NYS Music 20​13

Category: Reviews

  • Paganfest IV: Ensiferum,Týr, Heidevolk, Trollfest, & Helsott/Pagan feast at Gramercy Theater

    The last date of the fourth annual Paganfest hit the Big apple this last Sunday night at Gramercy Theater. It came as no surprise that the show was sold out weeks ahead of time, which of course added more to the hype of the great Pagan feast. This year’s line-up consisted of USA’s own Helsott,(who were the new comers of the the tour) also an angry colony of Norwegian wasps known as Trollfest, along with Heidenvolk from the Netherlands. Co-headlining, from the beautiful Faroe Islands, came the viking warriors known as Tyr, and finally, Finland’s finest warriors, Ensiferum, which made a triumphant return to the States.

    Helsott

    It’s safe to say that Helsott held our nation high up at the viking fest, showing that we Americans can also hear the call of the pagan gods. They moved the crowd more than expected, of course as only a few knew of them, which attest that they definetly left with new fans. Never the less they did not hesitate to demonstrate their gratitude towards the fans, promoters and others in the bill of supporting them during this tour. During the last songs of their set, the Norwegian band of Trolls, Trollfest felt the need to invade the stage, cheerfully running around, throwing paper around, and just plainly having fun with Helsott as they concluded their set, which of course was hilarious and fun to watch. Paganfest

    Trollfest

    As trollfest began their set, one could only wondered what was the deal with the bee outfits. Then it became apparent that it suited their music perfectly. Their last album release was “Brumlebassen” which is not surprisingly about bees, though these guys need to be given an A+ for creativity. Yet as hilarious as the theme may seem, the NYC crowd definitely was filled with fans of the band, and sure knew how to enjoy true Balkan metal. As they concluded their set, Helsott thought it was time to re pay the earlier visit of the Norwegian trolls. They snuck into stage, threw paper planes out into the crowd, and partied along side the members of Trollfest with hilarious party hats, and obviously booze. Though we cannot forget that one of the most memorable moments of the night was finely the perfectly executed wall of Death.

     Heidevolk

    Then they came… The dutch warriors known as hedeivolk to Paganfest. One cannot simply get over the mighty testosterone display on stage. They were supporting their latest album Batavi which is an ode to their Germanic ancestors and roots. It was simply amazing. The two singers tore it down, with powerful vocals that gave life to the beautiful Dutch lyrics accompanied by the band itself, which produced a perfect amalgam of real folk metal.

    Týr

    Hailing from the beauftiful Faroese Island came Tyr. It is not a surprise that they have a solid fan base here in the states. The crowd chanted along to songs with beautiful and meaningful lyrics; such as “Hold the Heathen Hammer High” & “Shadow of the Swastika” that were full of Pagan lore, along with their message of justice, tolerance and peace. Most certainly the female crowd had also their share of the fun on stage, as they were definetly enjoying the view of great looking Viking men.

    NOTE: There was an issue with the uploader with certain TYR photos the rest can be found here:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassandra_k_carmona/sets/72157633466978129/

    Ensiferum

    The fourth chapter of the annual Paganfest marked the triumphant return of the Finnish sword-bearing warriors known as Ensiferum. Their lastest release: “Unsung Heroes”certainly left their fan base in the States anxiously awaiting their return. Not much can be explained about their performance as one would lack the words to describe it… the fans went mad, crazy, and dazed. This was certainly the way to finish a great night of feasting the way Vikings did, with lots of alcohol and dancing.

  • Great News! Huey Lewis and the News ‘Sports’ Anniversary Tour Hit Tarrytown Music Hall on May 11th

    The soundtrack to the 1980s is full of Michael Jackson, Prince, The Cars, Poison and other hair metal bands, and countless one-hit wonders, among many others. Huey Lewis and the News belongs in the company of these acts for hits that ranged throughout the decade, most notably off the 1983 album Sports, which featured five Top 10 hits, sold over 10 million copies and contained songs most identified with the sound of Rock and Roll in the 80s. Thus, as we enter the summer music season of 2013, the 30th Anniversary tour to commemorate the release of Sports made its second stop at historic Tarrytown Music Hall as the band embarked on a cross country trip that returns to Western New York for the final show of the tour on August 31st at Alleghany Casino in Salamanca, NY. 

    The opening act, Bob Polding performed with keyboardist Billy Siegal of his larger band, bringing a touch of New Jersey to Southern New York. “My Streets”, the title track off his new album, was Springsteen-meets-Mellancamp and shook the audience early as they awaited the News. Polding got a shoutout and kind words from Huey later in the evening, having opened for Huey in the past and giving a nod of appreciation for him.

    huey lewis sportsThe crowd was comprised of many first timers seeing Huey Lewis and the News, even the older folks in the crowd who would have been fans in the 80’s yet still hadn’t seen the band perform previously, all while growing up with the music. Around the crowd was an usher holding an old-timey hand-held xylophone that signaled it was time to find seats and the show was about to begin, marking the historical nature of the venue and adding to the experience that is Tarrytown Music Hall.

    The lights went down and the nine-piece band slowly took the stage, all but Huey, who waited till the drum beat that precedes “Heart of Rock and Roll’ reached a crescendo and ignited the song. As he walked to centerstage and began to sing, the elation of the crowd was let loose and the band was given a proper welcome. In kind, as Huey mentioned the names of the towns in America where the Heart of Rock and Roll is beating, he threw in Tarrytown, feeding the energy of the crowd even more.

    “Heart and Soul” featured stellar guitar work from Johnny Colla, who performed triple duty while singing on most songs and playing a ripping sax solo on a variety of tunes. “Bad is Bad” brought Huey’s harmonica to centerstage, adding another layer of soul to the blues number along with John Pierce’s bass. However, it seemed that inflation was factored into “Bad is Bad”, because the Soul Stew that was once $1.99 is now $5.99, and this time around Huey could only stand to eat $2 worth, rather than $1; this may have been the only departure from the original songs this evening and a comical one for those who caught the lyrical shift.

    huey lewis sportsWhen “I Want a New Drug” was torn into by Stef Burns, the crowd raised their voices in approval, cheering on yet another classic track off just the front side of Sports. Following the song, Huey took a moment to mention how back when the album first came out, there were “No cell phones, no files, no Internet,” and admired how things have changed, looking out into a crowd with shining rectangles glowing back on the faces of the fans. He continued, “That was the video side of Sports. We’re gonna rock a little harder on side two.” And with that, Huey dedicated “Walkin’ on a Thin Line” to veterans, with its memorable line, “Straight off the front line, take a look at my face, see what it’s doing to me.”

    huey lewis sportsHolding the microphone stand low as he walked around the stage, Huey exuded stage presence like a boss, leaning down at one point to accept flowers from a young fan in between “Finally Found a Home” and “If This is It”. The horns, Marvin McFadden on trumpet, Rob Sudduth on tenor sax and Johnnie Bamont on baritone sax, took a short break for these numbers and “You Crack me Up”, before returning to the stage during “Honky Tonk Blues.”

    Although Huey and the band have aged, their voices and performance haven’t one bit, even playing a new song “While We’re Young” for only the second time and nailing it, held down steadily by Bill Gibson on drums. The number has the same catchy riffs as past Huey hits and a hint of irony as he belted out the refrain, as seen in the video below.

    huey lewis sportsAfter a taste of the new Huey song, we got a taste of the past, starting with “Perfect World”, off the Small World album from 1988, followed by the first song the group wrote together, “Trouble in Paradise”, a rarity that many in the crowd seemed to be hearing for the first time. Yet as the horns were fired up, the crowd stood up, clapping and dancing in their seats, and a few fans in the aisles as well; Sean Hopper’s keys rang out most notably in this number. With the hits cranking out, the band moved onto “It’s Alright”, leading a sing-along with the sold out audience, followed by another seemingly rare tune “Long Time, Good Time.”

    After the band took a brief step offstage, and with a slight rasp in his voice, Huey remarked about the next tune, “Who knew when we wrote this song that we’d have to play it every night”, and queue the Back to the Future soundtrack highlight, “The Power of Love”, quite possibly the best non-Sports hit of the night, let alone throughout the band’s catalog. Going back to their first Top 10 hit with “Do You Believe in Love?” caught couples swooning and singing the chorus to each other. The finale, “Workin’ for a Livin’” was dedicated to ‘workin’ folks’ and led to the loudest cheers and singing along from the crowd of the entire evening, before Huey introduced the band.

    The show ended at 10:10 with the band lining up for a final fist pump and Huey exclaiming “I’m Huey Lewis, and you just heard the News!” Speaking with a dad in the audience after the show, he mentioned seeing them open for The Doobie Brothers around 1982, only to have the News booed off stage; this time around he brought his son to see the band as the main act and they both loved it.

    If this night is any indication of the full tour ahead, Huey Lewis and the News are not playing like a nostalgia act. People tend to criticize acts of the same ilk that are deemed past their prime as mere nostalgia, which is becoming a convenient go-to remark that ignores the talents of the band and their ability to perform continuously over a long period of time. Huey Lewis and the News still have the swagger and musicianship on-stage as they did 10, 15, 20 and 30 years ago. The band is older in looks and age, but their sound is just as young as you remember them.

    Huey Lewis and the News put forth a unique show, highlighting a specific era of the band’s history and performing with panache and a solid effort, far more than just a band showing up for a paycheck. Don’t sleep on this cross-country tour; sing along, have fun and treat yourself to a quintessential 80s band still performing at the same level as they did 30 years ago.

    Setlist: Heart of Rock & Roll, Heart & Soul, Bad is Bad, I Want a New Drug, Walking on a Thin Line, Finally Found a Home, If This is It, You Crack me Up, Honky Tonk Blues, While We’re Young*, Perfect World, Trouble in Paradise, But It’s Alright, We’re Not Here for a Long Time
    Encore: Power of Love, Do You Believe in Love, Workin’ for a Livin’

    First 9 songs are from the Sports album
    * Second time played live

  • Mister F and Fikus Electrified Red Square on May 4th

    The boys of Timbre Coup always bring a large crowd whenever they play Albany venues, and building off that following has led to a great reception for Mister F, the new project/collaboration of Ben Pickering, Andrew Chamberlaine and Matt Pickering of Timbre Coup and Scott Hannay of Capital Zen. They brought Fikus to Albany on May 4 at Red Square.

    It was a pleasant surprise to see that a band as collaborative in nature took on a new life outside of both respective bands. All members brought such a high level of talent and energy that it would be seriously difficult to go wrong with this mash up. Although there certainly exist hints of both Timbre Coup and Capital Zen, it was a completely different show and a completely different experience. This is clearly not just a side project for any of the boys, but instead an opportunity to try something outside of what we are all so accustomed to in Albany.

    Scott Hannay on the keys brought an electro feel to the organics of the bass and guitar. It is a perfect mix of organic and synthetic, man and machine. One of the highlights of the night was when Matt abruptly yelled into his microphone “Well, obviously we have a rapist in Lincoln Park,” in which the band responded which a hilarious rendition of Antoin Dobson’s “Hide Ya Kids, Hide Ya Wife.” I was truly unaware that you could actually turn such a ridiculous YouTube sensation into a well composed song. As always, Matt did not cease to impress on the drums with his fast paced beats; the rest of the band followed in step to create phenomenal jams.

    Although some of their past work has been faster paced with ripping guitar solos, it seemed they all shared the stage in an equilibrium within each jam. The experience was absolutely different than any band on the scene. There is certainly no single genre that Mister F would fall under, as they clearly have made it an art of incorporating all talents and reaches of music to compose hardwired songs that will keep you dancing from start to end. Each individual is so passionate about the music they create that each song reaches new highs and lows in every measure. You can catch Mister F at Upstate Spring Revival May 10-11, Strawberry Jam May 19th, Disc Jam June 14th, and The Big Up Music festival August 8-10th.

    Setlist: Deal Breaker, 11, Everything You Say, Bed Intruder> Vocoder, Busters Revenge, Hedgehog> J> Hedgehog, Canned Heat, Jump the Shark . Download the show from Archive.org

    Fikus, a Bergen County, New Jersey based band headlined the night, and although they were named after an obscure Phish song, their show rivaled Mister F’s set. For a nonstop 90 minutes, Fikus played a tremendous selection of songs, ranging across the prog-rock and electronic spectrum. The quintet produced incredible dance numbers, such as “Latin” that had a  distinct Latin-flair to it, before getting spacey in a Brian Eno-style of ambient jamming, before returning into a Moog-heavy shred fest, grinding through the jam and coming out the other side with an audience ecstatic at this distinct sound emanating from the confines of Red Square.

    Jams were stretched out from a prog-rock base that grew and developed into even deeper cuts, ala “Jim Jones”, as Fikus’ own plane of progressive jamming melded into “Nightwalker”. The audience were headbanging as the band cranked out fully synced rock that, bringing them into a wholly new section of improve with a distinct 80’s flair. “Cool Refrigerator” turned the tempo down as Pete Kozak sang acapella as Jon Schmarak provided a piano interlude, before the full band joined in for yet another slamming number that swayed the dancefloor, populated with a solid crowd of late-night revelers intent on bringing Cinco de Mayo in with cheers for mas y mas.  The swinging encore “Tempest” elevated the crowd past 2 a.m., building the anticipation for another return to Upstate New York later this summer, if not sooner.

    Tequila shots were requested and enjoyed during the night, making this twin-bill of fantastic improv-heavy bands a perfect highlight for the warm nights ahead this summer.

    Setlist: Somethin’ Stanky > Latin, Jim Jones > Nightwalker > Dingo , Cool Refrigerator

    Encore: Tempest in a Teapot

  • Interview: Brian “Head” Welch & JR Bareis of LOVE AND DEATH

    The lights dim down at the Upstate Concert Hall, only things really lit are the banners that represent the upcoming band.

    Three band members step onto the stage; a young man with long blonde hair and his eyes were decorated with zig-zag eyeliner, held a guitar, indicating his role in the band. The bassist wore whiteout contact lenses and a long sleeved striped shirt. The drummer, sat behind his kit in dark clothing, hair in front of his face, a bit difficult to see. Finally, the man we all knew from the band we all love, made his presence known when he stepped onto the stage with his arms crossed in front of him. Suddenly, a different kind of metal started to play from the speakers. Throughout the speedy setlist with the cover of Korn‘s “Blind”, a sea of bobbing bodies took over the venue mixed with head banging and fist pumping. The music was incredible and fresh, but the big question was: who is this band? Ladies and Gents, introducing the band combined with Korn and Pantera (“Korntera“, if you will), Love and Death, featuring Brian “Head” Welch from Korn as their lead singer.

    Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel had the incredible opportunity to interview Brian and the band’s lead guitarist, JR Bareis, in one of the cozy backstage rooms with black leather couches. Among the many topics, the history behind Brian’s nickname came to light. “I was named it when I was a kid, my head grew before my body hit puberty and so they made fun of me.”

    After sharing a few laughs, the topic changed to Love and Death and how Brian recruited the members through YouTube auditions. “To save time, ’cause I didn’t want to fly people out because everybody lived in different states, so I was like, ‘I’m not gonna fly no one out, I don’t got that cash nowadays’ and I can tell if they’re a good fit, like just listening to them and watching them play and just feeling their vibe.” However, JR felt very differently about the auditions, having to do it locked up in his room and rock out like he was on the stage “It’s awkward…it’s weird and I didn’t move around as much when I first joined but after playing a lot…I went from playing worship music to like this band so it was a big change.”

    When asked about his biggest influences, Head gave off quite the list from AC/DC to Pantera. JR told Head that he was his biggest influence in both a joking yet serious manner, changing the subject to the release of the first Korn record in 1994, JR not born yet whilst Drexel was two years of age at the time, and mentioned that he was in college. After sharing a few more laughs, the influences topic returned, Head spoke of another big influence, Rage Against the Machine. “We took that passion and took it to a more darker, trippier place, but they are a huge influence. I’m surprised more people didn’t connect that… we all love that type of music and we did it right with his album, so we’re happy.” Head revealed that all of their songs come from JR (who he referred to as Gary) to which he responded that it comes to him randomly and all of the songs written were used on the album. “I think, back in Korn and stuff, I think God inspires all gifts for all different kinds and I think they all, like in Korn in back in the day, like corn came from Him, they got cloudy from all the drugs and stuff, and the drinking so we couldn’t write good stuff, anymore, like towards the last couple of years that I was there, so now I just believe that it all comes back from God, too because He’s the giver of all gifts,” explained Head. Drexel then told Welch that she currently attends a Catholic college where they have a bit of a conversation of the school’s environment.

    When asked about how the band became part of the In This Moment tour, Welch mentioned that it had something to do with the band’s management and was unsure on how they got to be part of this incredible opportunity. As for their downtime, “Sleep….I don’t have a lot of downtime lately, which is pretty cool because I’ve had a lot of downtime before but it just seems like…but I like to read and just get filled up spiritually in my catholic school…I read a lot of catholic books, that’s my high.”

    Love and Death is scheduled to play at this year’s Rock on the Range. Be sure to catch them on tour and check out their record, Between Here and Lost, because this is one you will not want to miss out on.

  • Review: TRAPT, 3 PILL MORNING, and ACIDIC

    Monday night, Acidic,3 Pill Morning and Trapt rocked the small local venue of Brighton Music Hall, where Kate Drexel was able to catch the show and do interviews with 3 Pill Morning’s lead vocalist, Jeff Stebbins, and Trapt’s Chris Taylor Brown.

    The mixed chatter that bounced off the brick walls of Brighton Music Hall died down as soon as the lights dimmed. The show was about to begin with Hollywood’s favorite small band, Acidic, opening with one of the tracks from their recent record, “Drive Thru”. The crowd began to warm up to this entrancing, incredible sound and vibe the band gave off. Before the second song, “The Brave”, Mike Gossard (vocals) dedicated it to the people of Boston for their strength, referring to the recent marathon bombing. Through the speedy setlist, Mike introduced the next song, a cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together” and invited Trapt’s drummer, Dylan Howard, to do guest drumming along with their drummer, Matt Whitaker. Gossard ran through the crowd while singing soulfully and jumped onto the bar, taking everyone by surprise. He made his way back to the stage to continue the setlist with the performance of “Satellite”, “Copper Man” and “Strata Red”.

    After Acidic’s killer performance, it was 3 Pill Morning’s turn to blow everyone out of the ballpark. The chatter once turned into cheers once the lights dimmed and their ears were filled with a song with electronic beats. The band members came on stage one by one dressed very formally to the theme of their latest record, Black Tie Love Affair. They began with “Revolution” and once the song ended, the electronic beat was back. Before their second song, “Nothings Real”, Stebbins introduced the band to the audience then proceeded to perform. “I Want That For You” had the whole crowd jumping, a sea of bobbing bodies. In the middle of the set, Stebbins toasted to Boston. The speedy setlist ended with their well-known single, “Loser” and “Skin.” This was one very explosive, energetic band that connected with their fans. “We’re just turning that live show into something that’s special instead of sitting at home, not doing anything or listening to the CD on Spotify. We want people to come out and have that experience with us,” said Stebbins after the show, when asked to describe their live performances. Next to hit the stage, the main event, Trapt.

    The anticipation grew immensely as the crew set up the stage for Trapt. Finally, the cue that it was time for them to make their presence known. The audience cheered drunkenly and wildly as the whole band stepped upon the stage. The lights shown upon Chris Taylor Brown’s face as he asked the crowd the question that was the title to the first song, “Who’s Going Home With You Tonight?” By the end of that song, Brown dedicated their second song, “Waiting”, to the strength of Boston causing the crowd to cheer very loudly. He gave a very powerful, spin-chilling speech before the performance of their third song, “End of My Rope”. “Bring It” had the concertgoers bouncing to the rhythm of the song. Occasionally, Brown brought out his guitar to a few of the songs. The way the lights hit the stage while Trapt was playing gave off a very intimate feel, and a sense of connection with the fans was very evident. Before each song, Brown gave incredible explanations behind those songs and performed them with great energy. The setlist ended with their latest single, “Love Hate Relationship”, “Still Frame” which had the audience jumping yet again, “Stand Up” and of course, their very famous single, “Headstrong” to which the audience sang along and bounced to. “It’s just one of those songs that’s kind of like the attitude of what we’re about, that’s not being trapped and not feeling the way we did and freeing ourselves from the confines of everything that you are automatically thrown into and it’s that attitude that we’re not gonna conform into anybody’s will and we’re always going to be headstrong,” explained Chris, when asked about the story behind the song.

    All in all, incredible, energetic vibes and just the kind of show Boston needed after what they went through. This was the night that the headstrong band met the headstrong city.

  • Aztec Two-Step gave a dose of folk-rock to the Bearsville Theater on April 27th

    A beautiful evening of music took place at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock on April 27th with the legendary folk-rock band Aztec Two-Step.  Over the course of two sets of music, Rex Fowler and Neal Schulman had the intimate crowd in the palm of their hands.  The night took place in the lounge of the Bearsville Theater rather than the big room, making the evening even more special by being physically very close to the performers.

    DSC03562 (1) copy

    Between sets Rex and Neal hung out by the merchandise stand and chatted with everyone who wanted to.  It was a wonderfully laid back Saturday night show. As soon as Rex and Neal took the stage, the appreciative crowd gave them a huge ovation.  Both men are very good story tellers and jokesters and showed it very early on.  All night they had funny stories ranging from origins of songs to stories about other musicians to a lovely tribute to Richie Havens.  Another great thing about the show was that they had no written set list and discussed which song to do next in front of everyone, which of course led to more jokes.

    The relaxed feeling of the show made everything all the better. Rex and Neal have a great bond on stage.  Their harmonies are still perfect after being together for 42 years and their guitar work is excellent.  Neal can really handle a guitar.  Some of his solos through the evening were jaw dropping.  Both musicians moved from folk to rock to blues to country easily showing that their music is full of variety and that they have something for everyone.

    DSC03698 (1) copy

    A first set highlight was “The Ballad of Humpty Dumpty and Cinderella” which saw the audience participate in the chorus after an invitation from Rex and Neal to help them out, easily making for a highlight of the evening. The set continued with Neal saying “You know some bands have lists up here, and we don’t blame them” as the audience laughed seeing that Rex and Neal weren’t sure what they would open up with.  Early on in the set they stated how all acoustic duo acts owe their livelihood to The Everly Brothers and they did a great cover of “Walk Right Back.” Following that, Neal and Rex went right into “Tonight I Wish I Was in Texas” which was a clear highlight with great harmonies.  They ended set one with “The Persecution & Restoration of Dean Moriarty (On The Road)” and it was a perfect set closer.  The song is a tribute to the novel by Jack Kerouac and it does the book justice. Some of second set highlights were “Killing Me”, “Highway Song”, and “Johnny’s an Angel”.  The last one is a tribute written for John Lennon a week after he was killed in 1980.

    All three of these songs were excellent and received well by the small crowd at Bearsville.  After finishing the set, Neal and Rex briefly went to the side of the stage and then came back, joking with the crowd they didn’t know if it was a well-deserved encore or they were just coming back to come back.  They were obviously joking as they were getting a huge ovation from the fans in attendance.  With a two song encore of “Whiskey Man” and “Prisoner”, they ended on a high note, receiving a standing ovation from the entire crowd at the end of the second song.  It was a great evening of folk rock and if you have a chance, be sure to see these two great musicians for a thoroughly enjoyable evening of music.

  • Albany knows how to MOVE – recap of MOVE Music Festival, April 27th

    The second annual MOVE Music Festival was held April 27th in Albany, bringing 100 bands  to play in 10 venues across the city, catering to a wide array of musical genres. People are always looking for the next big thing and wanting to be a part of something, especially from the beginning. Some bands catch big breaks and it’s fun to be a fan who can say, “I saw them before they were famous.”  Albany’s MOVE Music Fest gave concert goers the opportunity to experience new acts from all over the state and country, promoting the cities’ ever growing music scene. I barely knew 5 out of 100 bands on the lineup and was expecting really amateur music from bands who I thought were getting their first gig out of their mother’s basement.  However, I was more than surprised with the talent that each group displayed and can’t wait to see their upcoming shows.

    MOVEmusicfest

    It was more than overwhelming to look at the schedule for the day and pick a place to start. With each band only getting an hour to play, my friends and I tried to strategize a route which was convenient for ourselves and would give us the chance to catch the few bands we did know in action. In the end, we decided to start at Valentines because it was the closest venue to my apartment and never fails with good music. We arrived at the venue around 4pm with plenty of people inside and out ready to catch the first of many acts to come. Party Boat kicked off my evening with wailing vocals that reminded me of the indie band GroupLove, complete with catchy lyrics and simple harmonies. I love surfer music, mostly for the unique guitar sounds that I don’t hear too often living in Upstate New York. I was excited to learn that the group is from Saratoga Springs and often play at Valentines plus other nearby venues.

    partyboat

    Next up was The Ameros, who opened with one of my favorite songs, “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” by Cage the Elephant. This not only pumped me up but the rest of the crowd too causing a massive surge to the front of the stage. Lead singer Jesse Calhoun belted out lyrics of freedom and rebellion with great passion and honesty, almost causing a riot on the dance floor. Charles Pope blew me away with his sharp guitar riffs especially during “New American Century.” The Ameros musical style ranges from reggae, rock, funk and explosive hip hop. This was their second time playing at the MOVE Music Festival and Calhoun said it went way better this year since they got to play at one of their favorite venues, Valentines, and were able to support their friends’ bands by catching more music too.

    ameros

    While catching some fresh air outside, my friends and I were approached by a few tie dye wearing, hairy faced dudes handing out flyers for the band, TreeHouse! It seemed legit. We headed upstairs at Valentines to check out the reggae group that had traveled all the way from the Carolinas to play here. As it was getting closer to show time, we noticed that the guys handing flyers outside were now on stage, tuning up and was actually the band TreeHouse! The band takes pride in their excessive way to self-promote themselves, such as pulling people in from out the streets. I was totally surprised by the deep vocals coming from Jeremy Anderson that echoed off the walls in the venue. Bassist Matt Link did not stop dancing and grooving the entire time they were on stage. Trey Moody laid out tasty beats throughout the set, only encouraging the band to keep pushing the reggae party vibe.

    treehouse!

    Barons in the Attic, the grunge rock Albany locals, took the downstairs Valentines stage and blasted into their set with “Julia.” The upbeat melody mixed with hardcore rhythm was more than enough to get the crowd in full dance mode. The Barons combine punk, garage and folk with energetic force and attitude, always making for a good show.  Matt Hamilton was unavailable for the show so fans were treated to Eric Krans from “The Parlor” who fit right in by strumming and stirring up the crowd just as loud as the rest of the boys.

    baronsintheattic

    For a change of pace, we headed towards Lark St where there would be more venues with more music. My girlfriend suggested we check out Brown Bread & Von Holt, an electronic pop band from her home town in Beacon, NY.  We cruised into Lark Tavern, a bar that after undergoing renovations, hosts routine musical acts of all genres in their back room with a small stage and plenty of table seating. The dynamic duo is Rebecca Doerfer (Brown Bread) and Colin Cheyne (Von Holt) who together make up a bone chilling dance party. Doerfer’s voice is haunting and angelic while Cheyne sends out eerie chords from his guitar. Their sound is a dark and electronic space jam full of heartbreak yet good spirits.

    Still a new festival, MOVE is off to a great start and has support next year when they want to host 100 bands in our back yard of Albany.

  • Heart in Hand “Almost There”

    Brit rockers, Heart in Hand, kick-off their second album “Almost There” locally on May 14th.  Produced by Pedro Texeira, they blend together melodic, transcendental instrumentals along with barking lyrics that define their hardcore roots. Front man, Charlie Holmes and crew are apparently excited about what the band calls, “quite simply a masterclass in how to create a truly engaging Hardcore record.”

    One should be able to appreciate some real talent from this group.  In “Old Tattoos”, I was caught up in the ethereal guitar play between Ollie Wilson and Ed Hartwell. It’s perhaps the best (nearly) three minutes on the entire CD that is distantly akin to Dream Theatre. And, you’ll see the same kind of play under tracks “Proposal” and “Vows”. Wilson and Hartwell have no trouble flipping the switch back to the hard stuff to accompany Holmes as well.

    I’m not certain I’d be quick to call this one a “masterclass” but Heart in Hand certainly wears their collective heart upon their sleeve in this installment. I give props to Holmes for actually sounding coherent throughout the majority of the CD. But, I have genuine concern for him when I hear the lyrics. For example, from their title track, “You’re the one. Can you save me from myself? Keep me by your side (and) don’t let me go.” I feel that I’m handling someone who is emotionally unstable, and that I should be careful with what is written here. Matters get worse, psychologically, under the eighth track “Old Tattoos.” “I don’t know how I always find a way to forgive you, but I do.  And, I always will. I’m nothing without you.”  It’s like an anthem for unhealthy, dependent relationships. If you can relate to these lyrics, seriously, seek help. I digress.

    I have to admit, the band play on the instrumentals seemed to showcase this band’s talent at its best. Set aside the merits I paid to Holmes for the relative clarity in his singing, but there appears to be a rift in the caliber of performance from when he sings and when he does not. It should be noted that this difference could be a deliberate attempt to move the listener with what the band describes as “soaring peaks and bitter lows.”  Blending together dream-like instrumentals with typically harsh metalcore lyrics was entertaining and done well. Nevertheless, I can’t help but recognize the prophetic nature of the album’s title.

    For more information, visit the band on Facebook: Facebook.com/heartinhandukmh

  • Storytime with ‘Grandpa’ Leo Kottke at The Egg, April 26

    Grandpa in this case refers to the kind of guitar player Leo Kottke is – playing songs on an acoustic guitar while stopping to tell long, drawn out stories as he gets the tuning just right. He could easily be pictured sitting on the edge of a porch telling folk tales while strumming his guitar. Leo Kottke performed a 90 minute set this past Friday in the smaller and much more intimate Swyer Theater at The Egg, just a floor below the main room many are familiar with.

    leo kottke the eggGrandpa in this case refers to the kind of guitar player Leo Kottke is – playing songs on an acoustic guitar while stopping to tell long, drawn out stories as he gets the tuning just right. He could easily be pictured sitting on the edge of a porch telling folk tales while strumming his guitar, just as he performed his 90 minute set this past Friday in the smaller and much more intimate Swyer Theater at The Egg, just a floor below the main room many are familiar with. I only learned of Leo Kottke in 2003 when he put out Clone with Mike Gordon, the bassist from Phish. The two produced an incredible album that had me hooked on the mysterious guitarist, but it took another 10 years before I would see him in a solo live performance. Amid a mostly older crowd, Kottke’s trance-inducing plucking of his 12 string guitar was a treat for the ears. His playing is that of a soundtrack to a cross country train ride, as the engine chugs along the tracks, scenery flying by and curves on the tracks shift the weight of the song from one side to another. The melody produced by the guitar was unlike any I had heard, rivaling even the greatest pluckers.

    leo kottke the eggPlaying 15 or so songs over the course of the night, the setlist that was only found inside the mind of Leo. Comprised of ballads and love songs, instrumentals of both a progressive and orchestral nature, Kottke could have tackled classical numbers in the style of Bela Fleck and given a performance that would be of nearly the same caliber.

    But what made the evening complete were the stories that Kottke told as he tuned his guitar in between songs. Speaking in a gravely, baritone voice, he shared anecdotes from the road, the origin of songs, musicians he has listened to and interacted with, plus just some random off-topic ramblings that kept the audience laughing in between focusing intently on Leo performing at centerstage. These moments were Zappa-esque, in terms of the banter that occurred between the beats of the music, paced conversation with a unique soundtrack each time. Of note was when Leo spoke of Robert Bartow, whom he was listening to backstage, a performer of 18th century Baroque German lute music. How this influenced his set is a mystery to everyone, but surely, the master brought in a variety of influences in the magical 100 minutes at The Egg this evening.

  • Oh Yes It’s Ladies Night and the Feeling’s Right – Amy Lavere and Savannah King at Abilene Bar, Rochester

    01-DSC_0001On a rainy and miserable Wednesday night in Rochester at Abilene Bar and Lounge, ladies night was in full effect. Memphis bred singer/songwriter and sometime actress Amy Lavere and Buffalo’s Savannah King provided duel cannons of estrogen enforced sun-laden excellence much to the glee of the packed house despite the contradictory weather patterns.

    Abilene is somewhat new to Rochester, having opened in 2008 and has provided a much needed eclectic alternative to the typical local music scene. Owner/operator Danny Deutsch is far more likely to be serving you a delicious microbrew or unique liquor concoction from behind the bar instead of sitting in an office shuffling papers. They have a knack for picking popular niche artists and marketing themselves appropriately to bring the masses down to boogie.

    02-DSC_0007The night started at the advertised time (another rarity in the local scene) with Savannah King hitting the stage at promptly 8:30 PM. She wasted no time, opening with an unexpected acoustic one-woman version of the Black Sabbath gem “War Pigs” as the crowd “gathered in their masses”. Savannah is bursting with talent at the ripe old age of 19 and shows true dedication to her art through pursuing a degree in the music field at SUNY Fredonia and traveling anywhere a show calls her name. Appearing alone on stage with an acoustic, her vocals are fluid with a jazzy melody which might bring comparisons to well known artists anywhere from Jewel to Carole King. Adding in her skillful six-string talents gave the crowd one excellent opening act. Her set was cover heavy and diverse, including the aforementioned Sabbath Cover, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and songs by The Tragically Hip and fellow Buffalonian Ani DiFranco. Interspersed between the covers were a handful of originals showcasing a burgeoning artist with a nose for melody and whimsical expression.

    19-DSC_0076After a quick break, Amy took the stage. She tours with drummer and former boyfriend Paul Taylor on drums and recently acquired guitarist/keyboardist Tim Regan. Her style is a mix of bluesy folk and jazz with a sprinkle of rockabilly. Beyond singing, Amy plays an upright bass which despite towering over her petite figure she has full command of. Between many songs she entertained the spellbound audience with stories and toasts which gave the set an exquisite flow. Featuring originals from albums such as Stranger Me and Died of Love and a smattering of covers she delivered a top notch experience to the Abilene crowd. Beyond pleasing the peoples aural cavities, they all appeared to desire a pristine ocular view as this reporter was asked to move several times despite maintaining a low profile.

    At one point during the evening, Amy politely excused herself from the stage and guitarist Tim Regan offered up a tasty original of his own. Amy soon returned with the crowd favorite “Damn Love Song” which was one of the highlights of the evening. Other highlights included a nice take on David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream” and an end of show moment where both ladies graced the stage for a fun rendition of the Willie Dixon classic “Wang Dang Doodle”. Overall an excellent experience from two artists determined to take it to the top.

    This was Amy’s 5th visit to Abilene so watch for her coming back in the future. Catch Savannah’s next show May 10th at the Pausa Art House in Buffalo at 8PM.