NYS Music 20​13

Category: Show Reviews

  • An Intimate Evening with Billy Payne of Little Feat at The Linda

    The Linda Theater provided the perfect setting for what turned out to be a very special and intimate evening with Billy Payne. Most people know Payne as one of the original founders of Little Feat. What some might not know is he is also an accomplished photographer, an amazing storyteller and a treasure-trove of musical history. Using all of these attributes, Payne presented “Tracing Footsteps”, a multimedia journal of music, photography, and stories from the road and from Billy Payne’s past.

    billy paynePayne begins by explaining “I call this event ‘Tracing Footsteps’ because I have been down many paths in my life, from music to photography, and everyone I’ve met along the way have been a huge part of my life”. “Tracing Footsteps” is largely a tribute to Payne’s previous band mates. He performed “Feathers and a Smile” as a tribute to Little Feat co-founder Lowell George. Several songs were also played in honor of deceased Little Feat drummer, Richie Hayward. In addition, Payne played a few new tunes co-written with Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter, including “A Thousand Nights” and “Wolfe in the Wilderness”.

    For the second set, Payne was joined on stage by current Little Feat drummer, Gabe Ford, and teenage guitar sensation, Conor Kennedy. The guys played several tunes from Payne’s current side-project, the Hooligans, including “Blue Grass Pines”, “Louisiana”, and “If I had a Mind To”. It was also an evening of experimentation with Payne trying “Juble”, another new tune recently written with Robert Hunter. The intimate and very entertaining evening wrapped up with a Q  & A session along with friendly conversation and autographs.

  • The 2nd Annual Fiddler’s Picnic: A Photo Review

    Friday night of the 2nd Annual Fiddler’s Picnic was jam-packed with great music from the Capital Region’s own Eastbound Jesus, good ol’ Adirondack boys The Blind Owl Band and Dangermuffin coming all the way from Folly Beach, South Carolina. Despite the mud from earlier rains, the hollow was still great for dancing and a little bit of apple moonshine.  Camping was available anywhere you could stake your claim.

    Saturday at Statewide Music’s Fiddlers Picnic was a fiddle-tastic time for all. The site at Miller Hollow in Marion was immaculate and filled with shady areas to escape the burning sun. Escaping the blazing bluegrass was impossible though, yet every band brought their A-game and delivered killer sets. The day featured bands such as Rochester’s Clinton’s Ditch, Maine’s Mallet Brothers Band, Vermont’s Jatoba, Ohio’s  Rumbke Mountain Boys and Buffalo’s Floodwood. (Featuring Vinny and Al from moe.).

    Typical to every StateWide festival, this was a family affair, filled with friendly faces and plenty of children tearing around. At one point, HerbyOne’s own daughter blessed us with a beautiful rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” from the main stage. Music and fun went late into the night once again despite undesirable weather conditions. Highlights were a fierce newgrass version of Phish’s “Rift” by Jatoba and all of Floodwood’s amazing set.

  • The 2nd Annual Fiddlers Picnic – A Good Old Ho’down in the Mud

    The roads were treacherous, the mud was deep, the sun was out and the sounds of bluegrass filled the warm summer air. The 2nd annual Fiddlers Picnic in Marion, NY brought us securely into full blown festy season. With a lineup that impressed bluegrass lovers young and old, this intimate festival nestled in the woods was of all things one hell of a family ho’down!

    Friday: Ahhh, the first day of the fest; always a wild card in my book. It can go two ways really, calm and chill and hanging with friends – gearing up for a late Saturday … OR it’s the night that we all get crazy and dance barefoot in the mud with a jar of pineapple moonshine in our hands till the sun comes up.

    Highlights from Friday included Eastbound Jesus with the sounds to bring people from setting up their camp to dancing in the hay covered mud. The Blind Owl Band who set the bar high for the two remaining bands that night, played their hearts out while a barrage of friends graced the stage.

    The night got better as it progressed with South Carolina’s Dangermuffin keeping the energy high! The straw dance floor atop the mud only added an old-timey feel to the family ho’down this festival had become. It was clear that this weekend was going to be filled with sit-ins and campfires, despite the weather just a few short days before. Late-night Friday belonged to Hogmaw from Pennsylvania who rightfully refer to themselves as ‘bringing a distinct abstract sound to string band music that can only be best described as THUNDERGRASS!’

    Hogmaw
    Hogmaw

    Saturday: The day began with The North and South Dakotas, a great sting band with a drummer and amplified instruments. It was quite relaxing and a beautiful way to start the day –  sunshine in your face sitting on the grassy hill, enjoying the people watching , and girls with hula-hoops and a jug o’ shine to set their dancing mood.

    Clinton's Ditch
    Clinton’s Ditch

    Saturday Afternoon brought us to the 3rd stage for the Aaron Austin Band which slowed things down a bit more than the previous act. For a lovely cover of “Tangled Up In Blue” we sat in the hammock and enjoyed the coolness of the shade. Late afternoon developed into a gathering of close friends and families; children in rain boots and hay strewn across the ground to make a dance floor above the muddy earth. Festival goers were also treated to sets by Still Hand String Band, Boots n’ Shorts and Rochester natives, Clinton’s Ditch.

    Boots n' Shorts
    Boots n’ Shorts
    Black Mountain Symphony on Saturday was another first timer for this gal and of course another delightful choice of bands, which has been the theme for the fest so far. Black Mountain Symphony features Annie Campo, a soulful singer/violinist with talent far beyond her years. Drummer Bill Palinski shared the duties of vocals and artistic drumming that kept the beat like a locomotive barreling down the tracks.  Bear Campo on keyboards also brought an intense sound to this performance. This band will be a welcome addition to any festival – their sound is all encompassing with strings, keys, guitar and drums.
    Black Mountain Symphony
    Black Mountain Symphony

    The real treat Saturday was the surprise first time live performance of Ms. Haley Rose (age 12) with her breathtaking rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” and a captivating “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”, which brought festival goers to a stand still on the hill as she sang her heart out to the ears of fans and family alike. Natural talent runs in her family and it’s worth noting that Haley’s singing talents were equally impressive to that of her younger brother, Brayden Vaughn, whom MC’d the entire festival with the experience of a seasoned announcer.

    Also on the bill for Saturday was Boots n’ Shorts, Jatoba, Floodwood, the Rumpke Mountain Boys and a late-night jam with Free Grass Union. Saturday night’s Jatoba set gave us a fast-ass-jam-grass version of Phish’s “Rift” that had phans hootin and a’ hollerin for this Vermont-based festival favorite.

    Bands these days are creating side projects for themselves that seem to be crossing the genres in which they have been known in – Floodwood is no exception to this trending concept in music. moe. band members Vinny Amico and Al Schnier are credited for face melting jam-rock while also belonging to a down right kick ass bluegrass ensemble. Floodwood followed suit with the rest of the weekend and brought the roof down with their original brand of newgrass.

    After a set with Floodwood, the energy was high and the mud was deep – the Rumpke Mountain Boys, from Ohio, brought the music hungry crowd to the second stage for what turned out to be one of my favorite jams from the weekend. The band has molded their own style of bluegrass/jamgrass into what they call ‘trashgrass.’

    Unfortunately because of the severe weather warnings for Sunday, Fiddlers Picnic had to cancel the music for Sunday – when campers woke to down pouring rain early Sunday morning, we were sad about missing the music for that day but relieved that we got the warning early enough to pack-up. Gear loaded onto the back of a sleeping-bag, we embraced the mudslide down the side of the hill we were perched upon so happily the two previous days of the festival.

    This festival had a stellar line-up from morning till late-nights, the family-friendly vibe, and beautiful camping spots. Fiddlers Picnic should be on the radar of any bluegrass lover. Cheers!

  • Standing on the Super Moon – Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration at Tanglewood, June 22nd

    Symphonies do not typically lend themselves to improvisation, a trademark of Jerry Garcia and his performances with the Grateful Dead. So it was going to be interesting to see how Warren Haynes, one of the hardest working men in rock and roll was going to handle the Garcia catalog within the constraints of the Boston Pops Orchestra. The answer was very well, considering there was no rehearsal with the full orchestra other then what transpired the day of the show and at soundcheck, for which I happened to be picnicking on the lawn.

    Original Art by Nate Duval. Pick up at nateduval.com
    Original Art by Nate Duval. Pick one up at nateduval.com

    I attended the show with my tour buddy of many years, Kim, along with her family. Kim is a classically trained music teacher so I was going to rely on her opinion on how well the musicians did! Or so I thought. Kim’s biggest critique: She wanted more Warren as he was a little low in the mix. I argued that this wasn’t the Warren Haynes show but his interpretation of Jerry Garcia’s vast catalog within the settings of an orchestra. Nor were we listening to a rock band like The Allman Brothers, or Haynes’ own Gov’t Mule where he can let it rip. Shall I say I was looking for a refined performance? I argued that his guitar and his voice were just two instruments within the orchestra. Kim made note that one item not typically found in an orchestra was a trap set and I felt likewise about the four string electric bass. We also had vocals from Warren and two back up singers, Alecia Chekour and Jasmine Muhammad, ala the Jerry Garcia Band. The Joshua Light Show was another atypical appearance with the symphony.

    Keith Lockhart, Conductor of the Pops, took to the stage with wearing a tye-dye shirt while Warren was a little more formal. No tux for him, but he was wearing a suit coat on a very muggy night. He also was playing Wolf, one of Jerry’s own personal guitars designed by former Alembic employee Doug Irwin. Wolf was of the guitars that Garcia allegedly bequeathed to Irwin that wound up being involved in a dispute with the Grateful Dead organization on who actually had the ownership of the guitars. When the lawyers were paid, Irwin got to keep Tiger and Wolf; when both guitars were sold in 2002, Wolf garnered $700,000! Not a bad chunk of change, considering Jerry Garcia paid $1,500 for it. How the guitar wound up back within the control of Garcia’s estate I was not able to track down, but Trixie (Theresa) Garcia authorized the use of Wolf and approved of the symphonic celebrations. Down in the pit, my friend PFossilman Phil noted there was a big burly guy probably there to protect the guitar!!

    We spent the first Set in our seats in the shed where we had a jumbo screen right in front of us so I was able to see the setlist which the cameras captured many times, much to the chagrin of the dude sitting behind me who kept shrieking, “Why did they have to show it!” and “Please don’t show it again!” As I mentioned, the sound was a little subdued in the shed so we stayed on the lawn for Set 2. I was able to lay on our blanket on the lawn under the giant Super Moon, which Warren made reference to during “Standing on the Moon”, close my eyes and take in all the notes and movements. It was magical to hear songs I’ve heard so many times, including the distinctive sound ‘wah wah’ of Wolf echo across the Tanglewood lawn. Some old time deadheads thought it a sacrilege that anyone other then Garcia should be playing Wolf.

    All the songs were from the Grateful Dead repertoire except for “Russian Lullaby”,  a song that was originally written by composer Irving Berlin, which Jerry performed with his Jerry Garcia Band. The “Terrapin Station/Slipnot/Terrapin Reprise” segment lent itself best to the full symphony with its big notes and crescendos. Kim mentioned that the full orchestra was light in the middle of most songs and seemed to be more in the mix on the openers, closers and the band interludes. It would be interesting to know how long it took the Pops to score the music for the various instruments as there are definitely pieces that can be improved upon as far as making bolder use of the horns, percussion, strings etc…

    I encourage you to give a listen and experience the show for yourself as everyone will have their own opinion. Warren and the Boston Pops received many standing ovations throughout the show. I enjoyed a family outing listening to some of my favorite tunes. Although I wouldn’t chase the performances from stop to stop, I would go attend another show to see how another symphony handles the Garcia catalog.

    While a recording of the Tanglewood show has yet to surface, here is Warren’s performance with the National Symphony Orchestra at The Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia on June 26th. We will update this post as recordings surface.

    Set I: Tuning, Dark Star, Bird Song, Crazy Fingers, Russian Lullaby/Band/Interlude, Scarlet Begonias/Band/ Interlude, Shakedown Street, Morning Dew

    Set II: Mission in the Rain*, High Time^, Uncle Johns Band/Band/Interlude, West LA FadeAway, Standing on the Moon, Drums, Lady with a Fan/Terrapin Station/SlipKnot/Terrapin Reprise

    Encore: Ship of Fools

    * only one verse

    ^ not on official set list

  • Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Shine Bright at SPAC Under the Full Moon

    A hot and humid Sunday night did not stop the masses from coming out for a great show at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers put on a non-stop two hour show that saw him mix up the setlist with songs spanning his entire career.  The crowd was standing through the night and was rapid in their applause and participation.  Tom was very thankful throughout the evening and let it be known to everyone that he has loved coming to upstate New York since 1980 and hoped to see everyone again.

    tom petty SPACThe evening started with The Wallflowers playing a great 45 minute set.  Most people may know the band as being the band of Jakob Dylan, son of Bob Dylan, but they proved they can play on their own accord.  They started right out of the gates with a cover of The Band’s song “Don’t Do It.”  They did the song justice with Jakob singing the lyrics wonderfully.  They went right into “Three Marlenas” and transitioned quickly into “The Letter,”  a song originally by The Box Tops, but they played it in more of a Joe Cocker style.  Having the two covers early in the set brought the audience to attention before going into their own material.  Rami Jaffee worked the keyboards beautifully with Stuart Mathis playing great lead guitar throughout the set.  “One Headlight” got the crowd on their feet near the end of the set.  As the band finished up “The Difference”, the pavilion was standing room only with a roar from the crowd thanking the band for a great opening set.

    Setlist: Don’t Do It, Three Marlenas, The Letter, I’ve Been Delivered, 6th Avenue Heartache, Closer to You, Sleepwalker, One Headlight, Misfits and Lovers, The Difference

    Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers recently wrapped up intimate residencies at both The Beacon Theatre and The Henry Fonda Theatre, focusing on deep tracks and rare covers.  These shows seem to have put a new energy into the band as they came out swinging with a cover of The Byrds “So You Wanna Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” and quickly followed it up with “Love is a Long Road.”  Both of these songs saw Mike Campbell wailing away on his guitar and he continued to show how good of a guitarist he is at every opportunity throughout the evening of music.  Tom told the crowd, before starting Paul Revere and The Raiders hit song “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone,” that he and The Heartbreakers are just a “glorified garage band from Florida and we like to rock out just like you do.”  The hits soon followed with “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” that had Scott Thurston playing a mean harmonic, and “Free Fallin,” which got the whole crowd singing along with Tom.

    Tom had the lights turned on so he could see the adoring, standing-room-only crowd before introducing the band to everyone.  What followed was a special song for the current tour.  Having been a member of the super group The Traveling Wilburys, Petty usually plays one song from their catalog during his shows and this tour he chose “Tweeter and the Monkey Man.”  It’s a great song and a deep cut from the band and one The Heartbreakers pulled off flawlessly.  “Melinda” soon followed and it gave a chance for Benmont Tench and Steve Ferrone to show off their skills at piano and drums, respectively.  With the rest of the band dropping out during the song, these two went to work for an extended jam on the song.  The set ended with a “Refugee” and “Runnin Down a Dream” double shot that was stunning.

    With a three song encore of “Don’t Come Around Here No More”, “You Wreck Me” and “American Girl”, there wasn’t a person in the crowd not rocking out to end the show.  Even though the band has been together since the mid-1970s, they continue to put on a show like few acts can today.  Hopefully it won’t be too long before they come back to the Upstate region.

    Setlist: So You Wanna Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star, Love Is a Long Road, I Won’t Back Down, (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone, Here Comes My Girl, Mary Jane’s Last Dance, Free Fallin’, A Woman in Love (It’s Not Me), Listen to Her Heart, Tweeter and the Monkey Man, Rebels, Melinda, Learning to Fly, Yer So Bad, I Should Have Known It, Refugee, Runnin’ Down a Dream

    Encore: Don’t Come Around Here No More, You Wreck Me, American Girl

  • Summer Nights in Saratoga: Assembly of Dust at Putnam Den, June 22nd

    Saratoga Springs has so much music in the summer, particularly at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, it can be easy to overlook the local music that is found throughout the town nearly every night of the week. Whether you are looking for music to follow dinner, a free show in the park or a stand alone night of live music, there’s something for everyone in Saratoga. A fine example of Saratoga in the summer took place this past Saturday at Putnam Den with Assembly of Dust and opener Capital Zen.

    After a warmup from Capital Zen, the crowd filtered outside for some fresh air, then back inside once Assembly of Dust made their way to the stage shortly after 11 pm. Opening up with “Sometimes”, the Strangefolk original had a twist with a little jazz fusion added in from Adam Terrell, followed by a lengthy “Tavern Walker”, a nod to the band’s street team. Twenty minutes later, we had only heard two songs, a fantastic glimpse at a band who was relaxed and patient with their songs. “Arc of the Sun”, a track off Some Assembly Required and featuring Mike Gordon on the studio version, gave a mellow contrast to the previous songs, but “Samuel Aging” was where the band jumped right back into the thick of things, diving into the tune and finding plenty of space to stretch the song out.

    “Elixir” featured Jason Crosby on the keys; Crosby, who has played with both Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, gave a jazzier taste to normally rocked out songs, yet still played the fiddle on “Corpus Christi” , a very multi-talented member of Assembly of Dust. “Filter”  capped off the set with the ‘Funky Chicken’ dancing crowd and now-sweating band singing in unison the “Doo-doo-do-do-do” refrain, literally melting in the moment. The set kept getting more rocking as each song unfolded and progressed. With a great flow to the songs, the jams were built from within each individual song, a true jamband set.

    Among all this great music, it should be noted that the band and well lit audience were a great accent to the evening. Wes Rizzo’s lights had a 1960s Flower Power vibe that shone down on the band and crowd equally, using the walls to illuminate all. Speaking with Reid Genauer during setbreak, he spoke of the Putnam Den as “Great, it’s an awesome energy. We were in a small little theater and it was pristine and sort of quiet, and very resident, last night. Tonight it’s back into the bar brawl scene, not brawl literally, but you know, the gritty bar – as much as I love the serenity and acoustics of a nice theater, I’m just at home in the context of a bar, I’m a happy camper. And the vibe is awesome out there.”. Clearly enjoying the night and digging the vibe the crowd was putting off, the band was relaxed and took a well earned break between sets.

    Second set opened with “Truck Farm” and “Bus Driver”, leading up to a resounding version of “Roads”, a classic tune that any live music fan can identify with. The line “I don’t know where I’m going but I’ll get there, yeah! Sometimes I’m wondering where will it be?” has broad appeal and led to the crowd singing/shouting along with the refrain. A special treat, thanks in part to bassist John Leccesse, was Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Woodstock”, a perfect tune for AOD and leading to another sing-a-long amid sustained dancing in the crowd.

    “Mud Spring Draw” featured Crosby’s fiddle once again, while “Poland” included a “down down diggy diggy” vocal jam, and whether it was organic or rehearsed did not matter – the crowd was into it, the band was meshing and drummer Andy Herrick held down the beat to keep the jam progressing – this was the highlight of the night, among many other worthy candidates. The encore began with “Things That Fly” with just Reid and Adam on guitar, gentle and stretched out perfectly. “Fountain” and “Harrower” followed, both jammed out just as nearly the entire night was, closing in a three-song encore at nearly 25 minutes. The crowd cheered for more while catching their breath – the night was a non-stop rocker from start to finish, a great way to kick off the summer in Saratoga.

    Assembly of Dust is also playing at Gathering of the Vibes in Seaside Park, CT, in late July. Before then, you can catch them at  The Friendly Gathering in Windham, Vermont, this coming weekend, June 28-29. Reid mentioned, regarding Assembly of Dust playing, “Our good friend and longtime manager Bob Kennedy is involved with that in some way shape or form. And I think its BYOB which is nice.” AOD and BYOB at a festival – a great combo.

    Set 1: Sometimes, Tavern Walker, Arc of the Sun, Samuel Aging, Elixir, Vaulted Sky, Corpus Christi, Second Song, Filter

    Set 2: Truck Farm, Bus Driver, Roads, Mama, Woodstock, Poland, Mud Spring Draw, Honeycreeper

    Encore: Things That Fly*, Fountain, Harrower

    *just Reid and Adam

    Assembly of Dust on Facebook, Twitter and on the web

  • Click Click Boom – SALIVA Lights up Lost Horizon

    When covering a show, I try to get there early to catch all the local acts. It’s good to see what talent (or lack of talent) is coming up in an area. After going to enough shows and seeing a variety of local acts and some of the same ones over and over, you can get a feel of what is happening in the scene. Since I live in the Albany area, I know the Capital region’s scene. The metal scene is much more of a hard core, heavy, scream-o thing with various bands coming and going and a few staples, like Brick by Brick or bright up-and-comers like Restless Streets.

    I will be the first to admit that I’m not too familiar with the Syracuse scene. I will also tell you that after the Saliva show at the Lost Horizon, this NEEDS to change. Saliva was great and I will talk about that later, but the locals were exceptional. East Coast Live Entertainment and 95X put together an awesome lineup that kept moving at a great pace. The breaks between sets were minimal, and welcomed so we could go outside and take in some cool summer evening air. I’ve rarely seen a promoter hustle the day of the show as much as Chuck from East Coast Live. He was working harder than anyone there and I think sound, lighting and musicians can appreciate that effort and put that much more into their own work. Perhaps all of that combined made the night of music so incredible.

    Starting off the show was Hitting on Amber. Designated by 95X deejay, Dixon, as the most improved band on the Syracuse scene. I’m not sure what they sounded like a year ago, but I can tell you that they immediately set the bar high for the locals following them. Simply put, they rocked. Sound was clean and their performance was solid. This is a band that could open for any touring hard rock or heavy metal act coming to the region and will start seeing their own following grow in the meantime. Like most locals, time in front of audiences and growing their footprint are the first steps. Look for Hitting on Amber on more local shows and get there early to support them, you won’t be disappointed.

    Catastrophe Me was next up and while I enjoy female lead singers (I am currently really into Maria Brink’s new stuff), this performance was the one exception to a night of hard rockin’ goodness. I found myself cringing at some parts hoping that the set would hurry along, the shrieking would stop, or the choreographed headbanging would cease to exist from rock ‘n roll entirely. While the performance wasn’t a complete catastrophe, vocal work and stage presence issues need to be addressed before being taken seriously in the rock world. There is a lot of potential in the young lead singer, something maturity and a good manager can work with and I hope they seek out that guidance and continue to grow within the local scene.

    Auburn stoner metal band, Stone Soul Foundation, took the stage and as far as I was concerned, this could have been the start of the touring bands. The quality of performances from this point forward made the cost of admission worth it at twice the price. This dread-lead hard rockin’ gang of misfits had great vocals, guitar licks, and the drummer set an energetic pace.

    As I walked around the Lost Horizon between sets I noticed more Crows Cage t-shirts than all the other bands combined. Their local following came out in droves and I was anxious to see if they could live up to the hype. Being placed between SSF and Devour the Day would have been tough for Saliva to live up to. Yes SSF and DTD were THAT good. Luckily for Crows Cage they were that good, too. They took the challenge and kept the night moving. The venue was hot and sticky, and people were still dancing to real rock ‘n roll. If this show is any indication, the Syracuse scene is strong. A lot of talent and some national touring potential.

    Devour the Day is made up of past members of Memphis, Tennessee band, Egypt Central. No strangers to national tours and big stages, they didn’t miss a beat. Their new material is solid and already getting airtime on Sirius XM’s Octane, along with a lot of attention from local rock station 95X. Within the last month since the show at the Lost Horizon, DTD has shared the stage and is planning to with Sevendust and Otherwise in July 2013 and currently a June run with Hinder. After their set I turned to Joy (my girlfriend who joined me for the show) and we agreed that if the night ended right then, it would have been a great night. How can Saliva top this?

    Well, Saliva couldn’t top it, but they did keep the night going with bright lights, strong vocals from their new lead singer Bobby Amaru and new songs that seemed a lot harder than their old material. Time away did not hurt this band that is known primarily for the huge hit, “Click Click Boom”. A couple of the new songs will get airtime that will hopefully help eliminate the one hit wonder status that they are unfortunately labeled with. Their talent and energy combined with the new songs should generate new fans.

    Other highlights of the evening included the fans and the venue. First off, two young rockers with cerebral palsy were there and apparently get free tickets to all East cost Live Entertainment shows. Why? Because besides busting his ass to make sure everyone is happy and comfortable at the show, Chuck understands that rock ‘n roll is about passion. These young fans love rockin’ out and Chuck loves giving the gift of music. Not only did they get free tickets, they got free shirts and the bands came out and got their photos taken with them. It warmed my heart to see someone giving back. Rock used to be a lot about helping each other out and when I look at Chuck and other promoters like Mike Valente from Black ‘n Blue, who is known to throw benefit shows often, and I hope for their success. Fans often think promoters cash in, it’s simply not true for most. Many shows lose money and the occasion that money is made, they are quick to help out the locals that play for gas money or drinks.

    The venue was great and if you live in central New York and haven’t been to the Lost Horizon for a show, you need to go. Legends passing through the valley have played there over the past 40 years. Names like Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Upcoming shows include The Front Bottoms and Earth Crisis. Add this venue to your rock ‘n roll bucket list. You can thank me later.

  • Kicking Cancer’s Ass, Hardcore Style!

    May 24th: A Benefit for Justin King featuring Stigmata, Wisdom in Chains, Born Low, King Nine and Cheech at Bogies. I’ve never been prouder to be a part of the Albany Hardcore Scene.

    On the evening in question, Bogies was host to a packed house and a stacked line-up .This event, organized by Buddy Armstrong and Upstate Black ‘N’ Blue Productions, was held as a fundraiser for the King family. Justin King, who lent his six-string talent to a number of area bands (including Bulldog Courage), has been living with late-stage cancer for some time now. In an effort to alleviate some of the financial burden associated with medical expenses, a percentage of the door proceeds were donated to King. Additionally, special-edition event shirts bearing the names of the bands on the back, the front emblazoned in bold-block letters, “We Take Care of our Own!”, were printed and sold at the show.

    When I arrived at 7:30 that evening, the club was PACKED! It was a veritable “who’s who” of the Albany scene. So many familiar faces – old and new – greeted me with warm smiles, hugs and handshakes. It felt like the Old Days – they even had the courtesy water-jug out! I haven’t seen such a high turnout this early in the evening since I was a teenager, and as openers Cheech weren’t scheduled to play until eight. This can only be seen as a testament of how far the 518 will go to help a brother in need.

    All of the bands on the bill had a sound firmly rooted in the hardcore tradition, though none of them sounded alike. Boston’s Cheech was perhaps the most traditional, reminding me at times of NYC acts Killing Time and Sick of it All. Blending four on the floor punk-styled drum beats with metallic guitar riffing, straight-ahead passages and – of course – danceable breakdowns. Cheech began their set with some newer material, and later on broke out the oldies. Those in the know sang along or set it off in the pit. Incidentally, Cheech provided one of the highlights of the evening, at least on a personal level: as part of a double encore, they played their rendition of Sheer Terror’s “Here to Stay”. At this point, I had no choice but to participate in the ensuing sing-along.

    Long Island’s King Nine and Reaper Records recording artists Born Low had a similar take on the hardcore sound. That is not to say that they sounded the same, however, but both drew on more metallic influences than the other bands. With King Nine, I heard a great deal of Sworn Enemy (the vocals) and Madball, but with a brutal stomp beat akin to Xibalba and the Acacia Strain. Born Low was a bit more traditional, but still heavier than Youth of Today, Judge and Gorilla Biscuits. Though they frequently play Bogies, tonight was my first opportunity to see Born Low, and I have to say that they impressed the hell out of me. Where much of the newer Albany bands have gone the way of metal or “metalcore”, it’s good to see an Albany band like Born Low flying the HC flag.

    Next on the bill was Pennsylvania’s own Wisdom in Chains. Having never seen them live, their set was particularly enjoyable to me. Originating as a cross-Atlantic collaboration between members of the Dutch band Daredevil and PA bands Krutch and Mushmouth, Wisdom In Chains recorded one album with this line-up, only to reform years later. Perhaps one of the most unique bands on the bill, WIC’s sound took the best from the old and the new school: melodic Oi!/punk with infectious sing-along parts, Terror-style hardcore breakdowns, and careful attention to musicianship. Like so many of their peers around the globe, every member of Wisdom in Chains worked in collusion with each other with little show boating – save the occasional, appropriately placed guitar lead – to produce a rock-solid wall of sound. Fans of Terror, Sheer Terror, Blood For Blood and The Bruisers would love these guys.

    As if the supporting line-up wasn’t enough to satiate the tastes of the average hardcore fanatic, tonight’s main event was nothing short of a milestone: the return to the stage of local legends Stigmata after four years of inactivity. Featuring the classic line-up of Bob Riley (Murderer’s Row), Mike Maney (Ill Remembered, Dead Rabbits), Jay Sunkes (Burning Human, Dead Rabbits), Buddy Armstrong and Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Burning Human, and now Anthrax), Stigmata began releasing demos under the names Displaced Aggression and Cranial Abuse in the mid-eighties. Adopting their present moniker with the release of 1991’s The Call of the Just, Stigmata is universally recognized as one of the founders of “Troy-Core”, a style that blended Slayer-esque guitar riffing with the traditional hardcore sound. The band went on to release five full length albums, the last of which – Do Unto Others – was picked up for distribution by Victory Records.

    As the room went dim, the haunting, synthesized strains of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange theme poured from the sound system. Smiling ear to ear, Riley shot us all the bird and gave a brief dedication – as all of the acts had – to King before the band broke into their classic set, kicking the madness off with “Life for a Life”. From the stage to the bar, Bogies was as densely packed as it could be: the typically wide-open dance floor was full of spectators, who closed in to form a narrow “horseshoe of death”. The pit had been in full-swing since King Nine, but now the floor was no longer a safe place for the non-confrontational. Yours truly even caught a forearm to the head!

    With the exception of a few songs from Do Unto Others, the majority of Stigmata’s set list consisted of material from their third full-length, Hymns for an Unknown God, the album considered by many to be their finest work, as well as Bittner’s debut as their drummer. Though they hadn’t played together in years, the band didn’t miss a beat – it was like stepping through a wormhole into 1996! The intense double-bass attacks of songs like “Nothing But Enemies” and “Ignorant and Wired” were just as crushing as they were when I was a kid, and the sheer heaviness of “Murder of Life” and closer “Burning Human” solidified once and for all their timelessness. Unfortunately, if you didn’t make it out tonight, the likelihood of catching Stigmata on stage any time soon is slim to none – not for lack of desire, just conflicting schedules. If you did, consider yourself lucky to witness such a milestone.

  • A Hot Saturday at Red Square with Timbre Coup and The Assortment of Crayons

    The Assortment of Crayons, based out of New Paltz, NY, is a relatively new band in the Upstate scene and one very much worth a listen. They have garnered quite an audience on Tuesday nights in New Paltz at Oasis Cafe and Snug Harbor, because SUNY doesn’t have classes on Wednesday (weird, I know). Albany was treated to an opening set from The Assortment, showcasing a wide range of music stylings and versatility in the live setting. “Courier” bled out of “Happenstance” and became a Phishy jam with excellent guitar work from Sean and Erik Hill, delving into a bluesy noodle-fest.

    “Trust a Stranger” was dedicated to semantics and had a jazzy vibe throughout. “Leroy’s Adventure” was intricate and composed progressive rock, rising and falling throughout the song. “Like a River” was introduced as we were advised to ‘Dance like a hoedown’, a perfect upbeat tune to cap off the opening set on. Taking with guitarist Sean Hill afterwards, he professed his love for the guitar work of none other than Jimmy Herring, who’s steadfast focus could be heard in “When You’re Gone”.

    the assortment of crayonsThe Assortment of Crayons is Sean Hill (guitar/vocals), Matthew Richards (keyboards/vocals) Jack Singer (bass/vocals), Erik Hill (guitar/vocals) and Eric Segerstrom (drums). You can check out more from The Assortment of Crayons on their website and on Facebook. Stay tuned for more coverage of this great band from .

    Setlist: Happenstance>Courier, To Trust a Stranger, Molly Gagging Lolly, Leroy’s Adventure, When You’re Gone, Like a River.

    As many times as I have seen Albany’s Timbre Coup, Saturday was one of their best shows. They kept the energy at a high point all night, barely letting up with their electronic jams and great flow. Timbre Coup does have a dark side to their jams but I was happy that they didn’t venture too deep into it this time. A great surprise was the debut of hearing “All Night Long”, originally by Lionel Richie, catching the crowd off guard and resulting in massive cheers. “Mother Nature’s Baby Daddy” brought an intense heavy rock mode to the venue with slamming guitar riffs.  I was stoked to hear “September”, a groovy rock techno melody from their latest album, Knuckles & Valleys. As a bonus, the night’s performance was recorded for an upcoming live album release. Fans can catch Timbre Coup performing this summer at Bellstock and The Big Up Festival.

    Set 1: Takes Awhile, Running Always, All Night Long*, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Verbal Kint> Jam> CTS, Mother Nature’s Baby Daddy

    Set 2: Gurfin> Jam>55, Z#, Roland Opus, Snoop Tiger, Chupacabra, September

    Encore: I Didn’t Know She had a Moustache

    *debut

  • Mountain Jam 2013: A Photographer’s Perspective

    While Thursday at Mountain Jam 2013 was rainy and cold, the music kept things warm.  People braved the weather to enjoy incredible sets from Rubblebucket and Primus.  Along the hillside were even some fire dancers and fire eaters.  The ceremonies started with a smudging to purify the air and good vibes for the weekend.  Mountain Jam was about to begin and Thursday was full of energy and excitement.  How better to end the night than a late night set from the powerful duo known as Big Gigantic.

    When the sun came up on Friday, it was sadly behind thevclouds.  Most campers slept in their cars as tents were blown over and rivers of mud passed through the grounds.  Braving the weather, coffee was my original quest.  After that first cup of Joe, it didn’t matter how much it rained, music was in the air and caffeine was in the blood.  Friday brought  incredible acts such as Nicki Bluhm, Deer Tick, The Avett Brothers and Widespread Panic.  Mud wasn’t going to stop Mountain Jam, it was just going to add character.

    Saturday finally came with a weather report that included No Rain! Yay!  And what a day on Hunter Mountain.  From Swear and Shake, Amy Helm and Gary Clark, Jr. on the side stage to Michael Franti, The Lumineers and Gov’t Mule on the main stage, Saturday was non-stop jams, non-stop dancing and well, still a little slippery in the mud, but at least it wasn’t raining.  The theme of the day was going into the audience, as Franti and the Lumineers got up close and personal with the crowd.

    Sunday fit it’s name perfectly – it was a sunny day and finally the mud started to dry up and spirits were truly soaring.  While some people left early for their Monday lives, the ones that were able to stay saw some great performances.  London Souls bassist passed out backstage Soulive bassist filled in.  ALO, Dispatch, Jackie Greene and of course Phil Lesh and Friends.  I even got a sneak peak of upcoming Spencer on the inside stage.  Remember that name, you will be hearing it often and soon on the radio.