NYS Music 20​13

Author: NYS Music Staff

  • Candlebox 20th Anniversary Tour Stops in Oswego this 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 self-titled album that launched the music career of Kevin Martin and company for years to come.  Following that success were two more releases, Lucy and Happy Pills, which both sold well.  But the relationship with the record company went sour in 2000 and the band took a six-year hiatus.

    In 2006 Rhino Records 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.

    We 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 the best chance for fans 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 material 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 has only toured there three times, with social media and other ways of reaching out to fans, the European fan-base continues to grow and a Candlebox tour in Europe can be seen somewhere down the road.

    This Sunday at the Oswego County Event Center 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.

    Buy tickets by phone: (315) 668-1248 or Buy tickets online

    Visit Candlebox online and on Facebook

    Candlebox is Kevin Martin(vocals), Peter Klett (lead guitar), Scott Mercado (drums), Adam Kury (bass) and Sean “Memphis” Hennesy (guitar).

  • Meet Your NYS Music Staff: Writer Tabitha Clancy

    Tabitha Clancy sometimes obsesses over one song and sometimes she obsesses over a band (she listened only to Pearl Jam for about a two year stint).  Sometimes it’s a lyric, or a simple measure of musical content that will grab her.  She will hear the music before the words find a way.  She will never say, “I love all kinds of music.”  Sometimes it takes Tabitha time to warm up to a song, or a band, and sometimes that magic just isn’t there.  People who are walking encyclopedias for anything music related fascinate her, though we here at think she has a good grip on music history.  In fact, these are just a few of the reasons she has been writing for us since 2008.   Generally, her coverage area is within the Capital District.  However, she ventures beyond state boundaries to report on scene from various festivals.  She often travels the country, following her favorite band, Railroad Earth.

    tabitha clancyShe credits her late father’s love of eclectic and rather nostalgic taste in music for her ability to listen and enjoy the good stuff both past and current.  She loves singer-song writers like Josh Ritter, folk artists, bluegrass, and rock and roll.  Locally, her favorite band is Eastbound Jesus.  She has not been to every venue in the country to know which is her favorite, but in New York, she believes Bearsville Theater is top notch.  She loves everything about Johnny Cash, his life with June and his music.  She was trained as a biologist in college and currently works as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist in Albany.  While she enjoys dabbling in science, she would like to eventually work full time within the realm of the music world.

    Her musical bucket list has more to do with travel than it does seeing actual musicians live as she has seen many of the greats already.  She would really like to get her blues and jazz education in New Orleans.  She would love to visit the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.  One day she will visit the Gorge Amphitheater (WA) as well as Terrapin Crossroads (CA).  If she absolutely had to pick one song to be her all time favorite, it would be “Amazing Grace”, which she considers timeless and truthful.

  • Australian trio Sick Puppies invade Upstate New York

    Australian band, Sick Puppies, will be around the Upstate New York area a lot in August so there are no excuses allowed for missing this trio that is guaranteed to knock you on your ass.  August 3rd brings the Sick Puppies to The Paramount in Huntington, NY for our downstate and Long Island readers.  Central New Yorkers will be able to catch them on August 4th.  They will be part of 95X’s X-Fest along side Nonpoint, Otherwise and former 3DG lead singer Adam Gontier.  Along with 10 national acts there will be 10 local acts that you will not want to miss.  Then off to Delaware.  Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel will be covering the August 2nd Virginia show to give an in depth look at the 2013 Summer Tour and what we can expect here in New York.  *here is a hint* Great music and a great time.

    The band then comes back to the Empire State to Poughkeepsie’s The Chance on August 7th and Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park on August 11th.  From there it is just across the pond from Plattsburgh, where they will be serving up two nights of chaos at Burlington, Vermont’s Higher Ground before coming back to Rochester for a kick-ass show at a kick-ass venue – The Armory.

    For more information on the tour go to: http://www.sickpuppies.com/events/

    To buy the new Album, Connect visit iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/connect-deluxe/id646984341

  • Mayhem is coming to SPAC this Saturday 7/20

    The sixth-year lineup for Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival was officially announced during a press conference at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood back in May. Headliners ROB ZOMBIE and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH answered questions during the event.  Since Saratoga Performing Arts Center announced the show, Upstate Metal has been revved up for the festival.  Rob Zombie played Glens Falls in the fall and it has been almost two years since 5FDP has played the region.  Hot weather won’t scare away true fans.  Come to SPAC and join Upstate Metal with horns up high as this year’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival will feature the following acts:

    Main stage:

    ROB ZOMBIE
    FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
    MASTODON
    AMON AMARTH

    Jägermeister Stage:

    MACHINE HEAD
    JOB FOR A COWBOY
    BUTCHER BABIES
    BATTLECROSS
    HUNTRESS

    Musicians Institute Stage:

    CHILDREN OF BODOM
    BEHEMOTH
    EMMURE
    BORN OF OSIRIS
    MOTIONLESS IN WHITE
    THROWN INTO EXILE

    Sumerian Records / Headbang For The Highway Concourse Stage:

    CITY IN THE SEA
    + local acts

    In addition to catching their favorite bands live, fans can take part in a number of festival activities, including playing the newest video games, perusing vendors, attending autograph-signing sessions and a slew of various interactive activities that will only add to the festival experience.

    Rockstar Energy Drink will be sampling their products and providing awesome surprises for all attendees.  Rockstar will also present the VIP/Contest winner area designated as The Rockstar Lounge and the festival area Party Like A Rockstar Tent where fans can sample ice-cold Rockstar and get autographs from their favorite bands.

    As an addition to the festival’s music and arts, Musicians Institute and the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival have partnered to create the Rockstar Mayhem Independent Artist Scholarship! This scholarship fully covers tuition and material fees for a two quarter IAP certificate (Room, Boarding and Travel are not included.) The application period runs from March 18 until June 1, 2013. Applicants must visit this location to enter.

    Tour dates are as follows:

    Jun. 29 – San Bernardino, CA @ San Manuel Amphitheater
    Jun. 30 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
    Jul. 02 – Boise, ID @ Idaho Center Amphitheatre
    Jul. 03 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheater
    Jul. 05 – Phoenix, AZ @ Desert Sky Pavilion
    Jul. 06 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre
    Jul. 07 – Denver, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
    Jul. 10 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
    Jul. 12 – Burgettstown, PA @ First Niagara Pavilion
    Jul. 13 – Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
    Jul. 14 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake PAC
    Jul. 16 – Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
    Jul. 17 – Bangor, ME @ Bangor Waterfront
    Jul. 19 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
    Jul. 20 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ SPAC
    Jul. 21 – Hartford, CT @ The Comcast Theatre
    Jul. 23 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
    Jul. 24 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
    Jul. 26 – Noblesville, IN @ Klipsch Music Center
    Jul. 27 – Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
    Jul. 28 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
    Jul. 30 – Atlanta, GA @ Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
    Jul. 31 – Tampa, FL @ Live Nation Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds
    Aug. 02 – Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheater
    Aug. 03 – The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
    Aug. 04 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion

  • Old Crow Medicine Show kicks off Brewery Ommegang’s 2013 Concert Series

    What do you get when you combine great music, delicious beer, and a beautiful setting? The Brewery Ommegang’s Summer Concert series. This year’s summer concerts at Ommegang kicked off with a Memorial Day celebration that allowed Sunday night camping and a bluegrass/Americana lineup headlined by Old Crow Medicine Show.

    Local bluegrass band Driftwood started things off. With great harmonies and well-written numbers, they greeted fans streaming in and finding spots in the open field. The sea of lawn chairs and blankets, along with tents set up in the back could only be appreciated from an aerial view. Fortunately, I was able to connect with Andy Trench from ZoomVideo.net and we went to get a helicamera setup, or, more appropriately, hell-of-a-camera setup. Flying it above the crowd, we were able to provide a birds-eye view of the crowd, the stage, the brewery and the beautiful Cooperstown area.

    After Driftwood was Chuck Mead and his Grassy Knoll Boys from Nashville. They were a little more traditional country than bluegrass or Americana, but as I spoke to one of their members after their set, we agreed that it was a good fit. Many shows mix similar genres to offer a little variety and draw from different groups of music lovers. The crowd was pretty much settled in at this point and enjoyed the steel guitar, upright bass and fun lyrics of the band. The highlight was a modern telling of the ongoings of the gang from Mayberry.

    As the sun set over the surrounding hills, beer-lovers had a chance to get refills of their favorite Ommegang brew, sweatshirts and coats got thrown on, and a last trip to the vendors for nachos or a burger and prepare for the seven-piece stylings of Old Crow Medicine Show. Starting out with “Carry Me Back” and “Alabama High Test” and moving onto “Take ’em Away”, the pace was fast and the bluegrass-induced Americana jams led to dancing, hula hooping and a whole lot of singing.

    If I asked concert goers before the show what were they coming to see, they would have said “Wagon Wheel”. While that song rocketed OCMS to fame, their repertoire of upbeat songs led most to understand that this is not a one-hit wonder, but rather a group that have been around for fifteen years and have compiled a music library of incredible songs that can lend themselves to a two hour set that no one gets bored with, begging for that one song everyone knows.

    What’s coming up at Ommegang this summer? Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will be there July 25th and Black Crowes on September 5th. Whether you come for the music, the beer or the atmosphere, you can’t go wrong with planning a trip to Ommegang this summer.

  • Meet Your NYS Music Staff: Writer Jenni Wilson

    Jenni Wilson joined the team in the Fall of 2012, writing about shows in and around the Capital Region, specifically the Albany area. She has spent a significant amount of time around live music, growing up with two parents who both played in bands and introduced her to much of the music she listens to and appreciates today. From a young age she traveled to many shows and festivals with her family, seeing everything from bluegrass, to jazz, to psychedelic jam bands. Later in life she established her own love for music, branching off from the roots that were established at a young age. Some of Jenni’s favorite bands include Phish, Sound Tribe Sector 9 and the Grateful Dead.

    jenni wilsonJenni also runs the Albany local promotion company Zen Rose Productions, booking a wide array of artists that have included Abakus, The Manhattan Project, Organik Time Machine, Business Casual Disco and many more. Jenni recently graduated with her Bachelors degree from the State University of New York at Albany. Now she spends her time painting, traveling, seeing live music and spending a significant amount of time with her two German shepherds, Django and Dharma (pictured above with Jenni). She currently lives in Albany.

    Her Musical Bucketlist includes The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Van Morrison, David Grisman, Talking Heads, Elton John, Daft Punk and Yanni.

  • Meet your NYS Music Staff: Photographer Darren Kemp

    Darren Kemp has lived in Upstate, NY his entire life. Despite being born in Binghamton in 1973, he spent most of his formative years in the small Tioga County town of Candor before heading to Alfred State College in 1991 to pursue a degree in architecture. After graduating with an associate degree he relocated to Rochester and spent a few years at the Rochester Institute of Technology in various engineering majors. Post-college he has worked in the internet/information technology field for the past 18 years for various companies.darren kemp

    Currently, Darren works at the University of Rochester during the day. Music has always been a large part of Darren’s life, starting as early as seven years old when he purchased his first cassette tape, Michael Jackson’s Thriller. His interests were largely in classic and metal based rock until the early 1990s when a fellow architecture student introduced him to some Phish tapes.

    Darren now lives in the historic and cultural Park Ave neighborhood of Rochester’s Southeast quadrant and often can be seen at shows all over the city throughout the week. After working with a handful of other music publications, he joined in early 2013 and has covered many shows both as a journalist and photographer. He also curates a fan based blog for the Buffalo group Aqueous and has a keen interest in gardening, photography, spending time with his wife and raising his autistic son.

    Darren’s Musical Bucket List includes any Pink Floyd reunion that includes Gilmour and Waters, a Led Zeppelin reunion with remaining members, Radiohead, The New Mastersounds, ALO, Porcupine Tree and the remaining Beastie Boys, Adam and Mike D.

    Twitter: @UnclePhilsBlog Email: Darren@NYSMusic.com

  • Meet your NYS Music Staff: Writer Lindsay Jones

    Lindsay Jones joined the team in 2012, reviewing shows in the Central New York area, where she was born and raised. She loves to travel and tries to see new music in every city she goes to. She credits her small town upbringing and subsequent need for adventure as a catalyst in her quest for live music.

    lindsay jones

    Her favorite band is Phish and in following them from Maine to California, she has been able to see music in some of the most beautiful venues countrywide. Other favorites include Jimkata, moe. and the Felice Brothers, all of whom hail from Upstate NY.

    Her Musical Bucketlist includes The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Rush and Lady Gaga. Lindsay is a Senior Insurance Underwriter with a major Insurance carrier, and works with small technology businesses.

    She currently resides in Utica, NY, and is always on the lookout for new bands and adventures.    

  • LITA FORD releases new video for “Mother”

    Heavy Metal’s original blond rocker, Lita Ford released a video for her single “Mother” this week.  The song comes from Lita’s latest solo effort Living Like a Runaway that was released last summer on Steamhammer/SPV.  The video was directed by Lit’as former Runaway bandmate, bassist Victory Tischler-Blue.

    Lita added this about the video and the song “Mother”: “Mother is my song to my beautiful sons.  I know they will see the truth one day.  They will always have a place in my heart, which bleeds for them through this song.”  The song is about Parent Alienation. Parental alienation is a social dynamic, generally occurring due to divorce or separation, when a child expresses unjustified hatred or unreasonably strong dislike of one parent, making access by the rejected parent difficult or impossible.  Something that is an unfortunate consequence of spending years on the road touring the country and in Lita’s case, the World.

  • An Interview with Styx bassist Ricky Phillips

    Styx dominated the airwaves in the 70’s and 80’s with well-known hits such as, “Lady”, “Come Sail Away”, “Show Me The Way” and their only number one song, “Babe”.  The band did however have four consecutive multi-platinum albums and have a revolutionary sound comprised of a powerful guitars, theatrical performances and pioneering the prog-rock sound.  We were fortunate enough to interview Styx bassist and former Bad English founder, Ricky Phillips.

    The Glens Falls Civic Center is going to be host of three amazing acts on April 24th.  The “Midwest Rock ‘n Roll Express” tour featuring REO Speedwagon and Styx will be coming to the foothills of the Adirondacks to share their progressive rock stylings.

    REO Speedwagon will be sharing the headlining role of the tour with Styx.  REO Speedwagon has sold over 40 million records, including number one singles, “Keep On Loving You” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling”.  Another incestuous connection is REO Speedwagon’s lead guitarist Dave Amato used to play with Nugent before joining the band in time for their 1990 release The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken.  That album featured the bands last top 100 hit “Lock Is a Rock”.  Since then they have had success as a live act playing virtually non-stop around the world, the last few years with Styx.

    Ted Nugent has been getting more press for his stance on guns and support of the NRA than he has for his music lately.  Don’t forget that the Motor City Madman was all rock ‘n roll before he got political.  In the 70’s, Nugent provided us with hits like, “Strangehold”, “Wango Tango”, “Great White Buffalo” and of course, “Cat Scratch Fever”.  How does Nugent fit in with the tour?  He played with Styx’s Tommy Shaw in the super group Damn Yankees.

    Did you know Ted Nugent evaded being drafted in the 1970s by covering himself in his own feces and not showering for a few weeks? It’s true – read here from the man himself!

    When asked what we could expect at the show in Glens Falls, he said we should be prepared to be amazed.  Their goal is “to make tonight’s show better than last night’s show.  We even put together a brand new set that we are debuting on this leg of the tour.  We’ve put thousands and thousands into it and we aren’t even sure if fans will notice it the difference, but the stage performance that we put off is so important to the show.”

    Ricky actually played on Ted’s Little Miss Dangerous album, “One day I came home and Ted had left a message that he needed me to play a song for a movie that ended up on the album. So, I went down and I also set Dave Amato and Ted up together.  Now Dave is with REO. Most of the guys that are still out there have done some recording or played for everyone else at some point. A lot of the guys who are still the survivors are still carrying the torch and we are all still friends.”

    The Styx line-up hasn’t changed in 10 years, and there is a lot of rumors about grief and animosity with Dennis DeYoung.  Ricky played it off saying that “The band has been focused on growing the band over the past 10 years and getting better and better and not dwelling on the past.  Dennis is incredibly talented and if people are a Dennis DeYoung fan, I encourage them to go see him.”  Styx has a lot of modern pop culture success as well, including being in Big Daddy and South Park.  “It is something to see that the fans know all the lyrics to the songs.  Styx has a unique sound and if you hear a Styx song on the radio, you can tell it’s a Styx song with the harmonies. I think that in the 70’s and 80’s there was a lot of cookie cutter format, and Styx always had their own sound.  It’s very impressive. When I was in The Babies and first came across Styx it was obvious that their sound was really unique.”  Three generations of fans will be at the show, and all three will know the lyrics, whether they are a Guitar Hero player, a South Park fan or remember them growing up 30 years ago.

    The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has also eluded Styx, as well as many of the progressive rock bands from that era.  You have to imagine that Styx will be inducted at some point.  Ricky’s perspective is that “When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame started is always had more of a New York connection.  The British rock bands that started it all were being overlooked and it killed me.  So, I haven’t taken it too seriously.  It would obviously be a great honor to be recognized by the fans.  But whoever controls or makes that call, it’s up to them.  I’ve actually never even have this discussion with the other guys in the band.  Our focus is so much on the fans and making our music better and better every night.”

    Progressive rock is back on the rise, just look at any festival line-up and you will see modern prog rockers.  Styx was influential in starting that sound.  You can hear their influences on newer bands. “It’s great to hear, there is a new band that sounds like a mix between Styx and Zeppelin and you can tell what albums influenced them.  It’s nice to be part of the influencer.  I was influenced first of all by the Beatles and the song writing and arrangement.  Thank god that was my first initial impact as a kid.  There was a strong sense of song structure and melodies.  Paul McCartney’s bass solos were a huge part of me picking up bass.  I have played guitar to this day, but there is something about bass that has spoke to me.  It’s a real challenge to be a good bass player and it’s a challenge that I will always be striving for.  Listen to Paul McCartney and you can tell the percussion aspects of bass.  It’s seemingly invisible but bass can control the tempo and swing in a song.”

    Be sure to get out to the Glens Falls Civic Center  on April 24th and catch these three great bands and celebrate over 30 years of music.