Category: Show Reviews

The Crossroads Guitar Festival Took Over Madison Square Garden on April 12 and 13

The world’s most famous arena got a heavy load of jaw-dropping guitar work for two straight nights as The Crossroads Guitar Festival came to Madison Square Garden on April 12^th and 13^th.

This was the fourth festival that has been put together by Eric Clapton to benefit his Crossroads Centre in Antigua, which helps treat people addicted to alcohol and other drug dependencies. Every three years since 2004, Eric brings together a bunch of his friends and fellow musicians for an all-star concert to raise money for the Centre. A big part of the event has always been guitarists sitting in with each other to play some songs together and this year was no different. This was the first time it has been held indoors and both nights sold out instantly. Prior to both shows, there was a showroom in the arena where some guitars that Eric himself has used in the past, as well as ones played by Stevie Ray Vaughn and Muddy Waters. There was also a Martin & Co. Guitar booth that had reproductions of some of Eric’s guitars for sale. Seeing these guitars in person was amazing and made everyone there dream they could make these guitars “talk” like Eric has for so many years.

The first evening started with Eric, joined by Willie Weeks and Steve Jordan on bass and drums respectively, playing a short acoustic set. Soon Andy Fairweather Low and Vince Gill were on the stage helping Eric finish his short acoustic set. A beautiful “Tears in Heaven” saw the crowds’ first of many roars throughout the evening and this was followed by a great “Lay Down Sally” and “Wonderful Tonight.” The crowd gave a standing ovation as Eric left the stage. Dan Akroyd was the emcee for both nights and continuously gave excellent introductions to the oncoming acts. He is a man who knows and appreciates music and was the perfect person for the job. Next came Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper to the stage. They went right into “Time is Tight,” made famous by the pair when they were in Booker T. & the M.G.’s. Matt “Guitar” Murphy and Albert Lee then joined the evening for a take on “Hip Hug Her.” Matt, Albert, and Steve were trading licks left and right, each showing that they still can rock after all these years. Keb’ Mo’ joined the group for “Born Under a Bad Sign” and stayed out for the set closing “Green Onions” that finally let Booker T let loose among the guitarists. The crowd went wild at the end of the song and everyone on stage seemed truly touched that they were getting this kind of ovation. It was great to see legends getting the respect that they deserved.

A staple of the festival has been Robert Cray and he put on quite a show. Before inviting guests out for the rest of his set, he was killing the guitar for two blues numbers. What followed next was an absolute highlight of the festival as B.B. King came out for “Let the Good Times Roll” and “Sweet 16.” B.B. King is 87 now and he can still play a mean guitar and have a great time on stage. Robert and B.B. King started a call and response during the songs and the crowd ate up every second of it. To close the set Jimmie Vaughn and Eric came out to play “Everyday I Have the Blues” with Robert and B.B. King. Each guitarist took a solo and wowed the crowd with each new person’s solo getting a bigger reaction than the last. It could clearly be seen that these friends were just having an absolutely amazing time playing together for the crowd. Sonny Landreth then got to play a song on a side stage while the next act was being set up. He is such an impressive guitarist to watch play. The sounds that come out are like nothing you have ever heard before. Doyle Bramhall II was the next main act and he played a great set of funky rock and roll. Citizen Cope and Gary Clark Jr. joined him during the set and although the crowd wasn’t as responsive as they were during other moments for the festival, the guitarists still killed each song that they chose to play.

Next was Phillip Sayce on one of the side stages. He won a contest from Ernie Ball to play at the festival and he made the most of his five minutes and put on a display of pure shredding on the guitar. It was different than everything else on the festival’s bill and it was great. Earl Klugh, a jazz guitarist came out with a bass player on the other side stage next and all of a sudden Madison Square Garden was turned into a jazz lounge for ten minutes. Earl can play his guitar so fast it’s amazing to watch. The contrast of these two guitarists back to back really showed how this instrument can be played in any way that you want to and still sound amazing. Kurt Rosenwinkle followed and got some help from Allan Holdsworth for his second song, but it was Eric’s appearance for the last two songs of the set that got the crowd back into the evenings events. Kurt let Eric take the lead on the songs and Eric made his guitar sing as he is known to do. Eric really got to let loose on the blues with the last song of the set, “Way Down that Lonesome Road.”

Gary Clark Jr. was put on a side stage for night one and he played both the guitar and drums at the same time. Watching him do this was awesome. He is a very skilled musician and I think he is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the music world sooner rather than later. The crowd gave a loud ovation for John Mayer, who came out and played some great blues. Keith Urban came out to close the set with him on a cover of The Beatles’ song “Don’t Let Me Down.” The two stunned the crowd with this great version of the song. This is a must hear song from the weekend. Buddy Guy with Quinn Sullivan and Robert Randolph followed and played a three song set of pure blues. “Someone Else is Slippin” was a barn burner as each guitarist got a moment to shine with Buddy going last and showing why he is a legend. The crowd loved every moment of the set and seeing Buddy Guy, like B.B. King, should always be seen as something special. Keb’ Mo’ and Dan Akroyd then got a moment to pay tribute to Muddy Waters with “I Got My Mojo Working” and did a fantastic job of honoring the man. After the song was over, Akroyd gave an amazing introduction for the evening’s headliner, The Allman Brothers.

The Allman Brothers came out and wasted no time going right into “Don’t Want You No More/Ain’t My Cross to Bear.” Greg was in strong form vocally and Derek and Warren were trading guitar licks left and right. Greg then introduced Taj Mahal, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas for a hot version of “Statesboro Blues” that saw Taj and Greg trading vocals, with the guitarists having fun deciding who got to solo when. “Black Hearted Woman” followed and then Eric came out to play “Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad” that saw Derek play Duane’s gold Les Paul. The crowd went wild throughout the song and the solos were some of the best of the night. With a wave goodbye Eric left the stage as The Allman’s started “Whipping Post” and what a version it was. Warren and Derek really got time to shine during the song, each taking lengthy solos. The entire crowd was on their feet for the whole set and it was a perfect way to end night one of the festival.

Night two of the Crossroads Festival started with a set by Sonny Landreth. It was a beautiful instrumental set with Derek Trucks joining him for the first of his appearances on this night. They traded slide guitar solos for two songs, with “Cherry Ball Blues” getting the better solos from both of them. The crowd erupted at the end of the set showing their appreciation for the amazing musicianship they had just seen. A quick two song solo acoustic set by Doyle Bramhall II followed and it was beautiful. Doyle is a great player and for his second song he invited John Mayer for a take on the Stevie Ray Vaughn song “Change It.” The crowd was more alive through the first two sets of the evening than they were most of night one.

Some Texas flavored blues followed with Jimmie Vaughn and his band. His set didn’t seem to completely win over the crowd, but it was a good set by a great legend and he received a good hand from the crowd as he stepped off. Blake Mills, a young guitarist, came out for his solo set next and played one song before inviting Derek to join him for an amazing take on “Save the Last Dance for Me.” It was a very interesting version with Derek playing slide like only he can, mixing with Blake’s high vocals. It was a great combo for a great song. Los Lobos took the stage next and destroyed Madison Square Garden. Susan Tedeschi assisted on vocals with their first song “Burn It Down.” It was a great song and soon Robert Cray was out for “Just Got To Know.” Robert and the band were just having fun on stage, playing off of each other and absolutely killing this old blues song. After the song was over Eric Clapton came out for “Tin Can Trust” and took over the venue. The whole crowd erupted as Eric’s solo in the song soared throughout the arena. Los Lobos’ set was one of the better ones of the two nights. It was straight fire from note one.

What followed next was a big surprise. It was unknown if The Allman Brothers were going to play night two, or if they were just the headliner for night one. Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks came out and played a great rendition of “Old Friend”. Warren then told the crowd to welcome in Greg Allman. The crowd was immediately on their feet, showering the musicians with love. They covered Neil Young’s “The Needle and The Damage Done” and it was gorgeous. Greg was in fine form vocally and Warren and Derek took their solos, much to the crowd’s approval. “Midnight Rider” followed and the entire Garden crowd was singing along with Greg. As the song ended, the crowd gave one of, if not the loudest roar of the two nights. Everyone wanted more from the three of them, but it was time for the next act which, once introduced, maintained the energy in the building.

Vince Gill, Albert Lee and Keith Urban came out and did a set of covers. Vince took the lead on Waylon Jennings’ “I Ain’t Living Long Like This” followed by Albert taking Ray Charles’ “Leave My Woman Alone.” Both of these songs were excellent and saw great playing throughout. Keith took the lead next on “Tumbling Dice” by The Rolling Stones and truly shined. All three of them took turns on Dire Straits’ “Setting Me Up” and each did such an amazing job. Their solos were all scorching and kept the crowd going wild after the partial Allmans set. Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal came out for an acoustic set next. They both played resonator guitars in honor of doing a full delta blues set. They started with Robert Johnson’s “Walkin’ Blues” and they were obviously ready to have fun. Taj Mahal always has a good time on stage and really got the crowd going throughout the mini set as well as making Keb’ laugh while he was playing the lead guitar.

Following the blues, we got back to back sets of nothing but loud electric guitar from Gary Clark Jr. and Jeff Beck. Gary came out ready to rock and destroyed the stage during his three song set. He is one of the best young guitarists around right now and showed why he was given a spot on stage with all of these legends. Jeff Beck followed with his own mastery on the instrument. His music is very abstract and goes from blues to rock in mere moments. With the help of a drummer, bassist, violinist, and guest vocalist Jeff was able to construct a great set that was greeted with roars from the crowd. Buddy Guy followed with a two song acoustic set. He had wowed people the first night with his electric set, so it was very nice to see a stripped down version of this blues legend. During his first song “74 Years Young” he joked with the crowd, as he always does, stating “Actually everyone, I’m 76 Years Young”. Buddy is always a pleasure to see and it was a great calm before the storm of the finale.

The stage was dark as the figures emerged and the front of the orchestra began going crazy. Everyone knew it was time for Eric Clapton’s headlining set, but when the lights came on there was a special surprise guest with him. The one and only Keith Richards had come out with Eric to play a couple of tunes. They started with “Key to the Highway” and traded licks throughout. They continuously shared smiles with each other and to see these two legends on stage together was worth the price of admission alone. Keith stated how happy he was to be around and it was time to rock and roll as they went into “Sweet Little Rock & Roller.” With a bow, Keith left and out came Robbie Robertson who also got to play two songs with Eric. Before the second song Robbie stated “This is in remembrance of friends who are no longer here” as they went into “I Shall Be Released.” At the conclusion of the song the crowd gave a stunning ovation for the once member of The Band. Eric continued the onslaught with “Got to Get Better in a Little While” and the namesake of the festival, “Crossroads.” Eric has been playing “Crossroads” slower in recent years, but this was the closest to the rocking Cream version than anything he has done lately. Eric’s hands were flying all over the fret board as he took the song to great heights.

“Little Queen of Spades” followed and gave Chris Stainton the chance to shine on the keys for the first time all night. He is one of the best keyboardists in rock and roll and he pushed Eric to take a great solo on this blues number. With a little jam intro, the band went into psychedelic mode with “Sunshine of Your Love.” Doyle and Eric traded licks and vocals on the great Cream song. When anyone else plays the guitar next to Eric, it seems like they are trying so much harder than he is. The ease of Eric playing and the smoothness of his movements remain unmatched. With a thank you and a promise to see everyone in three years, Eric brought out many of the guitarists from the two evenings of music for “High Time We Went.” Each guitarist got a solo with Eric getting the last one bringing the festival to a close. This was an amazing festival for a great cause and the amount of guitar work that was seen would be hard to ever repeat.

April 25, 2013
Blues Legend B.B. King plays The Massry Center’s 5th Anniversary Gala, April 14th

When the Massry Center for the Arts at The College of Saint Rose set out to plan their 5th anniversary gala on Sunday, April 14th 2013, they looked to go big and find an act that would fit the evening. After a brief search, the name of the greatest living blues guitarist was thrown into the mix. Ultimately, B.B. King was selected to play for a select crowd of 300 patrons, donors and students of Saint Rose, making for an intimate experience, one the crowd would not soon forget.

The Massry and Picotte families were honored for their donations towards the Massry Center and the Picotte Recital Hall, respectively. Starting sharply at 7:45 that evening, the band, minus B.B., came out on the stage and began 10 minutes of swinging jazz orchestration, warming up the toes of the crowd as they tapped and swayed them into the groove as each horn took a vibrant solo.

The band beckoned the crowd for growing applause, as B.B. King walked out from stage right, with white tufts of hair covering his head and a signature purple jacket with a gold and silver pattern. King tossed out some guitar picks before sitting down gently, taking Lucille by the neck and plucked her strings to bring forth that signature sound, the one that every blues guitarist alive seeks to imitate, for that golden sound of blues guitar from B.B. King’s fingers is unmistakable to even the casual fan.

B.B.’s band, all incredible individual musicians in their own right, took their own solos throughout the evening, including Charles Dennis on guitar, ‘Professor’ Stanley Abernathy on trumpet, Melvin Jackson on sax, James Sells Toney on keyboards, Robert Higgins on drums, Ron Torbensen on bass and B.B.’s nephew Walter Riley King on flute and baritone saxaphone. In every song, B.B. would defer to them, as they brought each tune to new heights, only to be accented by King’s own guitarwork.

With B.B. King out on stage, he sat down front and center and moved into “I Need You So,” with the keys eliciting symphonic strings for a soothing opener. “Everyday I Have the Blues,” one of many classics over the course of the evening, brought the voice of the King to the forefront, with a little plucking as the band played and he strutted in his seat. The horns on “Rock me Baby” added so much to the sound of guitar, it created a perfect accent for the evening. “So Excited” started out with an extended instrumental before the lyrics of a love’s lament, “I’m so excited, think about you all the time, Yes I can’t wait to see you baby, You really messed up my mind.” About this time I noticed the incredible detail on B.B.s jacket, which stood out like a peacock showing off his feathers, enticing the audience to come in just a little bit more towards each song he sang. A high saxophone solo provided a great contribution to “So Excited”, while B.B. made it look so easy to play the blues, the notes just popping off his fingers.

Audience participation was unexpected, but welcomed by all, with the classic tune “You are my Sunshine”, sans horns, just guitars, keys and drums. B.B. encourages the crowd to sing along early on in the tune with him, then solo, then the crowd reignited the singing without prompt. B.B. invited the women to sing a verse, then give a kiss to a guy near them, which led to humorous banter with the front row of the school’s dignitaries. Encouraging the ladies to sing and kiss a guy near them again, King counted off to 4 (at a slow pace – one, one and a half, two, two and a half…) and got the crowd kissing again. To extend the song just a bit longer, he remarked that “a few guys didn’t get kissed, so pucker up next time”, which elicited uproarious laughter from the crowd before another sing along of the refrain from the audience.

Getting back to the classics, “The Thrill is Gone” bled from the strings, and with seats so close, I could hear each string plucked as B.B. King worked through the song. “Someone Really Loves You” was accompanied by flute and the delicate notes were enhanced by the Picotte Recital Hall’s incredible acoustics. “Love Came to Town” got progressively more toe-tappy and invigorating, leading to louder horns amid full swinging blues and an audience clap along.

For the finale of the night, B.B. mentioned a tune that he used to play with Willie Nelson at the end of shows when they toured together in 2008. “When the Saints go Marching in”, the ultimate song for New Orleans. B.B. grooved over the song, sang the memorable lyrics and then casually invited individuals from the audience to come up and get additional guitar picks, commemorative pendants or a handshake, as well as a beaming smile. This led to a true moment for many in the audience (this chance to meet the King lasted for well over 30 minutes) – to interact with a legend who has shared the gift of his music for nearly three quarters of his life. God bless B.B. King.

Setlist: Intro 1, Intro 2, I Need You, Everyday I have the Blues, Rock me Baby, So Excited, You are my Sunshine, The Thrill is Gone, Someone Really Loves You, Love Came to Town, When the Saints go Marching In

April 19, 2013
Review: Assembly of Dust at The Westcott Theater, April 13th

A content crowd of harmless hippies from all around the Finger Lakes region gathered at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater on Saturday night to watch Assembly of Dust. From a cloud of fragrant smoke, the band emerged on stage with their opener “Telling Sue”. Barely seconds into the song, the audience begins to mouth the lyrics to the song.

With Reid Genauer’s organic, raspy vocals and Adam Terrell’s Chuck-Ragan-esque raw attitude, the duo share chemistry that injects energy in their set. After the upbeat performance of “Paul Henry”, the band included instrumental interludes to go along with their cosmic lighting backdrop. Between the high strung guitar solos and the shimmering tinkle of the keyboard, it was as if every note had diffused itself like a pleasant haze over the audience. Assembly of Dust then played the synthy title track of their new record, Sun Shot, which was received by the audience with a roar of applause.

For someone who is not the biggest fan of the bluegrass-jam-band genre, this reviewed found it exhilarating to watch such a great band draw such a diverse crowd together.

Setlist:

Set 1: Telling Sue, Man With a Plan, Whistle Creek, Myth of Mine, Paul Henry, Avenue of the Giants, Love Junkie, Arkansas Down, Truck Farm

Set 2: Mama, Weekhawken Ferry, Speculator, Burned Down, Cluttered, Songbeard, Silver And Worn,
Westerly, Sunshot

Encore: Miss Ohio, Lost and Amazed

Download the show here

April 18, 2013
EVERYONE DIES IN UTAH Kill the Lost Horizon on April 6th with Local Support

Last Saturday, April 6th, Everyone Dies In Utah came to the Lost Horizon in Syracuse on their Dark Hearts & Open Eyes tour with The Overseer and Bleach Blonde. To support them were some of the finest upstate metal acts: Redfield, Meira, and Turn the Tide. This show was exactly what it promised to be; a showcase for up-and-coming talent in the various forms of underground music. While the bands all did very well and had good energy, the crowd seemed less enthusiastic. I’m not sure why this is the case, but by the end of the night, EDIU most certainly made the crowd come alive.

Local metalcore sextet Turn the Tide opened the show and did what they always do; they “kept it metal”. Their high-energy stage presence and tight stage-move choreography kept things interesting, on top of talented musicianship and vocals. Not even drummer Mike Hopper’s overhead microphone falling on top of his drum set could stop the flow of their musical onslaught. However, being the first band has some serious drawbacks, and the crowd didn’t really give these guys as much energy as they deserved.

Following them was Meira, a metalcore quartet that sounds like there are way more people than that. Playing songs from last year’s debut EP, Closure, plus a new song, these guys brought their dark, brutal sound to the stage with full force. The crowd started to pick up a bit as they went on, and some dedicated fans revealed themselves and sang along with them. They showed a lot of promise and cohesiveness with just the four of them, and proved that they are not messing around.

Redfield, a local fan favorite, was the last local band to play. This metalcore act has gone through some lineup changes to date, and I think some of it showed. The vocals and rhythm section were spot-on, and brought the familiar partying energy we’ve all come to know and love, but it seemed as though at least one of the guitarists were new to the band and still needed to learn parts of some songs. However, vocalist Travis Bartlett carried the energy they are known for and engaged the crowd well, and induced some singing along of their newest songs.

Pop-punk band Bleach Blonde were next, and they created some mixed feelings. They have a light, fun sound, and the music itself was performed excellently. Their drummer truly stood out with his skill and fills, but the whole band kept it together very well. That is, except for the singer. I don’t know if he couldn’t hear himself or what, but I don’t think he sang one note on key the entire show. That wouldn’t be too big of a problem if he wasn’t also boring on stage. This may sound harsh, but I think this band would have a much more promising future with a different singer.

The Overseer, the last supporting act, took the stage by storm and brought some life back to the crowd after the previous band had finished. With their engaging stage presence, musical skill, and varying effects, these guys most certainly made a good impression on the crowd. They proved to be nice guys too, hanging with the other bands and talking to the audience about Syracuse University in the Final Four between songs. This band is definitely one to watch, because as good as they already are, it can only go up from here.

When Everyone Dies In Utah took the stage, it was like a tidal wave. Strobe lights, keyboard effects, and brutal postcore music seemed to completely revive the crowd. It seemed many of the people in the crowd came to support the local bands, which is good, but the ones that stuck around to see EDIU were most certainly impressed. Somehow, they are able to combine brutally heavy verses and breakdowns, super catchy choruses and riffs, and electronica all into one distinct sound. They also proved to be nice guys, taking the time to talk to me for an interview after taking down the massive amount of equipment they had.

Here’s my interview with Everyone Dies In Utah:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogBYZeFC330

My interview with Meira:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSKIMvHpQvs

My second interview with Turn the Tide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0NRs6AyRvA

(Here’s my first interview with TTT, just so you’re all caught up and learn everyone’s names…):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTaX0cJz_N0

www.facebook.com/315MusicReviews

April 17, 2013
Johnny Mathis serenades fans at The Palace Theater in Albany on April 4th

Legendary singer Johnny Mathis performed last Thursday April 4^th at the Palace Theater in Albany, NY. I was originally told about this show by my parents, who grew up listening to his classic hits and were eager to see the crooner in action.

The Palace Theater was the ideal setting for a Johnny Mathis concert, given its rich history and architecture. The crowd slowly shuffled in with most of the fans being no younger than 55. It was an unfamiliar feeling for me to be one of the youngest concert goers at a show. I was both thrilled and surprised to see a full orchestra set up on stage. Knowing that The Palace Theater has plenty of space for the music to travel around in, I suddenly couldn’t wait for the show to start. Luckily for me and everyone else, Johnny Mathis started the show at 8pm on the dot and was greeted with a slow-rising standing ovation.

The opener was “When I Fall in Love”, to which I had never heard such utter silence from a crowd. Every set of eyes and ears were locked on Mr. Mathis, giving him his much deserved attention and respect. He stated how he was “thrilled to be at The Palace” and was going to play some songs that we’ve all heard before but he loved to sing them. After a few notes, it was easy to understand why Johnny Mathis has broken the Guinness World Record for selling over 350 million of his various gold and platinum albums worldwide. Despite being 78 years old, Johnny Mathis can still sing every word as crisp and clear as on his albums, and still with great gusto. Mathis sang his classic hits such as “It’s Not For Me to Say” and my favorite, “Chances Are.” The songs were filled with charming doo-wops and sincere, long sustained notes.

Throughout the entire show, at the start of every song, the whole audience would sigh and swoon. Johnny Mathis would sing a few notes, the crowd would sigh in admiration and I could hear the folks around me gently singing the lyrics to each other. As humorous as it was, it was still heartwarming to be included in a nostalgic evening for concert-goers. Mathis ended the first set with an emotional cover “Yesterday” by The Beatles. There was a brief intermission where comedian Brad Upton kept guests entertained with clean cut jokes about today’s youth and their obsession with technology, the humor of getting older plus plenty of marriage/relationship advice. Mr. Upton delivered each punch line with charm that it was no surprise that he won the crowd over in just a few laughs. Brad Upton recently was the winner of the Las Vegas Comedy Festival and has appeared at Caesar’s Palace as part of the HBO Comedy Festival.

Johnny Mathis began the second set with the recognizable song “Pure Imagination” from the film Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. One of Mathis’ signature songs, “Misty”, received plenty of cheers due to the soaring string section and tender lyrics. The second set was mellow and easy going until Johnny Mathis brought up his fellow band mate and “Dear friend of 48 years”, Gil Reigers to center stage. The crowd got antsy as this was a sure sign that the two would play “12^th of Never”, a warm ballad with gentle guitar strumming from Reigers. Johnny Mathis ended the evening by serenading the crowd with the classic song “You’ll Never Know” and thanking the talented orchestra, loyal band mates, his dedicated fans and of course, the beautiful venue, The Palace Theater.

April 12, 2013
The Black Crowes at The Capitol Theatre, Port Washington, April 2nd and 3rd

Playing their first shows in the United States since December 2010, The Black Crowes came to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester to packed houses for a two night stand of amazing music at the legendary venue, a big change for the band since last playing in the U.S. with the addition of Jackie Greene.

Jackie has played with numerous people over the years including Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Warren Haynes and many others and was a welcome addition to the band. A big ovation greeted them as they came out on the 2nd and displayed big smiles, with the band launching into “Twice As Hard” followed quickly by “Sting Me.” This one-two punch forced the already excited crowd out of control. The fans were happy to have their band back and the band accepted the love and gave their all through the music.

On both nights, Jackie Greene and Rich Robinson played off of one another perfectly. Individually, each has the ability to take the lead at any point in any song that is performed. Although Jackie is new to the band, he stood right there alongside Rich, trading guitar licks as if he’d been there for years. The back and forth between the two made the show move without giving up for a second. Steve Gorman and Sven Pipien kept the beat going and matched the intensity of the guitarists on drums and bass respectively. Adam MacDougall had time to shine on the keys each night. One of the few songs to be repeated, “Thorn In My Pride,” saw Adam destroy his keys to the pleasure of the fans. Chris Robinson was in fine vocal form both nights. His voice echoed throughout the hallowed halls of The Cap both nights showing no signs of wear and tear from the years of being on the road.

Each night saw a mini acoustic set by the band, starting with beautiful versions of “She Talks To Angels”; Jackie plays the mandolin for this and it is a wonderful addition to the song. The first night they went into a standout version of “Whoa Mule” from 2008’s Warpaint, while the second night they brought a new take on “My Morning Song.” This acoustic version of “Morning Song” was a different take than anything I have heard before from the band. When electric, this song is usually jammed out to its full spacey extent, but this version saw the jamming in the middle become concise and beautiful. It is a must hear from the two night run.

The encores at the end of each night paid respects to bands that have preceded them. Night one ended on “Hard To Handle”, a tune that nearly everyone know and was by far their first hit, but all of a sudden the band flowed right into Deep Purple’s “Hush” and completed it before going back into “Hard To Handle.” The Black Crowes have always had a love of covering bands that have come before them and this was no exception. It was a beautiful nod to the past, while still showing that there is more to come from this band. The two night stand ended with a take on Delaney and Bonnie’s “Poor Elijah – Tribute To Robert Johnson Medley,” giving the band yet another opportunity to show they have many surprises up their sleeves.

The Black Crowes have always been a fun band to see in person. With these shows, they showed that they are in this game for the long haul. The addition of Jackie Greene has made them even stronger than when they went on hiatus in 2010. Be on the lookout for them as they tour throughout this year. These guys are not to be missed with the way they are playing right now, and remember, these were just the first two shows of the tour. Many more surprises are sure to be heard as they get comfortable being on the road again.

April 2nd Setlist: Twice As Hard, Sting Me, Think N Thin, Hotel Illness, Medicated Goo, Ballad in Urgency, Wiser Time, She Talks to Angels, Whoa Mule, Hi Head Blues, Soul Singing, Thorn In My Pride, Remedy, Jealous Again, Been A Long Time (waiting On Love) Encore: Feathers, Hard To Handle>Hush>Hard To Handle

April 3rd Setlist: Jealous Again, Think N Thin, Halfway To Everywhere, Space Captain, Sister Luck, Wiser Time, She Talks To Angels, My Morning Song, She Gave Good Sunflower, By Your Side, Soul Singing, Sometimes Salvation, Remedy, Goodbye Daughters Of The Revolution, Thorn In My Pride Encore: Descending, Poor Elijah – Tribute To Robert Johnson Medley

April 11, 2013
The Machine, April 6th, Westcott Theater

This past Saturday Night I got the chance to experience The Machine at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse.

The Machine started the set with thumping of a heart beat from “Speak to me”, then segued into “Breathe”, followed by “Time”, just as on Dark Side of the Moon, drawing everyone to the front of the stage. The entire show was accompanied by a spectacular light and fog show that set the atmosphere for the entire evening. From there, the band played “What do you want from me” and “Happiest Days of our lives”, then took a short setbreak before returning with “Pigs on the Wing” and “Dogs”.

Later in the show, renditions of “Wish you were Here” and “Comfortably Numb” led to the crowd singing along in unison. There was an eerie circus sound made when the band moved into “Waiting for the Worms” and the “Trial”, off the soundtrack to The Wall. The crowd reciprocated by holding up their arm’s in X’s, just as in The Wall. The Machine finished with an encore of “Outside of the Wall”, a spectacular way to end the night.

For more information on The Machine, visit their Facebook and MySpace pages

April 11, 2013
Review: OTHERWISE hits the Northeast

The crew began setting up the small stage before the crowd, as they began to pile in closer and closer. Band members, Corky Gainsford (drums) and Vassilios Metropoulos (bass) stepped on the stage, preparing their instruments for the exciting night ahead of us. The testing of the instruments and mics had the crowd itching for the band to start playing. Some of the girls cheered and squealed excitedly as Adrian Patrick (lead vocals) passed through the crowd, his hood up, darkening his face, heading towards the bar room, pacing, prepping himself to blow us away with his powerful pipes. Both the other Patrick brother, Ryan (lead guitar), and Andrew Pugh (guitar) stepped upon the testing his guitar, the anticipation rising with every waking second.

Finally, the moment everyone was waiting for, the lights to dim and the familiar sound of the very first track on their record, True Love Never Dies, filled the ears of the concertgoers, letting the crowd know the crazy night was to begin. Adrian made his way through the crowd yet again and used two fans (or in Otherwise terms, “Wise Onez”) as support as he stepped upon the stage. The familiar guitar riff began to the tune; “Die For You” got the whole crowd pumping their fists and bouncing to the rhythm, some whipping their hair in a wild manner. Adrian began to sing the lyrics with the voice the crowd all knew and loved. Needless to say, his primal scream blew everybody away. After the performance of the first song and “Lighthouse”, the crowd was really ready to rock to what Adrian said was their “party anthem”, “Vegas Girl”. The catchy guitar riffs played by the incredible Ryan bounced off the walls of the tiny venue, the some of the women in cheered drunkenly as they raised their drinks in the air and moved their bodies to the rhythm of the song. Adrian’s moves on the stage had the ladies cheering louder, whipping their hair crazily. The energy in the room whilst the song was playing was insane; this band knew how to get their fellow Wise Onez going. The next song to play was their latest single, “I Don’t Apologize (1000 Pictures)”, to which the whole crowd sang along to the words heard on the radio. Adrian moved closer to the fans, reached out to them, grabbing their hands, giving them a sense of the connection between the band and their ever-adoring fans.

The setlist changed to a slower song off their album, dedicated to lost loved ones, “Heaven”. It definitely was a beautiful, heartfelt song that tugged the heartstrings. Some fans pulled out their phones, using the backlight as a lighter and some used their lighter app, they all waved them to the tempo of the song. What was really touching was the passion and emotion in Adrian’s eyes. He then proceeded to tell the fans about their songs coming from the heart, that their music speaks the truth. He also talked about very eerie topics that gave the crowd a bit of the chills including how they have been in car accidents that they shouldn’t have walked away from. The band then played two back-to-back songs, “Shapes of Metal” and “Stop, Drop, and Roll”, both amazing songs that will haunt the back of the fans minds for quite sometime; those songs brought the high-energy vibe. After playing “Crimson”, Adrian took the liberty in introducing his amazing band mates, then Adrian encouraged the fans to scream for the opening bands, to scream for Otherwise and to scream for themselves, introducing, “Scream Now”. His ever-chilling scream had the hairs on the back of everyone’s neck stand. The crowd jumped to the beat of the drums.

Soon enough, the crowd got the hint the final act was coming to a close. Adrian stood tall, as did the rest of the band, as he encouraged the Wise Onez to pound their heart with their fist to the following the recognizable beat that Corky was playing. The pounding turned to clapping as Adrian sang the lyrics to the song that helped them become well known, “Soldiers”. He harmonized with the fans and continued to reach out to them, grabbing a fan by the hair, bringing him close and brought the mic to his face for him to sing with him. The connection in the room as the crowd sang along was unbelievable; it was such a strong feeling of engagement, it was almost very chilling. Adrian then jumped into the crowd, continuing to perform and bond with the fans. It was then really shown that this is a band that is passionate about their music; this is a band that is passionate about their fans. The band before the Wise Onez, they are a band of brothers, they are soldiers.

The night left the crowd in such a buzz. Wild, enthusiastic grins were plastered upon their faces. They got to meet the band, took pictures with them and received autographs. The brisk, cold air washed over the faces of the fans as they left the venue, their ears rang with the incredible setlist played before them. This was a night that will never be forgotten, a night where the spotlight revealed the true soldiers of music.

April 8, 2013
Another Fantastic snoe.down with moe., Strangefolk, Eastbound Jesus, Tauk and more, March 21st-24th, Rutland, VT

Upstate New York favorite ‘local’ band, moe., hosted their 5^th annual snoe.down Music Festival over March 21st-24th in Rutland, Vermont at both Killington Resort and Spartan Arena. The weekend was full of moe., who gave an outdoor performance at Bear Mountain on Saturday to fans and winter sports enthusiasts, while performing Friday and Saturday evening in Rutland, as well as a special acoustic Sunday show for the VIP crowd at the Wobbly Barn at Killington. Throughout the weekend, guests had a wide array of musical acts to enjoy such as Marco Benevento, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk and Strangefolk.

There was no better way to kick off the first weekend of Spring and the start of festival season than with a weekend dedicated to winter sports and talented musicians. The weekend started for me on Friday at the K1 lodge at Killington. The lodge was packed with tons of skiers and boarders, loading up on food and checking out the first act of the day, Tauk. The electronic rockin’ sound soon filled up the room and brought in plenty of people off the slopes. Matt Jalbert was on fire with funky guitar riffs and Charlie Dolan was unstoppable providing steady, groovy bass lines. Alric “A.C.” Carter went wild on his keys during “I Want You (She’s so Heavy)”, causing the audience to cheer while Isaac Teel kept the pop and jazzy rhythm going strong on drums. Throughout the entire set, the four-piece band was smiling and grooving just as much as the crowd was. My favorite part was how each song escalated into the next song, with great transitions. When asked about the show and weekend, Charlie Dolan reported, “We thought the set went very well! It was our first time playing a show since we finished up our CD, always refreshing to play in front of a good crowd. It was definitely our first time playing in a ski lodge, hopefully not the last. The rest of the weekend was great! Obviously, since we got to see moe. play.”

Before their music even started, I was excited to see what would come out of The Primate Fiasco, just from the array of instruments they had. The band took the stage with a banjo, clarinet, sousaphone, saxophone and the classic drum set, all of which I have never seen together at one time on one stage. Best described as a psychedelic Dixieland jam band, The Primate Fiasco quickly drew a dance crowd just with their soundcheck alone. Their vast musical arrangements flowed from original works to covers such as Ween’s “Roses are Free”, John Williams’ great score from Star Wars and various genres of tunes that anyone can enjoy dancing to. The energy was at a constant high with each band member being a driving force of talent and sound. The lodge was turned into a Mardi Gras party from the bellowing of the brass section, the fast finger pickings of the banjo and jazzy beats. It was my favorite act of the entire snoe.down weekend.

The scenic drive from Killington to Rutland wove around the mountain side and river’s edge, leading to the main drag in Rutland where there was plenty of food options as well as hotels, all a quick walk to the Spartan Arena. Inside the venue were multiple stands set up that you could find at any parking lot scene, offering shirts, stickers and various other merchandise. The ice-hockey-rink-turned-concert-hall provided great sound throughout the venue. Dumpstaphunk hit the stage and unleashed the groove as everybody started to get down. The New Orleans band plays with the great soul of classic funk and mixes it with modern twist. Ivan Neville, the master of the keys, wears a permanent smile while he pours his heart all over the organ. The wide range of vocals that the musicians sing propelled all to shout out in unison. The newest member of Dumpstaphunk, Nikki Glaspie, is a no joke and a true female drumming machine. I couldn’t get enough of the bass bombs being dropped by Nick Daniels and Tony Hall and the intense guitar jamming from Ian Neville

Following the funk filled set, moe. started their set with “Captain America” creating an explosive response from the fans. The Upstate New York band eased into a flawless “Recreational Chemistry” and shared the stage with Ivan Neville for “Happy Hour Hero” and a cover of The Meters’ “Cissy Strut”. Said Al, “I can’t stop smiling. It’s fantastic” sharing his feelings during Al.nouncements at the conclusion of the set. The night ended with “St. Augustine”, a groovy, light-hearted song that left the crowd in anticipation for the rest of the weekend.

moe. setlist:

Set 1: Captain America > Recreational Chemistry, Bring It Back Home, Happy Hour Hero*, Cissy Strut*, Bullet >Kyle’s Song (* w/ Ivan Neville on keys)

Set 2: Billy Goat > Tailspin, Opium, Faker > Tubing The River Styx > The Pit > Wind It Up

Encore: Augustine

Saturday’s festival goers were greeted with sunshine and snow showers as they geared up for the outdoor shows at Bear Mountain in Killington. The stage was set up at the bottom of the slopes and right next to the lodge, whose massive outdoor deck was full of people lined up to watch the show. The wooden deck was surrounded by snowboards and skis of all sizes and colors. Fans also had the option of standing in the beer tent area, located closer to the right of the stage. Bear Mountain was ablaze with all the brightly colored jackets, not to mention all the hats, scarfs, helmets and sunglasses. It was true sensory overload at its best.

I was most excited to see Eastbound Jesus, one of my favorite local bands from Albany. Despite the chill in the air, EBJ easily heated up the crowd with their high energy, bluegrass rock songs that echoed off the ski slopes. Loaded with steady drum beats and fast guitar, as well as banjo strumming all fed the foot stomping fans, which made the entire mountain shake. It was so much fun to dance in the snow and sing along with everyone to “Here’s to You” and “Holy Smokes.” Eastbound Jesus was happy to play requests from the audience, who couldn’t get enough of the fast buildups that erupted into a pure hillbilly bash. Carl Anderson the drummer had this to say, “It was cool to play outside, especially with the snow coming down. The heaters worked well on the stage though and we’re pretty used to playing while cold. It was cool to open for moe.; it was a fun weekend.”

moe. took the stage and wasted no time getting the party going by starting with “Stranger Than Fiction” straight into “Spaz Medicine.” The snow started to fall, and when mixed with the music, it created a whirlwind of sound that got stuck on my coat and melted into my beer. “Waiting For The Punchline” provided serious drum banging with relentless guitar riffs. As the snow fell harder and harder, the band joked at how ironic it was to have indoor shows cancelled from weather like this, yet we are all outside having a good time. They ended the set with one of my favorite moe. songs, “Spine Of A Dog” known for its absurd lyrics and light hearted jamming.

Setlist: Stranger Than Fiction >Spaz Medicine, Blue Jeans Pizza > Waiting For The Punchline, Jazz Wank > Akimbo, Okayalright

Encore: Spine Of A Dog

After fans drove back from the mountain, got some rest and food in them, the music continued at Spartan Arena with Strangefolk, formed in Burlington in the early 1990s and reunited as their original lineup only last year. Having only played 10 shows since last March, the quartet sounded like they had never stopped performing, moving through a set of classic tunes and rarities. Opening with “Elixer”, off Weightless in Water, the vibe became one that swayed hips and moved lips as fans sang along to the catchy tune, a common occurrence when you listen to Strangefolk’s combination of dual guitars and well written lyrics. “Dance” started out quiet and subdued, but slowly built up into a frenzy, compelling the crowd with lyrics such as “When you’re dancin’, dancin’, move your feet and lose your mind”, to which the arena obliged. A heavier “Chasing Away” had an edge to it, plus sandwiched inside of the song the rare “Pooh Bear’s Mistress”. Crowd favorite “Reuben’s Place” was supposed to close the set, but a misreading of time led Reid to conclude there were 25, then 10, minutes left in their set, leading to an onstage encore of “Stout Hearted Man”. Once again, Strangefolk were given a rousing ovation by a Vermont crowd, something the quartet were quite familiar with throughout the 1990s.

moe.s sets this evening led to a great deal of potential, because aside from the acoustic VIP set on Sunday, this was going to be the last set most would see until the band’s next shows in May. Opening with a scorching “32 things”, Chuck shredde guitar sections with Al, who was sporting one of the finest beards in the state (there are a lot of beards in Vermont). “Haze”, a relatively new song for moe. was a huge highlight of the night, with Al and Rob giving intense emotion to the refrain “Hey, Let’s go. I don’t care as long as you are there; Hey, Let’s go, Doesn’t really matter when or where”. Jon Trafton and Reid Genauer from Strangefolk joined the band for two extensive versions of The Band’s “Up on Cripple Creek” and moe.’s “Mexico”; Jon stood near Chuck smiling ear to ear as they tore up the song while Reid stood centerstage, grinning and playing intensely on his acoustic. After the setbreak, moe. opeend with crowd favorite “Buster” and segued quickly into “Runaway Overlude”. After a 16 minute “Puebla”, the band moved into an extended sandwich: Brent Black > Mar-DeMa > Brent Black > Meat > Brent Black, an incredible combination of song after song that wrapped up more than the last 30 minutes of their set. “That Country Tune” and “Godzilla” wrapped up the encore and a huge Saturday of music.

This weekend in Vermont with moe. and company was an incredible experience. Add in the skiing, beautiful scenery, late night revelry and sore muscles from dancing all weekend, and you know its the start of music festival season in the Northeast!

moe. Setlist:

Set 1: 32 Things, Shoot First, Haze, Y.O.Y., Up On Cripple Creek*^, Mexico* (* with Reid Genauer and Jon Trafton on guitar, ^Reid and Jon on vocals)

Set 2: Buster > Runaway Overlude, Where Does The Time Go?, Puebla > Brent Black > Mar-DeMa > Brent Black > meat > Brent Black

Encore: That Country Tune, Godzilla^ (^ Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin) teases)

April 5, 2013
Marco Benevento at the BSP Lounge in Kingston, March 30th

To close out March, the BSP Lounge had a fantastic night of music filled with creativity and improvisation and Marco Benevento.

The night started with Home Body, the wonderful music of Eric Hnatow and Haley Morgan. Their sound was just as unique as their look. Eric has a way of looping his keys around Haley’s soaring vocals that fuse the two together into one beautiful wall of sound. With dance moves that go along with the beat of their songs, Home Body is very entertaining. Another interesting part of their show is that they have lights arranged around them that meld perfectly with their music. It is one of the best do-it-yourself lightshows I have ever seen. Home Body is not to be missed when they come to your area if you are looking for interesting, creative, and experimental music to dance to.

Marco Benevento came to the stage next and slayed the crowd from the get-go with “Fireworks” that got the room moving immediately. There is a freedom to how Marco moves up and down the keys that forces the audience to guess what is coming next. He has become very comfortable leading the band into anything from his repertoire. The recent addition of vocals has added another layer to his music adding a beautiful new instrument to the mix for him to play with. The vocals are often manipulated by one of Marco’s toys on top of his piano and this makes it seem as if there is a hidden robot on stage that knows how to sing. This is just the beginning of a new way for Marco to experiment on stage in broadening his sound.

The talented Dave Dreiwitz on bass and Andy Borger on drums backed him throughout the evening and made it feel like a nonstop jam. Since the release of Tigerface, these three have been touring hard and the way they play off one another shows how confident this band is right now. All three are masters of their instruments and any song is possible for them, as was highlighted by the teases of The Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian” and LCD Soundsystem’s “Someone Great,” both of which occurred as tangents in the middle of original music. The night also saw the debut of new music that the three of them have been collaborating on and the direction that Marco’s music is going is great.

Though the crowd was not large, they were more than ready to show as much love as they could for what was happening on stage. They helped count off the beginning to “The Real Morning Party” and danced and shouted throughout the songs as though nothing else in the world mattered. The great “Limbs of a Pine” followed soon after and the jamming went wild as the tiger head Marco has on his piano was passed around for each musician to wear as they got their individual moment to shine. This is a trio not to miss as they are the top of their game and constantly looking to improve by trying out new ideas. They push one another to new musical heights that seem to have no limit. Marco Benevento can be seen at the Brooklyn Bowl on April 20^th.

April 5, 2013