Category: Regions

A 3-Day Binge with Alestorm, Trollfest and Gypsyhawk – Oh, My!

I was originally scheduled to cover the Alestorm‘s New York City appearance on December 2, yet it ended up being a 3-day party saga that was surely nothing less than memorable!

One of the last few stops of this year’s Alestorm tour was hitting the Great Apple. Gypsyhawk was in charge of starting out the night. They found some warmth among the New York City fans – far from the cold temperatures of Canada, where they had just come from. They showcased California Rock n’ Roll at it’s finest (having persevered though the struggles of a broken down car) and delivered an energetic performance.

As always, it was expected that Trollfest would have the crowd in constant motion with everything from mosh pits, walls of death, crowd surfing and, of course, lots and lots of dancing. Since their last appearance in the city during the annual Paganfest, the local crowd has grown immensely. Their performance was quite the fun-fest. Not only did the silliness of the band make it so much more exiting, they interacted a lot with the fans; at some point they even played in the middle of the pit, as fans danced around them.

And when you think it doesn’t get any better than Trollfest, Pirate Metal comes along. Alestorm brought the party full circle as they delivered one of the most exiting and energetic set. The crowd surfers rained towards the front, as everyone else was dancing and singing along to the drunken pirate lyrics. Again one cannot emphasize enough the fact that the band takes the time to bond with their following. They brought some girls on stage to dance with them, and just joked around in between songs.

I’ve seen so many shows throughout the year, and I have to say, not only was this the top one for me, but it was the cherry on top to end this memorable year of gigs.

Follow Kassandra as she continues her 3-Day adventure.

Day 2:

Day 3:

December 30, 2013
Corey Taylor: Slipknot is not dead

The power of social media compels you. It’s been nearly three weeks since Slipknot announced drummer Joey Jordison‘s departure from the band, and fans of the Grammy Award winning group have little information to help put themselves at ease about their future. In fact, many have started to speculate that the veteran group out of Iowa has quietly called it quits.

The Metal Core, a heavy metal Facebook community out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, started voicing their concerns on their Twitter account Sunday night, and invited each of their 64 thousand followers to share their thoughts.

“It’s been hard,” added Richard Gomes, “and it’ll never be the same, but once a maggot always a maggot. I’ll always love them and [they] will never fail us.”

Slipknot frontman, Corey Taylor, continues to be optimistic over the band’s future. (Photo Credit: Irene Sassu)

Fans of the band affectionately refer to themselves as maggots.

“I think every band has its downs and ups,” said Nicole Shultz. But, Shultz continued to voice her support for her band. “I still am a maggot for life.”

The Metal Core touched upon three key points behind why many believe Slipknot is no more. Jordison is gone. The group last released an album with All Hope Is Gone in 2008. And, there was the 2011 death of bassist, Paul Gray.

At that time, Slipknot frontman, Corey Taylor, spoke candidly to Grand Rapids, MI radio station WGRD about the band’s fragility as it dealt with Gray’s death.

“Honestly, I’ve tried to figure out how to prepare for it and there really isn’t a way; you just kind of have to prepare yourself for what you’re going to do, and the emotions will naturally come.

“It’s gonna be a little bittersweet at the end of the day. But, you know, for me, this is kind of a baby step towards seeing what’s gonna happen later. And nothing is happening immediately; I can tell everyone that. We have no plans for an album, we have no plans to do anything other than this tour at the moment. But if it goes well, if everyone is able to kind of pull together and really do what’s right for Paulie, then we’ll see what happens.”

However, Taylor appears to be fully aware of his fan’s concerns today. The overflow of comments from fans apparently reached him over Twitter. Within four hours of The Metal Core posting their tweet, Taylor responded with the following:

As optimistic as Taylor sounds in his tweet to fans, it still leaves no more information than the band’s announcement three weeks ago. It may quell the rumors today, but until something solid comes to fruition soon, fans will be left to question what’s next? What remains fact, the band has not released an album in six years, a founding member of the band has left, and no solid plans have been announced (except that Taylor has been cast to appear in a new Robert Englund movie, called Fear Clinic).

The last time the band’s future was called into question, Taylor said the following in that same radio station interview:

“The only thing we’ve really sat down together as a band and talked about was the tour, and what we’re gonna do and whatnot,” Taylor said in 2011. “But I’m not the guy who’s gonna sugarcoat anything, I’m not the one who’s gonna spoonfeed false hope to the fans, especially about something like this. If this tour doesn’t work, this band might be over — straight up. And I’m not gonna lie; I’m not the guy that’s going to lie to the fans. I’m telling people as it is, because people [keep asking me], ‘Any U.S. dates?’ I’m like, ‘Slow down, Beavis. Can we get through this and see what happens?

“It’s still a shock, man. I’m gonna be getting on stage without my brother. So until things make sense for me, I’m not gonna be the cheerleader — I just can’t be. First of all, the fans would see through it. Second of all, I would feel terrible being that guy. So as long as I just keep it real and keep it in perspective, we’ll see what happens.”

December 30, 2013
Kollectiv and Groovestick: Funky and Lucky on Friday the 13th

The last Friday the 13th of 2013 brought together lucky music lovers to The Hollow in Albany for two of Upstate New York’s homegrown talent. With the holidays around the corner, it’s understandable for fans and musicians to want to soak up each other’s cheerful energy with live music. The Kollectiv, a rap rock funk band, was having their first reunion show in months, kicking off their short tour in Albany. The Capital District’s own Groovestick was first to take the stage and were eager to test out their new stage setup.

Drummer Franz Celestin and keyboard master Chris Carballeira now face each other with bassist Dan Gerken standing strong in the eye of the storm, taking inspiration from one of their favorite bands, The New Deal. Now with more eye contact and exposed body language, the musicians can read each other better and have strengthened their already impressive fluidity. Regardless of the layout, Groovestick still gave out goosebumps with their jazz and funky flow. Carballeira glides over the keys of the Hammond 33 organ, providing an intense blues and psychedelic sound, causing new appreciation for vintage instruments everywhere. Gerken plays slow and ripplely chords until causing a commotion with the tease of the infamous bass line from Phish’s “Stash” while Celestin fires away on the cymbals at every speed level.

Originally from Oneonta, musicians from The Kollectiv have been traveling different paths experimenting with various projects around the country but lucky for Upstate New York, they came home for the holidays. What makes The Kollectiv stand out above the other bands is their usage of turntables. They have a soulful and funky vibe from their instruments but with the combination of the turntables, it adds attitude and flavor. Their groove is undeniable especially with the steady bass of Chris Duffy and firm beats of Frantz Celestin, who is still a powerhouse after rocking with Groovestick beforehand. Lars Viola yells out, “We haven’t been in the same room together for months. It feels so good to be home” as long awaiting fans couldn’t agree more. Their sound is almost similar to a softer version of Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2 – no offensive language, but creative word spitting with a fantastic blend of rap and rock music. Each song is so different in that one is a “no worries street smarts” and the next moment Taylor Frederick is shredding on guitar before the music slowly grooves into a reggae dance party. It’s a shame that The Kollectiv shows are rare but they are always worth the experience and we can only hope for more in the new year ahead.

December 28, 2013
Brothers Past and Digital Dharma Throw it Down at The Hollow

Brothers Past and Digital Dharma took stage for a packed house at the Hollow on December 21^st. Digital Dharma were on first, starting the night on a great foot, opening with “Mission Control -> Moonstruck”. Eliot Kershner never ceases to amaze on the keys and synth as he brings complex layers that intertwine with each of the musician’s key facets of the band to create a new and fresh sound within electronic music. Each member in the band plays off one another in such a way that each members unique sound is heard even in the most intense jams. This was Digital Dharma’s guitarist Jesse Radosti’s last show, and while it was bittersweet it was certainly a high energy set for him to close the curtain to.

Brothers Past took the stage, bringing their signature upbeat dance jams to The Hollow’s crowd. The bad is known for its dance tunes, surrounded by heavy jams and compiled by some of the most talented musicians on the scene. Unlike most jam and electronic bands, Brothers Past integrates vocals into almost all of their songs. Often times within jam bands, it is easy to lose the vocals amid the competing instruments and heavy jams, but Brothers Past has always done a phenomenal job keeping that scale at an even keel. Bands like BP have the capability of melding the organic and electronic aspects of both worlds and creating a new facet in the jam community. Brothers Past has followed in the footsteps of their Philly brethren the Disco Biscuits, and while their exposure is still on the up and up, it is clear that they are destined for great things within the music community. The band played two sets, both of which were packed with intensity and kept the crowd moving from start to finish. Clay Parnell laid down venue shaking bass lines matched by Tom Hamilton’s guitar to create a crushing set of multifaceted musical talent. It was certainly a good night for music in Albany; hopefully Brothers Past will make Albany a regular stop on their touring circuit.

You can catch Brother’s Past 12/26 at the Best Buy Theater alongside The Disco Biscuits, or their late night set at B.B. King’s the same night.

December 27, 2013
Syracuse Will Ring in 2014 With Jimkata and The Manhattan Project At The Westcott Theatre

Syracuse jamizens are in for a treat this New Years Eve as two of New York’s hottest up and coming acts converge upon the Westcott Theatre for a night of excessive face melting. Kicking things off is Rochester’s electro-versatile duo of The Manhattan Project. Drummer Shawn Drogan and keys master Charles Lindner have had a huge year playing in excess of 60 shows of their electronica inspired mastery. Unlike typical EDM acts, these two strive to mix things up with well ordered combinations of their unique and jammed out originals and done-their-way covers.

Bringing in the New Year in style will be Ithaca’s hottest act, Jimkata. The four-piece shares their own electronica inspired influences, but bring plenty of multiple genre side journeys in their itinerary that have electrified audiences from coast to coast. The band has been touring heavily this fall in support of their fan funded critically acclaimed newest release, Die Digital. Jimkata also just dropped their first live album, 10 More Songs which is available on iTunes.

Doors open promptly at 8PM for the $20, show which includes the obligatory complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Tickets can be purchased online here. Finish 2014 in style as this one promises to be an experience to remember. The Westcott Theater is located at 524 Westcott St, Syracuse, NY 13210.

December 27, 2013
The Wooten Brothers Light Up The Egg

The Wooten Brothers are not your average family. They have been playing music together for their entire lives and it shows in the way they perform on stage. Victor, Joseph, Roy “Futureman,” and Regi play with each other with such ease that it seems like they could do it in their sleep. On Sunday, December 15, they brought their latest tour to The Egg and played beautifully for their entire two hour performance.

The evening started with Joseph coming out alone, joking with the audience about his birthday being that night and bringing the rest of his brothers out for a Sly Stone medley of songs. Once the medley ended the brothers began doing a slew of originals that let each member show how talented they were. Whether it was Joseph on the piano leading R&B ballads, Victor taking the lead on his bass for funkier numbers, or Regi displaying his guitar mastery on the heavier rock songs, each brother proved why they are up on that stage every night. Roy “Futureman” kept the brothers on point with his steady playing all night on the drums. He played a regular drum set all night, which is unusual for him as he has an electronic percussion unit for drumming with him more often than not, but he even played that differently as his bass drum was horizontal so he could play it with his hand instead of his foot.

The brothers told stories between their songs and joked with the audience. During a James Brown medley, Joseph began to ask for hitting and quitting just like the godfather of soul used to. His “hit is on 52” was very funny and appropriate as it was his 52^nd birthday, and the crowd enjoyed every second of it. The band even paid tribute to their fifth brother, Rudy, who died a few years ago, with the ballad “Make Me Like a Child.” It was a touching moment that clearly showed how much these brothers care about one another. The Wooten Brothers are all virtuosos at their respective instruments and it is always a treat to see them play. In the small confines of The Egg, it truly felt like a private performance for a few friends. After the show was over, all of the brothers showed their appreciation to the audience by sticking around to sign things and talk with anyone who wanted to. It was a great gesture by them and a perfect way to end the evening.

December 26, 2013
Merry Upstate Metal Xmas

Right about now, we expect most of you are hung over on Stewart’s Egg Nog and family bickering. And, we’re absolutely positive that if you hear Dominick the Donkey one more time, you’re going to kill someone with that Fender guitar you just got. Merry Xmas from Upstate Metal.

So, with that said we’re bringing back what we’ve found on Al Gore’s Interwebs, hoping to find what others are doing today.

Here’s your little bit of valium.

The economy has been improving across upstate New York, but some of us still find it difficult to rub two pennies together.
One of our competitors, the Capital Region’s Metroland, has witnessed the residual effects of the Great Recession, first hand. Above, a parent appears to be bragging over his or her Dickensian approach to soften the blow to the kids.
“I told my kids, ‘it’s Jesus’ birthday, not your birthday. You’re not getting anything’.”
Ouch!
That’s a tough pill to swallow right there. Hopefully Santa Claus found his way there last night. Something made from the heart is always better than something bought. Remember that, kids.

KISS’ Gene Simmons and his family paid a visit to Uncle Huge at the Playboy Mansion for an epic holiday party on Christmas Eve.
He took a moment to snap off a picture of his 21-year-old daughter, Sophie Tweed Simmons, snuggling up to a 20-foot tall Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Sophie has been in the headlines herself, having competed briefly on Fox Network’s The X Factor, last year. And, earlier the year, English newspaper The Daily Mirror published photographs of her in her thong bikini, while on vacation with her boyfriend in Ha’waii.
Sophie is one of two daughters between Simmon and 1982 Playboy Playmate of the Year, Shannon Tweed.

Halestorm lead singer, Lzzy Hale uploaded a photo of the family Christmas Tree from her mother’s house. this morning.
2013 has been a good year for the Hale family. After releasing their second album The Strange Case Of… in April of 2012, the song “Love Bites (So Do I)” won their first Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance on February 10, 2013.
Halestorm is scheduled to launch a 12-stop European tour on April 1, 2014. The band just recently stopped in our area to perform. Go take a look for an awesome write-up and fantastic photos of the band.

Vince Neil cares not for a White Christmas, at least not on his Christmas card that pictures him and girlfriend, Rain Andreani.
The 52-year-old, former frontman of Motley Crüe, is currently dating the 32 year-old hair dresser while separated from his fourth wife, Lia Gerardini. Neil married Gerardini in 2005, but announced their separation in 2010.
Neil made headlines in late 2012 after collapsing on stage at a concert in Sydney, Australia. Aside from music, the hard rocker ventured into the Gentlemen’s Club business, opening Deja Vu Presents: Vince Neil’s Girls Girls Girls in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Girls, Girls, Girls was the Crüe’s forth studio album, released back in 1987.

Black Label Society frontman, Zakk Wylde is absolutely giddy over the Arthur Fonzarelli doll he apparently received from under the tree this morning.

The 46-year-old founding father of the LA rock group is certainly young enough to remember Happy Days from before its time in syndication. And, for those of us old enough to remember the ultra-cool character that was made famous by Henry Winkler can completely understand the excitement over receiving such a gift.

This has been a busy year for Wylde and his crew. Following the release of Unblackened, the boys went out and participated in this summer’s Gigantour IV, along with Megadeth, Device, Hellyeah, Newsted and Death Division. Wylde is reportedly working on material for yet another release next year. Since the band’s inception in 1998, the band has launched nine studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, an EP and three video albums.

The posting of Wylde’s mug in full scream makes one wonder if he’s truly excited over getting The Fonz, or is he trying to release the tension from his all of his work.

There could also be that fact that he’s upset over the departure of Nick “Evil Twin” Cantanese from BLS. Cantanese, who has been with the band since the start, reportedly set sail on December 2.

In case you’re looking to spend some recently acquired cash, a vintage Happy Days‘ Fonz doll from 1976 is currently selling on eBay for $26. (Imagine how much it would have been worth had he never jumped that shark.)

Orianthi Panagaris was recently getting into the festive spirit, as shown here from a picture she posted on her Instagram account a few days ago, apparently stealing shit out of her Christmas Tree’s closet.

Or, maybe, that’s how they dress where she’s from in Australia.

The amazingly gifted guitarist is currently in between tours, having closed out traveling with Alice Cooper over the past several months as part of the 98Rock Halloweenie Roast.

The 28-year-old released her third studio album, Heaven in This Hell, this past March and ultimately earned a three out of five stars from Allmusic.com. A deluxe version of the album was subsequently released this past September, which included three extra tracks.

For you stalkers who have yet to happen across her Instagram account, well, go Google it. But, I’ll tell you, the girl’s got a special relationship with that phone of hers. It’s not uncommon to see four or five updates on her account on any given day. Of course, the girl was just touring, and she gifted her fans with plenty of images from behind the scenes.

She goes back on the road next March, as she’ll meet up again with Cooper overseas as part of the European Rock Meets Classic Tour.

Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year’s to you all from UpstateMetal!

December 25, 2013
Ocupanther Three-Hour Set on DubLand Rochester

When Ocupanther plays Rochester, even the most loyal fans can expect a few surprises and sharp new tunes. December 6th was no exception as Ocupanther returned to Dubland Underground on a snowy Friday night that saw a room full of old friends and curious new faces. Ocupanther has a knack for capturing these types of diverse audiences, and the reason is two fold.

First, the music is captivatingly genre-bending, but still accessible on a broader level. The bands opening song for the evening, “The Great Oxygenation”, is a perfect example of such. With patiently buoyant synth grooves layered on top of warm, locomotive bass lines and heavily syncopated percussion, Ocupanther welcomes listeners like greeting an old friend. “TGO” then launched directly into “Yerkrewrun”, a new song in the lineup, which took the energy of the room to the next level while showcasing the groups ability to write some damn complex music, building patterns and changing time without losing their signature meditative peaks-and-valleys.

The second major factor of Ocupanther’s appeal, a band priding themselves on composition over improvisation, are their studio efforts. For a band that doesn’t play too frequently, they are workhorses when it comes to writing and preparing. The night showcased seven songs that have yet to appear on an album, all of which showed new depths of musicianship and warm beats marrying dark rhythms. Their two albums, Progressor (off which the group played four tracks on Friday) and Troncoso (three tracks) are of a sound quality and caliber rarely seen on an ‘independent’ level. This craftsmanship and attention to detail is refreshing in a scene that is often dominated by quantity over quantity and one-off chance happenings.

All that said, the Ocupanther live show is an experience in its own right, guaranteeing audiences will move from beginning to end. Some favorites of Friday evening included the new, pumping dance tune, “Obtuse Snoot”, late-set dueling guitar machine guns covered by a steady rhythm section on “Gunther Splitchicks”, and a welcome instrumental cover of “I Feel Love”. Once again Ocupanther threw the type of party you can’t afford to miss on a Friday night (especially when the show is free) while proving their chops on a musical and professional level and continuing to look forward. With a new album on the horizon, expect more big surprises and music that stirs the pot of what to expect from our local scene.

See Ocupanther January 28th at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo at 9pm with Ajamaja and DejaFuze.

Setlist: The Great Oxygenation> Yerkrewrun> Misunderstanding Hugs, Treat Me Like A Telescope*, Stompgoat, Progressor, Mike Chases His Pony, I Feel Love#, Ghostless, Gunter Splitchiks, Pyromancer>Obtuse Snoot, Naga Jolokia, Fraktura, Troncoso

Encore: Holy Jeffery

* First Time Played
# Donna Summer Cover

December 23, 2013
Jimkata, Squid Parade, and FiKus Rock the House at the Oneonta Theater

On Friday, December 6th at the Oneonta Theater, the crowd was in for a treat with a spectacular showcase of exquisite young talent on display. Starting off the evening was Squid Parade, a hometown band who really seemed to have their act together. A tight band with sick bassist Pete Piscitelli, the band managed to pull off complicated rhythms with ease. Drummer, Emmett Rozelle, who could have easily been seen playing in an ‘80s hair band had enough raw energy to fuel the rest of the more serious band members. Their awesome cover of the night was “No Quarter”, which they played with extreme accuracy.

Following was FiKus, featuring another killer bassist, Travis Paparoski, this time on the six-string bass. Their keyboardist Jon Schmarak seems to be heavily influenced by Marco Benevento, with the band playing as their third song of the set “Michael Phelps”, one of their more popular tunes that successfully channels Benevento’s style and demonstrates just how talented this young keyboardist is. The percussionist Pete Kozak doubled as lead singer/rapper, and he had a great voice, but the lyrics were at times drowned out by the other instruments. The band members looked like they were truly enjoying themselves on stage, which came through in the incredible energy of their tunes. Much of their song list had a “video game rock” kind of feeling.

The headliner of the night was Jimkata, a relatively-close-to-hometown band, hailing from Ithaca. Jimkata always seems to draw a crowd of familiar faces to the Oneonta Theater. Complete with local area fire dancers who took their act indoors for this show, using cool light toys instead of flames (although sometimes distracting, taking attention away from the music itself), Jimkata put on a rockin’ show.

Start with a base of disco and ‘90s pop-rock, mix in some electronic sounds and techno beats, and you end up with Jimkata’s signature style of “electro-funk”. A sine wave of sound seemed to permeate throughout the set, giving a real feeling of drive and continuity. The band was definitely not shy about letting the audience know they got bass, which came through in the crowd’s enthusiasm and consistent bopping along to the tunes. The band’s drummer Packy Lunn has a great command of rhythm, managing to keep the rest of the band together during their more rhythmically tricky songs. The last song of the set, “American Cars”, had a particularly electronic feel to it, featuring double keyboards by Aaron Gorsch and Dave Rossi. Responding to the audience’s insistence on one more song, Jimkata came back out with a duo of two more spacey numbers, “Die Digital > Roll With the Punches”, to send everyone on their way home on an upbeat note, excited to come back to check out Jimkata the next time they come to town.

December 23, 2013
Brothers Past Comes To The Hollow December 21st

Brothers Past will return to Albany December 21st to throw down another epic show at The Hollow at 79 North Pearl Street to celebrate the Winter Solstice. The night will be opened by Albany’s own local electronic, jam based band Digital Dharma.

Brothers Past are a Philadelphia based indie-electronic jam band who have toured across the nation playing large festivals such as Bonnaroo, SXSW, Langerado, Wakarusa and Albany’s own Camp Bisco. Since their arrival on the music scene in 2001, Brothers Past has made their mark as an extremely influential and talented force within the jam community.

The show will start at 9 pm and doors will open at 8 pm. Tickets are 12$ prior, and 15$ at the door.

Brother’s Past| Facebook| @BrothersPast

December 21, 2013