NYS Music 20​13

Category: The Northeast

  • Good Music is Worth Gathering For – Gathering of the Vibes 2013, Thursday and Friday

    This is Part 1 of ‘s coverage of Gathering of the Vibes 2013. Check back tomorrow for a recap of Saturday and Sunday.

    Gathering of the Vibes celebrated its 18th year with its annual four day festival at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut filled with a variety of music, food and art on July 25th-28th. Acting as one of the biggest playgrounds in the country, Vibes offers something for people of all ages with family camping, the School of Rock Teen Scene, a colorful Ferris Wheel and of course, music from every era and genre. Seaside Park was the ideal setting for the festival with its 375 acre lush greenery and endless blue shores.

    Original Strangefolk
    Original Strangefolk

    With so much planning or lack thereof that goes into preparing for festivals, the music can almost get forgotten. There is so much to do before you can actually breathe, sit back and enjoy yourself that the music takes you by surprise. One moment you’re buying tickets, the next you’re packing up the car and then suddenly find yourself in front of the Main Stage, feeding off the crowd’s anticipation for the start of the show. The weekend began with the original lineup of Strangefolk, one of the first bands to play at the first GOTV’s in 1996, making this set not worth missing with Jon Trafton, Reid Genauer, Erik Glockler and Luke Smith. Their upbeat melodies built up a great hope and reassurance that this weekend was going to be amazing as the set contained gems like “Reuben’s Place” with “Helpless” (Neil Young) vocals and guitarist Jon Trafton teasing Phish’s “Bathtub Gin” during “Paperback Book.”  Strangefolk was then joined onstage by Grateful Dead Hour host David Gans for the ultimate DeadHead party starter, “Shakedown Street”.

    Dark Star Orchestra headlined the Main Stage with the Grateful Dead performance from Andover, Maryland in September 1976. The evening took off with a rockin’ “Bertha” opener, a solid “Let it Grow” and darling “Sugaree” for the first set and an intense closing sequence of  “Scarlet Begonias>St. Stephen>Not Fade Away>Drums>St. Stephen.” The show featured Jim Allard on bass and Jeff Mattson capturing Jerry Garcia flawlessly. With a light drizzle throughout the night, it wasn’t enough to damper the crowd’s positive spirits and added for an extra entertaining factor for the light show.

    Kung Fu
    Kung Fu

    Thursday night ended with Kung Fu and The Dojo Allstars lighting up the night on the Green Vibes Stage. The Connecticut based band of Tim Palmieri (guitar), Robert Somerville (tenor sax) and Todd Stoops, (keyboards) were joined by talented musicians Chris DeAngelis (bass guitar) and Adrian Tramontano (drums/percussion), Nigel Hall (vocals/keys), Nick Biello (sax), Rob Volo (trombone), Cy Madan (keys), Ryan Cavanaugh (Banjo) and 13-year-old prodigy Bobby Paltauf (guitar). Needless to say, it was a funk face-melting over load.

    Download these shows from Thursday via Etree and Archive.org:
    Consider the Source
    Strangefolk
    Dark Star Orchestra 
    Kung Fu and The Dojo Allstars

    Friday morning brought even more people to the festival grounds. The perfect wake- up call was hearing the electronic rock music from Upstate New York’s Jimkata echoing off the Green Vibes Stage. Their light-hearted synthesizers loops mixed with indie guitar strumming was more than enough to get the crowd moving and ready for the rest of the day. Assembly of Dust eased into the Friday afternoon with an early 70s rock combined with a mellow country sound. Jason Crosby on the keys, held his notes strong especially during “Telling Sue”. Singer-songwriter Reid Genauer sang out with a true Americana charm and was joined by his four-year son for “Second Song.”

    The Revivalists
    The Revivalists

    One of the best things about Vibes is being introduced to new musicians that you don’t hear on the radio yet still have an incredible stage presence. Hailing from New Orleans, The Revivalists nearly tore down the Green Vibes Stage with their intense sound and energy. The musicians were literally climbing all over the stage and each other, charging the audience with a heavy dose of rock and roll mixed with southern soul. Dave Shaw screamed the lyrics with raw attitude, only to have the crowd screaming right back. Ed Williams shreds the pedal steel guitar apart and comes close to pushing it over onto the front row fans a few times. The Revivalists have made stops at more festivals this year than any other band (per Relix Magazine‘s festival guide) but what sets Vibes apart from the rest for the boys is the smell of the salt water on stage and having the longest set of almost 2 hours.

    Wavy Gravy
    Wavy Gravy

    Blue skies and sunshine greeted festival goers as the day continued, making for a terrific view, especially from a top the Wheel of Lights Ferris Wheel. The top cart was the best place to take in not only the beautiful venue of Seaside Park but for the Railroad Earth set on the Main Stage. The bluegrass jam band from New Jersey filled the air with a laid back summer time vibe with their blissful strumming and continuous flow. The crowd clapped along with the Carey Harmon steady rhythms and danced all over the field from Tim Carbone’s fiddle playing.

    Tedeschi Trucks Band
    Tedeschi Trucks Band

    Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi returned to Vibes this year with their 11-piece blues rock group, Tedeschi Trucks Band. Featuring Kofi Burbridge (keys, flute), Eric Krasno (from Lettuce, on bass), Tyler Greenwell (drums), J.J. Johnson (drums), Mike Mattison (harmony vocals), Mark Rivers (harmony vocals), Maurice Brown (trumpet), Kebbi Williams (sax) and Saunders Sermons (trombone), all of these artists make up a musical force to be reckoned with. Tedeschi’s strong female vocals can be heard across the festival alongside with blaring guitar riffs from Trucks. The surprise of the first set came from Bill Evans joining TTB with his saxophone, jazzing up the funky blues song “Love is Something Else.” The set continued with a gentle “Angel from Montgomery” only to flow beautifully into a bluegrassy version of the Grateful Dead’s “Sugaree.” Trucks and Tedeschi have both made strides with their separate solo careers but when performing all together, their family creates nonstop harmonies that help us appreciate the musical bonds we share, especially at Gathering of the Vibes.

    Phil Lesh & Friends
    Phil Lesh & Friends

    To celebrate the 18th year of Gathering of the Vibes, Grateful Dead former bassist, Phil Lesh was booked for both Friday and Saturday night, joined this year with his Friends: guitarist John Scofield, keyboardist John Medeski, Joe Russo on drums and John Kadlecik on guitar/vocals. The evening got underway with a graceful and groovy “Scarlet Begonias” straight into a rockin’ “Just Like Tom Thumb Blues”.  The night was filled with spacey, chaotic improvisational jams that swirled through the evening air. Each musician had their own sound going, making it difficult to focus on any singular part of it. Fans were left in awe as most of the songs were well over 10 minutes, each receiving a well-deserved jam with seemingly directionless patterns. Phil took a few minutes to thank the fans and festival for continuing to keep the Grateful Dead spirit alive and with tears in his eyes, he said, “It’s like coming home.” The highlight of the evening was pretty much the entire second set with “The Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion” opener into an almost 20-minute “Viola Lee Blues” and “Unbroken Chain.” The moon rose over the tie-dye covered field, which seemed to glow brighter when the band went into “Standing on the Moon” sending chills down my spine from the saltwater breeze and Medeski’s righteous lingering chords.  The set ended with the gentle lullaby of “Ripple” causing the audience to sing and sway off into the night.

    The late night party got started with Connecticut‘s own Deep Banana Blackout on the Green Vibes stage, delivering hot New Orleans inspired funk. DBB is no stranger to GOTVs as they have been invited back for the past few years now, serving up soulful contagious dance music complete with a full horn section. DBB shocked listeners, particularly Phish Phans, as they teased Phish’s “Wilson” chant, which was played that same night by Phish at The Gorge in WA, proving that good news and music travel fast.

    Silent Disco
    Silent Disco

    The Silent Disco was on the complete opposite side of the festival from the Main and Green Stage. It’s a long walk but definitely worth the trip. You walk up to the tent, where you are given a huge pair of headphones and given simple instructions for proper usage. As you look around, there are a few hundred people on the beach, all wearing the headphones, dancing their asses off and being surprisingly very quiet. There are two DJs that have two completely different sounds going that fans can choose to tune into. Friday night featured Conneticon and Sloedwn from 1am to 4:30am as well as Matt Haze, who sampled various European genres and beats while Saturday played host to Suspence and Cosmal. The clear crowd-pleaser was the artist MoPo, short for Motion Potion, also known as Robbie Kowal from California. He mixed 90’s jock jam with Phish with Talking Heads with Jay Z plus so much more. As the sun began to rise, creating dream like colors across the sky, MoPo remixed various Beatles covers such as, “Here Comes The Sun” and “Dear Prudence.” Silent Disco fans know how to party and with music from MoPo, it was easy to dance until dawn.

    Download these shows from Friday via Etree:
    Assembly of Dust 
    The Revivalists  
    Railroad Earth
    John Scofield Uberjam
    Tedeschi Trucks Band 
    Phil Lesh and Friends 

  • 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.

  • Good Fortune From Phish with Ventura Box Set

    The late 90s were Phish’s greatest years, and fittingly, yet another Live Phish release from the era has been released. Ventura, a six-disk set covering the July 30th 1997 and July 20th 1998 shows at Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, California, captures the sound of the era – the cowfunk of the 1997 and 1998 tours. With two prime shows chosen, the Ventura release is one of the best from Phish, on par with Phish at the Roxy and Colorado ’88.

    Before getting to the music, it is worth noting that the packaging and art, designed by LandLand, represents vivid beach scenes on the box cover and unique designs on each of the six disks. LandLand goes for a relaxed, inviting scene on each, comparable to their equally impressive Alpine Valley and Commerce City prints in 2012, making for a great official design to the set.

    Both shows are remastered by Fred Kevorkian, the guru who has brought new sounds to multiple releases recently, and begins with the 1997 installment where “NICU” wakes the crowd before a wonderful “Wolfman’s Brother” takes charge before segueing into a “Chalkdust Torture” that is given nearly as much space to breathe into its jam. “Stash”, like so many other shows before, is a mid-set highlight which clocks in at over 15 minutes. With so much excellence in the first half of the set, the rest of the set winds down with “Weigh” > an elusive five minute “Piper” then “Cars Trucks Buses” before “Character Zero” is found in its natural place to close the set.

    Set two dips in with “Punch You in the Eye”, always a nod to a heater of a set on the horizon. While “Free” is 11 minutes long, this version gives off a ‘less is more’ vibe, but still rolls the set along. Then, we are treated to one of the true highlights of Phish in their early prime, a tasty jam sandwich of “David Bowie” > “Cities” > “David Bowie”. This is the thing Phish dreams are made of: 21 minutes of “Bowie”, a perfect and smooth segue into “Cities” then a re-entry into “Bowie”, creating one of the many highlights of the summer, and an intriguing listen at that. With much of the heat of the set contained on Disk Two, a cover sandwich later in the set includes Bill Monroe’s “Uncle Pen” and “Prince Caspian” > Hendrix’s “Fire”, rounding out a tremendous set, capped off by an encore of Clifton Chenier’s “My Soul.” The bonus – a “Makisupa Policeman”-ish soundcheck jam is the final track, giving a taste of the warm ups from the period that propelled these jams to light.

    The 1998 show opens with an adventurous “Bathtub Gin” that clocks in at over 20 minutes, a rare start to a show these days, but from the late 90s, anything like this was possible. Much of the rest of the first set: “Dirt”, “My Sweet One”, “Water in the Sky” and others are standard versions, serving as a balance to “Gin.” The set enders, an early and proper “The Moma Dance” and a rockin’ “Split Open and Melt”, are a one-two punch, ending a set that is meaty on both ends.

    Set two features two Phish songs in between two songs from The Who’s Quadrophenia, with “Drowned” > “Makisupa Policeman” > “Maze”,  a delightful journey through varying improvisations, ending with the soft piano solo of Page McConnell on “Sea and Sand.” “Prince Caspian” > “Harry Hood” is yet another fine example of the extensive exploration that the band undertook on the stage, taking risks and developing jams organically into things of beauty. Just six songs in this set shows how improvisation of the era could translate into an incredible musical experience. The encore of Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” was part of a summer of unique covers at each show, then a “Halley’s Comet” with a little extra mustard from the good ol’ days of Phish. Once again, a snippet of the soundcheck jam from the show was again “Makisupa”/reggae-ish, with Shocking Blue’s “Venus” serving as hilarious banter amid the jam.

    Ventura is available now for purchase at Phish Dry Goods. Pick it up and enjoy some of the best of the late 90’s while you rock out on tour this summer.

  • Gather Yourself and Feel the Vibes: Gathering of the Vibes Festival is Coming!

    In less than 50 days, Bridgeport, Connecticut will host one of the biggest parties on the east coast, best known as Gathering of the Vibes four day festival, once again taking place at Seaside Park on July 25th-28th, for its 18th year of music, arts and camping. Vibes has already announced the first batch of headliners to include Phil Lesh and Friends featuring Jon Scofield, John Medeski, Joe Russo and John Kadlecik, Gov’t Mule, The Black Crowes, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Roots, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Dark Star Orchestra, John Butler Trio, the funky METERS, Railroad Earth, John Scofield, Fishbone, Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real, Ryan Montbleau Band, Deep Banana Blackout, plus many more talented musicians and more artist announcements to be released in just a few short days on June 10th.

    Gathering of the Vibes started with Ken Hays, a Grateful Deadhead and business man, who got a few friends together in 1996 on the SUNY Purchase campus to share in the memory of Jerry Garcia by hosting a small music filled weekend.  Each year since, the festival has continued to grow with gifted musicians and artists, with attendees coming from all over to share in the fun times and heady vibes. Past headliners have included moe., The Allman Brothers, James Brown, Primus, Les Claypool and all founding members of the Grateful Dead.

    Gathering of the Vibes offers single day tickets, VIP single day tickets, full Weekend Camping passes, VIP tickets, RV passes and Kids tickets, but children under 12 years old get in for free.  The single day tickets do not give include access to the campgrounds or the late night sets, so if you don’t want to miss DJ sets from James Murphy, Kung Fu and Thievery Corporation’s Rob Garza, as well as Silent Disco, you should consider just buying the Weekend Camping pass.  The gates open on Thursday, July 25th at 8am and the party is over once the last band performs on Sunday after 8pm. For those looking to get an early start, there is a $20 Early-Entry Parking Fee on Thursday anytime before midnight.

    Gathering of the Vibes has also launched a “Road to the Vibes” contest which gives fans the chance to vote for who they’d like to see play at the festival this year. Fans can vote once a day until June 14th to get their favorite band on the last remaining spot on the Green Vibes Stage. Upstate NY bands Positive Mental Trip, Blind Owl Band, Funktional Flow, Formula 5, Project Weather Machine, Sassafras Jenkins, Cosmic Dust Bunnies, The Assortment of Crayons, Aqueous, The Chronicles, Haewa and Digital Dharma are ALL in the running for this last spot, so show some love to your favorite Upstate band!

  • Album Review: ‘Bound for Abiquiu’ from Dan Johnson and the Expert Sidemen

    Albany native and Vermont resident Dan Johnson, along with his Expert Sidemen, has released his second album, Bound for Abiquiu, on the heels of a successful Kickstarter campaign. With the album release party occurring this Thursday at Valentine’s, along with Driftwood and The Grassroots Rebels, featuring members of Jerkwater Ruckus, Albany is in for a treat, as Dan showcases a classic country/bluegrass sound through superb songwriting and catchy melodies throughout Bound for Abiquiu.

    bound for abiquiu

    Opening with “Adam and the Snake Oil Salesman”, Dan’s country-twinged voice showcases his story telling skills while being complemented nicely by the Sidemen, adding in guitar, banjo and steel pedal guitars. Words of wisdom pour from the chorus, “There’s a road that has no beginning, there’s a great big old place in the sky, there’s an up, there’ a down, there’s a middle ground and you don’t ever have to die.”

    Named for a song and album of the same name by Albany band Knotworking, “The Garden Below” asks questions that lead to a confession, foreshadowing “Utica Blues” later in the album. “My Three Friends” is a truly traditional country tune, in the vein of Johnny Cash and Steve Earle, the way country music should sound, with lyrics on life’s laments and struggles, the sadness of these followed by the hope for better things around the corner. “Come on in my Kitchen” is not the classic blues number of the same name, but instead a pedal-steel accented plea to a lady to come over for dinner; a short, make you smile tune.

    “Another Good Thing is Come and Gone” is a highlight of the album, played and sung in the Del McCoury-style, making it a most traditional bluegrass track. “Dancing Fool”, while not the Frank Zappa song (although Dan’s take on that would be great to hear) is a mellow tune painting a picture of a nervous guy working up the courage to ask a lady to dance, lacking confidence, even calling himself a dancing fool, yet still wanting a dance nonetheless. With a little klesmer intro and accordion adding a nice touch, “Off on the Tide” tells the story of a sailor heading out to sea, sick of the town he’s been at for a spell.

    With a nod to Upstate NY, “Utica Blues” is a gambling song set in Utica, singing the blues about the life of a gambler who comes and goes as he wins and loses.  “Riding into Utica on a dirty old train, when I leave Utica I’ll be riding high again.” For what it’s worth, Utica is the perfect location for this story. Finally, the title track “Bound for Abiquiu” brings a high note to the end of the album, telling the tale of a journey about to be embarked upon. The destination of Abiquiu is a mystery, left to the listener to draw their own conclusion.” Bound for Abiquiu is a perfect album for a sunny summer day or a drive to the Adirondacks or Southern Tier, while picking in the campgrounds at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival or casual listening to a classic country sound.

    Key Tracks: Another Good Thing is Come and Gone, Come on in my Kitchen, Dancing Fool, Utica Blues

  • Dan Johnson and The Expert Sidemen Announce Kickstarter for Second Album, ‘Bound for Abiquiu’

    Dan Johnson, an Albany native now living in Vermont, has launched a Kickstarter for his second album, Bound for Abiquiu, alongside his Expert Sidemen.

    dan johnson expert sidemenAlready halfway to the their $1000 goal, the album refers to a location in Northern New Mexico, where Dan has “Spent quite a bit of time up that way, and it’s a special and a spiritual place. The title song is about kind of laying down an old life and settling down, going within, returning, letting go, moving past and the process of transformation and how great forces kind of help us with our changes”

    Support Dan’s Kickstarter and see him at the album release party on May 23rd at Valentine’s, with Driftwood and The Grassroots Rebels, feat. members of Jerkwater Ruckus.

  • 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

  • NYS Music’s 4/20 Show Roundup

    April 20th has evolved into a counterculture holiday, with ties to Deadheads and hippies and just about every person you probably know or will know. Music venues all over Upstate New York are using this as another reason to see live music! Here is our compiled list of 4/20 shows around the state.

    Lower Hudson

    Bethel Woods -Felice Brothers with Driftwood

    4/20 showsBinghamton

    Fitzie’s – Mantraverse, Inner Mission, The Benjamin Raubinsons, Hung Like Horses, The Quantum, Amber Martin

    Buffalo

    Nietzsche’s – Family FUNKtion and the Sitar Jams, The Heavy Pets

    Town Ballroom– Hellzapoppin

    The Tralf – The Maniacs

    U of B – Aqueous, Haewa, The Assortment of Crayons

    Canandaigua

    V Pub – 34 Feet Deep, In The Box, Fire Wheel

    Oneida

    The Madison House – Project Weather Machine

    Rochester

    Water Street Music Hall -The Manhattan Project

    Montage Music Hall – Groove Fest

    Lovin’Cup – 4/20 Bash

    Featuring: Hollands, Extended Family, The Filthy McNastys and The Buddhahood

    Syracuse

    Tipperary Square – Hot Day at the Zoo, Tim Herron Corp, and more

    Saranac Lake

    Waterhole – Cabinet w/ The Blind Owl Band

    Utica

    The Uptown Theatre– Childhoods’ End

    Downstate

    Port Chester – The Capitol Theatre– Furthur

    Burlington, VT

    Higher Ground Ballroom – Kung Fu, Twiddle

    Nectars – Touch Pants, Jon Fishman

  • The Heavy Pets’ Spring Tour Heads Through Upstate in mid-April

    The Heavy Pets have their sight’s set on the North East in April, giving fans not one but five funky opportunities to boogie deep into the night whilst taking in the sounds of their unique blend of jazz-funk and rock-and-roll deliciousness.

    In an interview by NYS Music’s Johnny Goff, with guitarist Jeff Lloyd and Syracuse University grad, Jeff explained why the Heavy Pets enjoy touring through the Upstate area while on tour,

    “NY has always been our home and our home away from home at the same time. When we are here, we get to see our families and when we are on the road, it’s always nice to be able to look forward to our east coast swings where we know we’ll be able to see our families and friends.”

    Check out the entire interview here

    heavypetsThe band will first hit the famous Nectar’s in Burlington, VT on April 17th.  Jamie Kent and the Options are the opening band that night. Admission is $7/$10 Ages:18+. The show starts at 9:00pm and tickets are available by visiting Nectar’s website here or calling 802-658-4771.

    Next up is The Java Barn in Canton, N.Y. Show starts at 9:00pm, Admission is FREE and all ages are welcome. Check out their FaceBook page for more info and upcoming events.

    The band is extra excited to be joining Conspirator & Break Science in taking over one of their favorite venues, The Westcott in Syracuse, NY April 19th! Doors open at 7:00pm and the show starts at 8:00pm. Admission is $20, all ages are welcome at this show too. Pick up your tickets online here.

    An appearance at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo, NY will continue their journey through New York on April 20th. Special guests will be the Family Funktion and The Sitar Jams. Doors open at 8:00pm show starts at 9:00pm. Admission is $10/$12 ages 21+. You can get your tickets at the venue box office. View Nietzsche’s website for all their live music listings here.

    The Pet’s will wrap up their travels through Upstate at the Bayou Cafe in Albany, N.Y. on April 23rd. Opening up for the night is the Kollectiv. Show starts at 9:00pm and admission is $10 ages 21+. Tickets can be purchased via the Bayou website here.

    With so many opportunities to see this band you really have no excuses not to get out there and support live music!

    Links: www.TheHeavyPets.com | www.facebook.com/TheHeavyPets | Twitter: @TheHeavyPets

  • Another Fantastic snoe.down with moe., Strangefolk, Eastbound Jesus, Tauk and more, March 21st-24th, Rutland, VT

    Upstate New York favorite ‘local’ band, moe., hosted their 5th annual snoe.down Music Festival over March 21st-24th in Rutland, Vermont at both Killington Resort and Spartan Arena. The weekend was full of moe., who gave an outdoor performance at Bear Mountain on Saturday to fans and winter sports enthusiasts, while performing Friday and Saturday evening in Rutland, as well as a special acoustic Sunday show for the VIP crowd at the Wobbly Barn at Killington. Throughout the weekend, guests had a wide array of musical acts to enjoy such as Marco Benevento, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk and Strangefolk.

    DSC_7932

    There was no better way to kick off the first weekend of Spring and the start of festival season than with a weekend dedicated to winter sports and talented musicians. The weekend started for me on Friday at the K1 lodge at Killington. The lodge was packed with tons of skiers and boarders, loading up on food and checking out the first act of the day, Tauk. The electronic rockin’ sound soon filled up the room and brought in plenty of people off the slopes. Matt Jalbert was on fire with funky guitar riffs and Charlie Dolan was unstoppable providing steady, groovy bass lines. Alric “A.C.” Carter went wild on his keys during “I Want You (She’s so Heavy)”, causing the audience to cheer while Isaac Teel kept the pop and jazzy rhythm going strong on drums. Throughout the entire set, the four-piece band was smiling and grooving just as much as the crowd was. My favorite part was how each song escalated into the next song, with great transitions. When asked about the show and weekend, Charlie Dolan reported, “We thought the set went very well! It was our first time playing a show since we finished up our CD, always refreshing to play in front of a good crowd. It was definitely our first time playing in a ski lodge, hopefully not the last. The rest of the weekend was great! Obviously, since we got to see moe. play.”

    Before their music even started, I was excited to see what would come out of The Primate Fiasco, just from the array of instruments they had. The band took the stage with a banjo, clarinet, sousaphone, saxophone and the classic drum set, all of which I have never seen together at one time on one stage. Best described as a psychedelic Dixieland jam band, The Primate Fiasco quickly drew a dance crowd just with their soundcheck alone. Their vast musical arrangements flowed from original works to covers such as Ween’s “Roses are Free”, John Williams’ great score from Star Wars and various genres of tunes that anyone can enjoy dancing to. The energy was at a constant high with each band member being a driving force of talent and sound. The lodge was turned into a Mardi Gras party from the bellowing of the brass section, the fast finger pickings of the banjo and jazzy beats. It was my favorite act of the entire snoe.down weekend.

    The scenic drive from Killington to Rutland wove around the mountain side and river’s edge, leading to the main drag in Rutland where there was plenty of food options as well as hotels, all a quick walk to the Spartan Arena. Inside the venue were multiple stands set up that you could find at any parking lot scene, offering shirts, stickers and various other merchandise. The ice-hockey-rink-turned-concert-hall provided great sound throughout the venue. Dumpstaphunk hit the stage and unleashed the groove as everybody started to get down. The New Orleans band plays with the great soul of classic funk and mixes it with modern twist. Ivan Neville, the master of the keys, wears a permanent smile while he pours his heart all over the organ. The wide range of vocals that the musicians sing propelled all to shout out in unison. The newest member of Dumpstaphunk, Nikki Glaspie, is a no joke and a true female drumming machine. I couldn’t get enough of the bass bombs being dropped by Nick Daniels and Tony Hall and the intense guitar jamming from Ian Neville

    Following the funk filled set, moe. started their set with “Captain America” creating an explosive response from the fans. The Upstate New York band eased into a flawless “Recreational Chemistry” and shared the stage with Ivan Neville for “Happy Hour Hero” and a cover of The Meters’ “Cissy Strut”. Said Al, “I can’t stop smiling. It’s fantastic” sharing his feelings during Al.nouncements at the conclusion of the set. The night ended with “St. Augustine”, a groovy, light-hearted song that left the crowd in anticipation for the rest of the weekend.

    moe. setlist:

    Set 1: Captain America > Recreational Chemistry, Bring It Back Home, Happy Hour Hero*, Cissy Strut*, Bullet >Kyle’s Song  (* w/ Ivan Neville on keys)

    Set 2: Billy Goat > Tailspin, Opium, Faker > Tubing The River Styx > The Pit > Wind It Up

    Encore: Augustine

    Saturday’s festival goers were greeted with sunshine and snow showers as they geared up for the outdoor shows at Bear Mountain in Killington. The stage was set up at the bottom of the slopes and right next to the lodge, whose massive outdoor deck was full of people lined up to watch the show.  The wooden deck was surrounded by snowboards and skis of all sizes and colors. Fans also had the option of standing in the beer tent area, located closer to the right of the stage. Bear Mountain was ablaze with all the brightly colored jackets, not to mention all the hats, scarfs, helmets and sunglasses. It was true sensory overload at its best.

    I was most excited to see Eastbound Jesus, one of my favorite local bands from Albany. Despite the chill in the air, EBJ easily heated up the crowd with their high energy, bluegrass rock songs that echoed off the ski slopes. Loaded with steady drum beats and fast guitar, as well as banjo strumming all fed the foot stomping fans, which made the entire mountain shake. It was so much fun to dance in the snow and sing along with everyone to “Here’s to You” and “Holy Smokes.” Eastbound Jesus was happy to play requests from the audience, who couldn’t get enough of the fast buildups that erupted into a pure hillbilly bash. Carl Anderson the drummer had this to say, “It was cool to play outside, especially with the snow coming down. The heaters worked well on the stage though and we’re pretty used to playing while cold. It was cool to open for moe.; it was a fun weekend.”

    moe. took the stage and wasted no time getting the party going by starting with “Stranger Than Fiction” straight into “Spaz Medicine.” The snow started to fall, and when mixed with the music, it created a whirlwind of sound that got stuck on my coat and melted into my beer.  “Waiting For The Punchline” provided serious drum banging with relentless guitar riffs.  As the snow fell harder and harder, the band joked at how ironic it was to have indoor shows cancelled from weather like this, yet we are all outside having a good time.  They ended the set with one of my favorite moe. songs, “Spine Of A Dog” known for its absurd lyrics and light hearted jamming.

    Setlist: Stranger Than Fiction >Spaz Medicine, Blue Jeans Pizza > Waiting For The Punchline, Jazz Wank > Akimbo, Okayalright

    Encore: Spine Of A Dog

    After fans drove back from the mountain, got some rest and food in them, the music continued at Spartan Arena with Strangefolk, formed in Burlington in the early 1990s and reunited as their original lineup only last year. Having only played 10 shows since last March, the quartet sounded like they had never stopped performing, moving through a set of classic tunes and rarities. Opening with “Elixer”, off Weightless in Water, the vibe became one that swayed hips and moved lips as fans sang along to the catchy tune, a common occurrence when you listen to Strangefolk’s combination of dual guitars and well written lyrics. “Dance” started out quiet and subdued, but slowly built up into a frenzy, compelling the crowd with lyrics such as “When you’re dancin’, dancin’, move your feet and lose your mind”, to which the arena obliged. A heavier “Chasing Away” had an edge to it, plus sandwiched inside of the song the rare “Pooh Bear’s Mistress”. Crowd favorite “Reuben’s Place” was supposed to close the set, but a misreading of time led Reid to conclude there were 25, then 10, minutes left in their set, leading to an onstage encore of “Stout Hearted Man”. Once again, Strangefolk were given a rousing ovation by a Vermont crowd, something the quartet were quite familiar with throughout the 1990s.

    moe.s sets this evening led to a great deal of potential, because aside from the acoustic VIP set on Sunday, this was going to be the last set most would see until the band’s next shows in May. Opening with a scorching  “32 things”, Chuck shredde guitar sections with Al, who was sporting one of the finest beards in the state (there are a lot of beards in Vermont). “Haze”, a relatively new song for moe. was a huge highlight of the night, with Al and Rob giving intense emotion to the refrain “Hey, Let’s go. I don’t care as long as you are there; Hey, Let’s go, Doesn’t really matter when or where”. Jon Trafton and Reid Genauer from Strangefolk joined the band for two extensive versions of The Band’s “Up on Cripple Creek” and moe.’s “Mexico”; Jon stood near Chuck smiling ear to ear as they tore up the song while Reid stood centerstage, grinning and playing intensely on his acoustic. After the setbreak, moe. opeend with crowd favorite “Buster” and segued quickly into “Runaway Overlude”. After a 16 minute “Puebla”, the band moved into an extended sandwich: Brent Black > Mar-DeMa > Brent Black > Meat > Brent Black, an incredible combination of song after song that wrapped up more than the last 30 minutes of their set. “That Country Tune” and “Godzilla” wrapped up the encore and a huge Saturday of music.

    This weekend in Vermont with moe. and company was an incredible experience. Add in the skiing, beautiful scenery, late night revelry and sore muscles from dancing all weekend, and you know its the start of music festival season in the Northeast!

    moe. Setlist:

    Set 1: 32 Things, Shoot First, Haze, Y.O.Y., Up On Cripple Creek*^, Mexico* (* with Reid Genauer and Jon Trafton on guitar, ^Reid and Jon on vocals)

    Set 2: Buster > Runaway Overlude, Where Does The Time Go?, Puebla > Brent Black > Mar-DeMa > Brent Black > meat > Brent Black

    Encore: That Country Tune, Godzilla^ (^ Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin) teases)