NYS Music 20​13

Category: Beyond NYS

  • Interview: Brian “Head” Welch & JR Bareis of LOVE AND DEATH

    The lights dim down at the Upstate Concert Hall, only things really lit are the banners that represent the upcoming band.

    Three band members step onto the stage; a young man with long blonde hair and his eyes were decorated with zig-zag eyeliner, held a guitar, indicating his role in the band. The bassist wore whiteout contact lenses and a long sleeved striped shirt. The drummer, sat behind his kit in dark clothing, hair in front of his face, a bit difficult to see. Finally, the man we all knew from the band we all love, made his presence known when he stepped onto the stage with his arms crossed in front of him. Suddenly, a different kind of metal started to play from the speakers. Throughout the speedy setlist with the cover of Korn‘s “Blind”, a sea of bobbing bodies took over the venue mixed with head banging and fist pumping. The music was incredible and fresh, but the big question was: who is this band? Ladies and Gents, introducing the band combined with Korn and Pantera (“Korntera“, if you will), Love and Death, featuring Brian “Head” Welch from Korn as their lead singer.

    Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel had the incredible opportunity to interview Brian and the band’s lead guitarist, JR Bareis, in one of the cozy backstage rooms with black leather couches. Among the many topics, the history behind Brian’s nickname came to light. “I was named it when I was a kid, my head grew before my body hit puberty and so they made fun of me.”

    After sharing a few laughs, the topic changed to Love and Death and how Brian recruited the members through YouTube auditions. “To save time, ’cause I didn’t want to fly people out because everybody lived in different states, so I was like, ‘I’m not gonna fly no one out, I don’t got that cash nowadays’ and I can tell if they’re a good fit, like just listening to them and watching them play and just feeling their vibe.” However, JR felt very differently about the auditions, having to do it locked up in his room and rock out like he was on the stage “It’s awkward…it’s weird and I didn’t move around as much when I first joined but after playing a lot…I went from playing worship music to like this band so it was a big change.”

    When asked about his biggest influences, Head gave off quite the list from AC/DC to Pantera. JR told Head that he was his biggest influence in both a joking yet serious manner, changing the subject to the release of the first Korn record in 1994, JR not born yet whilst Drexel was two years of age at the time, and mentioned that he was in college. After sharing a few more laughs, the influences topic returned, Head spoke of another big influence, Rage Against the Machine. “We took that passion and took it to a more darker, trippier place, but they are a huge influence. I’m surprised more people didn’t connect that… we all love that type of music and we did it right with his album, so we’re happy.” Head revealed that all of their songs come from JR (who he referred to as Gary) to which he responded that it comes to him randomly and all of the songs written were used on the album. “I think, back in Korn and stuff, I think God inspires all gifts for all different kinds and I think they all, like in Korn in back in the day, like corn came from Him, they got cloudy from all the drugs and stuff, and the drinking so we couldn’t write good stuff, anymore, like towards the last couple of years that I was there, so now I just believe that it all comes back from God, too because He’s the giver of all gifts,” explained Head. Drexel then told Welch that she currently attends a Catholic college where they have a bit of a conversation of the school’s environment.

    When asked about how the band became part of the In This Moment tour, Welch mentioned that it had something to do with the band’s management and was unsure on how they got to be part of this incredible opportunity. As for their downtime, “Sleep….I don’t have a lot of downtime lately, which is pretty cool because I’ve had a lot of downtime before but it just seems like…but I like to read and just get filled up spiritually in my catholic school…I read a lot of catholic books, that’s my high.”

    Love and Death is scheduled to play at this year’s Rock on the Range. Be sure to catch them on tour and check out their record, Between Here and Lost, because this is one you will not want to miss out on.

  • Review: TRAPT, 3 PILL MORNING, and ACIDIC

    Monday night, Acidic,3 Pill Morning and Trapt rocked the small local venue of Brighton Music Hall, where Kate Drexel was able to catch the show and do interviews with 3 Pill Morning’s lead vocalist, Jeff Stebbins, and Trapt’s Chris Taylor Brown.

    The mixed chatter that bounced off the brick walls of Brighton Music Hall died down as soon as the lights dimmed. The show was about to begin with Hollywood’s favorite small band, Acidic, opening with one of the tracks from their recent record, “Drive Thru”. The crowd began to warm up to this entrancing, incredible sound and vibe the band gave off. Before the second song, “The Brave”, Mike Gossard (vocals) dedicated it to the people of Boston for their strength, referring to the recent marathon bombing. Through the speedy setlist, Mike introduced the next song, a cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together” and invited Trapt’s drummer, Dylan Howard, to do guest drumming along with their drummer, Matt Whitaker. Gossard ran through the crowd while singing soulfully and jumped onto the bar, taking everyone by surprise. He made his way back to the stage to continue the setlist with the performance of “Satellite”, “Copper Man” and “Strata Red”.

    After Acidic’s killer performance, it was 3 Pill Morning’s turn to blow everyone out of the ballpark. The chatter once turned into cheers once the lights dimmed and their ears were filled with a song with electronic beats. The band members came on stage one by one dressed very formally to the theme of their latest record, Black Tie Love Affair. They began with “Revolution” and once the song ended, the electronic beat was back. Before their second song, “Nothings Real”, Stebbins introduced the band to the audience then proceeded to perform. “I Want That For You” had the whole crowd jumping, a sea of bobbing bodies. In the middle of the set, Stebbins toasted to Boston. The speedy setlist ended with their well-known single, “Loser” and “Skin.” This was one very explosive, energetic band that connected with their fans. “We’re just turning that live show into something that’s special instead of sitting at home, not doing anything or listening to the CD on Spotify. We want people to come out and have that experience with us,” said Stebbins after the show, when asked to describe their live performances. Next to hit the stage, the main event, Trapt.

    The anticipation grew immensely as the crew set up the stage for Trapt. Finally, the cue that it was time for them to make their presence known. The audience cheered drunkenly and wildly as the whole band stepped upon the stage. The lights shown upon Chris Taylor Brown’s face as he asked the crowd the question that was the title to the first song, “Who’s Going Home With You Tonight?” By the end of that song, Brown dedicated their second song, “Waiting”, to the strength of Boston causing the crowd to cheer very loudly. He gave a very powerful, spin-chilling speech before the performance of their third song, “End of My Rope”. “Bring It” had the concertgoers bouncing to the rhythm of the song. Occasionally, Brown brought out his guitar to a few of the songs. The way the lights hit the stage while Trapt was playing gave off a very intimate feel, and a sense of connection with the fans was very evident. Before each song, Brown gave incredible explanations behind those songs and performed them with great energy. The setlist ended with their latest single, “Love Hate Relationship”, “Still Frame” which had the audience jumping yet again, “Stand Up” and of course, their very famous single, “Headstrong” to which the audience sang along and bounced to. “It’s just one of those songs that’s kind of like the attitude of what we’re about, that’s not being trapped and not feeling the way we did and freeing ourselves from the confines of everything that you are automatically thrown into and it’s that attitude that we’re not gonna conform into anybody’s will and we’re always going to be headstrong,” explained Chris, when asked about the story behind the song.

    All in all, incredible, energetic vibes and just the kind of show Boston needed after what they went through. This was the night that the headstrong band met the headstrong city.

  • LITA FORD releases new video for “Mother”

    Heavy Metal’s original blond rocker, Lita Ford released a video for her single “Mother” this week.  The song comes from Lita’s latest solo effort Living Like a Runaway that was released last summer on Steamhammer/SPV.  The video was directed by Lit’as former Runaway bandmate, bassist Victory Tischler-Blue.

    Lita added this about the video and the song “Mother”: “Mother is my song to my beautiful sons.  I know they will see the truth one day.  They will always have a place in my heart, which bleeds for them through this song.”  The song is about Parent Alienation. Parental alienation is a social dynamic, generally occurring due to divorce or separation, when a child expresses unjustified hatred or unreasonably strong dislike of one parent, making access by the rejected parent difficult or impossible.  Something that is an unfortunate consequence of spending years on the road touring the country and in Lita’s case, the World.

  • Heart in Hand “Almost There”

    Brit rockers, Heart in Hand, kick-off their second album “Almost There” locally on May 14th.  Produced by Pedro Texeira, they blend together melodic, transcendental instrumentals along with barking lyrics that define their hardcore roots. Front man, Charlie Holmes and crew are apparently excited about what the band calls, “quite simply a masterclass in how to create a truly engaging Hardcore record.”

    One should be able to appreciate some real talent from this group.  In “Old Tattoos”, I was caught up in the ethereal guitar play between Ollie Wilson and Ed Hartwell. It’s perhaps the best (nearly) three minutes on the entire CD that is distantly akin to Dream Theatre. And, you’ll see the same kind of play under tracks “Proposal” and “Vows”. Wilson and Hartwell have no trouble flipping the switch back to the hard stuff to accompany Holmes as well.

    I’m not certain I’d be quick to call this one a “masterclass” but Heart in Hand certainly wears their collective heart upon their sleeve in this installment. I give props to Holmes for actually sounding coherent throughout the majority of the CD. But, I have genuine concern for him when I hear the lyrics. For example, from their title track, “You’re the one. Can you save me from myself? Keep me by your side (and) don’t let me go.” I feel that I’m handling someone who is emotionally unstable, and that I should be careful with what is written here. Matters get worse, psychologically, under the eighth track “Old Tattoos.” “I don’t know how I always find a way to forgive you, but I do.  And, I always will. I’m nothing without you.”  It’s like an anthem for unhealthy, dependent relationships. If you can relate to these lyrics, seriously, seek help. I digress.

    I have to admit, the band play on the instrumentals seemed to showcase this band’s talent at its best. Set aside the merits I paid to Holmes for the relative clarity in his singing, but there appears to be a rift in the caliber of performance from when he sings and when he does not. It should be noted that this difference could be a deliberate attempt to move the listener with what the band describes as “soaring peaks and bitter lows.”  Blending together dream-like instrumentals with typically harsh metalcore lyrics was entertaining and done well. Nevertheless, I can’t help but recognize the prophetic nature of the album’s title.

    For more information, visit the band on Facebook: Facebook.com/heartinhandukmh

  • Summer Camp Music Festival – One of the Best Lineups This Summer Features 8 Upstate NY Bands

    For the past decade, Summer Camp Music Festival has been on the radar of live music aficonados, as it unofficially kicks off the summer festival season, and this year features 8 bands from Upstate NY. Living in the Northeast, we have our own kickoff for summer festival season, StrangeCreek in Greenfield, MA. But finally, the stars have aligned and in 3 short weeks, will be headed to Chillicothe, Illinois to cover Summer Camp Music Festival!

    summer camp upstate ny

    And we couldn’t have picked a better year to be there! Upstate New York has not just founder of Summer Camp, moe., but EIGHT Upstate New York bands are on the extensive lineup, bringing the best of Upstate to the Midwest. Among the rest of the bands on the lineup, which includes Umphrey’s McGee, Thievery Corporation, Trey Anastasio Band, Lotus , Cornmeal, Dopapod, Keller Williams, Conspirator, Lettuce, Big Gigantic, Tauk and dozens more, Upstate New York is represented by Floodwood, Jimkata, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Timbre Coup, Project Weather Machine, Aqueous, John Brown’s Body and of course, moe. There is rarely a festival outside the Northeast to feature so many bands from the Upstate New York region, showing that these acts are making names for themselves beyond their region and branching out to newer and broader fan bases around the country.

    This installment of Summer Camp isn’t just the best yet, it is also one of the best lineups anyone could ask for. For four days and nights, central Illinois will be rocking from noon till nearly dawn with some of the best jambands, electronic acts, bluegrass groups, reggae troupes and ensembles of every genre imaginable. The folks at Canopy Club have outdone themselves, and that’s saying a lot when you look back at previous lineups.summer camp upstate NY

    Mike Armintrout, one of the promoters for Summer Camp, had this to say about the bands hailing from Upstate New York and the Northeast: “Being that moe. is such a major part of Summer Camp, and has been since the first year (2001), bands from their home area clearly hold a special place with them and therefore with the festival.  Over the years we’ve had a number of acts from the Northeast and Upstate NY on the festival.  This year we’re excited about the return of a number of Northeast-based acts like Medeski Martin & Wood, The Wood Brothers, The Pimps of Joytime and Jimkata.  As well as a first-time appearance by some other great acts from the region like Lettuce, Dopapod, Project Weather Machine and Aqueous.  The Northeast continues to have a foothold at the Summer Camp Music Festival.”

    This, the 13th installment of Summer Camp will be nothing short of magical, but with so much music to see, the task of knowing what to see is daunting. For your consideration, may we interest you in the acts from Upstate New York, all worthy of an hour of your time, and quite possibly, many hours of listening in the future…

    moe.

    Summer Camp was founded by moe. in 2001, on the heels of their incredibly successful moe.down, now in it’s 14th year. Playing six sets during the weekend, odds are you’ll be seeing plenty of moe., and that you don’t need us to tell you of their involvement of putting this festival together. moe. plays the mainstage each night on the main stage.

    “It’s interesting, when we all get togeher, it doesn’t matter if its moe. or Floodwood, there’s definitely a thing about being from the Northeast and being from Upstate NY. You don’t really know it until you leave and get out of the Northeast and leave Upstate New York and run into people from Upstate in another geographical part of the country … we were on the road with Floodwood recently and ran into someone in  Asheville, NC. This guy spent a lot of time in Upstate and said ‘I miss Upstate New York, the sarcasm, the food, the everything … when I hang with you guys for a couple days, it takes a bit to readjust (attitude-wise) with my wife.” – Al Schnier, Guitar/Mandolin/Vocals, moe. and Floodwood

    Jimkata

    Hailing from Ithaca, Jimkata has begun to draw sizeable crowds throughout the country, combined electronic music with rock and progressive jams. Their recent album Die Digital has been a huge hit and led to incredible sets as they stretch into the south and Midwest. Read an interview with Evan Friedell of Jimkata with ’s Johnny Goff.  Few acts from the Northeast have risen as fast as Jimkata has. To see them live is a pure treat for the ears and eyes. If you like electronic rock, you’d be hard pressed to find better. Check them out from 6-7pm on Sunday in the Vibe Tent

    summer camp upstate NY“I think there are a lot of hard working bands that have come out of upstate or the northeast that earn or have earned every fan or credit they get.  To see many of them on the same bill makes it feel like our area is indeed a productive one when it comes to live music and building a live music community.  Hopefully as more people from back home see their favorite hometown bands on bills like this they’ll feel more inspired to continue supporting the live music scene we have going.” –Evan Friedell, Guitar/Vocals, Jimkata

    Timbre Coup

    Progressive rock is alive and well thanks to larger acts like Umphrey’s McGee, and Timbre Coup from Albany have put their signature sound on prog-rock, standing out among their peers and producing excellent albums, most recently Knuckles and Valleys, a spectacular release in 2012 that covers all 12 months of the year in 12 tracks, highlighted by the interplay of the band as they seamlessly switch instruments for various songs and intertwine their sound while our ears scream in joy. Timbre Coup is a treat every time we see them, and you’ll thank us when you check them out Sunday from noon-1pm.

     “I feel like Upstate NY is a hotbed of creativity right now from the most progressive of music all the way to rustic and traditional sounds of blue grass and jam rock. Bands like Jimkata, Aqueous, Timbre Coup, Project Weather Machine and all the others that will be representing this region in the Midwest at Summer Camp show how eclectic the creativity is and how this scene really has something for everyone.” – Dan Gerken, Guitar/Vocals, Timbre Coup

    Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad

    Hailing from Buffalo, Giant Panda is one of two reggae-infused bands to come out of Upstate for Summer Camp. If you like your reggae diverse and beyond run of the mill, Giant Panda is perfect for you and makes a great mid-day aural snack on Saturday from 330-430pm.

    summer camp upstate NY“It is some of the more honest, foot stomping fun that you will see this summer. We’re all funked up from the cold and the Kodak chemie sunsets. Oh and the fracked water…” James Searl, Bass/Vocals, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad

    Floodwood

    Two parts moe. and three parts Zachary, Jason and Nick equals one helluva pickin’ party with string band Floodwood. Playing bluegrass standards, David Grisman tunes and a variety of foot-stompers, Floodwood has been a huge hit out east and the Midwest is lucky to have them playing five sets throughout the weekend. There’s lots of bluegrass and jamgrass at Summer Camp, so get your dose of Floodwood, as they’re only playing three festivals the rest of the summer – Fiddler’s Picnic June 14-16 in Lyons, NY, Clearwater Music Festival on June 15-16 in Croton-on-Hudson, NY and moe.down 14, August 9-11 in Turin, NY.

    summer camp upstate NY“With moe. and getting to the west coast, there’s something about being from Upstate New York and the Northeast – you have this different outlook and certain kind of humor, an appreciation for sarcasm. The interesting thing I love about Upstate New York is that everyone is down to earth and it goes a long way and really stands out when you are out of your element” – Al Schnier, Guitar/Mandolin/Vocals, moe. and Floodwood

    Project Weather Machine

    A band comprised of four individuals with eclectic backgrounds, Project Weather Machine hails from Syracuse and melds the genres of rock, dance, folk and blues, as well as jamming throughout each of these styles of music. Just over a year old, this group has caught the ears of a great deal throughout New York State and will playing from 130-230pm on Sunday afternoon.

    summer camp upstate NY“I feel that the Upstate bands in the Summer Camp lineup stand out mostly in the fact that it is so diverse. There are six markets across Upstate New York that are being represented and each one has it’s own individual sound: Indie, electro, rock, jam, progressive, folk and dub/reggae are all being represented. It really shows what a wonderful cross section of music we have here in Upstate New York.” Daniel Wafer, Bass/Vocals, Project Weather Machine

    Aqueous

    A true jamband with progressive routes and a wide-range of influences, Aqueous is full of deep improvisation, songwriting that is years beyond bands of similar caliber and a live performance that is a hallmark of Upstate New York. They kick off the music on Sunday from 11am-12pm, so start the day off right with an early dose of true improv.

    “The bands selected to represent the Northeast at this year’s Summer Camp Music Festival are among the finest Upstate New York has to offer and we’re excited and grateful to bring our sound to the incredible mix of bands on the lineup!” – Mike Gantzer, Guitar, Aqueous

    John Brown’s Body

    Playing from 5-6pm early Sunday evening, John Brown’s Body has the recent distinction of having the #1 album on Billboard’s Reggae Chart. Hailing from Boston via Ithaca, this ensemble of musicians uses reggae as the base for their sound, bringing in drums and bass, dub and electronica into the mix to bring their music to another level. Horns and a tight core develop immense rhythms. Don’t miss out on JBB.

    “I think it is the people themselves that our making music from the Upstate NY region unique and interesting. There is wisdom and inspiration that has been passed on from older generations of musicians from the area and from our peers who lead their own groups. We are originally from Ithaca NY, so for JBB, it is individuals like Kevin Kinsella and our own Elliot Martin, and bands like Giant Panda and Thunder Body from Rochester that represent a sound and approach unique to this place.” -Drew Sayers , Saxaphone, John Brown’s Body

    See you at Summer Camp!

  • Family-friendly DelFest is Full of Tradition

    With the official start to summer vacation only a month away, DelFest veterans and newcomers alike are eagerly awaiting the Memorial Day Weekend and the 6th Annual DelFest in Cumberland, MD taking place May 23-26 2013. This festival has rightfully been tagged the family-friendly festival of the season by those who have attended in previous years because, DelFest doesn’t just offer family camping areas, they offer a complete family vacation experience where children are encouraged to join their music lovin parents for a weekend of arts & crafts, jambands and bluegrass.

    delfestFrom its inception DelFest has set out to be a festival of traditions, music tradition gathered with family traditions of camping and sing-alongs around the campfire, with Bluegrass being the traditional music of America, a festival that offers both is a magical wonderland in my book. Del McCoury has been an American bluegrass legend since his days with Bill Monroe but, he has also been embraced by the jamband scene, where he has shared the stage with Phish, Keller Williams, Yonder Mountain String Band and many more staples in the jam music scene. Bringing the two music scenes together at one festival has promised to produce one of the most popular festivals of the Summer of 2013.

    delfest familyBefore the music even starts at DelFest, festival goers who are also musicians are encouraged to attend the DelFest Music Academy, where the teachers are The Travelin’ McCourys and The Rambling Rooks. It takes place between May 20-23rd, the three days preceding the music festival. The cost of the academy includes a 4-day festival pass and camping. For more information on the DelFest Academy please visit www.delfest.com.

    delfest familyOnce it is time for the music to start no one there is gonna sit down till the car ride home on Monday and based on my past experience with the awesome humans who attend this festival, ain’t no one doin anything but dancin from dusk till dawn. This year’s lineup includes the festival’s namesake and headliner legendary Del McCoury, Trey Anastasio Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, Yonder Mountain String Band, Trampled By Turtles, Leftover Salmon, an All Star set dubbed the Masters of Bluegrass pairing Del with other luminaries Bobby Osborne, J.D. Crowe, Bobby Hicks, and Jerry McCoury. Also performing, The Travelin’ McCourys, Keller Williams with More Than A Little, Carolina Chocolate Drops Jerry Douglas Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass, Red Baraat, The Campbell Brothers, Sarah Jarosz Pikelny, Sutton, McCoury, Bulla & Bales, Davisson Brothers Band, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, Elephant Revival, Danny Barnes, Aoife O’Donovan, Missy Raines and The New Hip, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Rambling Rooks, Hackensaw Boys, Joe Craven, Mamajowali, Spirit Family Reunion and Blue Mafia. The daily schedule can be found on the festival website Here.

    delfest familyLate Nights at DelFest are also tradition in their own right. With an intimate indoor area at the DelFest Music Hall, these crazy nights are fueled by 2 bands whom also have main stage appearances during the weekend. Late Night performances begin after music has ended on the Grandstand Stage. Doors open at Midnight and specific set times are TBA.  Admission is $20/show. Get your tickets in advance here or at the Late Night Box Office which is located at the merchandise tent between 11a.m-10p.m Fri-Sun or at the DelFest Music Hall between 11:30p.m-2:00a.m Fri-Sun.

    2013 DelFest Late Night Schedule

    Friday – Leftover Salmon and The Travelin’ McCourys

    Saturday – The Infamous Stringdusters and the Hackensaw Boys

    Sunday – Greensky Bluegrass and Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band

    In addition to all this amazing music tradition, DelFest is family-friendly, other festivals include kids in some fashion these days and family camping sections have always been created but what DelFest does differently is they completely include children in every aspect of the festival. Yes there is a family camping section and it is actually quiet at night and brewing with energy in the early morning but that’s how us festie parents like it. Kids make-up a large portion of the students who attend the DelFest Music Academy, there are organized arts & crafts projects like tie-dying, an art bus from the local community is parked in the family camping area all weekend too!

    I attended the festival for my first time last year and there were kids and families everywhere enjoying a swim in the Potomac River to relaxing in hammocks side-by-side. Even the late night shows have taken into consideration that children are there and sleeping and because late nights are held inside the little ones can sleep while the party people are hootin’ and hollerin. It’s also common to see many campfire jams into the wee hours of the night which lends to the feeling of tradition and family that fills the air at DelFest.

    I’ve seen a lot of music and I’ve taken the kids and not taken the kids and this year I will be attending the festival with my 7 yr. old daughter with me because I missed her so much last year with all the other kids around. Well that and because she’s also a bluegrass and jamband fan like her Mama.

    DelFest is just a month away and already tickets for 4-day passes have sold out at every price, the RV and VIP passes have been sold out for some time now. If you still need you ticket you can purchase them online Here or at the venue if they last that long. will be there and we hope to see fellow Upstaters there too.

    Happy Festival Season!

    Follow DelFest on: Twitter | Instagram | FaceBook

    Thank You! to our contributing Freelance Photographers – Mark Loveless and Jeff Myers 

  • Preview: SHINEDOWN, BUSH and AIRBOURNE

    shinedown_bush_airborne

    Shinedown hits the stage at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA with Bush and Airbourne, May 1st. This will be the second time Shinedown is in the Massachusetts since their co-headline tour with Three Days Grace in February.  This will be the band’s first time touring with Bush and Airbourne.

    Shinedown:

    Originating from Jacksonville, Florida and Memphis, Tennessee, Shinedown has been through the beautiful and ugly things in life, always coming up with incredible songs, ones that will haunt their fans for a long time. This four-pieced band consists of Brent Smith (vocals), Zach Myers (guitar), Eric Bass (bass/piano), and Barry Kerch (drums). The band has released four albums in the last ten years, successfully selling 6 million of them worldwide with a total of 16 singles. Their latest record, Amaryllis, was released March 23rd with leading single “Bully.” Shinedown has managed to put on incredible shows in the past; no doubt they will do an amazing job with this upcoming event.

    Bush:

    Named after Shepherd’s Bush in London, England, where the band originated, Bush is considered one of the most successful rock bands of the 90s, selling over 10 million records globally. Band members consist of Gavin Rossdale (vocals/guitar), Chris Traynor (guitar), Corey Britz (bass) and Robin Goodridge (drums). Bush has released five records over the last 11 years, with a total of 17 singles. Their latest album, The Sea of Memories, was released September 13th, 2011, the leading single “The Afterlife.” With their performance, there is a strong feeling that Bush will bring back the 90s.

    Airbourne:

    Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Airbourne’s hard rock music has been commonly compared to classic rock band, AC/DC. Members are the O’Keeffe brothers, Joel (vocals) and Ryan (drums), David Roads (guitar), and Justin Street (bass). In the past ten years, two records have been announced with a new one in the works, pending to be released May 21st of this year, with a total of six singles. Be prepared to be blown away by the band that could be the next AC/DC.

    Overall, a night filled with excitement and a kick-ass line up of three powerful pipes is waiting May 1st. Be sure to catch the show! It will be an unforgettable night.

  • Cabinet Brings Bluegrass to Upstate NY April 19th & 20th

    There just isn’t enough Bluegrass music here in Upstate NY. We do get a semi-acceptable amount of amazing bluegrass bands and small festivals in this area but acceptable amount to me would be relative to living in Nashville, TN.

    Cabinet

    Nestled somewhere in between Bill Monroe and John Hartford you will find Cabinet. A simple little name for a six-piece string band with deep roots in the old timey bluegrass tradition of story telling from our ancestors of the Appalachian Mountains.

    Their lyrics tell stories of family, love, and life; but most of all Cabinet has that gift of putting last night’s shenanigans and the morning afters repercussions into a neat little four minute package of an old timey moral lesson.

    “When we get drunk on wine and shine, we talk about the past and better times, I got drunk on wine and moonshine … Saturday night brings Sunday morn.”

    Tonight all my boot stompin, skirt twirrlin, bluegrass needs will be met and most likely surpassed. Cabinet is playing at Sticky Lips Juke Joint in Rochester, NY. The opening band will be the Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers. Doors are at 9:30pm and show starts at 10:30pm. Tickets: $12 advance, $15 at the door. You can also show your love in advance and RSVP to the FaceBook Event Here.

    The band is also playing at St Lawrence University’s Springfest on the Java Stage in Canton, NY the following night. Cabinet goes on at 4:00 pm and then heads to the Waterhole in Saranac Lake, NY. Admission is $10, ages 21+. Doors are at 9:00pm with opening band The Blind Owl Band. The show starts at 10:00pm.

    With the release of their most recent album Leap, Cabinet has toured most of the United States this past year. Things certainly continue to grow for these hard working musicians, this year will also be their inaugural Old Farmers Ball music festival being held Saturday May 11th featuring, Cabinet, Yarn, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Miz,  And The Moneynotes, Pappy, Kyle Morgan and also the Coal Town Rounders. A limited amount of tickets are still available through Live Nation.

    Hope ya’all come out for this band this weekend, you will not be disappointed, in fact you will probably end sore the next day from all the dancing you will do at the show.

  • The Jam Journey Home: Aqueous and Turkuaz weekend in Vermont, March 30th and 31st

    Road trip. Two words that will instill excitement, desire, and even a wee bit of anxiety in any music lover. This particular trip would involve three people’s weekend journey into the beautiful mountains of Vermont, culminating in an excursion to see two of the Northeast’s finest bands, Buffalo’s Aqueous and NYC’s Turkuaz, playing together at the revered historical jewel of a venue: Nectar’s in Burlington.

    Our Friday stop was in the sleepy little town of Manchester, Vermont which is snuggled comfortably in the southeast corner of the state just across the New York border for a two set Aqueous show at The Perfect Wife Restaurant and Tavern.

    The Perfect Wife resides on a windy country road and had a packed dinner crowd up until show time, which made for some interesting logistics prepping sound and equipment around families enjoying their dinners. The venue was immaculately clean and featured a friendly accommodating staff, a diverse menu featuring many local products and an excellent selection of draft micro-brews.

    Aqueous took the stage a bit after 10pm to a decent crowd with a well executed, if somewhat standard version of “What’s the Connection”. This would be the last of the standard renditions for the night as the rest of this set was pure fire. Top notch versions of “Skyway” and “They’re Calling For Ya” came next, both featuring some especially adventurous improvisation between the composed parts and the start of a “Cissy Strut” tease that would permeate almost every song for the rest of the night. The highlight of the first set was an intense 17 minute version of “Complex” which, despite being a relatively new song, has joined the upper echelons of the band’s most jammed out tunes. The set closed out with a 23 minute combo of Hendrix’s “Bold As Love” into the original “All In”.

    The second set started off with an on-the-spot improv jam based on Chic’s “Good Times” which segued into the often paired original duo of “Eon Don” and “Timmy’s Blades”. Manchester got a special treat in this set as it marked the debut of a first time played original “The Village Dog and Pony Show”. The new song was an excellent example of Aqueous’s brilliance at genre-knitting sequences that seem to have no business being in the same song into one seamless composition. Imagine if Rush and Muse had a hot threesome with Umphrey’s McGee’s “Booth Love” and you’ll be somewhere in the ballpark of this songs sound. had a chance to talk with guitarist Mike Gantzer about the story behind this song, and while we can’t reveal the gritty details, the song is written about a person who was too consumed with his own self interests to be courteous to others. Other second set highlights included a very experimental version of the original “Origami” featuring a keys sit-in by Scott Hannay (Mister F, Capital Zen) who was also helping out with sound that night.

    The next morning, after a quick breakfast, it was time to head to Burlington. After a fun day enjoying the shops of Burlington  and a chili cook off at Nectar’s — with guest judge Jon Fishman of Phish — we were able to witness an absolutely breathtaking sunset as we arrived at the venue a few minutes before Aqueous’s opening set.

    Nectar’s is everything a jam fan might imagine: filled with artwork in line with the venue’s rich musical history, well kept and staffed, excellent sound and heady selection of brews with a large local focus.

    Like the night before, Aqueous wasted no time getting right into it and delivered another set filled with excellence for the Vermont denizens whom showed up early. Highlights included the opening original “Pictures”, a fun mash-up of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Aqueous original “Warren in the Window” and yet another monster “Complex”.

    Next up was the mighty Turkuaz, with the ten members lined up on the stage, which made even the ample sized Nectar’s stage look minimal. The entire band came decked out in one piece coveralls, maintaining their fashion statement from the Rochester show the previous night. Despite the ten people on stage, their sound is unbelievably tight and comes across as one unified funk force. Like Sly on steroids, the band flowed effortlessly from song to song with ample improvisation and a large portfolio of well chosen covers including top notch versions of Led Zeppelin’s “Trampled Under Foot” and The Band’s “The Shape I’m In”. Beyond the music, the bands three vocalists all have top quality pipes that add an extra layer of soul to the funk souffle. At this point the venue was packed to the gills. All eyes were on Turkuaz and all feet were moving in unison with the thundering waves of funk. They played late into the night and left the Nectar’s crowd fully satiated. Even if you are not a fan of this genre, Turkuaz is an absolute must see band.

    Aqueous setlist: 2013-03-29 Manchester VT

    Set 1 What’s the Connection, Skyway, They’re Calling For You[T1], Complex [T1], Triangle[T1], Axis>All In[T2]

    Set 2 Good Times Jam[Chic]->Eon Don->Timmy’s Blades->Warren[N1], The Village Dog and Pony Show [N2], Origami[N1,3][T3], Just[N4][T1]>Strange Times, Pictures

    Teases: 1 Cissy Strut 2. YYZ 3. Amber [311] multiple times
    Notes: 1. “North Face” lyrical modifications 2. Debut 3. With Scott Hannay [Capital Zen/Mister F] on keys 4. Radiohead cover

    Listen here.

    Aqueous setlist: 2013-03-30 Burlington VT

    Set 1: Pictures>All In[T1], Strange Times, They’re Calling For Ya[T2,3],The Village Dog and Pony Show, Skyway, Bohemian Rhapsody->Warren[T4]->Bohemian Rhapsody>Complex

    Teases.1. Pictures 2. Xxplosive [Dr Dre] 3. Next Episode [Dr Dre] 4.Closer to the heart [Rush]

    Listen here.

    Turkuaz setlist: 2013-03-30 Burlington VT

    Set 1: Physical Challenge, Future 86, Bubba Slide, Smarter Than the Speaker, Gremlins, Slippery People, Getting Closer, Trampled Under Foot, Snap Your Fingers, E.Y.E.>XYZ, Desert Island>Coast to Coast, The Shape I’m In, Pickin’ Up, Hold On I’m Comin’, Chatte Lunatique>Club Foot, Beast of Burden, The Harder They Come, Monkey Fingers

  • Interview: Blood of the Martyrs

    botmimagesBlood of the Martyrs is a ministry band hailing from Virginia that started back in 2007. They travel the states as a DIY band, getting up close and personal with their craft and with the fans, bridging out with anyone who comes to the shows. This is the second time they’ve been at The Dungeon bringing along the New Jersey-based band, Alive In The Dark, with them for a few stops and sharing the stage that night with locals such as Jonestown, This Above All and Collisions In Grey And Red. I’d like to thank Larry Moore of The Division Sequence/Wrapped In Noir/M.D.I.G (Mom Dad I’m Gaelic).  I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did and hit them up with likes and check out their music since they put a lot of effort into what they do and put on one hell of a show! Also hit up Larry for shows in your area and/or flyer work, the man has talent and does a lot in the scene.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35p0LZ0QPVc&w=560&h=315

    Here’s my first nation band interview with Blood of the Martyrs for 315 Street Team and Upstate Metal. Thanks To Larry Moore of the Division Sequence for setting this up.

    BOTM pages:
    http://www.facebook.com/Bloodofthemartyrs?fref=ts
    http://www.myspace.com/bloodofthemartyrs
    http://bloodofthemartyrs.bandcamp.com/al…
    http://www.youtube.com/user/BLOODOFTHEMA…
    http://twitter.com/BOTM_BAND

    315 Street Team:
    http://www.facebook.com/315StreetTeam?ref=ts&fref=ts

    http://www.youtube.com/user/rundownmaggot666

    The Division Sequence:
    http://www.facebook.com/TheDivisionSequence?ref=ts&fref=ts