NYS Music 20​12

Tag: timbrecoup

  • End of the World Shows across Upstate NY on December 21st

    It’s the end of the world as we know it, so let’s use that as an excuse to see some live music shows in Upstate New York! On Friday, December 21st, the Mayans, who couldn’t foresee the Spanish coming, have predicted 12/21/2012 as the end of something; probably autumn.

    Terrible movies like 2012 have highlighted this and while mass hysteria is always fun to watch, it’s better to celebrate this event with a memorable night out and about. There are quite a few bands planning ‘End of the World’ shows across New York, so here’s a list and links to venues, compiled by Lindsay Jones.

    Capital District

    Albany

    Red Square: Manhattan Project with Convolved

    manhattanproject

    The Bayou Cafe: Conehead Buddha

    GBPEndoftheWorldParty

    Lake George

    Towers Hall: Capital Zen, Cosmic Dust Bunnies, High Peaks Band, Indigo Sun

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    North Country

    Monopole: Flabberghaster

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    Syracuse

    The Westcott Theater: Project Weather Machine/Timbre Coup

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    Rochester

    Sticky Lips BBQ Juke Joint: Moho Collective

    MHC1

    Water Street Music Hall: Donna the Buffalo/Sim Redmond Band

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    Buffalo

    Nietzsche’s: Family Funktion and the Sitar Jams

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  • Eli-Fest at The Bayou in Albany, November 30th

    Eli-Fest, a benefit concert was held at The Bayou in Albany on Friday November 30th was held for Eli Ramos, who was injured in an accident on July 1st. To celebrate Eli’s strength and courage, bandmates, friends and fans gathered for a night full of groovy jams. With first walking into the front of Bayou, you wouldn’t even know that there was a huge show going on. Heading through the various sections of the venue, the smoky atmosphere hits you and so does the music.

    There was constant music being pumped out of the speakers all night. When the bands were not on stage, there was a mixing table set up to the right with DJs, responsible for keeping the party mode at a constant level. Insidious started the night off to a small, eager crowd, ready for the night to begin. His beats were enough to catch everyone’s attention and head to the dance floor. Inverspace was up second with a set that was light and upbeat. It was an easy groove to get into after Solaris. The last DJ for the night was General Korn whose big hit of the evening was a remixed Talking Head’s song, “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).”

    Solaris, the three man instrumental band from Ithaca took the stage and quickly warped the crowd. With a slow easy start, they hit hard into jams such as with great fluidity from song to song. The boys debuted a new song, “Deacon”, which had a fast tempo, enthusiastic start and a high build up jam. The trio has been logging in more practice time and it certainly shows on stage where they each have such control of their instruments. They are clean- cut and fresher than ever with their electro-fusion melodies and beats. Their authenticity brings the music to the next level and it’s been a thrill to watch them grow as a band.  Their set is available for free download.

    Solaris Setlist: Complete, Chapman, Deacon, Infrared, Cosmo

    It was my first time seeing digiMUN, which is a collaboration between members of jamtronica bands Digital Dharma, Wiley of MUN and Dan Gerken of Timbre Coup. With the huge crowd and high energy, it was a delicious recipe for a chaotic dance floor. Their entire set was improv, showcasing the vast talent that had come to pay tribute to Eli. Each jam had a funky rhythm, plenty of electronic beats and surprises around every trance infused melody. The encore was a Digital Dharma original entitled “Cloud 9” which featured Eli himself on the iPad. Their set is also available for a free download.

    One of Albany’s finest, Timbre Coup, was last to take the stage that night to the packed out venue with the snow falling outside. Early in the set, the progressive rock band dedicated the song “December” to their dedicated fans in November, an upbeat groove with hypnotizing melody. They covered Rick James’ “Give it to me Baby” as well as The New Deal’s “Deep Sun” both instant crowd pleasers and fed more energy to the band. Timbre Coup looks like they are having as much fun as the crowd and it’s a treat to watch them dance on stage and even switch instruments.

    Timbre Coup Setlist:  June, Jam->December. Give it to me Baby, 55->Jam&->Don’t Fly a Key on a Kitestring, September, July, Something About Radio->Jam->Mother Nature’s Baby Daddy, Verbal Kint->Jam&->55 end, Deep Sun, I Didn’t Know She Had a Moustache

    Throughout the night, all anyone had to say was how lucky we all were to share in the great music and help out a more than worthy cause. The event raised over $1200 and if people would like to still donate they can contact Steve Mink or Aaron Zarabi.

  • Autumation Festival Night 1 gets off on the Right Foot, November 8th

    It’s not often that, in my home town of Lake George, we are fortunate enough to stay at home and see some of the best bands in the live music scene.  Thankfully, the wonderful people who put together Autumation Festival saw the potential of our town and hosted one of the best weekends of music of the year. Held at the Historic Fort William Henry resort, Autumation featured a full  four days of music and it kicked off Thursday night at Towers Hall: an old, yet charismatic building that was outfitted with an elaborate display of lights, decorations and sound that would do any mainstream touring band justice.

    Formula 5 is a relatively new band with a surprisingly extensive catalog of original music that had the festival’s attention from start to finish.  Their setlist featured four originals, all with highly energetic and mesmerizing jams.  They also debuted one cover “The Music Never Stopped”, appropriate both in consideration that Formula 5’s originals have a heavy funk influence, as well as a fitting salute to the lineup that was to follow their inspiring performance that evening and beyond.

    Next up was a familiar jamband out of Albany, Timbre Coup. Timbre Coup is one that always keeps you guessing. At one moment, Latin influences shine through and make you float; the next, prog rock influences keep the energy high and ensure that you don’t stop moving.  Timbre Coup struck a nice, unique balance between these two genres.  Their performance was as entertaining as it was original.  They captured the attention of everyone in the building, and are well worthy of your focus every chance they get.

    Twiddle, the pride of Castleton VT, followed Timbre Coup and opened their slot with a song off their newest album Somewhere on the Mountain called “BeeHop.”  This song is comprised with jazz influences that transform into a heavy foreboding section which then releases back into its jazzy origins.  After a few movements of this section, “BeeHop” drops into a hip-hop inspired verse and chorus.  To the few who hadn’t yet listened to Twiddle, this tune is a clear statement.  Twiddle is a band of many sounds and as usual, they did not disappoint those on hand.

    As soon as you thought this lineup couldn’t get any better, Dopapod stepped out to follow Twiddle.  If you’ve never seen Dopapod, check their website and find out when they’re playing near you next, and GO!  These guys are incredibly talented and always fun.  Their music is a blend of jazz, funk, electronic, prog, and even classic rock.  On this night, we heard them all, both individually and inventively fused together.  Dopapod almost always kept things wildly upbeat and intense.  During their brief cool downs, they typically settled into a trance groove where their jazz influences seemed to really shine.  All in all, these guys are very original and wildly talented and were a perfect way to cap the evening’s festivities.

    All in all, Autumation Night 1 was a great time had by all.  Between the stellar lineup, the awesome facilities and favorable location, it was clear right from the opening notes that this festival was destined to be a huge success.  Looking forward to seeing you all here at the same time next year.

    Read Jenni Wilson’s recap of the rest of Autumation Festival 

  • 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.

  • Brothers Past and Timbre Coup at Valentines this Friday

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

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

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

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Timbre Coup ends February residency at Jillian’s of Albany

    Timbre Coup ends February residency at Jillian’s of Albany

    All good things must come to an end but all great things deserve an encore. Thursday night, Timbre Coup’s February residency at Jillians of Albany came to an end with their most powerful performance of the month, reeling in dozens of new fans to their rock/techno fusion. The crowd danced and writhed to the jams that developed from songs both new and old, leaving no doubt to the legacy the band is creating through their shows in the Capital District. Guitarist/bassist Dan Gerken said “The residency showed me that not only does acoustic Timbre Coup work, it was one of our strongest sets! You will be seeing more of this completely organic sound of ours very soon. We were happy to be able to experiment with the 4 show run we had.”

    timbre coup residencyFor their CD release party ‘Knuckles and Valleys’, the show featured a tracks including March, June, October and a stellar rendition of July to close the show. A sandwich of Arnold Schwarzenegger->Give it to me baby (Rick James)->Arnold Schwarzenegger was unexpected but they nailed it and an appreciative crowd asked for more. Jams out of Watching You and Radio were met with a packed dance floor for both young and old in attendance. This could wind up being a yearly or possibly bi-annual residency and would continue to foster the positive response the band had received in the past two years.

    Timbre Coup heads to Syracuse next to play the Westcott Theater on Saturday March 10th with Dirty Paris and Higher Organix, bringing the best of Albany to the Salt City. Dirty Paris and Timbre Coup return the next weekend to co-headline St. Patrick’s Day at Red Square in Albany making for a great Saturday night and continuing their notably worthy presence in their hometown of Albany.

    Check out pictures from Mike Wren here 

  • Timbre Coup ‘Knuckles and Valleys’

    Timbre Coup ‘Knuckles and Valleys’

    The third album from Timbre Coup, Knuckles and Valleys, following the release of 2010’s Check Out This, will be released on Thursday, February 23rd on the final night of their month-long residency at Jillian’s of Albany.

    timbre coup knuckles and valleysTwelve tracks for the twelve months of the year, written over the course of 2009, one song each month and gaining the appropriate monthly title as the year progressed. The writing process, as shared by drummer Matt Pickering, “Some songs we tried to capture the mood or feeling of the month in lyrics of music, a couple we just wrote what we were feeling at the time. The mixing on the album reflects how we think the months sound.” The songs have all been played live but for those new to Timbre Coup, they can see how the music portrays the month while existing fans will hear different versions of songs they are already familiar with.

    With tracks as easy as these to name in order, a brief description of what to expect from this impressive junior effort:

    January – There’s some Tool in here, along with a Middle Eastern jazz infusion and dark vocals, inspired by gritty 90s grunge. Great start to the album/year.

    February – A great bass line opens up into a groovy beat, followed by a refrain “This has only just begun” with a mellow sax not unlike “Careless Whisperer.”

    March – Instrumental prog-rock goodness; this could be a soundtrack for a boat adrift at sea, encountering storms and finally placid at the end.

    April – A musical thunderstorm, great lyrics and wonderful guitar work on a hallmark track.

    May – Bass n drums foundation with building guitar licks before a break in the song; the song starts again with more intensity in the second half, growing to great heights. Solid.

    June – A homemade electronic feast without missing a beat, strongest track so far, makes for great dancing; lyrics include ‘Keep it pumpin’ till the night is through, it’s a summer rhythm…’

    July – Spastic guitar propels the tune forward, the arching solos create the melting rhythms.

    August – Another Middle Eastern infusion at the outset, lyrics are celebratory “The day is mine!” as the quartet turn to Mexican influences for an end of summer jam.

    September – An airy trance starts off the ninth track, a purely electronic track from four musicians who create a spooky techno song without needing a laptop; pure musical talent in the month of September.

    October – Harsh and gritty, machine-gun guitar vs. sweep solo guitar.

    November – Indie rock at first, but quickly supplanted by the come-to-expect deep grooves that accent the lyrics and harmony vocals.

    December – Industrial beats mark the beginning, rocking and jamming all the way through. A perfect way to cap off a magnificent album.

    So, what’s your favorite month?

    Key tracks: April, June, September, December

  • The Pink Floyd Experience, Palace Theater

    The Pink Floyd Experience, Palace Theater

    Good cover bands are hard to come by, as seen by the local acts that fill bars and clubs around the country each weekend, singing the songs of the past. The bigger names – Dark Star Orchestra and The Fab Faux are notable because they accurately recreate the music of the Grateful Dead and The Beatles, respectively, without donning costumes or trying to make the music their own. They have simply learned the music and play it as close to the original as possible and in doing so, fill a void left by the absence of the bands they cover. Some would call them tribute bands, but that distinction is reserved for the groups that take on the style and exact lineup of the original band (i.e. The Fab Faux has five members) and leaves little room for error or interpretation.

    pink floyd experienceFor a band as complicated as Pink Floyd, both in terms of music and history, the number of cover bands is akin to The Beatles; there’s The Machine, Australian Pink Floyd, Brit Floyd and the band I was fortunate to see, The Pink Floyd Experience from San Diego, California. Opening up on February 16, 2012 with the entire album ‘Wish You Were Here‘ and nailing all five epic songs (Shine on Your Crazy Diamond I-V, Welcome to the Machine, Have a Cigar, Wish You Were Here, Shine on You Crazy Diamond VI-IX) without skipping a beat. For my favorite album of them all by Floyd, I was impressed.

    Then a brief intermission where the lights revealed family night at The Palace Theater. Many fans are older now and brought their kids, mostly teenagers but a few tweens as well. Families were milling about, grabbing concessions and ignoring merchandise with mellow aplomb; surely this is the exact opposite of Floyd when they played Wish You Were Here at venues like this back in the 1970s. But a mixed crowd leads to a new generation or two with the ability to enjoy some of the greatest music ever written. Ranging from the psychedelia of the 60s to the rock anthems of the 70s to the rock opera of The Wall in the 80s and the scraps left over in the 90s when David Gilmour toured and Roger Waters didn’t, Pink Floyd spans 6 decades of music and returns to stadiums this summer (and The Times Union Center June 28th) with The Wall once again. The light show isn’t the same with The Pink Floyd Experience, but they make a great effort to recreate the entire experience, nailing the music and sound but lacking with the lighting.

    Set 2 started out with On the Run->Time from Dark Side of the Moon before mellowing out into the spooky vibrations of Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun. An extended sax solo front stage recreated the ‘Careless Whisper’ feeling from 1984, forgetting that the extended sax solo should remain in the 80s. Learning to Fly, the lone 1990s Floyd offering was anthemic and ensured that all eras were covered tonight. The group announced that they would play a song for Syd Barrett but sadly, no Bike but Interstellar Overdrive instead. Money and a short version of Echoes (minus the spaciness) followed, along with another sax solo before a random guy in a jacket adorned with light bulb took the stage for the stormy intro to Hey You. The surround sound effects were at their best here, getting fans to turn their heads as the sound traversed throughout the audience and segued into Comfortably Numb. A packed sandwich of Run Like Hell -> Another Brick in the Wall Part Two -> Run Like Hell got the audience singing along with the band while the giant pig took to the space between the audience and the stage, drifting up and down until fans had left the show shortly before 10pm.

    The members of The Pink Floyd Experience lauded Albany for providing a great turnout once again. This was a show that is very worth seeing, although I would have liked another 45-60 minutes of some more obscure songs. But I can’t complain, good cover bands are hard to come by.

    Dopapod with special guest Timbre Coup
    Jillians

    Following The Pink Floyd Experience, I headed over the Jillians, where Timbre Coup continued their residency for February, opening up for funk/electronica group Dopapod, another regular in the Capital District. Coup’s electric set for a packed house continues to be one of the highlights of music in the area, cornering the electro/prog-rock market and garnering new fans throughout the month of February. Dopapod followed with strong set of songs from their new album ‘Drawn Onward’ and random and funky dance numbers. Dopapod will be back in a couple short months, potentially opening up for a bigger name in the electronica genre. It’s a big week next week for Timbre Coup, with their CD release party of ‘Knuckles and Valleys’ on 2/23 at Jillians with Higher Organix opening. Don’t miss the final night of their Jillian’s residency!