NYS Music 20​13

Category: Show Reviews

  • Review: FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Brings the Righteous Side of Hell to Providence

     

    The mixed excited chatter buzzed throughout the venue as fans waited for the arrival of Five Finger Death Punch. The roar of the crowd rang out as the crew began setting up the stage. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the band emerged from the shadows, not a moment was wasted as they began with one of their many hits, “Under and Over It”, followed by “Burn it Down”. By the beginning of the third song, “The Way of the Fist”, the madness that had been brewing before finally exploded into chaos; the crowd surfers rose from the sea of bouncing, fist-pumping bodies, plastic beer bottles flew into the air in the direction of the stage. There was a moment of peace when front man, Ivan Moody, made his way over to the young viewers, standing by the side of the stage with giant grins plastered on their faces. Moody gave them a very fatherly smile, then continued the set with “Hard to See” and the first single from their latest record, Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Vol. 1, “Lift Me Up”. This was followed by a fantastic cover of Bad Company’s “Bad Company”, “Burn MF”, and Jeremy Spencer’s incredible drum solo.

    Five Finger Death Punch was just getting warmed up as they moved their set along with “No One Gets Left Behind”, “Remember Everything”, and their new singe, “Battle Born”, the “knuckleheads” sang along wholeheartedly, horns pumping the air, and their eyes filled with such a strong passion. After “Never Enough” and “Coming Down”, Five Finger Death Punch then played another killer cover of LL Cool J‘s “Mama Said Knock You Out”, finishing their set with “Far From Home” and “The Bleeding”.

    Five Finger Death Punch

    Overall, Five Finger Death Punch really knew how to start the weekend right! Be sure to check out future tour dates on their website and be on the lookout for their next record, Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Vol. 2, available for purchase on Nov. 19th.

    Photos by: Kate Drexel

  • Iron & Wine Captivates at University of Rochester

    It was a night for a man and his guitar at the University of Rochester’s Riverside Campus.  Dressed in a suit and looking dapper as ever was Sam Beam, better known by his stage name Iron and Wine. Taking to a bare stage and flanked only by a stool on one side and a second guitar on the other, he captivated the sold out crowd of 900 for nearly two hours.

    Kelli_Marsh_Iron_&_Wine-1002a

    He started the acoustic performance with a crystal clear voice singing “Sodom, South Georgia” and immediately warmed the crowd with the gentle song.  Without the backing of his full band or the distraction of a vibrant light show, Beam’s talent stood on its own.  His whispery melodies swirled over the audience, drawing them into what sometimes felt like falling into a starry dream.  Singing slowly and softly, the crowd was happily lulled by his nostalgic words.

    Kelli_Marsh_Iron_&_Wine-1019

    Chatting in between songs, Beam remarked on how moving sucks (he recently relocated from Texas to the East Coast), learned about Rochester’s ‘Garbage Plate’ and quipped when he started to play old songs and found the words escaping him, “I spend more time writing new songs than practicing old ones”.  However, he did oblige the audience with numerous requests for old favorites such as “Naked as We Came” and “Boy With A Coin”. Songs from the most recent album, Ghost on Ghost,  “Caught in the Briars”, “Low Light Buddy of Mine” and “Grace for Saints and Ramblers” all made appearances as well.  Old or new, each song ended to an eager eruption of applause and more shouts of requests from the enthusiastic crowd.  Full of gratitude and good spirit, Iron & Wine joked with the audience and humbly thanked the the crowd after each song.

    At the last song, he ended in saying, “I’ve got to bail out, while the gettin’s good.” He graciously thanked the audience one last time and and closed with a fan favorite, “Such Great Heights”.

    Setlist: Sodom, South Georgia, Resurrection Fern, Jezebel, Caught in the Briars, Low Light Buddy of Mine, Lion’s Mane, Waves of Galveston, Mary Anne, Naked As We Came, Winter Prayers, Grace for Saints and Ramblers, Upward Over the Mountain, Jesus the Mexican Boy, Fever Dream, Boy With a Coin, The Trapeze Singer

    Encore: Such Great Heights

  • Hard Promises Rock The Gig at Turning Stone

    When Central New York wants to rock to the best of 80’s and 90’s rock, they don’t have to look any farther than hometown favorites Hard Promises.  The band is infused with talent beyond compare and have shared the stage with the likes of such artists as Eddie Money, Dickey Betts, Blues Traveler, Joan Jett, Blue Oyster Cult, Great White, Spin Doctors, and the legendary B.B. King, to name a few.

    The Gig at the Turning Stone Resort

    The setting for a night of 80’s and 90’s rock couldn’t have been chosen better than Exit 33 at the Turning Stone’s The Gig. For those of you that haven’t had the opportunity to check out Exit 33 at Turning Stone Resort and The Gig, it’s a must see venue and the perfect spot to feature the rock and roll talents of many talented artists.  With a killer venue, Hard Promises took the stage and began right into getting the crowd pumped and out on the floor dancing with numbers such as Bon Jovi’s  “Born to Be My Baby”, Journey’s “Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin” and REO Speedwagon’s “Roll With The Changes”.  But it was the interactive Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian” and Van Halen’s “Jump” that sealed the crowds fate as they traveled in time back to the days of hair bands.

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    With band members Jeff Gordon on vocals, Kevin Farrell on electric guitar, John Goodwin on keyboards, Pete Levante on drums, and Todd Troubetaris on bass , they continued to draw in the crowds and rock them throughout the night with their talents.  Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, special guest George Nastos, bass player for Rick Springfield, who was also playing at the Turning Stone, decided to sit in an accompany Hard Promises on “Running Down a Dream”, a Tom Petty song that put the performance over the top.

    If you haven’t had a chance to take in either Hard Promises or The Gig at the Turning Stone, both are worth the drive for a night of rock and rolling and reliving the days of hair bands and all that was great in the 1980’s and 90’s

  • Flashback: Little Feat Live at Ultrasound Studio in Hempstead, September 9, 1974

    We flashback to one of the most famous live documents to ever circulate of legendary rock and rollers and ‘Country Funkers’ Little Feat. This performance features the band in their prime, nestled between the LP releases Dixie Chicken and Feats Don’t Fail Me Now and playing for a small and intimate assembled studio audience. The recording from Ultrasonic Studios in Hempstead, Long Island, on September 9, 1974 is a clear Pre-FM soundboard recording that lucky enough catches the band playing at an astronomical level.

    Often discussed as their ‘best’ line up, this recording calls attention to the 1974 version of Little Feat containing Lowell George (Guitar, Vocals), Paul Barrere (Guitar, Vocals), Kenny Gradney (Bass), Richie Hayward (Drums,Vocals) Sam Clayton (Percussion, Vocals), and Bill Payne (Keyboards). While not considered a ‘hit making’ band, Little Feat was a group to be witnessed in the live arena and was recognized by music aficionados and underground FM stations as a vital and influential group.

    Little Feat

    The concert opens on the phased and strummed opening of ‘Rock n Roll Doctor’, who slips in the back door for a home visit. Intertwining keyboards and a slide guitar by George wrap themselves around the groove, tightening like a tourniquet. The drums and rest of the instrumentation play a tug of war with one another, the drums racing, the vocal melody slightly dragging behind, sweet, patient. George’s clean Stratocaster slide guitar adds a sleek narcotic dressing to the track, that by its conclusion has become a joyous call and response vocal jam riding the bumpy roads of the Feat’s rolling rhythm.

    ”Two Trains’ from 1973’s Dixie Chicken follows and is an earthy ‘Allman Brothers-esque’ track brimming with percussion, Hammond organ accents and syrupy vocals by George. Minus an additional horn section, this is chunky New Orleans funk, reminiscent of Dr. John, Allen Toussaint and The Band. Little Feat are a conglomerate of influence, contributing a cosmic improvisational dusting to their homegrown sensibilities. ‘Two Trains’ begins to pick up speed, entering a darkened tunnel of extended jamming. Barrere solos first with a slightly over driven tone to which Payne answers with his own keyboard excursions that also contain a bite.

    An urgent version of ‘The Fan’ mischievously creeps from the backseat of a tour van, the aggressive rhythm lending shape to Payne’s slick keyboard riffs that develop the basis of the song. A sly staccato verse about the misgivings of a teenage groupie finally gives way to an extended Bill Payne keyboard liftoff.   The insistent cadence of the track is memorizing as Payne concocts a plethora of melodic statements, manipulated into bends, swells, and crescendos.  A reply of ‘heavy’ can be heard coming from a band member on the recording, and is a proper analysis of the preceding jam.

    Little feat

    The mood quiets slightly with the slowly sinking Allen Toussaint cover, ‘On Your Way Down’ being displayed next. A slinky, slightly dark version follows, with Payne’s keys again being a focal point, the opening of the song being an acoustic piano saloon salute. George sings the straight up lyric with the soul of a man who has been hurt in the past, Barrere is sympathetic to every sweetly sung line with tasteful statements.

    A song suite of three songs as funky as old gym shoes follows and are an obvious highlights of the performance. ‘Spanish Moon’ starts things off with a sexy stomp created by drums, percussion and bass. Walking with the light of the night, the band peers through the window a dusty, musty saloon to see a dark bluesy beauty playing guitar. The band paints this picture with their sensual reading of the song that eventually slips seamlessly into the Barrere penned ‘Skin It Back’. The Feat get six feet deep funky on this one, George lays down hand in glove slide playing that fits perfectly, working with the band in perfect harmony. A short drums and percussion interlude lays the groundwork for the segue into a bubbly ‘Fatman in the Bathtub’. Dual slide guitars are prominent in this recording as well as some sudsy Fender Rhodes enveloping the jumpy calypso tinged groove. An ass shaking version of one of Little Feat’s most beloved classic tracks.

    After some thanks from the band to the assembled studio audience the band breaks into a ‘Oh Atlanta’ rock and roll romp. Longing for the friendly skies and his lovely lady Bill Payne takes over the vocal chores on this one, also contributing some roly poly honky tonk on the black and whites. George concentrates on his guitar work and lends silvery filigrees of sound from his instrument.

    Often thought of as the most well known and popular songs in the Little Feat canon the bootleg recording ends with ‘Willin’, a song also covered beautifully by Linda Ronstadt. Road weary and on weed, whites, and wine, George sings an intimate version, with Payne’s rain on the windshield piano decorations played pianissimo over the top of George’s acoustic. High and lonesome the song follows the white lines with the windows cracked to let the smoke out, subject to contemplation, and always looking forward. Beautiful.

    The recording that I am listening to concludes here, but during a WILR rebroadcast of the performance a suite of three additional songs were premiered that were not included in the original radio broadcast and on bootlegs, a  15 minute medley of  ‘Cold Cold Cold’, ‘Dixie Chicken’ and ‘Triple Face Boogie’. This jam includes two songs from the 1972 LP, ‘Sailin Shoes’, and ‘Dixie Chicken’ from the LP of the same name. ‘Cold, Cold, Cold’ is an appropriately chilling reading that starts low key, but builds in girth, eventually culminating in a vocal jam and slide guitar spotlight that falls perfectly into ‘Dixie Chicken’. Dixie is a celebratory version with grinning vocals, chippy piano additions, and tasty wah-wah’d guitar licks. Barrere and George both bring some riffs to the table, not harmonizing with their instruments like the Allman’s but having a conversation like Stills and Young.

    After ‘Dixie’ runs her course she falls in the lap of the ‘Tripe Face Boogie’, and the tune is off an running. Straight rock, no chaser, the Feat stomp their through the flower garden and sprint their way through this welcome addition to an already legendary concert performance. The song breaks apart in the midsection separating into individual elements briefly, then coming together to blast through into the conclusion soaring on George’s hot knife through butter guitar neck navigation. 

    This Little Feat performance from 1974 at Ultrasonic Studios finds the group in the midst of arguably their most creative era. The song selection, sound quality, and energy exhibited by band are all reasons for the eager listener to search out this recording and to spend an afternoon with it.  Little Feat are a highly underrated band full of influence and ability, often lost in the midst of time to larger and more well known names. In a time where glam and disco were becoming king, Little Feat stayed close to home and just kept on jamming.

  • Alice Cooper Raised the Dead at Turning Stone

    Before Alice Cooper even took the stage at Turning Stone, fans were on their feet. They expected the show to be jam packed with entertainment and wanted to see every second of the performance.

    The sold out show on Monday October 21 drew a diverse group to Verona; tweens to those in their 60s came to see Cooper’s brilliantly choreographed production. The show started with Hello Hooray (1972) and Cooper set against a backdrop of raining fire. The first act featured ten songs including old favorites No More Mr. Nice Guy (1972) and Department of Youth (1975). About half of the songs performed date from the 1970s but that didn’t bother the fans.

    The guts and gore that brought Cooper his fame were very much part of the show, especially during the second act. Things that most people squirm about: snakes wrapped around a neck, an electric chair, a guillotine, a straight jacket, are what the crowd loved best. The elaborate stage sets are reminiscent of a really good Broadway show, only better because Cooper incorporates smoke and pyrotechnics. The costumes were dynamic and fit in perfectly with the whole aura of grotesque nightmare and the abnormal. Cooper had total control of the stage at all times; he and his band were totally in sync.

    One advantage to being on the short side is that with a full house standing in front of me, I couldn’t always see everything. Which meant — I could hear better. What I heard was a surprisingly strong voice — from the first note to the last. Not only was Cooper very much on his game, but every member of his band is super talented. This team of performers was top notch. And the third act heightened that.

    Act 3 began with Alice rising from the dead in the same graveyard where his “dead, drunk friends” are buried. He brought those “friends” to life when he performed Break on Through (Jim Morrison), Revolution (John Lennon), Foxy Lady (Jimi Hendrix), and My Generation (Keith Moon). The stage backdrop, featuring gigantic tombstones for each rock ‘n roll icon, along with Cooper’s amazingly perfect cover was an electrifying tribute.

    Cooper finished the show with three hits, I’m Eighteen (1970), Poison (1989), School’s Out (1972), loads of energy, awesome pyrotechnics, and confetti. At no time did the fans in front of me take their seats, and they were right, every bit of the show was worth seeing.

    Set List
    Part 1: Hello Hooray (1972), House of Fire (1989), No More Mr. Nice Guy (1972), Under My Wheels (1971), I’ll Bite Your Face Off (2011), Billion Dollar Babies (1973), Caffeine, Department of Youth (1975), Hey Stoopid (1991), Dirty Diamonds (2005)
    Part 2: Welcome to my Nightmare (1975), Go to Hell (1976), Man Behind the Mask (1986), **Feed my Frankenstein (1992), Dwight Fry, Killer/ I Love the Dead (2009)
    Part 3: Break on Through (1967), Revolution (1968), Foxy Lady (1967), My Generation (1965), I’m Eighteen (1970), Poison (1989)
    Encore: School’s Out (1972)

  • Keeping Things Weird Al Turning Stone

    The Weird Al experience is far more than a concert.  It is an infusion of pop culture at its finest. Between dozens of parodies, video interviews, and every imaginable reference to the master, Weird Al, from the Simpsons to Jeopardy!.  Turning Stone is more than Central New York’s gambling mecca – it is the source for big names in entertainment.  Weird Al was just one of the many entertainers at the casino during their 20th Anniversary year. Others include Motley Crue, Kiss and Harry Connick, Jr.  Yet to come is still Alice Cooper, Kenny Rodgers, Frank Valli and over a dozen more.

    Al took the stage in classic attire, an ugly Hawaiian shirt, big hair and his Roland accordion.  Performing “Polka Face” to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” got the crowd of thirty and forty somethings (and some of their kids) up and dancing early in the set.  From there he went on to “TMZ” and “You Make Me” before going backstage for the first of many costume changes. While he was changing into Kurt Cobain videos played a few clips of Al interviewing Eminem spliced together from other coverage and absolutely hilarious.  It was videos like this one and the countless others with Weird Al referenced in various television shows, movie clips from UHF and other movies and more Interviews with Nicolas Cage, Uma Thurman, Kris Kristopherson, Megan Fox, and Antonio Banderas.

    A Weird Al concert is 50% comedy, 50% music and 100% entertaining.  It is a great show that is suitable for all ages and covers musical tastes for every generation.

    Setlist: Polka Face, TMZ, You Make Me, Smells Like Nirvana, Skipper Dan, Party in the CIA, CNR, Canadian Idiot, Wanna B Ur Lovr, Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies / Whatever You Like / Another Tattoo / eBay / I Want A New Duck / Theme From Rocky XIII / Spam / My Bologna / Ode To A Superhero / Lasagna / Eat It, Amish Paradise, Craigslist, Perform This Way,  White & Nerdy,  Fat

    Encore: The Saga Begins, Yoda

  • Review: ESCAPE THE FATE Killer Performance at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel

     

    At the sight of Escape the Fate‘s backdrop, the roar of the fans was almost deafening as they awaited the band’s arrival. The overhead music came to a halt as the lights suddenly dimmed and gave off a blue hue to the stage, a strong hint that it was time for Escape the Fate to rock the stage. “I was fucking sitting on the balcony at my friend’s house, named Kenny with our old singer and we were smoking refried cigarettes and at the time I was thinking of a band name,” Max Green, the band’s bassist, explained to Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel earlier that evening, when asked about the creation of the band name. “I was like ‘Alright, it’s gotta be something that’s chant-able’, something we can clap to and so I wanted something with a three in it, so it can be abbreviated cool. So it was like…I feel like it would’ve been like doodling names or whatever else with just cool words or whatever and it kind of just fell into place, to be honest. I think we were writing down ‘escape’ or talking about fate or something like that, like ‘Man, those two look cool together’ and it’s cool with the E and the F, you can do something cool with it, just fell into place with Escape the Fate.”

    After each member made their appearance, Escape the Fate didn’t hesitate for one moment as they began with the title track from their latest record, Ungrateful, followed quickly by “Issues” and the second single from the album, “You’re Insane.” The crowd was pumped and the moshing that started off slowly, intensified. “When we usually write, our real guitar player, Monte [Money] would just send a demo and I would write vocals but when he would explain how he would write it. That’s why I’m excited to see how he would write this next record, actually sit down and do it as a band because that’s something we’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done, it’s just more of he sits down…I think “Gorgeous Nightmare” was “Bad Romance” or some other Lady Gaga song,” said Craig Mabbitt (vocals), as he explained the song-writing process. “He would listen to Top 40 shit and write it and tell me about the song, and I’m like ‘Well, thanks for telling me because I can’t get the fucking melody of the main song out of my head.’ So yeah, that’s how it always works, you know, you’d always be like ‘C’mon, I want to write’ and you just kind of have to wait for him to send you a demo to write to so…yeah, that’s always been the process.”

    Following the performance of “Gorgeous Nightmare”, Escape the Fate continued with “Until We Die”, one of Mabbitt’s favorite songs to perform live, and finished their set with “This War is Ours”. The fans wholeheartedly cheered and chanted the band’s initials and a large satisfying grin spread across Mabbitt’s face. “Just the fact that I get to come out here and play music and do what I love to do and play for people that appreciate me and hang out with my friends, not only is it very humbling, because I enjoy it and I’m very grateful for my opportunity to do what I do, but it helps the time go by as well because I have a family back at home that I miss every second of everyday, that definitely helps so grass is always greener. That’s what I always say.”

    Escape The FateFinally, at the end of the interview, Drexel got to ask her favorite question: what does music mean to you? “Well, I’d say for me, personally, everything. It’s what got me through my day as a kid, it’s what I used to lock my room door after my dad would kick my ass and blast music as soon as he left the house because I couldn’t do it while he was there,” reminisced Craig. “As soon as he was gone, my mom would have to deal with the wrath of Craig and I would just blast music. It’s what I did my whole life. I played violin in the 5th grade then I moved to the saxophone and I started singing and now it’s what pays my bills and still helps me get through the day because I get to express myself. I can sit down and write a song whenever I want to so…music is everything to me.”

    All in all, this band put on one hell of a show and the vibe from the crowd and Escape the Fate was through the roof! Be sure to check out the band’s Facebook page for future tour dates, this is one performance you will not want to miss!

    Photos by: Kate Drexel

  • Touchpants Show in Glens Falls a Perfect Compliment to Phish

    Sandy’s Clam Bar was the perfect location for Jon Fishman’s side project Touchpants to play a post-Phish show on October 23rd. Although the show didn’t start until 1am Thursday morning, the crowd was full of energy and abuzz about the incredible performance at Glens Falls Civic Center just a few hours before.

    What unfolded at Sandy’s was a show that makes Dr. Dirty look like ‘Weird’ Al Yankovic – both are masters of parody and comedic music, but Touchpants, well, they took things to a new low. A very deep, dark low.

    And it was awesome.

    touchpantsThe stage was set with three toilets (lid down) for Chris Friday (guitar/vocals), Colby Dix (guitar/vocals) and Jon Fishman behind the drum kit. Bassist Aram Bedrosian stood at stage right all night, giving the band a beat that kept things progressing, even though every bit of the show, short of written setlist, was shot from the hip and had no sense of organization to the show. Therein lay the highlight of Touchpants – the band performs songs like “Penis Slap” and “Mushroom Tattoo”, discusses prolapsed colons and finds Colby Dix wandering through the crowd to talk-sing to anyone in his path, all the while the band keeps playing on stage.

    The crowd fed off the hilarity onstage and encouraged more from the crowd. If a lyric or comment toed the line, whether the audience laughed or groaned, the line was getting crossed like a shot from a cannon. This show is not for the faint of heart or those who cannot take a joke, or for anyone with an early bedtime – the show lasted until 3:30am, with the bar lights coming on while the band was still playing.

    If a Phish show was rated like a movie, generally, most shows would be PG-13 – a rating that is a step above child’s play, even when they play “Fuck Your Face”. Touchpants has the same intersection of humor and music, but would easily get an NC-17, if not an X, if that rating were still used today. Disturbingly hilarious, devoid of setlist continuity and interspersed with inside jokes and roast-worthy comments to fans, Touchpants is the ultimate post-Phish show. That’s how good it was.

    Highlight: 20 minute version of “Mushroom Tattoo”

  • Phish Returns to Glens Falls in Grand Fashion

    When Phish announced their fall tour plans a few months back, the Glens Falls Civic Center date jumped right out at me. I was lucky enough to attend the Halloween ’94 show there that catapulted the band into the mainstream, and sent me from coast to coast the next two plus years following the band around. I was not going to miss it!

    After a rock solid show in Rochester the day before, and after picking up my friend Adam in Herkimer, we set off for Glens Falls. Arriving in town around 4:30, the Civic Center was in view and the crowd (and the police) were already surrounding the building. The ’94 show did have some bad moments as those shut out started to rush the gates and throw bottles at police. This time around, the police presence was beefed up around the venue, but the preshow crowd was mild mannered at best with most smiling and chatting among phriends.

    Several preshow parties were in effect, and after parking off Elm and South, I set off for 42 Degrees. Specializing in custom made glass works, 42 Degrees is one of the premier head shops in all of Upstate NY. With in-house glass blowing, and munchies and drinks available, 42 Degrees was packed by the time I arrived. My next stop was Aimee’s Dinner & Movie, which hosted an art show featuring some of the scene’s best artists, and the next door Wallabee’s Jazz Bar, where local favorites High Peaks Band were laying it down for the masses. Check them out when you can they deliver!

    From there I ventured over to the Downtown City Tavern to catch a set by Acoustically Speaking, featuring Mik Bondy and Kat Walkerson of The Garcia Project. This stripped down duo features Mik on guitar while both he and Kat share vocal duties. Their soulful renditions of Garcia Band favorites meshed perfectly with my Octoberfest preshow draft. After talking with Mik and Kat on their break, I headed over to the Civic Center to get my credentials and check in for the main event.

    Although I had a floor ticket for this one, I headed instead to the upper level behind the stage to snag some dancing space. Not surprisingly, I ran into some other ’94s up there looking for some space as well. It wasn’t long before I found a sweet spot as the lights lowered and the band appeared on stage. The energy was already amped up considerably, and when the opening notes of “Back in the USSR” started, it was like a flame to gasoline as the place erupted. It brought me back for sure, and the lyric “Gee it’s good to be back home” really nailed the moment. Phish left no doubt that this was not a total throwback, when the opening guitar licks of “Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan” sent us all back to the future; Trey was on his game already.

    Next up was “Water in the Sky”, which gave me a chance to catch my breath and my second wind. I would need it as a seven minute “Undermind” showcasing Page’s funkiness led to a midset “David Bowie” reminiscent of a mid-90’s version, clocking in at just over 10 minutes. Old school favorites “Golgi Apparatus” and “Gumbo” were next, followed by Mike Gordon’s “Yarmouth Road”, which debuted at SPAC this summer. The old school feel continued with “Camel Walk” and “Horn”, and was followed by a decent but standard version of “Limb by Limb”.

    phish returns glens falls

    “I Didn’t Know” was next, which brought Fishman and his vacuum out behind his kit. Trey asked “For 19 years we’ve all been wondering, is he gonna do it again??”, referring to Fishman getting naked at Glens Falls Civic Center the last time they played. He replied: ” I can if you want, but I doubt you want that”. The set ended with a standard version of “Split Open and Melt” that did feature some Trey licks towards the end. On paper this was a decent set at best, but if you were there, the place was rocking and the energy was intense.

    After some random acts of kindness during the intermission, I headed down to the floor, just to the right of Chris Kuroda and the light board. “Rock and Roll” opened the set with a bounce and some ripping guitar from Trey. The groove slowed and “Seven Below” emerged, a standard version that gained momentum towards the end, which led to a spirited version of “Alaska”.

    The set’s highlight was the 14 minute “Twist”, complete with full band exploration for the first time all night. CK was on fire as well, and his new light rig was put to the test. A very soothing “Wading in the Velvet Sea” followed, one of the best versions I’ve seen or heard, which led to “Harry Hood”, featuring a glow stick war that wouldn’t quit. The place was going crazy for sure, and the “Chalkdust Torture” that followed continued the late set dance party proper.

    After a very loud and lengthy ovation, the band reappeared, and Trey spoke about how great it was to play near Burlington and in Upstate New York in particular, and that many friends and family from the past 30 years were there to help celebrate. The band then revisited their Halloween past with a fitting “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” to wrap it up.

    Exiting the arena, everyone was smiling from ear to ear, all of us knowing we were a part of Phish history once again.  Fans ended their night at Hotshots, were Albany’s Mister F and Vermont’s Twiddle, or Touchpants, for the perfect nightcaps to an incredible day of live music in Upstate New York.

  • Review: Monster Energy Drink Outbreak Tour 2013

    Monster Energy Drink’s 2013 Outbreak Tour invaded the Mid-Hudson Civic Center Sunday, Oct. 20 in Poughkeepsie N.Y.

    Matt Tuck
    Matt Tuck

    Headlining the tour was Bullet For My Valentine with special guest Black Veil Brides, Stars In Stereo, and Throw The Fight.

    Bullet For My Valentine
    Bullet For My Valentine

    Opening the show was Throw The Fight. I have never seen this band before, but they totally rocked live.

    Matt Tuck
    Matt Tuck

    Lead vocalist James Clark gave a brief, heartfelt speech about being a cancer survivor and reminded everyone to chase their dreams, because five years ago he was in the crowd as a fan, and now he is on the stage living his dream.

    Matt Tuck
    Matt Tuck

    I recommend going out and seeing this band live if you get the chance. I had a chance to talk with them after their set, and they are a bunch of really cool down to earth guys besides great performers.

    Stars In Stereo were slated in the second spot for this event.

    Bullet For My Valentine
    Bullet For My Valentine

    This is now my third time seeing Stars In Stereo this year. It seems like they are opening for everybody these days.

    Throw The Fight
    Throw The Fight

    Bec Hollcraft is really starting to come into her own as a performer. Last time I saw her, I felt like she was a little bit reserved but not anymore.

    Guitarist Jordan McGraw has a lot of energy and is always playing to the crowd, pumping them up.

    The first two times I saw them, they played a cover of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” but didn’t touch it this time and just played tracks off their album.

    Outbreak Tour 2013
    Outbreak Tour 2013

    Up next in the three spot was Black Veil Brides. I know this band had their detractors, but every time I see them on a show, they give a really good live performance.

    Andy Biersack of BVB even said during his thank you speech to everyone in the crowd who is not a BVB fan, “Thank you for putting up with us and letting us perform for you before Bullet For My Valentine came out.”

    Just like some of the “boy bands” you see in the pop genre, I think the young female teenage following they have generates most of the negative press they get from fans. BVB seems to be the “boy band” of rock music.

    Welch metal-core rockers, Bullet For My Valentine, are up next in the headlining forth spot for this show.

    BFMV came right out and kicked @$$ from start to finish.

    This was one of the best live performances by a band that I’ve seen all year! This was my first time seeing BFMV and I was not disappointed.

    Bullet is a really solid band, and the crowd just ate up their energy. Lead vocalist Matthew Tuck is just amazing on vocals live, and Jason James was just as good with his screaming/growl backing vocals.

    From drums to guitar to bass, these guys are all very talented musicians.

    Near the end of the set, Matt invited out Jordan McGraw of Stars In Stereo and Ryan Baustert of Throw The Fight. Matt said that “tomorrow is these guys’ birthday,” and brought them out for a drink on stage.

    Throw The Fight
    Throw The Fight

    Matt made them do a head stand as members from BFMV held their ankles and poured a nice alcoholic beverage in a red solo cup down their throats. Ryan failed his first head stand attempt, which made Matt quip in with “you’re not to flexible, are you?”

    Bullet performed “Tears Don’t Fall” as the last song of the night. I don’t think they had a choice. When Matt told the crowd this was going to be the last song of the night, the crowd started an immediate chant of “Tears Don’t Fall,” which brought a huge smile to Matt’s face.

    This was a really good concert from start to finish. It might even be in the top 10 of best concerts I’ve seen in 2013. All the bands were really good on this show, and if you love music like I do, and you don’t get into the band bashing like some fans do because they don’t like a certain band’s image, go out and see these bands when they come to your area. Remember, it’s all about the music and having a good time!

    Black Veil Brides
    Black Veil Bride