Dark Star Orchestra delivered an amazing show, filled with great jams and feelings. Like fellow writer Lenny Stubbe, I was left with a “useless smile.”

    For setlists, music and more, go to Dark Star Orchestra’s webpage.

    Setlist

    Set One: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, New Minglewood Blues, Tennessee Jed, Mexicali Blues > Jack A Roe, Queen Jane Approximately, Loser, My Brother Esau, Bird Song > Victim Or The Crime > Bird Song

    Set Two: New Speedway Boogie > Man Smart (Woman Smarter), Crazy Fingers > Lost Sailor > Saint Of Circumstance > Drums > Space > Foolish Heart > Comes A Time > I Need A Miracle > Casey Jones

    Encore: Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)

  • Timbre Coup and Formula 5 at Red Square October 27

    It was the weekend before Halloween and Red Square was decked with decorations galore.  The bar was hosting two of Albany’s favorite young up and coming bands for the Halloween celebration – Timbre Coup and Formula 5. Formula 5 got the party started with their signature Phish style jams. All dressed in white lab coats, it was obvious throughout the show they were having fun on stage playing off each other in and out of every song. The talent is certainly beyond their years. Their 20 year old guitarist, Joe Davis, tore it apart all night with tight guitar riffs and tons of enthusiasm. It is refreshing to see some young new talent on the jam scene in Albany and Formula 5 always brings out a pretty vibrant crowd. The last song I heard before stepping outside was an interesting rendition of the “Ghost Busters” theme song. Certainly not the tightest song they played all night, but still a humorous choice to play for their costumed crowd.

    After a short break Timbre Coup took stage dressed as elderly men. It was seriously entertaining to see four men taking their music so seriously while dressed in such ridiculous costumes. Timbre Coup is always a pleasure to see live and their crowd never leaves disappointed. Their band is made up of Andrew Chamberlain on the guitar, Matt Pickering on the drums, and Dan Gerken and Ben Pickering trading off duties on the guitar and bass. While their music is often referred to as improvisational progressive rock, each song individualizes itself into its own category. While their dance-worthy bass lines keep the crowd moving, some songs stray away into heavy head banging guitar riffs that bring the energy in the room up another caliber. It seems every Timbre Coup show I see each band member grows individually as a musician and together as a band. One thing is for sure, they never disappoint. Their crowd always stays moving, and always leaves happy.

    Midway through their set a drummer took stage to pull up members of the crowd for an impromptu costume contest. Seeing 12 people squeezed onto the small stage all dressed in their Halloween finest was certainly a sight to see. The winner was a man dressed head to toe in gold spandex donning a Beauty and the Beast Lumiere candle-stick hat and light up candle hands. Truly the most creative Halloween costume I’ve seen in years. Overall the show was great, the Halloween Vibe was spot on and the energy was non-stop. As always, these bands did not disappoint.

  • Preview moe. at The Capitol Theatre

    This Friday, November 9th, rock jam-band moe. is scheduled to play at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. The event is 18 and over, with tickets going for $35. There will be a general admission standing room only floor and a reserved seated Lodge and Balcony area. If you get tickets for Reserved Lodge and Balcony, you will NOT have access to the general admission floor. The doors open at 6:30 and the show is scheduled to kick off at 8. The Capitol Theatre’s box office will be open Friday from 12pm-6pm, you can call via phone at (877)435-9849 or Tickets can always be purchased at ticketfly.com

    Moe. was one of the first bands that got me into the entire jam-band scene. Moe. is a great band to introduce friends into this musical genre and they always deliver with an unforgettable performance. The crowd is usually full of dedicated fans, better known as moe.rons, who can appreciate the Buffalo, NY band for bringing them a unique, heartfelt experience at each show. After being together for three decades and producing 17 albums, there is more than enough music to be played at any moe. show. Band members Al, Chuck, Rob, Jim and Vinnie continue to gain fans with their high energy performances, individual talents and sense of humor.

    Moe. has played at a number of festivals such as Bear Creek, Gathering of the Vibes, All Good and Bonnaroo. The quintet also hosts their own festivals such as moe.down and snoe.down. They will be ringing in the New Year once again in Portland, Maine, sure to be a sellout.

  • JGB with Melvin Seals at Putnam Den, October 20th

    After catching JGB with Melvin Seals at the Catskill Chill festival this year, I was not missing their show at the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs on Saturday. Melvin Seals, one of the original Jerry Garcia Band members, leads the band JGB and together they play tribute to Jerry Garcia, playing his music around the country. I arrived to the venue to find the outside porch area lined with tables of people selling art pieces, pins and shirts, very similar to a shakedown scene you would find on any Phish lot or Deadhead scene.

    A man with long dreads stepped on stage and started strumming a guitar, which at first I assumed he was doing a sound check but it turned out to be Jimmy Tebeau. The soft and familiar guitar melodies beckoned the crowd outside to the dance floor like mice to the Pied Piper and caused a gentle group sing along. Tebeau’s voice had everyone swaying to the music and energizing for the big band noise that was soon to come. Jimmy played some of my favorites like “Sugar Magnolia” into “Scarlet Begonias” into “Sunshine Daydream”.

    After a quick set break, the entire JGB took the stage and the venue was packed. The band opened the night with “Cats Under the Stars”, the perfect song to wake up the audience and get grooving. The two female singers were incredible with their angelic harmonies, I couldn’t get enough. Melvin Seals is a true sight to be seen on his organ, I was in awe of his powerful key playing. The music melted over the crowd and everyone rejoiced. The familiar songs played with a rock and roll, gospel flair was guaranteed salvation from whatever the outside world had brought down on you. The entire night was rejuvenating.

    My favorite song of the evening was “I Saw Her Standing There” when the band slowed down the tempo and you could really feel every note, it was a great build up. The JGB ended the night with a classic “One More Saturday Night” encore that shook the venue with a funky vibe that couldn’t be stopped.

    JGB with Melvin Seals will end their East Coast touring in Fairfield, CT after playing at the Brooklyn Bowl on the 26th and 27th. They are set to play a 4 night run in Denver, CO for New Year’s Eve. For more information about touring, go to their website or like them on Facebook.

    Setlist:
    Set 1 (Jimmy Solo Acoustic) : Walkin’ Blues, Jack Straw>Box of Rain, Cumberland Blues>Maggie’s Farm>Cumberland reprise, New Speedway Boogie>Other One>New Speedway Boogie>Goin’ Down the Road, Looks Like Rain>Women Are Smarter, Ripple, Sugar Magnolia>Scarlet Begonias>Sunshine Daydream

    Set 2 : Cats Under the Stars>And It Stoned Me, Evageline, I’ll Take a Melody, I Saw Her Standing There, Who Was John>After Midnight

    Set 3 : Stop That Train>I Want to Tell You, Sitting In Limbo>Don’t Let Go>Waiting for a Miracle, I’ll Be With Thee>Breadbox

    Encore : One More Saturday Night

  • Max Creek’s “Haunted Halloween Bash” October 26th and 27th in Lake George

    Max Creek is hosting a “Haunted Halloween Bash” this coming weekend in beautiful Lake George, New York on Friday October 26th and Saturday October 27th. Connecticut’s legendary American rock jam band will be preforming at the Fort William Henry Hotel with tickets available for single nights or weekend days, ranging from $25 to $40. Max Creek will share the stage with Conehead Buddha on Friday October 26th and Dr. Jah & The Love Prophets on Saturday October 27th.

    The fright fest kicks off each night at 7pm and is a 16+ event. There will be a costume contest for each night with categories for Scariest, Most Creative and Sexist, and winning prize tickets for Floodwood, Kung Fu, Marco Benevento plus a 4 pack to Max Creeks New Years Eve Masquerade Ball. Don’t miss this weekend, one that’s sure to be full of spooky fun and a musical adventure!

     and also available at the door. For more information, visit Max Creek’s official website  or like them on Facebook.

  • 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.

  • The McLovins Release Third Album ‘Who Knows’

    The McLovins Release Third Album ‘Who Knows’

    Who Knows, the third album from jamband prodigies The McLovins was released early this month as a ‘name your price’ digital download, showcasing the maturing sound of this trio turned quartet. With guitarist Jeff Howard’s departure and the arrival of guitarists Justin Berger and Atticus Kelly, the band’s sound may change in the coming year but with this well produced album (by Tom Marshall & Anthony Krizan at Sonic Boom Studios) that provides the best recordings yet from the group.

    Mclovins who knowsLeading off with Hesitate, drummer Jake Huffman’s matured voice provides a balanced and strong lead in track on the album. Close to the Line features Howard’s soaring guitar as the meat between the bread of the lyrics accompanied by a jazzy section full of thick bass from Jason Ott. Cohesive, the first of three Tom Marshall penned tracks (Hesitate and Subdivision 2 are the others) is a light reggae-ish summertime tune, well-rounded by the band and lyrics such as “And when the dark invades my mood, that’s when I start to come unglued, and when my bases get releasive, I need to feel cohesive.”Mon Ami has a soft melody, quite mild compared to the rest of the album, so much so that most of the song could be heard on a ukulele before loud crescendos give a 5-hour energy shot to the placidity. The band returns to the composition, whistling ‘their favorite tune’. Tetop (short for ‘to each his own path’) is a highlight in concern, with funky drums and bass with guitar riffs in the studio take; subtract the lyrics and you could have a song from The Meters, but the lyrics have a mid-70s soul-explosion feel from Huffman and a falsetto chorus. On the Way Up has great potential in concert, and the wah-wah guitar sound will be impressive with two guitarists when this is played live. Subdivision 2 is very much like a mid 90s Phish song, and Tom Marshall’s writing has helped the band blossom as his writing was part of Phish’s burst 20 years ago. “Ready or not we’ll go through this together, you know I’d rather be touched than seen, we’ve gotta get through this screen” The album is capped off with Love is Purple, and much like the first album, ends with on a soft and uplifting note, this time with Jake on guitar singing a poetic love letter, captured fully in the line, “Love is why I clean up after you.”This is yet another impressive album from The McLovins, adding to their already impressive resume. For those who listen and have yet to see them live, in concert is where the group shines, and with a wide open 2012, they will be making stops at a number of festivals and venues throughout the Northeast.Key Tracks: Close to the Line, Cohesive, Subdivision 2

    Download the album at mclovins.com