NYS Music 20​13

Category: Upcoming Shows

  • Reggae Legend ‘Luciano’ Comes to Saratoga Springs July 19th

    Luciano056Nectar’s  Presents recently announced  that  The  Messenger,  Luciano  will  bring  his   brand  of  roots  reggae  to Putnam Den  on  July  19th.  Known  for  his  electrifying  epic  live performances,  he  will  be  backed  by  the  famed seven‐piece i-­KRONICK  band  for  his   much  anticipated  first  tour  of  North  America  in  years.  The  evening  will also  feature  selections  by  DJ  TRUMASTR  and  knomad.

    With  the  release  of  his  landmark  album  Where  There  Is  Life  in  1995,  Luciano   emerged  as  one  of  the  most important  reggae  singers  in  decades  and  the  greatest   hope  for  roots  reggae’s  survival  in  the  digital  dancehall  era. Since  then,  Luciano  has   released  over  45  albums  and  has  been  consistently  praised  for  imparting  conscious sentiments  of  spiritual  salvation,  Rastafarian  edification  and  African  repatriation.   Born  in  the  parish  of Manchester,  Jamaica,  he  has  influenced  countless  artists  from   Stevie  Wonder  to  the  “The  Crown  Prince  of Reggae”  the  late  great  Dennis  Brown.

    i-­Kronik  represents  the  future  of  the  ‘classic’  reggae  band.    Coming  from  the  lineage   of  the  Gumption  Band, they are  redefining  roots  reggae  with  years  of  experience   playing  on  the  world’s  largest  stages  backing  legends  such as Beres  Hammond,   Luciano,  Dennis  Brown,  Freddie  McGregor,  Barrington  Levy,  Ken  Boothe  and countless  others.

     Show  Details:  Nectar’s  Presents   Reggae  Legend   LUCIANO   “The  Messenger”   Backed  by  the  Seven-­‐Piece  Band:  i-­‐KRONIK   July  19,  2013   Putnam  Den   Downtown  Saratoga  Springs,  NY  (63  Putnam  Street)   (Across  from  library  and  behind  Uncommon  Ground  Coffee)

  • Mayhem is coming to SPAC this Saturday 7/20

    The sixth-year lineup for Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival was officially announced during a press conference at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood back in May. Headliners ROB ZOMBIE and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH answered questions during the event.  Since Saratoga Performing Arts Center announced the show, Upstate Metal has been revved up for the festival.  Rob Zombie played Glens Falls in the fall and it has been almost two years since 5FDP has played the region.  Hot weather won’t scare away true fans.  Come to SPAC and join Upstate Metal with horns up high as this year’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival will feature the following acts:

    Main stage:

    ROB ZOMBIE
    FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
    MASTODON
    AMON AMARTH

    Jägermeister Stage:

    MACHINE HEAD
    JOB FOR A COWBOY
    BUTCHER BABIES
    BATTLECROSS
    HUNTRESS

    Musicians Institute Stage:

    CHILDREN OF BODOM
    BEHEMOTH
    EMMURE
    BORN OF OSIRIS
    MOTIONLESS IN WHITE
    THROWN INTO EXILE

    Sumerian Records / Headbang For The Highway Concourse Stage:

    CITY IN THE SEA
    + local acts

    In addition to catching their favorite bands live, fans can take part in a number of festival activities, including playing the newest video games, perusing vendors, attending autograph-signing sessions and a slew of various interactive activities that will only add to the festival experience.

    Rockstar Energy Drink will be sampling their products and providing awesome surprises for all attendees.  Rockstar will also present the VIP/Contest winner area designated as The Rockstar Lounge and the festival area Party Like A Rockstar Tent where fans can sample ice-cold Rockstar and get autographs from their favorite bands.

    As an addition to the festival’s music and arts, Musicians Institute and the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival have partnered to create the Rockstar Mayhem Independent Artist Scholarship! This scholarship fully covers tuition and material fees for a two quarter IAP certificate (Room, Boarding and Travel are not included.) The application period runs from March 18 until June 1, 2013. Applicants must visit this location to enter.

    Tour dates are as follows:

    Jun. 29 – San Bernardino, CA @ San Manuel Amphitheater
    Jun. 30 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
    Jul. 02 – Boise, ID @ Idaho Center Amphitheatre
    Jul. 03 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheater
    Jul. 05 – Phoenix, AZ @ Desert Sky Pavilion
    Jul. 06 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre
    Jul. 07 – Denver, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
    Jul. 10 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
    Jul. 12 – Burgettstown, PA @ First Niagara Pavilion
    Jul. 13 – Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
    Jul. 14 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake PAC
    Jul. 16 – Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
    Jul. 17 – Bangor, ME @ Bangor Waterfront
    Jul. 19 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
    Jul. 20 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ SPAC
    Jul. 21 – Hartford, CT @ The Comcast Theatre
    Jul. 23 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
    Jul. 24 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
    Jul. 26 – Noblesville, IN @ Klipsch Music Center
    Jul. 27 – Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
    Jul. 28 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
    Jul. 30 – Atlanta, GA @ Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
    Jul. 31 – Tampa, FL @ Live Nation Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds
    Aug. 02 – Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheater
    Aug. 03 – The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
    Aug. 04 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion

  • NYS Music Heads West to Pitchfork Music Festival

    As a student in Upstate New York and a Midwestern native, I know a thing or two about catching a ride, hopping on a train, or—when it’s financially possible for my tuition-dominated budget—buying a plane ticket and heading to Chicago. While these trips usually take place over holidays, the ends of semesters, or any other event dictated by university scheduling, Pitchfork Music Festival is as good a reason as any to travel to the Windy City for a mid-July weekend.

    PitchFork

    Taking place in the west side’s Union Park July 19-21; this year’s festival will feature headlining acts from Björk, Belle & Sebastian, and R. Kelly. While the opportunity to see one of Iceland’s most iconic musicians, a group of indie-folk legends, and Chicago’s king of R&B is reason enough to make the trip west, it’s the entirety of Pitchfork’s 2013 lineup that makes it one of this summer’s most appealing festivals.

    Here’s a day-by-day overview of the acts I hope to see between stocking up on as many free Kind bars as possible and digging through the Chirp Record Fair:

    On Friday, gates will open several hours later than the festival’s two succeeding days. Although a delayed start time brings about a smaller number of performances on Pitchfork’s opening day, I’m certainly not worried about a shortage of exciting acts. My first stop will be the green stage, where Mac DeMarco will probably be wearing his backwards baseball cap and his faded, appropriately too-big button-up that compliments his jangly Canadian surf rock so perfectly. Shortly thereafter, I’ll catch some of Angel Olsen’s set, where the longing and the range in her vocals will remind me of Roy Orbison, and I’ll feel conflicted when I decide to leave early for Woods at the red stage. For a moment I’ll feel like I’m in California as Woods plays their west coast folk rock and I appreciate Union Park’s distance from the Chicago Loop, but a set from Mikal Cronin will remind me that I’m at my fourth fantastic performance of the day and there’s no where I could possibly be other than Pitchfork Music Festival.

    Phosphorescent is the act I’m most looking forward to on Saturday; with a 2:30PM set time, it’s also one of the first acts I’ll see on day 2. I recently became a fan of Phosphorescent after Matthew Houck released his 6th album, Muchacho, under the luminous moniker. Houck’s laid-back alt-country will be a suitably contrastive introduction to an afternoon/evening of punk rock (Pissed Jeans, Parquet Courts, Metz) and electronic instrumental music (Ryan Hemsworth, Andy Scott, Rustie). I haven’t yet figured out how I’m going to make it to all of these shows while finding time for The Breeders, who will be playing the entirety of Last Splash and Solange, who performs soul-infused, hip hop-influenced R&B much like her sister with a similarly mononymous name, Beyoncé.

    Chicagoans Tree and DJ Rashad will play opening sets on Sunday, representing the city’s underground hip hop scene and the recently evolved footwork genre. Foxygen takes the red stage at 1:45, playing a show I’ve been waiting for since the release of We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic in January. The psych-rock duo, whose music takes cues from 70’s acts like the Rolling Stones and Velvet Underground, are known to put on a wild performance, complimenting their energetic, occasionally frantic music. At 3:45 Waxahatchee will play the blue stage; whether it’s just Katie Crutchfield and her guitar—much like the majority of her debut album, American Weekend—or she plays with the full band featured on this year’s Cerulean Salt, doesn’t particularly matter to me, as both styles display the candid songwriting and the  wistful melodies that make her set one of my most anticipated of the weekend.

    With tickets still available at $50 per day, it’s not too late to plan a weekend trip to Chicago and be a part of Pitchfork Music Festival 2013. If such a plan isn’t necessarily feasible until next year, however, I’ll be back next week with a recap of the festival’s best shows, photos from all three days, and an approximate number of personally consumed Kind bars.

    Pitchfork Music Festival on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Website

  • Get Ready to Feel the Vibes: Preview of Gathering of the Vibes Festival July 25th-28th

    Gathering of the Vibes will celebrate its 18th year, returning July 25th – 28th to Bridgeport, Connecticut at Seaside Park. The four day music and art festival still has Weekend Camping Passes available for $225 as well as Single Day Tickets and Single Day VIP with discounts for Connecticut residents, Bridgeport city employees and active members of the military. “Although many Vibes veterans are local, we’re seeing our fan base expand beyond the tri-state area more and more each year. People are traveling from DC, LA, Philadelphia and even other countries,” commented Gathering of the Vibes founder, Ken Hays.

    vibes-Seaside-aerial lores

    The 2013 lineup includes Phil Lesh and friends for 2 nights with John Scofield and John Medeski, Gov’t Mule, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Black Crowes, The Funky Meters, Galactic, The Roots, Blues Traveler, John Scofield Uberjam, Grace Potter plus many more. The weekend begins on Thursday with Consider the Source, Original Strangefolk and Upstate New York’s Wild Adriatic starting the party, creating the perfect excuse for concert-goers to arrive early and set up fast. The music will be going nonstop even into the wee hours with late night performances from members of LCD Soundsystem, Thievery Corporation, Papadosio, and Kung Fu. There will also be a Silent Disco with costume themed nights; with Friday being “Jungle Love on the Beach” and Saturday “Pirate Pajama Party.” Due to popular demand, the late night stage will be open to single day holders on Friday and an additional $20 for Saturday.

    Besides having over 40 bands, Gathering of the Vibes offers an array of food and craft vendors, with a Kids Corner and Teen Scene with arts & crafts, plus an 85 foot Ferris wheel. Among the music and art for everyone, Vibes is the ideal festival for families and a timeless tradition. There will also be a “Non-profit Village” which showcases local and national non-profit organizations from all over the country, demonstrating that Gathering of the Vibes is a festival that cares.

    portrait_kenHaysFor the past 18 years, Ken Hays has put on the Vibes festival to bring people together to celebrate the spirit of good music and good times. Being a dedicated Grateful Dead fan, Hays and fans everywhere were seeking a void after Jerry Garcia died in 1995. Hays organized a small memorial for Jerry and friends to gather for a weekend retreat which overtime has evolved into a 20,000 person party on the beach, hosting legendary musical acts from all over the country. With Gathering of the Vibes quickly approaching, I was lucky to get some free time with the festival founder, Ken Hays.

    Susan Rice: This whole festival started from your love of Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead. What concert got you hooked and made you a lifelong fan? Do you have a favorite song/album?

    Ken Hays: Yea probably my first one which was November 10th 1985 at the Byrne Arena in New Jersey.

    SR: What was it about that show that got you hooked?

    KH: A combination of listening, having a love of the album “American Beauty” and seeing the band perform live and it wasn’t just the music. It was a sense of community. If someone bumped into another, they would smile and look each other in the eyes; there was a kindness that surrounded the Grateful Dead.

    SR: Do you ever travel to other musical festivals/concerts to get more ideas for yours?

    KH: I love music festivals. What I really want to do is to travel to Europe and further to expand some of the more unique and high profile festivals.

    SR: I’ve seen pictures and they look crazy.

    KH: Oh yea, there are some on mountain tops. Beautiful festivals and venues throughout the world, that host hundreds of thousands of people, through the course of a weekend.  They always seem to fall during the summertime where I am going a little bit crazy bringing the final approaches to Vibes.

    SR: What is new this year to Gathering of the Vibes that long time veterans have to look forward to?

    KH: I feel that we have a great lineup that is filled with great diversity and incredible musicianship. Many of the bands are not on the radio and you might not have heard of them but these are musicians and bands that are extraordinary in their live performance.

    SR: You’ve mentioned that you and your team will sit down to plan out the artist line up as well asking fans of who they want to see. Do you ever have big name bands/artists reach out to you first to join? If so, who?

    KH: Ya know, yea, Janes Addiction and Elvis Costello, who both performed in 2011. They were thrilled to be a part of the Vibes and something a little different. They were a huge hit with the Vibe Tribe.

    SR: This year, you are once again offering print at home tickets. As great as a convenience it is to fans, do you find this makes your job easier or harder at the gate?

    KH: It’s easier for attendees and for us at the gate. You have the ability of purchasing your ticket and scanning it on your iPhone. I think it’s the future of ticketing. Make it less expensive and more convenient for the ticket buyer. But additionally for us, operationally and logistically, scanning everybody and getting them settled in for a great weekend.

    SR: I’ve never traveled out to Connecticut or to Seaside Park for that matter. What makes it the ideal place to have Gathering of the Vibes?

    KH: Seaside Park is 370 acres of Long Island Sound, a mile and a half of beach and it’s a beautifully manicured park that was donated to the city by Mayor PT Barnum in 1975, with the condition that the park be open to the public and that it be reserved for recreational and artistic events.

    SR: Have you always had a great relationship with the town of Bridgeport especially with hosting a huge nonstop party?

    KH: The city has been awesome to work with, from the top down. They see the value of hosting Gathering of the Vibes at Seaside and we love the venue. Going 50 miles outside of NYC to find 370 beautiful waterfront acres is most unusual and unique. Year after year, vibes attendees come back with their kids. Last year we had just about 2,000 kids with their parents. I think that’s what differentiates Gathering of the Vibes from most festivals because there is a festival every weekend during the summertime throughout the country. As festivals continue to thrive, we’ve got a kids corner and teen scene, tons of fun interactive scenes for kids of all ages.

    SR: Do you think that Gathering of the Vibes will still be going strong in another 18 years?

    KH: In another 18 years? Haha I hope I’m doing good in another 18 years.

    SR: What advice do you have for me as a first time vibes goer?

    KH: I think that it’s important to wander about. That’s one of the beautiful things about Seaside is that the venue is laid out in such that, in a 5 minute walk you have access to all the activities, all the stages, all the craft and food vending and the artisan village. So walk around, experience all that there is and bring positive vibes and spread those vibes with others.

    Vibe Tribers can stay in touch with Gathering of the Vibes on Facebook, Twitter through the Vibes message boards.

  • The All-Inclusive Preview of Equifunk: The All-Inclusive Music Festival Part 2

    Equifunk: The All-Inclusive Music Festival is happening from August 16 to 18 this year and we’ll bring you previews and interviews with bands that will be playing the festival.  The All-Inclusive Preview is happy to take a look at The Nigel Hall Band to continue this series.

    Nigel Hall is a guardian of soul music who has said of himself that he “lives, eats, and drinks music.”  His shows bring a whole lot of funk from the moment they begin until the last note hits.  His energetic vocals always add an extra layer to the music no matter what band he is playing with.  Nigel is an established keyboard player laying down grooves that are easily danced to.  He is also a member of the funk band Lettuce and has played many times with Soulive, who are headlining Equifunk.  Look for Nigel to be around all weekend, dropping in on other bands’ sets as well as being a part of The Equifunk All-Stars set alongside Eddie Roberts, Stanton Moore, James Casey, and Pete Shand.

    Tickets are available now here.  Check out our full preview of the Equifunk festival here.

  • HALESTORM Shares the Stage with DAUGHTRY and 3 DOORS DOWN

    This week, Halestorm hits the stage for the first time with Daughtry and 3 Doors Down on several select dates, including Big Flats, NY on July 13th and Canandaigua, NY on July 16th.

    Halestorm:

    halestormFrom Red Lion, PA, Halestorm has not stopped rocking the stage since 2006, opening for bands like Chevelle, Shinedown, Evanescence, Stone Sour, Three Days Grace and many more. Band members consist of the Hale siblings, Lzzy (vocals/guitar) and Arejay (drums), Joe Hottinger (guitar), and Josh Smith (bass). Halestorm has released two full-length albums, their self-titled (2009) and The Strange Case Of…(2012). Through their hard work, the band won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for the song “Love Bites (So Do I)”. For sure, Lzzy Hale is ready to knock everybody out of the ballpark with her powerful pipes.

    Daughtry:

    Fronted by American Idol’s season 5 finalist, Chris Daughtry, this five-pieced band from McLeansville, NC hits the stage for a third tour leg with co-headliner 3 Doors Down. Band members consist of Chris Daughtry, Josh Steely (guitar), Brian Craddock (guitar), Josh Paul (bass), and Robin Diaz (drums). The band has released three albums, Daughtry (2006), Leave This Town (2009), and Break The Spell (2011), with a total of over 6.7 million records sold in the United States. Hit singles include “Over You”, “Home”, “It’s Not Over”, “No Surprise”, and many more. Daughtry is more than ready to show everyone what they have in store for this tour.

    3 Doors Down:

    Hailing from Escatawpa, Mississippi, this five-pieced band, consisting of Brad Arnold (vocals), Chet Roberts (guitar), Chris Henderson (guitar), Todd Harrell (bass), and Greg Upchurch (drums), hits the stage with Daughtry for a third time since the start of their co-headlining tour in December 2012. 3 Doors Down has released a total of five albums, The Better Life (2000), Away From the Sun (2002), Seventeen Days (2005), 3 Doors Down (2008), and Time of My Life (2011) with a total of 23 singles including “Kryptonite”, “Here Without You”, “When I’m Gone”, “Citizen/Soldier”, “It’s Not My Time”, “When You’re Young” and “Every Time You Go”. 3 Doors Down knows how to put on a hell of a show and they are ready to do so this summer.

    Be sure to check each of the band’s Facebook page for tour dates. This is a show you will not want to miss!

  • House of Blues 20th Anniversary Tour Headlined by HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD Hits NY

    To support the “House of Blues 20th Anniversary Tour”, Hollywood Undead headlines this NY tour with Escape the Fate, All Hail the Yeti and 3 Pill Morning throughout July, ending in West Hollywood. The tour hits Huntington 7/14 at The Paramount with Escape the Fate and then New York City at the Irving Plaza on 7/15.

    hollywood undead NYHollywood Undead:

    Hailing from Los Angeles, CA, Hollywood Undead brings the party to the stage with their catchy lyrics and beats. This six-pieced band with members Charlie Scene (vocals/guitar), Danny (vocals/guitar), Johnny 3 Tears (vocals/bass), Funny Man (vocals), J-Dogg (bass), and Da Kurlzz (drums), are well known for wearing unique masks while performing. Currently, the band has successfully released a total of three albums, Swan Song (2008), American Tragedy (2011), and Notes from the Underground (2013). Hollywood Undead has shared the stage with Escape the Fate, All Hail the Yeti, Pop Evil, American Fangs, Limp Bizkit and many more. They have also featured in May’s major rock festivals this past year, Welcome to Rockville, Carolina Rebellion, Rockfest, Rock on the Range, and Rocklahoma. Hollywood Undead knows how to have a good time and they are ready to share that with their ever-growing fan base.

    Escape the Fate:

    From Las Vegas, NV, Escape the Fate returns to the stage with Mabbitt’s chilling screams ready to haunt the back of fan’s minds as well as the band’s incredibly catchy tunes. Members consist of Craig Mabbitt (vocals), the Money brothers, Bryan “Monte” (guitar) and Michael (guitar), Thomas “TJ” Bell (bass), and Robert Ortiz (drums). The band currently has four albums out, Dying Is Your Fashion (2006), This War Is Ours (2008), Escape the Fate (2010), and Ungrateful (2013). Escape the Fate has toured with various bands including Papa Roach, Attack! Attack!, and Pop Evil, and they have featured in a few festivals this year, Rocklahoma, Rock on the Range, Lazerfest, and Download Festival. This band is more ready to show the concertgoers what they have up their sleeve.

    All Hail the Yeti:

    This is the band that has forsaken their hometown to become something more, to revive metal. Lead vocalist Connor Garritty formed the band in 2006 with ex-guitarist K.J. Duval. Current members include Craw NeQuent (guitar), Nick Diltz (bass) and Steve White (drums). Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel had the opportunity to interview NeQuent and Diltz back in March at Upstate Concert Hall when the band opened for In This Moment. “For those who don’t know what a yeti is, it’s a Himalayan Nepalese term for “bigfoot” so we’re all…well at least the singer and I are like real enthusiasts of all that kind of stuff…cryptozoology and bigfoot and all of that folklore and stuff and also we thought it fit the sound, just kind of a heavy, slow moving, crushing kind of persona. Backwoods, mythical, larger than life all of that stuff we feel like applies to the sound and the band also,” explained Diltz when asked about the band name. Fans look forward to what the band has in store for us.

    3 Pill Morning:

    From Minneapolis, MN, this small rock band’s first single “Loser” remained on rotation on the Top 100 chart on Active Radio for over 6 months. 3 Pill Morning has opened for Shinedown and In This Moment in Nebraska on select dates in the summer of 2012, as well as toured with Sevendust. The band involves Jeff Stebbins (vocals), Ryan Welch (guitar/keys), Ryan Lee (bass/vocals), and Trent Laugerman (drums). 3 Pill Morning is eager to share their material to the ever-adoring concertgoers.

    Overall, this is a superb lineup and these bands are ready to give their fans a night to remember. Be sure to catch them while they are in the state, this is one event you will not want to miss!

  • Come to Love All at All Good – A Preview of This Summer’s Hottest Music Festival

    The time is here for the 17th Annual All Good Music Festival on July 18- 21st at Legend Valley in Thornville Ohio. With that being said the lineup is unbelievable, with Furthur, Primus, Yonder Mountain String Band and Pretty Lights headlining throughout the weekend. This year’s All Good covers a broad spectrum of musical genres, with some killer late night acts as well as some chill daytime shows, sure to impress the most seasoned of festival goers.  All Good’s lineup will even highlight some newer bands to the festival scene.

    The festival will open on Thursday July 18th – opening bands John Scofield UberJam Band on the Dragon Stage and Toubab Krewe are set to get the party started. That’s two bands that will prime the whole fest, it only gets better from there. Thrown into this mix are bands Papadosio, Lettuce and Yonder Mountain String Band. Thursday night’s closing act is Beats Antique- who will be laying down heavy dance beats with a steamy belly dancing routine to entice and amaze all in attendance.

    The first full day of All Good has an amazing line up with Cabinet starting the day of at 9:30 am on the grassroots stage. The lineup for Friday is not going to disappoint with bands like Mojoflo, Fear Nuttin Band, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band (definitely worth checking out) and many other great bands throughout the day, the nighttime lineup is off the hook.  Les Claypool and his crew Primus will be up first followed by The Bridge and STS9. Closers Moon Hooch will finish up the lineup for the late-night show.

    At the apex of All Good on Saturday is reggae infused band Three Legged Fox. Saturday is when all the heavy hitters will be playing with bands such as The Sheepdogs, African ShowBoyz, Trombone Shorty, The Rex Jam, followed by Grace Potter and The Nocturnals , The Infamous Stringdusters, and Furthur featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, will close out the mainstage. Late night consists of The Werks, Pretty Lights, Founding Fathers – Andy Falco and Chris Pandolfi of the Stringdusters in their new electronic outfit and finally Upstate New York’s very own Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad.

    Sunday will be packed with some bands to recharge your batteries as the festival finishes out its final day. The day will start with the Revivalists from New Orleans with the lineup closing with Keller Williams and The Travelin’ McCourys, what an end to a lineup filled with amazing musicians, and festivities.

    This years All Good Festival has a few improvements from last years All Good, for starters the Horse Patrol is focused on leaving “ nothing behind and will clean up after their horses.” Safety and security in the campgrounds are all set with an entirely new security team – more seasoned to festivals then the crew that did security last year. The ancient fiberglass porto-johns have got an upgrade and there will be larger camping spaces. Vehicles that show up with 4 or more people will get the camping space of 2 vehicles. Also staff is prepared to get festival goers in and out of the show a lot faster every single time.

    This Year’s Complete Lineup:

    FURTHUR featuring Phil Lesh & Bob Weir, Pretty Lights, Primus, Yonder Mountain String Band, STS9, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, John Butler Trio, Keller Williams with The Travelin’ McCourys, Dark Star Orchestra, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Beats Antique, Leftover Salmon, Papadosio, The Werks, Lettuce, North Mississippi Allstars, John Scofield Uberjam Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, MarchFourth Marching Band, The Soul Rebels, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Bright Light Social Hour, The Bridge, Digital Tape Machine featuring Kris Myers and Joel Cummins of Umphrey’s McGee, The Revivalists, Kung Fu, The Sheepdogs, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, Moon Hooch, Fear Nuttin Band, Everyone Orchestra, Nahko And Medicine For The People, The Ragbirds, Cabinet, The Stepkids, Fruition, Superhuman Happiness, Founding Fathers, MojoFlo, Roosevelt Collier,The Rex Jam

    For a complete schedule or to purchase tickets please check out http://www.allgoodfestival.com

    Follow All Good

    @AllGoodFestival | FaceBook

  • The 23rd Annual Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance: Staying Different by Remaining the Same

    In this day and age where music festivals are popping up like a game of  Whack-A-Mole, it’s nice to know there’s an oasis of musical and arts gatherings right in our own backyard, one that is celebrating its 23rd consecutive year. That festival is Grassroots and that backyard is Trumansburg, NY.Grassroots Festival 23rd

    “The uniqueness of Grassroots really lies in the feeling where everyone who goes to Grassroots feels like a real part of the festival. You’re not being subject to an event, rather you’re part of it and creating your experience with everyone else, so everyone who comes to it is truly, a real part of it.” – Jeb Puryear, Donna the Buffalo

    Spawned from the brainchild of Donna The Buffalo members in 1990, the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance has evolved in many ways, uniquely, by not evolving. The festival has always stayed true to its roots (no pun intended) by offering the widest array of genres, cultures, instruments, ethnicities, flavors, beats and personalities of any festival in Upstate, which, in many ways, defies the current model of genre-specific festivals that have become so recently prevalent. This year’s lineup remains on par with that informal mission: attract the total diversity of people Upstate NY has to offer by offering the most diverse lineup to new and veteran festival goers July 18-21.

    “You know it’s really easy for a music festival to slide into that stereotypical niche of being hippie or whatever but I mean, yeah, sure I’m a hippie, but it’s a tough distinction to make. We get farmers and republicans to everyone. That’s one of our goals really is to make the masses of people, everyone from everywhere, to realize Grassroots can be a great event for everyone,” said Donna the Buffalo frontman Jeb Puryear in a recent interview. “The uniqueness of Grassroots really lies in the feeling where everyone who goes to Grassroots feels like a real part of the festival. You’re not being subject to an event, rather you’re part of it and creating your experience with everyone else, so everyone who comes to it is a truly, a real part of it.”

    Fresh off their latest album release, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, roots/zydeco/jam icons Donna the Buffalo returns home to the Finger Lakes to highlight this year’s extensive lineup.  In addition, other area acts include Sim Redmond Band, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, John Brown’s Body, Driftwood, Milkweed, Gunpoets, Thousands of One and Sophistifunk, among countless others. As always, some of the regulars will be making another appearance with Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band, and Preston Frank and His Family Zydeco Band keeping people kickin’ up their heels to ungodly hours each night in the infamous Grassroots Zydeco Tent. Other great acts include Rubblebucket, Rusted Root, Jim Lauderdale, The Town Pants and Chatham County Line but perhaps the largest draw of the festival (‘The Herd’ would contest) is expected to be for Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. Perhaps, however, most of Grassroots charm arrives from hearing music or artists you have never heard of or maybe never have consciously self-introduced: Genres spanning afrobeat to Cuban, bluegrass to soul or reggae to…dare I even say it, country music.

    One of those said “acts”, if you can call their ensemble that, is called Festival Au Desert – a Caravan of Peace. Hailing from Mali, a nation currently torn in turmoil among recent throngs of Al Qaeda influence, the Festival Au Desert refers to themselves, comprised of several different Malian musical groups, as a ‘Festival in Exile’ and they will bring that mobile caravan of global rhythms to Trumansburg July 18-21. “The Festival of the Desert thing is gonna be pretty cool. It’s a product of when the forces of global politics invade something as pure as music,” said Puryear. “Al Qaeda is in the northern part of Mali, and getting unruly and next thing they did was start going into the villages and started outlawing music and outlawing something like music in Mali is a pretty heinous thing, so they have this festival in the desert every summer and they didn’t feel like they could hold it safely over there, so they decided to take their festival on the road and we were lucky enough to get ‘em.”

    In addition to the non-stop music July 18-21 at the Trumansburg Fair Grounds, Grassroots also boasts eclectic mixes of art, dance, food and activities. Since 1990, the festival has appeared to really grow with some of its original attendees. In addition to growing up as a festival, Grassroots has also expanded to now include Grassroots Festivals in North Carolina and Florida. “First, in the beginning of it all, with some proceeds, we wanted to bring awareness to AIDS. We started as a musical event and we decided to make it to go towards helping some causes. We branched out to arts and education and essentially, by branching out to helping education and the arts, we are essentially furthering our original mission, which is music,” said Puryear.

    Essentially, the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance promotes arts and education, provides family-friendly entertainment, on-site camping and food, a relaxed, friendly vibe, a diverse lineup of never-ending music and great Finger Lakes Scenery. Yet, despite all of this, Puryear said he knows there are music lovers in Upstate New York who still have not yet made it to one of the past 22 installments. “Everyone in this area is good people. People who come and finally get there after hearing about it for years just end up having an unbelievable time. I can even begin to recommend anything more assuredly than telling people to go to Grassroots festival. It really is special.”

    ‘s recommendations for this year’s lineup: Donna the Buffalo, The Horse Flies, Driftwood, Chatham County Line, The SPAM Allstars, The Speckers, Aurelio Martinez, The Campbell Brothers, Rubblebucket, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. For a complete listing of Grassroots artists: please visit www.grassrootsfest.org

  • Neil Young and Crazy Horse with Patti Smith and Her Band will be rocking The Capitol Theatre on September 2nd

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    To have a chance to see a legendary band in a small venue is every concert goers dream.  To be able to see two legendary acts on the same bill in a small venue is more of a fantasy.  On September 2nd, Neil Young and Crazy Horse with Patti Smith and Her Band are coming to The Capitol Theatre, a venue that is legend in its own right.

    Starting last year, these two acts went out to arenas all over the country receiving rave reviews.  Patti Smith is always a good artist to see live, as she is still pushing the bounds of performance today, just as she has always done throughout her career.  Her latest album, Banga, came out last summer to critical acclaim and she mixes some of these songs into her set with well-known songs like “Because the Night” and “Horses”.  Her passion for music has not waned over the years one bit and she remains a force to be reckoned with on stage.

    Neil Young and Crazy Horse had not played together in almost ten years prior to last year, but a pair of albums, Americana and Psychedelic Pill brought them back together.  The tour last fall was getting a lot of love from fans all over the country.  When Neil plays with Billy Talbot, Ralph Moline, and Frank “Poncho” Sampedro, the sound that comes out of the four musicians makes it seem as if there are actually ten people on stage.  It is an onslaught of noise with beautiful grunge-laden jams, with some songs going for 20 minutes at a time.  This could be your last opportunity to see Neil with the Horse as there are rumors this could be the bands last go-round.  They have been splicing classics in with the new songs off of Psychedelic Pill to give the audience a history lesson of the band.

    Tickets for this show go on sale Friday at noon here.  Don’t miss this opportunity to see these two bands play together in such an intimate venue.