A fairly young hardcore act, Doomsday Device are some fresh new faces bringing their own style to the local hardcore scene. Based in true, heavy, hardcore roots, this band is not afraid to get as absolutely heavy as possible.
These guys bring “getting low” to a whole new level, honing a brutal, down-tempo sound consisting of chugging guitars, deep screams, and powerful rhythm. Their Facebook Band Profile only has two rough demos of songs up to get the idea of how these guys sound. Now, when I say “rough demos”, I mean really rough. There’s no professionalism or gloss to it, and is often off-time and somewhat hard to distinguish instrumental tracks.
However, this doesn’t detract from the sound they are going for. These raw recordings contain all the power and brutality they are trying to convey, and at this stage in their band’s existence, that’s fine. They are able to demonstrate some sizable talent among all the members of the band, and the rawness of the recordings demonstrates a certain carefree attitude that allows you to enjoy the music the way they must: purely and honestly. These guys are not afraid of showing flaws, they embrace it.
As good as a professional record sounds, they seem to respect the human element of recording music just as much, and this attitude deserves respect. I’d say that they have some growing to do both as musicians and as a band on the whole, but they show promise to do so. Their demo songs “Curse of the Walkers” and “The Turning Point” dabble in vocal effects, acoustic guitar, sound effects, and other creative “spices”. This shows that as heavy as they’re trying to be, they also welcome different ideas and are willing to experiment.
However, one thing is certain: no matter where they decide to go from here, Doomsday Device are going to improve and broaden their musical horizons, and will always keep things as heavy as you can imagine.
You can check out Doomsday Device here and give them a “like”:
For nearly 100 years, students of Syracuse University and members of the Syracuse community have flocked to The Westcott Theater for countless evenings of entertainment. Located just outside of SU’s campus, the Westcott can be found in a neighborhood primarily occupied by upperclass students looking to catch a concert after spending time at Taps Bar & Restaurant, situated just across the street.
The Westcott hasn’t always hosted live music, however, and it was only in 2008 that the venue opened its doors as a location for musicians traveling through Upstate New York. Before its transformation, the building acted as an independent movie theater known as The Westcott Cinema.
Today, the Westcott still holds the occasional film screening, most of which are music-related. In the summer of 2012, the venue screened LCD Soundsystem’s Shut Up And Play The Hits, a film chronicling the band’s final show at Madison Square Garden. Comedians have also appeared at the venue, including the Broken Lizard Comedy Troupe, a group of actors best known for their work in Super Troopers and Beerfest, who performed at the Westcott in 2009.
While special events usually occur at the venue several times throughout each year, live music is scheduled almost every night of the week. From show to show, performers represent an eclectic range of genres; at the Westcott, one night can be a country show and the next night a dance party.
Some of today’s biggest EDM acts have come through the Westcott on their way to becoming internationally known artists whose tours consist of packed stadium after packed stadium. Between 2010’s Bassnectar performance and 2011’s Skrillex and Pretty Lights appearances, the Westcott has developed a history of catching electronic artists just before they break. Big name artists like the Avett Brothers and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals have also played the Westcott before becoming major festival headliners.
New Riders of the Purple Sage, 10/5/12 – photo by Frances Huang
It’s the venue’s cozy environment and well-equipped set-up that encourage such well-known acts to book the Westcott on their way to the east coast. With a spacious standing area and a high ceiling, the venue’s occupants can feel comfortable amongst 700 fellow concertgoers while experiencing an intimate performance.
The venue’s slanted floor is helpful for those that are vertically challenged. Standing farther from the stage not only provides an unobstructed view, but also easy access to the bar. Located in the back of the room, getting a drink can be accomplished without missing a song.
Although the Westcott has only offered live music since 2008, some of Syracuse’s most memorable shows have taken place at the off-campus venue. As emerging artists continue to play quality shows for crowds of Upstate music lovers, students and locals alike will spend their evenings at the Westcott Theater.
Otherwise, meaning other than supposed, different if you will. That is the best way to describe this incredible band, Otherwise. “We don’t really look like your typical rock band and we’re trying not to sound like your typical rock band. And there’s something for everybody, you might not get what you expect,” says Adrian Patrick, the band’s front man, to Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel, on their tour bus. “At least that’s our goal, that’s one of our goals artistically.” It definitely seems like they have reached that goal with their ever-growing fan base.
Originally from Sin City, Las Vegas, Otherwise, consisting of the Patrick brothers, Adrian and Ryan (lead guitarist/vocals), Corky Gainsford (drummer/vocals), Andrew Pugh (guitarist/vocals), Vassilios Metropoulos (bass/vocals), has made their mark across the country, and touched the fans’ hearts with their sound and powerful lyrics. “It’s an amazing feeling to show at a place you’ve never really heard of, that you didn’t know existed. Then people there are singing back your words, even if it’s one person singing back your song lyrics, it’s still like, wow, that’s really happening.”
You may recognize one of their songs being played on Octane, one that has played for at least two years now, “Soldiers”. Back in October of 2011, during the 48 Hours Festival, the band met up with Jose Mangin, Sirius Octane’s program director who they had previously met at the Mayhem Festival in 2010, and while they were convening during the Sevendust set, they gave him a demo of the song. Adrian then tells the story about the song, adding, “it’s very spiritual.” “48 Hours Festival was the last show we got to do with our cousin, Ivan Patrick. He was our drum tech, he had a bunk on the bus, he was part of our crew for many, many years. Me and him are the exact same age, he was my twin, and two weeks later, he died on his bike on Halloween night, but before passing away, he came into Corky’s garage and he sang on ‘Soldiers’.”
For all the die-hard In This Moment fans, you may recognize Adrian’s killer vocals in the fiery passionate duet with Maria, “The Promise”, that was eventually followed by a steamy music video filled with spine-chilling primal screams. Definitely an amazing metal duet that’s hard to forget. However, Adrian revealed that he was not their first choice. “Initially, I was just supposed to be laying down guide-tracks for a more well-known singer, you know, they had a long list of people they were contacting and it just so happened that the planets aligned, with all the red-tape and the record labels and management and people’s schedules, and the label liked what I did enough to say, ‘Dude, this sounds great, let’s put him on the album.’” After “The Promise” was heard, those die-hard In This Moment fans became Otherwise fans as well.
Living in Vegas can have its perks, especially in mind-blowing experiences, ones where they have to be told in song. Some songs have a chilling effect, some have the effect of tugging the fans’ heartstrings (like “Heaven”), all of them have deep and powerful meanings, filled with Ryan’s amazing riffs, according to Adrian where their ideas come from. “Most of our ideas start with a riff that my brother has, he’s a very prolific writer. I mean, he picks up a guitar and a riff comes out and whether we use it or not, he’s always got some new ideas, so usually I’d say about 99% of the stuff is sparked. My brother is a spark, we all just kind of add to the fire…as far as lyric content goes, most of it is experiential, I write from experience. Although some guys are very good at telling a story about something they’ve never experienced or been through, …I try to stay away from that, because to me, it’s not genuine. Maybe it is genuine…to me it’s like I’m not gonna write about something I have no idea about.” The content of the lyrics are about those they have lost along the way to where they are now, about love, hate and anger. One of the songs they performed April 2nd at the Webster, was about an accident they should not have walked away from. These lyrics are the kind that really have the gears turned, that has everybody thinking about a deeper meaning behind these amazing words.
Otherwise has had the opportunity to tour with the Canadian rock band, My Darkest Days. When asked about the tour, Adrian explained that their booking agent from TKO Booking, Andrew Goodfriend, was the one that set that up. “A lot of times the next step is based on relationships…and that was a good tour for us, it was a lot of fun, a lot of small bars, a lot of cool clubs and a lot of great crowds.” Before their headline tour, Otherwise shared the stage with Papa Roach, and after their headline, they will continue to tour with the band as well as perform at the Rock on the Range in Columbus, Ohio this summer.
While touring all over the nation, quite a few venues stuck out for them such as Rams Head Live in Baltimore, MD and Rock Junction in West Greenwich, RI. However, there is one that really hits home for them: The Roxy in Los Angeles. “It’s very special to us because that’s where we pretty much got signed out of and they always do a really good job with sound. They’re total pros and it’s always a great vibe.” It seems wherever this band goes, they manage to set an incredible vibe, one that makes you feel like they are truly connecting with their fans.
Be sure to check out Otherwise on their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/otherwiseofficial), and follow them on Twitter and Instagram (@weareotherwise) for tour dates and updates, and check out their debut record in stores now, True Love Never Dies.
Every music lover remembers certain nights of great music with great friends: the gems that you reminisce about years and years later. For me, more than a few of those times were at Valentine’s in Albany, NY. It’s one of those places that things can get down and funky.
To be honest, it’s a hole in the wall. But it’s a magic hole I love to escape to. Have you ever pissed in a trough style urinal the same night as shaking Derek Trucks’s hand and then smoked a joint with Jimmy Herring? Neither have I, but only because I don’t usually use the men’s room.
Howard Glassman has been the owner and bartender of Valentine’s since 1998. Before that he was the booking manager at Bogie’s in Albany, back when Bogie’s had acts like Guster, The Spin Doctors, Rusted Root, God Street Wine and the Ominous Seapods. When Bogie’s went in the direction of dance party music, Howard started working for Valentine’s; a year later he bought the joint. Mike McGrath, the manager and bartender at Valentine’s, has his own background in booking live music in Albany at the old Lionheart location on Lark Street.
Originally called Papa’s Place, Valentine’s was owned by Karen Seeburg and her family. Back then it was just a locals bar. Enter Jeff Guthrie and Greg Bell, local Albany music promoters extraordinaire. They caught wind of the tragically underused upstairs floor and convinced Karen to let them bring in a sound system and lighting rigs for a show once a week. In six months’ time, Greg and Jeff were bringing Karen bands every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and convinced her to allow them to set up a stage and a real sound system. If you are familiar with hippie jambands in Upstate NY, you probably know The Deadbeats, a staple Grateful Dead cover band that have a Wednesday night residency in Albany. Greg Bell met the band in Saugerties back in 1994 and hired them for the bar and the rest is history. Wednesday nights downstairs at Valentine’s has been an Albany tradition ever since and the party keeps going til 4 am.
In general, Valentine’s has a plethora of live music on both floors. The downstairs caters to a smaller crowd/bands and is open for business as the main floor. It has a pool table, some arcade games and a dart board. Upstairs the bigger acts can fit. I’ve seen moe. multiple times upstairs at Valentine’s. When moe. wanted to play a random low key show, they’d advertise under the pseudonym “Monkeys on Ecstasy.” The first big show Greg brought to Valentine’s was The Weasels with Soul Asylum. The first sold out show was Ominous Seapods with Moonboot Lover and Dr. Jah & the Love Prophets.
I sat down with Howard to talk about the history of the venue, what makes Valentine’s such a special place and an Albany Live Music institution.
Amy Fischer: What are the pros of running a live music venue?
Howard Glassman: Live music! I get to see live music. I probably see more live music than anybody. I’ve seen more music than reviewers, promoters…
AF: The good, the bad, and the ugly?
HG: Exactly! That’s the great thing. Oh and I get free beer.
AF: Do you feel like you are part of a community being a bar owner?
HG: I feel like this place is part of a community. I think I am only a part of a community because I play in a band (Grainbelt), I book and I deejay, I do it all.
AF: What about the cons of running a live music venue?
HG: Dealing with bureaucracy, from all directions. The city, radio stations, booking agents, record companies. Some people would think it’s the drunks but it’s not. It’s not the customer. The people that come here, they come for a reason – they come for the music. The assholes are the ones that got dragged here by their friends and this ain’t their scene, so they’ll complain about anything, like the bathrooms that we’re all used to, they just don’t understand what we do here. They’ll go online and rate us as being terrible because they think everything should be nice and clean. (smirks) We’re a dive bar rock club, and our sound system is really good. The beer is cold and the sound is good.That’s a priority for us.
AF: (nods and smiles) “The beer is cold and the sound is good. It’s a rock club dive bar.”
Promoters lose money on shows all the time. Are you better off because you are a bar owner? At least you make money on the drinks. There are all types of music that comes here. Do you wish that you didn’t have to bring music in that you think sucks? If you know there will be a good crowd, you must feel you have to accommodate, knowing that people would come?
HG: Yeah, I learned a long time ago that you can’t book with your heart, you have to book with your head. (pauses) But sometimes I book with my heart, because I want to see a band and it’s cheaper for me to get them to come here to play, rather than go to NYC and pay gas and tolls. If I lose a couple hundred bucks, it will be worth it for me and for the 30 people who may come out and get their minds blown off.
In this past year Albany has had a late night hurdle to jump over. A “Cabaret License” has been trying to pass through the law books, requiring those under 21 to leave the establishment by 11 pm and amplified music to end by 2 am. (Bars can legally serve until 4 am in Albany!!) Many feared that this would further diminish the seemingly depleting visits of national acts to the area in recent years. Albany has been a stop for Max Creek, Rufus Wainwright, Derek Trucks Band, John Scofield, Jorma Kaukonen, The Disco Biscuits, Robert Fripp with Trey Gunn and Adrian Belew, Roger McGuinn, Jeff Buckley, the Last Poets… but what tour manager would want to bring his band to a place where half their fans would be forced to leave halfway through their first set? Luckily, Howard hasn’t been told to change anything since the bar’s hearing months ago and business continues as usual.
The more inevitable fear seems to be the ever expanding Albany Medical Center. The hospital has been making major renovations for a few years now and the construction workers are getting closer and closer. And closer. The run down housing in the neighborhood has slowly been bought out and bulldozed.
AF: Do you ever fear that you’ll have to shut down?
HG: You mean because Albany Med is eventually gonna buy the area here? No, we’ll just buy another building. What else am I gonna do? (laughs) I’m not qualified to do anything else. This is it.
AF: Any last tips you’d like me to print? How to get good service or anything?
HG: Don’t piss off the bartenders. Have your money ready and if it’s packed don’t try to order a bunch of fruity shots or complicated drinks.
AF: (laughs) Anything else?
HG: Yeah, in the men’s room don’t stand too close to the trough when you take a piss – stay six inches away or in the summer you’ll feel the splash on your shorts.
I hope he remembered to tell Derek Trucks.
Valentine’s is located at 17 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY
Hours are5 pm – close Tuesday thru Saturday; Sunday & Monday closed unless live music scheduled
FYI – Valentine’s is a CASH ONLY BAR – no tabs, no credit cards accepted. There is an ATM on-site. Entry is 18 & over for most shows, otherwise 21+. Visit valentinesalbany.com for more info and their show calendar.
Special thanks to Howard for this interview and profile on a great music venue.
Spotlight on a small killer band from Southern California by the name of Acidic. They’ve toured with major bands such as Hinder, Trapt, and Hawthrone Heights.
The band consist of Mike Gossard (lead vocals/guitar), Ted Dubrawski (bass), and Matt Whitaker (drums), with a special guest guitarist; in this case on the Hinder tour it was Josh Bennett. Their first record, Chronic Satisfaction, produced by John Ryan of Chicago Kid Productions, a platinum award-winner (produced Styx, Santana, LynyrdSkynyrd, Badfinger, and the AllmanBrothers. As of recently, the band signed with SONY/RED through a special arrangement with MegaForce Records. Acidic’s latest record, Copper Man, is expected to be released March 19, 2013. The leading single, “Copper Man”, was picked by MotleyCrue’s Nikki Sixx on his nationally-syndicated radio, “Side Show” to kick off February. Upstate Metal’s staff, Kate Drexel, was lucky enough to do an interview with the band’s front man, Mike Gossard.
UM: How did you come up with your band name?
MG: We went out to Joshua Tree for a weekend with a…you ever see that movie where Johnny Depp goes to Las Vegas and has a crazy weekend? Yeah, well it was kind of like that, and we came back and we didn’t know what the fuck had happened but saw that we had written on a little piece of paper the name “ACIDIC” and we were like, “what?” That must be the band name we decided…kinda catchy, y’know, unknown. There was a lot of ‘shrooms involved probably, we’re not really sure. But we had a good weekend; we know that, we came back safe.
UM: What’s your favorite song off of your record?
MG: Off our new record? Well, I’ll just do it from the new record, which is out March 19th; it’s going to be released by SONY/RED. My favorite song off that record is called “Copper Man” and I know we sound like total douchebags right now but we wrote it in jail. So yeah we got arrested the first day of our tour for Fuel, for being a “rock ‘n’ roll” band and I’m not going to go into any more detail than that. And we decided we were going to write a kickass song about being on the road. And so we wrote a song about the chronicles of this guy going across the country, getting into all sorts of shenanigans and partying with people and having a great time and everywhere he goes, he’s the life of the party…he’s the Copper Man. And he’s just all around the country, and when they let us out, we had a full song and we played it that night and it was pretty cool. We’ve never done anything like that since. We’ve only been arrested twice last year so it’s all-good.
UM: How did you become a part of the Hinder tour?
MG: Actually, our management is good friends with their management and they hooked us up and I have to say…Hinder, they are the nicest bunch of dudes on the face of the planet, I mean seriously, they have taken such good care of us. We are so grateful about that. So yeah, mutual friends.
UM: What’s the story behind “Satellite”?
MG: Okay, I went through a bunch of crazy stuff last year, right? And usually, it revolves around a girl and so I went through a bunch of stuff with a girl and I ended up getting sober and that was the first song I had written sober in years. I wrote it about always feeling like you can’t quite connect with somebody. I mean, everybody’s had that feeling where they’re just like, the one person they really want but can never say the right thing to or can’t connect with, it’s all about that. It’s the idea of being a satellite and they’re being a fucking planet.
UM: What does music mean to you?
MG: Everything. I try to think “Could I be a lawyer?” and then I realize, when I’m not on stage, I’m always listening to music, or when I’m watching a show, all I pay attention to is the music in the background. If you watch a TV show, there is never more than 30 seconds of that music, and if it’s done, it’s done on purpose to get attention…but it’s everything and it’s everywhere you go. You cannot escape from music. So it’s my life.
UM: What does your music reflect about you guys?
MG: Our general attitude and our transgressions on the road. Seriously, we write everything about experience, things that have happened to us…oh god, people we’ve known, people we’ve had drinks with, people we’ve had smokes with, people we’ve had sex with, y’know that’s the classic thing. It’s great, it’s honest…may not be very polite, but it’s honest.
The lights begin to dim and the mixed chatter amongst the crowd turned into screams and cheers of excitement. A familiar drumbeat fills the room and the people begin to clap with the rhythm. Concert attendees sing along to the classic rock song “We Will Rock You”, famously performed by Queen. The new faces on the stage continue to encourage the audience to sing along. They then begin to play what they had in store for their elated fans. Entrancing melodies transfer from instruments to fans and fill ears and souls with the unique sound of Young Blood, a band that emerged from the shadows and captured the hearts of many music lovers. As fans surmounted, intrigue arose regarding the band and its origin. Who is this band? Where did it come from?
Young Blood is a rock/alternative band from Rochester, New York, that recently toured with pop punk/alternative band Yellowcard. Together the five members, Ben Dean (lead vocals), Joey Arena (guitar), Chris Klumpp (guitar), Corey Baiera (bass), and Bryan Struczewski (drums), have released two singles on their YouTube account (“Little Vices” and “Chemicals”).
Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel had the opportunity to interview the band’s guitarist and founder of the band, Joey Arena.
Upstate Metal: How did you come up with your band name?
Joey Arena: I came up with the name years ago, actually. I’ve always been young at heart, you know, and everybody wants to live forever, and be young, and I think I fear may grow old, but I want to choose to stay young as possible on the inside…so kind of having that young blood.
UM: How did you meet each other?
JA: Chris [Klumpp] and I have played together before, and all the other kids were just people we kind of knew through friends of friends or in passing. We wanted to play with fresh faces that we’ve never played with before and everybody was a friend of a friend of each other, and we were kind of random about it, picked a bunch of random talented dudes.
UM: How long have you been together?
JA: Chris and I have been together for about five months of planning this and the approach we wanted to take on this, like having Ben [Dean] in the band. Bryan [Struczewski] got into it about three months ago and Ben got into it about two months ago, and Corey [Baiera] is the newest, he came in about a month ago. This is the original lineup so we kind of just pieced this puzzle together with no rush because we wanted to find the right people for the right job. As this lineup, I guess I would say a month and a half. The idea of the band had been brewing for about five months.
UM: Who are your inspirations?
JA: That’s such a difficult answer because we have tons of inspirations. We grew up from different backgrounds, which is cool. Ben is a very indie person; he likes a lot of weird music. Bryan used to play in a lot of hardcore bands, stuff like that. Chris is like…I don’t know…we all just come from really different backgrounds. Then we all come together and like the same bands, like we love, like stuff that we grew up on through high school heartbreak, like Garbage, Taking Back Sunday, Berlin, and 30 Seconds to Mars, and all of these awesome bands. But individually we come from different places. I love 80’s music; I’m a huge 80’s rock person. My mom raised me on Bruce Springsteen and stuff like that. I picked up a guitar because of Nirvana, because of Kurt Cobain. I have a sick obsession with Kurt Cobain.
UM: How did you manage to be a part of the Yellowcard tour?
JA: We knew they were going to be taking on another band and our manager is friends with their booking agent. We gave them our new music that was unreleased, and everybody dug it, and that was like, “yeah, come on tour with us.”
UM: When do you think the album will be out?
JA: We are currently in the studio, finishing up the rest of the tracks. We’re hoping to get it finalized no later than early summer but we are shooting for the spring, but that can go anytime because we just got bunch of choices that fell into our laps. We wanted to take the rest of February off to finish getting the demos organized so we can finish recording those. At the same time, we can’t pass up tours; we are a very tour hungry band, we love to live on the road.
UM: Where do your song ideas come from?
JA: Musically, I do most of the songwriting. Like I’ll structure out a song and the band will put like two sentences to it, like once we bring it into the studio. Whatever emotion I’m feeling, I will put it through the guitar, which is kind of weird to say that, like how; obviously, singers whatever they’re feeling emotionally will be put in lyrically. Well, I do that with guitar; if I want a more aggressive song because I’m feeling aggressive or I’m feeling anxious or if I feel like I want to write a love song. It goes as far as what I am feeling musically. Lyrically, like “Little Vices” is really cool as far as what Ben put out, like his experiences…he can explain it a lot better than I can because his lyrics are like crazy. Lyrically, its kind of like he wants to have this relationship with this girl no matter who can stop him, like if fate isn’t bringing them together, he’s not going to believe in fate- that type of thing. It’s not going to stop these two people from willing to be together. A lot of people blame the Devil or God for things not happening. This song is like “you control your own life, you control your own actions. If you want something bad enough, just do it yourself. You’re the only one who can get in the way.” Then there’s “Chemicals”…it’s along the same line as the other song but it’s really about this person who is possibly the worst individual we have ever met in our entire life. It makes for a good song.
UM: What does your music reflect about you guys?
JA: When we write how we want our music to portray us, we are all over the wall, we are rock and roll, no genre, no sub-genre, we are just music. We don’t want anyone to put a title on us or put us in a category. We push the envelope in certain spots but we bring it back, to common grounds, to the common listener. We are really just writing for ourselves, we play music because it’s what makes us happy. And if there are fans that understand that and there are fans that can relate to our lyrics, relate to that feeling because everybody feels love, hate, sadness, happiness, everything, and we just want to put that into our music so that when someone puts our record on its literally an emotional roller coaster. We want something for everybody and because not everybody wakes up happy, not everybody wakes up sad, not everybody wakes up angry, there’s some kind of feeling for everybody.
For most festival goers to AURA Music and Arts Festival, the event is a three day affair. For , it was more like a five day adventure. A 21-hour straight car ride down to Northern Florida got us there a couple hours before New York’s own Consider the Source took the Porch Stage to kick off this incredible festival in an even more amazing setting.
As you enter the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park it becomes hard not to notice the beautiful surroundings. Trees covered in Spanish moss, ponds, horse barns, canoe rentals, well-kept cabins, all leading you down a road to the white sandy beach nestled next to the dark water of the Suwanee River. The giant oaks left you feeling humble and the open field left you feeling free. The sun beating on this snowbird’s face in the middle of February was a welcome reminder of the festival season ahead. Yes, 2013 was going to be a great year for music and it was starting here and now, in Live Oak, Florida.
There could not be a better way to kick off a musical event than hearing Gabriel Marin jam away on his double-necked custom fretless guitar, known as a chaturangui. Consider the Source is typically found later in the night on a Friday or Saturday evening, but as a newcomer to the AURA line-up they were placed as the festival opener. For the dedicated fans that got their early enough to see them, the band put on a great show and it was no coincidence that the sun shone brighter and the air was warmer than the rest of the weekend. The positive vibes from CTS were also found midday Saturday in the middle of the campgrounds.
After CTS melted face on the Porch Stage, the southeast’s own Stokeswood dusted off the Amphitheater and got things warmed up on the main stage. The band seemingly switched instruments after every songs, but the combination of who was playing what did not seem to matter. Vocalist Adam Patterson kept the growing crowd enticed as the campers were setting up just beyond the fence and vendors were beginning to peddle their wares.
As Friday went on and the shadows got longer, festival goers heard the funk stylings of Chicago-based The Main Squeeze, before heading back to the main stage for the return of RAQ, back together for the first time live since July 2011 at The Big Up Festival in Upstate New York. The jam band that were on the forefront of a new sound brought their fans back when they started the set with “Shirley Be a Drooler” and then over a 10-minute version of “Botz”. The set went on to include “BFAM”, “Comin’ Home”, a 13 minute “Walking In Circles” followed by an incredible jam of “Late Night” > “Sweet Cream Butter” > “Late Night”. The festival crowd loved to see the band back together and pleaded for an encore. When Todd Stoops, Jay Burwick, Chris Michetti and new (and permanent) drummer Adrian Tramontano came out to play “Tumblin’ Down” things at the Porch Stage with Break Science just had to wait a little while longer, because RAQ was back and the fans were enjoying their return. also got to sit down briefly with Stoops on Saturday and we can expect more from RAQ this year. With confirmed dates to play in Boston, NYC and Philly you can also expect RAQ at 2013 festivals whenever Conspirator and Kung Fu are in the line-up.
The very popular electronic music explorers, Conspirator, were the next up on the main stage playing the only back-to-back sets of the festival. As temperatures were beginning to drop in Northern Florida, the crowd became thankful that Conspirator was there to warm things up. It’s impossible to sit still when the band takes the stage and spreads their energetic sounds over the masses. AURA festival goers got to hear a lot of the new tracks from the recently released EP, Unleashed. Their AURA version of “Retrograde” was amazing and the lit hula hoops, lit umbrellas, lit signs and lit anything else you can add an LED light to, added to an amazing performance. Conspirator is offering up a much more refined sound that has been developing over the past couple years with a earth-shaking dupstep rhythms and a light show that left many picking their jaws up off the ground.
After Conspirator’s two sets the crowd literally ran over to the Porch Stage so they did not miss a beat of Kung Fu‘s Friday night performance. Dressed in their traditional ‘Gi’ outfits, the band could see their breath as the cold air overtook the Suwannee Music Park. Many of the southern festies hadn’t seen the northeast-based band before and their reactions were nothing but positive. It there was funk stage at the festival Kung Fu would have been the headliner, because if it was funk you were after they were sure to deliver it. Guitarist Tim Palmieri went off on solos that you weren’t quite sure would ever stop and to be honest nobody cared if they did. After talking to him the next day, you would never had known that his fingers were a little numb because on stage they seemed to be on fire. Dressed in layers and wearing gloves between the sound check and the performance helped the band who played their coldest outdoor set ever. Temperatures were now below freezing.
After Kung Fu’s mind altering set it was back to the amphitheater for a bittersweet performance from Perpetual Groove. P Groove’s front man Brock Butler is reportedly leaving the band to pursue other music interests, and for P Groove fans this festival set was a must see, for those that weren’t fans before, they are now and felt the impact of knowing the band will soon no longer be around. Fans got to hear some great extended jams like “Great Tea” > “Out Here” > “Green Tea”. That led into a masterful “Macumba” > “Walking in Place” and back to “Green Tea”. The set closed out with “Two Shores” > “Speed Queen”. Friday night’s encore was “Mr. Transistor” > “Echo” > “Mr. Transistor”. The band will be playing consistently in March until their final performance on April 5th at the Georgia Theatre.
When the night seemed over and music stopped blaring from the speakers a subculture of festival goers were just getting ready to play. Silent discos popped up as ragers took over. found ourselves up at Club Bujak with Jeff Bujak and Jen Dulong. Jeff is originally from the Syracuse area and now resides in Boston. Bujak is known in the northeast for his IDM (intelligent dance music) and light show that includes Jen on the LED hula hoop. As listeners approached Club Bujak on Friday and Saturday night they didn’t hear a sound but instead were greeted by dozens of dancers with headphones on. Combine electonic music, a wireless signal and expensive headphones and the Silent Disco is born.
Waking up on Saturday morning was a catch-22. The good side was AURA Music and Arts Festival was filled with great musicians, talented artists and the most wonderful staff you could ask for in a festival. The down side was that it was still in the 30’s and raining. The dreary weather did not stop the crowd from waking up and getting their coffee from Fair Shot Coffee. While we shouldn’t pick favorites it’s hard not to when you need hot cups of coffee in the morning, iced Cuban coffee during the day and espressos at night to provide that last bit of energy to get through the night. AURA offered great food vendors, too with the Free Lovin’ Foodery and Thai BBQ serving up more substantial offerings and Swift Concessions for those with a sweet tooth. The merch vendors were great as well. The Cigar Box Music was a popular stop for most AURA festies and the art offered by Sally Can’t Dance was breathtaking. The Eden’s Rose Foundation was there and they are based out of Albany, NY. The Foundation work does everything from helping indigenous tribes in the deepest part of the Amazon Rainforest to Tibetan refuge communities in the Himalayas. It’s namesake, Eden Joseph Roe passed away at 24 years old in 2005, he was a devoted Phish fan who traveled extensively to hear his favorite jam band.
The first act to perform Saturday was Newton Crosby and he did so in the rain. People braved the cold temps and rain to hear him and his incredible guitar work. His spirited, funky set started out with “Wonderful” and went into a long jam of “The Telli Jig” > “Saturday People” > “Return to Asbury Park” > “Saturday People”. Many smiles were brought to the crowd during an vigorous cover of “Sowing the Seeds of Love”. Just when everyone was feeling the good vibe from Newton, Brock Butler sat in on “Faceless” and the combined energy of these two incredible musicians parted the clouds. The set couldn’t have ended better as the skies started to clear and the band played “Crispy Friggin Chicken” > “Worst Day Ever”. Luckily for us it was far from the worst day ever, the music was just starting and The McLovins were about to take the main stage.
The McLovins played their funky, uptempo mix on the main stage to many new listeners and fans as the sun continuously fought to shine it’s light on AURA. The McLovins were able to play AURA by winning a contest on the festivals Facebook page. In order to pay for the trip down they ended up having a successful Kickstarter campaign. It was a long road for the young band from Connecticut but well worth it as they are set on reaching new heights.
Next up was the most funkalious, down home blend of rhythm, harmony and attitude that could be found east of New Orleans. Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band started the set with “True Battle” and “WTF” (With True Feeling) and did not let up until their last two numbers, “Lovin’” and “Trunk Fallin’ Off”. Things got really funky when Adam Smirnoff from Lettuce joined YMBFBB in the middle of the set for “Lucky”. Everyone in the audience (and on stage) was shakin’ what their mama gave them. There was a point that Mama Funk herself (Mary Frances Newcomb) turned her backside to the crowd and shook her badonkadonk. The crowd went wild and Saturday’s party officially started and nothing could turn it back.
Over at the Amphitheater the crowd was beginning to gather to see Kung Fu with Nigel Hall performing a tribute to the legendary Stevie Wonder. Nigel came out on the stage being lead with dark glasses working hard to find his inner Stevie. Nigel explained “this is an educational set with a lot of songs Stevie Wonder probably wouldn’t perform anymore…the great thing about Stevie is that he has written every song that matters in the world. Whatever songs we choose to do will be fine.” The set was full of life starting with “Confusion” and “Black Man”, and went on to include crowd favorites like “Higher Ground”, “Do I Do” and closed with a great version of “I Wish”. Besides the incredibly talented guys from Kung Fu, Nigel Hall was also joined by Adam Smirnoff, Jim Wuest, Aly Newitt & John Provenzano. The Stevie Wonder Tribute will be what people at AURA will be talking about for years and we can all thank Daryl Wolff for coming up with the idea and Todd Stoops (Kung Fu) and Nigel Hall for connecting and making it happen.
Off on the side stage DrFameus, or as he is better known as, Allen Aucoin of the Disco Biscuits, became a one-man beat machine. While the winter storm seemed to bypass Suwannee Music Park, a whirlwind of arms, feets, sticks were hitting everything in sight on the Porch Stage in the early evening on Saturday. While DrFameus is perhaps Allens’ alterego, in this side project you can see the full range of his diversity. Whether it is electronica, dubstep, techno/house to breakbeats – he delivers.
Back on the main stage was Dopapod, a favorite among the Upstate New York scene and a band that will be on many festival line-ups this summer. Their Saturday night set at AURA was intense and the highlight could have been “Present Ghosts” or “French Bowling”. There job was to bring that notorious Saturday night party vibe, and bring it hard enough to get everyone out of their tents, away from the food and into the music. Dopapod did just that and in the midst of energizing the crowd they were able to get in some tunes like “Trapper Keeper” into their set from the newest Dopapod release, Redivider, that was released just this past December.
The Florida-based electronic trio Greenhouse Lounge did a great job of tying things together and keeping the party going over on the Porch Stage. P Groove was prepping for their final festival set, perhaps forever. Brock Butler poured his soul out to the crowd Saturday night in an emotional evening. After playing for so many years together, personalities and musical goals begin to diverge. However on Saturday night things came together, whether they were pouring their hearts out with the Talking Heads cover “This Must Be the Place” or they were breaking the hearts of their fans with the set closing, “It Starts Where It Ends”.
As the The Heavy Pets did their sound check, you could begin to tell how cold everyone was at AURA. Blankets, knitted hats and the crazy outfits were infused with warmer items, like leggings or tights, mittens, scarves. Even the hula hoopers were trying to get by with the thickest coast they could get away with while still dancing the night away. Luckily the Saturday party was going strong and sub-freezing temperatures were not going to deter this crowd of very thick-skinned southerners. The Heavy Pets did their job of getting people moving and grooving and shaking and twirling very well. The Heavy Pets are a yearly favorite at AURA and why not, with a great sound, incredible vocals and songs that seem to span multiple genres. The side stage was rockin’ Saturday night and the AURA fans still had one more incredible band to go before it was Silent Disco time again, or hangout by the campfire with your friends time.
Papadosio took the main stage and it seemed like all 3000 AURA Festival goers were there to see it. The band has been touring extensively around the country and building up a sizable fanbase. They have even graduated to a tour bus and a LED wall. The LED wall was rented until their New Years run and they bit the bullet and bought it. It is an amazing addition to an already incredible show. Papadosio’s sound can be described a hundred different ways and everyone of them would be correct, I think of it as the next progression in psychedelic rock. They are a rock band, they play their instruments and they play them well. They have also adapted modern technology to enhance the sound, the mood and the composition of their work. Long trippy jams, explosive solos and crowds yearning for more. It’s an amazing time and the light show against the Spanish moss dominating the oak trees around the amphitheater is one of those things that will go down as breathtaking and frustrating as a photographer. I could take a 1000 pictures of the scene and it wouldn’t do it justice. There was just something in the air.
So when the night ended and everyone climbed into their sleeping bags, Sunday morning came too early. The coffee line was long and everyone was talking about how Papadosio melted their face or how sad it is to see P Groove splitting up. Some were talking about the Stevie Wonder tribute or how Greenhouse Lounge brought it. First time listeners to various bands were looking up the next time the Big Booty Band or the McLovins were going to play their neck of the woods. It was a community centered around music and art.
AURA was more about the music, there was the Tribal Council that offered healing and yoga classes throughout the event. The artists set up a tent and displayed their incredible pieces and during each performance you could see rows of artists painting away as the bands played. Music inspires art and art inspires music. Together through creativity and love you can build a community, a scene of like minded individuals that are better together; and what color was the community’s AURA that weekend? Purple, of course.
It was Sunday morning and with a 21-hour car ride looming ahead it was sadly time to go. Driving through the campsite you could see people stirring and stretching and preparing for another great day of music. Whether it was Brock Butler’s acoustic set on the main stage or Lingo and Former Champions offering up some Sunday jams on the Porch stage. The Lee Boys took time to offer some spiritual words and festival goers were greeted by Sunday sets from Dopapod, Papadosio and The Heavy Pets.
AURA’s 4th year and the first one at Suwannee Music Park was coming to an end and Daryl, Destiny, and all of the people that made the festival possible were incredibly happy with the response. From Friday morning until Sunday night the festival offered up something for everyone. It was a harmonious experience and one that can’t wait to do again next year.
I first became aware of Dopapod when I downloaded a show of a band with the funny palindrome name. They had a good sound, a bit heavy for me at the time, but they also did a killer cover of Daft Punk’s “Robot Rock,” a band I have been a fan of since college in the mid-90s. While that cover hooked me, it was the originals and the improv that kept bringing me back. When plans for a book release party for PhanFood came together in the fall of 2010, Nectar’s in Burlington was the venue and Dopapod just happened to be the main act of the night. A couple of emails between band manager Jason Gibbs and myself and the band was happy to help promote the book release, and led to a packed house for both the release and the show. At every festival since and every opportunity throughout, I’ve seen Dopapod continue to grow at an exponential pace. Nearly a studio album a year, plus a heavy touring and festival schedule has made Dopapod a sought after act that is spreading quickly from their Northeastern base. Upon the release of their most recent album, Redivider, we sat down with guitarist Rob Compa and drummer Neal ‘Fro’ Evans of Dopapod to talk about their roots, what lies ahead, and what’s up with the palindrome band name and album titles.
Pete Mason: How did the band first come together? Who knew each other and when and where was the first gig? Any memories of that first Dopapod moment?
Rob Compa: The band started with just Eli (Winderman) and our friend Michelangelo Carubba as a keys and drum duo. My first show was at a little sports bar in Boston called The Draft. I wasn’t in the band yet. I just came out and sat in because Eli and I knew each other from playing reggae gigs around town. The first moment when I really felt like we were on to something was at my first rehearsal in a basement in Allston. We had a jam and just trailed off harmonizing with each other and answering each other’s phrases. It was crazy, like we had the same musical vocabulary right off the bat. It took a while before we were comfortable enough to play off of each other like that on stage though.
Neal Evans: Before I was in the band, I asked Dopapod to play an after party that I was planning for my band Cashed Fools. The party never ended up happening, but Eli invited me to come to the festival that they were playing the next day (Heady Fest), and I asked if I could bring some percussion. Heady Fest was my first show with the band.
PM: You blend a wide degree of sounds among your catalog. What musicians have provided the major influences for each of you?
RC: I’ve been a huge Phish fan since I was a teenager. That’s the biggest one for me. I’m also really influenced by country guitarists, particularly Duke Levine and Jim Campilongo. And I studied a fair amount of jazz over the years; I don’t consider myself a jazz guitarist necessarily, but I learned enough of it to have some bebop vocabulary in my playing. I particularly love Django Reinhardt.
NE: I came from a heavy metal and progressive rock background; the first song I played on drums was Metallica’s “For Whom The Bell Tolls”. And Primus. Then I got into more funk and groovin’ stuff. I’ve always listened to a wide variety, but the heavy drums really got me started.
PM: Are there any new artists that you are listening to that are having an influence on you, or simply ones that you enjoy listening to?
RC: The Fleet Foxes have been a big influence over the last couple years. And Fro recently turned me on to Megadeth. Also, Tim Palmieri’s (Kung Fu/The Breakfast) playing has really had an impact on me.
NE: Jaga Jazzist and Snarky Puppy are my favorite new bands. They are musically amazing and very forward thinking. I’ve never heard anything like those two bands. Also Dub Trio is just super bad ass.
PM: What gear do you each use?
NE: I have a Yamaha Maple Custom drum kit, DW kick pedals, assorted hardware, cymbals from Sabain, Zildjian, Ufip, and Meinl, and Vater Fusion drumsticks.
RC: I use a Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody II that I love the shit out of. I pretty much only use that live, although I used a Fender Strat and Tele on a lot of the new album. My amplifier is an old Fender Vibrolux that sounds great. For pedals, I use a maxon OD808 and an Analogman King of Tone for my overdriven sounds. I’ve also got a delay, phaser, and a octave pedal on my pedalboard
PM: How have you found the EDM and electronic environment to be, considering that the scene is becoming quite large and almost super-saturated with talent?
RC: I like bands that use computers and click tracks to do the electronic thing. And I think it’s cool that music is changing and evolving with the whole DJ thing, even though that way of making music doesn’t really resonate with me, personally.
NE: There are some that I like and some that I don’t care for. As long as its originality is clear, I’m usually into it. I love hearing sounds and grooves that I have never heard before.
PM: What do music festivals provide to bands as they are growing, and how do the fans benefit from acts like Dopapod playing festivals on a regular basis?
RC: Festivals are awesome because it gives bands a chance to to be heard by tons of new people who might not have ordinarily gone out of their way to take the chance on the band. And, it gives people the chance to discover new bands.
NE: Festivals are great for helping a band gain a following in the greater area of the festival. Most festivals have a large local attendance, so when we come back to the area, there will be a lot of people who first saw us at the fest. There is definitely a large growth of electronic music at festivals, and a lot of fans express their gratitude for keeping the live band element strong at festivals. And we like to do fun special things at festivals, because they feel like special gigs. Our festival sets usually have some fun surprises that may not happen at a club or venue.
PM: Branching out from the Northeast, you have recently dipped into the Southeast and Midwest. How have you found the experience entering new markets, with only word of mouth to precede you?
RC: It feels great to play a market for the first time and already have people there excited for the show. It’s encouraging. At the same time, going to different parts of the country and playing for smaller crowds is very humbling. It’s important for us to remember that we still have a lot of work to do.
NE: It’s always fun to go to a place you have never been before for the sake of playing music. Some new markets do well, some not so well, but we will just keep at it. We have seen steady growth just about everywhere, which is a great feeling.
PM: How has the reception been from fans in these parts of the country?
NE: So far so good! Gaining many fans and street teamers all the time, and getting a lot of support from people in the new areas.
RC: It’s been awesome, all around. Even if a show isn’t necessarily packed, people always seem to have a great time. Crowd size matters not.
photo by Andy Hill
PM: Was there a moment for each of you where you were playing a show or on the road, and the thought crossed your mind, “Wow, I can totally see myself doing this for a living!”
NE: I think that happened for me when the first time I played a drum set.
RC: I think we’ve all felt that way the whole time. None of us really have any doubt that this is what we want to do.
PM: One burning question that I’ve had is the use of palindromes, both the band’s name and each album title: I saw live Dopapod evil was I, Drawn Onward, Radar, and the latest, Redivider. Did the band name come first, then palindrome album titles, or was that sort of the plan all along? Can that well ever run dry?
NE& RC: ?yrd nur reve llew taht naC ?gnola lla nalp eht fo tros taht saw ro ,seltit mubla emordnilap neht ,tsrif emoc enam dnab eht diD .redivideR ,tsetal eht ,radaR , drawnO nwarD ,I saw livE dopapoD eviL waS I :eltit mubla hcae dna eman s’dnab eht htob , semordnilap fo esu eht si dah ev’I taht niotseuq gninrub enO
PM: Regarding Redivider, the album is a fantastic mark of growth in the band and your best album to date. “Braindead” has a hint of Oysterhead, while “Bubble Brain” gives off a hip-hop feel, “Trapper Keeper” has one of your catchiest lyrics – they make for a powerful start to the album. What was the process behind each of these songs?
NE: Each song came together differently. “Bubble Brain” and “Trapper Keeper” were ideas that Eli had, and “Braindead” was written completely off of a guitar riff that Rob wrote.
RC: They were all different. “Braindead” seriously took like a year to write. It started with just the intro riff, which I brought to the band to jam over in rehearsal. And it became a finished piece very slowly. Eli wrote Bubble Brain on his computer, and we all learned our parts on our own, then rehearsed it and made some arranging changes. We started working on “Trapper” right before the Redivider sessions, and basically finished it in the studio, which was a cool new method for us.
PM: One song of note, “Vol. 3, #86” is not only a stand out, Nintendo-esque track, but also one of the more unique titles. Where did this one come from and how were the pieces of the song composed and melded into one final tune?
RC: Eli wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics after the music was written. I’ll give 5 bucks to the first person who can figure out where the title comes from.
PM: You’ve played all over New England and Upstate New York. What stands out for you when you go through New York and hit off Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, Ithaca and all points in between?
RC: Oneonta, NY is a standout. Some of our first shows were there, so we’ve got a lot of fans from there who’ve been with us from the beginning. That’s a really special place for us. Also I’m from Rochester, so I always enjoy playing there.
PM: Did growing up in Rochester influence your music playing in any way, either through school or the local music scene?
RC: Absolutely. While I was in high school, I did a bunch of musical extra-curricular things that challenged me as a musician, like pit bands and even an Irish band. I also played in a local cover band called the Earthtones, which taught me a lot about gigging and having a good attitude about playing with other people. After high school, I got really into an amazing local band called the Niche. Eventually, they sort of took me under their wing and let me sit in with them at shows. That was a huge influence for me and I still love their music to this day. Also, an early jazz based influence was a great local group called Doja. Their guitarist, Paul McCardle, is an amazing player and had a big impact on my playing early on.
PM: Got any favorite places to stop for food while in Upstate New York?
NE: Dinosaur BBQ, Alto Cinco in Syracuse and anything around Ithaca is great for hiking and chilling.
RC: Garbage Plates.
Dopapod plays Albany at Red Square on February 28th with special guest Big Something, March 1st at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse with special guests The Manhattan Project and The Greys, and March 2nd at Water Street Music Hall in Rochester with special guest Haewa. There will be Garbage Plates late night.
It’s a Sunday afternoon and while every other touring artist may take the seventh day off to catch some forty winks, workaholic Jamie Kent takes the time out to interview with Morgan and Gauraa . It’s no surprise, though; he does include singer-songwriter, concert promoter, entrepreneur, and mischief maker in his job description!
Mary Morgan Craig: Okay so before we get down to business can you tell us about this “stint” you had in a Mariachi band?
Jamie Kent: Ha ha, okay so I was in high school and there was a battle of the bands and a group of friends and I formed a mariachi band called Suko Gringo and we won the crowd award for it.
MMC: Thats awesome. Ha, the coolest kids in school I’m sure.
Jamie Kent: Yeah, it was an experience.
Gauraa Shekhar: So what was it like growing up in Northampton, Massachusetts?
Jamie Kent: Northampton is a really awesome town. It no doubt influenced my goals in the beginning being musician. Its a big music town I pretty much spent all my money growing up going to concerts. and when graduated high school I knew I was going to do music. I was either going to go to Berklee in Boston or Babson in Boston to either do music or music business. I did an undergraduate program for music business but continued to do music on the side at Conservatory.
MMC: So why did you choose to apply to ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)?
Jamie Kent: Well, when you’re first starting out you kind of take the advice of people you look up to and my producer at the time had a big music library that he would sell to radio stations and film and TV. He was both an ASCAP and BMI member and he said both are tough to deal with but I get paid more from ASCAP. So I was like “Oh Cool!” and started to figure out why it was better to go with ASCAP and what’s been really great with them for me personally is they have some really great programs to develop songwriters which a lot of others don’t. Last year I got into this songwriting program out in L.A. working with some really crazy people, (including) the dude who wrote Adele’s “Someone Like You” and Keith Urban and Lee Ann Rhymes’s last two records. So, they really network well and help you connect with other great songwriters that help take it to the next level.
GS: So what is it like writing music solo compared to writing with the band or in workshops?
Jamie Kent: Its definitely different. It’s got its benefits and setbacks. Solo you can really do everything that you want to do which is awesome but for me sometimes I will lose focus and get distracted by Facebook or whatever and then it’ll take me a few days to write a song whereas when I’m writing with other people and we’re in a room together, we will focus for a few hours until the song is written. You do lose control over some of the things you want and you have to make some compromises but it is a lot more productive.
GS: Kind of keeping each other on track.
Jamie Kent: Yeah, exactly! And also about challenging each other. Sometimes when you’re writing by yourself you can settle but when you’re with other people they can push you and you’re like “Oh yeah, it could be better” but you don’t think of that until you’re with someone else.
MMC: We’ve heard you have a tireless work ethic but touring 200 days is a lot. What was that like?
Jamie Kent: You know, I love being on the road fundamentally but I also really believe that the live show is the most important aspect to being a musician these days and important of course in order to make money and survive since anyone with a laptop and a Myspace account can be a musician these days which is cool but that also means there’s an overwhelming amount of people so if you want to distinguish yourself and take it to the top your show has to be incredible. And ya I just love playing. The more I play the better I get.
MMC: Practice makes perfect.
JK: Yeah, exactly and you know like in Malcom Gladwell’s book Outliers he talks about putting in 10,000 hours into something you’re going to know it better than everyone else and do it better.
GS: If you could pick one thing you like the most about touring what would that be?
JK: Thats a good question. I love the stories that come out of it. I’m a big fan of at my shows of weaving stories into my shows and making that part of it and that does inspire songs a lot. That is where a lot of stories come from: being on tour and putting yourself in uncomfortable situations and having something interesting come out of it. Often it involves like a random character that you meet in Rock Island, Illinois or wherever you might be but there’s nothing that you could ever experience by just sitting at home in the studio.
MMC: You’ve got a campaign going for your next record. You must have a great fan base, you’ve got a very successful campaign going and it looks like they’re even sponsoring your next record. How do you maintain such a strong connection with your fans?
JK: Well I think that the way I’ve been able to do it really well is because of this thing I started couple of years ago called The Collective. Its a community of my most loyal fans and in return for their contributions they get free tickets to shows, free music, free merch and they can log into a specific program where I post exclusive content and ask them questions. So like The Collective voted on my album artwork for the last two albums and like where they think we should tour, what the first radio single should be, that kind of stuff and that’s kind of kept people really involved in like my career and vice versa. I think that that’s been really helpful and since the beginning I wasn’t sure that people would continue to reinvest in the next project or the next album that kind of thing but they really have which has been awesome and they’ve spread the word to friends and it has really kind help create that loyalty.
MMC: That’s great. I think we’ll start seeing a lot more of that kind of fan base building.
JK: Yeah, I think so. I launched it before Kickstarter even came out and then when Kickstarter came out I was like oh that will sort of become like what The Collective is on a bigger scale. Whats sort of surprising that they haven’t done yet is kind of create the community. Kickstarter is just like a project-to-project kind of thing, where they help you make that one record and then that’s it and then hopefully they’ll go to Facebook or sign up for your email list or something like that but The Collective is about a long term community to create loyal fans. So even like we’re doing the Indie GoGo campaign for the next record but everyone who contributes gets a part in the collective so we can keep it evolved for the long term.
GS: When you first jammed with The Options was it a “love at first jam” kind of a thing or did it take some time? How did you know they were right for you?
JK: Its been an interesting journey with the options. Looking at The Options as they are now are the solidified Options. My bass player and drummer, Dan and Rhees have been with me really since the beginning. Rhees for almost 3 years and Dan for like 2 and a half years. And then our keyboard, accordian and electric guitar player Killian and Zach. They’ve been with us for about 6 months. So they are the newer Options. Rhees I met when I was first looking to form a band. He was playing with this other girl in the area who actually wanted to be on The Voice and then they had a falling out. I met him at a mutual friends party right as they were falling out and we just hit it off. He was surprised to have a band leader who treated him well and shared the money and shared everything with him. Then Dan came on shortly after through the Northampton music scene we kind of saw him and brought him on and then we had a different keyboard piano player for a while which was he was incredibly talented but we had kind of a lesson learned that personality goes a long way in a band. It’s about both talent and personality and if personality goes askew then things can not be the greatest on the road. So we made some changes and brought on a few new members who were both really awesome people and killer musicians and its been the best setup we’ve ever had and I think at shows we displace that energy as well.
GS: Cool, yeah we can definitely hear it in your sound.
JK: Cool! That’s the goal. Yeah, when you’re on the road you really want to be with people who you like and connect with. It really comes through in your music. If there’s bad energy there that will come through as well.
MMC: Your last album Navigation had a fresh Americana twang to it. What can we expect from your new, evolved sound?
JK: Its sort of taking that and pushing it. The idea behind the record is Brian Eno producing Bruce Springsteen. That’s sort of the vibe we’re gonna go for. We’ve got a couple chops that we’re pretty excited for so far. Its gonna be really kind of roots rock vibe, really song focused.
GS: Definitely like the sound of that.
MMC: As you grow as an artist, do you feel as if your songwriting process has evolved?
JK: Yeah yeah I really do. When I began I was interested in song writing and when I wrote my first one I was like wow this is sounding really cool, boom done. But I’ve become a lot more picky in my songwriting now. I want every lyric to kick ass and if it doesn’t, I won’t release it.
GS: It’s really cool that you have a lot of different work experiences under your belt, you were reviewing craft breweries for Two Foot Media nearly five years ago…was that something fun you just decided to do?
JK: Well I went to Babson in Boston. The focus is on entrepreneurship there and I kind of learned just a different way of viewing the world. Entrepreneurship allows you to turn what you love into a career or business which is fundamentally what I’m doing with music and I’ve always had a big love for Microbrew and in college a friend of mine and I decided we wanted to go on a road trip across the U.S. and sample different brews and so we convinced the magazine to hire us and we reviewed all the breweries across country and put together article on them. If you love something you can always figure out a way to make money doing it.
GS: Well we couldn’t help but notice that you’re known as a “mischief maker”. Where did that title come from? What mischief have you been making?
JK: Ha, yeah I’ve always been a mischief maker. That was kind of coined this one time when I dressed up in a costume and planted my first CD in 172 Starbucks stores in Manhattan. The video for Mischief Man films all that. So that’s where it came from and I’m always causing little bits of mischief on the road and thinking of new ways to promote shows. For example we’ll go into like the nearest restaurant and start playing with a sign that says we’re playing tonight and then just take off. Usually we confuse people and also attract some attention. We are also playing for SXSW and we have an RV that we’re gonna drive around and party in and do flash concerts.
MMC: Very cool. Sounds like fun. Do you miss your family while you’re on tour though?
JK: Definitely. But I’ve sort of gotten used to it. I’m really good up until three weeks. At three weeks I start to get a little homesick. I love life on the road but you do miss home sometimes. Northampton is a great home to come back to as well. When I’m out on the road I’m always looking for a place that’s cooler than Northhampton and I haven’t found too many.
GS: So what’s it like opening for The Wood Brothers?
JK: Yeah I mean they’re fuckin’ awesome. They’re so good. And they’re really good guys too. Just unbelievably talented as I’m sure you know but also equally as nice. Rhees has worshipped Chris Wood since he was growing up so the first time they met Rhees was really nervous but they totally ended up hitting it off and Chris turns Rhees on to they’re great players and they push us both to be better players.
MMC: Who is your favorite contemporary artist?
JK: I’m really liking Milo Green, Churchill, and First Aid Kit are like the three bands that are getting a lot of iPod time with me right now. I’m sort of on this like female male singer combo thing. But i’m always bumping like Ray Lamontagne.
GS: Is there any advice you can offer young musicians about the industry?
JK: Yeah I would say if you want to be a musician you have to be willing to work your ass off. Its so competitive and the market is so flooded with musicians you really have to work your ass off and want it to get yourself out there. Otherwise I would say just put yourself out there like just do it. A lot of people ask me “How do I book shows?” How do I play shows?” and I always tell them really you just have to do it. Get out there, go to the venue, talk to people. The only way anythings going to happen is if you just take action and do it.
Make sure to catch Jamie Kent open for The Wood Brothers on Saturday, the 23rd of February at The Westcott Theater!
I had the opportunity to sit down with Lowkey (Newark, NY) this weekend at Fusion in Syracuse, and got down and dirty with them. For those of you who don’t know them, where have you been? They got together in 2003 when metal was making its triumphant comeback. They have not changed their style, nor succumbed to big management… yet. Through many line-up changes, these guys have not stopped pushing one bit. The changes they say “were for the better of the band”, which I would have to agree with. They always impress, and out of a fluke of chance encounters, they have formed a solid metal orchestra.
The thing I enjoy about the metal scene is the realism of it. You say to a band “Hey, I’d like to interview you for a feature”, and they say “come on out to our van, we will smoke, drink some beers and talk”. That, to me is the brotherhood the other scenes are lacking right now.
The band currently consists of Sean Augustus, “Pickles” (Brian Belcher), Jay, and Matt Huff. The members are spread out over Upstate New York. As Matt explained, “the professionalism of the band is what has kept them together over the years, they have all done side projects in other bands that didn’t work out, but they are all very passionate about this band.” Lowkey has a little bit of thrash, “stoner” metal, and death metal mixed into one bag. What else is stashed away in the bag, I’m not saying. Among their influences are Lamb Of God, Godsmack, In Flames, Led Zeppelin, Deftones and even The Grateful Dead.
When they write a new song, it starts with a simple jam, and they build off it. Each of their members write their own parts in the process. The band mates also own Hage Entertainment together, which brings bands from the neighboring states to Upstate NY every summer to celebrate Hage Fest. This coming summer marks the 7th year in a row that they have at least 100 submissions to play. They started the festival for the sake of the scene. They wanted to help the other bands in the metal/hardcore scene to have some place and a crowd to play in front of and gain exposure. During the interview, they continued to let their very loyal fans into their van, to witness the interview, along with sharing a few beers and good times. I asked them about their upcoming release, Forward. With two albums already under their belts, Backstabber and Red Moon, Forward promises to be their most brutal release to date. They record at Nitro Blast Studios with the respected Jeff Barrett engineering and producing the albums. They have known Jeff for most of their careers in music. He has a knack for being able to capture the “Lowkey” sound. The Studio is located in Geneva NY, a backroom studio, described by the members of Lowkey as being “one of the best recording studios in the state.”
The boys in Lowkey shared with me some of the highlights of their last tour in 2012, as Sean said “crashin’ and ridin’”. With great support by fans, letting them crash at their homes and feeding them so they didn’t starve. But the most memorable moment was probably when Pickles crashed their brand “new” 1979 van. Luckily, no one was hurt, and they look back and laugh about the incident now. During their 2010 tour in Texas, a bartender after a gig gave them a case of vitamin water to help them survive on the road for a couple of days. Along the way they’ve meet some of their personal heroes, too. They genuinely appreciate their fans that sometimes send money on tours, and radio stations like The Metallic Onslaught that give them playtime. They’ve tried big management, but have found they like having complete control over what they do and how they do it. However for the right price they might think about making another deal. Jay says “he does this for the fun.”
Lowkey is a very tight-knit family that helps each other during the tough times and celebrates the good times. Be on the lookout for Forward to be released between March and April. They really strived to make the album as close as you can get to catching them live. If you haven’t checked them out yet, you can find them at www.facebook.com/lowkeyny and www.reverbnation.com/lowkeyny. For booking info go to www.facebook.com/hageentertainment.
To be honest, it’s a hole in the wall. But it’s a magic hole I love to escape to. Have you ever pissed in a trough style urinal the same night as shaking Derek Trucks’s hand and then smoked a joint with Jimmy Herring? Neither have I, but only because I don’t usually use the men’s room.
Originally called Papa’s Place, Valentine’s was owned by Karen Seeburg and her family. Back then it was just a locals bar. Enter Jeff Guthrie and Greg Bell, local Albany music promoters extraordinaire. They caught wind of the tragically underused upstairs floor and convinced Karen to let them bring in a sound system and lighting rigs for a show once a week. In six months’ time, Greg and Jeff were bringing Karen bands every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and convinced her to allow them to set up a stage and a real sound system. If you are familiar with hippie jambands in Upstate NY, you probably know
In general, Valentine’s has a plethora of live music on both floors. The downstairs caters to a smaller crowd/bands and is open for business as the main floor. It has a pool table, some arcade games and a dart board. Upstairs the bigger acts can fit. I’ve seen moe. multiple times upstairs at Valentine’s. When moe. wanted to play a random low key show, they’d advertise under the pseudonym “Monkeys on Ecstasy.” The first big show Greg brought to Valentine’s was The Weasels with Soul Asylum. The first sold out show was Ominous Seapods with Moonboot Lover and Dr. Jah & the Love Prophets.
Pete Mason: How did the band first come together? Who knew each other and when and where was the first gig? Any memories of that first Dopapod moment?
PM: What gear do you each use?
PM: What do music festivals provide to bands as they are growing, and how do the fans benefit from acts like Dopapod playing festivals on a regular basis?
