Category: Show Reviews

Turkuaz and Giant Panda, Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, March 29th

On Friday, March 29^th, Turkuaz and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad jump-started the weekend playing at The Water Street Music Hall in Rochester. While the doors were said to open at 8 with a prompt show starting at 9, we found ourselves still waiting in a long stagnant line at 945. By the time it struck 10 an explosion of sound echoed through the venue as Turkuaz kicked off the night with “Chatte Lunatic”, a song from their new album Zerbert. The crowd danced their way inside and those there for Giant Panda were pleasantly surprised by an upbeat crowd-moving funk band with colorful jumpsuits and a boisterous sound.

I have only been afforded the opportunity to see Turkuaz twice before, once at Strangecreek in a late night cabin and once at Red Square in Albany, so seeing them in a venue this size did them much justice. The crowd exploded as guitarist Craig Brodhead went into an impressive jiving guitar solo during “Lookin’ Good Feelin’ Tough” which was equally matched by Michelangelo Carubba with a loud Bonham-strong drum solo.

The set included some noteworthy covers such as Joe Crocker’s “Feelin’ Alright” sang by saxophonist Josh Schwartz whose soulful voice and killer moves encouraged many of the audience members to sing along, and “Trampled Underfoot” by Led Zepplin which was lead by vocalist Geneva Williams whose golden locks and bright yellow jumpsuit created a picturesque vision of soulful 70’s and keyboardist Stephen Malinowski wrapped it up and brought it home with an equally epic solo.

The crowd applauded as Giant Panda took the stage, playing for the last time with keyboardist Aaron Lipp in their hometown. The energy shifted from upright funk to a low smooth reggae with a hard undertone and an untouchable beat. There was an emotional feel to the night as Giant Panda played crowd favorites such as “Missing You More”, “Undermove” and “Seasons Change”. Mixes of trance jam and low tempo groove carried the night away and the audience was dancing alongside of them every step of the way.

As the band came back from the encore, guitarist James Searl referenced Aaron Lipp’s departure and they touched back to their acoustic routes and played a song from their newest album Country. Switching back, Giant Panda threw down another long set carrying the crowd into a sea of smooth beats and funky bass lines and ended the night of truly dance worthy music.

April 4, 2013
Meg and Laura Get Lost in Austin: Ego Tripping at the Gates of the Austin Convention Center

There is something about SxSW that makes Meg and Laura want to hold hands and skip together and slide down a banister of razor blades into a pool of alcohol at the same time. By day three, the two of them were holding their heads in their hands, running on nothing but caffeine and two hours of sleep. After complaining about the nonexistence of cloning machines that would allow them to attend every amazing showcase at once over one, two, then three pots of coffee, they make peace with the fact that they just would have to prioritize.

That been said, Meg and Laura headed on over to the VH1 Cafe and tried to keep it cool as they weave their way around tables of celebrities to make their way to minimalist rapper, Zebra Katz. Laura suppressed the urge to point out that David Guetta just walked in as they sit down for the interview. The fashion-forward Zebra Katz shared the experiences that got him where he is today. He talked about growing up in New York City and how working as a staff manager at a catering company helped him in his rapping career. The graceful rapper rose out of the stereotype as he talked about the meaning behind the lyrics of “Ima Read” and the importance of education in society.

After the interview, Laura rushed to the Austin Convention Center and charmed her way to the front of the line for the SxSW interactive interview with Clive Davis. Bill Werde opened the interview with the question, “What do you do as the head of Columbia?” to which Clive Davis subtly responds, “You watch and you listen”. Though this industry executive has made enough contributions to the music industry for his work to speak for itself, he graciously tells all the stories behind the music. Werde tucks in controversy in his questions, asking the music mogul about his bisexuality, the on-going conflict with Kelly Clarkson and his reaction to Whitney Houston’s death. In the words of Werde “when you interview Clive Davis, you’re kind of just along for the ride”. This statement really couldn’t hold more true.

After the interview, Laura got her copy of “The Soundtrack to My Life” signed and lined up with Meg for the next panel. The two were ready to check off one major to-do off their bucket lists: seeing Stevie Nicks in person. And as the black dress donned Bella Donna herself took the stage, every empty night the duo spent singing along on the top of their lungs to “Edge of Seventeen” felt suddenly redeemed. Stevie Nicks dished on her experience with Fleetwood Mac and her decision to pursue her solo career along the way. She claimed that she just had so much music inside of her that not expressing it was not an option. “Yeah, Lindsay can go ahead and lock himself in a room, recording songs that no one will ever listen to but I had to put mine out there”. The singer-songwriter certainly doesn’t hold herself back at any point throughout the interview. Just like her music, her voice is raw and uncensored but lovable to say the least. “Some moments in life are sad but they make for a beautiful song”, says Nicks. She injected a sense of humor as she comes clean about the origin of the title “Edge of Seventeen”; she heard her friends say, “age of seventeen” but heard it wrong. “It sounded great so I decided to go with it”, professed the poet. The two left the panel covered in goosebumps, fueled by inspiration.

As the day turns into night, the girls decided to part their ways. Laura headed over to the Warner showcase at The Belmont to watch the incredible lineup of Joy Formidable, alt-J, and The Flaming Lips while Meg decided to head to Republic Live for Adrian Lux, Congorock and Benny Bennassi and then back to La Zona Rosa to catch Zedd, Krewella, and Wolfgang Gartner.

As she waited in line outside the red bricked Republic Live, Meg is filled with awe as she’s taken back to the moment in 10th grade when she first fell in love with EDM upon hearing Benny Bennassi’s track “Come Fly Away”. She then realized that she is about to finally see him perform. She could already hear EDM star Congorock’s blasting his track “Ivory” from the street and when she finally got through the usual gang of bouncers, she was handed a pair of raver shades and a giant glow stick. The nightclub is polarized by dueling stages where Congorock and Adrian Lux trade off their DJ sets, making the drunk music industry executives and geeks dance.

As amazing as The Joy Formidable sounded, Laura was willing to bet that it would have been a far better experience from inside the venue, rather than waiting in line outside. However, alt-J and The Flaming Lips make the two-hour-long wait more than worthwhile with their stage presence. It is true, alt-J really makes indie rock feel sexy. Between all the neon balloons, glow sticks and the inexplicable monster mascots, the venue is ablaze with energy. Though the Flaming Lips do not play Laura’s favorite, “Chewin the Apple of My Eye”, the set consisted of all the songs from Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots. The opener, “Fight Test”, set in itself was a guarantee for the night, nothing bad could possibly happen at this show. Wayne Coyne talked about the story behind “Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell”, mentioning how they lost the original demo but decided to write a new song for the title. Their lush performance was enough to get Laura successfully through the night.

At a little past 2 AM, Laura casually witnesses a street fight as she marches past Lavaca and Colorado to catch the bus back to her hotel with Meg. Guess it’s just another night in Austin.

April 3, 2013
PIERCE THE VEIL, MMF, LETLIVE & ISSUES Rock Upstate Concert Hall on March 24th

After playing the Upstate Concert Hall on Halloween of 2012, Pierce the Veil returned on Sunday, March 24th with a whole new lineup of supporting bands, and came back to rock with a vengeance. Lead singer Vic Fuentes said himself during the show that the crowd was not only much rowdier than that of the Halloween show, but they were “the best crowd on the entire tour so far”. A statement like this leaves us to wonder: who’s responsible for that? Did PTV leave a good impression on the crowd last time, or are we Upstate metalheads just the best crowd in the world? I’d like to think it’s a little of both, and that Vic wasn’t just saying that.

Rapcore/postcore rising stars Issues opened the show, and got things moving to a quick and fun start. They played their new EP, Black Diamonds, in its entirety, which is a good enough length for an opening set, but left many of us dying for more. There were some minor flaws with the sound, including very dull and quiet guitars, but they played it off well with their charisma and rhythmic unity. Clean vocalist Tyler Carter and unclean vocalist Michael Bohn are like perfect alter egos of each other, and co-dominate the stage with a band that plays a unique blend of catchiness and heaviness.

Following them was letlive., Epitaph Records’ unstoppable postcore quintet. This band certainly kept the momentum going, and any audio troubles were certainly worked out by the time they took the stage. Frontman Jason Butler was bouncing all over the stage, and at a few points was singing hanging upside down from the rafters. Displaying high intensity and musical prowess, they served as a great segway for Memphis May Fire. These Rise Records veterans really brought the metal, and the crowd loved every minute of it. They played a fairly long set, and no one in the crowd was tired at all, it made it all the more exciting in anticipation for the headlining band. Of course, the excitement got to quite a few people, as the incessant mosh pits of each act caused numerous slight injuries. Props to the security at Upstate Concert Hall for being on top of things.

Pierce the Veil took the stage at approximately 9:45 with confetti cannons, light and sound effects, and a very appropriate chanting of “this is the Street Youth Rising Tour!” They played eleven songs, including many fan favorites, and most of their hit new record, Fearless Records’ 2012 smash Collide With the Sky. I, along with nearly every other person in the room, sang every lyric to every song, and the room seemed to be on fire with music and spirit. Vic conversed with the crowd, as did hyper-energetic bassist Jaime Preciado, and they were joined onstage by their good friend Jason Butler of letlive. for their collaboration song, “Tangled In the Great Escape”. The band and the crowd gave each other a continuous cycle of energy that blew the roof off the venue. It’s no wonder Vic said we were their greatest crowd of the tour.

In the weeks prior to the show, we attempted to contact PTV‘s management so I could do an interview with them, but we were never contacted back. This was very disappointing to me, as I had hoped to capture some of their famous friendliness and connection with their fans, and the fact that we were ignored made me feel quite the opposite. However, when I saw them live, I started to understand. Their connection with the fans is still strong through music, and they are out to help the fans, never hurt them. Anything could have gone wrong with the interview through the publicist, so I shouldn’t blame them for something that is possibly out of their control. I also came to realize that some bands do in fact think they’ve gotten too important and that is ridiculous. These bands would be nowhere without us (the fans), because everything in this scene stems back to the fans; we are its backbone. Pierce the Veil and friends played that night like they haven’t forgotten this, let’s hope they never do.

March 29, 2013
Kung Fu, McLovins, Steve Broderick, and MazMyth at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, March 15

On March 15th, The Chance was filled with funk all night long for a great night of music, with Kung Fu, McLovins, Steve Broderick and MazMyth. To start the night, Jordan Dummond of MazMyth stated that he would be playing solo material because the rest of the band was unable to perform. He had some help from a guitarist and drummer, which added some extra texture to his looping baselines and overall Claypool-esque sound. With some spacey jamming involved, Jordan’s material would be perfect for a late night spot at a fest for those looking to dance and groove into the wee hours of the morning. Up next were Steve Broderick and his band. While their set started out with songs reminiscent of The Band, they quickly changed into a full on funk/rock fusion that sounded like it could have come out of a club in the mid-70s. Their cover of “Miss You” by The Rolling Stones had some edge to it that The Stones never put on it and it was welcomed by the crowd. Although they only had a half hour to play, they made the most of it, wasting no time between songs and won over fans by the end of their set.

McLovins were next and showed why they are on the rise in the community. With fast beats and catchy choruses, along with quality jamming, they really know how to put on a show. The McLovins not only can jam, but they like to show it off too, and it’s not a bad thing. They can go from indie rock to 70s Grateful Dead in a matter of moments. Ending their set with a funk laced “2001”, much to the crowd’s delight, they went out on a high note and got the crowd ready for what Kung Fu was about to throw down.

Kung Fu came out of the gates hard and got the crowd, which had been only lively at times, up and dancing immediately. Rob Somerville’s saxophone playing was a great partner to Tim Palmieri’s guitar playing. Both of them used each other to push themselves and the music constantly forward. Rob and Tim took turns taking the lead the whole night and then supporting the other. Todd Stoops has a way of playing the keys that I have never seen. He slaps away at them like a bass player would slap his bass. It was an interesting way of playing and very fun to watch. The sounds that came out of his keys were some of the funkiest sounds that I’ve ever heard. The three of them made sure to not step on one another’s space during the evening, giving each ample time to shine and wow the crowd with their beautiful play of their respective instruments.

By the third song Chris Deangelis and Adrian Tramontano were locked in with one another playing the bass and drums respectively. These two laid down the foundation over which the others improvised. They pushed the music without letting up for a moment throughout the show. Chris dug deep a few times to really get the funk moving, pushing the whole band to meet up with him. Adrian finally got time to shine with a drum solo and it made the crowd stop dancing and just watch as he demolished his set. The whole band was having fun on stage and was obvious in the music. The addition of having the sax in the band was something that should be seen more in music. It added that extra layer to their music, making them stand out from other bands. These guys are a must see when they come to a town near you. Make sure you don’t forget to put your dancing shoes on before leaving your house.

Kung Fu setlist: Do The Right Thing, Premium, Gung Ho, Steppin’ In It, Scrabb, Tsar Bomba, Standing on the Verge, S’all Good, Paragon, Hollywood Kisses, Hammer

Encore: Got To Get Your Own

March 21, 2013
Voices from the Dark: Death Wolf/The Foreshadowing/Inquisition/Moonspell/Marduk play the Gramercy Theater

After the voices from the Dark tour was announced the package, though very mixed, was long awaited. Death Wolf (formerly known as Devil’s Whorehouse)were the opening act in support of their highly awaited album release “II: Black Armored Death”. This seemed like a good opportunity to tour along with Marduk as headliners as they feature members from Marduk. One can surprisingly say that they fall far apart from Marduk’s black metal sound, to a more thrash/heavy metal onslaught. Overall they add to the fact that this tour was very varied which brings us to The Foreshadowing. The Italian band were also touring in support of their newest album entitled “Second World” filled with gloomy, melancholic lyrics and very gothic/doom sound they surely something new and worth checking out.

(Photos: Death Wolf)

For a complete 360 Inquisition was one of the most awaited bands on this bill. Though they were not supporting any new albums, they were surely highly awaited here in NYC since their last tour with Septicflesh. This is when the crowd was packed and it was interesting seeing the support this two-piece band have gained with their signature black metal style. Though they’ve been around for a while now they sure a delicacy for the black metal die hard every time they tour. Not to take anything from the following co-headliners but surely they crowd seemed to enjoy Inquisition the most.

(Photos: inquisition)

Following Inquisition, the co-headliners, from Portugal, Moonspell. They sure made a surprising return to the states after almost 4 years. It’s fair to say that they have a huge following in NYC with many proud Portuguese fans waving their flag up high during their set. They were supporting their 2012 release “Alpha Noir”, yet their set list contained more of the old and best Moonspell songs which made for a very solid performance from this gothic band.

(Photos: Moonspell)

For a few minutes the venue was very hectic as the techs raced to set up for Maduk on time. The main proble was that there was a set time to end the Marduk performance to avoid colliding with an event scheduled later that night. Marduk wound up starting late which led to a few songs to be cut from their set list. Despite all the pressure to get their set done in a timely matter they deliver a onslaught with their war, hatred filled, satanic lyrics, heavy drum blasts and a furious atmosphere that left no member of the crowd without the raw feeling of true black metal.

(Photos: Marduk)

March 20, 2013
Formula 5 and The Assortment of Crayons at Oasis Cafe in New Paltz

A cold wet day in New York didn’t keep the people of New Paltz from coming to check out a great night of live music at the Oasis Cafe, located on Main Street in town. It’s an easy venue to get to from the Thruway, with friendly staff and the place to go for those who like intimate shows with the bands who are playing.

The night started out with The Assortment of Crayons, hometown favorites from New Paltz and the crowd really showed up in force for their hour long set. Their funk came out immediately in full force and elicited a feel for Shakedown-era Dead. Matt Richards’ keys kept the music moving along nicely bringing it back and forth between funk and space. Erik and Sean Hill not only play guitar and bass, but also switched during the set, each holding their own on either instrument and Batu Attila’s drumming kept a steady groove for the others to layer over. A great opening set that had two covers, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” and “Crazy”, with help from some lovely female vocals and great segues between songs and a tease of “2001”.

Albany’s own Formula 5 came on next and slayed the crowd. Their two hour set had no lulls, keeping the energy high at all times. The crowd, although it had become a little thin near the 2:30 A.M. end, danced all night long. They opened with “Perch” and came firing on all cylinders, with great jamming where no member stepped on another’s notes and let each person shine for a bit. Then “Epiphany” hit and the funk oozed throughout Oasis. The dance party really got going here and never let up for a moment. This one had a great Dead vibe to it and it segued into “Uh-Oh”, which led to a noticeable Phish vibe. Joe Davis was hitting beautiful bright and lively chords, Bill Shattuck kept a mean rhythm going with Greg Marek, and Mike McDonald played the keys to match what Joe was doing. This is a band that knows how to jam.

The night continued and soon the night seemed like one long jam. Around 1:50 A.M., Joe mentioned Phish had announced their tour dates and maybe a little celebration should go down. With that, the band started up Phish’s “Ghost”. Formula 5’s take on the Phish classic was fantastic, funky, dirty and a little bit of rock thrown in. They did the song justice and followed it up with moe.’s “Happy Hour Hero”. These covers back to back showed who they are influenced by, but also how great their musicianship is to give both songs their due. They ended with a bluegrass tune “Catch Me” and followed it up with the space funk of “Houdini” to end the night. Both of these songs showed how diverse this band can be at any given moment. If you have a chance, make sure you see these guys when they come to your town.

Formula 5 Setlist: Perch, Epiphany, Uh-Oh, The Ride > This Place > 3 Ring Circus, Ghost*, Happy Hour Hero^, Pedro

Encore: Catch Me>Houdini

* Phish Cover, ^ moe. Cover

March 18, 2013
Meg and Laura Get Lost in Austin: Take Two

Two girls, one from Boston the other from Jakarta, Indonesia, sit down at a cafe in Austin with a Swedish synth-pop duo and their British PR agent, discussing a song remixed by a Spanish DJ in Syracuse. It’s safe to say that SXSW really crosses borders.

But before divulging any more details, let’s go back to the start. It’s 9 AM on a Wednesday morning, three hours of sleep and ten outfit changes into the day, when Meg and Laura head out to take on the first of four interviews they have scheduled for the day. They head downtown to the Hilton Garden Suites to interview Ioanna Gika of I O Echo. Once in the lobby, which is bustling with the voices and ringing phones of busy band managers and artists, they find Ioanna and bandmate Leopold Ross waiting in line for some coffee at the hotel Starbucks. Ioanna donning a comfy blue smiley faced crew-neck sweatshirt and silky pink kimono graces us with her presence. There is something about her warmth that permeates the morning, setting a bright tone for the day.

A surge of nostalgia fills the room as she takes the duo back to the bar where she first met Leo. “Neither of us knew that the other made music, but we bonded over the song “Venus in Furs” and clicked immediately”, spills Ionna. Over the course of an hour, Ioanna dished on the inspiration behind her edgy fashion choices, laser harps and growing up in South East Asia. The gracious singer songwriter talks about her upcoming projects and her collaboration with fashion designers on holographic I O Echo kimonos. After learning the intimate details behind the eccentric artists creativity the two packed up their mic and ventured across the street to hear about another’s.

Next on agenda: an interview with the Stockholm/London based co-ed duo K.I.D.S. As Meg and Laura set up their equipment on the porch of the Moonshine Grill and Patio, they are interrupted by paparazzis shouting from across the street: “K.I.D.S. are the next big thing! Keep an eye out for them!” The girls sit down with the band to listen to backyard tales from their childhood. They learn that despite the duo’s polarizing taste in music – as diverse as Kendrick Lamar and Yoko Ono – they bring a refreshing twist to the musical table and share one of their music making secrets which is, “Don’t take yourself too seriously.” Just like a couple of kids, with hearts warmed by the bands take on music and life and with two interviews down, Meg and Laura move from the porch to a table on the Moonshine patio for a third interview.

You would think that any artist with a single sitting on top of the charts for as long as Icona Pop’s hit “I Love It” would have big egos. As Meg and Laura sit down to have lunch with the duo, they’re pleasantly surprised to find their feet on the ground and their hearts still very much into the music. There was a certain sincerity in the advice they had to offer which made Meg and Laura feel like they were listening to their own story. “We find ourselves constantly trying to create chaos in our lives so that we can rise up above it.”, claims Aino. The co-hosts exchange bewildered looks – an undeniable and almost tangible synergy is shared at this table for four along with the compulsive need to keep the adrenaline pumping.

Only hours later, the two put their life motto into practice as they marched purposefully to each and every +21 venue determined to get in. Five rejections and failed attempts at pulling the we-know-the-manager card later, the two did what any two girls would do to get in (and no, they didn’t pull up their shirts to get in if that’s what you’re thinking). They took the road less traveled, i.e. the dark alleyway that led to the back door. Let’s just say they pulled a G.I. Jane but got to keep their hair. As it turns out, La Zona Rosa is much more fun when you’re inside, falling victim to Rudimental’s jazzed out drum and bass Meg, being the heavy bass line fiend that she is, decides to stay backstage at the venue to watch 12th Planet, UZ, and Baauer do the real-live Harlem Shake while Laura gets religiously overpowered by her Faith…Paloma Faith, that is. She decides to head over to Eighth Street to the Central Presbyterian Church to catch the British songstress in person.

Though being chased down four blocks by a homeless man while navigating her GPS was a little more than Laura had bargained for, it was well worth seeing the performer take the altar in her all her glittering glory. The church resonated with hits like “Agony” and the singer got hearts racing as she raced down the pews in her Christian Louboutins with the grace of a goddess and a Chelsea Handler-esque sense of humor.

The best part about SXSW is never knowing whats in store! Stay tuned for tales from day 3 of #LostinAustin. For more details, follow @themegandlaura

March 16, 2013
Meg and Laura Get Lost in Austin: Deadmau5

Being at South by Southwest is kind of like being a kid at Disney World. Between the sun and the millions of rides to choose from, you’re left delirious to make your decision. Meg and Laura weren’t any different. Well, except for the fact that they had press passes hanging from around their neck this time.

The duo kicked off Monday by sharing the bus with The X Factor Contestants to the Austin Convention Center, where all the conferences were taking place. The ACC was bustling with people from every corner of the world talking about music. Being thousands of miles away from home, there was something easing about being surrounded by chatter about music that made feel like they belong.

After getting their bearings straight (a.k.a. capitalizing on the abundance of free food), the pair decided to take on the big panel challenge that had been surfacing the air – getting into room 12AB for Richie Hawtin’s interview with deadmau5. So they did what any other fan girls would do: they decided to line up three hours before the panel. “You could probably go to the Building Movements panel before deadmau5 so all you can just stay in the room for the next one”, suggested one of the staff members. And so that’s what they did.

Not to say that watching Andy Ross talk about another life threatening concept idea for the next OK Go music video wasn’t enjoyable, but if only Meg and Laura knew about the last-minute room change for deadmau5, they would’ve stayed in line outside. When Meg’s Twitter feed updated her on the room change, the two headed for the door and found themselves to be the last ones in a long and winding line, surrounded by people pronouncing the DJ’s name as “dead-mau-five”. It wasn’t long till the co-hosts charmed their way to the front with their radio personality (a.k.a. they spewed sarcastic remarks at everything that moved, until the people in front of them budged). Cut to: two seats, five feet away from deadmau5. The wait was definitely worth it. Though it took Laura a second to recognize the DJ without his headgear and Meg to well, keep her composure, the wait was well worth it. deadmau5 addressed a lot of the difficult points concerning EDM that most DJs prefer not to discuss. He advocates “throwing away being a purist”, specifically talking about how style isn’t something that can be taught. There are many institutions today that focus on teaching people the art of EDM. Instead of teaching students how to think, they teach them what to think, pigeonholing their creativity in the mold of preset sub-genres. The DJ also comments on how the industry has homogenized EDM, saying, “it seems like all the mainstream EDM artists are making the same cookie-cutter tracks, and then I wonder why the people at the labels don’t just go home and try to make the music themselves. I mean, why not just cut of the bands?”. Although Hawtin and deadmau5 are glad that EDM has appealed to the masses, they reminisce the two percent days back when it wasn’t so homogenous.

With less than two hours of sleep from the night before, and a truckload of work to do, obviously the only sensible solution was to go out. The two knew that it would be impossible not to spend the night out on the town when they were in the live music capital of the world. Meg and Laura took the streets of Austin, scouting from venue to venue, in search of good-time. After being turned down at The Warner Sound, The Belmont, and Maggie’s, the two realized that they had a hook-up: The North Door. Nicolas Jaar, minimal house DJ, was spinning a set and they knew his manager Alastar Dunkin. At 1 AM, the ambitious duo walked over about a million and one blocks over to Brushy St. in the unwelcoming windy weather (I guess Syracuse isn’t the only place with bipolar weather), and pulled the press card from under the sleeve. There was no way they were going back without getting in to a show.

Jaar played Meg’s favorite track, “The Ego”, putting the lyrics, “the ego is the most expensive thing” on loop. Jaar really did speak the truth with his minimalist beat that took us on a tempo roller coaster. Unlike the typical female vocals that DJs sample, Jaar used a voice modulator to sample his own soulful vocals, giving the track a jazzier feel and filling up the entirety of the room with sophistication.

All in all, adventures and glitches accounted for, there really couldn’t be a better start to South by Southwest for Meg and Laura. As it turns out, everything really is bigger in Texas.

Continue following the #lostinaustin for more updates of Meg and Laura’s SXSW antics on Twitter!

March 14, 2013
Formula 5 hosted an album release party with Funktional Flow at Red Square on March 2nd

On March 2nd at Red Square, two of Upstate’s finest bands took the stage and amid a packed house, reinvigorated the jamband brand with the music of Buffalo’s Funktional Flow and Albany’s Formula 5. From opposite ends of the NYS Thruway, these two bands have played together before and had an amicability that was apparent before the show started and carried through, when after “Mulligans”, Funktional Flow brought up Mike McDonald and Joe Davis from Formula 5 for “Crosseyed and Painless” and a dub version of Pink Floyd’s “Breathe”. The sound for Funktional Flow is a bit reggae with hints of Disco Biscuits worked in, particularly the sound of Jon Barber. Overall, the opener proved to be an eye-opener, showing that across Upstate New York, every city and region has a band on the rise, and with Funktional Flow, some serious potential.

Formula 5, who had decked the walls of Red Square with poster board highlighting the names of their tracks with a nerdy/artistic flair, were playing in support of their debut album, Formula 5. The first set was full of horns from Bryan Brundige and Jeff Nania from The Chronicles, who also play on the album. They say in for a first set that opened with “Mister Elixer” off the album and ended the set with an outstanding and surprising version of Zeppelin’s “Trampled Underfoot”.

The second set featured mostly originals, both on the album and not, with the four piece hammering through the tunes at a paced speed. There was no reason to rush on this night of celebration. Later in the set, “Sand” was an unexpected surprise and Jammed our nicely by all, particularly McDonald on keys. The catchiest tune I’ve heard in years, “Hot Box”, led to the biggest dance party of the night with the packed house crowding near the front of the stage for this number. Not to end it early, they followed up “Hot Box” with “The Music Never Stopped” and the engines were fired up again among the crowd. An encore of “The Fall” and “Goin’ Down” rounded out the night.

Altogether, this was a stellar night and provided one of the best crowds of 2013 for local music. This was a celebration not just for the release of an album, but for whats to come.

Formula 5 setlist – Download the show here!

Set 1: Mister Elixer, Houdini, Sledgehammer, Paella, 3 Ring Circus, Trampled Underfoot (entire first set with Jeff Nania and Bryan Brundige from The Chronicles)

Set 2: Pedro, Coming Home, Earthbound Tim, The Clear -> Sand -> Hot Box, Music Never Stopped

Encore: The Fall ->Goin’ Down

March 7, 2013
Three Takes: Dopapod at Red Square in Albany, February 28th, The Westcott in Syracuse, March 1st and Water Street Music Hall in Rochester, March 2nd

Dopapod is in the midst of a huge tour and made three stops in Upstate New York last weekend including at Red Square. Here are recaps, videos and photos of shows in Albany, Syracuse and Rochester.

Red Square, Albany, February 28th

Review by Pete Mason

Red Square in Albany kicked off the first of three incredible nights of music as Dopapod swung through Upstate New York with Big Something from Burlington, NC in support. The opener was a new sextet to visit the region and slayed with a great cover of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” and uniquely incorporated an instrument I had never seen before, an EWI (an acronym for electric wind instrument), into the show without overshadowing the rest of the music. These guys are worth finding at a festival this summer or the next time they make it to Upstate NY.

Having played with Dopapod at The Big What Festival in North Carolina, the two bands found solid support and kinship on the road. They have a good core sound and layer each instrument on top of one another, leading to thick and complicated jams that ignite the dance fuel in the crowd.

It has been great to see Dopapod grow and develop in the past few years, exciting fanbase no matter where and when they play. With a new lighting setup, Dopapod played to a packed house, tearing through old songs and a pair of new tunes, including “Like a Ball”.

“Braindead”, off Redivider ,was hit with the industrial stick and spiced up a notch. The crowd, 20s-30s for the most part, was full of folks getting down to the set, especially when songs meandered off into the oblivion of improvisational bliss. “Carolina”, a slow rumba if I ever heard one, filled in nicely before the debut of “Priorities”.

Dopapod also announced that night that they would be playing Saturday May 11th at The Spring Revival in Lyons NY, hosted by ‘s own HerbyOne and State Wide Music. There are other area festival appearances this summer, some still yet to be named, but one that is announced is one of ’s favorite’s, Backwoods Pondfest, located in Peru, NY near the Ausable Chasm. Catching Dopapod is entering another world of jam music, one that combined the best of progressive rock and electronic beats for some heavy duty performances. They are one you don’t want to regret missing.

Setlist: FABA, Like A Ball, French Bowling, New James, Sonic > Braindead, Off The Cuff, Ellemenno > The Chocolate Drum Machine > Carolina, Priorities > Tequila* > Priorities, Bahbi
E: Nuggy Jawson, Trapper Keeper^
*impromptu cover; Rob quoted the first Ninja Turtles movie twice
^dedicated to Jason Gibbs for becoming the new Pope… No one thought it was funny.

Photos by Andy Hill

The Westcott Theater, Syracuse, March 1st

review by Quinn Donnell, photos by Kevin Burke

As Dopapod spent their weekend touring through Albany, Syracuse, and Rochester, the four-piece experimental funk-rock group surely experienced a number of similarities associated with playing shows in Upstate New York. On Friday night in Syracuse, however, an audience dominated by Syracuse University students provided a unique experience for the band. Joined for the first time this tour by The Manhattan Project, a Rochester-based duo whose synth-led jams put the Westcott Theater’s crowd in the perfect mood for a night of groovin’, Dopapod headlined an evening of great jams and great times.

As the Manhattan Project concluded their opening set, audience members who had spent the beginning portion of their evening either at the bar or hula hooping away from the dance-designated pit came together in front of the stage for a performance from their favorite electro-jam band. After a nearly ten minute intro involving beams of light and slow, monotonous bells, Dopapod took the Westcott’s stage. Juxtaposed with their mellow introduction, the band’s opening song, “Bubblebrain,” involved delay-heavy guitar riffs and a booming, tribal-like drumbeat. As Dopapod’s set progressed, their experience as performers who have played over 150 shows every year for the last three years, became apparent. The crowd found its groove and danced under flashing lights with glow-in-the-dark accessories. Playing a cover of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” Dopapod concluded their set to appreciative applause from the audience. As Dopapod continues to tour throughout the country, a future stop back in Syracuse would be greatly appreciated. Check them out in Ithaca on April 23rd.

Setlist: Bubblebrain, Roid Rage, Present Ghosts, Jam > Onionhead, Turnin’ Knobs, Drum Machine > STADA, Trapper Keeper, Weird Charlie, Indian Grits > Psycho Nature

Encore: You Oughta Know

Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, March 2nd

Review by Darren Kemp

The Upstate NY Dopapod run continued Saturday with a nearly sold out show at Water Street Music Hall in Rochester. Local band Haewa opened with a scorcher of a set that showed they would not be an opener for long. Dopapod hit the stage around 11 pm for a long two-hour set filled with a nicely selected mix of new material, old songs and a spot on cover of Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun complete with organ vocals.

Highlights included the aforementioned cover and an absolutely mind-bending “French Bowling” > “Brain Dead” pairing. The band left the stage around 1:15 am to an ear deafening roar and came back to reward the audience with a “Off the Cuff” cover with Fleet Foxes teases. An excellent performance by two bands with bright futures.

Setlist: Priorities, Black and White. French Bowling > Braindead, Black Hole Sun* > Present Ghosts, Sonic > My Elephant Vs. Your Elephant, Vol. 3 #86^, We Are Not Alone > Give It A Name
Encore: Off The Cuff%

*Soundgarden, ^contained “Rondo Alla Turka” tease (Mozart) %contained “Ragged Wood” tease (Fleet Foxes)

March 7, 2013