NYS Music 20​13

Author: jg

  • Candlebox at Oswego County Event Center (finally, Part 2!)

    I wrote that back in late September, talking about an incredible show at the Syracuse area’s newest big outdoor venue, the Oswego County Event Center.  A few months late but hopefully a way to remind everyone as they look out the window into fields of snow that summer is coming and live shows will be seen — often, and right here in Upstate New York. Candlebox
    Candlebox Oswego
    When the Syn City Cowboys took the stage, the crowd was mixed on who are these kids from Kansas City, and the women drooling over the fit bodies and refreshing look the band presents.  Once they started, the focus was on good ol’ rock and roll.  SCC has been around for a little over three years and continue their relentless tour schedule to bring their music to the fans.  Frontman Ethan Cole says his favorite lead signer is Metallica’s James Hatfield, but while Cole may rock out like Mr. Hatfield, you will find his vocals to be a little more youthful, clean and more reminiscent of strong 80’s frontmen like Sammy Hagar or David Coverdale.  If these young men stay together, keep writing pure rock tunes and stay on the road perfecting and promoting their craft – they will become a household name.  In rock ‘n roll households at least.
    The long summer day was just beginning to become a long summer night as Open Air Stereo walked out onto the brand new enclosed stage in Pennellville, New York.  Forty years ago you’d hear a band for the first time on the local radio station.  Twenty years ago it was either  MTV or VH-1, and you heard them and saw them at the same time.  More recently, with bands like Open Air Stereo, a band’s first exposure is often on reality television, they don’t hear the music until later (to be fair, OAS did get some decent play time on “Laguna Beach” but who was really listening?).  Nine times out of ten when you finally hear the music it is a huge disappointment.  OAS is that 1 out of 10 that you say to yourself, “oh damn, these guys are good!”  One of the reasons they are so good was due to a Craigslist ad.  Yes, you can find more on Craigslist than old tires and an escort for a lonely Friday night.  Open Air Stereo found guitarist, Scott Pounds on Craigslist.  This would be another time that you could safely say, “oh damn, these guys are good.”
    Behind the Pennellville Fire Station just 10 minutes north of Syracuse on this summer evening was no exception.  A smooth rock groove and strong beat supporting tunes like “Stuck on You” got the crowd bouncing up and down, or what some call “dancing”.  The set went up and down with intensity and it was obviously that the band has been fine tuning its stage presence.  Backstage, they were working on their own equipment, even fixing a snare that broke after the last gig and a night full of traveling didn’t give a lot of time to fix it.  Life on the road is tough and hopefully OAS has what it takes to stick it out.  There is a large market of 16-25 year old girls and the guys that follow them around that needs this music.  In the process the band will continue to mature and bring in a large fan base and move past the “Laguna Beach” name and into their own.  Something hard work and many miles over desolate highways can deliver.
    Rumors were flying that Syracuse natives, Crows Cage, were going to start their set with a little surprise.  I was eagerly awaiting by the stage to see what these hard rockers had in store for the audience.  Already local favorites with more fan adorned t-shirts in the crowd than any other band, including headliner, Candlebox – they didn’t need to do something gimmicky to get the crowds attention.  So, what could it be?
    Aaron Bellow busts out an incredible guitar solo to start the show.  The guitar whined and whimpered with delight of the fans and to the delight of my ears, too.  Aaron’s big surprise was using a bow to light up the solo… it was like a slide guitarist found his way into a haunted house and had to play for all the ghouls and boys.  It was actually pretty awesome.  While it could have easily been cheesy, it wasn’t overly hyped nor did it last too long.  It was short, to the point and therefore a powerful statement that Crows Cage was ready to make shit happen and as the sun slowly went down behind them, the energy of the festival type crowd was about to hit the next level.
    Fresh off the release of their CD Forgotten Sins the band busted out tunes from the new album that turned up the tempo. “Grindstone” or “Derivation” really highlights the intense pace set by Crows Cage rhythm section: Clint Greer on drums and Tommy Rose on bass.  A slick guitar lead-in allowed Eddie ‘EJ’ Carrara’s vocals to have the strong impact that was intended.  After seeing Crows Cage open for national acts Devour the Day and Saliva earlier in the summer, there was something special about the line-up.  Seeing them a month or two later on stage in the OCEC showed more development and a tight adhesive bond within the band.  The chemistry allowed the music to flow over the crowd and melt some faces and blow some minds.  With any direct support band they have one important job, above all others: get the crowd ready for the headliner.  Two words, “Mission Accomplished.”
    Earlier in the week leading up to the show I was able to talk to Candlebox’s Kevin Martin about the bands “comeback”, the purity of rock, how things have progressed since their peak in the 1990s, new material focused on a new message, and a new sound.  Candlebox can still delight the audience with classic favorites like “Far Behind” and “You”.  But even those classics now have a refreshing twist live, either through an acoustic set up or even a slight ska/dub influence.  The show at the Oswego County Event Center was no exception.  The crowd was pumped up and the band maintained that energy mixing in the old and the new.  Guitar licks from the legendary Peter Klett dropped more than one jaw as original Candlebox drummer, Scott Mercado, set the pace.
    From the V.I.P. poster signing to the dominant stage presence and command of the crowd, Candlebox did not lose their touch with their fans.  An openly supportive marijuana rights agenda influenced a few fans to light up and partake after the sun went down behind the stage.  That scene alone, sunset while the band lights grew in intensity gave me chills.  The photos could never do it justice.  My recommendation is to plan at least one or two shows there in 2014 so music fans can truly appreciate the new venue.

  • Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo Hit CNY with their Best Shot: A JTG Photo Gallery

    When Turning Stone announced that Pat Benatar was going to be in the Showroom in November, it was a guaranteed sold-out show.  The nearly yearly run through Upstate New York brought out droves of short-haired pixie cut women reliving their rebellious younger years through the musician that gave them the power to tell the world that collectively, “We Belong”.

    Pat Benatar and her husband (and business partner) for nearly 35 years, Neil “Spider” Giraldo, rocked the showroom despite being very sick.  Pat took short breaks to head toward the back of the stage to get a drink or clear her throat.  In the spotlight though you could barely tell that the legend was under the weather.  She gave it her all and the crowd was more than pleased.

    When Neil and Pat invited the crowd to ask questions, it gave Pat an opportunity to rest her voice as Spider answered most of the questions. From there she belted out some of her biggest hits, “We Belong” and the anti-child abuse anthem “Hell is for Children”.  With being sick, the crowd seemed surprised and so pleased that Pat did the whole set and didn’t cut anything short.  Amazing energy and a promise to return next year for a special 35th Anniversary tour – who could ask for anything more?

    Setlist: All Fired Up, Invincible, So Sincere, If You Think You Know How to Love Me (Smokie cover), River of Love, Promises in the Dark, Q&A, We Belong, Hell Is for Children, You Better Run, Hit Me with Your Best Shot, Love Is a Battlefield, Everybody Lay Down, Let’s Stay Together, Heartbreaker / Ring of Fire

  • Maria Brink & In This Moment Headline the Best Buy Theater in NYC

    What do you get when you mix glam, sex, blonde bombshell, and perfect choreography with a drum beat that alters your heartbeat, screaming guitars, and voices full of power? You get heavy metal that’s not only awesome to listen to but one hell of a performance, particularly from Maria Brink of In This Moment

    Maria Brink In This MomentOn November 10th, the Best Buy Theater near Times Square welcomed a couple thousand metal-heads for The Hellpop Tour. The venue, originally the Astor Plaza movie theater, was designed to easily move people. The only lines that existed were those that were formed by the fans waiting for the doors to open – once inside, getting drinks, visiting the restroom, and even checking out merch were super easy.  It had some pretty classy features, like the glass chandeliers – check them out if you go.

    Maria Brink In This MomentAll Hail the Yeti stepped on stage first, offering intense and loud vocals, synchronized head banging, and drums that seemed to take control of my heartbeat. Up next was Kyng — although the vocals were harsh in the beginning, they sounded great in the end and the crowd was really impressed when they sincerely thanked their family for their support. Motionless in White was up next; this group, as always, drew tons of fans with their Gothic image and great sound. In addition to all three bands fitting perfectly into the typical heavy metal persona, they all noted, with surprise, how QUIET the NYC crowd was.

    That all changed once Maria Brink and In This Moment appeared on stage – as it should have. The music was awesome; on top of the totally synced metal, the vocals were powerful, and the lyrics were pretty commanding too. Unlike the three bands before them, In This Moment, is NOT your typical metal band. Their show is all about their lead, Maria Brink, and her very theatrical production. It is REALLY hard see/hear past the performance though. When you have two sexy dancers writhing next to the super hot Brink for 75 minutes, you do not want to focus on anything else.

    Maria Brink In This MomentThe crowd loved the set list; most songs came from the last two albums, A Star Crossed Wasteland and Blood. But they were just as excited when the band performed their “old school” stuff from 2006. The Nine Inch Nails cover of “Closer” was pretty perfect. Seems appropriate to pair this song, which is all about raw animal sex, with the heavy metal band that is totally playing on the female sexy.  I only wonder why Brink kept the “Closer” lyrics PG-13? Why say “I wanna LOVE you like an animal” when “fuck” is used pretty loosely the rest of the night? That aside, it was a great cover.

    Maria Brink In This MomentIn This Moment finished their captivating performance with “Whore”, then “Blood” for their encore. After that, the 2,000 metal heads “quietly” (and without waiting in line) made their way above ground to the Times Square lights.

    Words by Joy Houle, Photos by Jim Gilbert

  • Upstate’s own Maria Brink & In This Moment Headline the Best Buy Theater in NYC

    What do you get when you mix glam, sex, blonde bombshell Maria Brink, and perfect choreography with a drum beat that alters your heartbeat, screaming guitars, and voices full of power? You get heavy metal that’s not only awesome to listen to but one hell of a performance.

    On November 10th, the Best Buy Theater near Times Square welcomed a couple thousand metal-heads for The Hellpop Tour. The venue, originally the Astor Plaza movie theater, was designed to easily move people. The only lines that existed were those that were formed by the fans waiting for the doors to open – once inside, getting drinks, visiting the restroom, and even checking out merch were super easy. Oh, and it had some pretty classy features, like the glass chandeliers – check them out if you go.

    All Hail the Yeti stepped on stage first, offering intense and loud vocals, synchronized head banging, and drums that seemed to take control of my heartbeat. Up next was Kyng — although the vocals were harsh in the beginning, they sounded great in the end and the crowd was really impressed when they sincerely thanked their family for their support. Motionless in White was up next; this group, as always, drew tons of fans with their Gothic image and great sound. In addition to all three bands fitting perfectly into the typical heavy metal persona, they all noted, with surprise, how QUIET the NYC crowd was.

    That all changed once In This Moment appeared on stage – as it should have. The music was awesome; on top of the totally synced metal, the vocals were powerful, and the lyrics were pretty commanding too. Unlike the three bands before them, In This Moment, is NOT your typical metal band. Their show is all about their lead, Maria Brink, and her very theatrical production. It is REALLY hard see/hear past the performance though. When you have two sexy dancers writhing next to the super hot Brink for 75 minutes, you do not want to focus on anything else.

    The crowd loved the set list; most songs came from the last two albums, A Star Crossed Wasteland and Blood. But they were just as excited when the band performed their “old school” stuff from 2006. The Nine Inch Nails cover of “Closer” was pretty perfect. Seems appropriate to pair this song, which is all about raw animal sex, with the heavy metal band that is totally playing on the female sexy.  I only wonder why Brink kept the “Closer” lyrics PG-13? Why say “I wanna LOVE you like an animal” when “fuck” is used pretty loosely the rest of the night? That aside, it was a great cover.

    In This Moment finished their captivating performance with “Whore”, then “Blood” for their encore. After that, the 2,000 metal heads “quietly” (and without waiting in line) made their way above ground to the Times Square lights.

  • Keeping Things Weird Al Turning Stone

    The Weird Al experience is far more than a concert.  It is an infusion of pop culture at its finest. Between dozens of parodies, video interviews, and every imaginable reference to the master, Weird Al, from the Simpsons to Jeopardy!.  Turning Stone is more than Central New York’s gambling mecca – it is the source for big names in entertainment.  Weird Al was just one of the many entertainers at the casino during their 20th Anniversary year. Others include Motley Crue, Kiss and Harry Connick, Jr.  Yet to come is still Alice Cooper, Kenny Rodgers, Frank Valli and over a dozen more.

    Al took the stage in classic attire, an ugly Hawaiian shirt, big hair and his Roland accordion.  Performing “Polka Face” to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” got the crowd of thirty and forty somethings (and some of their kids) up and dancing early in the set.  From there he went on to “TMZ” and “You Make Me” before going backstage for the first of many costume changes. While he was changing into Kurt Cobain videos played a few clips of Al interviewing Eminem spliced together from other coverage and absolutely hilarious.  It was videos like this one and the countless others with Weird Al referenced in various television shows, movie clips from UHF and other movies and more Interviews with Nicolas Cage, Uma Thurman, Kris Kristopherson, Megan Fox, and Antonio Banderas.

    A Weird Al concert is 50% comedy, 50% music and 100% entertaining.  It is a great show that is suitable for all ages and covers musical tastes for every generation.

    Setlist: Polka Face, TMZ, You Make Me, Smells Like Nirvana, Skipper Dan, Party in the CIA, CNR, Canadian Idiot, Wanna B Ur Lovr, Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies / Whatever You Like / Another Tattoo / eBay / I Want A New Duck / Theme From Rocky XIII / Spam / My Bologna / Ode To A Superhero / Lasagna / Eat It, Amish Paradise, Craigslist, Perform This Way,  White & Nerdy,  Fat

    Encore: The Saga Begins, Yoda

  • Alice Cooper Raised the Dead at Turning Stone

    Before Alice Cooper even took the stage at Turning Stone, fans were on their feet. They expected the show to be jam packed with entertainment and wanted to see every second of the performance.

    The sold out show on Monday, October 21 drew a diverse group to Verona, from tweens to those in their 60s who came to see Cooper’s brilliantly choreographed production. The show started with “Hello Hooray” (1972) and Cooper set against a backdrop of raining fire. The first act featured ten songs including old favorites “No More Mr. Nice Guy” (1972) and “Department of Youth” (1975). About half of the songs performed date from the 1970s but that didn’t bother the fans.

    The guts and gore that brought Cooper his fame were very much part of the show, especially during the second act. Things that most people squirm about: snakes wrapped around a neck, an electric chair, a guillotine, a straight jacket, were what the crowd loved best. The elaborate stage sets are reminiscent of a really good Broadway show, only better because Cooper incorporates smoke and pyrotechnics. The costumes were dynamic and fit in perfectly with the whole aura of grotesque nightmare and the abnormal. Cooper had total control of the stage at all times; he and his band were totally in sync.

    One advantage to being on the short side is that with a full house standing in front of me, I couldn’t always see everything. Which meant — I could hear better. What I heard was a surprisingly strong voice — from the first note to the last. Not only was Cooper very much on his game, but every member of his band is super talented. This team of performers was top notch. And the third act heightened that.

    Act 3 began with Alice rising from the dead in the same graveyard where his “dead, drunk friends” are buried. He brought those “friends” to life when he performed “Break on Through” (Jim Morrison), “Revolution” (John Lennon), “Foxy Lady” (Jimi Hendrix), and “My Generation” (Keith Moon). The stage backdrop, featuring gigantic tombstones for each Rock n Roll icon, along with Cooper’s amazingly perfect cover was an electrifying tribute.

    Cooper finished the show with three hits, “I’m Eighteen” (1970), “Poison” (1989), and “School’s Out” (1972), loads of energy, awesome pyrotechnics, and confetti. At no time did the fans in front of me take their seats, and they were right, every bit of the show was worth seeing.

    Set List
    Part 1: Hello Hooray, House of Fire, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Under My Wheels, I’ll Bite Your Face Off, Billion Dollar Babies, Caffeine, Department of Youth, Hey Stoopid, Dirty Diamonds
    Part 2: Welcome to my Nightmare, Go to Hell, Man Behind the Mask, Feed my Frankenstein, Dwight Fry, Killer/ I Love the Dead
    Part 3: Break on Through, Revolution, Foxy Lady, My Generation, I’m Eighteen, Poison
    Encore: School’s Out

  • Alice Cooper Raised the Dead at Turning Stone

    Before Alice Cooper even took the stage at Turning Stone, fans were on their feet. They expected the show to be jam packed with entertainment and wanted to see every second of the performance.

    The sold out show on Monday October 21 drew a diverse group to Verona; tweens to those in their 60s came to see Cooper’s brilliantly choreographed production. The show started with Hello Hooray (1972) and Cooper set against a backdrop of raining fire. The first act featured ten songs including old favorites No More Mr. Nice Guy (1972) and Department of Youth (1975). About half of the songs performed date from the 1970s but that didn’t bother the fans.

    The guts and gore that brought Cooper his fame were very much part of the show, especially during the second act. Things that most people squirm about: snakes wrapped around a neck, an electric chair, a guillotine, a straight jacket, are what the crowd loved best. The elaborate stage sets are reminiscent of a really good Broadway show, only better because Cooper incorporates smoke and pyrotechnics. The costumes were dynamic and fit in perfectly with the whole aura of grotesque nightmare and the abnormal. Cooper had total control of the stage at all times; he and his band were totally in sync.

    One advantage to being on the short side is that with a full house standing in front of me, I couldn’t always see everything. Which meant — I could hear better. What I heard was a surprisingly strong voice — from the first note to the last. Not only was Cooper very much on his game, but every member of his band is super talented. This team of performers was top notch. And the third act heightened that.

    Act 3 began with Alice rising from the dead in the same graveyard where his “dead, drunk friends” are buried. He brought those “friends” to life when he performed Break on Through (Jim Morrison), Revolution (John Lennon), Foxy Lady (Jimi Hendrix), and My Generation (Keith Moon). The stage backdrop, featuring gigantic tombstones for each rock ‘n roll icon, along with Cooper’s amazingly perfect cover was an electrifying tribute.

    Cooper finished the show with three hits, I’m Eighteen (1970), Poison (1989), School’s Out (1972), loads of energy, awesome pyrotechnics, and confetti. At no time did the fans in front of me take their seats, and they were right, every bit of the show was worth seeing.

    Set List
    Part 1: Hello Hooray (1972), House of Fire (1989), No More Mr. Nice Guy (1972), Under My Wheels (1971), I’ll Bite Your Face Off (2011), Billion Dollar Babies (1973), Caffeine, Department of Youth (1975), Hey Stoopid (1991), Dirty Diamonds (2005)
    Part 2: Welcome to my Nightmare (1975), Go to Hell (1976), Man Behind the Mask (1986), **Feed my Frankenstein (1992), Dwight Fry, Killer/ I Love the Dead (2009)
    Part 3: Break on Through (1967), Revolution (1968), Foxy Lady (1967), My Generation (1965), I’m Eighteen (1970), Poison (1989)
    Encore: School’s Out (1972)

  • Pearl Jam takes Buffalo to church

    Buffalo’s First Niagara Center was buzzing on October 12th for what was a rare opportunity to experience the amazing energy that is Pearl Jam.

    Fans were eager, despite a line of 20,000 and no opening band, they all filled their seats by the time the lights went down. The stage was artistically constructed to transform the arena venue to a more intimate atmosphere. The band came on stage under low lighting, and prepared their respective places. Eddie Vedder, on the other hand, intentionally looked around to take in the moment.  It was as if he wanted to see each of the thousands of faces in the arena. Was he giving the crowd a moment to enjoy the scene before the performance began? Or, was he soaking up the crowd’s love?  Either way, it was a pleasure to see a rock star appreciate the experience.

    As a Gen-X’er who “struck out on my own” when “Alive” was the rage, I gotta say I was a bit apprehensive about the new stuff. I mean, what could possibly top Ten, Vs. and Vitalogy? Then, the show opened with “Pendulum”, from their newest album, Lightning Bolt (released October 15th).Well, hearing the new stuff live for the first time at this show – I’m humbled to say, I’m sold.

    The performance contained thirty songs, including two live debuts from the newest release; “My Father’s Son” and “Swallowed Whole”.  The entire performance was a well-balanced compilation of PJ history, ranging from 1992 to 2013. All songs portrayed and was played with the same energy — many offering a painful reminder that bad parenting has an incredible effect. Speaking of parenting, Vedder shared a bittersweet, heartbreak moment when he announced that his youngest daughter had scored her first soccer goal that day. “I hated to miss that,” he said. “But, you all make it worth it.” It was a powerful reminder that the people on stage, in order to entertain us, make heartbreaking sacrifices.

    Pearl Jam still infects the audience with the same passion and energy they had in the ‘90s only with a more musically, and emotionally, mature sound. Vedder continues to show unabashed, raw emotion in his voice, which seems to have been the consistent draw and dominates the newest music.  Those at First Niagara all seemed to love it, and it reminded me, too, of why I fell in love with them twenty years ago.

    Things I loved:

    1. The lighting: The light show was designed to show off the crowd regularly. The band WANTED to see all 20,000 of us — often. Their stage lighting was a virtual work of art, while also focusing on one as well. Rising and falling “lamps,” colored to impress a given mood, drew attention alternatively to the musicians and the awesome sculpture hanging over the band.

    2. The sound:  What Pearl Jam is able to achieve with their music is what people seek from church. When twenty thousand people are — together — singing the same words, with the same conviction, at the same time – it’s an amazingly unifying experience.

    3. The set list: Two-thirds of my song wish list was satisfied. I wanted “Rats”, “Rearview Mirror”, and “Breath”. I got the first two (which NEVER happens), and “State of Love & Trust” replaced my need for Breath. But, honestly, with a set list like this (below), who could be dissatisfied? Now that it’s over and done with the song I am most glad I heard was “I Got ID (SHIT)”, which was accompanied by a very short explanation, that involved Neil Young.

    My Downsides:

    1. Eddie didn’t crowd surf.

    Set List:

    Pendulum, Low Light, Sometimes, Corduroy, Lightning Bolt, Mind Your Manners, Do the Evolution, Immortality, My Father’s Son (live debut), Even Flow, Swallowed Whole (live debut), Sirens, Once, Comatose, I Got Id, Infallible, Present Tense, State of Love and Trust, Porch

    Encore: Off He Goes, Yellow Moon, Future Days, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, Rats, Got Some, Rearviewmirror

    Encore 2: Go, Alive, Baba O’Riley, (The Who cover), Indifference

  • Candlebox event opens the new Oswego County Event Center (Part 1 of 2)

    The Syracuse area has a new home for live rock ‘n’ roll and it couldn’t be more beautiful.  A short drive north of the city brings you to Pennelville (only 5 minutes from Great Northern Mall).  Behind the community’s fire station is a brand new stage that is strong enough to handle two important things that a lot of other local outdoor venues can’t handle: the weather and bands with a lot of gear.  The stage also has two back entrances that make it easy for events requiring fast transitions to keep the show moving and the crowds entertained. The venue is going by the name Oswego County Event Center and it has already hosted its first two shows this year.

    We were lucky enough to make it to both incredible shows.  The venue’s first event was headlined by 90’s alternative giant Candlebox, along with national touring acts Open Air Stereo and Syn City Cowboys as well as several local acts.  The second show brought 80’s rockers Skid Row along with the guys from Syn City Cowboys coming back for an encore performance.

    On Sunday, August 18th after a long drive from Saratoga County to Oswego County photo editor and staff writer Jim Gilbert was welcomed at the brand new venue.  The gates opened up early and the show kicked off around noon.  Local bands rocked their asses off throughout the day and Labatts was flowing at the incredible event price of five bottles for $20.  How is that for event pricing?  The food wasn’t expensive either and very tasty.

    Far From Over was the first band of the day and they are an impressive display of young talent, strong vocals and overall good sound.  These kids were on the stage earlier in the summer for 95X-Fest and will be promoted in the line-up from opener into a more prominent spot over the next year.  Lead singer, Zac Birdslow, got his foot in the door by being a roadie for other local bands, and started singing himself at 16.  Based out of Hannibal, Far From Over has been together for two years and are looking to release an EP in November of this year.  Their influences range from Papa Roach and A Day to Remember to Taking Back Sunday.

    Next up on the main stage for the Candlebox show was Kilter, another Syracuse band with a great hard rock sound.  Kilter put on a solid performance as concert goers continued to stream through the gates.  If you are looking for a melodic rock band that still has the balls to kick your ass, you really should check these guys out.

    If a band could change in a short few months Catastrophe Me succeeded.  The lead guitar shredded and vocals were a lot more solid than a couple months ago.  As the set progressed the band really seemed to come together with the highlights coming from their self-titled song “Catastrophe Me” and a decent exchange of clean and unclean vocals. The final song, “Winter”, combined quality harmonies, great lyrics and left the crowd with a positive memory of Catastrophe Me.

    What do you get when you know how to blend guitars, bass and drums in the right way?  Storm Cell.  Good sound from obviously quality musicians.  Avenged Sevenfold just released a new album highlighting sounds from classic heavy metal and hard rock days; Storm Cell brings that old sound back in a refreshing way.  Smooth transitions from vocals to lead guitar and back to vocals.  At times the band seemed a little green, but nothing that time in the practice studio and more performances won’t correct.

    The next local band name, Agrestic, brought up memories of Mary-Louise Parker and her hit series Weeds.  By definition, agrestic means rural or unpolished.  Agrestic, the band, took the stage with a lot of good energy and they sounded much more refined than their name suggests.  As the line-up of the afternoon show moved on the professionalism of the musicians seemed to grow.  That’s a testament to the hard work that the promoter and organizers do to make sure things move along and the audience stays engaged.  Agrestic’s band members were crisper, cleaner sounding and it was evident that there were years of playing on the stage.

    When Enemy Down took the stage, there was a bit of a swagger, a little bit of cockiness in the band.  When they started playing I began to understand why.  They pumped out a tight sound, reminiscent of 90’s alternative with strong vocals and powerful lyrics.  The 315 rock scene is alive and well and the fans in the Syracuse area couldn’t be luckier to have such a wide variety of talent readily available.  The cockiness I sensed went along with that alternative, not quite punk, feel that the band personified.  They were doing their thing and if you liked it, that’s okay and if you didn’t, that’s okay too.  Highlights were an incredible bass and duo vocals that played really well off each other.  If you want to see musicians that have taken time to fine-tune their craft as well as their style, without seeming like they tried too hard, Enemy Down is a local must-see.

    It was slightly confusing why The Hellfish was on this bill, but they were and the crowd seemed to really love them.  They brought a large following of thirty-and-forty-somethings and maybe even a few fifty-somethings.  This is your classic feel good bar band.  The songs were about beer, last calls and partying.  There was even an Irish ditty.  In a different setting this band might have worked out great, but my eyes were burning a hole into my watch waiting for the time that some more kick ass, throw out, balls out rock and roll hit the stage.

    Luckily it wasn’t too long before Bound for the Floor took the stage and even more people crowded, huddled together in the shade at the front of the stage as the sun began to set in the backdrop.  Deep raspy vocals and an old grunge sound with a little harder twist, Bound for the Floor started out as a 90’s cover band and turned their efforts into producing some original rock.  The bass carried the songs through their paces and even though the band was only a few months old, the promise of a bright future was definitely there.  Good vibes emanated from the stage and the crowd soaked them up.  Oswego County was digging the new venue and the nationals hadn’t even hit the stage yet.

    Check the site tomorrow for Part 2 of this incredible show.  More photos and more updates on Syn City Cowboys from Kansas City, Open Air Stereo from Southern California, local Crows Cages and of course, Candlebox.

  • Candlebox: 20th Anniversary Tour in the Syracuse on Sunday

    The Seattle music scene in the autumn of 1990 was still the Pacific-Northwest’s best-kept secret. At the time, it was better known for Starbucks than for music, and it would be another year before Nirvana’s “Nevermind” thrust the rainy town into the national spotlight. But in November of 1990, Candlebox was formed, ground their chops on the Seattle club scene, and within three years had a quadruple-platinum album, and launched the music career of Kevin Martin and company for years to come.  Following that success were two more releases, “Lucy” and “Happy Pills” that both sold well.  But the relationship with the record company went sour in 2000 and the band took a six-year hiatus. Syracuse
    In 2006 Rhino released a greatest hits album that led to a short tour that included all the original members of the band.  The tour led to a 2008 release, “Into the Sun” that peaked at #4 on the Independent charts. Candlebox also released a live CD+DVD the same year, “Alive in Seattle”.Their fifth album, Love Stories and Other Musings hit the stores in the spring of 2012 under Union Entertainment Group’s label Audionest.   Through some success and recent touring, Candlebox’s popularity has continued to rise back up enough to have the band scheduled for the ultimate rock cruise, “Ship-rocked” setting sail January of next year.  On the boat alongside Candlebox will be 5FDP, Papa Roach, Three Days Grace and Sevendust.

    This Sunday’s show at the new Oswego County Event Center will be Candlebox’s first time back in the Syracuse area since May 10, 2012, when they performed at the Westcott Theater. Prior to that they played the Lost Horizon in December of 2008 and have played other parts of Upstate New York every year since getting back together.

    Upstate Metal Editor, Jim Gilbert, asked Candlebox front man, Kevin Martin, about the fans in Upstate New York and why the band seems to make New York a regular stop. “First and foremost, we sold one and a half million records in New York alone.  It has been our biggest market since day one.  New York fans have always been very supportive and purchased CDs, tickets and t-shirts.  The main reason we play New York so often is the fans and to keep the market alive.”

    Next year might be the first time in quite some time that we won’t be seeing Candlebox in New York, so fans’ chance to see them on the 20th Anniversary tour is this week.  Kevin added that “next year we are going to take a break and work on being family members. We will be recording new materials and when we do release a new album we will go back on tour and New York State will be one of those places.  New York State is where we have our best shows. But it probably won’t be until 2015.”

    A lot has changed in the 20 years since Candlebox released their quadruple platinum self-titled debut album.  The fans have gotten older and social media and the Internet have taken over the industry.  “Fortunately for us, the fans that started with us in 1994 had children. While their fathers and mothers listened to our music their children came to know every word and that is great for us.  Now we see the parents and their kids at our shows.  A lot of touring and large festivals [like Rockapalooza and Shiprocked] make it easier to reach those new fans.  Also, with Instagram we can immediately share pictures of guitars, our music, and what is happening on tour.  It’s been beneficial, yet a frustrating experience at times. People have opinions, people feel validation and an instant connection. In this day and age, it is also important to answer emails, Tweets and Instagram messages.  We do our best to let fans know you are listening to them.  Occasionally we cannot get back to everyone though.  You do get fans that don’t understand that we get between 150-200 emails a day. We try our best.”
    The Internet has also helped Candlebox reach other new markets, namely Europe.  While the band only toured there three times, with social media and other ways of reaching out to fans the European fan-base continues to grow.  A Candlebox tour in Europe can be seen somewhere down the road.This Sunday at the Oswego County Event Center ( https://www.facebook.com/OswegoCountyEventCenter)  is a great chance for old and new fans alike to catch incredible musicians doing what they do best.  Some interesting discoveries that Upstate Metal also found when talking to Kevin Martin was that every song starts out acoustic.  Raw, unplugged, and from the ground up.  Kevin added that “shows like Unplugged was one of the best things for music. It showed what the music really sounded like, who had talent.  A lot of concert goers get used to hearing backing tracks, and live sets that are half ‘Pro Cuts’.”  With Candlebox you will get the real thing every time.  “Playing all live music is something special.”  We agree.